General Chat

Mel Lol I often spot typos Mel in my posts! I do try and read through but can even miss them then.

The shallower one actually usually suit me better Mel but I will have a look later.

Vera, here's hoping your son's cellar is OK this time. such a soul destroying Job. I feel for the people who are getting it for the second time.

When we were first married we lived in Naval hirings. We were in one when daughter was born. This was in Alverstoke Gosport. It was in a Crescent like the well known one in Bath. We were in a basement flat of one belonging to a R Naval Officer. I had my daughter while we lived there, she was born in November. We had heavy rain and the kitchen and part of the lounge proved to have no damp course and was under about 4 inches of water. After this had happened three of four times we had had enough of paddling through water and trying to mop it up. Daughter was just over a onth old when we were moved by the Navy and the flat taken off the register. Naval officers wife was a right b****. We couldn't get our big wheeled pram through the basement door. We had a rear door which it would go through but she refused us permission to take the pram down the garden path (her garden).

Afternoon all,

Raining now but it has been dry ,i heard the wind roaring in the night but it seems to have dropped off a bit today ,son and family came this morning the children came in with a card they had made and chews for Max as it's his birthday today he's four .
We bought him a new collar and lead as his old lead was getting a bit rough were i hold it .

Vera i hope your sons cellar doesn't flood again after filling with water from the last storm ,that would be a big expense having to replace a boiler and freezer even if they can claim on the insurance it's still not nice having your home flood .
How is your back today ? hopefully with rest and tablets it's feeling a little easier .

Ann i didn't ask how OH was as i thought he was on the mend but seeing the doc this week sounds the best thing as he's had the cough a while now ,hopefully some antibiotics might help .
Did you go and have a look to see if they had done yellow lines outside your friends house where you go beading ? it will be a shame if they have so you can't get to park, would OH be able to drop you off and pick you up so you could keep going ?

Oh AnnG what a shame your little woolen blanket has rotted can you not save any of it ? if it's only a little bit it would be nice to keep just for sentimental reasons .

Mel your poor girls having a soggy run again ,i don't blame them not coming out in the wind and rain, that a good lot of eggs yesterday .

Did i say the wind had dropped , seems to blowing again now .

Mandy it is crochet and old fashioned wool so couldn't cut it. No. I have to be unsentimental Lol Trying to get rid of stuff so that will have to go i think.

Having had it so long could'nt you just cut a littlel piece off and wrap it in cling flim for old time sake AnnG.

Guess what its stopped raining and the sun has come out. I don't want to speak too soon but we have blue sky but the wind is still blowing a hooley.

Better get round to the girls and corn them before it turns bad again.

Sent pics of new work space and LLT's

I could I suppose but don't think anyone else in the family would be bothered by it. I will have a think. It is a heavy old thing as bit as a hearth rug. Actually I must have another look I think it might be knitted not crochet. I think it was made by an old lady whose house Mum stayed in with me in Lowestoft for a few months in the war when Dad was stationed near there.

Love the LTTs Mel so many of them too. and that is a lovely work space with a view out of the window too. I would never get anything done I would be spending all my time looking out of the window. It is all very neat and tidy too. No excuse for not being able to find anything now.

Aahh Happy Birthday to Max! <3 I can't believe he's 4 already Mandy! I bet he liked his chews from the children and will look very smart with his new collar and lead!! Whatever work is being done near my friend's house is being done tomorrow, so I might nip to the shop there later so I can see. :-) Another friend said the lady who lives there thought it might be work being done to one of the houses, but I think it's odd the cones were all along the road. Yes, OH has offered to drop me off before, so that might be an idea. Not sure where the others would park though if the lines are elsewhere as well.

Mel those LTT are one of my favourite birds! I wish we saw them around here more often. That's quite a little flock that were feeding. That's a nice workspace you have there now and so tidy with your boxes stacked neatly. I see you have some desk lamps too so can work into the evenings. Good light too from the window. Yes, if there's stuffing, sausages or crackling OH can't resist! I stopped wearing a watch once we had mobile phones at work and cars had clocks. Some people wear them in bed don't they. I wouldn't be able to sleep..

It is annoying how many organisations are so casual about putting NI Nos on correspondence. Anyone stealing any of your post with them on has a bit of extra information to enable them to steal your ID to get loans/credit or access to your bank account. Together with information like your name, address and date of birth (and how easy your birth date is to find from FH sites) they can open a bank account in your name, take your money out and disappear. Make sure to shred anything that has them on. I know mine off by heart.

Well since I told OH he should see the doc, he has been saying he feels a bit better........men! We'll see how he is tomorrow. :-)

The minuet I went to shut the chickens in it start to hail. Its been doing it ever since on and off.

As to wearing a watch in bed I always have ever since I can remember.

Did a bit more putting away but I am fed up with it now and my back aches so I have given up.

<3 <3 HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MAX <3 <3

Bet he had a great time with the children this morning. He'll sleep well tonight. I can't believe he is four years old already.

AnnG i would have to keep just a little piece of it but that's just me ,i'd put a little piece in a photo frame or some thing ,what about putting a little piece in your scrap book .

Mel those LTT's are so pretty i don't think iv'e seen many round here it's all blue tits that come in the garden .
You have a lovely space to do your crafting now ,lots of light though the big window but like AnnG i would spend half the time looking out the window :-D

Ann if one of the houses is having some work done then they might have put cones out ready for a delivery of building materials .

I can't believe Max is four either ,i even had to look at his jab record to make sure :-D

Good morning all, showery patchy sun but mostly cloudy. Not sure what the weather is bringing us today and not sure what we are doing.

Mandy I have a large trunk full of momentoes, not sure what a piece of manky moth ridden wool would add to it. It has not actually been binned yet but has reached the bottom of the stairs. Will see what today brings.

Morning AnnG and all,

Ahhhhh be kind to your banky you've had it a very long time................. I could'nt throw it all away I would have to keep just a bit even if it was some of the wool.

Wind and rain again this mroning but some bright patches inbetween with sunshine.

Nothing planned for today so I may go and have a play on my new work tables. I am fed up with sorting things out and putting them away when I want to find something I shan't know where it is.

Did I tell you I had a picture email for my birthday from cousin Hilary? I thanked her for the lovely unicorn pic and today I had an email from her to say she thought it was a nice flower arrangement!!! I don't think they know about Unicorns over there. I'll se if I can take a pic of it to show you.

Morning AnnG, morning all

A bright sunny day here. The wind has dropped but there is still a very stiff breeze. Son survived yesterday’s rain with no more flooding.

I’m off for a haircut in a minute. It’s long overdue but at the moment I can’t lean back in her chair while she washes it. So I’ve come to an arrangement with her. I have just washed it myself in the shower, then when I get there I can just bend my head forward over the basin and she will quickly wet it again for cutting.

I have done 2 loads of washing and OH has hung it out. I am trying not to look at the way he’s pegged things. I mustn’t be too critical or I might put him off helping ;-). He is insisting on driving me to the hairdresser’s even though our car seats are quite comfortable and I could manage the driving myself.

Just seen the time. It’s later than I thought so I must dash.

Morning all

Bright and sunny here after lots of rain and wind yesterday. We spent ages brushing all the water towards to grid as it was sitting along our dining room wall. We now think it's been doing that for years which would explain why we had to have a new wooden floor put down in there when we moved in. I hope it's not getting wet again, we'll have to check and see.

Happy belated birthday wishes to Max, Mandy. I can't believe he's four already, those years passed by really quickly. I remember when you first got him and how small his was.

What a pity you may have to throw away your old blanket AnnG. Is it possible to put some material on the back so you can cut a piece off to keep, the material might hold it all together, it would be a shame not to keep just a little bit of it.

Sorry to hear about your son's cellar flooding Vera, I hope he didn't lose anything and managed to clear away all the water. It sounds like it needs tanking. We had a cellar in our old house and that was tanked, although it did fail in one part and the water came through. I had the drain looked at and it was blocked, once unblocked we never had the problem again. Unfortunately we lost a lot of things so had to claim on the Insurance. Both our daughters live in Yorkshire now but thankfully there was just a bit of rain water in the hall where it had come under the front door, but that was more of a puddle of water rather than an actual flood and was soon wiped up with no damage. That's a good idea to wash your hair before to go to the hairdressers. I'm the same as you if my OH pegs washing out, so you're not on your own there.

I love all your plastic boxes Mel, what a good idea and you have plenty there to fill now. I have a few smaller ones and they are a god send aren't they? Love the photos of the birds.

I hope you won't have to give up your beading class Ann because of lack of parking, that would be such a shame. At least you have your OH to take you if he's not busy so it might not come to it in the end. Has your OH made an appointment to see the doctor, it sound like he needs to if he still has his cough?

Yes, I do have my NI number on my carers allowance papers, but luckily I know OH's and mine off by heart so it's not a problem. We've never been asked for our cards in all the years we've had them so I'm not to bothered about them going missing.

I think Michelle may of managed to get a copy of Sandra's birth certificate now as she hasn't rang us for days. Sandra has her own phone now and we did have a lovely chat with her for 3 hours yesterday on a one to one as Michelle was in work, which was nice, she seems very happy, but Michelle has told her if she comes to see us on her own I would lock her in our house and take her phone off her. I couldn't believe the things she is saying to Sandra to try and stop her seeing us alone.

I did smile though as Sandra told Michael (Michelle's boyfriend) that she is older than them and if she wants to see her mum and dad there is nothing they can do to stop her and she's going to see us whether they like it or not. Michael said he would bring her here when ever she wants, but whether he will or not is anyone's guess, so I've told Sandra if he refuses to bring her to us then her dad will go and pick her up.

Michelle also told Sandra that if she came back here to live with us we wouldn't let her see her sister again, which is total nonsense. It sounds to us like Michelle doesn't want Sandra to have anything to do with us and is trying her best to frighten Sandra into not seeing us. Thankfully Sandra has a mind of her own and won't stop seeing us, as she said to them it's up to her who she see's not them. Apart from that she seems happy where she is, so at least we have peace of mind in that respect.

OH took his police report to his new job this morning, they had already received a copy but told him they would be in touch later in the week, once they have the references back, to give him a start date. So that's a bit of good news for him. It's going to take me a while to get used to being on my own all the time though, but I'm sure I can find things to occupy my mind while he's out and it's coming up for the spring so I'll be busy in the garden soon.

The solicitor hasn't rang us yet, so I'm going to have a look online to see if I can find the answers to our questions, at least I'll have a better idea of the law when he does ring and may cut the chat down a bit ,so the bill won't be as high.

Good on Sandra for sticking up for herself and telling Michelle and Micheal she is older than them. When you speak to her again please send her my love and we are all thinking of her. <3 <3

I will let Sandra know you are all thinking about her. Yes, I was very proud of her and the way she handled herself, but it's easy to say she wants to see us and it's up to her, but it's what Michelle and Michael are going to say and do that bothers me. I hope they don't take the phone off her they gave her, it would make it very difficult for Sandra to contact us then. Let's hope we'll have regular contact with her.

I've been a bit upset again today with it all, I really miss her and I'm finding it hard to adjust. I'm sure things will get better with time. The real test will be when OH starts work and I'm here all day on my own. I don't have any friends to visit and my mum hasn't visited since Sandra left on 5th February, so I'm quite lonely at the moment and will probably be even more lonely soon. I'll have to put my thinking cap on as to what I can do to fill the hours.

You can make a start on that purse for Sandra and then find something to do on the sewing machine. Start some crafts they take up a lot of time.

We are all here for you to talk to any time so you have lots of friends.

I mentioned the purse to Sandra but she said she doesn't need it anymore as Michelle gave her three purses. I might see if I can find a bit of leather and make it for myself as the material I have is a bit to thin and I think it might fray against the purse clip you gave me.

I thought I might have another go at my family tree, that normally takes a lot of time, providing I can make a start as I came to a standstill on it and I don't have access to records. I might see if there are any tree matches I can contact, see if that gets me anywhere. I could always watch a bit of TV and like you said Mel, I can talk to you all on here if you're not busy.

We have just been over to M&S Home shop in Cheltenham I sent a few towels to the charity shop last week so felt entitled to a new one for the kitchen, also had a M&S voucher for £11 and bought a towel for £6, orange, goes well in the kitchen so pleased with that.

We also looked at mattresses for our bed and when we have checked our base we will go back and order a memory foam one, they have money off until 26th. then we went in B&M and bought a few bits and then the Range and 'found' some more bits so have had a good run round. After being in for almost the whole weekend it was good to get out and the sun has shone all morning too. Had a shower just after we got in but stopped now.

Gill, you need a few projects to fill your time. You will soon get used to OH not being there and will get used to having time to yourself. Give us some ideas of the hobbies/interests you have had in the past, give us a list of crafts etc you like to do and see if we can come up with some ideas.

And you need not feel lonely most of the time one or other of us is around to chat.

Well done Sandra for standing up for herself showing them she is an adult and not a child to be dominated. I think your main concern must be how to protect Sandra's money/share of the house from being accessed by Michelle. That is where a solicitor can help. And I do still feel that you need the support of social services.

And if you truly feel that Sandra is happy try not to get upset yourself, it is a bit like when children leave home to go to uni or get married, you are suffering from an empty nest.

<3 <3

Where's Frank?

We had a lovely sunny morning but at lunch time the sky turned grey and just now it is ahil and wind and its very dark. I was going to clean the big girls out this afternoon but Ican't see that happening now. I will get some sawdust out of the bale though ready for when I get the chance.

I hate this weather................................................