General Chat

I used to make an All Bran fruit loaf which always turned out well. I haven’t done it for ages. Cakes are not allowed on my diet really, but Esme likes baking, so I end up eating them.
Eve has cooking lessons at school this year, she arrived home with chocolate brownies today.
It is very autumnal here, I have had the heating on on an evening for the last few days, the girls need to be kept warm.

I too put the heating on low in the evenings now.

so the diet is going to suffer Linda with both girls cooking. I love chocolate brownies.

I love them as well Ann, I can’t just have one, I keep picking at them.

My poor daughter was supposed to have a whole day of on line meetings today, but mid morning she got a call from Esme’s school to say that she had fallen and hit her head again. When she did the same thing a few months ago, she had a huge lump. They had to go to the hospital and were there until about 4 pm. Apparently it isn’t as bad as last time, but they gave her some ibuprofen and paracetamol on an empty stomach, so of course she threw up just before she was due to see the consultant.
Eventually they let her go and they have stopped at McDonalds on the way back and bought a new toy, so she can’t be that bad.

Morning all.
Well, was well and truly woken today by the sound of severe gale force winds! Was hearing this banging noise and eventually had to get up & investigate. It was one of the bins that had broken free of its usual place and had been blown around a corner and landed outside my bedroom window. It was banging against the huge heating fan thing that provides the underfloor heating.

I summoned my daughter poor lassie and made her go outside to retrieve the bin before it did some damage. A few flowerpots had been blown too and 2 were cracked so lost those but was actually nothing growing. The rest were in shelter so all ok.
Wind was up at over 60mph but should come down later to about 35, so still breezy. No ferries again!

Hopefully still going out to the charity bingo later on fingers crossed.

Linda, poor Esme, hope her bump has gone down and she is feeling ok now.

Joan, Hope your bins are where they should be if you have this storm or maybe its heading towards you later on?

Not sure what to make today. something light as we are heading out at 5.15 so will have to be an early tea say 4.15PM.

Its still horrendous driving rain and stormy winds so def not going outside yet lol

Hope everyone else is safe and ok

Florence in the hebrides

We have had a lot of rain, but not the storms.

Esme had a really large egg lump on the back of her head yesterday, it has gone down since yesterday, but still looks very sore. She hasn’t gone to school today as she has needed pain killers all day. There has been lots of “ Ow, my head hurts’.

Afternoon all looking in.
Well, it's still pretty wild here and terrible heavy showers. Daughter & I managed out for 10 mins to secure and move some flowerpots as more gales forecast tomorrow.

Did a lot of tidying up today and also made a chicken curry for tea with naan bread, poppadom's, homemade tzatziki and coconut basmati rice... Its all ready ,except for naan and rice which only takes a few minutes. Can't wait and I'm starving today.

Bingo went well last night and was full to the brim with people so well attended. I won a prize in the children's raffle but on closer inspection it's really for a 3 yr. old so too young for my nephew. Never mind I shall give away to someone. I thoroughly enjoyed being out and I also saw & spoke to a few people too.

The clouds here are huge, those big, white clouds that look like giant cotton wool. I expect they are full of rain waiting to drop on us.

The lottery tonight is £20,000,000!! So, I bought a few tickets and fingers crossed. If I win big, I'll come down south somewhere and we can all meet for a huge party on me :-D :-D
Well it's nearly time for tea so off to put on the rice.

Hope everyone else safe and ok

Florence in the Hebrides

Hello all, hope you are all well.
We are still busy sorting out things re my sisters estate but we will get there . The thing is the rest of the family expect me to do it all as I am the youngest . I have told them I won't and have engaged a firm to do all the legal stuff and it will be paid for out of her estate so in effect out of their inheritance.
I received more bad news this week, my only maternal cousin died suddenly of heart attack . I had only posted her some info she wanted that same day and had been chatting on line to her the day before. Another shock for us. My family is getting smaller too quickly.

On a better note our weather is being good atm so not having to put the heating on yet and am still able to dry washing outside.

Take care all.

Afternoon all
What an awful day! Daughter was being so organised first thing. She had hoovered, mopped floors etc and put out blue & green bins ready for tomrrow as it was a nice morning. Fast forward to an hour ago.

The wind is now picking up at 40mph and going up later even more so....Im on my own til tomorrow and decided the bins need to come back until the morning when the wind subsides. I donned waterproofs etc and battled with my stick to drag the bins back to their station. Oh my, I came in and was blooming soaked from the knees down.

Having said that, I'm dried off now and it's really hosing it down so am glad the bins are safe for tonight.The grass cutters came first thing and gave one last cut, was so lucky it was dry then.

JustGinnie, so sorry to hear your sad news. It's hard when you were only talking to them the day before just like my mum with the stroke.

Has your sister a property to sell? All you need to do is appoint a solicitor and they will apply for probate and deal with all that. The time consuming albeit easier stuff is sorting all the utility companies and the bills etc. Ive had to open accounts in my name until mum's flat is sold as you can't leave the accounts in the person who has passed open.

We have nearly emptied mums flat now so it will be ready for estate agent to value very soon. But emptying all her things takes ages. Did your sister have any of her own family?Children?

Anyway it will all work out in the end, you just need patience!

I did win on the lottery on Sat eve but the jackpot lol just £8 and a free ticket for wednesday, so sorry no party....yet :-D

Oh my the wind is getting worse, wouldnt be surprised if the electric went off, its dreadful.

Right off to make a cuppa and fill a flask just in case.

Hope everyone else is ok
take care

Florence in the hebrides

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

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.

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?

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

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