General Chat

good morning all, 7 degrees here this morning, getting more like winter is on its way.

I have Ex Granddaughter in law coming with the two boys today to see me so that till be a 'loud' few hours. She won't get her until lunch time though so I have plenty of time to get ready. Her main reason this time is to collect their Christmas presents. Early but half term and the easiest time for her to do it.

:-D it seems the only things that don’t shrink are us!

It must cost a lot when things shrink if they also make packaging smaller and all the printing of labels because they must all have to be redone if the amounts have to be changed.
Have you got a home for all those plants Vera. They sound lovely.

It's not just toilet rolls that are shrinking Mel. I've just done an online Tesco order for delivery Friday and noticed how many items seem to have got smaller e.g. ice cream used to come in litre packs, now they're 900 ml, and everything seems to have gone up in price.

We had dental appointments this morning for check-ups. OH was fine as usual but I've got another appointment in November for a bit of work which is annoying. Then I went to the chiropodist this afternoon. My feet do feel a lot more comfortable now.

We had a lot of heavy rain yesterday evening and overnight and it was raining fairly heavily first thing this morning but was much lighter by the time we had to go out. Apparently there is plenty more to come.

This afternoon we got our final delivery of plants from the present our daughter gave us last Christmas. There was a Kniphofia (red hot poker) which looks a pretty colour, an echinacia and they don't do very well in our garden as the slugs and snails love them, and a nice colour helenium. There was also a leather leaf sedge, a penstemon and a couple of plants whose names I forget but I had never heard of them so will have to google.

My eyes are beginning to ache now so I think I am going to close the computer down and do something else. I hope you all sleep well. I had a lovely night's sleep yesterday so I'm hoping for the same tonight.

I thought you would like it. It brought a tear to my eye.

Aawe lovely

Aaah :-)

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/CnlkbBWbtEI

Don't know if this will go straight to the bee video or not. If it does turn the sound on.

I just had my Asda delivery this morning and I had ordered 6 Andex loo rolls. I swear they get smaller each time I buy them and they cost more than they used to. I found one mum had stowed away in the bottom of her wardrobe in a case I had'nt looked in before thinking it was empty. I will take a pic and show you. Even the cardboard middle is bigger in the smaller roll.

I enjoyed my mince and mash too. I just phoned the washing machine man and he is coming this week but not today. He said it did'nt sound good!!! asked me to show him the grit and I said I had saved it. I did a wash today so thats on the line as I wanted to get that out of the way before he comes.

11 degrees here now and sunny so the washing is on the line.

Good morning all 10 degrees, dry but gloomy so far. nothing planned at the moment beyond washing my hair. Slept well last night.

I did enjoy my mince last evening Mel, I made cottage pie with it but instead of potato I used mashed swede with grated cheese and it was really tasty. Swede still has carbs in but not as much as potato.

Morning all,

Looks like we may have some sun today but showers later. Its 9 degrees and pc says mostly cloudy.

Shopping comes today and I have two subs so one will be going back. I thought I would treat myself to a black forest trifle and they are sending a millionairs trifle instead the other one is my strawberries but they dn't look any different from the ones I ordered only they are cheaper. They are the same weight. Whatever I shall keep those but the trifle goes back.

I am having mince and mash out of the freezer so mines easy too.

I had a lovely tortoise called Tobias when I had the pet shop just outside Colchester but had a break in one night and they took Tobias and two other tortoises I was looking after for a customer while they were away.

How's your throat now Mel? It does sound as though you might have caught a cold. I hope you feel better soon.

You are good to get your lawn cut again AnnG. I am way behind this year with getting the garden ready for winter. If I don't get the rest of the geraniums up soon they won't survive. I think I'll pot up a couple more of the smaller ones and then just store all the others bare rooted. I have got the same problem as a lot of people; when it's dry I have other commitments, when I'm free to work in the garden it's always raining.

We have quite a busy week ahead. We both have the dentist in the morning for our 6-monthly check up and that's in another town so that will take a couple of hours out of the day. Then I have a chiropody appointment in the afternoon that I must keep as I cancelled one a couple of weeks ago when we didn't have a car. On Wednesday OH has blood tests at the Health Centre and I thought I would go with him and try to do a bit of shopping while we're out. Apart from anything else I need to get a present to take to a birthday lunch on Thursday. I want to organise a Tesco delivery this week and it looks as though Friday will be the only day. Daughter has also just texted to say she has had an email telling her that the last delivery of plants that were her Christmas present to us are arriving here tomorrow. That means 8 little plants to find a home for.

My poor daughter is quite stressed at the moment as her partner has had to undergo a serious operation today at a specialist hospital a distance from their home. She was up at 5 am to drive him there and is still at the hospital but is driving back home tonight. It will be some while before they can tell how successful the op has been so they have a worrying time ahead.

I forgot to say in earlier posts that son still has Buster, his English Bull Mastiff, who is now nearly 10 which is quite old for that breed and he acts a bit like an old man. He's not grumpy but just wants to be left alone to doze. A while ago the family took on a rescue tortoise called Terry and Terry is the funniest tortoise I've ever seen. He moves really fast and wants to be around everyone and particularly Buster. He snuggles up to Buster and the dog puts up with it till the tortoise starts fidgeting around too much or climbing over his paws, then he gives Terry a gentle swipe. Terry also enjoys being picked up and cuddled and will settle down on son's chest or shoulder when he is watching TV. When the tortoise thinks he is slowing down a bit he makes his way back to his home in the utility and plonks himself under his lamp for a while. He is the funniest animal and everyone loves him.

Right, I'd better go and start cooking. We've fed very well over the weekend so it's an easy meal tonight - sausages, chips and beans.

Never too old to learn Mel. Thanks will remember that.

You've been busy then Anng and got the lawn cut for the last time this year.

Its clouded over now but we had sun for the morning and into the early afternoon.

I have painted one little cottage, been to the post van this morning and had lunch but I hav'nt taken my pills so I must get a drink and take those now.

Anng if yoiu have had the page of the thread up and not refreshed it the posts don't come up. That caught me out a few times so now I just refresh each time I come on here.

Sounds like you have picked up a cold Mel, but you don't go anywhere to catch germs really so that is strange.
Spent an hour in the garden this morning tidying up, cutting back and weeding. It wa all still very wet.

However this afternoon the lawn had dried out so I have given it its last cut for this year. Still a bit damp but it looks fine now and hopefully will last. I then, instead of putting it in the leaky shed, put the lawn mower into the garage, I had already put the strimmer in there and I also took the newer garden tools out there too. There is still a lot of junk in the shed to be disposed of.

Good morning all. Dry here no sun and 11 degrees. Nothing planned for today.

It is strange but when I went to bed at 10.30 neither Vera's nor Mel's posts of the evening had come through. I deliberately looked as I knew Vera would be home.
It sounds a lovely weekend and it is so special to get those cuddles from great grandchildren. I hope photos were taken of her with you so that many years time she can see that her great grandparents 'knew' her.
I always feel guilty that daughter and SiL drive me up and down the M5/M6 but they insist too. Bless them I do appreciate it as you do.

Morning all,

Looks like it may brighten up a bit today but we had a frost last night. Pc says mostly cloudy and 11 degrees.

I have a raw throat this morning so I have canceled my jab at the docs.

I am so pleased you got lots of nice little cuddles Vera and enjoyed your weekend. Something to look forward to witha visit from them all in hthe future.

I have parceled up two parcel to send out tomorrow so they are all ready to go to the post van in the morning.

Not done much else today only get lunch and have a look to see whats going on on Ebay, watched my Sunday night video of two lots of people I watch on Youtube and thats about it apart from feeding the chickens and fish so not a very exciting day.

Docs in the morning for my jab and have to get to the post van first so up early tomorrow.

Hope you have all had a good Sunday and see you all tomorrow.

Hallo everyone

I was so sorry to hear about your son's cat Mandy. They become so much a part of the family that it is upsetting when they are no longer around.

I've heard that The Escapee is a good film AnnG. I'm glad you enjoyed it and your lunch out.

Well, we are now back home. Dil drove, though son came too, and we came in her car as it is a hybrid so there's no panic about charging the battery. The weather was good for the drive but the A1 was closed part of the way and we had to come off and drive all round the houses, including through Retford to get back on the A1 quite a way further on. Of course, everyone else had to do the same so the roads through Retford were choked with traffic. We stopped very briefly at Peterborough services to grab a sandwich and some water and got back about 4 pm. Son and dil literally dropped us at the door and headed straight back. I feel guilty as it is such a long drive to do both ways but they insist on us being driven.

I mentioned in my last post that we had a lovely evening Friday. It was very special as this was our first time of meeting the babe. Of course, she is absolutely beautiful and at 10 weeks old is beginning to take notice of what's going on around her and to smile.and make a few noises. She seems very good-tempered and smiles a lot and didn't seem to mind being handed around like a parcel. Of course, I had lots of little cuddles.

Yesterday I was first up and found the granddaughter from Manchester curled up on a sofa feeling very poorly. She had rung 111 and been put on to an emergency centre in town. Someone from there had rung her back and prescribed antibiotics which had to be picked up at Boots in town. She had to go herself with identification. I don't know what happens if you are too ill to go yourself. As it was dil walked with her as she was quite shaky. She was supposed to be getting the train back but dil drove her back to Manchester and then had to get home so that was 3 hours out of her day.

Son drove us the short distance to grandson's new house. We were very impressed. It needs decorating to their taste but it is a lovely first home with good sized rooms and everything they need. The sun was shining and they are not too far from the canal so we popped the baby in her pram and went for a nice walk along the canal bank. Then back for a warming cup of tea and a last cuddle and we were back to son's house.

Granddaughter and her boyfriend cooked gumbo for our dinner under son's supervision as they wanted to learn how to cook it and they made a good job of it. Some people from the previous night had gone but others had come so there were 10 of us to eat. Afterwards we played cards and there was lots of laughter.

All in all it was a good weekend and I haven't been allowed to lift a finger. We also have something to look forward to as several of the grandchildren, including baby, are coming down to spend a weekend with us. It is just a case of organising when everyone can be free.

I hope your weekends have been as pleasant as ours. I'm now going to hunt through the cupboards and see what I can find for us to eat tonight.