General Chat

Good afternoon everyone

So xmas done & dusted for another year.
We had a lovely dinner on xmas day but I was too full for my xmas pudding!

We opened our gifts after the kings speech. I received some lovely things and with an Amazon voucher, I ordered the one thing I didnt get...a pair of binoculars so I can see the birds at the bottom of the garden and also the top of the hills opposite me.

Postman delivered 2 cards yesterday and nothing else. probably be mid January before it all catches up.

I also ordered this stacking organiser for all my crafty bits & pieces. It has removable pieces so you can put longer items into it. It has 5 tiers. Cant wait to empty all my boxes of things and have it all in one place, so much tidier.

It has been pouring hard with sleety rain here and very windy so not nice at all. Daughter away now until 6 th January so that's me alone until then unless my friend offers to take me out for a day.

I hope everyone is well and had an enjoyable time whatever or wherever you were.

Florence in the hebrides

It wasn’t too early a start, just before 8 am. The girls were very pleased with all their gifts, Esme’s main one was a Baby Reborn Doll, only £200! It is amazingly realistic, all hand painted and the size and weight of a newborn . She has called her Katie and is absolutely besotted with her
We had lunch at 12.30 as they have to drive over to Chester this afternoon to see Grandpa who is 97. He lives on his own with carers who come in three times a day. They are staying in a hotel overnight and will be back late tomorrow

We have just washed up and tidied the mass of new toys. It is nice that it is so peaceful in the house.

I hope that everyone is enjoying their day as well

Happy birthday tomorrow Joan and Happy Christmas to everyone

It is the calm before the storm. Esme slept in this morning, but you can bet she will be up at the crack of dawn tomorrow to open the mountain of presents

You too, Florence - and everyone else!

Afternoon peeps.
Well my turkey is nearly ready We have prepped all the veg and dishes are in a pile to be washed.
After tea tonight, we shall set the table with everything.

Still get excited looking at the gifts under the tree and daughter cant wait to open them and me too. lol

I wish everyone a Happy Christmas for tomorrow. I hope that whatever you do or however you celebrate, you will have a lovely time with whoever you share it with.

Florence in the hebrides

Wishing everyone a very happy and peaceful Christmas and may 2023 be kind to us all.

Joan I wish you a lovely birthday as well.


Best wishes all.

Ginnie

I hope you get two lots of presents Joan, one for your birthday and the other for Xmas.

I went to get my hair cut this morning, Eve came with me as it doesn’t take very long, then we took the holly wreath to the cemetery to put on my parents grave. She always likes to go and we take some water and a cloth to wash it down.

We always have a jigsaw on the go at Xmas. It is on the coffee table in the lounge and ever just has a go at it when they are near. We have been doing that for many years now, it has become a family tradition

Good afternoon peeps.
Well my visitors came and stayed for 2 hours. Was lovely chatting & laughing away. My friend has offered to take me out next Wednesday for lunch and a look around the shops. That brightened me up hugely. :-D

Joan hope your mince pies turn out ok and I dont suppose they will last very long, they dont in this house anyway.

At least you're getting your birthday cards early Joan, I'm still waiting for 2 cards sent in November. Is it on xmas day? If so do you have a set place for your birthday cards separate from the xmas cards? Always feels a bit unfair having a xmas birthday.

You will looking forward to seeing your son & his young lady too, will you make soup or something for them?

I just remembered about 1/2 hour ago, I was to make me xmas cake eeekk!!! I had completely forgotten with my visitors here but its all under control.
Fruit etc all boiled and cooling in the pan and then once its cooled properly shall add the flour, eggs etc and in the oven it will go for around 2 hours.
I wont put it in the oven until after we have had tea as I need the oven for tea first.

Then hopefully, its icing day tomorrow and job done.

No more washing now until Monday, I'm on holiday lol.

Its been a damp day and the gale has passed, almost too quiet for here! I think there is windy weather though on its way tomorrow and snow showers xmas eve, we shall see.

Ann, I ordered things like feathers, butterflies, washi ribbons of all sorts, bows etc I have plenty of cards left to keep me going for awhile. But thankyou for your offer of help, I shall indeed come to you if i get stuck ty.

Well better sort out another quick tea tonight. We are just eating very light meals as saving ourselves for the big one on Sunday!

Hope all ok with everyone else.

Florence in the hebrides

Joan better to receive them too early so you can keep them until the day, than getting them too late or not at all.

Hi Jude

I think Von is going to phone him maybe she will check we have the right address. Tell me about the M6/we were on it yesterday and will be travelling back down it before long. Nightmare, especially when there is a rail strike.
Have a good Christmas and hope despite the post strike you get my card.

AnnGloucester ....thank you for your message. IO received a card from Shaun the other day, but not sure if he received mine. I will write to him and give him my phone number. He did say he does'nt use his pc now.. :(

Wow Christmas day is sooooooo close!!
We went to Straford Upon Avon yesterday to meet up with our daughter Lynsey and family, they came from Dorset. I have to drive everywhere at mo as Vic had a cataract removed which left the eye too sore for lens to be replaced. Hopefully about 2 weeks to go. Some drivers on the roads are mad and dangerous, it was'nt a pleasant journey home!!
We are at Dans (son) for christmas, so still have that awful M6 to drive on.
Hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and an even better New Year.
Take care everyone.

jude & Vic and Mindy Moo Bags the cat...xx

Very windy here and the wind is icy col. daughter out meeting friends this afternoon so,I stayed in reading. SiL was doing some book work in his office.

Florence what sort of accessories have bought for card making? Is this a new hobby? If it is and you have any queries, it has been my hobby for about twenty years. I am no expert but happy to help if needed.

Afternoon all.
Aw Linda, that was a shame about the ice rink melting. Glad Esme liked the panto. When I used to work with special needs, we always had seats near the exit incase the children didn't like the loud music etc and we could then slip out if needs be. But they always enjoyed the pantos and laughed a lot.

I had 1 xmas card today so far that's 13. 2 xmas parcels via royal mail have not yet arrived and I don't hold out much hope but......the Amazon things I ordered a few days ago, oh yes they were delivered just now!!

For some families like yourself waiting on gifts, just awful.

I have stripped my bed and tidied up in the kitchen. Tomorrow I have 2 visitors coming at 1pm which will be lovely. Thursday, I'm making my xmas cake and then decorate on Friday.

Daughter struggling to get some fresh veg as the shelves are pretty empty because the ferry didn't sail overnight for the freight! We shall just have to make do with what we have and that's it.

I have to admit, I'm frustrated that I cant do the food shop myself. I use to enjoy it and seeing lots of people in the shop ,stopping for a natter.

Well better make a sandwich as haven't had any lunch yet and as for tea later....who knows?

Take care all

Florence in the Hebrides

The girls had a great time at the outdoor ice rink, just as well they went earlier as it had to be closed yesterday as it had all melted with the warm weather.
Esme also, loved the panto, OH went and said that she was really joining in. They are an inclusive group and had a short session for special needs kids before it started when they explained to them what was going to happen and showed them that the bucket of water they were going to throw was just confetti

I am still missing two parcels and my daughter is short of two as well, all with the totally useless Evri. I dread to think just how many Christmassiest that company has ruined

Good afternoon peeps.

Yes like you Joan, the wind and rain came and the ice is all away now....for now. Our forecast is for more snow xmas eve, xmas day and boxing day!! Thankfully as its on a Sunday this year, wont be much traffic about, just the carers etc.

We made xmas cupcakes on Sunday which were lovely and gave some to my next door neighbour who was delighted.

I'm feeling a bit lost just now as everything is sorted really and up straight with laundry. So feeling a bit bored, that's what happens when you are super organised lol!!

But I've ordered and received some of my accessories for making other cards for next year, birthday, anniversary etc So once all of it is received, I shall have a new hobby for January to keep me busy.

I did get a surprise visitor earlier which was lovely, my old landlady. Haven't seen her in ages as she's not been very well but we had a good natter and she had a bag of gifts, so sweet of her. I had hers all sorted anyway and gave her a bag too.

Its really wild here this afternoon and the ferry isn't sailing again and maybe not tomorrow as high seas. Daughter is getting the fresh stuff tomorrow and then that's us all sorted.

Anyone watch Gordon, Gino & Fred, the unseen bits? Oh my was so hilarious, best laugh I've had in ages!

Well better go and sort something quick for tea tonight, maybe a pizza and wedges. Its so wild, I hope the electric doesn't go off anytime soon.

Hope all is well with you all.

Florence in the hebrides

It is soooo cold outside. I have just got back from the local town which is twelve miles away. I ordered something to pick up from Argos. Last year, I took Eve for a secret shop and let her buy things for her mum, dad and Esme I was going to do the same this year, but when she said what she wanted to get them, I realised that it would be easier to order them from Argos as well. She chose the things online and I went by myself. I did some supermarket shopping while I was out.

My daughter has booked the girls onto an outdoor ice rink tomorrow morning, you can take wheelchairs on, so that will be fine for Esme. Having booked it, their father finally got round to looking for train tickets and announced that he is coming tomorrow, but could only get as far as York, arriving at 5.50 pm.So she is going to have to keep them out all day . Goodness knows what they will do as it is going to be freezing all day.

I got four tickets for Cinderella in the town hall tonight. I assumed their father would already be here, but he isn’t of course, so either OH or I will go. It is only a hour, there are just three people who play all the parts, I have seen them before and the6 are very good

Yes Ann, the decs mean, its very hard to dust :-D :-D :-D

Thats my excuse now too.

Well it is 5 degrees here so hopefully the snow will start to thaw on the road and paths. Our bins have still not been collected from last /tuesday although I think I saw one of the refuse lorries in the distance this morning so they are back out. We have been told to leave our bins out and they will be collected and they are working over the weekend.

Not a lot to do today, always difficult with housework when the decs are up. That is my story and I am sticking to it. :-D I am just about to go and have some of the home made veg soup I made that should warm me up, not put the heating back on yet, I will do that after lunch, just on low. Main job today is sorting out the stuff to take away to daughters with me.

Afternoon all
It seems this whole parcel delivery service has gone down the pan!! It is so sad that many children will not be getting some presents this year because they have either gone astray or are stacked up in a PO sorting office.

It really is a national disgrace especially after the last 2 years with Covid etc. For some this is the first proper xmas in 2 years and already its been spoilt, so very sad.

I have had 1 card all week from the post and no other mail. Thankfully patient Travel did arrive yesterday but oh my at 10.45 and my appointment was at 12.30. So we did arrive in plenty of time. It wasnt particularly comfy sitting in a wheel chair for an hour!

Anyway My"bone man" was in a good mood and willingly gave me my jags into my knees but at a very painful cost! Oh boy, it goes into the bone and by golly for a minute, Im wanting to scream in pain but gritted my teeth.
Howveer today, already I have my smell back and sinuses are clearing(thats the bonus) so in a few days, i shall notice a difference painwise in my legs.

Today, I am decluttering and shoving things in cupboards and drawers as i do a week before xmas to keep the place all tidy. baking day tomorrow, cup cakes with green swirly icing and coloured decs so they look like xmas trees.

Linda, i feel for you re the missing presents. If they dont show, can you say Santa didnt finish his deliveries and maybe more will come soon after xmas or something like that?

Oh the bingo was ok not many 14 local ladies and no men lol. Didnt win but we had lots of laughs so enjoyed the evening very much.

JustGinnie, my mums probate was straight forward and took 10 weeks to go through. It just depends how busy the probate office is .

Ann, our service rd is like a skating rink with ice so daughter crossed neighbours grass and walked around the edge to get to the rd for the bus, was the safest way!

Joan if you are looking in, hope you are ok and taking care outside with all your snow and ice.

Its actually raining here and next week we have gales and heavy rain so the ice will all be away hopefully.

Take care all

Florence in the Hebrides

Linda Evri are certainly getting a bad press now. Did you see those parcels just dumped in a wood. Maybe they should look at how they pay the couriers and also take some of the pressure off. They are expected to deliver too many in a short time if I remember correctly. Glad you have got at least some of yours but something needs sorting or people will stop buying on line.