General Chat

Morning on and all,from a veeeeery cold Newcastle ,wherer hoar frost has covered all my veggies ,grass and greenhouse in the garden,nice to see it though as it may kill a load of pest in the soil.
I have been busy since getting up at six ,owing to one ruddy cat doing a Dorothy ,cat look alike ,getting dive bombed at fivr thirty is a joke lol.
Anyway ,i have cleared the windows ,done the housework,put the last of the gear from the caravan away,and made the dinner.
We are having a small casserolle ,with a red pepper,and onion chopped in ,four sausages ,cooked ,and cut in to pieces,some liver ,frfied in oil ,coated in flour ,salt ,and pepper before going in the pot.
I then cut up one large potato, sliced thinly before par boiling ,and in the meantime added half a tin of baked beans before putting the potato slices over the top,a little olive oil brushed over the top ,and it's ready for the small oven.
This means that there is a complete meal in one ,with no need for anything else ,nice and simple .
I think we have been lucky in the u/k with the recent weather ,Oz,canada,america,and pakistan have all had a beating ,so i ain't goin' to complain about a little frost and wind.
Hope everyone is managing okay and is nice and snug,and for those poor souls in Brisbane city who lost their power during an electrical storm,i hope you soon get sorted.
Fred.

Hi All
Wednesday's "Cans" Film Festival was quite hectic around 540+ cans were collected and about the same number saw the five movies. Today was a quieter but where I volunteer 53 frozen meals were sold to eight people - some buy between 6 and 12 at a time. Craig was out on his bike this afternoon - and the weather is still good hope it remains that way until after the weekend to allow the visiting band to play outdoors. Take Care, John

hi wednesday 6pm my time well I arrived in barrie at 3am to-day the plane was on time but we hit a major snow storm in the 400 highway up to barrie it was !!!!!!! awful it finally cleared up about 20 miles outside of barrie, the cats were pleased to see me and dive bombed the bed until about 4am then had the nerve to want to be fed at 8am so I have not had much sleep but it is nice to be home, I had a great trip and saw lots of the sights of calgary and canmore, the two condo's that my sister and her husband live in are very nice, the one in canmore has wild life wandering by ie. elks deer and the odd black bear but I only saw the elks and deer, it is a very wealthy area with the money coming from balck oil, anyway it was nice to spend the time with chris but good to be back will catch up with all the threads to-morrow hello to all and goodnight dorothy

Hi ALL,,sorry I did not get back last night ,it was one of those times when the phone was red hot with everyone calling me one after the other.!!
Hope tonight is quieter.
Glad you are home safe and sound Dorothy,
Been booking a hotel for Johns parents for christmas ,they will not come down here and we can not all stay up there,so we have booked them in the Norbreck castle over the holidays.
My back is acing so I am going for a drink of tea.See you all tomorrow.By the way we had a sprinkling of snow this morning.!!Brenda

hi one and all to-day i fly back to barrie after a really good trip the snow is on the mountain tops but it will be 20 degrees as I head home will read allthethreads I have missed when I get home, my plane arrives at midnight so it will be 2am before Ihit my bed 7am your timetake care all fo you bye for now dorothy

hello everyone,from a very cold and dismal Manchester,its really gone cold over the last few days,think I need the de icer out as I may be defrosting the car tomorrow ,this is one of the times I think I will definately retire next march.
Its chilly in this room at the moment anthe heating will not be on till later so i will be back then.Brenda

Hi all
Sylvia did you launch yourself in to space with the injection? LOL! I probably would also. Tomorrow - Wednesday we are helping out at a "Cans" Film Festival where people donate a can of food and get a ticket to one of five especially selected movies. The cans go to Sallies with the company sponsoring the festival matching those donated. This festival has been going for 15 years and I remember the very first one. I just being 'chatting' to a friend on Facebook. Catch up soon, John

Hi all,
Well I had my hydrocortisone injection in my right arm today. I knew the doctor had found the right spot when I nearly went through the roof with pain.
Before that I had an anti flu jab in my left arm - well couldn't have it in my right one, could I?
I made a lovely Dutch apple tart yesterday and was going to give it to my neighbour who has just come back from 6 weeks in her holiday house in Hungary, but then my household help came back - she was ill last week with migraine - and she is partial to my apple tart so gave it to her. Well, less a slice she had this morning and another slice Johan demanded for his coffee this evening. I have promised to make another one soon. My help has two little girls and keep asking their mother to make one of these tarts, but she is always busy earning her and her daughters keep.
Fred, you seem to be having the same weather as us - stormy weather, lots of high winds and plenty of rain. I think we will be getting snow soon. They do have it in the Alps.
Yes, like you Fred, I am prepared if I cannot get out to the shops. I make my own bread. I made a delicious sultana bread over the weekend. The next thing for me to make is the Dutch pea soup. I have goulash in the freezer, which freezes very well.
Have a nice evening, keep warm.
Sylvia xxx

Good morrow all,and a special one for our Sylvia ,who seems to be in the wars yet again,i do have a little idea of how you must be feeling Sylvia,but thankfully you are a lot stronger than me.
I'm afraid if i was like you are at the moment ,i would be in tears most of the day.
The weather in blighty is due to take a turn fr the worse this week with ice ,snow ,and howling gales for a lot of us,so Martin and i are going to bring the van back this week first chance we get.
The van is going up for sale soonest ,because Martin wants to upgrade to a better model with a better internal layout,but iv'e told him ,if he rolls up with a longer van ,he will NOT be putting it in our drive,because therre isn't room lol.
I was up early and started the weekly wash,which is now out in the rather watery sunshine ,he he,but i thought i had better get it done before the weather turns.
We had the grandson stay to tea yesterday,so i made some egg and cress mix for sarnies[home grown cress of course],some cheese savoury,and got a few slices of ham out of the freezer.
Along with a few fancy cakes ,it seemed to go down well with fresh baked rolls instead of the shop ,sliced bread.
Must remember to buy some part baked rolls ,just in case we get snowed in and i can't find time to bake fresh.
Are you home for the winter now Dorothy ,it must be hard over there t get round once the winter sets in seing as you get tons more snow than us ,plus much more freezing fog and sleet.
I was amazed when Sean told me how many superstores over in cannuck land had special plugs in the car parks so that shoppers could plug their cars in to stop them freezing up,cor ,we brits don't know how lucky we are .
Well folks ,time to go and get some work done,
Keep you chin up Sylvia old friend ,Liz and i will be thinking of you.Fred.xxx

Hi all
Its Monday and end of a holiday weekend. Speaking of food we had cornsilverside for lunch today with new potatoes and mixed vegetables yum. We had to buy a lamp for the lounge as our other one had a faulty transformer which we had ordered but then the lamp decided to snapped in half .... so we ended up buying a new one in the sale half its normal price for $NZ49.95 not bad considering. Craig is out on his bike this afternoon and is probably riding along the walkway and cycle path. I've been on the new facebook site for a while chatting to friends. Catch up again soon, John

hi everyone itis sunday and I am back in calgary after 4 days in canmore lake louise and bannff, my sisters 2nd home in canmore is very nice with a view of the mountains from every room, lake louise was fantastic and also bannf, more details when I am back inbarrie, I leave to go home on tuesdayhave had good weather lots of sun to-day it is 2 but 16 to-morrow and 19 on the day I leave hope you all are well bye for now dorothy

Hi all,
Well I have new tablets for my cystitis and these now make me feel sick. I am trying to carry on as I want to finish this cure.
Tomorrow I have to go to the doctor for an injection in my right shoulder for the pain. I also have to have an anti-flu injection, so will be choosing my left arm for this. I need to phone the hospital for X-rays of both my knees. Otherwise, I am fine!!!!!!!!!
I talked it over with Johan about cancelling our forthcoming holiday as I have so much trouble with my waterworks at the moment. I have to have a taxi to the airport but won't make that without a couple of stops on the way, and then on the plane? A nightmare.
The weather has been appalling, gusts of winds, rain. I am glad I didn't have to go out.
My granddaughter, bless her, popped in for an hour on the way to her father for dinner.
Yesterday I baked a couple of bread and today a sultana loaf and a Dutch apple tart.
Keep well, Sylvia xxx

Morning all,nice to see the weather has bucked up.its a bit windy and a bit chilly but dry,for thr moment,John is talking about washing the cars ,but he says that a lot.been out to look at a couple of places for a new dining room table and chairs,but the ones we saw are all what I would call boxey and very "rustic" looking.There were some that would be gtreat if it was just to go in the kitchen,but its to go in a dining room and needs to match my units.
I am pleased so many people take enjoyment from cooking and baking,I do myself, I like to try new things but most of the time ,,they are not what i expected ,or we just did not like them,I have to find things we all like or its not worth doing .
Have tireda couple of low fat variations on sausage casserole and chicken casserole.we all liked them and they were filling ,tasty and not too exspensive.
Today we are having a pot roast of brisket,with dry roast potatoes,cabbage,carrots,sprouts and gravy made from the stock from the pot roast.
Wish I could say the veg was home grown but i can't ,maybe next year???
Take care ,Brenda

Morning all,nice to see yo John ,pity you couldn't nick a slice of cake while it was still warm.
See Brenda ,and a few others lol,i ain't the only one mentioning food ,can i help it if like Jamie Olver and others ,i love cookng and trying new recipes,and i ain't fat [yet ] he he.
Sorry to be in and out of the thread at the moment peeps ,but i have a new contact with the family on here ,and am having a good look see as to connections to various family names.
I'm also starting decorating again ,so i am keeping myself busy lol.
It's nice and mild here this morning ,so i think i will be out in the garden shortly ,getting rid of a few weeds beforre the weather closes in for the winter.
See ya later all .Fred.

Good evening, Gayle, Craig and I went to my brother's today for lunch. The last we were at their place was June. We also went to Mum's on the way home and she gave us some of her homemade biscuits and a couple of pies, at 87 she is still baking and that something she enjoys doing. Mum also made us a Christmas cake which was too hot to bring home and once cool will be frozen until she sees us. Gayle does bake but not the type of biscuits that Mum does. Sad to think a lot of people don't know how to cook which was pointed out on Jamie Ollivier's latest programme.
Yesterday Craig linked me up with FaceBook which all new to me but is very interesting. Catchup soon John

Hello just aquick message as everyone seems busy elsewhere,
Nice day today weatherwise,did someshopping with my sister,
see you all soon,Brenda

Hi everyone,did not have chance to put a message on when I was on my break at work,so as I am ,surfing the net as they say ,looking for a florist?garden center in Australia ,I tought i would add my message now,well have a nice long weekend from work ,not on til wednesday next week unless someone needs a swop for something urgent.Last time it was to let a friend go to a funeral,which is understandable.
Not got much planned ,going to see my sister tomorrow and going with John one day to see if we can get him a jacket.
Might get a lie in on saturday/sunday,but usually i seem to wake at the normalt time and can not get back to sleep.So get up and have a cup of tea and a read.
See you all soon.
Glad you are still with us John ,Take care sylvia .You don't do my diet any good fred with all this food talk!!/
brenda

Hi everyone,
I haven't swanned off into the great blue yonder just yet Badger and have decided to stay for a little while longer, only thing is to remember to check more often.
The cough I mentioned last time is not so bad now but its still annoys Gayle. Craig will be visiting us for this weekend being Labour Day here in New Zealand, so it will be could see him. He tells us he's going to do some biking but the weather forecast is for rain. Back later, John

Hi all,
Well we had a very icy wind blowing today. I am sure it came from Siberia. Tomorrow I have booked a taxi to take Johan and I and my scootmobile to town to the market. I want one or two bits before I go on holiday (to Spain).
Must make an appointment with the doctor to give me a hydrocortisone injection for the pain in my muscles.
Fred, you are always talking about food. How is Missy?
Sylvia xxx

Hi Brenda,if you turn left as you leave the camp,i's Morrisons,if you turn right and turn left at the fishermens friend roundabout ,it's Asda,we also found Netto ,and Aldi locally ,so we were well off for shopping.
I have just managed to upload my family gedcom in pdf form and take a copy off to disc ,just in case it goes walkies from genes and so i feel a lot safer now,things being what they are
I can now start adding the wifes parents and siblings,and work back from there.
This saves me having to merge the two gedcoms on latterday saints paf file,which i was dreading in case something went wrong and i lost the lot.
Liz and i have just finished an early tea,a bowl of her lovely tomato and beef soup ,that went down a treat,and there are 4 containers down in the freezer,for supper it's treat time ,two slices of welsh rarebit apiece,with marmite under the melted cheese mmmmmmmmm,lol.
It's my turn tomorrow ,making leek and potato soup ,which will also land up being frozen.just the job for the oncoming cold evenings.
Hope everyone is doing fine,and Hope our Sylvia is well over the flu,still old friend,hopefully you have had your dose for this winter,and you won't get it again.
Hope you enjoy the rest of your trip Dorothy,but watch out for the wild life,some of it gets a dad grumpy about now he he[no,i dont mean Liz either ].
Have to go now ,the washing is dry at last ,but it's getting cloudy and i don't want it wet again.
I have the next week yet to get the lawns done for the last time,so things don't look so bad.
See you all later,take care ,and be safe all.Fred.