General Chat

Good morning Ann, Mel and everyone.
I'm sure you'll find something to busy yourself, AnnG. I often am amazed at how varied your weeks are sometimes with lots of outings and meetings.

It's a beautiful morning here and laptop is telling me it's 16 and sunny.
This is going to be a very busy week, so I am glad of today being a less-busy day to start it off.
Later in the week, we meet up with OH's brother's wife and daughter, who will be visiting from New Zealand. They are coming over to a wedding of a cousin of the daughter, on the mum's side of the family, so not actually related to us.
Several years since we've seen them, so it will be great to meet up again.

If any of you have greetings cards to dispose of, maybe a local school reception class would like them. I take the fronts off mine and take just the picture part into school and the youngsters use them to practise their cutting skills with scissors.

Morning girls,

Same temp here Anng and a lovely sunny morning with a beautiful blue sky. but pc says rain by 3pm. Its still saying 7 rainy days ahead.

Nothing planned for today here so I shall just take the day as it comes.

Slept well.

Good morning all, a lovely clear blue sky this morning, sunny and 13 degrees, a bit 'nippy' but hopefully a nice September day..

Sad isn't it when checking what I have to do today, before I got up, all I could think was to put the bins out.
I am sure that I will find something.

I didn't have to ask for a refund as I had an email from Sainsbury to say they had put a voucher for the difference in my online account but I will contact them tomorrow about all the squashed items.

You have got on well with those blankets Mandy. I always think the sewing up is the worst part. In the days when I used to knit a lot I hated sewing the pieces together. It always seemed to take so long. I expect your garden bin is a 240 litre like ours. I think I paid about £60 last year but I'm sure I saw something recently that said it's going up (again!) to £69.

OH and I both have very old phones and mine sounded the alert but his didn't. When I checked up it was because you have to have IOS 14.5 or later. OH's phone stopped being updated at about IOS 13. Mine is only one model on from OH's but carried on being updated to 15.8. We've talked about getting OH another phone but it seems silly to pay out all that money for something he hardly uses.

OH seems to have had a burst of energy today. I wish he'd share some with me. Apart from about an hour's break at lunchtime he worked in the garage from very early this morning till I made him stop at 7 pm. He took everything out of a big cabinet, repaired the cabinet where it was falling to bits, sorted everything out and put back what is to be kept. I may have to rehash the deep shelves a bit. Typical man - he has put everything we use regularly to the back of the shelves and in front has piled up all the stuff that gets used once in a blue moon.

I have a couple of emails to do but I'm feeling a bit tired so I think I'll leave them till tomorrow. Sleep well everyone.

We pay 60 pound for the year for our garden bin ,not sure what the litre size is but it's the same size as our other two bins ,I cut the grass and did some dead heading and that nearly filled the bin with the bits already in there so that's out now for emptying in the morning .
It clouded up this afternoon but it was still quite muggy out ,we sat out for a while and I finished stitching up the blanket, just got to edge it now .
There were a few spits of rain but it didn't amount to much and never even wet thd ground .

Vera I hope they sort you out a refund for the squashed items and thats not good charging you full price for the other bits in the deal , I wonder how many people just pay up .

Son reminded me about the phone alert this afternoon it was very loud was it ,I began reading the phone when an American voice piped up saying about it.

Oh the coleslaw containers are far too big for us too AnnG. I try to get the low fat ones, but Asda's are huge and we end up throwing a lot away. The Co-op does do a bit smaller one and one smaller still that would be about right but that is their 'special' one so has more fat which I don't want. It must be even worse for you and I remember when I lived on my own thinking how so many food items cater for families with nothing much in single person sizes.

We had a short shower at about 1.00pm. We'd just fetched the washing in so that was lucky. I decided to leave doing the second load till tomorrow.

Asda are good as they never quibble about refunds and give it straightaway. I've noticed I've been getting a few dented tins lately and think they aren't being as careful as they were. Cress and bread are sometimes crushed.

I keep yawning so I hope I sleep well. I have to be up early for this blood test and can only drink water before I have it and then can't eat or have a COT for at least a couple of hours so it's scuppered us from calling in anywhere after.

:-D Mel I have enough thanks with the one I keep myself. Some of them might be passed on soon I think.

We had heavy rain late morning too. No thunder that I heard though. Yes my alarm on the phone went off and I wonder what on earth the noise was until |I remembered about the text I had in the week. What a strange noise though

Vera if you had a sub on your order fot the meals then they should have charged you the same price as the subbed on, thats what Asda do. I would be complaining as its not on with having split packaging and squashed items. Ask for a refund I would, if they can get away with it they will and do it again in the future I found it a bit spooky.

Anng I often look at the cards I get and think they are too good to throw away and have thought of sending them to you. Then I thought you would'nt want my rubbish.

I still have a brithday card on my desk as I liked it so much. It has all things I like on it,conker leaves and conkers and a little Jenny Wren a big log with a hedgehog and mouse on it and a ladybird and three conkers on the grass but ones in its prickly shell its painted so well and its a Bucklebury design from a collection of illistrations celebrating our love of nature. It was from my new neighbours who were in Morrocco at the time.

You mentioned coleslaw Ann. I have always had Tesco finest coleslaw which ca,E in small containers. Even with the small size I often wasted some. But recently it is coming in much larger containers, the smallest offered. But the worst thing is it seems to be really hard to chew.. I have not ordered any this week.

Afternoon All,

Well I got the phone alert but OH didn't. We both have the same phones bought at the same time and both use the same provider! After he's finished watching footie he will check his phone settings. I was surprised as I was expecting it to be louder.

I slept quite well, but it is a pain having to get up for the loo. My evening tablet is taken with a large glass of water so that wouldn't help.

I've checked again about our garden bins and either I wasn't paying attention or they have changed this year, but it is between the start of December to the end of February that they don't collect our garden bin. There are two sizes, 140 litres and 240 litres and we have the bigger one which costs £46 a year. The small one is £31.50 a year.

I hope you get a better sleep tonight AnnG. OH has a lot of nights like that and Sundays he has tummy trouble which always coincides with his osteoporosis medication.

Oh dear Vera, that wasn't a good food delivery was it. What on earth were they doing with the apples and pears? I must admit to being annoyed with Asda not delivering our salads several times now as I buy things to go with them like coleslaw, cress and radishes and am left without the main thing!

Apart from getting lunch, doing some admin and filling in a form for my thyroid test tomorrow and sucking up dead flies off the conservatory window sills I haven't done anything today.

Strange. I had it turned off the last time it was tested so was expecting a high ptched alarm but it was actually quite gentle on my ears.

Well make sure you hold on tight to your drink this time. I am sure I will still jumpp, even though expecting it.

I sort of had a reasonable sleep last night but a couple of times I woke and if one bit of me was not hurting another was so I had to get up and walk around. And, of course while up had to visit the loo.. I suppose I got enough in the end but was still up early. I have made three Christmas cards today, at the moment it is re-makes as I have a load of last years cards which are too nice to throw away.

Morning ladies

Another sleepless night (sigh). Looking on the bright side I do manage to read a lot of books.

21 degrees here but it doesn’t feel that warm as it is very windy. It’s supposed to reach 26 this afternoon but if the wind keeps up it will feel a lot cooler.

What with the fence painting and last week’s rain the garden is in need of some tlc but OH is still working in the garage and at the moment I am struggling to find the energy to do much at all.

Our garden bin is collected every 2 weeks all year round apart from the collection that would fall in the 2 weeks around Christmas and New Year. As AnnG says we pay enough for the service.

Yesterday my Sainsbury bill was emailed to me at 5 pm, hardly time for me to look at it before the delivery arrived at 5.15. All I can say is a strongly worded email of complaint will be going to Sainsbury later today. First off, I had ordered a £15 ready meal, 4 items. The “side” I ordered to go with the main dish was a green veg selection. That was not available so they substituted an almost identical green veg medley which seems sensible till you realise that dish wasn’t in the meal deal list. Therefore I only had 3 items in the deal which meant it wasn’t valid so I was charged full price for the items which came to £22.50, instead of the £15 I was expecting. Then the dessert I had ordered with this deal was cheesecake slices. The box was squashed so much that the film top had broken away and the cheesecake topping was oozing out. As I couldn’t tell if someone’s fingers had been in it, that went in the bin.

Next, I had ordered 2 vegetable quiches. The boxes again were so squashed that the ends were broken and torn. I wanted to freeze them but couldn’t put them in the freezer as they were so I had to hunt around for 2 large freezer poly bags. All this took time so I wasn’t happy.

This isn’t a complaint as such but can anyone explain the logic of this? I ordered 2 pears and 2 apples and that’s what I got, but 1 of each was neatly tied in a food bag and placed in a crate. The other apple and pear were just loose in a different crate.

That’s enough of my moaning Minnie act. I’d better go and get my joint in the oven.
Don’t forget the test alert at 3 pm. Last time they did it, a couple of years ago I nearly jumped out of my skin and spilt the drink I was holding.

Morning all,

A beautiful sunny day here and about 22 degrees with no sign of rain.

Our garden bin is expensive too, but the fortnightly service is good and carries on through the year with a very short break over Christmas / New Year.

New subscribers have to first purchase a 180 litre bin, then pay an annual charge of £61.70 for collection.

I've heard that some households share with a neighbour and so share costs too.

Mandy our bin goes through the winter which it should given how much they charge for it.

Mel, no, no heating on yet, just extra cardigans. Still saying 17 but pouring with rain and one flash of lightening and rumble of thunder. (quite a long way away though). Cold indoors.

Morning all,

Nice sunny morning and it's 20 degrees ,we should get to 24 today .

Need to get the front grass cut today as the garden bin goes out today for collection tomorrow., Ann you said your garden bin stops for the winter ,I looked at our collection dates on the council website and it looks like ours goes through the winter ,don't think we'll have much in it through the winter months .

Just having a nice cup of tea then on with some jobs .

Morning Anng and all,

Cloudy here this morning and 17 degrees the same as you Anng pc is saying light rain.

Slept well up just the once for the loo.

Are you having the heating on in the mornings then Anng, Iv'e not had mine on yet just the hot water.

Good morning all 17 degrees here cloudy sun at the moment no rain yet. Feels colder than 17 but that could be because I am not dressed and have no heating on yet.
Nothing planned today.

Ann I am pleased that Chris seems to have settled in his new house. Yes, this time of year there are several 'festival' weeks held in Cheltenham. If you remember I went to the piano recital during music festival week. And they have had history festival and imminent is the literature festival. I am sure he will find plenty there to attend, although it is not cheap. The only one I would have liked to attend was Hamza Yassin the nature photographer from Countryfile etc. Unfortunately that is the day we travel back from Devon. The main problem is that many of the talks are in the evenings and I don't fancy going in on the bus in the dark.
Nice too that Chris is near Hannah and grandchildren.

Evening All,

I'm late for me tonight and just lost a post as OH interrupted me in the middle and I deleted it instead of dropping the screen down.I can't grumble as he'd brought me a nice COT. :-D

AnnG I think I just said I was seeing Fitz this week and didn't say what day so it isn't you. As both you and Mandy said it is nice he is keeping in touch with Jane's family. Chris had a scare just around last Christmas with tests that they thought meant he had a blood cancer, but thankfully it turned out to be an infection instead and he is ok again now. Apparently he is enjoying finding and going to events in Cheltenham and has a lovely bungalow with a Japanese kind of garden with Acer trees that is only five minutes from Hannah.

Mandy I did phone the restaurant this morning and they hadn't found the pendant but will phone Fitz if it comes to light as they have his details. He brought a lovely photo of an old car from early last century with him to show me this time and told me a relative had designed it. He's full of surprises with things to do with his family. Now he's more mobile he's been catching up with jobs that have been neglected outside like the rest of us! His place is down a long narrow lane past a farm and with a very small group of other houses, all of them surrounded by acres of fields in peace and quiet. They did start building houses at the end of the lane while Jane lived nearby, but he says they are now going to extend and he says it will be right up to where he lives and they will be surrounded. I didn't say, but it must be a worry the effect on your house value. What a world we live in as you say when the schoolchildren have to be scanned! They have to hand in their phones during the day here now and I can't understand why they were ever allowed in lessons as they'd be such a distraction and the school office would phone their parents if they needed to. It makes you wonder what will be next. What, ten squares already! I swear you are getting quicker!

Oh what a shame you didn't manage the trip to Hatfield House Vera, but you made the right decision with not being well and your OH would have only been worried about you if he had gone on his own. It sounds like you weren't fully recovered recently with you having less appetite for the meal out too. I told OH about your appointment with the pharmacist and he was as amazed as me about how thorough he seemed and the time he took with you. I had to smile at your being shorter (we all are as we get older aren't we) and that the other ladies had probably lost a bit of height too as you still tower over them.

I hope the antibiotics have started to make you feel a bit better Mel. I hope Stu can soon sort a car for you. Even if you don't go out that much it is nice to know it's there if you need to or want to. I feel lost without mine when it's off the road for some reason which it will be when I get the wheels refurbished.

I hope we all get a good sleep tonight.

It’s a sad world indeed Mandy when teenagers have to be scanned for knives. It seems to be a vicious circle. Someone is a bit of a bully and it gets known that he has a knife so other kids start to bring a knife in "for self defense". It's a worrying situation but I don’t know what the answer is.

Sorry you had a bit of a restless night AnnG. I didn’t sleep well either and had about 4 hours but in 2 lots of 2 hours. I am cross with myself as before my appointment at the surgery yesterday I made a little list of things I wanted to discuss and still managed to forget to ask about my sleeping problems and lack of energy. I have had a variety of sleeping pills at different times in the past and none have worked very well so I gave up having them. You asked if my migraines were lasting longer. No, definitely not. At my worst I would “lose” 2 weeks out of every month. I was told they would get better after the age of about 60. In fact I was nearer 70 but they are a million times better than they used to be. I can’t fault the NHS as I have had lots of help over the years with different treatments. They even suggested trying acupuncture, though I had to pay privately for that. Anyway enough of my problems - there are many migraine sufferers who are worse than me.

While we are on medical matters I have just been checking up on the blood tests the clinical pharmacist ordered yesterday. I hadn’t a clue what he was asking for so I’ve been googling the different initials he used. My goodness, he is being thorough. There’s all the usual red cell, white cell, platelet counts and cholesterol, as well as tests for vitamins B12 and D plus tests for liver, kidney and thyroid functions and diabetes. He has also ordered a bone profile which I think is checking that the blood has the right amount of the different elements to make good bones. I also appear to have shrunk about an inch and a half in the last few years. I still seem to tower over half my friends but perhaps they have all shrunk too.

I don’t seem to have done very much this morning. I did pack and freeze some fish and some mince that I bought yesterday in Waitrose and I tidied the fridge and cleaned out the salad and veg boxes as I have a Sainsbury delivery coming between 5 and 6 pm so I needed to make a bit of room in the fridge. The only problem is I haven’t yet been sent a bill or receipt so I don’t know if there is anything missing or any subs. They normally send it quite early on the day of delivery but no sign of it yet. OH has put my little plastic greenhouse back in position behind the garage. He dismantled it so that the painter could get to the fence but it’s back in place now. He’s carrying on with tidying and sorting out a bit of the garage each day and it is looking better in there.

It's been quite pleasant today; 20/21 degrees and alternating sun and cloud. Tomorrow is supposed to be warmer but quite windy. I hope you all have decent weather too. Enjoy the rest of the day.