General Chat

Hi Everyone. Safe travelling Sylvia. Hope the weather will be kind to you in the UK. Autumn has now set in here in NZ - chilly at night but still hot sun during the day so we will not complain. Hope your house move goes well John. It is such a traumatic time moving house. Jon - our window cleaner - came today. Can now see out!!!! We are unable to climb now so took the easy option to have a window cleaner. He is a really nice guy. He came from the UK 18 months ago. Window Cleaning has been in his family for 70 years! Will not tell us what his secret mixture is that he uses. He has built up a really good business here in NZ. We are pleased for him as he certainly puts everything into his work. Fred - I am going to try and scan a couple of photo's of our boat that we had for a few years and send them on to you. Must now get some lunch - I have a hair appointment at 2 p.m. Long overdue! Hope you are feeling brighter now DI. Chin up as they say. Regards to all. Mavis NZ

Hi everyone ,nice to see you again John,i do hope you get your house sorted soon such a fraught time for everyone,i remember it very well and we were among the lucky ones were everything was pretty straight forward. I got the photo Mavis ,here that boat looked fast enough for skiiers as well as fishing ,i bet you still miss it at times. I hope our weather is going to get better for you Sylvia i'm afraid it isn't too good at the moment ,very much ;like yours as a matter of fact The greenhouse is now ready for action and now awaits the wifes pleasure to start putting the seeds in it. Plenty to see in the garden now with crocus showing lovely colours ,tulips pushing through and the daffs starting to open,spring is nearly hear at last. We still can't get rid of this perishing cold ,it's like everyone else this year,you think you have gotten rid of it ,and after a few days it comes back..Time to get the tea sorted so bye for now Fred.

Hi everybody, Fred I have planted some sunflower seeds and they are already so high just waiting to be planted outdoors. I broke one off today by mistake. I cannot put them outdoors in this weather after being in this nice warm flat. I have also planted some lavender seeds, but don't have much success. The first lot had lice, the second lot came up ok then died off. I am now trying again. Third time lucky? I am not very active at the moment. I went out on my scootmobile to get some fresh air and a bit of shopping. Johan bought me a new sewing machine today. I took the bobbin out to wind it and couldn't get it back again. There is a CD with the machine so will have to see if the instructions are on it. Trust me to do that the first day. Have a nice evening everyone. Sylvia xxx

Hi everyone, The weather started off lovely and sunny this morning but by lunchtime it had started to rain again but never mind the clothes were already dry by then. I did a little bit more of the paper stripping today but it wasn't coming off easily. There isn't a lot more to do now but it takes me a while to move furniture before I start.Never mind I will get there eventually. I took 3 different samples of wallpaper home, yesterday, its a good job I did, the one I had originally chosen wasn't what I had in mind at all, anyway I have now decided the one that I want, so I will go next Wednesday so that I get my discount. I have got my car back today after having a new clutch and slave cylinder, I had 3 new tyres on Monday to pay for, so I hope my car is ok now. Sylvia, I hope the weather is like it was this morning when you come over, it was nice and mild. Di, I hope you are feeling a little better, hopefully the sun will soon be shining and you can get out in the garden. John, Good luck with the move, you do have to look to the future, just in case you aren't as mobile. Mavis, I found out my window cleaner's secret formula, according to his wife he puts a tiny squirt of washing up liquid in the water. Fred, will you please tell me later in the year when it is time to put crocus, snowdrops etc in for next winter. I was hoping that there would be some in the garden here but there's none showing. I am off now to have a quiet sit down, I still haven't shaken off this bug completely. See you soon. June xx

Hi June,If you already have the bulbs it isn't too late to put them in now,they won't be very good this year ,but will store the energy they need to give you a very good show next spring.Most of those bulbs will be reduced in price now too so you may save yourselfa little money as well. I am waiting with bated breath to see if the bluebell i planted last year is going to show,.I took oput the spanish squill and bought some real bluebell after hearing that the spanish squill was destroying our native stock. what a week so far ,all wet and gloomy.i have the greenhouse sorted for the missus but it's too gold yet to start much but the tomato's and leeks,the herbs are doing nicely though and should be ready to go out next month. The geranium cuttings i took in the autumn have done pretty well, i lost half of them which is par for the course,but i still have forty or so which i can put along three of the borders . well ,this has been a short visit but i must crack on with the upstairs dusting and cxarpets ,so i can have the next two days off ,see you all later. Fred.

Hallo all, Well another cold windy day, with snow showers last night. No it's not time for Spring yet so I have been told. I am off tomorrow on the boat to Harwich so hope there is not too much wind. Will keep this short and say au revoir until next Thursday or Friday. Sylvia xxx

Hello Everyone,I am back from my holiday.all rested and ready to go!!!could do with some time to sort everything out here at home,but nevermind.Glad you all kept us going. Sylvia hope your trip goes ok,just a shame about the reason,hope it isn't too much for you and Johann,will be nice to see friends and relatives ,what ever the reason.. June with a bit of luck I am on my way to the meeting on Saturday,just need to confirm my rota on Monday. Fred like you I think it has been a long winter,coming back fro the sun I have really thought how drab it all looks.,will check those details for you soon, John good luck with your house buying ,hope it all goes ok. Mavis,I have always had a window cleaner,he now comes once a fortnight and at the moment charges £2.50 for doing back and front,if we are not in to let him round the back it is £2.00,we have had diffderent men over the years ,who have certain streets as a 'round'and they sell the round on so we have had abouta half dozn over the 32 years i have been here. Di sorry you are down,just come on when you want and add when you feel like it,. Will now have to go and COOK breakfast and see what there is left in the food cupboard,see you all later,Brenda

Hi again. Yesterday we took our Grandson (13 years) to Paengaroa to compete in the athletics. It was the qualifying rounds for the Waikato Champs. He came third in his two races - the 800 and 1500. He ran well and paced himself well. So next Saturday we are off to Hamilton to support him. He only took up running this season so is doing really well. His cousin, Christie, in Hampshire, UK is a really good athlete. Runs for the Andover Athletic Club and seems always to have her name in the paper for a good performance. So maybe Andrew is trying to compete a little with his Cousin!! We have had a lazy day today - enjoyed roast lamb for tea. Roast potatoes and parsnip, runner beans and carrots and lovely gravy. Cold meat for tea tomorrow! Committee meeting in the morning for me and indoor bowls in the afternoon for both of us. Been thinking of you Sylvia. I'm off now - late to bed again! Mavis NZ

Hi everyone, It's 6 in the morning so I won't stay long, but just wanted to say I'm feeling a lot better. I think it was the rain, and the detrimental effects of time at the computer, but a day of sunshine, (and the promise of more today), and minimal time on this infernal machine, and I feel a lot better. The computer thing is largely my own fault, and not even time spent; just sloppy posture. At least I think that's what it is, otherwise I'm getting rheumatism or arthritis in my neck and shoulders. Brenda, glad to hear you had a good holiday and that you're feeling a lot better for it. I think we're all going to be a lot better when spring finally comes to stay. We keep getting tempting glimpses, but then it's snatched away again. I've never known so many frosty nights in March in Tsawwassen, or so many winter windstorms, and if it's global warming why is it so bloomin' cold. Still, mustn't complain, to those t'other side of the mountains this would be bliss. June, sounds as though you're busy as ever, and I guess will be for a few months to come, but isn't it lovely to stand back and admire the results. John called me yesterday morning to come and see the early morning effect of sun shining through the green drapes, giving rather an underwater effect to the living room. Pan discovered yesterday, what fun it was to scoot along behind the drapes from one end to the other, and when I went to drag him out, he started to climb them from the inside. That's one little game that won't be encouraged. He is the most fun loving cat for a relatively old one. Hi Mavis, yours and Fred's menus are making my mouth water. You must be very proud of your grandchildren; a couple of future Olympians do you think? Fred, how do you overwinter your geraniums? I've decided not to grow my own and annuals from seed this year, as my geraniums are usually very late coming into bloom, and there's a nursery nearby tthat opens to the public for three weekends in May with fantastic low prices. He's selling his geraniums, blooming, while mine are still only about 4 inches tall, if that. Most of my shrubs, the ones I didn't propogate myself, from cuttings, came from his great sales. John, glad to hear your waiting is over and hope the move goes smoothly. Stressful, yet exciting time, moving house, isn't it? Don't overdo it. Must go, Pan cat's fed and happy so maybe I can now get a couple more hours sleep. Take care everybody. Love, Di.xxx

Hi everyone, I did post yesterday but lost the message, I was so tired I gave up on it. We didn't have much snow yesterday, there was a little on the front lawn but the back escaped. Today it is miserable and wet, very cold too. I went to have my bloodtest today, so now its a case of waiting for the result. The bathroom is well on its way to being completed, the toilet is working but the bath and shower have still to be finished off, then there will be the tiling to do. We are so lucky that my S I L is able to do all this work himself. I have been updating this message as I go along, so that I wont lose it and I have just seen that Brenda is typing too. Di, You sound much better now, I'm you like me will benefit from some sunshine. I love hearing about Pan's antics, he is such a personality. Mavis, It sounds as though you have 2 budding athletes there, the main thing is that they enjoy it, at the same time as being healthy. Brenda, I do so hope you will be at the Meetup, it sounds as though it is going to be a good one. Before I forget to tell you, the next meet is Saturday 26th August, Carol from Rochester,New York will be there, she has requested that date, so that will be just before she returns home. Hope you are not snowed under Fred. Well it is now time for tea, so I will say bye for now. June xx

Just a quick message until later,have been surfing the net as they say for household insurance,thought it would be easy ,but it isn't.will have to look again later,but the radiator in here isn't working so its gone really cold,hope to be back tonight or tomorrow,Brenda

Hiya peeps.I have just been on the other thread so will finish here before i go out to turn on the soup for an early tea. Had to go and have the old feet seen to today and they feel a lot better but are a little sore so it's more a case of hobble out to the kitchen rather than walk.but iv'e persuaded my misses to go out back to light the heater to save he hobbling over the patio[bit like a hobgoblin ,hoblin'] hee hee. It's now raining in stead of snowing which is a bit of an improvement i suppose,but no matter what ,the second batch of tomato seed will have to go in this weekend or their growing season will be too short up here. Missus hasher eye open for two new nesting boxes for the birds,iv'e told her ,many more and we will be able to rent them out,but i reckon i hade better veto that idea or the council will move us up a band [again ],not so funny when you look at the new rates,but if you don't make light of it you will end up crying . .I don't know with labour,they put up petrol to get us into busses then put the fares up to make us walk,and i suppose the next thing will be to put up the price of shoe leather to make extra money on the extra distances they are making us walk Before much longer we ,as a nation of long suffering tax payers will be giving all of our wages in to the government and getting a pocket money allowance in it's place. Anyone think it's time for a french style revolution?,I think the proverbial straw isn't that far away.Fred.

Hello Fred,seems like you are doing a Sylvia and keeping us going.lam still looking for my house insurance,and things for my sister to do with her wedding,then i am lookingfor things for my friend,so haven;t had time to search for any rellies or read this thread,looking forward to the meeting on Saturday,hope our weather improves.Made a great chilli with turkey mince tonight used a dried chillie sauce mix from a packet but it was still good. Have to get something ironed for work now,so willbe back tomorrow,Brenda

Hi Brenda ,and everyone else.I have been looking for my Richard barnes[born1819] for two years Brenda ,so i hardly think a few more weeks or whatever will matter much,i did find out though that he was supposed to have gotten married 1842 though i don't know where in Kent that was. Well ,the snow has now gone for now,and the poor birds have come out of hiding, Iv'e had my usual robin in,the wren and a few sparrows along with my two stalwarts, the thrush and blackbird that do a lot of sparring out there which keeps Liz in stitches at the antics,which usually ends with the blackbird hiding in the kale until the blackbird flys of ,where apon the thrush comes out and carries on feeding as if nothing had happened. I didn't get to do the usual shopping yesterday cause the old feet were too sore so i am taking the daughter through to cramlington today,which i will round off with a visit to wilkies to see what garden goodies they have to offer. I managed to find a lawn feeder barrow a couple of days ago that can be used for putting the feed weed mix onto the lawns in a measured dose,so there will be no yellow patches on the lawns this year . This barrow can also be used to put grass seed mixed with lawn food on at the same time,so i can see old Fred charging up and down the lawn a little like ben hur with his chariot ,powder flying everywhere and getting wrong of Liz for covering her washing ooooeeeerrrr.scuppered by the tribune lol. Well i must be off now time to get ouit and do the weekly shopping ,my poor birds need some grub if nothing else ,or they will be lining up along the fence complaining.see ya later ,have a good day all.Fred.

had to rescue us from page 15 tonight folks,poor fred is doing his best all on his own, Not had any snow that has been sticking but it is forcasts for tonight again. I have found some Richard Barnes on census Fred but have lost your email address,can you send it me as a contact again and ai will email them to you at weekend. Hope you are all keeping warm and happy.Take care ,Brenda

Hi everyone. We are all busy here in NZ watching the Commonwealth Games. It is on all day and late into the night. A local lad won a gold in swimming. We are all so proud of him - he is such a nice, humble person with lovely parents. His mother works with IHC children and is a very caring lady. We are still enjoying hot sunny days. Pip not feeling so good the last couple of days but is feeling better this evening. Ate a good tea. Small fillet steak, mashed spuds, runner beans and carrots. Only gave him a small portion. Will feel better now that he has eaten. Wonder how Sylvia is doing. Will be nice for her to meet up with relatives. Shame it is under sad conditions. Look forward to hearing from you Sylvia. Fred, we really miss the English birds. We used to feed them like you when we were in the UK. We do get birds but not quite so pretty. We get the blackbirds and thrushes and when the weather gets colder we will have the little wax eyes (or silver eyes) they are very much like the Blue Tits in their habits. Love nuts and fat. We make a mixture of dripping, honey, nuts, sultanas,sunflower seeds etc and put it into a netting onion bag and hang it in the tree. They just love it. Must get back to the telly to watch New Zealand and England in the 7's rugby final. NZ may get a gold!! Pip still supports the English teams. I am a traitor and support NZ. Goodnight for now. Regards Mavis NZ

Hi everyone, Its Friday again, I just dont know where the week has gone. I cant think what I have done with my time and yet I seem to have been busy all of the time. Fred, I need to get some more bird houses too, I left the ones I had at my old house. I didn't want the blue tits that nested there each year, being homeless. I am dying to get out in the garden and make it feel more like it belongs to me. Mavis, The food you make up for the blue tits sounds like a feast for them. When I moved into this house, blue tits used to come in the hedge that nextdoor had across the front of the house but they have cut that right back now and we only see a few still coming for food. I haven't a tree round this side of the house to hand food on, although we have some fatballs and nuts hung from the trees at the side of the house, which my daughter can see from their lounge. I am going to buy a bird table so that I can feed them again, I like watching their antics. Brenda, I do hope your father is ok after his fall and am sorry you are going to miss the Meetup but i do understand why you cant be there. well I had better have another go at scraping some more wallpaper off, I haven't much to do now but typically, this last bit is proving much harder. Have agood weekand everyone. june xx

Hi everybody, First of all thank you everybody who sent e-mails/cards, messages etc. Yes, this is our 50th wedding anniversary. Even the mayoress didn't forget us and we had some lovely flowers from her and the council. We only got home around 6.00 pm yesterday evening from my brother's funeral. When we got off the boat we had nothing but traffic queues the whole way. This morning we had to get up early to keep an appointment with some councillors in the town hall, so am glad that is all over and have some time for myself. This evening the children/grandchildren are taking us out for dinner which will be nice. You will remember that last year we had our party as I thought that last year we were 50 years married. Anyway we had our party and Johan was 80. It was so nice to be in England again and meet up with my sister in law and nieces and also cousins. Who knows if we'll ever make it again! Well I'd better join Johan now for a drink before the family come round. Thanks once again. Sylvia xxx

Having trouble sleeping,probably thinking to much about my dad ,and then my sister was taken ill again yesterday,this time it could be her liver!!! glad you are all well . June my dad had a bird feeder in his garden and has loads of birds feeding,with two cats and a dog we haven't much chance of seeing any.Glad to see you are still enthusiastic about your decorating. Sylvia so pleased your visit went well,and hope you enjoyed your meal. Mavis been watching some of the games myself,they start at about 10.30pm live,so it has given me something to watch.It was great here in manchester when they were on here 4 years ago.I have just watched the end of the womens triathlon won by Australia with 2 &3 going to NZ well done HOPE EVERYONE AT THE MEET HAS ABRILLIANT TIME>brenda.

Had a busy day but do not seem to have actually done anything ,if you know what i mean. Went over to dads,did his bit of shopping delivered the newspapers he normally gets for his neighbour.Had a bit of lunch with him,had a few cups of tea.Bit of tidying up,got clean water for his window cleaner,brewed up for the window cleaner,which he did not drink!!! Came home put my shopping away,put the tea on did a bit of cleaning in the kitchen,fell asleep agfter tea, put new ink cartridge in printer ,'played' with new digital camera pictures but haven't printed any off. Looks like I missed a good meeting See you all soon,Brenda