General Chat

Hello All

A bit late in the day now but I was curious and wanted to catch the second episode from Pat about the Red Arrows team display.

Thanks Pat for sharing your memories....... all very interesting.
When does the book come out?? You are sure to have many other stories.

Jem, apologies for yesterday. I wasn't ignoring you, I didn't see your posting. Seems like we posted at almost the same time........ great minds think alike ha ha.

We haven't had very good nights here lately. Fingers crossed for a decent night sleep. Hoping all who look in will also have a good nights sleep tonight.

Afternoon all :-)

Oh dear Jem, no corps in the RAF it's a flight or squadron and sometimes like I was you are in a branch. The chances are it's you're mother at basic training camp. We had a photo taken just prior to our POP (passing out parade). I don't know when she joined but for a long time it was RAF Spitalgate near Grantham Lincs. It was where you had your basic history of the RAF, learnt to march and issued with your uniform. You also had a barrage of injections. Hope all well with your daughter. Have your fingers recovered from Radio Jem?

By the way Jem it's the Red Arrows not Devils, they are the army paratroop team. Why someone wants to leave a serviceable plane that high up is beyond me. :-D

Kandj there aren't any ejector seats on a Spitfire it's the jets that have them, sorry to mislead you. It's easy really, it's a sign over the area you mustn't touch, easy to see to avoid it. :-)

Back to the Red Arrows in the anniversary display. They stayed until the day after the big display and did our display prior to flying off either home or onto another display.

Once again the tannoy announced the time. The senior doc decided to open up the roof to all of us so we could see right across the airfield. I believe it was the tallest building in that area. There was 2 of us in white dresses, my boss had a white top, the 2 docs and 2 medics (from the treatment room and the dispensary) were wearing white coats. The rest of the medics and drivers were in their blues (normal working uniform).

We watched the whole display having a wonderful view, they roared all over the place. In those days they ended with the bomb burst so the planes go off quite low in several directions. Well 1 of the pilots saw us on the roof (maybe due to standing out in white ;-)) and roared over us, we all ducked he seemed so close, but he couldn't have been that close :-S

Next morning I arrived in the medical centre, started up the dental centre and went to the kitchen to make 2 coffees, 1 for my boss who couldn't start without a cup of coffee and I couldn't be bothered to make a tea for me so joined him in a coffee. The duty driver and medic from the previous night were in the kitchen having a drink and toast before going off duty. Both were moaning about having no TV the night before as the TV was on the blink.

One of the technicians was sent for to check out the TV, if it was broken then it would have to be replaced. It's handy having such people about. In he came and looked at the set. Said TV seemed to be working OK but reception was dreadful. Technician decided to have a look at the aerial on the roof. It had twisted round so was pointing in the wrong direction. None of us had gone near the back of the roof, we came up the stairs and all walked to the area nearest the airfield, then returned downstairs straight after the display. The technician said it needed something strong to move it to that position. He unscrewed it and managed to erect it so it worked. On his report he put - aerial moved due to being caught in the slipstream of an aircraft.

He couldn't have been that low surely :-S yes he was and took the aerial part way with him. :-S :-S :-S :-S :-S

Never trust a jockey (RAF pilot) they're mad ;-)

You see we had 2 very eventful days. I didn't have a very exciting WRAF career but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Had great fun, imagine a village of mainly single people aged 18 - 30. :-D ;-) Usually us WRAFs were greatly outnumbered by the guys.

Another hot day today, we went out last night but staying in tonight. Have a bit of chicken left so it's chicken salad for dinner. May go mad and have a diet ginger beer with my meal. Hope it doesn't go to my head. :-D

Have a lovely evening and a peaceful night :-) <3

Hello All

Had a lazy sort of day today. Started one job and moved on to another, and another and another....... not completing very much at all really. Going round in circles and getting nowhere. Hey ho, doesn't happen very often but it did today.

Pat, that is a scary tale. I'm not surprised that you can remember it so clearly.
Yes, I am very impressed with your knowledge of the Spitfire controls. Good job that you knew not to press the eject button!!

I look forward to your next story tomorrow. I was disappointed that the Red Arrows didn't feature in the fly-past for the VJ Day celebrations in London with the veterans.
Perhaps I had dreamt that?? Senior moment maybe??

Jem,
Are you off to your quiet peaceful village again? It looks blissful. Can I come please?

Good Evening Roll Callers :-) :-) <3

It's been an ironing and more washing catch up day for me today.
I seem to have to wash and iron most days, however :-\ :-D


Nothing of huge interest to report today, unlike you Pat! :-)
Your stories are fascinating!
My mother was in the WRAF as I mentioned before. When you talked about Abingdon it seemed to be familiar, so I dug up a copy of a photo of her corps (is that the right word?)
There is nothing that identifies the camp on it though :-(

I laughed at your story about the Red Devils trying to impress you!
It reminded me of a story my mother once told me about her covertly dating an officer and then having to salute him the next day :-D

How terrifying it must have been to watch the Spitfire pilot in danger, particularly as you had met him prior to his display! Thankfully he survived and carried on the display! Amazing!

Well done on you sweeping out and mopping! How did you find the needed energy after all your pompom twirling routines yesterday ;-) ;-) :-D

Thank you Pat! I thoroughly enjoyed your company during the rugby yesterday, and it did help me, to have back up! <3
It was great we had Fly and Emms too! It was fun!

Of course Shaun has too much on his plate to join in the rugby now. Between his own terrible health, and caring for his OH and his mum being very poorly in hospital, it's very hard for him.
Tecwyn also used to enjoy reading our rugby thread, but he has been too ill to even go on line recently :-(

If you are out tonight Pat, I hope you are both having a good time, and that OH's back is not too sore.


:-)Kandj
Like you, I would find the kind of heat Pat has in Cyprus hard to deal with!!
She does say that it is a different kind of heat to what we have here though, and I have heard others say the same.
In Britain, an added factor is that we don't get time to acclimatise to one kind of weather, before it completely changes to another type of weather altogether!

What a shame you didn't get to see the Flyover display that was promised! :-(
That must have been a disappointment, Kandj!


Good Night Both <3 <3

~~~~~~~~~~ to all looking in on Dizzi's Roll Call :-) :-) :-)

PRICKLES <3

Morning All :-),

Taking refuge on my settee as I've just swept and moped though out downstairs. Kandj the temperature suddenly went up mid afternoon out here. The wind stopped and then when it next started up it was from a different direction and felt like someone had opened the oven door. The temperature on our back patio (all in the shade) was 41 C at 4pm. This morning I got up and it was already 35 C. Kandj it's not the heat of UK that's so humid and it usually gets warmer very gently from March to August so you don't notice it so much. This year has been very odd though. You do things when you can. I've done the floor and I'll have breakfast soon. I'll listen to Classic FM until midday then to a treasure hunt from Radio Sheffield so no great exertions. Have some ironing to do but as we're going out this evening, I'll do it just before I get in the shower. :-)

The 2 displays to say thank you when RAF Benson took the overspill are very memorable. Today you get the first one.

Before the Battle of Britain Flight was formed the odd old plane flew individually and we had a Spitfire arrive at Benson. I used to baby sit for one of the doctors at Benson, he was a great friend of my boss (a dentist) and was often in our surgery. One day they were talking about the coming display and the doc mentioned that there was a Spitfire coming. I was asked if I knew anything about them being so young. I trotted of some details of where they were built during the war which shook them, then I let them into why I knew all about it. My father worked on them from 1937/38 until 1946/7, am not quite sure of start and finish dates.

When the Spitfire arrived the doc, who was fascinated with them, asked the pilot if he could get a close up. The lovely doc put his head into the surgery and asked me if I wanted to go with him and took me to see the pilot and we got an external tour of the plane. The pilot was impressed that my father worked on them during wartime. I was shocked at how small they were and the fact it looked like a big model and so flimsy compared to the big transport planes at Benson.

The display done by this pilot will live with me forever. It was the day before the big 50th anniversary display and the tannoy announcement told us what time our display was. The medical centre was opposite the end of the airfield so our road led straight to the peritrack (the small road that goes around the airfield) in case of emergencies on the airfield. The beauty of this was from the side road where the medical centre was we had a great view of the top half of the airfield. Up went the Spitfire and all of the medical centre staff watched from the road as the pilot put it through it's manoeuvers. The ambulances and the doctor's land rover were ready to roll just in case as always when there was flying. Well about halfway through the display we heard the engine cough then silence. Now to educate you in the workings of the Spitfire - if your engine cuts out you put it into a sharp dive and hope you can restart the engine before you hit the deck. The pilot put the Spitfire into a dive aimed at the airfield. Near help but also least dangerous for casualties on the ground.

The Spitfire kept falling and no sound, suddenly the doc who'd taken me to see it was shouting Go! Go! Go! as he ran for the land rover and a driver and a couple of medics ran to an ambulance, off they went towards the peritrack, our alarm bell in the medical centre started off and the other doc and medics were running towards the medical centre. Cough, cough, cough, then the engine started and the pilot managed to get the plane to start to ascend again. He wasn't very high at this point, I'd lost him behind airfield buildings. He then completed his display. :-S I couldn't believe what had happened, the pilot must have had nerves of steel, and no he wasn't from the wartime era but someone in his mid to late 20s so born during wartime. I never want to see anything like that again.

Always hated that alarm bell going off. It was mainly for a simulation exercise but we didn't know it until we got the stand down. Our medical centre was on standby for Heathrow accidents north of the airport and railway disasters in the Reading/Oxford area as well as ours and nearby airfields. Our decontamination area (a tunnel off the medical centre was a back up mortuary for any of these eventualities. The entrance to the decontamination area was from the dental waiting room!!!!!!!! I was classed as medical for these emergencies for walking wounded as only had general first aid during dental training. I do however know not to touch a certain area on a plane as it controls the ejector seat.:-D Bet you're all impressed with that. ;-)

Tomorrow the antics of the Red Arrows didn't stop at the stomach - tooth ache incident. :-D

Jem take it easy today you did so well with such fast games yesterday.

A happy and peaceful day to you all. :-) <3

Hello Roll Call

Much better day today and another similar day is on the cards for us tomorrow.
That will be something to look forward to because high heat temp leaves hubby (and me) just drained of what little bit of energy we already have. I have no idea how PatinCyprus copes with temps in the mid 30's...... just wouldn't do us any good at all. We both would be fit for nothing and it would leave us two drained completely.

Most of our today has been glued to the TV coverage of the VJ 70th year celebrations held in London throughout most of today. It was emotional and humbling to see all the veterans (average age over 90) and listen to them sharing personal memories of times spent in Burma fighting for the freedom of our country

I felt the afternoon flypast was very disappointing when just two aircraft namely the Hurriican and Dekota flew past. No red arrows as advertised and no old plane either (this one planes name that had been withdrawn) The clear weather conditions looked ideal and so I'm not sure exactly why the fly past was reduced to just 2 airplanes today. It was still extremely emotional and humbling to see the veterans together with their carers and clearly enjoying such an amazing day today.

Pat, you are sure to have very many tales to tel from your WRAF days and your OH too will know of happy/funny stories that he's seen over so many years in the RAF

Jem, I have noticed that you have been busy on Radio Jem commentating for the Ireland v Scotland warm up rugby match earlier. Well done Jem. you will be tired

Love and blessings to all who read this thread tonight..
.

Hello Roll Call

Much better day today and another similar day is on the cards for us tomorrow.
That will be something to look forward to because th high a heat temp leaves hubby (and me) just drained of what little bit of energy we already have. I have no idea how PatinCyprus compes with temps in the mid 30's...... just wouldn't do us any good at all.

Most of our today has been glued to the TV coverage of the VJ 70th year celebrations held in London throughout most of today. It was emotional and humbling to see all the veterans (average age over 90) and listen to them shairng personal memories of spent in Burma fighting for the freedom of our counrty

I felt the afternoon flypast was very disappointing when just two aircraft namely the Hurriican and Dekota flew past. No red arrows as advertised and no old plane either (this one planes name that had been withdrawn) The clear weather conditions looked ideal and so I'm nit sure exactly why the fly pas was reduced to just 2 airplanes today. It was still extremely emotional and humbling to see the veterans together with their carers and clearly enjoying such an amazing day today.

Pat, you are sure to have very many tales to tel fom your WRAF days and your OH too will know of happy/funny stories that he's seen over so many years in the RAF

Jem, I have noticed that you have been busy on Radio Jem commnentating for the Ireland v Scotland warm up rugby match earlier. Well done Jem. you will be tired

Love and blessings to all who read this thread tonight..
.

Morning all, :-)

We were out the last 2 evenings. Not out this evening but should be tomorrow. Have just started doing the washing, 2 loads again. 1 minute the dirty clothes bin is empty the next it's full. :-( Add the towels and hey presto 2 loads.

Had e-mail from son. 2 sentences :-S He's going to visit friends of the family next weekend. Well at least he told me.

Daughter - you get a tome. We ladies communicate, men well !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

27 C at the moment and it says a high of 37 C today which is 6 C higher than all the week. It's already very breezy so think whoever did todays temps was a bit optimistic. Breeze is developing into quite a strong wind and it's just started to turn to a slightly different direction with gusts that are now coming into the house/#. Did this 2 days ago and we'd both got paperwork on the coffee table, oh boy was there a mess and had to move an armchair to retrieve some. Large painting shot of the wall, luckily it just dropped onto the settee in front of it. It's still off the wall as it's been windy ever since.

Have Radio Newcastle on at the moment and there's complaints about the rain. Will be listening to Radio York soon as they do a treasure hunt on a Saturday morning.

Looks like you'll have the garden watered again Kandj. I love flypasts, then again I was a WRAF and OH was only a few weeks off 25 yrs in the RAF.

Didn't go to many flying camp though. Did meet the pilots of the Red Arrows once. I wore a white dress and was with a co working when we saw the pilots in a group walking towards us as they made their way to the Officers' Mess for lunch. As we went past we saluted them and 1 fell to the ground clutching his stomach. We looked at each other and I said sorry we're dental you need a medic. The pilot sat up and clutched his jaw complaining of tooth ache. We both laughed at him and friend told him what time dental sick parade was that afternoon :-D.

The Red Arrows were detached to us for a few days as there was to be a big display in front of the queen at our sister camp RAF Abingdon to commemorate 50 years of the RAF. Not all plane/staff could be accommodated at Abingdon so we (RAF Benson) took the overspill.

I won't mention that on 1st April 2018 the RAF will be 100 years old ;-)

Will however mention than in less than a month the queen becomes the longest reigning British monarch :-)

Tell you tomorrow what happened when we had 2 thank you displays for having them by some of the planes/pilots in the 50th anniversary display team as both were very memorable for different reasons.

Jem you had another lovely day. It's great to have a place to escape to when you feel like time out. The shooting stars can be very clear here as there's far less light pollution.

Off to put out the first load, it's not the washing that bothers me, it's how much ironing I'll have in a couple of hours time :-S

All have a good day and a peaceful night. :-) <3

Hello All

Rain here for most of today but nothing like the storms that were predicted. It will do the gardens good as everywhere is so dry just lately. I had planned to carry on with the front borders but "rain stopped play" today. I think the weekend is meant to be dry.

Pat, are you in or out tonight? You are sure to be enjoying yourself whatever it is.

There is to be a day of celebrations in London tomorrow to commemorate VJ Day.
We will be watching TV coverage of all the events and look forward to the fly past of modern and historic aircraft which is to include a Swordfish, Dakota and Hurricane, together with a current RAF Typhoon and display by the popular Red Arrows Team.

Jem, How lovely for you to go back to your childhood village and find such a peaceful spot. Thank you for the links. Flying ants are a real nuisance for us all.

The Welsh Poppy Seeds are two varieties. One is an orange colour and looks similar to French Marigolds (Meconopsis Aurantiaca). Another is the usual type of open poppy but in a lovely yellow colour (Meconopsis Cambrico). I'm not holding my breath on either of them producing any real show of colour to be honest, as my second setting is still very slow in germinating........ watch this space.

Bedtime now for us, so Goodnight All.

Hi Everyone :-) :-) <3

Well, I had a very enjoyable Wednesday! :-)

It was a beautiful day here, so YES! I went home again! :-D

First, I stopped off in the little town of my Mother's childhood, that I have to drive through to get home.
There was a sale on in "The Factory Shop" there.
I bought my very first pair of skinny jeans! Well they are more like leggings really and very comfortable!


It was absolutely beautiful in my village.
The tide was full in. There were speed boats, motor boats, canoeists, waterskiers, yachts, etc all out on the water. One yacht had red sails, and I started singing to myself "Red sails in the sunset, way out on the sea...." :-D :-D
A mother and her children were angling nearby and people walking their dogs too.

I took more photos. :-D
Here's a selection for you to see

http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/keepsafe/asset/details/17672871

http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/keepsafe/asset/details/17672928

http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/keepsafe/asset/details/17673164

The beach car parking area was full, so I had to drive onto the dunes to park. This was good as there were only a few people on the beach in this area. It's directly opposite my old house, but the railway line and then the woods are hiding it from view.

This is where I would swim when I was a teenager.
Swimming is not recommended there now, as there are no lifeguards and there can be currents which are dangerous if you do not know where and when it is safe and when it's not.

I only had a small walk, as it was quite late afternoon before I got there. I sat in a deckchair on the beach with a sandwich and tea and a yummy double chocolate chip muffin:-D :-D

I went for 2 paddles. The water was very clear and I did some filming on my camera while I paddled, trying quietly to do a commentary :-D as there were a few people around, and I felt really silly!!! :-D :-D :-D

I spent more time relaxing in my chair with a cuppa and a crossword book when about 7.30ish there was trouble in paradise .... YES KANDJ .... FLYING ANTS!!! :-| :-D :-D

Reluctantly I headed back!



:-)KANDJ
Well done on your gardening blitz!... doing a "Jem" made me laugh! :-D :-D :-D
I am not much of a gardener, needs must only really and an occasionally splurge! :-D

I googled your Welsh Poppies! I've never heard of them before. They are pretty and unusual. I hope they do grow eventually. :-) :-)
I will have to think up some Welsh phrases for you Kandj, so you can "encourage" them! ;-) ;-) :-D

My 4 £1 Dahlia bargains are small but all blooming very well. I hope they do survive the winter and grow to nice shrub sizes. :-)

Yes, I had a little bit of rugby to sort out for posting today, and about 2 and a half hours of ironing!


:-) PAT
903 COUSINS! Are you going to contact them all? :-D :-D
What a coincidence that you had already made contact with your new cousin's daughter!
It's great that you can share information. Very exciting :-)

I also googled the hibiscus. I had heard of that, but wasn't sure what it looked like. It is very pretty. Your hedge must look lovely when it's in bloom :-)


Well, with one thing and another, it's very late! :-0 :-0
So I'd better get to bed- my routine has gone to pot since Grandson 1 left school!

I hope you are both ok :-) :-) :-)

Love Jem <3

Hello All

The rain and gale, thundering and lightening didn't happen here. Perhaps it will rain heavily through the night or maybe the storm will come tomorrow....... we shall see.

I have been doing a "Jem" today and have cleared about a third of the front border.
Nothing as hard as cutting a high hedge, as this is all low level ground cover which has grown out of control. The green dustbin was emptied only yesterday of garden rubbish. It is now half-filled and won't be emptied again for two weeks . I feel tired but happy to have made a big effort (and had the energy) it now looks much tidier.

Hubby and I were hoping to see the meteor shower last night but again it was too cloudy so there was no chance of seeing any shooting stars, disappointing really.

Pat, how lovely to have been in touch with another relative to share family details.

You still have temps in the 30's then. Not surprising your all very relaxed in Cyprus.

Pat, I also use the sachets diluted in water to keep the driveway and patio clear of weeds. It works very well usually. I have a new toy bought on Amaz*n. It is a garden wire head brush and is really good for getting in between paving slabs and block paving to clear the weeds. A long handle too so no bending and no bad back

Jem, are you resting after all your hard work in the garden. Or perhaps you are busy keeping your eye on the Welsh Rugby Team? I hope you are well today.

Goodnight to all looking in. Have a restful sleep.

Evening all,

Well some DNA results in, I've 903 cousins on the database. The closest is a second cousin. Found 1 I'm related to and contacted her, she said she thought it could be my paternal line so I gave her a few names. NE UK and miners rang bells. Gave her my gt gt gt grandparents as related to all those who went from the Black Country to Durham area. I couldn't find her on Ancestry (not in her name and she didn't tell me that), she couldn't find mine. Today she sent her e-mail address as we are related through at least my gt gt gt grandparents they are in her tree. She then tells me her daughter has the tree on Ancestry. Guess who's been in contact - her daughter I have had several e-mails discussing our families. :-D Well at least it confirms it and shows I do have some of my dad's chromosomes. :-D

It's going to be a struggle with some, but I'll try to track the link. No medical stuff yet.

Been out shopping today, I hate shopping. We go mid afternoon to the supermarket in the next but 1 village. Not many people about so we can do it quickly.

Lovely meal last night. May go out tomorrow.

Kandj the laptop is fine, will just have to be careful Friday night and leave it on so a scan can be done whilst I'm asleep. We've had a couple of power cuts so that might of upset it. It sometimes upsets my e-mails.

I used to spray my paths every spring and autumn to keep the weeds away in UK.
The Hibiscus hedge has recently been trimmed so there's no flowers on it. When they return I'll get a picture in my keepsake for you to see. The orange tree is full of green oranges, looks beautiful at Christmas, orange baubles everywhere.

Jem, you are like a whirlwind doing everything. Don't hurt yourself trying to do too much. There's always a few jobs that can be left as they aren't important.

Was 31 C today again and a strong breeze again. Don't like strong wind it hurts my ear. :-(

Hope you all have a peaceful evening and night. :-) <3

Good Afternoon Roll Call

Cool, dry and pleasant today although hubby says that hail, thunderstorms and gales are forecast for the next two days?!! That shouldn't be allowed in Summer.

I have been clearing the few small weeds that come up between the block paving of our driveway this morning. It's surprising just where things will grow on their own. It looks a lot tidier. I have been meaning to get rid of them for a few weeks, so I'm pleased that it's something that I can now cross off my "jobs to do" list.

I bought two packets of different varieties of Welsh Poppy seeds. I have purple/red/orange/pink poppies adding colour to the back and front gardens, and so I decided yellow Welsh poppies would be good to add more colour and variety amongst others

Now it can't be that difficult to grow poppies (or can it?). I haven't had any trouble in past years but this year I have had failures with both types of Welsh Poppy Seeds.
I contacted the sellers and both kindly sent two more packets of seeds free of charge. I have set these and have nothing in one tray and just 2 out of 50 in another tray, perhaps I should learn the Welsh language and talk to them in Welsh?

Pat, I hope your computer is still up and running, it's irritating when it won't work.
Good Luck with your OH ancestors. My in-laws were much easier to research than my own as they lived for many years in the same area. My Welsh descendents tended to move Counties..... not helpful at all for my own family history researches.

Jem, We didn't bother trying to see the perseilds meteor shower last night as it was all clouds, and a very dark sky. We will see if it's any clearer tonight as we would love to see the shooting stars. Hope you will have better luck tonight too.

You sound all tidy again after all your cleaning, so is Grandson1 girl friend coming to visit again today? Is it the pub quiz night? Good luck to you if it is.

We are having a lazy afternoon catching up with programmes recorded weeks ago.

I hope everybody who looks in will enjoy whatever is planned for the rest of today.

Good Morning Roll Call :-) :-) <3

PAT, I am so sorry!
Only this morning did I notice your last post.
It took me so long to type, you had posted and I had only read Kandj's post!
I was a little worried cos I'd not seen you, hence my bit about hoping you and OH were ok!

I'm sorry that you have had problems with your laptop. It's good that your OH is able to sort out the problems :-)
I'm sorry to hear his back has been playing up again. I hope it has eased a little.
I hope you had a pleasant night out last night. :-)

Talking about our family trees, here's a joke I found online this morning....
.....“I looked up my family tree and found out I was the sap.” :-D


:-)KANDJ
Little and often is the right and sensible way to go about it Kandj. :-)
I have left it go, hence the splurge, before I am physically unable to deal with it!
I have never been so sore. I could hardly move! :-(




Well, another busy day yesterday.
I cleaned the house from top to bottom, changed the beds, washed and ironed!
I want to get on top of things before I go in to hospital.


Very late last night OH, Grandson 1 and myself did our usual trip out to watch the Perseids Meteor Shower in the car park of a local beauty spot.
Unlike 2 years ago, the Police didn't turn up demanding to know what we were up to!
:-0 :-0 :-D :-D

I dressed in loads and loads of layers and wore OH's old parka, and took blankets because we have been very cold, in the past.
I packed us a picnic and flask of tea, and we sat in deckchairs looking up at the sky!
:-D :-D
We saw quite a few, but not the spectacular display we've seen before. I think we were a little too early this time. We got there around 11.40pm.

So we were very late going to bed last night :-| :-D


~~~~~~~~~~ to Everyone looking in on Dizzi's Roll Call <3

Love Jem <3

Hello All

Well Jem, What can I say? I certainly can't compete with your efforts in the garden. I am still managing to keep our gardens tidy by going out there "little and often". I hope you haven't got too many aches and pains after your marathon garden task yesterday!!

Pat, So you still have temperatures in 30's during the day. Far too hot for us we just wouldn't want to do anything as high temps take away what little bit of energy we have.

Your hibiscus hedge sounds so pretty. A lot better than our boring evergreen here.

Would you believe that I have just had a flying ant land on this laptop keyboard.... now where has that come from?? I'd better go and spray around yet again!

Goodnight to all looking in..... sleep well.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooo have I worked hard today!

There isn't a part of me that isn't killing me!

I have blitzed the garden!
Single-handedly I've given the privet hedge the thrashing of it's life! :-D
I've shaved it right back and taken about 3-3 and a half feet off the top, so it's about 6 foot high now. At the moment I like it being high as I like my privacy (privet-privacy ;-) ;-)) but in a year or two, I think it will need to be taken down to about 4 foot.

I have also thrashed a flowering tree, that was about 10 foot and is now about 8 foot and again cut right back. That was slightly easier, as it is by the partition wall between me and my non-joined on next-door neighbour. That house is higher up (we are on a hill) and so by standing on a step-ladder in their drive I was able to manage.
Then some weeding and it's now done.

I'm hoping my Son-in-Law will be able to get rid of the huge amount of garden waste for me.

Thankfully after a bit of rain this morning early on, it cleared right up and was hot and sunny. OH tested the hedge and said it felt dry, so I risked the electric shears. I used to do it all with hand shears (I still used these on the tree) but I couldn't do that now!


~~~~~~~~ Thank you Kandj <3
for your kind words re my Rugby Commentary.
Yes, a rugby match is just 80 minutes, 40 each way. Also, unlike footy, the clock is stopped for injuries etc, so you know exactly where you are- no waiting and wondering about extra time added on at the end.

I love flowers in a vase. They cheer the place up! :-)
It's nice to treat yourself sometimes isn't it? :-) :-) :-) :-)

I hope Pat and her OH are ok. :-)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ and sending love over to Cyprus :-) <3

I'm off to a much needed shower in a minute! :-D

Love Jem <3

Evening all :-)

Well back on my laptop, it's had a fit of pique. Took ages to do a scan then got stuck for hours on 99% done. OH has sorted it now. Scan will take place midnight on Fridays now so it's when the laptop is not in use. I could only put 2 letters in and I'd get a circle for 5 mins. Very frustrating.

OH's back has been playing up again, he doesn't know what he did this time. It's improved over the last 24 hrs. We will be out tomorrow night as we've stayed in the last few days to help his back. I've caught up with lot's of things.

Jem we have a hedge of Hibiscus, lovely big red blooms, the size of a side plate. It's not allowed to get too big, it's above my head but that's easy to do. :-) Don't envy you sorting out a hedge that big.

Never been so popular now we live here, just can't put my finger on why.

Made a lovely curry last night, we'll have the rest of it on Wednesday, I always make enough for two meals when I do curry. Had boiled cauliflower with it. I didn't grate it though, you can grate raw cauli so it looks like rice.

Kandj the DNA results should be here by the end of the week as they said 1 - 2 weeks and 2 weeks are up on Friday.

I had been working on my tree until my laptop took a sabbatical. Trying to find out about OH's maternal line. In OH's paternal line I found the haberdashers who had the freedom of the city of London in his maternal line I find the Worshipful Company of Butchers and they have the freedom of the city as well. Another family that at the turn of the 1700s into the 1800s were wealthy but where did it all go?

Temperature was 31 C and now at 23.15 it's 27 C. We could go to October before we see rain here. It's been very windy here again.

Hope all your families are well and that you all have a peaceful night. Night and bless. :-) <3

Hello All

Sunshine and heavy showers today. I keep bobbing in and out of the garden and have managed to do more tidying up in the borders. I like to do a little each day so I can keep on top of it....... that's if anyone ever does keep on top of gardening. Always a job (or two) to be done.

I treated myself to some flowers at the supermarket and left them in the car all night.
I had to find a pretty vase and put the flowers in water, thankfully they revived........ "Senior Moment" methinks ha ha.

Pat, I hope all is good in sunny Cyprus with you and your OH today?

Jem, I wouldn't like to tackle such a high privet hedge. Don't fall off the ladders.

You do very well to give such an in-depth rugby commentary. I think you would be exhausted at the end of the match and glad for the referee to blow the whistle for time. You work as hard as the players for the whole time. Am I right in thinking that a rugby game is less than the average 90 minutes of a football match?

I hope that your OH will be well enough for the Quiz Night. Keep swotting as you might just win again if you manage to go along this week.

Still a few hours left, so I hope everyone will have a happy relaxing evening.

Good Morning Everyone :-) :-) <3

It's raining here AGAIN!

It has rained so much this last few weeks, that even though we have had the odd hot day here and there, it doesn't stay dry enough, for long enough, for me to be able to take the electric shears to my privet hedge.

It had got out of control over the last few years (since I delegated to OH), reaching about 12 foot high. An added problem is that each Spring, we have nesting birds in the hedge, so it cannot be cut until they've gone. Last summer, my nephew cut it down to about 6 foot, but it is already gaining ground! :-D :-D


Hi Kandj <3
Everyone seems to be complaining about the Flying Ants! So far this year I haven't seen any here. We do usually get them at this time for a short while.

It sounds like your elderly neighbour had a lovely 80th!
It's great that you have a community spirit where you live :-)
It's something I miss about not living in a village now.


My typing skills have improved since being on the boards, but I have the same problem with typing as playing the piano. I need to look at the keys.
That means by the time I look at the screen, I very often have to go back and correct everything.

Also, I cannot multi-task.
With the rugby that means I have to 1/ watch the game, 2/ listen to the commentator, 3/ and also OH when he is also trying to say something about the game, 4/ type, and 5/ look at what I've typed! 6/ Correct any mistakes:-0 :-0 :-D :-D :-D
IT'S HARD SOMETIMES! :-D :-D :-D


I'm disappointed when Wales don't win :-( but I'd like to hope that I'm a good sport, and fair and truthful in what I say and feel about the match. :-)

The next quiz is Thursday, if we go.
OH doesn't really want to go, so we don't always if he's not too good.
But as I point out to him, he has his club night out every Saturday night, and I don't get a night out otherwise :-| :-D


~~~~~~~~ to PAT <3
I hope you and OH are ok Pat, and that you are having some relaxation now your many visitors have gone home. Or have more descended on you? The joys of being popular! ;-) :-)

Wishing you all a good day :-) :-) :-)

Love Jem <3

Hello All

Muggy and humid today and it still is, even now. Not at all comfortable to be honest.

I have spotted several flying ants in the kitchen floor. No idea where they are coming from. I have sprayed around the skirting board and doors so I hope that will stop them Feeling all itchy now, horrible things.

Our next door neighbour is 80 years young today. His wife tied balloons to the drive gates and had put Happy Birthday banners in the windows. We watched as his children and grandchildren have visited and there has been lots happy smiles all day
We have good neighbours and have all grown old together over the years. We help one another when we can, and consider that we are lucky that it is this way.

Pat I hope you are not too tired after all you hard work for the rugby match?
If you are out and about tonight then I hope you have left your pom poms behind.
Any more details about your DNA profiles and researches yet.

Jem, You must type very fast to keep up with such a good commentary throughout the game. Sorry that Wales didn't win. Do you get grumpy when this happens?
I don't think you are talking to yourself. I'm sure others will look in without posting.

Has your Grandson 2 got over the hand foot and mouth illness. Such a shame for the little one to be so unwell and miss out on having a little party with his friends.

When is the next pub quiz? Are you swotting up so that you will win next time?

It is forecast to rain tomorrow so it will save me a job having to water the gardens.
Our neighbours sunflowers really are a good sight. He is an elderly widower, living on the corner of the street. He has about 6 huge sunflowers and I have to be careful not to have an accident when I am driving around the corner. Very striking!

Bed time now for us so I will say Goodnight and sweet dreams to all reading this.

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