General Chat

Sunny here at the moment Mel. I cut back a few more bits in the garden, did a load of washing and cleaned work surfaces in the kitchen and had the delivery. All wiped down and away now.

Busy busy you've ll been busy.

I saw that about the spuds Mandy. I always par boil mine and drain them and let them dry. I see Jamie leaves his spuds whole and he squashes them after they have roasted a while on both sides. I always cut mine up.

Had this from Flapper girl today.

Just to wish you all a very happy Christmas and to hope that next year will be better than this one! Our daughter progresses slowly, the main problem seems to be getting answers from her hospital, I think they are so overwhelmed with the virus that other things are being mislaid. She has a consultants appointment on 7th Jan, so hopefully things will be clearer then. Yes the Xmas visiting arrangements are a bit of a muddle! I think we are allowed to travel to/stay in other households, from the 23rd Dec, returning not later than the 27th Dec. 28th in NI? Trouble is, travel on the wrong day and you risk a heavy fine if you get stopped, so it's as well to be sure!
I hope all those/loved ones suffering from bereavement or serious illness have a peaceful holiday.
Flappergirl.

Suns out here at the moment but its still cold out.

Hope Ros feels better Frank and she must take it easy if she has that long drive ahead soon. Hope the shower arrives and you can get it installed today.

Hope Ros soon feels beter Frank, no going out for her today then, just rest.

Annx thank you for your card (I think it must be from you lovely train picture? ( do know several Anns).

Mandy yes very difficult but it is highly likely one way or another that I will be on my own however I have panned food that could be added to for two.

Thank you Ann for your card ,I should think yours is from Ann too AnnG ,mine had Badgers on .

Hope Ros soon feels better Frank ,has she been doing to much .
It will nice to get your shower sorted out before you go away .

Well the fog seems to have finally cleared .

I've put the marzipan on the Christmas cakes ,maybe tomorrow I'll get the icing on.

I am giving up on GR for today. It keeps asking me to sign in even though I am already signed in and then gives me the error message. I hope this short post gets submitted. Grrr :-|

Oh dear Vera have you run anything like CCleaner or cleared your history

Mandy how will you decorate your cake will it be simple decorations or elaborate?
Yes I am sure it is ‘our’Ann.

The sun did put in an appearacne this afternoon but apart from that it has been dull all day and we've had showers. This afternoon I watched a film I had seen before but it still held me. It was a childrens film BFG and it was so well done.

We will want to see the Christmas Cakes Mandy please? Have you finished the gingerbread house yet? Still waiting for a picture of that.

This afternoon oh has done my presents up and now they are under the tree. I hav'nt started doing his up yet.

Poor Vera not being able to get on here properly. Its so annoying when you get the Error page all the time. Hope they sort it soon. Perhaps they are working on our Christmas logo.

Hope Ros feels better now after a nice restful day. Sending wishes and love <3

No nothing to fancy on the cakes ,I have cheated and bought some fondant icing this year which I will only lay on the top as we are not that keen on to much icing so none round the sides of the cake , the children like to see it decorated ,I'll just put ribbon round the cake and make a few snowflakes for the top ,I also have some edible glitter I might use too.

The Gingerbread house has been put to one side with doing other things ,I only have the chimney to sew on so I must try and get it finished .

I haven't wrapped any presents yet ,I still need a few more bits ,I did post my cards so they are on the way but I need to write the ones we usually pop through local letter
boxes .

Evening All,

A bit dreary this morning, but sunshine this afternoon.

Yes it was me who sent the train card, but I don't think I sent any with badgers on? Could it be another Ann Mandy? I parboiled, roughed up, oiled and froze potatoes before too Mandy, but defrosted them the night before I cooked them and they turned out fine. Just the same as if they'd been done on the day. As you say, what you can do beforehand to save time on the day is good. :-) Yes, what will your cake decoration be like? Edit, I see it will be nice fondant with snowflakes.....pretty!

AnnG we have to take a bag to keep our coats in by our feet at the hairdresser, but as you can park outside I don't bother to wear one. Ours use thin disposable polythene capes now instead of the gowns and also use paper towels. We have always driven each other's cars a little when we've changed them so we could drive them in an emergency if needs be like when OH sprained his ankle on holiday in Anglesey. I aught to drive more than I do as the furthest I go now is about 50 miles to Grantham or IKEA. I do drive some of the way to Cornwall so OH can stretch and have 40 winks! :-)

Oh Vera it's maddening when IT plays up! I hope it sorts itself out when you sign in again. None of us will be able to buy new petrol or diesel cars from 2030, so maybe I can make mine last unless they price mine off the road with rising fuel cost or road tax/equivalent. At the moment only 5% of mechanics can deal with electric cars.

It's quite difficult for you to plan much as you say AnnG till you know more. Good idea to keep your plans flexible with food. It's good you are wiped and put away and have been getting more done. I had a shock to wake to the sound of the hoover today. OH has hoovered half the bungalow so that is good, even under the settees. :-0

I went for a short drive to see the next village's yarn bomb and keep my battery topped up. It looked very good with crocheted trees and pillar box top with carrots for Rudolph etc. Not sure it was a good idea though as there were lots of families looking at it, children running about and no social distancing! :-S I didn't stop, but carried on into the countryside to take some photos. Why can't people in these huge 4x4s drive slower on the winding country lane bends and keep on their own side of the road. They seem to rely on everyone else coming the other way to brake and plunge into potholes and verges to avoid them. OH gave up at his planned match. He stayed in his car and saw they were going to play on an enclosed pitch, not the one in a wide open space like he expected. He said there was no social distancing and people were shaking hands and children running round who'd just been playing. He drove on to a later match instead and where he could keep away from people, but he said there were few there. Then he came home before the match ended as it was so cold there, even with his long johns on!

I was wondering how FG was this morning Mel before I came online. It sounds like things are moving slowly in the NHS, like with AnnG's OH, but good that her daughter is progressing, even slowly.

Frank, what were Ros's 'turns' like? Are they the same as yours? Good that she stayed home and rested instead of going out. Ouch that toenail must have been loose to come off like that! :-0 I hope a new one grows back. Did the shower arrive? Hopefully it has and maybe Harvey is there fixing it by now.

Our neighbour took the covering off his caravan this morning and washed it down, so it looks like they may be going somewhere with it at Christmas. They bought it and only got to use it a couple of times before the first lockdown and it's been under wraps since.

An early night for me tonight I think. I seem to be very lethargic the last few days.

Trouble with OH and cars is that he has always liked older big luxury cars which I have liked too to travel in. It started when daughter was young as they were better for her as she got car sick. So I can’t physically drive them being only 5 ft 2; luckily we have never had a problem.

These days once we get rid of Covid I will be back on the bus,

Good morning

I had no trouble getting on to GR this morning. I’m sitting here with a cup of tea and yawning my head off even though I slept fairly well. It’s very dull and gloomy out but it’s early yet so it might lighten up a bit. I haven’t got any plans for the day. I hope you have a good day whatever you’re doing. Might bbl

Good morning Vera, glad you manged to get on today, wonder what the problem was yesterday. It is extremely dark still here at the moment, looks as though we had rain over night so I am pleased I did the gardening I needed to do yesterday. At least no frost here.

I suspect my day will be no different to the many past days at the moment. Still I really shouldn't complain, I am warm, I have food and I have a home, that makes me a lot better off than many this time of year.

BBL.

Good morning FAIR MAIDENS, lol

Had a wonderful lights sleep. 10.00 pm to 6.45 am then only to go to the loo. Went back to bed till 7.45 am.Sat and watched Match of the Day, until Ros got up at 8.40.

Horrible wet morning here, so nothing planned until booking lunch a little later. We are going to BRACKLEY HATCH, The GREEN MAN. It's the CHEF AND BREWER. Not tried it before, but after last weeks upset at the Greyhound. Wewon't be going back there for a while.

The Shower arrived late afternoon yesterday. I rang Harvey, and he said he would try to get up during the week to fit it. The tray has still not arrived. He thinks he will have it next week.

As there are a lot of Presents for Jo, Ella, Jan, Conrad, Mark , Kerry and Alexanda. Ros has surgested meeting Kerry, and passing them over, as there won't be enough room in Jan's car to bring them back up here for Christmas Day at Kerry's. What a lot of shunting around.

Ros is in the shower, and getting sorted, she's popping toTesco's, as we are short of a few things, that she would have got yesterday. I am pleased to say, that after a nice quiet day doing nothing, she is 100% better this morning. We didn't bother with a takeaway last night, and had a couple of toasted sarnies instead.

I hope all your Plans for Christmas are on track. and you are all keeping well.

Love and leave you for now. xxxx

Morning Frank, Vera Anng and all.

Dark and dank here this morning too and it been raining and blowing in the wind as the patio outside the back door is all wet.

Vera its good you got on here without trouble this morning its so annoying when you get the dreaded Error page and can't get through whatever you try.

I have plans for today, I have to do the boys stockings and wrap up oh's presents.

I'm pleased you had a good nights sleep Frank and that Ros is better today and feels happy to go to tescos for a few bits.

Afternoon All,

Yes, gloomy here too and it rained in the night and this morning too, but I slept well so feel brighter than the weather.

I need to finally finish the Asda Xmas order which has to be in by Tuesday and want to put up at least one of my little trees. I'll watch Terry's stream later then see if I can get my windows on the PC uploaded. I also want to flip through my bead patterns and see if there's something I fancy making.

Glad you managed to get on here ok Vera. It sounds like you need an afternoon nap with the yawning! :-)

Most of us are lucky to have a roof, enough food and warmth as you say AnnG. We don't have jobs to worry about either.

Hubby told me of 2 he knows of that travelled to matches over 100 miles away and out of our Tier 3 area yesterday which they shouldn't do. Also that the council are issuing letters to parents about gathering at school gates and children not self isolating properly when told to.

They started the vaccinations at one of the city hospitals yesterday.

Afternoon all,

Quite bright here now but we have had a little light rain this morning .

We nipped out to get eggs from the farm and a bag of potatoes for son and family, boy was it cold I thought the temperature was suppose to rise a little .

Frank you did have a good night ,glad that Rose is feeling better today.

Oh I haven't heard you say about doing any beading lately Ann ,have you found some thing to make .
I still have the pretty little star you made me on my keyring.
The N&N hospital has been vacinating most of the week ,mostly elderly people who have appointments.

AnnG how is T have you heard anymore from the hospital.

Vera glad you got on here with no problems today ,have you stopped yawning ,it's strange how when some one yawns it makes you want to yawn too, sounds as if you had a bit of sleep too last night which is good for you as you usually have problems trying to sleep.

O Mandy the gingerbread house is just lovely. You clever girl and no pattern too and the children are going to love it accept the fact that they can't eat it.

Its been chucking it down here and its windy too and not much gap between to get out to the chickens. Filled the wild bird feeders up this morning and have had two long tailed tit attacks so far today. The blue tits and great tits have nearly gone through two fat balls this morning and Norman Nuthatch has been busy going from the bird table to the ash tree storing away sunflower kernals as usual.

Now I am going to start wrapping presents as lunch is over and cleared away.

Love the gingerbread house Mandy. The children will love it and will be asking you to make the next birthday cake like it.

You're absolutely right AnnG, we have to count our blessings. Like you say, we have a roof over our heads, plenty to eat and enough money to pay our bills. My hope is that you get some positive news from OH - that would be the best Christmas present wouldn't it.

Like you Ann I have just been sorting out my order for delivery on Tuesday. Mine is from Tesco's but is my last order before Christmas so I need to make sure I've got all I need. Of course, the shops are only shut for a day or two anyway so if we are desperate we can pop out for milk and bread.

I'm glad you had a good night's sleep last night Frank and that Ros is feeling better now. You'll be pleased to get your shower sorted out now. You're lucky that Harvey and Lewis are able to help you at times. I don't know how I would manage if OH wasn't in good health as he can turn his hand to pretty much anything whereas I am useless. I'd probably call my daughter who takes after her Dad and does all her own household maintenance. She has just finished building herself fitted wardrobes. We have a lovely photo of her taken around 1990. She has got her head under the bonnet of the old car she had at the time and her then husband is standing by in a crisp white shirt handing her a tool.

About 10 am we went out so that OH could drive me all round town to various friends so I could pop cards or notes through their doors. By 10.05 am the heavens opened (again!!) and I got drenched just walking up and down people's driveways. Where is all this rain coming from? As we were driving round we could see that several of the meadows that fringe the river were flooded. It seems quite cold as well but perhaps that's my imagination.

A few years ago I had some bowel problems and after some hospital procedures I was put on a surveillance programme. I was due for an appointment several months ago and was wondering if they just weren't doing them because of Covid or if I had slipped the net, which happened once before. I had already decided I would ring them after Christmas to find out but yesterday I received a letter and apparently I am having a telephone consultation on Friday. I am not sure how useful it will be but at least I know I haven't been overlooked. I'm quite pleased in a way as they won't be able to do a colonoscopy over the phone :-)

Going to make a cuppa now and put tonight's meal in the oven, a lamb casserole.

Oh it is really lovely Mandy! I love the puff of smoke from the chimney. All the decoration is so good as well, The children will love it as Mel says. No after the few ropes and a bracelet I made at the beginning of lockdown I haven't done any beading since. What with the garden, cooking, making the felted mouse and painting there doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day at times! :-) Looking at my beading patterns they need a sort out and some I wouldn't make need throwing out.

Mel you get some lovely birds visit your feeders. We don't seem to have many the past week or two. Hardly a Pigeon and only a few Magpies.