General Chat

Thanks for the account of your weekend Huia, expensive for you with locking yourself out but entertaining for us. I was expecting tor ead that you had manged to squeeze in through a window, still at least no damage done.

Marie, that steak sounded lovely. Egg plant, is that aubergine?

Jean have a lovely break, we will be in Paphos.

I visited Phil a couple of days ago. He was on his feet so I took him outside to walk. He spent a lot of time rearranging the garden chairs, turned one upside down. He then tried to move one of the poles that holds up the shelter roof that they have over the table and chairs. Luckily he did not succeed. He then went over to a planter table (it is new, not sure if they will be putting plants in it or just using it for potting up plants). He tried so hard to move it, tried in several places but no luck as the legs were firmly cemented in place. His arm muscles (possibly also legs) got a good work-out. At the beginning of the year his arms were so skinny, no muscles at all, so I am glad he is exercising them.

I hope this piece will not disappear into the ether. I tried to add one like this yesterday but somebody stopped it from adding. Grrr.

Huia.

Morning friends, Huia what a lovely "letter" you write, I think there is an author hiding in you somewhere...lol... You sound as though you coped very well with the lock out... I would love to see your pics any chance of having a peep..
J and I are off tomorrow for a weeks break we must be daft, going on holiday in this country at this time of the year, but a break is needed and I dont want to got too far, so Llandudno is ideal ... I will hopefully take Ds netbook and also a bag of craft stuff I have orders for cards to do and it will be dark early so need to have some thing to do....so fingers x I will be able to have a chat with you all...
Ann where are you staying in Cyprus, we loved it there and this time of the year will be perfect weatherwise, have a great time, and I hope both you and T will benefit from the break...
I need to get as miuch done as I can this morning we go early tomorrow and get breakfast on the way , we found a lovely little "Teapot Cafe" and the brunch is lovely so we have always stop there ....I will be o.k. once everthing is packed and in the car, Its getting harder the older I get....lol... so I will "see" you later I hope, take care of each other and especially our Mo, who can be a bit erratic these days....
love Jean xxx

Hi all, I hope you are all well,
We are having some sunshine to-day
.I went out to lunch and I decided to try the fillett steak, it was lovely and so were th vegitables I rarley eat steak but this was a melt in your mouth steak and it had egg plant and mushrooms on top which were delicious.

My friend Barbara had a birthday on Tuesday so it was a good excuse to go out to Lunch.
On the way home I called into the garden centre and picked up some seedlings of Eggplant and bok choy I am going out to plant them as soon as I finish this email.
How are you Mo, still playing Darts?
Liz it must be nearly time for that Baby to arrive How are you feeling.How is your partener is he looking after his health .Did you end up getting a holiday.

I am having trouble with the Window Jumping up and down.

Hi everyone

Huia ..... how lovely to hear about your trip to Rotorua.

We've been to Rotorua a couple of times ........ and I found myself picturing where you were and what you were doing!

My daughter spent 3 weeks in 1993 at the Maori Centre at Whakarewarewa learning how to weave at the Women's School. It was a magical experience for her.


It was dull and grey here today




sylvia
xxx

Sorry I haven't posted for a couple of days (or so) have been beset by distractions!

Fingers crossed I will be able to come back tomorrow for a chat.

Tess

I didnt do a lot in Rotorua apart from lock myself out of the house. But to start at the beginning.....

I drove down on Thurs afternoon, showery and very blustery wind, all the big trucks that passed the other way threw up lots of water and buffetted my vehicle. I arrived safely after a 3 hour drive (with a break half way). The weather had cleared by then. P & L have a house on a big fenced estate about 7 km out of Rotorua. There is a gate with a keypad for getting into the estate. No problems, I had been told the code for the month. P & L arrived home from work and showed me what I was to do. They also have a small pony, so it had to be fed a bucket of hay each morning and in the evening I had to move a part of the electric fence to give the pony another small patch of grass for eating (gets laminitis if it has too much).

P & L went to work on Fri morning. I went in to Rotorua to do a little shopping. Back for lunch and L came home to pack. P came home a couple of hours later and finished packing and they left for Turangi (near Lake Taupo). Next morning (Sat) I woke at 7a.m. and put on some warm clothes then got a bucket of hay from the garage and went out the side door to give it to the pony. When I returned I could not open the door. I had not realised it was self-locking. I wandered around the house looking for an open window but no luck. I knew the front door was still locked. I walked to the 4 nearest houses and knocked but everybody was away for the long weekend. Had another walk around the house to see if there was any way I could possibly get in. I decided I would only get stuck if I tried to crawl in the dog-door. They are only small dogs (choodles!)

I picked up a heavy terracotta boot and decided which window I should try to smash. I tried 3 times but just left a slight terracotta mark on the window as it was toughened. Sat down to think for a few minutes, then walked up to houses on a more distant part of the estate. Luckily the first house I tried the family were home and the man phoned for a locksmith. When he came he managed to unlock the front door for me. (Cost me $95, but who cares, I was in at last). More than 2 hours after I got up I was able to feed the dogs and then myself. Whew. They do have a spare key hidden outside. L says she had suggested P should show me where it is but he didnt think I would need it. If only. I barely moved out of the house for the rest of the day, and when I did I made sure I had the key in my pocket.

Sunday I tried to persuade the dogs to come for a walk with me but they said 'No, the missus will wonder where we are if she comes home'. I took myself and my camera and took a few photos of rhododenrons and of birds (not very good ones). I was amazed at the number of thrushes and blackbirds they have, but then there is plenty of lawn for them to get worms. I also took some photos from inside the house of a Welcome Swallow sitting on the fence outside. And lots of photos each day of the view over Lake Rotorua to Mt Tarawera.

L arrived home on Sun afternoon while I was having a nap. P is not coming home until next Sun. He is busy tramping with 3 women. I think he is the only male in their group. On the Sat the 6 women and P had done the Tongariro crossing. There was snow on the mountain. One woman was severely sunburnt and was vomiting the next day. At least the others now know the dangers of too much sun.

On Mon. L took me and the dogs to visit her mother who is also in care, in Rotorua, a place by the lake. We took her for a walk by the lake and in the gardens. I took a nice photo of L and her mother walking the 2 dogs. We went to a cafe on the lakefront for an early lunch. The sun was sparkling on the lake. Beautiful weather. After returning L's mum to her home we then went back to the estate.

L had to go back to work on Tues. I waited until 10.30 before I left to come home. I stopped for an hour in Tirau (originally called Oxford) and looked at the shops. Further along the road (about half way home) I filled up with diesel. A little further on there was a comfort stop. On I went and stopped for a photo looking across the Hauraki Plains. Just after I took off again I stopped as there was a car at the side with its bonnet up. They asked if I had jumper leads which I did. Luckily they knew how to use them as I didnt. Got them started and I went back up to the spot where I took the photo as it was easier to turn there. Took 2 more photos then carried on and some time later I saw the same car stopped again but there was a garage not far away so I kept going.

I arrived home to find a rather aggrieved cat. She isnt so keen on the biscuits that she used to always eat (to the exclusion of all else). She now likes the sachet food with gravy. I am wondering if her teeth are bothering her.

Well, that was my mostly uneventful holiday.

Huia.

Have you got the central heating on Ann, if you have that could have a lot to do with T's cough. It's nice to be warm, but it does tend to dry the air out doesn't it.
I hope T feels better soon.

Hi Mo, I am fine, himself was ok this morning and afternoon, we went to Cheltenham on the bus and he hardly coughed. But it has been non stop since later this afternoon, I can only assume the air has dried up.

Good evening girls.
Oooh look Huia is back girls. We can't wait to hear how it all went Huia.
I hope the dogs were not to much trouble for you, and that you have not come home to any problems. ie more mice.

Sylvia hows the hip feeling now,after your needling. I hope you are not to sore now. I have to admit I have never heard of that type of treatment before. Yes I have had accupuncture done before now, and things have been fine all the time I have been undergoing it, but once the treatment was finished, the problem came back, so the doctor decided enough was enough.
I certainly don't envy you,all the upheaval you are still having to put up with.
It will be so nice when you can back to normal.
What a ta do trying to get M's certificates, you would have thought it would have been quite easy for them to sort it out via a phone call surely. But then I suppose, they would need confirmation in writing.

Hi Ann, how are you both feeling now.

I will look in later, love to you all. Mo xxx

Glad you are safely home Huia, look forward to reading about your time away.

Just a quick one to let you all know I arrived home yesterday but have been very busy since. Visited Phil today. Might be out again tomorrow or next day. Must find time to tell you what I did. Off to bed now.

Huia.

Hi all


here I am

Had physio this morning

physio decided to try needling on my hip ......... this is NOT acupuncture


AFTER he had done it, he said that I would probably be sore tonight and tomorrow but it should then ease off ......... and he might consider doing it again next visit (3 weeks time).


hmmmmmmmmmmmm


Needling is an acupuncture-type needle pushed into a knot of muscle fibres in an attempt to get them to fire off and then relax


had lunch out as usual (sushi), bought choccies also as usual, and came straight home


Home in even more of a mess than it was ..... the cabinets were delivered this morning


Have cabinets in the middle of the living room, drawers on the sofa. Cabinets semi in place in the kitchen. More drawers in the study


OH phoned re the countertops. "Oh, sorry there's been a delay, they won't be in until at least November 4"


aaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrggggggghhhhhhhhhhh



Note from OH on counter when I came home ...... daughter asked yesterday if he could pick up her husband's degree from the downtown campus of the university.

M is not going to attend the degree ceremony, and apparently they did not get what they thought satisfactory information on how well the degree would be "packaged" for going by the post.

M I think was panicking about getting a damaged degree certificate.

They were told that it could be picked up at any campus, information would be sent to that campus from the main one by email and the degree just printed off. (Actually that doesn't make sense, because degrees are usually printed on special papers etc)

OH got a pdf with a signed letter from M giving permission for "father-in-law" to pick up degree.


OH goes downtown specially this afternoon to pick it up ............ only to be told "you can't, we don't have it. They didn't ask for it to be picked up downtown". That was the note he left for me!


so he had to come home empty handed

M has to send letter or email to the main campus and ask for degree to be made available at the downtown campus.

Downtown campus say they'll have it about a week or so after that letter has been received.


On the way home, OH planned to stop by the dentist's office where he was yesterday ....... he left his temporary bridge with its 2 teeth there.

Don't know whether he did ................... he won't be home until some time between 7 and 10 pm

........ it's the orchestra rehearsal for the next student opera production. Dress rehearsals next Monday and Tuesday. Performances next Thursday through Sunday



I'm tired!!!!!





take care everyone


sylvia
xxxx

Yes it is the snacks that work out expensive. Two rounds of sandwiches and two coffees, way over £10.

Ann I have just been reading about your full weekend away. My word you must have both been worn out after it.
You packed so much into so few days.
London is very expensive isn't it, not just your hotel, even the street vendors charge a fortune for small things like cans of coke. I believe we paid £1.50 for a can the last time we were up there.
I am sorry to hear that you and T are not feeling to good now though. There seems to a virus going around that consists of a cough and sore throat,leading to cold like symptoms.

Jean, I will have to take out a second mortgage, to repay you at this rate.lol
Eve was on fine form last night, it was the fact that we were up against a very strong team, and we could not get our finishes. The final outcome was 4-2 to the opposition, had we have been able to get the last double,we would have drawn with them,and that would have been a big one up for us. As it is, when we play them, we ALWAYS lose, tut tut I know.

I have been very naughty tonight, I have been stuffing my face with chocolates. I wish the children had not bought them for me. They must love me, rolls of fat and all. lol I can't not eat them now can I. And if I leave them till christmas, they could go out of date, so I HAD to eat them didn't I.
I know I know Jean, excuses excuses, but they were lovely.

Bye for now, love to all. Mo xxx

We couldn't get over the number of people Jean. Everywhere you went it was heaving, cafes, bars, all full, not just in the evening but daytime as well. Tourists down by the river of course, large boats on the river, all full, and it wasn't warm. Students everywhere, all chattering, very noisy. Then in the morning and evening we could see Waterloo bridge and a constant stream of workers walking across like ants. Nice to visit but no way could I work there, too used to the relatively quiet life of the sticks.

Ann, just read about your weekend , it sounded lovely and upgraded too , thats the icing on the cake, a lovely present for you both, it is a very long time since we were in London and no doubt completly changed now, so it was great reading you diary thank you .I love hearing about the news when you all go away. I may even do one from that place in Wales...although it wont be as adventurous as yours Ann....

love Jean xx

MO !!!!!!!!! I put all my holiday money on you last night, now I cant go to the craft store when I get to Llandudno, what a let down.... I am keeping a tally on what I have lost up to date and its growing every week , so hope you have sufficient funds to reimburse me....lol.... it wasnt eva again who let you down was it?,
well just had the hair permed so I can go off now with head held high... I did hear that a late indian summer is down for next week , but only in Llandudno. so that will be great....lol.... take care all you lovely peeps,special hugs for Anns, T, hope you soon feel better....

love Jean xx

Hello all, We had a lovely weekend. The account of it is on Bridget's diary thread on chat. T had got a terrible cough, which was developing while we were in London. Hope it has gone before we go away to cyprus or he will be an asset on the plane. As it is easyjet and self seating maybe I sould get him to stand at the front of departure and cough, should get unhindered seats then Lol!!!!

Oooooops>>>>>>>creeps silently onto the thread, dont tell our Jean girls, but we lost big time at darts last night, but we did win the pairs.
I hope Jean did not lay out to much money on her bet, or it will cost me a fortune by the end of season.

Well I do hope you are all well. We have another horrid day here. I am snuggled up in front of the fire,all nice and warm and cosy. I dont think I will be venturing out today.

Take care everyone love Mo xxx