General Chat

Morning Brenda ,Dorothy ,and anyone else who looks in ,where i am just in from the garden after hanging all my onions in the greenhouse.
Managed to get two of the buckets cleaned out too removing the asparagus roots ready to take the cauliflowers next year .
The garden is now shutting down mostly giving me a chance to get different areas cleaned up and refreshed ready for the next season. :-).
I did the missus and me Panninies last night ,using two of the breads i buy in from Morrison's 5 at a time and put in the freezer until needed.
I used Riccota ,and tomato pesto this time for a change ,i rotate between three different sorts,i spread the pesto on all four halves of the buns first, followed by Leerdammer cheese slices and used some home cured ham on top followed by thin slices of chicken very thin slices of fresh tomato ,and red onion ,finishing off with another layer of the cheese, a complete meal in itself and veeeeery tasty ;-).
Looking at the loss of the wheat harvests in America ,Russia ,and Australia ,and the lousy crop from Britain ,we have brought in 12 packets of bread mixes of different sorts all with dates 0f 2013 -14.
I also intend getting some strong plain white flour ,and yeast for use short term,it just means making a lot more use of the light industrial mixer we have under the sink for kneading,the dough ,with neither of us up to kneading for 15 minutes or more .lol.
This same machine we use for chopping veggie ,slicing same ,and cake mixing ,and preparing minced beef and pork .
Looking at the date Brenda ,it's time to think of getting the spices ,salt petre and a large joint of beef in ,ready to corn some for Christmas ,this tinned crap you buy from Argentina and Bolivia ,and America ,are swimming in fat so i do my own cooking in a way that removes most of it ,far more tasty ,and healthier,and most of the spices i can get locally now ,and a few i even grow myself ,like the Rosemary and Bay leaves.
Time to think of some dinner now ,pot luck i think ,as i havn't even looked in the freezer and fridge yet to see what i have lol.
Take care all ,and keep the feet dry ,no easy task these days :-|,catch you later ,Fred.xxx

Evening all.sorry I have not been on for a day or two,Been busy with this and that,don't know where the time went.
Been to town today to meet my friend,but don't think we will be meeting on Saturday again very soon,it was so busy .!! We will have to keep to our mid week meetings.
I think you will be ready for your winter resting Fred ,you make me feel tired just reading your messages.
David is at the city match,so back to normal re football.here.
Doing some baking tomorrow,watch this space for the results.!!!
Better go need to sort out some dried washig and put it away.
Have a good weekend and take care Brenda x

Evening all.sorry I have not been on for a day or two,Been busy with this and that,don't know where the time went.
Been to town today to meet my friend,but don't think we will be meeting on Saturday again very soon,it was so busy .!! We will have to keep to our mid week meetings.
I think you will be ready for your winter resting Fred ,you make me feel tired just reading your messages.
David is at the city match,so back to normal re football.here.
Doing some baking tomorrow,watch this space for the results.!!!
Better go need to sort out some dried washig and put it away.
Have a good weekend and take care Brenda x

Evening all.sorry I have not been on for a day or two,Been busy with this and that,don't know where the time went.
Been to town today to meet my friend,but don't think we will be meeting on Saturday again very soon,it was so busy .!! We will have to keep to our mid week meetings.
I think you will be ready for your winter resting Fred ,you make me feel tired just reading your messages.
David is at the city match,so back to normal re football.here.
Doing some baking tomorrow,watch this space for the results.!!!
Better go need to sort out some dried washig and put it away.
Have a good weekend and take care Brenda x

Evening all.sorry I have not been on for a day or two,Been busy with this and that,don't know where the time went.
Been to town today to meet my friend,but don't think we will be meeting on Saturday again very soon,it was so busy .!! We will have to keep to our mid week meetings.
I think you will be ready for your winter resting Fred ,you make me feel tired just reading your messages.
David is at the city match,so back to normal re football.here.
Doing some baking tomorrow,watch this space for the results.!!!
Better go need to sort out some dried washig and put it away.
Have a good weekend and take care Brenda x

Morning all,weather seems a bit uncertain today so its a case of wait and see!!

Had my injection yesterday and was a bit groggy afterwards ,with an headache later,but am ok today
having it done was slighty painful but not as bad as I expected.
Hope you are all ok
take care Brenda

Morning to all who may show up on the thread today ,or whenever ,lol :-).
Been out front this morning and done a little sweeping up outside the gate from the hedge clipping in the early evening ,lazy of me i know ,but i was worn out before i got round to it he he.
Done a little watering out back too ,and then cam in and made the Bombay Potato for the B B q early this afternoon.
Got the last of the chicken drumsticks out ,2 beefburgers,2 pork and apple burgers ,some snags ,a chicken breast ,to slice up ,and some peppered mackeral for me [ yum] ;-).
Also took 6 muffins out to slice and use as buns ,lovely if toasted lightly on the coals before filling with the meat.and the sliced onions .
We have this morning blanched a load of garden peas ,and some more beans ready for winter use ,i don't know ,lol,as soon as we get stuff out to use up ,the wife does more blanching and fills it up again . :-P.
Hospital tomorrow for the missus ,but in the morning when i stand more chance of getting the car parked in the grounds ,when we went last time in the late afternoon it was visiting time ,and i had to park the car half a mile away ,it killed me walking back with sore hips ,i wasn't in the best of moods by the time i got through the doors,lol :-|.
Managed to get the car reorganized after the cleaning of ,bags to put back in the boot ,whatever ,and then ordered two new camera mounts ,all the way from Malaysia .believe it or not ,cheaper and quicker than from Kent ,makes you wonder about this country which seem to take an age to organize anything,bit like our government ,he he.
Time to go and get a bit of work done before lighting the B B Q and get dinner ,cum tea on,take care all ,Fred.& the two ladies ,xxx
:-D

afternoon to all ,back from the hospital ,news could be better ,but not half as bad as it could be ,if that makes sense he he :-).
Seems the missus's lungs are doing everything they can ,her sats are a few points above the border line ,and oxygen ,at this stage woiuld do no good at all.
It bears out what i thought too ,in that the only time she is struggling for breath all the time ,is when an infection has gotten in ,stopping the lungs getting even enough oxygen to enable her to walk more than a few yards.
It means keeping an even closer eye on her ,and if signs start to show ,nagging her ,and insisting that she takes an emergency course of steroids and anti bi's,and if they don't work ,hospital straight away ,bussiness as usual in other words .lol ;-).
The hospital team have called in social services ,they didn't like the idea of Liz struggling up the stairs with me behind her in case she slipped ,and took me down as well ,they are getting someone out to see about getting another bannister on the other side of the staircase ,for extra security ,going up and down the stairs ,better than having to use a stick in the right hand.
The hospital are also trying to get her one of these shopping trolleys [a four wheeled one] on loan to make her a bit more independent while at the shops,one with a basket on the front ,and a seat as well,it could be a real help ,seeing as it folds down flat to go in the car.
Made a lovely casserole for dinner first thing this morning using the snags and chicken breast left from the B b q yesterday ,put in the slow cooker ,with new potatoes ,chopped cabbage and half a large carrot .a few peas and an onion ,mixed in a carton of passata ,salt and pepper,and made a very tasty meal .
We will use what's left for dinner tomorrow ,with some steamed broccoli ,cabbage ,and mashed potato.
What's left of the sauce i will use to make spaghetti and meat balls for tea ,i waste's nowt ,lol. ;-)
Tea tonight is a stir fry ,with Pak Choi ,an onion ,and apple mint out of the garden ,chicken chunks ,spring onion ,and a few other odds and ends ,nice and easy . :-).
Catch you later all ,time to get on with it he he ,not much to do tomorrow morning ,one small border to weed ,the short hedge to do ,and that's the lot in the garden. ;-) Fred The missus and the pest .xxx :-)

Evening all.we have had a beautiful day here weather wise,hope everyone else did as well.
I am pleased that the news from the hospital was not as bad as it could have been,Fred and i know you will keep a good eye on LIz!!
I have been a little too active today.I thought , I could do more than I should have done and now I am shattered and aching.Need to .learn to curb my actions.
John has gone to see his mother but I am resting,!! would have gone but sometimes they are not speaking (his mother and her husband) and I feel awkward.!!
Going to see my sister tomorrow,she is going to Tenerife next week on holiday and has not been before so I am taking her some maps etc.
We have not booked ours yet but hopefully will do so this weekend.,
Have afew birthdays coming up so need to get some cards ,so I really hope we get to Bury this weekend so I can go to the card stall I like..
My sister who live near Bury is on holiday this week and they have not gone away as they had some odd jobs to do at the house,but they went to the market yesterday and said it was very ,very busy,!! Today they have had a day oyt at Liverpool,do not know where or what they had planned.
David has just brought me a cuppa so I had better close .Take care Brenda

Afternoon to everyone looking in on this Friday 7 Sept. Today in New Plymouth has been wet with heavy rain most of the day, I did manage to go to the fruit shop when the rain stopped. I did the washing this morning hung to dry in the garage, just hope that it does dry.
We are slowly getting over Gayle's death in June and the support from Gemma's family has been fantastic. Now I am supporting Gemma and her family following her father's death last Wednesday with the funeral early this week. The day after her dad died I had singing practice for Sunday and that evening some friends and I visited Gemma's home and spent a couple of hours with her family.
Last evening I was relaxing watching TV and doing a crossword when I got phone to call to put a power point together which put an end to a relaxing night. I went out around 8 to do this project getting home before midnight (I think that was the time). There was a series of photos, 120+, to put together - reduce the size and to make sure it worked as a slide show. I hoping for a quiet night - yeah right!
Take care all - John

Afternoon all ,and am glad to hear that things are starting to come together again for you John,it hasn't been a good year for you so far what with your family problems.
A good thing for your family that you are a strong person,able to cope with all that the world is throwing at you.
A good thing too ,is your beliefs ,which are there to lean on in troubled times ,i too take comfort in the knowledge that the Lord will never ask you to bear anything that you can't cope with .it certainly stood me in good stead these last three years. :-).
I am up to date with all my work now ,and am starting to relax ,ready for my holiday next weekend ,roll on ,i have museums to visit ,a few friends to meet ,and another river trip to take on the Mersey .
The Colgannon dish i got just right this time ,a nice veggie dish using just Kale ,Leek .onion,and potato,salt and ground black pepper ,with a hint of cheddar cheese,simple to make ,and very tasty,yum.
Give that injection a few more days to work Brenda ,it should give you some relief from the worst of the pain ,but may not stop it altogether ;-).
did you get those pic's off Dorothy? ,i can see why she likes where she lives so much ,sigh ,that could have been me had the wife decided she didn't want to go to Canada when i had the chance the scenery alone is to die for ,lol,never mind the far cleaner air :-|.
Oooooops ,time to get my rear in gear again ,i have 4 pounds of tomatoes begging to be made into soup so,you now know what we have for tea ,lol.
Catch you later all,Fred ,Liz And one very lazy pussy cat ,he he.xx

\afternoon folks,had a busy day today ,my neice and her fiance and little girl came over to visit,and I made us a little buffet,instead of a full sunday lunch made a nice change,
Her little girl is two and a half andwas starting to get tired ,she normally has a nap,but was going to her nans for a sleepover so they did not want her to have one,if hey could manage,I have a feeling she wouldhave fallen asleep in the car.!!
Had afew hours at Bury market yesterday ,would have liked it to be less busy,but still had a nice walk round,Did not do the shops just the market ,even got some cheese from you know wher FRed !!
I have not heard from Dorothy for a few days ,I will send her an email telling her about the market,
I have been told to take more time in getting back to doing normal things which I think is what I will have to do .after the imjection,
John I can only agree with what Fred has said and I am sure you and the family will help each other over the coming months.
You enjoy your rest s Fred you deserve them,and I am sure you will both have a good trip to Liverpool.
Take care Brenda

Huh,can't take my eyes off you for a minute Brenda ,and you are off raiding my favourite cheese stall [sniff] cor ,i wish i could be there ,even a cheese pie would do me luvvverly. :-).
I take it that this is the way of the geordies for you not selling pease pudding down there ,they won't sell your cheese pies up here ,lol :-( ,never mind ,i will sneak through there one day next week and buy one ,yum.
One of the team from the hospital is coming out to see liz this morning ,bringing one of those 4 wheeled walkers so that she can be more independent when out shopping.this one has a seat ,and a basket on so that she can stop and rest whenever she needs to,much better than struggling with a stick because it will be handy even when she is out for a walk it being useful as a seat too .
It folds down to go in a car ,or carry on a bus ,so it will be getting a baptism of fire down in Liverpool next weekend.
Managed to order a new suction cup for the car camera as well ,and that is supposed to be here before we go away,result :-D.
Darned cold here overnight ,down to 4c plurry cold for the time of year .
Sounds as though the injection is giving you some sort of relief at last ,but you will have to remember that you are no spring chicken any more ,and have to go a bit more gently lol.
That sounds like the bin men ,so i will brave the cold and rain ,and bring the first of the bins in ,the second one is usually half an hour later,catch you later Brenda ,hope your weekend went off as planned ,Fred&Liz ;-)

Well here is reply version two,first one went tp space!!
Enjoyed the cheese we got from the cheese stall,but could not see any pies are they from that stall?
Weather definatley colder tim.e to pull out the winter pjs. Am already wearing my socks and shoes instaed of sandals,
Hope the second visit to liverpool goes ok and Liz is more mobile with the walking frame ,
I can feel a difference when I am walking but am still getting some pain,just have to see how it goes.
Take care Brenda xx

So obviously ,you have not heard ,or tasted a Lancashire Cheese Pie Brenda ,shame on you lol,they are to die for ,i think you will find a lot of bakers in Blackpool ,Fleetwood ,and Clevelys sell them ,so i assume you can get them in Bury .
Ours we had in the cafe we normally go to in Fleetwood ,the first time we had ever had one ,but it won't be the last ,i will even be looking in the shops at Southport to see if i can find one :-).
Bit warmer here this morning ,but very windy ,not the sort of day to go out with a loose fitting hat ,he he ,but at least it's better than yesterday when it was only 6c at 8 am ,brrrrrr. :-|.
Got the last of the plums off the tree yesterday ,and they are now in the freezer until we make some plum crumbles,the last of the broad beans ,ditto but i will leave those haulms in for a few weeks until they put all their nitrogen back into the soil ,before i remove them.
The runner beans and French climbers are still hanging in ,but the first hard frost will kill them off too ,and that will mean buying them again ,once we use all the frozen ones up .
Must have a look at the beetroot this morning ,yum ,i fancy a couple of baby ones straight out of the pan ,hot ,on my dinner ,lovely that way and sooo sweet.
My little turnip in the troughs are ready too ,we will be eating well veggie wise for weeks with any luck ,with plenty of cabbage on the go and carrots nearly ready as well :-D.
I will be updating my sat nav today and the angel ,ready for the weekend to make sure i have the latest road info as regards road works ,and speed limits ,he he ,don't want ,or need any tickets ,thank you. ;-).
I have taken some sausages out of the freezer for tomorrows brekkie [sausies ,egg ,bacon ,and grilled tomatoes] so the spare four ,or six ones i will cook ,but into pieces and put in a batter mix for dinner ,along with roast tatties and other assorted veggie out of the garden ,might even chop some basil ,sage ,and onion and throw those into the batter for a change ;-) i likes a bit of variety i does ,lol.
Time to get the missus a cuppa ,while she has her shower ,catch you later all,Fred & the tribe xxx :-D.

Morning all,wet and windy here again,yesterday was a drier day bue today is making up for it.should have done the bedding yesterday ,will see what its like tomorrow.
My friends and I are meeting for a chinese meal tomorrow as its one of their birthdays.looking forward to a catchup with them.
Not much else going on,still trying to de clutter ,having a stop and start thing with it really.but getting there !!
Take care Brendax

wwell what a change again in the weather!,all bright ans beautiful here this morning
but how long will it last for? Out later to meet my mates for lunch!! But what to wear in case the weather changes??/
I usually get it wrong and am wrapped up and then too warm,or light clothes and shivering!!
Bettyer get on with a few jobs befor I have to leave ,need to do a couple of errands on the way.Take care Brenda xx

Just back from a lovely day in Liverpool Brenda ,weather very nice ,and i have a lovely pair of new shoes to wear ,Clark's at that ,all leather and so comfortable that it's like wearing slippers ,lol.
The Highlander in Southport has gone ,someone local told us when we enquired ,that the owner was very poorly and had to quit.
Enjoy your meal with your friends Brenda ,i will catch up with you later ,Fred.xxx :-)

Hi Fred,glad you are having a good trip and well done on the shoes.
I enjoyed the meal and meeting my friends.but had to go home early as I had an upset stomach.
Not sure what caused it,But think the meal had a bit too much seasoning (garlic) I have had upset stomachs when I have been to some Italian restaurants.and they have been a bit heavy handed with the garlic.!!
It was good to catch up with my friends and before hand I managed a wander round M&S which was great!!..
Weather to day has been horrid and the killing of those police womenis just unbelieveable!!
have to phone a friend now ,we have a chance of some thearte tickets for Thursday a.
Take care Brendaxx

after a really rotten morning weather wise it has turned out to be a lovelly afternoon..
John was rained off the golf as the course was closed.So I had the car to go shopping,Found it really quiete in the supermarket and had a good wander round,which was just as well,but it was just as well as they are making a lot of "improvements" at the supermarket so it took ages to find things.
Hope you and Liz are still having a good trip,
Brenda