General Chat

Hi everyone, and welcome Lesley,please feel free to put a message on here any time you feel like it.Please say hello to Di from me and tell her she is missed an awful lot. Sorry I did not get back last night it was one phone call after another for about two hours. I now have a date for my scan Dec 7th ,which isn't too far away,but i don't know when they will have any results etc,I have to change my appointment with the consultant when I phone his secretary this afternoon. The weather is again miserable and the dryer is on trying to get the towels dry.I did manage to dry bedding and jeans outside yesterday ,but there is no chance today. Lesley ,you have given such a wonderful discription of your trip,how long have you been searching for your rellies? Where are you from ,are you English living abroad ? Mary ,enjouy your trip,glad the storm went away for you. June,I have seen a pub very near the Chinese restuarant thatmight suit our meeting will let you know when I can get to see it myself.Looks like I can make it after all. Kathleen,nearly came on here myself last night but my thick dressing gown was in the washing ,and my cotton one isn't warm enougth to sit typing in at 2am. Sylvia,Hope the weather is ok for yoyr trip to the wholesalers. On work at 4pm til 8pm today and I want to work out what is wrong with my photos on here and why I can not get anymore on here.My apologies to anyone I have missed .Take care ,Brenda

Hi everyone The weather is dry but no sun as yet. I am feeling sorry for myself today, I have a tickly throat and a cold. Trust Samantha to be so generous with her cold ! Yesterday I scanned a lot more photos, I still have hundreds to do but I am wanting to tidy this cupboard and scan the photos first. Brenda, Reading the messages it sounds as though we are all having very similar weather. Sylvia, I also love asparagus wrapped in ham with hard boiled egg and potato, I also like asparagus wrapped in buttered brown bread as a snack. I dont envy you defrosting the freezer but you do feel better once you have done it. Lesley, Whereabouts are you from? Your trip is really very interesting, something you will never forget, what a lovely spread your rellies put on, that is a holiday of a lifetime, then to come home to an email like that, its better than winning the lottery ! Well almost. Please be one of our neighbours, I would love to hear from you again. When next you speak to Di, please remember us all to her, maybe she will join us again? Mary, You have got the right attitude, when you reach 70, I agree you should be able to do as you like. I feel that all my life I have been tied down to times, always having to be somewhere at a certain time and now I rebel against it. Kath, Yes I am now painting ceramic Christmas Trees, one that has snowmen popping out of it and one that has Father Christmas peeping, they both light up. Samantha already has her eye on the Father Christmas one already for her bedroom. I'll have to leave you now, Gaynor has to go to the doctors again, Samantha hasn't gone to work, she is absolutely full of a cold, feeling very light headed. Hi to everyone I haven't spoken to lately. Love June xx

Good morning everyone - though most of you will be sleeping now but I know Mary will be awake!! Lesley, welcome and thank you for sharing what sounds like a wonderful experience. It certainly sounds like you had a great time. How exciting to meet so many members of your family and the visit to Salt Lake City sounds amazing. Your description of it all really does paint a picture - I have been imagining what it must have been like to walk around there and that fountain must be quite a sight to see. All in all the whole trip sounds fantastic. Where did you travel from? Sylvia, defrosting the freezer is not a task I relish. Almost as bad as cleaning the oven!! The biggest problem is what to do with the frozen food you either can't or don't want to use just at that time - and where do you put it whilst defrosting? It sounds as though you are experiencing much the same weather as we have here. Today was not too bad, fairly bright and not too cold until the afternoon when suddenly the wind seemed to blow in from nowhere and then the rain started. It has stopped now and it seems to be drying up outside but the forecast for the rest of the week is much the same - very windy and quite a lot of rain. Yet they keep telling us there is a water shortage - it baffles me, we have had a very wet summer following a wet winter from last December. The rivers are all high, I can only imagine it is all leaking away somewhere. Mary, I quite agree once you reach 70 it is time to start doing just what you want. Surely we are entitled after a lifetime of getting up early and marching to everyone else's tune. Time to be a bit more relaxed about everything. You have the summer to look forward to but I hope you don't get the very high temperatures you had last year. That can be a bit exhausting. Doing your family history from "down under" is not so easy and even more difficult if you are unfamiliar with place names and their locations. Don't forget we are all here to help if we can. I go to the LDS Family Centre near to where I live and sometimes to the FRC in London or the PRO in Kew so if you need anything just ask - if I can I will happily do some looking up for you. Fred I am sure you will be pleased when your move is over, it is a stressful business packing up your goods and chattels, wondering whether you should take things or throw them away. Guarantee that you will be looking for something you have disposed of at some point. Hope you don't have to either do it in a rush or sit midst your packed up home wondering how much longer you have to wait. June, I hope you are feeling less tired now. You have been rushing around a bit lately. I often used to say I was going to get a 'Taxi' sign to put on my car - it sounds like you are much the same. Are you doing any special ceramics for Christmas? That sounds like a fascinating hobby. Not at all like the painting I did for a few months - painting Bendy toys!! Do you remember those? They were a nightmare as you had to use so many different brushes and even pins to get the highlights on the eyes. All the different colours could be a problem as well. Didn't get paid very much either and we had to collect the work and deliver it back. It was inspected and if they didn't think the work was absolutely perfect you didn't get paid. Brenda, glad you made your lunch date this time. You were lucky to pick up the bargain tops. Isn't it great when you find something like that just when you need it. Well time for bed for me now - I shall do my crossword and hopefully sleep well. Hope you all have a resful night - and Mary have a nice relaxed day. God bless Love Kathleen

Hi everybody, What a horrible dull, rainy day, so glad I didn't have to go out. Have been able to sort out my post - well overdue. Johan and I had planned to go to Utrecht tomorrow to the wholesalers, but he has just come to tell me that the weather will be bad tomorrow so we should leave this outing until Tuesday. Does that mean that I'll have to do some housework tomorrow? I'm trying to empty my freezer so that I can defrost it, but if we go to the wholesalers, then I'll have to stock up again. I did use some asparagus today. Quite an easy dinner really. Asparagus wrapped in ham, some chopped hard-boiled eggs, potatoes and a cheese sauce. So easy really. I think I told you that I'd made all my Xmas cards. Well this afternoon I wrote all the envelopes out. Another job done!! My cross stitch is going slowly, every evening a few stitches. This is my third picture of the series "All our Yesteryears". I'll have to get my husband involved in helping me frame them, making a passe partout first. Will sign off again, see you tomorrow. Sylvia xxx

Hello Everyone,this is a very quick hello ,I will be back later to put a proper message on,didn't want you all to think I wasn't bothering .Weather great this morning ,got the beding washed and dried outside.Having a lunch/tea due to the football and visiting see you later brenda

will update later

Hi everyone, Please forgive me if I dont stay long, I feel so tired. I took Nick to the station at 3 this morning (he's off to Denmark again), he could have got a taxi but they are a bit unreliable at that time of night, they are so busy with the clubbers, when I got back I made myself a hot chocolate and put a little brandy in it to help me get off to sleep. I had nicely got to sleep when my mobile phone rang, it was an unknown number. Samantha was with me, so we dialled Nick's number and he was on the train, he hadn't rung us. Anyway after that I couldn't get off again, so that is why I'm tired now, fortunately Gwen was still awake and we had a good natter. Kathleen, I know how you feel with the kitchen, after a while it gets you down. Sylvia, I was still in my nightie at lunch time too, fortuneately I wasn't caught out. You will enjoy looking through those Handwork Magazines and completing the crossstitch. Fred and Liz, Please dont overtire yourselves, moving house is the most stressful thing you can do so the experts say, I can believe it too, I dont want to move house again. I feel my eyes are closing, so hopefully I will have a doze now. See you all tomorrow. Love June xx

Hello everyone I agree Sylvia, there seem to be a lot of postings put there just for the sake of putting a message and pushing everything way back. On this cold, wet, windy and thoroughly miserable afternoon I am sitting here surrounded by candles just to try to make it look a little more comforting. My lovely golden choysia bush is glowing outside, still massively overgrown and in need of moving but nonetheless a cheering sight when everything else looks so dreary. Yesterday I spent several hours at the PRO in Kew and was fortunate enough - after a long search - to find my father's army papers. They made me remember the little snippets of information he told us about his days in the Army. It seems he joined up at 16yrs 7mths in October 1915 and was discharged on 2nd February 1916 because he was underage. He had told them he was 19yrs 4mths. However, I know he rejoined as soon as he was 17 on 26th July 1916 but I couldn't find those attestation papers. Will have to go back and look again, there is a medal record card with his name but a different regimental number, need to try to confirm this is his. It was very busy there, usually Friday is a quiet day but it seems the recent TV programmes showing celebrities tracing their family trees has had an effect. My Dad was just over 6ft and well built but at 16 he was 5ft 8 1/2in. and weighed only 113lbs (8st.11b). Must add he had the most gorgeous blue eyes with very long dark eyelashes - my Mum used to call him "girls eyes". No housework done yesterday so have it all to do today - it doesn't go away does it? Chris has been working some of his days off so no painting done again. Must say I am getting a bit fed up with it but no use letting it get me down. I am going to make myself a cup of tea now and then finish catching up on what has to be done. Hope you all have a nice evening God bless Love Kathleen

Hi everybody, Just had to have a quick look in and see what everybody has been doing. As usual this thread has been pushed back. I have an idea that somebody keeps nudging other threads up and we get behind, just an idea!! I received my trousers by post today, grey with fine pin strip in red and white. Nice and warm for the winter. My ex son-in-law came in this afternoon for a cup of coffee and a chat. Was nice to see him again. One of my neighbours who lives on the third floor here came down this morning, and lo and behold I was caught out! Saturday I take it easy, so I was still in my nightgown, and as it wasn't cold I didn't put my dressing gown on. Anyway, we're all friendly here. This neighbour brought me a lot of pieces of unfinished cross stitch work and lots of handwork magazines. She works for the Red Cross and they had been left behind there. She said it was a pity to throw them out if I could use them. Of course I can!! I've made bread again today. I think my husband has begun to eat more!! I'm glad that I didn't have to go out today as it has been raining. Well everybody, have a nice evening, love, Sylvia xxx

Just a quick one tonight cause i'm worn out ,and so is liz.We hav'nt got a moving date as yet but they [the council] said it may be within three weeks .so we need to get a move on . Thanks Sylvia ,i know how to do it now ,and it will be handy for the winter as are the stir frys that we really enjoy,quick ,easy to do economical on the washing up ,and most of all ,tasty.cyl.Fred.ptfg.

Hi everyone, Sorry I'm late adding to the messages, I've had a busy day. First I took Samantha to work as usual, then on the way back, I picked Gaynor up, she came back with me and we were playing around with the photos I wanted to make into Christmas cards. We were very pleased with the outcome. Then another friend came in the afternoon, we didn't get round to do any painting, she got engrossed with the photos too. Sylvia, you are so lucky you have a caring husband, a lovely granddaughter to help with your cleaning and a neighbour that does your ironing! I'm glad the physiotherapy is working. I too miss Di, she has alovely way with words. Fred, that recipe Sylvia put on her massage could well be the one right for when you move. I hope you are doing well with the packing, how long have you got to the move now? Kathleen, That river is far more dangerous that I thought. When I think back to the dangerous things we did as children. One of my friends remarked that she was surprised we ever made adulthood. Mary, Its hard to imagine that you are going to bed as we get up and vice versa, and we are preparing for winter as you are preparing for summer. Enjoy your break in Dunolly. Brenda, It really was your lucky day for bargains, both at M&S and Evans, I cant grumble, I have been looking at a pair of trousers in Asda and telling myself that I didn't need them, but yesterday they had been reduced to half price, so yes I decided I did need them after all ! Jude, I'm glad that Madoc was putting his point politely, he wasn't really biting. I'm pleased too that you are feeling a bit better, I'm sure your Godson will cheer you up too. I can hardly keep my eyes open now, so I had better close. See you all tomorrow. Love June xx

Hi all, I didn't know there were such bargains in clothes to be had. I can never find them. These days I buy mostly from postorder companies. If I don't like the goods I send them back. Ok some of the companies I have to pay postage, but not all. I save money on transport to go and look for clothes, or parking expenses. I also have the comfort of my own home for trying on things. I always pay directly when I've decided as I don't like paying on the "never never". Fred I only use the frying pan for frying the pieces of bacon. If the pieces are fatty then you won't need to add fat. A saucepan for the other ingredients. Don't forget to take the sausage out before mashing the curly kale and potatoes, add the bacon and sausage last. Today I went to the market on my own. A beautiful sunny day again here, but a lot of wind. I then went with my husband to Hilversum to pick up our video recorder. My husband went to the rheumatologist this morning and has now 1/2 tablet (Prednison) less to take. He has to go back again after 3 months. He started off with 2 Prednison tablets a day, then every 3 months 1/2 tablet less. He has some form of myalgia. So things are looking up. I feel a bit better today after just one massage session. My physiotherapist has golden hands. Bless him! My neighbour's husband came down to us at 4.00 pm - he knows this is the time we have a drink! He drinks Amaretto, so we always have a stock of Amaretto in house for him. I have had another e-mail from Di, yes she does come and view the site now and again. Maybe she will be tempted back again if things remain peaceful. I hope so, as I too miss her comments. Have a nice evening all, love Sylvia xxx

Just another quickie - Thanks Fred bless you, the dog seems ok, l've been testing him by carefully moving his bed and he acts as if he's going to bite but actually only pushes his mouth on the bed or my hand - he's prone to giving love bites anyway,sort of nips that don't hurt if you know what l mean. We will respect his place of comfort/safety!! Rained here allday AGAIN:o( Awaiting the arrival of godson,the one who had the big op on his back - he's coming to stay for the half term - his mum is bringing him on the train all the way from Sussex,then going back on her own in the morning, bless - its a four hour journey. Feeling abit better today,but yesterday was orrible,signed off work for another 2 weeks. l will pop in everynow and then. God bless and thanks:o)) Jude sarf wales xx

Hi everyone,what a miserable rotten day we have had here,it has not stopped raining at all, all day. I did meet my friends for lunch we went to a pizza place in the Triangle in manchester,I went mad and had a Sloppy Guiseppe pizza which was mozzerella cheese,tomato,onion and spicy beef and was it spicy,my mouth was tingleing for ages.Had to buy some breath fresheners to kill the spicy breath I felt I must have. Did not get a new outfit,but got two cream tops which both go with the skirt of a suit I bought just before my holidays.One top was from M&S (larger sizes),and was reduced from £24 to £5.YES £5. I also bought another the same as a birthday present for my sister. The other was from Evans and was reduced from £26 to £14,and when I got to the till it was half the price again so it was £7. So I felt pretty good about that.Could not find any shoes will have to wear my black mules or black patent court shoes..or might ware the gold mules I bought in Tenerife if the weather isn't bad Have loads of washing to get dry again due to the rain. And therefore loads of ironing later....Sylvia where does your neighbour live?(hehe). Kathleen please let us know when your sorry is in the paper I must read that one,it should be good,I can just see your sons reactions!!! Mary enjoy Victoria it is ,like all of OZ really beautiful.My neice has gone on holiday today to OZ,she has gone to Melbourne and then to Sydney to see friends. Beeing called down for a cup of tea,so will speak to you all tomprrw .after work.hope it rains tomorrow might keep the little darlings at home !!. Take care Brenda

Hello everybody. Sylvia the thought of having triplets (or even just one) at my age made me smile - but just think of the money I would make selling my story to the papers!! The three babies will make me a gt.aunt (for the umpteenth time) and a step gt.grandmother for the third time. Hope your physio does the trick and helps with the pain in your hip, have you been given any excercises to do as well? June the houses in Frenchwood were all built with cellars because they were so close to the river, in case of flooding but that never happened at least not whilst we lived there. I remember how we used to ride bikes down the river bank and back up again. You had to peddle like mad because if you were not going fast enough you didn't make it back up to the top and the Ribble was quite treacherous with undercurrents. A lad who lived in the house opposite us drowned when he went swimming and got caught in a whirlpool. We were of course forbidden to go near the water!! Brenda, hope you make the lunch with your friends this time. When you look for a special outfit sometimes you can be lucky and see just what you want but then again nothing seems to be just right. Will you have time to look again if you don't find anything on this trip? Jude, Mary, Ann, Anne and Elisabeth hope you are looking in and will join in again soon. Di, we really miss your lovely, descriptive additions to this thread. It has been quite a pleasant day, bright, rather windy but dry. Hope you all have a good night - or day for Mary. God bless Love Kathleen

Hey Jude ,don't be too mad at the dog ,he sounds like my gran's dog many years ago,i think he had been ill treated by a male and even snecked his teeth at me until we became aquainted,it really sounds as though he was saying to the gaffer ,that's close enough mate ,get your hands off my property. That breed are very territorial and will be fine i'm sure,once he feels accepted ,your hubby will more than likely find he has a new shadow,i do know that it happened to me ,and fluffy took to following me everywhere and when he died i broke my heart over it and cried for two weeks Sylvia ,the meal sounds interesting and i fancy giving it a go ,so can you tell me please is your pan [a frying pan,and oil] or is it a saucepan ,and water? Fred.ptfg.

Hi everybody, nice to see so many "faces" on the thread again. Jude, try biting your dog back in return if he bites you, just like you would to a child! Glad you're feeling better. Kathleen, when I first read your lines I thought you were expecting triplets, God, help the poor child I thought. There is not so much call for knitting these days with all this fleece material around. Mind you, it washes easier. It takes me so long to get going in the mornings now. I first have to take two Paracetamol before I can get the breakfast. Even my husband has seen that I cannot cope so well and actually helps me more!! I wonder whether I should keep this up when I'm better! We here in Holland have a lot of one-pan meals in the winter. Today I used potatoes (1/2 kilo) curly kale, finely chopped (1/2 kilo) 1/4 kilo bacon pieces cut into blocks, and a frankfurter sausage. Actually the sausage we get here is not sold in the Uk. Put in a large pan the cut up potatoes, then the cut-up curly kale and the sausage on top (uncut). Cook - when the potatoes are cooked then the rest is. Take the sausage off the top and cut into pieces. You should by this time have fried the bacon pieces. Mash the bacon pieces through the potatoe mix and add sausage. Enjoy your meal. Mash with creme fraiche for that extra touch. My granddaughter has been again today and cleaned down all my cupboards in the kitchen. Have to have this done regularly as they are white. We have had wonderful weather, brilliant sunshine, but the evenings are still very cold. Around this time last year we had our first fall of snow. Our video recorder has now been repaired so we are going to pick that up tomorrow. First my husband has to go to the rheumatologist - gives me time to get showered and dressed. Oh my hairdresser will be here at 9.00 am so must set the alarm clock tonight - ugh! Of course I must pop to the market. My neighbour has a cold so won't be coming with me. Have a good evening all, Sylvia xxx

Hi everyone, We've had another horrible morning, but now the sun is out and I have hung the washing out. I have been practising with my 3 photos on a Christmas card, I have got the photos on but they still need a little more touching up yet, but I'll give it a rest until tomorrow, I need a break. Sylvia, I'm glad the physiotherapy is working, much better if you dont need an operation. Anne(Belfast), I hope we dont get frosts just yet, I need my tortoise to settle before then, everytime the sun comes out, so does she. I go each night to make sure she has gone back in her little hut. Jude, Lovely to have you back again, I've missed your interesting stories. I suppose Madoc was protecting his property in his way, he probably wouldn't have bitten. I hope not anyway, Beckham has an anoying habit of sniffing everyone's shoes when they come in and if he doesn't know them, he makes this noise that sounds a bit like a growl, naturally people get worried, I know that he makes the same noise to me when he wants something to eat. Take care Jude, we do miss you when you are not here. Kathleen, The shawls made out of 2 ply are beautiful aren't they, I knitted one for Gaynor when she was a baby. The rivers here are full too, especially the one near where you used to live. I hope you are not developing a cold, I think a hot toddy is needed. Brenda, Are you still rushing around? I hope you manage the lunch this time, you'll have a lot of news to catch up on. Just have a quick look for something for the party, if you don't spot something straight away, well then you aren't meant to. Just go in your birthday suit. lol I think I'll just go for a cuppa, see you all tomorrow. Love June xx

Hello Everyone,Glad to see Jude back with us,I can not remember being bored by anyone on here,so just write what you feel Jude. Sylvia,good news about the physio,and not needing the xray. Anne,I was thinking the same as you about the crispy potoes,I do my own potato wedges ,so it should work for thiner ones ,a bit like potatoe scallops really.I also did what you did the other night, nice bath,early to bed good book,woke up at 4am and just could not get back to sleep,hope you did not have that trouble. Have an extra shift to do this evening .then I am off tomorrow and hope fully meeting my friends for lunch,I would like to look for an outfit for this party I am going to ,but not sure if I have the time. Sorry if I have missed anyone,Take care brenda

Good evening to everyone. Not a good one here, it is raining the proverbial cats and dogs, the roads outside are just one big puddle. How can they say there is a water shortage when we have had such a wet summer? Maybe it's down to all those leaking water pipes, there always seems to be something on the Road reports about roads being closed because of a leaking/broken water main. I suppose a lot of them are very old. The rivers are all very high, we have several smaller rivers near here as well as the Thames. All the reservoirs look pretty full as well. With three babies due between March and April I think I shall sort out my knitting needles and check on what patterns I still have. Little cardigans don't take long to make and if I can find the pattern for my favourite circular shawl I shall try to make them each one for the early days. Knitted in 2 ply wool they look very pretty. Must go and make myself a cup of tea, my throat is feeling very prickly and dry - hope it is just the heating and not the beginning of a cold. God bless everyone Love Kathleen ps. Jude - lovely to see you again, pleased you are feeling a bit better now. Look forward to hearing all your news.