General Chat

Hi all, Well a bit late today, but better late than never. I have had my neighbours in for dinner. Made it easy for myself and we ordered Chinese and had toffee ice-cream for dessert. It made a change for both of us to eat together. I have enough Chinese over for another two days, so whatever am I going to do with my time? A lovely sunny day albeit still cold. Well we can't have everything. Am quite tired now, see you all tomorrow. Sylvia xxx

Can not stay long ,took ages for me to get here,pc playing up and mouse not to well either probably been looking for these holidays for friends too long.Have a nice Sunday see you tomorrow hopefully,Brenda

Hello everyonemfrom a really rain and wind battered manchester,we are in the midst of a mini hurricane apparently!!! John i am so sorry about the church ,what are things coming to!! hope all goes well with your move,I would love to move but money or the lack of it to buy what we want where we want and the chaos of selling and buying and moving put me off. June you sound really chuffed with your chair ,things finally seem to be coming together for you. Mavis ,still very much wintery here ,your easter bonnet comp sounds fun,good luck. Sylvia,I think your table and the clothe would have blown away here,!!! we have even had hail stones and both the cats came in at tea time ,which they do not normally do. Still checking for this holiday for my friend,so i'd better get on to it .Take care have a nice weekend. brenda

Hi everybody, Well, I had a few more messages to read today. Glad to hear that you liked the cake recipe Mavis, so easy but delicious. My table cover on the garden table on the balcony almost blew away today as we had such a gust of wind come up and torrential rain, but this afternoon plenty of sunshine. Well of course, silly old me, it is April and 'April showers bring forth May flowers'. Well better had. I made my usual bread and ran a washing machine. I then had lots of time over so made some Easter cards - only 6. I don't usually make Easter cards, but had the time. I have moved so many times in my life so that when Johan suggested a couple of years ago moving into an old people's house I said he could go alone as I was tired of moving and couldn't do it. When we first married I moved 5 times in England, then we went into Nigeria and we had to pack up our things every year and put into store as we never knew where we would be the next year. You can imagine with 3 children trying to pack all their toys. No sooner had I packed something then I would find it taken out. One year, we were just going home on leave and the 3 children caught measles and chicken pox so we couldn't fly home. We had to live out of boxes until the children were a bit better. When we decided to live in the Netherlands we started off in Rotterdam and moved a few times, then moved out to a place called Baarn, where we bought and sold houses 4 times. Can you tell I don't want to move any more? No, I am quite happy where I am, and when I go out it will be in a box - no, not yet, still too much to do. Have a nice evening everybody. Sylvia xxx

Hi everyone. Good luck with the move John. How we all hate moving - well the packing and unpacking really. Our biggest move was from the UK to NZ. We had to decide what we really could dispose of. Not a lot really!! Fred - do hope you have recovered - be careful in future we don't want too many laughs - sorry!! Brenda we always watch Coro - we are still at the Angela in prison stage. We did read where Mike Baldwin leaves. Sylvia - I made your chocolate swirl cup cakes today. Very nice. Had friends for afternoon tea - they thought they were nice too. Had a few heavy showers today - but lots of sunshine too. Some rain forecast for tomorrow. Pip cut the front and side lawn today and had hoped to cut the back tomorrow. It is too much for him now to cut the whole lot in one go. Have lots of emails to write - I am all behind. Our sons and families in the Uk will think we have forgotten them. Just been watching a Rugby Match on the TV. The Blues 'Auckland' and the Stormers 'South Africa'. I follow the Blues so I was more than pleased when they won! We are busy making Easter Bonnets to wear at our Easter Probus Club Meeting. It is popular every year. Must go now. Goodnight from Mavis NZ PS Thanks for your emails Fred.

Hi everyone, John I dont envy you moving house, I have only moved 3 times and each time I have said 'Never again' Interesting about the carriers not moving aerosols and sprays, our carriers didn't mention those but they wanted to pack our computers and TVs themselves. What a terrible business, the church being burglared and losing all the data on the computer. Its a sad old world when things like that happen. I hope all goes well with the move and I look forward to hearing from you again. Brenda, I'm not planning on going out on the roads at Easter either, I am hoping for some good weather so that I can put some plants in pots around the garden, I cant put anything in the garden itself because my son in law wants to add more soil and redo the paths etc. I have got my chair now, its lovely and comfortable, there is a lever, so that I can lie back in it, also a stool to match. Sylvia, I hope that you can soon add the chairs to the table on your balcony, I hope we get a good summer this year. I bet it looks lovely with plants there. Fred, I'm sorry but I did laugh, I wish I had been there with my camera. Seriously though, I hope you didn't hurt yourself, you will have to take more water with it next time. lol Well I had better get moving, my grandson is going to paint the ceiling and 3 walls in my bedroom, then my granddaughter will paper the other wall. I had better get ready while he is in the mood. Then my granddaughter can paper later. Have a good weekend everyone. June xx

Greetings and hello A whole month has gone by since I have written something on this thread, looked back and saw that it was 8 March and now its 8 April. Our shift to New Plymouth is gathering pace. Craig, our son, found a flat two weeks ago and his old bedroom is the storage faciltiy for the boxes we have packed, marked what's in them and where will go. We have left a few plates etc out with the rest in boxes. The only problem as you would gather is that something is required and it is matter of finding the box to retrieve it. A month back Craig hired a van and took about 20 boxes to New Plymouth to store at my mum's home. At Easter he is taking his car down with another 20 or so boxes down including some that the carrier won't take - the likes of aerosol sprays and cleaners. The furniture and remaining boxes will go in a container with the carrier. One thing we have to do after arriving at our new home - other than making sure the internet is up and running - is to remove the bath and install a walk-in shower in the bathroom, then repositioning the ceiling manhole from the wardrobe to the passage. One incident I wished never happened was the theft of the church computer as all the financial data had to be redone on my home computer - the first attempt ended with data being lost and almost a few tears before redoing it and sending to another office in case I lost the data. All in all - it has been a frustrating time and the church burglarly didn't make things any easier as we packed. I wish you a happy Easter in case I am not here next weekend. John

Hiya ,weather a bit brighter but still cold and has been trying to rain,hope its ok next week for easter. I am not planning anything for the long weekend,as I want to sort out my cupboards once and for all!!! Fred hope you have recovered and I will be sure not to overdo it in the garden !!LOL You will have to send me that recipe and then I'll tell you what I was on,if I can remember LOl Sylvia I do like optimists putting the table out, Mavis ,my friends and I had a few hours 'remember when' last night about Gene ,the times we had been to see him etc. played his cd in my friends car on the way home..Just had fish and chips for tea but not many chips all trying to cut down.!! June,hope the chair is ok and you can decided about the carpet. just keep dropping in when you can. Corrie is on noew and its Mike Baldwins exit ,so see you all tomorrow .Brenda

Hi everybody, well hallo me, as nobody has written anything today. Lovely weather, sunshine all day and reasonably warm. Annemie and I went to the market and afterwards went to our favourite bakers shop for coffee. Johan joined us as he had to go for his thrombosis 'prick'. This afternoon Johan and I hauled our garden table on to the balcony and I put the cloth on. All nice and summery. I didn't tempt fate and put out the chairs. I did buy a few yellow-flowering plants to brighten up the place. Have a nice evening to anybody who is peeping in. Sylvia xxx

Hi everybody, Well another busy day. I decided this morning to make a batch of cakes - just in case. Well when I bake, so does my daughter and we end up with eating up the rest which is not good for us. I made two dozen small cup cakes, the usual mix of 200 grams butter, 200 grams caster sugar, 200 grams s.r. flour and 4 eggs. I melted a bar of chocolate and ran this chocolate through the mix to give a marbled effect. It worked a treat. Linda and her boy friend Perry kept saying how nice they were. I gave them the rest to take home so that Johan and I wouldn't be tempted to eat them up. Linda had a lovely wrist watch from her boyfriend. She mostly had presents for her new house. Somebody has given Linda an old settee and now my daughter is going to recover it in the same material as the curtains in the sitting room. The weather here is the same as by you - uk - cold, cold, cold. I am going to the market tomorrow so hope that it won't be too windy or too wet. Not much news for now. Have a nice evening. Sylvia xxx

Ere,Brenda,wat you on gal?i could do with some what ever it is lol.or did you put your glasses on wrong.hee hee. i checked my spelling and it don't say what you reckoned na nah na nah na.I i'd said that we were having a mazzie oggy for tea . Maz from cornwall put up a thread for proper cornish pasties [oggies to you] and i love them ,very tasty they are ,and one does both Liz and i cause they are a heck of a size,[there we go folks ,mystery solved] i thought everyone knew the phrase cornish oggie. I overdid it in the garden well and trully yesterday giving me very sore legs,proof of how soft a bodies legs get over winter. It culminated with me having a bit of a mishap this morning ,and if i tell you about it ,you have to promise not to laugh or i will be in a huff for a week. to spare peoples blushes and mine i will be using a few odd terms of description and so you will have to bare[lol] with me. It took me two minutes this morning to get the legs to bear my weight properly ,they are so stiff and sore,anyway first things first as most of us do ,Fred totters across the bedroom floor towards the toilet which is directly opposite our bedroom ,a blessing for liz and one reason we took this house. I get there eventually,open the door manuever my butt end to the seat and sit down with a sigh of relief. A couple of minutes later i grab the charmin ,and lean forward slightly ,as we all do, and about that time things started to go wrong,i tell my legs thats far enough.but they don't think so and carry on going ,the wife was downstairs when i went in ,so i didn't bother to close the door which is folded back against the wall,so there is nothing to grab hold of,so i carry on sliding off the seat and land up butt in air, face screwed into the carpet ,after my nose hits the door . Fred is now sore both ends grrrrrr.and i WON'T be going out in the ruddy garden today lol. To be honest ,i don't think thats on anyway because it looks as though we are back to rain for today ,which is okay ,i won't have to water the feeder in . I will be having fun this morning pottering round the floors with the hoover ,so if anyone hears groaning ,it'll be fred in pain ,not the local ghost out in daylight. Thats it for now peeps ,but being indoors all day,i will be back later ,have a nice day all ,Fred.

Hi everyone, I cant stay long because I have to take my granddaughter to work but I thought I would pop on now, in case I get too busy later. The chair I ordered has arrived so I must go and collect that, I really would like a new carpet, decisions , decisions, lol I cant wait to get out into the garden but everytime I think that Spring has arrived, the frost comes back again. I have some primulas that I bought the other week that I must put into tubs but by the time I have hung the washing, I am so cold that I dont venture out again. Kathleen, I'm sorry that you haven't been well, I think we all need a bit of sunshine. I have to go now, I will try to get back later. June xx

Hi everyone. Like you Brenda I am so sad about Gene Pitney. He had such an unusual voice. He seemed to be even better as he got older. Thanks Fred for the info on growing Tatties in tubs. I will have a go. Quite fascinating. It is another beautiful day here in Papamoa - should be in the garden but we are having a lazy day. Reading, snoozing, eating and talking. The weeds can wait - they wont't be going anywhere. Must think about tea (dinner) Have some cold chicken so think I will make a chicken and vegie pie (frozen pastry!!). My son in law has gone hunting this week so we should (hopefully) have more Venison and Wild Pig for the freezer. We are not too keen on the wild pig though but it comes in handy at times. The Venison steaks are great on the Barbie. Must go now and think about baking that pie. Talk to you all soon Mavis NZ

Hi everyone. Like you Brenda I am so sad about Gene Pitney. He had such an unusual voice. He seemed to be even better as he got older. Thanks Fred for the info on growing Tatties in tubs. I will have a go. Quite fascinating. It is another beautiful day here in Papamoa - should be in the garden but we are having a lazy day. Reading, snoozing, eating and talking. The weeds can wait - they wont't be going anywhere. Must think about tea (dinner) Have some cold chicken so think I will make a chicken and vegie pie (frozen pastry!!). My son in law has gone hunting this week so we should (hopefully) have more Venison and Wild Pig for the freezer. We are not too keen on the wild pig though but it comes in handy at times. The Venison steaks are great on the Barbie. Must go now and think about baking that pie. Talk to you all soon Mavis NZ

Hi everyone,Kathleen so nice to see you again,you know you are very welcome anytime.Hope you are on the way to a full recovery. Sylvia,another house full ,your social life is better than ours!!! Where is Fred i am still wondering what these Moggoe taattie ara that he had for tea. Was very upset about the death of Gene Pitney he was my first pop star crush if you can call it that, was actually on the phone booking tickets for the concert here next week when they told me he had died . Not sure if i will be on tomorrow ,have a busy day,and am meeting friends ,hopefully in the evening . take care ,Brenda

Hi all, Nice to see you back again Kathleen. It is just a few of us oldies who keep this thread going. Glad you are feeling better, and see that you stay that way. Fred you have been busy, and now tatties being grown. You will soon be self-sufficient and won't need the shops soon. You'll have to buy a cow for the milk. I suppose you could use soya milk. I went out today as I had to pick up some more tablets for myself so decided to stop at the supermarket on the way back. Oh that cold wind really made me get inside quickly. Well tomorrow is our granddaughter Linda's 24th birthday and she will be coming round for a short while. She has taken a day off work, and her mother is coming and then she will see her friends/boyfriend and celebrate with her father in the evening. I will hear all about her new house, how far they are with the decorating/rebuilding and when they hope to move in. Unfortunately it is not as near to me as she is now. Now see you all tomorrow. Sylvia xxx

Hello again, it has taken ages to catch up on all the messages but nice to read about all your activities. I have been very much under the weather for a while but thankfully am now on the mend, it takes so much longer to recover these days - the joys of getting older!! The weather does seem to be brightening up though we have had a fair bit of rain (where is this drought they keep telling us about?). It has turned a bit colder again but the forecast doesn't look too bad and I think it is supposed to become a bit warmer. We had a computer break-down, luckily I managed to get all my stuff on disc but forgot to save my favourites so now I have to try to find as many of the interesting and useful ones that I can. I also lost MSN and am having a bit of trouble getting that back. Having spent so long catching up on things it is now rather late so I will say Goodnight for now. Love Kathleen

Just popped on after checking a holiday price for a friend and wonder what Moggie tatties are Fred sound wonderful at any rate. glad to see other peeps about ,willbe back tomorrow have to phone my friend before she goes on night shift at work. Brenda

Well ,here we go again,we got home soon after one this afternoon and it was nice and sunny and we decided an hour weeding in the garden was called for,so out we went trowels and buckets in hand and got cracking. At least now the back border of the front garden has been weeded and we found a huge space at the top end with nothing in it apart from weeds which got removed,but seeing as we had a splurge in march with bulb buying we have a hundred iris bulbs and two hundred other bulbs looking for a home so i will have to get cracking and get them in. The two tubs for the tatties are in place with six inches of soil and potting compost in the bottom,ready to take the tatties.making sure the pots have holes in the bottom for drainage. My pots are the same size as plastic dustbins,but a little bigger ,or smaller work as well. i use a good potato such as charlotte,place six tatties round the bottom leaving two inches between the tatties and the sides of the bin,cover them up about six inches deep and wait till the leaves show,then cover them up again [just and keep doing this untill the bin is filled to the top].keep the peat compost soil whatever, nice and moist throughout and wait till the foliage goes yellow when you stop the watering,,cover with the lid at this point, and if you plant in june ,you have beutiful new potatoes for the table at christmas,sluuuurp.this for Mavis Anyway i digress ,we finished for the day outside ,and came in and sat reading and i happened to look up half an hour later to find that the greenhouse vent had shut itself and it was snowing eh,i doooooont beeeeelieve it,where is this ruddy spring,here one minute and gone the next,at this rate Brenda ,it will be next year before you get these photies lol. have to go now ,we are having Mazzie oggies for tea ,and boy ,do they smell good ,along with thickened left gravy from their making,carrots and garden peas. See yer later peeps [burp] lol Fred.

Hi everybody, Nice to see 'old' faces returning to the thread. Di, was going to send you an e-mail to see where you were. I think we all need a good dose of sunshine. According to our forecasters the weather should change on Friday and then more sun and no more frosts - hoorah! My daughter's partner has been having a couple of days in bed, just sleeping. Janet said he won't go to the doctors and is going back to work tomorrow. This is a man who is always full of energy and a workaholic. I'm wondering if there is this bug going round. I now get up early every day. Some months ago I couldn't get out of my bed in the morning, but now wake up too early. Why? This morning I was up at 4.00 am. i didn't go to bed until 1.00 am so a pretty short night. See you all tomorrow. Sylvia xxx