General Chat

You can certainly use stamps with the Queen's head on BUT they must also have the bar code.
Just this week, my daughter received back stamps from the Post Office which had been swapped in their exchange service.
All the new stamps received have the Queen's head plus bar code.
Envelopes to send off stamps for swapping can be obtained free at Post Office counters.
Daughter had many £ worth as she had taken Martin Lewis' advice to beat the price increase :-0

I had a Christmas card with a non valid stamp on it, but it was just delivered with the rest of my post.
Perhaps the posties couldn't be bothered with the hassle then...... :-S

Mel

Can you still use stamps with the Queen on?

No, the deadline for using stamps with the Queen’s image on them was 31 July, rendering non-barcoded stamps invalid.

Don’t worry though, because you can get them swapped for new ones, for free.

The initial deadline was 31 January but Royal Mail gave six months’ leeway to allow customers time to adjust to the new rules.

Iv'e got it its a card from my SIL and there's a 2nd class large stamp on it so why have I had to pay 2.50 . OOOOO I have just realised it has a stamp with the queens head on it !!!!!!! Stamp no longer valid for postage. Well I did'nt know that. I shall now have to look at the stamps I have in stock.

Morning all,

No sun here just lots of cloud not cold though its 13 degrees and could get to 16 degrees today .
Oh just got a bit brighter so the suns trying its best to peep through.
We were going shopping but have decided to go tomorrow now .
I can't remember the last time I went in our library, probably when I went in to get the covid tests , I was given a temporary card years ago and I never used it or applied for a new card .
I can remember going with mum and picking my books you handed your books in and there was all the little envelope cards with the tickets in from the books in a great big round tray and she would spin it round to find your tickets I think I was allowed three books and I'd always look for the Enid Blyton ones first ,then it was over to the desk were they stamped your book

Morning girls,

At the mo I have sunshine allbeit a bit waterery looking ang grey clouds out the front and the temp is 14 degrees, certainly a heatwave.

Angela rang this morning to remind me its the last day of our mobile library so to get all my books together. We shall have to go to either Holsworthy or Torrington and if we are late with our books we will have to pay a fine.

Good morning all.
12 degrees here too. Wet underfoot, but I'm hoping the rain holds off, when I go walking with a friend later, to a country park to see the snowdrops there.
Just going to check the time of the buses home, as I have a busy day today, so need to fit everything in.

good morning all. already 12 degrees here but very grey and gloomy looking, dry at the moment but it doesn't look as though that will last which is a nuisance as I need to get to town this morning to make sure son in law's card catches a decent post time at the main PO. could be getting wet then.

Ah with T being away on HMS Eagle for six months I did have some letters from him. Yes they were love letters. I think I kept just one. I always had birthday, anniversary and Christmas cards from him and he always chose one with nice words.

Before we were married when he went home on leave he sent post cards. Probably gave the postman a good read.

How nice that Em brought you those lovely flowers Mel. I bet they look really uplifting and pretty in the vase.

Yes, I did get a chocolate trifle! I was surprised there were any left but there were at least four. OH has saved his half for tomorrow as he has only just got back from his meeting.

Your vanilla, decorated birthday cake sounded nice Mandy and I expect it soon disappeared! lol :-) OH thought your idea to get a large fish between us was brilliant, so thank you for suggesting it and we will try that next time! :-D

Vera my OH has never bought just one card for me whatever the occasion. However, I've never had a romantic love letter from him, which is strange considering he has spent and still spends a lot of time with a pen in his hand!! Early in our relationship he would send me chatty letters if he was staying away on a course for a week in his job. I did say to him once that if he wrote me a letter it would probably start 'Dear Sir or Madam' after writing that in his job for so many years! :-D We have to remember their other virtues like you say and be thankful they have some. I hope your fish tonight will be bigger than our tiddlers we had and we have found eating places here are closing some days, particularly Mondays. I suppose with less customers in the week it doesn't cover the cost of opening. You got some trips to look forward to booked today that I would enjoy too.

Em came round just before 5pm with a big bunch of pink and white flowers. there's alstomeria, white chrysants lovely pink chrysant and two deep pink roses and a bit of leafy thing. So the jug I used to use for my roses came in handy and thye are now in that.. The postman had been with another card but I had'nt heard him come today but spotted the post when I went round to do the chickens.

I had a huge salad fr lunch and now don't want much so I think its going to be nice multi seed bread toasted with honey from the man up the road, the honey is from Black Torrington and its lovely.

That was a nice present from your neighbour Mel. With all your craftwork those new brushes are bound to come in handy.

Did you get a chocolate trifle Ann? It's a pity that your F & C was disappointing.

Reading of Valentine cards tucked away in drawers and odd presents received I can only think my OH is the least romantic man on earth. In all the years I've known him (around 63 years) he's only sent one card and that was when we were engaged. Even then I really believe that his mother sent it. Well, you can't have everything and he does have other virtues.

I'm glad the sun came out for you Mandy. We haven't seen any all day. It's not really cold but feels it because it's so grey and drizzly-mizzly. Our day hasn't gone entirely to plan. We were going to do some housework between us this morning and then go to a pub about 6 miles away for lunch. We wanted to check out the food there as OH is thinking of taking a friend there next week.. First, a couple of phone calls put me a bit behind but I managed to dust and hoover upstairs while OH did the same downstairs. Then it struck me that the pub might be doing a set Valentine's meal which I didn't want so I checked online to discover it doesn't do lunchtime food and anyway doesn't open till 4 pm on Tuesday-Thursday.

After a quick rethink we decided on a lunchtime snack here and a meal tonight in a local fish place. We'll go about 6 pm before it gets too busy.

Then I spent a while online booking tickets to things. Mel, you might remember the church at the top of the market place from when you lived in the area. That is now an arts centre and they have various things on, including a light show of some kind. It lasts 45 minutes and is on 4 times an evening over 4 or 5 nights. I've got tickets for 6 pm on Sunday. They are supposedly free with a suggested £2 per head donation but you have to opt out of it and it is a bit of a faff. I'm happy to pay but if it's a donation I feel I should opt in rather than out. After that I booked tickets at the Mercury Theatre in Colchester for The Carpenters Story in May. This is only on for one night and it's during OH's birthday week. We used to like the Carpenters back in the day so I thought he would enjoy that. Then I noticed that the 70th Anniversary Tour of The Mousetrap was going to be at the theatre in July so I got a booking for that. By the time I had finished I had said goodbye to nearly £150 but, hey, it's only money.

Right, I have a couple of birthday cards to write and then I had better tidy myself up if we are going out to eat. Enjoy the rest of your birthday Mel and don't eat too much of that chocolate. "See" you all tomorrow.

That was a nice present Mel those brushes will come in handy and you'll be able to eat a little of the marzipan as you paint .

Hope you got the trifle Ann ,shame about the F&C 's we haven't had any for a while now as we didn't enjoy the last lot we had ,could you get a large fish and have half each as I always think you get nice flakes of fish with a large piece .
You asked if my birthday cake was chocolate, no it was a nice vanilla sponge cake with little stars and chocolate buttons on, it was very tasty .

We managed to go shopping in the dry as we did had a little drizzle first thing and now the suns out .

Hope you got your trifle Ann and they were'nt sold out.

Its got a bit chillier this afternoon well in the house but not outside as its still 12 degrees by the pc.

That was a nice present Mel. You will find the paint brushes useful I am sure.

What a pity that the F&C was disappointing today Ann. You will be put off getting them from there now. Did you get the trifle or was it sold out?

That was a nice gift for you Mel. OH would like your marzipan bar and I would enjoy the paintbrushes!

Our F&C were a bit disppointing today. We have a small fish each, but today both of us got 2 tiny pieces of fish. Perhaps they are economising by buying fish bits! :-S I still haven't popped out yet so will go now. OH is fancying the chocolate trifle but I've told him they will most likely all be sold by now with it being Valentines day.

Just had a neighbour come down with a card and presents. Lovely dark choc marzipan and a holder with 18 paint brushes in it.

Morning All,

<3 <3 :-D HAPPY BIRTHDAY MEL :-D <3 <3

Hope you have a nice day although, like Mandy's weather, it's gone very dull here now, but it's 13 degrees so warm for February. I wonder what is in the present you will receive tomorrow?

We have decided on F&C for lunch and when OH got his Valentine cards out he found a box of Guylian sea shells in the cupboard, left over from Christmas, so that was an unexpected treat for today.

Better get my skates on as Jane would say as I want to pop to the shop for a chocolate trifle before lunch.

Thank you Annx, Anng, Mandy and Vera for your lovely cards. They are all on the window sill with Aunty Joy's and SIL's. :-D :-D :-D

Morning all,

<3 <3 Happy birthday Mel <3 <3 hope you enjoy your day .

I definitely put a stamp on your card as I only had two stamps left and I put one on yours and one on Vera's and I have Vera's here ready to post today.

Just need to go into town to get our tablets from boots and go to see Jake in the butchers to get some meats .
It's a very grey day here so I hope it stays dry while I go to town .

O and its 12 degrees!!