General Chat

hi one and all it has been a very hot day I was over at the family home checking on things and doing some laundry like duvet's etc that I don't like to do here lindy's machine is a big one so I take this chance to do some things that you only do once in a while, kathleen you asked if they were staying in lewes the whole time no they have day trips to london and brighton on sunday they are going to the show stomp in london, then on saturday they leave on the transmarche ferry to dieppe and a visit tot he war cemetary, then onto paris they have rented a flat there to do some more sightseeing plus a trip to juno beach, lindy will kepp them busy Ian wants to try frogs legs and other different foods. I watered his vegatable garden to-day per his instructions hope I don't kill the veg, brenda hope you had a good day with your sister bye for now dorothy

Hi folks,its not a very nice day here weatherwise,started off really well and has gone down hill since!!
Had to nip to my sisters (I have 3)with something this morning and was surprised to find she wasn't in.Well since then I have found out they were all in bed!! at 10.45am.I suppose I should have rang but they knew I was going over this morning.
We are trying to set the answer phone up on our new landline phone and getting frustrated to say the least ,so I am going on the BT web site to print more instructions off.You only get a set page with the phone.!!! If we still can not sort it you have to phine them,all extra as I am not on a bt line.
Will keep you posted.
Hope the family are having a good time Dorothy,good idea about the douvet we have to take ours to a launderette but they are closing down so fast these days/
Its Johns birthday today ,we should be going out but decided to have a fullblown Sunday lunch at home we are both doing it so it is not to much bother,Roast lamb shoulder,dry roast and mash potatoes,cabbage,cauliflower,carrots and garden peas.Mint sauce ,gravy and may be yorkshires if they turn out ,last time tehy lookd like pancakes ,dont know what went wrong.
I am only having the dry roast pot and a small amount of lamb,due to the diet ,which is doing ok.
speak to you tomorrow,take care,Brenda

hi brenda and a belated birthday to john the lunch you two were planning sounded wonderful hope you both enjoyed it, I took more stuff over to the family washing machine to-day blankets etc as I have a queen size bed it helps to do the large stuff at their house, now just the two twin beds to do and some winter parkas and I shall be all done, today while I was there sitting out on the deck I spied something in the swimming pool andrew had left the solar blanket off and left the key with the folks next door in case they wanted to swim finally I saw it was a dove having a gay old time it was windy so there were some small waves and it was bobbing up and down it stayed in the pool for about an hour , just going to make a coffee and do a bit of reading take care bye for now dorothy

Hi all ,,eeeeeeee Brenda a lancashire lass who makes a mess of yorkies ?,how very dare you lol ,i never makes a mess of mine he he ,only uses the wrong flour so they come out like house bricks ,so ,beat that if you can .,the missus cheats and uses batter mix which is cheating to the worst degree ,lol, i prefer the old way ,hand whisk and a little bowl leaving the rest to providence.
It's that time of year again peeps,Fred up's this morning switches kettle on for my cuppa and opens the blinds to reveal a missel thrush on the lawn pecking at a worm on the lawn,'ere .'old on a minute ,thats no worm [groans out loud] no,it can't be ,yes ,oh blimey [groans again ] it's a ruddy cherry,blast ,runs back upstairs for the tin hat.
No laughing matter folks ,i have to wear this hat for a few weeks now until the trees out front have been stripped of fruit,the pips will either hit me on the bald patch or land on the lawn ,where upon they will fly like bullets when the lawnmower blades hit them,even the hedgehog scuttles for cover when the mower comes out,and Fred is wondering wether to get the old cricket knee pads out as well ,cherry pips coming back over hurt like hell when they hit the front of the legs .
Oh well ,nothing else for it ,he he ,i will after all look like the mad bugger the neighbours suspect i am ,shorts on ,knee pads and a plastic bob the builder site hat on ,lol,i have taken to hiding the cameras before i go out in case the boss gets ideas above her station.
Hasn't been a bad day really , i managed to get the back garden tidied up and the few weeds removed out of the borders before i felt the first spots of rain.
Not to worry ,the front lawn and borders can be done anytime the clouds roll away .
How do you dry roast the potatoes? Brenda ,i meant to ask ,and forgot,i have heard of ,and done ,water roast for people on diets ,but dry roasts are new to me.
Pity you didn't have a camera handy Dorothy ,i have never heard of ,or seen a dove in water most unusual ,it must have been a sight to behold.
This plurry cat keeps trotting over my puter keyboard every two minutes he he,she is telling me i'm overdue to feed her ,crikey ,i dont need a clock as she starts on the button at 5pm ,he he ,morning is even worse.lol.i get a little nip on the back of my leg if i take too long getting her breakfast bowl out.
see ya later .Fred.

Good evening all. It could have been a warm day but the wind kept it cool, not too much rain just the odd shower and one really heavy downpour but it only lasted for about 10 minutes.

Well at last one problem solved, g.daughter now has light - finally got the electricity sorted. On Friday I got my gas and electric bills, they wanted to raise my monthly payment for the electric - and I didn't like that. So I rang to explain that, due to the boiler being kaput, we had been using the immersion heater for hot water and electric heaters for warmth. The new boiler meant that would not be happening again. To cut a long story short the lady at SE was in a chatty mood, either bored or not enough work to do (lol). I told her I was about to write a letter of complaint, she asked why so I told her the saga and she said "talk to a manager now instead of writing" so I did and the upshot was the manager tried but failed to get it done on Friday but said it would be first thing this morning and as a goodwill gesture the engineer would be instructed to put £20 credit on the meter. Didn't go quite to plan, I was there just before 9 this morning - the engineer arrived at just after 2pm and when I asked if he had put the credit on he said no instructions to do so but would make a phone call. He did and the credit was put on - he also said it was down as an afternoon call (this from the original appointment made by the very rude man I didn't tell you about on Friday). Anyway all sorted now and her fridge is plugged in to check all is working correctly. I spent most of Sunday cleaning it as it was in a very dirty state, all greasy from being next to the cooker and the poor lady who owned it being unable to do anything much for herself. That is why she was moved into a little flat where she will receive care, but she should have been getting some home help before poor soul. Makes me feel ashamed to complain of aches and pains, she is 15 years younger than me but can barely walk, has trouble with her hands and has just been diagnosed with early Alzheimers.
Got more complaining to do though, when I was cleaning the fridge the water in the sink went over the overflow - and poured straight out into the cupboard underneath and all over the floor. Luckily I had taken a few bath towels for Indira so had to grab those and managed to soak it all up before any real damage was done. So once again a phone call to ask why they are not refurbishing the kitchen area in her place when all the others in the building have been done. That's for tomorrow though, didn't have time today. It will all come right in the end - I hope!!!
Dorothy, sounds like a fantastic trip for your family I hope the weather is kind to them. Have never tried frogs legs but have eaten snails (escargot in garlic - very tasty). Bet that dove enjoyed his swim in the pool, Taking the duvets to the lauderette is my pet hate - my washing machine is ok for washing the single ones but as I take my big one I usually take them all but I like to hang them out to dry so it has to be when the weather is good.
Fred, yorkshires like house bricks - shame on you. As for using batter mix - definitely a no-no,.
Brenda what a shame you can't enjoy all of that lovely Sunday dinner - it made my mouth water reading about it. But at least you could have roasties - would also like to know how you do dry roasties.
I wonder how John and Gayle are doing. Hope Gayle has been able to start her treatment after all the delays.
The other day I noticed there seemed to be something growing with quite pretty white flowers and couldn't understand what it could be as it was all through the forsythia. It is a massive bramble and I can't see where it begins, it has grown through the forsythia and the wiegalia (sp), looks very pretty but I really don't want it there. So that is tomorrows task - find the beginning and chop it down.
Must go, didn't eat earlier as I really didn't feel like it but now my tummy is rumbling. The family had spag bol but I don't really fancy that. Might have some soup as it's late - though I think I fancy toasted cheese. My Mum would say "you can't have that at this time of night you'll have little men dancing on your chest if you do" - when I was little thought that was quite funny as I pictured little leprachauns.
Hope you all sleep well.
Take care, love
Kathleen

Hi everyone,was working on the late shift tonight 12.30/8pm came home to a smaller version of yesterdays lunch,just cold lamb,carrots and dry roasted potatoes.But still very nice.
I have done dry roasted for years ,got the idea from Rosemary Connelly .You par boil your potatoes ,then pop them in a hot roasting pan and put them in the oven til they are done as you like them.John likes his looking burnt while I am not bothered as long as they are soft inside, I sometimes spray them with the low fat oil spray you can buy.If you like them crispy you score the tops of them with a fork when put into the pan
Its the only way we do roasted pototoes now.
Kathleen you are doing well with the flat ,I had a letter saying they would put up my electric by about $30 per month ,when I phoned them they checked the records and as we have just had a new meter found I had been over charged for 2 years and instead of owing them £240 ,now owed the £8.00!! I have to phone them again to sort out my night time tarif as I don't use it enougth so they will put me on another one which will make using the drier etc more economical.
Fred did not do any yorkshires in the end ,but will let you know how next lot turn out. LOL
Of to bed now,Take care Brenda
.
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Morning peoples,well there's a thing Brendas dry roast is the same as my grandad used to make his many years ago ,only he called them water roast ,par boil ,into aroasting dish ,and bast a couple of times during cooking with the same water used to par boil them in, his used to come out pretty fluffy and soft like Brendas, but i never mysef got it quite right so ,i wonder ,did he do the same ,the first baste being cooking fat and the remainder water,must give it a go,as said they are the healthy option ,no fat to speak of ,and just as tasty as the other sort.
Yes ,i will never be allowed to live those yorkies down Kathleen,i did them as i usually do,flour water ,egg and a pinch of salt only i took out the wrong bag and used self raising flour ooooooops ,nearly bent me knife cutting into the pudding he he.
Sometimes i add a little chopped onion ,or a little rosemary to the mix ,i find it makes a nice change.
Well ,it looks like a nice start to the day here,but the weather in Blackpool dosn't look too promising lol,heads up son hope you took your wellies and brolly with you ,and i'm glad for your sake that you didn't take the tent but opted for a caravan.
This company ,Easy Flow who are doing the piping for the water board could do with inserting the word [Cowboy] into their name ,he he,four times in four days they have had to pump out these four holes in the road outside,and still they fill back up within the hour because they havn't been sealed properly ,we have our own private watering holes in the street ,lol,all we need now are lions ,giraffe.and gazelle to drink from them ,and we could be advertising Newcastle as the new savannah complete with animals.
I'm not amused really ,a precious commodity like water being wasted in this way is not a good advert for a supposedly green city .
Well ,i am off for my morning swan around the boards ,take care all,have a nice day,and ,most of all [Brenda] take it easy. Fred.

Hi to you all, here is the latest in Political Correctness Blah!!

They cannot discuss problems with the sink with me "because of the Data Protection Act".

Have you ever heard of a sink complaining that it's privacy has been invaded?

That's all for now folks - my Gast has been well and truly Flabbered. Finally rendered speechless - and that's a first!!

Love
Kathleen

goodmorning from a sunny barrie I had breakfast on the balcony and it was a wonderful sunrise, kathleen you should write a book about getting the flat into shape so many problems I don't know how you keep your temper, plus fred and the holes in the road with so many people out of work you think that councils could get some proper help, mind you we have a long street near me called anne street that has been under repair since before xmas and is still all torn up in place putting in new sewers then they pave over then pull it all up again it can take the muffler off your car driving down I take a long way around to avoid using it. the dry roast spuds sound great but I have to confess I buy the ready made yorkshire puddings (sorry fred), I never did have the knack of getting them right when made rom scratch, it is the same with gravy mom and I would stand side by side at the stove with the same ingredients and the same number of stirring motions hers would turn out great mine was like blamange, she always said it was the spoon she used her fathers army spoon issued to him in the boer war it had his number on it, my sister claimed that when both parents passed on and she says it works magic!!!! well time to head over to the family house with some laundry ie the twin bed duvets etc I should be able to put them out on the deck to dry and I shall see if the dove is back swimming again and if he has asked some friends to join him have a good day bye dorothy

Good afternoon all,my son is at his Dads for a weeks holiday ,only Dad has gone away and David is looking after the Dog and house!!!!!
He emailed me this morning , all ok, his dad filled his freezer with pizzas and ready meals, for him.Shame he doesn't spend time with him.
Finally bought a blind for the bathroom,wasn't really what I wanted but needs must when you have to cover the window with a towel to have a bath or shower.It wasn't expensive so if I do see what I want in the future,I can still get one.
Need to get down and get the tea on,just oven fish tonight ,haddock in a light dusting of flour,with new pots and green beans.
Take care Brenda

Just a quick hello have to go and take something to my sisters,she was not available when I went on Sunday,so will not have chance to leave message later.
hope everyon is ok.weather been ,wet ,windy and warm and sunny now ,good St Swithins Day.
Brenda

hi well the cats are going to leave home they are very cross with me they are long haired cats and I do brush them every day well both of them have got two small matted areas on their sides so I have been trying different ways to unmat them and this has not gone over well as a last resort I got out the sissors well if cats could talk the air would be blue. one has finally appeared and stalked by me, the waether was great to-day sunny but no humidity but we are in for rain this evening. nothing much new at the moment other than my sister phone from calgary and firmed up the days she will visit with me so she arrives to me on the 10 of sept and will stay for maybe 4-5 days then back to toronto to see friends, she is lucky a friend of hers is going to be in greece so she has offered her house to chris Ithink she will be in toronto for about a week before I see her, she leaves the airport on the 16th at 1520 and anne arrives at 1540 so they will not get to see each other. I have been planning some menu's I wonder if liz would loan out fred for a while to do the cooking!!!! well bye for now dorothy

Afternoon all,its been a wet morning here but looks like it is starting to brighten up a little,I need to nip to the local market so hope the rain stays off. Have been trawling on the tinernet for car insurance for John,usually you can get a few quotes cheaper,but funnily enougth the insurer he is with is coming up best at the same price.!!!
Hope the cats are talking to you Dorothy ,my friend has a similar problem,I was really wanting a long haired cat ,but seeing the problems she has put me off,my two shorthaired cats will do me fine.
Was hoping to go to Bury with my sister to day but she was going out with her husband,John will not go on the tram even thougth it is free for us,and by now the carparks are full.!!!So thats why I am going local.
Had to go to my brothers this morning with a card and present for his grandaughter she is one,she was born while my dad was in the hospital,her birth gave is a little bit of happiness when we were all so worried about dad.
Will be back tomorrow have a great weekend.
Brenda

Good afternoon all, a warmish day, sunny spells but light showers forecast, it looks bright enough at the moment though quite a lot of cloud around.

Did a bit of tidying up outside yesterday, my tomatoes are not doing too well but may pick up if the weather improves. I bought a tray of plants from our local charity shop, not named so no idea what they are. Have just one that I know is Gardeners Delight, they are all outside some in gro-bags and some just in the ground - I think about 15 plants in all. IF they produce fruit we should be able to supply the whole street!!!

I have lost a few of my container plants - drowned poor things - but my one hanging basket is doing quite well. Going to cut down the clematis I put in a couple of years ago. When I bought it the flowers were a lovely apricot colour but since then they have become small wishy-washy very pale pink and it has proved to be a real thug invading everywhere. Mind you it has covered the roof of the outbuilding (which used to be the coal store). However I don't like it so it is coming out - hopefully i will find another nicer one to replace it. We are blessed with the biggest, fattest slugs and a very large population of snails - I keep a special tub of salt for the slugs but that does make a mess.
My little robin came to see me again yesterday, thought I had lost him. He used to tap on the kitchen window when the bird bath was empty, I was sorting out some pots when he came and sat on a large stone just in front of me and sat chirping away looking straight at me. When he flew off I went inside and realised as I passed that the bird bath was almost empty - so he was obviously telling me off!!
I wonder how long robins live? A few years ago a baby fledgling fell into a tray of seedlings I was pricking out, he was a bit distressed and then I could hear his Mum, saw her sitting on the branches of an apple tree in next doors garden so I picked him up and put him into the tree as close to her as I could - I wonder is this my visitor all grown up now ? If so just shows that it's not just elephants that never forget !!
Latest on the flat, a lovely little man came to inspect the floor, said in his opinion it needed taking up and relaying - but he had to pass it on to his boss who would want to see for himself. Time - it is awasting - meantime the rent has to be paid !!! G.daughter still waiting to hear if she will get a Community Grant to help her with the basic necessities - like a sofa bed.
Have made some discoveries with my Family research. My most respectable Aunt and her "pillar of society" husband turned out not to have married until some 32 years after the first of their three children was born. Just shows, things are not always what they seem. And he was Mayor three times back in the 1930's.- what a scandal that would have been if it had been known they were not married.

Has anyone heard from Sylvia? or John?

Love
Kathleen

goodmorning from a very overcast day in barrie kathleen I loved the story about the robin sorry things are so slow with the flat your plants sound interesting I also am having trouble with the tomatoes high winds in the last few evenings have blown them around the balcony and I think that they are quite bruised but I shall keep hoping that they do well, nothing much new over here i have been keeping an eye on the family home I was sitting here this am thinking about them doing the sights in paris this morning I so miss the children. have been watching the golf from scotland what beautiful county side and to think I was born in perth but left at the age of 9 days I have never been back.well I am going to give anne a ring in bury shortly she was going clothes shopping yesterday perhaps to the traffor centre with her daughter bye for now dorothy

Evening all ,,i have been a little busy for a few days on my family research ,but i have now finished for the minute ,thank goodness.
I think the robin only lives a couple of years Kathleen ,but they are very territorial passing on their patches to their offspring ,so that little one you rescued was more than likely the one that is around now.
The snails you are on about ,are more than likely the French edible variety,so round them up and sell them to a local eatery he he.
I wouldn't use salt on them anyway too much and you will poison the soil,use the new slug pellets that are harmless to pets or birds.or ,if you can get it ,soot molluscs steer well clear of rough sand or soot they can't pass through it easily ,if at all.
The family will soon be home Dorothy ,and things will be back to normal ,and the weather should improve for you too ,and that will be welcome ,i'm sure.
10 Weeks today and we will be approaching Larnica airport ,wahey ,bring it on lol.we are really looking forward to it now ,six lovely weeks in the sun,no need for overcoats or a brolly .
Hope all you over in the west country are okay ,the son said the flooding was pretty bad around Blackpool ,but it didn't stop the family getting out.
I may even go for a week or too in the winter,it seems that Farmer Parr over the road from cala gran lets out cabins all the year round,and i quite fancy a quiet Christmas away from home ,with just the missus and my laptop ,nice and peaceful.
Well ,off into the garden for half an hour ,see you tomorrow all ,hope everyone had a nice weekend ,Fred.

hi everybody I have had an interesting day I went into the charity office this am and picked up my fax machine and have arranged for the seperate phone line to be put in on wednesday so that will get things set up I am going to have to read the instructions on the fax machine it has been a while since I have operated one. we had a lovely sunny day to-day and I spent quite a bit of time over at andrews on the deck though I did not go into the swimming pool I don't like to swim alone I don't think it is safe to do that I just read a book I had googled the flat they are staying in in paris it is very close to many tourist sights I hope they are having fun, I found a tee shirt for ian to-day it has a picture of a guitar on the front I thought he might like that well I am going to make a coffe and watch a bit of tele I hope you all are well bye for now dorothy

Good afternoon, have you missed my presence on F&NW v2? LOL! Possibility you've have notice, the past few weeks have been quite hectic - filling in for one of the other volunteers who had doctor's appointment and while they were away on a break. Gayle still hasn't heard when the fistula will redone was meant to see the specialist on 15 July but that was cancelled as he was sick. Her next appointment is mid August so we hopefully will know what will happened then. My sister-in-law was telling Gayle about someone living near her, that he is on dialysis and that the fistula had to be done twice as the first one had failed. No use complaining when you hear that it happens to others.
The weather these days is unpredictable - forecasters says there is rain but then its the opposite a sunny day and then the opposite happens. Its a case if wearing a rain jacket every day.
Till next time take care. John

Good morning all. Nice to see you John, I have been wondering how Gayle was getting on with her treatment. It seems to be taking forever but I guess these things cannot be rushed, hopefully things will go smoothly after her next appointment.
Weather here is wet and breezy, frequent showers so you have to take a chance and nip to the local shops hoping to get home again before the next shower.
Dorothy, it will be interesting to hear how your new job goes. You will probably find it all comes back once you read the instructions for the fax machine - a bit like riding a bike, you never really forget how to do it.
I saw something about forest fires in Canada, dry weather and wind causing them to spread but didn't see which area was affected.
Brenda, I remember reading about your brothers g.daughter being born - was that really a year ago !! How time flies, it doesn't seem that long since my brother died but that is almost a year ago.
Fred, six weeks in the sun sounds like heaven - who will look after your garden while you are away? I will be at my daughters for three weeks end of August into September and I can almost guarantee that watering will be forgotten if I don't stick a large notice on the fridge door as a reminder.
Where is Sylvia? Hope she and Johan are ok.
Two days ago did an online "how old is your brain" test - seems my brain is aging faster than my body - don'[t believe it as my recent Mensa test still came out as IQ 125. True that is down a bit but still not bad.

It's raining hard now - still have to go and water the pots, somehow they either get full of water and the plants drown or it misses them completely and they die of thirst - can't win......

Take care, have a good day
Love
Kathleen

goodmorning kathleen those awful forest fires are in british columbia at the other end of the country from me a very beautiful province, glad to hear from john and hopefully things will work out soon for his wife. another hot sunny but humid day in the making but I shall enjoy it anyway so much better than the white stuff and the sunrises are so beautiful it is worth gettingup early to watch them. I am starting to think of new places to take anne when she visits in sept we have done many of the areas around toronto and niagra and further up north to the different lake area's I like to be able to get to them and back in a day not more than 400 miles I enjoy driving but as we get a bit older it is a bit tiring. as she has met so many of my friends and family there will be many dinner and lunch invites so that will be fun and of course she will get to see isobelle's new grand baby well time to get on with a bit of house work and then to sit down and figure out where to put the fax machine in the office room(third bedroom) and how to work it bye for now dorothy