General Chat

I have Frank and am very upset. I don't want to lose you so please post whe you feel like it. Love to Ros.

That's good to hear you are both OK Frank. I assume Ros is at home now so just take it easy for a few days both of you.

It's horrid when you get hot at night like that Vera. I am so relieved I seem to have finally left the hot flushes behind the last couple of years. Mine must have lasted over a decade. It's funny because yesterday OH was hotter than me and he couldn't understand why I wasn't as he has been used to it being the other way round for years. :-) I see you also got your jobs done early on before the temperatures climbed too. I had my lunch in the little arbour, but came indoors after as the heat, even in the shade, was getting to me. It's a good idea to make a face mask from the sheet as we will all need them for the hairdresser as you say. I hope your son's taste in decor improved as he got older! I wouldn't want to open my eyes to those colours! lol. I remember my brother painting the ceiling in the bedroom of his flat black!

That's good you managed to get some of the herbs you wanted at the garden centre AnnG. Which kinds do you grow? I lost my sage that was variegated over the winter, but have chives, thyme, various mints and I think it is marjoram that grows back too. I would like a rosemary if I see one like one I had that trailed out of a pot. OH isn't keen on herbs, but I sneak them into things and he never seems to notice.

I bought black mint and garden mint, coriander and a common sage and a dill. coriander and Dill I never have much success with, I now have those plus marjoram, variagated sage, rosemary and parsley (ordinary and flat) and chives.

sat out reading in the shade but eventually came in as it was too hot. No update tonight which seems strange so we will go back to watching pointless.

Hello All
Wow this heat!!! It’s too much for me and I see it could well be even hotter tomorrow :-S
I have been feeling wiped out and just very very tired.I darent think how many hours I have slept this last week.
Frank I am so glad you are both ok and hope that Ros’s arm and hand have gone right down now.It sounded like she had quite an ordeal with the Angiogram.
I hope too that you aren’t thinking of leaving us.We can’t be without our Frank :-D
I must think about eating as I have hardly had enough to keep a mouse alive .This heat doesn’t help either.
James is going to the Golf Range later with Gareth.Will do him good to get out after being holed up in his bedroom day after day.He works such long hours.He started at 7.30 this morning and has just about finished for the daySomtimes he is still going at well gone 8.
I hope Thomas hasn’t been overcome with the heat.Havent seen him since about 9 last night.

You have quite a few herbs now AnnG. I have never grown Dill but like it with chicken. I have a genetic oddity that some people have which means that Coriander tastes like soap! I shan't be growing any of that! I discovered it after buying buying a bag of salad leaves and tasting soap. I thought the water they'd been washed in had soap in it so washed them thoroughly yet again but it made no difference. I pinpointed which leaf was causing it and googled and found I wasn't imagining it.

Good to hear you are ok Jane and I hope you are less wiped out from now on. Is this chemo a tablet or visit to the hospital? That's good that there is plenty of work for James and at least he isn't needing to travel as well. A nice break on the golf course sounds a good way for him relax after a busy day. I hope Thomas isn't going to be doing one of his disappearing acts.

What happened to all those bees Mel? Did they move on?

Evening all,

Phew this heat ,it's ok if you just sit but as soon as you move its to much

Lovely to hear from you Jane ,has this round of chemo made you feel as sick as the other lot you had , your body must need the sleep and they do say sleep is good ,i'm sure Chris and James are looking after you well .
That's a long day for James but at least he doesn't have to travel after work and it's nice he has Gareth to play a round of golf with and relax .

Well what's gone on ? what have i missed ,is Frank off ? i did read that Ros had two more stents and i hope she's ok now
I haven't been on for a couple of days as we've been shopping and wiping and we had family here yesterday for a coffee ,tomorrow they will be round as it's Lacey's birthday and son suggested they come round so we can see her open her presents so that will be nice .

AnnG i see you've been getting your herbs ,i bought a pot of Basil from Aldi the other day and wondered if i could plant it out or are they just potted up to be used in the kitchen they are much cheaper than the ones in the garden centres .

We will need to water well tonight ,i have been watering the toms and cues morning and night and have been giving them a mist in the day which is what my BIL said he does when it hot ,there's loads of toms on the tumbling toms in the hanging baskets.

Mel did the Bees go ?

Must go and get a cold drink my mouth is so dry .

Evening all

What a hot day it's been, I did a few bits in the garden this morning, but had to come in and have a cold bath I was that hot. The hoovering's done and the washing, so when it's hotter tomorrow I can sit and relax now everything's done.

I don't know what types of tomatoes I've got Ann, mum gave me six or the eight plants she was given and there was no label on them, so it'll be a surprise when the flowers turn to toms. It sounds like most of your's are coming on well. I hope your knee is feeling less achy today. My OH watered all the plants before I got up this morning and has just given the toms in the greenhouse another drink. Sorry to hear about your OH, I hope he feels better soon.

I managed to find a few bits and bobs for OH's tree last night, it was nice to be on a run for a change, even if the info I found was for people I already had, I found so many things I ended up going to bed around 4am. Needless to say I was late getting up so have been all behind today.

Have the bees gone Mel? Good job your OH spotted them.

I think the same as you Vera, that lockdown is easing a bit to quickly, at this rate we'll end up with another spike of the virus like America have. Even the health people have said it's to much to soon to the Prime Minister, who doesn't seem to listen to them. Time will tell, I suppose.

How lovely of your OH to order the flowers and Prosecco AnnG, that was a nice surprise.

Pleased to see both you and Ros are doing well Frank. I take it Ros is home now?

Nice to see you on here Jane. All the extra sleep will make you feel better, so don't worry, if your body needs it, then sleep as much as you need to. It sounds like James is very busy in his new job, a day playing golf with Gareth will be a nice change for him. I'm sure Thomas will be home soon, maybe he's asleep somewhere in the shade, trying to cool off.

Yes the bees were gone this morning. Oh said he looked at 6am and there were only a few straggerlers about

I hav'nt been out much today as it would have been far too hot up the border against the south facing wall. Oh was out on the mower most of the day so I stripped the bed and then did a second wash and washed a pillow too. All dried. The bedding was brought in and ironed but the pillow is still out there at the mo.

Its stays lovely and cool in the bungalow if you don't open the windows so thats how I have been apart from the bedroom window which is open a bit but tonight when I went in for the solar lights it was really warm in there. Since oh put that really thick stuff up in the loft it seems to stay cooler in here than it did before.

there is a nice cresent moon tonight.

Still feel sticky so I am going to take a shower and watch a bit of telly.

I will send the pics of the bees now too.

That was a good idea to get the earliest appointments at the hairdresser and chiropodist Vera! Now why didn't I think of it too! My hair is in the afternoon, but I think there should be no more than 2 of us there at a time. It is next to the gym with a shared foyer but of course that will still be closed. I, like you and Gill, think this easing may be a bit premature but as you say, what Boris does will be wrong for some whatever he does. OH said straightaway that we should carry on the same for a few more weeks and not visit the shops that will be opening till we see what happens. There are still thousands testing positive each day. Also, as soon as they open pubs etc and people go out to get hammered as they say, any social distancing and advice will be forgotten and the 'old' normal will quickly resume whatever the rules are.

We went out and watered the back garden at dusk and it was nice to be in the cool. I watered the wall pots and couldn't believe how hot they were to touch.

I shall take it easy tomorrow too Gill. Hopefully the storms may arrive in the evening or on Friday and do the watering for us!

I hope Frank changes his mind and doesn't stay away for long as we will want to know how Ros is doing. None of us are doing that much to talk about just now but it is still interesting to hear.

I am wondering now whether Lacey will be getting the tea party she was so keen on for her birthday tomorrow! What gift did you get for her in the end Mandy?

Morning all,

Another beautiful morning here with blue sky as far as the eye can see and not a cloud in sight yet.

My little single rose on the box hedge is just starting to come out and the one down the garden behind my pond is still out too so the smell will be all around. They both smell so lovely you wish you could bottle it to keep for winter days to remember the summer by by opening the bottle and taking a small sniff.

I want to get a towel wash in today and wash the quilt thing in the bedroom that oh sleeps under but he has gone back to bed at the mo so is asleep on it!!

Good morning all. hot again this morning 27 degrees already phew. Hot last night so we just had a sheet over us and both slept through to about 0545.

OH has watered the garden and is now fiddling with a small water feature that we have in the conservatory. Only problem is, he cleanes it in the kitchen sink and doesn't warn me. I said last time it was scratching th sink so put something under it. Had he? Of course not. Anyway sorted that.

Jane, great to see you and I am sure the heat will contribute to already existing tiredness. Hope you have somewhere in the shade that you can doze.
Gosh James does work long hours. does he really have to or is it self imposed. Self discipline is a requirement of working from home or else he will be taken advantage of.

Annxyes I do have a lot of herbs, I don't use them all in cooking although do use parsley, mint, chives, sage, basil (couldn't find any of that), coriander, Rosemary, Bay and Thyme (not all at once). I also like the smell of them in the garden if you brush against them. Is it the smell or taste your OH doesn't like? My one dislike is Tarragon.

Mel wow the bees!!! nice to see them though, wonder where they flew off to>

Mandy All I saw from Frank was the short post he put up telling Mel to read her email so Mel knows more than us. I guess he doesn't like to know we miss him when he doesn't post. But that is only natural, he is one of our 'team' so we are concerned about them.
It is hit and miss with supermarket herbs, I have planted basil and kept it for several months so worth a try. Keep it on a cool window sill rather than in the garden, it does seem to last longer that way.

Gill So you won't know until they are ripe if your tomatoes are full sized or cherry. It will be a nice surprise I hope.
I think it is up to us as individuals how fast the lockdown is lifted. If we all take it easy it will hopefully be fine but we do need to get out a bit for the sake of our mental health. I think it should be slow regarding going to main shops, let the very young ones have their Primark fix then the rest of us can visit shops when it quietens down. Nothing is seemingly going to stop people flocking to beaches but hopefully they are not in too much danger if the virus doesn't like sun or salt water.

Annx we have to wait until our hairdresser approaches us with an appointment so it will be up to her what time it is, we both have the owner do our hair and she only works 3 days a week so we shall see.

Morning Mel and All,

Yes wall to wall sunshine again but it is a bit hot and sticky already here as there's no breeze.

We've got sausage, onions and mash today with peas and carrots. I am cooking it now before it gets any hotter as I thought I could just reheat it at lunch time but OH wants it as soon as it is cooked so it looks like a really early lunch! I don't usually eat sausages, only occasionally, but it will be a treat for OH.

It looks like this Sunday will be the last for a delivered lunch as they will be getting ready to re-open then. They will still carry on with click and collect though so we could always do that.

Phew I am hot with being in the kitchen so will go and splash my face with some cold water next. I have put some tinned fruit and cream in the fridge to chill to have later today.

Afternoon all

<3 <3 <3 HAPPY BIRTHDAY LACEY <3 <3 <3

Hope she has a lovely day with her family Mandy.

Very hot here today with hardly any breeze, I've woken up with a headache as I got to hot. Our bedroom is South facing, so it's boiling in there now. Luckily the living room is in the North, so not to bad. Still very warm in here though.

Yes AnnG, it'll be a nice surprise when the toms arrive, the problem is if I really like them and want to buy some next year, because I don't know the name of them I can't do it. I might ask mum to ask her friend what they're called, as she is the one who gave them to her. I didn't think about them being cherry toms, so that'll be another surprise, finding out what size they are.
I did smile when you said about the younger ones having their Primark fix, you are so right, I'm still going to wait for a while longer to see what happens though. I don't have a need to go to the shops anyway and to be honest, I'm not one for clothes shopping, I can never find anything that fits, so it put me off years ago. I'd like to learn to make clothes for myself, then I can make items that actually fit. ;-)

Your lunch sounds nice Ann, I hope you've cooled down enough to enjoy it. Fruit and cream ummm.....nice. :-) :-)

Gosh Mel, all those bees, you're braver than me, I'd of run a mile to get away from them. Lovely photo's though. I love the smell of roses, but I don't like all the thorns. I think you can buy thornless roses nowadays, so I might treat myself to one or two next year.

I did well with OH's tree last night and managed to find a few more people. Hopefully I'll have the same luck today. It's far to hot to go outside, even sitting on the bench, which is in the shade, so I'll wait a few hours until it cools down a bit. They reckon we're in for more thunder storms tomorrow, I hope it doesn't knock Sky off again and my set top box.

Morning everyone

Found it difficult to sleep again because of the heat but I did manage a bit more than the night before. I don’ t think it’s going to get much cooler till Saturday. The temperature in the utility is showing as 30 degs and the gauge is in the shade.

OH went for his walk at about 8 am but I didn’t go till about 10 am. and it was really hot. I decided to go down a footpath I hadn’t been before and it took me a long way out of my way into a housing estate where I got lost. By the time I found my way home I was hot and exhausted but at least I got plenty of exercise ;-)

Did you enjoy your sausage lunch Ann? We’ll have a snack in an hour or so then I have some cod loin defrosting for tonight. I found a pack of 5 large tomatoes at the bottom of a freezer drawer so I’ve taken those out too and will make some sort of sauce to go on our fish.

You’ll have a nice surprise when you find out what your tomatoes are Gill. I’ve planted in pots 4 Gardener’s Delight and 4 Moneymaker plants. That was all that was left when I went to buy seeds just before lockdown. Mine are getting flowers but no sign of tomatoes setting yet.

Sorry, had more to say but the letters are starting to wave a bit in front of my eyes so I need to stop now.

I think Monty Don has done the Gardeners Delight Vera, he's showing people who've never done tomatoes before, what to do, step by step. What a lovely idea, especially for children to have a go at. The moneymaker tomatoes are delicious, we normally buy those every year and put them in pots in the greenhouse, we have had, what I think is called, tomato blight, could be called something else, with them a few times but the tomatoes are still edible and taste lovely. We only have the flowers at the moment to, but with all this sun it won't be long before the toms start showing. We're having to keep an eye on the watering though with it being so hot. That's the last thing you needed, getting lost in this heat, I hope you've cooled down now your home and you don't end up with a migraine. 30 degrees in the shade, boy that's hot. I've just been outside and the air is so hot it was like sitting in an oven, so I've come back in doors where it's cooler.

There's someone around here who keep sneezing and the noise she makes I'm surprised she's got a nose left LOL. Talk about dramatic, the whole street can hear her. I'm sure people don't need to sneeze that loud. This morning she sounded like a donkey. It must be awful for her to be that bad though. I assume it's hayfever that's causing the sneezing as she was like it yesterday as well.

What lovely flowers your OH bought you AnnG and your garden is lovely, the lavender is massive and looks so pretty. You've got plenty of herbs to keep you going to.

Thinking of Jane today and hoping she's not so tired and the heat isn't to much for her. I hope Thomas has come home now, I know how much she worries when he goes missing for a while.

Going to get a drink now, I'm so thirsty today, it must be the heat.

:-D <3 HAPPY BIRTHDAY LACEY <3 :-D. I hope she got her tea party with a nice cake and lots of cards and gifts! It will have been nice to see her open her presents Mandy. We will all want to know what she had!

Oh I didn't see you there when I posted AnnG. I'm not too keen on parsley although I do have parsley sauce with fish sometimes. I was getting tarragon and dill mixed up as it is tarragon I like with chicken and dill with fish. I do love oregano and basil but have never tried to grow those. Perhaps I should next year. I think it is just seeing the bits of herb that puts OH off but he doesn't even notice in a risotto. As a child when he had parsley sauce he apparently told his mother that his meal had grass in it!!

Vera there is nothing worse than getting lost on a hot day. Before my knees gave me problems we used to walk a lot, doing walks printed each week in the local paper and on holiday. My OH is a big fan of the 'circular walk' and hates coming back the way you have gone. One year we stayed at Boscastle as he is a fan of Thomas Hardy and wanted to see the church where he was a parson. Well this walk started with some lovely views but we were soon climbing steep lanes and crossing rutted fields to try and find the way. By the time we got back my knees were like jelly and I thought my hips would never recover. I got straight into a bath which fortunately worked wonders, but I was certainly wary when he suggested circular walks after that. I hope you aren't getting one of your migraines as I used to find I would get them with too much sun. :-D <3. Yes I quite enjoyed the sausages in the end and I love an onion gravy. OH enjoyed his as he fetched bread to mop up his gravy that was left........how uncouth!! lol. :-)

Mel that was such a lot of bees in the swarm. I would have scarped indoors quickly so you did well to get those photos!. Had they all gone by this morning?

Gill it will be interesting to see how your tomatoes turn out. Mine are Gardener's Delight apart from the new one I can't remember the name of just now.

OH has flaked out on the bed after washing up what doesn't go in the dishwasher and has gone very quiet so I bet he's asleep!

Did you see the pictures of all those people that had flocked to beaches yesterday? I would hate those crowds anyway and where did they all go to the toilet??

Gill yes it is Gardners delight that Monty Don is growing. I think this year OH is growing Shirley and Tumbling Tom and maybe Alicante as well, Not sure I may correct that later.

Vera annoying or rather frustrating to get lost on a housing estate, I bet you thought you were never going to find a way out. Hope you didn't develop a migraine.

Glad you liked the lavender Mel, Ann and gill Itthink remarked on it. It was already growing when we moved here 28 years ago so I really don't know what it is, it was very straggly and OH has taken it in hand over the years. It sends up offshoots so we have some in tubs as well.

I Like parsley in potato salad with chives, In fact I have just been making potato salad and chopped parsley and chives into it. I like Rosemary with lamb and on roast potatoes, mint of course with new potatoes and Basil with tomatoes, coriander with anything a bit spicy. and bay leaves in bolognese.

It is 31 degrees here now and I have just been in the kitchen cooking goodeberry crumble for later. Boy it was hot in there. It looks ok. For some reason (mainly because OH never liked crumble when he was younger but always has it now when we are out, if it is offered) I have never made crumble so fingers crossed.

Afternoon all,

Are we all wilting away ,it's to hot to sit out even in the shade so we're in with fans going and plenty of squash with ice cubes ,i had to laugh as i put three ice cubes in Max's water bowl and he stood barking at them as if to say there's some bits in my bowl ,i got one out and he played about with it until it melted .

Thanks for Lacey's birthday wishes ,it was lovely watching her open her presents ,she had girls lego lots of colouring pencils and books ,clothes ,new sandals some fluffy animal thing that all clips together i forget what she said it was called ,we got her some Twisty Petz they are beaded animals that twist into a bracelet or necklace ,some clothes some other little bits and pieces and some money .
They have made some tiny little scones and cupcakes ,some little tiny pots of jelly topped with angel delight and they have little sandwiches to make too.
I think son made the cake and they didn't say what it was as she was listening so we'll see that on any photo they send .

So OH is sleeping off his lunch Ann , you saying about the fruit and cream reminded me of having fruit and tinned cream on a sunday when i was small ,mum used to add a little sugar to the cream which made it quite crunchy .

Gosh Mel all hose bees you were brave getting all those snaps of them i think i would have scarpered inside .
I wonder were they will settle and make there home have you checked all round they might not have moved far .

AnnG that's a beautiful Lavender you have in the garden i bet that's full of bees .
Pretty flowers too from your OH and some nice pots full of herbs ,mum use to have lots of Parsley in pots ,Curly parsley don't know if you could get the flat leaf then ,she use to make a lovely Omelette with Parsley in.

Oh Vera were you worried when you got lost i think i would have been at least you found your way again ,i hope you took a bottle of water with you and i hope the headache soon eases .

Oh Gill that poor lady having a loud sneeze like that ,i bet everyone scarpers when she sneezes near them with all the virus worries .
My toms are Money Makers too ,they were seeds from last year , i can see quite a few toms forming now ,some a little bigger than a marble .

Goodness it nearly four o'clock where has the day gone ,easy meal for us tonight Tuna salad and new potatoes .

Pleased that Lacey had a nice time with her presents. Hope she enjoys her tea as well.

Yes Mandy the bees love the lavender, they like the pots of it in the back garden as well although they are not as dense as that bush.

Our meal tonight is barbecued chicken (OH doing that) with salad. so quite easy for me.

Happy Birthday Lacey <3 The tea party sounds as though it will be a grand affair :-D