General Chat

I missed your post Ann. It sounds like you and your OH have been very busy today. I wish my OH would do things around the place without having to be asked, he never has even when he wasn't working, so I got used to doing it. He moans a bit if I ask for help, but does do a few things every now and then. I normally have to go around after him to finish the job though ;-)
No Sandra wants to live in a different area to us where she lived as a child. It's nearer to us than Leeds so we'll be able to visit as it's only about half an hour away. We're not sure what's happening about it at the moment as she has to have an assessment first.
How did your cake taste?

Clean house now then Ann. Day off tomorrow. Wish I could have a good night. OH’s headaches keep him awake which keeps me awake.

Gill the hot foil machine is an accessory to the Gemini die cutting machine. Basically you use foil heated and decorative dies or backgrounds to imprint a foil design onto card or material. Hopefully I will use this for card making. It is a steep learning curve but hopefully I will get there.

Island I thought in his photo nameless dog looked as though he wanted to say something.

Ann if you can find Strike on Iplayer I think you would enjoy it. Its a detective who was in the army and lost a leg. He gets a temp to work for him and there is magic between them somehow. its really good.

AnnG I keep meaning to send you my dies I have so you can do something with them for me and make some for yourself as well. I will get round to sending them eventually.
Have fun and get the hang of your present before you come home if daughter is helping and giving you guidance.

You know in all the 71 years of my life I have never really had short hair. The shortest was shoulder length with flick ups, remember those?

I tied the sweet peas up today and found where the brimble is growing thruogh the box hedge and cut off a stem about an inch thick so I am now waiting for the top to die and may have another go at more stems. The trouble is its growing with a rose so its a bit hard to know which is which. The rose is a real thug but so beautiful and smells divine and the bees love it being single.

Wish my man would hoover for me or do anything other than clean the outside of the windows occasionly. He does if his family is coming down but dos'nt move around like he used to as his poor body is just worn out. I just wish I coud get him to throw empty packet and thing away instead of leaving them where he last use dthem.

He gave me a whole load of acrylic paint pens and sharpies in all colours and acrylic bottles of paints today. I have loads now and am thinking of painting some stones but don't have many suitable.

Gill I can't imagine Sandra with blond hair!! LIke Michelle I suppose? I hope she can get herself sorted out soon and gets nearer to you so you can see more of her. She sos'nt sound as though she is happy at Michelle's and would be better in sheltered housing.

Ann Strike is on BBC Iplayer all the episodes.

Good morning well another damp grey start to the day so probably no walks by the sea today again. As far as the weather goes that was not a good week. And the forecast for the next week is no better I don’t think. So much for having a few barbecues.

At least we both slept ok last night..

Ok Mel when you send the dies you also need to tell me what you want me to do with them. Or what you need them for. It also of course depends if they will go in my machine as I guess they are older dies. Do you know what make they are.

Morning Anng and all,

Damp and grey here too this morning and it rained a bit last evening so I suppose it did in the night too. Had a very good sleep.

Anng I haveno idea what the make of the dies are as they came free in a card making magazine. One is of a stags head and the other is a dandilion seed head with wishes blowing away.

I can't believe its another week gone by. Why are they passing so quickly? Is it because I am getting older by the day? I don't seem to have enough tim eto do what I want to get done. Or is it that I am slowing down that much?

Nobody about. I expect Mandy has the family there.

Nearly lunchtime and we are having bacon lettuce and tomato sandwiches with garlic mayo.

Recykling bin tomorrow so I have to get that ready to go up the top by the road.

We just had a young ginger fox run across the garden and out the big arch.

Afternoon all,

No family this morning they were waiting in for a parcel so we might see them later they said if it keeps dry as they will only come to sit in the garden not in the house even though we are in the bubble with them .

They need to come because DIL has sorted out the school shoes for the children and Colin said he would pay for them ... £200 for shoes for five :-0 as he said it's a good job we saved up when we were younger :-D they like the Hush puppy shoes for them.

We went over the churchyard to cut down some nettles and bind weed that was beginning to grow on our fence ,the chap who cuts the churchyard hasn't been cutting as near to the fence as he has done ,there was a load of blue flowers (weeds) and I think he thought they were flowers so left that bit ,any way we have cleared it and left it hoping he will go over it with the big mower ,if not we'll wait for it to die down and bag it up ,we sprayed the roots with weed killer .

AnnG you haven't had a very good week weather wise for taking some trips out ,hope the weather will be better for you next week.

Never watched Strikes Mel ,I did see All Creatures was coming on ,last one this week of Yorkshire farm ,filmed during lock down by themselves, I love little Clemmy she gets so excited doing things and doesn't seem to mind what she does bless her.

Love to Jane <3 <3

Mandy I love Clemmy too she's such a character and they are all such good children brought up in the old fashioned way. Its a lovely family altogether. I see they hav'nt renewed the quad bykes that were stolen but have those covered in jeepy things now. Isn't Ruben like his dad and the next eldest son. Little Sid is also willing to work with Ruben and looks up to him all the time.

I wonder how much they get family allowance?

Had our lunch and oh has gone off to the study or the bedroom so I am going to wshup and see if I can get into some craft. I was trying to make Di a green man pin but I messed up the back trying to put one of those pins on the back like you get on the poppy badges.

Strike ws quite good and I am sure you would like it. Did anyone watch the program on BBC 1 a suitable boy? I watched the first one and no more.

A bit bored now, the men are watching cricket, daughter is in her craft room doing something and I have just finished my fourth book this week. And it is still raining. Just remade the bed with clean sheets.

Afternoon all

I’m sorry it’s a bit on the damp side for some of you. It’s quite pleasant here, sometimes sunny, sometimes overcast and a little bit breezy but a comfortable temperature. I wanted some bread and milk so we walked to Sainsbury’s at about 10 this morning and then walked by the river, coming home by a roundabout route. It was just under 3 miles, nothing to the miles we used to walk but more than I have been doing lately so I was pleased.

When we came back I cooked a full roast chicken dinner which we had about 2.30 and as I was doing stuffing with it I made and froze enough for several more dinners. I also made another banana loaf with more squidgy bananas. We’ ve got to eat our bananas up more quickly or I’ll have to stop buying them.

I’ve decided the way to get jobs done is to get in a temper ;-). We don’t argue much but yesterday morning we had a few words and I stormed out to the garden. I then noticed how filthy all the external window ledges and doors were so I went round the whole house with brushes and sponges and detergent and scrubbed away at them as though It was OH I was attacking lol. I worked my temper away, the house looks cleaner and OH felt so guilty at me doing all this that he said he will sort out the remaining few windows which are upstairs. Result :-D

Frank, I had a smile at your email with children’s views of their grandparents. Kids do say funny things sometimes. Like the others have said, even with handrails steps are not as safe as a slope so I would go for a slope if you can. It will be more expensive but worth it in the long run.

Mel, I haven’t seen Strike either, in fact I’ve not heard of it before. When I get time I’ll look on iPlayer and see if it’s my sort of thing. We’re a bit like Island and don’t watch a lot of telly. OH has been watching A Suitable Boy and has been inspired to read the book which I got years ago when it first came out. I read it then but can only remember bits of it. I might get around to watching it on iPlayer just to see how they manage to condense such a big book into just 6 episodes. My paperback has got to be about 3” thick!

Sending you a (((hug))) Jane

It’s suddenly come over very black so I think we’re in for some rain at any moment. All the outside doors except the front are open so I think I’d better go and shut them.

Afternoon All,

Dull and breezy again today. We managed to move the gym stuff and some clutter from the end of the conservatory and cleaned that end so that looks better now. OH did a short stint of weeding the front, but his back started playing up, so he called it a day.

I must set the record straight and say OH rarely gets the hoover out unless there are a bunch of footie matches coming up that he wants to go to or he is specifically asked! He does wash up the things in daily use after lunch, put plates in the warming drawer, load and unload the dishwasher, empty the bins, will prepare any veg that needs peeling and weed the garden. He cleans the bathroom toilet and bath as he is the only one who uses them. He is extremely tidy so doesn't leave any empty packets, tools or mess about himself, but he does do irritating things like leave fingermarks round light switches, cupboard door handles and on the edge of doors to rooms when he doesn't use the door handles. I seem to have to be involved in helping with any DIY task, and fixing his computer when it goes wrong.:-S I wonder what he would write about me......untidy, no sense of direction and indecisive already have sprung to mind!! lol :-D

Mel it all came back to me when you mentioned the one legged detective! I did see it before and enjoyed it! I will put it on the recorder. I find I seem to get less time to do things as time goes by, plus it takes me longer to do anything anyway. :-S I thought with not going out with the lockdown I'd have much more time, but it's taken up with shopping orders, preparing meals and cooking now. Lucky you having all those paint pens, sharpie pens and paints bought for you! I would love those and only have 3 sharpie pens. :-) You wondered about the child benefit for 9 children?I used to deal with child benefit on the pensions section at work. Before Raven left for uni they would get £132.65 per week, but now she is at uni and classed as independent it would be £118.70 per week. I love little Clemmie too! She is so helpful, loves her little pony and cares about all the animals. She was showing her big sister how to do the milking by hand and running around after her dad when he had his new hip and getting the sheep out of the yard when the gate was left open. Reuben is such a sensible boy, explaining things to Sid so he does them safely and giving him the motorbike he did up. A lovely family as you say, expected to help out and be responsible, but allowed to take risks riding ponies and bikes and not wrapped up in cotton wool. They will grow up healthy and strong with all that exercise they have too.

I look forward to seeing what you do with your new foil gadget AnnG! It's a shame the weather hasn't been so good for outings for you this week, but maybe it will be better the coming week.....they often don't get it right!

Mandy, maybe when he sees you have cut things down he will do the same in future and save you the job. Children's shoes can cost more than our own can't they, but that's a lot to find all at once. Good old grandad eh! :-) You've brought back a memory, being ex army my dad was a stickler for clean shoes and I was expected to clean my school shoes every night.

Your little dog sounds like a character Island! What is it you are making with the elongated hexagons?

Good to see you are still finding info for your tree Gill. I was surprised Sandra's friends were not nearer to you as one lives next door to your mum doesn't she. I expect if they say she can have a flat it may not be just where she wants anyway.

The rain’s coming down in sheets now and splashing all the muck back over my clean doors, boo hoo.

Vera well at least you put your tantrum to good use. And made him feel guilty into the bargain.
I miss our short walks being here. At the moment it is not good for walking as the only walks are across fields or along the pavement by the road which although narrow through the village and 30 miles an hour limit is used as a rat run. Next to this house, the last on this small new build estate, they are clearing the land where the builders offices were to make a children’s playground and reverting back to a field. Sounds like you enjoyed your walk.

Annx It will be interesting to see what I can do with the foil. It will transfer onto material as well which is intriguing and a bit frustrating having to wait until I get home.
I think the main thing will be Christmas cards though.

Did you ever hear anything about the painting you sent off to that competition web site. I do look when they send out emails but can’t work out if there are results published.

Evening all

The sun's finally come out after a very dull wet day, I was hoping OH could of cut the lawns tomorrow, but after all the rain we've had I think it might be to wet.

Oh I see AnnG, it sounds very interesting and would make lovely shinny cards once you've learnt how to use the machine properly.

That was nice of Colin to offer to pay for the children's shoes Mandy, it's a tidy sum though. Let's hope all the weeds are cut up and taken away so you don't have to do it. With a bit of luck the weed killer will work so they don't grow back up the fence. Hope the weather was nice enough for you to see your family.

Oh dear Vera and you worked so hard cleaning all your window ledges and doors now they're mucky again with the rain. At least your OH said he'd do the ones higher up, maybe you could ask him to re-do the ones you did at the same time.

Your OH does a lot around the place Ann, I wish my OH did. You're not on your own with men leaving finger marks everywhere, mine's the same. I can't really complain about him not doing much around the place as he goes out to work and works very long hours, he's done almost 200 hours in the past 4 weeks. No wonder he's always tired.

I've been taking another look at OH's tree, trying to find the people mentioned on the Obituary I found, but I can't seem to find most of them. It took me all day just to find one, so I'm going to watch a bit of TV instead and have a break from it.

Thinking of Jane <3 <3

The fit of vigorous cleaning sounds like something I would do after 'words' Vera. It does seem to provoke a bit of guilt and 'action' on their behalf too! Shame it rained on your parade later though.

Yes it's a different matter when one of you is working Gill and OH travelled a lot in his work and I did everything I could then as he had a pressured job with long hours. Now he still does some work, but because he enjoys it, not because of need, so I expect a fairer share of the chores, otherwise I have no time for my own hobbies. He will do most things if asked, like you say, but the asking all the time gets a bit wearing, especially when he is always out of earshot and you have dodgy knees for hunting him down! lol.

AnnG I think the last I saw about the competition was that they are judging the art over the next two weeks They should have the shortlist by then. They had over 5,000 art entries so it will be a big job! I think the shortlist was originally due mid August but seems to be delayed. The founder is in France at the moment and said the Mayor rings the local villagers over the age of 70 to check they are ok and are closing their shutters during the day as it's been 37degrees there!! Imagine that happening here!

Good morning all

It looks as though it’s going to be a reasonable day. We’d better make the most of it as there’s heavy rain and strong winds forecast for tomorrow.

I was up at 7 am to do this Covid swab test as the courier is coming to collect it between 8 am and 6 pm. With my luck they won’t arrive till 6 so I’ll be stuck in all day waiting. Goodness knows if I did it correctly. You have to swab the back of your throat without touching anything else in your mouth and I found it hard not to touch the back of my tongue. Made me gag but otherwise wasn’t too bad. I found the nose swabs more uncomfortable. Anyway it’s done and in the fridge awaiting collection.

Apart from doing the washing I’ve no plans for the day. I think I’ll take his lordship a cuppa now. He’s usually up by 7.30 but no sign of him yet.

Good morning all up and dressed but not downstairs yet. O H is in the shower to be on the safe side I will stay here until he is out.
Daughter has to go for a chest X-ray as she has had a cough for six months. GP thinks it is to do with her acid reflux caused by diabetic meds but wants to be sure. When she comes home we hopefully will all go for a drive to St Bees. Not sure that we are all supposed to. E in one car but as we are living in the same house I think we are ok.

Fingers crossed, so far it is sunny but breezy. I so want to get OH out into the fresh air.

Morning all

Lovely and sunny here OH's just cut the lawns and has gone to his friends to do his.

OH picked the grill up this morning for the car and went to the garage so they could see what size tyres he needs as the front ones are being done on Wednesday, so he's very busy today.

While he's out I've decided to sort out my clothes as some of them are getting a bit worn and need throwing out. I'll then do a bit of sorting in a couple of cupboards, one in particular is in need of doing, so that's my day planned.

I hope you've done your Covid test right Vera and it comes back negative.

Sorry to hear about your Daughter's cough AnnG, I hope the X-ray shows the problem and it can be sorted for her, six months is a long time to have a cough and can't be very nice for her. Hope the weather stays nice for your drive to St Bees.

Good luck with the competition Ann, I'll keep my fingers crossed for good news.

Well, I'd better make a start on sorting my clothes out, then onto sorting the cupboards........a woman's work is never done LOL ;-) ;-)

Afternoon all,

Showers here this morning but bright inbetween.

Oh watched the fox in the garden this morning being taunted by two magpies and a rabbit not far away either. Every time the magpies were walking back and forth and doing little jumps and when the fox moved towards them they would fly up in the air. He said he was fasinated by it. They knew exactly what they were doing.

Must get on with lunch now as I am doing jacket spuds for a change.