General Chat

Jan

Just a quick reply

All of our advisers at the Jobcentre have either been black or foreign too!!

Gerard

Oh Gerard, trouble is foreigners (and I am not being racist) but watch the saints and sinners programme on BBC1 in the morning and all the people who get tons of help are either black or foreign. Its a terrible fact but they know how to use the system. Hope you get better news soon

Bridget....unfortunately what son in law teaches, art and photography is not what can be taught at home...so for the time being he is stuck.

Regards Jan

Finally had news from DWP in Glasgow - it seems that OH is working so that the government can save money, and we have no benefit whatsoever from her working,and perhaps we are ten pounds a week worse off because she has to pay fares etc. It is no wonder that people don't bother to work!

My desktop computer has given up the ghost so more expense there,at least OH has lent me her laptop
The biggest problem we have with employment or lack of is that everything is manufactured anywhere but in the UK. No cars or electricals all European or Japanese and lots of cheap stuff from China and India. And of course, the government forcing people to work for nothing at places like Poundland and Tesco means that they need to have less paid workers.

I was too sick to go to voluntary work yesterday (and that is sure to finish soon too)

Mind you lots of acquaintances are worse off than we are so I thank God for all I have.

Love to everyone
Gerard

Good morning to all my "Cyber Friends".

Green Fingers, I do understand what you have written about the length of time people are now expected to work before they can retire.....it really is appalling. Also it has the knock on effective of not releasing employment for the next generation. I fear that we are already on the road of people never actually working. What will the next generation do. For example my eldest grandchildren are 12 and nearly 15. The 15 year old wants to join the army and already is an army cadet and thoroughly enjoys it. He is an average boy but at least if the army is still recruiting he will have a number of years in employment, and will learn a trade.
My Granddaughter is 12 and quite bright but she is the one I worry about the most. She has no inkling of what she would like to do, is above average, but I do not know what Average means any more.....

I do not understand why people from across the world are still being allowed to take recidence in the UK and have benefit payments. Also I have read that there are more children in the UK schools who have English as a second language than English children....is this true???

I do hope that you son finds employment......could he provide " school at home" ? I will try some positive thoughts for him.

My daughter is a teacher, and went on strike twice last year, the hours that she works at home, trying to keep up with this governments changing policies is ridiculous. There have been several teachers at her school off with stress, including herself....they work crap hours and too much is expected of them. The children are a joy, but the changing goalposts regards work, and now the cut backs in pensions is too much. To get a full pension my daughter would have to work until she was 68...would you want you child to be taught by an older person. Likewise, the same pension probs hit nurses, physios etc , paramedics, you name it...and again age...my pysio that I had recently reckoned on getting at 65 a pension of £20 grand. what will that be worth on 20 years time when he becomes eligible ?

Right I'm off my soap box now, have a good weekend.Thanks Bridget, I will mention private tutoring, but I suspect given the field that he does, that would not be possible

Berona,
Strangely Gerard and I have a connection going back a few generations, so maybe that is the medical connection. Now we have a trio!!

I still suffered from earaches in the other ear and still do from time to time but antibiotics are seldom used. I think we should only use them when really necessary.

I am being very lazy today because OH wants to go to the English Bar tonight and there will be lots of singing reciting poems etc and is almost like a " hoolly" night out in Ireland. I have to remember NOT to get going in the Irish Dancing, my knees will not take it after there ops!!

Bridget

How strange! Gerard and Bridget both having mastoid ops as children. Well - not to be outdone - so have I!! I had three ops - two on the left and one on the right ear. Spent my 4th birthday in hospital. I suppose that was before either of you were born - but we won't go into that!

Mine all started with measles, followed immediately by whooping cough and diphtheria - all of those things for which immunisation was still being 'talked about' at that time. It left me with a partial loss of hearing in the left ear, which discharged each time I caught a cold (and that was very often) but the perforation in the eardrum was never discovered until my obstetrician found it when syringing my ear after one of my checkups for my fourth pregnancy.

I have never had the perforation closed up. I just make sure that I don't allow a cold to develop far before getting help. I find that my yearly flu needle is a great help too. I don't get near the amount of colds that I had when I was younger.

These days, I use the partial loss of hearing to my advantage. If I can't go to sleep on my left side because I think I can hear strange 'noises', I just turn over and lie on my 'good' ear and I can't hear anything when I rely entirely on the left one! Sounds silly, I know - but it works for me.

Dear Cyber Friends,
Good morning to you all and I hope that you all have a pleasant day.

It is soooooo cold here today and the weather forecast is for very cold weather for the next 7 days. So we are going to get the wood in, the big rugs out in the sitting room and the place should keep nicely warm. We do have central heating which is controlled by oil, but the price of oil has gone up so we tend to use that if we have visitors. Also we do not heat the lower part of our house as in the winter we do not use it very often.
I enjoy just sitting watching the wood fire and keep some of my citrus fruits
peel throughout the year to put on the fire, so much nicer than any spray to keep the room smelling nice. This is for two reasons, one to use as just
mentioned and the other for cakes etc.

OH did not feel very well yesterday, I think he is having to much fruit each day which he has as smoothies....the only way he will eat fruit!! But true to most men he will not listen....... Sorry chaps :-( :-D :-D

Green fingers, has your son in law tried Private Tuition? There are still parents who will pay for their children to have tuition at home or at the home of the teacher. One of my sons did this some 20 years ago and still does some from time to time..

I do agree with you about the " Jollies" that teachers go on in the name of education.....seems to me that it is really not necessary. The best we ever had when I was at junior school in the 1950s was a trip to Epping Forest and when in High School a trip to museums.

I know that the teachers have to take work home...who doesn't, and that they believe that they do not earn enough...who does. But they also go on strike, which I will never support........what would happen if all Police, Firemen, Doctors etc did the sam !?

Oh dear, I think I have said enough,


Best wishes to you all

Bridget


:-) :-) :-)

Unfortunately cuts and income are affecting a lot of people including my new son in law...in our area Adult Education is more or less getting the boot...and that as a peripetetic teacher is the area in which he excels....it seems to me that councils need to cut back on their personal expenses and jollies to other countries, and listen to thosse in the job....they are not advertising adult education in the places it needs to be..Ugh......I could go on for hours. And dont get me on the subject of talk talk...it wont let me open any mail this morning and was like it last night...I could scream..............and probably will later if it still doesn't cooperate !!

Gerard

WOW! Page 101 and entry 1000! congratulations to being the first person oon this special page.

Sorry to learn that you have not had much good news re income......I do find it strange that some people appear to have a lot of support, help etc but others just get pushed to one side. Have you considered meeting your local MP?
Another coincidence. I also had a mastoidectomy when I was three, in Colchester Hospital. I used to have dreadful earaches as a child.

Right now I have one of those colds which will just not go away. We eat healthely lots of fruit and veg so I am sure that it is not diet related.....throat
is rather sore so have lots of hot lemon.

Not sure what we shall be upto today, I have to send more info about my family tree to a family member. My mother being boran about 20 years after her eldest brother,I always got mixed up and thought that his son was my uncle and so on. So the person is twice removed!

Time to go, so wish everyone a very good day

Bridget :-D :-D :-D

Well this is Post number 2000 on this thread - My glorious Arsenal did win on Monday night 1-0 and the goal was scored by the returning hero.

Still no resolution to the Department of Work and Pensions problem, maybe today!

Talking of earache I do know just how that feels (especially at the moment) - when I was an infant I had a mastoidectomy, and my inner ear was removed and I have suffered in various degrees with earache ever since. The last three or four days have been exceptionally bad!.

It looks like my voluntary work is coming to an end the lack of funding and income is finally going to close the centre - sad :-(

OH has a bad cold - but insisted on going to work.

Let's hope for good news for the rest of the week - starting with the Lottery tonight!! haha!

Love to all - keep warm - keep safe
<3
Gerard

Good evening to everyone. I hope that you are all well and have had a good day.
Gerard, I thought of you and your wife at the Confimation Service and so pleased that all went well. I remember my day very clearly.
Have you had any progress re employment or government support...I do hope so.


Hazel, earache is just so horrible, I do hope that you are better now. I used to have them a lot as a child, and occasionally as an adult. Thinking of you.

Been rather lazy today, just the essential cleaning and OH cooked the beef Curry which was delicious. I have a chicken defrosting and I think we shall have a roast, then any leftover can be in a salad and I can make a soup with the carcass.

Well that is about all for now so I will sign off until tomorrow.

Bridget

:-D :-D :-D

Well OH had her special day yesterday - it was a super day - she got baptized with one other adult and three children and was then confirmed by the Bishop of Edmonton together with two other adults. Still recovering from cake, even got some for breakfast!!

Took OH to work early this morning, she has a bit of a cold, I hope it doesn't get any worse!

Looking forward to a good week and hoping that my team can get through to round 4 of the FA Cup tonight (No I don't mean Leeds!!)

Bridget - great news about ZZ being allowed home - you must be relieved - I did manage to say some prayers for her this week, as we had a quiet day on Saturday at the church.

Enjoy today everyone <3

Hi all, at last the wind has dropped ..its supposed to be warmer but it doesn't feel like it to me !! Yes Gerard hope it all goes well, I was 38 when I got confirmed, my gran always wanted me to be "done" when I was 12 , but at least when you are older you know what you want.

Jan

Hi all

Well been awake most of the night with ear ache,Throat not so bad now.

Gerard hope all goes well tomorrow for you OH and you all have a great day.

I am off to the shops soon to get a lead for my modem to my netbook so i can sit on my settee instead of the bed all then time, Lead i have dont reach that far(my bedroom is in with my frontroom)

Well waiting for the pain killer to kick in be for i go.

~~~~~~~~~~~to everyone have a good day.

Hazelx

Good day everybody

Well today is the day for OH's final preparations for her baptism and confirmation tomorrow by the Bishop of Edmonton, it's taken three years in the making, and now she can't wait - I am so pleased for her (had my Confirmation when I was 44, so she has beaten me by 8 years!!). So lots of prayers etc. today and tomorrow!!

I haven't been sleeping so well, because of our money worries. OH's job brings in some money, but the DWP's ineptitude is driving me crazy, no payments from them for over two months, I don't know how they expect us to survive. I just got the gas and Electricity Bills (Over £500 for the last quarter, and we haven't had winter yet! Fortunately, in better times I had a great credit rating, so I have Cards and an Overdraft I can use, but it is worrying. AND THAT BLOOMIN' WIND AIN'T HELPING EITHER!

Took down Christmas last night - a little sad - no flashing lights or pretty bright colours - virtually nothing left of Christmas - even that big, beautiful cake has all gone!!! OH said we will do Christmas again next year and just make sure we don't spend too much. Although if all goes really well in 2012 we could be in or near Bethlehem for Christmas next year!!!

Must sign off now OH needs a cup of teat to get her up this morning!!

Enjoy the weekend
Gerard
:-) <3 :-D <3 :-)

Hi everybody

Been a busy week since the New Year....sister in laws 70th birthday and she had a get together with friends and family....Went to art and painted not only my first miniature but also with acrylics...and it looks pretty good and i am really pleased with it. Of course we have had the battling winds since Tuesday and it had been mild but very scary...we live next to a wooded area and it sounds like a train going through when it is really windy..hopefully tomorrow it will be calmer...haven;t slept too well because of the wind...mind you we have had the post end of this horrid weather...pity those without electricity and trying to keep warm.

We have kept snug by a lovely open fire !!! I also sorted out my recipe draw and weeded out some they i will never cook and lots of duplicates, so a few more new ideas for eats !!

Hope you in the UK have not had any storm damage

Regards Jan

Nudge

Good afternoon to you all.
I did note post this morning as I have described my early mornings so often they must make people very bored!

The day has improved as far as the weather goes since early this morning when it was dark, windy and cold. Well it is still fairly cold but the sun has been shining and OH took all the leaves etc from the pool.

Jet and Joe are not impressed with the weather, have been for a short walk and then ran down the stairs, and straight into the house.

I have managed to do the washing etc and it is all put back now to where it belongs.

Not much else today

So take care, be happy

Bridget

Good evening my Cyber Friends.

Well what a start to the New Year.

First I learn that son who was previously married and was addement that he would never marry again proposed to his partner of about 15 months
Then we have a young member of the family re admitted to hospital and is still there
Also have a new Grandchild due in about 8 weeks

And today I learnt that their has been a death today of a half sisters husband who was only in his early 60s.

So I have decided that we have had our good and sad news for the year all at once!!

Please remember our family in your prayers.

Thank you
Bridget