General Chat

*hobbles slowly and painfully into Motie Towers*
good afternoon my dear friends, I hope everyone is well and warm.

Yoohoo to all our readers, pop in and join the fun at Motie Towers. We dont bite - not until we know you better :-D

Yes Petunia dear I was referring to Mary Ann the convent girl. I heard the story at my school in Norf London, MFH's brother in law heard the same story at his school in East London, and now you say you heard the same story ..... and you did not attend my schook or BIL's school. So, yes indeed, it has gone down in folklore. I was hoping you would be able to tell me if it was true or not, as you are the fount of all knowledge and wisdom.

I often see charities collecting outside Tesbury's where I live, and I have to assume they are genuine and asked permission to harrass impoverished shoppers with rattling money cans. There are always security men wandering around, keeping an eye on things. Sigh, doesnt stop the shoplifters though, and of course we innocent shoppers pay the price for that.

I've been watching You've Been Scammed on BBC1 of a morning. At least, I dont watch it in the mornings, I am too busy. I watch it on iPlayer later on in the day if I can stay awake. It's frightening really what these scammers dream up to extract money from unsuspecting people with a bit of boodle in the bank.

*sinks painfully into armchair and drops walking sticks on the carpet*
My bad back woke me again in the night, at about 3 am. As if this was not bad enough, I've had toothache for several days so took my gnashers to the dentist since they couldnt go on their own. The dentist decided the pain is caused by receding gums, exposing the dentine which is soft so anything hot and cold reacts on the nerves beneath the dentine. He coated the receding area with something and told me not to eat or drink for 15 minutes. I had various errands to run so it was about an hour before I got home, and made some lunch ...... and guess what ..... I still have toothache. And the dentist has a cold, and now I am fretting he may have infected moi, because he didnt wear a mask. I may be a pensioner but I still have to pay, because I dont receive the relevant benefits, only my state pension. *grump grump*. I am left feeling I have paid to catch a cold, and all for nothing.

Petunia dear, if you are delivering parcels of goodies to the old folk, where is my parcel of goodies? I'm one of the old folk, and I have a bus pass to prove it.

Now ..... I wonder what Mrs Berry is cooking for us tonight. Whatever it is, at least it wont be something from the Lotus Blossom takeway. That sum crumb dung should have been taken away. It rather reminded me of Pink Slime ............

CC

It's also allegedly true that Donovan tried to climb the curtains, wearing just his birthday suit, when he was visited by police officers and sniffer dogs. What interesting times we have lived through, Petunia dear.

Aha, there you are Teresa, I didnt see you sneak in. It must be the same Mars Bar, and you werent at school in East London or Norf London .............

My Whimsies are mating in the night I think, because every few days some more appear in the cabinet. Especially after I have been scouting around the charity shops.

Oh ... systems. Did your FTY never suggest any remedies, when he went searching on the internet for the cause of your symptoms?

Yes that young man had an official card on a string around his neck, but these cards and tags can be very easily forged and they look very authentic. The scammer supposedly collecting for the Hospice had one of those ID tags.

Motie Towers on Christmas Day will be ringing to the exuberant voices of Moi, Georgianna, Octavia, Beatrice, and also the ghost of Lavinia I think. I think dear Petunia will unbend a little to allow Mrs Berry to join us at the table.

Of course, I shall be setting the table, with a fine Nottingham Lace table cloth over a red undercloth (red, to symbolise Christmas). I will be scouring the river bank for holly and other wild flowers to decorate the "fall" of the lace as it trails down to the carpet. I will also be making a centrepiece using holly and ivy and mistletoe with berries, and some pyracantha for the red berries to add a splash of colour.

The best silver will be used, precisely placed just like they do at Claridges. Soup spoons for the soup, small knives and forks for the first course, bigger knives and forks for the main course, pudding spoons and forks for the pudding course, all suitably positioned and one inch in from the edge of the table. And of course there are the cheese knives to be fitted in, for when we have cheese and grapes with the apres-dinner coffee. I shall be folding some damask napkins, a la Mrs Beaton; much of her advice is still valid even in the 21st century. I will get the best crystal glassware out, and the silver-plated place mats, not forgetting the crackers and paper hats. Have I forgotten anything??

CC

Oooh, CC, naughty Dentist not wearing a mask... I went to the Optometrist some time back. He did volunteer that he wasn't feeling the best, so I made a decision to go back another day... Didn't want his lurgy.. I hope you don't get sick, lots of lemon drinks maybe??

Your Christmas table sounds rather posh. I use silver cutlery but I don't measure the distance to the edge of the table, thats what you get for growing up in the Colonies :-D. We are having a Kiwiana themed table as we have visitors from Australia. I am quite looking forward to decorating the gazebo/tent we use. No doubt there will be a bit of ribbing between the Kiwi's and Aussie's. We have not met two of our guests before. Mi casa, su casa and all that jazz ;-).

Teresa, lucky FTE . It will be nice for her to catch up with her friend. Friends of ours have their youngest son working on a super yacht, it all sounds very glamorous I must say... How the other half live :-S.

Petunia, you are an example to us all with your never ending good works. I did drop some newly purchased toys off to the local Radio Station to put under their tree. They and the Sallies distribute the toys to those in need. <3.

My male fruit had a birthday this week, 12/12/12 :-). Last triple digit date of the century so I am told. We have four more family birthdays before Christmas Day :-(.

I have a new telephone, gulp, a touch screen jobby. Oh dear, technology and I are not the best of friends...... I have google maps so I need never get lost again ;-).

My thoughts go out to those poor people in Samoa who have been subject to a terrible cyclone, Fiji is forecast to get hit too.. Not such a happy Christmas for those affected....

Better get of me chuff and on with my day. Tis Friday again, hooray !!

Toodle pip
Susan

dont worry Susan - I'm only virtually setting dear Petunia's virtual dinner table. Motie Towers is like the TV set for Doctor Who's Tardis - nothing is real. Didnt you know - as you walk away from it, the Towers disappears.

I hadnt heard about the cyclone in Samoa, how awful, and as with any tragedy its bad enough any time of the year but more poignant at Christmas. I had nightmares about the Boxing Day tsunami for a while, and I wasnt even there, I only watched it on the news. I "feel" for other people far too much.

Happy Birthday to your son, and I hope he's enjoying a good one.

Yes, the date 12/12/12 was rather unique and it wont be repeated for 100 years. 12/12/(21)12 so I wont be around to see that one. Unless I am reincarnated, which I do not wish to be; perish the thought.

Well, I cant have too much lemon in boiled water, I dont get on with anything acidic, am blaming it on the Fibromyalgia. All I can do is pray. Its a difficult situation - dentists fuss about patients because of AIDS and other illnesses, so they wear gloves; but they dont seem to care about the patients catching their germs. I have a very weak immune system (defo down to the FM) and if I'd known he was sick, I might have left it for a week, but I didnt know until I walked into his treatment room, and I could hardly walk right out again. That would have been rude, given that he'd fitted me in at such short notice.

I just bought a bargain on He-Bay, at least I hope it will be a bargain. 100 sterling silver hook wires, to use with my jewellery making cos I worked out how to make earrings using hook wires. I have paid, with fingers crossed, but the Listing said each hook wire was hallmarked, and "silver tone" would not be. The jewellers charge me £3 or £4 for one pair of proper silver hook wires.

Silver tone is all very well, and so far I've had to use the silver tone hook wires because it was all I could get in Hobbycraft, but not everyone can cope with silver tone. It never occurred to me to look on E Bay before.

Oh dear ..... my throat is starting to feel "funny". I am not pleased, so close to Christmas, and I cant take anti biotics or any pharmaceutical med any more because I cant cope with the side effects.

CC

What a naughty dentist Cherry, ours wears a mask which is clear plastic and covers nose and mouth. I too had an exposed bit above three toothsome. My dentist filled them but I fear one did not take to the covering so well :-(

I do hope you are feeling a bit better. There's bugs aboard the fleet of ships which FTE works for. I have sent her my wealth of medical advice. If only people would wash their hands :-|


Hallo to Susan and will be back soon

Teresa :-)

Good Evening Ladies.

CC I hope your funny feeling throat didn't get any worse and that you are now well.

Turkey for us Susan with all the usual trimmings, roast potatoes, brussel sprouts, parsnips, pigs in blankets etc

I thought about FTE when heard about the sickness outbreaks on the P and O cruise liners, I hope she's okay, Theresa my eldest fruits partners sister is a dental nurse in the High St of your home town.

Auntie Petunia I trust all is well with you and that you are not still plum tuckered out.

Tuesday went well in London, cricky was it cold though, Thursday I drove to Eastbourne for lunch with MOG aunt and cousins, never again it took me two and a half hours to get there and over three and a half hours to get home, he can go next time cos I'm NOT. :-\

Good evening dear Ladies....................

Coughs and splutters at Cherry's comments..................Motie Towers is virtual...........the dining room is virtual..................and the dining table is virtual.
What funny pills has she been taking? Where does she think she has been living for the last six months? Tut, tut, tutty, tut. And then............tut again!

The table will be set thus. A snow white linen tablecloth, with a red runner down the middle. Three scented candles along the centre, in red glass holders.

The best canteen of cutlery will be brought out and set. We shall be eating Aberdeen Angus beef, with roast potatoes, sprouts, peas and carrots. Yorkshire puds, gravy and pigs in blankets, and stuffing balls. We will be having the Christmas pud with the orange in the middle and cream. We shall have sherry while the dinner is being cooked, and sparkling white wine to wash down the food. It may not be to everyones taste, but that is how we like it.

I do hope you are all tickety boo and keeping well. I fear that I may be overdoing it a little on my rounds of good deeds, as I am a little fatigued. I shall dose myself on vitamin C so that I shall not succumb to colds.

You should have popped in for afternoon tea Lesley when you were in London. You will always be welcome.

Teresa dear, I do hope your fruit is keeping well away from the Norvo and Knox virus. It is not anyones idea of fun.

Cherry dear, please do not expect me to invite Mrs Berry to sit with us. Not because I do not mix socially with hired help, but because I fully expect Mrs Berry to be with her family. What sort of harridan do you think I am to make Mrs Berry forsake her kin for us? She can prepare it all, and leave instructions for Pat-trish-aaaah to carry out.

Take care dears, and keep warm.

Auntie Petunia

a good and sunny morning from CC-World. Yesterday morning started out just like this ... and ending up in torrential rain over part of Hertfordshire, at least, where I was.

Thanks for asking ladies, my funny throat didnt develop beyond "funny", I had a slight sense of one-sided soreness and ear ache in one ear suggesting I'd picked up a virus very mildly but it seems to have cleared as "there is nothing there" now.

Yesterday, we drove all the way to Hatfield House. Elizabeth Tudor was not sitting beneath her tree to welcome me, but it didnt matter as I'd only gone for the Antiques & Collectors Fair. I found some bargains. And, I did something I have never done in my life before. I stroked the backs of two owls. Their feathers were so soft to the touch. After we got there, the rain started pouring down but we'd had enough time to look around, so we came back home and put the kettle on.

It seems that Royal Mail sorting offices are hiring White Van Men to deliver some packages and parcels, because something I had ordered from He-Bay was left on the doorstep after the bell had been frantically rung first thing in the morning. I didnt hear the doorbell because I was wearing my headphones catching up with some TV from the night before, but MFH the GOG heard the bell. I'd noticed him on the landing shrugging into his dressing gown and going downstairs, then a few minutes later he walked into the back room where I was watching TV and told me he'd heard the doorbell but when he got downstairs there was no one there except a man with a white van some many yards away. The man saw him, MFH said, got into the van, drove forward a few yards, stopped, mouthed something at him, then drove away. Later on, I had to go to the sorting office to collect a package which had the postman had tried to deliver on the Friday, and as I stepped out of the house I saw my parcel sitting on the step, in open view for anyone to steal. The GOG had assumed that man was "mouthing off at him", I'd suggested perhaps he was apologising for ringing the wrong doorbell. And all the time he was indicating to the GOG that there was a parcel on the step. MFH cannot see beyond the end of his nose unless it has four tyres and a steering wheel and races around Nurburgring. Having said that - if White Van Man was delivering for Royal Mail, he should have waited for the door to be opened, not dumped and run.

Whilst visiting the sorting office, I nipped into the charity shop that was selling Whimsies for £2.99, and purchased another five. I left one on the shelf for Mr Manners, not wishing to be greedy. In fact, the one I didnt buy was one I already had and it was damaged in such a way I couldnt have reconditioned it.

Friday afternoon we went shopping in Harlow, and I suggested we treat ourselves to a meal at a certain Carvery we have been to before. Our eating experience has resulted in me leaving condemnatory Feedback on their webpage. One was not amused. This isnt the first time we've had a problem at this Carvery, and their service used to be very good but standards have slipped considerably in the last few months.

Yes Teresa I heard about the Norovirus on the P&O ships, and hope your FTE does not catch any nasty lurgies. I wouldnt wish that on anyone.

Hello Lesley I hope the lovely infant is well, and that you are all in the pink.

Petunia dear, I do not take funny pills. My pills have never once told me a joke or made me laugh. Harridan? Well, you said that, dear, not me, dear. I naturally assumed that Mrs Berry would be with us all over the Christmas break, as she spends so much time in the kitchen of Motie Towers I forget she has a home of her own to go to. In fact, I think Mrs Berry herself has forgotten she has a home of her own to go to. Were you aware she has turned the spare room in the West Wing into a bedsit for herself? a virtual Housekeepers Room to be sure.

I'm feeling a tad chilly inbetween my Warm Moments, so I am borrowing the blankets from the pigs and curling up with the cat.

CC

Its a small world Lesley :-D I go to the Dentist round the corner near thebus park. i belive that the one situated in the Town near the chip shop is moving across the road to the old co op building :-)

Thank you all for enquries about FTE and the nasty bug virus. Her vessel is free from all that nastyness. i will he mail you all tomorrow or the next day to update you all on progress ;-)

Cherry dear i have had many a visit to the sorting office collecting bumper size kits of lego from Santa in the past :-| Thankfully nowadays the packets are light and saves wear and tear on my arms :-D Ah bless the little owls, underneath all the feather and fluff sits a tiny litle bird.

Your dinner sounds yumpshious Aunty. I love sprouts and yorkies :-D :-D :-D :-D

Belated birthday greatings to your Male Fruit Susan, not so near to Christmas to miss out on a good old celebration.

My Sister and I are going see a two tribute bands tonight not far from where I live. I will give you a couple of clues, one was known as the Thin White Duke and the other looks like a little sparkling pixi :-D I will return in the next day or so with an update.

Tootling orff now

Teresa

Morning Ladies,

CC, I was going to say I did know the Towers are virtual but then Petunia's post has told us it is not :-D.....

Petunia, your table sounds lovely and your meal delicious. I lurve sprouts but we cannot get them at this time of the year - obviously :-(. I am the only one in our house who eats them, though the puppy probably would.

Speaking of the puppy, she jumped out of the car window while the vehicle was moving, albeit slowly.... If she was a cat she would be one life down. Luckily for her, she was ok. Had a bemused look on her face as if to say, how did that happen :-S.

Teresa, glad to hear fruit is well. I did see an item on our news of one ship whose total passengers had gone down with the virus. Perish the thought, holiday from hell I should think.

Last night we had the most amazing sunset, I took a photo and will see if I can upload it. Our weekend weather was perfect. So hot in fact on Saturday, I thought I was going to expire whilst mowing the lawns... It was after 4pm as well. Today it is showery :-(.

Hello Lesley, I am orf over the hill today to visit my papa for his birthday - and to sneak in a bit of Christmas shopping. Our drive is only just over an hour, at this time of year though, we are beseiged with roadworks.......

Better get on with my day,

OOh, CC, my OH recorded the Mr Stewart Christmas concert for me :-). Fruit is under instruction to buy me the cd for Christmas ;-).

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

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. :-)

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.

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.

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 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

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

Yoohoo ladies,

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

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