General Chat

Mine are 20 and 23 and they both drive so as an anxious parent I always want to know where they are going.. (dau is usually in work and son in Uni ) not what they are doing but it does help if they say otherwise :)
Paranoid mother !!!..lol

Do you have living aunt or uncles ? My remaining maternal aunt, who I think of as my mum now.. they were so alike is 89 ......?

Honesty was the main thing, which ironically can cause problems sometimes. If I don't want to offend someone I might have to find a way to say something without being untruthful, but I've been told my face always displays what I really think.

My son is at a disadvantage too. He can never hide anything from me. When he phoned home from uni I could tell in his voice if everything was OK or not but it might just take him a while to tell me what the problem was all along. You could say it's just a mother's intuition, but my daughter was different. At one stage she could be quite devious and I'd not realise. Thank goodness she's grown out of that.

If you have children - how d'you feel about not necessarily knowing exactly what they're doing all the time?

I'm due for a swine flu jab within the next couple of weeks because I have an impaired immune system due to chemotherapy. I will go to have it but if I was a young pregnant mum I wouldn't risk it.

What values were you taught by your parents when you were a child ?

Yes we've got a lot of berries around generally and I have to say I was wondering what winter would be like.

I had measles and chickenpox, but I've also had mumps 4 times! 3 times as a child and once as an adult when I was sent home from uni halls of residence to protect the young mens' manhood...

I've also had german measles 3 times. All since having the school innoculation and the one you have when you have your first ante-natal check up. The second time I thought I had a hangover after a good night out until the spots appeared by lunchtime. The third time it came on the day after I'd been helping run the toddler group I took my son to (he's now 24) and of course didn't realise I would be contagious/infectious (I get muddled between the two) so I had to get everybody informed as any of the other young mums might be pregnant. I felt awful for months until all the babies were born safely thank goodness. My dad's sister was born profoundly deaf and dumb for this reason and so was her husband.

I was listening to the radio yesterday and an NHS person who is having to encourage other health staff to take the swine flu jab said he is not sure he would have it himself because of it being very new and not enough evidence on the side effects front? How do you feel about things like that?

My grannie always thought that walking by the Gas Works and breathing in the fumes was a good cure for whooping cough, so my brother and I both whooping and wheezing were taken for a walk around our local one.
Another one was if the berries on the holly bush came out early it would be a hard winter.

Did you suffer any of the childhood illness's that babies today have a jab for ? I have had measles, scarlet fever, chicken pox and whooping cough during my younger years but escaped mumps and German measles

One of mine is "You know what thought did, followed a dustcart and thought it was a wedding?" That was one of Mum's and she got it amongst others from her mum (who I never met - she died the year before I was born). But apparently she had loads of others and plenty of old wives tales too, often with a country theme, like cows sit down if it's going to rain or cats wash behind their ears if it's going to rain.

Have you had any other old wives tales passed down the generations?

A big shop once a week to stock up the fridge and feezer and buy the animal's food. Shop more often for fresh fruit and veg. I mainly decide the day before what to have the next day as we freeze all the basic meats and I have a well stocked store cupboard of pastas, rice and tinned tomatoes etc..I try not to repeat the same meal very often apart from the Sunday roast when the family come round

Have you got a favourite saying that has been passed down from your Grannies and possibly their mothers as well ? Here are two of mine, "You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar" and "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger" both true.

We live quite high up, 1350ft, but Swowden is the highest.

Do you plan your meals and do a big shop, or shop daily ...?

If your dressed for it there is nothing better than walking along the sea front when it's wet and windy and the sea is coming up over the pavement. Brought up in Hastings so we did this quite a lot.


What is the highest hill/mountain that you have ever climbed or walked up ?

No not really, mine's always straight as a die. Used to dream of curly hair but I've given up. The only time the weather affects my hair is if I'm out in really pouring rain. But I love walking and will walk in almost any weather. Once on an autumn holiday in Dorset we went walking along the coast to Durdle Door in torrential rain with gales. It was absolutely exhilarating.

Is there anyone else mad like me who enjoys walking in bad weather?

I would have loved Dixxie Lixxies question
I Iron as least as possible, hubby's shirts are a must, and son's tops if he's on a good night out!

We live at 1350 ft so it is quite cold, but I haven't taking to wearing boots or jackets yet , I often have to wear my wet weather jacket ...light weight cos of the rain.

I have my nan's barometer,but can always tell by how the weather is if my hair is curly of frizzy in the morning i Pain !!!


Does the weather affect you hair...??

I only iron shirts and blouses, T.shirts, Trousers, Jeans, cotton hankies(my dad's he won't use paper tissues.) Duvet covers& pillow cases & Table cloths, (only used on a Sunday)
I never iron underwear or tea towels. Ironing is not a favourite job of mine and if I can do something else I will do instead of the ironing.



It's really getting quite chilly outside these days , have you started wearing your winter outdoor clothes yet, (warm coat & Boots)?

Probably, but then I do have the heat of an aga always there to help me out and save running the tumble dryer.

Do you iron everything or only what you think needs it? My mum used to starch most things and iron everything including pants and socks. I've always thought that was taking it too far.

It takes the fun/novelty out of buying them at Easter,Cadbury Cream Eggs can also be bought all year round now.

Have you finished with drying the washing outside until next year yet? have you put away or given up with your washing line?

Yes I'm afraid I do. I don't mean to be a spoilsport but I think the beginning tof December is plenty early enough, but I don't mind too much if they start prepareing in November. This year in the supermarkets there were Christmas items coming in alongside all the back to school stuff. I think it spoils the celebration if it goes on for too long. It's more special if you have to wait and anticipate it more.

What do you think about supermarkets making hot cross buns all year round?

No , I'm not at theatre goer...failed my English Lit at O Level !
Although I loved the arts, it's visual, and hands on, passed my Art and Pottery at A level.

Our town has it's Christmas lights up already.. Do you think it's too early..?

Although I retired a few years ago I have returned to my place of work to cover long term sick leave of the person that replaced me. As it's in the local Arts Centre and Theatre, it's a fun place to work even though it's in the finance office.

Do you visit the Theatre very often and if so what do you prefer to see ?

Just for once both ours are up to date with servicing, and our daughter's and our son's scooter. But yes, I put the pin in quickly and hoped the nasty numbers would go away too...

We've said we'll give our daughter a year from graduation and then she needs to let the moths out of her purse. Our son only just started riding so we've given him a year too.

I'll have been at my new job for a month by the end of the week having been a housewife for a year while we settled into our new area. Thought I may have made a mistake when I first started but I'm quite enjoying it now. I work the second half of the week on a job share, so I still have some time to myself.

Do you work? Full time, part time or not at all?

Yes, last week !..better to be safe than sorry. It's 3 yrs old but always done by a Corgi registered company.

If you have a car have you had that serviced for the coming winter..?

We have 3 that all come up for service at the same time !
Son's is still under warranty ,so had to have it done with the manufacturer at £250 odd whereas hubby's was £145 for service and MOT.( only a 54 plate )
Mine was similar ( 04 plate) but I just closed my eyes when I punched in my pin No.lol
Son say's he can't be doing with MOTs...!! Well he'll have to buy his own next car!!! Boys ☺☺

Straight hair, very straight! no need for straighteners although I do sometimes use them.

Have you had your heating serviced yet this year?