General Chat

Morning all. The weather is indeed the topic of our lives right now. Last winter we had 4 to 5 ft of snow. This year so far we have about 4 inches.
Global warming or cooling, whatever it is can just go away and let us get on with our normal stuff, thank you much ;-)
The cinnamon can be added to whatever you wish Les, I put it in plain yougurt and on different custard puddings. Also in sugar to sprinkle on toast. Along with the 2 ounces of extra dark belgian chocolate each day I manage to keep the pain gone, and although the damp wet days are a trial
I can get on with my day.
As I will be 77 in a few days I get around really well. I figure if chocolate and cinnamon can get me help to move I'm first in line. :-D
Making a big pot of potato leek soup today Fred. All the "old boys" in the complex always look forward to it. We will undecorate the place to- night
so if they are "souped up" they will help to clear all the decorations away. :Sometimes it pays to bribe folks.
Mary hope things in your world are getting a little easier for you. Think of you often and send good wishes your way.
Time to get the day going so bye for now. Edith <3

Morning to all from a bare looking house ,all the dec's down ,and looking rather forlorn ,he he ,oh well ,never mind ,after all it's only 350 odd days until they go up again ,and it starts all over again ,Fred Now ducks to avoid the many missiles coming his way. :-P.
I have been taking cod liver oil and omega three ,and two fot the arthritis for a year,and have now found another capsule with added Glucemide in as well,and got them from the chemist,so i am going to give them a go to see if the added ingredient helps at all.
The capsules work well,but any help is welcome as i still get the odd day when i feel a tad under the weather with the knees ,
Trouble with cinnamon in this country is the cost ,still ,if these new tablets don't improve the knees at all ,i may have to bite the bullet and give it a go.
At last the winds have abated ,but as in canada ,there has been a load of damage done here ,and the changes in the seasons means a lot of rethinking in construction is needed ,re new buildings.
We have a new school here ,in Scotswood ,built on the highest point on the valley side ,and completed last year .
You would have thought being built in so exposed a place ,great thought would have gone into the planning and construction before the build started ? ,but no ,despite the worsning weather conditions over the last three years,they muddled on ,as is normal in Britain.
The result ? two days ago in the storm force winds ,the whole roof was ripped off leaving the school open to rain storm and winds getting inside the whole building complex resulting in much damage in classrooms ,offices and corridors ,,some building companies never learn to move with the times,hopefully the insurance firms will find the build classed as sub standard for the area ,and refuse to pay out leaving the construction firm with the full bill for the repairs,maybe that will put pressure on the industry to get their act together. :-|.
We too have a nice ,sunny and cold morning so i will have a quick look outside to check the garden ,before doing a few jobs in the house.
Catch you later all,hope all are safe and well.Fred,and the two bosses <3 :-D.xxx

Snap Fred!! We had butter chicken, naan and Basmati rice...great minds and all that. Tonight it will be ravioli and Norm's delish home made spaggetti sauce.
Well finally today you can see some blue sky but it is still showering in between. Locally we have had the highest recorded rainfall since records were started.
Got the grocery shopping all done yesterday, thank goodness, not my most favourite thing. Anyway apart from extra veg we are good for the month.
Thanks for the tip Edith about cinnamon....I have but one problem with it though...I cannot stand the taste of the stuff. Wonder if it come in tablet form???
Hi Mary, hope all is well with you.
Lesxx

Morning folks,where ever you are,seems we are all back in the winter mode ,we too have had heavy rain ,and storms that have rattled the roofs and brought trees and power lines down.
One poor fella a mile away in Slatyford had a tree with a diameter of about four feet sheared off at the base and toppled across his drive destroying his brand new Christmas present car ,what a bummer for him ,but at least there were no injuries or damage to the house .
My water butt i am going to have to tie down in some way ,he he ,this morning it was outside the back door 20 feet from where it was last night ,lol.
I will try the Cinnimon too Edith ,thanks for that ,it might help the old knees a little ,if you know what i mean,as i have mentioned before ,this gettin' old isn't all it's cracked up to be.
Nice to see you back on the sewing Les' and i'm sure the grand daughter is going to love the clothes when she gets them.
Hope the house sale goes well for you ,and your new place is a lot closer to family than you are at the minute ,mind you ,sometimes this has an adverse effect :-( though i'm sure it won't happen in your case , i have my family less than two miles two twenty miles away ,and don't see much of them from one month to another ,he he ,but i suppose they all have their own lives to lead ,and i'm sure that if things were to go wrong here ,a phone call is all it would take for someone to show up quickly.
We too are in soup making mode after the corned beef and slow cooker last week ,lol [very nice it was too ] at the shop yesterday we got two very large bundles of Asparagus ,and my missus says ,you put the new printer on line ,and i will make the soup ,fair doo's and all that ,AND i get a break from the cooking.
Dinner today ,something wholesome and warm ,a nice Madras curry with Naans ,and Basmati Rice [yum] and later on a nice little party tea.
Off now to do a bit of housework ,and tie that ruddy barrel down before it migrates again ,he he ,the winds are expected to come back this afternoon,courtesy of the weaker ,shifting gulf stream that allows the cold winds to howl across from north America & Canada ,brrrrrr.
Poor Mary ,on the other hand is struggling with very hot arid conditions ,plus grass fires not all that far away,surely there is some place in the world where there is a happy medium ,sigh , he he.
Catch you later all you happy souls ,Fred& Hissy,& the long suffering wife . :-D <3 xxx.

A quick reply to Les. Add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon to your diet daily
and the arthritis will simmer down. I have used this since I was
diagnosed 3 yrs ago and it really does make a diiference. All the
pain does not go away but it makes it easier to do things.
Bye for now. Edith <3

We are in the middle of a monsoon!! We have had heavy (and I mean heavy) rain for the last 2 days and expected to continue until Thursday complete with high winds. Our back yard is quagmire and keeping Bella from getting mud up to her armpits has become a full time job.Yuk!!

Made an amazing slow cooker chili a couple of days ago, probably the best chili I have ever made.This weather is stew, chili and soup weather for sure.

Not sewing at the moment, Edith but will have to start soon as I promised Rhian some doll clothes for her birthday. Plus I still have one outfit to finish from before christmas....my arthritis in my hands was so painful, just couldn't do anymore.

Grocery shopping today and then will go around the house and make a list of all that needs to be done before we try to sell this place. We hope to have it up for sale by the end of March. Meanwhile I have to junk out all of my accumulated rubbish, you know, a pile for a yard sale, a pile for the Goodwill and a pile for the garbage.

More later. Lesxx

Morning everyone, We are now back into proper winter weather. Have had 3 days of biting cold wind and snow flurries,so this a.m the temp is lower and no wind. So a good day ahead.
Had a quiet New Year's eve, then on 1st we had a fabulous fireworks for our 100th birthday. The mayor and wife held a Levee dressed in 1912 costumes and the mayor of Dryden and wife came dressed for 1912 as well. Looks like a busy year ahead with many many family and school reunuions planned. Just wondering where all these folks will sleep. I hope they bring along the campers, r.v's etc.
Our small town will surely increase in size for the summer season.
Enjoyed the Kathy story Les, guess you are back home now. Time for more sewing???
Fred, I am into the soup making again, turkey bones started it and now will make some beef barley. Once I deliver a helping to each one around the complex the pot is usually empty. Enjoy making it however and the old fellows do enjoy it.!!
Time for my breakfast so bye for now. Love Edith <3

Morning Edith,Les' Mary and anyone else who pops up,well ,i too had a lovely Christmas a quiet New year ,and am enjoying a nice sit down while the dinner cooks ,a Shepherds Pie ,with a couple of veggies ,sigh ,nice to get back to simple fare after all the rich food.
I was dreading the first blood test of the new year but was suprised to see the test was pretty normal, 4.6,which was only a tad up on the normal 4.6 .so i have been pretty sensible.
Poor Cathy ,the turkey ,ham cooking sounded horrendous ,but what a brilliant outcome after the fire service stepped in ,wow ,what a brilliant bunch of guys ,even for Christmas ,that was pretty special ,and well done to them all.
Yes i hope your marties continue to do well for you Mary ,you could do with some better luck this year and i will be keeping my fingers crossed for you,hoping the weather is going to be a lot nicer than it has been of late.
Looks like your snow is coming our way Edith ,as are the storms and torrential rain,looks like we will be hit late tonight and through tomorrow ,followed by icy conditions and snow .lol.still be have had mild ,nice weather for a good three weeks now ,so the colder wild weather is about due .
Going to have a lazy afternoon and evening before the fun begins ,lol,so i will catch you all later .Fred. :-) :-D <3,xxx

Happy New Year!!
And a good start to 2012 with a Kathy story....wow! we haven't had one of these for ages.

So Kathy had a houseful of people on xmas eve and they didn't leave until midnight. She was pretty tired but got the turkey ready and bunged him in the oven. She set the alarm for 6.30...time to take out the bird. The alarm goes off, Kathy staggers half asleep to the kitchen, lifts out the turkey and in doing so spilled all of the juices and fat into the oven. Oh well, she thinks, I will clean that when I get up....and she goes back to bed.

At 10.30 she wakes up and comes down to the kitchen, gets the ham out of the fridge and turns ON the oven. The phone rings, it is her cousin in England so she chats andchats and then........there was an ear splitting bang and the oven exploded. Norm she yells dial 911 and pretty soon there were 2 firetrucks and an ambulance at her door. They sucked out all the smoke, thank god there was no fire!! So now our Kath is in tears. Norm, she says, you will have to go over to dad's and get his stove (huh!!) I have to cook xmas dinner. Norm replies we'll get pizza. Kathy is beside herself and so the lovely fireman took her oven apart, fixed it, checked and said...there you are and merry christmas.
Doncha just love her!!!

Had a quiet New Year's Eve but managed to stay up until midnight. Another quiet day today wth left overs. Made all kinds of resolutions...we'll see.
More later. Les
<3

Morning all,, We have summer starting to creep in ..warming up each day this week...
Want to wish you all a very Happy New Year and may this year bring nothing but good things.. <3
YYYAAAHH The sun came out and I have 1 flower on my tommies..heres hoping that more follow..my silver beet need harvesting again,, it just grows and grows.. :-D
Johns hearing aide went the way of all hearing aides in hospitals,,to the big dump in the sky,,thank goodness he still has one good ear,,he will need a new one when he gets out and this time I hope it will be a free one as the one he lost cost $4000 ..We have applied for free hearing aides from the gov. being pensioners, but havent heard back yet due to the holidays and nobody working over them...just a pain in the neck ,,I dont need one but good to have the card to get a free one if ever I need it..
Lots of washing to do today from all the daughter and family being here and so better get to it..
Have a lovely day all..

Love Mary xxx <3

Morning all, Just a quick pop in to wish everyone a Happy New Year.

Thanks for the card Fred. Look forward to another year of good friends

and neighbours news and jokes. May you all stay well and happy.

Love to all, Edith <3

Good morning all you out there wherever you are and whoever you may be ,from a chilly but dry north of England.
Well Mary ,your news regarding John has cheered me up no end ,it must be a relief to find that things are not as bad as you feared ,a nicer start to a new year for you ,anyway.
It's nice that you have had family there over Christmas ,and i hope that you do manage to get to see your family again while John is in respite ,it gives you a change of scenery too :-).
Today is cook the corned beef so that by the time it is cold and firmed up in the fridge ,there will be beef as well as turkey on the menu new years day ,well worth waiting for :-D,along with the new tatties from the garden ,our own brussels and cabbage,and the salted down parsnips from the freezer ,lol.
Hope everyone has a nice New Year ,and enjoys a bit of R & R,Have a good'un Peeps ,Fred is off duty now ,and after a cuppa ,is gonna be busy installing the new Wi fi printer for the missus ,and is then going to fire up his new kindle for the first time . :-D.
See you asll tomorrow ,i hope ,all being equal .Fred & liz <3 xxx

Hi everyone.. We have lovely weather at the moment..mild..

Well that broken leg is not a broken leg..The radiographer was referring to Johns broken ankle and not a new break,, thank goodness..one big break is enough..two more weeks in the hospital and then to respite in a private hospital for 2 weeks and then to rehab hospital for how long I dont know..So far his other leg is working just a little so hope they can strengthen it at rehab as it will make life so much easier if he can stand on one leg when transferring him in and out of chairs and bed,. Life is not going to be easy.. I will need some help, but that will all be sorted out when it is time for him to come home..

Daughter and family go home tomorrow, and life reverts back to normal. It is lovely having her here but I might manage a trip up to see them while John is in rehab..

HAd a lovely Christmas despite JOhn being in hospital..Hope you all did to and now its time to start that DIET... :-D :-D :-D The weather couldnt not have been more perfect Edith so keep that snow for now.. :-D :-D

Keep warm you lot ooop there...and dont get drunk on New Years eve... :-D ;-) :-P

Love Mary xxx :-)

Morning all, Everything done and dusted and yes, Fred we have snow.
Had a bit Chritmas eve and a little more each day has done the trick.
A lovely dinner with family and friends,gifts that are usable(love that) so no
complaints at all.
Looking forward now to the 100th anniversary of our town. Fireworks on New Years Eve, with the Mayors Levee on New Years Day.Our Mayor and his wife will be dressed as they would have in 1912 so should be fun.
Our Bluebarry Festival has been officially ranked number 9 in all of Canada so that is a real feather in our cap :-D They are planning many more events for this year so should be a fun summer.
Glad you had the family to help you through the holidays Mary, were you able to watch the "bear" e-mail I sent???
Sounds like you had a great time Les. Little ones make the day so much fun. :-Will you go back home for New Years?
Fred, almost time to get the seed catalogs out and plan the garden for next year :-D :-D I still have not taken a pic of my balcony for you but will try tonite.
Time to get some coffee and start the day so bye for now. Edith <3

Morning to Les' Mary ,and Edith ,from Newcastle ,where it is lovely and mild.
The corned beef is due to be cooked tomorrow ,yum ,so i will def' be having a corned beef sarnie for new years tea ,lol.
THe turkey sounds nice Les' but a frisky one like that is no good to me ,it would take me all day to catch the beggar he he .
Wow Mary thank good ness you have your family around you for Christmas ,to take your mind off John's troubles ,i hope he recovers and is home before long ,poor fella will be chomping at the bit by now ,wanting to be in his own house .
Have to go now and get the dinner on ,sensible food today ,lol,a nice jacket with tuna filling ,even the cat is fed up with poultry and is hanging about ,lol,she ain't daft ,knowing jackets means Tuna .
Hope everyone is having a nice time despite the lousy weather and storms out there ,we have the best of it this Christmas ,dry ,and very mild.
Hope you on the other hand Edith ,have the snow you wanted ,catch you all later ,Fred :-D <3 xxx :-)

Well that was one long reply that I have lost....Have to now condense it..

Had a lovely Christmas Day.. and am lucky to have my daughter and family from Orange her staying with me..John could not come out as he could not manage it ..He has a painful knee and he was to have x ray of his hip as they thought he might damage it but John told them to add his knee to the x ray as his knee was very painful..Well they found he had a BROKEN LEG AS WELL.. :-D :-D :-D Waiting for the specialist to see it as he should have had it x rayed when he came into the hospital..AH well whats another problem when you have so many... :-D

Hope you all had a lovely Christmas and I had a lovely one with my family..

Go easy on the diet.. Eating leftovers as I am probably... :-D :-D

Love Mary xxxx <3 :-)

we have austin, the turkey, cooking since 6 this morning. he got a bit frisky and popped his legs in the air and knocked the lid off the roasting pan...lol. nicky got him from an organic place, all 22lbs....at a phenomenal $88. guess she won't do that agin.
rest of the gang will be here by 2 this aft...then it will be pressie time. yup fred will trade recipes with you later.
have a fabulous day y'all
lesxx

Just a quick one because Fred Is busy in the kitchen too ,including MY own recipe [swap you Les,?.
Glad to hear you are having a great time in the city ,he he ,count your blessings Lass ,we have to shop there most of the time ,and i dream of yesteryear when the missus and i used to our Christmas shopping in Louth ,in Lincolnshire ,sooo much more laid back and civilized sigh.
Off to fight with the meat now ,still getting used to the new oven ,and have singed a little ,the bird wings ,what the heck :-0 .
Catch you later peeps ,have a great day all. :-D Fred.

Hi Everyone, here I am at Nicky's on Norm's mac...and it all works. Nicky and I spent yesterday shopping...what a mad house. After coming from Port Alberni, sleepy hollow, to the big city...wow!! the traffic is horrendous and everybody in a rush and frazzled. Anyway we got all our stuff done and today we (me!!!) am going to precook the stuffing (my special recipe) and the scalloped potatoes. Nicky has already cooked the ham this morning. We maybe 9 or 10 or even 12 for dinner tomorrow.
Watched a kids movie last night called Gnomeo and Juliet. Elton John directed and it was mostly his music. Lot's of recognizable voices for the characters....good thing for an evening filled with laughter and chinese take away!! Anyway watch that if you get a chance. Tonight we are watching Cowboys and Aliens.
Good to hear from you Mary, take good care of yourself and also the rest of you. Keep safe and well and warm.
Love Lesxx

hi Edith ,may i suggest trying Yahoo Canada as a quicker browser than MSN ?
i use the uk/oz browser to talk to you ,and Bill and find it easy to use ,and their Messenger is far quicker ,and better than MSN.
i Have also gone one stage further and use Google as my default server instead of Internet explorer.
Hope you enjoy your time with the rellies Les' and i'm sure Bella and Ollie [bless them ] will forgive you for taking a short break,which you need after all that needlework you have been doing ,but i bet the bairn will love her aprons and give you loads of hugs . :-).
As Edith says ,have a great time all,and a special hug for Mary who will be ultra busy shuttling back and forth to visit Hubby in hospital ,our thoughts are with you old friend ,god bless all ,Fred,Liz & Hissy