General Chat

Well things have not improved much ,they have gotten worse if anything.
Its been snowing heavy again since we got in work and my car has a good couple of inches on it again.!!
We have the grit ready for home time in case we have to put it on the snow near the cars.
Not had many people in ,which is what we expected ,I finish tonight at 5pm til 10 am on Tuesday. (HURRAH)
Will be busy to hope fully delivering pressies and cards.
See you tomorrow,
Brenda

Hi everyone,well the white stuff certainly put a stop to a lot of things this weekend,it took us 3 and a half hours to do a 20 minute journey on Sunday and that was only locally!!! the roads were that bad and the traffic was virtually at a stand still.It was not actually snowing at 11.30 am when we went out but it was so dark at 2.45pm when we got near home it was like the middle of the night.
We live near North Manchester General Hospital and the avenue which leads to it from a road near us was impossible to get up,.it is up a very old steepish bendy lane, which is known as the back road as it is not the main entrance ,thank goodness,even the ambulances couldn't do it ,at least one tried and then and to back down ,sliding more than anything,the junction with the lane has trafffic lights and the road going passed it is steepish and was so icy it was really bad when the lights went red going up it was very hard to stay still and not slide back. I had to come that way again last night on my way home from work ,but it looks like they have been gritting a bit now,as it was a lot better.
At lunchtime on the way to work I had called at Sainsburys and the carpark was just a slush park really,should have rolled my pants up as they got wet and dirty from the slush ,they had only cleared teo aisles for the disabled cars and the cars with children!!
Kept my boots on when I got to work otherwise my ankles would have been wet througth as well.
Hope it keeps clear,but its supposed to be back tomorrow.
John is on the mend from the chest and throat infection that he picked up on holiday,most nights he does so much coughing when we go to bed ,its a waste of time really.Hope the antibiotics keep working as well as the hot toddies he has ben having.
Better go back and try and get some sleep,am on work at 9amand finish at 5pm till th 29th so thats a long weekend!!!
Havr the car drapped over my arm as I type this and he is getting heavy as well,but is like an hot water bottle.It seems like decades ago whenwe had that hot summer Kathleen and we could not sleep due to the heat!!!
Catch up with you all tomorrow,
take car e,Brenda

hello first of all I promise I did not redirect our snow over to you and yours, fred that sounded like a bit of a nightmare drive back for you and liz sort of what it is like on the big highway 400 at rush hour when we have the snow storms, kathleen good to see you back on line and also great that your grandaughter found a job here's to a brighter future for her, nothing much new over here at the moment it is cold but no dare I even say it no snow. to-day I went and got a haircut looking quite good but not going anywhere special this evening in fact I don't like going out at night anymore. dno further updates on my three grandchildren so no news is good news they finished school to-day for 2 weeks. brenda sorry that the snow arrived just as you returned fromholidays not fair is it bye for now dorothy

Evening all [best Dixon Of Dock Green voice] ,lol.
We came back home last night because Sean's boxes never arrived,but we did get a good look at his new abode,all newly decorated ,a new kitchen and new carpets ,very nice and comfy.
Anyway ,sean got his hire car which will do him until early new year ,when ,hopefully he will have his own.
The drive back was pretty bad ,blizzards ,roadworks for miles with 50 mph speed restrictions ,none of which seemed to have anyone working on them either,typical of the highways agency in this ruddy country.
Once the snow struck outside Oxford ,the panic started ,lol,hundreds of motorists panicking and slowing down to crawling pace ,which always makes the experienced drivers fume because they are being held up.
High time that all new drivers ,to get a licence had to go on a skid pan before they could drive on the roads,the roads would be so much safer.
it took 6 hours to drive home ,not bad considering all the hazzards ,but i was knackered by the time i reached the drive gates.
I was too tired to stand over a cooker last night ,so we had two pizzas and four wraps that we brought from M & S on our one and only stop on the way up £7 all in ,and well worth the money as it was all very tasty.
I Can get you the recipe for the beef Kathleen ,i have four [ALL] irish lol ,but i will give you the really tasty one which i use all the time,mind you ,you are right ,i have tried beef from a few places overseas ,and a lot of the recipes used are short ,with a lot of ingredients missing,which makes the dish taste pretty naff.
Nice to hear that the daughter has found work ,not easy to find these days ,and as you say ,it will do for now ,and will in the long run enable her to find something better..
Time for me to make tea now ,nothing special tonight ,steak ,liver and kidney braised in a rich gravy,dumplings,steamed new potatoes,cabbage ,carrots ,and green beans[time for the hearty stuff lol.
Catch you all later, Fred.

So sorry not to have joined in recently, although I have managed to get a few minutes to read a few of the messages but then have been interrupted so not had time to post.

Not had time to read all that has been added since my last visit so not up-to-date on all that you nice people have been up to. Dorothy, hope your g.son does not suffer too much with his knee - he has been in the wars lately hasn't he?

Pleased you enjoyed your holiday Brenda, hope your time in the sun has set you up to face the cold weather you have come back to. It has been snowing here and is rather chilly. Have put out a lot of leftovers for the birds plus some bought seed and stuff - the word has got out it seems as my garden is now full of birds finishing off the bread pudding, suet pud and stale bread and pastry I have put out. Lots of blackbirds, wood pigeons, collared doves etc - and three little robins who wait for the crowd to thin out a bit before diving in.

Fred, hope Sean gets his stuff quickly. Hope your long drive goes ok - watch the weather though. I want to know how you do your corned beef, our butchers don't ever do it properly - I want the proper Irish recipe. That was one of my busband's favourite meals corned beef and cabbage.

My eldest son (Chris) thought he was off from his last shift until Boxing Day - he got a phone call this morning to say they had all made a mistake and he was supposed to be working this shift (2 days & 2 nights) and off the next so finishes Christmas Eve and goes back on 30th. There was me having a real moan to myself (quite loudly) about him still being in bed when there was work to be done that I needed help with. Went to wake him up - and he wasn't there.!!! Luckily he phoned me a few minutes later to let me know what had happened (he had left for work at 7 and I hadn't heard him go). He was a bit late getting in but they will pay him as it was their mistake. Means I am going to have to struggle with some things on my own as g.daughter is now working and won't be around to help.
After at least 100 applications Indira finally got an interview and was taken on immediately - not that she can remember actually applying for this particular job but she's not worried - it's work and pays a wage. Not at all what she wanted to do but all experience.

I can't believe that Christmas is only a week away - does it really come that quickly every year? Loads still to do, I had hoped to get some decorating done this year but have now had to give up on that as I won't be able to get it done by myself (poor old soul that I am - but at my age I'm not doing too badly). Just have to cover it all up with lots of tinsel and stuff and pretend I can't see the rest.

Hope you all stay well, I WILL be back in a day or two (maybe in the middle of the night - but Dorothy will be awake).

Meantime, take care
Love Kathleen

Hi ALL,well Dorothy one day back from my holidays ,and we have had the first of the white stuff!!!
It was a bit like hail stones at fisrt then the flurries came down,luckily it has not stuck,but it is really really cold out there.
We have been busy in the early aftrenoon,but after tea its been very quite.
Mind you the stalwart computer people have been in as normal.
THe kids break up from school tomorrow and have been giddy at the homework club,still they have gone home now,its time to start the closing proceedure so I had better go
Fred hope the stuff from Cypress turns yo
Brenda.
Take care

Hello everyone,got back last night from a really good holiday.Plenty of sun and good food and rest etc.Been busy today meeting some friend,then came home to carry on with the washing from the holidays.Did get on a pc when away but had so many emails to delete or reply to my time was up before I knew what was what. so my apologies for not getting on here.
had a bit of pain with the knee but managed to do almosrt all we wanted to do.
sorry about you rgranson dorothy hop ehe is ok now.
Hope your gransons stuff arrived ok fred.
Better get to bed soon,did not realise I would have so many emails to sort out after sorting them out last week as well.
See you all tomorrow Brenda

Morning all .just enjoying my cuppa before i start loading the car ,which may turn out to be a short trip.
It seems Sean's stuff hasn't even left Cyprus yet ,so it may yet be a case of handing the lad his new licence at Brize,pumping up the camping mattress and coming home the following morning ,lol
I can't remember who asked for the recipe for the Christmas cake and pudding ,but i have now put them onto the hard drive of the acer ,the first thing i did after getting the new modem yesterday afternoon,fired it up ,turned on the printer and got cracking ,lol
The cake is easier to make than many ,and is a little quicker ,tastes beutiful and is nice and moist ,comes highly recommended. by Fred Cook ,lol.The pudding is a real belter ,prepared in a few minutes Christmas eve ,put into the fridge overnight ,,put into a basin as the dinner is put out ,and ten minutes in the mic' ,bingo ,a lovely pud that tastes far nicer than the shop bought rubbish .
Any one wanting the recipes please p M me with your email addy so that i can shunt it through the ether ,lol
Edith you give me a picture of a little polar bear sitting in a chair in front of a roaring fire ,wrapped in a blanket ,he he if that were me lass ,i would be in bed ,10 hot water bottles ,fifeteeen wooly blankets ,hibernating 'tll the spring , brrrrrrrr.
I remember ,many years ago ,spending a very miserable night in my lorry cab in the Ayr park on the water front, 11 below it was that night ,and i had to light a fire under the engine in the morning before i could start it ,lol.that was more than cold enough for little me,if i was masocistic i could turn down my chest freezer to the max' ,and spend the night in there ,but ,no thanks, i will leave that to the experts .
Time to get on with the packing now .i will be back this evening when i will know if i am coming home tomorrow he he.
P /S welcome home Brenda ,Fred.

hi tues pm hope you have a safe trip fred nothing much new over here I did have a good week-end away but to-day the snow has stated in barrie it is the fluffy stuff at the moment we are supposed to get about 15-20 cm so we shall see what happens, just as the eldest grandson bryan was getting over the pneumonia on sunday he and two friends where working on a project for french class that involved making a short movie, it also involved toboggoning well of course who gets injured but bryan blew his knee so is now on crutches and has a splint the x-rays show no break so that is good so he is back in school crutches and all they do have elevators for kids that have wheelchairs so he gets to use them not sure how he will manage in the snow. I wonder what next. xmas dinner is now sorted we are all going to bolton ! to lindys sister jane's I will go over on xmas eve to andrews xmas morning is so much fun with the children I guess the former husband will be up as well for the week-end. as you will have noticed so many places ie. towns etc are named after english towns I quite like bolton it is a small town and quite pretty . that is it for me I shall be keeping an eye on the snow bye for now dorothy

Hi Dorothy ,and anyone else who passes through a wet dull but mildish morning up here in the frozen north of England,where i am spending a few minutes chatting on here ,before i head into the kitchen to get on with the task of cleaning out the oven ready for the Christmas fare to be cooked.
The first batch of corned beef is now in the freezer after it was sliced and salted away [and tested of course ,opinion? yum yum]
The second batch is now in the same brine which is what we will keep out for Christmas /boxing day.
We have to do a little packing for tomorrow yet ,enough gear to do four days ,the acer ready packed into the carry case with the dongles and other stuff i will need.
We will be going across the A69 to the M6 before turning south down to the M5//M4 for Oxfordshire,hopefully reaching Brize by 1700 and Lyneham by 2000[looks like fish and chips ,or a takeway at that time of night.
Hope everyone had good weekend ,see ya on Thursday ,dongles permitting ,lol. Fred.

hi fred guess it si just you and I at the moment well things calmed down weather wise for us and the rest of the week was not bad cold and high winds but no snow but if you google huntsville and gravenhurst ontario canada you will see and awful amount of snow in fact they are in a snow emergancy state, the roads and highways were closed but it looks pretty but waist high in places, to-day I am taking advantage of the fact that it is not snowing and heading down the highway to brampton dropping of xmas gifts to three friends I will stay over and head back to-morrow. nothing much new other wise hope brenda is having a good time bye for now dorothy

Hi Dorothy ,yes ,the email made me chuckle ,specially the third one showing the huuuuge tabby draped across the ladies neck,cor ,i thought ,that's no cat ,it's a dog in drag wouldn't want one like that to feed ,nor annoy come to think of it.
God help any burglar that breaks into that house ,lol,he .or she would be going back out in a body bag.,in strips he he.
The temperatures are going to plunge here over the next few days too ,but it won't be anything like you are getting thank goodness,used to love weather like that when i was a lad ,but i can't stand the hot weather now ,never mind the cold.which is even worse.
Well ,i plucked up the courage yesterday to face the mickey taking at the local vodaphone shop about the loss of my dongle ,but ,they were fantastic,about it all.updated me to a faster dongle free of charge because the one i lost was out of date and discontinued and all i finished up paying for was the new sim card which they changed the number on to the same as the one i lost ,so all i had to do was slide it into the usb port ,and off it went .
This time i have insured it so that it is covered for loss and damage.
The t mobile dongle won't work with the h P lappy on windows 7 ,but will with the acer lappy on vista ,so i am taking the acer away with me where ever i go now ,and if i lose signal on one dongle ,i can swap to the other,and if that dosn't go ,hell ,i will use smoke signals ,or pigeon post .
Think every one is either Christmas shopping ,wrapping pressies or enjoying the sun like Brenda lol.
Catch you later all ,Fred.

hi wed 8-20 am my time and the storm has hit high winds blowing snow school buses cancelled and of course lots of accidents people forget how to winter drive, I shall not be on the road to-day . fred I sent on a e-mail that my sister sent me re cats it is very cute you should get a laugh hope everyon is fine people seem to be very busy no news from sylvia for a while bye for now dorothy

hi fred glad you are having a good week-end it is very cold here but no snow at the moment, jut came back from the building xmas supper it was very good turkey with all the trimmings, yes I will get the swine flue vacine to-morrow am so I will have had all the shots going regular flue and this one and of course I had the pneumonia shot after the heart attack so I should be well protected, bryan appears to be recovering from the pneumonia quite well he may even be allowed back to school in the am. hope brenda and john are all setted in at their vacation spot and that they have a great time so I shall say goodnight for now bye dorothy

Morning Dorothy ,yes ,i think our Brenda may now be on her travels and may even be at her destination ,i hope she has at least as good a time as we had,on our holiday of a lifetime.
hopefully ,she will find the climate and the relaxation good for the knees too.
Wow What a weekend Lizand i are having ,firstly the grandson is here again and has booted Liz off the puter for half an hour ,while she gets started on dinner [well .i did all the meals yesterday] fair doo's and all that he he.
Secondly ,Harry Potter & The Half Blood Prince arrived in the post yesterday so we will be watching that this afternoon.
To cap that ,my beutiful moggy Hissy brought me a pressie this morning which i noticed as soon as i opened the door,there ,on the step she was ,with her prey at her paws looking up at me satisfied smile on her face,feathers everywhere ,looking as though she had even started to pluck it for me .
There it lay my most hated enemy of the garden a wood pigeon, and i have to say ,if it had been a bit plumper i would have kept it for the son ,who loves game bird ,i find pigeon a little strong for my taste,had it been a pheasant or partridge or even a rabbit it would have been straight in the pot .lol.
No matter what she catches ,she always goes for the neck ,the meat therefore ,unmarked ,wonder if there is a market for gun cats? he he
Yes ,get your shot for the flu ,Dorothy ,far better than getting the full on virus ,we were lucky ,no side effects at all ,not even a cold.
Hope all of you are having a great weekend ,no matter where you are ,and be careful and safe no matter what you are doing.Fred & Liz.

goodmorning from a very cold barrie and snow is in the air we had a few squalls yesterday but nothing lasted on the ground I spent the day trying to get rid of the cold no doubt caught from the grandson who is feeling a little better, I have my swine flue injection on monday . I am not sure if brenda has left for her holidays if she has I hope they have a great time. I think that I will put up the xmas decorations on sunday and get in the festive mood. also on sunday is the buildings xmas dinner usually very good the manager cooks about three turkeys with all the trimmings. bye for now dorothy

hi everyone it is thurs afternoon it has been a hetic week for me as the oldest grandson was ill a cold?flue turned into pneaumonia and he was having difficulty breathing so monday and tues. I was over there and then on wednesday he got worse up to the clininc and then to the hospital he got home at 11pm last evening with some of the tamil flue pills as a precaution agains the swine flue, I was over there this am ( a 6-15 wake up for me) till 11am when his dad arrived back from ottawa and then I left and came home for a bit I am back there this evening as they have an appt. set up by the grief people at laura's school re how to deal with the after affects of the suicide of her classmate. I did manage another trip to the new bakery to get some of the chocolate congac sauce for a friend of mine , but fred I do agree the prices of the quiche were out of line way to expensive. brenda have a great trip and rest that knee, we had snow tuesday morning but it did not last, but a storm is forecast for late this evening so we shall see what happens bye for now dorothy

Afternoon Dorothy ,Brenda,another day nearer the big one ,lol.but this year i think Liz and i are far better organised than usual and are pretty laid back about it all[so far]
I,m afraid that bakery would be in a mess if it was relying on me to pay those prices Dorothy ,what a rip off ,to get me to buy one of those Quiche's it would need to be as deep and as wide as a car tyre ,lol., afraid i would be making my own ,far cheaper and more of them.
You get on with your packing there Brenda ,you must be getting close to your launch date yeeeeeah ,bring it on ,hope you have a brilliant time,and your knee gets a well deserved rest to boot.
Going back to the word Tesco's for a minute ,we usually gravitate there at least once a fortnight and have either a breakfast ,or dinner ,depending on the time we finish the shopping,and it makes such a change ,and gives me a break from cooking once in a while
Your Turkey was cheap anyway Dorothy ,i am looking forward to trying this three bird roast for new year ,brought from Aldi,a chicken ,wrapped in a duck ,wrapped in a turkey.with a stuffing in the middle.
Theere is a very big one made of nine birds starting with a spatch cock,and finishing with a goose ,but you would need a very large family to eat that lol.
We are having a bowl of Liz's home made mushroom soup this evening with chopped up new potatoes ,a nice hearty meal along with some french stick lovely.
Catch you all later Fred.
i

Morning all,we have another cold day here,but it is dry,
Have all may clothes ready to iron and pack ,which I will be doing tonight and tomorrow.
Hope Ican get on the internet at least once to say hello while I am away.
The weather seems nice over there at the minute,hope it stays good,can get a bit chilly in the evening.but a cardi is all we need.
Dorothy good buy with the turkey,they seem dear all over ,hope the white stuff stays away for you.
Well Fred what a great visit you had,(apart from the reason you had to go) glad you got something positive from it all.
We have a Cafe in the Tesco near us where my son works and it is really nice and so is the food,which is also resonable price wise.
Have a few jobs I had better do ,but the borrowers are thin on the ground today,up to now anyway!!.
Take care ,Brenda

he fred well even though you attended a funeral you certainly had an intersting time meeting up with all those people and the things that you learnt, brenda hope the knee improves and goodluck on the holiday, I went to the new bakery yesterday and it was an interesting place but very expensive ie a quiche a large one was 25 dollars now they had a variety of fillings but that would be about 12pounds 50 roughly, the butter tarts were a good buy I bought 3 and gave two too the lady who came with me for her and her husband. to-day I went to one of local stores as they had turkeys on for 97 cents a pound a very good buy and got a bird about 14 pounds that will do my family when they come over between xmas and new years, they store was selling them out fast other stores have them about 2dollar 49 to 2 dollars 70 a pound we are supposed to get some of the white stuff to-night so we shall see if the weather man is right or wrong bye for now dorothy