General Chat

Afternoon Everyone,

I slept well but must get up earlier so I will hopefully get to sleep sooner. It's a day of sun then gloom here and just now some sleet. I'll be covering my seedlings again soon. I saw 2 sweet peas poking through this morning so that's good.

It's awful when you can't turn over in bed without pain Island. Sounds like another day of making plans but doing little with your doggie at your side!

You be careful in the garden Frank. Did you get the new handrail fitted in the end?

That will be nice to see your daughter AnnG and your son for a while. Great they are bringing a meal with them too! The book 'Young Prince Philip' is by the author Philip Meade. I am wondering what kind of pastels you have.....soft, hard or oil? We are using soft ones and I think I will put an old towel down as they sound rather dusty and messy to use!

The article is interesting as you say, but if they are saying you still need to wash your hands, that must also include after handling food packaging that the virus may remain on for a few days as well I would think. I would sooner just wipe down once rather than have to wash my hands every time I touch food packets at home for 2-3 days. They may be right but there is still a lot they are learning at the moment and it is often what they 'think' rather than 'know.' I am just cautious by nature!

Vera the shoulder is improving, but is still hot and feeling bruised. Not a problem though and I don't feel tired today! I reheat cheese sauce from 'set', sometimes the next day and it just goes runny again as before. We had some today with ham hocks and veg. :-D

After lots of googling I have ordered a new printer. Our current one won't stand the printer head being cleaned all the time much longer and I need good colour prints for the pictures for the courses. It's over 10 years old so doesn't owe us anything. It's a pity the old ink cartridges won't fit the new one though........these manufacturers aren't daft are they.

I shall be so glad to get my hair cut this week as I don't look like 'me' anymore with marcel waves across the back as well now and wings at the sides!!

Better get ready for the food tdelivery o come now.

The frost has browned my Camellia flowers too Mel. They look very sorry now! They were ok when they were small shrubs, but they poke above the fence now so those bits aren't sheltered any more. We have had a few minutes of blizzard but the sun is shining again now.

All wiped and put away, but there were 13 substitutes and Ibuprofen, which OH needed, was out of stock. I looked on their site just and they have Ibuprofen in stock in tablet, capsules and caplet form same as yesterday when I placed the order. Do you think the pickers don't look properly? It makes me wonder if that is why there are so many subs. :-S

What a shame about not getting the Ibuprofen, hope you keep some in stock Ann.

Well so much for another afternoon in the garden. After posting before I felt so tired I threw myself onthe bed next to oh. He woke me at 6.20pm !!!!!!!! so that was my afternoon wated. I hate it when I do that.

I keep meaning to ask how you are getting on with your new machine Anng. The one that does the foil work?

Haven’t done any foil work since before Christmas, not really been in the mood for complicated craft work and lately the garden takes precedence.,I got on ok with it though
So now you won’t want to sleep tonight.

Camellias have to be the silliest flowers. Beautiful but no sense of timing - ours always get browned by the frost (browned off? lol) and don't look at all attractive. We're slowly getting rid of it by trimming back.

Evening all :-D

No, ever since I haven't been able to take ibuprofen I gave OH what I had and he hardly ever takes anything. Typical he didn't notice he was running out!! Luckily after taking the last remaining 2 tablets, he has been much better, but lifting all the bags in today has set off his hernia now!! I think we will have to get some when we go to the chemist this week and pay their prices!

Island I think I'm going to prune our Camellias shorter on the top to the fence height and see how they do then. It is shame they get spoiled and I'm sure I looked up which way they should face when I planted them.

Off to bed now, hope everyone has lots of zzzzzzzzzzz,

I like the Browned Off Island.

Camelias should face west as its the morning sun on the frosted flowers that makes them go brown. Our big one up the garden looks ok asits so far away we can't see the brown from the house. BUT this year the one planted at the end of Prickley Bottom to the east but faces west has also gone brown. It could be the cold wind as its been bitter this last week.

Anng I rarely sleep during the day but it dos'nt usually make any difference to me when I go to bed. You see, now I have said that I suppose I shan't sleep well tonight!

Turned really cold here tonight weather station is showing 1 degree out there and only 14 indoors. Better turn the heating on for a bit.

good morning all, a dusting of snow out there but not a hard frost as it is 1 degree, and was at 0745.
Mel hope you managed to sleep well, I did sleep quite well last night, only got up once.
Lots of little jobs to do today but daughter and OH will probably not be ready for doing anything that early with travelling yesterday.
Anyway no gardening to do, there is a chair, a lawn mower ans a strimmer all waiting for daughter to put them together although I am told the chair actually takes two people. She ordered an identical one the same time I did.

Morning Anng and all,

Yes I slept very well thank you Anng and glad you managed to sleep well too.

Hope the rest of you slept well also and feel rested and ready to go this morning.

Love to Island and hope the ribs are easing a little now. Frank knows just how long they take to heal as he hurt his twice a while ago.

It rained quite heavily here last night but I think the garden needed it as its been so dry for a long time now.

6 degrees out there this morning with a little blue sky but its mostly cloud.

Just had a heavy shower of rain and now the suns out again. Still that very cold breezy wind. 14 degrees

Morning all,

I slept ok till four thirty when I need the loo then dozed until half past six ,I came down and made a cuppa and let Max out and took the cuppa back to bed.
When we went to bed it was snowing ,bit of frost first thing and now we have lovely sunshine.
I have towels on the line and there a nice blow.

Colin is still painting in the conservatory and I've been in the down stairs loo giving the window frames a good clean ,we've just stopped for coffee.

I walked up to boots first thing for our tablets my goodness you could tell the shops we're back open there was loads of people about and where church Street had been nearly empty of cars in the lockdown this morning there was only a few spaces to park.

We have just had a rain shower which got me stuck in oh's workshop.

Just as well you walked down for your scripts then Mandy if there was only a few parking spaces. Wonder how long it will be before people start getting covis again now they are all out and about. Just having a COC myself. IO don't usually have one in the morning but just fancied it and you know what they say "a bit of what you fancy does you good".

Afternoon all
2 codeine at 11.30 pm and zzzzzz...... woke up at 10.30am :-0
I think this will be my routine for a while so I've cleared my diary LOL
Wasn't planning on gadding about town anyway.

Have to say that was a lovely normal morning. we went to Dobbies (and spent over £90 but £40 of that was gift cards from Christmas). Bought lots of plants, couldn't get all the basket plants I wanted but got enough for a couple of baskets and some for the tubs plus an erisyem and a Geum, some bishop of Landaff dahlias for a tub (in memory of T) and a large tub of gtomore while son in law is here. The outside coffee area was open so we sat and had a lovely coffee and a chat. It was great to be doing something normal.

How lovely to have a morning of normality Anng :-D

I see I'm not the only one sleeping at odd hours. I slept most of yesterday day time and still managed to have a good night's sleep as well, so I must of been more tired than I thought.

I hope your ribs ease soon Island. Yes, Frank will know how long it takes after hurting his in the past.

How lovely to spend time with your daughter and son-in-law AnnG. You did well at Dobbies.

OH's still taking the hedge rubbish to the tip, I think it's going to take him another few weeks before it's all gone but at least we can see a bit more of the garden now. I noticed we have a few winter jasmine dotted around the edges, the cheery yellow is lovely to see. I've noticed we have bluebells as well. We have lots of mature trees but I don't know what they all are yet as they're still bare with just a few signs of new growth, but not enough for me to tell what they are yet.

What has everyone got planned for the first day of lockdown easing? I've decided to stay in doors until I've had my second vaccination just in case there's to many people around. Better to be safe than sorry. I noticed on the news a pub opened at midnight and there were people drinking outside in the snow. I don't think I'd be that desperate for a drink lol ;-) ;-)

OH said we had a bit of snow this morning but it's lovely and sunny now. I wish I had space for a washing line as I hate using the dryer on nice days and I'm washing the bedding. I think my washing machine's just finished so I'd better go and check.

Must be nice to get out and about again Anng and enjoy the garden center with dau and SIL. Good to have a man to carry heavy things. Sounds like you now have lots of plants to put in and some to do some baskets. I'm still not going out but would so love to go to a garden center for some plants.

Island so you have found a cure for your sleepless nights of pain. Hows the back today? Getting a little easier I hope each day. Give Doggie a hug from me please.

I keep meaning to ring Mole Valley for some chickens food and potting compost so I must do that after posting.

Gill keep up the good work. Its good you have found some bluebells and jasmine I wonder what else you'll find. Must be exciting seeing plants you did'nt know you had and a good time of year to see where everything is and what you wnat to keep.

For a change I also slept well last night. I got up for the loo about 3.30 and it did take me quite a while to get back to sleep but, apart from that I slept from about 11 pm to 7.30 am.

It has been such a beautiful day here; quite chilly but one of those crisp days with blue skies and sunshine. You needed to be wrapped up warmly but it was a real joy to be out. I only went into town as I had to go to the opticians and sort out my prescription sunglasses – MORE EXPENSE as Frank would say. Like Mandy I was surprised at the number of people around. It’s as though everyone thinks the shops are only open for one day and they have got to get in quick. What really surprised me was the long queues of men outside the barbers shops. There are several in town and I passed 3 on my way to the opticians and they all had queues going down the road but everyone was keeping well spaced. It made me laugh as the barbers shops had all put up masses of big red and white balloons. It was like carnival time. While I was in the opticians OH took a big box of stuff to the charity shop. I think there are 3 boxes of stuff and a few loose bits that have been in a spare bedroom for months so I’m hoping we can get rid of it over the next week or two.

I bet you enjoyed your trip to the garden centre this morning AnnG. I think just doing something “normal” would lift all our spirits. It sounds as though you have come back with plenty of plants to keep you busy. I’ve got some garden gift tokens to spend as well so might soon venture out to a garden centre. I might get a few annuals but OH has bought quite a few plants online recently and we really don’t have room in our tiny garden for much more. I would like a couple more big pots so I could put my vouchers towards those.

Talking of gardens you must be quite excited at the thought of what you might find in yours Gill. Winter jasmine and bluebells is a good start. Did you ever manage to find out what the white blossom trees are?

Tomorrow we are off on our excursion to the tip. I’ve got my snacks and flask out ready to be filled in the morning. It will be so exciting to watch OH lumbering up and down the steps to the containers to dump all our rubbish lol

As I have had quite a busy day and he has not done very much at all I’ve informed him that he is on dinner duty. I’ve told him there is plenty of cold pork and to produce a meal from that. As there’s no sign of any action from him yet I suspect he is going to shove some frozen chips in the oven and some baked beans in the microwave, not exactly haute cuisine but it will fill a hole.

Weeell! Over. Our peaceful little road saw some excitement this afternoon, nothing to do with relaxation from lockdown. We were watching pointless when the doorbell rang. Friend next door said. Did we realise the Close was full of police. Five police cars, one across the end of the road and at least a dozen police some of whom were ion riot type outfits with guns.

A young 16/year old lad next door but one to me was taken to one of the cars and subsequently arrested. The police were in the hiouse after searching the gardens, must have been here two hours.

Found a newspaper report in Gloucester Citizen live. Something to do with reported explosive substance. But don’t know any more. He is such a quiet lad, Polish and his Mum is a dentist.

O great excitment Anng and you say he is a quiet lad! They say its always the quiet ones. I wonder what he was getting up to? Be interesting to see if there's any more in the paper tomorrow. Bet your glad your daughters with you. Bit scarey.

Hope you all sleep well tonight.

No Frank again?