General Chat

We (in the UK), put our clocks back last night. So we are now on GMT.

I would like to think that the clock stayed like that, and we did not have to put it forward again next Spring.

Have been watching the news about the bad weather approaching the east coast of USA. Apparently Manhatten is under threat and make people are being evacuated from the (rather wide-spread) danger zone.

I have cousins in Nwe Jersey, haven't been to their home, so don't know if they are in a danger area or not.
Will be keeping my fingers crossed that no harm comes to people. And that they all have safe homes to go back to.

Raining here at the moment and 45 degrees outside, so rather miserable. But could be a lot worse.
Some places in Scotland had snow yesterday (or was it on Friday?).

Have slowed down again this past week, but luckily, I have not come to a complete standstill.

Have been transfering some of my tree on here to A---ry. Checking everything as I go, so it is taking some time..

Hope to go to Extend (exercise) class on Tuesday and then to Relaxation on Wednesday. Just hoping that my energy doesn't get too low.

Last Monday evening went out with my sister, brother-in-law and one of my brothers, to celebrate my brothers (61st) birthday.
I can just about remember my mum come home with him in a taxi! It was wet, cold and dark then too.
Anyway, we went to a Chinese Buffet Restaurent. (One of those all you can eat places).
It was lovely, very busy and lots of food to choses from. It was all fresh as the demand was high.
The icing on the cake was that there was a young lady playing the piano for much of the evening. A real treat.

Jan, best wishes to "your Bridget" special thought from yet another Bridget (it is one of my three forenames!)

I hope that everyone is okay looking forward to hearing from you all on this thread soon.

:-) :-) :-) Tess

We, too, had high winds in the last couple of weeks and two of my big pots were blown over and spilled out. One of them was my Strelitzia (Bird of Paradise) and the other was an Orchid. I have been giving them Tender Loving Care ever since.

Our temps are getting hotter, although up and down at the moment, but Summer doesn't officially start until 1st December. We didn't seem to have much Summer last year, so let's see what we get this year!

Sorry Bridget, I have been busy making Christmas cards although I di read the thread earlier. Hope you have managed to get your garden back into some order after the high winds. Winter seems to have arrived here with dark days, colder weather, and, like you, some windy weather. No doubt all the leaves will come down now and that will be more work in the garden.

OH DEAR. Where is everyone?
Hope someone adds here soon.

:-(

Is everyone asleep or just busy?

We have had awful high winds in the last 48 hrs. The garden has been almost destroyed by the wind. However after a few hours we have some order and almost back to normal. It is almost 13.00hrs and the sunshine is helping.

Lamb in the oven, veg all prepared so looking forward to lunch.

B

Good morning everyone, from a chilly morning in my part of Spain. Last night we went out to do the quiz which OH does every fortnight and just before we left home the heavens opened once again and the rain was torrential, thank goodness we do not walk there!

We had 25 people attend which made a good game as we try to have tables of four people. The team that I was with came second loosing first place by 2 points.

TreeHunter, you certainly get around. Skegness last week and Hastings this week, but what joy to see the family, I miss being able to do this, but thank goodness for Skype!

Jan. sorry to read that your Bridget iwas back in hospital but what fantastic news that that she has had. I will still keep her in mind when I have my Quiet Time.

It is pitch black outside and it is nearly 8am. I can hear the birds twittering, and the noise of a few boats going out to catch some fish......I must say I could not do their job. Other than that it is peaceful and quiet. Jet & Joe my Cocker Spaniels are still sleeping and all is well,

I wonder what is everyone's favourite time of day and why?

Well enough from me for a few hours or until tomorrow, so bye bye for now



:-) :-) :-)

Where has the time and months gone, try to get on the site once a day, but often cannot..been busy doing ......? Just getting on.....our Bridget has been in hospital again and had a double mascetomy and has just been given the all clear today, so thoughts have been caught up with her and the future.

regards Jan

Morning all

Well i am all pavked to go over to my daughters later as we r goin to Hasting for long weekend tomorrow after grand daughter Caitlin comes out of school. Weather going to be dry but very cold. So winter clothes have been packed.

Had a great time in Skegness with my sister Babs last week. Weather was warm and sunny there all week.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~to everyone Take care

Hazelx

Berona

I have intended each day to write on here. In fact I thought that I had written a couple of times but they are not on here so must be wishfully thinking!!!.

I have been fairly busy but not hard work. We have tidied the garden and bought a few new well established plants for the top terrace. Thrown out those which looked as if they were dying, having tried to keep them and put away the pots we are not using. I wanted some colour not just greenery and it has worked well. Put away all the parasols etc and it is looking good.

I am trying to keep the house clean and tidy all the time....a little difficult with the dust blowing in and Jet & Joe in and out all day,however we do manage .
We had a French couple view recently and they have been viewing for ......... 18 months......!

Christmas Cakes have now been cooked and in a few weeks I shall put the Marzipan on them and the icing and then decorate them .

We will be at our Local Bar for Christmas Day, there is usually about 40 people and lots of fun as well as superb food, followed by music singing and having a good time. I must remember to stay sober!!!!

My grand Daughter who is 12 emails me several times a week telling me about her school work, outings with friends and when she is still upset about her terrible burns about 14 months ago.....some children are still rather unkind but she also has some very good friends.

I hope that everyone is well and happy but for those who unwell or who needs a little bit of comfort I think of you in my prayers, which are at various times of the day...could be morning. Or when having a coffee and I am watching the sea or even when cleaning!

Hoping you are all well

:-)

What has happened to everyone?

Hope you are all busy and keeping well. We are having strange weather patterns - just as the rest of the world seems to be having.

Yesterday was 'cardigan' weather - to-day's forecast is for 36c! Talk about mercurial!
A week ago, we had snow in places where it has never snowed there before at this time of the year. No wonder many people are picking up colds, flu, etc.

Hi Everyone

It's a long time no write!

First of all, OH and I went on retreat to St.Columba's in Maybury, near Woking in Surrey, with some of our church members and some from St.John's Wood Church.
The subject was 'Angels'. We had a really pleasant relaxing, quiet weekend, and the food was really excellent. We met a lady with an unusual surname, Pain, the same as my great-grandmother, but on checking discovered we weren't related, unfortunately. Our friend Pauline who had organised the weekend had a nasty turn, and we arranged to take her home. OH made sure she was OK at her home and later in the week we got a lovely Email saying that we had been her guardian 'angels'.

As we were having the week off work OH had arranged to meet a Facebook friend in Wem, Shropshire (165 miles away from us) - I was thinking to myself who would drive that far to meet someone (who wasn't even a relation) . Well as it turned out we had a great time with the family (they had four children - two girls aged 13 and 9 & two boys aged 3 and 2) and the house was noisy and love was all around! I have little experience with children and OH has done a bit of babysitting, but this opened our eyes to family life. At the end of the second day when we were leaving, we arranged to make sure we would come again (going next month). We also found a lovely hotel in Wem. The Old Rectory - we checked in and were told we had been upgraded and discovered our room - wow - four poster bed, Jacuzzi, colour TV et al. All for £95. ...... and the breakfast - outstanding!! It was really hard going back to work after that - but all good things must come to an end.

Our cat Fluffy has started to lose his fur, so OH has made him a delightful orange woolly to wear to keep him warm. He certainly has perked up and is almost back to normal, getting heavier and brighter each day, it is so heartening to hear him purring away and scoffing his food - we just can't wait for him to be 100% again.

Must stop now - off to do the flowers for the church again this weekend (St.Luke the Healer) so I have to find some nice red flowers.

Trust everyone is well, keep posting the news, so interesting to read,
Keep warm (Berona keep cool) and safe - prayers for all

Lots of love
Gerard <3 <3 <3 :-)

Bridget, it must have been great to meet your relation. I enjoyed meeting my "new" English cousins recently for the second time. Hope to meet a Scottish cousin early next month (for the first time).

Haven't been so busy this week, needed a rest after being so active last week.
Managed to go to my exercise class though, also into town to The Central Library, trying to get books for the GReaders Group.
Haven't managed to move any more furniture though, but am longing to rearrange all the furniture in the small bedroom.


Hoping to start a Group Relaxation Section next week.

I hope that the French people who looked around your house will put in an attractive offer.

There are train buffs all over the world, whatever the nationality they all speak the same language!
My sister's husband, their daughters and son-in-laws are all steam railway fans.
They even go on railway holidays, as well as having garden railways etc.

Hope that your darts match went well and that you had a good time.

The flies sounded dreadful. I can't think of any use for them either, (besides making a nice profit for the fly-spray people)
Having just about conquered my fear of spiders, the only thing I will gladly kill are flies, horrible creatures.

The sun is out at the moment, according to my on-line temp. guide, it is 48 degrees outside

All for now from a smiling Tess.

Please everyone start writing on here I miss you all.

We have just had a French couple come to look at our house and stayed quite a long while. Asked more questions than others who looked and the chap fell in love with OHs Railway which isin a large separate building...apparently he has the same hobby.

Of to play darts soon...not sure that I should be there as I am not good at this game but it will be fun.

Hope that you are all well.

My meeting yesterday.

My husband kindly drove me to Alcossebre which is only about 20 to 30 minutes away and we had a walk around town and even managed to buy a piece of the plastic we needed for our shower at a very good price.

Then walked around for about 15 minutes and went to the bar / cafe suggested by the person I was going to meet. Then we saw her sitting outside the cafe with her husband and my husband stated " this lady is definetly a relative she is the image of your half sister"

There was an immediate sence of knowing each other,we had both brought the part of the tree we had and every thing was the same, except I had not added this lady. Within 5 minutes the men decided to leave us to chat and look at our info whilst they sat at the bar......

They are going to visit us in a week or so which we hope and expect that this will be the road to another friendship as well.
A great day for me! Today I will phone my eldest sister and let her know all about it,my you ger sister has absolutely no I test at all.......

Well that is my real news for the day.

I have had my first coffee of the day,the birds are twittering. The sky OSA mix of pale blue, deeper blue, pink,and some grey so quite a mix. The birds are twittering and the dam flies are all over the place. This ,ust be the worst year re flies every one is suffering from invasion! The day before yesterday I was gardening, came into the house to put the kettle on and then went into sitting room and the glass doors were black with flies.....it was horrible......sprays was the only answer and the more I killed the more came in to the other windows and glass doors, I thought I was in a Hitchcock film!
Since then other people have been talking about the same thing. Can anyone tell me what use are flies? I cannot think of any reason for them to be on this earth.

Well that is all I have to say but will peek in tnroughout the day.

Be Happy, Be Good and Enjoy Life.

:-D

Good morning to everyone and I hope you all have a happy day.
Berona, the weather this years seems to have been very unpredictable across the world.....perhaps next year will be better.

Tess, you have been very busy and the arboretum is wonderful and glad that you enjoyed it.

Today I am going to meet someone I have never met before. I feel quite excited especially as she lives just about 30 minutes drive from Peniscola! She has lived here in Spain for just over 8 years and we must have passed by each other very often...now isn't that just amazing. She is a direct relation to my Wrenn Family!

I will let you know how we get along.

Sun is shining but the last few days have been like this and then there is cloud for a few hours and then back comes the sun. In fact just two days ago OH and I were gardening, it was beautiful day when suddenly the sky went black and for about 15 minutes the rain was terrential and then out came the sun!!

Have a good day everyone and I will let you know how the meeting goes :-D

Sounds like you are really busy, Tess, with all the furniture moving. It will all be worth it when it's finished.

Our Spring has been very 'mercurial'. I am only one hour drive from our Blue Mountains, where it snows lightly once or twice during winter (June-August). This year, it did that, but we had snow there again last week and it has not been known before to snow in October! We could feel to 'airflow' here from it - and our temp was 14- and only the day before, it had been 27c! A drop like that made us all feel that it was freezing!. However, since then, it has been more 'normal' at around 18 to 23, although to-day is forecast to be 30+ - and yesterday was 22!
It is so abnormal, we don't know what to expect from one day to the next.

We have already had one fire - deliberately lit by a schoolboy - and which got out of hand and closed highways - but luckily there were no homes destroyed in that.
We will no doubt have more fires, floods and droughts somewhere in the country - it's a big country!

I have been very busy this last few weeks. Which means that I have been feeling good!

Decorator has finished the reception room, so have been slowly putting furniture back where it should be. Quite a big task as some of it was in another room and some in the shed.
It is beginning to look ok now.
Will be having the other reception room done at the end of next month, so another bit of upheaval to come.

Have also in the last few weeks met (for just the second time) a third cousin once removed. Tracked him down via a message his wife had left on another (local) forum. Two of my sibs were able to come this time, we had a great pub lunch and a lot of conversation.
Have also been going to my weekly exercise classse, except for the week I had reflexology. (which seems to have given me a boost).
Spa at a local college is now open and ready for buisness again. Had my hair cut last week, another thing to lift my mood.
Went to the National Memorial Arboretum with two school friends last week.
A very moving experience. Well worth a visit, as well as memorial gardens for many whodied in various war zones, there is also a garden for SANDS Stillbirth and neonatal death charity and The British Limbless Ex-Serviceman's Association, plus many, mant more.
Attented a talk given by a top Consultant for hip and knee replacement etc.
Quite a few of the women in the audience had already had hip and or knee replacements. In fact I was one of the youngest peopke there. It was all interesting and informative.

When and if I have to have a replacement done I want him to do it!
Thank you Mr Pearson.


BRIDGET, so sorry that you were in the UK during some of the worst weather we have had this year. it really was cold and miserable wasn't it. I bet you were glad to get back to sunny Spain

JAN, congradulations on reaching twenty years of marriage. Great that you were able to share the day with friends.

GERARD good to hear that your cat is doing a bit better now. Long may it continue. Thanks for your prayers and good wishes. They seem to be working!

BERONA, I hope that you are still enjoying the Spring weather, and that you don't have a lot of fires the summer.

Hope that everyone is well and that life is treating you kindly.

Lots of smiles from Tess :-D :-D :-D

Hello to you all!

We arrived home from UK and then Holland about four hours ago, washing machine on, everything in the right place, evening meal ready to go and now just relaxing.

Jan, thanks for the quotes, I particularly enjoy two of them.

I will be back tomorrow sometime


Bridget :-)

Gerard, ours was a very simple service, but very appropriate, far more appropriate than one I heard of where the wife dressed up as a bride again and had 6 bridesmaids !! A bit OTT I think

If you want a nice reading may I suggest this from Les Miserables.
You can give without loving, but you can never love without giving.

The great acts of love are done by those, who are habitually performing small acts of kindness.

We pardon to the extent that we love.

Love is knowing that even when you are alone, you will never be lonely again.

Great happiness of life, is the conviction that we are loved,
Loved for ourselves, and even loved in spite of ourselves.

Jan

Jan congratulations on 20 years (you only get ten for murder these days!! lol!!) - my OH and I are hoping to renew our vows, this time in church, for our 10th anniversary next June (the church has already agreed to do it in the main service).

Bridget you didn't bring the weather with you, did you now?? At least your OH can enjoy his football at the moment aren't all our teams doing well? Even West Brom (come on the Baggies!!) - and the Hammers and of course the boys in red, the Gunners!!

Well Fluffy the cat has taken a turn for the better and is back eating and purring, although he is not 100% he is on the mend, it is remarkable what a few cuddles (and prayers) can do for him. It is probably only temporary as it is the third time he has rallied, but he obviously doesn't want to leave us.

Just had a friend on Facebook who was hacked, you could tell as she was sending particularly vile messages to all her friends, and once I had a good friend (with a foreign sounding name) who was begging me to send funds, because she had lost her passport in Scotland (sussed straight away). A lot of these hackers are from the US and they do it for 'fun' because they can! and of course a lot are crooks trying to get hold of your personal details so that they can clone you!

OH and I are going on retreat this weekend to Woking, a weekend of quiet, prayer and meditation, away from the hustle and bustle of London, should do us the power of good (or is that God!) so we will miss regular church on Sunday for the first time this year. Then next week OH and I are having the week off work. We are going to Wem, near Shrewsbury, on the Tuesday, to see and meet one of our Facebook friends, who we have only spoken to on Facebook and Internet, should be a blast as she seems such fun, hope we are not disappointed.

Trust everyone is well, Autumn is upon us, although the Autumn weather seems to have been with us for months. Prayers and good wishes for those who need them (who can't do without a prayer or a good wish?)

Bye for now
:-) <3 :-) <3
Gerard