General Chat

No Mel they don’t take any of your state or private pension if you are in hospital. They do stop any extra benefits if you have them, we don’t.

Yes, it's a change I wasn't aware of either Mel. I used to downrate pension books to pocket money rate after 8 weeks in hospital when I worked on the pensions section in the Civil Service. They would have to be sent in for Attendance Allowance to be taken off after 4 weeks.

That's good you have heard from T again AnnG. He does sound a little stronger and it's good he is at least drinking milk. You mentioned about your hair seeming thinner now. I meant to say that I had thought the same, but I think it is mostly because the hairdresser has chopped my hair much shorter now rather than it actually being thinner. I suppose it does thin a bit as we get older though. It's good you have got your Christmas things all put away ready for the food delivery.

Vera I had to laugh at your 'Carribean Delight'. I must do one of those......I certainly have enough bananas! :-D OH has said how abusive some parents are to teachers these days. It's no wonder with parent role models like that some of their children have to be excluded. You'd think they'd realise that schools can't help it if they are given instructions at the last minute. OH is on a zoom meeting with a school now because of the changes.

Yes I did it with the bananas once before Mandy! lol. Fancy Chelsea losing her socks already! When I lose mine they are usually in OH's sock drawer where he has put them or on his feet!! I wonder if she's left them in the car? I'm on FB Messenger and send messages but didn't realise you could see each other on there. It must be when you use the phoning option I expect? I bet your son is happier now Lewis is at home with the others.

Mel I don't think she will have put the socks in her pocket as it was a 5 pair pack :-D

Ann when you go on messenger at the top right of the page there is a telephone a video and an i symbol if you press the video it will ring who ever you are messaging and when they answer it connects and you can see them and yourself in the corner of the picture .
It was son who says mum you need FB ,well I wasn't that keen but when he said we can message and also video call I thought it be nice to see and talk to them and the children ,he did it for me on the last lock down.

Thank you Mandy, I'll have a look at messenger tomorrow. I wasn't keen when I joined FB either, but there are lots of groups and videos for different crafts and nature/birdwatching etc. that I like and I stick with those. :-)

I see we are all back in full lockdown now and the schools are shut till easter. Boris suggested the higher risk groups and those of us over 70 should be vaccinated by mid February which would be good.

We are both so tired after our early start today so we are off to bed now. Sleep tight everyone.

Glad the jelly set Vera and it sounds like oh enjoyed it as well. Loved the fancy name.

I keep meaning to say that the boys loved their masks Mandy. I had bought them a Harry Potter potion game so thye could all play together at Christmas. I don't know yet what the boys big present was as I have only seen Em briefly.

Good morning all slept well last night, had to make myself get up I was so cosy in bed but I didn't want to go back to sleep again, dry here but still dull and only 1 degree.

thanks Mandy, actually I have not bothered with zoom or anything like that. I also have what's app on my phone which you can use face to face but I have enough trouble just hearing on the phone so it would probably be frustrating for both of us. And T would never work it out on his phone it is an older smart phone.

Morning Anng and all,

I slept well too and the arm is a lot better today and just as well as the Asda order is coming this morning. Its good you had a cosy sleep Anng makes you feel so much better to face the day.

Lots of subs on the order today and one thing unavailable.

We have sunshine and grey skies too so sunny out the back and grey to the north.

Will take the tree down today and the rest of the cards over my desk and oh will get the string down for me as I can't reach it without the steps and I am not aloud on those at the moment.

Good morning all,

Very cold here today, Ros has popped to Tesco for a few bits, then home. Not going anywhere while this COVID is around.


Nice stew ready to go on later today, I will make a few dumplings to go in as well.

Hope you are all keeping well.


I have an appointment for an X RAY tomorrow at the General Hospital, I assume it's safe to go, as I haven't heard anything from them. So will turn up at 3.45 pm.

Stay safe. xxxx

Morning all,

Nice and bright here this morning but really cold out .

AnnG it's a shame you haven't got the messenger to use as it might be easier for you as you can see people's mouths moving and might help as you have trouble with hearing what's said .
Glad you had a better night I expect it's helped hearing from T .

I didn't have that good a night I woke for the loo about two looked out the window and saw the milkman was about .
I woke again at about four and laid there til gone five and dropped off againuntil eight .
So wipe down again for you Mel they keep coming round ,glad the boys were happy with the masks
.
Why doesn't Ros shop for the week Frank it would save her going out again ,she only went Saturday ,I admit I go out to shop but I try to leave it for about a week and a half before I go .
I would try and ring the hospital to see if the appointment is still OK .

Frank I am sure I have seen that you must attend any medical appointments but phone if you are worried. I too wonder why Ros has to go out so often to the shop, every time she goes she risks catching the virus and bringing it hole to you.

Mandy, I actually do have messenger on facebook, it is just that it would not be easy to lip read on the screen especially as T speaks as if he has had a stroke because of his extremely dry mouth so his mouth doesn't form the words. It is better if I concentrate on my ears and hearing.

Rest of the decs are down and oh only has to dismantle the tree and get down one string of pom poms I hang the cards on.I have decided to keep the acorn light in the kitchen as they are not Christmas lights but need to get oh to put two more hooks in the bottom of the windowsill.

Not heard from Gill for a couple of days so hope she is ok and that Island is feeling a bit better now. The cold weather won't help Island with her aches and pains.

Lamb chope tonight so nice and easy. May do a bit of mash, mushrooms and sweetcorn.

Not heard from Vera and Annx yet today. Ann probably has some course or other, I seem to remember there was one starting in January. Hope Vera is ok, I did see a short post from her elsewhere though.
And still no Gill, possibly still trying to sort Sandra’s phone. And I think I also saw Island elsewhere

Evening all

I am a bit later posting today. I had my third bad night in a row so found it hard to get moving this morning. Once I got myself going I did a couple of household jobs and then dismantled the tree and packed all the baubles, decorations and lights away ready for OH to put back in the garage The tree is now outside and as it’s less than 7 ft we can put it beside our brown bin next week and it will be taken for recycling. The lounge looks bigger without the tree but dull and dreary now.

Frank, I’m another one who has wondered why Ros shops so much. Why not buy at least a week’s worth of food at a time or have deliveries? I only have one not very big freezer and a big fridge but I manage easily with a delivery roughly every 10-14 days and a very occasional trip to a shop if I am really running low on something. Even milk can be frozen.

Have you heard from T today AnnG? I hope his apparent improvement is continuing.

It’s good your arm is improving Mel and I hope Island’s pain is easier now.

Even with this latest lockdown my neighbour still had someone in this morning. I think she genuinely believes she is abiding by the rules, so what doesn’t she understand?

OH is doing dinner tonight and I’ve asked him to get it for about 6.30 as I’m expecting a phone call later and don’t want it to come while we’re eating. He is in the kitchen but I don’t think we’ll be eating as early as I hoped. His cooking is fine but his timing is lousy. I take that back, he’s just called :-)

Evening All,

Brighter and dry here today, but still quite cold. I slept really well last night too but didn't emerge till nearly 10.00am. Hubby was up earlier when the bin men came as they had left our bin with the new people's bins behind the electric gate at the end. Once that got closed he couldn't have retrieved it. :-S Our number is on the sides of all our bins in large red stickers too so there's no excuse and they are always dumping the bins anywhere but where they find them.

Yes, why does Ros need to go to the shops so often Frank? I know we have our food delivered but we manage fine between deliveries and don't need to keep going out all the time. Every time you leave the house you are exposed to risk and it's getting to be more of a risk as the virus spreads more. Even if you don't get the virus you can be spreading it.

I must admit I have delayed my eye test, haven't been to the dentist or had my annual blood test yet and am doing the same with my knee appointment till I am vaccinated, but if the doctor thought I needed an x-ray I would go unless they cancelled it.

It's good your arm is a lot better now Mel, but you will have to be careful till it's 100%. I wonder what caused it?

OH has tried my patience and got a flea in his ear! I spent the rest of the morning getting lunch then I took the baubles off my twig tree and the batteries out of things and put the washer on. I just settled down to do my painting in hoped for peace and he decides to finish his tax return. In and out of where I was trying to paint and fetching various folders for information he needed and tutting, chatting or looking at what I was doing. Then he was in and out printing off things for his records. Then he was coming in to warn me that Boris was soon on. Then to top it all when I had settled down again, in he trots with a pot of cooked new potatoes out of the fridge to ask if they were ok to eat. I wouldn't have minded only when I was going to throw them in the bin only yesterday as they were 3 days old, he protested and said he would eat them for his tea with some salad, and had obviously then forgotten about them or our conversation!!! :-S

So 1 in 50 have the virus now. This morning one of the London hospitals said they were seeing whole families being admitted now including people in their 20s,30s and 40s.

~~~~~~~~ here I am Mel and AnnG :-D :-D
Evening all

I must be in a time warp - who isn't! - what with the post christmas/new year limbo and now a 3rd lockdown. I can't believe it's only two days since my spiteful shoulder/arm pain. It was gone the next day but last night the party was in the back of my right hand.
more codeine to send me to sleep. I wouldn't mind if I'd been dancing the night away!

AnnG that's good that you've had contact from OH but must be a roller coaster for you

We only had cards up and strings of lights, we gave the tree and decs away a couple of years ago to a young family. Cards are down, lights in the window are off now. We quite like the lights in the front room while it's so gloomy. Mind you, our house looks like a christmas tree all year with our arty crafty adornments LOL.

Frank, no drinking while in charge of a mobo scooter. I hope the weather is a bit warmer for your trial runs.

Annx you nipped in while I was typing!
It sounds like your OH is using delay tactics on his tax return. I know these things LOL and leaving it to the last minute realising it would have been so much easier to do it as I went along. Oh well.

Now I see Vera posted too :-D

Vera I had a short phone call about 2pm, it was short because he wore himself out phoning :-D my mobile rang three times, I knew it was him but it kept disconnecting, then the landline rang twice and also disconnected. Then he rang and actually didn’t disconnect and told me he had just phoned daughter by mistake. By then he was tired so we had a quick, you Ok?, I’m ok sort of conversation, found out he was still in the same place not moved as he thought he was going to be not going to Stroud as they are working on him where he is and he has to practice standing up from a chair. And he said he would ring later but so far he hasn’t.

Annx I had a chuckle at your OH disturbing your painting and then remembered yesterday I was making cards and realised it was not as pleasurable with nobody to show them to. So we can’t win as I used to complain at being interrupted. Hope all is well there now.

Island pleased your arm and shoulder were better but bit of a ‘By about your hand hope that is better soon too.

Morning All,

Back to dull again today but no rain as yet! I slept like a log again and woke up after my tablet time. Since getting up I have had a pain under and in front of my right heel. It is just like the plantar fasciitis I had once. I wonder if my attempts at a bit of stretching and balancing on tiptoe have caused it. I had to laugh though as now I have a right foot hurting and a left knee still getting a bit better. I shall be needing a chariot like Vera next! :-)

Easy lunch today, the ham and leek bake with some cauli, broc and beans.

The decs are ready for OH to put them back in the loft and he can check the mousetraps while he is up there.

AnnG I shouldn't grumble too much about OH. As you say it is nice to be able to show someone what you you have done/made. I did ask him how he would like me to keep popping in and interrupting him and chatting when he is writing up his notes and he said 'I would hate it!'. We'll see how long it lasts! I'm very lucky in that he is nearly always cheerful and never, ever sulks. I don't think he knows how with being so chatty.

Better get showered now and switch the oven on to heat up.

Morning all,

Had a lie in this morning and only been up a l;ittle while. Still can't get used to this keybopard.

Frosty again this morning and its still out there in bits and pieces and the temp is 3 degrees.

Well half the tree is down. Next he will be asking me where the bag and box is and he put it in the lounge.

Hope all aches and pains are a bit better this morning and you all got enough sleep.

Morning Ann you popped in before me as Anng's was the only post wehn I wrote mine.