General Chat

You take it easy Vera and have a restful day.

BIL cam ethis morning again and he is out cutting back brimbles that reach out over where he mows. He has taken some pics of my Long Tailed Tits and said he would send them to me so I can show you.

7 degrees here and fairly bright with intermittent sunshine. The main thing is that the wind has dropped to a slight breeze so it’s more pleasant outside. I just had a wander round the garden and the winter aconites are all opening up. They’re such a cheerful yellow colour that they make me feel spring’s on the way.

The hellebores are looking good as well. I happened to mention to OH that a couple of big ferns were nearly covering a dark red hellebore and a couple of small plants a neighbour gave me last year. Stupid me! He is now going to cut them back “a bit”. Help...I think Mr Crewcut is about to strike again.

AnnG, I hope you send us some pics of your garden when Jake has finished his work and you’ve got things as you want them.

Mandy, stop tormenting us with thoughts of jam puffs. My tum is rumbling now.

I managed to get more sleep last night and I am feeling a bit better today so hope things are improving at last, though I still feel some pain. I am completely drained and hardly doing anything. I checked over some geraniums I lifted and potted up last autumn and gave them their first drink of water since I lifted them. They will be fine for a few weeks now. I didn’t have time in November to pot up all the others I lifted and they just got shoved bare rooted in plastic troughs in the mini greenhouse. Goodness knows if they will survive. I am pleased with the cuttings I took. 2 or 3 didn’t survive but I’ve got 15 good, strong, rooted cuttings.

Apart from a few tiny jobs, that’s all I’ve done this morning and I feel shattered I can’t stop yawning. I don’t think I’ll be doing much this afternoon.

O you are awful.......indulging in lovely cream pastries. May have a go myself today as I have some cream.

Suns out here too and my car was white this morning and I have just fed the wild birds and chickens and the air is bitter even though the suns out. Its 6 degrees here.

Morning all,

Nice bright morning here a little bit of sun at times and we had q very sharp frost the car was so white I thought if had snowed .

Not a lot planned for today just gave the kitchen sink a good clean and the glass door of the washing machine as that scales up a bit with our water, cooked a piece of Gammon in the pressure cooker so that's what we'll have tonight probably with salad and I might make a couple more jam puffs .

Morning all,

Very grey here this morning and there was a frost last night before I went to bed and as the sun went down we had pink and blue sky to the east so I thought we may have had a nice day today. Pc is telling me its a record high and its 6 degrees.

Good morning all, very grey here and 3 degrees so the temp is quite a shock. Apparently it is going to stay dry though.

The reason I am getting a lot done Ann is mainly because Jake's is a new young business and he is hungry for work. they work well and fast together. Even if I give them a coffee/tea they drink it on the go. I assume it is because he has a young family to support.
The other reason is because I want to get it done so I can enjoy the garden without having to spend so much time working on it. And luckily, at the moment I can afford to have the work done.

The photographic group subject for yesterday was buildings. Next month it is alleys/alleyways.

Do hope you are feeling better tomorrow Vera this is hanging around a long while now.

BIL arrived just before lunch and went and fiddled with the mower and put a battery on charge. I did soup and he came and had that with a nice seedy roll but before that he did the leg on the washing machine and I did a quick wash and it did'nt travel around the kitchen so that was a good job done. He also came out with me after lunch to clean the pond filter as he can reach the top filter box I can't and get the mesh out that strains the water before it goes into the filter. Thats was another job done. Now he has gone off to pick his wife up from work and I remembered to pay him for the deisel this time, so that was another job done. I'm getting there and he also put the mobile battery charged all singing all dancing thing on charge as he wants to blow a tyre up on the big Ferris mower.

So I have not managed to get any miniatures done today like I was hoping to but got lots of little jobs done. I wanted to carry on with my powder horns today but I still have a bit of light after I have corned the chickens.

It’s a lovely sunny day here too but overnight and this morning the wind was strongly gusting. It’s calmed down now.

I’m still having a lot of trouble with my head and eyes so am restricting screen time.

Your poor OH, Ann. He has all my sympathy. It’s good the eye hospital can see him quickly and good that the optician spotted something. I got referred the same way, the optician spotting something but not being sure what. Thank goodness for opticians who are on the ball.

Your jam and cream puffs sound delicious Mandy. Next time you’re making them please invite me to tea.

Glad you sorted your smooth soup out AnnG. I used to use a liquidiser before I had the soup maker.

Going to close down now as my eyes are tiring trying to look at the screen and it’s making the headache worse. Probably be back tomorrow.

Afternoon Everyone,

Lovely sunshine and 7 degrees just now.

I keep asking OH to make a note of when he gets these head pains Vera, but he forgets so I'm going to make a note. He hasn't had headaches like he used to with migraines for years now, he gets the visual effects instead with zigzag lines and other optical effects. A few years ago he would suddenly duck or lurch when walking or sitting as if something was going to land on his head and we think that was migraine effects, also the numbness, tingling fingers similar to what you describe. He gets that same washed out feeling afterwards with these head pains too. I hope you are feeling much better today. We must try and adjust our front security light as the violas in the pot under it trigger it just the same when it is windy.

Mandy those cakes you made sounded absolutely delicious! I might try some as a special treat as I love apricot jam and with cream......more yummy!! :-D We went for OH's eye test and what did I notice........Regatta had closed!! If I'd realised they were closing so soon I'd have gone there sooner. That'll teach me. :-( I hope you get on ok with your eye test today.

OH was referred to the eye hospital about his left eye, as the optician noticed something he wasn't certain about that could be to do with the old laser treatment. The eye hospital was quick off the mark and rang OH this morning to determine whether he should be an emergency or not but have booked him in for next Monday. I just hope the traffic chaos and major incident is over by then, otherwise OH will have to walk further. I've had the glasses I saw the other day which are very comfortable, but settled for less thin lenses this time as the lenses are a bit smaller than those in my old glasses, so should be lighter. I also sorted some for reading , but I cringed a bit at £450 altogether. I just hope they will be better and that another new prescription won't be needed next year! I picked up the new bathroom catalogue on the way home so had better get on with sorting the en suite. One thing I am going to get them to fit this time is a Surestop Stopcock instead of the wheel thing to turn the water off. They corrode or get stiff to turn in time and neither of us will get stronger as time goes on and the Surestop needs no electrics and turns the water off at a flick of a switch.

We had to be up with the lark as OH's car was being collected for repair today. Then at 7.30am they rang and said could they come now as the trailer wasn't available and they would drive from Warwick in the courtesy car and drive OH's car back. We flew around as I wanted to change the bed and the phone rang again. All cancelled for today. The courtesy car was a brand new automatic and when they had gone to put fuel in, there were serious warnings on screen they needed to contact Vauxhall about. So that's the first delay!

AnnG you don't hang about getting things done, unlike me! Your garden is getting a few changes and upgrade and made a bit easier for you to maintain. It's going to have a fresh new look this year. :-) French beans would be good as you con't need to bend down to pick them. Is there a particular subject for your photography group this time?

I thought just the same about all the dust showing when I dusted the bedroom this morning Mel. The sun shows it up everywhere doesn't it. Will you sell the purses and horns on their own or are they to go with your Tudor men as you make them? You have a great eye for detail.

The slow cooker's been on this morning. I've done a chicken thigh and veg casserole similar to what I watched Kate Humble do with a tbsp each of mustard and horseradish added and a dollop of creme fraiche to go in just before serving.

OH has gone to a council meeting so I am going to pop out to the shop while the sun is shining.

I solved the soup problem. As I wanted it to be a smooth soup I resorted to the old way and put it into my small processor/liquidiser and it came out beautifully smooth and I enjoyed that for lunch.

Err Mel, did you miscount your fingers? Isn't it 11 months to Christmas??

Yes sunny here too, the grey soon shifted it looks lovely out there and is 8 degrees now.

Morning Anng and nall,

WE have bright sunshine at the mo and te pc says 7 degrees so a bit cooler than yeasterday and the other days this week. Usual thing htough its showing up all the duster so that will be one job for today.

Glad you all liked my little Tudor purses and horns. I have done more but they are not finished yet. I have tried to do powder horns this time.

Well another weekend tomorrow! I don't know where the weeks are going so far this year thye seem to be racing by and its only 10 months till Christmas.

good morning all. looks grey out there but dry so far 5 degrees so cooler than the past few days, probably getting colder again.
Mel those tiny things look so fiddly to make, they are really good though, well done.

Photography group this afternoon so Jake won't be back until Monday now to do the lawn make over.

Think I may give it a go as I have some puff pastry in the freezer and apricot jam from the Christmas cake and my own cooked apple in the freezer too. They could be nice with strawberry jam and cream or pop a bit of icing on the top or just the sugar.

Sounds a decadent idea Mandy. Might try that.

I am thinking that as it is behind the trellis and not part of the flower garden I might have some veg in it. Maybe French beans, carrots.

Sent a pic. Annx has already had it.

They were so easy Mel I cut four oblong bits off a roll of puff pastry ,I suppose they were about 3inches by 5 inches pricked them all over with a fork so they don't puff up to much ,gave them a little milk wash put them on a piece of parchment paper and into the air fryer on 200 for five minutes then turned them over for two more minutes, when they were cool I put apricot jam on them and some whipped cream .
Next time I'm going to do them with some cooked apple and cream like apple turnovers

Gosh Mandy did you cook the pastry in triangles and fill them afterward? They sound nice I may have a go.

Evening all,

We had rain most of the morning but it did stop just after lunch so we went and did our shop while it was dry ,I didn't need that much this week as I stocked up when son took me shopping .

Anng did you need tissues for the film I should imagine it was a sad watch .
You'll have your garden all nice and sorted ready for the better weather ,have you an idea of what you'll plant in the new planter they are making .

Ann did you find any bargains in the Regatta store ,Colin use to like the Regatta shorts for his holiday ,there was a little shop in Wells that had them and each time we went he would buy some .
Hope OH's headache is better today, he does do a lot of paper work which I suppose doesn't help.
Did you manage to get your glasses sorted ,I have my eye test tomorrow afternoon and I know I will need new glasses for long distance ,my left eye is more blurry than the right eye

Vera sorry to see your hospital appointment news wasn't what you had hoped for ,as Anng said was it the migraine that affected the check up ,hope each day eases your migraine.

Mel have you worn the washing machine out yet ,I bet it's been busy again today .
Looking forward to seeing all the little bits and pieces you have been making for your Tudor men .

I haven't really had the motivation to get going with any crafting ,I have knitted Colin a pair of fingerless gloves for when he gets the logs in but I haven't done any sewing because my machine is usually on one end of the dining table and we eat at the other end but it was put away because of using the table over Christmas .

Oh I was very naughty this afternoon I made two jam puffs in the air fryer ,so quick to do with bought pastry, only took seven minutes in the air fryer ,I put apricot jam and fresh cream in them boy were they good .

It’s been very overcast all day and rained hard for a while this morning. Now it just feels damp in the air. It’s 11 degrees so very mild for January and, as the wind has dropped now, it doesn’t feel cold at all.

I’m like you AnnG and normally make smooth soups. I usually only do the chunky ones if I’ve got something like pieces of chicken and lots of different veg. I haven’t had any problems with the soup maker not blending smooth soups properly. Perhaps it was the broccoli that wouldn’t mush up. We have quite a lot of broccoli so perhaps I’ll have a go sometime with a broccoli and something soup and see how it goes.

Sorry to hear your OH is getting these horrid headaches Annx. It’s fairly common for a migraine to affect one side of the head. With mine, the pain is always centred above my left eye and even though it spreads right through the head I still find myself holding the left side of my face. When I used to get the migraines worse than I do now one side of my face used to become numb. If I were you I would try to get OH to see the doctor again. If it’s migraine then he might get medication to help but if it isn’t migraine then the doctor needs to get to the bottom of it.

Have you been able to get on with your Tudor men today Mel? I do admire all you “crafty” people. My brain doesn’t talk to my hands so I see how something should be made but it comes out looking like something put together by a 3 year old. When I was younger I used to do some dressmaking and knitting but that was because we didn’t have much money and in those days it was cheaper to make your own. Even then OH used to have to do the cutting out for me as I was hopeless wielding a pair of scissors.

I’m still not feeling anywhere near 100% but I am gradually improving. We went to meet our group of friends for coffee and 9 of us turned up this morning. We left there at 12.15 and OH dropped me near the hairdressers to get my hair cut while he parked the car and went for a walk. My hairdresser is usually spot on time but she was running late today. By the time she had finished and I’d met OH back at the car and driven home it was nearly 2 pm so we had a late lunch today. I haven’t been able to rouse myself to do anything since then. My eyes are less of a problem today but I am still a bit heavy headed and feel drained.

I’m on the iPad and I see that it’s very low on charge so I’d better go and get it plugged in. I hope you are all having a good day. “See” you tomorrow :-)