General Chat

Good morning all. Despite being up early I did have a better night's sleep last night. This was surprising because son decided to e mail me quite late in the evening with the news that, at his company health insurance check up, he has been told he has diabetes type 2. Not quite the shock it would cause some as my daughter has had it diagnosed for over ten years now. Apparently he contacted her first and she has been giving him 'tips'. The diagnosis is not really the concern, more how he will manage it properly. Daughter is quite strict with herself but son is still working and is a workaholic so is often travelling to Scotland or Bournemouth from MKeynes and not eating regularly.

It is clear and sunny here this morning and 7 degrees. Like Vera said, yesterday was lovely but there was still that nip in the wind. I think I heard a weather forecaster say the wind was from the North which explains it.
Tesco due today instead of Sunday when I am going out to Frampton on Severn as it is open gardens day.
At least Cynth is back from her break so no basket watering in there to do. I don't think I have ever had to water baskets and pots so early in the year before but it is ages since we even had a quick shower.

Good evening all

Sorry you didn’t sleep well again last night AnnG. I slept better last night. I hope you have a good night tonight. How did the photography group go?

Shame your bil didn’t manage to get photos of the barn owl, Mel, but nice for you to have a chat with his wife.

It’s been a nice sunny day but there’s still a nip in the breeze. At the moment it’s about 14 degrees but the breeze is making it feel cooler. Today is OH’s birthday and also our dil’s. Son and dil are in Italy but son phoned this morning to wish his Dad a happy birthday which made OH’s day. We went to a very nice restaurant for a birthday lunch and I’ve done nothing but yawn since we got back. That’s what 3 courses and a glass of wine at lunchtime does to me. I haven’t done a thing since we got back just after 4 pm so I must try and get on with some work in the garden tomorrow

I’m now going to go and investigate some hammering noises I’ve been hearing for the last half hour. Window is open so I hope it’s just noise carrying from somewhere over the back and not OH deciding to do something like rehang a door. He has been known to get an idea in his head and just go full steam ahead regardless of whether it’s sensible or convenient. Still, I mustn’t moan at him on his birthday.

BIL came this morning unexpectedly.

Morning Anng and all,

Nice bright morning again 13 degrees and sunny buy the pc.

BIL came yesterday late afternoon with his wife so it was nice to have a natter to her. He came hoping to get some pictures of the barn owl but it did'nt put in an appearance but he did get the song thrush which was in the big ash tree singing its head off for ages. We sat outside listening to all the different bird song. We heard the blackbird and the wood pigeon the thrush and the robin so it was nice to heard lots of different ones all together. He did also get a nice pic of the deer. He told me that the deer over Exmoor are nioulting and look all tatty but mine have moulted out and have their summer coats of a lovely rusty colour. She was out the back in the long grass by the trees but as he took pics of her she went back into the wood.

Good morning all, last night was a bit better but still not a good night's sleep. Never mind I will no doubt keep plodding on. Photography group this afternoon, that will keep me awake.

I’m glad you enjoyed the live screening AnnG. We’ve been to a few now. We’re booked next to go to Life of Pi which will be from the National Theatre. It will be interesting to see how they stage that.

Evening all

I hope you have all had a good day. It's been dry all day here but a bit overcast and with a chilly breeze.

I managed to do a little bit of hand washing and do the ironing early today and then I went for a birthday lunch with half a dozen ladies, just to a local pub. Today they were trying an experiment and had a singer in. She was very good but her strong voice and the amplified backing nearly deafened us. It was impossible to chat across the table. After we left there we went back to the birthday girl's house for tea and cake so there was plenty of chatting going on there.

I've mentioned our friends M & V before. M was with me, in fact she does the driving while my eyes are bad. My OH and V decided that as we were out to lunch they would go off together for a pub lunch. Apparently they enjoyed it so much that they are going to do it every time we ladies go out for a meal..

OH and I are out to lunch together tomorrow as it's his birthday so we have booked a table at a rather nice restaurant The trouble with all this going out and about is that nothing is getting done in the garden and we have so much weeding, planting, tidying up etc to do. The upside is that in the last 9 days I have only had to cook 2 dinners.

Not sure I want anymore to eat but OH has just called out that he has made a sandwich so I had better go and eat it. I hope you all sleep well tonight.

Morning all,

I think i TOOK A LEAF OUT OF YOUR BOOK TIS MORNING aNNG AS i GOT UP AT 10AM. wENT TO THE LOO MUCH MUCH EARLIER AND THOUGHT i WILL HAVE A LITTLE LIE IN and thats what happened. Sorry caught my finger.


Must have a drink as the kettle has boiled.

Had a phone call this morning and when I answered it she said you have a tellyphone call from and then it went blank so a hoax call probably.

Good morning all, a bit grey here but already 13 degrees. After all the excitement and loud music my sleep pattern was disrupted as I didn't get to bed until 11.30 and I had a really bad night for sleep. finally woke at 0845. up and dressed now but I think it will be a slow day. Luckily all the planting was finished yesterday so it is back to weeding and clearing old pots today.
glad you sorted the mouse Mel, I had trouble with mine the other day and changing the battery eventually solved it. always a good idea to switch the whole thig off and start again that often sorts out any updating problems. Yes I rely on the PC for contact with people as well.

The ballet was very impressive. The first time I have been to a live performance and uncanny to feel you are actually at the Royal Opera House as you can hear the buzz of the audience. In between scenes/acts we had Darcy Bussell and a man whose name I missed talking to us and explaining the meaning of parts of the ballet, the costumes, the dances and the miming, that was informative and interesting. The cast was huge and all performers were excellent The leading male was fantastic (Matthew Ball) and one of the three leading ladies was so very good (Kristen McNally). Her stamina and flexibility was unbelievable. I am not a ballet lover but I recognise skill when I see it. How she gets her legs to do what they do I have not got a clue.

Mandy thanks for the message from Mel, bet that made you jump at first!

I'm back!!!!!!!!!!!!! I managed to get the mouse to work again. It just would'nt appear on the screen so I changed the batteries in it and it still did'nt work so I did it again thinking they were no good. till no joy so I turned the pc off on the box and left it.

Turned it back on much later on after coming in from the garden and it worked ok. I was so relieved I can tell you as its my contact with the outside world. :-D

Hope you enjoyed the ballet Anng and that Vera's bruises are getting better.

Off now so see you all in the morning I hope.

Evening all,

Firstly I have a message from Mel she has trouble with her pc so don't know when she will be able to post as she said it just died on her ,hopefully she will be able to post again soon .
She rang me and just for a second I had to think who it was ,it was nice to have a chat.

Vera I hope your not to bruised after your fall ,how lucky you were not to break any bones .

Anng I hope you enjoy the ballet tonight and you've got your plants all planted up .
You asked if Jake has a girlfriend ,no no girlfriend that I know of .

It's been a very warm day here, I had to nip to town to put our prescriptions into boots and got a couple of things I needed from the pound shop then when I came home we put the canes in for the runner beans .
Got my line of washing dry and luckily there's no ironing that needs doing in that lot so all folded and put away in the airing cupboard.
I had some pots that had some small Lupin plants in but they died off over the winter so I emptied the soil out from the pots and they all had monkey nuts buried in them ,the whole nut with the shell not just the peanut ,so the Squirrel has been busy ,he'll have a shock when he comes hunting for his nuts

Morning all,

Bright sunny morning here in deepest Devon and pc says near record ?? 12 degrees and sunny. Echo says its 13 degrees and to expect a high of 19 degres

I too shall be inthe garden today and finish off what I started yesterday and maybe a bit more. I have to move a lot of pots that have dead flowers in but the orchids have come up in a lot of them and I don't want to throw those away. They have even come up between the decking round the big pond and the wall of the patio.

I don't think its going to be a very good apple year down here as there was'nt much blosome on my trees.

Enjoy your screening tonight Anng and be careful in the garden today. Don't overdo it so you can't enjoy your outing.

Good morning AnnG and all

13 degrees and sunny at the moment so it should be another good day.

Yesterday I spent the morning washing and vacuuming, then we went with 2 other friends to tea at someone’s house and I caught up with paying bills, answering emails etc in the evening. OH is shortly going to drive me into town for some shopping and a hair appointment.

Enjoy the screening AnnG. I was going to book for Sleeping Beauty but decided I just couldn’t fit any more into this week

Better get moving as OH is getting the car out. Have a good day everyone.

Good morning all up early as I had slept well and had enough sleep. sun shining so far although pc say mostly cloudy and 18 degrees. I assume that is the forecast as it is 9 degrees according to Alexa, Mostly gardening today until I go out at 6'15pm to see the live screening of sleeping beauty ballet with friends.

Had a good trip to Dobbies and bought some plants to fill the gaps. They still have loads of plants for sale so no real problem getting what I wanted. I was surprised though that some of the plants were still quite small. Hopefully they will pick up once planted I. Larger containers. It was a good afternoon anyway. Planting to do tomorrow.

Went in the garden this morning and was having a chop down of weeds by my shed and a sweep up when the shopping arrived with my nice man Dan. I was having a burn up of weeds on the road sdown to banty when he arrived. Did the wipe down and then rang the garden centre to ask about new diaphrams for the air pump to the big pond filter as I can't clean the filter without the air making it bubble like a cauldron to get all the muck out. The garden place gave me a name of a pond place to order them by and I rang them and got those ordered and they should arrive tomorrow. Then I had some lunch and now I am going back out in the garden again.

Morning Anng and all,

Sky is a bit grey here this morning and pc is saying mostly cloudy and 11 degrees. Its been bright earlier on when I got up at 6 35 for the loo it was sunny then with the deer out the back and two great big rabbits feeding by the chicken run.

I am itching all over today and think the midges must have got me whilst gardening yesterday. I must go down the docs and get some antihytamin tabs they should have sent to Sheb shop. They never get anything right they sent me dispersable asprin instead of my gastro resistant ones too, lucklily I had some I had bought because they used to so that to oh too and he would'nt take them only the ones you could swallow.

Good morning all 7 degrees here but supposed to be warm later. yesterday it was very hazy all morning then the sun came out until it clouded over in the evening. I had a good wander round Cheltenham but didn't buy much just a couple of bits I wanted, no clothes. today after lunch mt friend is taking me with another friend to Dobbies garden centre to get a few more plants I want.

Pleased that you had a good weekend with family Vera, sounds like you packed a lot in. A shame though that you fell before it even started, it sounds as if you are going to be covered in bruises now. Strangely I always take a spare pair of glasses with me when I go away, it must have been difficult managing without them but you were fortunate not to have fallen on your teeth if you went right down on your face. My friend fell like that once and had a fortune to spend on her teeth. also you didn't break any bones which is good. I hope the bruises soon heal anyway.

Mandy wow, Jake is 18, as Mel said, where did those years go? A young man now not a boy. Has he got a girl friend?

Mel sounds like you need to have a day off from clipping and cutting to rest your arm. Everything grows so fast this time of year.

O what a todo Vera poor you going down like that I hope you sleep well tonight.

I can't believe Jack is 18 today Mandy I still think of him in the photos of the pool in your garden. 18 I can't get over it where did all those years go?

Lovely to hear from youit s been a bit quiet on here lately with Vera away and Anng off out somewhere.

I came in from the garden at 7pm today and nw I think I am getting tennis elbow from all the cutting down I have been doing. I did the Xocordia on the corner of the lawn, the rest of the forsythia, some bits off roses and a load off the fig tree. I now have the big trailer full but could'nt face trying to get the mower out of the leanto to move it so I have left it up the garden and may do more tomorrow.

Hallo all

We're back home now after a good few days away. I'll just give a quick summary as I'll be typing forever if I give you all the details of our little trip.

OH and I, his sister (who lost her husband last year) and his brother and wife all stayed with his youngest sister and husband. At various times we were joined by some or all of youngest sister's children and grandchildren. As you can imagine there was a lot of catching up to do so lots of chatting and laughter.

On Saturday we went to Quarry Bank Mill, a NT place. Plenty to see and do there and we had a very interesting tour of the Apprentice House. The boys and girls were mostly taken out of the workhouse and apprenticed at the mill. It was a hard life but the mill owner was quite enlightened for the times and the youngsters were quite well looked after. Even when they misbehaved the punishment was to work an extra hour at the end of the normal working day, rather than the beatings and awful punishments that went on elsewhere.

In the evening 14 of us gathered for a pre-booked meal at a nearby pub and were given a room to ourselves which was good.

Either side of the weekend OH and I had a night in a hotel we have visited before near Peterborough. It's about halfway between our house and OH's sister's house so broke the journey up nicely and on the way back today we stopped off at Anglesey Abbey for a few hours. We've been there several times before as it's an easy drive from our house and there is always something different to see in the gardens.

The only downside to our lovely few days was that we arrived in the area OH's sister lives and decided to have a quick look around before going to the house. Would you believe that I managed to have an argument with the pavement and the pavement won? I crashed down on my knees and then fell forward flat on my face so I now have 1 bruised knee, 1 very bruised and grazed knee, some interesting bruising and swelling over my nose and under my eyes and a ruined pair of glasses. I actually think I got away lightly as I went down so hard that for a minute I thought I had broken my nose or a cheekbone. Although my glasses are ruined, they did protect my eyes.
It's been very difficult as I have had to manage without glasses or wear my sunglasses all the time. Fine during the day but not so easy at night at a dimly lit meal table. Now I'm home I have dug out some old glasses. They are not quite the same prescription as the ones that are damaged but they're better than nothing. I don't want to pay out a small fortune to get my glasses remade until I have been to the hospital again in about 3 weeks' time as I think they will have to be changed then anyway.

Happy 18th birthday to Jake, Mandy. Did I blink and miss him growing up? 18 already! I hope he has had a wonderful day.

I am getting tired now but wanted to post something tonight as I may not get a chance to come on much more this week. We have a hectic week again. I must do some h/w and gardening if I can this week. Also tomorrow we are out for tea at a friends, Wednesday I'm getting my hair done and doing some errands in town, Thursday I am at a friend's birthday lunch and Friday is OH's birthday.

I'm going to take myself off to bed now. It's earlier than usual but I can't stop yawning.