General Chat

Morning all.

Well, what a day so far!

I got up before 7 to get ready for my day out. Was all dressed and ready to go when the phone rang at 7.45am. My friend said there had been a serious accident and she was stuck in a queue of traffic and helicopter landed on the rd. This is the only road out of the area to me, so no other route.

My heart sank firstly wondering who was seriously injured as being a small place, may be someone I know and 2nd my heart sank as I had been looking forward to going out for the day and for lunch.

2 more tel calls to say, rd. closed ufn for investigations!! So, traffic had to turn around on both sides and go back to where it came from. Completely cut off!

No more news about it yet, so hope they make a full recovery.
I am now at home pottering about wondering what I shall do to fill the day as hadn't planned to be here!

Something spooky happened to me yet again in the kitchen this tine., as I was making a cup of coffee, something patted the back of my calf. I jumped and looked behind me, but no one was there! Not the first time this has happened as someone quite often pats my shoulder. I think it's a loved one letting me know they are still around.

Doesn't frighten me, just makes me jump sometimes.

Hope everyone else's Friday is going well so far.

Florence in the Hebrides

Linda, at the top of the page I get a "renew" come up when it's due, however I'm not on automatic.

My subscription is on auto renewal and Yes, I used to get an e mail to say it was due.

..but not any more......

Linda, as it is on automatic renew you don’t get any notice. That only happens if they put the price up.

Names

I just got a notification from PayPal and j5 seems that I have just renewed my GR subscription. That is fine as it is on auto renewal and only £8.96 for the year, but I never received any notice that it was due. I think I used to get an email, but not this time

It is very sunny here this afternoon. I started out for my walk, but realised there was a lot of litter in the street, so I came back and got my litter picking stuff. I collected a large sack full including lots of glass bottles. People throw them from cars into the hedges.
Eve’s school is an international boarding school, the boarding fees are astronomical, so having to buy suits for the boys doesn’t matter to that sort of parent. The local day pupils aren’t as well off, well most if them anyways

Afternoon from a very wet and windy village!
After the glorious afternoon yesterday, I didn't take too kindly to be waking up to gales and torrential rain.

However, my Tesco order came and fridge full once again. I love this cranberry bloomer bread with some brie cheese, so delicious for lunch.

Linda your poor SIL, how awful to have that happen and sounds like a very long recovery. Hope things improve soon for her.
What a lot of rubbish you collected, 47 bags, oh my!! Hard to believe really but I guess lots of lazy people in this world who can't be bothered to either find a bin or take their rubbish home with them.

When I was working in the school, we did a village clean up every year. A circular walk of about 3 miles. Lots of empty booze bottles found in the drain, hidden by long grass etc, cans of juice drinks, crisp packets as well. We also probably collected around 30 black sacks. With long grass around verges, quite often the rubbish is hidden from sight.

Well, the salmon pie and rhubarb pie were delicious last night but.... the amount of pastry that I ate did give me terrible indigestion and I was up several times during the night feeling very uncomfortable. Probably because I ate so much more than normal, and stomach wasn't used to it.

I will say though, the salmon fillets I used were the cheaper frozen ones and not the 2 for £4.50 that I buy in the fresh section. The quality is far better and much tastier so think I will stick with these in future.

You get what you pay for but it's always worth trying new dishes to see what you can do.

So needed a sit down after putting away all the shopping with a cuppa so chilling on here now for a wee bit.

Enjoy the rest of your afternoon

Florence in the hebrides

Linda, that is a long time for your sister to have to rest until her ankles are healed, It must be so frustrating for her. I imagine it will be a relief when she can use crutches. I remember in 1959 my Dad broke his ankle and had to have a pin put in it. I can remember him using crutches but I don't remember how long that was before he could but I imagine not having a strong other ankle is part of the problem. That ankle always ached after that. He was 51 at the time.

Glad you are ok anyway.

Eve's class/age group are obviously treated like mini adults at her school. It must be expensive for parents, especially having to buy boys suits.

I have just read back, I am glad that everyone is OK.

I haven’t really been up to much, but I did go and get my hair cut today. I needed to take a dress back to Next as we ordered two different sizes for Eve who has a evening meal at school this week. The girls all have to wear smart dresses and the boys suits. We ordered two sizes on line as we weren’t sure which she would need. It is free to return to a shop, but you have to pay to return anything by post. I went to the large retail park near to where I get my hair cut. I wanted to go to M&S, but I can’t stand looking round because the lighting is so dim. I tried a couple of things on in TK Maxx but didn’t buy anything.

I had lunch out and then went to see my brother sister in law. They were half way round a months interrail trip round Europe when she fell over in Finland and broke both of her ankles. One was just put in a pot, but she had to have an operation to have a pin put in the second one. The hospital in Finland was excellent and if she pressed her buzzer, they were there in seconds. She came back on an air ambulance flight and went to the local hospital. The care there was absolutely dire. She is now back home and is just able to put weight into the less severely damaged ankle, but can’t walk with crutches yet.

The only other thing of note was the monthly town litter pick. There were ten of us and we picked forty seven large bags in an hour and a half

Morning all.

Yes, Ann its true, food has become a huge part of my life. Baking new things and trying to create new meals for tea etc take up a large part of my time. I used to also make a chicken pie instead of a roast years ago. I would cut up the chicken breasts into small chunks along with chopped carrots, peas and swede plus some leeks. Stew all of that in a saucepan with a stock.

Once cooked, I added some chicken Bisto to thicken a little and poured into a rectangular dish. Covered it with puff pastry and baked for about 40 minutes. Served with potatoes and gravy. They all liked the change.

I've cut up the salmon fillets. They were small frozen ones from Tesco. Placed in a rectangular dish with chopped onions, mushrooms plus black pepper, soy sauce, sesame oil and paprika. Gonna bake that later and then add some philly cheese on the top and then a puff pastry covering. Not made this one before so we shall see.

The fruit pie was just frozen forest fruits, tin of rhubarb and some brown sugar sprinkled and then the puff pastry on top and bake for 40 mins and that's it.

So, all of that is pepped and ready for the oven later on.

I do have R2 on all day. I like the music but also like listening to Jeremy Vine 12-2pm as this keeps me up to date with what's happening in the news and current affairs.

I think it's important if you are on your own to try and keep up with news etc and also to keep busy whether that's just chores or new hobbies. Years ago, when my daughter spent a year in hospital, I used to compile crosswords for the local paper and that kept me brain busy!

I've had to adapt to my new way of life, and I do still have days when I struggle with boredom but then it passes. This Friday, my pal is taking me to town and out for lunch. I'm so excited, I can't wait :-D

Well, the sun is shining after a terrible week and its stopped raining just now so off for a gander at the pots and to get some fresh air too.

Hope everyone having a good day

Florence in the Hebrides

good morning all just 1 degree here and quite cloudy.

Joan that was a good job done wasn't it. you will be relieved that the remaining bit of the wall is safe now.

Florence, I have realised how big a part food places in our lives when we live on our own. Or, in your case, spend a lot of time on our own. our posts often contain a menu. yours planned for today sounds very nice. what do you do with the salmon in the pies? do you make a sauce for it? Many years ago I used to make a chicken pie using left over chicken and some tinned cream of mushroom soup.

Evening peeps.
Joan , I had forgotten your son was visiting you but that was good of him and his lady friend to get that rubble sorted. She sounds quite hardy lol

Very windy again here tonight but power has stayed on. Nothing much on the tv really apart from the usual soaps. I was watching GBBO on c4 just to see what cakes they were baking.

I had only cheese toasties for tea as tomorrow, I'm making a salmon pie with puff pastry and for dessert a forest fruit & rhubarb pie with ice cream. Can't wait for that as something different for a change.

Ann glad you had a nice trip to Cornwall. Any trip away from the house does you good, doesn't it.

I planted some small anemone bulbs in a tub at the weekend so hoping they will look pretty in the spring.

Hope Linda is ok as not seen her post for a few days and JG too as she has a lot to deal with just now.

Well off to make a cuppa and hope the weather is better tomorrow so I can at least go outside for some fresh air!

Florence in the Hebrides

Hello all. I was away in cornwall last week until Saturday, daughter stayed until Monday and since then I have been busy washing (still got their bedding to wash) and sorting out the garden. spent two hours out there today mainly sorting out the pots and containers on the patio, planting some tulips and pansies. Still got a couple more pots to do. Had to come in in the end as my back was starting to ache. Have to watch for frosts now as some of the pots need to come into the conservatory for the winter.

Morning all.
Hope everyone ok as it's a bit quiet on here?

Got my dad a super tie for his 85th birthday with a blue drumkit on it, he will love it as he was and still is a professional drummer. He's having a party and with 3 pals they have created a band for the evening, practicing every Friday at present. Average age 75 lol. They have the drummer(dad), keyboard, bass guitarist and a singer. Calling themselves "The Golden oldies." I thought "The Senior Moments "was quite apt lol

Wish I could make the trip down, but I can't. I'm sure they will have a ball.

Been making xmas cards and done quite a few now ready for posting.

Damp, windy day here, pretty awful so being busy indoors.

Stay safe everyone

Florence in the Hebrides

Well not a nice day here really. Windy and showery and quite chilly too.

However, managed to get lots of things done in-between the showers. I have moved the strawberry plants outside as they have now died off into a shelter behind the bins. I dismantled the stand in the kitchen and out that away into the garden storage box outside.
So now there is a good space beside the kitchen table and looks tidier.
Washed all the seed trays too and put them away.

Finished off my Tesco order that's coming next Thursday as well.

Finally got the birth certificate I was waiting on and wow, great info that has allowed me to go back to 1811...yay :-D :-D That will now keep me busy writing out a tree for someone.

Not sure about tea tonight, something light and easy

Florence in the hebrides

Afternoon all
Well not a great day, heavy showers and still windy and chilly too. managed out to the bins very quickly and nearly got caught in a heavy shower!

Just been having a good tidy up, shredded bits of paper in the basket. Small load of washing and tumbled that.

Making a prawn tagliatelle tonight or I was until I realised, I didn't have any more tagliatelle pasta, so using penne instead. Lots of garlic, mushrooms, onions plus seasoning and a tub of philly for the sauce. Found 1/2 a large naan lurking in the freezer too so that's my dinner all sorted.

Home alone again once more until next Wednesday so very quiet here. No post again and I'm waiting on a birth certificate too Thats been despatched but still not got it. Hoping to get some new info so I can make some more progress.

Hope everyone ok and well.

Florence in the hebrides

Afternoon all
Well, the scaremongering locally of a huge storm with 80 mph winds never appeared! It apparently flew by us and hit a different area, not sure if it reached you Joan?

Yes, it's fairly breezy but a bright sunny day and quite pleasant.

I did also make a huge jacket potato last night Joan with lots of grated cheese and baked beans. The skin was lovely and crispy and very tasty. Think it might be pizza, chips and a side salad tonight, quick and easy.

Did a huge pile of ironing as daughter had loads including her bedding, so all up to date now.
All my craft stuff arrived yesterday and looks fab. Can't wait to make a card perhaps at the weekend and see how I get on.

Ordered something for my dad from the RNLI online and it arrived but was broken :-(I emailed them straightaway, and a replacement is being sent but with the post so sporadic, I'm waiting ages for things and just trying to get sorted.

Definitely sending gifts early this year with the strikes.

Hope everyone looking in is well and ok.

Florence in the hebrides

I am annoyed about the bad weather as well. We have booked a spa afternoon at a local hotel. They have a rooftop garden as well as the large inside part. It also includes afternoon tea in the restaurant. It is going to be raining all day which means we will have to give the outside a miss. I know it sounds odd going outside in October, but 5here are heated cabanas and very warm outdoor pools which are lovely even in cold weather, but not rain.

I have started on an autumn clean of the house. I have two larges fridges and two tall upright freezers, so I gave those a thorough clean and sort out this morning. I am just going to take it slowly and give each room a deep clean, rather than the usual weekly quick clean.

I hope you get your water sorted quickly Joan. Are you having to buy bottled water to drink?

EEk!!! I have just seen the local news and tomorrow a deep storm is hurtling towards us tomorrow with winds of 80mph!!! No wonder its almost flat calm here now...all very eerie.

Morning all
Oh dear Joan, never rain but it pours literally, does it? Wow £200 sounds a huge amount to pay out. Hope you get it sorted soon.
I guess you were not one of the lucky postcode lottery winners then in Seaton who won loads? one Batchelor guy who is elderly ,won something like £78k x 2!!! Mega rich and single lol I have only ever won a few £10 prizes nothing major.

Well, I have put the bins out again as it's a bit calmer now but still breezy. It was very wild last night and did keep me awake until about 4am when it went down.

I'm waiting on a few things in the post but nothing arriving and the postman, I'm not seeing him. These continuous strikes have really messed up everything. My niece was 18 on Saturday and she hasn't got my card yet...so annoying!

I have ordered some card making things to create my own xmas cards for a few people (not everyone lol) so can't wait to get started.

Ann, I think is away to Cornwall so hoping she's having a lovely time.

Linda, hope everything ok with you all after the jags and the children ok.

Joan, need inspiration for tea tonight as I'm all out of ideas. So, what are you having?

Right better get cracking on some housework, time is flying by today and I haven't done anything except the bins!

Florence in the hebrides