General Chat

I noticed Mel hadn’t posted last night but it hadn’t registered with me that she was missing today as well. I hope she and Mr Mel are both OK. Fingers crossed that it is just an internet problem.

And still no Mel this morning. Hope she will pop in soon. <3 <3 <3

Morning AnnG, morning all,

Not like Mel to miss posting so I too hope it's just Internet trouble she did say they were in for some very high winds so perhaps her leccy is out ,I hope that's all it is and that they are both OK perhaps we'll hear some thing later.

Well we toddled off to Aldi, queues right round the car park so we just kept going and came home ,I'll go when it's quieter ,maybe Tuesday now.

Still quite windy here and very overcast but not quite so cold .

Maybe if somebody has her phone number they could text her (if it is a mobile number of course).

Morning All,

Yes it's unusual not to hear from Mel for this long? I wonder if the high winds have played havoc with their leccy? I have tried texting her, but not sure which mobile number I have is the right one, so I tried both. Maybe she is like me though and it is mostly switched off unless I go out.

Very cloudy this morning and still a bit windy. I have been shuffling things around in the fridge and freezers ready for this afternoon but given up on the idea of planting the French Marigolds as I think bending to pick up and wipe the groceries later will be enough for my back for one day. At least it's no worse today.

I need to put the veg on now but will BBL or with news of Mel if she replies or is able to.

Good morning All,

Yes we are both ok but I can't get into my emails so if I don't respond for a while you know why. I can get into messages on here. Oh is trying to fix it but its been two days now.

I have been working in the garden orchard yesterday and cleared all round the arch with the seat under it and tied in the clematis both sides.

I have read your posts and enjoyed Vera's long posts. It must have been so frustrating losing a post that long Vera! especially as you did it in notes to C & P.

Its been gale force winds on Friday and Saturday was'nt much better but it seems to have died down quite a bit today. We've had no rain just a short shower that did'nt even wet the earth only the road. We badly need some rain but when it starts here it dos'nt know when to stop so perhaps its just as well its still dry.

Hope you all slept well over the last couple of nights.

Need to go and feed the chickens now so see you all later.

Glad to see you are OK Mel :-D. You had us all worried there for a while.

It’s overcast today and still very windy. I’ve prepared our dinner which we usually have around 2 pm on Sundays so I need to get the meat in the oven. It’s roast loin of pork today. Then at 6 pm we are supposed to be having our weekly family quiz but I haven’t yet received the email “invitation “ with the codes I need to get into Zoom. I’d better check that granddaughter hasn’t forgotten that she volunteered to organise this week’s quiz.

Have a good day everyone.

Afternoon all

Cloudy and still a bit breezy, but no where near as bad as it has been, so OH and I re-potted the three conifers into some decent compost, the cheap compost we bought had grass in it and like Mel said didn't hold the water, so hopefully the conifers will be happier in the new stuff.

Pleased to see you're ok Mel you had us all worried. What a nuisance not being able to get into your emails, I hope your OH can fix the problem for you. At least you have PM's on here, but it's not the same is it? I know what you mean about the rain, it's the same here, once it's starts there's no stopping it. OH is watering our plants now, although it's cloudy we're not sure if it's going to rain or not. If it does the plants will have a bit more to drink.

How nice for Jake to have a BBQ for his birthday Mandy, I hope it wasn't to windy for him, it's been BBQ weather lately, apart from this horrible wind that's been hanging around for the last few days. The chocolate cake sounds lovely, I bet it didn't last long lol.

How annoying to lose your post like that Vera, it's so easily done though. Good luck with your quiz today, I hope you managed to answer more questions than last time, have you been swatting up on everything lol. Hope your granddaughter hasn't forgotten and you have the codes you need before 6pm. Let us know how you get on. How many teams do you have?

Pleased to hear your back is no worse Ann, pity it's not any better though, good idea not to do to much or you might make it worse. Did you manage to find another hot water bottle, or didn't you bother in the end? I hope it starts to feel better for you soon.

Going to check the lamb now, I've got it cooking slowly so it isn't as tough as old boots, as my mum used to say lol.

I have just seen a beetle in the garden that was like a jewel. It was only about half an inch with the bright green head and body and bright red wing casings. Like matalic both body and casings. It flew away before I could go in and get my camera so I am going to see if I can look it up.

O by the way belated birthday greetings for Jake. I can't believe he is 15 now it only seems like he was a little boy not long ago. Has he got a girlfriend yet Mandy?

I think it could be this one.

Cicindela scutellaris scutellaris

Will start again. Good afternoon to you lovely ladies. (post just disappeared)

Plenty going on for me at the moment. Yesterday afternoon I sat watching MORSE, when the screen went blank. I tried the table light, NOTHING. Got the dtrps out, to check the trip switch, which is housed above the kitchen units. No way could I get it to stay on, so I went round every electric socket on the property. Starting in the sheds, garage, conservatory and all rooms in the bungalow. I then commenced to plug in an appliance and see if the Trip would work. You can imagine me going in and out of the bungalow, getting up the steps and checking the trip. Eventually I found that the tumble dryer in the garage was the culprit. After disconnecting that. all the electrics stayed on as I turned each plug on. In total it must have taken me two hours. I would hate to estimate how many paces it had taken, walking in and out and climbing the steps.

We finally settled down to order our Takeaway. To my amazement the Chinese in Towcester (our favourite) answered the phone when I rang the number, to check if they were open. They have been closed for some weeks due to the COVID 19. Great, we went down to pick it up. There was a few customers waiting, trying to keep the TWO METRE space. The counter was screened of from ceiling to counter top. As your order was ready, they would open a small section for you to pay and collect your food.

This morning I decided to prepare the Sunday LUNCH/DINNER, before my shower and shave. I was doing a bit and sitting a bit. (not good on my pins today). Finally I got in the shower, only to find it wouldn't come on. Unbeknown to me Ros had pulled the cut of cord beside the light cord. Having sussed that out, I got showered.

Ros decided to do her roots this morning. She was fine doing the top, but not the sides and back of the head. SO GOOD OLD FRANKIE BOY, changed into HAIRDRESSING MODE. and did that. I am finally free to pop on here for a break before getting dressed and cooking dinner. I am sitting here in my underpants. !!!!

The wind is quite fresh today, with hardly any sunshine. It is suppose to get warmer tomorrow and Tuesday, not that I am bothered, as we won't be going anywhere. I get so cross, when I see these silly crowds of people, fighting get a place on the beach or in the park. Why oh Why, do they think it is safe to do this. Perhaps they will realise what a DANGER it is, when one of their close family catch the Coronavirus. MOAN OVER for today.

Stay safe my friends, See you all later. xxxx

That's good you are ok Mel!! :-D We wondered where you were. I hope your OH can fix the problem for you. It would be no good asking my OH as he is more likely to ask me! I see you have been busy sprucing and tidying in the garden.

Oh Vera I hope you get some easier questions this week! Mind you I would probably still be stumped with music from your granddaughter's era. :-( I'm not even brilliant with my own era! Your pork loin and Gill's slow cooked lamb both sound delicious.

They were suggesting there will be a lot of bargains in clothing due to the lockdown so I must have a google. I always seem to need a neutral cardie that will go with everything and OH needs more pairs of jimjams.

Yes the troughs on wheels do sound good. I wish they had better things for wheeling the ceramic pots around too. I resorted to some plastic tall ones to save the weight, but the terracotta ones look best. On the subject of wheels I wish I could put some on my oak dining table. :-S

I better get the wiping gear put in place now ready for the delivery. Then I might go in the garden for a while as the sun has appeared.

Its been sunny here all day and not much of a breeze either. When I looked at he barometer at lunch time it had moved an inch to the right so thats a good sign.

Oh bought me a little sack barrow that folds up flat and even the handle goes down and it was'nt that expensive and I would highly recommend it to both Ann and Frank. I can move sacks of chicken food and the shopping when it comes as we have it put into big plactic boxes on the step. I think he bought it from Amazon so I will go and have a look and see if I can find it and send the link.

That was quick I have found it and it is on Amazon.

Einhell 2260112 BT-HT 90 Multi-Colour Folding Truck, 90 kg Capacity

£32.59


Adjustment for extendable handle
Extendable transport handle
Aluminium frame
Foldaway supporting blade
Rubber wheels with metal bushing

The sun's out and we have clear blue sky, I hope the clouds stay away as I'd like to see Mercury tonight, it's near Venus (which is easy to find in the night sky) and has been for the past few days but it's been to cloudy to see it. Tonight is the last chance, so I hope we can see it later.

The lamb was lovely, it just fell off the bone. We don't have lamb very often because it's to expensive, but because OH hasn't been home on a Sunday for ages, so I don't bother with a roast, I thought it would be nice as a treat.

It sounds like you're meeting yourself coming back Frank, I'd rest up this afternoon and relax. I should imagine you'll sleep well tonight.

We have one of those trucks Mel, but ours is all metal and doesn't fold down, it's great for moving our large pots around, we swear by it and wouldn't be without one.

Take it easy with your wiping down Ann, you don't want to make your back worse. Maybe you could do the frozen stuff first then you can have a little rest if you need one before doing the rest.

I'm so pleased I re-potted the conifers this morning, it's gone really warm out there now. I think next door have people around and are having a BBQ. I thought you weren't allowed visitors yet, or have I got that wrong.

I haven't watched the Coronavirus updates for a while, so I'm going to watch it now, I've lost track of what we're allowed to do and what we're not.

I don't think we are aloud visits yet but I suppose if they stay away from each other thats alright???

We have blazing sun and oh is still working on this mower deck. Its one that came with the old mower he bought a few years ago and its lain in the garden for allthat time and it would cost about £700 to buy one so he has mended all the holes in it and lined the whole inside where the blades go as there were hole in the top.

Just made sausage rolls for tea and now I am going out in the garden to potter...........may go up the border may not. May repot my diasia for the patio and clear the other spent pots away with the bulbs in.

Gill I meant to say we have two large sack barrows for the garden but this one was for me.

You are right Gill we aren't supposed to have people visit our homes, we can meet just one person in a public place while keeping the social distance. I imagine it is to lower any risk of the virus being brought to our houses by anyone else.

I had a look Mel and the sack barrow looks aideal for moving heavy things around. I think we have something similar that was FIL's 'somewhere' in the garage, but without the folding handle which is useful to have. I bet it is a light weight too.

Well the delivery for between 4.00pm - 5.00pm arrived at 3.45pm so that was good. OH said it took 1 and three quarter hours to wipe and put away, but he donned gloves too and lifted the bags up for me as I wanted them. We do start with the frozen stuff Gill and we couldn't have squeezed another thing in the freezers! My knees were really sore by the time we had done so we had a shower and put our night things on after and sat and ate our egg custards with a cuppa. Your lamb was just how I like it so it falls off the bone.

I pruned the Camelias now they have finished flowering and trimmed a few other bits but feel really tired now so will have an early night.

Morning all

Lovely and sunny with no more of the high wind, it's quite warm out there to. I didn't see Mercury last night, by the time it went dark enough to see it, it had gone behind the neighbour's tall trees. I did see the crescent moon, but it wasn't the same. I was quite disappointed as I'd been looking forward to it all day.

I bet you slept well last night Ann, I hope your knees aren't sore today.

I thought that was the case and no one was allowed to visit people in their homes. We have three neighbours who aren't listening to the rules and frequently have people around. One is next door, the new people and the other two are over the back. It's people like that who are making lockdown last even longer than it needs to be.

I wasn't sure if we were allowed to have a plumber here, but the last time I heard the rules you were allowed to do essential things and I think not having a toilet and needing it fixed is essential. We all kept our distance from each other and I gave him a cup we don't use when I made him a cuppa. He wasn't here very long, but we were all very good and kept apart from each other. I wiped everything down after he'd left and now we have a working loo. He even changed the isolator valve as that was leaking a bit.

I see you and your OH are still busy Mel, did you go up the boarder in the end? I should image you'd need a few sack barrows with the size of garden you have and now you have one of your own to.

How did you get on with your quiz last night Vera, did you win?

I wonder how Jane is, I've been thinking of her a lot lately and hope she's feeling okay.

Going to have a drink outside now. The weather is lovely so I want to enjoy it while I can. No sign of any rain, so I'll be watering the plants in the greenhouse again later, while OH does all the pots.

Enjoy your day everyone and keep safe <3

Morning Gill and all,

Beautiful morning here with clear forget me not blue sky as far as the eye can see.

Must go down the freezer and see what we can have for dinner tonight then the rest of the day I can do as I like apart from getting lunch. It may be up the border but if its too hot it will be down here in my shed and pottering on the patio.

How did you all sleep last night? Hope Ann's side is better today after a nights rest.