General Chat

What an image I have of you CC, struggling up the garden path...... You did make me chuckle. Where is Patrishaa indeed?
By the by CC, I did say nine weeks, not months :-D....

I am sorry to hear of your struggles to keep warm ladies, nature must have a reason for winter, blowed if I can see it. For every thing there is a season I guess...
Luckily our winter is not as severe as you have to suffer.

FTE's adventure sounds lovely... I know a young person who is working on a super yacht in the Carribean. It all sounds very glamorous indeed. In fact some of the stories we hear of how the other half live are quite obscene, perhaps I am a little envious?

Hello Lesley, the dress I bought in London :-). I also bought shoes to go with it, in Oxford Street to be exact. They are going in the bin. Ruddy things nearly crippled me :-P. I still have sore feet..... They look lovely - that is all......

I see on the news, the royal baby is due July. I trust you are all rushing off to buy a souvenir mug, tea towel, tshirt, pen, and what ever else takes your fancy.. No??

I should get myself into gear and ready for work, I am trying to avert my eyes from a large pile of ironing.... It will still be waiting for me when I get home :-P.
No super yacht lifestyle for me :-(,

Have a pleasant evening

Susan

nine weeks??? ooooops
*redfaced* :-S

Forget Mother Nature - the seasons are due to the tilt of the planet. Yes of course you already knew that !!! *goes to teach grandmother how to suck eggs*

One thinks one will soon be sick of the sight and sound of talking heads expounding possible names for the new Royal Baby. If a girl, I predict that Diana will be one of the middle names. And possibly Carole or Catherine. Or, even Philippa. But, the first name will be Elizabeth. I feel in my water that Camilla will not be one of the considered names.

If a boy, I expect that George Arthur Charles Philip Andrew William Bertie and Edward, will be among the names seriously considered. Anne broke the mould with Zara, but William & Catherine will I think feel obliged to be more traditional.

I had to do some ironing today. :-( We still do not have a working washing machine, so I have a binbag full of towelling; and tomorrow there will be another binbag full of bedding ....... MFH said he would take it all to his Mama, cos its too far to drive to Offspring's home in bad snow conditions.

I got quite warm earlier and breathless with it. No, not that. It was chopping up all the logs, for the fire. Petunia ran out of coal, and the coal man has refused to call again. He is terrified of Pat rish aaaah.
*throws another log on the fire*

I have just driven along my road Theresa and it's clear of snow but if it freezes tonight it will be like a skating rink in the morning........................we don't get gritters :-(

CC I had homemade tomato soup and jacket potatoes for dinner....................... that warmed me up a treat....................I am know lazing on my chaise longue in front of a blazing fire....................sheer bliss :-)

The fact that your feet were hurting doesn't show on your face Susan :-D

Must dash Mrs Browns Boys is about to start on the TV

Lesley,
grin and bare it springs to mind..... Hope Mrs Browns Boys was as funny as usual. Is it new episodes?

CC, do you have to replace your machine or is it repairable?. What a nuisance for you. I have done the ironing this afternoon... I have even ironed my sheets :-S. Rod, own back and all that... Though nothing beats crisp fresh sheets. We have a feather topper pad and that is loverly to sink into.

I am sporting a plaster on my forearm this afternoon, the puppy thought she might like to play with my arm :-(. My fault for letting her. She also proceeded to shred a towel that was outside, an old one, very entertaining to watch. She is quite precise :-) I am amused the way an animal uses its paws like we use our hands... Very cute.

At work we have many feral cats about. One, no more than a kitten, has had its own kitten and is living at the back of our workshop... We are feeding the mama biscuits while she is nursing a kitten. I can't bare to think of the Mama going hungry. I spotted the kitten today, its face totally covered in a cobweb. I couldn't get to it to clean the face. Later I saw the Mama and she hissed at me... Oh dear, not sure what sort of life these cats lead, but it is out of my control. We did use to feed one of the cats, it would come in out of the cold during the day but never let us get close. I don't know what happended to that cat. There is a lot of big machinery about :-(. sighs ***

Time to cook my dinner.

~~~~~ to all, calls to Petunia, "where are you dear, are you ok"?

Susan

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ to Lesley.

Jacket potatoes would go down a treat,
To wolf two down would bring some heat.
I'd put grated cheese on mine, melted over,
And then I'd feel like I woz rolling in clover :-)


Susan my washing machine is repairable - all the idiots need to do is supply a new drum and fit it, my warrantee covers for that. If I didnt have the warrantee, then I'd have to buy a new machine.

The cat we used to have, liked hanging on to forearms, to bite and scratch. It was just "cat play". MFH encouraged her. I discouraged her. I do hope your scratches heal soon.

I never see any feral cats, but I dare say the farms further along the highway have their share of them. I frequently end up with a feral kitchen though.

Feral felines with a litter will hiss, and possibly lash out, because Mama has to protect her kittens (as she sees it). I cant say I blame them, for not trusting humans. Present company excepted, some humans can be very unkind to animals, as we all know. Feral cats can be half-tamed, if you can catch them very young, say 8 to 12 weeks. But even domesticated cats will always retain a degree of wildness - as any cat owner knows!!!

Head out of North London going north, and the landscape becomes almost rural. A few miles along the highway, there used to be a dairy farm. One year [a few years back] there was a bad thunderstorm and lightning struck the ground in a field - and an entire herd of dairy cattle was electrocuted. Obviously the farmer lost his livelihood that day, but he'd have been insured. I felt more sorry for the poor animals. Terrible way to go.

oh yes I nearly forgot - I have a Tale To Tell.

I'd ordered something from Canada - two old cruet pieces, now classed as collectables, and no UK seller had these items and I particularly wanted these pieces and none other (long story), so I decided to pay the Canadian seller to ship them to me and selected International Express Tracker, which cost me an arm and two legs, but I didnt want these items to get lost in the post.

First of all, the package got held up at Customs. I should have had it by the 10th at the very latest. Today, after the regular postman had bin and gorn, I went into the kitchen, not expecting anything else today. A short while later I thought I'd better check the porch in case there was any junk mail to be suitably disposed of. I found a Parcel Force card, saying they'd tried to deliver an international parcel. I phoned Parcel Force and asked if the driver was still in the area and if so could he come back, or else I'd collect from a post office. She said she'd check and call me later. She phoned back to say the driver couldnt return but he would leave the package at X post office by 4.30 and I could collect it after 4.30.

So - I trundled out in the gathering gloom and bitter cold, and got to the post office by 4.40, to be told the driver had been and gone, and taken my package away with him to deliver to me at home on his way home. Well I was spitting nails, because there was me at the post office, as previously arranged, while he was ringing my doorbell. I drove home like a bat out of hell, knowing I'd miss him. I was all geared up to phone the Parcel Force office again and complain, but my lovely neighbour saw me and said he'd left the parcel with her.

Now, do please tell me where I went wrong - what part of "you can collect your package after 4.30" am I too daft to understand?????

Ah well - all's well that ends well, and I have my order. And very nice it is to :-)

Good evening dears.

Have you missed me dears, I have been prostrate since Saturday, when I made the mistake of trying to help someone.

As you know I carry the weight of the world across my shoulders, helping here, distributing there. But never underestimate the weight of a 5 litre tin of paint. I really only carried it only a short way, but I forgot my deportment, as went lopsided, and pulled a muscle in my back. Jarring followed, and walking around holding onto furniture. La de dah, what a life!!!!!

However the application of hot water bottles, and gentle stretching has eased it somewhat. Plus Cherry dear stoking the fire at regular intervals, the heat has done it wonders.

Parcel Farce dear, I am sure you will agree. Are your cruet pieces part of your Whimsie set dear? I am not au fais with china dear, as you well know. I do hope you have taken possession of them by now.

Dear Upsidedown Susan, thank you for the lovely photographs. Again, what pretty gels and dashing young men. And you do not look so dusty yourself!!!! Aaaah shoes, one cannot tell what they are like until you have trudged around in them. You should have sent them to me dear, I would have taken then back for you. No one refuses me when I go into shops dear. I have the Evil Eye!!!

How are you in the wilds of Essex dear Teresa and Lesley? I hear snow is returning to your part of the world. We had a few flurries on Monday, and will get more on Saturday. But it is still horribly cold!

I am very envious of your fruit Teresa being in warmer climes. I could do with some sun warming my bones.

I shall try and venture out tomorrow dears, I have to visit a dear friend of mine, and we are to partake of afternoon tea at somewhere called The Ice House! What larks!!

Pip Pip
Auntie Petunia

Good Evening Ladies

Oh my oh my tis freezing this evening :-( take care if you are out and about early in the morning Ladies I fear it will be very icy :-|

CC What a palaver Parcel Force caused :-S lucky your neighbour saw the delivery man/woman.

Susan it is a new series of Mrs Browns Boys, I know his/her sense of humour isn't to every ones liking but I find it hilarious :-D I have read the live show is going to Australia in 2014 sorry there wasn't any mention of New Zealand :-(

I am sorry to hear you jarred your back Auntie Petunia :-( I hope you have fully recovered........................our middle fruit had occasion to visit one of those Ice Bars, how she enjoyed herself, she has some beautiful photographs of her and her partner looking like Eskimo's :-D

~~~~~~~~~~~~Theresa I hope you are okay. x

aha, there you are Petunia dear. No, the cruet pieces are nothing to do with Wade Whimsies. They were made years ago, by a company in Germany, which is why these cruet bits are collectables now.

Parcel Farce. Very good. I shall remember that. It is high time that Royal Mail was privatized right across the board. The service they offer might improve.

Such a pain your back seized up the way it did. I do empathise as I was in a similar situation not long ago. Perhaps you should rest in your room for a little longer, and forget the Ice House. Mrs Berry and I know where you are, when you are resting in your room, and can plan accordingly.

Dear me I am getting colder, I think I should apply the poker to the fire and stoke up the logs. It must be cold out, as the cat has come home and is currently curled up on my bed, and where I am supposed to sleep is anyone's guess. That cat is She Who Must Be Obeyed, or She Who Must Not Be Disturbed.

Susan I am sorry - I found your email and it slipped my mind I owed you a Thank You. The photos are lovely, and may I say the Mother of the Bridesmaid outshone the bride!!!

CC would that be the famous German company that begins with a G and ends with L ?

A warm welcome from a sunny but chilly Essex

First I must apologise to Teresa for whatever reason I have started to spell your name Theresa :-S I am soooooo sorry :-)

Secondly I have just received a letter from our hospital trust saying my breast screening x-ray was clear :-D :-D :-D sigh of relief :-D :-D :-D

BFN
Lesley x

Ah that's good news Lesley, never mind about the spelling, mine is a saints name :-D,

How odd that is snowed yesterday at my place of paid toil but not here at my place of unpaid toil. It was thick snow as well :-S

Prostate Aunty :-S :-S :-S :-S I do hope all is better :-D :-D :-D

Cherry dear I have a slow cooked beef casserole for tea. I shall send some to warm your cockles :-D

Susan, you can have the ice cream ease your poor aching feet ;-)

Orff now to extract FTE orff the devils x box


Teresa

good evening ladies, I hope you are all warmer than you look, let me make some space for you around the log fire ... will an extra inch be enough??? I've often heard that one more inch can make all the difference - and it does, usually around my tightening waistband.

Yes Lesley, you have hit the nail on the head. G ............... L. I noticed some new items on E Bay tonight (they woznt there yesterday), from that maker, but at the prices being asked, they can stay there. Well done on your clear screening - no doubt good news of much relief to yourself.

Oh thank you Teresa, a plate of beef casserole is just what I need. Do you have any pear cider to wash it down, please?? I hope it is real beef and not horse meat as has been found in certain beef burgers. Am I glad I only insist on buying the Finest Venison Burgers, or Finest beef burgers with tomato and basil.

I wonder where dear Petunia has disappeared to. She dashed out after breakfast this morning, muttering something about Mrs Ponsonby and organs. She does seem to have a bee in her bonnet about this woman but dont tell her I said so.

Yippeeeeeee to Lesley, great news :-).

Poor you Petunia, a sore back is no laughing matter, I hope you are much improved. Your good works will be needed somewhere soon, I am sure...
The 'shoes' are sitting in the front entrance, the bin has gone out today , the shoes have had a temporary reprive :-|.

CC, you are too kind ;-). I am off this afternoon with my fruit to the dressmaker. Fitting number two. Fruit went yesterday, on reflection, wanted a few changes and asked me along for a second opinion. I am quaite excited to see the dress on my fruit. :-)

Teresa, hope your casserole warmed your cockles?. Thanks for the icecream, it didn't make it to my feet :-D. Every now and then I get a longing for icecream and buy a 2L tub.... Then it calls to me each evening, I cannot say no :-S.... Yum yum yum. Somehow, low fat yoghurt isn't quite the same :-(.

Talking of UK post, I ordered a small wedding gift on a Thursday evening NZ time, the parcel was in our PO box ( at the Post Office) on the following Wednesday morning, just in time for me to take to Wellington last Thursday !!. Great service I thought....The parcel was from Spaceform.... I love them.

This morning, fruit and puppy came home with me after our walk. Pup was running about the garden and I went to see her. We both heard a dog wimpering. Well, would you believe it. Next door are dog sitting, their dog ( when I called it but don't tell my neighbour), came and sniffed our pup through the fence, next thing it was over at ours and the two pups just ran and ran and ran... More unbelievable is the fact that they are both cross breeds - both part Huntaway so very alike, same colouring... Fruit has taken them both to hers so they can play the morning away. I imagine they will need a rest very shortly :-) :-) :-)

I am running very late this morn so must be off,

Toodle

Susan

Dear Ladies........................what a day I have had.

As you know I have been poorly, but now fighting fit, and indeed will put paid to Mrs Ponsonby and her pompous husband. He of the stops and bellows fame. I shall get dear Beatrice sitting on that organ if it is the last thing I do.

I went for afternoon tea today with my dear friend of many years. I was a little surprised when she suggested this place in the new precinct, but who am I to bristle when she was paying. I generally frequent the Nell Gwynn Tea rooms, but we went where she wanted. It was very dark in there and quite a few brown leather settees. I must say I am used to sitting bolt upright at a table, but when in Rome........................

I must say that iced tea is my usual tipple in the afternoon, but she persuaded me to have something called a Woo Woo. A fruit cocktail I believe, it tasted of cranberries [so good for the bladder] I must say it was very strong..............I cannot remember coming home to be honest. I think I may need a lie down, I feel a bit woozy.

Oh Lesley dear, I am SO pleased that your mammogram was clear. Such a relief for you, and the rest of us. You must have a sticky bun as a congratulations to yourself.

Cherry dear, I shall leave the finer detail of china to you dear. As you know I have Chelsea, Doulton and Wedgewood. But I know very little of German china-ware. You must educate me sometime.

Teresa dear, you must be full to bursting at your place of toil. There is so much sickness at this time of year, literally. Trust you are getting missives from your Fruit in warmer climes. Can she pack me in her suitcase when she next travels?

Dear Upsidedown Susan, I am getting excited for you dear. With weeks to go, it will be action stations all around. I bet your dear daughter will look like a Princess when she is in her gown. All brides are beautiful. I shall be purchasing a new bonnet so that I can be with you in spirit. I think a pale pink straw will be suitable..............

Feeling fragile
Auntie Petunia

*glares at Susan for getting a better international postal service that wot I did* ;-) Mind you, it was the fault of Customs, for causing the delay in the first place.
Did I mention there was a cruet set, of the type I was after, on sale in NZ - anyroad, I found a photo of it in Google Images indicating it was available to buy. However the standard international postal rates were exhorbitant so its still in NZ as far as I know. I paid the Canadian seller for Express Tracker and it was a few £ more than the NZ standard package rate, so God knows what the NZ Express Tracker charges would have been.

The G....L bunnies are quite cute. I wouldnt mind having a modest collection of them. It would certainly infuriate the GOG. :-D A gel must have a hobby :-D :-D. Petunia dear, I shall whisper in your ear about the German-made cruet pieces. They are available to view on Hee Bay.

BTW - I am now quite an expert on Doulton, Royal Albert, Wedgewood, Chelsea, etc etc. I spend an inordinate amount of time sweeping up the pieces ............. ! OH ! werent you aware???????

The thought of Beatrice sitting on an organ is intriguing. I assumed that she was too old for that sort of thing.

I do hope that your hangover from the Woo Woo is easing now, dear. "They say" a cup of black coffee is good for hangovers. Or, a hair of the dog. Shall I bring you one? Where are you Tricki Woo I need one of your hairs for your Mama Motie.

Speaking of the GOG - I asked him if he would drive me to Sawbridgeworth on Sunday, weather and chill factor permitting, for a nice day out wandering around the antiques and collectors centers there. Otherwise I would be spending my birthday at home alone (apart from the GOG who'd only slump in front of the TV). I need the chauffeur, because Sawbridgeworth is too far away for me to be able to drive myself.

Happy Birthday dear Cherry for Sunday, early greeting I know but I thought I would send them just in case I was indisposed on that day. Some pear cider and cyber cake are coming your way :-D :-D :-D We do not have 'orse meat, only when in France like the French do :-S. our meat comes from the butchers owned by FTYs godfather. It is very nice and only from the local sources.

Susan how excited you must be for the forthcoming nuptials. My dear Friend is going to be a MOB this year and has two pairs of shoes, one for the Church and photos and the others for the reception and merriment. I think I shall follow her lead. I cannot be on strutting the light fantastic and end up with blisters or a broken limb ;-)

I do think places of paid toil must be very busy in the broken limb dept Auntie. I do hope you are feeling a little more like yourself :-)

I spoke to FTE yesterday, she had just come from the deck after sunbathing :-| I informed her it was -6 here but she did not seem at all worried. She is orff on a tour of the Caribbean Islands today. Tutty tut.

Orff now to continue with the unpaid toil of this house.

Toodle pip for now


Teresa

:-)

CC, my parcel came from the UK.... :-). I am not sure what our overseas postal rates are, I know we don't get surface mail at Christmas any more... A local stamp is now 70c. We have had a postie in the South Island, prosecuted, she had failed to deliver thousands of items of mail over a period of time... My own Mama has complained of mail she sent to the same town, to her great grandaughter, never 'arrivng'. It arrived alright, postie just stored or buried mail she couldn't be bothered delivering. I think she stole from items as well.... I hope she goes to jail.

Early felicitations from me too. I do hope your GOG obliges and ferries you off for a days outing on Sunday, weather permitting of course :-). That will entail a nice lunch out, loively jubbly.

It is official, there is to be a wedding on March 23rd. OH and I have received our invite :-S, I thought we were a given :-D.... oh, that must have been our credit card ;-).

Petunia, how kind you will purchase a new bonnet. I am thinking it will need to be fur lined if your dismal weather does not improve, though the shortest day has been so you are on the uphill to Summer :-D.. For us, the reverse, we are on the slide to Winter and I feel like Summer hasn't arrived properly as yet. :-P

I am a little annoyed with myself. We had crumbed fish for dinner and there were leftovers, I forgot to put the leftovers in the fridge so now the fish will be going in the bin. I have nothing else save cheese, to put on our sarnies :-(. I love cold fish on a sammy. Oh well, how sad, too bad, never mind. Cheese it must be.

I will email you all a pic of the two pups, twice yesterday I had to return the visiting pup to its minder. I think it prefers our place to its holiday home :-D. The minder was a bit naughty and smacked the puppy on the head, like that is going to make sense to a dog.

Toodle pup ( :-) )
Have a pleasant weekend, CC have a lovely day on Sunday. Enjoy the cyber cake from Teresa.

For my dearest MGT

http://youtu.be/xg14_Q_-ZN8

Love and hugs

Hayley <3

good morning ladies, yes arent I the early bird this morning. This is because there has been a hiccup with an online order I placed - the item I received was not the item I'd ordered, so I am waiting for the retailer to send me a Label to print off, and is arranging a courier to collect. The item I ordered, is on its way to Australia ....... I've had a full refund. Oh lud, you cannot imagine my disappointment on finding, not my order, but an absolutely ghastly china plate.

Thank you Teresa for the birthday wishes, its very kind of you :-). My word, another year older - another wrinkle on the brow, another grey hair, another arthritic twinge. Whoever said 150 is the new 40, lied. :-D :-D. I cannot wait for my cyber pear cider and slice of cake. Yum!! But could I please have some Total 0% Greek yogurt on the cake, instead of double cream? thanks :-)

I think its too mean of your FTE to keep all that warmth to herself, surely she could sent a bowlful back to Blighty? I dont want to encourage global warming, but right now this Freeze is too much for even me to bear, and I always used to be hot all the time, even in the winter. I now have some sympathy for the GOG who has always felt the cold all his life.


Susan it seems to me that only the letters and packages coming INTO the UK are subject to such delays. Anything escaping FROM the UK gets cleared through Customs more efficiently. Perhaps NZ Customs could give UK Customs a few lessons in efficiency?

My thanks to you too for the natal felicitations. "Lunch out" sounds delightful, and in fact I had planned to push for a ham salad sandwich and a pot of tea in the nearest hostelry to the antiques centres, because I plan to have a roast chook dinner in the evening, in front of the TV with my legs raised up. For the odoema, dear, why, whatever were you thinking????? :-D I love my roast chicken leg on a Sunday, the meat on the bone is so much more succulent than any other part of the bird.

Our local rag often reports stories of posties being prosecuted for theft, mainly because they are too lazy to complete their rounds so hide the undelivered post in their lofts or garages, untouched. But a percentage of cases do involve actual theft. One female postie was caught after a number of Amazon customers reported their items were not arriving, and all the addresses were in a specific area so Amazon contacted the sorting office, and the postcodes concerned was pinned down to that postlady and it was proved she'd stolen the goods for her own gain. I really hate finding myself in the situation where I now need to order some items online because I cant trail round the shops any more, to check stock in different stores in different places. Just 40 years ago I thought nothing of ambling around shopping centres in different districts for hours ......... but these days the thought of having to visit Lakeside or similar fills me with dread.

Now, I shall be making one of my toilet roll and sticky tape Hat creations, to wear on 23 March, because I shall be with you in spirit if not in body, so I might as well dress the part. Should I decorate it with strips cut from a black plastic sack, a green plastic sack, or a clear plastic sack? Please advise as I dont want to clash with what you are wearing. I found a delightfully dirty old rocket stick dumped in the frontyard after some inconsiderate soul's firework session last November, and I was going to use it as a plant stake, but I will create a fascinator with the stick instead.