General Chat

Anyone else watching the skating? Gosh they go fast make me feel tired epwatching them but beautiful tobwatch. Loved the repeat of Robin Cousins 41 years ago when he won the gold medal.

Well the food came at 5.45pm in the end and the driver said this year everything had gone wrong with the times on the computer and the hour change today. He thinks it will be ok for the next order so I will start the next order in a couple of days and see what time is shown on that first. One loaf was well squashed so I have asked for a refund on that, but for the first time I did get the corned beef hash that I ordered and failed to get many times.

I can imagine it seeming strange about the seed planting AnnG. We all tend to have our own jobs in the garden and mine has always been the seeds, OH the weeds (since he retired). I'm sure T wouldn't expect you to take on all his jobs he did as well as your own so don't try to do too much. Grow a few if it helps to have the familiarity of them there to see growing, but you can always get some bedding plants to fill in with later if you want to. My first in laws were really keen gardeners and had a narrow garden, but it was 300 feet long and they had a greenhouse and grew everything and sold veg, pot plants and flowers. MIL looked after the front garden which was a mass of bedding plants , so pretty that folk would stop and photograph it and she did the borders in the back garden. When she passed away, FIL just carried on with all his veg, tomatoes and plant growing, completely ignoring the overgrown front garden and back borders. I never asked why, whether he just had no interest in it or what. He grew pot plants and sweet peas on cordons and pot plants to sell and Chrysanths like footballs so it wasn't lack of knowledge.

I enjoy the ice skating and think they are very brave as it has become so gymnastic these days. Not sure I agreed with I think it was John Barrowman who said it was harder for the men with having to lift the women. I can't imagine some of the men managing the acrobatics the women do or the headbanger! When I tried ice skating at Nottingham ice rink I could hardly stay upright, yet I was fine on roller skates!

Forgot to say we lost all our recordings on the Sky box last night and this morning, yet the tv channels were ok. It kept saying there was a software problem. It's never happened before, but most unexpected, switching everything off and on again fixed it! A lot of things here are going wrong lately.

I can sort of see where your father in law was coming from, sort of how Ibfeel sometimes but to an extreme level, as if it was not his to touch as she had always done it, he couldn’t bring himself to compete.. I will do as much as I can this year, it is harder because no prep was done in the autumn only what I managed to do.

Why is it that things always seem to go wrong all at once and not now and then? Sounds like you have it fixed though Ann.

I have had a look at the blackthorn trees over the back but they are not in flower either. Gills trees must be some kind of prunus to be flowering this early. My Magnolia is just about to burst into bloom and the daffs have been really good this year as has the forsythia. Its done much better than last year when it hardly had a flower on it and we cut it back after flowering too.

Been having a go at soem craft this afternoon. Did some knitting!! something I hav'nt done for years but it was only a small square I needed but my poor left thumb did'nt like it at all and hurts like billyoo now.

We hav'nt heard from Island for a while either so I hope she is ok. Sending love Island. <3 Pop in when you can and tell us what you have been up too. Have you sown any seed yet?

OH can be irritating at times. Why when I am in the middle of wiping down does he start questioning what I have bought and take my mind off what I am doing. It was bleach this time.......why did I get some (in a sharp tone ) and did I know we already have about a dozen bottles? So I had to tell him it wasn't just bleach it was limescale cleaner and I got 2 sorts to see what was best. Well that shut him up, but why does he need to know and what does it matter if we have some extra bottles of bleach? Then he sees things I've ordered for me and asks if they are for him and says I should have got him some! I ask if he put them on the list and he says he didn't know he could get them but he's too lazy to look on line to see what they sell himself. :-S I've just told him Mandy was talking about good uses for old socks the other day and that I've thought of another one!! lol That made him laugh and he said 'oh that's what they used to say isn't it, put a sock in it'. It's a good job we can laugh.

What are you knitting a square to make Mel? Did knitting make your poor thumb joints ache with gripping the needle. I still have knitting to finish, but haven't done any for ages. No flowers on the Blackthorn tree just the other side of our back fence either.

I had some powder come yesterday for getting rid of the Miner bees. Well I read that you can't get rid of them completely and can end up with really big colonies, thousands, and although they aren't likely to sting, they don't like me using a trowel near their burrows and buzz closely round your hands, arms and feet so I need to keep the numbers down. I've never had them anywhere else I've lived and not here till last year. A friend a few miles away noticed she had some last year too.

good morning all, grey and 11 degrees here but I think it is going to stay cloudy here today. Tomorrow it is supposed to be sunny.
Annx, at least I can order what I like now on the shopping although that is a small consolation. Actually T never questioned what I bought.
I think I have arthritis in my left hand around my thumb joint, it has stopped me finishing the hat I was knitting.It is quite painful sometimes especially whe I need to grip a jar when opening it.
I slept well last night, woke up about 7 Not sure what I will do today. i want to sort the shed out a bit and see if there is stuff for the dump as daughter and son in law have booked a slot for when they are here. They will go on their own as can't have three in the car. and anyway I have a Tesco delivery that day. Also want to put a load of old pots in a bag to take to the nursery/garden centre that recycles them.

Afternoon Anng and all,

Gosh I got up late and with the hour springing forward made me even later. Just as I came in the kitchen the internet went out. It keeps doing that and Em and Ed next door have complained about it. It has'nt been so bad this week but the week before last it went out at least four times during the evening from about 11pm through to 1am.

Ann they just can't be left out of anything can they? I bet he would'nt ask if they were for him if they were ladies products though. Yes left thumb joint aches with useing it in different ways. Can't open jars very well now either as I can't grip with it as it aches so much. Its not always like it but is when you don't need it to be. Mum stopped knitting cos of her thumbs but started again much later in life and found she could do it again without any pain. Strange.

Here's a bit about bees if anyone is interested. We get masonry bees in the wall and I love wtching them when doing the border. Time wasters as I get lost in their little world of in and out of the holes in the wall.



Bees


1.
Overview
2.
Mortar, masonry bees and mining bees
3.
Bumble bee
4.
Honey bees

2. Mortar, masonry bees and mining bees

These bees are small bees with a similar shape to a wasp - they are frequently confused with wasps. They're active during April, May, and early June with the peak of activity in May - too early to be wasps. Mortar or Masonry bees are slightly smaller than honey bees but similar in appearance, though they are a little hairier.
Are they harmful?

These bees are harmless, they do not sting, do not pester people and do not damage buildings.

Mortar bee activity can be discouraged by re-pointing areas of damaged mortar on walls and chimneys. Mining bee activity can be discouraged by watering and raking over the ground where their holes are evident

Many of the calls received by Pest Control in late April and May for wasp problems are solitary bees. Solitary bees are however beneficial insects and non-aggressive and the Council does not, therefore offer an eradication service.

Furthermore, the spraying of insecticide is generally unsuccessful as:

The bees are only found in sunny elevations and insecticides break down with UV lights
The eggs are protected from the insecticide as they are sealed into their chambers

Afternoon all, Thought I had better pop in, to stop you worrying. I had a bad night with my back. Overtime I turned over it woke me. I have taken extra pail killers, but it doesn't seem to help.

I had a long shower this morning, hoping that would help, nut is didn't.

Ros is in the garden putting in plants she bought on Saturday .She just loves being out in the fresh air, and doing her garden. I wish I could help, but I wouldn't be standing, I would topple over trying to do what she does.

It's a bright sunny morning here, and warm in the sunshine. I hope it's like this where you are too.

We have the rest of the pork to use up tonight, not sure what Ros will come up with, but I am sure it will be nice.

Did you all remember tp put the clocks FORWARD yesterday/ ??

I am going to start a new book and sit in the conservatory, to I might even sit on the Patio, in this nice sunshine.
See you later. xxxx

Good afternoon Frank, sadly no sun here, very windy and grey and 13 degrees. Certainly not a day for venturing far outside with that wind. I think we have an East/west divide with the weather. all the plants ros is putting in you should have a lovely garden in the summer.

Had lunch and did'nt realise it was so late and just can't get my head around this hour forward. Yes I did remember to put the clocks on last night but only one and thats on the micro but the leccy went out this morning so I hade to reset it. Glad you popped in Frank so we know you are both ok.

Anng I am sorry to say we have glorious sunshine and blue sky as far as the eye can see. I'll send some up to you.

I have washing on the line and have to clean out the bantams water thing and then I am going to do some gardening.

Afternoon All,

The sun's just managing to peep through here but it was dull and windy earlier and blew one of my tops off the rotary line! I was up late too Mel. Didn't sleep well and didn't need to get up today so I had a lie in. That's a nuisance with your thumb. In winter mine sometimes hurt right at the base joints, but those are double jointed so move more than is usual and more than is probably good for them. Thanks for that about the bees. I have read up some about them and thought the watering and raking wouldn't work very well as they are among rocks and on a slope. I did see it suggest a powder so I'm giving it a try first. I am just worried about stepping on them in my sandals or crocs and getting stung as they hang around right close to you.

We got someone in when we got masonry bees under the window on the front. It was right where we unload the car boot and I had read this which worried me a bit.

'Masonry bees can cause an issue. This is due to their tunnelling through soft mortar, mainly targeting older properties. Large groups only tend to occur rarely, but because vulnerable structures tend to be repeatedly attacked, fairly sizeable damage can occur over several seasons.

Modern houses with good mortar can not be damaged by the masonry bee'.

I have also been looking at wasps on the same site as I have always said those that stung me everywhere that time had browny legs so not quite like the usual yellow legged wasps we see. Well it looks like the culprits were European Hornets!! They get mistaken for our usual wasps, have browny legs, are about the same size and also nest underground!!

Frank, glad to hear you have had no more mishaps. Ros puts in some hours in the garden to make it beautiful doesn't she and really enjoys being out there. Good idea to sit outside with your book and and get some fresh air. It will do you good.

I'd better get something done now. I had a text from the surgery for me to complete some information they want updating. I don't use the internet on my mobile so will have to type out the huge link on my laptop to do it. I wish they used emails and didn't assume we can all access the internet on our phones.

I've got a doctor's appointment for Wednesday at 3pm, but thankfully the symptoms have gone now, but I still want to get checked out just to be on the safe side. It gave me a scare and I don't want to go through that again.

I'm still trying to find a builder to take the chimney out and think I've found one, they're coming here a week on Friday to do a quote. I found them on the Federation of Master Builders website. Not sure how much it's going to cost though, I can't see them being cheap, but at least I know they'll be good.

Going to get something to eat now as OH is going to work in a hour. We've been waiting almost an hour for a gardener to turn up, he should of been here at 5pm but it looks like he's not coming now. To be honest it would save us money to cut the hedge down ourselves, even if it takes us most of the summer to do it. We'll just have to keep an eye out for birds nests.

So annoying Gill when these people don’t turn up. Maybe he got held up and will contact you but it happens all the time.
We didn’t get any sun until about three o’clock I did go out and did a small amount of gardening mainly trying to tidy a clematis but I really don’t know what to do with them. There didn’t seem to be much increased activity around today I walked down to post Easter cards and take charity stuff but only saw one couple out walking. Probably because our weather waS not brilliant.

Iv'e been gardening all afternoon and did'nt come in till quite late. I have planted my sweet peas in their tub and bunged a few in the two clematis tubs. Weeded those two big tubs too but the secxond one was hard because it has so many scilla bulblings in it I kept pulling them out with the weeds. Knocked one flower off at the bulb but could'nt throw it away so its on the windowsill over the sink in a little vase so I can enjoy it.

Then I cut back all the achimilla mollis that grows outside the bungalow and swept all that up and cut back the huge fern that planted itself out the front. swept up loads of stuff and had two barrow loads to take over the rough bit down the side of the orchard.

Cut oh's hair when he came back from digging up all the mole hills and then had another sweep while he was in the shower and then came in and cooked dinner. I think after that I should sleep well tonight.

Its surprising what you can do when the sun shines maybe becasue you don't have to have layers of clothes on to keep warm. Never had a coat on out there at all today.

Ann those pictures are lovely and the roses are great. I love the pattern on the jug which has worked very well and looks like it has been glazed.

Good morning all.Well yesterday was not really a good day for me, One of my 'down' days. But this morning the sun is shining and it looks like it might be a lovely day so I feel better for the thought of that.
And I found this lovely quote yesterday evening on a leaflet tucked into a magazine.

"TO PLANT A GARDEN IS TO BELIEVE IN TOMORROW" Audrey Hepburn.

I love her, have a large canvas picture of her on the wall up the stairs, so serene and beautiful and I thought that is a very uplifting saying.

Mel, have you planted your sweet pea seeds outside in the tub or plants? And will they grow ok without bringing them on?

I am not sure where to start out there today, There is a patch of garden to weed and a shed to be cleared out. and the compost to be stirred and the worst part of the garden to be sorted behind the trellis in front of the greenhouse, where things get 'dumped'.

It was so windy, dull and cold most of yesterday that, by the time the sun showed itself at 3 o'clock I could not be bothered with the garden, but I did make two cards so all was not lost.

anyway nothing will get done with me sitting here.

Good morning all.

Ann, What a lovely saying, - so full of hope and promise.

The sun is shining brightly and we are forecast higher temperatures today, so I hope to get something done in the garden.

Morning Anng, Gywin and all,

Beautiful sunny morning here too and washing on the line already and another lot waiting to go out.

I have the big wipe down today but after that I shall be in the garden this afternoon.

Could'nt drop off to sleep last night and lay for quite a while before I dropped off. Kept thinking about things like Frank does and got cross with myself as I worked hard inthe garden yesterday and thought that would knock me out. It coulds be to do with the hour forward I suppose. Still takes me a few days to adjust to the hour difference.

Hope you both get lots done in the garden today. Go and enjoy the fresh air.

Love to all.

O meant to say thats a lovely quote Anng.

I have one hanging in the kitchen which says:-

God made rainy days, so gardeners could get the housework done.

No Mandy yesterday??

I like that quote too Mel and so apt.

Good is'nt it Anng. Bought it a long while ago and found it tucked behind a tray when cleaning so hung it up.