General Chat

Good morning from sunny Cumbria. Thankfully I slept much better last night . Got up for the loo around three then slept until sevenish.

Morning Anng and all,

Another right sunny morning after a hard frost and it makes you feel good.

Shop today and I hav'nt written my list yet or done the Asda order for Tuesday yet.

I am sad to say our snwdrops are now on the way out and looking very sparse but the crocus are still flowering and the daffs are coming out. The frost saw off the Helibores and they turned black from their lovely pink.

Twonk did'nt post it!!!!!!!!!

I think I am going to have trouble with Robby this year. I left the back door open and went to watch my fish and when I cam eback he was standing on the back of my chair on my sleeveless fleece so I opened the back door and walked towards him and he flew out.

Boiling eggs for lunch I noticed he had messed onthe back of the cooker so I wiped that up and thought I better look at my fleece and lo and behold he had messed on that too! Bu**er.

some say it's lucky Mell :-0

Afternoon All,

Lovely sunshine again and I slept better again last night. Still wasn't up early though. We had poached eggs for lunch today in the conservatory which was lovely and warm from the sun. The Buzzard was back, but a Crow was having none of him being around and kept heckling him. I also saw my first butterfly this year on the Wisteria flowers, a Small Tortoiseshell and I don't think I have ever seen one as early as February before!

I now know what bulbs I had dug up and left in a pot behind the shed and forgotten. Lovely Tete a tete are in flower, so pretty. There was also a pot of Snowdrops that have now gone over. At least I can get them planted now I know what they are. I also discovered 2-3 Cyclamen in flower in the border that we hadn't planted but had moved from the chippings last year. There's lots needs doing in the garden so OH did a bit of weeding and I watered some geraniums in the greenhouse and weeded the pots. Tomorrow is wipe down day so we didn't want bad backs for that.

Mel he's got cheeky hasn't he and bold as brass! lol. Now he's been in once he will be back again. At least you will know with him leaving calling cards. My Jackdaw from my teens would come in the kitchen and be in the sink bathing if you had a tap on at the time. Then mum spotted him eyeing up her rings she'd left on the side once and he got shooed out after that!

Better get my order finished now as more items have become unavailable! It's like having homework to do! :-S

I hav'nt even started my list for next Tuesday yet and must get around to that after I have posted this.

Ann this is the second time he has been in this year already. Last tiem he went right up the hall and into oh's study at the end and I had to rush around closing all the door and opening the front door and back door but I wanted to make sure he had gone out. A long while ago I had some boxes under a chest of draws that were on legs when I cleared the boxes out one day to hoover under there there was a dead Robin behind one of the boxes and I was sooooo sad as I thought I had heard something when in there once.

Robby often comes through the window when they are open too and we don't have net curtains so I suppopse its easey for them to just pop in when they want to.

Oh has cut the wire to go around his pond and has now gone to see what its like over the back field where the mower is stuck. He can't do the filters on his koi pond because the water drains away to where the mower is stuck plus he has broken the pipe off the end of the pump which tops the pond up once he's done the filters and that pumps the water from our well for the pond.

They say these things are sent to try us don't they.

I am going out in a mo to put new lights up on my new wire fence and put all my plants back. BNought two primrose things this morning at the shop a lovely mauvey one and a blue one to mix with my tete a tete in the little window boxes so I have a little colour on the patio.

Hi all, I did post this morning, but the screen went blank on me. I have just re-started the blooming thing, and it seems to be working.

Yet another day and I haven't had the scooter out. Tomorrow if the weather is O.K. I will make myself get it out, and have a ride up the close.

Sorry, but Conrad is on the phone and wants a word. See you tomorrow. xxxx

Just look at those two little cuties in the corner of the settee. One on the right looks a bit cross but they are both in such lovely condition. <3

Doner the Asda order and I bet I have forgotten something. Did I say I ordered a bloomer loaf last week and it was flat when it arrived. They refunded me for it but it was ok and kept us going for quite a few days last week.

The moon was orange when it came up tonight but by the time I got the camera and answered what oh asked me it was'nt so deep a colour but I got one quite good shot of it.

Evening all,

We have been out in the garden getting some jobs done ,it was so nice in the sunshine but again first thing was very frosty .

Oh Mel fancy little Robbie coming in doors and leaving his calling cards ,he sneaked in to see if there was any thing to eat .
How was the back field ,is the mower still stuck in the mud .

Ann that Butterfly was about early ,i wonder where they get in for the winter .
When i went into the upstairs bathroom last night i just happened to look down and there was a huge bee ,he was very dozy i got a piece of paper and scooped him up and put him out the window , he didn't really like it he was buzzing a bit but to dozy to fly ,good job i noticed him or i could have put my foot on him and ended up with a sting ,he was big and all black .

Hope you can manage a ride out tomorrow Frank ,i was going to ask if Conrad had gone back to Spain or if he was still over here .

Don't the cats look lovely cuddled up together bless them .

Yes the mower is now out of the mud and oh has done some mowing up the top field and a bit out the back field.

I cleaned the nests out for the big girls and then cleaned the bantams out as I had'nt done them for a while with there only being two in there they don't get so dirty.

Oh got his wire cut up for his pond but he is not happy with it as its different to mine. He got the wire round the patio and thats looks a lot better but I am not to put my plants back till he has doen his pond a he has to walk along the little bit of decking inbetween the patio and the pond.

He tells me he had lost 4 stone and he does look better for it. I am giving him smaller meals and smaller lunches and he is drinking more squwash but he seems a bit worried.

Good morning all. Lovely sunshine out there but it does look chilly as well.

Mel that is quite a bit of weight to lose and if OH is worried maybe he should see if he can see a GP face to face. Does he have anything else that is worrying him or do you think he is not telling you something? Last August We were pleased that T had lost weight but could not work out why I hadn’t lost any as well when we usually mirrored each other’s weight loss. In retrospect we should have questioned the weight loss. Does your OH have a cough?

Only four hours sleep last night, just could not get to sleep.

Morning Anng and all,

As to your question about having a cough we both cough but we do both smoke. He's like T and dos'nt tell you anything but he's not eating the biscuits he has done in the past or the chocolate.

Beautiful day out there with plenty of that thing we hav'nt seen much of lately in the sky.

I seem to have been bitten by something on the side of my left knee and it don't half itch.

Oh is out trying to fix his pump for the pond so he can clean the filters out and then top the pond up from t he well.

Good afternoon all,

Had a good nights sleep, and was up by 7.00 am. Tracy next door was wiping down the cars, and windows. They are always up about 6.00 am.

Dinner all prepared, Roast leg of Lamb (that is getting very expensive now) Roast Pots and Parsnips, carrots,peas, cause, brussels and broccoli with Yorkshire pudding and cheese sauce for the Cauli.

Had a nice surprise, when I opened my Emails, there were two from my Eldest Brother Jim's two sons. Just keeping in touch, I have replied and thanked them for contacting me. I am the last living one in the family.

Ros is in the back garden, she started yesterday, and is now working round the beds, there is so much for her to do. I can't help, and she won't let me get Barry in to help her. He only did one bit, and dug up and killed one of her prized plants. SO IT'S A NO NO NOW. He is only allowed to do the lawns and edges.

I trust you are all enjoying this lovely weather, I was going to try the scooter this morning, but the bottom of my back is so painful, that I won't risk it. As my Dad use to say, THERE's ALWAYS TOMORROW.

Take care and stay safe. xxxx

Just realised we didn’t hear from Vera yesterday, hope all the birthday excitement didn’t bring on a migraine Vera.


Frank, I don’t blame Ros the garden is her ‘baby’ if Barry doesn’t know what he is doing best he just cuts the lawn. But there will come a time when she won’t be able to manage. I find it a lot harder now than I did two or three years ago.

Lovely Afternoon All,

More sunshine, we could get used to this! I would like to get outside to do a bit, but by the time the wipe down is done and I've listened to my livestream it will be getting chilly again. I need to sketch out tomorrow's painting too. Hopefully I can make a start tomorrow.

OH started the day by spilling a large glass of water over the dining table and it soaked through the cloth but not the protector. We keep a cloth on now he works on there. I took the chance to stick the cloth in the washer as it had a few (OH) marks on it.

Mel has your OH lost the weight over the last year or just since Christmas? Cutting down on his portions and treats could well be the reason and it's good he is feeling better. I would check his weight again in a couple of weeks and suggest the doc just checks him over as a precaution if he is still losing a lot.

I think I have been bitten too! I thought I had a spot on my face, then 2 more appeared the other side of my face and I woke up feeling something squidgy crawl on my face in the night. I had dropped it by the time I switched the light on and couldn't find it. Since then I have had another itchy lump on top of my foot.

If Ros can manage the garden at the moment it's fine Frank, but she does need to plan what to do once she can't . I already have ideas for our front and back gardens to make even less work but still look nice once we are sure we are staying here. It's best to get your back a bit better before using the scooter as you say.

I had more or less given up on our holiday being changed to what we wanted at no extra cost. I complained via the Martin Lewis site and didn't escalate it at that time and was resigned to paying the extra £300 odd pounds it cost for the later week. Today after hearing nothing from Hoseasons for almost a year, I got an email from them. It showed the original amount we had paid with the balance we owe as just the insurance we decided to take up when we transferred to this year. All being well, restrictions should be lifted by then for parks, more will be vaccinated, we'll have had our second jabs, and less virus around with warmer weather. We normally never visit anywhere crowded anyway and could have a food delivery there, so it all looks promising, fingers crossed. :-)

The food drop should be here soon, so I hope it is in bags this time. We have left their crates out for them to collect.

It's a good job you didn't tread on that bee Mandy. I often pad around the bedroom in bare feet! :-0

I hope Gill is ok, also that her mum is home from hospital again and that Sandra has a more permanent address and is staying in.

Hello all

No migraines AnnG, thank goodness, but I have felt a bit under the weather for a few days and have been a bit busy. By the time I remembered yesterday that I hadn’t posted it was 10 pm and I felt too tired to bother. I got ready for bed and turned the light off by 10.30. I fell asleep straight away but I was awake again at 11.30. I just lay there quietly but by 2.30 am I had had enough and got my book out eventually going to sleep around 5. It wouldn’t matter if I then had a lie in next day but my body clock seems to be set to wake me up around 7.30 regardless.

Mel, 4 stone is a lot to lose in a short space of time. Eating a bit less and going without the chocs and bickies will have helped but it might be worth a quiet word with the doctor, just to be sure everything is OK. I wonder if your doctors operate the same sort of system as ours. Since the first lockdown we fill in an online form with a few details and send it and they say a doctor will ring you by the end of the next day. I’ve only used the system once but I got a call from one of the doctors at our surgery within a couple of hours. That’s a cheeky robin you’ve got there. I do love the birds but I couldn’t cope with having one fluttering about indoors. I remember in my old house going up to the bathroom and a bird flying at me as I opened the door. You’ve never seen anyone shut a door so fast in all your life. Luckily by the time OH got home and went to rescue it the bird had found its own way back out of the window. I hope your bites are itching less now – Ann’s as well

That’s good news about your holiday Ann. It must be a relief after all this time. I am going to ring and renew our travel insurance in the next day or so. It covers us for this country as well so if we booked say a self-catering place for some time later this year and couldn’t go at the last minute the cost would be covered. Also we really would like to go back to Vienna and as the holiday insurance covers us till June 2022 so we might be able to get there in say April or May 2022. With luck there might be a bit of normality in travelling by then.

Frank, you are probably wise not to go out on the scooter till your back feels more comfortable. It will be great if you can get out a bit soon. Ros does work hard in your garden and won’t want it spoilt by Barry digging up the wrong plants! I’m amazed at how much she gets done with her back and other health problems. She puts me to shame. Until we moved here 7 years ago I did look after all the flowers and grow all our veg in our large garden while OH looked after the lawns and hedges and heavy pruning etc. but over the last year I find I can only work outside for a very short spell. If I do too long I can’t move for the next few days so it has to be little and often, or lately it’s little and not very often, lol.

I hope everything is OK with Gill, her mum and Sandra.

AnnG, I am in love with those cats. I do miss having an animal around. I keep showing OH photos of cats but I haven’t managed to melt him yet. Apart from short spells between cats I’ve not been without one from the age of 4 till about 3 years ago when we lost our lovely Mitzi, having lost her sister Molly the year before.

It has been a really lovely day here today, although not so warm as earlier in the week. I washed the towels and did lots of horrid jobs like cleaning and disinfecting the kitchen bins. Then I got our dinner underway and while it was cooking I scrubbed out the birdbath. We had lamb shanks today and they were so tender and tasty.

Well, I have a couple of phone calls to make so I had better do that now. I hope everyone, me included, sleeps well tonight.

Been out in the garden all afternoon. Cut back the two Clematis and a lot of the old mint stems sothat looks tidyer now. Got cold so came in and had a cuppa and went back out and fed the chickens.

drove up the top and put the recykling up the top and the sky to the west was red but oh said tomorrow is going to be grey in the morning and maybe some sun in the afternoon. So we will see how it turns out.

I keep wanting to do some poly clay but when its nice the garden beckons and then there's the cobwebs to brush down and many other things that need doing and I feel guilty if I don't do those things first. I should just say s*d it and get on with the clay.

Hope Vera has a better night tonight and gets some good sleep and Anng too. Of course and Frank and hope the back is starting to ease off now.

Were's Gill we need an update on whats happening up there.

You got lots done today Mel. It's satisfying to get some pruning and clearing up done. I see your OH has sorted the mower and has been mowing too.

Our order came early which was good. It was in bags this time, but they still used crates instead of unloading into our baskets and boxes which is a bit annoying as our baskets etc are lighter for OH to lift than the crates and one of our boxes is on wheels which makes life easier. Maybe they find there is less damage to the food this way though. Less subs this time although quite a few things were out of stock. We were all wiped down and packed away in threequarters of an hour. OH has almost filled the garden bin now with weeds and dead stalks so I'd better sort my Clematis tomorrow. It's garden bin day on Tuesday.

Hope everyone sleeps well and we'll see what the weather is like tomorrow. :-)

Morning All,

Pinch and a punch for the first of the month. Now where did February go? I know its a short month but it just whizzed by thank goodness.

A very grey day here but it is dry which I suppose is good. Must go up and get the bins in incase the wind gets up later on as they don't put them back in a sheltered spot just leave them on the car park and not together either. They fit in together and if they left them upside down they would stand a better chance of staying where they left them instead of blowing into the road.

Nothing planned for today so I may do the ironing. Oh is out fiddleing with his pond so I may have peace and quiet.

I meant to say no Elizabeth of the Seasons again this week and I do hope she is alright and not got this horrid virus. Has anyone seen her on other boards?

Sending love and wishes to you EOS if you look in. <3 <3 <3