General Chat

Its lovely to know you are ok Frank even if you feel under the weather.

Hi to Island and yes get on with that chair as we want to see the rsult. Did you take a before and after shot?? Glad you got your pc sorted size wise on the type.

I had fed the fish and seen lots of fishlings and hoovered the hall kitchen and diner.

Oh is out mowing as he wants to get on top of it as the grass is growing so quickly with the rain we have had. He's also been trying to get the old mower to work which gave up the ghost the begining of the week. Its the one he does the rough stuff on. At the mo he's out the front outside the wall with the newer mower without the grass box on just the brush bits. We'ed have a haystack the size of St Paul's cathedrile (sp) if we collected it all and piled it up.

Vera good you did'nt need any expensive work doone at the dentist and its over now for another year.

May go and clean the chickens out now before going down for the F & Cs.

Evening All,

A nice warm and sunny day today and I slept well so that was good.

Good to see Frank is OK and is getting checked out.

Nice to hear from you Island. :-) I agree about FB......don't like the changes! Good idea to zoom your laptop to see better. I might try it in the evenings as my cataracts seem to make my sight worse then. I was wondering if you had managed to do some more of your chair.

That's good the dentist check is out of the way for 6 months Vera. He sounds like a good dentist. One I had years ago was good and he went private but soon moved over 20 miles away which was too far. We had just moved here at the time so joined the village NHS practice which seems very good and caring. The only trouble is the dentists move on to open their own private practices so there is quite a turnaround. I need a small plate and have been waiting to see what happens with the tooth with a small lump at the side as the dentist told me it wouldn't last much longer after he last filled it. He said you can't add teeth later to the metal plates or the softer flexible plates you can get now, so I'm hanging on!

Boris has lost a bit of weight hasn't he! Not much more info in this afternoon's update though. The city folk here are under tighter rules and can't have anyone in or outside their homes that isn't living there or in their bubble. Nor can they visit anyone outside the city unless they are in their bubble. I'm glad they are beefing things up and introducing stiffer penalties. They shouldn't have been needed, but it seems cooperation will only come about if there are harsh enough consequences.

What is happening about your OH's back now AnnG? Is he waiting to see how it is after a bit longer?

I'm glad your son's interview went well Mandy. I'll keep my fingers crossed for him! Yes OH does this work for 4 other councils too, mostly voluntary with just his expenses paid. Luckily they don't get too many cases each. It is interesting and right up his street though as he managed a complaints section in some of his working life. I think he likes to be the knowledgeable one and give advice! Thanks for mentioning the Jamie Oliver sauce.....it sound just what I would like so I shall look it up.

Well I was shocked when I read about the burst water main yesterday. I thought it was in the city but it was a mile down the road and flooded the new huge buildings they have just put up on the retail park extension. The water main was 45 inches in diameter and the water in the new buildings was 2 foot deep. The photos were like looking in fishtanks! Several schools were closed as well. We were so lucky not to be cut off.

I have just put some things in a cardboard box on the kitchen worktop. I can't get everything in the cupboards now and am fed up of moving them all to wipe the tops. I've also finished filling a big bag for the charity shop. We can drop it off round the back of the shop in the next village without going in and can do it in the morning when we go to collect our scripts.

We have recorded All Creatures Great and Small but not watched it yet.

Nice to see you popping in Island I wondered how the chair was going .

I like my tablet as you can just enlarge anything you need to read by just pulling out with two fingers and pinching back ,I didn't realise I could do that until son showed me how to do it .
U
Frank I hope you soon feeling better .

We won't be able to mix with son and family now ,there wwill be to many of us :-(

Annx he is seeing how it goes until next week as Dr said leave it for two weeks. But we do know backs can last months before getting back to normal and the older you are the longer it can take. We are actually due to go to Dorset Friday week so a decision will be made next Wednesday whether we go or not.

Mandy could you not meet part of the family at a time, not sure if that would be legal, probably not.

Good morning sleepy heads. A bit grey here this morning. We seem to have no hot water so something else to sort out now. BBL

Good morning AnnG and all

Sunny here at the moment.

I hope your water heating problem turns out to be something minor and easily fixed.

I’m feeling a bit down this morning because of these new rules about only 6 meeting as I was hoping to arrange to visit our son and family in Yorkshire soon. That’s gone by the board now as there are 7 in the household already, 6 of them and a boyfriend of one of the granddaughters who has been locked down with them. It’s getting on for a year since we last saw them now. Oh well, onwards and upwards.

Not sure what I am doing this morning. Enjoy your day whatever you are planning to do.

Morning all

Yesterday was bright and sunny but the 'breeze' was rather keen - I think we're on a wind path, lay line? - so I didn't hang about outside. chair on hold again.
Today is grey,
I noticed earlier that our tomato plants are going over and the toms are getting a bit 'blighty' looking, so that's this morning spoken for - picking the toms and making 'store cupboard' chutney. I say 'store cupboard' because we'll have to use what we've got - we're pretty much covered and these tommies won't wait for the Sunday grub drop.
The runner beans grew too quickly this year, but won't be wasted. Now though, they're having a late flush of flowers. Funny old year for veg growing.
I got the ps broccoli in so something to look forward to in the spring.

I hope you all have a good day.
~~~~~~@ Jane <3

morning Ann and Vera, you snuck in while I was typing :-D :-D

Vera, don't get me started on the new rules :-| They make no sense at all, utter shambles. I wonder if Boy Blunder is cobbling the latest list to cover 'get out' clauses for his mates. Worst PM and cabinet ever.
*gets down off soapbox*

If you're a senior, you will love this hilarious Pandemic poem from New Zealand.
“I'm normally a social girl
I love to meet my mates
But lately with the virus here
We can't go out the gates.
You see, we are the 'oldies' now
We need to stay inside
If they haven't seen us for a while
They'll think we've upped and died.
They'll never know the things we did
Before we got this old
There wasn't any Facebook
So not everything was told.
We may seem sweet old ladies
Who would never be uncouth
But we grew up in the 60s -
If you only knew the truth!
There was sex and drugs and rock 'n roll
The pill and miniskirts
We smoked, we drank, we partied
And were quite outrageous flirts.
Then we settled down, got married
And turned into someone's mum,
Somebody's wife, then nana,
Who on earth did we become?
We didn't mind the change of pace
Because our lives were full
But to bury us before we're dead
Is like a red rag to a bull!
So here you find me stuck inside
For 4 weeks, maybe more
I finally found myself again
Then I had to close the door!
It didnt really bother me
I'd while away the hour
I'd bake for all the family
But I've got no bloody flour!
Now Netflix is just wonderful
I like a gutsy thriller
I'm swooning over Idris
Or some random sexy killer.
At least I've got a stash of booze
For when I'm being idle
There's wine and whiskey, even gin
If I'm feeling suicidal!
So let's all drink to lockdown
To recovery and health
And hope this bloody virus
Doesn't decimate our wealth.
We'll all get through the crisis
And be back to join our mates
Just hoping I'm not far too wide
To fit through the flaming gates!”
Author - Jan Beaumont, Auckland NZ https://www.facebook.com/janbeamont/

Morning Vera Anng and Island and all,

Brightish here this morning, some blue sky with lotsof white clouds.

Anng I have read that poem before. May have been sent from Frank?????? but I know I have seen it recently.

Had a lie in this morning and think I must have needed it after all I did yesterday.

Heard from FG again and here's what she said as I know you are all thinking of them and like to know the news.

Hello Mel,
Just to say that our daughter is doing reasonably well and apart from a persistent headache is feeling quite chipper! We are going to see her on Saturday which will be really great. Our Son is taking us so no driving! Luckily we shall just miss the new ban otherwise it would have been a No No! Too many people! I support the government and think they are quite right and if only people had obeyed the rules, ie quarantining after a foreign holiday, the crowds of people on the beaches here have to be seen to be believed! blasted raves and of course the obligatory protests! we might not be in this position. So selfish and so hard on us folk who have followed the rules and are desperate to see family particularly ill members! Very disappointing and distressing for lots of folk. I do feel so concerned for Jane and all the sick people on here, hope everyone is feeling brighter today. Do put this up if you want to.
Oh well, onwards and upwards!

That chair will never get done at this rate Island. We still want to see a pic of it you know, pleeaaaassseeee...........................

My toms in the shed are still ripening but slowly. One plant seemed to get a fungus on its stem as if it were growoin g roots from the stem but the other was clear. The other day I see the clear plant is now showing signs of it. Really strange. Toms still on both plants and I am still picking them. Beans are still going too. Shall have a picking of tonights dinner.

Charlie Chaplin lived 88 years.
He left us 4 statements:
(1) Nothing is forever in this world, not even our problems.
(2) I love walking in the rain because no one can see my tears.
(3) The most lost day in life is the day we don't laugh.
(4) Six best doctors in the world...:
1. The sun,
2. Rest,
3. Exercise,
4. Diet,
5. Self-respect
6. Friends.
Stick to them at all stages of your life and enjoy a healthy life...
Life is just a journey! Therefore, live today!
Tomorrow may not be.

Good to see you on here Island, methinks you don't really want to do that chair :-D

I have just picked a large plastic collander absolutely overflowing with tomatoes. If only I had the energy to do the chutney today, but I don't hopefully they will keep until I feel more like doing it. So much else to do in the garden and indoors with OH mostly out of action.

Mel, If everyone has seen the poem before I will delete it, don't want to double up. Sorry.

Vera hope you managed to find something to cheer you up. So sorry that your trip is off, I am so grateful that we did manage to get to see our daughter.

I don't think in all my adult life I have ever felt as tired and down as I do at the moment. There seems no end to the garden jobs that need doing, the washing and ironing, normal housework, meals to be planned and cooked and mostly I feel I am doing it all on my own. Yes OH will do things if I ask but they are things that normally he would do automatically. And I know he is in pain however daughter has said "he doesn't do ill very well does he?"

I have been looking at osteopaths for him not sure if he will go on his own accord, don't want to push him as it would be my fault then if things didn't work out.

Oh dear sorry that is a rant and a half. :-( :-(

Ha Ha AnnG :-D The legendary chair. I sometimes think that some things aren't meant to be as, despite best efforts, other things just get in the way. The chair has to be done as we don't want the fellas bum hitting the ground below lol.
As a former back sufferer, I appreciate how draining the constant discomfort can be for both parties. I am surprised your GP hasn't referred your husband for physio but I suppose it is the times we are living in at present. Have to tried a 'Tens' machine or similar?
My other tip, for you, ease up on the housework - it'll still be there another day and 'life's too short for ironing'. One bonus of covid - no'one's allowed in to see our dust :-D

We harvested 1.5lb of ripe/almost ripe tomatoes and 6.5lb of green ones plus about 1-2lb of rejects with wrinkly/squishy/browning patches.
So, chutney to be made. I might just throw the green ones in the whizzy/choppy thing if we still have it or should I sit outside chopping..... decisions....

PS. AnnG. I hadn't seen that poem before. Very clever.
Was it Charlie Chaplin who penned 'Smile'? We had that for the walk out at my dads funeral as it was so apt. Not a dry eye in the house.

Don't worry about the rant as we are all here for you to rant at!!! Thats what this thread is all about, getting rid of your feeling when you can't say it to anyone else. :-D

I feel like its all HW cooking and cleaning to its just a vicous circle an no time to do the things you want to do so I know just what you mean Anng.

I have just been told off for leaving the hose running on my beans after lunch!!!!! He recons its £30 worth of water they have had today. Never mind about the time in the morning when he primes the pump to draw water from the well. The pipe goes all the way up this garden and half way up the next garden and about 40 foot down the well. I don't think my beans had that much water.

kEEP SMILING AND CARRY ON REGARDLESS. Sorry did'nt mean to shout caught my nail on the cap lock.

I have fed my fish this morning and seen lots of the baby ones and some of the big ones came up and did'nt shoot back to the bottom of the pond which is a good sign.

we had a nice ham and egg salad for lunch which went down well with one slice of bread each. I have washed up and now I am going to clean the big girls out and perhaps the bantams too if I feel up to it.

Island I would whizz them so more time in the garden.

I could grow spuds in my dust in some rooms we don't use much. The uti really needs a good turn out as I iron in there and that causes a lot of dust as we both wear cotton clothes mostly. Fleeces also make a lot of dust as they shed all the time. Then theres the skin we all shed. Yuk.......... :-S

Actually had a surprise just now as OH did some ironing and then went out to fill the bird feeders. Yes I do occasionally, as you may have seen suffer from a bad back myself but mine has usually gone in a few days so i do think it is probably a pinched nerve. I have seen that can take months to heal. Just after I left work in 2000 I had a really bad back from lifting something awkwardly. I was referred to physio at the hospital and, to be honest it was worse after I had finished than when I started it. So I am a bit dubious.

Mel, oops, a lot of water.

You rant away AnnG. I have every sympathy with you as, after OH being totally crocked up after our holiday last year, I know what it’s like to have to do everything. You can feel overwhelmed. As Island says h/w will be there another day so if it isn’t essential don’t worry about doing it.

Can you self refer for physio in your area? We can here. You do it online and fill in a questionnaire about the problem and mark on diagrams of the body where the pain is located. They then email you with advice and exercise sheets and tell you whether to ring for an appointment. It’s a very useful service.

I had seen that poem before as well. I think it was doing the rounds a few months ago. Wasn’t it attributed to Pam Ayres and she put an announcement out to say she hadn’t written it? It is funny.

I’m pleased that fg’s daughter is feeling a bit brighter. I hope Frank is OK and it’s a few days since we heard from Gill which is a bit of a concern. Sending love as always to our Jane <3

I didn’t sleep well again last night but I had a sudden burst of energy this morning. I worked in the garden for two and a half hours, then after lunch I cleaned and disinfected the kitchen bins, did a bit of hand washing, prepped the veg for tonight and walked down the road to post a birthday card. Then I had a phone call from the friend whose invitation to a birthday lunch I had turned down. As that can’t go ahead now she has decided to invite us to her house for tea and cake in two groups on consecutive days. If the weather is good enough to sit in her garden I don’t mind going but I am not keen on being in her house with 5 other people as her place is tiny. There's no chance of distancing. In fact we’ll practically be sitting on each other’s laps. I’ve asked her to put me down as a question mark for the time being. It’s not till the end of the month.

OH has to be up at 6.15 am tomorrow to pick up our friend at 7 and take him to the eye hospital again. Those two weeks since the last appointment have flown by. Goodness knows how long he’ll have to wait in the car this time.

I’m now going to have a cuppa and a read of the paper before I have to start cooking again.

Diana Rigg has died aged 82. She is Mrs Pumfry in the new all creatures.

I think it is not seeing an end to it as we don’t know what is causing the headaches that is the problem for both of us.
Yes we can self refer which I have pointed out to OH and left it to him to check on.
HW has more or less just been the essentials done. Thanks for the support, it is and was needed.
I wonder where Gill has got to.

Hope Frank feels better and hope that Jane can enjoy some of the nice weather