General Chat

Vera, it is so much easier for the family and friend if a funeral goes ‘well’ isn’t it.
Oh dear do you live in a neighbourhood of older people or were the ladies who died all ill. I hope there won’t be any more for you.

Annx ‘billy no mates’ :-D :-D :-D love it.

I actually don’t mind being in all day sometimes, better that than going to work anyway.

Well I asked OH which steam mop we have and his reply was ‘it is not that good. When I pointed out that we bought this one as a replacement for the first one that was no good he said he would rather not discuss that. So I can’t recommend it.
I wonder if anyone has a steam mop that actually works well.

Oh yes, far better than going to work AnnG, I have to agree with you there! I like the occasional day at home as that can be quite peaceful and easy paced. I just get restless after a couple of days. There are three wives in our close that hardly ever seem to go out at all, despite having cars available to use. Some women won't go anywhere on their own though. Now I think go out while I can, before my body packs up and I can't any more! lol. :-)

Sounds like your OH isn't any more thrilled with your steam mop than I am mine! There is a motorised mop I read about a while ago, but I seem to remember people didn't find it reliable for long and maybe something about parts being hard to get? I'm not sure now, but it did put me off

Night, night now and I hope poor Frank has a better night's sleep.

Morning all

It's pouring with rain and has been for two days none stop. The garden loves it, but I've had enough now as the garden is becoming water logged. I think we're in for some more sun early next week.

Sandra's still enjoying her one light and once we've bought the right size cable and another two way connector we'll be able to put the second light in for her. At least the first light has had a testing against the wet weather so taping it up the way I did seems to have done the trick.

Thanks for letting us know about Anne Mel. I hope you are feeling better Anne and the meds are working. Nice to see Ruby is giving you some lovely cuddles.....bless her. <3

So you have some more new girls now Mel and eggs from the other new one. How are they all getting on together with the older girls?

Sorry to hear you're feeling low Jane. Not long now before you'll know what's going on and be able to have something done to help. Keep your chin up and don't worry if you don't feel like coming on here to chat, we all understand.
What a shame nothing was salvaged from the bungalow next door. I'd of thought the insurance would of paid for accommodation, I don't think I'd like to live in a camper van over winter. It sounds like it's going to take a very long time before they can move back in.

Thanks for all your concerns over how long it was with me not eating, but the hours I mentioned included two nights so it was only one day. It was so late finishing Sandra's first light I was really tired and soaking wet from the rain, so I just had a bath and went straight to bed. I was going to have some toast but my throat was so sore from being around the plant I was having problems swallowing even a cup of tea and I was to shattered to start cooking that late at night. I did make up for it yesterday though and had two big meals throughout the day.

Sorry I didn't come back on here yesterday, all three of us fell asleep in the afternoon. I guess Sandra stayed up late looking at her new light. Mum called around yesterday morning quite early, so we never had much sleep in between sorting out Sandra's garden and mum's visit.

My sore throat has gone now and OH's is almost gone to, so it must of been the toxic plant that caused it. We're both still a bit achy though so are going to relax today. OH is hoping to buy the bits we need to connect the second light for Sandra next week, as it's forecast some sunshine, so that job will be finished for her then.

Going to get a cuppa now and watch some programmes off the planner, we didn't quite watch them all yesterday with falling asleep.

Morning all,

Same as yesterday here this morning,dull, miserable, wet and windy. Typical as I need to go up the shop for the paper and I may even go to Em's with some eggs. I just have to make sure I have enough for our big breakfast tomorrow.

Talking of steam mops has'nt Mandy just had a new one?? I don't have one as the only floor in here that needs mopping is the bathroom and its not worth it for one smallish room so it hands and knees for me but it dos'nt take long.

Vera sorry to hear you have lost three ladies around your area now but they say things come in threes so I expect your quite safe now. Its a nuisance about the lights coming on with the wind blowing. I like it really dark when I go to bed but we do have a solar light in the hall and the bathroom as living out in the middle of knowhere its pitch black most nights if you get up for the loo.

Wonder if Mandy found something to make with the grandaughter staying?

No sight of any chickens out this morning as they hate high winds and rain.

It's me at last. Good morning all,

Like Jane, I have been down in the dumbs, NO GET UP AND GO. IT'S GOT UP AND GONE. !!!!

This morning I woke up and my left eye has filmed over, I can't focus on anything, and everywhere is blurred. In fact if I close my right eye, I CAN'T SEE ANYTHING OUT OF MY LEFT EYE. I have washed it out with no effect, so will get my eye patch out and wear that to take any strain off they.

Dark and rainy here, nothing to look forward too with the clocks going back tonight, only for it to get darker earlier. lol

We have Pams dog tomorrow. They are going to somewhere where that don't have dogs in their house. She will bring her round about 10.00 am. No idea when she will pick her up, but it won't matter, as we aren't going anywhere.

The builder chap bought round FOUR BIG ROLLS of Turf yesterday morning, it now sits down the drive, against the bungalow wall. When it will get laid I don't know. This weather isn't going to help, as everywhere is sodden.

I hope you are all well, and I will try to keep in touch. xxxx

Good afternoon all. although not a lot of good about it, torrential rain all morning so far so OH watched a bit of the rugby, after we were late up and while we had breakfast, we then made a quick trip to Tesco for the paper, he stayed in the car while I went in quickly, then round to post a letter, Letter boxes are few and far between here and most have a last post before 9am so we needed to go to the one by the post office where the last Saturday post is about 12. We then drove down a very wet muddy (roadworks) road to the community centre for coffee and a shared pasty (naughty). The rugby had just finished so OH was able to find out the result. The rugby watchers all left and the rest of us managed to sort out tables and chairs from where they had been moved. By 11am though the next 'shift' was in, mums and their noisy children, next tables to us 3 Mums and 7 children between them, they were not naughty or unpleasant just very very noisy as, like children they shouted over each other to be heard. So time we came home. Back out into the absolutely pouring rain, It is not a very good car park, plenty of spaces but all very narrow. We were in my car which is not that big but had two large cars parked next to us both of which had their wheels turned in such a way it left very little space for OH to manoeuvre. And behind us was another large car slightly sticking out of its space. so I had to stand out in the torrential rain to guide him out and it took a lot of toing and froing before he could turn properly. Guess who was thoroughly soaked. He is a very good driver but he was starting to lose his patience, I thought he was going to bounce it off the car behind. But he didn't. I had to change my jeans when we got home, they were soaked. so we are home for the rest of the day now.

Annx I do go out on my own sometimes when OH is at golf but as we go out a lot when he is not I don't mind a day indoors. I hate driving so, although I could, I rarely go out in the car preferring to get the bus.

Gill, what is the toxic plant that causes you both to have sore throats? Do you think you should have it there at all if it is that bad?

AnnG thats just what I was thinking about the toxic plant.

All the rivers are out around here and the dip down the road to the big house. Dipper is on facebook as when I went to Em's she showed me on her phone. There was a big black van parked across the village hall carpark right in the middle by the road. Wehn I got to Em's Ed told me that had been towed out of the dip earlier and as I turned left to go to Em's a pickup lorry came past with a white car on it so that must have been stuck somewhere too.

Nice to see you posting Frank and I hope the eye clears soon. Did you have a good nights sleep last night?

The boys are going to a halloween party tonight in shebbear village hall and its organised by the school. Keeps them off the streets anyway.

Its just about stopped raining here and there a tiny bit of blue sky out the front but not really enough to make a sailor a pair of trousers, as my grandad would say.

Frank I missed you there. Keep a watch on that eye (that sounds strange). It is good to rest it but a trip to the surgery or optician might be required if it is no better tomorrow. We can't afford to ignore our eyesight.

The turf will not hurt until drier weather, I doubt if the existing grass could be lifted in this awful weather. The rain is supposed to die out next wee and we should get frosts instead!! I am not sure if that is good or not. At least you will have company with the dog staying for the day.

Mel, sounds as though you have had as much rain as we have. still raining here. A field down the road where they are to build part of a huge estate is flooded as a brook has burst its banks. Think the houses should be built on stilts! We certaianly wouldn't buy one there.

Its stopped raining here and we had a bit of clearer sky for about 10 minuets but it has clouded over again now and its cold out there. Just fed the chickens and the two new ones still won't come out so I have taken the water out of the house as they knocked it over. Left some food in there but they will have to come out for a drink tomorrow.

Still got a lake by the chicken run and in the corner of the orchard.

Good evening everyone
How much more rain can there be up there? It was dryish first thing but has been bucketing down since late morning. Of course I was free this afternoon to do some gardening. Some hopes!

Gill, I was also wondering what plant you had that was so toxic it was giving you sore throats. Would it be better to replace it with something else? I am very wary about toxic plants since OH got Euphorbia sap in his eye.

Your OH is very quick-witted Ann. I had a giggle at Bully-no-mates. Like the other Ann, my OH and I go out a lot but we are usually together and sometimes I would love to take myself off somewhere without him. Even if I say I’m going to the supermarket he’ll say “I’ll come with you”. You asked about the steam cleaner. I wouldn’t like to recommend one particularly. I had a Vax which was OK because it had detergent to use with it but it gave up working properly after a few months. For the last couple of years I’ve had a Morphy Richards which is OK but I wouldn’t put it higher than that. Every so often I use a bucket of Flash and a squeegee mop. OH used to occasionally get on his hands and knees and give it a good scrub but it is such a big area it took forever to do and I won’t let him do it now as he would probably damage his back or leg again.

AnninG, we live in a fairly mixed area, though everyone in our little Close is retired but, of course, the people we know best are in our age group and we know them through clubs that we all joined 30 odd years ago. The three ladies who died were all in their 80s and had all been ill. We could do with some younger members in the various clubs but people don’t want to seem to join in anything these days. We have one lovely Rumanian girl of about 40 who has joined a few things but she says the other young mothers just don’t want to go out in the evenings so she hasn’t been able to get any of her friends to come with her.

You had a bit of a game with the parking today. I never have to stand in the rain guiding OH as he ignores anyone who tries to see him out of a spot, preferring to rely on his mirrors and his own abilities. I hate it if anyone is parked too close to me as our car is quite long and needs a bit of space to turn. I am always terrified I am going to give another car a bash.

I hope you are feeling better today Jane. I expect the waiting is getting you down a bit but not too long now. How is the hip doing now?

That must have been a bit scary when you found your eye clouded over Frank. Is it any better yet? If it isn’t much improved you must see a doctor. I know tomorrow is a Sunday but you ought to be able to see an out-of-hours doctor. We have found ringing 111 very helpful. We have had to use the service two or three times now and each time they have arranged either for an out-of-hours doctor to call here or for us to see one at our nearby health centre. Looking after Pam’s dog will cheer you up; you do seem to get on well with dogs.

Mel, we moved here from a very rural area which, like where you are, was pitch black at night. It took me a while to get used to the lights around here. Most of the street lighting in the area now goes off at midnight but there is one lamp at the corner of our Close that stays on. I think it might be because of the nearby community centre. I’ve got used to that now but it really gets to me when the wind keeps bringing the security lights on as they don’t stay on but keep flashing on and off. It’s like trying to sleep in a disco lol. Last night my back was aching so it was difficult to get comfortable, OH had switched into loud snoring mode and it was like being in a room full of strobe lighting so sometime in the early hours I gave up and took my book to the spare room upstairs. I’ve told OH that I love him dearly but I am not even going to bother going in our bedroom tonight. I am starting off upstairs.

Well, I see I have written half a book again so I had better quickly finish. I hope you all have a good night’s sleep.

I've just checked the plant we thought was toxic and apparently it's only the berries if you eat them, so I don't know why OH and I had sore throats, unless it was a different plant we got to close to. We're both okay now so it didn't last long. The plant is called Nandina Domestica AnnG. It doesn't tell me much on the label so I Googled it and if we were to plant it in the ground it would spread as it's very evasive, so we're leaving it in it's pot on a concrete floor inside the planter. It's also in a place we don't walk past very often, so it should be safe there and Sandra can see it from her bedroom window. It sounds like you got soaked today, good idea to change your wet clothes when you got home. I hope you don't catch a chill.

It sounds like you've had really bad weather to Mel. We had hail earlier and of course lots and lots of heavy rain. The rain and hail have stopped now but it's gone really cold. I've popped the heating on again to warm the bedrooms up before we go to bed. We're just watching the highlights of the F1 qualifying, it's on late this weekend.

How is your eye Frank? I also think you should have it checked out if it's not any better, you can't be to careful with eyesight.

Morning all,

Did you all remember to put the clocks back?

We have a nice bright sunny morning here with nice blue sky and high wispy white thin clouds.

Gill I know that plant is pretty but I don't think it is really the thing you shoudl have with Sandra. All parts of the plant are poisonous, containing compounds that decompose to produce hydrogen cyanide, and could be fatal if ingested. The plant is placed in Toxicity Category 4, the category generally considered non-toxic to humans, but the berries are considered toxic to cats and grazing animals.Excessive consumption of the berries will kill birds such as cedar waxwings, because they are subject to cyanide toxicosis, resulting in death to multiple individuals at one time.

The berries also contain alkaloids such as nantenine, which is used in scientific research as an antidote to MDMA (ecstasy).

Morning Mel, morning all

No Mel, we forgot to alter the clocks and have only just noticed, we have one more clock to alter but can't do it now as the sun is shining on it and it's an electrical clock so OH will do that later when the sun has gone around the back.

Thanks for letting me know about that plant, I didn't realise how bad it was so that's what probably gave us our temporary sore throats. I'll leave it where it is as it's in the walkway to go out so no one goes near it very often and Sandra can see it from her bedroom window where it's safe.

We've had an idea of using an extension lead to do Sandra's second light and we have a double connector on the water feature we can use and replace that one with a triple one as there are lights on the water feature we never connected. That way OH can put her second light in today as a surprise for her. She's still asleep at the moment so knows nothing about it yet.

It's nice and sunny here today and we've just spent an hour sorting out the back garden, which of course we've now got back with forgetting to alter the clocks, so I'm chuffed at that as I feel I haven't lost any time off my day now :-D :-D :-D

Going to get a cuppa then check online for the prices of the extension leads as the one we've got isn't long enough. OH will then wire the light to it indoors where it's warmer then all he'll need to do outside is thread it through the air vent and pop a plug on it inside the spare bedroom. Sandra sat and looked at the first light for ages again last night, so will be thrilled tonight when she has the two she wanted, ready to look at.

We've sorted the water feature connector now, but decided not to bother connecting the water feature light, I just taped up the added hole on the three way connector for now. The water feature is on so that's working okay and OH has just nipped to Argos to buy the extension lead. It's almost 100 foot long so plenty for putting Sandra's light in and it'll leave us enough over so we'll have another extension lead for ourselves. I worked out how much it would of costs to buy just the wire off Amazon and it was only 99p dearer without us having the extra extension lead left over, so I think I've found us a bargain doing it the way we're doing it today.

Sandra now knows about the second light going in and can't wait for tonight to see it. At least that job will be finally finished then. I put the two large pots of flowers we bought her in the back garden today, where I'd put them the flowers weren't happy so they've been moved into the sun, where hopefully, they'll flower nicely. She can see them all day then through the living room and kitchen windows.

We will probably keep adding bits and bobs to Sandra's little garden if and when we find the right things she likes, so that part of the job is ongoing for now as I think she'll find things in the spring rather than now. She has sparkly butterflies and three glow in the dark butterflies, plus her two lights and 8 plants, all encased in a make shift planter. I must admit it does look good and seeing the smile on her face is worth a million pounds. :-) :-)

She's going to be so pleased when she sees that tonight. Will you keep it a secret if you can and just turn it on when its dark and surprize her?

I wish we could keep it a secret Mel, but unfortunately she can see what we're doing, so has already worked it out. She is so excited and is now going to help me unravel the extension lead so I can poke it through the air vent to OH outside, then he can connect it all for her. Hopefully it won't take 14 hours again lol ;-) ;-)

We normally eat around 1pm but have decided to eat once the light is connected so we're not clock watching and OH doesn't have to stop. He would only rush his meal anyway if we had it earlier so this way he can have a bath and sit down to eat without having to rush. This extra hour we have today has come in handy lol.

Sandra is colouring her adult colouring book with the sparkly pencils you gave her Mel, the ones with the feathers on the end. She thought she'd coloured all her pictures but found some earlier, so is happy doing that. She's just going to help me for a while as the extension lead is on a reel and I have to climb on ladders to push it through the air vent and I think the reel may tip over, it'll save me having to stand the reel up again all the time. Once we have what we need outside, we'll measure what we need inside and then cut it off at the correct length for the plug, then Sandra just needs to wait until it's dark. Unfortunately that'll be an hour later than normal, but she won't mind waiting, knowing the light's in place.

I'm looking forward to seeing both lights lit up myself later ;-) ;-) ;-)

Afternoon all,

Left eye is no better, so off to the opticians in the morning. In fact the right eye isn't as clear as it was yesterday. I sincerely hope it's nothing too serious.

I was in bed by 9.00 pm last night. That X factor was such a load of rubbish, I couldn't watch it. Ros found something to watch on SKY. She had put the clock back in the bedroom so it was 8.00 pm when I went to bed. I was still awake at midnight. My sleep pattern is something I must talk to the doctor about. This his why I feel SO TIRED during the day.

Very bright sunny day here. Tracy bought ABBIE round about 9.45. She hasn't stopped wanting a fuse since she's been here.So is such a little darling, I can see Ros not wanting to hand her back this afternoon/evening.

I am still trying to find out about the funeral arrangements for my friend Peter. I don't like to ring the family. so have rung a neighbour, but they are not at home.

John and Carolyn are off to South Africa tomorrow, they will be back on the 13th November, for a couple of weeks, then of to Teneriffe until the 12th January. Alright for some. ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-)

We have a light opposite the bungalow that stays on all night. So I do feel a little more secure, knowing the close is lit up during the darkness. I always have a nose up and down the close when I get out for the loo. You just never know who's about. Better to be safe than SORRY. I must admit there is very little trouble reported in the village.

Keep an eye on the plants you have Gill. You just don't know what side effects some of them have. The sore throats could be a warning. !!!!

Julia's brother is on the phone to Ros about the car alarm. He thinks it could be the main battery We have had it over 3 years, and it has never been a bit of trouble. So will have to check that out. I don't know how long a battery lasts, but in 12 years of owning the car, I have only replaced it once. We have been told if we take it back to Mercedes and they have to replace the alarm I will be looking at close to £900.00. The car isn't worth that much. :-P :-P :-P

Roast lamb all prepared and the veg, and Yorkshire pud.

I am now off for a shower and shave, and a quiet afternoon, before cooking this evening. xxxx

Afternoon all ,

Yes Mel we remembered to put the clocks back ,Gill with the clocks going back it will be darker earlier not later :-D Sandra won't have to wait as you said ,i would get rid of that plant it doesn't sound a very good one to have in the garden ,the birds might try the berries and if it gets bigger you'll have a bigger job to get rid of it .

Oh Frank your poor eye as the others have said get it checked out you carn't be to careful with you eyes .
That's lovely little Abbie settles so well with you ,some dogs just don't settle but she sounds a little dear and will give you a little company for the day .

I see our dear Anne has been poorly with an infection ,i hope you soon feel better Anne and that the antibiotics are now working ,it's good you have little ruby to keep you company .

Some body mentioned steam mops ,i gave up on mine a while ago ,i think our hard water had scaled it up badly ,i use to put white vinegar in it to try and clean it but it din't help that much so i'm back with the mop and bucket .

Chelsea enjoyed her stay ,we made some pom poms and she took them home to hang on the head board of her bed .
I also finished Katie's bag and she took that home this morning ,just remembered i didn't take a photo of it ,hers was the same shape of Lacey's crocheted in yellow and a pinky red and instead of a unicorn horn on it i did a flap cross over with some crochet pom poms on the flap.

Have the new girls ventured out yet Mel ? i see the other two are laying .

Hope your not to uncomfortable Jane, not to long to wait now and i hope they tell you on the day what's wrong so you don'y have to go back for the results ,you must be losing weight with not being able to eat the same .

Vera your posts are never to long i love reading them ,had to smile at your i've nearly written half a book again :-D

Ann i love OH's Bully-no-mates :-D :-D how does he think of these things so quickly .
How did the Christmas beading workshop go ?

AnnG have you dried out now ,i have to get OH to see me out of some car parking spaces so he's the one to get wet if it's raining , i don't like it when you get these great big 4x4's parking either side of you i have a job to get the car door open enough to get in .

Good afternoon. Garden centre visit this morning and got several bits for stocking fillers so it was worth going. OH has just popped out in the garden to do a few small jobs.
Yes thanks mandy, I soon dried out. I think it was more difficult because it was raining so hard and the rear windows kept misting up so visibility was not good.

It seems nobody knows of a reliable floor mop so it will be back to the squeegy.

Mel, yes all the clocks were put back, not checked my car yet but that one alters as soon as the radio is turned on. I did OH's this morning.
Gill so you really gained an hour after getting up not before :-D

I really don't like the sound of that plant if it is dangerous to birds.

I had better get on and make a couple more Christmas cards, I actually do have enough but I like to have a few extra.

I get quite confused when the clocks alter, I can never remember daylight hours. Thanks for saying it'll be darker earlier, I don't know where I got later from :-S :-S :-S

Because when we woke up this morning and looked at the clock it was our usual time we get up Ann, so when we'd done some work in the garden and realised the clock on the central heating was an hour behind our living room clock, we then realised that we would have the past hour again, which has given us some extra time to sort out Sandra's light. I doubt we'd of got up an hour earlier had the clocks been altered the night before lol

Pleased to hear you finished Katie's bag Mandy and making pom pom's with Chelsea to take home, she'll love having those on her headboard. :-D :-D

We've finally managed to get the cable through the wall and connected to the light, boy did we have trouble going through the air vent, the cable kept bending and going in the space between the inner air vent and the outer one. In the end I found some stiff wire and taped that to the cable it went through then and only took a few minutes to pull through. We've now hit another problem, we've lost one of the packet of cable clips. OH had them last and is insisting he'd put them on the spare bed, but there are only the other packs, so now we're 20 clips short. We should be able to clip the cable outside, but might not have enough to do indoors, which means I can't put that room back to rights. Everything from that room has been put in the back room which is where Sandra watches her TV, now she can't get to it to watch it tonight when we watch the F1. I think OH realises that no one has moved it, like he kept saying and that he's put the pack in a safe place and forgotten where that place is. All we can do is sort out outside and finish off the inside tomorrow when OH can buy more cable clips.

Going to get something to eat now, the roast smells lovely and I'm hungry.