General Chat

Good morning all 0 degrees here now 8am. that was a surprise, I am sure they didn't forecast a frost last night but there is frost on the house roofs. Still there is a blue sky and sunshine. didn't sleep constantly last night kept waking up.

Hair appointment at 12 o'clock today and I must also get my prescription. Don't usually leave it this long, only have 4 days left.

You had a busy craft day Mel yesterday.

You were right Ann, I just had a cup a soup and a sandwich last night

It does take time as you say Annx. I have just remembered he did'nt bring my grill element with him. He has a head like a sive same as me.

I did a bit of moulding today after taking out a few new moulds and painted them and they look quite good I think. They were a large cooked ham and a new cottage loaf which is bigger than the last one I made and a bowl with something in it which I drill out and put a spoon handle in. Iv'e still a few new ones to take out and trim up yet.

New pots, sprout and a burger for me tonight. Grapes for sweet and maybe a naughty dark choc Kit Kat.

That was good getting the bedding almost dry Mandy. Yes the forecast is a degree or two colder here for the next two days, so I have dug out a velour zip top I rarely wear as the greeny colour doesn't really suit me (I thought I'd ordered a taupe colour at the time!) and it's big enough to get it on over a thinner zip fleece if needs be. OH has two meetings both days, so he'll be out.

I noticed this morning that the dog rescue place is closed on Mondays now, but I've put a bag of stuff in the car boot for their charity shop later this week and have chucked some ancient foodstuffs in the bin for collection tomorrow. I must keep on clearing stuff we don't or won't use again as we have never been properly straight here after moving two houses into one and then the stuff we since inherited still not all cleared.

Your meal sounded lovely AnnG. I like Haddock better than Cod if there's a choice. I bet you won't want much else to eat now.

Careful with your back with those big ceramic pots Vera. I still have a few, but don't like moving them.

I've recorded Wolf Hall Mel. OH watched the first series and, no surprise, has the books. It's not good you being without your tablets that long. I bet the fudge was welcome as the apples will be! It's good more things have gone that Stu will see if he can sell for you. It takes time doesn't it.

Back home now and full of delicious fish and chips. I had Haddock and it was lovely tasted very fresh and the batter was really light and very crispy. It was a huge piece and a large portion of chips. I don't know if I said before but it is actually a proper fish and chip shop with the restaurant behind the cooking part and upstairs So it is proper chip shop chips.

It really is a month of eating for our group. there were six of us today and on Saturday five of us are having lunch in our local pub and then going to look round the Jet age museum. This is actually bu Gloucester air port so 5 minutes away and I have never been to look round there.

Well I have just got the washing in the pillow cases were dry but the edges of the sheet were damp and the duvet cover was slightly damp on the corners but they will finish off on the airer, just nice to get the fresh air on them .

I suppose these window companies probably don't keep staff on like years ago when people stayed in the job for years and had pride in their work .
Hope you've got your winter woolies out Ann you'll be chilly with no heating and doors open when they drain down .

Mel did you see its the last ever doctors on Thursday.

Vera your gardens going to look good with all these bulbs your planting ,you'll have a lovely splash of colour in the spring .

I just missed you yesterday Annx. I think you were posting while I was typing. I agree you're probably best to write off any idea of further help with your door. You could maybe threaten them with the small claims court but it's probably not worth the hassle. Put it down to experience and don't recommend the company to anyone.

Enjoy your fish and chips AnnG and enjoy the company as well.

That's good that you have got your meds sorted out Mel but you shouldn't have to be without them at all. They've been prescribed because you need them. Our docs only give 28 days at a time and only 6 repeat prescriptions before you have to request a reissue. I expect the surgery ladies appreciated your fudge and the offer of apples. I've got a recipe for Swedish apple cake but I can't remember ever making it. I must dig it out because I like anything with apples in.

I bet your house smelt lovely with Christmas cake baking, Mandy. When my brother was alive he always made a Christmas cake and I made everyone puddings. We never iced the cake which used to be cut in half between us. When he became ill he sent me the recipe he used and I made it but I haven't bothered the last couple of years.

It's blue sky and sunshine here too but there is no warmth in the sun and no wind to speak of so I haven't hung the washing out. I have potted up some more bulbs. I dug 2 big heavy ceramic pots out from the back of the garage and got them up the garden where I filled them with a mixture of old and new compost and planted them with Dutch Master daffs. AnnG, you are right - it is hard work and I keep saying I'm not going to do it but on a miserable spring day when I can see them all in bloom from my kitchen window it all seems worth it. I might cut down the number I plant next year. Any spare bulbs can be offered to the neighbours or I'll take them to one of our clubs.

OH has just come into the room to ask what I want in my lunchtime sandwich so it must be nearly time to eat. Enjoy the rest of the day and enjoy sunshine while we can.

Morning All,

Sunshine here too, so that cheers us up. Chilly though so I had my fleece on to pop to the shop. It was lovely to see the sunlight on the autumn leaves and all the roads to the villages here have poppies on the lamp posts. More seem to join in every year now.

Yes, I think someone local would have been better to have, like the man who fitted our new bathroom window. OH said we'll do that when we have the conservatory done. That's good Colin was able to fit your windows Mandy. It saves a lot of money and you know they are done properly. When most windows were wood my first OH made them and fitted them. Mel I think these big companies were good and reputable back in the day when your mum used them, but things can change as time goes on with new management. We knew the name was well known and thought they were good, but they aren't so good now judging by a lot of the reviews. No wonder the service engineer that came seemed so grumpy. He probably gets to hear a lot of moans.

I've just sorted the fridge out and chucked a few sad looking things out. The lighter it is when they move it tomorrow the better. When OH gets back we need to make the radiator in the conservatory accessible for the men to drain. It's rarely on as we don't use the conservatory in the winter, so as well as chairs in the way, OH put the sink cupard contents all by it and in front of the chairs as well.

Your F&C lunch sounds lovely AnnG, so enjoy your outing and chat with your friend.
Yes, the woman at the garden centre was behind OH in the queue, but clearly didn't recognise him in a flat cap with a white beard now and not in his smart work suit and tie!! She caused a lot of problems at work, gossipy too, you'll know the sort!

Better give the bathroom a spruce up now. Whenever someone comes to do some work there are extra little jobs to do aren't there. I got them some biscuits while I was out as they are out of bounds for us at the moment.

Yes thank you I have got my meds sorted but had to go to |black Torrington to collect them as I have been without one main one for 4 or 5 days now.

Its so nice to be able to do as much wahsing as I want to and not have to wait now I have the drain sorted. I took the girls down the surgery some fudge and asked if anyone wanted any cooking apples and one lady said yes. The other girls said she makes a lovely Apple Cake so I may look for a recipe for one and make one.

Morning all

Beautiful sunshine here ,the bedding is on the line having a good blow as the wind seems to have got up so I hope it gets dry .

We were lucky with all our windows and doors as Colin got them al from a company that he used for working got them at cost he then fitted them himself so we saved a lot of money .

Enjoy your lunch out Anng ,you'll soon forget how to cook lol

Beautiful sunshine here - so welcome :-D after last week's gloom.

Mel, Have you managed to sort out about your medication?

The sun is out and the sky is bright it just MIGHT be a nice day. I am going to meet friend (again) for fish and chips in Ye olde Fish and chip shoppe.in Gloucester.

O I meant to say that the main windows here were done withAnglian and the patio doors in the lounge were replaced by Everest. They were both done by mum years ago.

Moorning on this bright and sunny morning.

Its 9 degrees and was misty when I got up but the suns just about burnt it off now.

I wonder what today will bring? Nothing planned so I think I can more or less please myself but the only thing I really have to do is get on to the docs about my meds.

Hope you all slept well. I fell asleep watching the new Wolf Hall on iplayer and before I knew it they had put season 1 up again.

good morning all. 6 degrees here so a bit on the chilly side. I slept from 11 to 0415 then from about 0430 to 0730 so a good niths sleep but was dreaming, one of those dreams which linked when I went back to sleep. good ness knows what it was all about although I remember a part, being away from home and having a hair appointment in a place where I didn't know the salons name or where it was And it was a different language.

Ann sometimes with double glazing it is preferable to find a recommended local firm rather than use the big firms I think. A good idea to accept the scratch and stop any contact with the firm once you have the lock fixed.

A shame that your visit to the garden centre was brought to an abrupt end but I know what you mean, although have never actually had to do anything similar.

Vera. a busy potting day. Your garden will be a blaze of colour in spring now, how lovely. such a lot of work with all those bulbs though

You’ve been busy with Stu today Mel and got some jobs out of the way. It will be good if he can get the mower sorted out and sell the other bits for you.

Gwyn, I expect your war memorial service was moving. I find these events take on more significance as I get older. The seasons do seem to be out of gear but how lovely to see hollyhocks and gladioli in bloom.

I am sure your planter will look lovely AnnG. I got some planting done today as well. My daff bulbs seem to have really expanded in number. This morning I planted two pots up with a total of 25 bulbs of a variety called Silver Standard and I still have 18 of those left, plus I have 2 other varieties Tahiti and Dutch Master to sort out. We haven’t bought any of these but I think friends know daffs are my favourite flower and tend to give me bulbs.

I also cooked a full roast dinner; pork loin, stuffing, potatoes, carrots, parsnips and broccoli, followed by apple crumble and custard. I was pleased as it all got cooked in the oven apart from the broccoli which only needed 6 mins in the microwave and the custard which was the instant sort so just needed some boiling water. I even did 4 2-portion lots of stuffing for the freezer.

We haven’t seen any of that yellow stuff at all today but the forecast is for sun tomorrow. I’ll believe it when I see it.

Afternoon All,

Dull here too but dry. Got the washing dry around the bungalow as it seemed damp outside with no air moving. We've also done a bit of clearing things ready for the new boiler to be fitted eg the top of the fridge freezer in the uti where we put all of OH's cereal. All the radiators are clear for them to drain anyway and I've tidied some things away. I think I will be wearing a warm fleece coat while they are here as doors will be open and no heating on for ages! OH will be ok warming up while he's out at meetings some of the time.

All the customer reviews on the window company's site are excellent, but I wish I'd looked further before we ordered as other review sites are pretty damning as I found last night. The site and paperwork is all very professional and good but others have had such poor service and even damage done to their property, no answer to their complaints etc. I suggested to OH that we just get the lock fixed and put up with the scratches rather than risk them causing bigger problems to be sorted out. At least the door fits well and looks good as it is and they said they would have to take it out to replace the sill. He was nodding before I finished telling and showing him what people have said. We'd like new windows and a roof on the conservatory and maybe new front windows in future, but they have lost the chance of getting that work. The company to avoid is Anglian Home Improvements. They and Everest are the worst according to one site I looked at.

Mmmm kitchens smell lovely when a Christmas Cake is cooking don't they Mandy. A friend had a catastrophe with hers last week when the loose bottom tilted and some of the cake mix fell through before she even got it in the oven. I think she managed to rescue most though.

Gwyn it seems strange to see so many things still flowering this late doesn't it. We have Violas still in flower and the hardy Fuschias are full of flower.

AnnG that was handy getting some things with money off at Dobbies. I was hoping to do that at the garden centre where we had brekkie the other day and had the trouble with the discount. The other tills there would have been fine as it was just the cafe one that didn't have the right barcode, but as we were about to look around we spotted an awful woman we used to work with years ago and couldn't face a chat with her so we sneaked out of the shop instead. Has anyone else done that before? lol. It sounds like you will have a nice show of bulbs .

Not trusting him with potting up the rest of your bulbs in pots then Vera, although I expect you usually do those anyway. At least there is less bending doing pots. It sounds like you will have a good show of bulbs in the spring.

Mel the ingredient in Cardicore is Bisoprolol anyway which is what I take, so I wouldn't have thought not getting your usual Cardicore would matter. I now have a month's tablets in hand in case of difficulties getting them. It's not good that you can't get 2 months meds when others in the country can. You'd think it would be the same everywhere. I didn't know both mowers were out of action, but it will be good to have a spare if the other can be repaired. I supppose you don't have mains drains where you are. Dad built the concrete cess pit at the bungalow we lived at in staffordshire when I was little. It was like an underground room covered with the garden and I didn't dare walk where it was after as I thought it might collapse and I'd fall in. Years after we moved, the new owners had no idea where it was when it needed emptying and had to contact dad via the estate agent to find out.

One of our 2 Co-op stores in the village is closing/ being taken over by another convenience store group. We have always been surprised we had two, but there are different Co-op groups and we had to use different member cards for them. I don't use either unless I have to, preferring to drive a couple of miles further to where it is easy to park.

The Asda driver was an hour late but a message said their tracking system is down and to claim any refunds online! The one sub has gone back. I'm sure they try fobbing us off with their own brands of things instead sometimes.

Windowcleaner tomorrow so an early start if we want to be showered before he's walking past the window he can see through. :-0

I am looking at Countryfile in one of mine and T’s favourite places in autumn. Westonbirt arboretum.

OO I forgot to say the suns been out here all afternoon and is just going down now.

He came and together we got the covers off and with one push he cleared it. It was'nt getting through the first little tank into the main tank so now its all working for the mo. We are going to get our tanks emptied as Stu has a man who does his so if there's two to do this way we will get them done together.

All I have had todayt is a coffee this morning , a milky one and three slices of toast and then a cuppa with Stu after doping the tank. He had a look at the old mower that you can't steer and said only one side has seized up on the steering and he can do that so he will come again with the right tolls to for that job. He also took the mig welder and the erm erm erm O yes Plasma cutter and helmet to see if he can sell those for me.

So a good afternoons work and I don't have to worry about how much water goes down the drain now so the washing machines on and I can do a load tomorrow when i strip the bed. Plus do all my fleeces ready for the winter.

We even have a lovely sunset. Bet it will be back to normal tomorrow..
I have planted 30 crocus and 7 small tulip bulbs in the planter plus three pansies, a thyme and a primula. I also put a few crocus and three pansies in a pot.