General Chat

good morning all, wet and grey outside, a bit frazzled inside. Knowing I have so much to do and can't do it until daughter arrives with the list. I am assuming anyway that many things can't be done yet, either because it is the weekend or because we wait for the death certificate. Then there is the fact that he is currently at a funeral directors I have never heard of in a town (Cirencester) miles away. That is obviously the one the hospital use. I don't trust firms that are 'used' automatically by places like hospitals. (what do the hospital get from the 'trade' I wonder? However, apparently we can get the funeral company change if we want, I bet there is a cost for that.

I couldn't get to sleep for hours last night as my brain was doing its sorting out of things to do. But I am OK this morning. I have changed the bed (to save doing it while daughter is here and it was dues. The bedding is in the wash and I am showered and hair washed. Bettter go and have breakfast now.

Morning Anng and all,

Dull and grey again here this morning and its been raining.

Anng its good your daughter is coming to you how long will she stay? It will help you get things done and I hope they don't charge for moving T to another funeral director as Cirencester is a long way from you.

I don't know where this week went and have been all out of sortts with the days. We are now through the first month of the new year and it seems to have flown by.

Have to go up the shop today for the paper and a few bits and drop off Em's eggs then I may have another play or if it stops raining I need to clean the big girls out.

Yes, I know how you feel AnnG. I laid awake for most of the night, and feel like death warmed up this morning. I was shaved and showered before 7.00 am Ros is now up and getting ready to go to meet Martine for their usual Saturday shopping trip. Now that they can do much, either Tesco or Morrison's.

I have a buyer for the damaged half sovereigns, which will be conducted by mail, as the dealer lives so far away.We have been in contact by Email, and the way he comes across, seems a trustworthy person.

I was thinking of asking Ros to take me back to Woodford Bridge tomorrow, so I could lay a wreath on dads grave. But it's such a long drive for her, I will just let it pass. I'll have my memories instead.

Horrible weather here today. It's not really got light yet, and we have rain and heavy cloud, with a chance of SNOW.

Stay safe dear friends. xxxxx

Good morning all, (well it was morning when I started)

I am not surprised you didn’t sleep too well AnnG. Your mind must be in a whirl. If the hospital didn’t ask you which funeral home to use I don’t see how they can charge you for moving T. I am glad your daughter is coming. You need someone to be with you and she will be able to cope with the telephoning. Most stuff is dealt with over the phone at the moment but our recent experience is that everything is smooth and efficient. Though my brother's partner has done all the telephoning, emailing etc I’ve been involved with it all and can reassure you that it hasn’t been as difficult as we expected. If it isn’t offered to you ask the Registrar for a “One Stop Form”. This form enables you to notify all the government agencies of a death without having to write to them individually as used to be the case. It means you can deal with state pension, driving licence, bus pass, passport etc on one form. I hope this practical stuff helps a bit. Apart from that you’re in my thoughts.

Cold, grey and sleety showers today. At the moment we’re between showers so I am sitting on a chair by the patio doors trying to do The RSPB Garden Bird Watch. Even though the weather is lousy there are quite a few birds about, though I haven’t seen our two goldfinches today. I have however seen a chaffinch. That might not sound a big deal but one of the first things we noticed when we moved here was the lack of chaffinches, not just in the garden but in the area generally. They were so common at our old house and we only moved 6 miles away. I am delighted after 7 years living here to have seen one again :-D

I am glad your jab went well Ann. Do you know what type you had? We had the Pfizer one and I am beginning to wonder what will happen about the second jab. We aren’t expecting it till April but, as it’s manufactured in Belgium and the EU are making difficulties, who knows when we’ll get it.

Frank, I understand how you are feeling. You clearly loved and respected your Dad so try not to dwell on his last days but remember all the happy times of earlier years and cherish those memories. February is my bad month. It’s the anniversary of my mother’s death, my father’s and a favourite aunt and now I’ll have my brother’s funeral as well.

I started this a couple of hours ago but watching the birds and taking a couple of phone calls I’ve only just got around to finishing it. Lunchtime now and then tonight I’ve got some gammon. I buy 6 large pieces of gammon at a time and cut 2 of them in half and then freeze them so I end up with 4 whole ones for OH and 4 small ones for me.

Have a good day everyone. Stay warm and safe.

Sometimes I remember more than I need to. Yet, I forget what I ought to recall.

My memory goes back to at least half past eight last night.

I remind myself occasionally that I am neither perfect nor unique.

Hello Dermot nice to see you pop in and well said I'm just the same.

Done the shop nd the wipe down and wehn I got back oh had made a huge pot of soup for lunch which was delishious and I had bought a nice sliced farmhouse loaf so I had two slices of that and a smallish bowl of soup.

Afternoon All,

I went off to sleep quickly, then woke at 1.00am lying on my stabbed arm which was achey. By the time I woke this morning the stab area was quite hot and the muscle down towards my elbow and over my shoulder felt stiff and bruised like after a good badminton match the night before. It's no worse now though, no tablets needed and is listed in the side effects. After being fine all day yesterday I thought I'd got off lightly!

AnnG it is good you have your daughter to come and help and support you, especially with it being a difficult time anyway to arrange things. When MIL died it was the Saturday of a Bank Holiday so we couldn't get a death cert till the following Friday. The small Community Hospital she was in didn't have a mortuary, so she was moved to a local undertaker's 15 miles away from us. We then got her moved from there to another undertaker near where she lived, but also 15 miles from us, so two journeys. I asked OH and he can't remember now, but thought there must always be a charge for moving a body, even from a hospital? Maybe it won't cost as much as you think. It's obvious I know, but just make sure you take care of yourself in this difficult, upsetting process. <3 I imagine most undertakers use the 1 stop form Vera has thoughtfully mentioned as it was in use at the undertaker we used 5 years ago.

Frank, don't even think to ask Ros to break the rules driving all that way or she could be fined. It seems so sad you are still tormented with these memories from the past all these years later and I doubt your dad wanted you to live your life like this after his passing.

Well done doing the Birdwatch Vera. I only got as far as thinking about it! We seem to have the Pigeons all back and Magpies now, with the little Robin and not much else.

Sorry the crab was a disappointment Mandy. The fresh ones are obviously in a different league!

Hope you are able to do some claywork Mel.

Must get on with my Asda order now ready for the food drop tomorrow!

You've got a good memory then Dermot. I'm lucky if mine goes back to 10 minutes ago. I regularly remind OH that he is neither perfect nor unique. I am of course ;-)

Going back to the opening post and things remembered from childhood, does anyone remember Twink home perms and Amami setting lotion? My mum used both and I was regularly sent on hair washing day to buy a bottle of Amami. For some reason it was sold in the local sweet shop :-S

Did any of you ladies ever have to sleep with your hair rolled up in pipe cleaners? This was my mum's preferred method of curling my hair for "special" occasions. I'm glad it was only occasionally as I hated having it done.

Funny how these old memories come back isn't it?

Evening all...
Vera, I had long hair and sometimes went to bed with rag ringlets, if there was a special occasion the next day.
Either that or my long freshly washed hair was plaited while still damp and then by the next morning it was unravelled and came out all crinkly.... My mother's delight, but I hated it like that.

I remember Amami and Twink. Didn't the perm solution have a terrible smell. Luckily Mum very rarely used it, but I remember the little pieces of tissue paper and the special bright plastic curlers. In between perms she sometimes used metal Dinky? curlers which must have been a nightmare to sleep in.

Gwyn, are you sure we didn't share a mother? Mine only used Twink occasionally, and, yes, the solution did stink. My Mum also had those metal curlers. They must have been so painful to sleep in and real passion killers lol

My mum used Twink and Amami too Gwyn! Didn't the Twink come in a dark blue box with white writing? I too used to have to sleep in those rags to make ringlets and my head would be sore after sleeping in them. Mum wore those metal curlers that had wire at the sides and a flat metal strip in the middle that you wrapped the end of your hair between to wind your hair around and then clip between the wires to hold it. She had a hairstyle very like the Queen'sf when I was young. :-) Grandma had even more lethal long metal clip things she did the Marcel, 20s style waves with and mum had a few too. They were curved to the shape of your head and the sprung clip on top opened them like jaws. Each edge of the curve had spiky teeth on that would scrunch your hair (and scalp) into the tight waves. I had plaits from about age 7 and mum insisted on turning the ends up before the elastic bands and ribbons went on......boy I was always being told off for losing ribbons! My hair parting was on one side too and I wasn't allowed to have it down the middle like my best friend. She had jet black, thick, straight hair with small plaits from her forehead to ears that then went into 2 bigger plaits down her back. Easily tanned in summer I thought she looked like an Indian squaw which I wanted to look like too!

I never had the pipe cleaners Vera but I remember wearing those pink or yellow foam rollers with a pink net over them!

Ooh I remember the dinky curlers and the torture implements I used to play with them but my Mum did used to try and put waves in my very thick hair
From about nine or ten I had very thick plaits until I was about twelve or thirteen, hated having my hair done mum was not the most gentle person. Even dry my hair would be all crinkley out of plaits. Mum always had her hair permed but at the hairdresser.

My nan used those metal curler things that you clipped the end of the wires over. I can just picture nanin those now. Mum used to perm my hair when I was young and I hated the amonia smell of the perm lotion and how long it took to perm. Trouble with me was my hair would'nt perm well so I had to have another one about a week later!!!!!!!!!!!! :-(

Mum also had those toothed grips in tow sizes.

I still have mums perm curlers I found them inthe back of a cupboard justt before Christmas. Mum did ladies hair at home when I was young. The box of curlers still have some of those pads of perm papers in them. I too remember Twink and was'nt the dot on the eye a star? Also Drene shampoo in little square sachets like a cushion filled with golden liquid. Also the old staple Vosene which she still used up until she died.

As to Amarmi setting lotion I think that was blue in a pointed bottle. Mum also used Esolan as a condtioner on my hair.

In my teens when down the stables and we wanted to wash the horses tails we would go to the chemist and buy sachets of Supersoft shampoo in dark blue sachets at 4d each.

O and ws'nt Sunsilk another shampoo?

Sending a pic

Evening all :-D

My goodness! What was it with mothers not being happy with their little girls natural hair? I'm so glad it wasn't just me who was put through this ritual torture :-0

As if sleeping with tightly bound rags knotted to my head wasn't bad enough, I was sent like a lamb to the slaughter to buy round spikey rollers from Woolies. These things were held in place with metal prong things :-0 I spent much of the night dragging these things from my head until it was comfortable to lie on. I must have ended up with a very odd hair style LOL
Oddly enough, I have no recollection of my mother sporting these instruments of torture herself. Oh and she wasn't averse to subjecting my little brother to the Amami and crocodile clip either!
Child abuse? :-0

Croadile clips yes Island thats what they were called. :-D

Ha ha Mel, I don't know if that was the official name, I was just going by the evil teeth! :-0
What were they thinking? They 'could've had somebodys eye out' as they used to say LOL

Did anyone else have a Mum who considered that there was a girl's side and a boy's side for your hair parting?
What happened to which way your hair naturally was growing.?

I had a side parting with a big bow to one side, then the hair was plaited in 2 long plaits with a bow at the bottom of each.
For a while for school I wore 'plait-grips' at the ends of the plait.
Did anyone else have them.?
They were a little plastic arched sort of hair-side with elastic attached to either end of the grip. The slide, which had a jagged teeth edge on the hair showed at the bottom of the plait, while the elastic stretched round the hair to hold it in place.

It seems that generation of mums didn't do 'natural' Gwyn LOL
Mine didn't do the boys/girls parting but she was a bit mean to me when I rebelled and parted my hair at the centre (daring doos!). A few years earlier she had the vapours when she spotted the barely there little wispy fringe which I had cut myself - I kid you not, it can't have been more than twenty hairs :-0 LOL

I wasn't allowed plaits or a fringe, I had 'bunches' which were often ringlets.

Oh my goodness yes Gwyn, the parting had to be the right side, I'd forgotten that. I didn't have plait grips, and hadn't heard of them before, just rubber bands that pulled on your hair strands. The plait grips sound like the things some girls with pony tails had. I know that the school rules were that girls couldn't have long hair hanging loose, it had to be plaited or in a ponytail. I could never decide on school photos whether to have plaits in front of my shoulders or behind.