General Chat

good morning all. 6 degrees here so a bit on the chilly side. I slept from 11 to 0415 then from about 0430 to 0730 so a good niths sleep but was dreaming, one of those dreams which linked when I went back to sleep. good ness knows what it was all about although I remember a part, being away from home and having a hair appointment in a place where I didn't know the salons name or where it was And it was a different language.

Ann sometimes with double glazing it is preferable to find a recommended local firm rather than use the big firms I think. A good idea to accept the scratch and stop any contact with the firm once you have the lock fixed.

A shame that your visit to the garden centre was brought to an abrupt end but I know what you mean, although have never actually had to do anything similar.

Vera. a busy potting day. Your garden will be a blaze of colour in spring now, how lovely. such a lot of work with all those bulbs though

You’ve been busy with Stu today Mel and got some jobs out of the way. It will be good if he can get the mower sorted out and sell the other bits for you.

Gwyn, I expect your war memorial service was moving. I find these events take on more significance as I get older. The seasons do seem to be out of gear but how lovely to see hollyhocks and gladioli in bloom.

I am sure your planter will look lovely AnnG. I got some planting done today as well. My daff bulbs seem to have really expanded in number. This morning I planted two pots up with a total of 25 bulbs of a variety called Silver Standard and I still have 18 of those left, plus I have 2 other varieties Tahiti and Dutch Master to sort out. We haven’t bought any of these but I think friends know daffs are my favourite flower and tend to give me bulbs.

I also cooked a full roast dinner; pork loin, stuffing, potatoes, carrots, parsnips and broccoli, followed by apple crumble and custard. I was pleased as it all got cooked in the oven apart from the broccoli which only needed 6 mins in the microwave and the custard which was the instant sort so just needed some boiling water. I even did 4 2-portion lots of stuffing for the freezer.

We haven’t seen any of that yellow stuff at all today but the forecast is for sun tomorrow. I’ll believe it when I see it.

Afternoon All,

Dull here too but dry. Got the washing dry around the bungalow as it seemed damp outside with no air moving. We've also done a bit of clearing things ready for the new boiler to be fitted eg the top of the fridge freezer in the uti where we put all of OH's cereal. All the radiators are clear for them to drain anyway and I've tidied some things away. I think I will be wearing a warm fleece coat while they are here as doors will be open and no heating on for ages! OH will be ok warming up while he's out at meetings some of the time.

All the customer reviews on the window company's site are excellent, but I wish I'd looked further before we ordered as other review sites are pretty damning as I found last night. The site and paperwork is all very professional and good but others have had such poor service and even damage done to their property, no answer to their complaints etc. I suggested to OH that we just get the lock fixed and put up with the scratches rather than risk them causing bigger problems to be sorted out. At least the door fits well and looks good as it is and they said they would have to take it out to replace the sill. He was nodding before I finished telling and showing him what people have said. We'd like new windows and a roof on the conservatory and maybe new front windows in future, but they have lost the chance of getting that work. The company to avoid is Anglian Home Improvements. They and Everest are the worst according to one site I looked at.

Mmmm kitchens smell lovely when a Christmas Cake is cooking don't they Mandy. A friend had a catastrophe with hers last week when the loose bottom tilted and some of the cake mix fell through before she even got it in the oven. I think she managed to rescue most though.

Gwyn it seems strange to see so many things still flowering this late doesn't it. We have Violas still in flower and the hardy Fuschias are full of flower.

AnnG that was handy getting some things with money off at Dobbies. I was hoping to do that at the garden centre where we had brekkie the other day and had the trouble with the discount. The other tills there would have been fine as it was just the cafe one that didn't have the right barcode, but as we were about to look around we spotted an awful woman we used to work with years ago and couldn't face a chat with her so we sneaked out of the shop instead. Has anyone else done that before? lol. It sounds like you will have a nice show of bulbs .

Not trusting him with potting up the rest of your bulbs in pots then Vera, although I expect you usually do those anyway. At least there is less bending doing pots. It sounds like you will have a good show of bulbs in the spring.

Mel the ingredient in Cardicore is Bisoprolol anyway which is what I take, so I wouldn't have thought not getting your usual Cardicore would matter. I now have a month's tablets in hand in case of difficulties getting them. It's not good that you can't get 2 months meds when others in the country can. You'd think it would be the same everywhere. I didn't know both mowers were out of action, but it will be good to have a spare if the other can be repaired. I supppose you don't have mains drains where you are. Dad built the concrete cess pit at the bungalow we lived at in staffordshire when I was little. It was like an underground room covered with the garden and I didn't dare walk where it was after as I thought it might collapse and I'd fall in. Years after we moved, the new owners had no idea where it was when it needed emptying and had to contact dad via the estate agent to find out.

One of our 2 Co-op stores in the village is closing/ being taken over by another convenience store group. We have always been surprised we had two, but there are different Co-op groups and we had to use different member cards for them. I don't use either unless I have to, preferring to drive a couple of miles further to where it is easy to park.

The Asda driver was an hour late but a message said their tracking system is down and to claim any refunds online! The one sub has gone back. I'm sure they try fobbing us off with their own brands of things instead sometimes.

Windowcleaner tomorrow so an early start if we want to be showered before he's walking past the window he can see through. :-0

I am looking at Countryfile in one of mine and T’s favourite places in autumn. Westonbirt arboretum.

OO I forgot to say the suns been out here all afternoon and is just going down now.

He came and together we got the covers off and with one push he cleared it. It was'nt getting through the first little tank into the main tank so now its all working for the mo. We are going to get our tanks emptied as Stu has a man who does his so if there's two to do this way we will get them done together.

All I have had todayt is a coffee this morning , a milky one and three slices of toast and then a cuppa with Stu after doping the tank. He had a look at the old mower that you can't steer and said only one side has seized up on the steering and he can do that so he will come again with the right tolls to for that job. He also took the mig welder and the erm erm erm O yes Plasma cutter and helmet to see if he can sell those for me.

So a good afternoons work and I don't have to worry about how much water goes down the drain now so the washing machines on and I can do a load tomorrow when i strip the bed. Plus do all my fleeces ready for the winter.

We even have a lovely sunset. Bet it will be back to normal tomorrow..
I have planted 30 crocus and 7 small tulip bulbs in the planter plus three pansies, a thyme and a primula. I also put a few crocus and three pansies in a pot.

We had a glimpse of the sun first thing this morning and it wasn't quite so raw and damp, when we went to the service at the war memorial.
So many veterans like to attend that I'm always pleased on their behalf, when the weather isn't too bad.
It changed about 12 o'clock and we are back to the recent gloom and damp feeling.

We walked through town later and saw a lovely tall deep red hollyhock in full bloom.
Yesterday in a village near here, I saw many gladioli still flowering :-S

We have a patch of blue sky and sun and 12 degrees at the moment. Got one or two things at dobbies. The 20% was finished but a lot of stuff was for sale at 30% off and I had £14 worth of vouchers. ended having to just pay £11 for a long list of stuff and also had 2 feee coffees.

Who's pinched the sun ,it lasted all of ten minutes now all grey again .

Yes Mel go for it ,mines in the oven got about another hour to cook .

Stu's rung me and he will be here soon.

Now should I make a Christmas cake this year or not???????

Suns gone here now and its 11 degrees and pc says mostly cloudy.

I have just done both pond filters so they are out of the way for a week. I have water running in the big pond from the well so thats getting a water change.

Not heard anything from Stu yet and I have phoned him and sent a text.

Blue sky - what’s that? I think it might be very slightly less grey but it definitely isn’t blue. It’s cold here.too. When I got up just before 8 am it was only 4 degrees and it’s now 6 degrees.

I hope you find some bargains at Dobbies AnnG. I haven’t heard anything so I assume our nearest one isn’t closing. We don’t go to it very often as we have other garden places nearer but we often pop in for a look around and a coffee or lunch when we go to the hospital as it’s not far from there.

I’ve no real plans for the day but if it’s not too cold and my arms aren’t aching too much I might plant up some more big pots with daffs and tulips.

Morning all,
Well my needle can come unstuck as I can say we have sunshine this morning but there's still lots of cloud .

I think I'm going make a Christmas cake this morning as I haven't heard anything from son so I don't think they are coming .

Oh suns gone but I can now see blue sky .

Morning all,

Nice brightish morning here and its 11 degrees but pc is saying mostly cloudy so I am hoping upon hope that its wrong and we have a decent day for a change instead of the doom and gloom we've had the pst week or more.

I am supposed to be texting Stuart this morning but not too early he said. He is supposed to be coming round to rod my drain and have a look at the old mower to see if he can sort that one out.

Better get in the shower and potter for a bit before I text him. Slept like a log but still got up twice for the bathroom. The second time I went back to bed for alie in till 8.50am.

Good morning all 8 degrees here at 7am. very heavy cloud so far. I am going to Dobbies garden centre this morning. Remembrance Sunday so no doubt a silence will be held. Probably just after we get there. This is one of the Dobbies that is closing and we have been sent vouchers, and today is a 20% off day. Be interesting to see what they have left to offer. People do love a bargain even if , supposedly, they have no money.

My doctors has its own pharmacy and last time they gave me Bisoprlol instead of the Cardicore they were having trouble getting and when I ordered this time I said I would take the Bisoparlol so I don't know whats going on. I wish I had gone for them yesterday and then I would have known and be able to ring them but as I picked them up today I now have to wait till Monday to ring them. Oh used to have Bisopralol and he got them each month. They won't let you have more than one months scripts at my doctors.

I enjoyed my burger and had two hash browns with it naughty but nice...... :-)

I used to have the Topper too and loved Big Uggy and the dinasaur and used to play in the garden with an old water tank and a pipe in it and feed it. It was my duplexdocas as I called it. It used to get mud, apples off the tree and dads sand and anything else I could find to get down the pipe. Goodness know what dad thought when he took stuff to the tip!!

I also had Mirabelle when I was older. I think the price of the Dandy and Beano was about 2d when I was small and the Topper 3d. I liked Beryl the Peril. Desperate Dan and his cow pies, Lord snooty, The Bash street kids and many more from both the dandy and the Beano.

I have been faffing around doing a bit of painting and cleaning up some of my watercolour tubes. I think its about time I ate something,.....think I will do a burger as I have some nice granary rolls and then have a bit of trifle.

I just let Max out and as I opened the door off went some fireworks so I nipped out with him but he didn't batter an eye lid just sauntered out and did a wee and sauntered back in lol

Ann you'll have to keep complaining to the company that's not good enough the windows and doors cost a lot of money and it needs sorting out ,it was ages ago that you told them about it so why has it taken all this time for them to say no .
I have some Alliums to go in the front garden I must get them in this next week .

I'm not sure if Gwyns Agapanthus is now peeping through in the pot ,does it look like grass when it comes through ? only I took some potting compost out of a planter that had had the sweet peas in and there was grass growing in there when the sweet peas were flowering, don't want to keep watering a pot of grass lol