General Chat

good morning all from a slightly grey and much chillier Gloucester.

Not got a lot planned today, after doing a lot yesterday I think it wise to not push my back too much today. OH is finding a few more small jobs to do in the garden and has a job lined up for indoor work. He has discovered that the brass door knobs are dirty (who knew?? I did tell him days ago) and he managed to clean a couple up yesterday. we could do with new one but modern ones are no good for our doors. The house (we discovered yesterday) was built around 1981 surprising what you learm when out clapping!!

We have heard from our holiday people, they will offer us an alternative holiday at this years prices up to May next year. They don't mention the fact that we have not paid the balance but say they will issue a voucher for the amount we have paid (which is the deposit). We are thinking whether or not to take up the offer of next year, being that OH will be inhis 83 year. It would be good if (having survived thsi virus alive) he is still able to drive all that way. Not sure what to do about it yet.

Ann, thank you for the recipe, I am sure I shall use it soon. we do have a lot of pasta dishes. I didn't know that tip about pre cooking. I am concerned that instead of reducing my sugar count I will have been pushing it up with eating a bit differently. Being stuck in the temptation to have a biscuit with coffee is great to break the boredom.

The battery on my car is dead flat. We have had one ordered at the garage (Our garage is still open for emergency repairs). when they have the battery and a spare minute they will bring it to us and fit it here.

OH's MOT has expired, he had a letter from our garage to explain what will happen.

Morning AnnG and all.

I think we have the same weather here AnnG as it has been raining a bit as the grounds wet out its not at the moment. Bit of a breeze.

Got up late again so not done anything yet. May do some craft today as I hav'nt done any for a few weeks now with pottering in the garden and cooking. I do miss the fish and chip van for a day off cooking and the pasties for that day too. They do pasties down the shop but they are rather expensive and I can't be bothered to make them myself as it takes so long.

My car is used to going out once or twice a week but if the battery goes flat oh will charge it for me. I think I have said that before!! Repeating myself again....... :-S

Cynth just back with our shopping. Frustrating to find I forgot to put tonic on the list, so that will be rations until next Tuesday no doubt we will survive. Plenty to be going on with now though.

And I knew that tin of sardines was in the cupboard for a reason, sardine sandwiches for lunch today. and easy one tonight, frozen fish and chips.

All disinfected and put away now. Very threatening here at the moment so hoping we might get some rain, the garden does need it. Not something we often say in April is it?

No its not Anng I think we had all the April showers and a bit more in March. Not decided what to do fr dinner tonight so shall have to dig down the freezer or it will be toasted cheese sarnies.

Not getting along well today at all. Can't get into anything and WHERE'S FRANK?

I can't find my superglue and I want to glue one bit of the things I have made for Mandy's grandchildren and then I can send them. Mandy you will have to make something for them to hang on even if its only wool.

O I have just had an idea of what I can hang them on if I can find it after putting everything in those boxes I now don't know where anything is, typical...... when I am in a mess I can put my hand on anything I need at any time. :-| :-| :-|

Afternoon all

Bright and sunny here today, but with a bit of a cold breeze, so not warm enough to sit outside for long.

You were busy yesterday AnnG but at least it's all out of the way now. How frustrating to forget things and then have to wait, so you'll be rationing the tonic out for a few days. I've not had sardines for years, I do have plenty of tin tuna, but I'm getting fed up of it on sandwiches. I might take a look online to see if it can be used in recipes. Did you get the rain you wanted in the end?

Captain Tom has raised over 18 million now Ann and more to come by the looks of it and to think he'll be 100 at the end of the month. His daughter must be so proud of her dad. Your scones turned out lovely and all those other pictures are beautiful. I cheated and bought some scones, they were delicious. Unfortunately scones are the one thing that never seems to turn out well for me when I try to bake them.

Hope all goes well with your blood test and consultation Jane, is this the last time you'll have treatment? Sorry for asking but I can't remember where you're up to. It can't be far off finishing now though, so almost there. Have you managed to find out what's wrong with your car yet? At least there are other cars that can be used within the family.

Thanks for the good luck wishes for OH, no he doesn't know anything yet, no doubt he'll tell me what's what when he comes home later. I've been trying to keep my mind occupied so I don't worry to much, but I suppose it's all part of working on the front line. There wasn't as many clapping last night but OH thought it was lovely to hear. It seems to be going quieter each Thursday now with not so many people out. I hope it doesn't stop altogether.

Pleased to see you got a refund off Anglian Water Vera and not a bad amount either, it's nice they did that as most companies, would try to get out of giving you money back. Let's hope there's no more leaks now.

Good news for the MOT on your car Mel if they do extend it for 6 months, that's one less thing to worry about. Our's isn't due until I think September, but I'd better check, just incase I've got the month wrong.

Sardine sandwiches were nice and made a change.
Gill I have used tuna in pasta sauce with a tomato base. No real recipe but adding the tuns towards the end of cooking but make sure it gets hot.
Hope your OH got on ok today and has some de ent shifts.
Well tonic is not really essential so we will cope. It was my fault for leaving it off the list and one of the problems with not doing our own shopping.

Mel it is always easier to find things if you don’t tidy them away. My oh is good at ‘losing’ things like that

Afternoon All,

Cloudy and breezy here too, but we had sunny spells so ate outside for lunch, then came inside the conservatory to do the crossword and wordwheel as the sun went in.

AnnG, the effect applies to potatoes and white rice that you reheat too. Dr Michael Moseley did a test with people with pasta and found that letting it go cold meant a 50% reduction in blood sugar levels, so quite dramatic. Reheating it from cold seemed to improve the effect more too and other studies have found the same result. Letting it go cold alters the structure and turns it into a 'resistant starch' making it resistant to the enzymes that break down carbohydrate into glucose. I'm not diabetic yet but am trying to prevent that if I can. Those scones won't help though! lol. :-0 What a nuisance the car battery was flat, but at least you have managed to get someone to sort it out. I have looked for my car battery charger in the garage this morning, but it is not where I put it, with my other 'car' items on a middle shelf. OH moved things around to fit all his parents' things in there and stuff is waist high either side with a path down the middle and it is obviously 'somewhere' in all that. OH denies having ever seen it or moving it, but that applies to lots of things, so I'm keeping quiet till it will inevitably turn up! I just hope we won't need it.

I'm glad you said that Mel as, apart from doing the necklace, I haven't been able to settle to do any other craft things yet. My mind is too full of shopping and cooking too I think!

We haven't done much today and got up very late, so I might just do a bit more sorting of old paperwork and instructions for things.

I hope Vera managed to get a slot last night.

Good (late) afternoon to you all,

Another iffy night. Hence I never got uo till after 10.00 am.

Had cereal and COT. Then decided the lawn needed mowing. When Barry was here last week, he must have had the mower on the highest setting. It looked a total disgrace. So yours truly set the cutter lower, and got 4 boxes of cutting off the back lawn. I B@@@ered my back, but my, it did look good, with the STRIPES. I hope I will do the front lawn tomorrow.

Ros has been in the garden all afternoon, and has just come in. I have all the veg done for dinner, and been reading my book.

The rain is just starting, so going to check that nothing has been left out. BYE
for Now. xxx

This is the purple and yellow plant for those who asked.

polygala chamaebuxus var. grandiflora

I forgot to say that was good news getting a water refund Vera.

I hope your OH got on ok at work today Gill. Are they allocating certain people to care for the residents with coronavirus or do they all take a turn? I see at some homes the carers are sleeping on the premises to help stop the spread to their homes or to the residents. We had tuna with a jacket potato the other day. I like to add a little chopped onion and grated cheese to it with a teaspoon of tartare sauce. lol. Well tartare sauce doesn't keep long once you open it! I use tartare sauce up to make a potato salad sometimes as well. Yes it is an incredible amount that £18 million isn't it and he's such a gentleman too.

We had enough rain to wet the ground but that's all. I don't think your back will be in any state to do more mowing tomorrow Frank. Do be careful as it's not a good time to be in hospital if you can avoid it.

Yes, Ann, I did get a slot last night with Tesco’s. It’s for 7th May which is just 2 weeks after the one I have coming on 23rd April. That suits me fine. If I can get a slot every couple of weeks I can just pop to the local Co-op in the middle week for a bit of fresh stuff. We did that this morning. Left home at 8.05 am and were back by 8.30 with some fresh veg, milk, bread and a chicken for roasting. I took kitchen roll to put round the trolley handle and used hand gel when we got back in the car, scrubbed my hands well when I got home and wiped everything down. Although there were a few cars in the car park there only seemed to be one other customer in the shop so keeping our distance wasn’t a problem. The only problem was that when I got home I noticed the chicken said use by today, so we have had our Sunday roast tonight.

I am very jealous of those of you who manage to sleep late in the mornings. We seem to be getting up earlier. As you know I don’t always sleep well anyway, last night I slept from about 2 am to 6 am, but OH sleeps like a log. He generally goes to bed around 11.30 and is usually up by 7.30.

Lovely pictures of your plants Ann and those scones look yummy. I rarely make scones but those look so good I might do some over the weekend. Thanks for putting up the name of that plant – I was going to ask as well as I like the colours. I wonder if you could grow it in a pot or trough. I’ll have to check it out.

Flat batteries are a problem when you can’t use the car much. I think I told you that OH managed to find his old charger tucked away in the garage and charged ours up and Tuesday and Wednesday he did a few miles (about 160) taking our friend back and forth to the hospital. Our MOT expired at the end of March and was updated to end September. We were concerned as our tax was due at the same time and we weren’t sure whether it would be taken by direct debit as usual, but a few days ago OH had a letter saying that the DVLA would be taking the direct debit. They haven’t done it yet so OH is keeping the letter in his wallet so he can show it if he is stopped at all. You can check online whether yours has been extended or not if you go online a day or so after it expires. I think I just put something like MOT extension into Google and found the site, then I just had to put the registration number in and it came up and told me it was extended till September. If you are checking, just make sure you are on the official site.

Frank, I bet your garden looks lovely with a nicely striped lawn. We don’t have any grass at all. The garden is quite small and when we moved in there was just a rectangle of scrubby lawn and one small flowerbed. It looked horrible so we got rid of the grass and put in a patio and path and beds. Sorry to hear the mowing has given you backache. Have a day’s rest before you do the front lawn.

Gill, let us know how OH got on at the Home today. I hope they have plenty of protective clothing.

I hope your blood test and consultation goes OK Jane and you are able to go for your treatment on Tuesday. Is it a double arm job again? We were very relieved that our friend only had to go to the hospital for two days this session, instead of the usual three days. Now we have four weeks before we have to worry about taking him again and everything might have changed by then. How’s your poorly car? Have you found out what’s wrong with it yet?

Fancy forgetting the tonic AnninG. Now instead of G & T you’ll have to have G & moreG. You mentioning sardines reminded me that I came across a tin of pilchards when I was cleaning the kitchen cupboards out. That might be tomorrow’s lunch.

I’m beginning to feel a bit weary now so I think it’s time to relax a bit. I think I’ll have a look at the crossword and then read for a while. Hope you all sleep well tonight. Sweet dreams.

I love pilchards on toast. We hav'nt had it for a while so I may do that next week. I like to slice a tomato thinly and pop a couple of slices on as well.

Hope you get more sleep tonight Vera. Its good oh dos'nt have to do the trip to the hospital for 4 weeks now.

Ann thanks for the name of that plant. I would love one of those. Will it live in very dry soil?? on my rockery bit? if I can keep the pheasents off.
We too only had enough rain to wet the road but it is still trying to rain out there now so I had to go out and cover the seat of the old mower when I shut the big girls in.

Frank I would leave the front lawn for another day as you don't want to hurt your back any more than you have today. STAY SAFE! Aunty Mel has spoken. :-|

Did'nt get any crafting done in the end I was looking at things on pinterst to get some ideas and the time just ran away with me.

Hope G got on ok at work today Gill. Did you get any futher with the family tree and your brick wall?

Where's our Mandy tonight?

Good morning all, we have had a decent amount of rain so I am hoping it will stop soon. Still very grey here today though.

Oh Frank, you will overdo it pushing yourself to cut the lawn, even if the lawn does look good your back is more important.

Ann thanks for that info re the sugar and re-heating potatoes and rice. I use a lot of the packets of steamed rice, I wonder if that would apply in that case as it is re-heated.
Yesterday OH couldn't find the charger for the Karcher he uses for the windows. I suggested that when he tidied the conservatory he put it away in the garage "Why would I do that" he says, "no I didn't". About two hours later when he had to go out to the garage for something, he came in with it in his hand!!!!

Mel, I made three cards so did get back into crafting a bit. But now the weeather is not so good I bet Oh will want to do some of the indoor jobs which involve both of us.

Morning AnnG and all,

It was raining a bit when I went to bed but its not this morning but the sky is dull and grey here too.

I don't have that trouble AnnG as oh never puts anything away and if he should do it I have no idea where it is.

Have to go and get the paper and a few bits today and drop off Em's eggs and pay them for the Sunday paper Ed got me last week. I won't go down till later never closing time as its quieter then. I had to queue last week when I went a bit earlier

Good morning Mel and All,

RAIN STOP PLAY. No grass cutting today, It was raining when I got up 7.30 and still at it. I am pleased in some ways, as my back doesn't feel that good, and I had a terrible nights rest. When I wasn't awake I was dreaming. Eos bless her, slept until 9.45.

Carol has bought a load of sheets (BED) They have been in isolation for two days. It appears the Hospital needs in excess of 400 scrub bags, so she's at it again now. Her cuter has gone blunt, and she can't find her replacements, so I have just ordered more from Ebay. She is having cut them out by using scissors. I have also ordered a load more STRING for the ties. At this rate these will be costing me a BOMB. But all for a VERY GOOD CAUSE. So who cares. !!!

We haven't had breakfast this morning, So looking forward to a bit of lunch later. I hope we can find a CHINESE TAKEAWAY that is open tonight, otherwise it will be Steak and chips, with mushrooms and fried onions. Which on face value, sounds the best thing, and also not having to go out.

I am expecting my delivery from Sainsbury some time today. I hope I haven't forgotten anything we need.!!

Well, I had better get my A@@e into gear, and get showered and shaved. I can't sit around all day in my dressing gown. lol lol

STAY SAFE MY FRIENDS. xxxx

Good morning Mel and All,

RAIN STOP PLAY. No grass cutting today, It was raining when I got up 7.30 and still at it. I am pleased in some ways, as my back doesn't feel that good, and I had a terrible nights rest. When I wasn't awake I was dreaming. Eos bless her, slept until 9.45.

Carol has bought a load of sheets (BED) They have been in isolation for two days. It appears the Hospital needs in excess of 400 scrub bags, so she's at it again now. Her cuter has gone blunt, and she can't find her replacements, so I have just ordered more from Ebay. She is having cut them out by using scissors. I have also ordered a load more STRING for the ties. At this rate these will be costing me a BOMB. But all for a VERY GOOD CAUSE. So who cares. !!!

We haven't had breakfast this morning, So looking forward to a bit of lunch later. I hope we can find a CHINESE TAKEAWAY that is open tonight, otherwise it will be Steak and chips, with mushrooms and fried onions. Which on face value, sounds the best thing, and also not having to go out.

I am expecting my delivery from Sainsbury some time today. I hope I haven't forgotten anything we need.!!

Well, I had better get my A@@e into gear, and get showered and shaved. I can't sit around all day in my dressing gown. lol lol

STAY SAFE MY FRIENDS. xxxx

Afternoon all,

I'm about today Mel but didn't have a very good night ,I woke and felt so sick but wasn't, my tummy is not good at the moment I have trouble going some times and can go four or five days and then feel a bit off but have gone this morning ,I haven't got anything in the cupboard to take so that's gone on the shopping list anyway enough of my tummy troubles .

We had a bit of rain in the night as there were puddles on the road but as it was dry and there was a nice blow out went the washing ,half an hour later it clouded over and when I was on the phone to son I noticed it was raining so cut the call short and brought the washing in.

Just made some sultana scones ,as you were all talking about them and Ann's lookedso good I thought iI'd better make some .

Yesterday Colin put the other new smoke alarm up ,after a bit of faffing about with the screws for it I said why do we have it there were it's in such a awkward place ,Colin has to have the steps right at the stair edge and struggles when it needs new batteries ,he said we'll it was OK there when I was younger and could reach it OK so now it's moved back a bit and its much easier to reach ,these new ones just unscrew and you take the whole bit down to get the batteries in the old one the bottom bit just dropped open to get them in.

Frank it's good the weather's not so good or you would have only tried to do the lawn this way you'll rest that back.
Well done Ros doing all these bags she's a real star helping out .

Nearly lunch time where ever has the morning gone BBL

Mandy you'll have to get yourself some prunes. I have to do that sometimes and eat more veg. Cabbage is good too.

Mandy my system is not brilliant at the moment either, I put it down to a bit of a different diet, not as much veg as usual and also not as much exercise. Drink plenty of water that sometimes helps.

Quite cold here this afternoon and still very dull, not raining at the moment though.

Afternoon All,

It rained here yesterday evening and this morning, so I potted up 3 tiny tomato seedlings that had sprouted in the tomato pots from last year. OH has been making a racket shredding old papers and we started a sort out of some obvious stuff in the garage that we could bin. The neighbour with the little westie nextdoor stopped at the end of the drive for a chat. His wife is in 12 weeks isolation but he didn't say why. I think she has rheumatoid arthritis like her mother did, but am not sure if that makes you especially vulnerable. We will be off to Asda soon to collect our order, but there's been no email from them apart from the confirmation of the order. Then I'll get my rubber gloves on for all the wiping.....what a game!

It's good you had to leave the lawn with it raining Frank. It will be sunny again in the week and your back will feel a lot better by then. Ros is brilliant with all the bags she has made and is still making.....a STAR! I've thought of something useful you could do that we can all enjoy........how about writing another chapter of your MEMOIRS! :-D

Oh Mandy it is horrid feeling like that and I hope your tum is feeling better now. We have noticed a bit of sluggishness with moving around less, but I find 2 ready to eat prunes each morning helps! lol. We are trying to have more apples too. We said our smoke alarm being in the middle of the hall isn't good for changing batteries and are going to see if we can get it moved once things are back to normal. Our scones have all gone now! :-(

AnnG, the programme suggested that re-heating increases the good effect even further which is great news.

That's great you got a slot Vera! :-D We are trying to limit getting groceries to every fortnight unless we run out of milk, but I have longlife to fall back on anyway. OH is more likely to need bread in between and it takes so much space in the freezer, but he will use the Co-op if needs be.

Still had no email to say our order is ready but better get some lippy on now ready to go!