General Chat

Hello All

A much better nights sleep and NO night cramp for me thank goodness although my leg muscles are still aching from the pain of the cramp. Getting older is no joke!

It is the best part of the day right now, bright sky for the first time today. "Someone" has been having a laugh at my expense?? I put the washing out first thing and it rained. I brought the wet clothes inside and it stopped raining. I hung the clothes on the line again and would you believe it began raining when I put the peg in the last garment. I was not a happy person. In they came again and I put them in the dryer. Now there is sunshine and gentle breeze, so the washing would have dried after all.... grrr. Thank goodness I am blessed with plenty of patience.

I hope everyone has had a better day than I have today, mind you it could have been a lot worse, so I am not grumbling. Enjoy the rest of today (I will).

Hello All

Definitely turned much cooler now. Our night was peaceful enough but I woke up in the early hours with leg cramp. It hurt so much I had to get out of bed and hobble out of the bedroom so as not to disturb my husband. It seemed to take a long time until the leg stretches became effective in easing my cramped muscles, although realistically it was probably not that long. I couldn't see the clock and anyway my eyes refused to open as I was so tired! I hope it doesn't happen again tonight though.

Pat, I had a look at the link and it all looks very interesting. I hope you and you OH will be pleased with your results when they come through. Enjoy your Chinese meal tonight then rest up awhile before you two have phone calls to fill in your time!

Jem, are your grandchildren keeping you extra busy now that the schools have finished and the Summer holidays have begun? You can always have another little quiet day away visiting your childhood village to help recharge your energy levels.

I hope everyone who looks in has had a happy day today and will enjoy an even better day tomorrow.

Morning all :-)

Busy couple of days and out in the evenings. Said goodbye to 1 group last night, they fly back to UK today. We are out tonight for a Chinese buffet then nothing for another week :-S. Something's wrong as this time of the year it's usually continuous. Mind you next week our friends who are staying in Paphos come to stay for a week before going back to UK and on the 29th more friends are coming out from UK to stay in Paphos for a week and we'll have to try to be in 2 places at the same time :-D.

Kandj the air conditioner has a low hum but we have the clock radio and have the radio on ever night so we don't notice it. Never hear it switch off I'm asleep. :-) If we start with the bedroom nice and cool we go to sleep and the room starts to warm up to the ambient temperature when asleep so we don't notice it. It is of course cooling down through the night, low temperature at the moment is 23 C. It's 31 C now. Hope you slept better last night.

OH's back's a bit tender today but he can rest for a few days so he's not bothered. He has asked if there's anything that he's got to do today but all there is ironing, sweeping out upstairs and dusting so he can take the day off. :-) I'll be doing the ironing just before I get in the shower. OH irons his trousers and shorts, he's always liked sharp creases and I learned many years ago it's best to let him do all his trousers and shorts even though most these days don't have creases. :-D He's ex RAF so learnt how to iron his uniform a long time ago.

Jem how awful and Kandj is right the poor driver. I heard weeks ago that suicides like this are now common. I just feel so sorry for those left with all the questions of why and could we have stopped it. Dreadful situation to be in.

Glad the carnival went off ok and I hope you've recovered from going :-).

You can get the DNA test pack from Superdrug, that is for 23and Me. You can also send for it from USA with 23andMe if there's more than 1 wanting to do it as you get a discount. That's what we did so we paid less than our daughter. Think she paid £125 all in and we paid £108 each. It's £99 plus post on Ancestry which is not costed and it's a carrier that's used not the Royal Mail. We sent for ours one Wednesday evening and 3 days later it was here via DHL. We received them on a Saturday morning and we took our samples back on the Monday and were able to track them back to the USA. We should have the results starting late next week. They do several tests so you have the results as they come through. You are able to go on their site and register your number off your pack as soon as you get it and you have your results posted on there, they do e-mail you to let you know the results are coming through.

The American cousin has Irish links (so do I) they gravitated to B'ham area during the Industrial Revolution. Bless her she wrote, I don't know why they ended up in B'ham perhaps it was the nearest big town/city to where they landed. Don't think she's up on the geography of UK. I have explained about Brum as I call it and how the Black Country was the power house of industry. There were thousands of jobs in the area from clay digging for the Potteries through coal mining and foundries to canal digging, railway lines and building of factories, roads and houses.

Think she'll realise they were following the jobs just like I was told my Welsh family did - only I haven't been able to get them back to Wales yet. :-( I think my maiden name gives away my Welsh roots though Jem - Lloyd and I know it means grey as you get older but may mean brown when younger. They are a brown haired family but very little grey....... mine comes from my maternal line, they were all white by the time they were in their 50s. I've managed to draw it out until the 60s :-D

Jem I'm putting this link on so you can have a look at the site.

https://www.23andme.com/

Have a good day/evening/night to you all. :-) <3

Hello All

A mixed day today, rain at first and then dry and brighter later, but with big black rainclouds for most of the day. It has cooled down especially at night and so the quilt is back on our bed again.

Jem, that is awful news, a real tragedy and horrendous for the persons family and close friends to have to come to terms with. Our nephew is a train driver and it is his worst nightmare to have a fatality on his shift. I hope it didn't spoil your day out with your grandchildren too much.

We both had a restless night last night. There was a dog barking in the early hours and we have no idea who the dog belonged to or why is was barking for so long?
There aren't that many dogs in our neighbourhood so I hope this noisy dog will go back where he belongs so we won't be disturbed again tonight.

Hope Pat and OH are well and I hope everyone who looks in will have a good sleep.

Good Afternoon Everyone :-) :-) <3

A sad event!

When we were packing up to go home from the beach on Saturday (Carnival day) I noticed that the railway gates were still closed, and the passenger train that gone through had come to a stop further down the line.
After quite a while, the gates opened, but the train was still on stop. I said to the kids that there must be something wrong.

On the way home a speeding Fire Engine passed us heading that way. Then shortly after, police. By the time we were nearly home two plain cars, obviously CID as they had put a flashing light and siren on their plain cars, had also passed.

By the time I got home, and unpacked, cleaned the car, etc etc it was late and I temporarily forgot about it.

Yesterday I remembered and googled.
Someone had been hit by the train and sadly killed. :-(
As yet, no details as to identity, and the online local newspaper did not know if it was a man or a woman.


~~~ to Kandj and Pat <3

Hello All

A bit late today but very interesting Jem to read about your day out with your grandchildren. It made me feel tired reading this, so I can only imagine how weary you will have been feeling at the end of it, but they aren't little for very long and will surely remember such happy times spent with you at the carnival.

Hope Pat and everyone else is fit and well now. Today has been a weary day and its well past my usual bedtime so I will wish you all a very good restful nights sleep.

Good Afternoon Everyone :-) :-) <3

The sun is shining here, with a breeze and it's hot! But enjoyable!

I'm pleased to say that One Granddaughter 2 is home safe and sound from France, thankfully :-D :-D


I didn't end up doing anything on my birthday, except for being on Ancestry / GR all day, and enjoying half a bottle of red wine while thrashing Allan on the quizzes :-D in the night! !
I was saving my energy for yesterday!



Yesterday was Carnival Day in my childhood village, so as my car is quite small and I have hundreds of Grandchildren :-S OH decided to be kind and stay home so I could take all of them except toddler.

This very kind act had nothing at all to do with the fact that it was Saturday and his night out at his club was calling to him, of course! :-0 :-| :-| :-D

SUFFICE TO SAY, I DON'T THINK I CAN DO IT AGAIN SOON! :-D :-D


We left around 11.30am.
Granddaughter 4 was thrilled to bits as she has never been out on a trip with me before. It's usually us and the 3 oldest, while Mammy and Daddy take the 2 youngest somewhere.

We got there with half an hour to spare before the Carnival Procession.
I had taken a packed lunch, but as the local cafe was closing at 4, we decided to have dinner and keep the lunch for teatime.


We had food on the tables outside, right by the road where the Procession would be passing.This came as we finished which I filmed it on my camera. A Brass Band led the way, followed by Classic cars and tractors. Then came the Majorettes and Floats. Also people walking alongside in Fancy Dress.
No Carnival, Rose and Fairy Queens or Prince Charming this year for some reason :-S


Once the traffic had passed, we drove down to the Carnival Fields (The Rugby Field)
The eldest 3 fled! :-| :-| :-| :-| :-| :-|
Which left me to look after Granddaughter 4, who is very active and with her also being so excited, it was difficult to keep up!


There was a funfair hired for the day. Of course that meant rides after rides etc., one of which Granny had to go on with her and as I get motion-sick on a swivel chair, I concentrated on filming with the camera! :-D :-D :-D

Granny got very tired, and said to Granddaughter 4 "Granny may look only 30, but she is nearly 60 you know!" (well 58 to be precise!)
SHE DID HAVE THE GOOD SENSE TO AGREE!:-D :-D :-D

Once all rides had been ridden on, sweets and candyfloss bought, prizes won, etc., we located The Deserters :-| and drove back to the village.


Granddaughter 4 spent the rest of her money in the local shop which has all sorts of things.

We had our packed "lunch" for tea on the beach.
The tide was out, so we couldn't go paddling, but Grandson 1 and Granddaughter 2 allowed Granddaughter 1 to bury them in the sand in shapes of a mermaid/man with just their heads out! :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D
Grandson 1 was complete with b@@bs :-D :-D :-D


Then it was time to go, with Granddaughter 4 declaring that it was the best day of her life! aw bless! :-)


Well that was the story of my day out, which has probably filled the whole page!:-D :-D


:-) PAT
Wow that IS hot! :-0 :-0
It's no joke ironing or any other job needing exertion in that kind of heat!!
That's very interesting, finding an American Cousin, albeit distantly, through the DNA test!
I am very seriously contemplating doing one.
Both Ancestry and FMP offer a test. It's £99 (I think) with Ancestry.
Only problem is, would I then need to take out a proper subscription with Ancestry in order to further it? I already have Platinum/Parish with GR.


:-)KANDJ
I'm glad your Granddaughter is home safely from her school trip to Iceland. I hope she had a good time :-)
As St Swithins' Day falls the day before my birthday, as a child I would always worry in case it would rain on that day. This would have meant that it would rain on my birthday! :-D :-D :-D

I'm glad you are managing to get rid of the ants :-)


~~~~~~~ to all Roll Callers :-) :-) :-) :-)

Love Jem <3

Hello All

Pat, you beat me to it ha ha. I was about to post here and then I made a cup of tea for hubby instead. He can drink enough tea for England, but he enjoys it so I don't mind.

Another mega hot day for you then. It still would be far too hot for either of us to be comfortable. Perhaps you are used to it now. Is the air conditioning noisy?

Jem, I hope the rain held off and you all were able to enjoy the carnival celebrations.
Our village hold an annual event at the end of August and it is always very well attended come rain or shine (English weather!).

The couple at the end of the road have gone away for the weekend and left their son and daughter who are in their mid twenties "home alone", it looks and sounds like they are having a party. Plenty of cars and youngsters roaming the street and LOUD music. Hey ho, while the cats away etc. We were saying that we only hope that they clear up and make it all neat and tidy before Mum and Dad come back home or they will be in BIG trouble.

Another dry day again (it must be Summer!), so more watering of the lawns and borders and tubs again today. We will stick with the cotton sheet again tonight and probably need to have the windows closed with the music at the bottom of the street. I hope they have remembered to invite the next door neighbours! It is usually a very quiet neighbourhood, but I doubt that anyone will want to mention this party to Mum and Dad at anytime. They are just doing what kids do left alone

Bedtime now for us golden oldies! Goodnight then to all who are looking in here.

Evening all :-)

Another mid 30s day. Now 27 C and just after 23.00.

Quiet day today. Watching the cricket, it's painful. :-S

Kandj we only have cotton sheets on as well but we do cool the bedroom down with the air conditioner. I put it on as I go into the room and when OH gets into bed he puts the timer on for 30 mins neither of us like having it on but it means a comfortable night. Would hate to have it on all night.

Jem hope the carnival went off ok and it didn't rain. Nice of them to celebrate your birthday with a carnival isn't it? :-D

Have a good night. Night and bless. :-) <3

Hello All

Pat, that is seriously HOT. I think hubby and I will be happy with the dry day today and same forecast for tomorrow. It's been humid but a cool breeze from afternoon onward made it much more comfortable for the two of us..... oh, and it dried washing.

Pat, it is amazing what information comes to light with a DNA swab. I bet you and your OH are waiting patiently for your results and see what details are reported then.

We haven't had any downpours lately and so I'm watering the lawns and borders and tubs because everywhere is just so dry and I won't risk losing any garden plants.

Our granddaughter arrived safely home from her school trip to Iceland late last night and it's been her last day of school term today so schools are ended until September. She was at a friends house for BBQ meal and another friend's for a sleepover. A very popular girl and has a good social life. Isn't life great at 14 ha ha

Jem, it sounds as if you have a good birthday yesterday. I hope the forecast is wrong for the carnival tomorrow. It's such a shame when it rains and spoils village events as they usually take a years organizing. I hope everyone has a good time anyway.

I have just taken the light quilt off our bed and we will make do with a cotton sheet tonight as it's still very muggy. Hope we sleep better than last night!

Goodnight to all lookers in. I hope that you all will sleep well tonight too.

Evening all. :-)

Summer has arrived. Mid 30s today. Tonight at 23.00 27 C. :-D

Well daughter's DNA has thrown up an American distant cousin and she had her photo on the database. She looks a cross between daughter and my mother. We don't know whether she's OH's or my distant cousin but she knows she had relatives in my area of birth. We'll wait and see. Have sent her photos of both of them to show her. Should have our results in a couple of weeks.

I'm on Ancestry and it throws up lots of hints and some don't check them Jem. I prefer Ancestry for my tree.

Had a great evening last night Kandj, thank you. Don't think we're out over the weekend so OH can relax.

Have a good evening and night. Night and bless :-) <3

It's not looking promising, here in the South West of Wales!

Well, it IS promising actually! It's promising rain! :-D :-D :-D :-D
Not looking good for the Carnival tomorrow :-(


Just running in quickly to wish you all a good day :-) :-) :-) <3 <3 <3

Will catch up later, hopefully :-)


Thankyou all for my lovely Birthday Wishes<3

Love Jem <3 <3

Hello All

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JEM if you have time to pop in today. Hope you are having a great time and being spoiled rotten ha ha.

Pat, I hope you have a nice meal and enjoy yourself tonight and that your OH back pain isnt so bad for him right now.

Did you get your DNA results back yet? It's all bound to be very interesting I'm sure.

Another lovely day today, all the washing drying nicely on the line outside and I'm off to sort something out now for our lunch....... decisions, decisions???

I hope everyone is having a good day today.

Hello All

No more ants seen today. I bought a new ant spray from Amaz*n which had a good review and it seems to be working for us..... well, so far, so good. We usually get them into the kitchen. Hubby hates them with vengeance and so it's left to me to kill them off. Pat, we wouldn't like your ants thank you very much, our little ones are
bad enough.

Jem, our only granddaughter is on a school trip in Iceland and having a brilliant time.
We also worry that something awful is going to happen but we have to let the youngsters go and we try not to pass our concerns over to them.

It is St Swithun's day today the rhyme states whether it rains or shines on this date, that it will continue to do the same for the next 40 days........ well, we have had a fair day today and hope it will remain fair for the next 40 days! We shall wait and see.

Hope you have a HAPPY BIRTHDAY for tomorrow Jem with lots of lovely cards and nice pressies to open.

I hope everyone has a good time tomorrow too.

Evening all. :-)

The first thing

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JEM FOR TOMORROW.

Have a great day tomorrow Jem. Glad the funeral went off ok. Not easy when it's your own generation is it? Just remember the good times. Granddaughter will be ok, it's a repeat of letting go of your own children. Do what I did when my 2 grew up, keep repeating - it'll be ok I'll laugh about this 1 day - and I do now.

Saturday was a good night so was last night. Going to a great restaurant tomorrow. :-) Not expensive but great food.

Kandj you think you've got problems, you should see the size of the big ants out here they are about a centimetre in size and they bite and boy does it itch.

Got to bed just after 1 am this morning and woke up just before dawn very hot, moved across the bed a little so the draft from the ceiling fan came across me and went back to sleep. When I got up this morning I wondered why I felt so warm as it was cool in our room when we went to bed. Came downstairs checked the temp. it was 30 C. Must have heated up during the night, only went up 1 degree all through the day. Now 26 C at 23.28.

Had fun ironing in 31 C heat this afternoon but it's all done. I'm drinking plenty of water. The oranges are swelling nicely on our tree. :-)

Have a lovely evening, sleep well, night and bless. :-) <3

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

Well after a few days of miserable windy rainy days, the sun is out and it's hot! :-)

Thanks everyone for your concern re OH's Cousin's death.


The funeral was yesterday morning (cremation) and even though it was a horrible day weather-wise, she had a huge send off. She was well known and respected in the town. She was only 63.



Granddaughter 2 has gone on a 3 day trip to France. with the school.
We went to wave her off.
She was in her leopard skin print fluffy onesie!!!! They were all wearing PJs, onesies, etc. to sleep on the coach!:-D :-D :-D :-D

The coach was leaving school at 10-15pm. They were driving to Dover and taking the ferry from there.
I was glad they were not using the Channel Tunnel with all that has been happening with illegal immigrants there! :-0

I must admit to nervousness re the coach (crashing), fanatics, terrorists and the like! My imagination is running riot! :-D :-D :-D
But then you cannot live your life in fear otherwise you wouldn't do anything!



Yesterday, I took out an offer that was emailed to me for a month's Ancestry Subscription for £1!
I'm not sure what I think of it yet. I have had a very positive experience with GR and have 3,800+ people on my GR tree, records, photos etc.

I found Ancestry baffling and very busy, when I tried the Open Weekend last time, and not sure what I think now! I have completed the skeleton of my tree on there, Just one way- parents, grandparents, GG Grandparents etc. No siblings etc.

I have spent the afternoon correcting a member's tree!:-D :-D :-D
It's my immediate ancestors (that brought me up), and I have the family bible to back my research up.
Howlers on trees on there are winding me up no end! :-D :-D :-D


:-) PAT
The Kylie Tribute / 60s & 70s Hits night sounded fun!

:-)KANDJ
Ooooo I hate ants. We have a nest of them by our front steps, but so far we haven't had many inside. We usually have a day or two each year when we have flying ants, but not this year yet!

~~~~~~~~ to all Roll Callers :-) :-) :-)

Love Jem <3

Hello All Roll Callers

Sunshine and showers today and very humid, so not very pleasant at all really.

I kept the kitchen door open and hubby noticed that lots of ants were around there.
I have been spraying and just hope they won't find their way inside the kitchen like they have done for several years in the past. A kitchen extension and newly laid patio hasn't got rid of the ants, they show up each year and make us both itchy.
Kitchen door closed and all windows shut as there are winged flying ants on lawn.

Jem, I'm thinking of your OH cousin's funeral service. A sad day for him today then.

Pat, I hope you will enjoy the meal out today and Thursday.... is this at the club where entertainment and bopping goes on? Where do you get your energy from lol.

Hope everyone will enjoy the rest of today whatever is planned.

Evening all. :-)

It's been a hottish day. Went shopping today and the wind is warming up at last.

Kandj the club we go to used to have live entertainment every Monday, unfortunately they haven't done it this year yet, we bopped every week. :-D

Hate having wet clothes indoors. We haven't got central heating but I do have a tumble dryer.

OH's back is a lot better today. Have to get up early tomorrow :-0 so off to bed.

Have a good night all, night and bless. :-) <3

Hello All

Whatever happened to the sunshine that was forecast? Occasional showers here but very humid. We went out to the village supermarket this morning between showers so we didn't get wet..

Beginning of another week so I know it's Monday and too soon to get the day wrong!

Jem,your washing is sure to dry on the radiators.thank goodness for central heating
I hope all goes as well as it can do tomorrow for your OH cousin's funeral service.

Pat, I had to smile reading about you and friends "bopping" to old familiar music.
A long time since I heard that expression and and even longer time when I "bopped"

Not being in touch regularly must be a man-thing Pat. Our son-in-law has to be reminded to phone his parents and then when we speak on the phone it's just Yes/No and our grandson is much the same too, but our daughter and granddaughter are often phoning us up for a lovely chat ha ha.

Hope you all have peaceful night and a good day tomorrow.

Good Afternoon Everyone :-) :-) <3

It's a wet and miserable day here in the South West today!
Washing is on the radiators yet again, and I'm sweltering!

Commiserations to those who wanted Roger Federer to win Wimbledon :-(
I don't really follow tennis, but when Roger was on "The One Show" a while back, he came across as a really nice man, I thought!


~~~~~~ to Pat :-) and Kandj :-)
I hope you are both ok

~~~~~ to all Roll Callers :-) :-):-)

Love Jem <3