General Chat

We have had hardly any Xmas cards so far, but are getting ordinary letters, which is odd.
I still have two outstanding Royal Mail parcels, plus the missing Evri one. Now if I am ordering something and there is a choice to get it delivered to the local drop off point which is the garage. The parcels come straight away to them. I had an order from Next like that yesterday. They use Evri and if I had chosen home delivery, it would never arrive.
Our most reliable service is DPD, they are brilliant and I use them a lot when I am sending parcels myself. The drop off was our local paper shop, so it was very handy. I have been getting the papers from there for twenty two years. Sadly the lovely couple who ran it were retiring, so sold it about three months ago. The new woman has just messed the whole thing up and suddenly announced that she is closing down. The paper deliveries were stopping a couple of weeks ago and the shop is closing at the end of the month. As it is the only paper delivery shop in the town, this has caused a massive problem for lots of people.
I only get two papers, a local weekly paper on a Friday and the Sunday Times. Ever since the girls moved in, I haven’t had time to sit down and spend Sunday reading the paper, so it is a waste of money really. So we have decided to do without it. I am just buying the weekly one in the supermarket, I tend to read that in bits during the week anyway, so it doesn’t have to be read on the day of publication.I read most of my news online anyway, we have access to all sorts of papers through a shared Apple family subscription

It is lethal outside, I had to go to the dentists, I picked my way gingerly as the side road was just sheet ice

Hi Everyone...can anyone tell me if the lovely Shaun is still with us (Wales) ? l was about to write his card and thought l had better check.

I hope everyone is ok, we are fine. Its bitterly cold here -2...brrr!!

Have a great Christmas and New Year....x

jude and Vic and Mindy Moo Bags cat..xxxx

Hello Jude
Dont think I have ever spoken to you before but welcome to the daily Chit Chat thread although I do remember your name from awhile ago.

Someone else had a thread, think it was the Wales thread? Someone on the boards will know. I will ask around for you.

Happy Christmas and a healthy new Year to you

Florence in the hebrides

I usually get a card from Shaun, but nothing has arrived so far. We have only had five cards so far, so I expect that it will be in the post, assuming he is OK.

Hi Jude, since he left the boards I have not heard anything from Shaun. I do hope he is OK, I have not had a card from him yet either but, as Linda says the post is awful and few cards arriving. I have sent his card. I do miss that thread but see most of the survivors of it on here. I also see Bethan on Facebook if you remember her, she has two children now and is very happy.

anyway hope you and Vic are OK and still enjoying life up there. Not near enough now to meet up for a coffee :-( <3

Hello everyone...
Thank you all for replying to my message. I also had an email from Yvonne.

Seems no one has heard from Shaun(Bunce) for a while.
I have sent him a card and really hope l get a response.

Take care ..
jude xx

Aw Ann, it would be lovely to meet up but as you say we are a long way from you now, and we hate it here... :-\

AnninGlos....can you email me Shauns address please, make sure l have the same..

jude x

Afternoon all.
Bright sunny but freezing day here and occasional sleety shower.
Home alone again(becoming a habit this lol) as daughter had to go and collect the rest of her presents. She had too many bags to carry yesterday!

Jude, I'm curious you hate where you moved to , where are you now?

I had the heating on yesterday from 2-9pm, longest time ever but the bedrooms were really cold so felt the need to warm them up before bedtime. I still have plenty of credit on my account so not worried at all, that's what it was intended for, a cold winter.

I washed my hair earlier so I don't have to get up at silly hour tomorrow as I'm off to the hospital around 10.30.

Not sure about food today as not particularly hungry. Might have crumpets later as still a dozen to use up lol

Hope everyone ok and keeping warm

Florence in the hebrides

Jude I have sent you a message on here. with Shaun's address, or rather the one I have.

When I got up the temp on Alexa was -11, it is now 0 so has gone up thank goodness. I am not going out though as the paths and road in our cul de sac are very icy.

Well I had a nice call from my neighbour about 3pm. She asked if i wanted to go to a charity prize bingo at 6.30 tonight. Short notice but as I had showered and washed hair earlier, I said sure, would love to.

So dressed to kill with time to spare lol

So nice to have been invited out and i love bingo anyway.

I may be lucky but if not, it will have been lovely to see people and socialise.

Florence in the hebrides

I hope you enjoy your evening out Florence. Both the girls had their Xmas concerts today. My daughter went to Eve’s which was held in Ripon Cathedral, Eve is in the choir.

OH and I went to Esme’s which was held in the church next to the school. Poor staff, it was like herding cats. Some of the kids were in their wheelchairs, some sat nicely on chairs, but there were a sizeable number who careered round with their one to one helpers following them. They were all over the place, but no one minded of course. One of Esme’s friends spent all the time trying to get the baubles off the Xmas tree. Esme had gone in her wheelchair and chose to sit in it rather than get out, she got to hold baby Jesus for most of the time, so she was happy. She had a tinsel halo and angel wings.

We were allowed to take her straight home from the church, so stopped off at Macdonalds in the way back, she was really hungry. We also went into Next and she chose a present for her mum, dad and Eve. She decided on Xmas socks, so I let her choose what ever she wanted. It is a big secret and when we got back, she wrapped them and wrote her name in the tags. I have hidden them and it will be nice for her to give them on Xmas day. She hasn’t told them about it, so I am hopeful that she will keep quiet about her surprise

Hi everyone,
Hope you are all ok and able to keep warm. It's so cold out but no snow here thank goodness. We don't get it really bad here really I just can't imagine how folk cope in rural areas and Scotland with the awful weather and having no power
.
I wish I was more mobile as when we move around we don't feel the cold so much. We had a letter from Electric company saying our D/D is enough atm to cover our usage just hope the gas one will be the same.

Florence, everything is ready for my sisters house to go on the market now but can't sign anything over till probate is done. I will be glad when it is sold as it is a worry having a house empty although it isn't noticeable from the road side.

I used to love going to the school concerts when mine were young .and the grandchildren ones as well.

Take care all
Ginnie

It is absolutely freezing here today as well Ginnie. We tottered slowly to the library this morning as they were having a thank you get together for the volunteers who do the home deliveries. I was glad we made the effort as very few people turned up. They kept offering more coffee from an urn, but we stuck to the one cup because it was pretty horrible stuff.

I was pleased this morning because the postman turned up with one on my missing parcels. It is Esme’s main present from us, so that is a relief.

That just leaves two more to come. The company who were sending my son in laws main present had been slow in sending it out but contacted me a couple of days ago to say they were going to use a courier instead of Royal Mail. I honestly could have cried last night when I got an email from Evri saying your parcel is at our depot. Of course this morning, they sent another email saying your parcel is delayed.

So it looks like he won’t be getting a present this year and Esme will not be getting the dolls high chair which they have also lost. Grr and double Grr

Linda Evri are certainly getting a bad press now. Did you see those parcels just dumped in a wood. Maybe they should look at how they pay the couriers and also take some of the pressure off. They are expected to deliver too many in a short time if I remember correctly. Glad you have got at least some of yours but something needs sorting or people will stop buying on line.

Afternoon all
It seems this whole parcel delivery service has gone down the pan!! It is so sad that many children will not be getting some presents this year because they have either gone astray or are stacked up in a PO sorting office.

It really is a national disgrace especially after the last 2 years with Covid etc. For some this is the first proper xmas in 2 years and already its been spoilt, so very sad.

I have had 1 card all week from the post and no other mail. Thankfully patient Travel did arrive yesterday but oh my at 10.45 and my appointment was at 12.30. So we did arrive in plenty of time. It wasnt particularly comfy sitting in a wheel chair for an hour!

Anyway My"bone man" was in a good mood and willingly gave me my jags into my knees but at a very painful cost! Oh boy, it goes into the bone and by golly for a minute, Im wanting to scream in pain but gritted my teeth.
Howveer today, already I have my smell back and sinuses are clearing(thats the bonus) so in a few days, i shall notice a difference painwise in my legs.

Today, I am decluttering and shoving things in cupboards and drawers as i do a week before xmas to keep the place all tidy. baking day tomorrow, cup cakes with green swirly icing and coloured decs so they look like xmas trees.

Linda, i feel for you re the missing presents. If they dont show, can you say Santa didnt finish his deliveries and maybe more will come soon after xmas or something like that?

Oh the bingo was ok not many 14 local ladies and no men lol. Didnt win but we had lots of laughs so enjoyed the evening very much.

JustGinnie, my mums probate was straight forward and took 10 weeks to go through. It just depends how busy the probate office is .

Ann, our service rd is like a skating rink with ice so daughter crossed neighbours grass and walked around the edge to get to the rd for the bus, was the safest way!

Joan if you are looking in, hope you are ok and taking care outside with all your snow and ice.

Its actually raining here and next week we have gales and heavy rain so the ice will all be away hopefully.

Take care all

Florence in the Hebrides

Well it is 5 degrees here so hopefully the snow will start to thaw on the road and paths. Our bins have still not been collected from last /tuesday although I think I saw one of the refuse lorries in the distance this morning so they are back out. We have been told to leave our bins out and they will be collected and they are working over the weekend.

Not a lot to do today, always difficult with housework when the decs are up. That is my story and I am sticking to it. :-D I am just about to go and have some of the home made veg soup I made that should warm me up, not put the heating back on yet, I will do that after lunch, just on low. Main job today is sorting out the stuff to take away to daughters with me.

Yes Ann, the decs mean, its very hard to dust :-D :-D :-D

Thats my excuse now too.

It is soooo cold outside. I have just got back from the local town which is twelve miles away. I ordered something to pick up from Argos. Last year, I took Eve for a secret shop and let her buy things for her mum, dad and Esme I was going to do the same this year, but when she said what she wanted to get them, I realised that it would be easier to order them from Argos as well. She chose the things online and I went by myself. I did some supermarket shopping while I was out.

My daughter has booked the girls onto an outdoor ice rink tomorrow morning, you can take wheelchairs on, so that will be fine for Esme. Having booked it, their father finally got round to looking for train tickets and announced that he is coming tomorrow, but could only get as far as York, arriving at 5.50 pm.So she is going to have to keep them out all day . Goodness knows what they will do as it is going to be freezing all day.

I got four tickets for Cinderella in the town hall tonight. I assumed their father would already be here, but he isn’t of course, so either OH or I will go. It is only a hour, there are just three people who play all the parts, I have seen them before and the6 are very good

Good afternoon peeps.

Yes like you Joan, the wind and rain came and the ice is all away now....for now. Our forecast is for more snow xmas eve, xmas day and boxing day!! Thankfully as its on a Sunday this year, wont be much traffic about, just the carers etc.

We made xmas cupcakes on Sunday which were lovely and gave some to my next door neighbour who was delighted.

I'm feeling a bit lost just now as everything is sorted really and up straight with laundry. So feeling a bit bored, that's what happens when you are super organised lol!!

But I've ordered and received some of my accessories for making other cards for next year, birthday, anniversary etc So once all of it is received, I shall have a new hobby for January to keep me busy.

I did get a surprise visitor earlier which was lovely, my old landlady. Haven't seen her in ages as she's not been very well but we had a good natter and she had a bag of gifts, so sweet of her. I had hers all sorted anyway and gave her a bag too.

Its really wild here this afternoon and the ferry isn't sailing again and maybe not tomorrow as high seas. Daughter is getting the fresh stuff tomorrow and then that's us all sorted.

Anyone watch Gordon, Gino & Fred, the unseen bits? Oh my was so hilarious, best laugh I've had in ages!

Well better go and sort something quick for tea tonight, maybe a pizza and wedges. Its so wild, I hope the electric doesn't go off anytime soon.

Hope all is well with you all.

Florence in the hebrides

The girls had a great time at the outdoor ice rink, just as well they went earlier as it had to be closed yesterday as it had all melted with the warm weather.
Esme also, loved the panto, OH went and said that she was really joining in. They are an inclusive group and had a short session for special needs kids before it started when they explained to them what was going to happen and showed them that the bucket of water they were going to throw was just confetti

I am still missing two parcels and my daughter is short of two as well, all with the totally useless Evri. I dread to think just how many Christmassiest that company has ruined