General Chat

Liz 54 miles is nothing.OK I'm sure 30 miles would be better but if you have found somewhere then I say GO FOR IT.Straight away.You don't want to lose it.As you say it has everything you need ,and you might not find another as suitable.Go GIrl!!!!

15.43

Mags I am catching rabbits because they are eating all my plants in the garden and trying to get into the tunnel whose door fell of last year so now there is only netting and grids covering the gapping hole. I have had to put bricks round the base of the tunnel and plankets of wood. Last year they got in and ate all my broccoli and cabbages. We never had any until a few years ago and you know how they multiply!! Yes like RABBITS!!

We also have a fox that comes through the garden but it dos'nt seem to have a taste for rabbit.

16.11 I'm ironing....................................

Guys, you have cheered me up. Your comments are exactly what our son (Mark) said, he takes the attitude that if that's what we want then go for it, and if it doesn't work out, or things change in a year or so, then you can move again! which of course, we can! Mel, at the moment we are 3.1/2 hrs from them, which is far too far. I just hope Laura comes round as we shall go for it, she really is behaving as if we were planning to live 1/2 way up a welsh mountain without any facilities which would be a bit silly, but we will only be about 2 miles from the main road for Gods sake!!! Makes you wonder if there is more to this than meets the eye?!!!

Hi All
Glad you got your house sold Liz and I agree with everyone else go for the house you want, If you and your OH are there everyday to help each other then thats great.
I personally am happy to be within 1/2 hour of my 2 girls, my OH is away almost every week with work and mostly travels abroad too, so it's a good situation for me to be close to where they are incase we need each other. I often meet up with one or the other daughter to go shopping also I wouldn't want to be too far away from daughter no 1 if Sofia is unwell, I don't drive so I need to be close to bus routes to her house. I'm the only babysitter she has. The other gran lives in Italy.

16.16pm

I'm Here, Saw family of squirrels on the verge, as we were driving up here, also saw the Red Kites.

Liz, Go for it. Conrad is over a hour away,50 miles but gets to see us every week or so. and Harvey is 25 miles away. When I moved to this area I was over two hours from my Mum and In laws. But at that time nobody thought about distance. and with the modern cars and roads, it takes no time to get anywhere. Don't be dictated too by your children!!!! My daughter (I BELIEVE) moved to Wales a few years ago. and that is hours away.

Hope you enjoyed your shopping trip Jane. I suppose Jan and Ros will be doing that tomorrow.

Ann, at least he TRIED. The fact he mad a bal#s up of it is by the way.

Mags, you are taking a chance cutting lawns this early, I know that need it, but there is still frosts around.

Mel, Poor little bunnie, what do you do with them. Rabbit pie or stew.???

Dogs dinner for the cleaner!!

So you have arrived safely then Frank?

16.52

Liz I'm wondering if Laura was hoping for handy Babysisters !!!!!!!! lol

Mags yes it was Kettering.Just by the Zebra Crossing up from Boots.I expect you know where I mean.The boiler is boiling away.(it was a new pump ) not the boiler like I said lol

My sister told me last night they have sold their house too,for slightly over the asking price !!.Problem now is they need to find a place and her OH needs a job.Nothing is ever straight forward is it.

Frank ,a family of squirrels !! I'd loved to have seen that.Sadly I saw 3 squished Badgers on the road to Corby.

17.23

Crying or even sobbing is a natural vent for the emotions some times.
Valium are addictive.

Next time you feel weepy maybe it's a hug you need

I always need a hug!! Don't get one very often though.

Just been in the grden and as I went ot open the back door there was a little vole shooting out from behind the pots on the patio to where I had left some seed for Robby. I stood and watched it for a while and then glanced down the garden to the big lawn mower where a Jenny Wren was hunting for insects. she was going all round the underneath of the mower. By the time I came and got the camera they had both gone. Then when I came back in and washed my hands the two Long Tailed Tits were on the fat ball. I even heard and saw a big bee out there today. Surprising what a bit of sunshine does is'nt it.

17.36

Well Jane, that thought had occurred to me !!!!!!! She is a bit much sometimes, Ian's really upset by her nonsense this am. He feels that because he has been ill, he's now been turned into an invalid! Also, as I had a fall, I've also become in need of being fussed over!! Yuk!!! Another time I simply won't tell her! David, I totally agree with you - hugs are certainly better than pills!

17.40pm

Evening David.
Yes a hug is always a good thing but sometimes tablets are needed to help someone who has been through a traumatic and stressful times as Sheila has.Monitered correctly addiction should not be a problem.

Have you found a house yet???? Everyone seems on the move lol

I can't believe it is nearly 6 o clock and it is still light.Doesn't it make a difference.I keep forgetting to get dinner on the go as I think it is a lot earlier lol
I bet get cracking now I think .

17.56

Frank , I didn't cut it low , just enough , to make it look nice & tidy .
6.17 pm

6.10pm

I am siyying in the conseratory in the half light, trying to type this.

LIZ, please do as we all say, 50 miles is nothing today, and not all properties will house the horses. They must be considered.

It's Jans birthday next Wednesday, so I have offered to take them ouy tomorrow night or Sunday lunchyime for a meal. It looks like it will be Sunday, so as not to interfer with their shopping tomorrow afternoon. !!!! MORE EXPENCE.

Jane, I have never seen a family of squirrels before, just the odd one dashing around. The A43 always have loads of Badgers lying around. I think it's because they are so slow getting across the road, and the traffic going so fast. !!!

Oh Liz,poor Ian.I can imagine Laura has been worried and does want you nearer,but I think that distance of 54 miles is fine.I was about 6 hours away from Mum and with her dementia I have to say it was a bl***y nightmare at times.It would have been nice to have been maybe only a couple of hours away.My sister is fretting a bit about moving only a hour away from her children and grand children!!.

When I came home earlier I saw 2 chaps rooting through my neighbours skip.They a tatty old van with a trailer on the back.Chris said he heard them knocking at my other neighbours.They had a few things in their carport.They must have been looking for stuff they could make some money from.
I remember about a year ago when James was at Uni but had left his car at home some chap knocked on my door and said he noticed this car(James's) had been in the same place for a while and wanted to know if we wanted to sell it !.I said no and sent him off with a flea in his ear.It made me realise that there are people around watching!!!!!.After that I moved the car around to a different place in the drive to make it look like it was being used.
Chris has just gone to pick Hannah up from the station.I better see how dinner is doing.

18.30

Yes Frank he does try and I didn't grumble, just a giggle and he joined in! It was partly my fault as I'd said I was washing 2 loads but had only finished the one. It was the fact he didn't notice they were dry like Jane said. He fetched them back in when we got home and they are in the washing machine again. I bet those squirrels were cute, I've never seen a young one.

Good news you have sold the house Liz. My thoughts are the same as everyone else, live where you want to, you only have one life. 54 miles is no distance these days. There is no guarantee that your daughter will stay put where she is anyway. I've known that happen, parents move to be near a child, then a few years later the child moves. Glad you and Ian are on the mend.

We popped out for a short walk around one of the quarries that has the nature trail earlier, so OH could 'run in' his new walking boots. The birds were singing away, the gorse was all in flower and we saw a lively bunny, boy could he run!! We climbed up the hillside steps (slowly) and saw a bird of prey circling over the quarry itself, couldn't tell what it was and whoosh it was gone before I could point the camera. They seem to know when you want a photo!

Jane it sounds as if you had great success with your shopping for Hannah's birthday. All in one day too.

Thanks Gang for your supportive words, as you say Frank, you can't take a horse just anywhere, and Ian would be gutted to have to lose him and so would I. I can see Laura was worried about her Dad and me, but I think we must be allowed to have our particular life style which can be difficult to obtain unless you have tons of money, (which we haven't!) If it doesn't work out then we shall just have to move on! As you say 54 miles isn't that far these days, also it is an easy drive, (all downhill!!!) not like coming to Exmoor which IS one hell of a hike!! Still, all being well we shall 'go for it'! and, as Mark said Laura will either come round or she must get on with it!!!

Hi Everyone Sorry I havn't been able to post anything over the last couple of days but things are very hectic here. We arrived yesterday to find that DIL blood pressure was up and slight trace of protein in urine so midwife needed to see her again today. She was very ill with pre enclampsia when Hazel was born so she is being monitored very closely. Spent last night getting prepared for possible admission today.She saw the midwife again this morning at 9am but her blood pressurehad dropped again and her urine was clear. She has been told to do nothing at all and rest so we have had a busy day with Hazel as well as washing cooking etc.
Thankfully all seems good at the moment and DIL gone to bed now so trying to do some catching up. Will be staying until Monday when her mum will take over.

Liz I do agree that you should live exactly where you wish and 2 hours is nothing. I only wish we were that close. Thankfully DIL's mum is only 2 hours away so backup is always available.
Spring is very much in the air. We have lots of frog spawn in the front pond at home and there are lots of flowers out here in Herts.
Saw three red kytes and two buzzards on the way down and the sun has shone all day here.
8.15

We made an offer on a semi detatched bungalow which was accepted.
Ellen couldnt sleep that night
We had a walk to the bungalow.
Later she asked the agent if we could view inside again.
Ellen changed her mind and with drew the offer.

At the time of writing we are still "looking"

Have an online hug Melanie xx

Not easy finding a new place is it David. Ellen will get a good feeling about it when she steps in the right one. Better to withdraw than make a mistake. Just keep looking and good luck!!

Hope your DIL is ok now Anne and that resting does the trick. Good that they are keeping a close eye on her.

I'm off to watch embarrassing bodies I recorded now. lol

Night night to you all. xx