General Chat

Hi everybody, Well it is a good job I looked in because I see I am the only one on today. 'I'm just a lonely girl'. Today went to the doctors with my hands. I have had a lot of trouble with my left hand and the dr thinks have been doing too much. The right one, where I had the op. is also not good and the doctor said if it gets worse I could have plastic surgery. It is the tendons. We have had a lot of heavy downpours of rain today, although the sun does come out now and again. It is a pity as the boy scouts have their Jamboree here this week. It is an international camp. Apart from doing a little dusting haven't been doing much else. Oh yes, making some more cards. That is the trouble all my hobbies involve using my hands. Now have a nice day everyone. Sylvia xxx

Hello Sylvia,sorry to leave you on your own. Was busy ironing this morning ,making phone calls and then working from 12.30 til 8pm. Then more phone calls tonight ,all about the wedding.!!! Hope the nice weather comes back as it has been raining almost nonstop today. See you tomorrow,take care .Brenda

Just to let you know that there is a strong possibilty that I will not have chance to get on here before Sunday.I am working late tonight and then all day tomorrow,I also have thingsto get ready for the wedding on Saturday ,I have a hairdressers appointment at 9am and then have to be going out to the wedding at just after 12pm.Don't konw what time we will be back so don;t think I will be here. Hope you all have a nice weekend and the sun is still shining for you ,it had better be sunny un Bury where the wedding is.!!! Kitchen almost finished ,the main bits are anyway,it is so annoying that we are promised a time for them to come back and do it and they call to say Sorry but !!!!,its at the stage we just do not beleive them any more.If they do it one more time,we will be putting inmore than a complaint,. Take care,brenda

Hi everybody, Well, Brenda do hope you have a lovely time at the wedding. You certainly deserve it. Don't have too much of the booze now. I wonder where our Fred is again. Come on Fred, come and help me please. I went out with my scootmobile today to the market and it was lovely weather. Annemie and I drank coffee out and found we had lots of time over. I have made 3 loaves of bread today, two brown and one white.Also done a washing machine full of white washing. Where does it all come from? Fortunately most of it only needs folding up and putting away, such as towels. I am glad we are on the first floor of this flat as on the third floor they have had leakages due to the torrential rain we have had. I know we have insurance but it never covers the cost of decorating. Now I will come on again tomorrow, so have a nice evening. Sylvia xxx

Sorry everyone Sylvia and Brenda,,been off line for nearly a week ,and have to go shopping now or incurr the wifes displeasure but [arnie sweaty knickers impersonation] i will be back ,later have a good weekend everyoneand hope the wedding goes well Brenda.lovely to be back Fred.

Hi everybody, Well Fred that was short and sweet. Are you coming back later? Not doing too much today, just a wee bit of ironing, especially the curtain I took down to wash a few days ago and still haven't ironed. Then I'll make some more cards I think. The weather here is bright, a little sun and a little breeze. Just nice. Sylvia xxx

Hi everyone, Hope the wedding went well Brenda - trust the weather was kind. Bet you had lots to eat and lots to drink.......maybe! Fred, we do miss your long write ups. They are always so interesting and funny at times. Di the kayak is coming along nicely. Pip loves to see the different stages - the photo's are great. The weather here has turned very wet - Pip had just mowed the lawns - 1 hour later the heavens opened. I planted some strawberry plants this morning. More another day. Bought a few double stocks to put in tubs. Need to tidy the two berganvileas (spelling doesn't look right!!). I have pruned all the roses and have been preparing my last years Begonia corms - just waiting for them to shoot before planting. We visited a Begonia growers nursery sometime back and they had the most marvellous blooms - so large and such vibrant colours. They told us to buy a particular brand (Daltons) potting mix so hopefully we too will have very large bloom. I wonder!! Jobs to do indoors tomorrow if it still rains - boring things like ironing and cleaning! Must go now - regards to you all. Mavis NZ

Hi Sylvia yes ,back again for a few minutes before going to work,but i have the day off tomorrow [wahey].Yesterday wasn't so bad,i got the hedge done ,the outside and the top ,as well as the back lawn cut ,in between going out to do a few runs in between the gardening.Liz found tons of ants that had come through the patio doors and sneaked under the carpet in the corner,so fred got banished to Marys chalet to root out the powder and raid to do battle,lol.the ones indoors were easy ,the raid killed them off in minutes ,but the ones underr the patio were a different kettle of fish, We had red ants ,black ,ants ,winged ants ,and old uncle tom cobbley and all,so there was Fred ,powder in one hand ,puffing away like mad,raid in the other hand squirting everywhere ,and stamping on them in between,i must have looked like an old ,overweight, red indian medicine man doing a rain dance[ it worked to ,it was piddling down over night] That meant no garden today so the inside hedge will have to wait till tomorrow morning. the greenhouse is doing real well,tons of tomatoes ready ,lettuce plants ready to go out and cucumbers everywhere,to top it all,the peppers are nearly ready. I have some rice salad to make up now ,so i must be off ,because by the time i have done that it will be time to go out to do the shopping centre,but i will be home by seven and will log on again ,see ya later peeps,Fred.

Hi all, Nice to see you again Fred and Mavis. Let's hope that Brenda has had a good time at the wedding. I think the weather was ok. I was up too early this morning - 6 o'clock, but had been awake since around 5.00 am. I didn't go to bed until gone 1.00 am so don't know why I am such an early bird today. Am going to have some time for myself today with my hobbies, well, when I have prepared the dinner. Have a nice Sunday everyone. Sylvia xxx

Hi all, Well nobody around today, but will keep this thread nudged up. Today the weather has been fine, little breeze, but sunny, but tonight - another story, windy and rainy. Today I managed to clean up the balcony as I had listened to the weather forecast and thought 'now is my chance to do it in the dry'. I also cleaned the bathroom and toilet. I like to do this on Monday then I think 'maybe this is the last time', and that my new help will be here. Well I can dream can't I? Johan helped me put on the duvet covers. He has proven himself a good help in my needs. Even at 81 and having had 7 sisters, he can be trained! Tomorrow we are going into town to do one or two things, such as getting new ink refills for our printer. Cannot print at the moment and it is frustrating. There is also a 'new' handicraft shop which I want to look at. I say 'new' but it is a few months old and I have had it on my list to do for a long time. If we have any time over we will go and see my ex neighbour who is now out of hospital but in a care group until she is strong enough to go home. You see she has no children and no husband and has had a big operation. By bye Sylvia xxx

Sorry this is short and sweet, The wedding went really well and my sister Jane was just beautiful,my dad was so proud . It was in a register office ,but they had a beautiful chaple like room to get married in,not like other register office weddings ,they also had a sort of aisle ,so my dad could walk Jane down the aisle,(he could not do that last time as it was an old style Register office,(my sister and her new husband were both widows ).The sun did its best to come out at times ,it was a very hot humid day .and an even hotter evening,it was a good job the cricket club had the stands out side the room to let people sit outside. Have had a bit of trouble with my teeth since having the fillings redone a few weeks ago,had to go as an emgergancy today and have them filed and might have to have root canal treatment.!! Must go to bed now as I have had pain again tonight which they said i might have and have taken painkillers and they are now taking effect so I want to try and get to sleep while they working,as i did not get any last night. See you tomorrow,Brenda

Hi everybody, Hope you managed to get some sleep Brenda. You really are in the wars aren't you? It's awful when you have problems with your teeth I know. Johan and I had quite a fruitful day today. We went into town and bought some new ink cartridges for our printer, then visited a new handicraft shop. Lots of new things, ideas etc. Had to wait until Johan had gone out of the shop before I bought anything. He hasn't any patience so soon disappears out of the shop. Had to be careful I didn't get carried away! We then took a big bundel of clothes which I don't wear any more to the secondhand shop where they look over them, and sell them for the out of work members of our society. And last but not least visited an ex neighbour who has been in hospital for a few weeks for a bowel op (cancer) and is now convalescing. She was so pleased to see us. She didn't have any washing for me to do as my neighbour on the third floor had been yesterday and taken it away. She has asked if Johan will take her to the hospital soon and he has agreed. My two grandchildren are coming to me for dinner on Thursday evening - nice. I shall have to be careful what I cook as my grandson is himself a cook and quite a good one at that. Well I hope somebody else joins us here tomorrow as it is rather lonely. Sylvia xxx

Hello SYlvia,only a little trouble with the teeth today,hope that means they have sorted it out and I don;t have to have any more treatment. Been trying to send emails o fthe pictures I took at the wedding but I am doing some thing wrong as the file is not in the right place.!!!and it is attaching all the pictures not just a couple/ Been her ages and getting fed up with myself so going fo a cuppa and a read of the instructions.That might help.Brernda

Morning peeps,Freed has just come in ,finished until three so i am now online [as you can see lol] to give our Sylvia and Brenda a bit of respite. I managed to get finished early last night ,and shot off to Lewis's party down in wallsend,and have to say ,it wen't very well. The birthday boy got plenty of cards and a few presents ,lots of cuddles,and got pusheed everywhere in one of his new sit and ride toys. The b b q was put on hold because of the rain but there were lots of other dishes and tarts ,flans and pies on offer. The son did a lovely thia curry with rice, some home made dips and other indian tit bits ,as well as open sanwiches ,but with everything from ham and pease pudding,to cheese savoury. I did manage to get a few photo's which i will download later,when i can get back on the puter[the grandson is home till the end of the month] It looks as though he is taking a three year posting at Brize ,and not going to Marham,which is i believe ,in the wilds of norfolk somewhere because it's a bit further to travel ,and the roads are not as good to travel on. i have at last managed to duplicate the secondary drive which has all the windows programmes on so if this ruddy puter goes down again ,i can reboot it with no bother,.i only wish that i could do the same with our power supply ,since the electricity board have repaired the cable ,we have had our mains trip go four times in two days,and seeing as it has never happened before ,something still isn't right .i think i may be calling them again and asking it to be sorted properly. Have to go now ,but should be back later.take care all.Fred.

Hi. I'm here again at last. Our rain has stopped and it has turned cold again. Snow further down the Island - always makes it cold here although Papamoa and Mount Maunganui have never ever had snow. Feeling the cold tonight maybe there could be a first time lol Busy days this week. Wernt to my Computer Group this p.m. U3A (University of the third age) sounds impressive but it is just a friendly group of 10 people who discuss problems etc and try to help each other out. It is a nation wide association - with groups covering all sorts of topics from History, Genealogy, Travel, World Affairs. For $20 per year you can belong to any of the groups. The press were at our meeting today - doing a write up for the local paper - mainly about internet. They interviewed 'me' and took photo's so I am famous at last lol !!!! The diet is still going well - I have now lost 7 and 1/2 kilos since the 31st May. I am now complaining my clothes are too big! Good excuse to go shopping. Pip has lost 4 and 1/2 kilos - he doesn't need to lose any more. We will be at my daughters for 10 days from Saturday looking after the boys so will not be around on here for a while. But will be on again before we go. Enjoy reading all your 'reports'. All for now Regards Mavis

Hi all, Yes Brenda, when all else fails read the instructions. Mind you I am not very good at that sort of thing on the computer. Not done very much today apart from lots of shopping. I have the grandchildren eating here tomorrow so have lots of food in the house. Don't know what I am going to cook, but as grandson is himself a cook, or at least learning to be one, have to watch my step! Haven't seen our Di for a few days, do you think she is helping with the Kayak? Don't have much energy today, so will say bye bye. Sylvia xxx

Hi Nice to see Fred is keeping up with us again,and hope he can sort out the electric board as well as all the other problems he sorts out so easily. Mavis its been a bit chilly here as well today ,windy and very grey skies,hope it bucks up again.Enjoy your visit to your daughters. Sylvia hope you impressed your granchildren with the meal you made them,we had unexpected guests just before I was going to make our tea.and they stayed a while,so we ended up with egg and sausgage with baked beans for tea. out tomorrow ,have to find a sixteth birthday present, see you all soon,brenda

Hi all, Yes Sylvia, I have. He often needs someone to help when he cuts the wood strips, so I spent an hour this morning with my grungiest clothes on, a scarf around my head and a mask on, as carpenters mate!! John creates new gadgets to assist in the current job; real crazy inventor gadgets which Steve and Bernie pull his leg over, but they work pretty well. Sometimes not, and then we have some good funny stories to remember and laugh over later on; (when the wounds have healed or damage to property repaired!! lol) Anyway this morning we cut wood strips for the next stage,which is the deck, and the latest gadget worked really well with me controlling it! Steve handed me a 5lb bag of blueberries yesterday, and said if I made jam could he have a jar. So I spent this afternoon doing that; I used 3 1/2 lbs to make 4 pints, and I'm freezing the rest for muffins. We've been eating peas from the garden for the past week, and today some snap beans for a change, and judging by the amount of blossom on the scarlet runners we're going to have a bumper crop. I have little leek seedlings to put out for a Fall/Winter crop, and will probably also put in some garlic and broad beans for spring eating. Looks like our sunny weather is back again after a refreshing rain yesterday, but it's at least cooler than it was. So tomorrow I must get out and see what needs doing in the flower and shrub department. I've been spending a lot of time indoors sewing and doing jigsaws as it's been too hot to work or sit outside. I swap jigsaws with the older couple next door, and also buy some when I can at garage sales, so always have a good selection. When I say older couple, I'm not kidding myself I'm not old but they are older than me, early to mid 80s. I have 3 cushions to cut out to put together, a blue silk dress to make and a lovely piece of cotton/linen mix I bought online from a New York supplier to make a jacket for next spring, so have lots to do. I've cut back on my computer time for the sake of my hands and neck. My hands especially are getting quite bad with arthritis, and are growing little knobs on the joints here and there. So genealogy will have to take a back seat as it requires so much time on the computer. I'll leave it to my 2 second cousins now; I passed on all the info I had of our shared Jones relatives, so at least I know it's not wasted. It's good to see you're all well and as busy as ever. Take care all of you. Love Di.xxx

Hello all, nice to see at least two friends from the Canada thread, Fred and Di. I'm Jood from the Blue Mountains out of Sydney, NSW, Australia. We down here are waiting for you to pass the warmer weather down our way for a change! .. Its been a very cold winter here, tho nowhere near as cold as you guys get it. Having an enforced day at home today, came down with a beaut of a cold, thought I'd be best to stay near the bed and rest. .. We have a meet in Sydney on Saturday, and I'm hoping to shake this cold off before then. .. There should be 14 of us. .. I've met all the girls bar one, before, and looking forward to catching up with them again. Cheers Jood

Hi all, Grandchildren came this evening. I was cooking all day, making lots of different dishes to accompany rice and noodles, pieces of chicken on sticks with peanut sauce, Babi Panyang, (slices of pork in special sauce), beans in a peanut sauce, salad of lettuce, egg, tomatoe, onion, and another salad of cubes of cucumber in lemon and dill dressing. For a sweet I made a plum mousse. I feel a bit shattered now. My grandson who is a cook wants me to tell him how to make a Xmas pudding and then he can introduce it in the kitchen where he is then working. He starts a new job in September. He now seems to know what he wants as he is planning to stay just a year in this next job. My granddaughter who started work mid-december last year will be climbing the ladder too as her boss is leaving. She seems to have moved so fast. Linda, my granddaughter, came with an enormous bunch of flowers for me tonight. She is such a beautiful girl. She is going on holiday on Sunday and flying alone for the first time. Her girlfriend in Rhodos will meet her at the airport. Feels a bit scary with all these bomb scares, but we cannot sit still, life goes on. Di, Johan is a bit like your husband and always inventing things, sometimes they work, sometimes they don't. The grandchildren and son in laws laugh at him. Isn't it nice that we can keep this thread friendly, just as the name says 'Friends'. When you hear all the trouble going on on the Board it makes me feel sick. Why do people behave like that I wonder. Now I will wish you all a nice evening. Sylvia xxx