General Chat

Oh Mel, I'm so so pleased for you, good luck getting everything ready tonight and for tomorrow, where you'll hopefully sell it all. :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D I'll keep my fingers crossed you have a good day selling.

I like twinkly lights to rather than crazy flashing ones Mandy. I bet it looks so pretty. Yes, Sandra worked hard on all your cards and has written a little something to everyone inside. She's more relaxed now she knows they have been posted, so all she needs now is some rest to get over her virus. The burgers, rice and gravy went down well, so that was good as she's hardly eaten anything these past few days. Hopefully some decent food will help her get better. So you're making Katie's birthday cake, it sounds delicious, we love chocolate cakes and have them for our birthdays. I'd love to see a picture of it, if you take one.

It sounds like you have a nice day planned for tomorrow Ann. Are those water spinners where they have glitter water inside a glass box with Christmassy things inside, or have I got that wrong? If it is those, I think they look lovely. It's nice to shop in places that have different things, as most shops seem to sell the same stuff and it can become quite boring. I remember Sandra receiving an under water 3D puzzle for Christmas once, it was flat but looked 3D if you know what I mean, unfortunately she couldn't do it, but I had fun having a go. I tried to show her how to do it, but she didn't understand. She loved what it looked like when it was finished though, so we both had some pleasure out of it. It looked just like being under the sea, I'd never seen anything like it before, or since. I hope you find some nice things tomorrow.

Going to watch one of my programmes off the planner now, while OH and Sandra watch the jungle programme in the other room.

Today we had the coach trip, left home at 0830 and got in at gone 7pm took an hour to get to Bath, dropped off two thirds of the coach load then drove for another hour and a quarter to Tyntesfield NT near Bristol. Spent just over three hours there coach then took us back to Bath where we had two hours to look round the Christmas market which had identical stalls to last year. This time we did go into the Abbey but it was partly shut off for archeological digs and also to divert the hot spring under the Abbey to use for heating. And it was noisy as the organ was being tuned. Still it was interesting, not sure it was worth £8 for the two of us.
Coach picked us up 5pm and we started the slow crawl through Bath traffic. At J12 of the M5 we suddenly left the motorway and crawled around Gloucester as there was apparently an accident and jam ahead which the driver heard about on his radio. So we were out ten and a half hours of which four plus were spent on the coach. Still enjoyed it though. Even if I am shattered, we walked over three miles today.

Hope Jane has weathered the past two days. Thinking of you Jane.

Gill looking forward to Sandra’s cards, don’t worry about leaving my OH’s name off, he won’t mind.

Mel well done pleased for you have a great day tomorrow and I hope you do well. I wonder if your ‘friend’ didn’t want you there for a reason. Do hope she has not stopped to copy what you have made.

Annx enjoy the garden centre tomorrow. Pleased your OH’s back is better.
I think charity shops have put their prices up a lot.

Mandy your lights etc sound lovely.

On the way home in the village tonight we saw a couple of well decorated houses, I have to admit I love to see them. Some of them must have taken a huge amount of work.

That’s good news Mel :-D. I hope you sell out of everything. You’ve put a lot of work into all your craft items.

Still thinking of Jane and hoping today has gone well for her.

I hope you and OH haven’t picked up Sandra’s virus Gill. You don’t want to go down with something just before Christmas. Is Sandra managing to swallow more easily now?

I suspect AnninG’s day might have been better than ours. First, there was no Christmas market. It was my fault for thinking there was. When we were asked if we wanted to go on this trip I had a look at the Polesden Lacey website and saw that, as well as all the decorations in the house, there was a Christmas Artisan Market. What I didn’t notice was that it was only on 22 Nov-1 Dec and 15-17 Dec. Stupid me. The downstairs of the house was decorated up for Christmas but it didn’t seem very Christmassy. The theme was based around the fantastic jewellery of Mrs Grenville, who lived in the house, and some contemporary design artists had been employed by the NT. They had created some “installations” which might have been at home in something like Tate Modern but looked out of place where they were. It all just seemed a bit “cold”.

The weather was sunny but very chilly. We walked around the grounds a bit but it was too muddy to walk across the grassed areas. We had 5 hours there so quite a lot of time was spent in the restaurant. Even the books in the second hand bookshop seemed more expensive than at other NT properties we’ve been to. With a journey of two and a half hours there and three and a half back, it has seemed a bit of a long, wasted day.

That’s enough of my moaning. Tomorrow’s another day. Right now I am going to get a hot drink and go and read in bed for a while.

We cross posted Ann. Doesn’t sound as though your day was perfect either.

Interesting but bearable Vera but frustrating too and I was disappointed a bit in Tyntesfield which is supposed to be marvellous. It was very crowded, even with timed entries and all the rooms but two were viewed behind ropes so you didn’t get the true feel of them. There were volunteers in costume which could have been attractive except they kept trying to involve us on conversation more like actors and even offered to dance with us in the great hall. We found it intrusive. The Chrustmas decks were mainly floral and trees which were nice and red bows on the holly trees up the drive. Fortunately we didn’t have five hours there. And two hours in the market were long enough for us although those dropped off for 6 hours enjoyed their day as they visited the Pump room and Roman Baths as well.

Lucky our coach came off the motorway as the tail back from the accident was apparently 6.5 miles.

What long days you two have had on your trips out.

I think I have just about finished the only things I have to price now are some printed Christmas stocking mum made years ago and I found in the material trunk. I washed them and they came up like new but before they smelt a bit musty. I can do that tomorrow so now I am going to watch a little telly and go to bed.

The fair is from 3pm till about 4.30pm so not long to stand there.

Oh quite a short time then Mel. Good luck with selling things and mainly have fun.

Yes it was a very long day, legs are a bit stiff from sitting so long.

Morning all,

We had a frost last night but by the time I went to bed it had gone.

We have a bright day today but the skies are a bit light grey clouds to the north and the suns trying its best to come out in the back to the south. Mostly packed and priced and ready to go I just have to find a few more stones to put in the pot my tree branch is in so it dos'nt fall over when I hang everything on it. I am making all the things on the branch £2.50 so I can put a price on the pot for everything at one price. I just hope the kids don't grab at things.

Hope you all slept well and that Sandra's virus is getting better and Gill and oh hav'nt caught it.

Where's our Frank? Hope he is ok too and has'nt done anything silly. When do you go to get this eye seen to Frank?

Morning Mel and AnnG, morning all

Good luck today Mel, I hope you sell everything, I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for you.

Hope Jane is okay after her treatment. I've been thinking of you Jane <3 <3 <3

Your trips sound very tiring with all the travelling involved AnnG and Vera, at least you got to see a few things you liked. What a pity about the dates for the Christmas Market though Vera, shame you missed it.

OH and I have got the same virus as Sandra now, so we're all feeling a bit sorry for ourselves. With a bit of luck we'll all be okay in time for Christmas. We're just staying in doors for now, where it's warm.

OH is watching Guy Martin trying to win a Guinness World speed record as the first person ever to drive a tractor at over 100 mph. He likes Guy Martin, so I recorded it for him the other day. Sandra is watching one of her programmes on her TV.

I think I might take another look at OH's tree while they watch their programmes, then we can watch a few Christmas films together later.

Here I am Mel, Thanks for worrying over me. I go to the Hospital on the 17th December at 10.30. This morning I closed my Right eye, and could see very well from my left, even though it's still blurred. So I would expect my eye will be even better after the LAZER treatment.

Vera and Ann in G had a very long tiring day out yesterday. I hope you are taking things easy today to get over it.

Yes, I have been thinking of our Jane also. I hope the treatment went well, and that she has no bad after effects.

I had a call from my Nephew Garry (Bills youngest son) last night. He tells me my SISTER MARY has THE BIG "C:" in both her bowel and stomach. They have given her the maximum of SIX MONTHS to live. What a BAST@RD LIFE CAN BE.

Ros went to "Stitchery Do" this morning at 10.00 am, They are making THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS dolls to go round the Mantle piece. What they will look like, is anyones guess. She is then going to Tesco's to get a few bits.
By the way, I had a refund from Tesco for the Gammon Steaks PLUS a £10.00 golf voucher. So that will soon be spent today. !!!.

The Cardiac department rang this morning to speak to her. about an appointment to see the specialist. She will ring again in the morning. Lets hope everything is TICKERTY BOO. lol lol

Horrible day here today. It has hardly got light all day, and the wind looks really cold. So not been out, and have no intention of doing so. Brrrr.

Shin of beef casserole this evening, with mash, carrots and peas, boiled Parsnips and brussels. So it should be nice and warming. Eos is at Choir this evening, so I will be able to watch "POLICE INTERCEPTERS" I have recored her soaps, for when I go to bed, she can watch them without my comments. !!!

I have found on Ebay, Estee Lauder Talcum Powder, which she likes, and is running out of, so that can go with the watch, to open on Christmas morning. She has wrapped the bracelet, but not the Trouser suit. I have no IDEA what I am getting. ;-) ;-

Time for a COT and mince pie see you all later, take care. xxxx

Afternoon All,

It's been quite a dull day here too, but more decorations have been put up across the road, a little Christmas tree and reindeer and lights along the gutter.

We were up at the ungodly hour of 7.30am to go to Rutland this morning which I am not used too these days although for years I would have been at my desk for half an hour by then. I stumbled into the shower like a zombie and was just nicely wet when OH poked his head around the door to say 'you can stop now if you want to'. I thought I'd misheard, but his next comment was that he had a Dentist appointment at 9.00am which he'd forgot!! So that was the end of our trip to Rutland as we wanted to get there early. :-S Still his tooth has a proper filling in now but he said it was over £60 and that was an NHS dentist. So when he got home we went to the nearby garden centre and had a small breakfast, then ordered a turkey crown at the farm shop (I just hope it's big enough!) and got some eggs and a few bits and also called in the village shop on the way back. We'll have to go next week now as I shall be meeting my beading friends tomorrow morning.

Yes we do worry about you Frank so it's good to hear you are ok and it's good your eyesight is a bit better. Not much longer to wait now. OH has several lots of laser treatment as you know and he said he could have driven after if it wasn't for the eyedrops. He had several lots of drops each time including some they said to use when we set off from home before we arrived as his pupils don't dilate very much. The dolls that Ros and the ladies are making sound interesting but it won't be easy to make them like the 12 days of Christmas! I'm so sorry to hear about your sister Mary and her diagnosis.

You both had a long day then Vera and AnnG, It's nice to have gone though, but that was a long time sitting on the coach AnnG. I expect you both slept well and have had a bit of a rest today. :-)

I bet you are feeling a bit sorry for yourselves with this virus Gill. It does make you feel quite poorly. Good idea to rest a bit and at least you have done most of your shopping and wrapped your presents. How is Sandra today? Is her throat any better?

I hope Mel has done well with her stall as she makes some very 'out of the ordinary' things that the children should like. I bet her fingers are glad of a day's rest from wiring her wreaths too.

I am sorting and chucking out some old magazines and papers and putting some bead purchases away, having dusted the hall and main bedroom. It beats me where all the dust comes from, even in rooms you hardly use!! :-S

Evening all,

Firstly i have a message for Sandra <3 Thank you so much for the lovely Christmas card ,i love all the stickers inside especially all the bauble ones with the faces on :-D
No i'll make sure Max doesn't pinch all the Turkey :-D he can be naughty as your mum has probably told you ,he goes in the bathroom and with his nose he knocks the toilet roll off and runs off with it and then he shreds it all up so it looks like it has snowed on the carpet .

Gill i hope you soon both start to feel better ,dose yourself up and keep in the warm .

Thank you AnnG for your card that arrived this morning ,another pretty one .
What a shame you spent so long on the coach but it sounds as if you enjoyed the day ,i bet you've both been resting today after all the walking .

Mel i hope the craft stall sale went off ok and you've sold lots of things , it's a good chance too to have a look round to see what others are selling and maybe get some ideas for next year .

Vera what a shame you missed the christmas market ,to late for the first one and to early for the next ,you to had a good while on the coach ,but as my dad use to say it's a day out and a change of scenery .

Oh Ann that was your day out cut short ,at least he noticed he had the appointment in time and he now has the tooth filled which is good , Colin had a filling and it was just over sixty pound ,his came out after about a week ad he had to have it done again but they didn't charge him .

Good to see you are about Frank ,i was wondering if Ros was ok when you didn't post yesterday .
That was a good result from Tesco a refund and a gift voucher too
Sorry to hear about your sister, it was good that they let you know instead of you having to ring them all the time , i'm sure they will keep her comfortable and pain free .

Love to Jane <3 i hope your comfortable Jane and it hasn't left you too tired and sickly .

A message for Sandra.

Thank you so very much for the lovely card you have made me. I love the Robin on the front and the snowman inside just like the one I sent you. Your a very clever girl to make such lovely cards. <3 <3 <3

Gill I hope your over these horrid viruses before Christmas arrives. As you don't go out much its a wonder where you pick these things up from. You'll have to goo around the houe with the Dettox stuff and clean all the door handles and taps etc. which reminds me I must do mine.

Back and unpacked and it took me ages to set the stall out with the white tree I made. I did'nt sell a thing off the tree. Not so good this year but I sold one large Dragons Egg and four wands, one unicorn head band and one cone decorated with bits.

I think it will be burgers for us tonight as I can't be bothered to do anything else having stood up all afternoon. I went up at 1.30pm and got home about 5.45pm. Oh unloaded the car for me and made me a cuppa. I bought three raffle tickets at £1 each and won a huge bottle of Baileys Irish Cream. I did'nt know they did a bottle this big. Shame I am not nearer to Jane as I know she can manage that.

The rest of my stuff I shall take to Torrington to that shop I told you about that sells the wiccan stuff and only puts 20% on your things not like the other shop who put on 40% which make your things quite expensive.

I did manage to finish Erica's wreath this morning as she likes all natural stuff and no flowers or bows as its for her sons grave. She likes to have it for our carol service which is on the 8th Dec.

Its good to see you posting Frank and to know that your eye is a bit better today even if it is a bit blurred. Dinner sounds nice can I come please? I would be pleased to see a picture of these dolls of the 12 days of Christmas. I can't imagine what they will be like!! What are they being made out of?

Ann its a shame G did'nt find out about his appointment before you got out of bed and you could have had a lie in. Never mind I expect you got a lot done today getting up that early.

The next thing I have to do is make an appointment for us both at the dentists and make one for oh at the doctors for his flu jab as he has'nt had his yet.

Evening all

What a shame you didn’t sell more Mel but you got rid of some things and at least the Baileys might make up for the lack of sales. Hopefully you’ll have better luck with the shop at Torrington.

You must have been annoyed at not getting to Rutland after getting up so early Ann but it’s good that OH has had his filling done. That’s something out of the way now.

Frank, I was sorry to hear about your sister but glad that your nephew bothered to let you know the situation. It’s a b....r of an illness and I doubt if there’s a family in the country that hasn’t been touched by it. I hope your sister is comfortable and pain free. It sounds as if your eye has improved a lot but you must still try and rest it as much as you can.

I hope all your throats are feeling a bit better now Gill. It’s a good job you got your Christmas preparations under way so early so you haven’t got that to worry about.

It was foggy and icy here early this morning and it has been very cold all day but seems to be warming up a bit now. Today has been another hectic day. Originally we were taking a friend to a specialist eye clinic at Chelmsford, quite some distance from us. OH was driving but I was going as well to keep his wife company and take her to the shops and for a coffee while her OH had his eye surgery. Anyway the poor man has recently been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and about the same time they found something wrong with his heart. He went for a routine appointment at the end of last week and was kept in as his heart was so bad. They fitted a pacemaker and let him home on Tuesday but want to start chemo quickly so told him to cancel his eye surgery. That meant we had today free so we decided to get going on Christmas present shopping.

We went to Ipswich and got on very well. It really concentrates the mind when you are short of time. I got everything except 2 presents and I know I will get vouchers as they have got to be posted so I can sort those locally. We even managed to fit in a proper meal at lunchtime so I didn’t have to cook tonight. Debenhams in Ipswich do a really good carvery for, I think, £8.25. There’s usually a choice of 2 meats and you get all the trimmings, potatoes and about 6 veg to choose from. Today I had turkey, cranberry sauce and stuffing, Yorkshire pud, roast potatoes, roast parsnips, mixed veg and red cabbage. They also had peas, carrots and sprouts available. All I wanted tonight was a couple of crackers and a piece of cake.

Tomorrow is going to be busy too. We have another funeral to go to locally. It’s a neighbour that we didn’t really know very well. We feel we would like to pay our respects so we are going to the funeral service but not to the refreshments after. Then, while we were out today we got a phone call from our granddaughter to ask if she and another student could come here tomorrow to film in my kitchen! It’s part of her degree work and the marks will all count towards her final degree so she wants it to be good. It is some sort of acting monologue that she wants to set in a kitchen and she decided mine would be ideal. As she put it “It’s a nice kitchen and has enough space to set up the equipment”. I know she will borrow the equipment from uni but goodness knows how much of it there is. It would be interesting to watch but we will probably keep out of her way and let her get on.

Son has just rung and is talking to OH. I’ll finish now so that I can have a word with him. Hope you all have a good night and a good day tomorrow.

Frank, I am sorry to read the news about your sister. Such a horrid disease. Not long before you can have your eye fixed so please try not to knock yourself again.

Mel you didn’t sell much, I guess they don’t get many people there and it is such a short time that it is open. Did you check out your friend’s stall did she have anything copied from you? Well done on winning the Baileys got your moneys worth on the raffle then.

Ann what a nuisance getting up early for nothing, still oh got his tooth fixed. I would often like to forget my dental appointments as well.

Mandy glad that you liked the card.

No easy day for us either Vera, it was weekly shop day. We did manage lunch in the community centre cafe on the way home though, but then had all the packing to do after we got in.

OH had a brainstorm today. We had booked a B&B in Falmouth for our diamond wedding next August. Today he decided that wasn’t special enough so he has now booked two weeks in a big hotel in Costa Teguise Lanzarote, still B&B but there is a restaurant on site if we want to use it. I think he has just realised we can’t take it with us.

That was a nice surprise AnnG and better for you than Falmouth. So your weekly shop is over for the next seven days now.

Morning all,

Dull and dismal here this morning and we need the lights on to see its that dark. we have that fine rian and wind thats blowing it everywhere. A really horrid day and I have to go and collect some more moss.

Hope you all slept well last night. I did after my long day yesterday.

Thinking of Jane and hoping the treatment has'nt upset her too much.

Have to have a bit of a tidy up today and put some things away and do the last of the rings and a couple of flower arrangments and I can consentrate on my present wrapping.

Good morning all, OH has gone to the dentist, I stayed here as I had some washing to do. It is, as Mel says, a nasty day very damp and drizzly and windy not so cold but very dark. Hope Jane is having a recovery day today and not feeling to rough. <3 <3

We have hair appointments at 1pm so have no choice but to go out then. I too will probably wrap a few presents this afternoon.

Just had an email from son who was supposed to be coming with the family on Monday to bring presents. Now has an important meeting so can't come. He and the two 'children' will come on Saturday 14th instead DiL is unable to come that day.

Morning Mel, AnnG and all

Miserable here as well. It poured during the night and was drizzling earlier but seems to have stopped now. Funerals aren’ much fun anyway but are horrid when it’s cold and wet, especially if it’s a burial like this one. The cemetery isn’t next to the church but a couple of roads away so people are going to have a walk from one to the other. We are just going to the church and leaving the graveside bit for family and close friends.

Shame about your family visit having to be put off AnnG. Will you still get to see the grandson who is going to China?

I hope Jane has a restful day today.

Granddaughter texted earlier to say she and her friend were just leaving uni and would be here about 11.30 so I must go and sort a few sandwiches and sausage rolls etc that they can nibble on while we are out.

Might bbl

Vera, yes James will still come, it is just DiL that has another commitment, such busy people, that Saturday is the only time grandaughter can make it as when not at 6th form college she works in Doc Martens shop in M Keynes.