General Chat

Susan and Lesley, this is what you need to do - rub Vicks on the soles of the feet, and sip brandy mixed with lemon juice and honey in a mug of boiled water. And get some echinacea capsules and cinnamon capsules to start boosting your immune system.

oh cakes .... cakes .... earl grey ...... oh heaven .... oh my hips and waistline .......

I hope this finds you having a lovely birthday Teresa even if you did have to go to paid toil, but by all accounts your colleagues did you proud.

Why are you cooking? Your FTY should be cooking for you while you put your feet up. Oh look there goes another pink elephant floating past the window :-D

I'm not sure what dear Petunia is wearing, but I think it suits her better than some of her recent outfits. You would be amazed at what that woman pulls out of her old portmanteaux, and yet all these clothes are bandbox fresh, and smelling faintly of lavendar.

*** clears throat and warbles..

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR TERESA, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOUUUUUUUUU ;-).

Sorry for shouting but I wanted you to hear me :-D. I hope you have a lovely day and get thoroughly spoilt. Tis the 16th here already :-).

I am up early to get on with all the chores I have noted need doing... Might just have a cup of tea and bit of toast first. In honour of your birthday Teresa, I am going to have butter, sod the healthy spread today :-).

~~~~~~ to all, have a pleasant weekend, keep warm and dry.

Ladies, I have been at paid toil today, I was in my Friday OPD place of toil and when I hithered up to the real place of toil there were Birthday cup cakes, food and tea and several bags of pressies and cards and flowers :-) I was a little misty of eye, how kind my friends all were and I really had no idea. We are like an extended family, its the most gifts i had had since I was 21 and I will open them tomorrow :-D

Im sending the cup cakes to you through cyber space, chocolate and vanilla and butterfly cakes along with an nice cup of Earl Grey :-D :-D :-D

Im sure the sainted St Rosemary wont mind too much ;-)

Im off to a destination for an overnight visit. Ma in Law will be holding the fort here. i will return after the weekend to fill you in on my adventure.

FTEs new hairdo is very nice. FTY had for his pennance GCSE French speaking exam and a mock Economics exam ;-)

Lesley dear it took about three weeks before i felt like myself after the dreaded bug. Its still doing the rounds down this way. My Sisters place of toil is suffering.. Lots of warmth and rest and fluids is what you need.

Cherry dear, what is Aunty wearing in that photo? She looks a little chilly about the gills ;-)

Susan, please send a little sunshine and be will be forever greatful to you :-D


Orff now to feed the fruit.


Teresa x

Cherry dear, dear Rita was married to Aly Khan. Could they be brothers?

I think you are being a bit reckless dear, going all around with those menfolk. Sniffs distainly. Tim O'Tay indeed and Rick Dankle. Tutty tut. Oh.....................I see it is a play on words........................oh dear..............oh my.....................oh yes, very amusing. Trying to make me look silly eh?

Lesley, I am proper poorly, I am coughing like a dog barking. More lemon and honey and paracetamol to follow I think.

Thank you for your timely reminder dear Upsidedown Susan. I too hope that you get all your rain out of the way, and the sun shines brightly on the bride and groom.

now.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR TERESA.
MAY YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY DEAR.
MANY HAPPY RETURNS.

I will send you a little something down the cyber hatch. A little trinklet to keep on your dressing table perhaps. I shall wrap the crystal talcum powder bowl tightly in newspaper so that it does not bump around.

Wet weekend ahead dears. Look out for the webbing between your feet.

Pip Pip
Auntie Petunia

message received loud and clear Susan, a Greeting has been emailed to the birthday girl. 21 again - the second time around at least ..... ;-)
I hope you dont come down with any lurgies, that is the last thing you need with the wedding day so near.

~~~ to Lesley and everyone else

Good Afternoon Ladies

Auntie Petunia I have heard many say that the cough lingers long after the cold has gone :-(

Oh CC I hope you or no one else catches the virus that is doing the rounds............................... stay warm and germ free <3

Susan I hope you get enough rain between now and the 22nd to save you the job of watering your new grass.....................................................thanks for the reminder ;-) ;-)

For the birthday gal I hope you have a very special weekend <3 .................
................I am about to put on my surgical gloves and mask in readiness to bake your birthday cake....................................cyber cakes are free of calories so you wont be upsetting Rosemary :-D

:-) :-)

tres entertaining ladies - tres entertaining.

Ladies, I shall say this only once :-D, a certain lass in our midst is to celebrate a big birthday in my morn, again I am ahead of you in the world clock of things.... I have just checked the time of your last post CC, was in my 'yesterday'...
PS: the lady in question is our resident nurse ;-).

My fruit has been over this afternoon with some bits for the wedding. She has four white frames with pictures of each set of the bride and grooms grandparents. They will be placed around the cake. Such a lovely idea, there are two of the four sets that will be attending the nuptials. They are in for a surprise.

Lesley, I am feeling a slight 'tinge' of a cold coming on... I am certainly not amused. One has a week to shake off any bugs lurking in ones system. I hope you are feeling a lot brighter now. There is talk of an epidemic coming our way this winter, I have never taken an innoculation for the flu, perhaps this year I should?
It is hard to know what to do.

Petunia, your new avatar is very fetching. You are most photogenic. Lucky you.

Sounds as though your cricket team has ours on the ropes - again :-(..

It is 5.40pm, I am not allowed to use my hose to water my garden before 6pm and then only between 6 and 8 pm and am.. Coming home from work today, I could see alot of dust in a paddock. It was a herd of cows, running, yes running, to a new paddock where there was a poor crop of feed for them.. Poor girls. I wonder how healthy the new season calves will be?

I watched the announcement of the new Pope on tele yesterday. I think the Pope Francis has a 'nice' face, he looks a friendly type. :-). He seems very humble. I wonder if beneath ,there is a will of iron??

Time to think about dinner, pour a glass of vino and relax into Friday evening.

Toodle pip Ladies and peeps - come out wherever you are ;-).

Susan

Remember old folks are worth a fortune - silver in their hair, gold in their teeth, stones in their kidneys, lead in their feet, gas in their stomachs ! While I may have got a little older since I last saw you, but I have become a frivolous old gal. I am seeing ten gentlemen every day. As soon as I wake up, Will Power helps me out of bed then I visit Lou and read the paper, then I go for a shower with Tim O’Tay; then Charlie Horse comes along and he takes up a lot of my attention and keeps me hopping. Next, it’s time for Mr Quaker to give me my oats. When he leaves Arthur Ritis shows up and stays around all day, he doesn’t like to stay in one place very long so he takes me from joint to joint. That’s if I’m not out walking with Rick Dankle. I often have lunch with Roland Butter. After such a busy day I’m really glad to get in bed with Johnny Walker. Dan Druff always messes up my hair after I’ve combed it. What a life! Oh yes ! I’m also flirting with Al Zymers. P.S. The Reverend Minister came to call the other day, he said that I should be thinking about the hereafter, I told him I do that all the time - in the Parlour, Upstairs, in the Kitchen or down in the Basement --- no matter where I am, I say to myself “now what am I here after ?”

a very late good evening ladies

Lesley I hope you feel much better soon and please do not sneeze anywhere near me.

Ah yes David Bowie aka Jones. My ancestor was called David Jones but heaven forbid I am related to Mr Bowie. I much preferred him when he was out with the Laughing Gnome the first time around. I must confess I purchased one of his albums in the early 1970s but it was during that dreadful phase of psycho delick musik when one could not obtain what one liked to listen to but at the same time one felt obliged to buy a fashionable LP to play at parties to keep up with the Joneses ......... and one cannot decide whether the pun is intended or not.

But I did work out how I am descended from Doctor Who. My ancestor was John Smith born c1839. And Doctor Who calls himself John Smith when he wants to pass for human, and often pops up in the 19thC.

Petunia dear I think you have your actresses mixed up. Mind you a lot of them looked alike (perhaps they were clones?) and a lot of them acted alike.
*sweeps hair back a la Veronica Lake*

Oh I am quite cold again. I shall make a beeline for the Aga Khan.

I have changed my avatar again ladies. I like to present you with as many photos of my good self as I can fish out of the Photo Box. I hope you like the new one.

Just a thought dears.....................if we quartet are chatting merrily.

Who are the other silent 198 onlookers?

Will no-one come forward?

AP

The Runaway Train came down the Trackdety Blue.

A little lad I know used to sing that when listening to Childrens Favourites. Out of the mouths of babes, eh?

Ah, Mr Bowie.........................I knew him when he was Mr Jones dears. I stumbled across him at a concert many years ago. He was in a shiny suit, and a pudding bowl haircut. Not at all like his Spiders from Mars days. He had crooked teeth then too. I think he has been refined a bit since then.

Dear Lesley, I am sorry our germs have infiltrated the cyber space. I STILL have my cough, and the sitting room is like a Sanatorium.

Dear, dear, Upsidedown Susan, How lovely it must be in your house. Lovely and warm, and lovely to be in full throng of Wedding Fever. Lots of photos dear. Dont miss a second. The day will fly by, and you be left in a daze. Thank goodness we have digitalis cameras these days. Those days of sending orft films and waiting with baited breath for the prints, only to be disappointed.

As Snow White used to sing.............One Day my Prints Will Come!!! Sorry!

I agree Teresa, the best place in this rotten weather is your place of toil. If only I had a place of toil, then I will be hot footing it down there too. Warm enough for comfort, but not warm enough for germs.

Now Cherry dear. Or should we be calling your Rita Hayworth. She had a close relationship with the Aga Khan did she not? Will be be using the henna and tossing your hear back, a la, Gilda?

I think we should all decamp for the kitchen dears, tis a lot warmer down there.............and there is food!

Delicately cramming a fondant fancy into my mouth.
Auntie Petunia

Ladies the last time I entered this thread I had let my guard down :-| I hadn't donned my protective gloves and face mask needless to I have fallen victim to the dreaded knock you for six cold................... last Wednesday I thought I had a cold coming by Sunday I was aching and shivering :-( only today have I started to feel anywhere near normal, what ever normal is.:-S

Lesley feeling sorry for herself.

Morning Ladies,

Tis Friday again.... We are still waiting for the rains to come, they are forecast to arrive on Sunday. By the end of the day, the entire North Island will have been declared 'in' drought.... Fab summer for us townies but enough already.
Fruit has looked ahead to the weather for the 23rd. Tis supposed to be fine. Oh how I hope that is correct...

My sister has had inlaws out from the UK for a good long visit. They have had lovely hot weather :-)...

Sorry to hear you are bedecked with icicles, hard to imagine from where I am sitting. Still, in not too many weeks from now, that will be moi :-|..

Teresa, I went to a David Bowie concert here when pregnant with my male fruit, I always wondered if he would love Bowie's music... Enjoy the exhibition, I hope your OH does too ;-). Did FTY rouse himself and show you FTE's new 'do'?
I have facebook but don't use it very often though I do peek to see who has what to say :-D.

CC, enjoy your flowers, nothing beats fresh flowers does it. My friend had a birthday 'tother day, she got two deliveries of flowers, same florist, same bouquets, not overly impressed. I am trying to get a few pots of colour going, bit late, but worth a go.

Petunia, I couldn't quite get the detail from your avatar.. How goes the knitting?

~~~~ to Lesley, are you well dear?

I had best get on with my day... I would rather stay home but hey ho, needs must. I have a list of chores for tomorrow, amazing how invigorated I can get when I am to 'receive' visitors ;-).

Toodle pip,


ooooh, the radio is playing new David Bowie music :-)

Pah, I have been typing away and it has all disapeared into cyber space.

Tutty tut tut.

I will be brief in my earlier ramblings.

1. The only warm place is paid toil so do join me if you wish cause its loverly :-D
2 Rude people, just tut at them like this "tutty tut tut tut"
3 The new Pope, he seems to have a very kind face and as of up till now no hired help :-0
4 Dear Kate, she is very naice and a real Lady like kind of Gal. She dresses in a most Lady like way and not like some catwalk model ;-)
5 FTE, phoned and has a new hairdo.
6 FTY is in the doghouse. He has face book, we do not and cannot see FTEs new hairdo. FTY said to wait for Pa so he does not have to log in twice!!!!!! The very large zit on his chin has rendered him too tired to log in :-D
7 David Bowie exhibition at the V&A im going when its on and OH will enjoy it ;-)

Tootle pip for now


Teresa

aaah good evening ladies. I hope everyone is well and warm. ~~~~~ to my Readers.

how strange that you are knitting shawls, Petunia dear, because I am crocheting a shawl, did you not wonder why I am surrounded by wool and holding balls in my hands?

This is because I like to unravel the wool I buy, and roll it into an un-knot-able ball.

For an unmarried lady you certainly have your finger on the pulse about how we mothers never stop worrying about our offspring, even when they are knocking on for 40. Och where has the time gone to. Last night I learned with a shock that Son ILs mama is now in her 80s. I have known her for nearly 14 years and was still thinking of her as 70-something. And its 8 years, yes 8 years, since I last heard from an ex school friend who emailed me for a few weeks then went off the radar without a word. That was the same year Uncle Albert died and it only seems like a few months ago all this happened.

My word, the weather today ......... I parked myself in the kitchen all day, to be near the warmth of Mrs Berry's Aga, and through the little top window I could see black clouds which dispersed hail then rain, followed by blue sky, and the wind blew and blew like the Runaway Train's whistle, I swear I saw Dorothy and Toto, and Mary Poppins and her black gamp ..... or perhaps that was the result of the glass of red wine I had with my dinner last night.

On Monday when I went for blood tests, I took a book to read, The Haunting by Alan Titchmarsh. I found it very much a "cant put it down" book, and finished reading it today. 10/10, Mr T !! A most readable novel.

Mrs Berry has taken to calling the Aga "Khan". I wont tell you what she calls the red hot poker but she muttered that King Edward II wouldnt like it.

The answer to people who ignore your many little kindnesses, such as holding a door open for them, is to say "dont say thank you, its a dreadful waste of breath".

I've always felt better in the north east, than I feel in London, and much of the time I burn up, but I think at the moment that Durham would be too cold even for me.

I wish people would leave dear Catherine alone. She seems to be made of stern stuff in public but like all of us the dear girl has feelings and her privacy should be respected. When Lilibet was a young Queen, she was not hounded like this. Still, Catherine has the full support of Wills and I think that more than a few lessons have been learned since 1997.

I've said it before, and I will say it again - Richard III woz innocent. He woz blamed for wot Henry 7th done.

Right ..... instead of throwing another log on the fire, I am going back to the kitchen to warm my bones by the Aga Khan.

*wanders off singing "the runaway train came down the tracks and she blew, she blew,
the runaway train came down the tracks and she blew
the runaway train came down the tracks, her wheels were going clickety clack,
and she blew, and blew, and blew.

Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.

We have had all four of these today dear Ladies.

It rained, it snowed, it hailed, the sunshone, and the wind it did blow.

I am standing here in front of a huge map of the British Isles gels, and I have drawn a big line across the middle, from left to right.

The under piece is where I want sunshine and warmth, and the upper piece I dont much care, because I dont live there. Yes, I know I am being selfish, but I have visited the Northeast, and I have seen those gels up there, they do not seem to feel the cold at all. They are made of sterner stuff.

You must remember I am an old lady, and I do not suit a bluish hue to my complexion at all. I have had the appearance of 'just dug up' for the past three days.

I see we are discussing Good King Dick of late. I think he had a bad press over the years. I am musing to myself what future historians will make of the Royals of today. Whether our impression of them will be the same as theirs, or vice versa.

I see that Sandi person has made desparaging remarks upon dear little Kate. I fear that Kate will sometime in the future be Queenie. She like dear Lillibet, will not be able to express her views. So why should she comment now. Let the poor gel alone. She is young, she is pretty, she is holding the future monachy in her hand, or her tum-tum, do not raise her blood pressure.

Talking of which.................................why is it when I hold the door for people, they swan through and do not even look in my direction let alone say a simple Thank You. So rude, so bad mannered.

I hope you all had a lovely Mothering Sunday dears, a mothers love is unconditional, I hope your loved one appreciate that, and reciprocate. You never stop worrying about your children do you dears, no matter how old they are................

That reminds me...........................where is that dratted gel Pat-trish-aaaaah? That fire needs banking again.

I am knitting shawls for us all ladies, that will keep our backs warm.

Clickety clack
Auntie Petunia

do please excuse my earlier absence. Dear daughter came to visit and brought me a beautiful bouquet of flowers as a belated mothers day gift. Her OH came too. MFH and I took them both out for dinner.

#snaps another icicle from the end of my delicate little nose#

Oh deary deary me. I cannot abide this weather, I am wearing so many clothes I look like the Michelin Man. I am tickety boo until it is time to relieve myself, and then the performance of going to the little girls room is gruelling!

I am to partake of a few visits to museums and exhibitions myself in a couple of weeks time, I do hope the weather will be a little warmer by then.

Please take good care of yourselves ladies, and keep warm.

My brain freezes when it is too cold, I cannot be my sparkling self.

Take care out in the freezing wastes gels.

Auntie Petunia

what on earth was that loud crack? oh its you Petunia, the icicles fell off the end of your nose and landed in the marble hearth.

Dear me, do throw another log on the fire someone. OK I will throw another log on the fire. Oh sorry Pat rish aaaah I mistook your leg for a thick twig. Why are you lying in front of the roaring fire anyway? You're blocking the heat.

Has Mrs Berry left yet? Shall I ring down for a pot of tea to be brought up? Are we going to be snowed in?

What's for dinner?