General Chat

I made gluten free crumpets before one could buy them I don’t remember any complaints.
One does need rings, otherwise they spread out too much - would that make them like let’s?

I will be interested to hear how the crumpets turn out Florence, the girls like them but they are not good for my diet, 5 syns each ( slimming world) so I don’t have them.

I made a mince based curry and Bombay potatoes for dinner. The others had popadoms, but they have too much fat in for me. I usually make side dishes, but didn’t bother tonight. I still did home made Tzatziki , not a traditional curry accompaniment but they love it loaded with garlic.

The rain has passed here and it is much lighter, it was dark enough to need the lights on this afternoon. OH has managed to get out in the garden and finish off his last bit of bird proofing. The girls have a trampoline and Esme has a large triple frame with a disabled swing on it and a nest swing. We have a huge number of wood pigeons in the trees and the things sit on the top of the trampoline and swings and leave their calling cards, which is a real nuisance. OH put pigeon spikes round the top and it has stopped them thank goodness. He was just short if one length, so had to order some more to finish it off.

Afternoon all
Well what a change in the weather! After a beautiful sunny & warm week, today the tempo has nosedived, the wind picked up and it is really chilly. So no outside for me today.
Glad I got all the bedding done mid week so washing fairly up straight.

Oh Linda, sorry to hear about the sale not going through but asking to drop £20k, thats a lot. Could your daughter negotiate say £10k? Its a loss but half what it would be.

Its a dilemma as if they wont take of £20k and lose the sale, they may have to wait ages for another byer and lose the other house in the meantime. I hope something works out for them soon.

Joan, yes its brr here, am thinking about putting the heating on but its been off for a week and so that has saved some pennies but I think we will manage without it, just put a cardigan on. Hope you get your plants soon as well and its ok to put them out.

I have ordered some small coloured double planters to hang over my dividing fence between my garden and next door. You get 4 for £24 in 4 different colours. Its will brighten up the little fence too. probably put lobelia or something similar in them.

JustGinnie, i don't know how young people can get onto the property ladder anywhere. They need at least £50K for a deposit and who can save that these days? Rents around here for a 2/3 bed house range from £500-900 depending if you live rural or town.

Well got me Tesco order earlier with lots of goodies so off to decide what's for tea tonight. Going to make some spicy chicken wings tomorrow with a red cabbage coleslaw and Tzatiki with naan bread. Something different. I bought various spices and sauces to make a marinade. Hopefully will turn out ok.

Im also going to attempt to make crumpets. I found the recipe used for the Warburtons ones online, cant wait to see if they work.

Hope everyone ok and well

Florence in the hebrides

That's such a shame about your daughters house move, it is a nightmare when there is a chain involved it seems to happen a lot now. 20K is an awful lot of money to lower the price by though. I do hope something gets sorted soon for them.

House prices are rising by us I was looking at a website and was really shocked at the prices of just a small 2bed terrace in the area. Rents have sky rocketed how young people manage I don't know.

Well we have sunshine but it is quite chilly still but washing will dry outside which is good.


Have a good weekend all.

Ginnie

Hello girls.
What a difference indeed Linda, it was sooo warm yesterday I had to take OFF my jumper, lol, today I have had to put ON a 2 woolies, it is that cold & rather windy,

I had planned for my grandaughter to come over today, she was going to slap some paint on the back of the shed, I can't get in the space myself but she can, lol, but because the wind is blowing directly at she shed we had to cancel.
I wasn't gong to bother about the back but it's about 2 years since grandaughter last did it so it needs doing, we left space originally to get at the back but I was much thinner back then, lol.

I am still waiting for my recent order of plants to be delivered, should be this coming week as I have had a message to say they are on the way.
Hope the weather warms up again so as to get them planted up.

Joan.

Linda, I bet you were relieved to hear that Esme had a lovely time on the trip, being away from home like that can be a bit "worrying".

Brr, what a difference. It is cold and cloudy today, I have even put the heating on. I think we were taken in by the lovely weather last week.

Esme is back from her residential trip, she seems to have enjoyed it and not caused them problems overnight

I took the opportunity to have a good sort out of the cupboards while she was away. I had lots of good quality clothes in storage from when I was much larger, so I bit the bigger and took nine large bin bags to the charity shop.

My daughter’s house move is going from bad to worse. The chain collapsed when their buyer lost their cash buyer. My daughters buyers now have a new first time buyer but they have offered less money My daughters buyers are now saying that they can’t buy the house unless my daughter reduces it by 20k. They have to decide what to do, if they accept that it means they won’t have the money they need to buy new furniture. If they put the house back on the market they will have wasted three months with this buyer. As apparently prices are falling, they may not get as much with a new buyer. It looks like they may end up losing the house up here which they are supposed to be buying. It is all such a mess.

I hope that you are feeling better Florence now the antibiotics have had time to work

Afternoon all,
Well yesterday was lovely sunny and breezy so got washing dry outside Cleaned the downstairs rooms as hadn't been able to do much with all the work going on but all finished now and everywhere needed a good dust, polish or a wipe down . Happy with the outcome .Today is dry but overcast and OH has been tidying the front garden up just a bit of weeding and then a sweep up. Living on a busy main road has pros and cons, litter being one of the cons .

Good to hear you have tested negative at last Florence and hope you feel better now.

Joan sounds like you are busy already in your garden. We must get out and start on our back garden it's not very big but there is always something to do even if it's just finding the toys etc that come from next door and throwing them back before our dog gets them. lol.
Hope Esme enjoys herself Linda.

Ginnie.

Good afternoon everyone from a Glorious day here in Aberdeenshire.

So glad to hear that your test is showing negative Florence, though I have to be honest ! I don't really trust those testers one way or the other, just me I suppose who is suspicious of many things, LOL.

You have been a busy bee today.
Sadly I have neglected our house this past week I really must make a start on some more thorough cleaning, LOL.

Linda, I hope you had a lovely time at the Spa.

I have been outside once again, finished tidying the flower borders, as much as i can do at the moment, the Daffies are beginning to fade & so it won't be long before I can trim them back, at least just a little to start with.

I have almost finished painting a garden chair, got the 1st coat on it, but it's a fiddly chair to do a lovely heavy single chair but lots of slats on it, back, both sides & the seat part,. I get a bit bored of trying to get the paint brush in between the slats !

Having a gravy dinner today, Hotpot, a bit warm today but I had already planned last night to make that today.
I just hope hubby fancies it come tea-time, his appetite is not good at the moment, & he changes his mind at the drop of a hat !

Well now, time to get back to painting the reast of that chair whilst the weather is so nice.

Bye for now.

Joan.

Good morning..just to all looking in today
Yay :-D :-D :-D my Covid test is negative. Im stil coughing but by tomorrow the meds should kick in.

So we have begun a deep clean of the house today. Daughter did bathroom, I did kitchen. Beds all stripped and washed at 60 degrees, then out on the line as a brilliant sunny breezy day here. Perfect to get all the laundry dry.

Then we have the lounge and hallway to clean, hoover and polish. Wipe down all the door handles, cupboards etc. Got all the windows open so a great breeze flowing through the whole house.

Steroids are great, but they keep you awake so last night was a struggle to sleep but hey ho, they will make me better.

I also got good news just now, I qualify for my blue badge and it will be ready in 10 days. Cost £20. I shall have it before my best friend arrives and that will be used when she drives me out and about mid May.

My appetite is still poor though even though I feel hungry. i did eat a banana yesterday but it bloated me so shall not have anymore. maybe some tinned fruit and icecream, thats my go to food when Im not feeling well.

Hope everyone else is getting this lovely weather up here, its great for a change. :-D

Linda, hope you had a lovely time at the Spa, sounds wonderful and hope Esme is ok being away on her trip.

Joan, hope you are having sunshine so you can get outside and finish your jobs etc

Well i'm off to make a coffee and then power on with the chores whilst I have energy lol

Florence in the hebrides

I am pleased that you got your meds Florence, hopefully you will start feeling better soon.

I had a nice day with my daughter, after dropping the girls off at school we went to Rudding Park Hotel roof top spa in Harrogate. I have been a couple of times before and it is excellent

Esme is going away tomorrow for two days on a school residential trip. Goodness how that will go. She is full of it, but she does wake in the night and wants mummy. If it all goes pear shaped it is only fifty minutes away

I am glad that you are getting your sheds sorted Joan. I remember what a mammoth task it was after my father died. OH had lots of stuff in our double garage, including in the boarded out rafters. He did get rid of lots of stuff before my daughter moved in because half of the double garage is now packed up to the ceiling with boxes and furniture. We are still waiting to see if the chain is back up again in my daughters house move, hopefully it is and it will be sometime in June. We have everything crossed

Well the sun came out and a pleasant 15 degrees with no wind. Daughter and I managed to repot 4 small fuchsias into a huge pot, the 6 carnation plants had outgrown their tiny pot so all went into another bigger pot.

After that, we were both feeling really tired and my back was aching so we tidied up and went indoors to sit awhile. I have 2 large tubs left and not sure whether to wait and fill them with small bedding plants maybe, all sorts as that will be colourful, not sure yet.

Shock of horrors, went on XC weather for our area and its showing snow 24 April and for Ballater in the highlands most of that week. Eeeek just when you think better weather is coming, you see this! So hope it wont come and its a mistake lol

Hope hubby enjoyed his toasted Hot X bun Joan, i love them with cheese spread.

Well got a Tesco order to sort before Friday so better crack on. Still hardly any
appetite so just dont know what to eat as tummy is rumbling!

Hi Florence.
I have managed to get the end of shed painted so that's both sheds done, well pleased, will look even better when our son gets the new panes of glass/perspex in place.

I have just made hubby his snack lunch, I was late making him something to eat as I was so engrossed in the painting, just a toasted Hot X Bun & a cuppa but he was waiting patiently for it, LOL.

The sun is well out now & a tad warmer than yesterday.

Take care, hope the pills work.

Joan.

Morning Joan and everyone looking in.

Well nice surprise as 1/2 hour ago whilst I was on the phone, a voice called out "hello" in my hallway and suddenly a nurse appeared clutching my prescription. Antibiotics and steroids. I indicated for her not to come in to my lounge as I have covid, she didnt know!!!

Anyway, heres hoping they will sort out my chest infection.

Its a calm day, no wind but no sun yet but trying to peep through the clouds.

Really want to repot the other plants whilst we have the good weather.

Hope you are more productive today Joan but dont overdo it.

Hope everyone else ok and keeping well.

Florence in the hebrides.

Good morning, nice & bright this morning,the sun is soing its best to shine on us, I hope it does as I have one end of the P shed left to paint & I would like to get it finished today.

So sorry to hear that you are still not properly over the Covid yet Florence, you take care.

I was well pleased at how much clearing up of the steading our sone managed to get done, the steading is quite big & hubby has filled it to the funnels with "stuff".
It's going to take a good long while to get rid of it all.

Our son is a busy man what with his work & doing some upgrading of his own house & garden.
He is hoping to replace the panes in my P shed as soon as he can, the original panes were damaged during one of the storms we had & we had to cover the gaps with wood which looks awful.
It will be nice to get new panes in place & bring back dalight to the inside.

Well I'm of to stick my head out the door & see if it's warm enough to go outside. Bye for now.

Joan.

Evening peeps
Well finally got a call from a nurse today and my blood tests results. Most were ok except for Kidney(slightly below par). I told her my temp was still over 38 and she said she will speak to the GP and get some antibiotics prescribed and will see if the district nurse can drop them off!! Wow I said, that would be very kind of you as they made it quite clear recently that NO they would not deliver at any time. So shall see what happens tomorrow.

Sunny but windy day and we managed outside and re-potted a large rose plant. Took the life out of us so only managed 1 plant and tub but tomorrow looking good.

still coughing horrible stuff up but think its easing a bit. Still positive for Covid for us both.

Joan , you and your son got loads done, well done to you both. Im sure the sheds look brilliant. Sorry to hear hubby has a sore already, thats not so good but sitting all the time sadly doesnt help.

Sounds like you really had a good sort out in the steading and it must be looking more empty now.
Linda, hope the litter went well and how many bags did you collect this time?

Well its a beautiful evening and im sure will have a glorious sunset later on.

Take all, time for coffee.

Florence in the hebrides

Hello to all.
Sorry to hear you are still not fully recovered Florence, let's hope the cough clears up soon, coughs can be so debilitating, (sp).

We have had a nice weekend weatherwise, yesterday though being warmer than today. It was sunny both days but it was windy today.

Our eldest son came over yesterday to have another go at sorting through all the rubbish in the garage & old steading, in other words his dads hoard of things that were supposed to come in handy one day, but has had them many years, LOL.

Our son found amongst many useless items lots of empty containers, bottles, jars, old hand wiping rags, the list is endless, anything we could burn got put on the bonfire along with some tree branches & old wood, just a small fire but it got rid of so much.

Son just has to sort through all the old cardboard boxes & various old tools now, but that's for another day.

I spent have the weekend painting both sheds, the Potting shed & a small tool shed, & I have to say I am pleased with the colour, Forget-me-Not, looks lovely even with just the 1st coat, should look even better when they get a 2nd coat on.

Hubby is not too bad just now, though he has developed a pressure sore, all the sitting, on Friday he was provided with a rather nice cushion to sit on & he tells me it is very comfy.

Well duty calls, it's cuppa time for hubby.

Joan.

Afternoon all.
Not such a nice day and dull and overcast compared to yesterday. Had the windows open but felt after 10 mins, it was rather chilly so have closed them all.

We got 3rd in the national and won £3.40 lol, it might buy a coffee :-D

Hope the litter pick goes well Linda...a tv? Oh my, hard to believe what people dump thesedays and in the wrong places!

i managed a shower although my left lower back is painful near my kidneys, washed hair and sort of look a bit more human! However, not feeling good at all and temp going up at 38.3. Daughter did 2 tests and both positive so we are still in the thick of it.

Didnt get my blood test back so shall tel 1st thing tom and tell them about my temp, im coughing up horrible stuff too.

I was going to strip my bed and wash at 60 degrees but ive no energy just now so sitting down.

Joan, if you are looking in, hope all is ok with you and hubby.
JG, hope you are rid of the shingles now and feeling better

Anyone else looking in, hope you are having a lovely Sunday

Florence in the hebrides

Thank you Florence, I did have more luck of sorts last night. I have a weekly sub in the Oxford lottery. It is just to support a small charity called Jacari which my daughter in law works for. They get a small percentage of the weekly ticket price. Apparently I got two numbers on Saturday, so that gets me an extra three tickets in next weeks draw. So that is two Saturdays in a row, fingers crossed for third time lucky.

I managed to get my plant re posted yesterday. It is a Oxalis triangularis which is actually small bulbs which came from my sister many years ago. It dies die back in winter, but has usually picked up before now. I have it in a white pot and with the red leaves it is a very distinctive plant. I must have had it since the 1990’s so will be sad if it dies off. I suppose the bulbs must give up at some stage.

It is a lovely day today, we have the monthly town litter pick this afternoon. OH just popped out to pick up a tv which had been dumped on the country lane we had cleared a few weeks ago. We can take it to the central collection point this afternoon

Well done Linda, good luck for more :-D

I got very excited last week because I had an email to say my lottery ticket had won a prize last Saturday. I just have one ticket each Saturday. It was a massive £68, better than nothing I suppose.

My daughters buyers have had another offer on their flat, a bit lower than before, so hopefully the sake might be back on. Their estate agent is trying to find out if these new people are in a position to proceed quickly. Fingers crossed they are.

It is a lovely sunny day here. I want to repot one of my houseplants, but getting to the bag of compost is difficult as lots of other things have been stacked where the bag is