General Chat

You are getting a lot done in your garden Mel. I wish I had your energy. Just keeping it tidy must take a lot of time. It’s a good job that BIL helps you with the mowing. £7,000 Mel!!! I’d want it made of gold and studied with jewels for that.

There won’t be any gardening done here today as it’s damp, grey and dreary and very cold, more like March than June :-(. The forecast doesn’t seem much better for the rest of the week. OH was going to get his super-duper machine out on Saturday to start cleaning all our paving but rain is forecast again. Last year he half killed himself by doing it all in one day but I’ve said he must do it in 2 or 3 lots this year, so he’s planning to start by doing the area in front of the house and a long alleyway up the side of the house. That will mean moving about 20 troughs out of the way but I can give him a hand with that.

I’m sorry your leg is giving you such restless nights AnnG. I hope it eases soon. Is it worth you speaking to your GP surgery about it? It might also be worth you chasing up this hospital appointment. I know talking on the phone can be difficult for you but could you send an email? Sometimes I think if you don’t make your voice heard you get pushed aside a bit. Fingers crossed it isn’t raining for your walk to the hairdresser tomorrow.

Mandy, that’s a good idea to offer your toys for free. Someone might be able to do some repairs to them. Like you I hate having to dump anything that can be upcycled. Some of the charity shops are quite fussy now. We usually take our stuff either to the Salvation Army as their shop is a bit tucked away and they are always grateful for donations, or to an animal charity shop where they will take anything. They even have a volunteer who is qualified to test electrical goods and certify them as safe.

I had a bit more sleep last night, about 5 hours in total, split between 2 sessions with a wide awake spell in between. My head is a lot better though I still have a pain over one eye. I got the ironing done and made some phone calls, then we had an early lunch as Tesco were delivering between 1 and 2 pm. I’ve now got to email them to get a refund for a mouldy pepper. It looks as though someone, probably a customer, has prodded it and put their finger right through it. Where it’s bruised and open to the air it’s gone mouldy. I can’t understand how the picker didn’t notice it.

I must have sent the birthday money to the right grandchild as I had a really lovely thank you text from her and she tells me that when her youngest sister has finished her A Levels and her middle sister is available she’ll bring them down to visit. That’s something for us to look forward to; it will be great to have the 3 girls together - just like old times

There’s a very small gleam of light just appearing through the clouds to cheer things up a bit and it’s definitely afternoon cuppa time so teapot here I come.

Meeting is tomorrow Mel. I have put all the plants in but my garden is not looking as good as usual for this time of year as with being away I am almost a month behind. It will catch up.

Been in the garden and strimmed all around the back garden some of the front lawn edge and all around the workshop and down the back of the bungalow and up the side now I'm hot so I came in. I had to change the reel on the strimmer too and managed that ok. I think I may have a bit of toast and then go and cut down the huge docks round the big ash tree and out the back off the decking by the oil tank.

Get your plants done so you can enjoy your meeting this afternoon Anng. I bet your garden is looking good now can we have some pics please?

You might find somebody will take them to do up Mandy, be good if somebody could give them another life.

I slept in patches again last night, for a few hours my leg was ok, I put Ibruleve on it before I went to bed. But about 0430 it woke me up, I probably twisted in my sleep. I don't feel as if I am getting a good night's sleep these days with the leg hurting and my mind fussing over the appointment I am waiting for.

Better go and sort out the plants now.

Morning all,

Dull and overcast here and we should have showers.

Your all doing well with your Clematis my two look poor old things one has three flowers and the other has a few small Buds, they both look really spindly I have them in pots against the wall .

Ann thats good you managed to park OK and get your top changed OK, I went into bon Marche last week and got a pair of cropped trousers in a lovely sort of teal colour and I was pleased I managed to get into the next size down .
That's a good idea to put some of your big rocks on the border to stop vehicles from going on it ,has the paper chap with his car been turning there anymore .
Oh no how can you hang doors upside down I bet you had a giggle over that .
Colin gave up on ths unit doors and put them back as they were because the hinges were different.

Vera I hope you managed to get a better night's sleep and your poor head has eased a bit for you .
I've left saucepans on with potatoes in and they've bolied dry but I have managed to get the pan clean, like Mel I boiled some soap powder up in the pan and just left it to cool down and got it clean with a good scrub with one of those metal scourers luckily it wasn't a non stick pan so I could scrub it .

Oh Mel I had to laugh at your pricing mistake :-D

Anng hope it stays dry for your garden meeting today and you can manage to get the new plants in ,how was your leg last night did you manage to get a better night's sleep .

Today we are going in the shed for a clear out ,we still have lots of stuff that we had for the pool and lots of other bits that need to go some bits for the charity shop if they want them they seem to be getting really fussy over what they will take now and there's bits that can go to the tip .
There is a ride on tractor that we had for jake and they all used it over the years but it has bits come off and needs to go ,two scooters a motor bike and a little yellow and red car ,I might put them in the front garden with free on them and see if they go ,I hate just dumping stuff .

Better get on before the rain comes .

Morning all,

Bright and sunny here this morning 11 degrees and there's going to be a high pollen count so that must be why my nose keeps running.

Must get the dustbin out today don't let me forget as they come so early int he morning I would'nt get it out in time.

Yes I hope Vera's head is much better today too and that she had a good night.

Now how's Ann's knees today? better than yesterday I hope and yes it is the bend down gardening that makes them hurt as mine hurt today from bending to pick up the grass cuttings int he orchard and there's still a lot to pick up. When I bend to pick things up I don't bend my knees much .

Good morning all. Quite bright so far. forecast said today would be a good day but tomorrow will be wet. that figures! tomorrow is hair appointment and meeting here in the afternoon for our U3a gardening interests group. At least if it stays dry and I keep enough energy, I can get the plants bought yesterday planted up.

Vera Bidens can be found among the plants for baskets usually. But I think I will put the one I bought in a pot with the variagated geranium.
I hope you had a better night and that your headache has gone today.
And hope that you nave got your saucepan clean. We have all done it. I have to remember to move things off the ring when cooked as my electric hob takes ages to cool down.

Mel, bet you had not got any takers at that price!

AnnX Gosh that was an early bed time. would you then read? I can't remember ever going to bed that early.
For some reason Clematis seem to have liked the temperatures and weather this year as all mine have gone mad, not with the flowers but just strangling everything in site. And my neighbour has said the same.

Vera I have done that with the chicken mash I cook up for them. I had a devil of a job getting the pan clean but I boiled it up on a low setting with soap powder in it and it all came off after a couple of goes.

I made myself laugh the other day, I put something on Ebay for £7.00 listed it and then put something else on there and went in the garden and got lost. When I came back in I had two message one just said YIKES! but the other was a bit more information. I had a look at my listings and the £7.00 one had come out at £700.00 how I did it I don't know but I kept chuckling for ages afterwards. I corrected it anyway still laughing.

Evening ladies

The day started bright and dry if a tad chilly, but it was all downhill this afternoon. We had drizzle, light rain showers and really heavy showers. At least we don’t need to do any watering tonight.

It sounds as though you had a good trip to Dobbies AnnG and you have got a nice selection of plants. I had to google Bidens as I didn’t know that name. It looks the sort of plant I like. I might be keeping an eye out for that.

I hope your knees are not so sore now Annx. It’s horrid when these aches and pains stop you from sleeping. How did the drawing class go today?

I did have a laugh at your story of Colin and the doors Mandy. I bet he wasn’t laughing! Then I read about Annx’s OH and the shed doors which gave me another giggle. I expect we’ve all done stupid things like that at some time in the past.

I had another really bad night and haven’t been able to get my act together all day. My head’s been aching like mad. I got up about 8 am, showered and washed and dried my hair and had some breakfast and then I had a chiropody appointment. It’s not far to drive but because of my headache I found I had to concentrate very hard on the road and the traffic round me which meant I drove safely enough but made the headache even worse and I felt as though I was being repeatedly stabbed over my left eye. On the way back I stopped at the co-op to buy a lemon jelly and was surprised to find they only had little tubs of ready to eat jelly. I’ve been asked to make my speciality lemon cheesecake for an event and need a lemon jelly and I can’t get one anywhere. I haven’t tried Sainsbury’s yet so that’s the next shop I’ll be visiting.

I’ve been very dopey all afternoon, the final straw coming tonight. I parboiled some potatoes for roasties, drained them and shook them over the heat to rough them up a bit but it was still a bit early to put them in the oven so I went into the conservatory to look at the paper. After a while I thought someone must be having a barbecue, then realized that the smell was coming from my kitchen. I had left the dry pan with the potatoes in and forgotten to turn off the gas flame under the pan. Result – a very burnt pan with black potatoes stuck to it. Not only was I angry with myself but I was shaky when I thought how easily there could have been a fire. I know that when my head is really bad my brain doesn’t function well at all so I usually make a real effort to concentrate hard on what I am doing or I get OH to help me but I slipped up this time.

June is a busy month for birthdays for us and tomorrow is another granddaughter’s birthday. This is the one who came a little while ago with her boyfriend to visit us. I’ve just put some money in her bank account so she can choose something nice for herself but the way my head is all over the place I might have sent the wrong amount or sent it to the wrong granddaughter!

I can hardly see straight now so I think it’s time I said goodnight. Here’s hoping we all have a good night’s sleep tonight and get up all bright eyed and bushy tailed tomorrow.

You had a good day AnnG with using your cards and 20% off and got some nice plants too. I like the Osteospermum and was looking at some the other day. The flowers seem to last ages.

You are doing well clearing up outside Mel. OH would be envious of your bonfires as he misses having those at my old house.

I have a clematis that has tangled itself round the bottlebrush rather than go up the obelisk and that needs sorting! I noticed my Princess Diana clematis that I thought I'd lost a few years ago, but gradually made a comeback by climbing through a tall Camellia a couple of years later. looks quite vigorous this year. It is going to flower mostly at the back of the Camellia so it looks like my neighbour will get the best view of it this time! :-)

Nextdoor's front wall that the Amazon man knocked down is getting rebuilt now and will be a little higher than before. I think it might be finished after tomorrow. I've decided it might be an idea to plonk a few of our spare rocks on the end of our narrow border next to the corner to keep wheels of our visitors' cars away from it as a precaution.

I'm off to bed now and OH has already gone as he was up at 6.00am this morning. He said the traffic this morning was horrendous with long queues at most road junctions on the lanes.

I'm pleased you enjoyed your morning out and got some nice plants too.

This morning I raked up the dead grass off the orchard and have a barrow load ready to burn tonight after dark. picked up lots more ash sticks off the grass there too.

Its good you got your top changed Ann and I try to find parking next to the disabled bays as there is enough room to open your door up and get out easier as you say. I do it in Waitrose carpark just up from M Valley.

I have fed the strawberries and picked enough for dessert tonight for the second time. watered the plants in the shed and am now going to corn the chickens and wash out two big soak trays.

Its been a lovely sunny day up till now but its just clouded over and they look menasing (sp).

I am posting this before I lose it again.

back now, got there at 10am, had coffee (My two free on my card) then walked round getting plants. I bought marigolds, purple Osteospernum im a six pack, a trailing begonia. two fuchsias, a yellow Bidens and a trailing geranium with variagated leaves. It was 20% off plants day. We then had breakfasts (two traditional for £14 plus orange juice which was free on my card), my treat for taking me. I had not been to that dobbies for well over a year, it is near Tewkesbury, quite new and very big. I really enjoyed the morning.

r just a path by the tree line

Its done it again lost the bl**dy lot.

I got my top changed and managed to park next to one of the disabled spaces so had more room for my door to open and didn't have to twist my knee squeezing out. It is a bit better today so I'm glad about that

Popped to the shop next and forgot something I was going for so that wasn't good! Not sure when OH will be back and my course starts at 1.00pm, so we'll have roast chicken quarters with salad as we can eat at different times then.

5 more spam emails today! They are getting cleverer as most of these started by saying they were 'from a trusted sender' and they are putting an 'unsubscribe' to click on as well. One is even pretending to be from our broadband provider, but the strange email addresses are the giveaway.

Mandy I had a chuckle at Colin and the kitchen doors! :-D I bet he couldn't believe he did that. I can well imagine OH doing the same. When we moved here, FIL and MIL came to help us put the garden shed up. After the base was in the right position I went inside to put out a buffet lunch for us all. I looked out of the kitchen window and MIL was holding tools and swinging a hammer whilst generally getting in the way and OH and FIL were carrying bits of shed and swinging them about as they turned to each other, just like the chuckle brothers. By the time I went outside they had put the double doors on upside down and on the wrong sides.

Morning all,

I got p at 6.23 for the loo and went back to bed and slept till 9am. Its a nice bright sunny morning 12 degrees and mostly sunny by the pc but there's still that very chilly breeze.

Shopping day today so that will be done this morning and I have to od the pond filter today and then whatever I like. I have been bitten on the side of my left breast inthe night and it itches like anything.

Hope you get on ok with todays class Ann and hope she dos'nt natter on too much this time so perhaps it will be better with more time to take things in.

Enjoy your garden center visit and tell us what you have bought when you get back. We are all waiting to see some more pics of your garden this year.

Morning All,

Sunny here but OH said it was quite chilly. He's gone to a meeting a distance away so has gone early to miss some of the traffic and the pandemonium of parents and children at the school gates and hopefully get a parking space.

I had a disturbed night moving about to try and stop my knees aching. They are still recovering from the weeding and bending and unusually the right knee is worst, but I was bending that more than the other to stretch and reach weeds on the middle beds. A hot water bottle on it helped last night, but legs move around in the night once you are asleep! I gave it a good few minutes under the hot shower this morning which helps. I hope your leg is more comfortable now you are up and about AnnG. You were an early bird this morning, but it is light very early now as well which makes me think it is later. Enjoy your garden centre visit with your friend and hopefully see some more nice plants to buy. :-)

Oh blow! The window cleaner is here blocking my car in and I was going out next! He should have come yesterday and is earlier than usual anyway. I need to take a top back and wanted to be there early so I can get a space to park close to the entrance. At least he's on his own today so should be quick with no-one to natter to.

We don't have an airing cupboard either. I do miss it in some ways, as you have to store things elsewhere, but at least there's no worry about it leaking and you gain extra space with no big tank. I remember when I was first married, my OH then making and fitting extra wooden slatted shelves for me, so I could split up the towels, sheets etc on different shelves so they didn't end up in a big, messy pile all together.

Today we are drawing the female figure after doing the male figure last week. I expect there will be bosoms and hips to consider this time! I still need to finish off what we did last week though. These aren't nice drawings, more poses of proportions doing circles and ovals, that sort of thing. BBL

Good morning all. Up early this morning (not dressed) as my leg was hurting and I couldn't get comfortable. 7 degrees and quite bright with some cloud out there.
Friend coming early (she always gets up early and goes for a swim) to go out to dobbies garden centre.
Didn't sleep too badly, just woke every 2-3 hours.

I think I would be lost without an airing cupboard Vera. Mine is quite large, It has an immersion heater in it and the hot water tank.three shelves for towels and linen and T put a rail in for clothes. My problem is that I forget to clear ir out and I need to do so, there are beach towels in there that I will never use again and all sorts up on the top shelf. One day!!! :-)

Been out there since my last post cutting down very very prickly thistle type things that came over from the field behind. Have a barrow full to overflowing.

I was changing the bed this morning when there was a knock on the door and it was Em arrrived for more eggs said she could'nt stay long as she had brownies int he oven. The great thing is she helped me get the quilt cover on the duvet which I really fight with. Oh always helped as I am so small and the quilt is a king size. It was so easy with Em I shall have to remember toask her again as it takes no time at all with two of you. Off she went with 2 and a half dozen eggs for her and her mum. After washing the sheets and duvet cover and pillow slips and getting those on the line I decided to wash my two pillows so they went in the machine and are now on the line with the sheets etc.

After lunch there was a tap on the door and again it was Em bringing me two lovely big squares of choc brownies. Iv'e eaten one already will save the other for tomorrow.

I had my first bowl of home grown strawberries yesterday for dessert and it was a joy to cut through them and see the colour right through not like the shop boiught ones which are white inside. They were lovely.

I have a Clematis growing in a small pot on the patio and it goes up a pole of the leanto and had attached itself to my solar flower light so I must wind it round the pole more as its just coming into flower it a small flowered one pink and white. Its grown through the pot and into the patio cement under the chipping along the edge. Its even seeded itself between the paving slab on the patio and I pulled a bit off hoping to get some roots but no I bunged it in a bottle of water on the kitchen windowsill and took the top out to which it sent out a side shoot so I took the top out of that and I noticed last week it had a small root which I am so pleased about but I shall wait till the roots a bit bigger before I pot it up.

The air was a bit blue then Mandy?

We have had sun and light cloud and wind all day so far except for a heavy shower that lasted all of five minutes. Just had to go and rescue a broken branch on the rose that I was cutting back early in the week. I suppose it decided, if I was cutting back branches, it would help.
That shower did nothing so I have to remember to water the pots later.