General Chat

Morning AnnG and All,

Dry and dull here. Another good sleep and I feel quite bright this morning.

Hope you manage to get a few things started or sorted today AnnG. It sounds like your daughter has already made a start with what she can.

We are having a brunch today so I can be in good time for my painting. We are doing Snowdrops today.

Better get moving now and showered.

Looking forward to seeing the snowdrops Anmn when you have finished them. Always look forward to a new picture. <3

It just rained as I was doing the chickens but now it looks a bit brighter.

Wonder if Frank had a good night?

Afternoon to you all, Yes Mel I had a good night THANKS.

Not a very pleasant day here, overcast and looking like rain. I have terrible stomach pains, I keep going to sit on the throne but with no effect. I have taken two doses of "GUNGE" but nothing working. HOT TEA didn't help either.

I showered and shaved before Ros was up this morning. She has done two washes and has now showered and washed her hair, and is now sitting on the bed with the hair dryer going.

Nowhere to go, not that we need anything. So a quite afternoon, with my book or a bit of TV.

Yes poor old Captain Tom catching COVID. I see he's on a warn and not being isolated. I hope he soon recovers.

I hope all the arrangements are coming along for you AnnG. It's a horrible time I know. I just hope you are holding up under the pressure, xxx

Stay safe folks. xxxx

Hubby has just blown one of my tyres up that had the warning light come on when it was very cold. I can do a small trip in it between here, the shops and chemist to charge the battery a bit this week now it doesn't seem like a puncture.

Glad you like seeing the pictures Mel. I always worry people might get fed up with them. The ones from the course will never be the best with having to rush keep up with the teacher with the drawing and starting them. They aren't always what you would choose to paint yourself, but it's good to be out of your comfort zone at times and learn all the techniques. At least the printer has stopped playing up now and printing everything pink or blue. It was old cartridges causing it I think. I still have blue fingernails on my right hand!

Glad you had a good sleep Frank.

Done one lot of washing but it can't go out as its like being in a cloud out there as the moisture is just hanging in the air and water is dripping off everything.

good afternoon all.

That is all Tony's stuff collected from Cirencester. A full washload now done and dried and charity bag started. No wonder he ran out of boxers, they were all in the hospitals. All the clothes came home in separate polythene bags, different ones for each hospital move and then the case was also full. We met the sister who had comminicated with Lyn and she was very nice. We took them the large box of chocolate biscuits that would have been his Christmas present from Lyn. They were pleased with that. Lyn has phoned the funeral director so that will start things off and they will collect him from Cirencester for us.

As far as I can make out everything was there except a pair of trousers, even the £10 note that was in the case. The trousers were not good ones so no problem.

all the phone chargers except the one he lost were there, his phone and Ipad, all the cards and bits and pieces were there too. and everything has been wiped/disinfected.

Still a long list of things to do but we will get there.
Both car insurances changed to my name only as his car insurance would automatically cancel (not a lot of people know that). Also the house insurance cancelled and re-issued in my name (son saw to all that as he has just retired from LV which is where my insurances are.)

annx I love seeing your photos.
Frank, I am not doing too much as daughter is doing the bulk. But thanks for worrying.

February already. Where do the weeks go? I’m just thinking of all the things I planned to do when lockdown was first announced last March and how few of them I have actually done.

Dryish today but just a grey, nothing sort of day. I got 3 loads of washing done by 10.30 am but I didn’t bother to hang it out. Half got done in the dryer and the other half is hanging on airers.

I’m glad you had a good night Frank. I hope your tum is feeling easier now.

Ann, please don’t stop sending your pictures as I love seeing them as well. I love seeing everyone’s artwork and crafts. You’re all so talented. I think I was born with 2 left hands.

AnnG, I expect you are having a busy day. There is a lot to organise at these times. I hope you have more luck than my brother’s partner in getting someone to take your equipment away. As it was thought that he might be able to come home from hospital and be cared for at home his bed was dismantled and the bits of bed and mattress had to be shoved in the study. They are in the way of the filing cabinet and the computer so trying to get to anything is apparently a nightmare. A special bed was then set up and there is a commode, walking frame and other bits and pieces but no-one seems to want to come and collect them. Keeping you and your family in my thoughts <3

Your picture of the curlers and the little pads of tissues brought back some memories Mel. I dearly wanted a perm when I was 10 or so and a couple of my friends had perms but my mum wouldn’t hear of it. I hated her for it at the time but she was quite right of course. My hair was thick and dark and had a bit of a natural wave and a perm would probably have ruined it.

My hair could do with some help at the moment as it’s in dire need of a good cut. It’s at that in between stage when It’s not long enough to do anything with but it’s too long to look tidy. Just call me Scruff lol.

I’m now going to do a bit more writing up of our 2017 Russian holiday. I’ve been meaning to do it ever since the holiday and it’s taken me three and a half years to get started so I shall plod on till I finish. I think it might end up quite long but I am including just a few of our many pictures to make it a bit more interesting and they take up a bit of space.

Enjoy what’s left of the day and have a good night everyone.

EDIT. Sorry AnnG I somehow missed you there. You’ve made a good start today and got quite a lot done. Make sure you don’t tire yourself out.

You have done a nice lot today Anng and Lyn. Anng I meant to say before you must getin touch with the council tax department as you are now living on your own and they used to take 25% off your tax for being on youyr own plus you could add that T has'nt lived there for three months as he was in hospital and they may take something off that too. Get Lyn to look into it for you.

Vera I managed one oot of washing today but that has'nt gone out either thats on the airer.

Emm popped down just as I was going to corn the chickens so she saw me in all my finery I don't think. 30 year old coat all frayed at the cuffs and rips in the pocket but tstill the warmest coat I have for doing the chickens and wild birds and it dos'nt matter if I get muck on it or wipe my muddy fingers on it. Old hat and wellies. The boys had come with her to drop off my Maldon sea salt and redcurrant jelly she got from Tescos for me and the boys wanted to ride the bike and sam his new scooter he had for his birthday. George's byke is very smart with sort of cow horn handlebars and threads oin the front wheel. Black handle bars and an orange and yellow frame.

We stood well apart in the front having quite a good natter. Sam told me he had won an award for his writing but won't get his certificate yet. George told me he had two hours of maths this afternoon. He usually get 4 pages but today he got 6!!!

You have made good progress today AnnG and have got the ball rolling now. I hadn't thought about car insurance and may have assumed it was valid till it ran out so that is something useful to remember! DVLA will refund road tax as it can't be transferred to a new owner now. There are so many things we have contracts for these days too. We had to go back to Coalville to register MIL's death as she died in the hospital there, so I expect you will have to visit the Registrar in Cirencester if you haven't already. Lots to be done. I thought you were going to say Tony's false teeth had turned up in the bags or case.

The class this afternoon turned out to be about putting layers of paint on and detail. I hadn't got the ideal sizes of brushes, but all we did was draw and paint one small Snowdrop! The flower hardly showed up on white paper too. Our homework is to paint a group of them, with or without a background, so I'll have a go and see what happens!

The men with the film camera were back next door this afternoon! They came before in the Summer, but goodness knows what it is all about. Once we can chat to the chap opposite, we'll be able to find out as he usually knows. We don't see much of the folks opposite now though.

Vera it is a great idea to write about your Russian trip. It will be good for later generations to read about what you did.

I hope your tum is feeling better now Frank and that it wasn't caused by your takeaway.

Mel the council will be sorted if we get the form that informeS everybody for us. That is if it works it didn’t work for Lyn with her late husband.

'No he will be registered in Gloucester app ardently as it is the county town. The death notice was sent to the registrar today we can phone them tomorrow.

With the insurance we had to have his name taken off my car and I became main driver on his even though I won’t drive it. We also had to change the house insurance into my name. And we have to change the house into my name with land registry. None of this would have occurred to me if it was not for daughter and son working in insurance.

It is al very complicated, we now have loads of leaflets through the door from funeral directors, presumably we will have more contact with them after we finish with the registrar.

Good morning, slept ok until just gone five but couldn't get back to sleep so up fairly early. Still plenty to do, probably registrar today.

We do know that the cause of death was Lung cancer, then secondary causes, either debility or frailty followed by Covid. Information from the sister at the hospital.

Morning Anng and all,

Happy Candlemas day the day it is said that the wild birds pair up. When I had the pet shop the chaps who bred budgies always paired their birds on the 2nd of February.
We have a bit of brightness this morning which is a nice change.

Hope you can get lots more done today Anng.

All others hope you had a good sleep and your weather is better today.

We have sunshine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Morning AnnG, Mel and all

It’s another grey, wet day.....sigh.

You got a lot done yesterday AnnG. Will you have to go to the Registrar or funeral directors? All the arrangements for my brother have been done by phone and email.

I had a slightly better night last night. I hope you all slept well and are bright eyed and bushy tailed this morning :-)

I haven’t got much planned for today. In fact one day is much like another. I sometimes have to look at the paper to remind myself what day of the week it is. I’m going to do the ironing now but as I iron the minimum possible it won’t take me more than about 20 minutes.

A quick wave to Gill as we haven’t heard from her for a couple of days~~~~~~~~ and a wave to Island ~~~~~~~~~~

Morning AnnG and everyone,

I slept well and it looks as if the sun is trying to come through although it is cold.

It's good to have got some answers and confirmation about what happened with T AnnG. I'm glad you don't have to travel to Cirencester again to register. Maybe there are less registration places now with cutbacks? I remember needing quite a few copies of the death cert from the registrar for the POA people, DWP, banks etc. I wouldn't have thought to change OH' s car insurance to me being the main driver and I suppose I would have to take him off my car insurance too, plus they charge for doing these amendments! It's useful you mentioning these things. I can't remember what happened with land registry and MIL's house as OH sold it after she died. I suppose the solicitor dealt with things like that. You should also get some increase in your state pension and at least these days you don't have pension books to be sent in. Dealing with those was part of my old job once.

An easy lunch today with the ham and leek bakes with leftover veg. I am going to try a few ideas for my Snowdrop picture background then make a start on it. OH is busy with his work most of today and is on the phone now. I must go online to look at Valentine cards too. I am thinking of getting some Schizanthus seeds to grow this year. They were a favourite of my first FIL who grew all sorts iñ his big garden and greenhouse. We used to be given a few plants and I loved the pretty flowers they had. I did wonder about some Begonias this year, but I stopped using them in the wall pots after they got some kind of wilt and died 2 years on the trot? What would cause that?

FIL would have been 100 today. He made it to 95 and thought it was his 100th so that was just as good for him!

Ann its funny you mentioned Schizanthus as only the other day I was thinking of my grandad and he used to grow those and always brought a nice couple of plants over for mum and I. I was thinking if you cna still get the seed and was going to give it a go this year. Strange how these things come to mind to both of us over the past few days.
I think he called them Poor Mans Orchids.

Just waiting for the delivery for the big wipe down. Should be here soon. Three subs, my wine the toilet rolls which will be going back and spring onions so not too bad.

O I forgot Happy Birthday FIL on your true 100th. Bless him its nice to think he had his 100th at 95 and probably died happy for that. <3

With the begonias Ann, could it have been vine weevils?

Vera, no we don't have to visit anybody. Daughter has a phone appointmnet with the registrar this afternoon, then they will send certificates by post apparently.

I think the funeral director is all done by phone but not sure how, can't continue with them until we have the death certificates. (Ann how many certs did you get? Lyn thought five would do as they return them quite quickly).

Good afternoon to you all,

Had another good night. I went to bed at 8.30 and read until after 10.00 Ros still haven't come to bed at 11.45, when I must have dropped off.

It has been a lovely sunny day so far, Ros went shopping with Carolyn, and has just walked in. So will try to get back later.