General Chat

Hi everyone. Wow Fred you could certainly have made a comedy film with regard to the freezer episode!! Hope you do not have any more disasters for a while. Had a good time at the BBQ yesterday - lots of food - again! Before we left home we had a puncture. Took it to the tyre place - it had three nails in it. Too bad to repair!! The tyre was quite new which was a blow. So we ended up with two new tyres so as to keep the balance good. Raining here today but nice and warm. No need to water the runner beans today! The plants have really taken off. It has been so warm and wet at times. Pip has gone to indoor bowls this afternoon. I usually go but have had a few 'bladder problems' of late! It is such a joy top be getting older lol Tonight is our ladies group (7 of us) night out. We go to a different restaurant each month. Good job we have loads in Mount Maunganui and Papamoa. Pip takes us and collects us and usually has coffee with us all before we leave for home. I think he enjoys being with a lot of ladies - they all spoil him! We are going to an Indian cafe this time. All for now Goodnight/gooday everyone Mavis NZ

Hi Fred, What a nightmare your son must have had with his freezer. I was lucky/unlucky that my freezer broke down when I was on holiday once and my daughter and son in law came in the house to find a freezer full of stinking meat and vegetables. Actually this has happened already twice to me, but we are insured and received insurance for what we lost. Where is everybody? This afternoon popped along to see my grandson playing football. And I never knew he could run so fast. He always looks as though he could do with a kick in the pants when I see him, but not today on the football field. He was another lad. The weather was very nice, sun, a bit chilly but dry. I made a butter cake today as I knew my daughter and her partner were coming by after seeing Jan playing football. I hope somebody else contributes to this thread tomorrow. Come on guys where are you? Sylvia xxx

Well ,hello everyone,here we are ,weekend well underway and where has everyone gone? I had an amazing evening yesterday,after a good afternoon,had tea as usual,sat down and watched t/v for a while ,and decided to check on here to see what the crack was,i had no sooner stared at around 7.45 when the phone rang and it all started. My son said to me,dad ,the freezer has packed up,so i said ,well, come and get me in the morning and i will go with you to find a new one,to which he replied no good dad ,the freezer has been off for some time and the red light is on,the feezer[16.5 cu,ft] is full to the top and the contents are going to be no good if i wait till morning. At this point Freds heart sinks,not only have most places closed by eight,but how in hell does one get a freezer that size into a car ,unlless your name is Paul Daniels,the answer is of course ,you don't. Fred has a think and has a little brainwave,son brings the car to my house we put the trailer tent on the tow bar ,and bog off to Comet,[open till nine] open the trailer up put the jacks down,go buy a new freezer and load it into the bed of the trailer[simple] not. We got up to Comet okay ,dropped the jacks to hold the trailer steady and started to open it up,and at this point ,the manager comes out of the store,along with his security wallah who by the way would have put king kong to shame [apart from the fact that king kong spoke better english],and demanded to know what the hell we thought we were doing[he said later that he thought we were travellers setting up for the night] but once we had explained what we were doing ,they fell about laughing,and even gave us a hand to load the freezer which i was glad of because it weighed a ton. anyway we got it back to the sons just as a police car came round the corner,so we had to explain what we were doing unzipping a trailer tent at nine at night,more hilarity from the fuzz,but they did give us a hand to get the ruddy freezer in doors [thanks guys ,much appreciated],and then set off back to my house to put the trailer away,so as someone said this morning ,we could have started a new comedy show on t/v,with the name Fred & Son lol. I was of course late up this morning and feeling a bit stiff ,so i have worked it off turning the rest of the veggie patch ,and doing the salmoncoloured geraniums to put in the greenhouse,Liz has now 70 geraniums for the spring,and i still have the red ones to do. We are expecting a heavy frost tonight ,so i reckon i will have the Dahlia to start in a week ,as soon as the frost works it's way down to the stocks.. i enjoyed my tea anyway ,all the fresh air today,and i have dissconnected the phone for the evening ,just in case lol. I'm off for a swan around the boards,so enjoy your weekend all,catch you later.Fred.PtfA&G&G&S.

nudge

Hi everyone, Well its not raining at the moment but it looks as though the heavens could open any minute. Still no news about the house I'm afraid, we are again looking at the possibility of extending here. I have to go and have my hair done today, mustn't have Brenda showing me up at the Meet tomorrow,lol Fred, I love potatoes cooked that way although I usually have them baked in the oven, its the peeling of them for others. My son in law is a lovely person but very traditional about food, he likes a good English roast, no pasta, Chinese or whatever, so the potatoes are mainly for him. He does a lot for me so I dont mind really. Sue, Please send David over to me, actually my son in law would do them himself but I dont think its fair when he has been working all day. By the way its nice to see you again. Sylvia v O, I am intrigued with the CD you put in the microwave, you will have to explain to me when you have time. Mavis, I am envying you with the summer ahead of you, I am not looking forward to the winter at all. I had better start tidying up now. I may not get on tomorrow but I will try. June xx

Hi everyone. Not much to report today! Lovely and sunny and very warm and little wind for a change. Pip went to the Dentist today - had toothache last week but it has eased up now. He is on Warfarin to thin his blood so if the tooth has to be extracted he will have to come off the Warfarin for 5 days. We hope it will settle down. Had my son in law and two of the grandchildren for tea today. Roast Lamb, roast potatoes, roast pumpkin, roast kumera, carrots, peas and gravy. Followed by Apple Crumble and cream and then the boys had strawberries! My daughter has been living/sleeping in a childrens home for a week. The House Mother is in Australia for a rest! There are 7 children from 6 months to 10 years. They are lovely kids. Tomorrow is gardening day again. Lawns to be be cut - again! More Petunias to plant. The Begonias I planted (last years corms) are not looking too good. Some are fine but the others look very sad. Hope they will pick up. Sunday yet another BBQ. Our friends brother has been in NZ for 6 months on holiday - he returns to Wolverhampton UK on Tuesday. He visits every other year. He is mid 70's and is a widower - really enjoys his holidays in NZ. Thats it for now folks. Mavis NZ

Hi all, Well have been at home all day today, changed the beds, washed and ironed the bedding and finished off the extra Xmas cards I had started. I also finished off the card I made for the neighbour. It is for her niece who is temporarily in a psychiatric institution. I used a CD - putting it in the microwave to 'burst' it first - and then building up a picture of a frog on a large green leaf and a flamingo in tranquil surroundings. I was quite impressed myself with the result. Another satisfied customer. Tomorrow going to the market on my own as Annemie is working. The weather has not been too bad here, just a shower now and again. Thinking of you June and keeping my fingers crossed. Fred, I didn't know that you also ate junk food - shame on you! Have a nice evening everybody. Sylvia xxx

Hi Everyone,another wet ,windy and cold day today,winter has certainly arrived.Hope it stays dry on Saturday when we have our meet. Don't fancy walking round the city centre looking at the flower stalls etc in the rain.I suppose we could sit in the pub for the afternoon,if we really had too.!!!! Been trying to book tickets for a show via the internet but can not get on their site.Will have to go down and book myself tomorrow. See you soon,Brenda

Hi Everyone Thought it about time I put an appearance in again. It is the middle of the night here 1.05am and I cant sleep for noisy roadwork outside our place. I gather your weather is starting to turn cool. it is starting to warm up here nicely. I havent read back on everyones messages yet but I am about to do that now. But I did notice June that you dont like peeling potatoes. David always peels them for me so I am lucky. He comes home from work and does the spuds and I do the rest. Well Im going to read up on all the happenings in your part of the world. See you after.

Seeing as you hate peeling tatties June ,why not try them the irish way,scrubbed and cooked with the skins on,mashed with butter,milk,salt,and pepper,beutiful, and easy, you can even put a little grated cheddar in for a change,a meal in itsself. We are having an old favourite for our tea tonight,hot dogs from a tin,finger buns with mustard and onions , the onions cooked in a saucepan with a bovril cube added in the last few minutes.yummy. well ,short and sweet today,i must get on with the cuttings before the missus belts me with her stick again,lol,i have thirty white ones done ,but have the red and salmon ones to do yet so we are going to be stowed out with geraniums next spring. hope everyone is having a good day.See ya later people.Fred.PtfA&G&G&S.

Hi everyone, It's a very damp day here today, its that drizzly sort of rain that goes on for ever. I was hoping I could dress up for my day in Manchester on Saturday but looking out now, I think it will be my parka again, lol We haven't given up on the house move entirely, both sets of estate agents are working together to see what can be done. So fingers crossed! Fred, It sounds a lovely spot where you live and within such easy reach of Scotland too. We found out that it wasn't my solicitor that was at fault, it was my buyer's solicitor. someone in his office and given the wrong courier number to my solicitor. Brenda, the owners of the house we are buying haven't taken any decision at the moment, so I hope it gets resolved soon, for all our sakes, especially with Christmas looming. Sylvia v O, Well done with your cards, we were going to have a go this year but with most things in storage, we haven't managed it. I definitely am going to have a try when I get settled again. Well I suppose I had better get the potatoes peeled for dinner, I hate peeling them so I get them out of the way as soon as possible. Speak tomorrow. June xx

Hi everybody, Oh am I glad to see some of you back on here. It was very lonely indeed without you. Your breakfast Fred sounded more like dinner to me. Where on earth do you put it - don't tell me any lies now! Well another lovely day here today and I scooted to the physiotherapist, and the shops on the way back. I met the neighbour who bought up all my Xmas cards and she wants me to make a card for a niece of hers who is temporarily in a psychiatric hospital to cheer her up. I had to scoot to the craft shop to get more bits and bobs. We had the pea soup tonight for dinner with French bread. It was really delicious. It always tastes better the day after it is made. I've 8 portions frozen in, or was it 7, cannot remember any more. June, of course we're not fed up with hearing about your move. We are all here to support you and lend an ear. I do hope somebody buys your house soon and you can move. It is so unsettling isn't it. Now have a nice evening everybody. Sylvia xxx

Hello Everyone,,sorry I have been absent again,but have had problems getting on here with my son hogging it and then not being able to get on this thread as it was so slow. June I am so sorry about the house sale,will it stop you buying the other one? We will have to have an extra good time on Saturday. Sylvia my mam made lovelly pea soup,but these days it upsets mystomach,too many pulses . Fred your trip sounded great,so did the brekki. Mavis and the fire works are getting less here as well,thank good ness,even the heavy rain we have been having did not stop them. Have ironing half way up the wall so Had better see about getting it down,somehow !!! See you all soon,brenda

Sorry to hear of your bad news June,i would say at a rough guess that you have some recourse to get in touch with the ombudsman with a complaint against your soliciter,and i would certainly sack him ,and find yourself a more reliable agent. I have been so busy these past few days that i don't know whether i'm coming ,or going,but i have just come back from Jedburgh [scotland] where the son and i went this morning to pick up a more powerful car to tow the trailer and boat. I couldn't fault the trip up ,or down ,and the scenery still takes my breath away,we are [since moving] within an hour of Scotland ,and the lowland hills and valleys,my only complaint is ,i was chivvied this morning and forgot my camera ,so i can't load my computer and see where i went today.Never mind,i now have an excuse for going back up again. we had a lovely scots breakfast on the way up too,fried egg ,bacon,sausage[lorne], tomato, beans ,haggis,fried bread,toast ,marmalade,and two cups of tea,only trouble is ,i hav'nt room for tea,neither has the wife,so we will be having mushrooms on toast for tea. must go now,my mouth is dry and it's time for a cuppa.Fred.PtfA&G&G&S.

Hi everyone, Its a lovely sunny day here after all the rain we have had this last couple of days. We sorted the the ornaments etc that we were taking with us from the garden over the weekend and then Monday, we received the bad news that the buyer wasn't signing the contract after all. He had had his hours reduced at work and didn't think he could afford to buy. We ere absolutely devastated, if the contract had arrived when it was first sent we would have been moving this Friday or Monday. As yet we haven't made any firm decisions what the next step is. I will keep you informed. I'm sure you must all be fed up of hearing of my house move (or lack of it) Thank goodness, I have had a lot of info to add to my tree, I think I would have gone mad without something to take my mind off the subject. Yesterday my car decided to pack up too, I couldn't get any gears, the mechanic has been out to it this morning so hopefully it should be ok now. Well thats enough of my woes, I hope you all have a good day. June xx

Hi all, Yes, it's me again. It seems nobody else has entered so you'll have to have me again. Made a huge pan of pea soup today - the spoon will stand up in it! I have 8 portions (for 2 people) to freeze in and one for my daughter's partner, as my daughter doesn't like it and doesn't make it. Have also made some more Xmas cards to replace all those I sold yesterday. My granddaughter Linda has asked me to help her with some English, so another job to do. Lovely weather here today, when is it going to finish? Not much more news. See you tomorrow Sylvia xxx

Hi all, Well I went to the physiotherapist today and she noted all my details and gave me a list of what to do the next 24 hours. That is to note what I drink and pass out with regards to liquid. I will be staying home all day tomorrow as I cannot go to another loo only at home. I have to make some more Xmas cards as Annemie and another neighbour have bought up all the Xmas cards I had made. I don't even have an extra one for myself. Anyway it's nice to know that others like them. I think I'll get down to making some thick pea soup tomorrow being that I have to stay in anyway. June, can't Beckham catch mice? Close for now, have a nice evening. Sylvia xxx

Hi everyone, The sun is out and my washing is blowing nicely in the breeze. This weekend my son in law has been setting traps in the garage, there seems to be a lot of mice around this year. Or maybe it is because our nextdoor neighbours have been having a new kitchen fitted and the workmen were working on the decking, I have a strong suspicion that the mice may live under the decking and that the workmen have disturbed them. We dont want to take the boxes that we have in the garage to our new house with mice in them! I have sorted the mystery of the missing contracts, evidently they use couriers to deliver contracts and one of the solicitors gave the wrong courier number so my solicitor was sending the contract but it was going to the wrong address. The contract was sent 3 times before they worked that one out, lol Meanwhile I was getting so frustrated, I have been assured that it now will be dealt with urgently. Yesterday, my daughter, granddaughter and me went to Botany Bay and met my niece and her friend there. Botany Bay is an old converted cotton mill, that now has a lot of craft stalls, jewellers, cake shops and sweet shops. They have some lovely Christmas Decorations there too. I coudn't buy much because with moving, I didn't want any extra things to carry but I did manage to buy my niece's Christmas present, I had heard her saying that she liked it. Well I hope we dont move house this Saturday because it is the Manchester Meetup and I will be seeing Brenda there. I had better go and get some breakfast now before I forget about it, so see you tomorrow. June xx

Hi everyone. Our spell of warm weather has gone - for today anyway. Wet and quite cold. We had another funeral today - 2 in 9 days! - typical funeral weather raining and cold! Our ex neighbour passed away quite suddenly. Pip will miss him. They were good mates. Phew! The fireworks have stopped. Peace again at last! Trying to get my Christmas cards written so that I can post all the ones for the UK before the 11th November - much cheaper then. Presents to send to my two grand daughters in the UK. Costs more for postage than the gifts! Not quite that bad! Had a great day with friends in Putaruru yesterday. So warm we were able to sit in the garden most of the time. They have just moved into another house - it is situated in the middle of a pasture with cattle all around. Not a house in site. They love it. We did just for the day but I would miss contact with people if I lived there. We enjoy 'watching the world go by'. TIme to say goodnigh again. Mavis NZ

Hi all, I was too tired to use the computer yesterday after my day around Rotterdam, not without hitches of course. Well the taxi arrived nicely on time, and there was another couple in the taxi/bus going our way. They were going to Zoeterwoude which is not too far from Rotterdam. I got talking to the woman and found out that she also makes cards, so it was non stop chatter all the way. Her husband had just had his 80th birthday (Johan was 80 in March) and her husband had fought in Indonesia, so had Johan. What a small world. Have promised to see her sometime at a club she goes to for handicraft. When we got to Rotterdam the taxi chaffeur asked me to pay a large sum of money. I said that it was not correct and he phoned his office and they said our budget had been overdrawn. Johan had telephoned twice beforehand to make sure that we had enough to make this trip. Our new budget goes in tomorrow so we wanted to use up the other money. This was Johan's card. They told Johan on the phone that my card was NIL on the budget. That cannot be as I never finish my budget money. I always leave a sum to make sure I can take the taxi if Johan goes into hospital any time. I had to pay in the end, but this put rather a damper on the day. The chaffeur said I would have to pay full fare for the return journey. Anyway I couldn't do anything else so when it was time to go home we got into the taxi and never talked about money, nor did the chauffeur. Very strange, we had a laugh when we got indoors, but am still worried that we may still get the bill as they have our card number. We had to wait quite a while for the taxi going home and it there was a cold wind blowing. We had to pick up a woman and her grandson in Scheveningen who had been to the circus. They had been waiting two and a half hours for the taxi. So her day must have been spoilt too. Anyway in Rotterdam we met up with Johan's sister Nellie and her daughter Petra (my niece) by the museum. We had coffee and apple tart (not so nice as mine though). We then split up with Johan and Petra going over the museum and Nellie and I going shopping. I wanted to see the 'Koopgat', literally translated 'Shopping Hole'. This is a lot of shops built under the main high street. All the big shops are there. I bought myself a green jumper with a low neck so will have to wear a spaghetti top underneath. I also went into the secondhand bookshop and bought a book over Rotterdam for Johan for Xmas. He has lots of books over Rotterdam, but not this one. Here in Almere we can only get books over Amsterdam, as that is our nearest town, and of course Johan is a Rotterdammer. Today I have been busy, baked two brown loaves of bread and one white one, a cake, 2 kilos of stewing pears, as well as getting the dinner and running two washing machines. Sold some more of my Xmas cards. Nothing more exciting has happened today so have a nice evening everybody. Sylvia xxx