General Chat

I am just looking over our lawn and there are lots of leaves for OH to rake off. We have a row of tall Beech trees at the end of the garden, they are still covered in leaves waiting to come off. If the leaves are dry, OH often uses our lawn mower set to a very high cut. It doesn’t touch the grass but picks all the leaves up and that is far easier than raking them up.

My son and his wife and crazy dog arrived at a holiday cottage on the moors yesterday. It is about a forty five minute drive from here. They always go to a cottage in the middle of nowhere over Bonfire night as at home, it is non stop fireworks and the dog goes crazy. They came here today and we went to the local garden centre for lunch. It is full of Christmas stuff already. They are going to the beach tomorrow, then we are all going to meet up on Saturday for a day out, then again for Sunday lunch. It is nice to see them as we don’t get together that often, although we Face time every week.
It us a shame that the weather has turned so suddenly as it has been so nice until, now. It is dark, cold and drizzly now, which it should be in November, but we have been spoilt this year

Joan have you thought about getting those battery lights i bought last year that can stick on a wall or just lay beside you on a table? I need to buy a couple more but the one in my hall cupboard is so bright, it brilliant.

I have also about 50 small batteries for all the little ceramic xmas lights i bought and about 100 candles so well prepared now.

But I need to buy 2 large flasks, something I don't have so hoping when we go to Glasgow in 2 weeks, I shall find some there.

Florence in the Hebrides

I thought in the afternoon the electric was going to go off as it was so wild and torrential rain, so shoved lots of comfort food in the oven and we had it early. Cheese & tom pizza, veggie spring rolls, handful of the last chips in freezer.

All went down very well and a cuppa coffee.
The wind and rain have settled down for now so glad for that.

Lots of goodies tomorrow once Tesco have been mmmn

Florence in the Hebrides

Just had a thought, seeing as we didnt have any kiddies for halloween, i have a spare tub of celebrations to be eaten ;-)

The weather is awful today, gales again and noticeably much colder. I read somewhere online that it may snow mid-month! Eeeek hope not as I'm away 15-17 Nov and praying the weather will be settled.

Feeling very sluggish today so small light chores and nothing strenuous.
Need to finalise Tesco order that's coming tomorrow and also, I have a tel call with Solicitor tom at 11am so need to get some papers ready for that call.

We filled a bag for the charity shop and daughter away to town to get rid so that made a bit of space.

Took the cakes round to my neighbour and she said her daughter and 5 friends walked up and down the village for Halloween and not 1 person opened the door to give them any sweeties! Found that a bit hard to believe as we are a small village, and we know most families anyway she thanked me for the cakes.

Joan, you must take care you don't slip on all those leaves in your garden and driveway. Sounds a never-ending job but it gets you outside and some fresh air I guess.

Local school is having its usual firework display after none for 2 years. Its free to watch but there is a bucket for donations. They sell hotdogs and burgers etc as well. It's too far for me to walk to and don't think I can stand in the cold for any length of time so quite happy to stay at home really.

Well cuppa nearly drunk so off to tidy up and clean the sink etc then the bathroom and that's me finished with the chores for today.

Hope all is well with everyone

Florence in the Hebrides

It is the trick or treat fad that came from USA that causes problems in some areas. Apparently somebody on the next estate had her house egged. we didn't have any visitors last night in this road. I and my neighbours didn't have any Halloween ornaments etc on view. It is the done thing to only call at houses that display Halloween things. Most of the ones who go round I believe go in groups with adults present. and they only expect sweet/fruit etc not money.

I did one year before OH died, have a rather large teenage boy knock and growl 'trick or treat'. I said 'Oh of course have a treat' and gave him the same sweets I was giving out to little ones. he was so surprised he muttered 'thanks' and left. he was not dressed up either, just had a mask on.

Guising was what we did in Scotland - and some still do , but not nearly so much now.

Yes, it was done before 5th November, going round with a cart or old pram or similar, containing a home-made "guy", and collecting (begging if you like) money for fireworks, etc.

The same term was used at Hallowe'en, but then we dressed up in home-made spooky costumes (an old sheet or maybe something more imaginative).
Money wasn't involved, at least as far as I was aware.
And we didn't expect something for nothing.
We had to perform some sort of entertainment for the householder, telling a joke, reciting a poem, singing a song.
In return, we were rewarded with apples, nuts, sweets, and so on.
No threats involved!

Any Excuse!

I have to say recently Halloween and Guy Fawkes seem to be the same thing? Halloween was trick or treating where mostly you got sweeties given to you.

Guisers were those who go round collecting what we called "a penny for the guy". The money would be used to buy fireworks for bonfire night. We also made a guy and either pushed it in a pram or on go cart.

So, Guisers at Halloween?? Is this something new? And why are fireworks being let off at Halloween?

I had no idea that jokes and singing were part of it. Never heard any singing at any neighbours.

The kids don’t even Carol sing at Christmas nowadays. The last few just sang ‘ we wish you a merry Christmas. We used to go round and sing proper carols and that song was a thank you as we went back down the path.
I remember one year when the kids at he door demanded a donation in both collecting pots. So their own charity? ;-)

Sorry peeps, phone rang so had to dash off.

Yes, it was considered begging knocking on the door and expecting something in return, so we were not allowed.

I was hearing on the radio yesterday of someone in Wales who turned their garden into a Cemetry I think with really disgusting gory ghoulish things and people drove 50 miles to come & view!!! Would scare the children to death and not just the children. So over the top and yes, The Americans are to blame for that.

Look at Dundee last night and trouble the youths caused there. Throwing fireworks at police etc and burning bikes causing roads to be closed, what a disgrace! The locals are dreading Bonfire Night.

I had bought a tub of sweeties too but shall keep them for xmas now.

Think I may go outside for some fresh air as still lovely day. My head is so sore as sinuses are dreadful.

Florence in the Hebrides

No guisers here last night.
I don't blame them - it was far too wet.

Not that there are many normally now in any case.
Parents don't want to let their children go wandering around in the dark these days, nor knocking on random doors.
We used to enjoy hearing the children's songs and jokes before they were rewarded with apples, sweets, etc.

I greatly dislike the American "trick or treating" which has taken over.
It's unfriendly and threatening, demanding money, with the threat of retribution if you don't pay up.

When I was young in S W London Halloween just didn’t happen except for one birthday party where we just did things like apple bobbing. No ghoulies or Ghosties.

But there would be lots of ‘penny for the guys’ a few days later and fireworks in the garden.

I still don’t get involved in Halloween - a money making event for some.

Good afternoon all
Like you Joan, its turned out to be a lovely sunny bright day with a small breeze after the gales over the weekend.

Yesterday I made some chocolate muffins and decorated them encase a few kiddies came trick or treating. There are just about 5 or 6 nearby but it wasn't a nice night as was raining.
So, when the lassie next door comes home from school, I shall pop round with a few for her and her mum.

We have been busy planning for the craft fayre mid-November after our break away. So yesterday, daughter went up the ladder into the loft and got the....xmas tree plus decorations down!! Yes, earliest yet but the tree isn't going up, we just wanted the little lights for the craft table to make it look Christmassy when the time comes.

Found new packs of batteries in the kitchen drawer so replaced the dead ones in the lights.

Printed out my booking for the Premier Inn and the flights too.

I also found my old taxi driver although retired he still is licenced and has agreed to pick us up & collect us for a reasonable fee. So was very pleased with that.

Linda re your Halloween trail, oh my sounded quite a trek and also nearly dark. Not sure I would have fancied that. But glad you did something with the children.

I wasn't brought up to celebrate Halloween as my granddad was a church minister and he said it was worshipping evil which went against his teachings. My mum also wouldn't let us dress with a sheet over us and then go scare old people to death knocking on their doors. She said it was also begging.

Yes all well here Joan. weather is more like April than November 13 degrees at the moment and sunshine but all day we have had sunshine then very heavy showers and blustery wind so no gardening today.so a bit of housework done, hoovering and dusting and wiped down the kitchen surfaces. Then back to making my Christmas cards.
I certainly don't envy you all the leaves Joan. Florence those cakes sound Mmmm!

We have been lucky with the Halloween weather. On Friday night we went to a Halloween trail arranged by one of the local primary schools in the grounds of a local activity centre, they were splitting the profits between them. It was a bit odd as it was t Halloween characters,you just had to follow a plan to find small boards stuck in the ground and solve clues. We went at 5 pm and it was still light enough to see the boards which were not lit up, any later and it would have been impossible to find them in the dark. Part of the trail was a very rough path around a lake. With all the leaves on the ground, it was difficult to see where the path stopped and the water started. I wouldn’t have been happy attempting that in the dark. Luckily Esme had given up by then and her mum had taken her into the canteen to get a hot dog.
Last night we went trick or treating around one of the estates in town where there are lots of families, so there were plenty of houses with pumpkins outside. The girls came back with a reasonable haul of sweets :-D

Good afternoon from a wet, windy and very dreary village.

It's been so dull all day it's like daybreak hasn't come yet and it will be getting dark soon!

So busied with a pile of ironing, shredded a basket of paper, and other chores.
Decided an hour ago to make some chocolate cupcakes. (Size of muffins) They are cooling down but couldn't resist eating one whilst it was still warm. Oh my, they are yummy and don't think there will be many left by tomorrow lol

Just waiting on them to cool so i can decorate them.

Not sure about tea yet, got left over pasta bake anyway, so that will do, I think.

Hope everyone else ok.

Don't think we will get many trick or treaters tonight as far too wet but I have a tub of sweeties just in case.


Florence in the hebrides

Our day started off very wet but has brightened up again, so managed to put my washing out. Even if it is still a bit damp it's better than having it on the rack in the kitchen. It's breezy so hoping it will just need to be aired when I get it in.

Yes the probate takes a while to be done, we hope sisters house will sell quickly but you never know what will happen with the mortgage rates changing .Looking difficult for a lot of people at the moment.

Still plenty of leaves to be swept up then Joan , keeps you very busy in the garden at this time of year. I love autumn with the colours of the leaves etc but I don't have the clearing up to do.

Take care all.

Ginnie

Morning all
It's another very wet day here and no ferries again! (that's another saga!)

Yesterday, I was outside for a bit and to my surprise my fuchsias have all started growing, my carnations from seed are blooming lovely and many more roses are still growing. My lovely blue lobelia is in full bloom still as are the hydrangeas and dahlias.

Never known the garden to be so full of flowers nearly in November but it looks lovely.

Kitchen looks like a bombsite this morning! daughter leaves a trail everywhere and has gone off for another day of volunteering. However, it will keep me busy til the afternoon. Some ironing and 2 loads of washing to be done.

I decided to make a chicken sweet & sour today with naan bread, basmati rice and my home-made dip. Daughter couldn't get the puff pastry so haven't been able to make the broomsticks yet!

JustGinnie, it is very time consuming, all the paperwork and clearing a property so it can be sold takes forever too. I hope once we get probate through(soon) that my mums flat sells quickly as its costing me money paying for the utilities etc.

Latest gas bill used 3 units and the bill was over £30!! The daily standing charge racks up so quickly. We also have free council Tax until January and then if it's not sold, I shall have to pay that too.

Hope everyone else is well and ok

Florence in the Hebrides

Hi all,
Hope your weather isn't too bad Florence, Our day started with rain but it's brighter now but chilly.

I am getting back to normal now after all the sorting out of the paper work etc not to mention the house and contents but it all gets done in time. I just hope sisters house sells quickly when the time comes.

Hope everyone is well .

Ginnie

Afternoon folks.
Well the day is showery & windy and later on going downhill as severe gales hit us around tea time.

Everything outside is sheltered for the winter anyway and bins now secured to the fence with bungees which are so useful.

Saw a great recipe online yesterday for pastry broomsticks and a dip and hopefully if daughter comes home with puff pastry, I shall make them. They looked so easy and very tasty too. Shall tell you how they went later.

Polished and dusted today and all ironing up straight so a gentle afternoon, I think.

Hope everyone else well and ok

Florence in the Hebrides