General Chat

I am sure that if they did a survey on people's lives lost and/or changed because of the way the pendemic affected how we could see our doctors or not, it would be very interesting. However, we were heading that way before the pendemic when so many doctors took early retirement (mine included ) and then took up being locums and/or working in private practice. It did suddenly seem to become more about how much they could earn rather than a vocation among the younger, new doctors coming through from university, and then older doctors seemed to not be able to cope with the increased load. And also of course we pensioners living longer didn't help. Somewhere I bet they would find that they had not planned ahead with training more doctors.

Florence even before Covid (remember then) we had to phone for an appointment from 8.30 and it was first come first served for an appointment, now we do the same but to speak to Dr on the phone and they decide if you get a face to face appointment. So now everything takes 2x as long. In England GPs were told they could open up the surgery now for face to face but ours hasn't yet unless it is really urgent or couldn't be done over the phone.
It is the same if we need to book a blood test , we are asked why and the nurse has to phone us back to tell us if we can have one. My OH is diabetic and he missed blood checks and health checks during the lock downs and now he has problems hence so many tests now. Not a happy situation at the moment.

Joan your new plants sound lovely, glad they have taken well .

good afternoon all. I see you have been busy in the 'forest' Joan. I had quite a few indoor jobs to do today, balance the accounts for end of month for a start, then other admin jobs. I am waiting to hear from the plumber/heating engineer as I have no hot water and haven't a clue how to sort it out. OH always did all that and it was one thing I didn't learn to do. I imagine the pilot light has gone out on the boiler but hopefully the plumber will be here tomorrow as it doesn't look like he is coming today. single Dad and has his two boys for a few days but they go back to Mum tomorrow. trouble is, not knowing when he will come means I have to stay in just in case.
It has been a nice day but I have not done anything in the garden. Yesterday it was so wet, we had torrential rain my patio was like a paddling pool so everything was a bit wet out there. It will have dried up now as the afternoon has been sunny but a bit too late for me to start anything. I have had a fair number of tomatoes off three of my plants the one with the most being a tumbler but I also have one plant that is a bush tomato like four of the others and that one has not produced a single tomato, how strange.

just Ginnie. i tel my GPs surgery this morning to request an appointment over the phone. I was told you have to ring tom morning at 8am. Its first come, first served!!

You donthave to do that with face to face!

Florence in the hebrides

Afternoon to you all, I have been busy going to appointments with OH, they all seem to come at once . Our GP is still operating a phone call service and we can only book a call at certain times but the appointments go so fast that the chances of getting one are slim. I sit pressing the redial button till I get the ringing tone and then hope for the best. OH had a letter for a referral to the clinic so I went to book on line and there are no appointments are available to book so have to wait for the clinic to contact him now.

Garden is looking quite nice at the moment and tomato plants are going mad . Cucumbers haven't done so well this year need some more sun now I think .

Take care all.

Good morning peeps.
Yesterday was a lovely day and i got a wake up call i wasnt expecting. Having slept in til 9. i remembered it was binday so i hurriedly threw on a top and some trousers and put out the bins.
Thought I would have a quick shower then. Imagine my horror as I was in the kitchen, turban on my head hearing what I thought was a helicopter!!!
I opened the blinds to see the grass cutter...! a day early lol

I opened the back door to speak to him about the grass cuttings as they are to now go in the organic bin and not over the fence!

I ran back indoors feeling even more embarassed as i had on a new top i had recently bought and the label was hanging out the back!!

What a sight i looked. Turns out he had messaged daughter on FB and yes she said...oops sorry mum forgot to tell you about the grass cutter coming.

So was a rush job drying hair before he had finished the garden.

Anyway good job he did it as when i opened the blinds today, its damp and foggy.
Got a pile of ironing from yesterdays laundry to do so that will keep me busy for awhile.
Otherwise havent seen or spoken to anyone since a few days now and soo quiet.

Peppers are coming along nicely and all my roses are now flourishing.

Have a good day all
Florence in the hebrides

Good afternoon peeps
Well they say the best laid plans never work, dont they. So last night, i hung up my clothes for today, did all the ironing last night and left no dishes. The reason was i had an Echo scan this afternoon.
So having a coffee at 8am when daughter messages to say, road is closed to town due to serious accident late last night. Unit from mainland have to come and inspect the rd etc.
All the traffic had a very long diversion around 50 miles to get to town from outlying villages. So tel hospital and explained i couldnt get there so appointment cancelled and re done for 20 th August.

Typical, thought i was so organized and then look what happens. Sadly the driver is in a serious condition, the passenger was ok. No other details been released.

So didnt go anywhere at all and felt the day very long as never saw a soul or spoke with anyone. Still i dusted and polished so a job off the sunday list lol

The wind did bash my plants but damage was very small and joan my roses are ok so i hope yours are too.
A little brighter and less showers todays but im feeling it a lot cooler.

had a lovely lunch with my friend yesterday and as i have a lot of cakes left, Im going round to my neighbour later as they have family visiting and will enjoy. I cant eat all of them as far too many.

So when i said. i now am complete with all my new furniture, i decided to order a leather office chair to complete my little office area in the lounge.
A little extravagant but....i dont drink or smoke, or go out for dinners or holidays so this is my treat to me!

Hope all is well with everyone, take care

Florence in the hebrides

Hello all, well we had thunderstorm and very heavy rain yesterday but today is dry so far . The plants seem to have survived thankfully.

OH has finished sorting his shed and I do think most of it went back in. lol. :-D

Done the shopping and now having a cuppa .

Almost August another year whizzing by, must be getting old.

Take care all. :-)

Good morning peeps
Well its a very wet and dreich day here today. no thunder storms thank goodness.
My poor potato plant is being bashed by the wind and so hope it doesn't damage the plants like it did last 2 years1

Im having a friend for lunch at 12.30 so been busy this morning preparing things. Table now all set, cakes were done yesterday so just a few bits to put on at 12. Found some mini pizza bites in the coop and got some pakoras too and of course a few chips in a bowl.

As daughter away, house is still fairly tidy lol and only a laundry wash every 3 days!! When she is here, the machine is on everyday lol

Hope everyone ok and hoping the storms didnt affect anyone badly.

Have a good day all
Florence in the hebrides

Hi, well that's my daughter & her family on their way home after their long weekend visit.
It was lovely to see them especially the 2 boys (4ys & 12 wks) the 4 yr old was full of energy & both me & hubby were shattered whilst he was here about! the baby was such a contented little soul, missing them all already.

We have had some rain this morning, I hope it doesn't spoil their journey home, it's just drizzling but enough for me to call a halt on my garden tasks!
I really need the weather to stay dry for a while longer so as to be able to finish off what I have started, I don't want half finished jobs going through the winter!

Joan.

Evening peeps
Joan I hope you are enjoying the company of your family especially seeing the latest arrival.Lovely time for you.

Well i ordered some kitchen saver/tidy thingys lol Its a rack so i can put cups under and on top to save space in the cupboards. I bought 4 of them so spent the morning sorting out the baking, cups/glass and food cupboards. I now have tidier looking shelves and all the space is utilised.

I also drove the car to local PO as its just a mile up the rd. i was very nervous and of course it was foggy too but its a start. Im just so scared incase i take another turn whilst driving. Anyway baby steps today, bus to town tomorrow(its 21 miles so too far)

Got baking to do too as friend coming for lunch on Wed. making a light fruit cake and some vegan muffins with icing mmmn.

Still no rain and we are on amber alert as no rain for about 5/6 weeks now.Even the water level across the rd in the loch as dropped this last week!

So far though no thunderstorms here thank goodness, Im dead scared of them especially as i am here bymyself this week.

Hope everyone is well and staying safe.

Florence in the hebrides

Hello everyone, we have a wonderful sunny day again today, bit tooo hot for me but it's nice to see such lovely weather.
Our youngest daughter & her family arrived yesterday, so good to see them, the new baby (now 12 weeks ) is just gorgeous.

I was busy clipping the last of the R hedge when they arrived, so I was all togged up in my gardening togs! LOL.
They have gone to Cruden Bay beach this morning & other daughter & her family have gone as well, hope it's as nice there as it is with us, it's not far from us.

As we seldom see our youngest daughter & she requested Sunday Roast today, tis rather hot for that but I didn't want to dissappoint her, so I'm slaving over the stove putting together what she has asked for, LOL.

Hope everyone has got some good weather & are having a nice weekend.

Joan.

Good afternoon everyone, been overcast today but still very pleasant, still warm & no breeze, the sun is trying very hard to shine through just now .

More work done in the garden today, been working on the flower borders which have become rather unkempt with several large Ferns taking over.
I have taken off some of the lower fronds & raked out the dead stuff from underneath & swept up some leaves that had got tangled up amongst the shrubs etc, & I can now actually see the border edging at last.

The 2 borders are L shaped & roughly about 30 feet in total length, I am hoping to go to the local garden centre & look at the shrubs.

Almost finished the Rugosa hedge, about 4 feet to go, thank goodness, & I learned today that the hedge is actually some 90 Feet in length!! I will be glad to get it finished!

Joan.

Very hot again today , I don't do well in the heat and I am feeling drained of what little energy I have. Hopefully the weather will be a little cooler at the weekend .


OH has decided to sort out his man shed so he can find room for more of his "might come in one day" bits and bobs. lol He is a hoarder of useless stuff but I am a get rid of it person. Opposites in most things lol.

Take care all.

Evening peeps
It has been a dull day but quite warm with lots of flies! Didnt put out any washing as wasnt sure if it was going to rain and of course it didnt..

Was just outside watering my roses and other pots and i counted 7 flowers now on my pepper plant so well excited.

My roses this year are their best yet, not sure if its because i am in the west and not the east maybe?? Gorgeous blooms in red, yellow & pink so far.

The fuschias are coming along nicely and i spotted a few sprinkles of red blooms there too.

Not felt very hungry today, just grazed on fruit, crackers and some nuts. Maybe make some cheese on toast later.

Hope the thunderstorms dont push northward as im quite scared of them.

Next week Factory shop is opening in a corner of our supermarket and i saw them putting things out on the shelves. Spotted wool...whoohoo dead chuffed with that.

Well my filing cabinet arrived and is now next to my black computer desk and looks really smart. i have transferred lots of paper and files already and emptied 3 boxes!!

Still more paperwork to go through but so much tidier now with my"wee office"!

Well time for a cuppa then feet up to catch my soaps. Holby City rules lol

Take care all

Florence in the hebrides

I went to Tesco this morning and there were lots of idiots not wearing masks, despite the fact that the COVID numbers are going through the roof here

Good morning all, a very pleasant day here so far. The sun is shining but there is also some light cloud cover so not yet too hot. I have been so lucky to be up in the Lake District when the weather has been good, it makes a change.
I have been to Asda with daughter this morning and also into a newsagents/post office and all customers were wearing masks.

Morning everyone <3 <3 :-D :-D

Too hot for gardening here this morning…although it is green bin on Wednesday and OH will no doubt cut the grass to make sure he gets his money’s worth by filling the bin to over flowing
:-D :-D

Enjoy your day whatever you get up to <3 <3

Joan you do have a big garden and you do work hard. But you will be able to keep working on probably the part closest to the house. I am five years older than you and have managed to keep my garden going on my own. The more you do the more you have the strength to do.
Florence I bet it was a relief to lose all that hair.

Joan your garden sounds amazing, we live in a very built up area and on a main road but we appreciate our garden even more so over the last year . We do have some trees around us that give a little privacy but not much. Pros and Cons with everywhere I suppose, we don't drive so rely on buses and we have those right outside our house every 15 mins or less sometimes.

Florence a nice little win to put in your holiday fund.

Happy Sunday everyone.