General Chat

nother belt

BIL got the mower going ok but has now heard a strange noise and had a look and the drive belt has now split so has to buy another belt. He wants me to buy a new mower but they are £5,000 and I don't want to pay out that sort off money especially as he drives over all the branches that fall off the trees and dos'nt pick them up first.

Sun's out now but it's cooler today. It's good you got an appointment Mandy and I hope they can give you something to help. It's horrid being in pain and I understand gall stones can cause bad pain.

Mel I bet you were surprised to see BIL's car when you thought he would be working. Farnborough is a long way for him to travel if he lives at Barnstaple, but maybe he works at various places with his job. With him fiddling with the mower it sounds like he was keen to do more mowing which will be a help.

Gwyn I must look out for Craster as I record Countryfile but am a bit behind catching up with the episodes. I imagine it must smell kippery and smoky around that shed.

I didn't get any plants for the front wall pots and think I might be better trying another garden centre for those. I did get more French Marigolds tor fhe pots either side of the arbour. These are red centred with a yellow border. I usually have violas in those pots but thought we'd have a change this year.

I need to ring the other location for the bathroom people now as I want to look at the shower cubicles and their place near here has them upstairs and no lift. I thought shops had to be disabled compliant these days. I hope they are all on one floor at their other place. Washing will need putting out then.

Morning all,

Little bit of sun peeping through the clouds I think it should be a nice day .
I managed to get an appointment with the nurse practioner for 10 30 so hopefully she can give me something ,son is going to take.

Thank you Ann for forwarding AnnG's photos. What a vivid colour on the peacock!
Although the sun was not shining for the walk, the light mist somehow adds to the atmosphere of that ancient place.
It was interesting to see Craster featured on Countryfile yesterday. They were focusing on the kippers mainly and the smoking shed still used in the same traditional way as past 3 generations of the same family.

A bright and breezy day for us today. I have just done a bit more dead-heading and weeding and the bin is now out for collection.
It looks as if it might be wet again tomorrow :-(

Morning all,

YOu are an early bird tis morning Ann hope you find your plants for your wall pots. I was woken at 8.28am by a car driving down here and when I got up and looked out the window BIL is here. Now he is supposed to have gone to work in Farnbough at 12.30am last night and I hav'nt been out there yet but he is fiddling with the mower. I shall have to investigate. He's not in the works car either he's in the Duster so wife must have taken the little fusion.

Had my COC so better go and say hello.

Morning All,

Dull and overcast here but dry. That annoying asian man woke me at 6.00am with his car on our drive again! I'm so fed up as OH seems to keep putting off/forgetting to keep trying the number for the company that delivers it. The longer it goes on the more he will think he can please himself. That's my moan for the day. lol.

At least I'm up and showered now ready to pop to the shop and call at the garden centre for some plants for some of the wall pots. OH is out at a council meeting this morning.

Yes Vera, that book shop or any book shop would be like honey to a bear for OH. He'd be making a bee-line for it. :-). Your OH did well getting a gold star for his work in the garden. Mine announced he had cleared the front border yesterday afternoon, which gave me a nervous twitch when he said all that I'd told him had gone! I confess to tiptoeing to the front window to look what he'd done from there and was relieved to see the cotton lavender and euonymous were still standing. I'll have a closer look on my way out today.

I've had my pills so better be off now. BBL.

Thanks for sending on AnnG's pictures Annx. They brought back some memories. That area is one of our favourite parts of the country and I think we have had 3 holidays around there, one staying in a fisherman' s cottage in Craster. We have walked along past Dunstanburgh Castle to Embleton and sometimes further many a time. I certainly couldn't do it now. Alnwick is lovely too. I assume the bookshop you are talking about is Barter Books in the old station. I could have spent the whole day there. I bet Annx's OH would love it.

Poor you Mandy. You are in the wars and just as you seemed to be improving. Thinking of you <3

OH got a gold star. All I have to do is slightly adjust the position of the pots as they aren't quite in the right place but only a few inches out.

You go on all you like Mandy, it is not nice having so many health problems.probably a good idea to stop the iron and see if you can stabilise your system

Thank you Ann for passing on Anng's photos ,what a beauty of a peacock that lovely blue on his chest really stands out .
Anng I'm not sure really what started this off I did wonder if it might have been the first lot of iron as it really upset my system and all the upset in my tummy might have upset the gall bladder and made it produce more bile .
I've been in the loo again which could be the gall bladder but I've also stopped this lot of iron just in case it's that again .
I just had a piece of Bassa and green beans and rice ,it's so hard to know what to have ,no fats and nothing stodgy and the rice was a little ,I only had half but at least it's something as I only had two weetabix yesterday .
All I seem to go on about is my health ,sorry

Smashing p[ictures from Anng and thanks for forwarding them on Ann. both Ann and Linda look well and rested and the castle is beautiful. They have peacocks a little way away from me and I can hear them calling. They always sound to me like they are calling for HELP.

Done a little more weeding but can't bend like I used to and I also used ot kneel to weed but those days are now gone but I must go and pick my mess up.

Goodness it’s hot. 22 degrees here at the moment and not a breath of wind. I haven’t done anything in the garden today apart from pull a few weeds as I walked by but OH is out there now. I laughed at Mel’s bil and Annx’s OH not really listening to your gardening wishes. Mine is currently supposed to be putting a couple of my argyranthemum cuttings into two large pots and putting a potted grass and these cuttings by the front door. At the moment there is a Christmas box there and that will be moved to sit inside the side gate. That’s the plan but he’s already been in again to ask where the Christmas box is supposed to go and what pots he’s supposed to be using for the cuttings. I’ll probably find he’s potted up 1 geranium cutting and a tomato, lol.

I wish I had your energy Mel. You are so good to keep all your land going and look after the wildlife and the chickens, even though you have problems with hips and knees etc. The smallest of jobs seems to exhaust me these days.

I hope your cough clears up soon AnnG. My daughter had a cough a while ago that just seemed to go on and on. Fingers crossed that you lose yours quickly.

Take it very easy Mandy. You obviously know what affects your pain so try and avoid those movements and treat yourself gently.

Did you find anything exciting in your cupboard Gwyn? I agree that spending time with family is a lovely thing to do, particularly if, like us, you are unable to see them very often. It’s a coincidence that it has been mentioned on here today as I was talking to dil on the phone this morning and asked if there was anything special she would like for her forthcoming birthday. She said there was nothing she really needed or wanted except time to be with family.

Sadly we have the funeral of another friend to go to tomorrow morning. We seem to have lost so many friends and family members over the last couple of years but that’s what happens as we get older.

Well, it’s been very quiet outside for a while so I had better go and investigate and see what OH has planted up. Will he get a gold star or a dunce’s cap?

I've sent them on AnnG. The Peacock is beautiful isn't he. These days if I get a cold or cough, it seems to affect me so I can't hang on like I used to either, so I know what you mean about toilets! It's good you have still felt well enough to enjoy your break. OH is glued to the tv sport too, so I'm glad I can escape in here! I bet Alnwick Gardens tomorrow will be good. OH and I went over a decade ago and it was so well kept.

It is 12 degrees here so a bit on the cool side. I have sent a few photos via Ann. Could you pass them on Ann please. Many thanks.
I don’t think daughter and SiL will catch the cough now, I guess it is just a left over from the cold which started over a week ago. It is aggravating rather than anything and inconvenient for the usual knock on effect from a cold if you are like me. Need to keep fairly near a loo or keep my legs crossed when I cough. At least it has not stopped me enjoying my break.
Today we drove to Craster, about five miles. Home of kipper baps and smoked kippers. From Craster we walked across NT cliff paths to where we had a good view of Duntisburgh castle on the hill. It is just ruins but impressive from a distance. It stayed dry but dull, quite good for a brisk walk. I think we walked about two miles No shops in Caster, just a smokery and a small coffee snack bar. We stopped at a nice hotel on the way back for a drink and to check out their menu for the future then drove back to our lodge for lunch. And SiL is a rugby and football fanatic so that had been on TV for three hours now.
Tomorrow we have booked to go to Al wick gardens, and afterwards hopefully the book shop.

Mandy, hope the pain soon passes. I see you say it is gallstones, I might have missed what has caused the flare up I assume it is. nothing to do with any medication or change in diet?

Vera I hope you have confiscated the secateurs and your garden is not too naked.

Mel hopefully your arm is ok now.
Hope any other aches and pains are recovered.

Its 20 degrees here now and pc is saying sunny. I can see that.

Ann I haveto do that with BIL he keeps mowing over things I tell him not to. Last year I have one white Bluebell come up where the snowdrops are and I always tell him not to mow where the snowdrops are till JUne when the leaves have completely died down. This year he went through the snowdrops when he should'nt and realised and came out and he had just missed the bluebell which has two stalks of flowers this year so I said I will put a marker on those when he mows the orchard. Last year he mowed the daffs before they had died down and I only had a couple of flowers on them this year when there hsould have been swathes but I did heard somewhere that others have not had many blooms on their daffs.

Oh well off back out to the weeding.

Arms not so achey today which is good.

Afternoon All,

It's 19 degrees here too and looks lovely and sunny out there. I was awake till after 4.00am so was up late and am like a zombie today. We had a nice puff pastry chicken and leek pie with four veg and a buttery sauce for lunch and OH is washing what's used every day and doesn't go in the dishwasher before he watches a footie semi final this afternoon. I heard a useful tip today. Not to throw away squeezed lemon halves, but put them in the dishwasher with the pots and they make it smell nice and the glasses sparkle.

Mel I've had 2 scam emails this weekend. You should see the number of Ninja Airfryers I might have won!! All reported as usual so they will be taken down. It's good your arm is improving now, but what a shame the Northern Diver has moved to the lake. Your BIL would have got some great photos with it being clear sunshine and no wind today. The trouble I find is that if you have a lot of stuff, you often can't find what you want and end up buying more! lol

Sorry to hear the pain is bad Mandy. Does it help at night if you raise your pillows? As you say, being careful what you eat and rest should hopefully make things better soon.

I had to chuckle at sounding like 40 a day AnnG, but it's no joke when you get one of those relentless coughs. I hope you have something to soothe it and hope that your daughter and SIL don't get it as well. Those peacocks are incredibly loud aren't they., but so beautiful.

Gwyn you reminded me of my first MIL as she had her box room full of belongings that belonged to her daughter's BIL from when he went home from Uni, so not even her own children's things! She'd had them for years and didn't like to upset anyone so had just hung onto them. My OH has asked me three times now what plants to leave in the front borders as he is digging some out as we are changing things around. I shan't dare look when he's done it as I bet he gets it wrong. Maybe I should push some sticks in next to the ones to save! That might work.

I'd better get on and do something now.

Gosh its hot out there I had to come in for a drink of water. It says its 19 degrees but feel much hotter.

Trouble with me is I have too many belongings and I know if I throw something out I shall just need that one thing that went.

I have had anpother scam call this morning who knew my name and the begining of my card number. I had just paid the leccy bill so be careful as they said they were from the bank. I rang the over 60's number and the lady said everything would be ok. Then as I was on th ephone BIL turned up he has been trying to take more photos of the Great Northan Diver but it seems to have gone fro the lake now. He even brought his friend down for him to take some pics of it the day before.

So much for my earlyning iv'e not got anything done yet so better go round to the girls and fill up the bird feeders for the wild birds too.

Nice to hear from you Gwyn and good luck with the clear out.

Mel, good to know that your arm is less painful today. There must be so much to do, when you have so much grounds to care for, so it's hard to have a rest day, especially at this time of the year.

AnnG, It's lovely that you are spending time with family in a beautiful part of the country, but sorry to hear about your cough. There are some nasty lingering ones about this year. I'm not usually troubled by them, but one a few months back took ages to go. It was not too bad, when I kept quiet, but if I talked a fair bit, eg. on the phone, it would start up again... a message to me there somewhere ;-)
I know what you mean about peacocks, as we went to a barbeque yesterday evening in aid of a charity. It was held at a large house in the country, which had peacocks roaming free in the grounds and we could hear them calling at times. In fact, as we were getting in the car to leave, one was screeching up in the treetops above us... They can be quite vocal !

Sorry to read of your pain, Mandy. It seems that you know how to manage it, so I hope that by being careful, you soon feel better. I know you like to keep busy, so it can't be easy for you to not be active.

Vera and Ann, I hope you are well today and that both your respective Mr Crewcuts are not too over active with their efforts to help.

After rather a dismal day for much of the time yesterday, the sun is shining again, which always makes me more willing to get on with things. A particular cupboard is the target today. I wonder what unexpected things we will find there.?The porch cupboard last weekend produced some unexpected finds hidden in it's depths,which resulted in a serious 'cull', which meant bags have gone for charity, and some items are ready to go to son and elder daughter, as the coats and footwear were left here and forgotten, so they can go back and we will have more room for our belongings.

Morning all,
Nice bright morning here so nice to see the sun after the day we had yesterday it was so cold .
Still have the pain between my shoulder blades ,I just have to rest and not stretch up or stoop down and be very careful what I eat ,this is the most pain I have had ,it usually takes a week to ease up .

Good morning all, a lot cooler today and complete cloud cover. It is supposed to be a dry day but not as nice as yesterday. I slept ok, didn’t cough but when I coughed this morning I sound like a forty a day person.
All I can hear is the peacock on our balcony rail calling. There are at least two males and five females here but really there only seems to be one who comes so close.

We had two pied wagtails outside yesterday as well.