General Chat

Hello Bridget,

Well it is a wintry day here to-day with a strong win d blowing.
The sea is ugly and I guess the fishing boats will be sheltering in he bay again.

Glad to hear that your son is doing well, I hope that continues.

Sorry to hear Keith won't be posting any more. I hope he keeps well.

Nothing very exciting happening to-day, will be off to the shops in a
while to do some shopping aand will pop into Woolies and see what they
have to offer.

The music to-day while I am at the computer is 70's Rock which I must say is not my cup of tea. My daughter has a very varied taste in music, from rock to classics and all sorts in between!!

Take care everyone and enjoy the rest of the day.



Val in SA.

Just a quick note everyone,

I have just been told that Keith will not be posting anymore, I am sorry to hear that as it is pleasant to have a male view of life on here . I have passed on a message to say that we wish him well


Bridget

Good morning everyone

The sun is shining the temp is in the mid 20s and all seems peaceful very different to last nights weather!

Raging thunderstorms, thunder seemed to be right above the top of the house, lightening across the sky and such rain it was almost a wall of rain, hammering on the stairs and into the pool. Jet and Joe just sat by my feet or hid under my bed...Thos went on untiol around 04.00hrs and then the rain slowed down as well. Finally I was able to get some sleep, hence my late arrival this morning.

OH weny to town in the midst of this rain to watch the Liverpool game and apparently the lplace was packed and I didn't go because I though now one would venture out...silly me!!

Had a long chat with son who has his leg in Plaster , he is much better now, has been for a check and the stiches will come out next week and the plaster may be renewed. He has been looking info about his injury on the Internet and is now fully aware of the consequneces if he doesn,t do what he has been tod to do. He has arranged a BBQ for his birthday and he ahs a multitude of friends coming to it. He seems to have many friends who are very supportive so that is good...

Everyone else in Family OK so keeping my fingers crossed that is the way it will stay...also another great neice or nephew due in 2 weeks time!

Thos weekend is the finale of the festival and the town is full of special lights and decorations, there is plenty of music flowing up the mountain and lots of singing in the evening, we just sit and listen to it but on Saturday we will be there, for the last parade. Have checked that places at restaurant are still booked out to us!!

Well I am going to spend my own time in the garden now, hopefully it will not rain and have my quiet time, i shall think of you all and ponder a while...
Take care

have a good day and if anything interetstiing happens I will be back


Bridget

Bridget - it is not a nice day here now - it was very pleasant this morning and I went for a walk but it is raining cats and dogs at moment. Sky very grey and looks like the rain is here to stay for a while yet. Not really complaining as we do need the rain.
Have a good evening
Love Mary xx

Good Afternoon Everyone

It is a delightful day here in Peniscola the sun has shone since around 09.00hrs and is pleasantly warm, warm enough to sitoutside.

We are going out tonight to meet up with our friends who reurned from the UK yesterday, they will be here now until mid December.

My contract was agreed to day and I am more tahn pleased with it as is OH who will join me there a week or two after I arrive. The contract has been agred for 6 months which is a bonus as we can see family and friends over Christmas, and be back here for the summer.

We have some friends who wish to come and live here whilst we are away and they will also look after Jet and Joe.

Frances
how clever you are to put a chair together, I once put a TV table together and was vey pleased with myself until I relaised that one side was light brown and everything elkse was black..needless to say it stayed that way.
Lina dancing, now there is something I have never tried, although I expect it is fun.

Val in SA Oh I don't think I could stand to much in the way of BagPipes, they are great at New Yera or on officil parades but at home.....
Being partially tone deaf I sadly do not have the same appreciation as many people do for music but due to childrens weird and wonderful music over the years and OHs amazing knowledeg and collection I have become quite used to many artist I would never have kbown otherwise.

Re the Rain are you having the same type of rainfall we had recently, I know that more is promised fro tomorrow.

Mary in Spain

Now I know that planning ahead is good BUT christmas cards done and dusted already that really is being very organised. I do admire you for making your own, they are always so delightful to receive.

Berona,

Isn't life strange, do you think that these coincidences are a message or something similar....Anyone else with a strange co incidence?

All is well here. so I am going in the garden for a short break, take care everyone

Bye for now


Bridget

If there are any errors please accept my apology

Afternoon Bridget and everyone,
Raining again, this is getting beyond a joke!!! It was fine this morning, we went to Calpe to look at televisions and replace the plates I threw across the terrace several weeks ago and the weather was fine, the beach was crowded then it suddenly clouded over. Luckily we managed to reach the car before the heavens opened. Bought a new chair for the computer so will probably spend even more hours in front of it. Put the chair together myself with a little help from OH, usually it is the other way round , so am feeling quite pleased with myself.
Line dancing tonight so will probably be complaining about aching legs and knees tomorrow.
Hope the weather is ok wherever you all may be.
Frances

Good Day to all. Bridget - your amazing coincidence with the apartment reminded me of when I was on a working holiday in 1953/4, my friend and I had a big front room on the ground floor or a rooming house in London.

In 1989, whilst on a visit to England, I walked past the place and saw that our big room was now a Travel Agency's office. No longer a rooming house. Then, in 1991 when my daughter was leaving for HER working holiday, she handed me the address where her mail could be sent. Guess what? Same address!

Hello Bridget,

It's quite breezy again to-day but not unpleasant. Still no rain although rain was forecast for to-day, but the weatherman gets it wrong often !!

Had to take my microwave in for repair this morning after which I
did a bit of shopping, nothing exciting though.

I am looking forward to my friend's visit next week so I must get
the spare room ready for her, she will be spending three days here.

My computer is in my daughter's workshop and at the moment and the CD she is playing at the moment is bagpipes which I enjoy, I musst say that some of her music really isn't my cup of tea. I do enjoy light classical musical.

I am enjoying the book on Reading, it is very interesting and my daughter is also very keen to read it.

Bye for now,


Val in SA.

Good afternoon All
Well the sun has been shining this morning, although now it has gone a little cloudy. Went for a walk down the town this morning and popped into a couple of Chinese bazaar shops - bought some more Christmasy bits for my cards. Came home with the good intention of cleaning up guest bedroom - tried to use the vaccum/steamer thingie to clean the rug and the thing would not switch on. So it will have to wait until hubby comes home from work at lunchtime - any excuse will do for me !!!
So, having made some Christmas cards in August I decided to write them and address the envelopes. Perhaps I am organised !!! Well we will be going over to UK in December for a wedding and visiting family and friends so I thought I could save on the postage - tight oap that I am.
Hope you all have a good day
Love Mary xx

Good morning everyone and I hope that it will be a good day for you all.

This morning as I came down stars the sky was rather strange in so far as , from the sea the sky rose like a giant wall of deep dark blue and then from thereon the sky was a pale blue and the sun was shining albeit rather weakly.

Last night the temperature must have dropped considerable for when we retired it was cold and OH asked for a light weight duvet which we put
away months ago...a sure sign of Autumn arriving. To be honest we do not have the gloriuos Autumns that occur in the UK with all the wonderful colours of trees and plants...it is at this time I miss the UK for that very reason. Maybe that is why I quite enjoy going back to UK for the Autumn.

Today I have to look for some photos which my elder sister lent to me and she keeps reminding me about them, now I think I know where they are BUT if they are not there then I have a problem as I have sooo Many photos and many have not all been put into albums...I think a prayer to St Anthony is called for. and of course positive thought from anyone who reads this!!!

I have just had a good smile as I looked again at Merlins comment and noticed the Mrs Dales Diary comment!!! I remmebr listening to that , so please tell me is it ironic aor simply a smiley...toast from the fire sounds great so Merlin must be OK.
We have a wood fire during the winter months and it is so cosy...also it is not as drying as central heating. I do not like over warm bedrooms as I find I cannot sleep well if I am too hot, I would rather have a nice feather duvet...I also prefer real cotton sheets, luckily I also enjoy ironing which OH is also a dab hand at. In fact when we were bringing up the children and we were both working, becaue he worked on shift work, I would often come home and find he had done all the ironing.

Today I shall prepare the room for our friends who arrive on Saturday and clean downstairs thoroughly. That also means I can keep an eye on the comp and check now and again my threads.

I think we may be going out with some friends for an early dinner and then meeting our friends who have left the delights of Weston Super Mare for the winter. OH collected them from the airport yesterday and the husband wants me to show him how to trace family, apparently he has a brother who he seems to have "lost"....

Well that is all for now and I have promised to put something on the Culinary Thread., any one from here also adding. ?

Look forward to reading your messages...I am going to sit on the balcony, have my coffee and have my quiet time for the next 15 mins,

Take care everyone


Bridget

I said that I would be back so here I am and how pleasing to see posts from others.
That toast and dripping has certainly brought many fine memories back.

Oh Frances, I know what it is to go out looking without really knowing what you want, the necklace and earings sound good...as for clothes I must admit that I still buy nearly all my clothes in the UK.
Val, How kind of someone sending you about Reading, I am sure that you will find it interesting.
Merlin, I only ever drink Good champagne, no point in anything else, in a past life I have been known to spend a LOT OF DOSH on Champers!

However I also like a decent G&T, with Lime not Lemon, can't drink Brandy but love the smell of it, enjoy a well pulled Guinness, best in Dublin with oysters which they seem to sell at every bar and also like good coffee, Darjeeling tea or any good brew.
What am I drinking right now, fizzy water!

Now a confession!! I have almost accepted some more work back in the UK, short term contact arriving by email tommorrow BUT this time it is in a Residential Home not nursing and has only 20 beds rather than 50, is set in beautiful grounds, as was the last place and they are paying for a two bedroom apartment for me.

Now for the very strange co/incidence which I think is spooky but intriguing!!

When I was around 3 and a half years old I had to leave my mother because she was very ill in her pregnacy. My father took me to a convent near to Hastings where I stayed for about 6 months. I have very happy memories of the place and have wondered if it was still there. Well, the answer is yes, but now it has been turned into appartments and guess what...
Yes it is the same place!

Unusually for me I do not know what to think or say so will wait to see what replies come along.

Have a good day and evening everyone .


Bridget

Hello everyone,

To quote Winnie the Pooh, it is a blustery day here. All signs of rain have gone. As I was coming down the hill from the post office just now I could see about 20 fishing boats which had taken shelter in the bay.

It is nice that your husband can accompany you when you go to the UK Bridget.

I planted a few lettuce seeds in trays this morning, I just hope they
grow.

A very kind GR member has sent me a lovely book on Reading and it looks really interesting. I will be able to get an idea of the area my family
came from.

Till next time.


Val in SA.

Morning Bridget and everyone,
Raining again, shouldn't complain I know but summer suddenly came to a full stop, hope it comes back again!!

What I wouldn't do for toast and dripping!!!!

Went shopping yesterday, bought myself a pair of ear-rings and a necklace, last of the big spenders.LOL!..cost me 15euros for both! Had a look in the clothes shops, obviously, but nothing caught my eye, can't have been in the mood. I don't want to think about buying winter things.

Enjoy the day
Frances

Good morning to everyone,

well this is a short message I will be back later with all the other news but

I have now been asked back to work commencing about 1st October for 6 months. company have agreed to rent a property for me rather than staying in hotel so OH can come over as well!!

Now does anyone know Hastings area in Sussex UK, as I need some advice re areas to live. I shall put this on General as well as I would like to know asap which area to avoid!! The actual place is Whitegate

Many thanks

The weather here is now VERY WET. we have had thunderstorms all night since around 21hrs yesterday.
The lightening is all across the sea and it looks as if we will be staying this way for the next 24 hrs. The air is much fresher and the plants and greenery are all looking good.


I will be back later


Bridget

Toast and dripping, gee that takes me back to when I was a child, we used have dripping on bread, with lots of pepper, lovely! I still enjoy it to-day.





Val in SA.

Toasted in front of an Open fire ( Much better than toasters,) and the Dripping is from Aberdeen Angus Beef.very tasty.As for Champagne,Unless it really good,I prefer Laphroiag Malt. from Islay. enjoy your day. **M**.:o))>

Merlin

I love toast and dripping with pleny of pepper....maybe you should add it to the Culinary delights!

Bridget

Thanks Merlin, now exactly what sort of bribery are you talking about????
We ladies are quite particular you know yet it would be good to have some conversations with males as well

Bridget

I like my toast well doene if it is toasted bread we are talking about or champagne if raising our glasses for a toast!

Bridget, Try Bribery.:o))))>**M**.And try my toast.xx

Hello to everyone,
What a good surprise! I have just returned from shopping, yes I know we went recently but the ink for my computer had run dry and also a front light on our car had died.
Now the ink I could manage for a few days without but the police have become rather vigilant about lights on cars so we had to go... We also called in to a furniture shop to look at a new desk for OH but he said he didn't like any of them. The problem is he is used to using a beautiful blue and white tiled table on a wraught iron base and he doesn,t want to give it up..but I want it back for the graden or we have to buy another.

When we first arrived in Spain 6 years ago we bought a large solid rectangular table with 6 recliner chairs for our main garden and rather put our noses up, in true British fashion< at the people who live fairly near to us and mostly Spanish using plastic basic equipment.
Well now we know why. The wood dries out in the summer swells in the winter and has to be carefully looked after with rubbing down with sand paper and varnishing throughout the year and the wood still swells and dries so now we have a very uneven table.
We can't turn the slats over as that has already done...so the moral of the story is "never think you know better than the natives",
I bought this lovely table OH is using and it lasted one season in the garden, I went to UK for a month or two and when I came back he had hijacked it......

As we are coming to the end of the season I am hoping to find either a desk he does like or another table!!

Mary in Spain

Glad to hear that you are back in your home even if everything is not quite finished. I am still waiting for my new kitchen and it will be six years in December since I first said I needed a decent kitchen.

An English chap we know who has a kitchen business has measured etc and first said it would be done in April, then June and now it is before Xmas.!! I do not want to go elsewhere as I know he will do it and it is a high class product which will last my lifetime and evertthing will be intergrated so i have to remind myself to be patient...also it is cheaper coming from England than it would be locally!!!
Every house I have lived in since I first married in 1970 has had to be renovated with the exception of one which as soon as the basic building was agreed safe we moved into with 4 children, a dog and heaven help us a Nanny...I needed that nanny she wasn't a luxury as my husband was constantly away and many times I was expected to suddenly join him.
In fact the Nanny and I are still in contact and she lives in Germany and sadly never had children of her own.

Oh dear I do ramble on don't I ?


If I have left anyone out today I apologise...

I will peek again sometime this evening, anyone know what has happened to Keith, it would be good to have a few chaps join us, afterall they are 50 % of the population and some of us ladies enjoy sports, etc and many men enjoy cooking but none have joined that thread either so any suggestions as to how we can recruit them

bye for now


Bridget