General Chat

Hi everyone - yes it me from distant shores and realise I hadn't been to GR since January this year. And many things have happened the earthquake in Christchurch, China and Japan. Here in New Zealand after the Christchurch quake out tv's beamed news about the disaster and other world events when on the backburner. It was very sad looking at a city where we spent part of our honeymoon.
Our son moved back to New Plymouth on 5 February with his partner but their journey down end in Craig's car being written off after an accident. Craig drove a van down with the furniture and his partner drove his car down. He was some distant behind the car when it began smoking which startled his partner and she drove into a bank fortunately she wasn't injured but was taken by chopper to Hamilton hospital for a check up as the airspace in New Plymouth was closed due to fog. The pair arrived down early Sunday morning much to our relief. We were told the car had been bought to New Plymouth but learnt from the insurance company that it had remained at the accident site where it was vandalised. We saw the car a day or so later and it was sad, the windows had been smashed, radio ripped out, reg and number plates taken. As the car was deregistered the last two items are useless.
Craig and Gemma said they would stay with until they found jobs and then move to a flat. The jobs were found quite quickly as both are cleaning supermarkets in town. Flat hunting is daunting at the best of times but rents was more than the two earned so they stayed with us until a flat attached to Gemma's parents home became available. They moved in at the weekend.
As mentioned a while ago Craig is profoundly deaf but can talk, his girlfriend is also deaf but her speech isn't good and uses sign language.

Morning John,very nice to hear from you again,and nice to know you and yours are safe after the Christchurch quakes which caused a bit of a panic until i heard from my cousin ,and learned that he ,and family at least were safe.
Things in Japan seem to be going from bad to worse with the reactors,a lot worse than the company that runs the plant let on,and it looks like there could well be another big one in the region with dosn,t bode well ,there being lots more reactors in that country.
I will be phoning you today Brenda as soon as i get get sorted out after breakfast,and need to ask you for you know whos,e number again,as it seems to have gone walkabout on this puter ,grrrrrrr,but anyway ,no terrible rush for that as i will leave that until later in the week when the weather will stop us getting out.
This van is beutiful,and i will take a few pics of it later on .
Two bedrooms in this one ,both huge ,the master having it's own toilet and shower,and tons of room round the bed.
The twin bunk bedroom also being roomy,makes for a very comfortable holiday for anyone.
Brought a new camera yesterday,a beutiful Sony digital ,with a built in 4 gig memory,and lithium ion battery which means no more buying batteries which cost a bomb,this camera will charge from a computer ,or direct from the mains.
I had to buy a new one after the wife's camera went to the big camera god ,in the sky three months ago and i gave her mine to keep her happy,lol
He he ,i was right wasn't i Brenda ,who said you would be even busier when you retired A? A?,good fun though ain't it?.
Have to go ,we are off to the supermarket shortly to get the weeks supplies in ,then it's a lazy day for us ,catch you all later ,Fred

Afternoon all and hello John great to hear from you and that you are all safe.
My fathers side of the family are partially deaf and his mother was completley deaf,she could lip read and even talk because she was not born deaf.
No one in this generation appears to have inherited it,but I am always abit careful with my ears.Hope your son and his partner are recovered from the accident and happy in their new jobs and home.HOw is your wife?
Fred have emailed you that number,shame about tomorrow have a few things to get from Bury so will have to go either tomorrow or Saturday.Glad you are settled in the van and it sounds great.
Going out to the library now ,then have to go over to my brothers and callat the docs to drop a repeat prescription off for Johnlastly need to call at Tesco to get some credit for my phone!!
Hope Dororthy is enjoying the tennis.
Take care everyone.
Speak to you all soo.Brenda.

Hi again, As we live in the North Island the earthquake in the South Island didn't affect us. Some people in the disaster area did move to the North Island for a few weeks and few have decided not to go back. When the quake struck dialysis patients were moved around the country one came to New Plymouth and is on the same treatment days as Gayle. He said he wasn't going back to Christchurch moved his family to New Plymouth and bought a house after being paid out for his damaged home.
The past few months for natural disasters have been terrible - flooding in Australia following a cyclone, earthquakes in China, New Zealand and Japan causing death.
Charging cameras from the mains great idea that's if one remembers to do so - I took my camera somewhere and didn't check to see if it was still charged, end result no photos.
Take care one and all, John

Morning all,nice to see John with us again,hope all the people who moved near you settle ok.
Weather is miserable again today not very spring like and we have cancelled our outing to Bury with Fred and Liz,they will be back again to have a meeting.
Have decided to alter the net curtains I got ages ago and will put them up with my new curtains at weekend.
At the hairdressers this afternoon for a colour cut and blow dry,Usually put colours on at home with a bit of help from John,but having a treat this week.
Better get on with this sewing doing it by hand as my machine is at the back of the wardrobe and its too much trouble getting it out for one thing,Take care
Brenda

hi from a cold but sunny barrie in fact it is 7 degree's above freezing nice for a change could spring be on the way no they are calling for snow flurries on the week-end, nice to see john back and hear all his news glad that his son and girlfriend are safe and sound, I have a niece by marriage who was born deaf she went to regular school and coped well married a younr man from portugal who was deaf from birth, they flew off to portugal for the honey moon raised , 3 boys who all are not deaf and grew up to be police men, michelle was a very determined young woman signed in both french and english, some of this being done in the late 60,s and early 70,s her parents decided to send her to regular school along with her 4 sisters as the school for the deaf at that time was miles away from the family. it sounds like brenda that you are not meeting fred to-day that is a shame maybe another time, yes anne had a nice birthday yesterday and did enjoy the visit to nutters but said she would rather have had a lunch than afternoon tea, having a great time with the tennis and also have spent some time with the grandchildren this week , going for a haircut to-day and then picking up the grandaughter at noon as she is on half days at school this week, studying at home in the afternoon this week for exams, or should I say supposed to be studying. well time to go bye for now dorothy

Afternoon peeps,well the rain has eased off a lot now and the supposed wind never arrived ,but i couldn't chance taking Liz out in heavy rain in her condition,so it's a case of waiting until later in the year when it's warm enough for her to walk in the sunshine when she has less trouble breathing.
I think the best way to do this is go for a hotel room closer to Bury ,or perhaps Near preston,where it would be easier to get to the market,stop in a hotel ,spend the next day in Bury back to the hotel ,and go home the following afternoon.
It might be an ideas to stop in Southport for a few days with an outing to Bury on top,hmmmmm,i quite fancy Southport,i have heard that it is a lovely town,a bit like Llandudno, building wise ,all built in the Victorian era for the gentry to enjoy their holidays in.
I will soon find out however because we are off there tomorrow to have as look around.the sis' in law says it's a nice place ,plenty of shops ,and very well cooked food of all sorts ,and very nicely priced.
Hope everyone is having a good week,catch you all later,Fred,in sunny Fleetwood ,not ,lol.

hi it is wednesday evening about 8-45pm sorry the weather is not great fred but you are right you don't want liz to get ill hope you like southport I do remember going there as a child (such a long time ago) it was a nice day to-day and I did get my hair cut so I feel like a new woman but the forecast is for snow flurries to-morrow so I shall stay in if that happens soo fed up with the snow we have had enough. waiting for a show to come on the tele criminal minds not sure if youget over home just read about a show you get called silks any comments on it. tennis does not come on this evening till about midnight as it is basketball on all the channels but I shall not stay up that late tennis mad I may be but I am not that crazy goodnight all dorothy

Afternoon folks,from a very windswept Manchester,we have had rain on and off all morning and we now have a bit of sunshine,but still have high winds.!!
Had a couple of errands to do this morning and thats all I did the errands and back,did not even walk round the local market,!!! just wanted to get home my ankles have started acheing as much as my hips,hope they are not starting with the arthritis as well.!!!
Silks has been on tv for a while Dorothy ,its just started a new season,unfortunatley I do not watch it but I have friends who do,and they love it.
Hope Liz is managing to enjoy her holiday even with the weather not being good.
Used to go to Southport when I was a youngster,it was a good day out ,haven't been for over 40 years but other memebers of the family go at least once a year for a day out.
Should be at my Spanish class but would not have been able to walk down there with the pain in my ankle,I will not take the painkillers as they can upset my stomach.will listen to my discs instead and see what I can make out of it.
After that i am making a chicken casserole for tea.
Take care ,Brenda

Morning Brenda,hmmmm,sounds as though a trip to the doc's is the order of the day,those tablets should be changed for another that dosn't cause tummy discomfort,there are a few around.
We did get into Southport to have a bit of a look around despite the weather,wind this time ,lol,plus a few showers ,but it is a place worth returning to ,and we may try on Sunday if the weather improves.
We went to The Tramway last evening for a carvery,£3-90 a head which was very good,run by the same group who run the one up in Seaton Sluice up near Newcastle.
Time for the brekkie ,,beans on toast i think,backlater mif the wife lets me back on,he he,Fred.

hi everyone seems busy at the moment hope all is well with the vacation fred, we have had rain since last night and it is still coming down but we are going to be warm this afternoon 15 degree's (60f) then it goes cold again and rain and snow on wednesday, recieved an e-mail from my sister this am they are still in palm springs as the little dog is ill in the doggie hospital with bleeding gastroenteritis may still be there till wednesay day they are quite worried about the dog after almost 6weeks away chris is looking foreward to being in her own home regardless of the 30cm of snow that calgary got the other day, just noticed this is really a weather forecast note. no tennis this week so not much going on as yet but it is only monday take care dorothy

Hi Dorothy ,we are home again,after a late,breakfast and a tearful goodbye between the wife and her sister.
Hope Your sister is okay after the news we sdaw on the tele before we left ,a huge water main burst ,the manchunian way partially flooded,and a lot of homes flooded,as well as some of the gardens,what with that ,and an accident on one of the main roads leading in to Manchester centre ,it looks like being a busy day for the police and fire service.
We never got back to southport ,both days the wind and rain made it a waste of time trying,even today on the way home ,the rain was lashing the car ,and the national speed limit was down to 50 mph,with gusting winds making it even more difficult.
Getting home we found the garden furniture all over the garden ,and half the covers missing altogether.
Hissy was very pleased to see us .lol.and has stuck to me like a limpet since we opened the front door.
have to go and get the unpacking done ,be back later ,Fred.

Afternoon folks,we have another wet and miserable day here and its really cold.
Had to but a cardigan on over a longsleeved top this afternoon
Glad you and Liz gothome ok fred,and had a nice greeting from Hissy.!!
Hope you are both having a nice restful evening.
Dororhty hope your sisters doggie is going to be ok it doesn't sound very good.
I have made a casserole for tea ,hope it warms us up!!
John heard about the Flooding fred ,its not near us it was the end of the Mancunian Way near salford aparently.
I am feeling a bit better today but am still going to the docs tomorror,seeing a new doc as well so I will see how she is.
Better get the cabbage on to have with the casserole
take care ,Brenda

hi still raining so it seems to be bad in both places may it be over soon I have not had any updates from chris re the doggie maybe no news is good news, it does sound like parts of manchester had it bad with all that water. and I saw on line that the little girl in bury was buried the one they say that her mother killed her very sad, fred I guess that you and liz are glad to be home and that hissy is pleased to have you back. brenda hope you like the new doctor and that she can help you, isobelle saw her doc yesterday instead of wed, she has severe tendinitis in the right knee and yesterday was almost unable to walk so he said to come up right away he thinks that physio will help and some heavy duty pain pills so I hope that will help the left knee will have to be replaced, gosh this getting older is fun, I am heading over to the family house about noon lindy has a university course this evening so I will keep an eye on the three grandchildren plus I will make good use of the washing machine etc. andrew is in toronto for meetings he usually stays down but is only 2hrs away if he is needed, but now that an american company has taken over his meetings go on and on well into the evening so it makes sense to stay in the hotel, bryan was fitted for his new brace that he will have to wear till the surgery at the end of the summer it will take 10 days as it is coming from california not sure why it is coming from the states well hope stays well with you all bye for now dorothy

Evening Brenda ,and Dorothy,have had a lazy day today ,just put a few seeds [beetroot,and calabrese ] in cups in the greenhouse,sorted the case out and put everything away until the next trip,and that's about it.
Glad you were well away from that burst main ,Brenda ,from what i saw on the news yesterday morning ,it looked more like a river than a road.
The wind is still a bit on the high side here ,but it looks to be calming down somewhat.
That pic Edith sent on the other thread of Chloe the cat ,is a pip,she looks lovely,but would be no good in this house ,her being a long hair,it would play hell with my missus's chest.
Going to try phoning you via Virgin broadband tomorrow Dorothy ,hope it works out okay ,lol, i tried phoning the virgin operator today only to find they have done away with the 100 number so that there is no direct link anymore ,what a service,i call it disgusting,lol.
Made a nice egg curry tonight using the old eggs up before starting the new ones ,after i had checked to make sure they were safe to use.of course.
Catch you all tomorrow morning ,Fred.

hi what a nice surprise I had this morning a phone call from fred it was very nice to speak to him and fred the fish I was trying to think of was red snapper it has a nice sweet taste to it, and the 2nd surprise was that the sun was shining in both places , I will pop your number fred in my phone book I forgot to ask you what it was but it showed up on the phone so that was good. brenda Ihope that you are feeling better to-day I have had no news from chris as yet so not sure if the doggie is better or if they are on their way to calgary, no special plans as yet for to-day but it is not 10am yet so who knows what the day will bring, bye for now dorothy

goodmorning I recieved an e-mail from my sister this am the little doggie is all better and back to normal they are in montana at the moment(yesterday) on their way home to calgary she said it was only 4 above not like the last 5 weeks with temps in the 90's they should behome on friday and then they leave again on the 9th of may to isreal (hope I spelt that right) I think they are going with a group from their church should be interesting.hope brenda that you are feeling better, I read in the paper that you guys should be in for some nice weather hope that is true, it is going to be about 11c to-day and on sunday 22c from the cold to the heat very strange. I am going with bryan to-day after school to pick up his new brace apparently it has arrived from california of course that could change if his dad gets back from his meetings earlier than expected we shall see, take care bye dorothy

Evening troops ,sorry to be a tad late today ,but i have been a busy body in the greenhouse and garden ,while the sun is out.
Got the other weed and feed for the front lawn and got the front lawn finished ,so i will run the hose out tonight ,and water it in if it dosn't rain tonight.
I also brought another systemic weed killer from B & M,along with a proper wood parasol to slip into the patio table ,so things are coming together nicely.
Seed wise ,the french climbers are in [beans].the runners are in ,beetroot,calabrese,and brussels, leaving the broadbeans to put into the buckets tomorrow ,giving us beans until September ,october.
I finished off today by filling the first trough for the wife ,so that she can put the first row of Pak,choi in tomorrow morning the other side will be filled with cut and come again salad,and a second trough will be set away in five weeks.
The other two troughs will be filled with little herb plants ,four to each ,which will keep us going until October.
Think i will do a nice little stir fry for tea,using some of the first stuff out of the herb pots,which are really starting to move along.
Hope you got some good news from your doctor Brenda,and it's nice to hear that the pooch is well again Dorothy.
Hope your little friend is still able to visit with the snow Edith ,the pic of her i have as my desktop background ,lol,and from the way Hissy sits looking at it , i think she approves ,lol.
Catch you later all ,Fred.

Hi all, I am sorry i have not been on for a few days ,with not feeling well and a few other things going on,I have not had chance.
The doctor was very nice and thinks I have damaged a muscle in my leg with the excersises I have been doing!! I did not feel like I had done anything when doing them buit you never know I have to rest it ,keep it evelated take paracetamol as a painkiller which I have been doing but it doesn't always help.I am able to walk more ,but it can ache when I am not doing anything as well.
As for the chesty cougth, I have no infection so no antibiotics,just hot lemon and honey,she did not think shop bought medicines were any good.It is actually clearing a little and seems more like catarragh or sinus ,I am getting some menthol chrystals to have an inilation see what that does.need to have it cleared for Saturday we are going to a wedding.
Hope you are all well and glad Fred got to phone Dorothy.
Take care Brenda

hi glad to see you back brenda and hope that your infection and your leg problems clear up and do have a nice time at the wedding on saturday from the looks of the weather reports I have been reading you are in for some nice weather this week-end, yes it was great to talk to fred and of course he is busy in the garden it should look wonderful when in full bloom, I am going to the bank this am to get a money order to renew my gene's account they have stopped issuing money orders tot he uk at the post office, I don't use credit cards anymore as I am not flying these days and I am aware the gene's site is a secure one but use my debit card over here if I am not using cash, I still like to use cash if possible otherwise the debit card works for me I will pop it in the mail to-day it is due next thursday so should arrive in time. so all of you enjoy the week-end bye for now dorothy