General Chat

Afternoon all,

Tis a very hot and sunny day here today, and I am at work......... I am thankful our temps don't get as high as Australia and we don't have the number of bush fires they have. Thoughts go out to those affected in Tasmania. I did hear on the radio, NSW are in for some strife too :-(.

Well I survived the "hens do". It was ok if not a little long. My fruit was knackered yesterday, she didn't get to bed til 3am. Not her idea of fun at all. She is now thinking very hard about what she would like to do for her own 'hens'...
We are off to the wedding this coming weekend. Fruit is one of three bridesmaids. I am quite looking forward to seeing her all gussied up. She is very photogenic ( doesn't get it from me). I may bore you with a photo..

CC, I like your dream, what a nuisance waking up ;-).

Petunia, I like Bill Nighy indeed. Please give him a wink and smile from me if you should be in the Deli at the same time. I especially liked him in Love Actually.
I too enjoyed Marigold Hotel. My mama got the dvd for Christmas, I don;t think she was too fussed, hopefully she will enjoy the movie :-S. I would like to see 'Quartet' too. A friend saw it recently and enjoyed it.

I dragged my sorry butt out of bed at 6am and took myself and puppy for a walk. My first walk since before Christmas. I am sure my right arm is slightly longer now... The puppy was very excited and charged ahead. I had to keep pulling on her lead :-(. We pass one house that has two German Shepherds, they are behind a fence but rush to jump onto an outdoor table to 'view' us and then bark a menacing bark at us. Never once has their owner told them to shut up. I notice the pups heckles raising before we get to the house.... I bet the neighbours love those mutts..... :-P
I complained to our local Council some time ago about overgrown trees along my walk route. I finally got sick of ducking under them, lo, they have been pruned, I also pointed out a water leak to the same Council, also now repaired.
Civic duty and all that, I hate seeing water wasted..

~~~~~~ to Teresa and Lesley, hope you are both well?. Teresa, hope FTY has warm ankles now :-D.... Is he back to school yet? Our schools don't go back until the end of January.

Good luck with Ponsonby's Petunia. No doubt you will come up with a cunning plan to foil her/him or both :-D.

This afternoon I am set to polish the mag wheels off OH"s old car, tis to be the wedding car on Saturday. I hope the job is up to par, aren't I a good little wifey :-)
The car is nearly 50 years old, hell, it is younger than me :-P.

better get back to work or at least try and look busy ;-)

Toodle pip
Susan

Morning Ladies,

Ah the Marigold hotel, a nice film but I read the book before I saw the film. One of the characters who was female in the book was male on the silver screen :-S :-S :-S :-S :-S :-S :-S :-S

I was always told to either watch a film or read the book and as usual I didn't listen. It was the same with the Briget Jones books. Nice to see Mr Firth :-D :-D :-D but the books were so much more funny than the film.

How strange you mentioned Mr Joe Brown. He was being interviewed on Steve Wright in the afternoon yesterday. I only caught the end so didn't not catch what he was talking about.

Susan, FTY has gone to school today with trousers which are a little on the long side, fortunately his feet have grown so he is In bigger shoes as well so they prevent the trousers from dragging in the mud :-D I do hope you enjoyed the Hen do. We have a wedding in the summer but I don't think I shall be going to the hen bit ;-)
FTE is now on her leg of the world cruise. She is in your part of the world in Feb. I will let you know where nearer the time.

Aunty dear, the W.I, all jam and preserves so I believe. Put your foot down with a firm hand dear and get back in control :-D :-D :-D a little sabotage of the AGM may help and you can pin it on her :-D :-D :-D :-D

Lesley dear hope all is well on your stretch of the road. We're you are at my place of toil for your visit or the other one along the posh road with nice houses. Eventually all will be on our site and that's why all the holes and corridors are everywhere. You can loose 3lbs in weight just by walking around it now :-D

Cherry dear keep up the good work at the Towers. Do you have a tunnel to Mr Selfridges emporium? I thought it quaite interesting but a little too close to the showing of the Paradise. Mr S was a bit of a cad wasn't he but I think his business head was in the right place initially.

Orff now to hither and start the unpaid toil


Teresa
:-D

Hello Susan, good to hear that you are "clucking" better following the Hen Party. Have you caught up with your sleep yet? Not enough sleep causes Panda Eyes ....!

Oh its always a nuisance waking up, whether I am dreaming or not :-D

When I was knee high to a grasshopper, there was a dog living in a house in Bethune Road, a huge alsation. This dog, called Flash, always ran down the front pathway when he saw me walking by and barked madly. (The gate was always shut, luckily). I would screech and run, every time. This went on for some years. When I reached the grand old age of 14, I'd gotten to the point where I'd had enough of Flash. He ran down the path, barking away as always, and this time I stopped in my tracks. I turned to the dog, raised my arm with finger pointing, and hollered at him "shut up and get in the house NOW". The dog stopped barking, and walked back to the front door, with his tail between his legs. Flash never ever barked at me again. I realised I had 'learned' the secret of doggie control, and it has never let me down.

Teresa I like to read the book *and* see the film. That way, I can compare and pick holes in both. I am so good at picking holes that I could pick holes in thin air if I put my mind to it.

I dont listen to the radio any more, not since Terry Wogan left his morning slot, so I dont know who is waffling on about what any more. I spend my 'listening time' rocking the rafters with a CD.

I intend to keep up my good work, wherever I might be. If you remember I discovered a secret cellar here at Motie Towers, the entrance to which is behind the library wall panelling, and I discovered a secret distillery, with lots of empty wine bottles, and vats of Chateau Plonk, and labels of good repute ready to be stuck on the bottles when the Plonk was matured enough. Naturally, Petunia denied everything, but now I know why her labelled bottles of Vintage Chateau Neuf taste like SainsCo Value Vin. I didnt dare explore further, but there was a tunnel leading out at the other end. Perhaps this is dear Petunia's private tunnel to Selfridges?

If the thread of the story is correct, it would seem Mr Selfridge only opened his store because he was badly treated at Gamages. Whatever happened to "the customer is always right". (even when he is wrong). I have shopped at both Selfridges, and Gamages, but a very long time ago.

There is a young man nursing a sore ear, because I tore him off a strip for telephoning me on a Sunday, after 4 pm, to get me to do a leisure survey. What a flippin cheek. These calls are bad enough any time, but on a Sunday after business hours (10 to 4) are over???? The bottom line is, I do not accept marketing calls or do telephone surveys, so they are wasting their time as well as mine.

The callers phone number wasnt barred, so I did some internet research and found out about the company, and I sent them a nuisance email, instructing them to remove my phone number from their Caller Lists, and warning them that if the company ever phones me again I will view it as harassment and report them to the ICO, a division of Ofcom. WhoCallsMe dot com had lots of postings saying these people are persistent once they've got a persons phone number. Some people reported getting several calls a week.

The marketing company's Contact Us form asked for my name. I typed in the Name Field : Notgivingyou Myname. That passed muster. They wanted my email address, and I didnt want to include that but a red star appeared ie the field *had* to be completed. So I gave them an email address - "notgivingmyemailaddress @ hot mail.com". That also passed muster. I did however supply the phone number cos they already had it, since they'd phoned me. I think they got my number by doing computer generated random digit dialling, because we are ex directory and with the TPS. Unfortunately, the TPS can only stop sales cold calling. They have no power over marketing and phone survey calls, nor overseas cold calling.

I have told MFH - I am very tempted to start answering the phone in Welsh. Or I could pretend to be an overseas call centre and try to sell them an entertainment package.

Where has dear Petunia got to? Have either of you seen her? Should I be checking the cellar where all the wine bottles are?

Hallo Cherry dear,

I'm back on normal service now. Christmas and new year have come and gawn and FTY is back at school. FTE is orfff on her world tour and will communicate on the phone card or email. Her phone bill was a little steep last time! :-S :-S :-S

The House is clean tidy and in order and so all is settled until the next batch of GCSEs :-|

I have been industrious working on cross stitch projects. I used to cross stitch many years ago before FTY was a twinkle in my eye :-D. When I attempted stitching when he was a very small fruit I realised I could not see and lo and behold the cataracts were in place. I was rather young but hay ho and all that. Any way i digress. The eyes are ok now and the specs are varifocals and I can see to stitch again :-D and have the time. I have fashioned several cards and have a longer project on the go :-
D.

I did smile about your idea of speaking Welsh to the cold callers. I always say that the person they are after is not at home. I have also said that I'm the childminder and on occasion the cleaner. That puts 'em off their tracks and is not a fib either ;-)

Orff now to carry on stitching. I'm not sure of Aunties whereabouts. I wonder if she knew Mr Selfridge in his day :-D :-D


Teresa

ah Teresa dear, do have another cup of tea and a scone. Are you sitting cozy? Excellent. Can I fetch you a pouffe for your feet? Let me rake the coals and get a glowing blaze for you. I'll just pick those needles up dear, before Tricki Woo gets one in his little paws.

Now - as you are so up to date at home you must have some spare time on your hands. Would you like to lend your hands to me? I have windows that need cleaning, kitchen worktops that need a good scrubbing, and lots of stuff on shelves which needs shifting around to dust the shelves.

Why have you turned pale dear? Has the Ghost of Motie Towers put in an appearance?

Seriously, you are clever to be able to do cross stitch. I wouldnt know where to start and I wouldnt start now anyway because of the arthritis in my hands. I had to give up knitting, and keep any sewing to the most essential repairs ie sewing a button back on or stitching up a hem that is unravelling.

Yep I am sooo fed up with these cold callers because they shouldnt have my phone number. I dont know about the correct spelling, but I can pronounce :
"Tomas ac Ellis Cwm Deri, Prynhawn Dda (or Bore Dda, or Heddi Ddda) , bith tu moin?" That would really confuse someone from one of the overseas call centres.

Tomas ac Ellis (or, it would be Ellis a Thomas - word morphing) is a fictional estate agents in the fictional village of Cwm Deri. Prynhawn (aka P'nawn), is afternoon, Bore is morning, Heddi is evening. I'd say I was the Cwm Deri Heddlu (police station) but dont want any trouble for impersonating a police officer.

There was a brilliant idea on the internet which did the rounds, where a man fed up with cold callers answered his phone saying he was the police, then interrogated the cold caller because it was "a murder scene". How I wish I had the nerve .......

The counter argument is that these people have to earn a living, but it should not be at the expense of someone's privacy, especially on a Sunday. And I could have been ill in bed. When I am ill in bed I will still answer the phone in case its a family emergency. Or, my Fruit asking me for the answer to a crossword or pub quiz clue, as has happened before.

Good evening dear Ladies,

Pleased to see that you have been chatting merrily amongst yourselves while I have been on an errand of mercy.

Dear Beatrice was not to be outdone with Mr Ponsonby's organ, she wanted to prove that she was a dab hand at pulling stops and bearing down on the pedals. Which she did.......................and then got her foot stuck.

Oh my, but we had to call the Fire Brigade. Up turned the boys in maroon. Does not have the same ring as Boys in Blue, but nevermind. They pushed, they pulled and then called the Boys in Green. They were a little more ingenious. They tried vegetable oil, vaseline and even lard, but no her foot was stuck fast.

They more they tried to wangle it free, the more the bruising was making it swell. By the time they did manage to get her free, her foot was twice its normal size. A quick assessment was made, and it seems ice packs were the answer.

So......................for the last couple of days I have been applying ice packs to the offending foot. Which thankfully is now subsiding.

However..................................it gave me the chance to look around Beatrices' home!!!!

Well I must say I was pleasantly surprised.................it is a dinky little cottage in the true sense of the word. A labourers cottage on the edge of the Manor Estate. You know a little two up, two down. But very cosy. And she has 'nice' things to boot. He china is porcelain, her cutlery is stainless steel from Sheffield, proper wood furniture, and custom made curtains. So all in all, she will pass muster. See, I told you I would like her if I saw the inside of her home. Who said that I wouldn't? Tutty tut.

I too always try to read the book of the film, or vice versa. I read The Godfather many years ago. My, my but it was saucy. Lots that they left out in the fillum. Quite right too, it would have been a XXXX film if they had not. I had to keep fanning myself whilst reading it. I too have read Bridget Jones, and seen the film. I thought that Gemma Jones was terribly miscast. I had not imagined her like that at all. I thought the sequel book was rather boring though. All that WHAAAAAAAA-ing at the end of every sentence became quite tedious. Maybe it was just me.

I am ignoring Cherry's remarks about a Still. There is a water purification set-up downstairs. But nothing else. I cannot abide tap water, and I will not buy bottled. So we purify our own, over charcoal.

I have to say that I have not found a hidden tunnel yet, and I have lived there for a long, long time. Maybe I should turn left now and again, instead of always turning right.

Ooooh cross-stitch I do so love to do that. I have made samplers and book marks and all sorts. I find it very perplexing though, I cannot stitch as fast as I would like, and it becomes frustrating. Pleased to hear the trousers were successful. Boys do grow at an alarming rate.

Please also keep us informed of the Cruise. I do so love exotic climes. Keep us up to date.

Dear Upsidedown Susan, I hear you have bush fires in your neck of the woods. Can it really be so dry? I thought that Enzed was lovely in green. The adverts always show it that way!!!! All that lovely New Zealand Lamb feeding on it. Slurps.

Back to the ice packs dears. My poor fingers are all prune like with the constant cold water.............................

Auntie Petunia

*looks thoughtfully at Petunia and sniffs*
and *thinks*
I know what I saw down there, and as soon as I remember which wooden panel I knocked three times on, I will find that distillery again.

Dont sniff dear, it is most unladylike!!!!

Here is my lace edged hankerchief, make sure you wash it before giving it back.

Thank you.

Auntie Petunia

~~~~~~~~~~I haven't deserted the best thread on GR :-D it's just I have taken out a limited subscription with Essex Records Office and I'm trying to make the most of it :-D if any of you have Essex BMD's you would like looked up please don't hesitate give me the info~~~~~~~~~~

Theresa I was at your place of toil in the mobile unit :-(

I will return
Lesley x

ooooh I am almost an Essex Girl by default. My dear GrandMamma's grandpapa was born in The Hedinghams, dont know whether Sible or Castle. At least two of his offspring were born there. Alas he pounded the footpaths to East of London.where the rest of his children were born. But, if he'd stayed in Essex I would have been an Essex Girl and had lotsa fun :-D !!! Instead of which, I ended up being a little shiksah from Stamford Hill.

I got back to GrandMamma's grandpapa's alleged birth c 1803/04, and I visited Chelmsford Records Office to peruse the parish records on microfilm, but didnt find him or either of his Essex-born sons. The Truth seems to have been a sparse commodity in this family, who kept changing their name with the direction of the four winds. This ancestor's daughter E married T who was just as sparing with the truth - he posthumously promoted his deceased father from Labourer to Cordwainer when he married. E & T were my dear lady Mama's grandparents. There was no way T's father could have been a cordwainer, the family were dirt poor, they lived in Bishopsgate, and T's father was a chimney sweep-cum-labourer and couldnt have afforded to pay for an apprenticeship to anything. Also, T's father died between 1854 and 1861 ..... or, abandoned his "wife" cos they werent really married - the jury is still debating on that one ;-)

Good morning dears,

What a chilly one it is. There is snow in the air, I can smell it coming!!!!!

Three weeks of chill are heading in our direction. Winter drawers on I think, plus the liberty bodice with rubber buttons. Ugh, I do so hate the cold weather.

I shall have to give the hamster extra rations for him to go faster and power the generator. My poor pension does not run to heating 24 hours a day. We shall have to go to the scullery and sit around the oven while dear Mrs Berry does her baking.

Ah, families. One never exactly knows the truth, does one. One little mistake is brushed under the carpet, and never sees the light of day again. I too have a lady who vanishes into thin air. Such is the deafening silence. I fairly soon discovered she did not have the first name I thought she had, and it went downhill from there. Hey ho. We are not to blame, but it is a stumbling block.

However, on the other side of the family, I dont need to tell you we are descended from Royalty. On the right side of the blanket as well......................Preens.

Beatrice is a little better, and hobbling around on a stick now. So I think I can return home, and see what pandemonium awaits me. Sighs.

Pip Pip
Auntie Petunia

*pokers up the coal fire to a roaring blaze*
I do so agree with you Petunia dear, and I would venture to go further - Snow, Ice, and Frost.

I have my winter drawers ready, all decked out with fragrant lining paper. Oh - you didnt mean those drawers Petunia dear ..... *smooths skirts down*

I shall treat the hamster to a few extra nibbles, and fill his cheek pouches. How very fortunate that hamsters do not eat chocolate or there would be none left for him. Or her. I never did determine how one determines the gender of a hamster. Some of them have a nasty habit of biting the hand that is holding them and I prefer not to pick them up.

Thank goodness the screaming hordes have returned to school, now the midwinter break is over. Having seen a few prime examples in the local Sainsco, one can quite understand why some hamsters eat their young.

How reassuring to hear that Beatrice is a little better. Alas I came a near-cropper when I hobbled to the bank today. A stupid woman barged into me from behind, shoving me into railings, and one shoe nearly came off. And did anyone ask if an old lady with a walking stick and an artificial hip was all right? No, of course not. London life ........ pah !

Descended from Royalty? Well, MIL's Mamma's maiden name allegedly derives from an Ancient Prince of Wales, and my Grandmamma's Mamma's maiden name is the same name as an 18thC baronetcy. I may even be descended from that medieval King Edward who was very, very friendly with the ladies. However I would not presume a connection. These Aristos are so prone to scandalous liaisons, as are the Royals - mon Oncle Marcel (of Belgian and French ancestry) was allegedly descended from a Belgian Royal on the wrong side of the blankety-blanket; but this might just be a family fairy tale although it is one I cannot debunk. I've debunked several family fairy tales, to my delight.

All I do know for sure is, my ancestors survived the Black Death which is why I sit here today waiting for 2038. :-D :-D :-D :-D

Good evening ladies,

A very black and cold night it is too!!!!!

Pat-trish-aaaaaah got the old tuk-tuk out this morning, and gave it a quick buff over and oiled the wheels, and changed the tyres to thicker ones, and generally made it cold proof for our outing this morning.

Well, as you know I am a patron of the Arts and we headed off to the Tate Britain, to see the last knockings of the Pre-Raphaelites showing therein. Dear oh dear, there was a queue of at least 200 hundred people waiting to get in! I am sorry dears, but I am no used to lining up with the hoi poily and as much as I would have liked to see those wonderful oil paintings, there was no way I was going to stand in line. If they cannot get me straight in, then they miss my custom. Tutty tut. I shall probably have to wait another 10 years to see it, but there you go!!!!!

I too seem to suspect my ancestors missed the Black Death, the Plague, the Great Fire and the Blitz! What luck eh? How sad you would be not to share my pearls of wisdom, that fall so readily from my lips. Preens.

I shall be visiting the National Portrait Gallery next week to see the new painting of Kate. I shall give you my opinion when I see it. She is such a pretty young gel, I think some of the criticism is a little wide of the mark. The photo in the newspaper looks alright to me. By the by, did I tell you an ancestor of mine has portraits in the Gallery. He was a famous painter dont you know. Oh, I did tell you? Well I am just reminding you again.

In the meantime, I am sorting out a couple of tennis racquets from the attic to attach to my feet should the snow become too heavy. Well, when I say I am sorting them out, of course I mean Pat-trish-aaaaah. Sighs.

That girl has too much time on her hands. She is becoming all mooney over some little lad called Harry somethingortheother. He of a popular beat combo, whose hair looks as if it has been caught in a wind tunnel. I shall send the nit comb over at once.

Now....................for the new 5 onlookers..................please come forward and present your calling call at the door, we like visitors who can indulge in a little light conversation. Your card will take pride of place on the mantlepiece. Come on in, it is cold outside.

Toodle Pip
Auntie Petunia

Hello Ladies and peeps,

Tis Sunday evening here, we are returned home, somewhat weary after a very long day of travelling home. We attended a wedding where my fruit was a maid to the bride. What a picture they all looked. I was so very happy and proud yesterday. I have come home with so many flowers, donated to me by the MOB. She is sick of the sight of them I fear. I am totally in love with the bouquets. The MOB is a florist :-), she did a sterling job.

I am not far out of my bed, I shall return when I can think straight - no smart comments pahlease :-D......

9 weeks and 6 days until I am the 'MOB' :-S

nighty night,

sleepy susie

*hogs the log fire and rubs hands together, to warm up*

brrrrr and grrrrrrr. Oh dear me Petunia dear, how much colder it seems to have got. Again. Perhaps a cup full of dear Susan's warmth would not go amiss. Sorry dear? What was that dear? Move my bloomin' what ????? Have you been watching My Fair Lady again dear?

I was watching a program last night, with Ken Follett the author, expounding the details of the Black Death. Apparently, this ghastly disease has never quite died out, yet fewer people seem to catch it. Also, the main strain around today, is the same strain which decimated the worlds population in the 1300s. His theory is, that the people who survived the Black Death in the 1300s gained some immunity which has been passed on to their descendants thru DNA.

One wonders why there is no genetic immunity against measles, whooping cough, chicken pox, polio, mumps etc.

Queues. Many years ago, when I was a young mother (sigh) I took my Offspring to Baker Street, to visit Madame Tussauds. There was SUCH a long queue, I quaite despaired. Like you dear, I am "too good" to stand in long queues. I've never been able to stand still for long periods of time, because of my back. We slowly walked away and I saw The Planetarium, so in my wisdom I said "Let's go in here instead". There was no queue for the Planetarium. When I went to pay, I discovered I could also pay to get into Mdme Tussauds and gain access via a link door inside the Planetarium. And so, that is what we did.

Well if the newspaper reports of this Kate painting are accurate images, then I can only say the artist did not do this lovely lady any justice. I believe it was painted when she was suffering the worst of the morning sickness, but even so she is much prettier than depicted. Still, the lady herself said she was very pleased with it - of course, she was probably being kind.

MFH is connected to a 19thC north-east Society Photographer. This man had three shops in County Durham at one point. Some of his photographs survived and are now on t'internet. MFH's great grandfather worked for or with this photographer for a short while, presumably because of the family connection, but GGF was by trade a Mariner. GGF had another brother who was also a Mariner. Both GGF and this other brother, married sisters. There was a fourth Mariner, not related to GGF and his brother but presumably a close friend of theirs, who married another one of the sisters. The daughter of one of the sisters, married the son of another of the sisters ie they were first cousins. Talk about : Keep it in the family.

There was an artist of the same surname who settled in Kensington and painted many portraits some of which can also be found by Googling. We have no evidence that this artist is related to the Mariner brothers, but, the cousins who married, got married in Kensington, all the way from County Durham. Perhaps their respective parents did not approve because of the kinship, so they eloped? But why Kensington - why not Gateshead, or South Shields, or Newcastle. Was this painter a relation, and sympathetic to their romance? Ah, speculation can open up so many theories.

Forget the tennis raquets dear, I suggest SainsCo carrier bags and snow chains.

I am so sorry to hear that Pat rish aaaah has been caught mooning. Clearly this young man with cooties is a bad influence. Stop her listening to his records, at once.

So - who is going to apply for The Position Of The Year? If I was sixty years younger ......... But, working for The Royals is never a well-paid post although the staff do receive free meals and uniform while on the job. Then there are the perks of unwanted gifts from wealthy Sheikhs. The Queen once remarked, One does not have Servants, one employs Staff. I look at poor Patrish aaaah, and I wonder what the difference is .......

~~~~~~~ to Susan nz
Nine months is not that long to go dear. A lot can happen in nine months !! :-D :-D :-D ;-) ;-) ;-)

Do keep warm Ladies, I'm assured that one can still purchase thermal undergarments, full length petticoats and many layers of jumpers. I have been warm all the time owing to my Hormones ;-) It gets a bit much however when FTY and OH keep muttering about being cold. Tutttty tut.

Now did I see you all last night at Blandings castle :-D we waited with bated breath, OH, FTY and I. It did not disappoint but I did think Lord E was a single man when I read the books. Maybe I was mistaken, it was many moons ago. FTY was a great fan of Jeves and Wooster on television when he was a very young fruit. He used to chuckle and would watch it back to back until the devils x box made an appearence :-
However all is well and he watched Blandings on I player and said it was almost as funny as Mr Jeves and Wooster.

Susan what lovely photos, such a lovely venue for the wedding and sun as well. I don't think we have seen any sun since 2011 or thereabouts| :-( My frond is to be a MOB this year and next year. She is very excited.

Halooooo Lesley, have you got the snow plough to the ready? That hill will be a bit of a difficult thing to drive up :-| I will have to get a speed up and hope not to slide down again :-D

FTE is heading towards the Caribbean and then orff towards the Americas, I will keep you posted.

Orff now to carry on stiching :-D


Teresa



PS
I was at paid toil yesterday so did not see FTYs devils football game. Can you believe they won 7-2 maybe if I stay away they may win a bit more :-D

Good Afternoon Ladies

Oh dear what a chilly day it is, hot soup anyone?..................... No snow yet and hopefully Theresa we wont get very much when it does arrive, MOG said the gritters are out already :-|

Thank you for the photographs Susan they are beautiful and I'm loving your dress :-) only 9 weeks 5 days before the next happy event :-D

Auntie Petunia and CC I hope you have a good store of logs so as to keep the fires burning at Motie Towers :-)

Stay warm everyone Susan stay cool.

Lesley

Oh no the snow is falling :-(

*struggling down the garden path with a log tucked beneath each armpit, and six logs balancing on top of head, while waving to Lesley and Teresa.* I feel like one of those African natives toting large water jugs on their heads .......

Where on earth is Pat rish aaaah when one needs a servant. I mean, member of staff.

the snow is falling thick and fast,
heralding another wintry blast.
I knew we were in for another freeze,
my joints are complaining, especially my knees.
Will pass on the soup, thanks, Lesley dear,
I have some spuds to cook and mash here,
I need something "more solid" inside my tum,
followed by tinned apricot and yogurt, oh Yum !
Its been a busy day but all chores are done,
And after dinner, to a warm bed I shall jolly well run.
:-D :-D :-D :-D :-D