General Chat

Hi Brenda,
Hope your Mornington Friends, are well Insulated if they are at Lakes Entrance, same as here, Squally one minute, Rain, the next, then Blasts of Sunshine. Im sitting here in My tent, just been chatting to Fred.
Im waiting in Bairnsdale until I have appointments at the hospital here, Old age is catching up with me, and old Osteo Arthritus on my Already damaged spine. now I have Kidney stones (Again).
Cant wait to get fixed up and Go back to gold mining. along the Gibbo River.
Its a bit warmer up there by now. Its being so cheerful that keeps me going.
Hope your well Dorothy.
See you later Fred.
Bill in Oz :-D

Morning all.we have had a right mixture of weather this morning starting with rain,and wind then it went to a drizzle, now we have a dry but greyish day ,but am not holding out for much more.
For lunch have made a pan of leek and potato soup,with some broccoli looks and smells really good will know how it tastes later.
Having liver and sausage with mash and onion gravy for tea,just right for this weather,
Bought one of those cooking bags with spices for cooking chicken it was on offer for 50p so not bad ,might try it tomorrow with a jacket spud.Hope your tea was ok and the visitors enjoyed that lovely sounding meal Fred.
Bill I have the arthritis in my right knee and hip can manage that but have a trapped nerve as well which is causing big problems with pain ,waiting to go to a NHS physio ,but couldn't get an appointment till Oct 4,appointment was made in early August.Been seeing aprivate one which is helping.,
Hope you will be feeling better as you go into your summer,my friend is at home in Mornington at the moment,not sure when her next trip is and where,sometimes they just take off for a few days when her husband has no work on,he is a consultant for an engineering company.
Hope you enjoy the rest of your time in fleetwood Fred and that Dororthy is ok.
take care Brenda

Morning to all ,or should i say afternoon he he.just back after a coffee with the sis in law who is on duty in reception,while waiting for the wife to finish her drink.
We did get the car spruced up this morning after breccie [bacon,egg,and tomato ,yum.and doing a little shopping for our last tea here tomorrow.
Having the sis' in law here for it after they both finish work at 1900,we decided on a king size Shepherds Pie ,done with the roast pot's and onion ,parsnip .with a cauliflower topped with a cheese sauce ,and breadcrumbs,very yummy for a chilly night.
The weather has picked up now ,wind died down and sunny spells for the kids to go out on the quad bikes this afternoon.,but it is supposed to get pretty cold overnight ,to be expected at this time of year.
Catch you later Brenda ,Bill & Dorothy ,time to get the dinner out a tinned mince and potato pie with new potatoes and beans.Fred :-D .

Gday in the UK.
Hope you all Have a nice Autumn morning.
Brenda I do hope your Trapped nerve gets sorted. and you get back to Normal.
I have started taking Glucosamine 1500. (Forgot this am, pops one in mouth now). makes a difference to my Back.
Fleetwood Fred at last your eating my favourite foods (outa tins) and Boiled spuds.'
No Fridge in my tent, and the warmer weather means less fresh foods. especially in the Wilderness.
Just had Brekky, Porridge, and Toast, washed down with Fresh tea. hehe.
Its getting warm here, gonna be hotter, only 9am. better go and do my daily shopping, Shorts and T Shirt.
Shops are full of Chinese goods. lowest prices yet.
Dorothy, hope you are well.

Bill in Oz

Afternoon all,we have had areally good autumn day here ,hope it was as good over Fleetwood way.
Had an email from my mate in Mornington this morning Bill,she was saying the weather was getting better and they are going off to to Lakes Entrance tomorrow for a few days ,how's that for a coincidence ?
I do take glococimine and a couple of other vitamins ,was taking some fish oil as well but because I had my gall bladder removed a few years ago i can't take them as they cause other problems.!!!.
Hope the mini holiday has been a success Fred ,sounds like you have had a good time all in all.
Johns mother was going to go down to her caravan this weekend but they are having car trouble so she was not sure if they would get there.
Had a good day with my leg today ,been to the supemarket and the library,and touch wood have not had much pain,
Hope tomorrow and Saturday is just as good as we are hoping to get to Bury market..
Having a chicken casserole,with a baked spud and cauliflower tonight nice and simple
Hope the weather is dry tomorrow so John can get out to golf ,he starts getting
a bit stir crazy if he doesn't get out .!!!!
Better go and sort out the tea.
see you soon,
Brenda

Hi Brenda, The weather should be hot tomorrow(Sat) at Lakes Entrance, it passed 36c here outside my tent, and 40c inside. looks like we are in for a bushfire season. Cool Southerly breeze at lakes should keep the temp down.
P.S. Could be a Late shower Tomorrow, But Sunday is Clear.

Bill in Oz

Hi to all ,just to let you know ,we are home again ,getting here at 1205 pm to a rapturous welcome from one puddy tat who has already started her usual home coming routine ,lol,in one door ,stroke ,purr ,out 'tother then startinjg all over again.
We brought the youngest sons big case with all the washing home with us ,to save him carting it through Leeds ,Blackpool,and Newcastle stations,and squeezing it into taxies with all the other luggage,so i wonder what Hissy will make of that ,lol ,bogging off again so soon after coming home as we run down to Wallsend to drop the case off.don't think she will be best pleased ,he he.
It will be even worse come Sundsay when we leave to go down to Lyneham to help the Grandson shut the house up until he comes home March,we may have one pi***d off Hissy when we come home from that one ,think we may have to stop off at the local fish mongers for a peace offering.
We have quite a bit of damage in our garden from the storms ,but nothing i can't put right within a couple of weeks ,the main thing is ,the house and greenhouse are still in one piece lol.must admit i was wondering seeing the wind strength and very high seas in Blackpool.
Very sad to hear of the mine accident in Wales even one death is one too many but seeing as more and more mines down there are reopening because of fuel prices i suppose that will happen every so often,and the welsh are very
much used to that sort of thing ,mining being very much in the blood.
Here's hoping the rest of the men are found alive,and hopefully uninjured.
.
Time to go and finish the unpacking ,and find something for the tea ,then come tomorrow ,time to start packing again ,lol gawd what a weekend ,Fred. :-D

Good afternoon folks ,had a surprise phone call from Dorothy last night.seems she might have renewed for 6 months and not a year back in March when her renewal was due ,she is checking things out with genes ,but she sends her regards to us all and hopes to be back again soon.If it s not what she thinks fred she might need some advise .But hopefully Genes will help her out/
weather on the wet side today so John was not out ,but he has a back problem again at the minute so he was not going anyway.!!
Fred I know what you mean about the cat s behaviour when you go away and then come back.,she will send you to Coventry no doubt when you get back again,!!! Our dog did !!he would sulk for days when we got back from holiday.
Hope the house closing goes ok and doesn't cause any problems,glad that you had no major problems with the house when you got back..
Thanks for the weather report Bill,I am sure my friend and her husband will have a good trip and visit to Lakes Entrance,Hope the fires do not start ,and if they do ,that you are not near them.
With Johns back being like it is i am not sure what we are doing this weekend ,anyway i hope you all enjoy your weekends.
take care Brenda

Evening folks just a short message to say I finally got to Bury Market today and so did the rain ,it was belting down,with johns back back and my leg we really just went to the places we had to go to and then had a cup of coffe and came home, But we got there,and enjoyed what we managed to do.
Hope you are all having a good weekend.
brenda

Hi Brenda ,hi to Bill,whom i will chat to tomorrow morning ,i hopw ,when i get up .
We got away from Newcastle by 9 am this morning ,arriving at Lyneham at 3-30 pm ,after a rather wet trip down ,but otherwise not a bad trip ,apart from aquaplaning on one county road just outside Wooton Basset,during a prolonged squall ,but i managed to keep the car straight while i backed off on the gas pedal.he he .
A mile up the road i came across an old fella crawling along at about 20 mph ,i think he may have had the same happen to him and was a tad scared of the conditions.
We have to go home on Thursday to start shifting the daughters furniture out of the storage up to Fawdley , don't know ,i feel like a furniture removal firm these last few weeks ,lol.
fish &Chips for tea tonight,yum,and then it's off to film Wooton Basset in the morning ,to film the high street ,blocked off today while they do the royal ceremony on the name change,so i hope the decorations are still up when we get there.
Catch you later all,Fred.xxxxx :-D

Hi folks,wet again here today after a very sunny early morning,which looked really promising.!!
had a few errands to do today and did them all,!! some where a bit daunting trying to get people to understand what I wanted but we got there in the end.
Had a visit from my friend this afternoon so we had a coffee and a chat ,which was nice.
Hope the visit goes well fred and you got the video done that you wanted.
hope things over your way are ok Bill,and your weather is not to hot !!
Hope Dorothy gets things sorted with genes ,think she was getting in touch this morning.
Have got to get tea ready shortly.Be back tomorrow.
Brenda

Hi Brenda ,a little late today because we have been out ,having got most of the packing done yesterday.
We went to try to find my first R A F home ,Compton Basset or what's left of it ,managed to get a pic' of the main gate and tarmac that was next to the guard room ,and that's about it ,everything else has gone ,it now being a landfill site ,and council recycle yard.
The gate was looking a bit sad ,loads of rust on the once pristeen white metal ,and half behind the overgrown hedges ,but then ,there are no defaulters to see to the paintworkof hedges anymore ,lol :-0.
From there ,we went into the local town where we used to go when allowed off camp,Calne with has changed little over the last 40 odd years,even my favourite pub the George at the top of the bank that made those lovely cheese toasted sarnies was still there ,but shut up ,and for sale,another sign of the times i suppose.
We are taking the grandson and wife out to Swindon shortly for a Chinese Buffet before we go home on Thursday because it's the last time we will see them together for a year or more.
We have to go home early to see to the daughters house at the end of the week,the eldest son is working ,and i am the only driver left with PanTech knowledge ,he he ,i am beginning to feel like one of these removal men,lol.
We will have to take Hissy a peace offering when we go back ,she was most upset when she knew we were leaving her on her own so soon after getting back from Blackpool,making those little mewing noises that seem to twist the heart of us cat lovers,it upset me quite a bit i don't mind admitting.but this will be the last time for quite a while :-).
according to the long range weather people ,there is a severe cold weather warning out for the back end of next month ,really early this year ,so i must get out and get the petrol and 2 stroke oil i need for the emergency power,think i may be needing it.
Other than that ,i will get two extra cans of gas in ,just in case we get hit hard again,i don't mind it so long as i have the gear to cope with it ,the main thing being keeping the wife warm.
Hope you are getting things sorted Dorothy ,we miss your input terribly,and need the scuttlebutt from your area to let us know what's going on.
Time to go and get ready,but i will be back sometime tomorrow ,before we pack for the journey home Thursday morning.
Take care all ,Fred. :-D

Hi All,just a quick message as i am outand about shortly.
Hope Dorothy gets things sorted soon,and is back on board before to long.
Hope as well that Bill is doing ok and taking care of himself.
Sorry all the old places weren't what you remember Fred but it is a sign of the times.I see places changing every time I visit my relations around Manchester,
Will be back later hopefully,
The weather is dry and sunny at the minute ,hope its lasts as the washer has two big loads to do!!!
take care
Brenda

Good morning all.we have another dull wet day again today,Yesterday turned out to be a really nice sunny day ,but it was very blusterly,but my washing did get dry,!!!!
Had a little walk round the supermarket near where my neice works,and got a few bargains.,came home and had a nice lunch.(egg and cress sandwich)and a chocolate muffin,which was on offer at the supermarket,
Had one of those cookin bag things for tea ,for chicken wasn't that bad but will not be doing that one again.
Not out today ,was going to my sisters but going tomorrow instead,(See Fred I am learning not to push myself too much)
Physio was good last night and have some more excerisies to do along with the ones i already have.Will be going to the NHS physio on the 4th Oct so am leaving the private one till after that and then will decided which to continue with.
On Saturday hoping to go to Bury Market with my friend,she lives over Stockport way and loves Bury Market but due to the days she works can only come over to go there when she is on holiday.,
Hope You are all busy and keeping well ans happy.
Will be back tomorrow ,
Brenda

Hi Brenda ,just to let you know that we got home at 12-30 pm after a pretty good,fast trip up from Lyneham.
Despite going at 70 mph where ever possible in cruise mode ,we only used a tad over a quarter of a tank,so we were very pleased with that ,300 miles on four gallons and a bit is pretty darned good ,i think.
Pussy cat is curled up at my feet ,lol,not letting me out of her sight ,and the first thing i had to do ,before even unloading the car ,was make a cup of coffee ,and go out onto the patio with her to drink it,she was veeeeery pleased to see me.
Off now to do the unpacking,and will be back tomorrow.
Fred. :-).

Evening all,had a pretty good day today .weather fairly good ,dry at least,so washing was on line again and dried,
Went to my sisters this morning we had a cup of tea and a chat,then came back to the local supermarket and got my shopping.
Had a visit from a friend this afternoon which was good,had a coffe and a scone and sat in the garden to have them as it was fairly sunny and warm.
It is supposed to be fairly good tomorrow ,hope so as I am going on the tram with another friend to Bury!!.
Need some birthday cards and retirement cards,as there is a great card stall there which I like.
Hope both Dorothy and Bill are ok and have a good weekend,
Glad the journey home was so good Fred,hope everything was good at.

don't know what went wrong with my last message.
Hope all goes well when you move your daughter Fred,and you do not have any problems,please be careful,don't want you having any more problems with your back !!!
The builder is coming on Monday to start the work on the roof.and it should take about a week.We have been told the weather should be pretty dry next week ,so hopefully he will get it all done.
Whatever you are all doing over the weekend ENJOY.
Hugs Brenda.

Good morning world ,what a nice morning we have up here in Newcastle ,where my spuggies are singing their hearts out ,and my puddy tat is out hunting mice and pigeons ,with any luck.so long as she dosn't try her usual trick ,and sneak one ,alive into the house he he.
I got the day off Brenda ,the lad who did the driving for the daughter lasst time found that he was free after all ,and did that job again ,and the rest of the family turned out to help .so old pops wasn't needed after all [sniff] he he ,
so ,Fred feeling pretty fresh after two good nights sleep thought ,well ,here goes winter cleaning ,lol,and bottomed the house from top to you know what,finishing off last night by getting the carpet cleaner out and cleaning the lounge carpet.
Ooh heck ,[blushes like a maiden caught adjusting her clothing behind a tree] crickey ,it wasn't dirty was it ,lol ,the water at the end of the cleaning was the same colour as the soil out in the garden,ouch..lol.
Hmmmm ,i must remember to take that cleaner down to Lyneham in March to do all the carpets down there before Sean marches out ,to go down to Brize.
We are ,i think ,semi booked to go there too ,to help with the moving in.
I got my reward for all the work in the house yesterday while i was sitting in my chair prior to doing said carpet ,gazing idly out of the window at the botttom end of my veggie patch ,that is now nearly as bare as the nursery ryhme cupboard ,he he ,and there was a flutter of grey and white plumage ,blast ,another pigeon ,and then i sat up startled ,and did a double ,triple take ,an owl? yep ,def an owl,a young barn owl at that.
yelped to the missus ,who grabbed her camera ,sneaking to the patio door and sliding it open to avoid bounce back from the window.
Of course the ruddy owl flew off ,but landed on the edge of george's house over the back and the wife managed to get a long range shot of it before it flew off again.
Hope this young owl was setting up it's hunting territory and will return frequently so that i can use My Camera which has a very good telephoto lens on it to get a close up of the little visitor ,it certainly made my weekend,that's for sure.
Glad to hear that your builder is coming to sort the roof out for you Brenda ,expensive job ,as i found out earlier in the year ,but at least you know it will be water tight and snug ready for the coming winter which they reckon is going to be even more sever than the last one.
I have already ordered two new bottles of propane gas for the emergency heating giving me five bottles in all,and have now my emergency generator as well,and can now rest knowing i can keep my wife snug and safe ,no matter what the weather throws at us up here.
We can now survive a six week white out if needs be ,and the rest of the family are within calling distance if needed.
Next week ,the great garden tidy up will be starting again ,and i still have an apple ,potato,beetroot and ,leek,onion,brussel,kale and cabbage harvest to be starting on,so ,no matter what else ,we wont starve.
The freezers are now full to the brim ,ready for the fray ,and we topped it off by getting one of those four bird roasts in ,just in case the worst happens and we cant get to the farm for the Christmas meat.
As you can see ,we are SORTED ,lol,bring it on i say ,all is right with Freds world ,for the time being ,at any rate he he.
Catch you later folks off to peruse the boards and have a coffee :-D,Fred.

Hi Everyone,WOW Fred you really put us all to shame with all your organisation etc.
Had a nice couple of hours at Bury Market yesterday ,weather was a bit wet but turned out fine in the end Had a lunch that looked smashing but tasted not so good,will not be going there again.I was a bit naughty and bought some cheese at the cheese stall.My friend got a couple of pieces of cheese and was so pleased they sold small portions as she is on her own and doesn;t tend to buy cheese as they are normally to big,
Today was a miserable start and I did not think I would get my washing out to dry,but it turned out to be a really nice afternoon,and it all dried fine,
All your talk Fred about cleaning carpets had me planning the cleaning of ours,we have been waiting for the building work to be done so we could do the living room hall and stairs.,hope to get it done next month,but the living room ceiling will need painting because of the stain from the leak on the bay roof.,which should be fixed when the buildr replaces the bay roof,!!!
Hope both Dorothy and Bill are ok.
take care Brenda

Evening folks.we have had a great day weather wise,shame I did not do anywashing today.!!
Had a phone call from Dorothy thisafternoon,she is still having genes problems and so it appears are a couple of other people in her apartments!! She is going to see how things go after she has been able to send her subscription ,mind you that does not help the people who are also having problems.
The builder was here on time this morning and they got started straight away,however it wasn't long beforee he was telling us we hadother problems,and then again this afternoon,but in away I think we half expected them,as the house is over 100 years old and its at least 20 years since any work was done on the roof.
!! Hope you and Liz are ok being just the two of you again Fred!!
Take care Brenda