General Chat

good morning all. Very dark and grey so far and 7 degrees.
I googled your bleach problem Vera. It seems to be not as uncommon as you think so worth googling. It doesn't appear to be anything really worrying as far as I could tell.

good that your visitors won't be coming this weekend as it gives you time to get over the cold you seem to have hanging around.

Window cleaner coming today. They seem to have suddenly switched from turning up every 8 weeks back to every 4 weeks. good for the windows not so for the pocket.

It sounds as though you had a good trip out AnnG and a nice scenic drive.

You are doing well selling all your little hand made items Mel. Don't worry about having 2 bags of baby pots. They keep well in the fridge. We've just eaten some that were about 3 weeks old and they were fine.

Gwyn, I don't like Christmas decorations going up too early. I must be a right old misery guts, but it seems to take all the excitement out of Christmas when it starts so early.

I hope Mandy and her OH aren't feeling too poorly. Covid can leave you feeling completely drained and it is difficult if you are both ill at the same time.

I didn't feel great first thing and feel a bit rough again now as I am getting tired and I seem to have developed a very strange symptom. I can smell and sort of taste bleach but I haven't used any bleach today and OH can't smell anything. I keep sniffing my clothes and my hands and there's no bleach smell there. It seems to be in me. Isn't that weird? Anyway, I wasn't too bad at all in the middle of the day so we went into town to do the things I had planned to do yesterday. I managed to get a couple more Christmas presents which pleased me and also got some bits and pieces in Iceland and took advantage of their 10% off for over 60s on Tuesdays.

The last I heard from grandson was a text a couple of weeks ago when he said they were looking forward to seeing us at the end of the month. As I hadn't heard any more I texted him today to check that his visit was still on. Yes, they are definitely coming and will arrive lunchtime on 1st December. Since when was the 1st December "the end of the month"? Good job I checked or I would have had meals ready and then been panicking because they hadn't arrived. At least it gives me an extra week to buy some more presents and get them wrapped as I am hoping he will be able to take all the stuff for Yorkshire back with him.

I think I am now going to settle down in bed with a hottie and a book. Sleep well everyone.

Perhaps everyone feels they need cheering up Gwynne,
I have heard of The Churchill Gwynne but not seen it. I used to dive for Fareham right across the top of the hill from Fareham when visiting a friend who lived in Leigh Park. In fact I skidded on ice up there one day when there was no ice anywhere else. Driving an old MG Magnet with daughter aged 3-4 in the back hit black ice, the car was longer than the road width so it bounced off verges from side to side and shattered the fog light that was fixed on the front bumper. As I stood looking at it a Naval officer going the other way stopped and wired it up for me. He said a lot of people had skidded there that morning. The sun was out but the ice was in the shade of a tree or bush.
Fareham Grammar school I don't think was open in 1951 when I went to Purbrook. I could have gone to a school in Gosport but Purbrook had such an excellent reputation and Mum was a bit of a snob!!! I did not do particularly well at Purbrook. but I suppose that was me being younger than most of the year and smaller and shy and scared of sports 'stuff'.

We had a good trip out to Fosse Way garden centre, I had been there before it became a Blue Diamond but it has been re-furbished and is now huge and very well stocked. They even have an in store butchers. And the restaurant is very good too, very big and the food is ordered at the table and comes up really quickly as the order goes straight to the kitchen. I managed to spend £50 but most of that is on presents so I was quite happy about it. the drive there and back was lovely, even if it was grey, misty and drizzly on the way there. On the way home it was bright and dry and the trees were beautiful. I left at 10.30 and got home at 2.45.

A dull start here with dampness in the air, but the sun is doing it's best to make an appearance now.

No Ann, it wasn't the George, although I remember that well, being at such an important junction of several main roads. We went to The Churchill, which is more on the actual brow of Portsdown Hill on the Fareham side of Cosham.
My sister was due to go to your old school, but my parents and also my friends' parents applied for their two younger daughters to go to Fareham school instead, as we older sisters were already pupils there.
Maybe Fareham hadn't opened, when you were eleven?

It sounds as if you are really busy getting your garden organised. Our back garden in particular is very heavy with clay, so ideally needs a good overhaul and some lighter soil dug in.... It would be more manageable to dig then , so that we could successfully grow more veg.
I hope you enjoy your outing to the garden centre. I wonder if you will find anything tempting to buy ;-)

Mel, You seem to be very busy making and selling your craft items. Well done !

Any news on Mandy? I hope they are OK. So difficult if they are both ill at the same time :-(

Vera, I hope you too are feeling better and your cold is improving.....It's not what you want when you are so busy and possibly expecting visitors too.

Several houses around here have Christmas decorations up and the caretaker was putting the school decorations up in the hall today. I thought they usually go up in school on the first weekend in December, so that is quite a bit earlier :-S

They sent me basa fillets instead of smoked haddock and chocolate buttons instead of malteasas. Stupid lot they went back. The strawberries were'nt what I ordered and the orange juice is not smooth but with juicy bits which I don't mind. Why o why did I order two lots f baby pots???

Been to the post van and sent a poarcel and swept leaves off the decking and done some painting and varnishing.

Morning all,


Some sun this morning and grey and white clouds in the blue sky that I can see out the front.pc says 9 degrees and mostly cloudy so I have that to look forward to today.
Keyboard still playing up. I sold my little Harvest Jug and bread yesterday and had the ladies name and address come through this morning and she's just up the road to me in Hatherleigh where I go for diesel.

Enjoy your visit Anng and don't spend too much.

Vera you got a few things done yesterday with ordering (and receiving Christmas presents and also tidying up the garden

Mel, I often find things said on GR threads spark memories. Must be a sign of my age, more behind than in front. But it is good to remember things.

I can't do much out in the garden until it dries up a bit. where they were up and down the garden yesterday with the wheelbarrow the grass is muddy. It is, anyway, the side of the lawn I am going to have dug up and gravelled so that will be OK when it is done. Anyway today I am going to a big garden centre which is towards Oxford. Actually it is very near Batsford Arboretum. It is one of the U3a Garden visits days but there are not many accessible gardens to visit this time of year so they go to garden centres to meet up for coffee/lunch. Being picked up at 10.30

Gwyn it sounds like you had a lovely time out even though the view was a bit misty. Its always nice to have a meal out with friends with lots of catching up to do it makes the time pass quickly though.

Vera I hope you feel better by the time your company comes so you can relax and enjoy them. give that baby a cuddle from me please?

I have done some painting today and nw dinner is just about ready to dish up.

Nice memories Anng. Funny how things can bring good memories back. x

It sounds as though you had a lovely day out Gwyn. I am glad you enjoyed your time with family. I am sure you are right in saying that stress affects our vulnerability. Since July it seems to have been one thing after another for us. However I probably only have a cold which is nothing compared to some people’s problems.

I’m not going to our Club tonight but OH is going so can tell me what’s happening there - if he remembers.

Late last night I went online and ordered a couple of hat, scarf and gloves sets for 2 of OH’s great nieces. I ordered them from Next and they arrived at midday today. How’s that for good service?

It’s been a lovely day. Sunny on and off and not too cold. I got lots of washing done and it nearly dried and is now hanging round the house to finish off drying. I thought a bit of fresh air might help my head but didn’t feel like a walk so I spent a while in the garden doing more tidying up and raking up lots of leaves. I don’t think it helped my head but I felt pleased with what I got done.

I’m now waiting for a Tesco delivery. There’s nothing missing but there are 4 subs which is a lot for Tesco. 3 of them are fine but I will be sending the large leg of pork back. I ordered a loin of pork that I cut into 3 little joints which are fine for just 2 of us but we’ll be eating a whole leg forever.

Oh, Mr Tesco is here. Must go.

Vera I hope that you shake off that cold and feel better soon.

Gwyn was that at the George on Portsdown Hill? If so my school bus used to trundle up the hill past that pub every day. and when in my teens T and I walked from the George over the hill to Portchester. One very clear memory I have of the hill was when they switched street lights on after the war, must have been 46/47? We had a car then and Dad drove us up to the top of the hill to wait until the street lights came on. I can still remember all the lights after the dark war years.
Pleased that you had a good day. Your day evoked my memories.

Sorry to hear that you feel so rough, Mandy.
There is often no way of telling where you picked up the virus. Someone I know works from home and hadn't been out for over a week, when they tested positive recently.
I do hope you feel better soon.

Vera, I hope you feel better soon too. You have a lot happening in your life at the moment, so added stress sometimes makes us more vulnerable, I think. I hope the situation with your daughter's partner is calmer now. If our children are going through upset, it affects us too.

We have brilliant sunshine, after a gloomy wet start to the day. I took myself off for a walk earlier and saw that the early narcissus in one particular garden are showing a lot of flower buds, but no colour yet. I look for them each year, as they are always the earliest around here. I posted a Christmas and birthday card, while I was out. They went in the same envelope to save a bit on postage to New Zealand. They should be there for the early December birthday.
Yesterday we travelled to Hampshire and exchanged cards and gifts with family there. We took flowers to family graves too.
The weather was gloomy, but the company was great. My niece had booked us in for a 12.15 lunch at a pub on the hilltop over-looking Portsmouth, so we had to get ourselves organised and allow time for the long journey.
On a clear day, there is a wonderful view for miles over the city and surrounding area and across to the Isle of Wight, but we only had glimpses of all that yesterday :-|
10 of us met , so lots of chatter and catching up :-D

Oh poor you Mandy and OH. Get as much rest as you possibly can and I hope you feel better very soon.

I've had a sore throat, runny nose and headache for a couple of days so I tested this morning but, thankfully, it was negative. It's probably just a cold but I will be careful because of the baby coming at the weekend. I've got a dental appointment tomorrow but I have rung the dentist and put it off for a couple of weeks.

OH has just called lunch is ready. Might bbl

O Mandy I do hope you feel better soon. Do you think it may have come from the children? or whist out shopping.

Been to the post van and done some drilling and now I am going to do some painting before getting some lunch.

oh goodness Mandy, where have you caught that from? do you know anyone who has it? Hope you feel better soon. Hopefully it will ease after a couple of days. <3

Morning all,

We've both tested positive for covid ,I feel awfull so might not be around for a few days

Morning Aanng and all,

Grey here too and pc says mostly cloudy and 10 degrees.

I have to go to the post van this morning with two parcels and then I am going to do some ironing and hoovering.

Hope Jake can get the base done today and that will be one step nearer to the new shed.

Good morning all, a bit grey here and 7 degrees. Hoping it will stay dry as Jake is supposed to be coming to see to the shed base. At least I have not heard that he is unable to come.

Hi Frank I am so pleased to see you post again. Keep it up we all miss you and your tales. Give my love to Ros and have a lovely Christmas in Devon. :-D :-D :-D

Been doing a bit of casting and modeling today s hav'nt looked in till now and had a nice surprise to see our Frank had posted, what a treat. <3

Oh Frank lovely to see you posting and hear that your both well ,we do miss your posts
Hope you don't come down with a cold there's a lot of it about .
What have you been up to I hope you've been behaving yourself lol

Hello Frank Good to see you but please don't pass that cold (if it is one) down the wires!! Hope it doesn't develop into anything.

have a good Christmas in devon. I will be in the Lake Districy. :-)