General Chat

We have been to Sainsbury's Cheltenham for coffee, bought a sweater and a long sleeve T shirt and an oven cloth (which has robins on so only cost £2.95.

Called in to Hobbycraft but nothing worth buying there, then to The Range where I got three craft Toppers for cards at £1.99 each. instead of £2.99

Not very nice here very windy and drizzly rain. didn't have anything out for tonight's meal so opted out and bought a pizza.

I know Frank has an air frier, does anyone else have one? Any recommendations and thoughts if so please.

good that your headache went Gill and that you enjoyed your day.

And good too Mel that your blister has gone. Please do elaborate, what styleof oven glove is 'landing gear?' The one I bough is double ended, although it has robins and is mainly red it is not really Christmassy.
I had a really bad night last night with OH jumping and kicking out most of the night. He didn't wake up but he kept me awake. the first bad night since before Christmas.

I am sure I have missed answering a couple of posts, possibly Vera's and Mandy's, sorry ladies.

Annx very dull and windy here hope it is not like that where your OH is watching football. (Is he a bit of a football fanatic? OH is a rugby fanatic but not to the extent of going to watch as Gloucester rugby is very expensive.)
Yes there are quite a few reduced bits and pieces if you look. I would have spent more time in more shops but I knew OH had a job in his mind he wanted to do.

Frank, the chicken was only from the night before wasn't it? Strange that it should go off if your fridge is on the right setting. Good job you had the breasts in though.
Glad you got the RAC sorted out, another job out of the way.
Oh dear another fall, sounds as though not much damage done though which is good, what did you trip on.
sorry that your eye has blurred again, as you say maybe laser treatment after all.

Jane hope you are OK still thinking of you <3 <3

Good evening everyone

Sorry you had a bad night last night AnnG. It’s horrid when it’s down to someone else tossing and turning and they don’t even wake up. I have been going through a spate of bad nights, partly due to problems with my head, but last night I slept well. I woke several times but went straight back to sleep. You seem to have got some good bargains at the sales.

You’ve done OK as well Mandy. I often used to get things like tights and T-shirts for the grandchildren when I saw them going cheap.

That blister looked horrid Mel. You did well not to burst it as it might have got infected. I’m glad the missing girl turned up safe and well and how strange that she ended up at Em’s sister’s place. Was it far from her home? She sounds a bit odd, she obviously has some problems.

Ann, I had a chuckle at you going out in different colour shoes with a different heel height. I could just picture you bouncing up and down as you walked along the road. What a shame that your OH managed to swap a good gabardine for a scruffy one – if he’s anything like mine he probably felt more comfortable in the scruffy one. It had slipped my mind that you were looking for a new home. You certainly don’t want to be in an area where there is a lot of vandalism. What makes youngsters act like that? The reason often given is that they are bored, there is nothing for them to do. It was no different when I was a teenager – there was nothing much for youngsters to do in our area so you read a book or had a friend over and sometimes felt bored out of your mind, but you didn’t go around damaging other people’s property.

I’m glad you got the RAC membership sorted out Frank. If you want to do the same next year, I would ring them straightaway and let them talk you through it again. People are generally helpful if you are polite and friendly. Sorry to hear you had another fall. Do you think your blurred eye had anything to do with it? It might be an idea to try and use a walker for a while, just till you feel a little steadier on your feet and your eye gets sorted out. I can understand you might feel you don’t want to use a walker but better safe than sorry. You must have felt so frustrated at losing yet another post. I lost a couple of long posts so I started typing mine in Word, saving it as I went along and then doing a copy and paste on to the Genes site. That way I didn’t lose anything, even if I hit a wrong key or it didn’t post properly. You must have Word or a similar programme on your computer so why not give it a go? It sounds quite daunting but it’s actually easy to do. Could one of your friends or relatives show you how to do it and write each step down for you so you always have some instructions to follow? How about Lewis or Harvey, could one of them help?

It’s nice that you have been invited to the 70th birthday do at Southend. When is it? It would be good if you could go but it would be a long drive for Ros. You will have to let her decide whether she wants to tackle the drive or not.

Belated “Happy Anniversary” greetings Gill. I am pleased you and OH had a relaxing day. You did well to eat so much of the Chocolate Orange and for your headache to go so quickly. I only had 3, or it may have been 4, Quality Street and a couple of hours later the migraine pain was horrendous and it has taken all week for it to clear completely. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone so do be careful with the chocolate. You asked about taking anthurium cuttings. I’ve never tried it myself. My plant was grown from a cutting that my sil took but I googled it and it looks quite easy. There are lots of instructions on google and some youtube videos of how to do it.

We had our club annual dinner last night. It was in a gastro pub/hotel about 4 or 5 miles away. We shared a taxi there and back with another couple so we didn’t have to worry about drinking. The club committee had sorted out a menu with the chef with a choice of about 5 things for each course and we had pre-ordered what we wanted. It was wonderful. We were given a lovely room to ourselves, the tables were beautifully laid with lovely china and glassware and proper linen napkins and the service was impeccable, as was the food. I had cured salmon with some potato salad and various decorative bits of greenery and radish, followed by pork tenderloin. I’m not a big meat eater but I finished all my pork as it was so tender and flavoursome. It came with mashed potato and a chunk of charred cabbage and then bowls of other veg were put on the table for us to help ourselves. For dessert I had poached pear and that came with some stiffly whipped and shaped cream, crumbled chunks of honeycomb and a delicious blackcurrent something. It held its shape but wasn’t quite a jelly nor was it quite a sorbet so I’m not sure what it was but it was yummy. Coffee or tea to follow. We paid £30 a head but that was a really good price for the food and service that we got. We’ve told the committee to book us there next year.

As usual I have rambled on so I am now going to go and have a pre-dinner glass of rose and relax while the man of the house does the cooking.

I like the sound of all your kitchen fabrics with cheery Robins on them. I have a plain 2 handed oven glove but I've tried several times but can't get on with them or with the single handed ones and just use tea towels now. I don't know if it's because I have small hands, but I'm frightened I can't get a proper grip on dishes and tins with them.

It was sensible of those people not to let the lady in Mel. It sounds a bit unkind but you never know and can't be too careful. I remember once giving an old lady a lift and then she didn't know the way and was guessing and so I had no option but to take her back to where she'd asked for a lift. I'd been happy to oblige and do my good deed for the day, but it turned into a nightmare when I couldn't get her to get out of the car so I could go to work!!!!!! Eventually I made some excuse she believed and told her they would help her in the shop we were parked outside. There weren't even mobile phones then so you could summon help. It taught me to be more careful and wary in future.

Well the big wall cabinet in the en suite looks better now that the out of date stuff has gone and I've grouped like things in clear polythene boxes. I've also learned I won't need any more moisturiser or toothpaste for at least another year!!!! :-0 OH has the bathroom cabinet in the bathroom and a drawer for his stuff and says he will do the same in the morning. :-)

He prefers to call himself a 'fan' AnnG but I would agree with 'fanatic'. He watched his local team right from the age of 7 till the club folded a few years ago. He very rarely watches a big match (doesn't like big crowds and the noise for one thing...oh that's 2) and prefers Non League football so it isn't expensive and if he goes a long distance he usually goes with a pal and they share the fuel cost. I think he is barmy, and I found it a bit upsetting at first when he disappeared every Bank Holiday as I hadn't been used to that with my first husband, as we would go out somewhere together. I suppose the good thing is he will positively encourage me to do whatever I want and go where I like and doesn't expect me to be at home to get meals for him thank goodness. I noticed he had all his cold weather gear on today including a first outing this year for his fur trapper hat!

Tonight, following a migraine the other day, he announced he was chucking what is left of most of his cheese away and said he was fed up with it. I said 'It sounds like you are cheesed off with it now which made him groan. :-)

Vera your meal sounded absolutely delicious and is making me hungry now. I'm not surprised you have asked to be booked in there next year. It's good your head is better now too.

OH stayed away quite often at meetings and courses and often would leave his hat behind and need it sending back to him. The thing that really sticks in his mind was forgetting to take a tie when he attended an important meeting with the 'top brass'. Well he mentioned this to a colleague he knew and met there and who was not known for being a snappy or even tidy dresser and was immediately enthusiastically proffered one of his sad and old examples. OH said it was the most hideous old tie in a colour and style he wouldn't normally be seen dead in. He said it wouldn't knot properly and was twisted and wouldn't lie flat without a hand clamped across it. He never forgot a tie again!

Mel are you making actual dragons now?

No Ann not making dragons but wanting to make journel covers with the eye on them. Oh bought me the modeling clay you bake in the oven for Chirstmas. My little rolling pin came today so I have no excuse now not to start with the clay.

AnninG my landing gear oven gloves are the ones with pockets eash end of a long bit. I don't really now where the Landing Gear bit came from but I have called them that for years. So I did better with my robin oven gloves at £1.50 a pair then Anng.

Blister is now all hard and wrinkley but still not burst.

Vera your meal sounded relly lovely and its good you all enjoyed it and want to go again next year but please make sure the same people have the place then or you could be in for a shock if its not as good.That happened to us once on a bell ringing dinner.

Morning All
It has been days since I last posted. Sorry about that.I did have a few really grotty days but this morning I seem to be up with the lark. I have been down and brought a nice big mug of tea back to bed.I also got all the meat ,veg etc I need ready to go in the slow cooker before I nip off to Rushden Lakes M&S to take back a couple of shirts I got for James's birthday. Why do they have to change the fit ???? They say improved fit . WRONG :-S

Mel your Blister looked so sore.It is good though that it didn't pop . That way no infection can get in.

Vera your meal sounded delicious and at £30 I think was a great price. I would have had to have something other than the Salmon though as I am not a Salmon fan.

I did manage to go to the pub with James and Chris for lunch although there was not a great deal I could eat off the menu .I was a bit cheeky and asked if it would be possible to just have a couple of poached eggs with some chips :-D They went down well :-D
I would have had soup but for some reason t here was non which is very unusual.
I shared Apple Strudel with James for desert and boy was it good. It was melt in the mouth with some rich creamy custard.I wasn't sure if I would be able to eat it which is why we shared. Next time I will have one all to myself :-D :-D

I feel so much better today. My head is clear at last.This awful dizziness I get is to do with the chemo and it it most unpleasant. I cannot begin ot comment on everyones posts as there have been sooooooooo many.But I am reading them all and keeping my eye on you. Especially you FRANK ;-) No more trips please and make sure you use that stick of yours .
My tea is getting cold so I better drink it quickly. Have a good day everyone.

Sorry I missed wishing you a Happy Anniversary Gill for Friday <3

Morning Jane, morning all

It's pouring with rain here and still quite dark.

OH is going to see if he can sort the dryer out, he had a fiddle with it the other week and now it's really noisy with no heat, he thinks he knows what he did wrong so is going to have another go. I had so much washing yesterday I had to dry it all on the radiators and didn't finish until 10pm last night. It was my own fault I had so much as I decided to changed both beds when I had three loads of clothes and towels to do. Needless to say my foot is really sore now, so I'm going to rest it today. I hope OH isn't going to be to long fixing the dryer or I won't be able to get in the kitchen to sort out Sunday lunch. He has a few hours before I need to get in there so hopefully he'll be finished by then.

Great to see you back on here Jane, I was thinking about you and hoping the dizziness had subsided. The Apple Strudel sounds very nice, it must be great to be able to eat better now. When is your last bout of Chemo, do you have another scan before it? I hope the results of your next scan are as good as your last one. Thank you for the Anniversary wishes.

Yes, I was very lucky not ending up with a migraine after getting carried away with the chocolate orange Mel. I had a few chocolates out of the Roses tin last night with no ill effects, so I think I'm getting there, knowing how much I can eat in one go now.

Congratulations on losing the 3ib you gained over Christmas Ann, keep going, it sounds like you're doing really well. How much are you looking at losing?
I love boxes and containers, I used to put things straight under the sink and it was a nuisance when I needed to clean the cupboard so I now have everything in boxes which came in handy yesterday as the "U" bend needed cleaning so it only took a few minutes to empty the cupboard so OH could get to the problem. I swear by them now and even have a few under beds, Sandra loves them to as it's easier for her to slide the boxes in and out from under her bed now. Hope you had another good nights sleep last night.

Morning Jane Gill and all,

Its a really wild morning out there today the rain is so heavy at times you can hardly see through it and its comeing down slanted. when I got up it looked like sleet.

Its so nice to hear from our Jane and know she is coping with the last bought of chemo. It was nice of the pub to do you the poached eggs and chips Jane but they are there to serve you after all. Sounds nice to me might even give it a go myself. The apple strudel and creamy custard would also go down a treat. I can't remember when I last had a strudel. I so pleased you ar managing to eat a few more things now. Sending love and wishes as we all are and all thinking about you every day. XX

I keep forgettinng to tel you that when I went shopping on Tuesday and got to Landcross (Jane will know that) there were daffs out in full flower so spring is on the way!

Thanks for letting me know I can Google taking cuttings Vera, I'll take a look later. I'm in the middle of cleaning the kitchen and need to mop the floor and clean a few cupboards. Luckily I don't have many kitchen cupboards and a few were done yesterday so not many left to do now.

So you've seen some daffs already Mel, it must be really warm your way as there's none up here yet. Having said that I still have a couple of Penstemon flowers from last year which I'm surprised about. I think we'll been lucky with the temperature this year and so far it's been quite a mild winter. We've got glorious sunshine now, but we did have really heavy rain last night and the wind got up a bit to, then it rained a bit more first thing this morning. At least it's brightened up now.

I agree with everyone how you need to be very careful nowadays who you give help to. It's such a shame the world is like that now.

It sounds like you're busy with sorting like me Ann. I've got to go through all my cupboards again, not just the kitchen ones, as I've put lots of things in them I don't actually need anymore and I could do with the extra space.

Talking of sorting I'd better get back to the cupboards and floor in the kitchen before I have to put the dinner on. My foot is still a little sore, but thankfully not as bad as it was last night. I would like to rest it this afternoon, so better get on and finish this morning's jobs.

wE HAVE SUNSHINE NOW AND ITS QUITE WARM OUT. i HAVE FILLED ALL THE FEEDERS UP ON THE BIRD FEEDER AND APINTED MORE OF MY DRAGONS EGG.

i AM NOW GOING TO START THE BIG BREAKFAST AND HOPFULLY i CAN GET ON WITH SOME MORE PAINTING THIS AFTERNOON.

gILL i HAD A LITTLE TIDY OF MY KITCHEN CUPBOARDS THE OTHER DAY BUT NOT ENOUGH. i FOUND SOME SPONGE MIX IN THERE FROM 2017 !!

Sorry did'nt mean to shout but I sm not typing that lot again.........

Afternoon all,

Bright and breezy here today ,the wind really got up last night and it poured with rain .

Lovely to see you posting Jane and you don't need to say sorry for not posting we all understand , i'm glad the dizziness has eased for you and you managed to get out for some thing to eat ,i don't think it was cheeky to ask for some not on the menu i'm sure they were happy to help .

Vera that was a good price to the meal you had and i too was going to say to make sure it's still the same people there when you book again ,so many of these places change hands these days and you don't even know .

Gill why are you doing the cupboards when you have a sore foot naughty girl you should be resting it :-)
How is Sandra's knee now ?

I have to admit i had a turn out of one of my cupboards the other day and had to chuck out all sorts ,lots of mixed dried fruit and nuts some old porridge oats that got pushed to the back and i didn't realise they were there there ,was two started bags brown sugar all out of date and other bits and bobs too so quite a bin full . :-0

Mel i'd like to see all these dragon things your making they sound interesting .

So the jigsaw's a bit slow going then Ann ,we've started a new one ,it's one son and DIL got us for christmas ,there's three in the box all nice thatched cottages and all 1000 pieces .
Well done for losing the 3lb and it sounds as if your doing well on the exercise bike too .
I buy the nice story books from the works for the children ,i bought some for them at christmas and Lewis came in with them this morning ,his favourite one at the moment is about the Aliens saving the World with Underpants :-D :-D

I'm going to start on some thing from the crochet book i bought the other day ,i went and bought some new wool so i think i'll make a start on some thing might be the gingerbread man or the little christmas trees .

Vera much better night last night thank goodness. (May have been the whiskey before bed that put me to sleep so I didn't hear/feel OH twitching etc.
That meal sounded lovely, could just eat that. Not often these days that the whole meal is so good, and such a good price as well.

Mel, yep yours was the better bargain, mine needs 'breaking in' a bit as it is very thick, good to save me from burns but a bit clumsy to hold.

Annx I think it is good for married couples to have different interests to get them out of the home or to absorb them while in it. Not sure I would have liked OH to always be away on bank holidays or weekends so I am pleased nowadays golf is a weekday thing. It wasn't always, when we were younger he used to go off on Saturdays to play in matches which involved afte match meals.... and drinks and card games. He couldn't keep up with that nowadays and hasn't played in matched for about 20 years as he doesn't enjoy it. (His reports always said he was not a team player! :-D We have always been used to spending time apart, the first 8 years of our marriage he was in the RN, spent 6months on HMS Eagle out of the country and a further year based in Plymouth while I was in Hampshire (with a toddler). Then in civvy life he worked for Rank Xero/Xerox and travelled a lot to the states and Holland and other parts of Europe plus Hong Kong and Japan.That makes you quite independent. Once we both retired I had my family history which in those days was absorbing and took a lot of my time (2000 onwards) and he played a lot of golf,we always set aside one day a week to go out together. Now with card making and (when I get around to it) scrap booking and his golf we still have individual interests. I actually find it quite hard when we have weather like now and golf is out of the question as we are together a lot and I don't get as much uninterrupted 'me' time.

Jane, lovely to see you and to see you sounding chirpy. Your poached eggs and apple strudel sounded nice as well. so pleased you could eat OK. And good that they were prepared to cook what you asked for.

Gill hope OH could fix the tumble drier. There you go again. One bed would have been sufficient!! Naughty girl, giving yourself hassle and overdoing it :-)

Mandy, another one sorting out kitchen cupboards. I have just tried to fill a container with salt from a drum I have had a while. the slat had brown flecks in it so that has gone out. My food cupboards are ok at the moment as I did them a few months back. I have now sorted three of the cupboards that have serving dishes and casserole dishes etc in. I have taken a couple to the charity shop plus a potttery coffee pot and still have a load of serving type dishes all shapes. Hardly used these days when we don't have people for meals.(except family).

We went to the big garden centre this morning, had coffee and a toasted Tea cake (shared) then bought the new salt grinder. We already had the matching pepper grinder and like it.
Brain then was better than brawn as OH tried to get it apart to put the battery in it sade unscrew anti clockwise but the diagram showed an arrow clockwise and I found, as it didn't look to have much of a thread, that it needed half unscrewing and half pulling off. Job done! :-D

How on eart or should I say in space do you save the world with underpants? That made me laugh and I still have a smile on my face.

We shall need to see these new crocheted thigs too Mandy.

Where's our Frank? I miss his posts when he has days off. Glad you got the RAC sorted in the end and now Ros will be safe if she is out on her own and anything happens to the car.

Gill I have told you before that you don't have to take the U bend off to clean it. Get yourself some soda crystals. Put some boiling water in your washing up bowl or a bucket and a good long squirt of bleach and about a quarter of the packet of soda.Give it a mix but not with your hand unless it has a rubber glove on it. Pour this down the drain and let it soak for about a half an hour and then flush it through with some more really hot water. Your drain will be cleared then. It works on our shower as oh's hair is always geting stuck down there and there is no way to clean it out other than that. I do it down the manhole covers too but we do have a septic tank and its ok to use this method on that.

:-D The Aliens saved the world from a comet by pinching underpants from people washing lines stitching them all together and pinging the comet back into space :-D

Lewis loves it and giggles every time I read it bless him .

I need to sort out some of my other cupboards ,there's loads of glasses we don't use and little glass dishes ,son said if there's a trifle dish they will have it but I think I only have the one I use .

Lol Mandy, pity you don't live nearer, I am sure I have one he could have. Actually they go quite cheaply in charity shops.

Love the underpants story as well. Wonder if our boys have it. What is it actually called?

Well we have been lucky we had sun most of the day but even when it went in there has been no rain. It is cold though.

I have just had a good sort out in my craft room and filled a bag with rubbish craft bits, changed a few boxes round and discovered I could do with another plastic box, having only been to the range and Hobbycraft yesterday! Luckily found a tin that will do.

Good to hear from you Jane and I’m pleased you are feeling more “with it”. What a shame you had to take James’s shirts back; it’s really annoying when an “improved fit” is anything but that. Organisations like banks are just the same. They make changes “for your convenience” and they are usually b....y inconvenient.

I hope your foot is less sore now Gill and OH has sorted the dryer for you. That’s just reminded me that I put towels in my dryer this morning and they are still sitting there. I must get them put away. I’m with Mel on the drain clearing issue. Soda and hot water works wonders.

I had a smile at Lewis’s book choice Mandy. Kids seem to love that sort of thing don’t they and it’s great that they learn to enjoy books at an early age.

You are all making me feel guilty with your cupboard cleaning and decluttering. I really ought to make a start on mine. Some of my cupboards and wardrobes are long overdue for a clear out.

That’s good advice about checking the place hasn’t changed hands before we book another club meal there. I’ll mention it to our chairman when I next see her.

I hope Frank is OK. I think we all miss him and worry when he doesn’t post.

Right, I had better go and get the towels out of the dryer before I forget them again. Think I’ll put the kettle on for a cuppa while I’m out there.

Lol Vera,The last time I went to put stuff in the drier I found a towel that had been in there for 4 days. It was dry and surprisingly not creased. I was annoyed though because I am usually very careful about switching everything off when the drying is finished. Luckily all was OK.

AnnG i think the books called Aliens love Underpants but i'll check next time i go to sons .

Hardly ever use my dryer if I can help it. It gets harder for me to get down and get the filter out and then clean it and get back down to put it back in and I bet it takes me ages to get it back on.

Finished the other dragon egg but I don't think I like this one! It may be ok and someone may like it. I should have stuck to the one I sold and done another one like that which was the first one I made.

I have aslo made 18 sausage rolls so we can have a couple for tea tonight and oh will finish off the rest for erly breakfasts while I am still asleep. He gets up about 5am. sometimes he stays later if he is asleep but he is one of those people who can't go back to sleep once he's awake. I can I could sleep on a clothes line. Its just a few rimes I can't sleep when I go to bed.

Wish my oh would go out sometimes. He used to go ringing when I did'nt so I used to enjoy time spent alone but he dos'nt go anywhere now unless its mowing in the summer and then I can get on and clean without him moaning about the noise of the hoover etc.

I use my drier all the time, only had a drier for three years but I love it.. my filter is quite easy to clean and the machine is very efficient. It is a Grundig, very quiet, dries well, not too expensive to run.