General Chat

hello everyone.

Isn't it a strange world? Here we are wondering if the sun is going to stay with us for a while or will the wet wet wheater return and there is val not being able o use to much water and having hot days!!!

I have agreed to stay in my job for another few months, that is until August and then I will have to wait and see what happens.

This saturday I am going with OH tio see west ham play at home, OH has followed this team since a very small chaild and all our boys a big fans. This is the first time I have been in almost 40years!!!
will let you know all about it next time I write on here

Take caer eveyone
Bridget

Greetings everyone,

iI is good to hear that your greatniece is holding her own Bridget..

We had a few showers of rain last week which was good for the grass which now shows tinges of green.

We have a long weekend later this month and some friends will be visiting, we will have to ask them to use water sparingly as our restrictions are still in place. We have been reading the water meter every day to keep tabs on the amount of water we use, not once have we been over the limit.

There was another practice run with the tent last weekend, this time outside on the lawn, thankfully. I think by the time Tracey goes on her camping trip she will have it down to a fine art!!

Take care.



Val in SA.

nudge

The sun shone today and we were wondering what it was it has been so long!!!
A slight exageration but i am sure that you all know exactly what I mean.
OH and I were going away his weekend for a break but the dreded bug put paid to that, I spent most of thursday in bed and today OH has been much worse than me, He hasn;t had anything to eat and is only drinking water now he must be feeling unwell.

Mygreat neice is stablising and is holding her own, she is small for her age but as i reminded my sister, her grandmother, our mother was only 5ft 1inch and so am I, our older sister is just 5 feet tall and our grandmother was about 4ft, 10, so maybe she will be short just because of her genes.
The hospital are fairly pleased with her so we are keeping -the prayers going and taking one day at a time.

We may go to Barcelona in the next few weeks to see our eldest sons new flat, he is so proud of it,He is having a tough time in the fashion business at he moment and has been worrying a lot and it would be nice to see him.

Take care everyone

bridge

I was also going to say you are missing some wonderful weather Bridget but Frances has beaten me to it. After about 8.10 days of damp weather we have know got much warmer weather - and yet looking at the Sky News Scotland has loads of snow. The UK certainly are having a hard time of it this winter.
We have friends coming over tomorrow for a meal so my beloved slow cooker will be coming out to make steak in red wine - hope it turns out off but I have made it more times than I care to remember.
Spoke to my mom this afternoon and she is looking forward to coming out here for 2 weeks in April - I must make sure this time she does not go back with a black eye !! We also have friends coming out in May for 5 days . si we are giubg back up the mountain to the villa as it has more bedrooms than our house. We are lucky to be able to use it as and when takes our fancy.
Hope your great neice is doing ok Bridget
Take care all
Love Mary xx

Oh Bridget, you are missing some wonderful weather, at last. It is so warm today and last night we didn't even light the log-burner...the almond blossom here in the Jalon valley is just reaching perfection, the area is a mass of different shades of pink..
I have been so lucky with my tree these last few weeks as a cousin has put his tree on A......y and he has lots of photographs that I have been able to save of one of my great grandmothers and a great aunt and even one or two of my dad.
Take care
Frances.

Hello Val. Thank you for your personal message and it is pleasing to see that you are keeping this thread alive.
The story of your daughter and husband putting the tent up in your home really made me smile. I can recall the first time I went camping and it took us hours to put the tent up and then in the middle of the night a storm blew up and the tent became loose.......only went once more after that and then decided that camping wasn't for me!

It has been very wet here in Hasings in east ussex and the fields are so waterlogged that the roads and pathways are becoming the only outlet. The same weather is forecast for the next 2 or 3 days.

I do hope that we have a good summer as we are so near to the beach it would be delightful to relax on the sands.

My husband is watching football and messing around with his computer...I am also on the comp trying to catch up with friends
So take care and Bye for now
Bridget

It is much cooler to-day, overcast and looks like rain, but that's as far as it gets!!!!!!

My daughter intends going to a Dog Show in April and will be camping. She bought herself a tent yesterday , came round here to have a trial run of putting it up with father's help. Because it was so hot out yesterday they decided to put it up in the lounge!! Well I was not impressed with the pair of them but they carried on anyway, moved all the furniture about and set about their task. They managed pretty quickly and then had to take it all down and replace all the furniture - they had fun.

Our insurance people have paid us out to have the kickboards in the kitchen and the carpet in the lounge replaced - water damaged when the connection to the washing machine broke whiule we were out one day and the kitchen and diningroom/lounge were flooded. I was very surprised that they did not send an assessor to see us but just paid us when they received the quotes which we had submitted.

That all for now people


Take care.



Val in SA.

Well here i am again and i is so pleasing to read the messages although i feel sad that some of you are opting out. Or at least thinkong about it. I have always found that this method of being in contact is rather like haveing penfriends....has anyone else though that. ?? If the majority wish to leave us now for what evr reason I ma sure tha they alll know I would welcome hearing from you all from time o time. As for those who may wish to stay the course maybe we should call ourselves by a diferent name
well going to watch antiquies road show now
Good night everyone

bridget

I agree with Ann - but I also think we should keep this Diary going.
We have had lots of miserable damp days here on the Costa Blanca but yesterday was sun, blue skies and clear visability. Today, well completely different - back to the damp and wet. Will I ever get my washing dry I ask myself.
Sorry to hear you are thinking of not renewing Val - you will be missed.
Must admit I have to get my bits of paper in some sort of order and plan to go shopping tomorrow to buy some ring binders etc and make a start of sorting out the filing. Must also find some folders to store my card making stuff. If you could see this computer/music(Hobby room you would think what a """""" mess ! And must admit most of it is mine !!!
Well must go and wash up breakfast dishes and make Paul a cup of coffee - he is busy in the small courtyeard (under cover - so not getting wet) doing a bit of diy - it is what I call my small corner where I sit when weather is dry and read or just sit !!!
Take care all and enjoy a peaceful Sunday.
Love Mary xx
ps Bridget how is your little great niece ?

I think it is since you came back to UK Bridget and don't come on every day. The thread was originally to keep you in touch wasn't it so without you on here it is like a ship without a captain.

Hello Bridget from a very windy JBay this morning.

Have just returned from church, where after the service we all stayed behind to discuss ways of raising funds as we are wanting to build a church. . At the moment we hire the hall from the Seventh Day Adventist Church on Sundays. We own a small building, part of a complex, which does not accommodate 60 people, our membership, although I must say that the average attendance on Sundays is 38.

Sorry to sound like a stuck records, but still no rain here.

I am considering not renewing my membership to GR when it expires at the end of the month.

I seem to be stuck with my family tree, but I must get myself into gear and sort out the pile of papers which need to be filed, but it is just so hot here that I never really feel like doing much!!!

I do hope that your little grandniece is getting along nicely.

Take caRE.


Val in SA>

Oh Dear!
It looks as if this thread is dying....what a shame Iused to look forward to hearing from you all and I used to be able to find time to write nearly every day. What does everyne else thnk, should we simply say good bye (I hope not), should we try to write once a week or has anyone got other suggestions.

I am at work, seeing what a night shift is like, OH is in London with one of the sons, the went to the West Ham United Football mach and they WON. The two of them are so excited....

A couple of weekends ago we went to help Army son move out f quarters to move into a house with his girl friend, and son in Barcelona wants us to visit him in his new flat, whilst daughter wants to know if we would like to have our grandaughter and grandson fo a week in the Easter Holidays.

Oh well time to do the walk around so god bless you all, hope to see some messages tomorrow,

Bridget

Hello everyone
Well away for longer than I thought but here is a little about what I have been upto.

The weather here whilst very cold and damp it has also produced some amazing sights. the way the snow and frost has settled on all the trees, (wish i knew what they all are) has been quite beautiful and many times I wish I had my camera with me. The frost has really sparkled and looked like diamonds showing off, The snow has been wonderful for the children playing snowballs and riding sledges reminded me so much of my own childhood,
What I have found very strange is that one can be driving round a village and the trees etc are now clear and then around the next bend the village is still covered in snow and frost, cars stuck in driveways etc,all rather bizarre

We helped the army son move from army quarters into a new abode for both him and his girlfriend...not at all sure that it is the right thing but I know I must not interfere....
Eldest son is finding business very hard in Barcelona and it looks as if he may have to close his shop....I can only offer comforting words and he has always been so independent...However on the bright side he has a lovely partner and they are trying to work things out between them.
I still find time at the beginning or end of each day to sit and think about everyone who is suffering in some way or another, remember good friends and hope thay understand why I have not been in contact as often as I should, and say a prayer for all those who are down in spirit, etc. I also try to remember to say Thanks to to everyone for their thoughts when I have needed them.
Now I must finish and give some time with OH even though he is watching football on TV!!
Bridget

The welcome back has been inspiring and thank you everyone for keeping faith in me.

I could not believe it when I looked out of the window whilst at work today and found that it was snowing again! Thankfully so far it hasn't settled on the roads so everyone should be able to get about.

I spend my quiet time when I get up each morning and can just about see the sea from the second bedroom. It is the sea that I find so inspiring and this makes me think of the chain we all share one way or another, it is only the expanse that separates us all.
Mary in Spain, the one thing I really missed this Christmas was the Ephphany parade, seeing the three kings etc
Ann i am pleased to hear that your grandson passed his driving test, I guess that now the really worrying time starts so he must go in my positive thoughts.
Val, Thanks for the congratulations on the audit report we all worked our sox off as they say and now the real test starts which means at least retain this llevel and trying to beat it.


Well now it is relax time with some turkish delight cadbury chocolate...oh the calories...guess I will worrry about that tomorrow

Bridget

Hello Bridget, so nice to see you back. Well done on the audit, the improvement must be very satisfying.

Still no rain for our part of the country, each household is now allowed 500kl of water per month with a penalty of nearly ZAR15 for each kl in excess of the allowance. We are trying to keep the fruit trees alive though the rest of the garden is not looking too good.

I tried out a chicken pie recipe over the weekend, and it was simply delicious, the pastry was the easiest pastry I have made. Said my daughter - Mom you can make this agaIn!!

Visited my niece and her husband who were camping at the caravan park for a couple of days, they have now left and are travelling further down the coast. Camping certainly isn't like the old days, they have all sorts of things which makes life easier, cupboards, lights, freezer/fridge. I must admit I am not really the camping type.

Take care.


Val. in SA.,

Hi everyone

Thank you for keeping this thread going and now I am back as well.
The last audit went very well 87% which considering that the first one when I arrived was in the low 50s is really a good result. Of course it was the staff who did most of the work, my role is really to make sure that they know what and how to do the work and record it accurately. They have almost without exception worked hard and are delighted with the result.
It is very damp here today and it looks as if we are having more rain come our way........ I really am looking forward to spring and seeing the flowers and hedge rows bloom.
We helped Army son to move yesterday. He has moved out of his army quarters, which I must say were very pleasant and he and his girlfriend are renting a house together. Hope it works out for them both but she is very set in her ways and refused to allow him to put his uniform in her wardrobe as she kept saying"no,it is my wardrobe not yours". I did behave though and did not reply!!

Well it is time to leave for work now, and I will try to be back on here this evening.

Take care everyone

Bridget

Since writing yesterday we had a light drizzle which although it hasn't changed the water situation, was good for the lawn which, would you believe this morning has a tinge of green. Some parts of the country had floods and sadly some lives were lost.. Now (our time 7.20 a.m) the sun is shining and the temperature is expected to be 27.

Have a good day.



Val in SA.

I have come out from under my rock!!
Hope you are all well. How is your greatniece doing Bridget

As we are not allowed to use hosepipes our garden is looking really sad.. I did plant some lobelias in pots which gave a bit of colour outside as I could water the pots using a watering can. Our water situation is serious and there is talk of us not being able to use municipal water at all for the garden and each household to be allowed 500 litres of water per day. Anything over that the charge will be nearly ZAR15 (I think that is just over a £1) per litre. In some parts of the Eastern Cape dams are dry.

I also do quite a bit of knitting, not for myself though, I knit children's jerseys which I give to one of the underprivileged schools here. I have tried my hand at card-making although I'm not very creative, do enjoy it and have created some disasters!!!!

Enough waffle for to-day.

Take care everyone.


Val in SA.

Hi, haven't seen this thread for a while and forget it when I don't see it.

Bridget, I can't remember if I saw your piece? maybe I did there were so many.

Mary, 50 sounds quite warm to me!! more like 6 here today, very cold wind and dark and gloomy, doesn't lift the spirits much.

Glad you have settled into your little home Bridget, not so much to clean I guess. I would be OK in a smaller place as long as I had somewhere else to keep all my bits, books etc! Goodness knows where it would all go if we needed to downsize.