General Chat

Evening All,

Your squares are lovely Mandy and the colours will look good together. I forgot to say in my email what lovely tomatoes you have and plenty of them as well. The big tom does stand out and likely to be from Mel's seed!

I see Mel is getting plenty of produce too and all looking healthy. I'm really envious of the plums as I hadn't realised they were Victoria plums, my favourites.

I hope your legs feel better with the rest AnnG and that you finished your admin jobs. There are always things cropping up to do aren't there.

I haven't done much today. I lay in then showered and popped to the shop. I carried on to the garden centre in the sticks afterwards as it has plenty of parking and doesn't get busy at weekends. They own another, nearer garden centre and around this time of the year they sell things off and move plants to the other garden centre while they close the one I went to over the winter. They hadn't started yet, but I had a look at the slate chips as I will need some for the front garden. All they had left were some really large ones, too big for what I want. I saw a nice rainbow Euphorbia and a cordyline that is supposed to be hardy while I was there, but will look them up before buying them.

OH watered the garden while I was out and went for just a short walk as it was starting to get hot and then went to a local match this afternoon. I've done a wash ready to put out tomorrow and am off to bed now. I hope we all sleep well and wake up with lots of energy in the morning! :-)

Sent some photos ,the big tom just be from Mels seed ,it's the size of the palm of my hand .
We've had a little sun but it's cloudy again now and it's a slow dry for the washing .

Did some dead heading this morning , fed the toms and cues and now I'm going to crochet another square

Morning all,

Cloudy here but bright so we're hoping we might see some sun today ,the last two evenings have been quite chilly .
Need to feed today ,still plenty of toms to come the cucumbers have slowed up now but we've picked 72 so far and I can see a few more little ones .

Ann I hope you had a better night with no power cuts ,I had to smile when you said about shining the light on your face when you woke OH in case he clobbered you with a book lol
That's not very good with that show having to hang about at the end to collect your entries I should think that would put people off entering anything , hopefully if you can find another show it won't be like that .

Have a rest today Anng ,have you made any Christmas cards yet ,that would be a sitting down job and rest your legs .

Hope Gwyn is OK we have heard from her lately .

Better get my washing out now I think the machine has finished .

Good morning all. 15 degrees here a bit grey so far but I think the forecast is OK. I son't plan to do much today after the gardening yesterday as I need to rest my legs a bit.
I had a good night's sleep last night and am just about to go and shower and wash my hair.
I have a shortish list of admin type jobs to do so that will occupy me for a while

Morning girls,

A|nother beautiful morning here but when I looked out the window at the car there is steamed up windows and patterns onthe roof as if we've had a frost!!!

Its 15 degrees and pc says temps to drop by next Tuesday. BIL told me its going to rain next week.

Just the shop to do today and call in on Beccy next door with plums and I may give Angela next door to her some too.

Evening All,

A nice cool day again but no rain so I will need to water in the morning.

Vera what a mad rush to get to your appointment. No dawdling deciding what to wear! It's not surprising you took the wrong prescription. We had one of those wired smoke alarms in the hall outside the bedrooms that was built in when the bungalow was built. It had battery backup and we'd have to change them from time to time. It would make those odd beeps at times, usually when OH was out and it was getting more difficult for us to change the batteries and I certainly couldn't manage it. When the electrician came to move the consumer unit/fusebox for us a few years ago, he fitted an unwired smoke alarm for us instead that has a battery that's supposed to last 10 years but when the battery does go you fit a new smoke alarm. Wasteful going to landfill I know, but much easier for us and less of a worry than the wired one.

Well we had a disturbed night! We had a power cut in the early hours this morning. I was watching tv as I couldn't sleep and everything went pitch black, no street or main road lights, nothing. I had to put my phone on to find my way into the study to fetch a torch (I usually keep it in the bedside drawer!) so we could see to check the fuse box. I had to wake hubby up very carefully with the torch shining on my face so he knew I wasn't an intruder and didn't try to wallop me with one of his heavy hardbacks!! lol. I fetched the big torch out of the porch and we checked the fusebox and it was ok. The landline phone rang after about 20 minutes with such a different tinny sound to tell us it was a power cut and should be back on by 4.00 am. They phone now as, at our ages, we are on their vulnerable list.They rang again after it had come back on to let us know. At least we know we need to get some new batteries now as one of our torches was quite dim. I have a fat candle in a bowl in the lounge as a backup too.

The Village Hall where the show is shares a small carpark with the sportsground so on Saturday it will be full and people park down the middle so you get blocked in too. OH offered to come with me early in the morning to drop my car off to get a space and then bring me back in his car when it opens at 1.00pm. However they have changed things this year and decided to auction off things people are happy to sell after announcing the prizewinners and handing out certificates and cups etc. But they also won't allow anyone to remove any of their entries till the auction is over either, which means hanging around much longer till the auction is over. You can't come back later or the next day for your entries and it states they will be disposed of if left. I can't stand around that long with my knees and there won't be many seats if any either. I will have a look at the other show that's on next week.

Yes we enjoy tuna with a jacket Mandy. I sometimes make a tuna mix by adding chopped onion, grated cheese and a bit of mayo or tartare sauce to the tuna. (low fat versions of cheese and mayo these days though), It's nice on a sandwich too. Yes food prices are shooting up now and the jackets we had were £9.95 each, at least £2 more than last time. Just a bit of salad and coleslaw with them. It's a good job we on't often go there now and no wonder the place was empty.

I have no writing under my Avatars AnnG! You've been busy in the garden planting things. I must get out and do a bit tomorrow. Two of my pots with old compost in don't seem to be draining very well, so I will start with some fresh once new plants go in them. Is Skinny still visiting you?

It's good you had an enjoyable meal Mel and I would have loved the plum crumble but had to pass on the chilli!

No still plodding on with them Mel, 7 more to do .

Mince is nice on a jacket tato too. We had that a\t the Eden project once.

You done all those squares yet Mandy??

Evening all

It's been another very cloudy day ,we did see a little sun this morning when the hairdresser was here but it didn't last long .
I got a load of ironing done , made a sponge for the weekend and hoovered through ,sat after lunch and could easily have nodded off but I kept awake or I wouldn't sleep tonight
It's quite chilly here this evening I have a cardi on .

Oh Vera that beeping must have been really annoying , hope it's all sorted now and you have a quieter night .

Anng its hard work emptying pots and refilling especially if the compost is a bit dry it's harder to get out , they will look nice all planted up.

Oh Mel don't forget to do Tinker ,Taylor, with the plum stones :-) handy bil was there to get the ones you couldn't reach ,why are the big ones always out of reach .

Ann you mentioned you had jacket potatoes, they were talking about jacket potatoes this morning on the news ,I forget how many they said were sold per day but it was a lot, and prices were very high in London 9,50 for one with cheese
We like a jacket potato when we have a salad and usually have tuna on it .

I had said I went up the top to read the potting sheds meter and BIL was walking across the top field with a bag in his hand. He was scrumping plums. He picked the ones I could'nt reach and helped me pick most of the rest. I gave a neighbour about 2lbs and BIL had about 2lbs came down here and weighed them and I had just over 6 lbs. I am just stewing some for the freezer now and its plums and custard for dessert tonight too.

The above post is about the end of the post I lost.

r. Have had somelunch and the suns still shing bright with a little breeze so I am going beck out in the garden to do more sweeping up and cutting down out the front.


Bum lost a long post.......................................................

Vera I wonder if they were the sort of alarms that I had put in by the fire brigade via hearing concern. Mine flash all night every 5 minutes or so but don't bleep if the power goes off they have battery back up. I think I have to go back to the fire people if they stop working.
There is always something isn't there?

I spent most of the morning well from about 10.30 to 12.30 in the garden potting up all the new plants. Sounds easy but two of the very large pots I wanted to use had compost in them that had been added to but not changed for over 4 years and also I wanted to check on the drainage of both pots. I completely emptied them one at a time into a large trug where I checked the drainage then took half the compost and added grit etc to it then topped up with new compost before planting up the Sedums three small ones in one large pot and one large ones in the other. Then I planted up with fresh copost etc three other plants so they are all done now and I just need to sweep up the mess. I have also changed the bed and the fitted sheet is on but I am working up to putting on the rest now.
Ant Tesco will hopefully come around 4 with a large (for me) order.

It is full sun and 21 dewgrees here now.

Good morning Mel, AnnG and all

It’s reasonably bright but not very warm at the moment. I certainly need the wool cardi I’m wearing. I think it will get warmer this afternoon but it’s not going to be a hot day.

Mel, that’s good advice from AnnG. Just do the most essential jobs on your list and leave the rest for another day. You don’t want to put too much strain on your back

Well, my day isn’t going to plan. We are now staggering through another problem. This time it’s the fire/smoke alarms. They were in the house when we moved in and, apart from occasionally pressing a button to test they are working, we have never touched them. There are 3 and they are the sort that are hard wired in. I had a dreadful night and had just fallen asleep when I was woken again by a beeping noise. I then heard OH get up to check so I got up as well. There was nothing burning or smoking anywhere so OH turned off the power but they still kept beeping. They seem to have some sort of built in battery that takes over if the power is cut but OH couldn’t find it to take it out so he had to find a company that could come in quickly. Believe you me, when you have had a high pitched beep going off every 30 seconds for 3 hours you need someone in quickly. Well OH found a fairly local company who said they could get someone here within an hour and he duly turned up. He couldn’t stop the beeping either but when he dismantled one of them it said inside, where it can’t be seen, to replace it by 2016! It’s done well to last this long but was obviously telling us it was no longer working. So our man went off to pick up 3 new ones which he is fitting now. That’ll be another unexpected expense, probably a few hundred pounds.

Oh, at 7.30 am, while all this was going on, the delivery that we were expecting yesterday turned up.

Better go and offer this chap a coffee I suppose. I hope you are all enjoying your day more than we are.

Good morning all, like Mel it is bright and 12 degrees here. and like Mel I want to do a few small jobs in the garden.

Vera that was a busy day. Not often we get asked to go early for appointments but it obviously was a rush for you.

Mel So that you don't start your back off, take that large amount of jobs you have on the list and halve it to the most pressing. Save the other half for tomorrow. :-D

Morning all,

That was a rush around then to get to the appointment Vera its no wonder you took the wrong script with you.

Nice bright morning here and its 12 degrees and pc says sunny. I am expecting BIL today as the thing he ordered arrived and its blocking the garage inside so I have to open both doors to get to the chcikens food.

I slept very well last night it must have been the glass and a half of Merlot I had last night. I want to do something in the garden today back permitting. Finish off sweeping up the leaves and rubbish round by the garage door and cut some weed down. then do the front of the bunaglow. I hav'nt cut the ladies mantle down yet and I bet its sowed its self everywhere.

I'm late on parade today. It seems to have been a day of dashing about. It has been much cooler, thank goodness, and has stayed dry. It looks as though it is going to be a cooler night as well so hopefully I won't have to have the fan going all night.

Thank you for the Butterfly Garden info and picture AnnG. It was interesting to see how it started and how it has expanded. I am sure it is doing a lot of good for a lot of people.

I'm glad you enjoyed your evening Mel. A nice meal with good company always seems to cheer us up. I don't know a lot about swallows . Lovely to have new eggs in the nest but is it usual to lay a clutch this late in the year? Will they be mature enough to fly off to warmer climes when most of the swallows leave?

Today I went to our Thursday coffee meet on my own as OH stayed home for a delivery that never came. When I got back we had a bit of lunch and I put some old clothes on to do one or two grubby jobs and then divided a load of meat I had delivered yesterday into 2 portion sizes for the freezer. I was just finishing that and thinking I would tidy myself up for my hospital appointment when the phone rang. It was the hospital asking if I could go early. They wanted to see me in about 40 minutes time and it takes at least 30 minutes to drive there. so it was a very rapid wash and change, leap in the car and go.

The eye treatment centre is in a separate building at the back of the hospital so OH dropped me at the door and went off to park. I usually have to go upstairs for my appointments but my letter specifically said downstairs. There was no-one around and the reception desk was closed but there was a notice saying to check in upstairs so upstairs I went. I checked in and was asked to take a seat. I pointed out I was supposed to be downstairs but was told I was being seen upstairs. At that point I wondered if OH would ever find me again.

After a few minutes someone called my name and I went in to see the specialist cataract nurse. Lots of tests, flashing lights and questions. Later she asked if by any chance I had brought in my last prescription which I had. She then asked if I had always had a lazy left eye. Well, it's hardly a lazy eye - without my strong glasses I can't even see across a small room with that eye so I just said I have always had very poor vision in that eye. She looked puzzled and looked again at the prescription and then suddenly said that it wasn't my name on the form. Oops - I had had a very senior moment and taken in OH's last prescription. Nurse disappeared and came back with yet another machine that was held by both my eyes and flashed lights etc till a clear picture showed and that apparently gave her the info she needed. I felt very stupid! She then said OK, you can go now but she hadn't given me any information so I had to ask what the next step was. Apparently I will get a letter in 2 to 3 months, hopefully with a date when they will at least deal with the cataract in my bad eye. In the meantime I have to go to my normal check up appointment in September..

OH had found his way upstairs and was waiting for me when I came out. We came home, had a cup of tea and went out again into town to get something to eat as it was already 6.30 and I didn't feel like cooking by then. We both had a very large grilled salmon fillet with baby potatoes and pan fried mixed veg and a glass of wine. It was delicious.

After 2 fairly hectic days I am hoping tomorrow will be a bit calmer and I can actually do some h/w and get a bit done in the garden.

Had a lovely evening with Stu, Martin and Samantha we did'nt mix the chilli but mine went first and only half of Stu's one but we had beef dripping chips and two kinds of rice and a glass and a hl;af of Merlot which went down very well. Samantha also made a plum and apple crumble andwe had that with custard. My plums and I think she had put a bit of cinnamon in it. It was delish. Always nice when someone else makes it. Good food good company and leets of laughs. A great night all round.

Change of plan I am taking the chilli round to Stu's as he has his friend there staying the night he's done chilli too so we are going to put it altogether. See you later if I'm still awake.

Evening all,

Typed a post this morning then whoosh it was gone so gave up .

Anng the butterfly garden sounds lovely, a place to revisit I'm sure ,thank you for the photo .
Hope your sister is feeling better today.

I seem to be all behind with commenting on the posts for a day or two and then losing a post doesn't help so I'll post this and hopefully start afresh tomorrow .

I see I am missing my avatar in my early post wonder if it will re-appear.
I did a bit of PC admin but the morning just disappeared as I was up late. I have done a bit of ivy cutting and sorted a pot for and planted one of the large new sedums,taking a bit odf care and hoping I have got it right as they are £10 a time. After lugging compost perlite and crocks, gravel etc around and then transferring the very large plant from one pot to another one I didn't have the energy to tackle a second one. Not helped by the temp going up to 20 and the sun being fully out so I have come indoors.