General Chat

Morning to all and a special hello to our seamstress ,lol.well done there Les, i don't know how you even managed the clothes with hands as bad as you have,all i can say is ,i'm glad it's my leg and hips rather than the hands , :-(.
I would shortly start making noises with Litigation with a certain surgeon ,if your ongoing problem isn't sorted soon ,a damned disgrace is all it can be called . :-|.
Been busy first thing this mporning getting the wifes new puter set up ,programmed ,and running ,but now ,having done that i have given it over to the bos lady to put all her gubbins in ,lol,just as well too ,because the chaps are here and are installing the new porch cover ,and i can't hear myself think ,those hammer drills are making one hell of a noise .
I went out earlier and played hell with the men on the flat demolition ,they were going at it hammer and tongs ,clouds of dust everywhere ,so bad i couldn't see up the road ,so i took two pics of the crane they were using ,shrouded in dust ,and then went to see the foreman,telling him that if he didn't stop the work until he damped down the sight first with water ,the way he was supposed to ,i would be on the phone to the enviroment agency ,before i phoned his boss ,and the health agency to put an official complaint in to them ,ruddy clowns that they are :-| .
It worked anyway ,work stopped until they got a Bowser out and sprayed the whole area before starting again .
The curry i brought last night from Morrisons was a disaster ,tasting foul ,both the green curry ,and the red ,tasting of nothing but salt and sugar ,disgusting ,and a complaint will be going in there as well ,when we go next ,lol,in future i will be making all my own .
To add insult to injury ,i put Master Chef on the T V as soon as we got into bed to cheer us both up .and where were the team last night? in Malasia that's where ,lol,doing al sorts of curries from a food market where the locals all eat out the food being all world class fare ,sniffle whaaaaaa. lol. talk about turning the screw ,my poor tummy was still feeling the effects of that horrible dinner too .
The four chefs left in the show did very well though ,later ,in the best hotel in the area ,putting on a feast for the crown prince and twenty guests ,and the glowing recommendations they all got were well deserved ,the two show mentors loving the food they made too.
Hope you are managing well too Mary ,as Les says ,keep on asking for as much help as you can get ,its as much for you as for John.
I have had a good chuckle this morning at Edith's emails ,keep 'em coming please ,the last two had me in stitches ,and i have passed them along to family members.as normal.
Off to check the wife's puter for her ,the platform she is using is different to what she is used too ,but all her games and other apps are on there ,it's just finding them ,lol,if she can't get used to it ,i can upgrade to vista ,or windows 7 ,as i have both discs in the files.
Catch you both later everyone ,take care all ,Fred <3 xxx.

I have given up on the dolls clothes but have taken some pics which I will send along so that you can take a peek. Now I am sewing an outfit that was meant to be done for christmas but my arthritus in my hands was too bad. This current outfit has the worst pattern I have ever used and the instructions mostly read like gibberish. I notice the pattern has a second language - spanish - and I think that the english is the translation not the other way round. Anyway has to be finished today and in the mail tomorrow.

We will not be going over for Rhian's birthday as I have to have surgery next week on my ongoing problem which still isn't healed. I am not best pleased about all of this and if I ever see the doc that did the first op I shall give him a piece of my mind. This whole episode has just left me weary of just about everything. I did however find some waterproof film and so have been able to shower daily since I found it last week. You can hear my watery yells of joy clear down the street I think.

Mary you take good care and get as much help as you possibly can...ask and ask again.

Fred and Edith, anything good cooking with you??? I have been on a comfort food binge as our weather got cold again. They were calling for snow yesterday and today but the storm went north of us and so only a little rain....thank goodness.

Off to sew.
Lesxx

Morning all, This is one of the weeks I feel like only half of me is here.
There is so much going on in our town and of course I have volunteered for several "little" chores. Some days I wish a fairy would come and sew my mouth shut. :-)
Any how I will do what I have to and enjoy it. :-S Our weather is warm again and water running in the streets,now I see the forecast is for a dump of snow coming from Colorado(U S) so may have to shovel the stuff to get my car out. Time to get off the soap box :-D
You are so lucky Fred to have blooms already, it will be a while yet before ours show their heads above the snow.
Mary, I hope you get some help soon.I spent a lot of years lifting and moving folks about and it was hard work, but I was also 30 yrs. younger
Keep nagging the folks in charge to get on the job before you get worn out completely.
Have you finished the dolls wardrobe yet Les? I was aked to make some barbi clothes before Christmas and I refused very quickly. It is such fun trying to put tiny sleeves on a tiny coat :-D
Time to hit the road so it's bye for now. Edith <3

Well ,morning folks ,from a nice mild 17c North east of England ,where things are stirring in the house ,lol
Out is one of the drills ,charging up ,ready to put drainage holes in two large urns for the front garden ,replacing two that the frosts broke ,and the two new onion boxes for the back border.
It's time to turn out the first tattie barrel today and the old compost is going to fill,the boxes and urns because ,after four years of re using the barrel compost is at an end ,new gear needed this year.
So it is going to be a busy week lol,this ,and the arrival of the wifes new puter ,which will need setting up and her programmes put onto the hard drive ,and ,as if that is not enough ,a new front porch canopy is being fitted on Friday ,the old one being tatty old ,and leaking like our kitchen collander.
Hope the plans for the 6th are going to plan Les ,and the clothes are finished in time for the day.
Hope Mary is enjoying a bit of a rest after the company went home ,and hope our Edith is enjoying a well earned rest after feeding all those hungry people over the winter ,good on yer lass ,we could do with loads more people like you in this sorry ,sad world.
Have to go now ,i have a drill calling my name ,stay safe everyone ,and take it easy ,Fred. :-D xxx <3

A good morning to all ,and welcome to another weekend :-).
Havn't tried the recipe of yours yet Edith ,as i am trying to get a lot of stuff used up that we cluttering the freezers ,time for Perogies when it warms up a tad ,maybe at the back end of next week when we are promised a day or two of 18/19 c temperatures ,and perogies would make a nice patio type meal ;-).
Something came in to the puter ,embedded in that email Edith ,but your clever anti virus stopped it from opening and infecting the hard drive ,your cousin needs a virus scan on his emails ,to prevent him sending out bugs and whatever.though it has to be said ,a few anti virus programmes can be fooled into thinking an email has a virus when it hasn't,but better to ere on the side of safety. :-|.
I have had my email off the sale team to say that the wife's new tower is on it's way ,so ,apart from Monday when i go to the clinic to have my tootsies seen to ,we can go nowhere until it arrives as i don't fancy going twenty odd miles in the car to Sunderland to pick it up.
I am glad to hear that you enjoyed your company Mary ,it makes a change to see old ,or new faces every so often so that you can keep up with the family news ,and whatever .
I know what you mean about John ,and you need to use all the help that's offered you ,and push for extra where ever you think it might help ,things such as stair lifts ,grab bars ,and bathing facilities anything to make YOUR life easier ,hubby will be needing more and more support as time goes on ,as you are well aware .
I am the lucky one ,because although Liz is now very slow ,she is still mobile ,and can still do a lot for herself ,although the house work ,most of the cooking and other stuff ,i have to do ,and thankfully ,i can still cope with,though when the garden time comes round i have to plan well ahead to fit everything in :-).
Sounds as though Bella and possibly Ollie dined well Les ,he he ,don't be too worried about the bones ,Bella is a big lass ,and won't chew too much ,preffering to gulp food ,so the bones will more than likely pass through her system without damage ,looks like you got conned with that one ,lol.
I think you are right to be concerned with the wound ,so many bugs are becoming immune to anti -biotics these days owing to over use by the medical practices that one has to be veeery careful.
I am taking the advise of my bro' in law who has worked for twenty years at the Alford & louth hospitals and has seen many operations go wrong because of this problem and i will NOT be hsving any hip ,or knee replacements ,no matter what ,i would rather put up with the pain ,than be laid on my back for months ,i can't afford that with my missus needing support :-|.
Hope eveyone id hsasving a chance to relax a little this weekend ,even Les who is very busy with birthday presents and sewing needles,but i suppose it's helping to keep the hands supple even if it hurts some of the time , i will know that feeling in a couple of weeks when the tools and mower comes out of hibernation ,ouch and groan ,lol :-( aaaaar well ,into each life a little rain must fall] :-D.
Catch you all later guys ,stay safe in all you do ,Fred <3xxx

HI everyone.. We have about the first week of hot weather and a few days of sunshine..cant believe its nearly autumn,,not that I am complaining though..just love it....

Well John came home last Tuesday and a half hour later Michael and Penny and Penny's cousins turned up..We had a cup of coffee and a lovely getting to know you chat..It was so nice to meet someone from here and they are lovely people..They are in Cairns north Queensland at the moment so will be very humid and steamy there as it is the wet season..Not the best time to go but when you have time restraints it is take it or leave it.. Hope they enjoy their stay in OZ..

John needs a lot more help now that he did before the accident..My day is taken up looking after him..a lot more to do..have a lady coming out on 13/3 to see what help they can give me,,here hoping..

Fred. Just you look after yourself my man..don't want you getting sick..I haven't had the time to look at my garden for a while and think some horrid insects are munching away on my plants,,Gave them a good spray yesterday but hope that will fix them for a while..

Les..Hope Bella enjoyed her chicken dinner... :-D :-P :-) ;-) :-D :-D :-

Edith.. Enjoy your last pot of soup..bet the people in your complex will be sorry ...I am sure they enjoyed it..

Well better get and do things..Do stay well everyone..

Love Mary xxxx <3 <3

No Edith I am sewing dolls clothes for the fair Rhian's birthday. Even tho it is for an 18 inch doll, the necks and armholes are murder. I have made five items so far...might stick at that.

Wet snow and rain here today but my primroses are flowering and my Leopards Bane is getting greener and bushier by the day.

Wierd thing happened last night. I roast a chicken. Norm always takes off the breasts and then all the skin which he broils until crispy...a favourite treat for him. So all goes as usual and then when it was time to clear up....we couldn't find the legs and thighs...anywhere. I have searched again this morning, thought I might have put them in the pot to make stock...but nope!! missing. I did wonder if Bella had got them but so many bones I am sure she would hace choked.....most strange.

I nothing else to tell, mostly housebound, still getting my dressing changed by the district nurse....if it doesn't heal soon I may have to consider getting a bit of legal advice, its been almost 6 weeks...depressing and wearying.

Later Lesxx.

Morning Fred and all. Here goes again. Seems there is something going around that is playing with my p.c. Had an e-mail from my cousin over there and I had to shut the power off to get rid of it?????
Any way, things are not too bad here, lots of soft fluffy snow but as it is so light not much is staying, seems to melt quickly. Oh, spring please hurry :-|
How lucky you are to have the bulbs blooming I really love to see the daffs every spring. Our spring usually starts out grey and messy when the snow melts so the flowers are lovely after all that mess.
How did the perogies turn out? Am making my last big pot of soup this next week and then the folks here in the building are on their own until next fall :-)
Wonder what has happened to Les? Perhaps she's under a pile of fabric sewing aprons again.
Hope all the others are well. Will say bye for now. Edith <3

Morning Edith ,sorry to hear you are still having bother getting post's on Genes ,and i know what you mean having had bother myself adding to my other usual thread this morning ,and that's with the distance from Newcastle to London ,area wise ,it must be much harder for you over in the Northern climbs.
I think the browser some people use has a lot to do with it ,Internet Explorer being slow at the best of times,i issss spoilt for choice ,having three browsers i can shuttle between.
If it gets much noisier here Edith ,you will be able to hear the racket outside the hose from here ,lol,the demolition of the multi-storey flats has just about reached us ,and the noise of jack hammers and the pile driver are getting closer and closer :-(.
Come next week ,probably Monday ,they will be starting on the last block ,at the end of the street ,so i reckon Liz and i will be in town each day to get away from the noise and dust for as long as we can ,lol :-|
The tattie barrel is having to wait too ,it's nice and mild outside ,around 9c ,but the drizzle continues ,and no way am i working in the garden ,getting wet ,lol,it can wait a few more days.
The little border inside the drive gate is awash with colour ,the Snowdrop ,crocus ,and othe spring bulbs showing their heads,along with the first of the dwarf daffodills over near the lawn out front ,lol,i think spring is about here ,yippee :-D.
Liz's old puter has at last given up the ghost ,but ,well i have been expecting it for a good while now ,and so ,i ordered another on for her this morning ,a nice 4 gig ram ,massive cpu ,and a 190 gig hard drive ,with the blue ray dvd that she has been on about for long enough.
It should keep her happy ,and busy ,because i will be leaving her to instal the printer ,wi fi module ,and upgrade the windows platform herself ,that should keep her out of my hair for a few hours ,he he.
Hope everyone is okay over there ,and is looking forward to to weekend, catch you later all ,Fred,off to look for something for the dinner . :-D <3 xxx

HI, after trying to post for 2 days I give up and will try maybe tomorrow.
Stay well all. Edith
<3

Morning all you peoples out there from a bit milder Newcastle ,in the old country .
Things are hotting up [pun] with temperatures expected to reach 14c within a couple of days ,yippee ,time to get the fork out of hibernation ,i hope he he :-).
Had an email off our Mary this morning ,telling me ,in reply to my enquiry that they are okay ,on a hill above Sydney ,well above the flood plain ,so i feel a lot better now .
Hope everyone else is bearing up too ,more so the ones within bear country ,where the pesky varmints will awaken shortly from their winter slumber ,hungry and a little short tempered.
Well ,me sugar levels are back to normal ,so i celebrated last night ,gently ,by making a Thia green curry for tea ,that one because it has a far lower sugar content than the red varieties.
If we get two days of dry weather this week ,i will be turning the first tattie barrel out to see what they are like ,hopefully ,many ,nice ,big ones so that i can do a lot of jackets for dinners .lol
I think either next week ,or the week after ,we wil need to be going out each day to get away from the noise of the demolition of the flats over the road.
They are getting very close now ,and the noise of the pile driver and jack hammers are becoming very intrusive,but at least in four weeks at most ,it will all be done and dusted:-D .
Time to go and get some work done people ,time waits for no one ,grrrrr ,lol.
Catch you all later ,Fred. <3 xxx

Morning to all ,from a sunny ,mild [now] morning after a petty heavy frost ,ah well ,next week it is supposed to be very mild ,and i may get out front and turn out at least one of my tattie barrels hoping for a nice crop of succulent .Charlotte's :-).
Thanks our Edith ,he he ,i hadn't thought of doing that ,lol,the old grey matter isn't working too well lately . :-(.
Yes Les 'your dad is still in full control of his memory as regards homes for the eldely,and srewed up laws in this country.
The government say that taking a house off anyone in care is illegal ,and yet allowes councils to do just that with their consent,absolutely bonkers .
The only way round it in this country is to leave your house in trust for your children ,or make a legal gift of it to someone ,but in the case of gift ,it has to be a minimum three years before care homing.
The only other way to avoid this legal theft [sic] is to refuse to be sent to any care home ,and stay in your own home ,no matter what,in my case i will be doing just that ,but the house was willed to my children five years ago ,and cannot be touched because with the will ,it is ,in fact in trust now.
Iremember my great aunt ,who was in a private nursing home in Amersham in bucks ,paying over £900 a week for her care ,just as well the poor dear was very well off with lots of tied properties she got rents for all her life,this old homeland of mine is crazy to say the least.
I worked for a lousy pittance all my life ,rather than sign on the dole ,meaning the people on said dole ,had a better income ,and got all the fringe benefits i couldn't get ,a wage so low i couldn't even take out a private pension for later in life ,i retire to find out i am better off than i ever was while working ,and now ,my pension is STILL taxed ,no perishing wonder so many people are dole livers ,and us poor gits that struggle to live in work ,pay for these leeches ,who live the life of Riley [whoever he is ,lol].
Don't get me wrong ,no genuine recipient of welfare will ever be looked down by me ,but why ,oh why has it taken thirty years for these politicans to wake up and smell the coffee.
Now ,in the light of the state of the euro-community ,millions out of work and every one in debt wanting hand outs ,the euro M Ps want a pay rise ? i would be cutting their saleries ,and telling them to get off their fat butts and do the work they are paid for :-| .
Vote for Fred ,lol and start putting Britain right ,it' s about time someone did:-|.
No sign of our Grandson this weekend so maybe at last his dad is doing something with him instead of leaving him out in the cold ,i sometimes wonder if i failed my children's up bringing somewhere with only one of the four in a stable relationship ,where on earth did my wife and i go wrong? i often wonder.
The missus is doing the dinner todsy ,a nice piece of roast pork ,with all the trimmings including my special sage and onion stuffing with apple and nutmeg in ,which i took out of the freezer last night,and the usual roast tatties and onion ,and we even have a rhubarb crumble for pudding made with a packet of crumble topping which has oats as well as the usual ingredients in,but no sugar :-).
Is the weather really gone potty over there as well as over here people ?
I went out back last night to find a blackbird egg ,broken on the ground ,not unusual in itself because we have Magpies around ,but in the middle of February? blackbirds here don't reckon to start nesting and laying eggs until the middle of next month at the earliest.
We have Crocus up ,bluebell starting to sprout and the snowdrop are about done for the season ,and we even have Swallows ,flying around ,well over a month early ,strange goings on indeed. :-S.
Sounds like the tablets you are on are simular to my Atenanol Les' ,both to regulate the ticker rate,both doing a good job,so i can't complain he he ,i wouldn't be on this mortal coil without them ,that's for sure.he he.
Time i was away folks ,my jobEVERY week cooking the actual meals or no ,is to do a nice meaty gravy something the wife never does ,her's is a case of one lump or two ,he he ,but that may be a case of her being crafty rather than being unable to master the use of cornflour instead of ready mix ,yuk :-0.
Hope everyone is hving a good weekend ,Fred <3xxx

Hello all , Fred if you go back to Jan 31 on our Canuck's site you will find the recipe for perogies.
I just scrolled back a bit and found it.
Take care with all your meds changing, sometimes it is good to just sit and not bustle about.
Good luck with the recipe and when your ready I have a "heart" healthy recipe for soup that is very good.
Weather changing again, don't know what's coming next but will be ready for whatever it is.
Be back again soon. Edith <3

Sorry to hear about your heart scare Fred and glad that you are now OK. I take metoprolol to steady my heart, wonder if its similar??

Supposed to snow here tomorrow, just won't give up!! Norm went and got a huge pile of wood brought in so that he wont have to fight the white stuff if it comes.

Just done some reading on Englands strange and weird (I would have thought illegal) laws regarding personal possessions if you need to go into a home. When my Dad told me it was about 600 pounds a week I was gob smacked and thought he was confused but it can be that expensive. So if your pension doesn't cover it (and whose would?) then they are free to empty your bank account and take your house. What's your take on this Fred??
If my Dad cannot cope any longer then it makes me wonder if we should come over but then what would we do with Bella and Ollie?? All a bit of a worry at the moment.

Mary I sure hope you get lots of good help when John comes home. We don't want you to get overtired and get sick. Life isn't always easy is it?

Having a lazy day today. More later. Lesxx

Afternoon all ,so far a nice mild day but the temperature is dropping rapidly now .with severe frost and possibly snow overnight into tomorrow .
Glad to hear that John is due home Mary ,i know it means you are going to be extra busy what with now being a main carer ,but i remember when Liz was last in hospital ,a lot easier for me what with less work to do ,but i was like a little lost sheep with no one to look after ,boy ,was i pleased when the hospital said i could bring her home :-).
Yes old buddy ,the Perogies were a big hit and we both enjoyed them a lot ,but Edith ,if you look in ,i now fancy trying them your way ,so ,please ,the recipe would be nice ta.
I am feeling well now after a bit of a scare early in the week ,my specialist decided that i had been on my old heart calming tablet too long and put me on a new one ,and within a few hours i was in hospital after my blood pressure dropped like a brick ,and i was having severe palpitations .
I am now on atenenol instead ,and i am back to normal ,so i went to the surgery this morning where he [the doc]said that it was okay to drive again ,so ,wahey i have my car back :-D.
I am now enjoying my pudding after dinner ,the first ice cream i have had in ages ,now that i have found a nice diabetic sort that has no sugar in it at all,
hope all are enjoying their weekend ,i am off now to get the new puter back on line ,and finish setting it up with al my programmes on.
Catch you all later ,Fred:-D <3 xxx

HI everyone...Sorry haven't been in but have been very busy..

John has been having some rehab but now they say he can come home and go back to the MND Assoc. rehab he was going to before the fall..He comes home on next Tuesday 21st. but as he is unable to walk without a high elbow frame and needs so many extra aids around the house I have had all the people which are connected with this disease contacting me and the OT from the hospital also and have to have a lot of things rearranged and ordered before he can come home,,I also think the OT at the hospital is trying to arrange some help for me for when John comes home..He was a bit put off by that as I have done everything for him but I said if I get sick he will have to go into a home and I think that made him sit up and realise that I am not as young as I used to be..
Well in all the 8 weeks he has been in hospital I got one weekend away,,,was trying to get away this weekend to my daughters but they sprang the coming home on us suddenly so that is that ..

Hope you are sewing well Les and Edith keeping warm..

Fred How did your version of the perogy taste..John wants a good hot curry for when he comes home..LOL..

Back soon..Hope all are keeping warm and well..

Love Mary xxx

.

Well Fred I am glad that you liked the perogies altho...pasta sauce???? I think you should try them the traditional way with fried onions next time. I usually caramelize the onions and then toss the cooked perogies into the frypan too. and give them a quick stir to coat with the onions. Doesn't matter...yummy anyway you eat them.

I made home made pizza last night. Always better than a frozen or bought one. Mine are always the "kitchen sink" variety. Last night I put in ham and pepperoni, pineapple, peppers and mushrooms with lashings of sauce. I find if I use lots of sauce then I don't need as much cheese which is a good things for us.

We had one fabulous sunny day and now it is misty and damp. Still going down below zero every nite.....hopefully it will warm up soon. Have done nothing in the garden at all altho if we get another sunny day I may start on my front beds.

I am busy sewing dolls clothes for Rhians 18 inch doll....what a palava!!! Takes me longer to make one doll outfit than it does to make two aprons. Only grandmotherly love keeps me working away at this project...LOL!! Today it is the day to make the matching slippers for the pyjamas....soon I will be in the nut house.

OK off to the dratted machine.
Keep out of mischief you lot.
Lesxx

Morning, Our weather seems to be on the upswing too, Fred. Of course any little nod towards spring is GREAT.
Taking down the Christmas stuff off the balcony has become a big day for me :-) My basil seeds are screaming to be planted along with a "few" others so will have to turn a deaf ear untill it really heats up out there. Life is hard isn't it Hee hee.
Happy to hear you like the perogies, they have had a place on our menu for a lot of years. We though prefer them with bacon and onions sauteed crispy and served with sour cream. Still your way sounds good too.
I have been trying different recipes with eggplant and have yet to find something I like. Don't know whether to quit or keep trying!!!!
My furry friend Chloe has been doing something similar Fred, she races up and down our long hallway until she almost drops and then is content to go back in the apt. and snooze in the sun.
Time to finish all the e-mails so will be back soon. Edith <3

Good morning campers ,where ever you may be ,from uuuuup 'ere in the north east of England which is promising up to 12c today :-).
I made a slight change to the perogie dish ,settling for a pasta sauce ,ham and cheese ,and have to say ,the dish was outstanding,perogie is a new and well liked dish by all the family so far ,grandson included ,lol ,so that in itself is an endorsement and a half.
The cat is having a mad half hour dashing up and down the stairs ,and hurling round the floors like a dervish ,hmmmmm ,maybe she smells the start of spring ,it would be nice..
Still have a few annoying little issues with the new computer yet that need sorting ,mainly it being very slow on a few windows so i need to do a little tweaking to get it up to the old laptop standard maybe the new version of windows explorer beta.
anyway i am going to put the old one back on line now ,before getting on with the work in the house .
Take care all. Fred.
:-D

Afternoon to everyone ,from a balmy north east of england where the sun is out ,and we are up to +7c ,and 10 to c11 for tomorrow.things are looking up.
Well ,the grandson away home ,today is Perogie day dish out ready for me to start on shortly ,,2 Perogies of each sort for both of us ,done in a cheese and pasta sauce ,covering perogies ,sliced carrot ,leek ,and parsnip slices,finishing off with thinly sliced potatoes on the top ,everything in the one dish ,smashing .
Still selecting my seeds at the minute Edith ,but things are coming together very well,just think ,another four weeks ,and i will be planting my first seeds in the chalet ,bring it on.
My late sister in law was able to see things ,that most people cannot ,and she saw my dad in law a few times after he passed on ,so i wouldn't dismiss claims of anyone as regards apperitions Les' ,and i wouldn't worry about it unduly, they are not able to harm anyone ,apart from possibly shock :-0.
Well,time to get some work done ,catch you all later.Fred :-D xxx