General Chat

Morning all

No word from dad today and yes I did suggest he see a dr but dad being dad made all those excuses and said he will be fine!!

I have been going through all the gifts I have bought so far for xmas presents and the list has lots more "ticks " on it now.
I'm planning another big buffet this year between xmas & new year. It went well last year and my friend and her family have become part of "my family". So as I dont have any of my own family, its lovely to have this gathering.

So I bought 10 jute string bags with various xmas motivs on, Rudolph, Santa etc and in each one I shall put lots of small jokey things and when they leave, they will all get one each. Just a fun thing.

I have some mini mazes, mini shower gels and creams, square chocolates, packets of seeds in little brown packets etc I think it will go down well.

So i may start wrapping some of the other gifts as they are gathering dust sitting on top of things. I'm actually going to double up with some as I have 3 people with birthdays in Dec and Jan so shall be sending the gifts all together to save some postage along with all the cards.

Its been raining here and hailstones too. I opened the back door for a minute and oh my goodness, baltic air rushed at me so door was shut very quickly!

Linda, you may get a shock when you return after the warm sunny climate you have been to.

Hope no-one has been flooded out as I've seen lots of pictures of roads under water.

At least we don't have hurricane Helene, that is looking awful.

Florence in the hebrides

Oh dear, I hope that your dad will be alright Florence. It sounds like he needs to see a doctor rather than buying over the counter things.
There are not many children here as the schools are back, just several babies and a few toddlers. One little girl about three years old has the most awful chesty cough. It really does sound as if the poor thing needs some antibiotics as she sounds worse every day
We have two more days of sun to go before we head back to the UK on Sunday. I don’t lie out in the sun, but even so, my tan is coming along nicely , a shame that it is going to be covered up in jeans and jam when we get back.

It was almost like spring her until about 2pm but has just started to rain a little. 17 degrees so not extra warm but not cold either. I have no energy today for some reason so have not done much at all.

Afternoon

Sorry haven't been around for a couple of days but was just so busy here.

The polytunnel was completed yesterday!! Amazing 3 days but they have to come back next Wednesday to lay the woven ground cover and put the gravel on top. My own fault as I didn't realise that was extra but no problem. It just means, i shall have to wait until its done before getting the workbenches put together and then I can move all my gardening equipment into the tunnel

I have also decided to create a corner raised bed in the garden. I have netting to put along the fence and my joiner will put pieces of wood across to create a triangular bed.

I have decided to plant the Escalonia in it along with my little beech tree and the 2 Red Robin plants as well. I have also ordered a load of spring bulbs to plant in at the front of the raised bed so will look great in the spring.

We had a couple of deaths within the extended family/friends too. One was expected as the lady was 96 and during this last week just gently faded away. Another was 85 and although had been unwell wasn't terminally ill but they took a sudden heart attack!! So that was very sad. The 3rd person had been ill and went into a coma so that's not looking good either. They say it comes in 3's so...

My dad is truly unwell in Corfu with a nasty chest infection!! I knew he really wasnt fit to go but he wasnt going to cancel it and nothing I said would deter him as hes far too stubborn. So he's not been out very far even though he managed to hire a car! He has only tel twice whereas normally tel everyday when hes away and tells me where he has been but not this time.

He's not due home until a week tomorrow. He was going to a supermarket for lemon juice & honey and hoping to get some Glycerine from the chemist as that will break the cough up hopefully.

im home alone now until Monday so all very quiet here but i had a lot of tidying up to do so have been busy with chores etc.

Joan hope you have ok weather to get in your garden.

Linda hope you & OH are sunning yourselves.

Hope everyone else looking in is well & ok.

Its very, very windy here with heavy showers and soooo cold I had to put the heating on yesterday. They are forecasting snow for the north!!! Better find the sledge :-D :-D :-D

Florence in the hebrides

(Sigh!)
Sounds lovely, Linda!

A disappointing day for you, Florence - I hope at least the weather improves tomorrow so that your poly tunnel can progress.

I think the NHS is terminal Florence, not good at all when we are getting older and need help.
It was overcast this morning, but still hot. The sun returned by late morning and it was 28 ish. I went in the sea this morning, but chickened out of the shoulder dunking, so only went up to my waist. I had a proper swim this afternoon. The water is crystal clear and sandy under foot, so you can see all the little fish swimming near your feet.

Morning all
Up early today as the guys said they would be here at 8am sharp but no sign of them except....its blowing a gale and raining grrrr

So we shall see if it improves later on. Of course its recycling bin day so 2 bins are on my drive with heavy stones on top as they are full to the brim with cardboard etc. We had a clear out and so many boxes we didnt need had to got rid of. So daughter broke them all up and they filled the bins.

I rang to chase up my cataract appointment to be told with 1 surgeon now retired, the list is very long and not likely I will get to see the surgeon to discuss option s very soon! The nurse said beg of Aug that i would likely get my appointment Sep/Oct but not likely to happen now!

No sign of my nurse to fit the compression stockings either as she only works 4 days a month as semi retired so another wait there. And so it goes on.

Im sure Im not the only one waiting on appointments as its become the norm now .

Well better get my house in order

Have a good day all

Florence in the ehrbides

Anydysmum, the poly tunnel is 6m x 4 m and covers just under half my garden! My garden is huge.

We havent had any midges either But inside there is a window one end and a door the other. But it is sealed so waterproof, windproof and maybe midge proof, we shall see.

He said finished by the end of the week either Thiursday or def Friday. He then said and Ill have the tatties in by Saturday :-D :-D :-D

Leftover chicken casserole tonight and I'm sure it will be tastier today, always is the 2nd day.

I hope the bad weather holds off until your ploy tunnel is finished Florence.
We have had another lazy day on the beach. It is about 27 degrees, just nice. I keep having a dip in the sea to cool off. We usually go on one trip, but the ones on offer here don’t seem very inspiring, so we aren’t going to bother. Just doing nothing is fine for this trip

I think the rain is all down south - here it is overcast but dry with very little wind and chilly. My computer is telling me that the temperature is 12C and that tomorrow will be a record low for September. :-( It's colder than it was in the winter.

"Everybody" seems to be in Greece - OH is enjoying the sunshine and my son is also there - in Thessaloniki - although he is working, looking at potential sites for windfarms. DIL is with him and they are hoping for a couple of days when they can explore, as this is part of Greece they haven't been to before.

When your polytunnel is finished, Florence, will you have any garden that isn't under cover and out of the wind? I suppose it's too much to hope it might be midge proof. :-) This summer has been so cold that we have had very few - I have hardly had to use my midgie hood at all.

Good to hear you tunnel is getting underway but the concrete setting made me laugh.

The rain is really bad down here.

Afternoon all
Well the guys have been working hard and the poles are in the ground set in concrete already.
I made a fruit cake last night and made them coffee & tea at 11am. So all going well so far.

it looked like rain but it held off and is overcast and cloudy by staying dry thank goodness and no rain.

Dad enjoying being in Corfu where its 26 degrees and hope Linda, you have the sun too.

Hope alli s well with everyone looking in today.

Florence in the hebrides

Enjoy the sun while you can Linda, when you come back we might have all developed flippers and fins the amount of rain we have had. Our weather never does anything in moderation does it. Oh Florence I always think fog is so depressing, hope it has cleared now.

I am pleased to report that the sun is back, it isn’t blistering hot, just very nice. We have been on the beach all day and I have had a couple of swims in the sea which is lovely and warm. The beach is fine sand and there is only a very narrow band of shingle to walk over as you go into the water. Once over that it is just fine sand underfoot. You can walk a long way out and still only be waist deep, so that is probably why the water is so warm. There is a very nice pool area, but the music from the pool bar is far too loud, which is why we prefer the beach.
Apparently there is some sort of entertainment at 9 pm, so we will be giving that a miss. We choose quiet hotels which don’t have ghastly “ turns” every night. I know some people like that sort of thing, but it isn’t for us.

Fog, Fog and more fog grrrr So thick i can hardly see the rd!

So no planes and probably no ferries either.

Oh well things to be doing inside today to keep me busy so family tree writing up needs my attention as this week, it has been neglected with other things going on.

Linda, hope you have now got sunshine and you and hubby are enjoying yourselves.

I saw dads plane land last night albeit 1 1/2 hours late and waiting on him to phone me.

Have a good day all

Florence in the hebrides

names, it was made in Denmark, def not old stock. Think there was just a mistake with some of the screws and holes but its now looking good in my lounge with tv on top.

All the photo albums filled the shelves and drawers so all out of sight. Have to say it does look very smart . If you google tvilum Madrid black sideboard you will be able to see it and the size.

Well the fog has gone for now and its beautiful outside, hardly a cloud and around 21 degrees.

Yes clothes do vary so much in size but given that I live in a rural area, I have little choice but to order online as do many others.

Think I will take a little walk around outside and make the most of the good weather but my left knee is giving me a lot of pain today so shall not walk too far.

Hope the sun is shining for everyone else and Linda, hope you have some too

Florence in the hebrides

How exciting about your poly tunnel, Florence!

Clothes sizes vary so much.
I've just sent back a jumper which was supposedly size 14 - but its actual chest measurement was 48"!

Was your sideboard old.MFI stock- those always had the same problem.

I’ve just had to send something back. I hate those double sized items - this one was huge.

Morning all
What an exciting morning :-D :-D This huge lorry turned up 15 minutes ago containing wood etc for my polytunnel. Massive crane lowered these huge pieces of wood and cement bags onto my front garden path.

All ready for the start on Monday morning. They guys will bring the rest of the stuff in their own lorry.

Finally, its happening as it seems Ive been waiting forever for this.

All good things come to those who wait, so the saying goes.

Linda, sorry if we have pinched your sun but sharing is caring lol
:-D

Its actually thick fog here although the plane was delayed, it has now landed from Glasgow. If it would lift, the sun is there waiting in the wings.

Yesterday, a jacket i had ordered weeks ago finally arrived as it came from china but i had this jacket already in blue and apart from having to turn up the sleeves with wonderweb, the jacket fits fine and a good length.

So I had another look to see if the black was back in stock as wasnt at the time and to my surprise it was and had been reduced. Great i said and so ordered the same hacket but in the black.

Well yesterday it came but.....shorter in length, could only just zip it up as was so tight. Im not convinced this is exactly the same jacket. No label or sizing attached :-S

So I decided it had to go back except when it got to printing out the returns form, it was all in Chinese and I will have to pay the postage so Im not doing that and cancelled the return.

I shall sell it privately to someone and get my money back that way.

Always something going wrong with ordering clothing online!!

I hope everyone looking in is well and ok today.

Joan hope you managed to get back out in your lovely garden.

Florence in the hebrides

Oh dear Florence, I hope the furniture was worth all that hassle in the end.
The UK seems to have pinched the nice Zante weather. It was very sunny the afternoon we arrived, but yesterday morning was cloudy. Still very warm though, so we sat on the sun beds by the pool in the shade. Early afternoon it started to rain, but that was fine as we moved to a couple of sun beds right under a large fig tree, so we were perfectly dry. About 3 pm it started to rain really hard, so we went back to the room and just read which was fine. This morning it is cloudy and a bit windy, but still 23 degrees, so we will venture out into the beach or poolside again. The sun is starting to come out, but even if it doesn’t manage it until tomorrow, it is still very pleasant just relaxing and doing nothing. It is not like being in the UK when it is cold and cloudy.