General Chat

With Anne we Went to Tesco Extra first and did a large shop. I forgot the bit where you get home and have to unpack it all. It is waiting for me downstairs.

We than went to Highfield garden centre as Anne wanted some boots which Pavers had in the sale. so I got a sweater in E Wool. and a couple of extra Christmas presents. Then to Dobbies where I bought her lunch and used my free coffees and bought another present. She picked me up at 10 and we got in at 2.45. A really good day out. She also got her shopping in Tesco but didn't want as much as me so she took hers back to the car then helped me with mine. :-D

Better go and unpack the groceries now.

I have 6 violas to put in a trough but that can wait until tomorrow.

Gosh Vera, you did get a lot down.

Mel did the stoat get away from the magpie in the ens with its kill?

Afternoon all

It's a beautiful day with blue skies and sunshine but it is cold out. Making the most of a dry day OH has done some more tidying in the garden. He's cut down the big clumps of helenium and cleared all the hosta pots of dead leaves. There's still more to do outside but we are getting there.

I went to put away our case from our Scottish trip and ended up clearing everything from the cupboard and rearranging it. It's awkward getting everything in and out as it is under the eaves, so the bottom of the cupboard is about chest height and it goes back quite deep but, of course, is under a sloping roof. If you don't pack it right you waste a lot of space. We keep cases and bags in there because we don't need to get them out very often. It's nice and tidy now.

Then I sorted out all our spare bedding. Luckily I have quite a bit. It's difficult not knowing yet if anyone is coming to stay next Friday but I want to be prepared rather than have a last minute panic Once I had sorted out what duvets, pillows etc I had available I made up the twin beds in one room and tidied up a bit in there.

I've also hand washed a couple of OH's really heavy zip fronted cardis and just done a little bit of ironing so I've got quite a lot done this morning. I feel shattered now so I'm going to have a sit -down with a sandwich and a cuppa. Hope you are all having a good day.

Iv'e just had a stoat come out from under the box hedge with I think a baby rabbit. It was followed by a Magpie and lugged this prey right across the garden towards the west wall followed by the Magpie.

Morning all,

Same here pale blue sky and there's a plane flying over and it is all silver with a vapour trail in the sunshine. Hav'nt seen that for a while.

Tomorrow is our BIG breakfast in the village hall so I may not be around in the morning.

Slept well and woke when I heard a noise but I must have been dreaming. I wonder if BIL will come today?

Good morning Brrr! it is chilly here, only 3 degrees. No frost as far as I can tell. going to two garden centres and the large Tesco today, being picked up at 10. Slept well and warm enough indoors, lovely wintry pale blue sky out there. Glad I don't have to go to work I would have been walking there right now.

Goodness Vera the idea about retiring and getting older is we slow down. You seem to hsve been in overdrive this last week. At least you had a few days away but you still couldn’t completely relax I am sorry to hear that your daughter’s partner is I’ll. I hope there will be some improvement but it didn’t sound very hopeful. Life is so sad sometimes.
Anyway it is good to see a post from you, we were stagnating a bit there. Don’t worry about us though, get everything done that you need to and call in when you can.

Gkad you're back safe and sound Vera and yu had a few nice days away with friends.

I hav'nt even thought about dinner for tonight so I better dive down the freezer and have a look to see what I can have. I was going to get some chicken thighs out this morning but forgot. Have any of you cooked those in the air fryer??? I had a look online and one lady did them and they looked great with a nice crispy skin but mine don't have skin on them.

I'm back - well, sort of back. I may be popping in and out for a while as life is still somewhat hectic.

I am still trying to help OH sort out a problem he has at the moment which mostly involves me writing letters and emails for him to check and sign. Also, without going into further details, my daughter's partner became very seriously ill and things are not looking good at the moment so we are trying to offer what little support we can there. We are also trying to help a couple of good friends who have some problems. Mostly it's just keeping an eye on them, offering a listening ear and OH occasionally acting as chauffeur. There are also things going on in our family which aren't causing any worry as such but the situation keeps changing so we don't know what is happening from day to day. We're a bit in limbo. I may have various grandchildren, some of their partners and the baby staying the weekend after next - or I may not. It makes it very difficult to plan anything ahead.

We were also booked with a group of friends on a coach trip to Scotland for a few days. I hadn't said anything as we thought we would probably have to cancel but at the last minute we decided to go. So we left at 5.30 Saturday morning and got back about 8 pm last night. It was relaxing up to a point because we had the company of our group of friends (11 of us) and lots of laughter but we were texting and phoning a good bit to keep in touch with what was happening in the family. The weather was good for the first 2 days, cold but bright and sunny. The other 3 days were a bit warmer but very, very wet.

I didn't take my iPad away as it is losing its charge very quickly and I can really only use it plugged in. I am going to take it in to the scruffy little phone shop in town as the owner is very knowledgeable but really only deals with phones. If he says he can't do it I will have to take it to the Apple shop in Bury St Edmunds and I haven't got time to do that at the moment.

I have caught up with all the posts.

Mandy, I agree with the other posters. If your tins aren't damaged and look and smell OK they are almost certainly fine to use. The "best before" date doesn't mean there is any danger from them but that they may have just lost a bit of perfection. For example crisp biscuits may soften slightly. I worked with a spice company for many years. Our products had to have a best before date of 18 months ahead. Spices kept dry don't go off but after a couple of years they may get a little less potent. I have just finished using a huge container of ground ginger that must be 10 years old at least. It just got slightly less gingery. Having said all that I think it's best if you feel comfortable so if it will worry you to use the tins then just dump them.

Better go and sort out something for dinner tonight. Have a good evening and stay warm. I might be back tomorrow.

i DON'T WASTE OUT OF BEST BEFORE THINGS AS THE CHICKENS WILL EAT MOST THINGS SO IF i DON'T FANCY IT I cook it up for them.

Thats a job I need to do the food stock cupboard. One thing I did open once and did'nt fancy as the coour had gone was a tin of cherry pie filling.

Sorry did'nt mean to shout I had been naming files and like them in capitals.

Been making some new moulds today and I have cast a few bits. I am wanting to make more Tudor pottery and I need to make some more of my little Tudor onion bottles.

Nice to see both Mandy and Gwyn posting thanks girls. :-D :-D :-D

Mandy, I have no problem eating food from tins, which are past their best before date. I am very fussy about fresh stuff, especially meat products being in date, but tins are used to preserve food, so they are still fine to eat.
That is my choice though and I wouldn't prepare food for other people and expect them to have the same views.
It is after all, 'best before' rather than 'use by'. I always check for dents and broken seams and we have always been fine.

I am pretty certain that some tins are fine out of date Mandy but. as you say better safe than sorry. It has been dry here all day but sort of misty and very cold. I did spend 20 minutes out in the garden getting a few more bits cut back but it was very cold. Now writing or starting to write Christmas cards.

Afternoon all,

Raining here now ,its been a dry morning and we got our shopping done before the rain came .
I just had a sort out in my tin cupboard and I'm ashamed to say I had at least a dozen out of date tins and a few jars too , I usually have a sort out ready to stock up for the winter but was all behind doing it ,I do hate throwing stuff out but once the dates up I don't risk eating anything .
I bought a tin of chocolate biscuits and a tin of biscuits for cheese to put away for Christmas, I also got a couple of frozen desserts and a box of crackers so I've made a start on food bits .

Morning all,

Dull and dire here this morning and they forcast rain so thats something to look forward to for a change and its 7 degrees.

Arm is hurting a bit this morning must have been the window cleaning yesterday but you can't just sit and do nothing can you while the dust piles up.

Got up twice in the night and then slept till 9am so I should get on.

Good morning all, slept quite well but woke up early around 0515, then dozes. Dry but only 4 degrees. No frost though.

Nothing planned for today so I think I will start to write my Christmas cards. That will take a while.

I have put a load of washing in so there is that to sort out as well. And before that is dried I need to sort the airing cupboard. So I was wrong when I said nothing planned!! :-D

No still got water probems Gwyn but they are going to send the team that fixed it in the first place to take out the stopcock thye put in and see if that helps. There's pressure up the top at my potting sheds and the new stop was fitted just around the corner in front of my two old stables. but thats a long way from the house.

Good evening all, .. It's been a beautiful day here, really bright and sunny.

This morning, I packed up some Christmas presents ready for when we have a family meet-up in Hampshire later this month. We usually go about now and put flowers on our family graves and exchange Christmas gifts with my sister for her extended family, then call into my nephew and family in Surrey on our way home to drop off their presents too.
This afternoon, I popped into town and bought stamps for my overseas cards. Luckily, I don't send many abroad, but even so the stamps were £13.50. Interestingly, they are all the same price now, even though I was sending to New Zealand, Italy, Poland, USA and Canada. Now that I've got the stamps, they can be posted in our local box another day.
Does anyone remember that when sending overseas, you were limited to about 5 words of greeting or else you were charged at a higher rate. I think it used to cost less if you sent general Christmas cards unsealed too. Can anyone remember that?

Tomorrow our weather forecast looks grim, - yet more rain. I hope it's not too bad, when I walk to school. I have to sign in with a photo I.D. so it's always a mad scramble to look semi respectable before the device clicks into camera mode :-0
At lunchtime, I will meet 4 friends for a pub lunch nearby. We've all been friends since our children were in primary school together, so it's lovely to catch up and hear how all the families are doing.

Ann, I hope you have fine weather soon, so that your workers can prepare the new base.

Mandy, .. You are getting on well with your Christmas buying. I'm sure the new clothes will be most welcome. What a bonus that they were on offer too.

Mel, you've really been a busy bee. Does all this cleaning activity mean that you think you have solved the mouse problem? I do hope they stay away.
Has your water pressure problem been sorted yet?

I went in to town and got some bits I needed. We now have a very large pound shop where B&M used to be so I went in there and they sell clothes too. It is Poundland so not all stuff is a pound but stuff was definitely cheaper. I am limited by the weight I can carry but I got a few bits.
Mel I think Ann has found she is happier not being on line so it is good that she emails sometimes to keep in touch. I would be lost not coming on to this site, I love to keep up with people.
I don’t think we will hear from Gill any more which is sad but we can’t force people to like chatting to us on here I suppose. Hopefully Vera is getting all her jobs done and will be back soon.
Mandy as I won”t have a greenhouse to put things in I have decide to go fro 6X8 to 8X8 there will still be a lathe where the rest of the greenhouse was. However when the base will be done now with all the rain expected I don’t know.

Evening all,

It's been a windy day here with lots of sunshine ,I did some washing but as it was late going in the machine I didn't bother to hang out as it soon dries on the linen horse.
Got a few jobs done in the house ,the upstairs bathroom had a good clean and I mopped a few floors downstairs.
Yesterday we went to tesco for a few bits and I bought a couple of nice hoodies for Jake for Christmas and a nice fluffy pj top with bottoms for DIL there was 25% off all clothes so that saved a bit ,I bought Jake a hoodie from there last year and he's worn it quite a bit .

So extending the shed base Anng does that mean your having a bigger shed or just extending so you have a path bit in the front of the door .

Mel wasn't that silly that the driver couldn't deliver early and had to sit there until it was your time ,by the end of the day they probably run late .
Sounds as if you've had a busy day turning out the bedroom ,did you find any treasures

I can walk to a post box but can't post my parcels in it and get it signed for.

I have been having the spare bedroom out. I have just washed all the windows and had a good damp dust and now I am going to hoover it. I have also cleaned down the front door inside and out so feel I have done enough HW for today and I hav'nt even thought about dinner tonight.

Vera won't have much to catch up on will she? its just you and me. I do wish Mandy would pop in each day and Annx and Gwyn now and then.

Sorry Mel, I was not very clear I meant I had it much more simple by being able to walk to a post box. I do know that you can't.