General Chat

You could get some basic breakdown cover Mel. I hate to think of you driving on lonely roads without any help in place should you break down. Yes get your car checked too.

I've not heard of milk or garlic water to deter snails before. After we had gravel where the pots stand we never had any trouble for a few years or in the island beds surrounded by gravel. I don't think they liked trying to cross it, but some must have made it as we do get them now. I wondered whether some salt or vinegar around the base of the pots might make them turn back. It would need replacing after rain though. I'd be fancying F&C with the pots near the arbour where we sit! :-D

Just been for a walkup te orchard. I have loads of daffs up th eside of the box hedge and have only had about 10 flowers on them in all. One lot are later than the otthers and they hav'nt even got any buds in. I am wondering if BIL cut them down last year too early as I don't always keep an eye on him or tell him not to mow till June. I did tell him not to do the snowdrops last year so perhaps forgot to say about the daffs. Teres loads of leaves.

Sorry you could'nt sleep last night Vera and hope tonight is better.

Have any of you tried putting down porridge oats round the hostas and things. If I put them on the patio for the birds I get lots of slug trails where they have eaten the porridge. They do say spray your hostas with milk or garlic water. I must get around to sorting my hostas out I have taken the dead leaves and flower stalks off but they need a bit of a weed and a bit of fresh compost on the pots.

I have done a little minitures painting today just pots for a tudor kitchen so nothing to fancy. Did a little drilling of a couple of items but not done much else all day. I did go to the shop for my paper and when I came out the car would'nt start I had to sit there for a while and try again and still nothing but on the third try it started so I got home ok. I shall have to book it in for Stuart to take a look at it for me and treat her to a service. I am frightened to go anywhere too far away incase I get stuck not having oh to come and pick me up it would mean getting a taxe and that can be expensive.

Happy Anniversary to you both Vera! <3 So The Hare it is this evening then! I hope you have a nice meal. Oh heck I'd better check our Hostas if the snails are on the move! I did look when I tidied the dead leaves a little while ago but not since. Sorry you have had a stonking headache. OH had a migraine after he'd gone to bed last night and had to get up to take tablets.

AnnG you are showing us up getting stuck into your garden and getting so many things planted. I hope the lighter nights will help me get on with our garden. I must pick some of the rhubarb which I noticed through the window today has shot up with the milder weather.

Mandy you seem to have found some energy and have got plenty done after all. Don't wear yourself out though and have a rest.

So what have you been doing Mel with your free day?

I think the snails like the wet weather and they seem immune to slug bate these days. I guess all the stuff that used to kill them has been removed from the bait. It is so upsettin to see what they can do to Hostas that I am considering not growing them any more.

I have seen several red admiral butterflies so somebody has told them it is spring.

enjoy your meal tonight vera. :-)

You are putting me to shame AnnG. I have so much to do in the garden and seeds to sow and I just can’t seem to get on with it. I did walk around earlier and that was depressing. We are inundated with snails. I don’t like using slug and snail bait but I did put some round mini hostas in troughs and 5 hollyhocks in the garden and it has made no difference at all. They have been eaten to shreds.

I’m glad you are feeling a little better now Mandy. Don’t overdo it.

I couldn’t sleep last night. I just couldn’t settle. I could even hear OH snoring downstairs (I’m upstairs). In the end I got up and sat downstairs with a drink. I’ve now got a stonking headache. I’ve done next to nothing all day and don’t want to go out tonight but I shall just have to put a smile on my face and get on with it.

What an old misery guts I am today. Better end with a smile :-D and come back in a better mood tomorrow.

Been back out there as the sun has been out for the last hour.Put the potato pots in position then planted up the plants I bought on Thursday plus a couple more that were waiting in the conservatory. Just a couple more to do in there now but that means finding and filling the pots and I have not got any energy left now. Maybe tomorrow.

It was lovely and sunny all morning, I sorted out the two baskets that have overwintered in the conservatory (one ivy geranium and one fuchsia.And I had just got stuff sorted to do a job in the garden and was right down by the shed and I hear Cynth calling me over the fence, I could just see the top of her head. She was telling me that my friend was at the front door. Friend had called on the off chance to see if I wanted to go to the little local nursery/garden centre for coffee. So I downed tools and we went for coffee, had a good look round and then had lunch there too. It was lovely to have a surprise treat. And I got the Safari dwarf beans.

By the time we got back it was showery but I managed to finish off the job I was doing which was to plant six potatoes in the special pots I bought some time ago.

I've had a good morning I've had a good dust through downstairs ,mopped the conservatory the kitchen and the bathroom and pulled a few weeds up outside ,now I feel tired so thats it for today .
Got to get Max a new tag for his collar the other day as he got out of his bed I heard something clang onto the floor tiles and it was his tag the wire ring that holds it on his collar had caught in his blanket and pulled it off so I found another ring to hold it on but it must have pulled the actual ring bit on the tag as it came off again this morning and pulled the ring bit completely off the tag this time .

Oh goodness Ann sounds as she's a menace on the road nearly hitting you twice .

We've seen a little sun but it's quite cloudy now .

Afternoon All,

Slept well last night and my back and side are less painful today so onward and upward I hope! I popped to the shop as OH wanted some cobs to take with him for his lunch at footie on Monday. The carpark was busy and a woman reversing out of a space wasn't looking and nearly knocked me down. Then as she drove round the top and down the other side by the hedge to leave she nearly got me again! The nice chap who keeps the carpark immaculate saw her the second time and shook his head. The village was so busy with cars parked everywhere and balloons up in one place there is obviously some kind of event or fair going on today.

I've only just seen your pics Mel and loved the trails of the snow/sleet as it came down. Phil2 looked plump and well fluffed up against the cold and that is a pretty white and orange Koi in the pond. I wonder what they make of all the snow they can see.

Good idea to watch the boat race Mandy. I'm not doing anything that involves my back today!

BIL coming tomorrow or Monday so I have the day to myself. Iv'e done the shop and am just having something to eat.

Morning all,

I was up at 6am for the loo and went back to bed and then up again at 8.12am and again wen t back to bed and woke at 9am. So you can see why I aam all behind today but its Easter so who cares.

Blue sky with big white clouds 12 degrees and pc says mostly sunny.

I threatend my keyboard this morning with the new one so I changed her batteries and so far so good but I have the new one on the desk beside me if she plays up.

Don't know if BIL is coming this weekend or not as I hav'nt heard from him. I did send him the pic of Phil in the snow but no reply yet.

Well I better go and do my Asda order as Iv'e not done it yet this week and my pass runs out tonight.

Morning all,

Overcast morning here and the wind has dropped .
Not a lot planned for today just see how it goes, so much I want to do but I need my energy back first .
Boat race this afternoon so will watch that .

No Ann no egg hunt this year now they are older ,last year it was just Lewis and Lacey so I thought this year they wouldn't want to do it .

good morning all. 6 degrees a blue sky and looks less wind than yesterday. Maybe today will be a day for getting out into the garden.

Yes the photos were very atmospheric Mel. Hope that is the last of the snow for this year.

Glad you all liked the pictures. :-D

I am almost certain that he was born in this country. They moved to this Close when he was three or four I remember he was always a polite little boy and he spoke good English. There has never been a father with them. They must have lived here over fifteen years

Afternoon All,

April weather here too with showers, hailstones, but dry and windy again now. I had a bad night, couldn't get off to sleep and now my back isn't happy so I must have lay awkwardly.

How sad about the young man AnnG. He must have felt desperately low for some time to consider suicide the only way out. It must have been such a shock for his mother too. I wonder whether they had been in this country very long and whether he had to leave his friends behind if not.

You will have plenty of tomatoes if they all germinate won't you and the mint sounds interesting. I probably won't grow anything in the greenhouse this year as we may either move it or get an even smaller one depending what we do with that side of the garden.

Food delivery just came, no paracetamol and 1 sub which was ok. We didn't need a lot this time so it was soon squirrelled away and OH did it all to save my back, so I expect I will be asking him where he's put things next. :-D

Vera I couldn't help but chuckle at your OH. It's a good job you weren't courting or you might have been at different places and at different times! I'm not much better as I drove to meet OH for lunch at the wrong place once and it was about 10 miles away from him. Another time I drove to pick him up from a garage where his car was in for a service and I went to the old garage he used to go to by mistake. Did he change the booking or is it The Hare now?

You must be pleased to feel a bit better today Mandy and the tablets you have for now might start to work for you quite quickly. Were you doing your easter egg hunt this time, although I suppose apart from Lewis the rest of the children are outgrowing these things.

We all seem to have trouble typing one way or another, as keyboards are so sensitive these days. Today I have sorted my hairdressers app on my phone and linked my email so she can add points for discounts on my haircuts, so I'm slowly getting to grips with it! I've also managed to use a QR code to access the Co-op bargains, another first for me.

OH is at a match tomorrow and on Monday he will be out most of the day at a match at Spalding, so we have no plans. He'd forgo his footie, but I've never wanted to go out on bank holidays with all the crowds, traffic, parking etc.

Suns been in and out today heavy rain and some hail and a beautiful thick clear rainbow but I don't think the camera has picked it up, I did try.......

Washings nearly dry so I have brought it in and am ow going to iron it.

If you leave your finger on the key for a little longer than ususal the letter will come ot twice or even three times. At the mo its not too bad. I think my poor old pc is struggling as I have had it for years now. When I look through the side grill it looks very very dusty in there and oh used to take the cover off and give everything a good clean but I don't know how to do that.

When I go into my emails now if they have pics on them I have to click on show pictures. Its so annoying. They keep saying the log in and other things are changing but I don't think its for the better.

I do so feel for that poor lady and if dad has Altzeimers I don't know how thats going to work with them coming over from Poland. It will make him more muddled.

Vera I suspect your OH prefers the Hare to the Barn. He probably forgot what you said anyway. He knew it was a short name :-D

Yes it is devastating for his Mum. She does have a sister in this country and my friend who lives closer to her than me says that her parents are coming from Poland to be with her. Don't know how that will work out though as her father has Altzeimers.

My fingers eem to hava a life of their own sometimes and don't listen to my brain. I am not a touch typist and I think sometimes I press too heavily so get a double letter, but more often think I have pressed the key but approach it like the touch screens so don't press hard enough.

Oh, AnnG, that is so sad about that young lad and it must be devastating for his mother. I hope she has family or friends that will support her through this terrible time. Easter did seem a bit more special when we were young, didn't it. It was the only day of the year we got hot cross buns. The shops were all shut and we didn't have freezers full of food but somehow our mothers seemed to manage to produce lovely meals. We had chicken for dinner on Easter Sunday because it was expensive then so was something a bit more special and it was the day we wore our new summer sandals and, if my mother had the money, I got a new summer dress. Happy days!

Mandy, I hope you keep improving now you are starting on some iron and vitamin D tabs. It's horrid if you feel dizzy and light headed half the time. Take it easy for a while. It's good that you have family nearby to help you if you need it.

Mel, do take AnnG's advice and try your new keyboard. Then at least you will know if it is the keyboard that is faulty. It seems odd that one time it will be fine and the next the words are all over the place. Have you considered that the problem might be with your hands? I'm not criticising you here but speaking from experience as I sometimes have similar problems. I was a very good touch typist but sometimes now I type a letter but it appears twice, or I get a space in the middle of a word or don't get a space where I want one. I think as we get older our fingers are sometimes less flexible than they used to be and typing quickly our finger might overlap 2 keys. I also have something called intention tremor which comes and goes with no warning. I think if, for instance, I'm typing s and I get sss it's because my finger has shook slightly while pressing the key. It probably doesn't apply to you at all but I thought it worth mentioning.

It's been sunny and cloudy by turn today but the wind isn't quite as bad as in the last couple of days and we've only had a little bit of light rain. I set to this morning and gave OH's en-suite and the downstairs cloakroom a really thorough clean. It seemed to take me ages and my back's aching now. Instead of using the steam cleaner or the squeegee (sp?) mop I got down on my hands and knees and gave the floors a good wash. As we were saying the other day, getting up again wasn't so easy. With the cloakroom I had to crawl across the hall floor till I could reach the stairs and haul myself up by the banisters. Not a pretty sight, lol. I've also prepared tonight's dinner - cottage pie and various veg - and prepared and frozen a load of parsnips to replace the ones I accidentally defrosted .

It's our wedding anniversary tomorrow and OH wanted to go out for a meal. Tbh, I'm not that bothered but I thought I should show willing and said lunch at The Barn would be nice. So what has he booked? Evening meal at The Hare!! I can't work out whether he just doesn't listen or he listens and then goes his own sweet way anyway. His hearing is excellent, better than mine, but I think he only selectively hears. Men!!!

I see it's coming up to 4 pm so time to put the kettle on for an afternoon cuppa. Enjoy the rest of the day everyone.