General Chat

Hiya ,have spent ages trying to get on gc photos website and keep getting told it doesn't exsist as i have typed it.Two different people gave me the same addy as I put on earlier and I still can not find it any ideas. John I had my wrist slapped when I told John I had said he doesn't bother with Sudoko its only the computer one he doesn't bother with. Hello Fred ,what a shame about the meet ,still yhere will be more. Been out getting paint and two larder doors for the kitchen,we were not going to do these doors but had to take something back that wasn't used so got them instead. Have loads of ironing to get done so had better shift as I was on longer than i thought trying the photos page, Brenda

Morning John,nice to see you on here again,your brother will soon find himself with returning energy once the medication settles his system and he looses the feelings of worry he has at the moment of overdoing it,and make himself ill again. Everyone who has a heart attack gets rthe same feelings ,mine was twenty years ago and i am still creating havock up in newcastle lol. So long as he eats sensibly,exercises and takes his tablets ,he should do fine,and i am actualy off some of mine now,and feeling good. Hope you are soon feeling somewhat better Sylvia,don't worry about feeling unwell more often,it's called getting older lol,you need more sleep my girl and less time galivanting in the nightclubs,and more time doing genteele pursuits ,like pole dancing and the like ,Hee hee. You are a bit run down i reckon ,like i feel after a long cold winter ,and catch everything going one after another ,you see ,it isn't just you ,truth be told, it's happening to most of us onduns,so there you are ,now i have complained too ,you arn't the only one. I had a great time yesterday with the family at Howdon,we had the rolly polly with roast tatties and veggies,did the washing up and then decided to have a walk to the park to walk it all off. The park is in fact an old coal pit which has been planted out with tress along the old rail bed which has been turned into a walk and cycle track stretching all the way to the coast. There are so many sorts of tree at the sides of the track that i cant begin to name but a few,oak,beech,plane,cherry ,fir ,and holly,and where the pit used to be is now grassland and a wild bird sancturary. As you go in the gate which is only a short distance from the house there is a kids play park which we spent some time in on the way back,so we let the kids loose on the swings and climbing frames,and while they were doing this ,i got a few more photo's of them ,and i was stunned to realise we had in fact spent three hours in there and it was time to come home again. Sounds as though you had a nice time at the Meet Brenda,i was hoping to get tomy local one in Gateshead ,but it turns out ,i am working ,so that's out of the question. Well,i'm off to check that lawn to see if i can cut it ,or if it's still too wet,so i will see you later on. Have a nice day all Fred.

Hi everyone A day has past and I am back. I have download Internet Explorer 7 it's a beta version with the actual launch later in the year. The blurb says it more secure that the previous verson as it has features similar to the Firefox one. My mum had a scare the other day another suspicious mole at first the doctor suggested surgery but decided to await biopsy result which turned out alright, still a worry. You remember me saying about my brother, David, he is on heart medication and has slowed down a lot since his heart attack back in May. Father's Day next Sunday and the men at church have been invited to a breakfast with their wife and family. Craig says he will down that day but I don't know if he join Gayle and I for an early breakfast. Gayle and I are heading to Wellington for a series of seminars involving speakers from as far as way the UK and Canada. We booked our flights and accommodation weeks ago. I have tried solving those puzzles that have numbers only and there are no clues as to what the letters are, however I did manage to solve it - a right stinker so to speak. Take care John in NZ

Hello Everyone,Had a great time at the meet yesterday and was tired and had a headache at the end.!!! The Manchester Pride parade was really smashing ,not seen it before,meeting faces to put to names was great as well. Well done Honey rum ,for the arrangements.had to work today ,only 4 hours but was really strange.one consolation was that John cooked Sunday lunch and it was loverellllly as they say. Nice to see you again John,it was my other half with the Sudoko,he did not like doing it on line and doesn't do any at the moment ,he is back doing his crosswords etc.Sounds like the bathroom will be something else when done, Dorothy hope your friend had a good journey and there should be a meet next August in Manchester around the same time I think. Mavis glad the family is better,,its it weird when we are all talking about our seasons and they are so different, Sylvia you take care of your self,andget well. Fred,you make me feel very lazy with all your catering ,gardening etc. going for a cuppa after I have tried to put the piccies from yesterday on the site For those who want to have a look http;//groups(.)msn(.)com/gcphotos.thenextgeneration Brenda

Hi everyone. Good to see you back John. Nice to have a little Kiwi support on here. Will be great when your work has been completed on the house. Just right for the summer. It has been a beautiful day today - 1st Sept. will be the first day of Spring. Spent time in the garden and then took a walk to our local garden centre - 15 minutes away - called Pacifica Garden Centre. Really attractive layout and some gorgeous plants etc. Nice restaurant too. The restaurant was packed due to the nice weather - the tables are mostly in the gardens. I had a nice cup of coffee and a warm croissant with cream cheese and runny honey. Delicious! Not on the diet though!! I am still losing weight - have now lost 8 kilos. I am delighted. Another few kilos to go! My family have all recovered from their 'bug' and we are no longer 'banned' from their house! Pip was able to cut the lawns today - got pretty tired but as it was nice and warm he coped well. He doesn't like the cold winds - gets very breathless and has to use the inhaler a lot. Sylvia you poor thing - hope your mouth is better soon. You are so good doing all that baking - do you enjoy cooking? Must go have lots of emails to answer. Nice hearing all your news everyone. Regards Mavis NZ

Hi all, Here it is raining but I don't mind as I don't have to go out. Nice time to sit and make some more Xmas cards. I have at least 100 to make, so the sooner I begin the better. I have made around 50 now. Yes, Fred I do try and eat although lots of things sting my mouth and tongue and difficult to swallow. The gel isn't helping so will have to phone the doctor again and ask to see him. Oh why do we get all these health harassments? I get sick to death of keep going to the doctor, but know it is important to catch things in time. I had a lie in this morning and Johan got the breakfast for me. I just didn't hear him get up, shower and make breakfast - out of this world I was! Have a nice Sunday everybody. Sylvia xxx

Hi Sylvia,hope you are managing to eat okay whith that throat,you must force yoursenf to eat something or you will only get worst.Try a soluable asprin before you eat, sipped slowly a little at a time ,this will dull the pain in the throat a little for a time and will enable you to swallow a little easier. Can't hang around long this morning as i am off to the sons to cook him dinner today,a nice sausage and onion rolly polly.with all the trimmings loverly ,slurp. I was going to cut the front lawn this morning before going out seeing as it's lovely and sunny,but it must have rained overnight ,the lawn is soaking wet ,so it will have to wait till it dries out lol. Hope everyone is having a good weekend,and relaxing? [you listening Mary?] Nice to see john again ,even if he is busy ,as normal,time for him to slow down a little too,must admit though that the alterations seem to be coming on well,oh ,to be fit like that again lol. Must be off now,the boss is tapping her foot again[a sign of impending trouble [gulp] See you soon peeps,have a nice day all.Fred.

A quick hello to you all where ever you might be. Heres hoping you get a lot of joy in your sunday. love Yvette

Hi everyone It's been well over a month since I was last here and scanning through the days since then much has happened. Mavis mentioned the tangi (funeral) of the Maori Queen and the sequence of events leading to her burial atop their sacred mountain. We watched the entire service on TV lasting some five hours starting with the presentation of the her successor - her son as the new Maori King - to see the wakas (canoes) escorting the casket along the Waikato river, then to see the casket carried and pulled up to the top of the mountain. Earlier in the year the Maori Queen celebrated 40 years in a low key celebration as she was unwell at the time. As one of the people said after the tangi it is something that you don't always see in your lifetime. I don't who mentioned playing Mahjong - I have a copy on the PC and try and play it several times a week. Lately I got into the habit of doing both the easy and cryptic crossword puzzles in our Daily News, mine you I usually give up on the cryptic ones. I think it might have been Brenda, did you ever get around to solving the Sudoku puzzles? I still buy a Sudoku book each month and have even managed to solve the hard versions which in most cases is a fluke. Our bathroom is almost finished - the shower and new vanity have been installed. We did have a few hiccups our original choice of a vanity didn't work as planned - the room wasn't as big as we first thought what with a 900x900 shower (thats about 3' x3') in one corner the idea of a corner vanity just wouldn't go, fortunately the bathroom shop had the standard oblong vanity on the shop floor so we got that install. Another hiccup involved the bathroom mirror cabinet that too had to be returned as the walls weren't suitable to hold it, and then the shower head had to returned something to with the water pressure in our street. After all the returns and replacements there was a nice refund. We only have the gib-stopping, painting and new viny to be done. I think the only thing that did go smoothly was with the electrician who put in a heat-fan-light and heated towel rail. We are still waiting for our conservatory/porch to go in. As I said I haven't been on GR for awhile however I hope to back a bit more often. John in NZ

hi brenda glad you made it to bury and got john the black pudding to bad the weather took a turn for rain, I hope that the get to-gether to-day has gone well I have been thinking off you all. I wish I could have been a fly on the wall, I do hope that you have another one next year when I am over August to sept. bye dorothy canada

Hi all, or should I say hi Fred, I suppose being Bank Holiday weekend we'll be on our own again Fred. I have had a baking day today. I've made two brown bread, 20 mince pies and a Dutch apple tart. All this and I have been feeling so sick and not fancied trying them at all. I am freezing them in for when I have visitors. I feel sick with this gel I have to put in my mouth and swallow. I hope it does the trick, otherwise I am feeling 'under the weather' for nothing. We have had our Triathlon here today so am pleased that the weather has been fine for the athletes. When I saw the state of the water by us - filthy green colour - I didn't envy the athletes swimming in that. The council tried to improve the water before but couldn't completely do so. We had a terrible stench by us in the harbour. Must have been from that hot period of weather we had in July. Now see you all tomorrow. Sylvia xxx

Good morning all,and to you as well Sylvia,nice to know you have your new help,it will make such a difference to you,and give you a chance to slow down a little. I have a chance to slow down too,today i only go out at 5 this evening,and then i am finished until Tuesday morning ][wahey] a chance to unwind,and i hope get that pointing done around the patio doors. I have been checking the house over ,and think i need to get the gable end of the house done as i have spotted one loose brick under the airbrick,and a few places that need repointed,from the top under the soffits to ground level,so if there are any brickies around ,i could do with a rough estimate for the going rates please. I don't mind doing a few bits myself at ground level but i am not going back to clambering around on scaffold at my time of life ,lol,iv'e had enough of that . I managed to get the back lawn done last evening but it's been raining overnight and i don't know yet if the front lawn will dry out enough for me to cut that too,or wether i will have to wait till monday being out all day tomorrow. I have had a look at the back garden this morning and it's easy to see that autumn has come,the Gladioli are in full bloom and the roses have thier second flush well under way,and all the other stuff is starting to die back[exept the hedges ,grrrrrr] I have started to collect the tomatoe seed for next year ,mainly the sugar plum which i have promesed to a few people ,and of course for myself ,my lot still prefer it to any other type seeing as it's the ideal size for salads and B B Q's My son's lot can eat a bowl full at the tea table,and i could do with four extra plants in just for them. Have to go and check my downloads now ,but will be around later on.,have a good day all.Fred.

Hi everybody, Well I am one big happy bunny today as I have a new help in the house. She phoned me yesterday and came for an interview this morning. I already knew from her voice on the telephone that I would have her as she was such a cheery person. She is very efficient too in the way she works, planning with diaries etc. She will be coming to work next Friday, then thereafterwards every Monday afternoon. I was just about on my last legs yesterday as the day before I had cleaned windows etc. My daughter also came this morning for coffee and stayed for lunch, so I made cheese tostis. My hairdresser came around 1.00 pm and was thrilled to see my daughter as they had not seen one another for some months. All the things I had planned to do were washed aside and I did nothing. Oh well, tomorrow is another day! I did phone the doctor as for some time I have had the inside of my mouth sore and swollen, including tongue. I thought it was an allergy so didn't bother the doctor, but the doctor now thinks it is a fungus infection. The reason for me phoning the doctor today is that it is spreading into my throat and I feel like choking sometimes. Anyway I have some gel to try and if it is not better by Tuesday then I have to go to the surgery. Nothing tastes the same either. All wines and spirits burn my tongue. Why do we get all these strange illnesses? Johan has a bladder infection so he too is on medicine. Yes, we are getting our money's worth from the Health Service. It is nice to see so many new faces, or old but new, if you know what I mean. I have read all you have written. Sylvia xxx

well I have been to Bury,bought john his Black puddings,had a brilliant lunch with my sister,got a couple of bargains for my holidays ,a swimsuit and a linen skirt. Lovelly sunshine all day until about 3.30 then a shower of rain spoilt it.Hope the weather is just as for tomorrow. Have a nice weekend,Take care ,Brenda

Hi everyone,weather has been great today hope its going to last. Had lunch with my friend from Australia today its always lovelly to see her.Not sure if we will see each other again before she goes back,but hopefully in two years we will be going to see her. John has tiled the kitchen and has done a brilliant job i am so pleased with it all now. Have a few emails to answer so will be short and sweet again.Mavis hope the family are allbetter soon,its a shame about the babies background poor thing ,hope no 11 has a good start like no 10. Fred hiya mate when will you be retiring again ?how is your B.i.l dorothy,have a good visit with your friend ,going to get some black puddings for John tomorrow, Take care brenda

good morning from canada my friend from bury will be here soon and I am so looking foreward to her visit, she called yesterday and said that she can not bring her lipstick on the plane so will arrive looking pale but interesting her words. and she will be bring the bury black pudding for my blinds installer. I hope that the gathering goes well I gather the weather has been a bit rainy it is also a little dull here but quite warm. On tuesday my daughter in law and the three children plus one friend of the oldest drove (2hrs) to niagra on the lake and niagra falls the children had not been before they enjoyed it greatly, plus a side trip to fort george Lindy worked there for three summers while at university in the cook house it is set up like it was in the 1800's then we took them across to the U.S.A for dinner what a palaver at the border they want photo id, we had all that was required but we had to have letters from my son and the other young man's parents to say we had permission to take them across. we went to lewiston for dinner and were back on canadian soil 2hrs later. I have been across the border many times but this is the first time I felt really glad to be back home so to speak again. plus the canadain border guard sort of summed it up when he said after all the questions welcome back home. to-day I am off out to stock up the freezer for when anne arrives, plus finish writing my xmas cards I know that sounds daft but she takes them back to bury with her and mails them for me I pay her the english postage but stamps here are 1-50 each and I can talk on the phone for 40 mins to england for the price of a stamp so will go and buy 10 pounds to pay her. bye for now dorothy ps brenda I hope that you are feeling better

Hi everyone. It is still cold and frosty at night but great suuny days. We are at the end of winter - 1st Sept. will be the first day of Spring. The shrubs and roses are all sprouting so a good sign. Kathleen - the Maori King is the late Queens son. We did not realise 'Royalty' were in NZ until we came to live 13 years ago!! We have learnt a lot. Very different to the English Royal Family. No big palaces etc. My daughter and son in law arrived back safely from their holiday in Raratonga - collected the little foster lad from another carer - he had been sick all week with sickness etc and high temperature. Sue spent Monday evening at the hospital with him - came home and he started vomiting again and then Sue started to vomit and our Grandson Andrew too. Dad and Nick were O.K. We have been 'banned' from the house - they are afraid Pip would pick up the virus. Felt so sorry for them - they had enjoyed their well earned holiday and after one day home it all went wrong for them. Sleyd, the foster boy, gets chest infections etc. His Mother was on drugs when she was pregnant and Sleyd now has very little resistance to infections. He looks big and strong but his organs have been affected. He is the 10th child!! The 11th to be born any day. Not sure how many fathers! Tomorrow is a quiet day so hope to go to Mount Maunganui for a look around and maybe have lunch. It is a lovely little seaside town. Only 15 minutes drive from here. Must go now and get some sleep. Regards Mavis NZ

Morning Kathy,and everyone else,just a quicky because i am out to work shortly,but Sean goes back to camp today,so i have my puter back in the evenings ,so it will be back to normal. Sean has opted to wait till next year for his posting ,in the hope he can get Leeming ,which is only fifty miles down the road in Yorkshire ,which means he can get home on a standdown,and makes the journey home so much easier.it also means we can get to the catterick market for a day out ,and meet him there . Having had a close look at Johns Kayak,i see it's been made of strips of wood all melded together ,thats one clever method of construction ,but will need strength on the outside and a covering of grp for protection. I suppose John will use a fine matt,followed by a layer of tissue,and good luck says i ,i used to finish garage doors this way over wood ,and it takes an age ,even with a drostholm gun,and John will be doing it by hand . Please make sure that you have plenty of ventilation mate,you don't want a dose of styrene gas ,i had a dose of it when a blower failed when i was in a boat hull ,and it was a week before i was right . Looking forward to seeing it finished and in the water ,it's going to look a real treat. Must be off ,this was only to let everyone know that old Fred is still around ,see ya later.Fred.

Hello Folks,I am feeling ok again today,was really awfull the other night,but dosed myself up with flu caps or rather Beechams one a day flu capsuales. they seem to have worked.This damp weather is also making my bones aches not sure if it is arthritis or what,will be glad to get on my holidays for some sunshine again. Have three days off now but will be working on Sunday ,not done a Sunday before so wish me luck ,hope its not as busy as the other days being bank holiday and all on Monday. Weather not looking good for our meeting on Saturday ,it was thunder and lightening earlier. Nice to hear from you again Kathleen,we have a Blue Moon rose as well but it s not a climber ,my friend bought it me when my mum died as mum was a City supporter and Blue Moon is a song the fans sing.Hope you get the rest of your garden sorted and I am so pleased Susan is doing ok,How is your grand daughter. Keeping busy and on the go as usual Sylvia,I have not even thought about christmas yet. Still have to have my holidays. John has made a brrew now ,see you all tomorrow.brenda

Well folks I'm back for another year, however I am not impressed by GR's two-tier charges. It seems if you pay by credit/debit card and opt for auto renewal the charge is £7.50 but if you don't opt for the auto renewal or pay by cheque the charge is £9.95. They apparently think this is a fair price to pay 'considering the many new services that have been added to the site'. I have paid by debit card, opted for auto renewal and will await with interest to see what I have been charged. It still said £9.95. I apologise if all of that sounds 'bad-tempered', not meant to be but feel it should be made much clearer by GR. Brenda I do hope you are feeling better, my g.daughter has been in hospital again with a bad throat and I know of a few people who have been suffering with tonsilitis. Perhaps it's the changeable weather we seem to be getting now. After the heat of July this month has been quite a disappointment, so wet and often quite chilly. Di, the kayak looks wonderful and John seems to have put it all together so quickly - and what a lovely tidy workshop. It's good to see that he is back to good health. What a great picture you describe of your walks with Ross - it sounds idyllic. Lovely pictures of your garden, your roses are doing well again this year. I now have only left, a climber by the front door called Blue Moon. Unfortunately all the others became very straggly and had too many suckers so they had to go. I am also clearing some of the shrubs that have outgrown their space. My bugbear is my neighbours privet hedge - I am allergic to the wretched thing and it intrudes into my garden so it has to be kept cut back, however it seems to grow so fast it is a constant battle to keep it under control. The neighbour on her other side has threatened to set fire to it - jokingly I hasten to add!! Sylvia, you always put a lot of thought into the cards you make no wonder they are in such demand. I wonder how you manage to fit everything into each day as you seem to be so busy all the time. Mavis, how intriguing to hear about the funeral of the Maori Queen, I didn't know they had a Royal Family. A long reign of 40 years, I wonder if the new King will reign as long, is he her son? Fred, I hope you get your electricity problem sorted soon. Some of these council bodies need to get their act together, they always try to pass the blame for their shortcomings. I hope you are not getting charged for keeping the street lights on. Or maybe ------but no they would soon put it right if you were using their electricity supply. Jude and Madoc seem to have disappeared completely, haven't seen anything of Jude for some time. Perhaps she has been too busy, am I remembering rightly that Jude was going to be working again? I know I have missed some people but my memory fails me at the mnoment and I can only remember John - and I don't think he has been around for a few weeks. For everyone have a good day. See you again soon. God bless Love Kathleen