General Chat

Hi everyone. I seem to have neglected you all!! No excuses except that we have been busy! Hope your cold has cleared now Fred. Are you a typical male who feels sad when they have a cold??? Fortunately, Pip has not had a cold for nearly 4 years! He makes more fuss over a cold than he did when he had Cancer and the Heart attacks! Sylvia, I had both hands operated on for Carpel Tunnel 40 years ago. My, what a long time that is! Well worth it. Mine were both very successful. I had ops. on both elbows about the same time for Tennis Elbow. All the best Sylvia. We have had a couple of days of torrential rain - lots of flooding - people having to leave their homes. We are lucky just here we do not get a problem with flooding. It is still very warm and this p.m. it has been dry. Saturday we had a Dinner Party which went off really well. All really jolly people. It was our clubs Guess Who's coming for Dinner night. We were hosting this time - 8 guests. It is a lovely surprise when they arrive as we are not told in advance who they will be. As hosts we supplied the nibbles, meat dish and potatoes/rice. The guests came with a delicious salad, a pumpkin and Kumera dish baked in the oven with cream of chicken soup and cream. Yummy. Choc. mud pudding and cream. Lots of wine too! This was of course necessary to wash the food down. lol. Sunday friends arrived for afternoon cuppa and then took us out for Dinner at Valentines restaurant. Today we have been to indooor bowls. Tomorrow I guess must be housework, washing and ironing!!! Boring. Good to read all your 'letters again'. Goodnight Mavis NZ

Hi everyone, Yesterday it was so lovely and warm, we planted some bedding plants and then had our first BBQ for this yrear and our first one at this house, Today has been just the opposite, cold and miserable, we havd had a walk around a garden centre and dones little else besides that. So now its a roast pork dinner and settle down to watch a bit of TV. I hope tomorrow warms up for you all, it makes everyone smile when the sun is out Take care, June xx.

Hi just a quick hello as I typed anice long message pressed the wrong button and ,it was gone,weather wet and cold.Hope the bank holiday tomorrow is better,Fancy doing some spring cleaning down here Fred???? Brenda

Hi Sylvia,looks like everyone is away for the weekend dosn't it?. Just come on here for a few minutes before going to get the tea ready,just a sandwich and a cake tonight i reckon,along with a nice cup of tea. Our weather is about the same as yours,dull cool and rather wet,so i have been upstairs doing the dusting and windows in the bedroom,and now have only the spare room to finish tomorrow. I was hoping to feel well enough to go to see the bairns tomorrow but this cold has really got a grip and i wouldn't dare as young elaisha seems to catch anything going without my help,and my nose is dripping faster than a pound of fatty sausages lol. Hope everyone is enjoying the time off ,take care all.Fred.

nudge

Hi all, What a day, cold, windy, hail. Looks like bloomin' midwinter. Just when the queen arrived here today so did the hailstorm. All the umbrellas came out. Remember those umbrellas - plastic - which you could look through? Well, I have wanted to buy one, but cannot find one, and there is the royal family with bunches of them. Cannot have them hiding behind an umbrella can we? Johan and I have stayed in all day because it is so cold. I did venture on the balcony to fill the birds seed bowl, but came indoors pretty quickly. Just a day for pottering around doing odd jobs. My mouth is a little better today. I think it comes from the inhaler I had for my bronchitis. Yes, like your sister Brenda, I have been putting off the op on my hands, but now get so much pain and cramp, as well as tinteling that cannot put it off longer. It's awful not being able to use your hands. I've put some plastic round my strawberry plant as I felt with this wind it might get broken. Have a nice evening. Sylvia xxx

Hi Sylvia ,i hope your weather will improve before much longer. Your mention of strawberry plants has given me the idea of one of those tubs with the holes in the sides for just that sort of thing,yes i could go for that ,set up on the back patio ,well away from the BBQ and all the holes filled with strawberry plants. I would really go for that cause the stawberries you buy are normally forced and tastless ,a b it like eating blotting paper if you get my drift. Your problem with the hands ,you stand a better chance now ,because surgical procedures are better ,a lot happens in two years and the ouitcome gets better all the time,anyway i'm sure like me ,a lot of your pals on here will have their fingers crossed for you. Liz and i decided not top do the last of the spring cleaning today,and to get some of these plants put out,while the sun is out. the cleaning can wait till tomorrow when it will be persisting down ,and we can't get outside. So after she went out yesterday and came back with 2 more trays of plants ,we now have to find room for five big trays of orphans ,god help me ,where am i going to put them all ? One top of all those ,there are hundreds of seedlings in teh greenhouse ,most of them flowers,i think i should set up a market garden here lol.Mary from Oz, if you come over to stop in your chalet in my back garden love,you had better bring your machete and survival gear to get through the greenhouse door. Hope everyone is starting to chill out for the long weekend even if the weather is going to do it's usualand chuck it down,i wonder if anyone can remember the may bank holiday when it didn't rain? See you all later,June ,Brenda and the rest ,Fred..

I thought I had left a message yesterday ,but as it is not there I have either dreamt it or sent it to cyber space LOL. glad you are all well and busy, June watch that back,some times driving helpsand other times it doesn't,I usually do errands like you did for for daughter for my son,as we have similar problems. sylvia,hope you get your mouth sorted and your hans,my sister has the same problem,but wants to leavre the op till as late as possble. Hope everyone else has a goood bank holiday weekend.brenda

Hi everybody, Well managed to get to the market and back in the dry. Johan came with me and we had coffee out. I didn't buy anything on the market, but like to get out when the weather is reasonable good. It was cold though. This afternoon we've had some blustery showers. I bought a lovely big strawberry plant by the greengrocers but with this wind I fear the worst. I also bought one for my granddaughter who has moved in her new home today. Linda's father came round to borrow our van - Ford Escort - to take Linda's final boxes to her home, including the bed. She can sleep soundly tonight too, as her boyfriend has joined her for the weekend. I had an inhaler from the doctor and now have side effects from this. My mouth and tongue in particular are terribly sore from the powder which I have to inhale. I have to go to the doctor on Monday for my hands which both need operations on - Carpale Tunnel Syndrome - so will talk to her about my mouth. It makes it difficult to eat now. I did have an operation on my right hand a couple of years ago but it was not successful and I was scared to have it done again in case it made it worse. I now must have the left one done first. Oh me, oh my, why do we get all these annoying things which stop me doing the things I like doing? Have a nice weekend all of you. Take it easy Brenda and June, and not forgetting Fred. Sylvia xxx

Hi everyone, I'm pleased to see that you are well, I have had a bad back on and off, so have been trying to cut down on the time I spend sitting at the computer. I have been doing my usual taxiing around, first I took my granddaughter to work, then my grandson and his friend to the station, they are off to London for the weekend. Then I had to go and pay a cheque into the bank for my daughter, now that she is working full time, she finds it difficult to get to the bank, especially as they have closed the branch near to us. then I went to have my hair done. So now I have just sat down and had a cup of coffee and thought I would have a quick word with you. Its a loely sunny day here and I am wondering whether to go and get some bedding plants although last night was rather chilly, tortoise went back into her little hut and pushed the straw up to the opening. I think the washing has just finished, I was rather late doing it with all my running around So I had better go and get that hung out in the lovely sunshine. Have a lovely weekend everyone. June xx

Hiya Sylvia,nice to hear that you are still getting out and about,the kids selling unwanted toys on a special day sounds great ,you seem to have quite a few customs over there that we could do with sharing. Fred has had enough for today and is enjoying a can of lager ,his first in three weeks coo,i aint half being a good boy lately lol. The lawns have at last been raked after i took the machine back this morning and got it changed and by heck,you should have seen the crap it bought out of the lawn,it's no wonder it wasn't growing too well despite the feed. The patches look to be sorting them selves out ,thank goodness ,everytime we went out ,liz would look at them and then give me one of THOSE looks [shiver]. As soon as i have finished this message i am going to do the tea,Liz's home made fish cakes baked beans and duchess potatoes,and that will do me. All these salads must be doing me good anyway,'cause ,if you remember my dismay last year at getting stuck at the side of the greenhouse,weeeell,this year, putting the trellis up on the fence to stop the cats ,i managed to get in no bother [wahey]. Having done most of the work now means i can get more time in the garden sitting on my directors chair hee hee. I'm offto make the tea now .so i will see you all later.An aside to Brenda,hi ,some how your yahoo addy won't load and keeps coming back,.is there any chance of you sending it again please,? i have tried every which way to load it to no avail grrrrr.lol.Fred

Hi all, Well a bright sunny day so I scooted round the harbour and noticed everybody getting ready for the queen's birthday on Saturday. There is orange everywhere, hats, scarfs, tooters, cakes, biscuits. In fact, anything that can possibly be orange is orange. I saw that a space had been chalked out in front of a shop by some child who wants to sell his or her wares on Saturday. This is one day of the year when children are allowed to sell their unwanted goods, mainly toys. There is always a 'fight' to get the best pitches. There are hundreds of children selling their toys. Some sitting on the floor, others on a folding chair with their toys spread out on the floor. Our shopping street will be full of these children, and all the side streeets. I have an orange flag on my scootmobile and at this time of the year I get mistaken for a royalty follower. I had several comments today. When the football time is round I get mistaken for a football supporter. I have a laugh. I had a little sing song to myself this morning - hope nobody heard me. Now have a nice evening everyone. Sylvia xxx

Afternoon all,been trying to sort out a design for a new kitchen on the plan on B&Q web site only we keep getting told our measurements are not right? so we have given up for now. Been to the hospital and have been 'discharged' as I have not had an 'episode of dizziness ' for over six months.They know it wasn't caused by various things but they are still not sure what did cause it.!!!!! Have some jobs I should be doing but feel a bit frought after trying the B&Q website so am going for a cuppa before I do anything,not sure if I will get back tomorrow or friday,brenda

Hi everybody, Nice to see you back again Di. You are like me when you start something you go all out to get it finished. I try to do a little of everything at the moment. I have been doing a small scissor case in cross stitch, but it is dark blue and difficult to see in the evenings, but don't seem to get around to doing it during the day. I usually love cross stitch, but this small case is making me cross. I am covering lots of clothes hangers with remnants of coloured wool (crotchet) and everybody thinks they are lovely. I made a birthday card for a 10 year old girl, but made 5 so that the person could have a choice. She ended up taking the whole 5. I now have no spare childrens cards, so will have to make some more. I still have no vacuum cleaner so that my help has been and gone again today and had to leave the floors. You certainly cannot eat from my floors at the moment. Well, who wants to eat from the floors anyway? The weather is not so nice today as yesterday. Fool that I was sorting out my clothes yesterday. I should have gone out and enjoyed the sunshine. Now I have to iron my duvet covers, pillow cases etc. Have a nice day. Sylvia xxx

Hi peeps,what a suprise,all the old peeps coming on again all at once. I am sorry for being missing a couple of days ,but i have been rather busy with little jobs in the garden,and the spring cleaning, I did all the outside windows yesterday including cleaning the outside of the front and back doors ,then gutted the kitchen and dining room. I stripped the main bedroom this morning and cleaned it all ,and have been on the puter for a while waiting for the new bed mattress to come . the old mattress i have hoovered turned over and hoovered again becausewe are leaving it on the bed which will lift the surface and make it easier for the trouble and strife to get out of bed in the mornings. We will see if Silentnight will stop the wife snoring her head off lol,some how ,i doubt it . I was cleaning out the excess young viola from the back garden yesterday evening ,and as i was getting them out and making space for new seedlings ,Liz was putting them into plug trays and putting them into the greenhouse,so it looks as though the daughter won't be needing to buy them this year she can have the two trays when we go up next. I have also thined out the primula and replanted those thinnings ,so we don't need any more of those either. Those slug traps have turned out to be a winner,the slugs are coming from miles around to drink the lager,only the best for my garden pests,tescos own brand 8.5% so at least they die happy hee hee. Have to go to B5Q today to order the new lawn rake to sort out the lawns,if i go today ,i can use my over sixties card and get a discount,so i may as well get the new blade for the mower too as it's about had it. Well ,that's it ,the van has just arrived and i will have to lug the new mattress upstairs and get it onto the bed. See you later peeps have a good day.Fred. .

Hello Everyone,how nice to find such newsy messages waiting, sylvia,I also am sorting out things we don't use or need or wear,Ithink the house will be half empty when we finsh.!!! Di,glad you are feeling better ,think we can all over tax ourselves at one time or another.Look after yourself and John of course. Mavis,you must be so proud of your granson,one of my brothers wanted to join up as a teenager.but mam would not let him,mainly due to northern ireland.Years later when he was out of work again,she admitted it would have been the making of him.!!Was going to do some reasearch tonight ,but am so tired as have been in a very warm,unpleasnt library today so am drained ,See you all soon,take care ,Brenda

Hi everyone. I'm back again!! Heavy rain and strong winds today. Not too good for tomorrow either apparently. Thanks Fred - I will try the soapy water - I have already used Derris Powder. Being Anzac Day here in NZ it was a public holiday today. Shops closed most of the day. Our Grandson, Chris, (in the Army) was in the parade in Wellington. We watched on TV and just caught a glimpse of him. He is off to Christchurch in the South Island NZ on Friday for 6/9 months. He just loves the Army life. He is only 18 but boy has he matured since being in the Army. Will have to do some washing tomorrow and looks as though the drier will have to be used! Have started a cross stitch picture - I gave up cross stitch when I first had trouble with my eyes. I enjoy doing it so much I thought I would give it another go. I only do a little at the time. Received emails from my brother in the UK today. He has only had a computer for a few weeks and is learning the ropes! He is 80 - and seems to be enjoying the challenge. He has had a couple of strokes and his fingers are not the best. He is doing well. I sent him a video email. He has not seen me for 11 years. He was delighted. Must go now - late again! Mavis NZ

Hi Sylvia and Brenda, June, Fred, Mavis and John, After a weeks absence thought I'd check in and swell the numbers a bit and see what you've all been up to. All busy as usual I see. After my 3 weeks of non-activity and finding that the world didn't fall apart because of it, I'm now much more relaxed about everything. I think I've been a compulsive do-er; if I started something, for example, a sweater, so impatient to get it done, I didn't really enjoy the process. Now I set myself smaller sections of time each day for each thing I have to do and if I don't get through everything, there's always tomorrow, and if not, does it matter. With my jacket, while I watch TV in the evening with John, I pin up in the living room what I plan to stitch up tomorrow, and when I've done that, on to something else! Stabbed myself in the stomach with a pin, one evening, ( had jacket on my lap and leaned over to get the TV remote), a common occurence with me, but usually on my fingers. A large golf-ball sized lump suddenly appeared with a teeny red spot in the middle, (panic!!!!), which disappeared after a while, to be replaced by an orange-sized, black, red and yellow bruise. Weird! The weather here is just beautiful right now, although the breezes are still chilly and the nights are downright cold. I'm out in the garden every opportunity I can, and it's really looking lovely again. John is building me a trellis for my jackmanii and the President clematises, to keep them away from his grapes, but he can't do too much. He keeps getting very dizzy and weak so has to go back to bed for a couple of hours. It's probably his new medication doing it. Thanks for the jokes Sylvia; Bernie and I enjoy them. John is not so thrilled!!! Bernie had her first trip out on the motorbike with Steve yesterday. Said she had a panic attack doing 120 kms on the freeway; don't think I'll ask for a ride, though I did used to go on the back of John's Lambretta, and then his Panther motorbike, when I was still young and fearless and stupid, and when the roads were still quiet, in England! Well, John is about to come out of the shower looking for breakfast, so I'd better get going. Take care all. Love to you all, Di in sunny Tis Was.xxx

Hi Brenda, Yes, it's just you and I again. The rest have deserted us. I bet they have found the sunshine I have lost. Well, has been a bit better today, but not as warm as I would like. Have been changing over the clothes summer/winter in wardrobes. I hate this job. Packing away the winter things and getting the summer ones out. Have decided to throw quite a lot of Johan's shirts away, either faded or thin, and hip hip hooray Johan has decided to throw away some old winter boots. Why the heck have I stored the all winter? Now must get some dinner and feed the brute. Sylvia xxx

Hiya just a very quick line or two ,I am supposed to be looking up cookers as we have decided to redo the kitchen and the first thing i have to pick is the cooker or rather what type !!!! its so daunting,then we can move on to the units etc. We have had a mixture of sunshine and showers today but it has been fairly nice on the whole.On work at 5pm til 8pm so must have a shower and change ,as well as a cuppa before i go. brenda