General Chat

goodmorning everyone, glad to hear that jude's holiday has been such a great sucess I am sure that madoc and fat cat will be glad to see her, thanks for all the interest in my well being yes I do feel much better moving around fairly well, have not attempted to drive the car as yet. I am booked for a cat scan next wednesday at 8-30 in the morning awful hour of the day. I was thinking of trying to wander around the shops to-day but we are in for quite the storm snow freezing rain etc so I shall stay in. plus had a call from andrew with the warning mother stay in and don't go out by yourself I will come over and go with you . for the first time when you are driving. my sister is getting ready to packup her house and move to calgary as my brother in law retires at the end of march. they have moved so many times with his job in international banking, so a company comes in and packs everything for them nice way to move. they have only been back from the caymans for two years. fred did you get the problems with the heat etc fixed and the road outside is it back to normal or is that a sore question. oh and fred I made a stew yesterday and it was very good bye all dorothy

Hi Jude ,nice to hear the report of your holiday,it sounds really ace ,but i reckon you need some paper hankies in stock for when you get home ,Madoc is likely to lick you to death,lol. Hi to everyone else,[again] ,hee hee,i composed a lovely message this morning on this very thread and despite it being added three times it kept getting rejected. I really think the thread needs to be started again alongside this one,because the length of the thread is so long the computer at genes takes an age to load it. Michael has suggested the same on the Canadian thread ,and the wattlers thread has just been renewed and is running like greased lightening ,so what do you think folks ,Brenda,it looks like being the best way forward. As to the addition this morning lol,i noted that after my stating that i don't like french products after the E E C closed down many of the orchards in Kent,and Many of the farms in Lincolnshire so that the whinging french food and fruit industries would have a place to dump all their tastless fruit and veggies,it came as no suprise to see this story on the net this morning . It seems that there was one old lady in Italy this week that went to the local market for potatoes ,and sellected a sack of french ones. Upon opening the sack and tipping some potatoes into a bowl of water ready for peeling she reached into rthe bowl,and took out ,a second world war hand grenade . I have been left wondering what method the french use in grading their potatoes,do they use a machine that can't tell the difference between a potato ,and a large heavy lump of metal,or do they use the old method of grading by hand ,using blind men and women?.im Bl**** y sure i could find a grenade on a belt by weight even if not by sight. Anyway peeps ,if you do buy potatoes with a french farm label on ,beware ,and open with caution ,you don't know what you will find as a bonus. Well ,the boss has decided the main meal today is to be at dinner time so i'm off now to get on with it. I may be back later if i get time off for being a good boy lol. I am now giong to try to add this yet again,[says fred ,living in hope].

Cooeeeeee....... Well our fabulous holiday is almost over. We fly out from LA to Chicago in the morning 9am l think and arrive at Heathrow Fri am. We left S Wales 7th Feb for Heathrow, flew out 7am 8th to Munich, waited 5 hrs for next flight which was to New York - stayed there 2 nights, then flew onto Denver. Stayed there 2 nights then flew into LA, stayed the night and then drove to Lompoc for a week, during that week we drove to San Fransisco for 2 nights. Back to Lompoc for a couple more nights them met up with Vics sister in Santa Barbara, stayed there one night then drove for 10hrs to Williams and caught the train to THE GRAND CANYON. 3 nights in all with hotel in Williams and Canyon. Back to Santa Barbara for 1 night then off't to Paso Robles - oh my gawd what a fantastic place 14 acres, horses all around:o)))) Then this morning we drove to Moro Bay had cake & coffee and onto here Santa Barbara. Will get back on here again in a few days time when we have got back home and got Madoc home - can't wait to see him and Fat Cat of course. Right now l have a gorgeous black labrador sitting at my feet called Benny and his mate Shane a german shepherd cross is in the lounge. Ok thats it for now. Dorothy don't know what has been wrong with you but hope your feeling better now. Sylvia hope your feeling better as well. Take everyone:o)) jude sarf wales :o))) xx

Hi all, Well I am still having trouble to get on this site. I almost give up and then hey presto here we are! Yesterday Johan and I went to the wholesalers buying large quantities of the necessary goods such as loo paper, washing powder etc.etc. and I was absolutely knackered. I fell asleep after dinner and slept for 3 hours, with the result that I didn't get a good night's sleep. I was going to go into town today as Johan wanted to go to the library but I decided against it. The weather is enough to put anybody off and then still being tired from yesterday. I have just been plodding around the flat doing odds and ends. Tomorrow I am staying in as well. Friday hope to go to the market.There have been strong gale force winds and lots of rain so glad I stayed at home. My urine is now bacteria free so that is one step in the right direction. I still have this fungus in my mouth. I was reading an article on diabetes and realise that this could be that my glucose level is wrong at the moment and that could have been the reason for the cystitis as well. I'll try and get hold of somebody at the clinic to see if they have a magic cure to work in a few days before I go into hospital. Who believes in miracles? Oh well, that is my lot today, nothing exciting, but at least a few lines to keep the thread running. Sylvia xxx

Hi all,Fred I heard from Bill as well,hope all goes well for him. How was the visit to the doc ,all weel. Having a cuppa at work while it is quite,we have a school class in shortly !!!!! Speak to you soon,Brenda

Morning Dorothy ,Brenda,nice to see a couple of peeps on here this morning ,even the other thread is soooo quiet that i think the lack of hot water was beggining to show lol. Nice to hear that tyou continue to improve Dorothy ,it shouldn't be long now before you feel more like your old self. I heard from Bill this morning ,he now has the flight he was waiting for ,so he is now rushing around getting rid of the last od his gear ,i was suprised to find he got rid of the van so quickly ,seeing as it's the wrong time of year ,but at least he has managed. He should be back home in New Zealand by next week and then he should be able to settle down with old freinds he still speaks to on the net. Have to go ,i'm at the docs in half an hour for test results ,but should be back after getting some shopping .Fred.

Godd afternoon all,just taking aminute whilst having a tea break at work to say hello.will be busy at homw tonight as I need to have a sort out again,Also have a few letters to write. Glad everyone is well. Brenda

hi everyone hope you all are well I am feeling better still not quite back to normal but on the mend, to-day my son is going to take me to the bank as my cheques came in and out for lunch it will give the leg and back a work out. and he is going to turn the car on it has not moved in 2 and a half weeks so it should turn over ok but we have had some very cold weather. I hope by the end of the week to be able to drive and get around as normal. spoke to anne in bury yesterday and she said the weather was nice and looking a bit like spring, that is the season I miss the most even being away from england for 50 yrs, over here it is drab one day then right into the warm weather, I was pleased to see that helen mirren won the oscar I did see theat movie and thought she was great in it, anyway I shall go and get ready for my outing no snow at the moment though we are to get some later I believe. bye for now dorothy

Morning everyone,from a cold ,dark Newcastle ,where Fred is going to add a few lines to the thread before getting an hours shut eye lol. Hello to Ann,[waves] nice to see someone new on the thread ,all new blood greatfully recieved. What a difference getting on here this morning ,seconds ,instead of minutes hee hee,lets hope it lasts this time. I didn't sleep at all well last night ,nothing wrong like,just one of those nights where you can't stop thinking of what there is to do the next day,the sort of problem Brenda seems to suffer from a ot,so tiring when you can't sleep at all and have to be up for work in a few hours,i know the feeling well,but now i can normally roll over and ignore it. Well ,iv'e had my drink and will get my tired old bones upstairs ,see ya later all.Fred.

Hi ,from what was a blustrey but bright day here in Manchester. Had a days leave today ,so I could go with my dad for his check up,which was ok. Apart from making the tea and a bit of ironing haven't done anything else. Am wanted on the phone, see you tomorrow.take care,Brenda

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Afternoon folks,its damp ,cold and miserable here today,wish i hadn't to go out and I could get some searching done on here while the men folk are watching footie.!! Hope everyone is ok and reasononably happy and heathly. speak to you all tomorrow. brenda

hello Everyone,I have given up twice in as many days waiting to get on here,luckily it was third time lucky. Welcome anne ,please feel free to drop in any time and let us know how you are,where are you in Manchester I am in the north. Drorthy ,glad to hear you are over the worse and now know what was causing the trouble.Hope it works out ok for your grand son. Sylvia you take care ,you might be made redundant if Johann likes doing household chores. lol. Fred,now all this talk of food is not doing me any good.!!! Hve tried couc cous tonight for the first time ,it went on the top of cod fillets as a sort of crust,didn';t look like the picture,but was ok. They ate it all any way.lol Hi Kathleen,sorry you have not been well.hope you are better soon. fred had been in touch with Bill in Oz,who has been in hospital,or did you know already.Have you heard from Peter at all, How is susan? Of to do a bit of searching then bed. take care ,Brenda

Hi all, Well just about to nod off at any moment as I was up at 10 minutes to five this morning baking bread. I woke up at 4.00 and couldn't get to sleep again, so made myself useful by baking bread. Got a bit of a cold coming on so must take something to help that.

Hi Brenda just joined the site, some nice frindly people on here, dont know what i ever did before i joined from damp rainy cloudy Manchester Ann x

hi everybody oh fred you have done it againyour menu's are just wonderful who taught you how to cook, the doc told me i have trapped three nerves in the back at L3-4-5 so hence the problem with the leg and back, booked a cat scan and physio for when I am more mobile and pain pills, so we shall wait for it all to improve, nothing much new over here the children are keeping busy, with swimming and hockey I think that they are going ski-ing to-day, and they are coming to visit me to-morrow. my son told me that Ian the youngest who will be 8 in april is going to be tested as the school thinks that he is very bright, and advanced for his age he does seem to be ahead in most things and is finding school somewhat boring. so we shall see what happens with that. hope you all have a good week-end bye dorothy

Hi peeps ,i'm just waiting for the son to arrive for his dinner,and thought i would add a few lines. Yohan is now showing his full mettle Sylvia,well done to him.My mother in law spent thirty years nagging her husband to do things right and come the finish ,Tom' got that sick ,he never raised a hand again in the house or garden,and the mum in law spent the next twenty years complaining because he wouldn't help round the house ,hee hee,some women are never satisfied lol. I try my best ,and if Liz ever comments on my efforts i remind her of her mum and dad,end of story I have done a chicken soaked in orange juice for today,and now have another in the oven for tomorrow. Tea time .i have some lovely bread rolls ready to go in the oven ,and have beef Haslet and ham for meat fillings ,but i have made some sardine and egg mix for me mixed with a little garlic and tarrigon [don't knock it peeps ] it's lovely. I also made some egg and cress for chris because he loves it.Must go now as the company has arrived ,but will be back this evening.Fred.

Hi all, Well if there is one thing that brings the best out in men is when their partner is sick. I was on the pc tonight and wanted to get something in my hobby room and found Johan folding up washing. I didn't know what I was seeing, really in 51 years of marriage he has never done this before. I showed him how to operate the washing machine and drier today and he thought he'd finish off the process by folding the washing. I'll have a peep soon to see if he has put everything away in the cupboards. I must admit he has folded things so nicely, puts me to shame! Maybe I shouldn't have cooked all those meals for the freezer and let him try his hand at cooking! Just a thought. Sylvia xxx

Afternoon people's,i have just finished making myself a nice rice salad for my teas over the next few days,and tonight i will be putting a little over my jacket tatties,which sometimes like tonight ,rather than prong them witjh a fork i have cut a crosss into the top of each leaving the heat of the oven to peel them back ,and open ,ready for the salad to be dropped on the top. The salad i have made with basmati rice,half a cup,mixed with a little sliced green grape,chopped walnut,chopped spring onion.red onion,chopped apple a few sultanas,along with two garlic cloves,a little nutmeg,salt ,groung black pepper,balsanic vinager and a little lemon juice.Adding a few chopped almond last of all. I know it sounds complicated ,but it isn't and only takes a few minutes to make ,is totaly fat free ,and veeeeery tasty. Martin and Chris are coming to dinner tomorrow ,so i will be doing a roast chicken with a difference,.chicken cut into quarters cleaned in cold water,and put into two large squares of cooking foil smother with honey,chopped garlic and rosemary to taste , place pieces of parsnip,carrot,with shallots rolund the pieces of chicken, and a good soaking of a good white wine.and rolled into two sausage shaped parcels ,and placed in a deep tray before putting in the oven.They need to slow cook,around 150 f for four hours,taken out of the oven at regular intervals to turn the sausages ,ensuring the resulting liquid coats all of the chicken, Make sure you rally seal the sausages though or you will lose all the juices.. The result is lovely tender beutiful tasting flesh which will fall off the bone.. Believe it or not ,i tried this on my gas B B Q last year with much the same result,it didn't last two minutes ,sooooo moist on a barbie that it was a real eye opener to me. Liz dosn't like rice salad though so i have made her a chicken jalfrazie instead ,not too hot ,but sweet and spicy ,just how she likes it. We tend to have little meals through the day ,and have a bowl of soup for supper with a slice of bread. It's been a funny old day up here today weather wise,it keeps clouding over and looks a lot like snow,but hasn't so far,but the missus isn't bothered ,we are warm enough despite the loss of the central heating,have a teli and player in the bedroom ,so as a last resort we will snuggle down in bed and watch a film or read a book Whatever ,spring is just around the corner and then we will be well away.lol. The missus is watching her quiz programmes again ,so i will repair to the kitchen and fire up the oven prior to cooking tea,then ,housework done ,dinner out of the way, i will select a dvd and settle my rear end down for the evening. See you all tomorrow . Hope everyone has a nice weekend .Fred.

goodmorning rom a bright and sunny but very cold part of canada I hope all of you that have been under the weather are feeling better, fred you are having a hard time with all the problems with heat and light etc . I had a better day yesterday but still am not pain free, but this afternoon I am going to the doctors andrew is coming over to drive me, not sure what the doc can do but my son will feel better if i see him. the docotor was away last week so he is even seeing pts on sunday morning he has his office in his home quite the spread, but he is a very nice man and quite funny at times. we get on as I am very seldom there . retired nurses can be a pain at times no pun intended, well I have been sitting for about 10minutes so better go and lay down again bye for now have a great week-end now, brenda I am just going to call anne in bury she will have been up to the market I am sure bye dorothy