General Chat

Just a quickie while I catch my breath. order arrived at 11 o'clock so we must be fairly near the first of that batch as our time was between 11 and 12. Only a few subs and no problems with any of them only one thing unavailable (bicarb) a lot of people cooking I suppose, didn't order flour as that was unavailable early on. And neighbour got me some yesterday in Sainsburys.

I am prepared to wait for a Tesco order Mel as I know what they do, never shop at Asda these days, haven't been particularly impressed with their stuff in the past. anyway we do have an order for 27th now. Frank our son gets more than one order for different addresses but not on the same day.

Oh dear Frank and you were so looking forward to the sing song last night. Do you wear verifocal glasses, if so maybe get them checked because you seem to trip over things that maybe you can't see with the glasses. I hope you have not done any real dmage if it is no better Monday you ought to ring 111.

Jane I did wonder the last time to were on here if you ought to be having a scan. I hope everything is ok for you. Such a worry but hopefully Hannah will take your mind off things.

Annx Can you message me your email address please. Twice now when trying to send you a photo I have had a message to say it couldn't be sent for some reason. I am sure i have the right address but need to check.

Vera Gosh those slots went quickly, such a pain and yet I am sure they said somewhere, maybe on the daily update, that vulnerable people (not shielded) elderly and others (by which I took to mean the over 70s who were instructed to stay home and only go out to exercise or get essential shopping right at the start of the lockdown) would be able to get priority slots. However nowhere can I see where you can apply for said slots.

O I missed Franks post this morning and have only just read it. You are a silly boy tripping over the log edging. I hope you hav'nt done any serious damage to your ankle but as the others have said you may have to ring 111 even if its for advice.

I went up the shop this morning for the rolls etc and while waiting in the queue there's a bit of garden on the driveway to the old doctors surgery. The other week I saw lovely cowslips there and this week a lot of clover was growing. I thought its a long while since I have seen a four leaved clover so was having a good look while waiting . I found one !!!!!!! Hav'nt found one since I lived near the River Roding when I was young. I picked it and put it in my phone and when I got home I have pressed it in a gardening book. I looked some more but did'nt find another but hsall keep my eye out if I have to queue again. Funny thing is I was sure while I was looking I was going to find one, how strange is that?

We are still not talking and he won't even look at me.

Afternoon All.

Yet another lovely day of sunshine. I had to move my car onto our gravel at the front this morning as our neighbour had put a note through the door to say she was having jet washing done today. The first 2 years she had it done my car was covered in brown spots that I couldn't wash or clean off and I damaged the paint in a few places trying so I was glad she remembered to let me know. Being as I had to start it I drove through the village and down one of the lanes and back to put a bit of charge back in the battery. The grass verges were lovely with not being cut and the hawthorn blossom was magnificent. It reminded me of being a child and walking down the lanes near the Cannock Chase where I lived and seeing the wild flowers on the banks either side and hearing all the birdsong. I'm sure the lack of traffic pollution is making a huge difference.

Oh Vera, it is a nightmare, this booking slots business! Our neighbour signed up with Iceland and seemed to get a quick delivery a few days later, so I hope you have better luck with them. Yes I think we are all becoming obsessed with our shopping now. I hope your toothache has settled down now. Yes it was the oilseed rape that started both my and my mother's hayfever. I had a drop down roof on my car when it first appeared and made it really bad at that time.

We have an Asda and Sainsbury's less than a mile away, almost next door to each other and we always preferred Sainsbury's so didn't use Asda. Since trying some Asda things though, we have found some things we now prefer to Sainsbury's! Isn't it always the same! Despite having a delivery pass (mine was £60) I wasn't offered a recurring slot on my first orders but then got offered one. A fortnightly slot works fine for us and means there are more slots left for other people. We have a delivery tomorrow so I checked my order this morning to find 16 items on my order were sold out! They leave them showing on your order though, so I am never sure whether they will substitute, as they can't if there isn't an equivalent or they are sold out of those, can they? I usually end up deleting them myself and finding something else.

I will PM you my email address AnnG. You did well to have only one thing unavailable on your order.

Sorry you have more worry Jane and I hope the scan comes through quickly for you. It must help having H & G nearby and able to pop in with you having your huge garden. <3 <3

Frank what have you done to your ankle? AnnG is right in that you need some advice if things don't start to improve soon. I can just imagine the pong in Harvey's vehicle. Still it's a better smell than in the former butcher's van on a hot day that I drove for dad! :-S

Gill I don't think your hubby looking for other jobs will affect the reference he would get. After all, they have been happy enough with his work to want to keep him on their books and may want to offer him full time work again in the future. They would be shooting themselves in the foot if they burn their bridges.

Gill I actually think it would be illegal for the home to give a bad reference. So I wouldn’t worry.

Son just emailed me (sorry Vera) he said he was on the Tesco site and noticed a slot nine days after our next delivery so the 5 June. I am pleased about that and he was not even looking for ours.

Annx I will sort out your email later might be tomorrow.

Lazy tonight pizza and salad.

AnnG, I would love to know how your son can get slots so far ahead. I have just been on the Tesco site and the latest date showing is 29th May. At midnight tonight it will show 30th May. I’ve always been able to book whatever I want but since this virus, it’s been impossible. Do you think it varies from region to region?

OH has just called me to do something so must go.

I asked son Vera and he didn’t know, it was late afternoon he found that one when he was looking for his mother in laws slot in Derbyshire. He was surprised to find it. When I looked it was up to 25 I think still behind the 27th I already have.

Morning all,

We have sunshine and blue sky at the moment but they did say rain for us today. I'm glad the're wrong as it means if it stay like this I can go back up the border today.

How' and ankle Frank? hope you slept ok with it last night.

Vera how's the tooth? Is that now easier? I do hope you can get some relief from it soon as its such a nagging pain.

Hope you all had a reasonable night and got in some zzzz's at least.

Good morning all. Another fairly good nights sleep once OH had stopped twitching.

Very dull and threatening here so OH has done the lounge and conservatory floors and I have just done the veg for this evening and finished off the tins that were 'quarantined' over night. No way could I have finished it all yesterday. They have been wiped over and I just have to put them away. Not sure what else I shall be doing.

Morning all

Cloudy here but so far no rain, I'm not sure if we're due any rain or not, time will tell though and the garden will love it if it does rain.

I love the pendant Mel, it's so pretty and a beautiful color to.

I hope your mouth starts to feel better soon Vera, it must be getting you down now. Enjoy your quiz on zoom today.

Sorry to hear you have some concerning symptoms Jane, I hope the scan goes okay for you, I'll keep my fingers crossed for good news. It sounds like you're having fun with your family, it must be so nice to have Hannah and Gareth living close by now.

Hope you're feeling less sore today Frank. I watched Captain Tom's story, it was a lovely programme.

OH never heard back about the jobs he applied for so it doesn't look very promising, he's pretty sure he didn't get an interview for the first job, but is still holding out hope for the second one as the application form didn't go in until Wednesday. OH said his boss isn't allowed to give a bad report, let's hope that's true. It sounds like the boss doesn't need him now but doesn't want anyone else to employ him so he's there should she need him for the occasional shift in the future, but that small amount of work wouldn't cover the bills, so he's going to see what other jobs are out there and try something different if he has no luck with carer jobs. An old friend who he used to work with might be able to get him into the home he works, so you never know something might come of that as his friend can recommend him.

I've woken with a headache so won't be on my laptop much today, the last thing I want is a migraine lasting days on end. I think it's to much screen time this week, I've been doing my family tree quite a lot, which probably hasn't helped, so less screen time will hopefully make me feel better. I've not long taken a painkiller so I'm going to sit outside and get some fresh air and a cuppa.

Sorry I haven't caught up with all the posts, hope everyone is okay.

Vera, I have not heard of anyone having success with this but wondered if you had seen it.

The app that lets you 'cheat' your way to the start of supermarket delivery queue by spotting open slots
• Almost 2000 Brits have signed up to Visualping, which tracks website changes
• Monitors Tesco, Ocado, Morrisons and Waitrose to alert to open delivery slots

Afternoon All,

Blue sky and sunshine Mel? We have wind and rain!! lol. Such a change from yesterday. It's supposed to get colder still so I will be covering some new plants up tonight. I moved my car back onto the drive this morning now next door's power washing is done and the tree on the front was swaying too and fro. It's much cooler too.

I loved your photo AnnG, as Mandy said all those different chairs and so many of you all looking happy! I have the wipe job this afternoon when our delivery arrives. It is a tiring job with all the putting away as well.

Gill I know I am spending too much time on the computer now and try to break it up every half hour and do something else, even for 15 minutes or so. In my case it helps my knees not seize up too! :-)

I hope your toothache has eased a bit Vera ad how is your sore mouth now Mel? I wonder how Frank's ankle is too. We are old crocks aren't we!

Better go, lunch is ready.

Here we are again,Good morning to all you little BEAUTIES. xxxx

Not a good night. Went to bed 10.45 pm was up again by 11.30. Read my book till after 3.00 am. For a few hours sleep, before my foot and leg started throbbing. I was awake then until I got up around 7.00 am

With all the SHUTDOWNS, we had a job finding a Chinese takeaway. However we found one, that we used, back in the 80s/90s. Still going, so we thought we would give them a try. Their MENU is now in the RUBBISH BAG as is the food. Ros likes her Beef in green peppers and black bean sauce, I Sweet and sour KING PRAWNS Hong Kong style. with Egg fried rice. I ordered a portion of BBQ spare ribs in sauce also.When we got it home, all seemed O.K. until we started on the Spare Ribs. They were very greasy, and as tough as old boots. My king prawns were done as BALLS, which I don't like. Ros also didn't like the flavour of her meal. Rather than cause a stink, we binned the lot, and promised ourselves we won't go back.

Earlier in the day we had a cll from SUSAN and ROGER. Sue has to go for a scan on Tuesday, and asked if Ros would make her two face masks, which she did, and we dropped them off when we went for the takeaway. Susan is not in good health, having been treated twice for CANCER. She was putting some plants in the garden, when we arrived. I just opened the window and threw the envelope to her. Making sure we kept our distance. She has put on so much weight, she is a least twice the size she was. Ros will ring her on Tuesday/Wednesday to see how things are.

We also had call from Carolyn to tell us a women round the corner passed away in hospital at 2.00 am. The Hospital rang him AFTER SHE HAD PASSED AWAY. He's not happy they didn't ring him earlier, I think I would have been the same.

I haven't read back on the posts, but hope you are all staying well, and doing as BORIS tells you. Keep safe everyone.

Roast beef with the trimmings today. As we haven't eaten breakfast, I will get lunch at lunch time, rather than dinner time tonight. If that makes any sense.

Might get back later this afternoon/evening. IF I have any news for you. !!!! xxxx

Just put some garden photos on the photo blog.

Turned cloudy this afternoon and with a cold breezy wind.

I am baking a sponge cake. They are cooked just waiting for them to cool down and I have made butter icing which is in the fridge.

Can't see them AnnG. Have they todays date on them?

Where are you looking Mel. My photo blog is where they are. Can anyone else see them?

I can see them Ann :-D Just beautiful and such an interesting garden. :-D

Your garden is looking so good AnnG, both in flowers and foliage! Mine looks bare in comparison but you do put the work in.

I have put bottle cloches on the tomato plants tonight as the pane of glass is missing in the greenhouse. I've covered most of the hole but the wind is really blowing.

All wiped and put away, nearly an hour and a half to do it! Lots of substitutes this time, cream cakes instead of egg custards (so goodbye diet!), beef strips instead of lamb mince (I hate beef, but it's better than nothing), no wholemeal bread, so I will make do with the 50/50. Lots of other things substituted and we got some things they said were out of stock, and I had ordered replacement versions myself so now we have oodles of stock cubes! Not sure I have properly got the hang of these orders yet! The delivery man was cheerful and 15 minutes early and reversed the big van up the drive close to OH's car. He caught it slightly when he drove off as he was so close but it was only a small scrape. OH said it was less than the ones he had made himself but I will park my car further down the drive next time so it's impossible to reverse up. He is the only driver to do it yet as the others stay on the road.

Off to listen to Boris next! We listened to a lecture at one of the universities by Chris Whitty on the Coronavirus last night. OH had recorded it on the Parliament channel and it was so informative about all these serious coronaviruses and the problems we face.

Oh good I am glad you can see the photos Jane and Ann. Glad you like the garden.
Yes my wiping was an hour and a half. Only three subs though and all ok and only one thing not available, bicarb.

Well that was a lot of nothing. We really thought he was going to allow garden centres to open. So now we have a garden centre just over the border in Wales open and the poor people owners of garden centres just over the Bordet into Gloucester, England not allowed to open.
And telling people to go back to work tomorrow, no advance warning, don’t go on public transport take the car. How can factories be up and running so quickly? And parks are now going to be crowded as people have been told they can go and sit in the sun.

Evening everyone

We haven’t had any rain yet but it’s blowing a real hoolie out there and is getting really cold.
I can see the photos fine AnnG, assuming they are the ones dated 8th May. Perhaps that was when the photos were taken. Your garden is looking quite colourful and I love some of the photos of individual flowers. Thanks for mentioning that website checking service; OH had spoken about it a couple of days ago and I saw something about it in the paper yesterday so I had a look at it. They make it sound as though it is constant monitoring and it is free, which isn’t quite the case. It is free but only for the most basic checking of 2 pages of a site, once a day. I can check more often than that myself. For more pages and more frequent checking there is a subscription to be paid. For checking every 5 minutes, for instance, it is $58 a month which I think is about £47. I don’t think I am that desperate. We’re trying to stay in but we can go out to get food or medicine so if I need a supermarket shop I’ll pick a quiet time of day and get the stuff myself.

While we’re on shopping Mel I registered with Asda just as a back up in case I was desperate but I didn’t want to pay for a regular slot because I don’t normally shop regularly. Also Asda is not my favourite supermarket by any means and we don’t have one here anyway, though we have most of the others. Still, it’s good you are getting on OK with your deliveries from them – one less thing to worry about. Hope your sponge cakes turned out OK. It’s making me feel quite peckish thinking about them.

Gill, it’s not unusual these days not to hear back from companies that you’ve sent job applications to. Tell your OH to just keep applying for anything and everything. There will be a job out there for him somewhere. Even a temporary job would keep the wolf from the door while he carries on looking around so he should try to stay open to anything that comes along. It must be so disheartening for him when he was just getting nicely settled in that job. Don’t worry about his reference from the boss. She can’t put something bad about him unless she can prove that what she has said is true. I hope your headache has cleared up now.

Oh dear, Frank, another fall – what are we going to do with you? I hope there’s no serious damage but I expect you’re bruised and achy and a bit shaken up, so try and take it easy for a while. I hope you enjoyed your dinner today more than your Chinese meal yesterday. I expect it was lovely being home-cooked. We had roast beef as well. The beef was ‘resting’ ready for carving, potatoes and parsnips roasted, carrots cooked, Yorkshires ready and I was just about to make the gravy when I suddenly thought “Where’s the green veg?” It was still in a colander on the draining board. Stupid me. I’d forgotten to cook it! It didn’t take long though and OH said how tasty the meal was.

Jane, I am sorry to hear that you have more concerns and I hope you get the scan and results quickly so that any extra treatment can be got underway. Sending you a big (((((hug))))). Stay positive, my friend.

I hope Mandy recovered from her upset tum. We haven’t heard from her for 2 or 3 days.

My face-ache is much the same. It hasn’t got any worse nor any better and I am managing with just a couple of painkillers at night. It’s very odd as I can prod the tooth, use my various interdental brushes, scrub away with a toothbrush and there is no extra jolt of pain from any of that but the whole area round there is so sore. I will try to put up with it for a bit longer or I might try phoning the dentist to see if anyone is there to talk to me over the phone and give me advice. I’ll see how it goes over the next day or two.

We had a nice interlude with the family Zoom quiz so that took my mind off my sore mouth. I had trouble getting in and thought I was doing something wrong, as it was the first time I had used Zoom but it turned out that there must have been a glitch as granddaughter was the only one who managed to get in straightaway. Bless her, she rang me on the mobile and talked me through how she got in but, even so, daughter had to set up a different password for everyone. Once we were in it was good fun.

We usually have our main meal on Sundays at around 2 pm but today we had it at 1 o’clock and we are getting a bit peckish now. OH is just making us a sandwich and a cuppa so I shall go and have that and see if there’s anything I fancy on TV. I hope you all have a good night.