General Chat

A quick visit for me this evening.

Bridget, at least you were warm and snug while you were in your place of work. I hope that you had somewhere decent to sleep.

It has been snowing here again this evening (Friday), and is still quite cold outside. I have turned the heating up - initially was waiting for it to be "proper winter" i.e. later in the year! but then decided to let common sense rule, rather going by the date.
I don't usually have the heating this high till around Christmas or the new year.
I am now nice and warm + + +

Bridget, I hope that your journey back to work was ok, or that you changed your mind and stayed home instead. I reckon that your leg may have stiffened up during the day. Please take care of yourself and don't try to be brave. A night in your own bed sounds like a good idea. Then (weather permitting) you can think about having a couple of sleep-ins at the home. (or even a couple of nights on duty, if you are able to sleep in during the day.

Received some more death certs today. I find that one of my ancestors died of Cholera in 1849. There was an outbreak 1848-49 in Wales.
So I am still learning about Social Histort as well as family history.

My son and I went to a Choir Concert last Saturday night. We listened to The Warley Male Choir, plus a Jazz Trio (whose name escapes me at the moment). My bro-in-law usually sings with the Warley lot, but he has been a little under the weather recently, so was downgraded to being in the audience, with my sister, a friend and my son and I.

Have also been to Ik-a (flat-pack furniture), with my son, spent ages there, literally hours... it drove me mad. But did get a couple of rugs for the kitchen floor as well as two narrow cupboards for my bathroom (have had the airing-cupboard removed.) So things are looking a little better.

On tuesday went out shopping with the Ring & Ride as usual. However, probably because of the weather, we were rather late getting there.
We had only fifty minutes to get a trolley, rush round the supermarket, queue at tthe check-out, get served, than a quick dash back to the carpark to be ready for the Ring & Ride bus to pick us up.
I managed to make it on time but forgot to get some extra milk. However, one of the other ladies was left behind, as she was over ten minutes late. This is one of the drawbacks of the Ring & Ride system.

The garden at The Home sounds beautiful, I hope that someone managed to take some photos.

Try to get back tomorrow.

Hope that you are all well,

Tess

I went to work on Monday and have just come home! Now do not jump to conclusions but this is what happened.
It snowed!! I mean it really, really snowed, the worst snow falls for 17 years so of course no one was prepared.
The village where I work was completly cut off and the snow settled and settled and settled, we had so much snow that it covered the snowman that some of the staff and built and it was on the table outside on the patio.
The tables had about 2 feet of snow and they all looked like oversized wedding cakes and the trees looked magnificient, The icicles were about two feet long and looked just like Panpipes.

The snow kept falling and settling and unless one had a 4 x 4 cars, vans etc were skidding everywhere. Some of the staff walked a good mile and a half to work from the centre of the village and my deputy walked about six or seven miles to get to work....dedication, I certainly think so.
as for where I live....it was impossible to get out off or into. I live on a Road known as The Ridge so rather self explanetary but having reached the top of the ridge there is a sudden and deep decline and than a sharp left before one can park the car etc. The change is so bad that most people could not get Up the slope to get out of the ridge so they were stuck and so was I but at work.!!
Even today when a 4 x 4 car brought me home it would not go down the slope so I walked down carrying one handbag, one over night bag and one case of paper work,. I did any have any boots with me, the snow went it my shoes and up to my knees and I felt the pain that comes from severe cold! It took me 15 minutes and then I fell and hurt just above my ankle......for a moment I could have said some thing rude but when I realised that my ankle was intact I breathed a sigh of relief... and I have to go back on a couple of hours to do the night duty!!!

Hope every one is keeping well and I will be back on here this evening

Well despite my misgivings the lunch was really, really nice. Good wine, good food and good company. The hotel had pretty green tablecloths with red overlays and one of the ladies had made table decorations of little Christmas trees with beads for each lady to take home afterwards.

The new washing machine was delivered yesterday so I was able to do the washing to-day. As it is electronic I thought it would be difficult to operate but it is surprisingly easy to use and runs much quieter than the automaid, spins better too.

Our town is filling up with visitors quickly, there are long queues at the supermarket and as is usual for this time of the year parking is at a premium.

Many people here have been retrenched, for some reason I do not understand the retrenchments always take place just before Christmas. The Billabong factory has retrenched 60 staff members I am told. Quite a few other small businesses have also closed their doors due to the bad economic climate, all very sad for those involved.

On Saturday evening we will be attending a carol service at the Mall, I am looking forward to that - my favourite carol is Once in Royal David's City.

Do hope you are all having a lovely day.

Take care.


Val.

sorry everyone it is a little late for me to write much tonight, so sweet dreams,

and may the angels protect you all

Bridget

I love Christmas and this year am really looking forward to it as we will be at our daughters. The benefit of that is that her OH loves cooking and does most of it in their house so I will have all my meals cooked for me. Now the Grandsons are grown up there is not the excitement of stockings etc but we still buy for them all and, although they also get a cheque each they like getting their little gifts. Daughter and I give each other a carrier bag full of little gifts that have been bought throughout the eyar. great fun is had unwrapping them all. And OH and I still buy presents for each other because we are big kids.

Despite all this I was brought up a Baptist and, although I don't go to church I never lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas.

Tess, your christmas sounds delightful. My sister has chosen to spend hers on her own this year too and is looking forward to it.

nudge

Your Christmas sounds lovely Tess. As it is so hot here in December we usually have cold meat and salads, it is just too hot to cook!. My sister will be visiting over Christmas which will be nice, there will just be the two of us, my daughter and my sister so things will be quiet, but I like quiet.

Well, our Defy Automaid gave up the ghost yesterday, we were told it could be repaired for R1000 but we would have the same problem in 6 months, so we opted to rather buy a new one. This time we settled for a Samsung which I hope will last longer than the Defy which we had for 8 years, but perhaps I expect too much. I am the only one to use the machine so it is well cared for. My plan for a rain water tank will have to be put on hold for a while now.

Oh the thought of b eing able to wallow in the bath! Who knows when I will have that luxury again>

I must be off to get ready for our church Christmas Lunch, I must admit that I am not really looking forward to it, but maybe I will be pleasantly surprised.

Have a lovely day.



Val.

To evryone and especially Tess who seems to have a great Christmas.

I have just read yourlast posting again and your Christmas sounds delightful.
I do enjoy Christmas and like yourself I was brought up as a Catholic, went to Convent Schools and took first communion, and was confirmed,,,,,Do I still believe???? now that is a very deep and serious questions. I guess the answer is "I waver" Sometimes it is comforting and I do pray every day in one form or another, sometimes I call it positive thoughts, at other times i call it "My Quiet Time"
I like celebrations even if there are only two people together, such as you and your sister. I have two sisters, only brother died when just a few hours old, My younger sister was born on the same date as me but four years later and my elder sister is 9 years older and 4 days earlier than us. We send cards but not presents and we do not send presents for any nieces or nephews over the age of 18.

I put a limit on how much to spend and this year OH and I are not buying for each other, a joint decision. We will be apart as you will all know so we are going to have a special meal at Home on the 27th with plenty of Champagne, This will mean we do not have to worry about driving. Rather like yourself Tess this will not be a traditional UK meal but most likely a fish meal and we will have bought the fish fresh from the fishermen.



We will have our Christmas cake though as I make one each year ready for next year as it is feed throughout the year with Brandy.

Enough about Christmas.

I have just been brave enough to peek out of mmy bedroom window and thank goodness there is not any snow on the ground. There are a few tiny flakes falling but they are melting as they his the ground. If anyone is in an area of heavy snow please be very careful, we do not want anyone to fall over etc.

I do expect that children living in snowy places will be having a great time, making snow men and thoughing snow balls etc, isn't it great to be young and have such fun.?

This evening I will be back. I think I may even try to write about one of the places I have lived or has anyone got any suggestions as to what would be an interesting or fun subject to write about.?

Bye for now everyone, enjoy your day

Bridget

68 days to the 4th Feb 2011, and then my contract at work comes to an end!!

I also have 15 days holiday to deduct from that because I am going home for two weeks and flying early on the 27th December.
OH called tonight and said that the champagne will be flowing....

I am being really lazy tonight wallowed in the bath, ate ready made meal and had fresh fruit salad to follow and have done absolutely nothing else except play games on the computer.......I feel so relaxed I might fall down when I stand up and NO ihave not drunk any alcohol,

Oh yes I have now also employed one of the domestic staff from work to come in and clean the flat once a week.....I suppose that really that is an extravagance but He Ho I don't care it is so nice to not to do the deep cleaning.

All Chrstmas present ordered for direct delivery or bought and to be posted tommorrow.

I hope everyone is keeping well and look forward to reading to your messages.

Bye for now

Bridget

Although bought up as a Catholic (I even went to a Convent School at one time), I no longer believe.
However, I think that Christmas is over commercialised.

Some of my siblings still believe and go to Mass every Sunday, I wonder sometimes if the commercialisation "gets there goat" more than it does mine.

Us four and my brother-in-law, have a sort of secret santa each year.

My sis and I celebrate our birthday together (we were born almost excatly two years apart). We meet up as a family and go for a meal, this year to a Chinese Buffett.
While there, we do the drawer, by picking an enveope, with someones name in.
This way, we only buy one present. This vastly cuts cost. It also gives us all more time to give special thought to what we are going to buy for our "chosen person"

I don't buy for my nieces anymore, but do get a little gift for the next generation.

I will also probably spend Christmas day alone (very much by choice). This gives me time to think about the last year and to give special thought to the family.

Christmas Dinner seems to have got out of hand in some homes.
Which causes a lot of pressure for the food preparers.
I like to relax, will have the family round shortly after Christmas. We will have a buffett type meal, probably with baked potatoes. Much less pressure. So a lot more time to enjoy each others company.

This also means that the true Christians in the family can enjo the true meaning of Christmas (i.e. celebrating the anniversary of Jesus Christ) without having to worry about buying presents, cooking loads of food oand dashing from one place to anither, making sure that they visit all rellies, who would otherwise be offended.

There - rant over!

I don't think that everyone should do as I do, they should all suit themselves. Without giving into the pressure forced on us by advertiser etc.

Tess

Oh Val how I agree with you about Christmas, it seems to have become completely commercialised. this year I decided to put a limit on the money spent for each of my children and grandchildren and uit is working out very well. We need to remember that Christmas is about birth whether that be in the traditional meaning or in a new way, to live our lives as people who care about each other and looking out for them.
It gives us a few days to think about our lives and the lives of all those around us.
I recall some very happy times when we had little soare money and had to really think hard what gifts to make or buy, who to share our celbration with etc.
Now it all seems so commercialised in the UK. Back home in Spain my husband has confirmed that whilst some Christmas food is coming into the shops, the shops have yet to put out Christmas stock and we like it that way. I shall read my piece about Christams in Spain and hold onto that as the day approaches us all.

I wonder what evryone else thinks?
I must say I have missed making the Christmas cake!!

Bye for now as going to have something to eat now but may be back later.

I am back! Have been to East London to visit my niece who was really ill at the weekend and the Matron at the Home thoguht would would not make it through the week-end. She has rallied and yesterday when we visited her for the last time before returning home she was almost back to her old self.

Bridget I am pleased that things are looking up for your son. One worries so. Also good to hear that there is a suiitable applicant for your post. Not too long now before you can call it a day.

Visitors are beginning to come to town for the holidays, the shops are full of Christmas things and music, but I do think many people have forgotten the real meaning. For some it means nothing more than party, party , party. We are having our church Christmas lunch on Saturday at the local hotel and I am looking forward to that.

That all for now. Take care.



Val.

Good morning evryone, I hope that you are all well and having a good time.
I am feeling much better now and my son who I was so worried about is improving slowly. He is pleased with the house he is living in, only one other person the owner is living there. He is back at work and trade is reasonable given the economic climate and sales have increased this week. He calls me each evening and we have a chat, and finally the woman he was with has stopped calling him. Some of his female friends have been very kind and supportive,
Thank you for all your kind thoughts and I will be back on here most days now.

Boss has interviewed people for my post and we both thought that one person stood out from the rest and an offer has been posted so please keep your fingers crossed that he accepts.
Yesterday we had a visit which I had arranged from the Chairman of our local council and his wife. The press turned up as well and several of the residents met and spoke to the Chairman and his wife. We had an extra special mid afternoon tea and an excellent slide show of locl fauna and flora, The Chairman and his wife asked if they could stay to listen to it as well. Lots of photos taken and we are now waiting to see if this makes it to the local paper.

Will now have to find another person for some time in the New Year.

Val your little poem has been copied and laminated by me and I have it on one of my notice boards at work and several people have commented so a very biig thank you.
I have spent quite some time on on bejewelled, onceI start it is like an addiction!!! well I guess there are worse things in life than playing games in the evening!!

Bridget

Hello everyone

I am feeling like ME again.
My daughter hs pampered me and done everything she possibly could to make me feel appresiated and pamperded.
rmy son and wife were here when I arrived after another long, long shift...in fact nearly dozed off driving here.
My grandson has deceded that he wants to go onto the army when he is 16. So army sone brought lots of eqipment for him to sue when he next goes to camp and spent a good hour or so talking to him. My daughter in law got on very well with my daughter and is was great to see such harmony. They left after lunch and we went out shopping.
all in all a lovely day.
today my UH called to say that my son in Barce;ona had called asking to be picked up from the station as he had come to see his step brother, wife and their baby who is now walking around so OH is feeling great.

The son I am worried about seemed a listtle more settled on Friday so I will call him shortly and he can speak to the children as well.

So it looks as if things are improving and I feel so much better away from work that I really know that I am doing the right thing in leaving early next yer.
Again everyone thank you for your help, support and friendship.

Bridget

Oh dear Bridget! but it must be vert easily done (I think that a lot of people do it anyway)
You have had a lot on your mind recently, so not altogether surprising that you lost concentration for a little while.

Pleased that the car is back on the road.

Have a great time at your daughter's, great news that your army son and his wife will be there too. I bet there will be a lot of talking, well into the night.

Yake care,

Tess

OH a very big thank you for keeping this going for all of us. i am sorry i am not posting very often but I will be back. Sad son has now found somwhere to live until he can get back into his own house, he had rented it out, so that is a relief.
It is hard as a female to recognise that some women can be very cruel and not just verbally. My son feels so demoralised and sad. At least he is back at work now which will be good for him and he has had a meeting with his supervisor and explained his situation

I am going to see my daughter tomorrow and will stay for the weekend also just learnt that Army son and his wife will be there so it will be a good time. Unfortunatly Son in Spain and other son cannot but nevertheless we will have a good time.
with all the worry I did something really stupid and it has cost me some serious money. I put petrol in my new diesel car!! I was distraught but fortiunally I had cover and all is well and the car is back on the road...what a lucky escape

good night everyone, unlikley to be on here now until M=sunday night of Monday so enjoy the weekend

Bridget

Mary, I know what you mean about the games, I haven't seen the games on Friends Reunited but the games on Facebook have me hooked, especially Bejewelled and Worddrop, I must admit to wasting hours playing whenI know I should be doing something else, but what the heck!

We are expecting my sister for a few days over Christmas, but it will be very quiet. I am not a good traveller at the best of times, so don't like travelling at this time of the year as the roads are very busy and there are too many accidents.

I sat outside this morning at 5.30 a.m. having a cup of coffee, it was lovely, everything so quiet and peaceful before the noises of the day begin, not a breath of wind.

I am going to be energetic to-day and varnish the garden bench then I want to be off to the Nursery for a few chive seedlings which the gardener can plan t as he works to-day.

Take care of yourself Tess, you will have to catch up on your sleep during the day.

Hope you all enjoy your day.


Val.

I am now trying to avoid the temptation of having a quick look at friends reunited.

Have just got up for a while as having difficulty sleeping.
But not a good idea to get too wrapped up in other things.

Hope you enjoy your Christmas, with your family (or some of them) around you.
I haven't made any plans for Christmas yet. I am quite happy to be on my own on Christmas Day, I know I will see the family some time over the Christmas period.

love Tess

Good morning all

Only just caught up with this thread - positive thoughts Bridget for your son - hope all turns out ok. You remember to look after yourself too.

One of the reasons I have not been on here much is because I had an email from Friends United telling me about some games they had on their site - and sorry girls but I am hooked. Wordsearches and number games - housework gone through the window. I keep telling my hubby that doing them keeps my brain working !!!

Well, eldest son and d i l are coming over 16th December - our wedding anniversary - and going back 26th December - so I will be cooking Christmas dinner for 4 - almost like old times. Still waiting to hear when the youngest son is coming over - hope he makes it although don't think it will be the same time as his brother.

Well must be off and get my act together and do some housework - well, perhaps I will look at the games first !!!!

Enjoy your day everyone

Love Mary xx

Thank you everyone for your kind thoughts about my son.

I will be back as sson as I can feel strong enough but meanwhile Please wil ayou all look after the board for me.??