General Chat

Afternoon All,

The horrid fiine drizzle has arrived here too, but it should have been dry till after lunch. We managed to drag ourselves out of bed to go to Aldi early and, as usual, bought more than we planned! We got a few Christmas things with long dates, like a box of Fox's biscuits, OH's Turkish Delight and a box of Ferrero Rocher for me. (I like the handy polythene boxes they come in and am using one for my cable chargers). I got some non bio liquid for the washer and other food so the fridge is crammed now! The shop hardly looked any different, but has new chill shelving clear plastic doors that are better than the plastic strips it used to have.

We called for the last of my meds on the way back (3rd trip for them) and the older staff seem to have been replaced by youngsters who don't seem very organised at all. One girl spent ages on the computer checking what meds I still needed and after another 10 minutes I heard someone behind a screen say that it wasn't this village, so it sounded like they had wasted time looking in the wrong place. Eight other people were served while I waited and the only 3 seats were filled with people waiting for Flu and covid jabs. One lady asked for more chairs but they couldn't find any. My knees were really aching by the time they found my meds and I was on the verge of saying I'd come back in ten munutes and go and sit in the car for a while. OH had the same trouble getting his last meds too, so I think we'll ring before going to collect them next time. It's a good job we make sure we have some extra so we don't run out. As we drove out of the village they were putting up a Halloween Yarn Bomb!

Yes Mel the stamps on things are just read by a barcode reader now and don't have any franking marks. I suspect they would get some kind of alert if a barcoded stamp had been read before. It's a good idea to change your dental appointment now we have the darker nights, especially with your narrow, unlit roads. Road markings, if any, are poor and you can't see potholes. I rarely drive at night now, unless just along the main road. Our lanes have so much traffic and the headlights are so bright nowadays, they dazzle.

It's funny how the jabs affect us differently some years and different to each other, but I wouldn't fancy having them both in one arm like your poor daughter AnnG, although I expect they could be done at different times. You were up earlier than me this morning too. I don't seem to have benefited from the extra hour at all.

Better put our salad lunch together now and sit with OH to do the wordwheel and try and do the cryptic crossword afterwards, :-D Then I might start beading.

I had had a huge tomato, beans, 3 bacon, egg and two slices of toast for a late lunch.

What temp do you cook the chicken in the air fryer? is it the same for thighs?

That was not a lot for your evening meal Mel. I would not have slept if I had had that small an amount. I had the ready to cook (Tesco) chicken wings in a sweet chilli sauce that I could cook in the air frier, with broccoli, cauliflower and jacket potato. It was very nice. I have put on 1.5 pounds since before my holiday but that is good considering the three cooked breakfasts and the three meals out.

It is drizzly rain here now which is a nuisance as I wanted to cut a few more bits back to fill the brown bin which has to go out this evening.

My ache went on for a few days and then they started to itch a bit further down my arm.

Been raining quite heavily here and then turned to that fine stuff that gets everywhere. Sky is just grey.

Changed my dental appointment from tomorrow to 20th Jan as it was at 4.15pm nd it will be dark by the time I come out and I don't like driving far in the dark and theres dark narrow lanes I have to drive through. The Jan appointment is at 3.15 so that should be better. I do like to pop in Lidl on the way home so I may get round there before its too dark as well.

Think I will have something for breakfast today as I'm hungry. I only had a couple of cream crackers a bit of cheese and and three quarters of an apple and 5 grapes last night. A bit of toast I think and another coffee.

Morning Mel and all. It is 12 degrees here and dry and bright so far. It was raining a bit when I went to bed last night. Nothing planned for today so shall see where it goes. Arm is still stiff, strange that it is the covid side when I expected the flu side to be worse. Not helped, I think by that being the side I lay on.
You were up early Mel!!
Daughter had both jabs in one arm as she has had before, and that has been very painful. she can't have anything jabbed into her other arm as it has Lymphodaemia (not sure of the spelling of that but it is after having breast cancer on that side and the lymph nodes were affected.

Meant to say how's the arm this morning? is it still a bit achey?

Morning on this dull miserable wet day. Its 14 degrees here and that fine rain that get everywhere. Pc is saying near record for the temp.

Thanks for your answers about the postage stamp. It was a box that came to me without being franked and I wondered if I could use it to send on but I shall not chance it now.
Almost completely dark here now and its been a beautiful day with wall to wall sunshine and a few clouds towards the evening.

Dave called in with the poppies today and he always saves me the little metal enameled one as oh always bought me those. He said they were very short on that one this year.

Done a bit of craft fiddleing today and put two more lots on Ebay. Just brought the washing in and need to put it on the airers on the rads.

Had one of my BIG tomatoes for lunch with bacon, egg and toast it was delish so I have saved 5 seeds from it to grow next year. If any of you want a few seeds let me know as I have a few more to eat yet. They came from my neighbour last year and when I ate the big one I saved some seeds and they came true.

Hope the arms feeling better now Anng and the legs.

Annx I had an invite for that jab and it booked for for the 1st November which is the day I also have a breast screening at 9.50am.

Legs are still a bit achy, not sure why I think it is robsbly because the last couple of days I was pottering in the garden carrying around a few heavy ish rocks and also a large container. That always seems to affect my legs which is weird.
My right arm is not too bad, the left,nthe covidvarm is painful still probably because that is the side I sleep on.

Yes it said in the leaflet that this year it was modified to protect against the latest new additions to the virus

Good afternoon ladies

It's been a lovely bright sunny day though not all that warm. At least it has been dry. I had to go down the road just now and the sun was so low in the sky that I couldn't see a thing. I was walking very carefully as the path is uneven and I didn't want to fall because I couldn't see. There was a helicopter going backwards and forwards and circling overhead. That often means someone is missing, usually an older person with dementia. I hope they find whoever it is before it gets dark.

Mel, you got 2 good jobs done while bil was there yesterday so that's a bit less to do now. Did you mean you want to send the box with the stamp to your friend? If it's unused there'll be no problem but check the size and weight of your box to make sure it fits the large letter restrictions. If it's small and not very heavy it should be fine but there is plenty of info on google.

Oh Annx, it is so sad when you come across an obituary of someone you knew. He sounds a real character and you obviously enjoyed his company at work.

I hope your arms (and legs) are feeling less sore now AnnG and you get a good night's sleep tonight. I've heard so many people say that they have had painful arms this time, even though they haven't had them before, that I am not looking forward to having my jabs.

This morning I potted up my cuttings and cleared 3 big troughs of annual begonias. It was a shame in a way as they were still blooming but I thought I'd better do some garden jobs while the weather was dry. I was going to pull up a clump of antirrhinums in one of the beds but they have new blooms opening so I'll leave them for a few more days. Then I went to put my beef joint in the oven this morning only to find I had forgotten to take it out of the freezer. I seem to be having more of these senior moments lately. So we ended up with meat pie. I can't manage potatoes and pastry together so I didn't do any spuds but did a big pan of mixed veg - carrots, leeks, peas and broccoli. It made a change from always having a roast on a Sunday and we both enjoyed it. The only problem is that with a roast there are leftovers for Monday which is always quite a busy day for us. Now I've got to sort out a dinner for us tomorrow.

I've just looked out of the window and the sun is already setting. It's only 4.30 :-(

Aftenoon All,

You can't re-use a bar coded stamp now Mel, if that's what you mean? That's why they introduced bar coded stamps to stop people re-using them if they had no franking marks on them.

Well I felt no benefit from the extra hour this morning and now it's looking dull and will soon be dark! Just waiting for the food delivery with 2 subs that can both go back. A prawn pasta salad instead of a chicken and bacon one and I hate cold prawns and OH isn't that keen and some cheesy smoked bacon sausages instead of our salmon fishcakes. Health risks with anything smoked so we don't want those. I think it means a trip to the extended and improved Aldi in the morning as we enjoyed their chicken salad once before. No doubt we will come out with a trolley full of other things and I need some washing (tablets ideally which are hard to tind now ) so it probably means getting the liquid as I have problems with the plastic pod things! lol.

We have had the Spikevax jabs the past 2 years AnnG and I expect they are tweaked each year to keep up with the latest versions of the virus and we had sore arms last year ourselves, but not this year. I hope your arms and achey legs soon feel better. I seem to be the only one to have had the RSV vaccination, but it has only been offered to the 75-79 age group at the moment I think.

Better check how far away Dave is now. :-)

Do you mean it is an already been through the post stamp Mel. Or a stamp you have bought and is unused?

The rose smell on these shampoo and conditioner smelt nothing like roses at all not like the ponds cream which smelt of roses.

Can anyone tell me if I can still use a large letter stamp with a bar code to send something as I have a little box with one on and want to send it to a friend but I have looked on line and not sure about it.

Mel, I love the natural smell of roses but hate any creams or shampoos etc that are supposed to be Rose perfumed as it is a chemical rose smell and not very pleasant to me.

Morning all,

Nice sunny morning here 9 degrees amdpc says partly sunny.

Sorry both arms ache this monrning Anng that just how mine were and they ached for a few days and then the right arm itched That was the covid one.

Think I may wash my hair today and try out this new conditioner. I bought the herbal essesenses rose shampoo and condit. but I could'nt stand the smell so I gave them both to Em so that was 12 quid down the drain now I am going to try thier Aloe something one and see if thats any better smell wise.

Good morning all. Not really unexpected but I didn't have a very good night. both arms are now quite painful so the covid one which I was laying on kept waking me up. Originally the flu one was worse but this morning the covid arm is very stiff and painful.
I eventually got up at just gone 0630 (which would have been 0730 so not too bad). For some reason my legs have come out in sympathy and ache as well.

It is only 8 degrees but is bright and looks like it might be a nice day.

Yes, it might be a pain trying to get an appointment at our surgery, but they do organise these mass vaccinations well. A desk at the entrance split between two alphabetically, then a queue leading down the long corridor eight (I think) office doors a chair opposite each two people moving the queue.. so 8 and people as directed move to chairs, so eight people vaccinating(& 8 vaccinated or more if couples go in at once. The queue moves quickly and people know to leave by the door down the corridor as it is the same every time. They were going all day from 0800 and were fully booked.

Afternoon All,

It's been a mix of sun and cloud here and is quite chilly now so I've given the heating a blast.

I like the latest gnome Mandy and like Vera love his wonky hat! How many have you made now? Yes I think that's the earliest the paper has been delivered.....talk about hot off the press! At least they were quiet unlike your milkman was. Our neighbour makes a din when they go on holiday in the small hours and seem to keep slamming car and boot doors umpteen times. Why they don't leave shutting the car doors till they go I don't know. Two of our Hostas have quite bright yellow leaves now, but we need to fill the garden bin anyway over the next few days ready for the collection which I must check as I think they stop the garden bin one over the winter.

I slept better last night and it's good you managed to get back to sleep as well AnnG. It's good your nose has healed now, but I think FIL's still improved in that the wound became flatter and less noticeable by the following year. It's good you still have your airer, but hopefully you will soon have your new dryer. Goodness your DIL's mother is doing well to reach 100 and will have been thrilled to get a card from the new King. She will even remember the old king!! We thought our jabs were speedy as they had us in together, but I think you were even quicker!

Yes the doctor is on the ball now after the previous delay Vera which is good. The city hospitals are huge with multiple carparks around them and long corridors that I couldn't manage, but we'll have to sort out the logistics when he has the details and appointment. The birthday meal was a good price, but a shame your salmon was dry. The yummy apple crumble on icecream sounds good though! :-D You've done well to get a lot of cuttings rooted, but be careful with your back doing the HW. I bet you were pleased to get it all done though.

Mel it's good the new vac is ok. Now you just need some sunshine to dry the leaves off. I expect they will make you some nice leafmould for next year. Did you see Monty Don's garden where the floods had crept in part of it?

There was an obituary in yesterday's local paper for a real character I used to work with years ago. He was gay and very camp and would come out with hilarious comments that would make even the most serious among us laugh. His clothes were spotless as was the bungalow he shared with his partner and he was always cleaning and cooking. I remember one day he had an appointment to see a physiotherapist in the afternoon and he turned up for work in the tightest leather trousers I have ever seen. I had to go in the toilets to compose myself. Bless you Doug for making work fun.

I went out after my last post and used the leaf hoover it worked ok on the dry leaves and I was having fun and then the battery ran out so it came in after emptying the leaves in the wheelbarrow and taking them round to the leaf dumpy bag.

Sometimes BIL rushes at things but he was very good with doing the fence and him being strong was able to bend the poles while I got the netting over them. We have put it all around the chickens run no so I can cut off what I want to use and the others tidy for when he mows. He did say that another day he was going to take the two sides off the grass box that the roller fit in and take them into work and they will make two new ones in stainless steel for him so thats got to be better than Stuart welding a bit on.

Nearly dark here now so I better go and get my solar lights out of the bedroom and bring them into the kitchen till I go to bed. I then put them in the hall and bathroom so I can see when I get up in the night.

I did a small wash this morning and it all dried in the conservatory, first with the door open then an hour with ut closed it has been a beautiful sunny day with clear blue skies and the sun is just going down now. Tomorrow, if out, it will be going down at 4.45. :-(
Pleased you had a good nights sleep Vera and got a lot done today.

I gave my leaf blower away to Andy when he did my garden. I was too heavy for me to lift.
Mel, it does seem it is two steps forward an five back with BiL. Does he try and rush at things? Still at least you have the leaf blower now.