General Chat

Good morning all, sunny here this morning but a frost over night. Another day of doing nothing, except for packing. Home tomorrow. Mixed feelings about that really. Not sure how I will feel.

Good morning to you all,

No I haven't seen Liz anywhere, I hope she is well. Sending love xxxx

Horrible morning here, I think we must have had a very heavy DEW. as everywhere is wet.

I have put ours, and Tony's bins out this morning. Ros borrowed his green bin yesterday, as ours was full.

I'm all showered and shaved and ready to do NOTHING.

Not got anything planed for today, so I expect it will be back to my book. I have about 5 others to read, when I finish this one. So it will keep me busy.

Take care all and stay safe. xxx

Did you sleep well Frank and hows the back today?

Morning All,

Dull and dreary here with no sun. :-(

I slept really well and didn't get up till 10.00am. OH was the same and I think doing some in the garden and then lifting the food inside and putting things away tired him out.

I have a class this afternoon so we are shortly having a brunch so I can get my picture ready and masked out.

I'm sure once you are home you will soon get used to it again AnnG. Try making some plans for the garden and set yourself some tasks each day so you feel you are achieving things. Before long you should be able to see friends which will help. I still have to smile at my original neighbour across the road when we moved into these bungalows from new. She was in her early 50s like me and 6 months before had tragically lost her husband in a motorbike accident that catapulted him into a field. One thing she did was to buy settees in a leopard print that her husband would have hated!

Brunch is dinging! BBL

I do have lots of plans in my head for the garden and, as daughter is staying two nights so she can visit our quiet little garden centre I will try and get some plants to keep me going until basket time.

I also have two wardrobes full of shirts and trousers and several coats to get to the charity lady. Daughter has sorted out some shirts that she will make into memory bears for the great grandchildren and granddaughter. I might think about making a cushion for the bedroom with a shirt as well, that is if I can get my old sewing machine going again.

I will have a week in April to look forward to when daughter and SiL visit for a week, we will be able to go further afield then and will have ashes to scatter.
And a week end of May when we are going to North Devon for a week self catering.

I think mainly I am apprehensive about initially going into the empty house but there will be the three of us so that is probably unwarranted.

Just lose yourself in the garden Anng and T will be with you in spirit so you can talk to him . You have some nice things to look forward too as well with the visits and going away for a little break.

Out in the garden this morning in the very cold wind I saw two big bunnies in the orchard followed by two baby bunnies. The next time I went out there was a baby on the patio steps but it ran under oh's mowers and then under the box hedge.

I then filled up the bird feeders and went round to get the chickens food and there was a baby sitting by the old chicken house got the gun and took a shot but missed it. The deer were in the garden again this morning too. These things are sent to try us I suppose but it dos'nt look good for the border this year at all.

By the way we have sunshine now but an o so cold wind too. :-(

:-D :-D I am not sure that T being with mr in spirit when I am doing ‘his’ garden would be a good idea Mel? :-D

Afternoon all,

Brrrr it's a lot cooler today ,frosty again first thing but not as foggy as yesterday ,no sign of any sun its too cloudy .

Was going shopping but decided to go tomorrow instead .

Safe journey home tomorrow AnnG it's good you will have your daughter and sil with you for a couple of days it wouldn't have been easy going into the house on your own .I think making the memory cushions is a lovely idea .

Looking forward to seeing the next painting Ann ,I wonder what it is this week :-)

Oh no Mel poor bunnies but if you don't keep them under Control you'll be inundated with them and have no plants left in the garden.

Sounds as if you have a few books to read Frank so that will keep you ocupied, I expect it's much better to read your books since you had your eye done .

Vera hope you had a better nights sleep last night than the one before ,sounds as if you got a few jobs done yesterday though .

Yes no EOS for a couple of weeks now I hope she's ok and Gill and family too .

Well today's painting was a disaster Mandy! lol. It was supposed to be a 'loose' painting of just a few Hollyhocks. I don't really do 'loose' very well as I always want to tidy things up but that wasn't the problem. We had to sketch and mask out 2 flowers before the class and I just put the masking (rubbery stuff you paint on where you don't want paint to overlap at first). just on the flower edges, but when class started the teacher had drawn the stalks as well and put masking over the whole of the flowers, so I was playing catch up from the start. When we had to rub the masking off mine was so thick it ripped the surface of the paper off leaving it rough with bits sticking up. I might have another try with it. It's gone much colder here now.

The cushion and bears sound like a nice creative idea AnnG and a trip to the garden centre will give you some fresh thoughts/plants for the garden too. :-S I have just remembered I put some seeds in the drawer in here. I've fished them out, Cosmos and Nasturtiums I bought last year. It looks like they can be planted now.

Frank I used to dream of retirement and having time to read books, but I still don't seem to find time! It's good you have a stack to be carrying on with.

Oh Mel, you don't want an explosion of bunnies eating everything as well. I was watching the pottery prog I record last night and loved the big pots and seed pots they were making and decorating. I would still like to have a go. I made a pot on holiday once but can't remember what happened to it.

Well I wonder where my letter has gone, it certainly has not arrived here. Unbelievable over a week tomorrow and stamped by the post office and put in the post by them too.
Going to have to phone fir a replacement tomorrow I think.

Thats very annoying Anng. I wonder where its gone and if it will turn up.

I have a sheep sh*t pie in the oven with some nice spring greens. Carrot and onions in with the mince and its smelling good.

Yes I don't want an explosion of bunnies Ann. My rabbit trap is still brocken too and I must have a go at mending it. I shall need a good set of plyers as I caught a fox in it last tiem and its dislodged some of the workings.

I loved the water pots and the seed pots on yesterdays program but I missed last weeks when they made water features so I may watch that tonight on catch up. I did watch whatsit and Dodds last night on catchup and watched the first one again thinking to myself this is'nt new!! Then I found the new one so watched a bit of that and I have the rest to watch tonight.

Your letter will probably turn up at your daughter’s once you are back home AnnG, but it is annoying for you. It’s good your daughter can go home with you for a couple of days. It’ll ease you back into your routine and you have a couple of nice things to look forward to in April and May. Have a safe journey tomorrow.

What a shame about your picture and the masking Ann. I should think you were quite frustrated. Like yours, our garden bin is overflowing as our council suspended brown bin collections after Christmas. Apparently they are starting again next week. The council say that they will adjust next year’s invoice to allow for the collections we’ve missed.

What are you reading at the moment Frank? I’m reading a freebie book on my Kindle that’s making so little impression on me that I can't even remember what it’s called. I do most of my reading in the middle of the night and I’d be lost without books. They keep me sane when I can’t sleep.

How was your shepherd’s pie Mel? I did a big beef casserole, plenty for two days. As it was in the oven I did roasties but tomorrow I’ll reheat it on the hob and throw in some dumplings. OH remarked on how tasty it was. I’ve never owned up to how much of his red wine goes into my stews and casseroles ;-).

It’s been quite a grey day here but at least it has stayed dry. This morning I changed the bedding on two beds and had my regular wrestling match with the duvet covers. I think we ought to move to the German or Scandinavian system of having individual single duvets - much easier to change than our blooming great king size ones. I got three loads of washing done and several other jobs before lunch, then tossed up between going for a walk or gardening. Gardening won and I spent an hour outside tidying some pots and troughs and giving them a feed and a topping of fresh compost before my back started to ache. Tomorrow’s forecast is for similar weather so I might try to do a bit more in the garden then.

That’s the boring story of my day so I’ll wish you all goodnight and sweet dreams.

Morning all,

Misty a bit here with grey sky and oh says its cold out there. I hav'nt been out yet.

Do you remember I sid I had a bite on my knee? Well in fact I have two and they came up like pimples with a bit of a head on them. They itch and hurt at the same time and while I was in the garden the other day I felt something bite me like a pin prick so I am not sure what it was but they don't seem to be getting any better.

Hope you all had a decent sleep last night.

Safe journey to Ann and family will be thinking of you today.

All wiped down and the sun has come out but there's also a bitter wind. Proper Brass Monkey one as Frank would say.

So where are you all?

Here I am Mel, Good afternoon all.

Not a good nights sleep, back was playing up. After shower and getting dressed, I sat and read for a while.

The Blue and Green bins were emptied today, and Ros said they could do with a good wash INSIDE. So after she had gone out with Carolyn,I got going with the HOSE. Like an IDIOT I put the hose in the blue bin, then turned on the water. The pressure spun the hose out of the bin and SOAKED me, but as I was wet I decided to carry on. We have the drain just outside our bungalow. So, Scrubbed the bin with the broom, and emptied the water down the drain in the road. I did the green bin also. So I hope MADAM will be pleased with her clean bins.

I have changed, and now feel totally "knackered " So I am going to sit in the conservatory for a read and relax.

I trust you are all well. !!! Please take care and stay safe. xxxx

Afternoon All,

I slept well and feel more awake today. It's a bit warmer but very dull again. We had an early lunch and I used my new mandoline to shred the cabbage for lunch and it was so quick and easy! We had leeks with the cabbage, peas and carrots, some mash for OH and with haddock and a white sauce.

I have booked a carry on improvers course to do more landscapes and also a beginner's pastels course with the same teacher both starting after the ones I am still doing. I also booked a one session course to make a woolfelted Beach Mouse. I realised I can still do the courses if we manage to go on holiday with them being online.......... if I remember to pack my clobber! :-D I asked OH if he minded that I would be doing them for 2 hours on 2 days of our holiday and 'of course not' was his reply.

It's good when the wipe down is done isn't it Mel. I'm glad we don't have your cold wind here!

I expect bending to wash the bins won't have helped your back Frank, so mind you don't set it back. How is the rail they fitted in the garden for you? Is it a help?

OH has a meeting soon and I need to finish some bits on tomorrow's painting before we carry on with it. It's a 2 week painting of a nice bridge.

Afternoon all

I hope your journey home has been comfortable and trouble free AnnG.

You've been a busy boy, Frank, cleaning those bins. I hope you didn't strain your back at all. Ros must have been pleased. I did have a giggle at the hose spinning out of control and soaking you. I know I shouldn't laugh but I could just picture it. My OH always does the cleaning of the big bins as well while I do all the smaller bins inside the house.

You are very industrious, Ann, doing all these courses. You all make me feel very lazy as everyone knits, sews, paints, makes cards and so on and I do nothing much at all, yet I always seem to be busy and seldom sit down.

I had a very disturbed night again. I went to bed and read for a while and put my book down at about 11 pm. I must have dozed off but woke before 11.30 to find OH beside me in bed. He had been very careful and quiet but I think I must have woken when he turned the bedside light off. Just dozing off again, just after midnight, when there is a sweep of bright light across our room and a heck of a racket. It was an ambulance for next door. It had parked outside their front door which is directly across from our bedroom. Of course as well as all the ambulance lights it had brought on our security lights and our neighbours so it was like Blackpool illuminations in our bedroom. Then they were trundling the stretcher trolley across the brick paving and their hydraulics were making a wheee noise. I'm not really moaning about it as it's sad that the poor man has been carted off to hospital again but it was really very noisy. After all this I was so wide awake I got up for a while and read, then went to sleep upstairs rather than disturb OH again but I was still awake before 6 am.

I've spoken to the wife on the phone this morning to see if I could offer any help. She doesn't drive herself which makes life difficult for her. She has to go to a doctor's appointment herself this afternoon and then is going to the hospital as, in the kerfuffle at 1 am, she forgot to put her husband's glasses in the bag. Apparently her ironing lady, who has become a bit of a friend, is taking her. This lady has been very kind to them and is obviously a nice person but it still worries me the way she is in and out of their house all the time, and they are so vulnerable. I wondered if perhaps she was on her own and she had joined them in a bubble but apparently she has family.

I've done quite a few jobs this morning and intended to try and do a bit more gardening this afternoon but I haven't got around to it and am feeling a bit tired now after such a disturbed night. I think I might tackle the ironing next - not too big a pile thank goodness.

That's about it for today. We just need Gill to come on and let us know she is OK. Enjoy your evening whatever you are doing and sleep well tonight.

Good afternoon all. We got home at 1.30pm, traffic a bit heavy in places but not bad overall. Left daughter’s in fog which lifted around Keswick and it was then sunny through the most scenic part of the journey until we were quite a way down the M6 when it clouded over but was sunny again here. After a drink and a bit to eat we went out to the garden and cut down the overgrown rambler rose, half filling the green bin but Joe is tall and managed the lopper so that is a job very well done and much needed. The garden looks very pretty with lots of miniature daffodils, snowdrops, crocus and hellebores. I will send a photo later. When I went out to the gar4en when we first got home a very small Robin was sitting in the Apple tree singing its little head off. It stayed there while I walked around so was quite tame.

Better check the drier I put a load in as soon as we got here.

Robbie was singing to welcome you home AnnG :-)