General Chat

#Sweeps into the Parlour, in a wonderful shot silk gown, festooned with bugle beds, hair coiffed to within an inch of its life, adorned with a tarararaa. Sits at the table, covered with a maroon chenille tablecloth. Sits gracefully down. Reminds Pat-trish-aaaaah to crank the handle on the camera at an even pace. Deep Breath....................#

Dear friends, it is at this time of year that we reflect on the past year. We look back on the wonderful things that have happened in this special year. We have had the up and downs.

The ups of course were the Olympics and the Royal Jubilee. A really success I hope you will agree. And in no little way, down to me. I am sure you will recall I had a helping hand in making them the success that they undoubledly were. I am only sad that Pip managed to get a chill, but I think he should have fortified himself with a little tincture. Oil of Peppermint is always good for chills.

As you know, I was also in the opening Ceremony of the Olympics. I sailed into the Stadium holding onto an umbrella. I am sure you must have seen me.

It is also a sad time for reflection too. So many of the good and the great have passed away this year. Actors, Actresses and Astronomers. The world will be a lesser place without them.

Of course on a more personal note, we are still in mourning for our dear friends Mr and Mrs Lavinia. They died within such a short time of each other. Such a dignified passing only ruined by the bolting of the horse, that ran down the length of Swains Lane, and came to a thunderous shudder at the bottom of the hill.

It has also been a personal tragedy for me, with the loss of my Own True Love. Dear Patrick had indeed come back into my life, and then so cruelly snatched away again, with that baggage Juana. They say there is no fool like an old fool, and I dont know who was the more foolish, him or me.

However, we have a new friend in our close knit circle dear Beatrice. I am sure she and I will become firm friends once we eventually get asked to afternoon tea, and I can get the measure of her by the quality of her china.

The festivities will begin in earnest tomorrow evening when dear Octavia, Georgianna and Beatrice will arrive to spend the duration with us. Cherry should be back by then, and we will have a full house.

I should like to thank my dear cyber friends Cherry, Teresa, Upsidedown Susan and Lesley, for their continued support in our little ramblings. May you have wonderful times ahead of you dears.

Our sometimes contributors Island, DET and Merlin and Upsidedown Allan. I wish you happy times, and should you feel you would like to visit again, please do so.

And to our silent audience, if you too should feel that you would like to leave a hand crafted, deckled edged calling card and come and join us, you too are most welcome.

And so dear friends wide and near, I wish you all a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year with your loved one.

Pip Pip
Auntie Petunia

Peeps from under the duvet, is it safe to come out now?

Are we still here? Or is this some sort of afterlife, now that the End of the World has come......................and gawn?

No? We are still here? Jolly dee, I am about to perform my National Duty.

Hold onto your hats gels, it may be a bumpy ride [with apologies to Bette Davis]

AP

alas I have already treated me to my Christmas present to myself Lesley :-D
and thanks to the grocery shopping, the credit card is now as stuffed as the turkey is going to be ..... !!! ;-)

Good Evening Ladies.

Why oh why didn't I venture in to my local town yesterday in the rain rather than wait until today to get the last of my Christmas gifts the streets and car parks were gridlocked and the shops were manic :-\ and can you believe it one of the department stores (W&G) left the security tag on one of my purchases so I have to return to the chaos just to get the tag removed :-| on the plus side I didn't set off every alarm in every shop :-D

Theresa I haven't heard of any flooding on your route to paid toil :-) you want to go to Sainsbury's tomorrow :-0 when I came out of town today the traffic was queueing on the A12 to get in there :-S be afraid be very afraid :-D

CC why not treat yourself to the crackers it could be a Christmas present to yourself :-D

We had fish tonight Susan courtesy of our local chippy :-D

Auntie Petunia I do hope you are feeling much better today.

*runs into Motie Towers, trots up the stairs, and peers around the bedroom door at a swaddled figure, cosily esconsed under a duvet, an eiderdown, 10 slankets, and a fake fur throw.*
I'm back from the family dinner at the golf course restaurant, Petunia dear, I have turned the electric bar fire on to supplement the coal fire, please do join us downstairs, Mrs Berry needs your guidance and advice. I've brought you a teatray dear, and if you would like it I shall bring a teacup, teapot, and some milk as well.
So surprised the hot mustard did not work, perhaps you should have had some beef as well as the slice of ham.
Cheer up, we are all still here in spite of the fact the world ended at 11 minutes past 11 am this morning. I think there are a lot of red faces surrounding Buggarach in France .. I think that is how its spelt. It's a village in France, anyroad, where all the survivalists gathered to be carried off in spaceships when the end of the world arrived.
So much for the Mayan calendar. Pah humbug !! :-D

*

havent heard of panko crumbs Susan, is that a special New Zealand flour mix? Terakahi sounds intriguing. I had trout last night, but sometimes I have smoked river cobbler which I love.

*

Teresa, I remember when our dear dog Ben decided to take himself for a walk. We had building works in progress, and I left the dog in the care of MFH while I went to the shops. After a few minutes I realised I could hear the padding of paws behind me - you know the sound their claws make on concrete - and I turned around to see Ben placidly following me. I took him back home, naturally, as I didnt have his lead with me. He'd escaped through the side gate while MFH was distracted.
The festivities at Motie Towers are well organised, as dear Petunia has everything in hand. But she has forgotten something - the Wade crackers with little animal ornaments in them. I saw a set available to buy on He-bay!! but I'm not letting the moths out of my wallet, at the price being asked for them :-D

Hallo Ladies, we are still here and not gone in a puff of smoke like the good ancient folk predicted :-D

I have been a bit distracted on a weeks leave from paid toil. I have been on somewhat of a feeding frenzie with many Ladies who lunch and Ladies who dine. I'm out again for two meals over the weekend and fear I may be rolling down the hill in more ways than you can imagine :-D

Now at the weekend my Sister and I went to see the tribute bands I mentioned. I am rather surprised you could not guess who they were :-| It was of course Mr D Bowie tribute and Mr T Rex :-D :-D :-D. Mr Rex actually resides in our town but is the number one tribute. He was very good and looked and sounded just like Mr Rex but there was something lacking, I don't think he had "it". The Mr Bowie tribute however was amazing. I was prepared to be highly critical being a Bowie fan but my goodness he was good. He did mainly songs from Aladin Sane LP and had such stage presence.

I spoke to FTE yesterday. She was in a very hot and sunny Madeira :-D

I'm looking forward to hearing of the fun and games at Motie towers over the festive season. By the way Auntie, did I mention that Pat rish aaaaa had bought some flavoured small drinks when she escaped down here a few months back. Beware of them, they may look small and pretty but pack a punch ;-)

Susan the story of your Fruits dog made me smile. Dogs often have a mind of their own. I was driving along one day and saw my Sisters dogs had decided to go for a walk without anyone with them :-D. They are rather large and long haired Alsatians.
They looked as happy as Larry wandering along the road from where she lived. I stopped the car and rounded them up and took them back home. How they managed to get out of the gate I do not know.

Cherry dear I hope you are ready for the festivities at the Towers, do keep us informed of all the goings on :-D

Lesley, do I need the rowing boat to get to paid toil? I have not been up the road this week but have to do a Sainsbugs tomorrow.


Orffff now to get a cuppa and a mince pie :-D

Teresa :-D

***** flings Petunia a slab of ham to go with the mustard :-D :-D.

you should use radox Petunia, I am sure you will smell a whole heap nicer after your bath ;-). I sincerely hope your sneezing does not develop into anything nasty.

CC, you are a better woman than I. My fish is crumbed in panko crumbs and shallow fried in light olive oil :-D, delicious. We had Terakihi, a local fish.
I hope you manage to sort out your home helper, crikey, tell her she is not at the racetrack...

I have finished wrapping the last of the presents ( bangs tambourine with glee). Just the baking, and the thawing of the rather large Turkey and the setting up to do....My Christmas Eve visitors (family coming to stay) get to peel the veg...
It will be allright on the night :-D.
I even ironed all the table cloths in readiness, today. I cheat and buy cheap white sheets, after dinner, they go in the bin if badly soiled...

Time to think about our evening meal, as no fairy is likely to appear, tis up to me to feed us -again :-).

Have a lovely weekend, I hope the frost stays away ;-) ;-) ;-)

Aaaaaaaaah tiiiiiiiish Ooooooooo!

I am sitting here shivering gels, the rain has rained all day. I am soaked to the skin, and have webbing appearing between my toes.

As much as I do love tin rattling with the Starvation Army, it was a bit chilly outside a certain train station.

Dragging myself up to the bathroom, where I shall have a mustard bath.

Feeling dejected
Auntie Petunia

we had a brilliant red sun rise yesterday morning. It was soon followed by rain, and the rain fell all day today as well ..... but I look on the bright side - the rain has washed away the frost !

I am cooking a fish dinner tonite, in the steamer. orf now to make a quick white sauce.

CC

Well Ladies,

It would seem you are all very busy at the moment. Please don't wear yourselves to a frazzle before the 25th. :-D

CC, my sunset is 'up'. It was really lovely. Though red sky at night, bah humbug, we had rain the next day :-S.

I checked our long range forecast today, what do you know. From Sunday, rain and/or shower until the following Saturday :-(. I have my fingers crossed the weather 'person' is talking out of a hole in their head :-D.... I did go and purchase an extra tarpaulin today. just in case ;-).

I braved the supermarket today with fruit, we had two trollies..... I will go back on the 24th for the last minute fresh bits and pieces we will need. Oh dear, thank goodness Christmas is only once a year. Though I do know the day will be wonderful with all the family members here, who can be...

Time to think about cooking our dinner, a nice piece of fresh fish tonight.

Toodle pip, enjoy your breakfast.

Susan

*sending a parcel of cyber sprouts to dear Susan*
I hope you enjoy them Susan, they are best served with butter and black pepper. Perhaps you should lobby your MP to allow sprouts to be grown in NZ? LOL

Did I ever mention I love New Zealand lamb, it tastes so much better than English reared lamb. We are told its because of the NZ grass.

I would like just a little bit of your warmth please, if you can spare some, but you may keep the humidity :-D :-D

*eyes Petunia* well bless my soul, I never thought you would be a mince pie counter. Of course I will leave one for you dear. I'm not greedy and you can see I havent nibbled them all. There were 24 on the plate originally, dear.

On such a cold damp night, isnt it wonderful to be able to stretch out in front of the coal fire, and defrost right through. I have spent today running around half of south east England, I say running - I drove. Driving saves on shoe leather. I purchased two pairs of Hotter shoes that did not seem to pinch on every pressure point of my poor feet. The price is alarming, but with my luck if I waited for the sales the store wouldnt have had my size in.

And I found another two little Whimsies in a charity shop ..... they were only asking £2 each, so I got a bargain there.

I was obliged to visit a certain Garden Centre, to see if they had any green taper candles. I was heartbroken yesterday to discover some damage has been done to Italian sculpted candles that were in table decorations I made myself. These candles were a gift from MIL, following a holiday she had in Italy, so they can never be replaced. Both arrangements were wrapped up in a carrier bag each, and placed in a box, in a kitchen cupboard at the back, to protect them. They were in good condition when I put them away last year. The cleaning lady who came in a few months ago to clean the kitchen cupboards (not the weekly lady, who is about to become a fortnightly lady) was clearly not careful enough in how she moved things around. I wont have her back in the house because of her attitude that one time she was here, and I said so at the time.

And the about-to-be fortnightly cleaning lady has damaged the leads on both vacuum cleaners, which have to be replaced. The damage is consistent with the vacuum cleaner being pushed over the lead while the brush was rotating. I caught her going over the lead of the downstairs machine and when I checked it was badly damaged, which explained the damage to the lead of the upstairs machine. I also caught her pushing the machine over a varnished floor trim downstairs, which scratched it, then I discovered scratch marks over the upstairs floor trims as well, suggesting that something heavy on plastic wheels was pushed/pulled over them. The only undamaged trims are the ones beneath the cloakroom door and the bathroom door, and she was never asked to take the vacuum in there.

Since I came out of hospital, which is why I had to hire someone to vacuum for me, a lot of damage has also occurred to the black gloss paintwork in the hall. It all has to be repaired, and materials cost money. I cant afford to pay for a cleaning lady, and budget for repairs as well. What a dilemma. I've had to start doing the vacuuming myself, which is why my back is worse than ever. However if I tell her I dont want her coming in any more, I think I'd be cutting off my nose to spite my face, because I can ask her to do other jobs for me. Something always needs doing - drapes need vacuum-brushing, paintwork needs wiping down, windows need cleaning. Keeping a house clean is like painting the Forth Bridge - endless :-S :-S

*jumping up and down in excitement at the thought of writing a Christmas Speech, just like Her Majesty*
CC

Good morning Ladies.

I am sorry I have not been here as often as you would like, but my time is very precious at this time of year. I have sooooo many demands on my hours, visiting, handing out and generally being the good and kind soul that you would expect me to be. Preens smugly!

Thank you Susan, yes I do feel a lot younger than my years, a good 30 odd to be honest. And yes the sofa bed is lovely. I have been flopping onto it at every opportunity.

Cherry dear, may I suggest that you do leave at least one minced pie for me when I come home fragile and exhausted. There are at least 18 on the plate now...... save one for me.

Teresa dear, do not work too hard, I know you are rushed off your feet at this time of year. Regards to your fruit in sunnier climes.

Lesley, hugs to you and your little one. Yes the invitation to Motie Towers stands. Come to afternoon tea.

I shall be leaving my Christmas Message, like the Queen, very soon.

Have a good day dears.

Auntie Petunia

Yoohoo ladies,

I do hope you are all fit and well ???

Red lipped shaped couch :-D, crikey Lesley.

Petunia, your new room sounds rather nice, a real 'boudoir'..., well done you. Very modern choice indeed for an old, err, older lady.
Yes please to the cyber sprouts, though I prefer them a little harder than you, they get a funny smell when boiled too long I think :-S. Lesley, I think we can buy frozen sprouts but I much prefer fresh. I have seen a recipe where you seperate the sprouts and pan fry them, one for another day perhaps.

Lesley, the puppy was in fruits car. I think I would have forty fits if she had jumped on my watch :-D. I have wrapped a present for the puppy and put it under the tree, in the absence of grandies, the dog will have to do ;-). Fruit had bought her some cand cane shaped doggy chews. They are not under the tree yet, for obvious reasons.....

It is so humid here this morning, I am wilting already. I am debating with myself as to when will best the best time for me to 'visit' the supermarket for my Christmas food shopping. Trying to beat the rush is like a lottery and my luck with lotteries is pretty much non existent..... :-D. If that is the extent of my worries I should thank my lucky stars

Hello Lesley, you are very kind to offer the Whimsies but they are collectibles, even the chipped ones. Are you sure you would want to part with them? However - I would be a fool to pass up such a kind offer, if you really dont want to keep them. Of course, they'd be coming to a very good home. Thank you :-)

I hope E is still doing well and rapidly growing out of her clothes :-D

I didnt know you shopped at Ikea, Petunia dear. Fancy that. Are you sure a sofa bed would be suitable for Motie Towers? it's soooo modern and not really in keeping with the genteel olde-worlde grandeur of the Towers.

I didnt mind too much the shops opening on a Sunday - as long as I wasnt required to work on a Sunday myself. I was always used to the Corner Shop being open on Sundays. During the time I was not in work, and signing on at the JobCentre, after the Sunday opening laws were relaxed I decided I had religious reasons for not working on Sundays. I didnt want my Day Of Rest on any other day of the week. Oh I forget dear, you never had to work for a living so you would never have seen the inside of a JobCentre. Its a great big government office where the unfortunate unemployed go to get bullied into taking unsuitable low paid employment, in order to "Massage" unemployment figures.

I do hope you do not think that I think anything less than well of you, dear. Perish the thought. You are such a gracious hostess, dear, that I could forgive you anything. Well, almost anything.

If your dear friends are bringing their Other Halves, I do hope there will not be a repeat of the cigar incident that happened last Christmas. Perhaps Octavia will not light up this year. We can but hope. Dont worry about Beatrice coming on her own. She may surprise you, she is a dark horse, that one.

Well of course you will ponder on the what-might-have been, with Patrick, it is only natural. But, you never know - you might have really enjoyed the cosiness on a cold night in the martial bed. I mean, the marital bed.

I am also following Last Tango, a brilliant series. I dont suppose it will lead to subsequent seasons however. I believe he is going to call off the wedding. I must watch the next episode to find out what happens.

Alas, I fell asleep over the Making Of A Lady. I couldnt watch it at 8 pm as I had something else scheduled, which will not be repeated, so I thought I would catch the 9 pm screening on ITV1+1. I was soon in the Land Of Nod. I get sooo tired, you know, look at my bloodshot eyes. I very much enjoyed what I did see of the story, and am hoping it will be available on cable catch up for a few days.

Hello Susan, didnt you realise - dear Petunia is also virtual. She would of course deny it. Havent you seen Star Trek - Voyager, where they have a speaking EMF? He's virtual too.

Dear me what a silly puppy, and thank goodness you werent going any faster or on the freeway. I'm glad to hear she is none the worse for her little mis-adventure. I guess you will be driving with the windows wound up from now on.

I would love to see your sunset, pretty please :-) If I may? :-D

I hope your Papa had a lovely birthday and of course it would have made his day to see his lovely daughter :-)

So you got the Christmas concert already? Is it the one filmed at Stirling Castle? A lovely show. Have you watched it yet? I love the skirling of the bagpipes.

Hello Teresa, I do hope that your FTE is still well and in fine fettle. I hear a hospital or two are closing the doors to visitors, because of the norovirus. It seems to be really virulent this winter. I'd have been one of the first victims.

I managed to catch the postman today. I'd had an ear open all morning for the doorbell, while I did the housework. Eventually I decided I had earned a tea break - well, I AM a British worker - so I went into the kitchen and got the kettle boiling. I thought I had better check the porch again while waiting for the water to boil, and there he was, standing on the doorstep having rung the bell. What good timing on my part. That is two less packages to be collected from the sorting office, phew.

Good afternoon ladies form a gloriously sunny day in my part of Essex.

Ooooh Auntie Petunia I thought you were going to say you had purchased a red lip shaped couch :-S..........................you might regret the offer of a cup tea ;-) we are back in London in 3 months then again a month later that is unless the two different clinics will meet us somewhere in the middle so we only have to make one journey.

Susan can't you get frozen sprouts in NZ I don't think they are to bad........... ...................................Your puppy having a bemused look what about you it must of made your heartbeat ten to the dozen :-0

Small world indeed Theresa :-D

CC after Christmas I will have a look to see if I still have some Whimsies in my spare bedroom/junk room they will have nicks or tips off tails or ears but if you enjoy touching them up you are more than welcome to them. please don't feel obliged to say yes. :-)

Good evening dear Ladies,

What a wet and windy one it is too!!!

I have purchased a sofa bed from a well known emporium, lipstick red too. I will have it in one of the spare bedrooms, so that when people come to call, they can use it for a sitting room, and then at night, they can pull out the gubbings, and turn it into a bed. So clever, whatever will they think of next?

I dont really know if I agree with shops being open on a Sunday, but it has served me well today. I have bought four cushions. Two cream, and two cream with red dots on them. I shall have the room painted with three cream walls, and one sorbet pink, it does not get much sun in the afternoon, and the colours will jolly it up a little.

I hope your fruit is keeping bug-free Teresa dear. And that you are well yourself.

Susan, can I send you a bucket load of sprouts down the cyber hatch. They are particular sweet as they have been touched with frost. I know it is not PC, but I like them boiled to within an inch of their lives. No hard as bullets for me.

Lesley, give your little one a bristle free peck on the cheek from me. I know the importance of personal fripperies, and I am exfoliated and plucked on a regular basis.

Cherry dear, I mentioned harridan before you did dear. I know you a permanent guest dear, but who knows what people REALLY think of one?

I have asked the gels to bring something when they come on Christmas day. Just to ease the strain on Pat-trish-aaaaah. Both Georgianna and Octavia will be bringing their better halves, and Beatrice will be on her onesome lonesome. But the more the merrier. We will of course toast absent friends. Sniffs.

Some much as happened this year. No Lavinia nor Patrick this year. What might have been? We will never know. I could have been married. But then again there is all that nastiness attached to being married. Could I have really changed the habits of a lifetime? We will never know now.

I am to watch the Making of a Lady very soon. That Joanna Lovely is in it. And also Katherine Kelly, she of Corporation Street fame. I am not one to mince words. I always give constructive criticism. I do so love that Tango in Halifax. That Ann Reid is still a handsome woman, and it is a very sweet story.

Well dears, must away to the goggle box.

Auntie Petunia