General Chat

Morning all.
Calm day here and dry so that can only mean one thing.....Midges!!!
Oh yes ventured outside as was wanting to tidy up pots etc and within seconds the blighters were on my face grrrr. They bite me and they itch and I have to scratch.
Someone said I have sweet skin maybe.. So the Avon Skin so Soft went on and hopefully they will let me stay outside.

Its a heavy day though, too calm and very low cloud so probably some bad weather to come i fear.

Joan , hope you and hubby are ok as not seen you for a few days, hope all is well.
Linda, how is your sister getting on with the radiotherapy. Hope she isnt too unwell.

Ann have you got a hosepipe ban in your area? You have so many pots to water.

I'm making a chicken curry tonight, basmati rice, Peshwari naan and some popadoms. Cant wait for that.

Well the sun is now peeping through so going to venture back outside and be busy.

Enjoy your weekend peeps

Florence in the hebrides :-)

Afternoon folks
A beautiful sunny but very breezy day here today but no rain.

Been busy dusting and polishing in preparation for when daughter returns as we are going to move the TV and bookshelves around so there is a corner free for the xmas tree.
Since last xmas, we had a new sofa delivered and the 2 seater is now under the window where the tree went last year.

Im also about to do a basket of ironing so thats up straight. Tesco delivery coming tomorrow between 2-10pm not a great slot but all we could get. I so hate it delivered after 8pm.

My grass was cut yesterday so looking nice and neat again.

I also managed to get my toilet roll bargains as they had been sold out last month.
Nicky Soft touch 32 rolls for £8 so I bought 2 packets and now have plenty to last me months. Looking at the drought problem, I fear there will be a shortage of fresh veg this winter so Im ordering a few tins of mushrooms, peas etc just now as a standby,

Hope all ok with everyone

Florence in the hebrides

Hi peeps.
Not a bad day, still windy but dry and pleasantly warm but not too hot.
Linda, many of my roses are just about to flower with many buds still to open. I wonder if thats because its less hot up here and more rain?

All my lobelia, dahlia's, marigolds are still blooming well. Hydrangeas have flowered this year a lovely pink with still more to open.

But although sunny and warmish, there is an autumnal nip in the air in the shade.

Been in a baking mood today and found an easy recipe for Anzac biscuits. It made 16 and very tasty. Just oats, flour, sugar, coconut, melted stork, syrup and bicarb. All done in 20 minutes.
Just prepped onions etc for curry later tonight with naan and basmati rice. Cant wait as didnt have much yesterday and tummy rumbling now lol

Hope everyone else ok today and enjoying some sunshine

Florence in the hebrides

It is very blustery here today, up about twenty degrees, an odd combination.

Eve has gone to a friends house for a birthday sleepover. There are four of them and they are using the hot tub, so will have a good time. I doubt that there will be much sleep involved, so she is going to be like a zombie when she is collected tomorrow

We need to do a lot of pruning in the garden. Lots of the perennials have finished flowering even though it is still August. The garden is starting to look autumnal far earlier than it should be

Good afternoon peeps.
Well its a blustery day here with showers and Im feeling it sooo chilly but the heating is def not going on, only a thicker cardigan lol

Got up about 9, made myself usual coffee. I placed on the table and sat down. As I reached to pick it up, I knocked it over!!! Oh yes, a flood that covered the kitchen table which is 6ft x 2 ft so not small. Went over table mats, box of tissues, some paperwork which thankfully was only shopping lists and nothing important. It dripped over the sides and onto my freshly mopped floor from yesterday.

So got in cleaning mode a bit quicker today mopping it all up. The worst thing about coffee spilling is that it is so sticky isnt it?

All sorted now and fresh cuppa made. Daughter away to town and post things for me plus a few items from coop for the weekend.
As Im typing, my fingers are so cold. Its like Autumn here now and we are still waiting for summer haha.
I did manage though to get the bed linen out & dried yesterday which saved the dryer just got to ironing it all tomorrow!
Neighbours cat had made friends with me as its a nervous cat, so im honoured but when I was talking to a friend yesterday, the cat ran between my legs and into my hallway! i had to chase it out quickly before it got into the lounge. This morning when daughter opened the door, the cat was laying on my door step , bless him.

I love cats but daughter does not sadly otherwise i would get one, nevermind.
Hope everyone else ok and having a good weekend.

Florence in the hebrides

Evening peeps
Very wet day here and at 5am, the rain and wind woke me up, I was not amused!
It has brightened up but very windy and im feeling cold today but the heating is not going on in August lol

Linda, glad your sister is getting on ok.When my daughter had 3 weeks of radiotherapy, I think only once was she sick so hoping your sister might be lucky too. Just such a long journey for her.

Joan does the physio come out to see hubby re his mobility or give exercises to strengthen his legs? i do a few exercises every morning to keep my muscles moving as im not very mobile. By the evening once im sitting, left foot is like an elephants foot!

I have had an early tea as i was famished today. I ate the remains of my smoked salmon carbonara from last night and really tasty it was.

Was busy this afternoon scanning, printing and emailing legal docs for the Probate application, I thought it was all done but there were 4 more things to sign before it can go away to Newcastle. So that's it all done now....hopefully!

Watched 2nd part of Shetland last night and its the quickest hour to pass!
Anyone watching celebrity masterchef?

Better get the dishes done and then I can relax.

Florence in the hebrides

It is slightly drizzly here this morning, that is the only rain we have had. It is annoying as all around us there has been a lot of rain. My water barrels need refilling, so I hope we get some soon.

My sister is on the second week of her radiotherapy. It is going fine so far and she hasn’t started feeling sick yet. As she had such a large tumour removed, there is a large space in the centre of the brain, so they said that this might help as it will allow the swelling caused by the treatment to happen without it pressing on other parts. I hope so, as she has a one and a quarter hour trip each way.

Afternoon peeps.
Brighter day here albeit quite a stiff breeze but it got the bed linen dry very quickly.

Can't help but feel, there is a chill in the air today, almost Autumnal and yet we didnt have a summer here this year unlike the rest of the uk! A couple of days of 21 degrees was about it.
The children return to school on Thursday and I do feel sorry for them as hardly been many nice days for them to go outside.

Hoovered the whole house, and tidied up. Wrote 2 letters and did some shredding so all up to date with paperwork for now.

Ordered a new tumble dryer yesterday too, a reverse action one as the existing one doesnt have this feature and all the towels just get tangled up into a ball.

This one i have is only 3 years old so should be able to sell it locally for a reasonable price. The new one is 8kg not 7kg so a bit bigger too. I have a super kingsize duvet cover so needs space in the dryer.

2nd part of new series of Shetland on tonight. Love this series and so glad its back on. Also Scottish soap River City was back on last night as well and Masterchef so some good tv viewing. Mind you on Masterchef Chris Eubank, the Boxer was hilarious! Quite obvious he has never cooked much lol

So off to be busy again

Florence in the hebrides

After another foggy start, I can now see the hills in front of my house but it is breezy and damp so not a nice day. Suddenly looked out at 10am to see the neighbours bins out!! I had forgotten its bin day and with daughter away, it had slipped my mind.

So had to put on my lightweight waterproof and get them out quick as the lorry was up the village and would be down soon.
Have been busy transferring photos from phone to PC today. All 1800 of them! What a job.
But I am 3/4 finished and most now in files ready to tf to USB/pen drives. Just takes forever and SIl seems to send every holiday pic to me everytime they go away.

Anyway it kept me busy as im finding if Im not busy my mind is drifting to thinking of mum and its upsetting me a bit.

I think everything happened so quickly, its only now after being away, I have time to think and digest about what happened. It will settle down in time, just all seems a bit surreal at the moment.

Ann most of my pots are plastic and I can manage to move them about as when its blowing a gale, i shift them into the corner to shelter from the wind. If they were bigger, I wouldnt be able to do that.

Hope people get the well needed rain thats forecast and also hope it sinks into the ground. Flash flooding doesnt do the plants anygood as it just runs away and doesnt sink into the soil.

Cant decide on my tea tonight, really should have my fruit & yoghurt again but feeling so hungry.

Hope all ok with Joan & Linda too.

Florence in the hebrides

Thank you Joan for the birthday wishes and Florence too.

21 degrees here at 7am and 22 now but no sun.

Large planters become unmanageable as we get older don't they. I am trying to keep large pot is one place and buying smaller ones to move around. I have also bought several plastic pots in the new bright colours, so much easier to move. I have mauve, cerise, blue and apple green. I expect they will fade but I have some from last year and they have not weathered too badly.

Afternoon peeps.
Happy Birthday Ann for yesterday. Glad you had friends to take you out for coffee etc. Always chores to bring you back down to earth lol. Im still catching up after a week back from down south! Dont know where daughter gets all her washing from lol

Wow Linda, you have had such a busy time but you sound like you are enjoying being away and the children are having a fab time too.

Yesterday was warm in the afternoon about 20 so pleasant and daughter & I spent the afternoon outside weeding all my flower pots. The gale we had back in Jun ruined the potato plants and all the greenery died off. So we dug up the plants and did get some new pots but not as many as last year. Still we had them with salmon fillets last night and peas and they were very tasty.

Enough left for another meal later in the week.

The haar/sea mist has covered the view to the sea and has become a bit chilly and damp now so a lot cooler....never lasts the sun here lol

Oh well back to the last bit of drying off and then ironing tomorrow.

Hope you are ok Joan and having better weather than me.

Florence in the hebrides

I am pleased that you managed to enjoy your birthday Ann, special days must be difficult being on your own, but you are blessed by a caring family.

It is going to be another very hot day at Center Parcs. The lodge is nice and cool and we are spending lots of time in the swimming pool every day, so it is fine. Thee others have hired bikes, but OH and I are just walking. All of the walkways are very shaded by trees, so it is fine walking about between the venues. Esme has a Duo bike with her mum. It is a large wheelchair on the front of a bike frame. The wheelchair part can be unclicked from the bike to use separately which is useful as she gets tired walking..

That was a busy time you had Linda. You need a holiday now to get over that. I had a good time yesterday on my birthday, very hard when that special person is no longer here to celebrate with you but I am so grateful for my family (who were not able to be with me but kept very much in touch), and my local friends who made sure I was taken out and treated to coffee and cake and lunch etc. Back down to earth today with a Tesco delivery due and washing to be done etc. Already 17 degrees and it was such a hot night.

I am glad the funeral went well Florence.
I have had a few busy weekends in a row. First of all we went to Evesham to see our son, his wife and their daft rescue dog. That was a very pleasant child free weekend.

Last weekend we were supposed to be on our own n as my daughter and the girls were going to Filey for a long weekend in a caravan. The girl’s daddy was coming up from London and they were being joined by his sister. Unfortunately, she was ill, so couldn’t go. As the whole point was to meet up with her, they have rearranged it for the last weekend of the school holidays.

The girls were disappointed about not going away, so my daughter decided to take them for two nights in a travel lodge in Hexham. As she would be on her own with them, I went along and OH stayed at home.

On the first day we went to Hadrians’s wall. First of all we went to the new Roman army museum, which was very good. In the afternoon we went to Vindolanda, which again was interesting. I haven’t been there for thirty years, since my children were small.

We wanted to go to the actual wall, so we took advice on where was accessible, Esme has a large all terrain pushchair as well as her wheelchair. I have forgotten the name of the place, but it was a car park with a gravel path over some grassland. That was fine, but then we were faced with a steep grassy slope going down. that was OK for the buggy, but then there was a huge climb up a steep path to the wall on the top of the crag. I have been there in the past, but this time opted to stay in the bottom with the buggy. Eve went haring up to the top on her own, a bit worrying as there was a steep cliff edge to fall off, but mercifully she kept away from the edge. My daughter and Esme went a little way up, but then came back down. On the way back, we were faced with having to drag the buggy with Esme in it up the steep grass to the path. Thankfully a family with two men in it offered to help

The following day, we went to Killhope lead mining museum I have been there several times in the past, but it is probably about thirty two years since we went. The girls loved it as I knew they would

This weekend, we are at Centre Parcs in Sherwood Forest, We are just having a quiet time in the lodge while they have gone off to do their first activities of the day. We will join them shortly for the second activity, just watching as indoor wall climbing is not for me these days. This afternoon we will be in the swimming complex again.

32 degrees here and I have just been to the hairdressers so a ten minute walk mostly in full sun. Yes I am HOT!!!

going for coffee this afternoon to our local garden centre which does have air conditioning.

Afternoon Chit Chatters
Not foggy and damp today and no wind sooo......yep midges! Cant win lol

Still working on paperwork etc but almost up to date for now. Solicitor now has everything they need to start the application for Probate and she said shouldnt take too long about 6 weeks maybe.
Had some lovely flowers sent to me and quite a few cards which was very thoughtful of people.
I have just put a thankyou in out local paper and it cost £65...never realised how expensive it is but its the best way to thank lots of people at once.

Basket of ironing to finish off so that will keep me busy this afternoon.

Not sure what is for tea tonight as im back on the diet after eating rubbish for the last 2 weeks!

Joan your garden sounds wonderful with all your new plants and so glad the Bowie had been replenished.

Ann & Linda hope you both are keeping ok as your weather is so hot where you are compared to me at 17 degrees lol

Florence in the hebrides

Hello all, I have been around on the board even had a thread of my own on 'water', something we are suffering a shortage of. I think it has just been too hot to post and I am envious of your garden Joan. With having no rain for at least 6 weeks our gardens are dying of thirst, lawns are brown and pot plants are struggling.

Florence I am pleased that all went well. I guess it might be the same for my kids when I go as well, although not with tights and stockings.

Went to town today to see the chiropodist, not too bad on bus in but hot and crowded on bus home,

Alexa is telling me it is 29 degrees out there and I believe her. Now I have an empty brown bin again and a large black humper filled to the brim and too hot to transfer it into the brown bin.

Afternoon lovely peeps.
Well back home safely now after a hectic few days. The day of mum's funeral(last Friday) was a beautiful sunny day, so perfect . It all went very smoothly and no hitches or dramas!

Had a lovely buffet afterwards for a couple of hours and was good to catch up with a few people I havent seen in years.
Spent time over the weekend going through mums things and oh my!

I found about 20 pairs of tights & stockings all brand new in boxes, never used! She really was a squirrel. But we donated a lot of sheets & blankets we found in boxes to the Ukraine local branch so someone will benefit from those.

Smooth journeys there and back, so grateful for Special Assistance guys, they were fab.
Working our way through all our washing etc and lots of bills to sort through etc. Plenty to keep me busy for a few weeks and beyond.

Hope everyone is well as hasnt been any posts since I was away.
Did get sunburnt down in Bexhill on the Sunday, first time in 30 years lol

Right better get on with the laundry and ironing.

Florence in the hebrides

Good morning all dry here nut very gloomy. we did have a very welcome shower yesterday evening but it didn't last long.
Linda, I hope that you are having a lovely weekend. I love Evesham Country park and the Valley shops but it is a long time since I went into the town.

Florence I do hope all goes well with your Mum's funeral. what lovely music. I have the Eva Cassidy over the rainbow on the list for music at my funeral. But I love all that you have chosen and just reading the titles makes me feel emotional. <3

Afternoon peeps.
Well summer was short lived lol. Today is windy, wet and like Autumn, the sun has vanished.

Just giving the house a spring clean. Hate going away and leaving it untidy etc, cleaned the cooker too although it was quite clean anyway. Clothes are now hanging ready for the case.

I have lists of things to do and working through them. I did a basket of ironing but my legs were aching so I have come to sit for a wee while.

Linda, I hope you were careful on the frame!! My goodness, you are a hardy lady. Hope you are having a lovely time away.

Music all sorted for mum and its going to be a very moving service.

Over the Rainbow by Eva Cassidy, Annie's song by John Denvar, Bridge over Troubled waters and some Glen Miller. So all very moving songs.

Have had to deal with a few dramas this week, so hoping there are none on the day!

Joan havent seen you about, so hope you are ok and your hand has improved?

Florence in the hebrides