General Chat

Evening All,

We had the same awful weather today and the empty bin blew over but at least not in the road. Mel I was wondering what the paper bag is for as it wouldn't be much use in the rain? Don't you have a bin for the recycling? Regarding the grapefruit, it says online it can interact with about 50 medications. You are doing well to stay off the cigarettes so keep it up.

I used to love reading teletext for an update on the news and travel as it was quick and just factual. Some newsreaders seem to show their opinion of what they are telling us in their body language and tone of voice, which I'm not keen on.

Gwyn you have certainly had plenty of medical appointments this year and still another echocardiagram to come. It's good they are keeping an eye on you so well though.

OH had a reminder from the hospital for an eye appointment in February yesterday, but has never had the original notification either by post or text. :-S

Somehow he has mislaid the remote for the garage door! We've looked in all the likely places, but need to check elsewhere now. It was definitely him who opened and shut the door last and he came inside afterwards, so it should be in the bungalow. At least we have a spare or can get in through the door at the back of the garage. I hope we don't end upgetting another and then finding it like with my car key!

That's good Jake doesn't have to wait so long for his driving test due to someone cancelling Mandy. I bet he was pleased about that. Yes OH was saying how nice the slow cooker smelt in the kitchen when I did the pork steaks yesterday. I was going to freeze half for another day, but he enjoyed it so much he wanted it again today, so I put it in the fridge and that's what we did but had it with rice today.

I hope the NHS manage to catch up with what's happeneing with your OH and his appointments Vera so you don't have any wasted visits.

Yes I said about getting more socks from the Factory Shop a little while ago when I heard but had forgotten that TOFFS was the same AnnG. I'm hoping to pop in tomorrow, also to Morrisons. Administrators will try to keep things going and prevent liquidation, but the govt actions are not helping companies. It just shows that people are not even spending as much at bargain places now.

I’m late on parade again. At the moment the days are flying by and it seems to be the middle of the evening before I manage to get on the computer and by then I am starting to get tired.

Sorry you had a bad night last night AnnG and hope you get more rest tonight.

Mel, I was concerned for you when I saw the news this morning. It was bad enough here but it looked as though Devon had taken a real battering. Glad you are OK. Your stew and Mandy’s braised beef both sound good and just what you need to warm you up in winter. You’ve made me think I might do a stew of some sort at the weekend and it will do for Saturday and Sunday. You’re doing really well with staying off the ciggies. It’s not an easy thing to do. I stopped smoking 50 years ago as I was concerned about the example I was setting my children but it was a long while before I lost the urge. Have a rough tot up of how much money you’ve saved and treat yourself to something nice. You deserve it.

It’s good that Jake’s got an earlier date for his driving test. 7 in the morning might not be too bad. He won’t get caught up in school traffic and it’s still a bit early for most people going to work. Good luck to him.

Gwyn, what a lot of tests you have had! You really did go through the mill with that horrid pneumonia but it’s good that the respiratory team are pleased with your progress.

The heavy rain and wind started here during the night and didn’t ease up till after lunch so our trip to the dentist was not much fun. When we moved here we stayed with our existing dentist so it’s about a 12 mile drive in each direction. Today the rain was coming down heavily, the spray was being thrown up by other vehicles and there was quite a lot of standing water on the roads. The car park is a 6 or 7 minute walk from the dentist and even with umbrellas we got drenched. At one point my umbrella was blown inside out and I had a terrible job hanging on to it. I thought I was going to take off and fly over everyone’s head like Mary Poppins. We took our coats off in the waiting room but had to sit in our wet trousers. The good news is our teeth had a good check and a clean and neither of us have anything to be done. Our next check up date is already fixed for early August.

Then we got soaked again walking back to the car park. Being so wet made me feel cold as well and I couldn’t face going into town here, paying to park again and then having to walk through the rain to the pharmacy and back to the car park so I decided to go tomorrow. I finished one lot of tabs today so I’ll miss one dose but I don’t think that will matter much. I need a haircut so on the offchance I rang the hairdresser and she can squeeze me in at 10.30 tomorrow so I can kill two birds with one stone.

By the time we were back from the dentist it was nearly lunch time but after lunch I got all the bedding from both our beds washed, gave the downstairs loo a thorough clean, and cleaned sinks in the kitchen and utility, had a half hour phone call from a neighbour and cooked and cleared away our dinner things. Now I’m ready to relax with a book or maybe watch one of the new Inspector Lynley episodes on iPlayer. I hope you all have a restful night. Sweet dreams.

Just had sleety hail and gusty wind but its brightening up again now.

Did loads of ironing this morning nearlly cleared it all but got fed up so stopped.

Well I did say it was wild and windy and thats just what I meant. I don't watch the news or read papers so just go on what I can hear and see. I had a look at some of the pictures from around the country of the floods and some poor people have it really bad. We are quite high up here but I bet Dipper Mill down the road was out again last night.

We had sunshine nearly all morning and then a very heavy shower of rain that did'nt last long and more sun but now its come over cloudy again.

Just going round to corn the girls and then look for something for dinner in the freezer. I am going to put my slow cooker on tomorrow with a huge stew in it of beef parsnip, carrot and onions. Forgot to order cerlery so may buy one down the shop when I post a parcel tomorrow if thegirl will put the right parts of her address in the right boxes so I can get a label.

What a dark and dismal day :-|

When I saw the weather map, I thought that the area of concern looked rather near Mel.
I hope you are all warm and safe.
Mandy's slow cooker meal sounds just what we need.
Great that Jake has a cancellation for his tests. The roads should be quieter that time of day. I hope all goes well.

Yes, Mandy, I am feeling much better thank you and have been back to school for a while, going in two mornings a week to listen to readers.
Annx was asking about any more tests re. pneumonia.. We had a telephone appointment with the respiratory team at the end of December and the nurse was happy with my progress and pleased that I can walk a reasonable distance easily now. She wants me to have a face to face appointment mid year though.
When the copy letter came with the info. being sent to my GP, I see they are requesting another echocardiogram sometime too. That was news to me! The cardiologists never got in direct contact with me about the last one :-| although I did hear through reports from various other doctors that the situation was much improved, as they can access results of all the various tests on their screen.

I think the latest count so far since last May is 2 x ECG, 2 x CT scans with dye, 4 x X-rays and 4 x echocardiograms.
I think that's it.

I hope OH's appointment is not hindered by the late blood test, Vera. Maybe the testing will be speeded up.When necessary results can be obtained quickly. Let's hope you are lucky and there's no delay.

Thank you Anng ,it's smells good in the kitchen.

Yes Mel it looked rough down your way ,hope you don't have any damage with the wind .
Jake called in with my meat ,he usually pops it in in his lunch hour ,he's got a new date for his driving test ,he managed to get a cancellation for 26th February so not to long to wait now better than April., it's very early though at 7 in the morning so fingers crossed for him this time .

Mel I love the way you casually say it was wild and windy in the night when the whole of the soth West was battered by a storm and there are loads of flood in devon.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15500823/Storm-Chandra-roads-schools-close-winds-rain-snow-UK-weather.html

That is probablt right for the cut you have although I normally cut the meat up.

Do you do beef Anng and for how long ,I thought about 8 hours

I usually do my slow cooker dishes on low for longer Mandy.

Morning all,

6 degrees here and pouring with rain ,I think it should clear later and we might have a few sunny spells .

Oh thats sad about TOFS I use to like looking round in there ,Colins nephew's wife works in there so she will be out of work .

I've put a nice piece of braising steak in the slow cooker with veg ,I've put it on low so I hope it will be OK for tonight , didn't know if I should do it on high for less hours or low for longer so i did low and I'll hope for the best .

Morning Anng and all,

Thats sad about TOFS as I always like to browse around there and usually bought something in there. I liked their cotton long sleeved t shirt and the polo neck ones and the cotton vest tops have worn them for years. I shall be sad to see the shops go.

Its 8 degrees here this morning and quite bright at the mo but pc says cloudy so I expect that later on.

It was wild and windy in the night with rain too so a wet and soggy day out there today even though the suns trying to shine through.

Until I saw it mentioned on here, I had not heard of the original factory shop but I have just seen the following in the DM.

The owner of the two chains, Modella Capital, confirmed the decision to place them into administration earlier this month.

Both Claire's - which garnered a cult following thanks to its ear-piercing services and friendship bracelets - and The Original Factory Shop were purchased last year in last-minute rescue deals.

Many hoped the acquisition would turn their fortunes around, but things continued to go downhill for the chains and the company's cash eventually ran out.

A spokesman for Modella previously said: 'Very sadly, we have had to initiate insolvency proceedings for The Original Factory Shop (TOFS) and Claire's Accessories UK & Ireland.

'This has been a very tough decision. We have worked intensively in an effort to save both businesses, having made last-ditch attempts to rescue them, but neither has a realistic possibility of trading profitably again.

Good morning all. Didn't sleep well last night, thankfully that doesn't happen so often now, still annoying when it does though, feel 'washed out' this morning so a good job I had not planned on going anywhere.
Pouring with rain and extremely dark and gloomy.
I have a wash load in so at least one thing will be done today.
The food bin lorry had just been round but I am not going out in the rain to bring that in.

Yes it was good to hear she didn't think there was any infection but, it is very strange, she was very pleasanr but didn't fill me with confidence somehow. Too ready to say everything was fine, almost as though she had rehearsed her lines. And she did keep referring to notes. Anyway. I shall assume she is right and it is just time.

Vera still fighting the medics then. I hope that the scan and blood test eventually fall into line. Hope dentist goes ok and you don't get wet getting there.

Mel, gave me a fright there I thought I had missed sending your card but I see your birthday is not just yet so the appointment must be in February.
That is a faff now sending your parcels isn't it. Progress again!!!

Ann glad you are on facebook, i saw that you were yesterday. Good card.

I think, in some update, my adblocker must have got delelted so I just ignore the ads on FB.

Good evening all

Just popped in to say hallo but I am not stopping long as I still have things to do this evening. I have read your posts.

Glad the nurse was able to reassure you AnnG. You must be fed up with your swimmy heads Mandy. I hope they improve soon. Annx, catching the tea towel alight must have been a bit scary but you managed to deal with it. Your OH sounds as though he is busier than ever.

OH had a response to his email to the urology consultant about not being able to get blood tests before 30th Jan. She said that would have to do but the CT scan might be delayed. He had the scan last week and told her in his email that he had already had it. She will still see him for his appointment on 2nd Feb. He's written back telling her again that he has had the scans and confirming that he will attend on 2nd Feb. So much for me saying how good our hospital are - in this case the left hand doesn't seem to know what the right hand is doing.

It's all medical at the moment. Having been through several visits to doctors, health centre, hospital and optician we're completing the set tomorrow with a visit to the dentist and a trip to the pharmacy for my meds.

Must get on. Sleep well tonight ladies.

Forgot to put my recycling out on Sunday but its knowhere near full so will happily go another week. What has annoyed me is that in that high wind the other night I lost the paper sack so I shall have to put them out in a carrier with a big note asking for another one.

I was rather cross my appointment with the ospital was the day before my birthday but at least it was'nt on my birthday!

Annx I have Cardicore which is Bisoprolol but I don't think I was told not to have gratefruit with that. I shall have to look on the instructons when I open the next packet. I really miss my pink gratefruit and all this talk about it is making me want it even more. Before I had the simvastatin I used to have three pink gratefruit a week and one day oh ate my last one and he should'nt have been eating gratefruit he told me he thought it was an orange but he ate it anyway.

Went up the shop with a little parcel and when I got there could I find the label on the tablet. I had to come all the way home again and take a picture of it on my tablet and go back up the shop and we did it from there. I was cross it was two trips but it had to be done.

Iv'e still got a cough and its worse when I turn the heating on. I'm still being a good girl and not smoking but I do miss it and so does Robby as he always got mealworms when I went out for a ciggy. I try to call him in the morning while I am making my coffee.

Anng it good the nurse said you had no infection and that you can moisturize three times a day knowing its safe to do so. Hope it starts to heal soon.

Can't make up my mind what to have for dinner tonight its either Lasagne or smoked haddock and sweetcorn.

That's good the nurse reassured you there is no infection in the wound AnnG. What a disappointment your Thursday appointment has been moved to such a bad time though. I'd be the same as you about sickness at the surgery. My ankles swell a bit in the summer and I've tried painting with elevated legs, but it just doesn't work for me either! I'm back on FB now. I found out how to pause my adblocker on just their site and then had to agree ofn the FB instruction to accept adverts and it was still free then.

Vera those little dogs are so good aren't they. I can just picture you playing chase in the garden. Your daughter did well getting those two. I'm glad your OH's back has started to improve. It sounds like the upright chair is best for now.

Mel I don't know about grapefruit with all beta blockers, I just know about it with Bisoprolol.

OH couldn't get his soluble aspirin with his meds this morning, due to the shortages that have been mentioned in the press recently. They told him to try again at the end of the week!! It's a good job he isn't desperate.

Sorry you keep getting the swimming heads Mandy which must be horrid. It might be that you need a bigger dose of the tablets. You asked about my Daffs and tjust about all the flowers are open now with a lovely scent when I walk past. OH said how bright and cheerful they look. Yes that's one towel for the bin now! I'm enjoying the pottery programme and thought how good the potters are this year and some of the decorating of things is so good and imaginative.

Gwyn I was lucky and noticed the flames straightaway and could smother them with the rest of the cloth. Plan B was to drop it on the tiled floor which has no carpet or rug. It would be better if the slow cooker container had a little handle or tab each side instead of the narrow rim to steady it with.

Yes OH has quite a busy patch just now which is unusual. He has given up most of his schools since his cardiac arrest, but kept 5 good ones with less travel to keep his hand in. Instead he agreed to become the Governance Professional for one of the school trusts, which he enjoys and involves only a few meetings a year. He's also an Independent Person for a few councils which is voluntary work involving him advising on complalnts they get and they are expected to take his advice. There are only few meetings a year for each thing. He still has a quick mind at age 72, doesn't find any of it stressful after being a public servant all of his working life. It's a welcome distraction from his health issues too which is good.

Do you have anymore hospital appointments for your pneumonia? When I asked OH about his he said he had two lots of I think it was xrays and it still showed a little amount in his lungs that they then said would clear on it's own.

Recycling bin collection tomorrow so I'd better see what else I can put in.

I thought I would just pop out and pull up the weeds growing in all the pots on the patio outside my lounge window. (why do so many weed grow when plants don't?)

Gosh it is bitterly cold out there now. Alexa says it is 6 degrees but with that strongNorth East wind it feel more like -6, my hands were frozen. I did pull up the weeds but I didn't stay out there long.

Well Thursday's appointment has just been changed (due to staff sickness) by 50 minutes so now 2.50 right in school pick up time and, as we have 5 schools on and around the short journey we travel on to the doctors, home time is really bad, parking everywhere, lots of traffick, kids on bikes all over the roads, they all seem to come out around the same time. There are also the school buses of course.

If there is staff sickness it makes me nervous going into the surgery.

Afternoon all,

Only 4 degrees here today so we've lit the fire so nice and cosy now ,I thought we were going to see the sun a while ago it really brightened up but no such luck it clouded over again .

Yesterday I really felt a bit less heady but today my head has been swimmy again ,I think its just going to take time .

Anng thats good she reassured you that there was no Infection and good to go in on time .
Did you enjoy your lunch yesterday.

Oh Ann thats one less t towel to wash, you were lucky you didn't burn yourself as its not easy to let go off the towel when your holding the pan , was that how Jane had her fire in the kitchen, I remember there was a bit smoke .

Gwyn are you now feeling back to your old self and going into your school again to hear them read .

Vera hope your OH's back is still improving , bet you were sorry to see the dogs go home they are lovely company ,it's nice to know they settled well and handy for your daughter if she needs you to have them again.

Right I'm going to sit now and watch Lost in the Lakes and do some knitting ,one little shoe to do for the rabbit .