General Chat

Afternoon all.we have had some pretty mild weather the last few days compared to the last few weeks.
I hope it hs calmed down where you all are.
Just had a walk round the local market its a Flea market on Thursday ,and I can see why the call it a flea market ,Mind you there were some decent stalls .
Thought I might be meeting a friend for a coffe later this afternoon but not had a call yet.Did some washing earlier but not sure if to hang it out or not. Hope you enjoyed your shopping trip Fred id Liz got her way that is???
Thinking of a trip to Bury on Friday or saturday ,not for anything in particular just a walk round .
Think I had better get that washing out while its blowing a bit. and keep my fingers crossed.
Take care Brenda x

Afternoon all.we have had some pretty mild weather the last few days compared to the last few weeks.
I hope it hs calmed down where you all are.
Just had a walk round the local market its a Flea market on Thursday ,and I can see why the call it a flea market ,Mind you there were some decent stalls .
Thought I might be meeting a friend for a coffe later this afternoon but not had a call yet.Did some washing earlier but not sure if to hang it out or not. Hope you enjoyed your shopping trip Fred id Liz got her way that is???
Thinking of a trip to Bury on Friday or saturday ,not for anything in particular just a walk round .
Think I had better get that washing out while its blowing a bit. and keep my fingers crossed.
Take care Brenda x

Liz ALWAYS gets her way Brenda,lol,what with her ,and Hissy ,these days i tend to think it's a woman thing ;-).
Well the fella came and fitted the new stair rail for us ,it took little under an hour ,and he did a darned good job of it ,he can come back anytime because he even had a hand held hoover ,and tidied up when he had finished,the stairs were spotless.
We made six largish tubs of Tomato soup and got them down in the freezer ,taking some large fillets of steak out to make room ,along with two pigs Kidneys.
Those we have done up into steak and kidney meals ,put them into metal foil containers ,and will put them back into the freezer this evening. :-).
We managed .,just to get our washing done as well ,but had to take the chill off it by putting it on the clothes horse overnight in the kitchen he he :-).
The kitchen has now been reorganised ,lots more room brought about by a new set of drawers under the bench taking a load of stuff off the work benches ,i am pretty pleased with it.
We now have the council coming out sometime in the next ten weeks to look at taking the bath out and putting a wet room in it's place,which is just as well ,as i can no longer get me leg over ,the bath rim that is ,and anyway ,i can no longer sit down in it or i can't get up again :-| this gettin' old isn't as good as it's cracked up to be :-S.
Going to be doing a little shopping tomorrow ,buying some of those new ready meals from Aldi Brenda ,they make some belters ,different curries complete with rice ,other dishes like sausage and mash ,fish pie ,Lasagna,spaghetti bolignaise ,all at £1-89 a shot ,just the thing for busy lasses like you ,come in from the shops ,knackered and too tired to stand in front of a stove ,you know the feeling ,five minutes and a mic ,and you have a meal ready :-D.
Time to go feed the cat ,we had two of those fish meals in sauce for dinner and did the cat one of those fish ,chunkie fillets from asda ,he he ,she thought it was her birthday ,lol,enough fish in it to do her tea tonight ,and her brekkie tomorrow.
Have fun in Bury if you havn't already been ,sand take it easy around the cheese stall ,too long there sniffing the air could cause a cheese overload he he.
Catch you Later Brenda ,and John to if he looks in.
Fred, The missus and the furry hungry one who has smelled her fish already xx :-D

well its all going on at your house Fred!! hope you do not have to wait for the shower to long Fred,Johns mam was really pleased when hers was done at the other house .Her husband was not that pleased as he could manage to get in the bath .but he was glad a while later when he started to have trouble.
Did not get to Bury had afew other thing come up that meant we did not go.
weather has been sunny again for the last few days its still cold but at least its dry.
Washing was not dry altogether and had to be aired off in the back bedrom/
Used to use those meals for work but not now.am going to another slimming
club and the reccommend we make extra and freeze some so we have meals ready.
take care Brenda x

morning Brenda ,and anyone else who shows up on here today ,you never know ,lol,with this weather ,most people will stay indoors if they have any sense. ;-).We have just finished off another baking session,a small shepherds pie made for dinner to use the left over mashed potato,pastry made to use up spare eggs before the weeks shopping,so some Tuna pasties made up ,Cheese and onion flans ,an Egg Custard,and a nice jam rolly polly which will go with the dinner ,so now ,all that remains is to cook the lot ,cool it and get into both freezers.
Yep i would get your trips to Bury market in before Thursday Brenda,the forecast is promising wintry showers for the weeks end ,cor ,don't look too good for the end of the month :-(,about time to think of hibernating again i reckon :-0.
I think i will empty the other water butt this week ,no way will we get a drought this time of year ,;lol ,time to get the butt sat on top of the other one behind the B B q until the spring Methinks ,even the one with the built in furry coat isn't too keen on going out any more,she is def' an Oz' pussy cat at heart ,he he.and time for me to get on with the winter pass time ,genes family research to wile away a good few hours.
Going to slide off now ,and get some dinner ready ,so i will catch you later ,Fred,The bosses,and myself ,lol.xx :-D.

Evening Fred and everyon eelse .
Weather still dry and fairly mild at the moment,but I know its coming to an end,
Have a few things on this week so will not be able to make the market this week or weekend...but might get there next weekend all being well.
Need to sort out my stuff for the holidays, 5 weeks to go and counting!!!
Glad Dorothy had a good visit with her sister,nice to hear of people enjoying themselves.
John has managed to get out and have a couple of games of golf this week so he is a happy bunny.
One of my neices has been taken to hospital today with really bad stomach pains,she has had them for a while and had a scan etc,she had her gall bladder removed a few years ago but says its just like it was then,.Having had that experience I know what she means so I really hope they sort it out soon.
The diet is still going ok bit slower now but still working.
Better go soon as I have emails to answer.
Take care Brenda xx

Evening all.weather dry again today but getting colder.
My neice is ok they are thinking she might have an ulcer !!
John has had an hour in the garden cutting down some of what he calls weeds!! butI am not so sure they are weeds !! But that part of the garden does want thinning out !!
I did some house work and then picked my sister up at the hospital and took her home,She lives near a Morrisons so I called in for a few bits on the way home..
Had a few more jobs to do when I got home..
Hope everyone is ok Take care Brenda xx

Hi everyone - I am looking in after renewing for another year, I had given some thought not to do but decided its worth staying about for awhile longer. The honeymooners are enjoying themselves on the Gold Coast - Australia seems so far away. I didn't get a real cheap flight but still got tickets so I can get a my leg fixed, one thing it doesn't involve a surgeon's knife. Thankfully I am entitled to refunds to the limb centre. :-)
The headstone saga continues but nothing will be done until my son is back - and then it will be ordered and set in place with the ashes being interred a little later.
Brenda you mentioned the weather being dry and getting colder - down here in NZ its meant to be getting warmer and dryer days but heavy rains is getting annoying with floods and slips in parts of the country. Fiordland in the South Island recently saw the only access road to Milford Sounds blocked by huge boulders and rocks which had to be blown-up. A similar type in the North Island some six months ago caused havoc for motorists and is still not completely cleared away. All caused by heavy rains. :-0
Looking at the time its 11.23am on a Friday I think I better prepare something to eat as I am being picked up at 1pm as I joining a group from church for fellowship with residents in a rest home.
Take care one and all. John :-)

morning John ,wow ,sounds like you are into spring just like ours turned out to be ,lower than normal temperatures ,not a lot of sunshine and tons of rain ,extending right over the summer [joke] into fall .
We are now into an early winter and are expecting our first snow a month early up here in the north.
Sorry to hear that the debacle with the headstone is still waiting to be sorted out ,it seems to take the powers that be all over the world to get themselves sorted out these days ,lol.
Instead of the promised quicker e,paper work that was promised ,the old days of phone calls and letters was far quicker as it turns out,some things have NOT improved over the years.
Just spent an hour in the greenhouse ,the cold nipping at my bare knees and arms ,cleaning out the old pepper plants ,clearing the shelving ,and laying out my onion harvest to get the air between the bulbs.looks like io wont be buying onions until early March :-).
Wednesday next week sees us getting the extra layer of insulation put into the loft,before the winter proper gets to us,and Monday is set to be very busy ,my feet done at the clinic in the morning ,and the flu jab in the afternoon,so i think that will be an early night,into the warm with the good book ,and a cup of chocolate as a consolation ,snuggled down under the duvet.
The sun is showing it's watery face here ,and the northerly wind is at last picking up ,so i am away to put the washing on the line. :-D.
Catch you all later ,Fred

Evening all.Sorry to hear your news about the headstone John ,but pleased to hear the honeymoon is going well.I managed to get to the Gold coast a few years ago when I was visiting my friends in Melbourne/Really enjoyed it.The funny thing was ,if you can call it funny ,is that we went by car and part of thr route was flooded,
it was really frightening driving down a road not a building in sight when this water is rushing across the fields etc straight towards you!!! luckily it was not deep but it scared us !!!
Just had visiters,my neice and her family little Amelia is 2 and a half and was getting really tired and starting to get cross as they were leaving.!!! You forget how they can get tetchy so easily.
Fred is right about the weather,its been freezing here today but sunny.further north its been snowing!!!
Hope the weather picks up for you John,and you do not loose any more roads down there.
Take care Brenda

Morning folks.,weather wet and cold again today,Not doing much ,catching up on ironing.Just have to go to post office to send a card to Oz.
Suppose i will have to start on the christmas cards soon,want to get them sorted ,if not posted before we go away.!! Four weeks and counting YEH !!!!
Hope everyone had a good weekend, I think Fred has medical appointments today ,hope all goes well.
takecare Brenda

Evening all ,yep Fred is home ,feet and flu injection done ,plus a few batteries for the fresh air squirters he he ,managed to find some multi packs in Asda which should last a long time,and help to keep the house smelling nicely [he says hopefully] ;-).
Nothing on tomorrow so io can crack on with the housework and whatever ,but Wednesday will be a busy one ,with the loft getting finished off ,some one coming out about a claim with an insurance company.
managed to get away on my own for half an hour earlier in the Day and found my missus her main chrissy present ,an H D 32 gig Kindle fire that shows films in colour with stereo sound and is enabled to go on the web to do emails and browse ,as well as doing the usual e books.
I thought this would do her well for those days when she is off colour and stuck in bed ,and much lighter than having a pc stuck across the bed ,and with an 11 hour battery life it should serve her well :-D.
We both fancy some cereal for tea as neither of us are very hungry and have half a cheesecake for pudding anyway.
tomorrow for dinner i am going to make a au gratin dish with chopped up well browned bacon ,potato pastas ,some diced carrot and peas ,a nice cheese sauce and a few herbs,finished off with thin sliced potato layered on top and a little parmesan .
Being crafty this time ,using small gratin dishes ,one apiece so that i can put some garlic in mine ,the wife hates it but i love it on most dishes ;-).
Time i was off to shut all the window blinds and curtains to keep some of the warmth in,so i will say goodnight ,and catch you tomorrow.
Take care all ,Fred ,The furry pest and the Missus xx. :-D.

Evening all.hope you have all had a good halloween.
Hope too that all your errands have been done and you have managed
your duvet ,book and hot cocoa night ????
Had a visit from my sister and her daughters with their beautiful daugthers ,it was a lovely hour or two/
Going to meet my friend tomorrow,hoping to get a couple more christmas pressies,have a cuppa and a chat.
Hope yo are ok after all your treatments Fred/
Take care Brenda xx

Evening all.hope you have all had a good halloween.
Hope too that all your errands have been done and you have managed
your duvet ,book and hot cocoa night ????
Had a visit from my sister and her daughters with their beautiful daugthers ,it was a lovely hour or two/
Going to meet my friend tomorrow,hoping to get a couple more christmas pressies,have a cuppa and a chat.
Hope yo are ok after all your treatments Fred/
Take care Brenda xx

Afternoon, 1 November and in two months 2013 will be here. :-)

I have had quite an eventful week flying from New Plymouth to Auckland to have repairs at the limb centre. Early morning flights are usually parked up the previous evening this wasn't possible on Sunday night due to fog meaning the first flight on Monday morning was cancelled. :-0 All the passengers were placed on the early flight to Wellington and then flown from there to Auckland. This change meant my limb centre appointment was delayed by three hours. I eventually arrived and then tried out my new knee before a new cover could be made and that takes at least 24 hours or so. Wednesday morning I retrieved my leg and flew home later that day. Thankfully no flight cancellations this time. Its great not having my leg creaking and giving out all the time. As there no family in Auckland I stayed at motel near the limb centre and the friends I knew were either busy or had illness.
The honeymooners fly back on Friday and it will be great to see them back.
Take care, John :-)

afternoon to everyone who looks in,from a damp chilly north east of England.where we have just changed to a heavier tog duvet,to combat the colder weather ,don't somehow think we will be getting an indian summer this year,lol.
We have been down to the metro centre this morning ,and boy ,for a bairns holiday ,is it quiet ,easy to see that money is tight these days ,with the crowds of yore gone,and many of the stores have gone ,if this keeps up ,the centre will be in real trouble :-0.
The usual snuffles are in the house after the flu jab ,but that is far better than the flu itself and normally passes off quite quickly :-).
The loft has been seen to as well so we should be nice and snug no matter what up here on the top of the valley ,better wind and rain than flooding rivers anyway.
nothing on tomorrow ,so it looks like a lazy day ,late to rise if the cat will leave us in peace ,lol and plenty of time for emails and playing games.
be back tomorrow peoples ,take care and be safe,where ever you are,Fred :-Dxx

Evening all,I am glad you have finally got your knee sorted John and will be reunited with your son and daughter in law soon.
Fred ,glad you and Liz are like two bugs in a rug.(snug) now with the insalation
and thicker duvets.
You would not have thought there was a receseion ,judging by the number of people in town yesterday and the bags they where all carrying!!
And at the supemarket today there were some baskets piled high .unless they
are stocking up for the winter!!
Hoping to get to Bury tomorrow ,have to go early,as we need to be home by 12/15
,seems there isa football match on !!
Hoping to get a few more christmas presents and some birthday cards.
Might get lucky with a bargain or two on the food market.Can't go near the cheese stall,have to cut it right down on the diet.
When John is watching the match I am off to the library,they have a couple of books for me/

hope you all have a good weekend ,take care Brenda

Morning to Brenda ,john,and anyone else who looks in. :-).
We have a widespread frost this morning ,and going outside to the greenhouse at 8 am i noticed that the guage was reading -4c ,so that's my brussels well and truly frosted,lol and the parsnip and leeks ,carrots too.
I am going out later this morning to Aldi ,for a few nibbles for tea,like little frozen ,chicken portions ,some little egg portions ,covered with sausage meat and breadcrumbs[cant think of the name of them ,lol,old age is creeping up on me],and a few mini pork pies ,the Sunday tea sort of stuff to save cooking twice on Sunday. ;-).
It's to Morrison's on the way home to buy a seeded batch loaf ,and look out for two largish pieces of beef for corning ,yes folks ,it's that time of year again .he he ,i may also cheat by buying a couple of slices of turkey breast to go with the sliced pork i have taken out of the freezer for the dinner.all i have still to do for that is make a small batch of stuffing ,maybe parsley and thyme for a change.
Time to get ready to go now anyway ,my car ,being diesel needs to be warmed up in these temperatures ,because the engine is easily damaged if you pull away with a cold engine.
Have a nice Sunday all ,and keep warm :-D Fred.xx

Afternoon fred ,Liz and John and any one else peeping in.
Just back from visiting my friend whose birthday it is today
Had anice chat and a cuppa and a naughty danish pastry !!
The diet has taken a bit of abattering this weekend as I had a
white bap with my bacon,which was my treat ,then had the danish !!
Will not be loosing much this week/
Hope you got all your shopping today Fred and enjoy your little buffet.
Sorry about your veggies get the frost ,it is getting colder,even John has said he is feeling it.
Better go and getsome ironing done.
take care Brenda x

I used to think Bon fire night was just November 5th ,these days it seems to last
about two weeks!! how people afford to pay the prices for the fire works to be able to let them off every night I do not know!!!
My sisters poor dog is going to have a nervous break down if the keep letting the fire works off near her.
This weather is not doing much good for Johns golfing,even when its not been rainingy the ground has been so wet its been too heavy going to get round the course without nearly causing pulled muscles/
Should be going shopping in town with two friends tomorrow,looking for a few bits for my holidays.
Hope everyone is ok and keeping warm.
Brenda x