General Chat

Oh dear Vera what a mess and just when you were tired from all the cleaning. I think I would have yelled at him too.

It is very good of your OH to take his friend to treatment but that was unfair of him to ask in the current situation.

Mandy at least you managed to get the alarms things always seem to go wrong at the worst possible time.
Looks like we have another nice day tomorrow so you should get the gardening job done. We are promised rain for Friday.

Frank it is not that Tesco don’t have eggs but I can really only ask my neighbour to get six at a time for us, I don’t like to take advantage.

O Mandy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! no wonder the milk had curdled it must have made it like cheese and what a waste of 2 pints. You should have checked the date and smelt it!!

I used to put white vinegar i the kettle when I lived in Suffolk. The inside would have a lovely white fur coat just after a few boils. I loved the water to drink in Suffolk and when I came down here the water tasted horrid till we bought a water filter jug.

I did some ironing this aternoon and then got out two brimbles that had rooted into the rockery garden plus some more ground elder and weeds and tied up the clematis at the edge of the patio. I have just turned the heating on so I can go and have a shower and then sit and watch a couple of programs on the telly.

Hope you all have a good nights sleep tonight.

good morning all, another lovely sunny morning here, we could do with rain for the garden and looks like we might get it tomorrow but don't really want it. Not that there is much left to do in the garden but it is so nice to look out on the sun.

Mandy I forgot to comment on the curdled milk, All I can say is Eergh!! Hope a lesson has been learnt there then!!

Bedding to wash this morning and bathroom to clean. Not sure what else but I am sure there will be something.

Morning AnnG and all,

Not such a nice morning here as we have cloudy skies and not much sun showing at all.

May be doing the same as you this mor nin g AnnG, change the bed and clean the loos.

I still can't get over the tea made with vinegar................yuk yuk yuk.

Morning AnnG, morning Mel,

Nice and sunny here again ,we've decided to leave the other roses today and rest our backs a bit all that leaning over yesterday has made mine twinge a bit so we go out tomorrow to do them.

Mel I did smell the milk and the date was for the next day so I just thought it was on the way out ,and it did go out Lol next time I shall make sure I leave the vinegar bottle beside the kettle .

Just washed the kitchen floor and I have the door mat from the conservatory in the
wash ,once the kitchen floors dry I'll make the coffee and we can sit outside and have it ,we have a blackbird singing it's heart out it's so lovely to hear,he was out there yesterday singing away .

Mandy we have noticed how quiet it is and the bird song stands out more.

The new camera oh set up also has soud on it and he put the picture on the telly and you can hear all the birds singing in the garden. I don't know how to get the sound but the pictures are good on it on my pc and tablet.

One of the old cameras he put on the back of his filter shed and I can now see down the back from his shed to our fence out the back. Hav'nt seen any hogs in the garden yeet but they are about the chickens run as theres dropping out there. I hav'nt started feeding them yet but may put some biscuits out tonight.

Morning all

Lovely and sunny here, but not as warm as it has been. Clapping for the carers is tonight, it'll be the first time OH has been here as he's been working every Thursday since it started. I did notice last week there weren't as many, so I hope OH can hear someone tonight. He's back in work tomorrow on days, not sure what shifts he's got after then as they gave his night shifts to someone else. I hope he has some shift soon though as the bills still need paying. He's a bit nervous of going back, but hopefully he'll be okay and not catch the virus. Still no symptoms so he's been very lucky.

Yuk Mandy, your drink must of tasted awful, good idea to leave the bottle of vinegar by the kettle next time you do it.

How nice to be able to see the birds on your camera Mel. I've noticed the birds singing more, now it's so quiet. We haven't seen the hedgehog since he came into our garden the other week, although we did have a skinny cat walk into our kitchen by the door the other night, he soon ran out again when he saw OH at the other end of the room. We only had the door open because it was so hot that day.

It sounds like you're going to be busy with your bedding and bathroom to clean AnnG.

I've washed all the bedding and done as much as we can in garden with not having anymore pots and compost to re-pot the few things I've got left to do, so that'll have to wait for now, the housework is up to date as well, so I don't have anything to do today. I might catch up with a few programmes I recorded later, but for now I will be doing some more of my family tree.

I didn't really get any further using Ancestry and their free UK records, but I did manage to see some 1939 register images which gave me birthdays, so they've been added to the people I already had. I'm researching a very common name and have been stuck on them for years, it looks like I'm never going to find anymore on them as I've tried everything. I might see if there are any tree matches on Genes, in the hope I can start breaking down some of the brick walls I have.

Afternoon to you all,

Yet another BAD night. Went to bed after QUIZ and laid for over an hour. Got up, thinking I would start reading another book. Just couldn't get into it, so gave up, and watched a bit of Tele.

I woke got the loo at 5.45 to a very bright dawn, so didn't go back to bed. Eos came out around 8.30,we had COT and cereal. She's now in the front garden weeding, and digging out Tony's dandelions, which are all over his lawn. I have taken a bottle of ROUNDUP to her so she can spray the roots.

Havey has rung for an order, he has a slot for Saturday, from Sainsbury's. I have Emailed that to him. They are all fine and the family. i.s. LARA and JAMMIE.

Spoken to John, he was so bored yesterday that he took his Ferrari out for a spin. NAUGHTY BOY. He would have been in trouble had the police stopped him.

I see the police are clamping down on these groups of people, they have issued over 2,000 fines. GOOD.

Roast half of DUCK and two extra breasts for tonight, with nice and vegetables in a bag. Nice and easy.

Maureen across the road issuing to the butchers in Towcester. She said they make a GORGEOUS Steak and Kidney pie, so she is bringing one home for us. That's tomorrow's dinner sorted.

Sun isn't as warm and bright as yesterday, but still nice enough to sit outside, which I am going do now, with a nice cup of coffee.

Stay SAFE. xxxx

Sorry you had a bad night Frank, lets hope you have a better one tonight. It sounds like you've got your shopping sorted, nice of everyone to help you. It's nice and warm here now after a chilly start to the day.

I forgot about the last part of Quiz, I recorded it so will watch that now with OH as I've started with a headache, I think it's the pollen as everyone is cutting their lawns and hedges, there's also been lots of people having their tree cut down or topped. I'm pretty sure the people they've got in shouldn't be out though. I know they have to earn a living, but that's no excuse is it, they need to be careful the police don't catch them or they'll be fined.

There's so many people not sticking to the lockdown rules, it makes me so cross. I was watching the news last night and there was a man on there who has got the virus and he said it's just not worth taking the risk and going out, nothing is more important than your health. I couldn't of said it better myself. Let's hope anyone going out just for the sake of it, watched him and now thinks twice.

Well, I am exhausted now. Cleaned the bathroom stripped the bed and washed the bedding dried and in the airing cupboard, not made the bed yet, waiting for Oh to help. Tidied out rhe second to last drawer in the kitchen and di a lot of filing as that is the drawer where everything gets put pending. So lots of leaflets, adverts etc that were relevant but no longer are plus a bundle of old MOT certificates for a previous car all in the recycling, anything with an address on has been shredded. anyway the drawer looks a lot better now but what is the betting I will want information that I have got rid of? I have just finished all that although I did stop for an hour to have some lunch. the scones are actually better today than yesterday so they have improved with keeping.

Frank, I don't think the lockdown situation is a recipe for a good nights sleep every night. Sometimes I sleep well sometimes I keep waking (usually trying to remember what is in the freezer and cupboard to make meals with. We have bought very little extra meat or fish since the lockdown so are doing very well with what we have. Tonight is prawn curry.

Gill I don't know if you said that your OH has been in contact with the people in the home who had the virus but if he had no close contact the chances are he won't get it so fingers crossed.

Contractors are allowed to work providing they maintain social distancing. In fact across the road from us is a lot of work going on, don't know what she is having done but there has been a digger and a cement mixer and a huge pile of gravel and sand and goodness knows what plus a large number of big paving slabs and a load of stuff under polythene not yet unwrapped. and old shed has come out and a new one gone in amd old fencing out and new waiting to be taken in. And the strange thing is the two people working on it are female. One very tall and with a body builders figure and obviously very strong, the other smaller and slight buy also strong.
However people should not be having trees cut down or hedges cut, tree topped now because of the nesting season. At least I think I am right.

Afternoon All,

We have the sun too and are noticing more birds about and like Mandy says they sing their little hearts out. There was a Buzzard circling over the back field earlier and you know it's there, even before you see it, as the other birds go quiet. OH was weeding the front this morning so the blooming dog next door was going berserk at the gate. It woke me at 7.15am this morning and was in a frenzy a bit later when something was delivered over the road. Thank goodness it was indoors today when we had our lunch outside, a nice easy one pot pasta with minced lamb, onions, swede, carrot and red kidney beans with added oregano, basil, garlic, ginger and stock cubes. There is enough left for me to have tomorrow as well.

These men are a liability aren't they? Vera, they do things without looking ahead at consequences, just when you had a nice clean floor too. Mandy, we thought alike as I descaled our kettle yesterday afternoon and worried that him indoors would blindly top it up and make tea!! I left the kettle on the draining board off it's base and with the lid up as a clue and told him as well, but didn't trust him to remember, I wasn't happy till it was rinsed and back in action. I can't believe Colin made cups of coffee with vinegar in!! lol. You'd think he would have noticed the vinegar smell and what a horrid shock to find the clotted milk in the bottom! Luckily the milk was near it's last date so wasn't like throwing fresh milk away. Our tap in the utility that started dripping is bound up and fenced off like a crime scene. It's the only way to keep his mitts from turning the tap on. :-D

I see Captain Tom has raised £12 million for the NHS before closing the site down. What a great donation and good to know that you can still do good things at the age of 99!! :-)

I have planted my cherry tomato seeds that arrived yesterday. They will be a bit late, so we may be having a glut of green tomato chutney and fried green tomatoes later in the year. I've noticed one of the clear plastic panes has come out at the back of the greenhouse at the bottom. I did try to tell him that it wasn't a good idea to have a water butt at the back at each end blocking access between them at the back of the greenhouse and to leave them both side by side in the middle at the back with extended pipes to the gutters, but did he listen?

Mel your new camera will be great and it will be good to hear sound as well. We get a few brambles and nettles from seeds that blow over the back fence from the field. They hide between the shrubs and can be hard to get out once they get bigger.

Mandy you are the third one of us to have smoke alarm trouble. Isn't that strange, but it's good you could get and replace the battery.

Vera I think it is so wrong and unfair that your hubby is still taking his friend to hospital for chemo when he has family that could easily do it now they are at home. They are all choosing to put you and your hubby at risk so they can protect themselves. They should be so grateful for all your OH has done up to now and do their bit now they can.

I'm glad your OH is still symptom free and that he will have day shifts when he goes back. You will probably see more of each other with him on days. Has he managed to get some glue for his tooth yet? That poor skinny cat sounds like he might be a stray.......looking for a home! :-D :-D

Frank I had a bad night too. I stayed up to try and get a slot after midnight, but no joy with Sainsbury's, Tesco or Adsa. Tesco are sold out round here till 4th of May. I was still awake at 3.00am so tried Asda again and managed to get a delivery slot on the 26th which is 8 days after our click and collect this Saturday, so although it's a bit sooner than I wanted, at least we can top up with perishables etc. to keep us going. Yes, John was selfish going for a spin, we would all like to do that and then where would we be. The paper said the police had found groups in the city parks here smoking cannabis together. Some people just don't seem to care.

snap Annx we posted at the same time!

do you have a recipe for that one pot pasta, it sounds good and tasty.

Afternoon All

Another lovely day here too today.It has been really warm.

Oh Mandy that must have tasted GROSS.I can just picture your faces .Dis you have to rinse your mouths our afterwards?
And Vera with the mess yout OH made all over your nice clean floor.I am not surprised you screeched at him :-D :-D. I bet the air was blue.It would have been here for sure.

Yes the birds sre sounding so lovely with all their songs.It is so much quieter here without all the traffic on the A14 and out the front. The only noise is still from next door.

I had a call from the hospital this afternoon to ask me to go in on Sunday for my blood tests and that `i would be getting a phone consultation with the Consultant or Registrar on Monday morning.Then all being well I will go in on Tuesday for my treatment.

Chris has made more bread today but we are now getting very short of flour and none available for our next food drop on Sunday. I have ordered a large sliced Granary.I am out of potatoes too now so it will be rice or pasta for Friday and Saturday.What with I have no idea yet.

I too seem to be thinking all through the night about what meals to do and what to order.I dont seem to have any normal dreams either these days.

Hannah has my car and a light came on saying to NOT DRIVE.It doesnt show what the trouble is. She rang Garage we use and it is closed as are a couple of others she tried . So there is nothing she can do until they reopen which could be weeks . At least with them both working from home and Gareth has his car they wont be stuck.

Dear old Captain Tom (is it Captain?) raising £12 million .How brilliant is that. What a lovely man he is too.

Good luck to OH going back to work tomorrow Gill.Does he know what has happened to the residents who had the Virus?

Must remember to go outside and clap tonight at 8. :-D

Jane yes it is captain. Hasn’t he done well?

So another three weeks of meal planning in lockdown. We can do this.

And yes must remember to go out and clap tonight.

Busy three days there then Jane is the session shorter on Tuesday?

Oh dear, all these bad nights. I was the same. Like you Ann I was online at midnight hoping for a Tesco delivery slot for 6 May. I can usually get a slot if I am there at midnight when the next day comes up. This time I was in a queue. I got directed to book a slot at 12.10 but they had all been filled. I can’t get a slot with Waitrose either. By the time I went to bed I was a bit uptight and just couldn’t sleep. I got up at 3.30, made a CoT and tried the supermarkets again with no luck, then I read till 5.30, dozed till 7.30 and then got up. I went for a lay down this afternoon which is something I never do but I am going to have another go at midnight tonight so it’ll be another late night. I do have a delivery coming on 23rd but you can only buy so much at a time so I shall have to go out tomorrow for milk and veg. We are trying not to shop more than once every 7-10 days, and then we go to the little Co-op really early before it gets busy.

Oh Mandy, vinegary coffee.........urgh! It sounds disgusting. Never mind, you’ve both now got nice clean insides, lol.

You’ve had a busy day AnninG with your cleaning and drawer sorting but doesn’t it feel good when you get something like that done. I eventually finished clearing out our kitchen cupboards yesterday and OH adjusted a door that has never fitted properly. Now I want to clean out the fridge and freezer, wash all the rest of the paintwork in there and clean the windows and the kitchen will have had a good spring clean.

Your new camera sounds great Mel. I would be spending all my time watching the pictures and to get sound as well must be a bonus.

I hope it’s nothing seriously wrong with your car Jane

So your OH is back in work tomorrow Gill. Does he know if any other residents went down with the virus? I hope the day goes well for him.

I forgot to mention last time I posted that OH phoned our meter readings through to Anglian Water on Tuesday and they have credited our account with £52 for the water that was lost when we had the leak. So that was a good result.

I’d better go and sort out our meal. It’s smoked haddock tonight but I haven’t decided what to put with it yet. I might just have a nice glass of Sauvignon while I think about it.

Have you all remember3 the clapping? :-D

Yes AnnG I have two saucepan lids to bang together this week ,so come on let's make some noise for the NHS :-D

How many more treatments will there be Jane? I seem to have lost track. I hope your blood test results and conversation on Monday are good so you can have your next treatment.

I would have thought there would be a symbol as well as the message on your car dashboard and the handbook should say what they all mean. It could be something simple like the radiator needing topping up or that the engine oil is low. They might be worth checking if they haven't done yet. What a nuisance for it to happen now though. Luckily you have a few cars between you all and no-one needing them for work just now. I'd assumed maybe wrongly that garages would still be open for repairs as cars are essential for most of us to go shopping or fetch medication.

AnnG you have been busy so no wonder you were exhausted. I still need to clean the bath and the mirror in the bathroom. I felt tired today so did less than I wanted to. I did get the door and window and frame at the back of the garage cleaned. They had bits of green in places and are white again now. I'll pm my made up recipe to you.

Today I dug out my old Chef food mixer circa 1970, and made some fruit scones. My oven behaved and they actually turned out better than I expected.

Scones look good enough to eat Ann and I love the flower pics and the Blue Tit with his little helicopters flying behind him!! Ha ha. <3

I like the flower with the mauve and yellow blooms can I ask you what it is as I have never seen that before? Is it a shrub?

O no Jane not problems with the car. They shoudl make sure of the oil level and the water as Ann said it may just be that or it may be that it needs re programing. It happens with my old car and Stuart sorts it for me.

Don't know whats going to happen MOT wise as mines due 19th May I think. I thought they were going to give us more time on our MOT's but hav'nt heard anything more about that. They ought to give us something off our car tax as we can't use them like we wish to and my battery will be flat soon if I don't give it a long run. Oh will charge it for me. Cars don't like these short trips do they.

It turned out sunny again here today after me saying this morning that it was cloudy and has been a beautiful day. I pricked my lettuce seedlings out into thier pot today and dug out two brimbles but thats all I did in the garden. Got up earlyish and hav'nt done much all day.

I do hope both AnnG and Vera have some sleep tonight. I am feeling tired already so shall be having an arly night I think.

Gill good luck for G tomorrow going back to work.

I can't recall it's name at the moment Mel, but it is a shrub with woody stems, is small and very low growing and I have had it in the front and back gardens for years now. It is very hardy and spreads by putting roots down from stems round it's edges that are touching the ground. It doesn't spread that quickly that it is invasive though.

This is what the Gov.uk site says about your MOT.

Your vehicle’s MOT expiry date will be automatically extended by 6 months if it’s eligible. This will be done just before it’s due to expire.

This means that:

your vehicle will still have a valid MOT certificate for an extra 6 months
you can still tax your vehicle - you might need to wait to do this until later in the month if both your MOT and vehicle tax run out this month
your insurance will still be valid
your vehicle’s record will be updated so the police can see you have a valid MOT
You will not get a new paper MOT certificate with the new expiry date on it.

So you should be ok.

Yes I'm a bit bothered about batteries going flat, but it will help with our next grocery order being click and collect so OH's car will at least get a short run. I was keeping in a lower gear last time mine went out to try and get a bit extra charge into the battery. I keep forgetting to look for the battery charger so will make a note now.