General Chat

Gooood morning all,sounds as though a load of you are now sliding towards winter while others ,like us are heading towards spring.
I notice that oz seems to be in the wars again,what with Melborne at the fringes of a quake which though causing no injuries,did cause some building damage.
Over towards Victoria the floods have left mosquitoes which are disease ridden and a threat to any newcomers to the region,so ,all in all ,its been a naff summer all round for them.
The building firm come tomorrow to replace all the soffets fascia boards,and capping ,along with the guttering and down pipes,which will mean ,of course,no more painting outside for me ,yippee,that leavesme extra time for indoor decorating and the garden.
I have beeb out front already this morning and have cleared lo9ads of dead plants and weeds which are now in the bin waiting for the binmen on tuesday.
roll on two weeks time ,off to Blackpool for a long weekend,and a chance to give the updated talex and sat nav' a workout after i updated them both yesterday,the talex is now, it seems ,giving the right info on the new speed limits in and around Newcastle so ,i hope the rest of the towns in the country,don't fancy any tickets lol.
The Dvla surpassed themselves,my licence is back already,less than seven days since i sent it away how's that for service?.
I got the letter with the proofs of identity back the same day with a note saying ,your licence should follow in a week to ten days lol,pity the gro can't take a leaf from their book ,ain't it?.
Hope Brenda enjoys her holiday ,shedeserves it ,the lass works far too hard.
John,time to get your chimneaout ready for a few BB Qs before it gets a bit too cold,fancy trying one myself for the late autumn days.
sounds as though dinner is ready.
Liz isdoing it all today giving me a rest for a change,we are having corned beef and chicken both from the freezer,stuffing ditto,roast tatties and parsnip,cauli,cabbace ,and carrots ,along with gravy ,luuuuuverly.
Catch everyone later,fred.

hi fred the work you are having done on the house does sound like it will give you more time in your wonderful garden, you are right we seem to be heading back into a bit more of winter snow forecast for the next three days but not a lot of it it seems, I think that I will take myself out to the local garden centre to view all the spring stuff they have on display it is a very large place and fun to wander round, Ican get some idea's for how i want to do the balcony this year plus what kind of veg I want to grow in pots. I hope that you have fun in blackpool I was watching escape to the country after I got up and it was a show about holiday home on the yorkshire coast really fun to view it showed a place I went to as a child from school it was an international camp for children i n staithes I think that is the right spelling. my two cats are very sluggish this am they are not keen on the time change I guess they did not wake till 9am (new time) so we all had a sleep in hope you and liz enjoy the meal she has planned for you bye for now dorothy

Morning Dorothy,seems like spring has about arrived here at last,and i finally managed to have my last coffee of the day ,sat out back among my daffs and crocus.
The garden is coming on well now ,most of the back is cleared out and the missus is getting the greenhouse sorted in preperation for the seeds going in.
I have to go out front as soon as i have finished my coffee and get the front swept up after the workmen ,they did a grand job and the soffets boards and gutters look really nice and ,no more ladders needed [yippee].
I got my plum tree in too ,a nice victoria dwarf tree whick i will prune as a bush to stop upward growth at 8 feet[so i can reach the top with a stepladder],should be okay for fruit now too ,as the apple tree is doing great,cor ,plenty of pies and puddings next year, he he.
Must shoot off for now ,things to do while the sun shines lol.
See ya later,Fred.

hi fred it sounds great having coffe amongst the spring flowers we have had a couple of days of warm weather high of 10 but to-day we have winds of 90 mile per hour and the temperature is dropping no signs of spring flowers over here, glad to hear the workman did a good job for you good work men are hard to find at times it seems to be just you and me at the moment everyone else must be busy bye for now dorothy

hi just a quick note to keep us in the loop snowed this am but not that much, should be cleared later to-day my friends are coming up to-morrow so it should be a fun day, hope everyone is well and looking foreward to the week-end bye for now dorothy

A very quick hello from a wonderful sunny Tenerife!!
Having a brilliant time
Just got a few spare minutes after checking ny emails.
Speak to you all Tuesday,
Brenda

Its nice that Brendas having a nice holiday in Tenerife
Today We are off on bus trip to Ellerslie Flower show in ChristChurch Its NZs answer to Chelsea ! If the rain stays away we will have a nice day Didnt want it too warm - so this might be just was wanted
Cheers Margaret

Hello still typing with some difficulty, not all my fingers work properly yet. Will be seeing a doctor tomorrow, see what they have to say about it as I feel it should be better than it is and my knee is also still very painful, can't kneel on it at all - Oh well will teach me to look where I'm puttiing my feet.

Our next door neighbour has had daffodils out since the snow - they have several different varieties and the early ones came through in January. Mine are just coming into bud now - had some crocuses but the birdies ate them!!

Pleased Brenda is enjoying her holiday. Sorry you are still getting so much snow Dorothy, whenever you mention the temperature it really makes me wonder what we have been moaning about. I hope Sylvia and Johan are well, sounds like a good idea to downsize whilst they still have the choice, though it is hard to give up the home you are happy in.
Fred, pleased you got all the work done on your house - does make a difference not having to maintain all those things like soffits and facia's and guttering is a pain to deal with.

Hope everyone else is well, sorry my hand is hurting now.

Love
Kathleen

Morning Kathleen ,Brenda ,Dorothy,and everyone else who looks in.
Hope you are having a great time Brenda,but don't wish the rest of your holiday away lol,Tuesday will come in it's own good time .
Hope the knee and hand get better soon Kathleen ,but ,far better to break your fall with hand and knee ,than with your head,or shoulder [ouch],still ,it will slow you down for a while he he .
I ain't had fun like that since i stood on a bairns slide last winter and shot off down the path like an olympic skater,until i met the path with the back of my nut and both elbows,he he ,hadn't seen so many stars since the last time i got my telescope out .
'Tis a lovely morning ,so we have decided to go over to Byker ,to look around ,and maybe do a little shopping ,but ,i will NOT be taking the car ,on the 13th ,no chance,i will take the risk and travel on the bus.
The missus treated me to the lawn feed and weed killer for the grass ,so i think i will do the back lawn this afternoon before the rain sets in again.
My roses andfushia have their buds in ,and everything else is starting to move ,coooo,things are looking up .
Anyone else having bother with Yahoo today,got the dreaded http 500 error message this morning ,so can't do my bingo grrrrrrr,he he ,i have never won anything yet ,but still live in hope .
Catch you all later,and in case the 13th strikes ,enjoy your weekend everyone .Fred.[just thought ],Yahoo is a victim of the 13th? maybe

hi everyone so good to see so many messages this am hope you will feel better soon kathleen, well the sun is shining though it is cold and my four friends are on the way up to see me the birthday cake is ready for the birthday girl(65) and we will go to the little pub near me called the bull and barrel they serve very good english food the sausage and mash are wonderful plus the liver and onions. hope you had a good day out fred and I don't blame you not driving on the 13th. my son called to say goodnight to the children he is in halifax arrives home to-day and said he had gone to the casino out there on wed eve he goes once in a while and always spends only 40 dollars he had a good night he won 1840 dollars quite a good profit I was over there as lindy had to have physio on her foot she hurt it running a while ago she usually runs every day so I was not to tellher the news he would call back later so it will come in useful on the trip to england this supper about 900 pounds I guess well must get ready for the company glad to see brenda is having a good holiday back on monday bye for now dorothy

Hi all,
Went to the market today, but was quite cold. The sun shone beautifully but the bitter cold wind made it very unpleasant. However, "March winds doth blow and we shall have snow. I wonder, whether we will. I think this winter is far too long.
I bought 15 primulas of different colours and also some indoor narcissus bulbs to decorate our sitting room. You see next Tuesday the 17th isn't just an Irish Day - St Patricks - but it will be our 53rd wedding anniversary. Oh, where have the years gone to? Then the following Saturday 22nd Johan will be 84 years of age. What an age!
I baked a Dutch apple tart this afternoon. I felt so tired at the end of the afternoon that I didn't get round to decorating the room, but then tomorrow is another day!
Hope you are feeling better Kathleen.
Johan and I went to the physiotherapist yesterday and we are going to begin a series of keepfit exercises on various apparatus. We begin 20 April, twice a week. We will be in groups of 3.
I'm pleased it is the weekend, which means I don't go shopping at all.
Sylvia xxx

Well,goodday all ,sorry tro be late,specially after getting turfed out of bed at 6-30 by the cat wanting her breakfast he he.
Not to worry ,as i decided the weather was ideal for putting the lawn feed on ,what with rain expected this afternoon it will then get washed straight in.
Stopped for 15 minutes after finishing that and sat outside in the sun with a cuppa and played with Hissy,little lamb does enjoy having her tummy rubbed while sunning herself [cor ,it's all right for some spoilt moggies] lol,but of course there are plenty of pets around that arn't,some of them around here.
Took a small cabbsage out for the dinner,removing the stalk and root to put in the dustbin,i don't put them in the green bin because although i do my best to keep clubroot out o0f my garden,i don't want to chance passing it on to other gardeners,which is why i don't put tattie peelings in the composting bin either ,don't fancy tatties coming through willy nilly aqll over the shop.
Anyway,i took a sweede out too,and prepared them both for the dinner,along with some of my own tatties out of the bin,so ,i only had to use shop bought carrots and onions.
We had a nice loin of pork ready to roast so i put it in the oven along with roast tatties ,parsnip.and sweet peppers,made some stuffing up ,adding to it , a little fresh wild gaarlic,nutmeg,onion, chive a little sausage meat and an egg,with some fresh sage,and a few3 leaves of rosemary.
It was nice ,andwe all enjoyed it,i made it really forchris because he will miss out on his Sunday dinner next week because we will be in Blackpool [yippee]for a long weekend.
In between all the bustle this morning i caught up on my emails,bingo and the like,and now,having finished the dinner dishes ,i am off duty till the morning,the missus is going to see to tea which will probably comprise of a sandwich and a currant bun with a slice of cheese in ,looooverly.with ,of course the cuppa to round things off.
Hope every one has had a nice weekend ,catch you all later ,Fred

hi everyone it is monday about 2pm my time I just drove back from brampton and the last three days we have had sunshine and about 10 degree temperatures it has been wonderful, we had a great time on friday with the birthday girl and on saturday isobelle and Ihit the sales and then had a flutter at the casino isobelle spent 20 dollars and won 604 dollars she was very pleased and I spent 20 and won 80 so it was a good hour, I had a great drive up and it was fun to see a lot of the snow has melted. your meal as usual sounded great fred I am roasting to-morrow red spuds parsnips and carrots and onions to go with a nice piece of steak so we shall see how that turns out, to-night it is pasta medallions with alfredo sauce that is it for to-day , bye for now dorothy

Hello Everyone,just finished reading all your great messages,did not have time when I was on holiday.
It was a really good holiday,lots of sun ,food and dare I say a few drinks!!!
We did a lot of walking,a lot of reading as we did actually take some time to laze in the sun on the sun loungers at the hotel.
Have put about 6 0r 7 pounds on .!! So its back to weight watchers tomorrow.
Have to watch a tv programme we recorded last week its a two part programme and the other half i on tomorrow.
Glad you are all well ,will be back tomorrow.
Take care
Brenda

hi brenda just had a quick look and there you are back from holidays it sounds like you had a geat time I forgot to mention earlier on that there is tennis on this week and I watched andy murray win to-day so with the possible good weather continuing all week and tennis what more could I ask for. the children are on a week off winter break so they are off on the ski hills they still have snow and can make more if needed, to=morrow they are going to toronto to have dinner with grandad and then to spend a couple of days with lindys mom who has returned from england again though lindys brother in law with acute pancractic infection so maybe the palns to come to canada at the end of march to look for a house in ottawa may be on hold bye for now dorothy

just a very quick hello,as I am just on lunch.
Weather still very nice not as warm as yesterday but still good.
Not busy this morning lust nice and steady.Hope it is like that this afternoon.
Brenda

Hi I am back again,glad you all kept well and happy while I was on holiday,sorry Kathleen had the accident but hope you are on the mend,what good luck you and family and friends have had at the casinos Dorothy,me, I could not win an argument at the minute.
The cats used the desk as a war zone while I was a way and have broken a few key,so it looks like we have to get a new keyboard and possible a mouse.!!!
Did not take the camera so can not show you any photos,but if you google La siesta hotel las americas tenerife ,thats where we were,.
Put on 7lb while away so its back on the diet with a vengance.
See you all tomorrow ,take care ,Brenda

Morning all.well its gone cold again today,not as cold as it was before my holidays but a lot colder than yesterday,might have to put my socks on!!
John has gone to the golf course and I am in work ,but it is very slow again,mind you we do manage to get a lot of jobs done that can't be done when we are busy, like the moving round of books and sorting out tatty and damaged books.
Only 20 minutes then I am of home.
Might see you all later.take care
Brenda.

Morning peeps ,from a very misty[could it be a heat haze?] Newcastle.
The missus and i went to Sunderland for the day,mainly to revisit the parks in the spring ,and also the winter garden,where we noticed some new exotic plants from all over the world.
We noticed that the banana trees had really grown since the last time we visited,and right next to it was a crimson bottle plant from australia ,in full bloom,what a vibrant colour ,in it's natural habitat ,these plants must be a carpet of crimson with light green leaves[any one in oz with a camera,giv's us a piccie,lol]
We ambled around the parks looking at them ,coming to life after the winter ,and have to admit the makkums[only kidding folks ,my grandads dad was one] know how to design and keep their parks to a standard not seen in Newcastle.
We finished off in an open air market near the station ,where we got a lovely teacake and a cuppa each for £2 for our dinner.
We need to do a little packing today ready for the Blackpool trip ,and the first thing i will be doing is going into that bakery for one of their meat and potato pies,or maybe on the sons recommendation,a cheese and potato one instead ,which ,he says ,are just as good.
Catch up with you all later ,time to go into the garden for a while ,Fred.

goodmorning to all on the first day of spring we are still having some nice weather it is still about 10-15 degree's but will be cooler in the next few days but this is a nice break we still can have some winter or should I say spring snow storms so we are not out of the woods as yer, fred enjoy the trip to blackpool I shall think of you and liz enjoying the pies from the bakery . sad news about natasha richardson's death so many people do not wear helmets when ski-ing all my family do thank goodness as they spend somuch time on the slopes when they can. nothing much new really a slow week but I am enjoying the tennis,glad you are not sobusy at work brenda bye for now dorothy