General Chat

I just watched the children as well Mandy. All I can say is aahhh, bless them. It’s lovely to watch and I agree with Mel. Lewis is very like his Dad.

Well T is now in the community hospital in Stroud. First I knew was when he phoned me, I couldn’t make out what he was saying so spoke to a fellow who said he was his carer, seemed a nice fellow, said he was ok but anxious. I think he was confused as he was not warned he was being moved today.banyway, I know somebody who has had two friends go to that hospital and she said they were very good. She also said they had good physios there. So we shall see. Luckily the parcel I sent in to Gloucester caught up with him. Not so easy to get things delivered there now though, a bit more out of the way. One thing it is an old hospital as they mostly are but a brand new refurbished ward.

Anng he is getting in touch with you more now. I hope he does well with this hospital and you say you have had good reports about that one. He must be over the corvid now or thys would'nt move him. Its nice he's n a refurbished ward.

Yes, I thought I had told you that last week he tested negative and his self isolating was finished last Sunday, maybe I forgot, brain is all over the place.these days. But yes he is clear now.

AnnG it sounds as if T might get a bit more physio there then ,I expect he was anxious and worried that you wouldn't know where he was so it's good you've heard from him .
How far from you is this hospital ?

I am having a little chocolate, I've had two pieces of an orange aero ...well it is nearly Christmas :-D

Iv'e sent a pic of my cake but its not coming up the same as before so let me know if you can open it please?

Morning all,

Its one of those yellow grey days here today and so dull.

I have to have a trip up the hsop today for a few bits that did'nt arrive yesterday like potatoes!!

Good morning Mel and everyone. It is a horrible wet morning here and very dark, fed up with having the lights on for much of the day at the moment.

Mel, hope you can get some potatoes. I have the opposite problem, I have too many well not entirely my fault, when roasting while I prefer Maris Piper they do seem to be quite small at the moment so I ordered a small bag of those but also ordered four baking potatoes. Well goodness knows how much potato my food picker eats but each of the four potatoes would probably feed three people they are massive.

I got the photo of your cake Mel, very pretty, you and Mandy did very well with your decorations. Mel the photo came through the same as usual

Late yesterday afternoon a knock on the door and it was a box of 'letterbox' flowers. It is a beautiful bunch of red roses and greenery and some red berries from daughter's OH's two daughters (Our step granddaughter's) I will put a photo on my blog when I get it sorted. What a lovely thought though.

Mandy the distance from here to the hospital is about 12 miles. But it is not a journey I would drive unfortunately, It involves a huge roundabout with a hamburger centre and 6 exits, some on lights some not. The hamburger bit is a cut lane right across the centre. Then it is dual carriageway (that is ok) then the M5, then ordinary roads until a double roundabout and then Stroud is a small but busy town (I have only been there about 4 times and then only to pick up friends from the station with T driving of course) And from what I can tell the hospital is right the far side of the town. That is why we were hoping Tewkesbury which is so easy to get to from here.

Been to the shop and got some potatoes but I have an enormus one in the bag too. I think I will do it for dinner tonight and stuff it with cheese and onion and then bake it in the oven. I do it in the micro first and scoop out the middle mix that with butter and cheese and small chopped oinion and put it back in the skins and bake. We can have half each with a gammon slice which is also BIG so half of that each too.

I only really like Maris Piper pots and should have got some last week. I also forgot oh's orange and mango squash this week so he will have to make do with tonic water when that runs out.
Anng the roses sound lovely and Christmassy and what a nice kind thought. I am sure they will brighten your day.

I shall be cooking today, mince pies and sausage rolls and not cheating on the pastry as I shall make it myself and not use frozen stuff.

Right must get on.

Another miserable day weather wise. It’s been black as the ace of spades all morning with rain on and off, and now it is absolutely falling down. I wish I could get back to walking as I used to as I would like to walk down to the river and see how high it is. It might not be too bad this side of town but I bet the water meadows a bit further round are all flooded now.

Your letter box flowers sound lovely AnnG. It was a nice thought. Your house must look very festive with the yellow roses as well. It’s a shame the hospital OH is in now is an awkward journey for you. It’ll be harder for you to get bits and pieces delivered to him, but it does sound as though it’s the best place for him to get good physio.

Mandy and Mel, your cakes look lovely. I like all the snowflake designs. I was just thinking that I believe my brother still has the funny little spiky Christmas Tree and the snowman ornaments that our Mum was putting on the Christmas cake nearly 70 years ago. I made a Mary Berry recipe cake this year with lots of apricots and cherries in it and a fair bit of brandy, hic. The thing is it is a large cake and there’s only us to eat it now. At a slice a day it’ll last us till Easter!

I’m glad you got your potatoes Mel. Everyone seems to go for Maris Piper which are a good all-rounder but I think you can’t beat King Edward’s for roasties.

Gill, have you had any more news about OH’s mother?

The opticians rang and changed my appointment again. It’s now 28th Jan. So OH has to go on 26th and me on 28th. They apparently couldn’t possibly arrange it on any day so that one appointment follows the other. The way things are going we will all be in lockdown again by then anyway. I expect hairdressers will have to close again so we short-haired people will become shaggy heads again.

I had an email from my dil asking if I had received a package she had sent me a day or two earlier. I hadn’t which was really annoying as apparently she paid for “guaranteed” overnight delivery. Well, it has just arrived and it is only a small, flat package just a fraction too wide to go through the letterbox and it cost her £8.80 to send. I know the Post Office are inundated and have a backlog but they shouldn’t take people’s money for a guaranteed service if they can’t guarantee it.

OH is calling that lunch is ready, just some pate and cheese and bread, so I had better go and eat. Enjoy the rest of your day.

Morning All,

Another dull looking day, but we got the wipe down done and things in the garage freezers between showers so that was good. 12 substitutes and no sausage rolls!! I did get sausagemeat and puff pastry though so can make a sausage plait to slice up. I had to change my potato order from the Maris Piper that had sold out and got King Edwards instead. I had a shower then and we had pizzas to be quick and easy for lunch.

I love both your cakes Mandy and Mel. The decorations are so neat and very professional looking. My earliest efforts were of snow scenes (complete with the spiky trees Vera) in royal icing and I did one cake with a plastic santa and sleigh going down a snowy hill made of the icing. It looked good, but cutting through the rock hard hill after wasn't so easy.

I hope 'T' is less anxious now he knows you know where he is AnnG. He should get some physio now hopefully as someone said which will give him some mobility back and with a bit of luck get him on his feet again. That does sound an awkward journey and nasty island. We have a big roundabout with lots of lanes and exits plus traffic lights on the A5 just where I turn off for a garden centre I like. It's fine going, but coming back I hate turning right at this island as you have to move fast getting onto it and across into your correct lane as the traffic moves off like Brand's Hatch that's been waiting on the island to your right! How lovely to receive your letterbox flowers. It shows they are all thinking of you which is nice. <3

The local paper said today that our surgery's vaccinations will be taking place at the racecourse which is about 5 miles away. I expect my notification won't be for a few months yet though. Lots of reports of breaches of the rules too. :-(

I hope again that Gill's OH has found out more about his mum. It is a worry when you can't even visit either. Fancy Sandra buying so much shopping she couldn't carry it home Gill. I hope she is being very careful in the shops.

I see Matt Hancock is giving an update at 3.00pm. I wonder if it will be to do with the lorry drivers getting tested or more restrictions and Tier 4 areas.

We've just had a very heavy rain fall coming down like stair rods that you could hardly see through. Oh's pond was covered in great big bubbles it was so heavy.

I watched Robby having his bath today and got some quite good pics. I'll download them later and send them out. I am just about to start baking so see you later.

It has not stopped raining here all day and is really dark here now. And that is Gloucestershire just gone into Tier 3 then. from Boxing day.

Love the pics of the cakes Mandy and Mel, they both look very professional <3

OH has just spoken to his mum on her mobile and she's told him she should be going home tomorrow so he's relaxed a bit now as they wouldn't send her home if she was to ill. Apparently she had a bleed behind her eye and is now blind in that eye, but at least it wasn't a tumor. He's decided to go and visit his mum after his second dose of the vaccine, he has to wait a week for it to work and can only visit her if he's allowed to with the new tier 4 rules. We're not sure what tier we're going to end up in on Boxing day, but he can't visit her until after 11th January anyway, in the meantime he can ring her at home and wish her Merry Christmas on Christmas day. He's so much happier now.

His mum had a Covid test today and will have the results tomorrow and although he's worried about that she isn't showing any symptoms of the virus so hopefully it'll come back negative. His Covid test came back negative today, he has a test every week at work.

OH was telling me there was a big crash outside he's work last night, he and another member of staff had only just got to work and were parking their cars when they heard the crash, lots of people were helping so they didn't need to go to them. Apparently the road wasn't cleared for 3 hours. Because he had to go into work he doesn't know if anyone had any serious injuries. He and the other member of staff were very lucky they weren't involved in the crash with it happening only minutes after they arrived at work.

Mel, I forgot to mention your long tailed tits pictures. Love the photos. They are pretty little birds. We occasionally get a small flock around for a day or so then they disappear for months.

It’s still pouring here as well AnnG and the lights have been on nearly all day. Just heard that we are going straight from Tier 2 to Tier 4 so bang goes the next hair appointment again. More importantly I think it might set some people round here panic buying and fighting for delivery slots again. If that happens I’ll go back to what I was doing at the beginning of the first lockdown and go to the Co-op really early in the morning.

I had originally been going to see my brother today but that had to be cancelled too. I really wanted to see him as he is not very well at all. At this rate we’ll be exchanging presents in June. :-(

So, all in all, not a very happy day today but, hey ho, we’ll have to keep smiling and we’ll all get through it.

EDIT you posted while I was typing Gill. I’m pleased OH has better news of his mother. He’ll relax more now and so will you as you won’t be so concerned about him.

I forgot the long tails too Mel love them good photos too.

That is good news for your mum and for your o h so hope she tests negative Gill.

Vera is your brother tier 4 as well.

We have gone into tier 3 from Boxing Day. Won’t affect me much I don ‘t think.

Evening all

I've been stuck in 'airplane' mode on my lappie since yesterday morning and I don't know how to land! LOL At least it is letting me online today,

Gill, I'm sorry your m-in-l has blindness, is it temporary do you know? At least it has turned out to be a trauma and not a tumour. As I have reduced vision in one eye (fingers crossed it will improve after my long awaited treatment - next summer!) I really do sympathise and understand the nuisance it can be for day to day living.

Mel and Mandy, your cakes look very pretty and tasteful - pardon the pun :-D

Mel, what a lot of dickie birds you have visiting! I love nuthatches and what I call 'toffee apples' - long tailed tits, they are so pretty. I see long tails on the bird table two doors down.

Mandy, I'm afraid I whizzed through the carol service just to see the children So sweet!

Anng, it does sound as if your oh is on track now. I hope someone can tell you what the hold up has been. All the best to you both.

Belated Happy Birthday to Frank.

~~~~~~~ Vera and Annx

You are joining us in Tier 3 then AnnG. It doesn't affect us either. We haven't met with friends since March and the only places we visit now are the hairdresser, medical appointments and the chemist. I thought everyone would be put in Tier 4 to be honest as that would be the most effective. The further new mutation spotted in Africa sounds worrying but at least they have got onto it and acted quickly like should have happened before. Mutation is always a worry and with the size of the population and ease of travel everywhere, it is hard to control these things once they take hold.

Mel I forgot to mention your pretty birds too although I replied to your email. You get such a variety it makes me wish I lived somewhere more countrified than here. I meant to ask if you got any interesting things on your wildlife camera? I sent off for one that was on offer for one of my presents from OH and think it arrived this morning. I'm quite excited to see what comes in the garden at night, especially from the fields at the back!

Vera it is a shame you can't visit your brother if he is ill. Is it the same illness as before and something that is ongoing? If so it must be a worry for you. It's not the same I know but if you could arrange a zoom meeting at least you could actually see him.

I'm glad your OH got some news about his mum and is much happier now Gill. It's good she will be going home too and that there is no tumour after all. MIL used to get mixed up with what she was told and caused us both worry as well as amusement at times..

We've had no rain since this morning which is perhaps as well, as when we went to the chemist yesterday some of the the fields had large puddles in them. It is supposed to be a good frost here on Christmas morning and I said to OH that it would be good for some photos. He offered to drive me out somewhere and us have Christmas lunch later! I suspect any frost may be gone by the time I am up and about though, but it's nice he offered.

We are watching All Creatures Great and Small tonight. We really enjoy it! I think the new version is just as good as the previous one.

Being naught now like Mandy and eating choccie. I blame OH as he opened some Dairy Box.

I*'m pleased your oh has spoken to his mum now Gill. So I was right and it was trauma and not tumor. My mum had a bleed behind her eyes and went blind in one eye and had to have injections in her eyeball which did help with the bleed. In the end she had had enough and did'nt go anymore but she was going down hill by then. She still did her painting when blind in one eye but used to misjudge distances and miss the mug or cup when making coffee or tea. It just takes a bit of getting used to and I hope she gets on ok with it.

Well I did the mince pies but hav'nt got round to the sausage rolls yet. Oh said he is happy to have a pot noodle for dinner tonight and will probably have a couple of sausage rools too if I get them done.

Glad you liked my toffee apple photos girls. I shall always think of Island now when I see them on the fat and other bits I hang up for them. I have to make their Christmas wreath yet too. They love it and I did'nt make it last year as I could'nt find the ring I do it on so they had to make do with a small one.

Oh has put all my photos on a square thing I plug into the pc now and says if anything happens to my pc I shan't lose them now. I had this gadget last Christmas and its been sitting on my desk all year till yesterday when he did it for me. So thats another thing off my desk and put away in the drawer now.

Well this won't get the rolls made so I shall go and start them now.

Evening all ,

Mel i love the cake very pretty and what a lot of birds you have they know where to get a good feed .

AnnG that doesn't sound as if it would be a very good drive to the hospital ,i'm not keen on those big roundabouts you have to make sure your in the right lane as you have no chance to change lanes .
What a lovely surprise to get the flowers that was a kind thought and nice christmasy colours too .

Oh Ann that was good you got the puff pastry and sausage meat in your order at least you can make a few for OH .

Gill your OH must be relieved his mum is going home and it wasn't as bad as he thought .
Sounds as if Sandra has emptied the shops with all her shopping :-D

We have had heavy rain this afternoon ,the morning was dry and we went to Colin's sisters as she rang and asked if i had any paper backs she was getting low on books didn't want to not have any thing to read over christmas .
I put my mask on and opened her back porch door called out just the Book Delivery i left the books in the porch and came away ,she will leave the books now for a few days before she touches the bag .

I have cooked my piece of Gammon ,made some more Viennese fingers for son and family as they have eaten all the others i made .
I made 24 Frangipane mince pies too so we'll have a few of those and son can take the rest home .
I've done some of my veg ,carrots and sprouts and took the turkey crowns out ,i always cook two one to eat on christmas day and the other son will take home for cold cuts for them on boxing day ,there's usually some left from the one on christmas day for us to use up .
DIL is making sausage rolls tomorrow and making some for us too son will bring them when he calls to pick up Lewis's bike ,he can take the Viennese and mince pies back with him ,i'll stand them out on the garden seat and he can wsap the containers .

We will be in tier 4 on boxing day ,we thought we would be as the cases are rising here ,DIL had to go in to work early last friday to do a deep clean as they had a suspected case of covid, they deep clean and the room is sealed off for 72 hours.