General Chat

Evening all,after a very wet start it was a nice day til tea time when the heavens openedagain,Hope its dry tomorrow have some visits to my brother s and then my sisters planned.Glad to hear your all organized fred ,and that Liz is on the mend,good idea to carryon with the chairlift.
,i am not doing bad with my holiday plans just over a week to go and when we get back we have 9 weeks till we go again,but in between i want to get my christmas presents sorted have a few ideas what i am getting and need to stick to my budget this year.!!!
have to start my cakes as soon as i get back was going to start this weekend but deceided to wait.
have done the alterations to the pants i have bought for my holidays I always have to turn them up even the cropped pants.,
Hope Dorothy is still enjoying the tennis.
see you all tomorrow,Brenda,

Afteroon all,not a bad day in Newcastle after a very wet start ,he he ,i just had time to gather a few runners off the plants before the heavens opened yet again, but no matter ,i got the beans picket ,a large cabbage dtitto ,and a red onion for today's dinner ,and beat a quick retreat into the kitchen ,just in time too ,lol
My carrot and parsnip are some size now Brenda ,so yours can't be far behind ,if they arn't in front of mine.already .i won't bother with red onions next year ,these ones arn't toobad ,but they are p-rone to bolting even from seed ,so i will be back to the Ailsa Craig next year,a very large white onion that keeps well ,and has a nice mildish taste.
Liz is starting toget around okay again ,but i noticed that she has lost a bit of ground this time ,so i still need to see about this stair lift to help her up and down the stairs
Two weeks and we will be in Cornwall ,yippee can't wait ,ineeds a break ,but it isn't so bad ,he he ,once back home after the two weeks away ,and we only have a week before we are off to Blackpool ,,crafty or what
The youngest son is going to come up while we are in Cornwall and decorate the bedroom and bathroom for us ,and the other son has just finished the toilet ,and that will do for the upstairs
Next year it's the hall and stairs ,and the front room,the kitchen i managed this last spring myself.
The fire is in and commisioned ,and the front room put to rights ,so now ,i can ,no matter what keep the wife and myself warm this winter,a little forward planning never comes in wrong,at.the end of the day.
Glad to hear that your is' seems to be getting there Dorothy ,hears to her ,and you ,being back to normal long before Christmas which is now galloping towards us again .
off for a look aroundsmy domain before the rain comes back ,hope everyone is having a good weekend ,Fred.

just a quick line before the battery goes on the lap top,glad about anne and her op Dorothy,and tha family sound so busy i was going dizzy with there activities,Glad you are still enjoyinh the tennis.weather wet today and getting wetter ovet the weekend.
Hope Fred is ok and not to shatters with Liz being out of action.see you tomorrow
brenda

hi gosh fred myday has not even started and after reading your last post I am exhausted you are one busy guy, hope you find the bulbs that you want and the new vac sounds great , brenda glad you enjoyed you lunch it is nice to get out for lunch I think, well anne called me yeaterda and she was over the moon she recieved a call yesterday and she has a date of the op on the other eye sept 30th so she does not have to wait till the end of november I am so pleased for her it is times like these when I wish I was closer and could help her out as she recovers. again a dull morning a little cool and rainy but as I am in for another day of tennis that is ok, the match last night with roger and soderling was wonderful and roger won.my son called in yesterday with an update on the children and his flying plans. fall activities are now in place wed. Ian has trambaline with some friends thurs guitar lesson, laura swimming also bryan, then friday and saturday hockey for bryan. andrew is fitting in his trips to the east coast around my apts good lad,and then I think they are signing the family up for a winter program of ski-ing and snow boarding they get a family pass for the seaon it is cheaper that way and the kids love it and both parent ski plus lindys mom is signing up again at the age of 71 she is a very good skier, and of course I won't be doing that not my thing too cold I just sit by the fire in the chalet with a good book and the odd brandy. well time to get the day on the way bye for now dorothy

had to delete last message sounded gibberish when I had read it back,Glad every one ok with going back to school.etc.
Good to hear you are enjoying the tennis Dorothy and that Fred is looking after Liz hope you enoyed the crumpets Liz sounds like me with the two for one offers.
\the lunch was good but \i was carefull what I had as my stomch was a bit iffy again and has been a bit off tonight again.something doesn't agree with me will have to find out what,
Cuupa tea just appeared so I better get it drank,ee you all soon.Brenda

afternoon from Fred who is just now sitting down after a very busy day ,eeeeh i is sore ,but happy that everything is done that was sort of urgent.
Washing machine to start off first ,with the bedsheets and duvet covers in.then it was upstairs with a cuppa for the wife.
Then it was turn off the freezer ,unload it and start the defrost ,which takes me nearly two hours before i can start putting all the stuff back in,prior to starting it up again[i even sent the Japanese soldier i found in the corner of the bottom drawer ,back to the toy box] don't ask ,lol.
Next job is ,live out of it for meals for the next three weeks ,so that by the time the new freezer comes ,all the stuff will go in it.
Made the brekkie ,three crumpets [out of the freezer] ,with a note to tell the wife NOT to buy any more offers from Morrison's crumpets ,buy one get one free ,there were 4 packets she had stuffed in the freezer ,bloody woman ,he he.don't want to see any more in a shopping basket until after Christmas.
The new hoover is a smasher ,far more powerful than the old one ,but the hose is the same fitting size to tool ,so i can still use the power brush for issy hairs ,he he,AND the new one sits on the stairs easily so it won't keep sliding off like the old one.
By the time i had the hoovering done ,and the washing out it was time to start the dinner ,and that done i was knackered and went for a lay down for a good hour.
I got to Morrison's between deliveries Brenda,and most of the spring bulbs had been snaffled ,but i will go up again tomorrow and get hold of a couple of dozen,but i was happy with the ones i got the last time i was in ,and still have a full bag of Crocus for the back garden ,and some dwarf daffs for out front ,all i need now is some dry weather to put them in .
Know what you mean Dorothy ,my youngest lad put the flags out yesterday when all the bairns went back to school ,he he ,he said the first hour was bliss ,the second hour was too quiet and the third hour ,he was bored ,no pleasing some people is there?
Well. i am off to start the tea ,not much to get ready really ,two small tubs ,out of the freezer of soup ,wahey, that's four items out in a day ,we is getting there ,lol
Catch you all later Fred.

hi everyone well fred you are on a spending spree it is amazing how lots of things break down all at once but never mind I always say you can't take it with you, the bulbs sound great are snowdrops hard to find the ones that I brought back from tesco for my friend isobelle three years ago are still coming up well and have spread so she is very pleased . and your meal out sounded like a lot of fun glad to hear that liz is better, and brenda hope your lunch goes well I have just finished breakfast and all this talk about food is making me hungry again. stayed up late last night watching the tennis we are getting about 14hrs of it a day , I see from the english papers that wayne rooney is in the news such a silly man they get paid too much what was he thinking. the first day of school went well for the family they seem pleased with the teachers they have, and lindy is only covering 7 teachers this year instead of the 17 she had last year so she is teaching grades 1-3 she is what they call over here a planning time teacher each teacher gets an amount of time each day to plan their times and classes and linda teaches their classes while they do that plus the basket ball team as the 2nd coach I don't quite get it but she is pleased. we have had some cool and rainy days but I don't mind after the heat wave I even got a lot of chores done yesterday .hope the trip to cornwall goes well fred sounds great well that is it for me this morning take care bye dorothy

Afternoon folks,eh Fred lad you have been gining the bank book a battering ,but it does go like that ,my sister needs work doing on the roof and sorted it out with the guy to come next week then the boiler plays up the second time in a week,different thing thougth,!! luckily she has the gas maintenance so is covered but the boiler is 23 years old so they have been told it might just do til next spring but might not so they are looking at having a new boiler. All this just as they see a great deal for a holiday where they love to go in Majorca and at the time they have got booked off.SO they are hoping the guy doing the roof will come next month instead ,giving them some breathing space.
Glad you all had a nice meal fred ,people enjoying themsselves is what I like to hear.Out with two friends tomorrow for a birthday lunch ,going to a place I have not been to beforeso hope I like it my friend doid when she first went ,so i should we have the same taste.
Be back tomorrow ,Brendan

Morning from a wet but mild Newcastle ,hmmmmm,no work outside today methinks,just as well i got 250 spring bulbs put out front yesterday ,and managed to get the back lawn cut.
The crocus and extra Bluebells i put out should make a nice showing come March next year,but so far i havn't managed to find any Snowdrops ,but there is time yet.
I did however find some nice Dwarf Daff's which will go nicely among the roses for next April,so i am doing okay.
We got the Bairn out for her birthday meal last night ,Liz feeling quite a bit better,the bairn fancied an Indian meal ,so we called up Solomans and managed to book a table for three,suprising at short notice ,Solomans being one of the top venues in the north east,but we had a wonderful meal over one and a half hours which we all enjoyed,it making a change from the usual chinese ,good as they are up here .
The new freezer has been ordered to arrive the week after we come home from Cornwall.
What a difference between companies though ,Comet tried to charge us for delivery ,and the removal of the old unit ,while Curry's charged the same price for the same freezer with no delivery charges or removal charge ,so i won't be dealing with Comet in future ,talk about rip off Britain ,Comet are a rip off too.
The freezer is a large unit with four huge trays ,while the fridge on the top is even bigger ,and at eye level which is what we wanted,the old under bench fridge we are keeping for overspill at Christmas ,but will be cleaned out and turned off until then.
I now have to go out and find a new Hepa filtered hoover ,my old one blew up this morning ,he he ,never mind ,i was thinking that i needed one that would sit on the stairs better than the one i had ,lol,but my ,what an expensive week ,he he ,fire ,fridge freezer and hoover all in a little over a week ,i will be getting a nasty letter off my bank manager if i keep this up ,but if i do ,i will upset him further by saying "wait three more weeks mate ,when you will get the settlement for two weeks holiday",he he that should upset him a little more ,lol.
Time to go peeps ,catch you later ,Fred.

Afternoon all.sorry I was missing for a day or twobut have been scanning a loy of pictures on to the pc and then trying to get some on a card for my brothers 60th birthday next week,haven;t done one I really like yet ,but I have a day or so before I need to get it sent.Weather was lovelly on saturday and i got to the library and got my books both only two week reads so having to read a bit more each day to make sure they are back om time.
Also been trying to see which holiday clothes I can still actually get into and look ok !!! don't want to buy any more .I have seen the dietician toda and she has given me some more advise so we will see how we go.Glad you are all enjoying things with the family .
Be back when I have done the card etc.Brenda

hi well saturday was another cool and rainy day but as tennis was on all day and evening I did not mind glad you are having a nice visit with the grandchildren fred and it sounds like maybe liz is feeling a little better, not doing much to-day again it is tennis from newyork and I think that any is playing to-day I have an apt. with the family doc to-morrow just to have a rx written out I was surprised he was opening up on the holiday monday but as his office is in part of his home he does not have to move to far he built a new house about 2yrs ago quite a spread but he is very nice and quite good. I spoke to anne on friday she was down in the dumps she has had word that they may not do the other eye till the end of november I think now she is wishing she had gone private it is takin so long I guess I don't help when I tell her it is about a month between eyes over here all my friends who have had it done and she has met them I so surprised it takes so long over home different systems I guess. in fact I think I will give her another call to-day and see if I can cheer her up take care bye dorothy

Well ,looks like we are on the slippery slope to winter again ,, i was up again ,early ,after the missus woke me up at four a m ,doing her impression of a John Deere with a blown gasket ,lol.
I sat outside at five ,with my cuppa and the first porridge of the season ,scots style ,salt ,no sugar or milk ,very nice it was too,and has set me up well ,for the planting of 100 crocus bulbs ,along the front border out back,which should give us a nice show come next March,coming up just after the Snowdrops.
The two grandbairns don't go home until this afternoon ,so i am going to do a mildish curry for the dinner ,and use some of the chicken pieces we have in the kitchen freezer.
The old freezer is getting a little iffy ,so we are now running it down prior to getting a new one installed.
We are getting one with a largish freezer on the bottom ,fridge on the top,which makes things a little more compact,but will be keeping the old fridge for the Christmas fare ,and doing the corned beef in [this will preventing a certain Australian lady from taking the mickey because i have done it twice in the chalet over the past three years] you listening Mary ? lol.you will have more room for the Christmas visit now ,he he.Mary Christmas to you too .
Getting exited now too ,three weeks until the great move south for two weeks on our Cornwall jaunt,and then about two weeks back home before the trip to Blackpool,all go isn't it ?
Poor old Oz is in the wars again i see ,flooding in some places ,high winds and storms in others ,and a couple of places that have it all rolled into one ,so ,stay safe all of you,and hopefully things will quieten down as you go into your spring proper.
Hope everyone has had a nice weekend ,i may get back later on ,as we are doing as little as possible today ,it being our last one of the bairns holidays.
Catch you all later,Fred

hi from a wonderful rainy barrie at last a beak from the heat it is supposed to clear up later just in time for the mass exodus from the city up to the cottages later to-day, glad to see fred back but I feel very lazy after reading all fred's chores, hope indeed that you get some help with the cost of the chair lift as brenda says I don't see why no hope liz continues to improve. talking about the differance in weather I spoke to my sister yesterday they had returned from a 3 day hiking trip to the british columbia ice fields and had run into 4 inches of snow plus as we spoke the temp. was only 0 degree's in canmore calgary has not had much summer this year another sign of global warming I guess, they were off again to go on a hike in the mountains near them almost in their back yard, while I coninue to veg on the couch watching about 10hrs of tennis but I do go from room to room dusting as I have 2 small tv.s in the bedrooms . the family are getting ready for back to school on tuesday and will be doing something this week-end as the holidays end not sure if they are going up to the family cottage or hanging around the pool they had some neighbours over the other week-end for a b-bque and pool evening a good time was had by all and andrew could try out some new receipes he had some lobsters flown in from the east and they went over well. especially with his youngest Ian who loves fish in any form especially mussels. Ian and I are going out for dinner sometime in the next two weeks for a fish dinner the maderian chinese resturant has a crab special on at this time so he would like to try that, it is his belated birthday dinner (april 21) but with the not driving we have had to delay it and then I owe bryan (may 26th) one as well he prefers ribs but better late than never I enjoy taking them out one on one well enjoy th week-end bye for now dorothy

Good morning all.well the sunshine coninues its been great.Hope its good where ever you are.
Have had a lot of emails today done a couple of replies but going out to have ny hair cut shortly so have not a lot of time ,was hoping the washer would be finshed so I could get the washing on the line as I have shopping to do after the hairdressers.
Have had some piccies sent to me from my sister in law my brother is sixty this month and I am doing one of those cards with piccies on as he grew up so thats going to be a job scanning them in and seeing which is best.
Have a nice weekend,Take care love Brenda

Hi Everyone ,good to see you all so chirpy,it must be the sunshine¬!!
Had a walk round to the shop today ,not far and not long but was fairly shattered when i got back must be the heat or more like lack of excerise.!!!!
Do hope you get help with the chair Fred,can't see why not.
Enjoy the Tennis Dorothy,
Have a few errends tomorrow and some books to pick up at the library.
Take care,Brenda

good evening Dorothy ,Brenda,and anyone else who happens by,from a sunnier Newcastle ,at last ,he he.
Seems Liz has strained her back ,a recurrance of an old injury ,that has reared it's ugly head yet again,and is now on strong pain killers and a tablet to shrink the inflamation that she has.
As soon as she is recovered enough to go to the surgery i will be asking the doctor for a refferal to the dss for a chair lift to be installed in the house to enable her to get up and down to use the only toilet in the house ,and of course to get to the bathroom for a wash ,shower or bath .
The fella was here this morning to see about the new stove ,and ,after a full inspection of the chimney ,hearth and fireplace ,we are told that he will report back to his company to go ahead with the installation,yippee .good news at last.
I have to extend the hearth by 10" to comply with hot ash spillage ,which is well in hand ,there being plenty of bricks of the same pattern outside.
The son is going to do that job for me ,and my son in Law that works for a steam engine rebuilding company is getting the new lintel made out of steel plate to be put across the fire place opening to stop the bricks sagging,all in all ,everything is well in hand.
I Have managed to get the hedges clipped back today and have managed to keep on top of the housework .but it will be interesting tomorrow ,with shopping to do lawns to cut,30 Primula to put in and weeding to do heeeeelp ,lol,where do i fit the other work in,and that's after doing the meals,i tell you peeps ,it was easier being at work ,including all the overtime and working away from home .
We had a lovely ham stir fry for tea,all the veg' apart from the mushroom ,and sweet potato from out back.
Well ,time to go for now ,but at least you all know i am around and am managing ,just ,
take care all,Fred,

goodmorning I am a little shatterd this am what with staying up till after midnight to watch tennis and the HEAT it will be a slow day to-day as again it is to be very hot to-day, I am not really complaining as the white stuff is in the future and give me the heat any day. this week-end is the big long week-end of the summer and then the children go back to school on tuesday along with teacher mom, Laura starts high school and will go on the school bus with her older brother high school starts at 8am . they have made good use of the swimming pool this week . well andy plays to-day I hope that he does well, hope that fred and liz are doing ok bye for now dorothy

Hi All,we have a wonderful day here today,shame its after the bank holiday,would like a few more days like this please,Hope the weather is cheering fred and Liz up seeing as he has all his veg nearly ready and poor Liz is confined to indoors hope she can get out to a nice garden chair to enjoy the sun.
Managed to do a couple of errends left from last week ,will do a few more during the week to catch up.
Have made an appointment to have my hair cut on Friday,it badly needs it its wild at the minute..
Dorothy i am glad you have lost messages as well was thinking I was loosing it when mine went.!!
John is brewing a cup of coffee,so i had better get going,
Take care Brenda

hi one and all I put a long message on yesterday but it seems to have gone into cyber space I was wishing both liz and brenda a speedy recovery and telling fred that I was sorry the weather was so bad and sort of mentioning that our weather was very hot they issued a heat alert as it was to be 40 and it was, this morning it is about 9-45 am and allready it is very hot and going up to 42, like brenda fred I was wondering if you could not get any help with the cost of the stair lift what with being a senior and you were in the forces right .now it is often that I can contribute to all the wonderful things does with with food but I found a new spice or a mixture of spices, it is called citrus blast and is only on sale for a short period it is a mixture of orange and lemon zest and natural lime flavour and it adds the flavour of sangria to fish, seafood, and poultry dishes, I tried it the other evening on some chicken that I stirred fried and it was wonderful, I bought one for andrew as well as he is always using new spices and hot sauces for his cooking it is put our by club house la grille I don't know if you can get it at home or not.again to-day it is a day of tennis from new york good matches yesterday from 1-5 and then from 7pm-11pm well I shall try and send this again hope it gets to you all bye for now dorothy

Hi All,what a great day for a bank holiday ,Or not at least its dry ,so I suppose thats a bonus,
Feeling better again this moring and under strict instructions from John not to do mush ,so i will not tire as quickly.
Johns golfing buddies both have bad backs so he did not go out today ,we did not fancy going out with all the crowds etc so we ar having a lazy day,
Fred hope Liz is feeling better and it will not be too long before she is back to normal if you pardon the pun.Would you not qualify to have a chair lift fitted by the DSS? my mam had one but they did not pay for it only call out fees when it needed repairs,or something like that.
Don't go away for too long don't think you could do much more than you are doing now!!
Hope dororthy is ok and gets things sorted with her new sets of appointments,
Take care Brenda