General Chat

Morning all,

Happy birthday to your OH AnnG I hope you both enjoy your trip out and you don't need the raincoats .

Ann I wonder what the stinging feeling is in your toe ,maybe just a bit of arthritis as that can give you a stinging feeling .
I remember burning out a shredder with using it to long ,we didn't replace it we just soak any papers in hot water then screw them up into a tight ball and throw them out once dry .

Frank lovely stories from you keep them coming we all like to hear them .

Oh Vera I hope you soon feel brighter in yourself ,funny old times at the moment with all that's going on and your lack of sleep at times can't be helping ,big hug from me and hope you can post when you feel better .

Hope you enjoyed your trip out with Hannah Jane .

Mel I would have loved to have seen your bright bicycle have you nay photo's?
Hope your lost thing turns up .

I see we have more runners I can pick but ghey are nowhere near your 15 inch ones Jane :-D
Colin is off outside to paint a bench and I have washing to hang out BBL

Morning all

I don't think the weather knows what it's doing today, one minute we have sun then it threatens rain, just a few spots but we have plenty of cloud so may have more rain later. At least the plants will enjoy it.

Happy birthday to your OH AnnG, enjoy your day out, I hope it doesn't rain and you both have a lovely day. Most of the stuff in the box are photo's so I don't want to get rid of those, the rest of it is family tree things which I also need. The box is to heavy to put in the loft, so it's going into the bottom of a spare wardrobe. I did throw away an awful lot of things I didn't need and all the old receipts, some dating back 12 years.

Your poor dad Frank, being so ill, I bet he was so proud of you looking after him. He sounds like he was a very hard worker.

Sorry to hear you're not feeling well Vera, I hope you feel a little better today and managed a good night's sleep.

How nice the woman thought you were 10 years younger than you were Ann, yes that's the type of letter you want to receive.

Your bike sounded very colourful after you painted it Mel, fancy wearing your boots out using them as a brake LOL.

I had a right to do yesterday, my Sky box went off, I took a look at the dish and thought it was that as I could see a loose wire, OH pushed it back into the box on the dish but still no signal, he tried moving the dish around but that didn't work either, in the end I unplugged it and plugged it back in......it worked. How strange was that? So I'll know next time to unplug it, before messing around with the dish again.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO T. I hope you both have a lovely day out AnnG.

Morning All
Well so far it is a nice not here and really warm.We are popping down to see Fitz at 12 for some Cheese and Biscuits and some wine for the men.I have a lovely little bottle of pear and apple juice that I will take for myself.
I bought it yesterday when Hannah and I were out for lunch.we had some delicious soup .Butternut Squash and Coconut.I wasn’t sure I would like it but it was really yummy.

Happy Birthday to OH Ann hope it stays dry at the Arboretum for you.At least you will have shelter under all the trees if you need to.

Mel you must have had loads of fun on that bike of yours especially with no brakes!!

Mandy how nice to be able to get dressed crab so easily.I have never seen one around these parts but then we are no where near the coast.I wouldn’t eat it anyway as I hate crab.Any kind of shell fish is a no no for me.Haddock and Cod is what I like and Kedgeree.I did have a fish pie from M&S the other day and have to say it was quite tasty and it went down well as it was nice and soft with the mash on top.I did take out all the little prawns though.I will definitely have that meal again next week.

Oh Vera I am sorry you are feeling so low and down in the dumps.Hope today is a better one for you <3

Gill I keep meaning to sort all our photos.Been meaning to do it for years but the trouble is each time I start I just spend all the time looking at them all but not sorting and chucking out.I find getting rid of any photos very hard.I have so many belonging to my parents and many I have no idea who the people are in them but still find it difficult to get rid which is silly really .

Frank I did enjoy reading your memories.I don’t blame your Dad for filling all your bags with the meat.It was desperate times and a big family to feed.
I meant to say how lovely the video of the Elephants was.I keep rewatching it and it brings a smile to my face each time
:-D :-D

Ann oh to think someone thought I was 10 years younger.Saying that I have always thought you look younger than your age.

My hair appointment is at 6 this evening.Bit late for me really but it was the only time Nigel could fit me in.I shall have to eat before I go as I know I shall be too tired to eat by the time I get home.I find these days I am often in bed by about 7.30!Not sleeping but reading or watching something on the laptop.
It must be my condition that makes me feel so weary sometimes and I hate it.

Someone asked if Hannah was furloughed.
She isn’t but has been working from home part time.She actually starts a new job on Monday for 3 days a week.Again it will be from home as still no face to face meetings are done.
I need to hang the washing out now as the machine has just finished.Hopefully things will dry before any rain that may come later this afternoon

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<3 <3 <3 A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY MR T K <3 <3 <3

Have a wonderful day out and let Ann spoil you rotten. X

Not read all the posts yet but must go out in the garden for something.

Nice to hear from Vera though. x

Gosh you have all been busy posting this morning.

Enjoy your pear and apple juice with your cheese and biccies at Fitz's jane and have a good natter. You'll feel like a different women once you get your hair cut this evening. Sending love and hugs. <3 <3 <3

Not a bad day here quite warm with a breeze and grey skies.

Got up late. Oh is painting the back of the workshop with paint he can find just to seal it. He did'nt paint it when he first made it so the wood is bare but now he has taken it all off and re done it he has closed the boards together so it dos'nt leak.

Good morning as I start, I bet it will be afternoon by the time I finish.
.Quite a bright day here at the moment, but won'r hold my breath about the rain.

I woke this morning, feeling I have been run over by a steam roller. Neck, shoulders, back and legs aching all over. I've had my morning tablets, so hope the discomfort goes away soon.

The hospital rang this morning about getting my left eye lasered , It has been fine since LOCK DOWN, so I have told them to leave it, and I will ring them if it blurs over again.

Glad you enjoyed my little memory stories. I am sure there are many more hiding in the grey stuff somewhere, so stand by, you will never know when I might think of others.

Talking about paining bikes. I remember getting my brothers bike out and hanging it from the line and painting it CREAM GLOSS. I thought it looked great, but being colour blind, it would. It certainly didn't go down well with my brother. lol lol

Happy Birthday you your OH Ann, i hope you enjoy your day out. Also Jane, I can see you sitting at Fitz's eating cheese and biscuits and drinking your NON-ALCOHOLIC while the others enjoy their VENO.Jane, also please give my regards to Hannah and James. I feel that I know them both, even though we have never met.

I had a call this morning from my nephew GARRY. Brother Bills youngest. He was picking my brains about things from the past, in Woodford Bridge's past. The mental hospital (CLAYBURY) Do you remember that place Mel ??. Being I m the only one left in the family, who can still remember so many things. I have told him, I will do my utmost to answer any questions he might have of our families past. It's NICE to be wanted. xxx

It seems to be brightening up a bit out there, so might get my book and have a read on the patio.

I did myself a BACON and TOMATO Sarnie for breakfast, which was very nice. Ros had her Grapefruit, followed by Crumpets and Marmalade. Tonight is a Lasagne with a side salad. Not my ideal meal, but I will just get on and eat it.

Have a good day everyone, whatever you are doing. xxxx

I remember Claybury Hospital Frank. A stark red brick building we used to go to for the fete they had there. Also thye mended boots and shoes there and I sent my riding boots to be heeled and soled and the soles last till the top of the boots gave way. They used to do a super job better than the leather soles the boots came with.

Dad used to play football opposit the hill by the allotments. His shirt was red and green in four big rectangles. I can remember the last out in the shed and the studds in wwith the seggs for mending shoes. great big leather boots they were too not like the light weight things they wear today.

Well oh has decided he dos'nt want a plane green side on the workshop and wants to paint sunflowers on it. He found some stencils online and I took a pictures of them and printed it out and am going to have a go at making a stencil for him. While looking for the tracing paper I found what I was looking for yesterday so I am well pleased as I would never have thought of looking where it was. I had looked everywhere else with no luck so I thanked him for wanting the stencil and now al I have to do is cut it out!!!! so you knwo what I shall be doing for the rest o fthe day.

Good afternoon all, we had a lovely day at Batsford, the weather was very kind to us, it was bright with several longish patches of sun amd warm, we had coffee on the patio of their restaurant, all very well organised with one way in and one out, disposable cups, plates and knives (we also share a scone). There were not a tremendous number of people there and most were very good at self distancing, a couple of groups with children were not as thought ful so we were doing the standing back and letting them through. We were in the arboretum about 2 hours, not really a lot of colour there but the trees are beautiful and, as usual I took plenty of photos. As we got back in the car afterwards there were a few spots of rain, then a light shower as we drove half a mile down the road to The Fosse Way Garden centre where we put our masks on to go into the shop, leaving our names and phone numbers at the door. A lot more people had masks on today in the garden centre shop but you don't need them in the restaurant where we went. We both had fish and chips and it was really nice. We were amazed at the amount of traffic on the roads, I really don't like the road from Andoversford to Moreton in Marsh as it is fast, winding and bumpy in places. So, although it was lovely to see all the wild flowers along the roads it was not a comfortable drive along that bit. Still we did it and OH enjoyed it and says thank you for all your good wishes.

Jane, hope you enjoyed your cheese and biscuits and pear drink. Can you manage biscuits? I would have thought they were a bit hard for you. I suspect you are tired because of the chemo etc meds. Nice to see you on here, enjoy your hair cut.

Mel, pleased you found what you had lost, that was good wasn't it?

Gill, ah yes, photos, I have the same problem, I did wees mine out a year or so ago but had about half the albums left which badly need doing.

Mandy as you can see it didn't rain so we were very lucky.

Frank, I expect you had been sleeping in an awkward position. Hope you feel better now. How old were you when you painted your brother's bike? I an imagine he would not be pleased to have a cream bike.

Just checked and we have walked 2.5 miles today, a lot of that was up steep slopes.

Glad you had an enjoyable day out today Ann for Ts birthday.Thank goodness it stayed dry for you.Yes from tomorrow everyoen will have to have masks on for shops.I have mine ready for the Hairdressers later.I wonder if I can take it off to have my hair washed otherwise the elastic around the ears will get all wet.

We had a nice couple of hours down with Fitz.Even his OH mananged to join us for half an hour inbetween her work calls . She has been working from home like everyone else.A big gust of wind whipped the parasol out from the table and it flew a long way!!!!. How it didnt knock the glasses etc off the table I have no idea .There could habe been a right mess.

I can eat biscuits/crackers Ann which is strange . But then there are other foods I think would not be easy and I find them fine. It makes no sense really. Meat seems to be one of the biggest problems.Chicken is not so bad if I cut it really small (almost shredded). In a minute I shall have a couple of mini Cornish Pasties.I can eat them with no trouble. These are M&S ones.I tried one of the Ginster Pasties but they are too peppery for me and I had trouble.

Thomas was a monkey this morning as at 5am he was on the bay roof miaowing at James's bedroom window to be let in.The windows were open but just not wide enough for him to squeeze through.He better not start this habit again :-S. When James let him in he came into my room and settled on the bed.

It has clouded right over now so not sure if we might get a bit of rain. At least all the washing is dry :-D

Island you mentioned Virol the other day.Gawd I remember that stuff with horror.Mum dished it out daily on a big spoon.How cruel. I can still remember the smell now and it turns my stomach. The other thing I used to be gived was Milpar as I was a constipated child :-S. Again on a big metal spoon YUK.The only nice 'medicine' was a Haliborange tablet each morning with breakfast :-)

I think my Pasties are almost ready so will go and get them out of the oven and then get changed for my adventure to the hairdresser.

I had to keep my mask on Jane, she managed without wetting the elastic. I had it on all the way through, I wondered how many mask elastics she will cut in the end?

Oh strange what you can and can't eat Jane but meat can be very dense and a bit chewy so maybe it is because the pieces are too big to swallow.

Naughty Thomas, I bet he enjoys the attention.

glad your meeting with Fitz went well, except for the Mary Poppins episode with the parasol.

I used to like Virol, strange child, didn't like the large 'cake' things I had to eat for worms though, looked like chocolate but tasted horrid.

It’s been a very slightly better day today. About 3 weeks ago we had some bad news about a family member that was very upsetting. Since then so many small things have gone wrong, none of them important in themselves but I think they have all piled up on me. OH, bless him, keeps offering to arrange to have friends in the garden for coffee and cake or take me for a drive but I don’t want to go out or see anybody.

Yesterday OH was going to go to Colchester to order a new computer and I did go with him but I couldn’t get out of the car to go in the shop. Anyway I got up this morning and gave myself a mental kick up the backside. I know the best way for me to climb out of the doldrums is to set myself small goals each day till I am more with it. Today I decided to make 2 phone calls, do a little bit of easy gardening and have a short walk. I could only manage one call but I did a bit of deadheading and swept a path. We are going to eat shortly and then I will just walk round the field at the bottom of the road. This will be my first proper meal since Sunday but I feel I can eat something now.

I will try to write more tomorrow and respond to some of your posts.

I did'nt have Virol I had Radio Malt and I liked that.

Naughty Thomas cryin g to come through the window. Still he came and gave you a nice cuddle. Glad you enjoyed your biccies with Fitz. Come to think of it biccies go to a mush when you eat them so they would be easy for you to swallow. Can you eat meat minced? Like in Lasagne of sheperds pie?

I have had to have a rest from cutting this stencil as my index finger has gone flat!! I hope the bl**dy thing works after all this work. I bet he end up buying some as he wants different sizes. I hope he knows its not going to be as easy as he thinks. I shall have to see if I can find my stencil brushes.

So you both had a lovely time at the Aboratum for t's birthday. A treat on the patio and a nice F & C dinner int he resturant. Next treat will be your wedding anniversary.

Evening All,

Glad you had a nice time at Batsford AnnG and HAPPY BIRTHDAY to T. I haven't been for years but remember it being nice there. Look forward to seeing some photos. Did you have to book? I read yesterday that 40% of people booking to go to gardens/NT places aren't turning up, so wonder if that was why there weren't too many people around.

I admit I am puzzled about eating out, especially if it is cold food. They tell us not to handle things we aren't buying in shops to reduce the risk of spread and that things like plastic packaging takes 72 hours to decontaminate, yet if you eat out you touch plates, cutlery and maybe packaging that the staff will have handled moments before. Do the staff all wear gloves and masks? The only reason masks aren't insisted on in restaurants is because you can't eat with one on. The city infection rate near here is still higher than most places so I shan't be tempted yet. I like AnnG's idea of a picnic though.

OH went to the tip with the old chairs, computer, shredder and some general rubbish this afternoon and was very impressed with the set up. No help but they had set up several bays where you could leave all kinds of rubbish in each and no lifting into the containers so he said it was much easier than it was before!! Using the sledgehammer on the old computer to destroy all traces of anything on it has made his arm ache and set off his sciatica again though.

I have pottered about with not much to show for it today. I have found some more plastic boxes the right size for meal portions, so they are in a handy place now, sorted out a new ISA, but the interest rates are unbelievably small, swapped some of my beads to better fitting boxes to fit on the little shelf cube unit I found in the garage. did a bit of weeding and tieing up the toms and found some peck marks on one of the courgettes!! I hope the birds haven't decided they are tasty! :-|

Mandy I like your idea of soaking the paper instead of shredding it. OH uses such a lot with all the notes and records he prints though, we could have a big papier mache statue in the garden! :-D
That's great you are able to pass your knowledge on Frank and it's good he is interested. I hope the steam roller has long since gone now!

I would love to have seen your faces when Fitz's parasol flew off Jane! :-D It is a bit exposed where he is though if it gets windy. You will be fine with your loops I think as the water runs away from your ears when they wash it. You will feel so much better afterwards. :-D Thomas is a bit of a tinker getting James to let him in! He will be there every morning now!!

Yes it was funny that the lady had thought I was 10 years younger for over 30 years Gill as I met her and her husband when I was 27, so she must have thought I'd been a young bride if she thought I was only 17 then! She had 2 young teenage children when we met and her husband bred prizewinning Gloucester canaries. He was a very shy man, but she wrote to me after he died and thanked me for being a friend to him and said I had made him more confident and outgoing. I must have only visited them about a dozen times but could never get away! I used to be given a big slice of cake when I went and came home with bunches of flowers from the garden and once or twice I was given canaries and he wouldn't take money for them. He used to test me by asking me to pick what I thought were the best of his birds to see if I was developing an 'eye' for a winner! They lived in a tiny unmodernised terraced house that belonged to her MIL who lived with them and wouldn't allow any alterations. It had an old hand pump for water in the kitchen. Although I never visited after I moved house and stopped keeping birds, she sent me a Christmas card with a bird on every year till she died. Happy memories! You are doing well with clearing out old papers. I have decided to chuck out some old savings paperwork going back 30 years. Tax was never due on some types so I think I can get rid and claim some space back!

Little bit of panic here ,Lewis has a tempreture so they rang doctor who said he needs a covid test ,should be here in forty eight hours ,so all the family are in self isolation until the result of the test comes back .
He seems fine really no cough or other symptoms so hopefully it's nothing serious, he does get ear infections off and on so it might be that .

We haven't got the car back yet ,it went for MOT and just needs a small bit put on what ever it is ,we should have it back on Saturday as they can't do it until the part comes tomorrow.

I do hope its nothing serious with Lewis Mandy. Such a worry when something like that happens at the moment.

The stencil worked out fine and I had a go on a sheet of paper to see if it would work ok. He seems pleased with it though and thats the main thing.

I have also nearly finished my other project that I needed those things I found today for. Can't tell you what it is yet.

Frank I think you have passed that funny eye over to me now yours has gone. I have a misty parch in my left eye and have had it about a week and a half now.

Annx from observation, it may answer some of your questions. This week we have had two cooked meals and one cold, that is a scone with coffee. The staff whether serving behind a counter for coffee and snack or serving at the table for hot meals, have all worn masks and in most cases gloves. In a previous restaurant a week ago staff wore visors. The scone was sealed in a plastic bag, butter in sealed packs, coffee in disposable cups placed on the tray by server wearing gloves tables all sanitised. The cooked food was brought to the table on a tray, server wesring gloves We lifted plates etc everything off the tray onto the table, nothing touched by the server.. table had a note on it saying it had been sanitised. No cash taken in either case.

I have read that it is highly unlikely that food can carry the virus.

You may think we are unwise to go out to places but we don’t go where we know we will not feel safe. I have to got to hospital on monday to have the BCC on my face checked out, I have to go but I don’t feel safe especially as we need to take the bus.

I think, given that the virus could linger many months we have to live with it or we will never get out and about. We are careful, it will be very unlucky if we catch it and I am as scared as the next person of getting it. So I suppose we are hoping for a bit of luck and relying on others being as careful as we are. However if we lived in the area of Leicester and other high risk Places we would not be going out

We all have to do what we feel safe doing and that will be different for all of us.

Regarding Batsford no we didn’t have to book they have stopped that now, no masks required in the arboretum but there is in the shop and garden centre.

Vera good to see you on here. You seem to be fighting depression so I hope you manage to conquer it by yourself. Was the cancelling of the quiz part of it, you were enjoying seeing all the family so it must be disappointing for you do hope you feel more yourself soon and ready to meet friends again. <3

I never said anything about thinking it unwise Ann, I was just puzzled as I didn't know as I haven't been inside eating places and was unsure how much they could reduce risk. I know one of our upmarket garden centre cafes doesn't even have dishwasher. We all have a different risk with any underlying health problems and I mostly avoid busy cinemas and theatres in winter anyway because of chest infections I can get from coughs and colds I could catch. I will naturally be more cautious, especially with the city being close by and people in the county working in the city and vice versa! I'm sure there will be ups and downs with spikes in different areas for a while and then resurgences just like we have flu outbreaks each year. Could your OH drop you at the hospital and wait for you in the car in the carpark? I wouldn't want to use the bus either.

Oh poor Lewis Mandy and scary for you all. Hopefully his test will be negative and it won't be anything to worry about. A nuisance to be without your car just now too.

You poor thing Vera, but upsetting news can badly unsettle us and then things that are molehills seem like mountains. I hope you soon feel a bit better and that the small goals will help. Getting out into nature on a walk often helps. You can see I am having a bad night again!

good morning all, Fingers crossed Mandy that the temp is nothing serious to worry about. I suppose we are going to get these worries more often now.

Annx no sorry, I know you didn't say you thought it unwise. I just thought you might think it! :-D sorry, does that make sense?

Gosh can't imagine why a business selling food and drink wouldn't have a dishwasher. I think I might be wary there. Strangely three of the garden centres we have had coffee at you can see into their kitchens, all spotless and at the last one is Dobbies that you can't see into but is a huge concern with kitchen and restaurant refurbished during lockdown (arranged beforehand. All of them have somewhere that you can read the precautions they have taken/will take. And I know you have concerns with chest infections so caution is understandable. I just don't want people to think that we go to places with a 'gungho' attitude because we don't, if we didn't think it was safe we wouldn't go in. When you are ready why not choose a place that you have trusted before and just walk in and look. The person on the door, if there is one and there should be (first test) taking names will understand.

We never take the car when going to the hospital as parking is practically non existent. I have checked with others who go on the buses here and they say they are not full and well controlled. We shall see. If we don't like it going in it may be a taxi home. :-(

Morning all,

Cloudy here this morning but bright and it feels very muggy.

Rang son to see how Lewis is and he said he's still hot but is playing on his tablet so fingers crossed it is just a bug or some thing .

Ann I hope you manage to drop off in the end it's rotten when you just can't sleep.

AnnG when my sister had her appointment at the hospital she wasn't allowed in until her appointment time and she had to wait for them to ring her to say she could go in ,she was the only one sitting there in the waiting room ,her OH had to wait in the car .

Vera I hope today is a better day for you <3

Right better get on there's washing to hang out and some ironing to do .