General Chat

Does Sandra seem happy in herself Gill when you speak to her? Is she still doing her craft work, card making etc?

Hope it is not too bad up on your roof then. maybe it is just a piece of loos mortar. Is the damp patch near a window? Or is it up near the ceiling when it would be more likely to be from the roof.

I am here. Thanks for your concern ladies. My back started to feel a bit better by Thursday evening and was much better when I got up Friday. I had an hour on the computer catching up on various things, then prepared a big stew to have last night and tonight, had a shower and hair wash and some lunch. I still felt OK, just a bit achy and, as I had 9 envelopes to deliver all over town (will explain later), I needed to get some shopping at Tesco’s and pick my meds up from a chemist in the town centre, I decided to get it all done. OH offered to drive me and worked out the best route round. By the time I got to Tesco’s, the last stop, I was hanging on to the trolley to stay upright. The pain seemed to have moved to the other side of my back, so I am now sitting/lying in a recliner with a heat patch on the other side of my back. I think maybe I tried to do too much yesterday and every time OH pulled up to a house for me to make my delivery I was rushing and twisting my body to get in and out of the car. I shall have to learn to be like royalty and get in and out more elegantly as I think it’s twisting too much that has done it. I must remember I’m a poor old lady and be more careful :-). Strangely enough, once I got myself in the right position I had a good night, sleeping from about midnight till just before 7 am.

Oh dear Gill, what a rough time you are having. I don’t know the legal position but it seems to me that someone in authority needs to make a decision as to whether Sandra is a fully competent adult who can make her own decisions or not. If she is, then “supervising” her phone calls etc is an invasion of her privacy. If she isn’t considered adult enough to conduct her own phone conversations then surely she isn't adult enough to move home without her parents’/guardians’ permission. I hope you can get the advice you need soon and get this properly sorted. At least you have one bit of good news with OH getting the job. I’m very pleased for him and hope he can start soon. It will at least ease your financial worries a bit and give him something else to focus on.

I hope you are not feeling lousy Jane. You were a brazen hussy proposing to Chris and now you’re not too far off your Ruby Wedding anniversary. Our kids sent us for a long weekend in Venice for our Ruby anniversary. We didn’t buy each other a present but visited the Murano glass factory and chose a piece of glassware - a small piece as there was no way we could afford some of the beautiful products. We decided on a small fine coloured glass vase with some lovely decoration in gold leaf. We looked at it in a Ruby colour but I liked a blue one better so we got that. The company engraved the date on the base and gave us a Certificate of Authentication so maybe it will become a family heirloom for future generations. It would be nice to think so.

It’s a shame you have still got a leak AnnG but it sounds as though it is a small one so it should be OK till your man can come back and sort it.

It’s good you enjoyed your meal Frank and even better that you had a Christmas voucher that nearly covered the cost :-). That might make up for some of the rotten meals you have had in the past.

Some of you do have romantic partners with roses, cards, poems by text. Lucky you! My dearly beloved wouldn’t recognise a Valentine’s card if it jumped up and bit him on the nose ;-)

Now, about these envelopes I had to deliver. I think you know I have a group of lady friends and when one of us has a birthday we all go out for a meal together. We usually just have a main course and maybe a glass of something and then go back to the birthday girl’s house for coffee and cakes or similar. One of the ladies and I have our birthdays close together (18th for her, 24th for me) so we share our celebration, though somehow I often end up organising it. Anyway, I booked a table for 11 for lunch on 19th at a pub about 3 miles away, but because there are so many of us the pub has asked us to preorder and given me a menu. I scanned it in to the computer and emailed one to a lady living in a village a few miles away. I decided to deliver the rest as 2 or 3 of them don’t “do” modern technology so haven’t got email addresses and others never seem to look at their emails. I hope my back is better in a couple of days as everyone is coming back here after the meal so I need to get a bit of cleaning done and I have also said I will make a trifle on Tuesday evening. The other birthday girl is getting cakes.

OH has just made a cuppa so I am now going to have that with a couple of biscuits and some Ibuprofen.

Afternoon All,

Yes it is certainly a day of all the 'D's Mel. It's got worse as the day goes on here with the rain and the wind. It gave my finger a right stubbing when the wind blew the car door into it. Have the things you were expecting turned up?

It's a shame you still have a bit of a leak AnnG, but at least the wind and rain have found it quickly. and the chap will soon fix it when he's back.

I was wondering how things were going Gill and that is great news your OH has found and got a job so quickly. The shifts might not be ideal, but for now it will mean you won't have to worry about paying bills.

I'm glad you are seeking professional advice as I think anyone in your position would need it to ensure Sandra's best interests are protected. They shouldn't be listening in on any of Sandra's phone calls or stopping her from ringing you unless they could prove it wasn't in her interest. It is an intrusion of her privacy, intimidating and controlling what she is able to say to you. Similarly with any spending of her money which would have to be in her interest, otherwise it is financial abuse. They don't sound at all suitable for Sandra to be living with. I hope you get to see the solicitor soon. Of course you must be anxious and forgetting things as it is a stressful time, but hang in there, :-)

Oh Vera I do sympathise as backs take a while to heal and then just as they seem to be on the mend, a slight movement can set you right back again. Hopefully you will soon be back in action, if more carefully next time! I had to smile at your intended egress from the car becoming more like Her Majesty. :-D I think one of those Lazy Susan's on the car seat would help me.

Evening all,

It hasn't been a bad day here ,little bit of wind and one shower earlier but i can now hear the wind getting up a bit and rain on the back window .

Oh Vera it's so easy to do to much to soon ,you get behind with things and as soon as you feel a bit better you try and get things done to catch up ,i hope your not in to much pain ,rest up you need to be ok for your birthday .

Ouch Ann nothing worse than stubbing your finger that can be very painful ,i cut my finger in the back door the other day ,Colin was pressure washing and i didn't want Max out there in the water so as i went out i pulled the door behind me and trapped my finger right on the bobbly bit where i have Arthritis ,i came in with blood running down my hand and then i had to get a plaster on it !!

It's a shame you still have a little leak AnnG but your man will soon come back to do it i'm sure ,i know when Colin used to go out to try and fix leaks he used to have to have several goes some times until it was fixed ,he use to say you can see where the water is dripping in but that doesn't mean thats where the leak is as water can run a long way .

Gill so pleased that your OH has got the job that will be one less worry for you and pleased to see you are going to see a solicitor and get some advice ,that way you will know where you stand with every thing .
Do you think you might have put some of the missing papers up in the loft ? or have you posted them off for some thing at some time and haven't had them back .

Did your parcels arrive ok Mel ? you'll be busy filling up all your boxes .

Love to Jane <3 hope your not feeling to bad

It sounds like you might of over done things all in one day Vera, I did smile though when you said you'd have to learn to exit the car more elegantly :-D :-D I hope your back is feeling a little better today. If you don't mind me asking how did you hurt your back? Sorry for asking but I haven't read the posts for such a long time I think I might have missed your post telling us what you did to hurt yourself.

I didn't think about Sandra being controlled by Michelle and Michael, but thinking about it I think you're all right. She written a letter to her friend who happens to be my mum's next door neighbour, her friend let us look at the letter and the way it was worded isn't the way Sandra speaks so we think it's been dictated to her. There was no real detail which is very unlike Sandra as she goes into lots of details on letters she's written to her friend in the past, even her friend said it wasn't her usual type of letter and that it was very short. Normally when Sandra writes to people there are lots of pages more than the three sides of A4 size paper she'd written to her friend on. So now we have even more concerns.

I think the best thing to do is tell the solicitor everything we know and see what he advises, then contact SS and voice our concerns with them as well. She seems quite happy on the phone when I spoke with her this morning, so maybe she doesn't realise she's being controlled or she's to scared to tell me because Michelle and Michael may have told her not to say anything and she's worried it might cause trouble.

Either way we need to get to the truth and also be able to speak to Sandra freely without other people listening in and for Sandra to be able to speak freely to whom ever she wishes without fear of repercussion from her sister and her sister's boyfriend. We can't have her living in fear. I'm starting to think she might not be better off living with her sister after all.

Missed your post there Mandy. I hope your finger isn't to sore. It's so easy to hurt it like that. I remember when I was in primary school I put my hand out to stop a door closing on someone but didn't realise my fingers were in the hinge end and the door shut on my hand, I had to go to hospital to have an X-ray luckily nothing was broken but I lost 2 finger nails and my fingers were sore for a very long time, I was only about 11 years old. One of fingers is still a bit of a funny shape. I hope it feels better soon.

Yes, we were thinking they maybe in the loft but it's not something we would put up there. With not being able to find them anywhere else, it seems the only place left to search. The problem is our loft is full of boxes all over and almost up to the roof so it would take us forever to search them all. If it comes to it though we'll have to do just that in the hope they've been put up their accidentally.

It's funny that they seem to have disappeared Gill. I'm not suggesting anything but have you seen them since Michelle left home? Night she have them with her things if she had to get her own birth cert to take with her? Or might they be with all your FH records or certificates? Just an idea. You probably will anyway, but jot down everything you want to ask the solicitor. It's easy to forget something without a reminder list. I think once you have some advice it will ease your mind a bit. That must have been nasty, losing your fingernails Gill.

Ouch Mandy, that sounded much worse than what happened to my finger! The wind has died down a bit here now and I can't hear any rain, so I hope it's blown over. I noticed the floods were coming back in the fields and there were big puddles on the road in places this morning, so after all the rain it will be bad tomorrow.

I've had a really lazy day and am off to watch some telly now.

Vera ooh poor you. Yes getting in and out of cars,me specially when parked in parking bays with monster 4x4. S next to you is so awkward I bet that is how you twisted your back. I hope it recovers soon. Another rest day tomorrow I think.
I am glad I am not the only one who has nothing to show for Valentine’s Day

Mandy Ouch that sounds nasty hope it soon heals for you.

Anyone watch masked singer? I thought it was weird ar first but we have got quite into it. And how they have preserved all the identities is very clever.

Annx a lazy day once in a while does you good.

Yes a pain about the leak and annoying he is working away for two weeks still it is only small.

Ooh, Mandy and Ann, those poor fingers sound painful. Hope they recover quickly.

Ann, we have never watched The Masked Singer but for some reason OH has it on now. Not sure why as it’s not his sort of thing at all.

Gill, if it becomes necessary I think you can get replacement birth and adoption certificates. You asked about my back. It sounds stupid but I have no idea what I did to it. It started just after I had been potting up a load of cuttings in the garage and I had got very cold so thought I might have chilled a muscle or something but now I am wondering if I strained something turning this way and that. I was working at a bench but had to keep turning from side to side for compost, pots, tools etc.

We’ve just had a delicious stew. Sometimes they seem to taste better on the second day. Yesterday I cooked it in the oven so I did roast potatoes with it, but today I reheated it on the hob with dumplings and some little boiled potatoes. It was very tasty.

Now I’m going to have a look at the crosswords and sudoku in today’s paper.

It probably was all the twisting and turning you did Vera that triggered your back ache. Maybe next time you could have a sit down in between doing the work to give your back a rest. I find stews taste better the second day, I think all the herbs go into the meat over night rather than staying in the gravy. Hope you managed all the answers on your crossword and Sudoku in the paper. My OH has Sudoku books, has done for years and still isn't bored of them, he says it keeps his mind working and it's suppose to help with your memory as you get older. It's definitely working as I just said you need to put Optrex in your ears instead of Otex and he corrected me, so maybe I should start doing some of his Sudoku books lol :-D :-D

Sandra was watching The Masked Singer AnnG, I didn't bother as I thought it looked a bit weird. I'm wondering now if she's remembered she was watching it as she put all the programmes she liked onto a recording system we have in the other room. Plus she was watching a dancing programme to. I mentioned the Best Home Cook to her on the phone this morning and she had forgotten about that, hopefully she'll be able to watch the ones she's missed on catch up as it's the final next week. I did notice the new Secret Life of the Zoo started the other day, I just caught the end, so mentioned that to Sandra to as she loved that programme. She used to watch a lot of TV so I don't know how Michelle and Michael are going to be if she wants to carry on watching them. Sandra's been following Dancing on Ice and did mention that to her sister but Michelle hasn't caught up with them yet so Sandra has to wait, I hope Michelle lets her watch the programme to the end and doesn't let her down.

I did notice that OH and my NI cards went missing around the time Michelle left Ann, but never checked anything else, so it's possible the certificates went missing at the same time, after all Michelle did take her birth certificate with her when she left and as far as I know they were all together. There again if she had taken all of them she wouldn't be so angry at not having Sandra's now, so I guess it's a bit of a mystery at the moment as to where everything has gone. I've always kept everything in a safe place and only brought them out if needs be, so with that not being very often it's hard to know exactly when everything went missing. Like Vera said we could always buy copies if we ever need them, our NI card though we can't replace, so I hope we never need to show those to anyone in the future.

Yes I was thinking of writing all the questions down we would like to ask the solicitor as he will be ringing us first, that way he can get a proper picture of the situation. Apparently the solicitor is based in Liverpool and at the moment I'm having problems going out and wouldn't be able to travel that far, the receptionist did say the solicitor maybe able to come to the branch in our village so I could manage that far. I thought that was a kind thing to offer, but I guess they'll add the journey to the bill, I doubt he'll come all the way over here at his own expense.

Ann yes the 12 A4 boxes arrived and one of the glass table mat things I am going to use with the clay. Filled one of the boxes already so 11 to go. It takes me ages to get the wrapping off of them even with cutting the cellophane.

Good to hear that OH's police check was ok Gill. Hope he is happy in his new job once he starts. It'll put both your minds at ret moneywise. It is right what the others have said about giving Sandra her privasey and they should do that. It must be like being in prison for her. Has she said anymore about going out with them?

My watch battery has gone flat so I have taken it off but I still keep looking on my wrist for the time and the only clock thats right is on Echo so I have to keep asking her what the time is? I'm lost without my watch.

I see I did'nt post this written hours ago. :-S :-S :-S

Morning all

Well, what a night. I hope you are all OK and not suffering any storm damage. The wind and rain all night has been horrendous and according to the forecast will be here for much of the day. With the security lights at our house and our neighbours flashing on and off all night long it has been a bit like trying to sleep in a disco. We stood just now at the kitchen window and watched the rain being blown horizontally across the garden. It was really weird.

I hope my son’s house is OK. He is in Yorkshire and up a hill so I thought it would be the houses at the bottom that would get the run off water but son’s cellar got badly flooded with Storm Ciara recently. He and his wife and stepson spent hours down there with a big vacuum pump but the water was coming in as fast as they could pump it out. It was worrying as the huge boiler that heats his big house and was newly installed less than a year ago is in the cellar and there is a big freezer there as well.

Stay safe everyone. Might bbl

Morning All,

Just lost a post.....how annoying!

The wind seems to have got up again here. We know it's getting bad when the letterbox keeps rattling. The first thing I did this morning was check our big Pine tree was ok....it was, but I think we may have to get the top lowered if we keep getting these high winds. It is more exposed to the wind since the builder and our neighbour opposite chopped down the other Pine trees.

Gill maybe Michelle has misplaced them herself if she did pick up a few certificates but doesn't like to say. Don't worry about not having your NI number card as long as you have a note of your NI number somewhere. You used to be able to request a replacement card anyway, but it can usually be traced by the benefits people if needs be. I do the sudoku puzzles most days and after lunch we do the crossword and wordwheel between us! Lol

We are eating at home today, something simple and easy, bought chicken breasts wrapped in bacon in a tray with stuffing and small sausages (OH will have all the stuffing and sausages). I just need to do the veg, sprouts, carrots, green beans, a leek and peas.

OH' cough is still nasty and making him very tired so I think he may need to see the doc next week if it doesn't show signs of improvement soon. Luckily he has no meetings next week so can have more rest.

Better get moving now.

Forgot to say Vera what a worry those floods in your son's cellar must be. As you say, you would think the houses further down the hill would be affected not his. It sounds like he will have to either get the cellar waterproofed, is it called tanking, or use two pumps if it happens again. I hope your back is a bit better still today........No limbo dancing though!

It was wet and windy all night and the one remaining leak in the flashing is still there, I would think about two tablespoons of water in the tray, not too bad but will nee looking at. There is another drip but that is nothing to do with Charles, more to do with something OH did when he opened a top window that is never opened. I think he has damaged the seal. So he will have to fix that. Thinking about maybe haviny a polypropoline roof put on over the top. Just thinking at the moment.

If you have any old payslips or communications from DWS (maybe carers allowance anything like that should have your NI number on it Gill. If you find something, make a note of it somewhere safe.

Mel do they sell the A4 boxes individually or in sets? I just want one, usually there are loads around in the Range, B&M etc but can't find one at the moment.

We have a half leg of lamb for this evening. Bought it half price on Thursday and put it in the freezer, took it out last night. £7 instead of £14. No way would I pay £14 for Sunday meat for two of us.

Just cleared out the bottom of the airing cupboard. Now have a large bag of suplus hangers. I think they have been breeding in there. Also re-found an old crochet woolen blanket that my Mum used to lay me on when I was a baby. Sadly it will have to go out as it is rotten now but then it is nearly 80 years old!. Found two large throws that we used to cover settee etc with when we had cats and three sets of bathroom mat/pedestal mat. They are all good, hopefully the local charity shop can find homes for them.

Norning you lot,

You've been busy chatting away. No I would'nt pay £14 for a piece of meat for the two of us either.

The rain and wind did'nt let up all night here and the back field next to the chickens run is one huge puddle. Luckily oh built the run on slightly higher ground but it still all soggy in there. I am not expecting many eggs today as I had 5 yesterday morning when I fed them. I hav'nt ventured out yet. I leave them to lay in t he morning when its like this. They only come out to feed and drink and then go back inside the house. I gave them m ove shavings yesterday and will do the same today.

Vera I hope your son's house is ok in this weather and he isn't flooded out again. I feel so sorry for the people who have been flooded out and lost all their furniture etc. It must be devastating. When I lived in Ilford when first married in a house owned by mum and dad I had the bottom flat. That had a cellar and once that flooded. I had loads of stuff dopwn there using it as a loft and most of it was ruined.

Sorry you did'nt get a good nights sleep Vera and hope your back is better today.

AnnG I think you can buy two together but if you do buy the deep ones as they hold so much more. They would be good for your scrapping bits and card.

Gill yes your national insurance number will be on your papers about carers allowance. I alway write mine and oh's in the front of my diary each year. I used to do it with mum's too as sshe was always being asked for it and could never remember it.

What is it about men and stuffing Ann.? Oh always wants it with everything if I let him. If I have the oven on I usually do him some but if I don't then he goes without. :-|

Norning ha ha ha. just seen it sorry.

I used to enjoy Saturdays watching Kent Walton commentating on the

wrestling. Mick McManus, Jackie Pallo and that crew, they were fit.