General Chat

Well names,I am very lucky to have such incredible views here.

I dont think many of my friends down south appreciate what I have here. They crave all the shopping centres, bars etc still but as long as i can get things online, this is my home and after 30 years here wouldnt move anywhere else.

Every eve, I get the most fabulous sunsets looking out the back towards the sea on the west coast, pure magic sometimes.

If anyone is ever visiting my part of the world. you are very welcome to stop for cake and a cuppa and a blether of course :-D

That was a very good interview Florence, though I thought that you would have picked up more of a Scottish accent by now :-D

We had a couple of hours of sun this af, but apart from that,it has been raining all day. I did some housework as my sister and her husband are coming tomorrow and are staying overnight. They will have Eve’s bed and she will have a fold out bed in the study. I will have to change the bedding in the morning and try and clear up all Eves junk, so they can get in the room. Then I just have the bathrooms to clean and I can relax and pretend that the house is that tidy all of the time

Ty Linda. Sometimes when I speak, i do have some local accent but even after 30 years, im still English lol

When my pal came to stay, the house was spotless because I spent 2 weeks clearing daughters rubbish and shoving it all in her wardrobe and chest of drawers but i led my friend to think the house was spotless all the time lol

Good afternoon to you all, we have a beautiful sunny day here, not rain for several days now so I have had to water my newest plants & fill up the birdbaths.

have dead headed the Roses but there are still lots of buds that are ready to burst open, they have done really well this year.

I noticed a fower on my Hydranga today a lovely blue-lavender, so chuffed as I didn't think it was going to flowere at all.
I have also gathered up some seed heads from my Poppies & Geraniums/cranesbill plants, fingers crossed they will take some time.

I have also gathered some of the frods from the Ferns, & pushed them into the bottoms of the garden hedges, in the hope that some of the spores will germinate .

Stew & Dumplings or Yks puds for dinner today, lovely smell coming from the kitchen.

I hope all is well with everyone & you have had a lovely weekend,

Joan.

Afternoon Joan and all looking in.

So warm today and blue skies to the west but dark thundery looking clouds to the east so a split sky but still a lovely day.

I pilled up one of my carrots...named it Colin lol. Was about 4 inches long. So i washed and grated it to have with my salad for tea. Tastes really nice and totally organic even!

Joan, I have 3 hydrangea plants which never flowered last year but one is just about to flower and am so happy. The other 2 plants are smaller and no sign of any flowers. The plants are now 2 years old so not sure if they need time to mature first?

Have been making bookmarks today and daughter did a few more birthday cards I have ordered some tassels so they should look good when finished.

I made Chinese chicken wings for tea and the aroma in the kitchen like yours Joan smells wonderful. Made my dip and a bowl of salad plus a small tray of chips to do.
I bought some chilli sensation crisps this order and haven't had them for donkeys so cant wait to eat at tea time.

I think a shower is imminent as the hill is fast disappearing from view but its def very warm as had the windows open all day.

Enjoy your stew & dumplings Joan.

Hope all ok with everyone else

Florence in the hebrides

Hi Florence,well done with your carrot growing, home grown is best, though I have to confess I have never grown veggies, never really had the time when I was younger, too many children to groe & nurture ! LOL.
I did grow Tomatoes for 2 or 3 years & they were lovely.

I have just been back into the garden & tweeked the rocks in my new rockery in readiness for the new plants coming tomorrow, I hope !

I have never had any success with Hydranags in the past so I am really pleased with the 2 I have at the moment, the bluey one was quite small when I bought it last year & thought I might lose it after the flowers faded last year, it has been slow to show itslef properly this year but now it's taken off & I have a flower on it.

The other one I bought this year,a much bigger one in size & MUCH higher re price, lol, it's a white one & though it has put on a LOT of growth the flowers that were on it at purchase have now gone,fingers crossed it will survive the winter & will ave lots of flowers on it next year.

Your card making sounds just lovely, & probably worth far more than are asking for them, but better to be able to sell some a little cheaper than be left with a lot because no-one will pay what they are worth !
The stew etc was delicious, & I ate far too much ! but I didn't want to waste the bit left, lol.

I had a wee chuckle re your accent, I have lived in Aberdeenshire for 38 years & I still have a broad North Yks accent, a few local words get thrown here & there but I can't see me losing my YKS tongue after all this time, lol.

Joan.

Hello all,
Typical, yesterday morning as I put the hearing aid into my bad ear, the wire snapped off the head. I phoned Specsavers lots of times during the morning but all I got was a recorded message saying that they were busy dealing with customers and if I left a message they would ring back. I left several messages, but they didn’t ring. Eventually I got through at about 2.30pm and she said “ Oh yes, I was just about to call you.” . After explaining the problem she said they had no audiologist in until today. That was of no use to me as my sister and brother in law were coming to stay last night, then we were all going to Leeds today to meet up with more family and have a meal to celebrate my sisters ruby wedding anniversary which was today. Without the hearing aid, I would have been unable to join in the conversation in the restaurant
In the end Specsavers said that if I could come in, they would see if their technician could do anything to fix it, but they couldn’t promise anything as he might not have the part needed. It was twenty five minutes each way, but thankfully he did mend it.

We spent a nice evening with my sister and BIL last night, but she is very frail after her brain op, it is horrible to see her like that. The meal today was nice and the girls had a nice time playing with the other children

Oh Linda, I am sooo sorry to hear about your sister, it must be very upsetting for you seeing her so frail etc, & it must be so hard for her to be like that, I really hope things improve for her in time.

Glad to hear that your hearing aid was fixed, how lucky that Specsavers were still open, I thought most places closed on a Saturday or at least by dinner time !

We have a beautiful evening here,flat calm & the sun is STILL shining, as a result I keep wanting to go back outside & do a bit more in the garden, but I have put my tools away now & can't be bothered to get things out again, LOL.

Joan.

The Specsavers I go to is open on both Saturday and Sunday as well. The actual audiologists seem to work between two branches, but are always at mine on Sunday if they have an appointment to attend.
My sister was having her quarterly MRI scan on the tumour site this morning. It only takes twenty minutes, but she has to have a cannula put in first. They couldn’t get it in this morning, lots of people had a go, before they finally managed to get it in. She was there for two hours in the end. The poor thing is really bruised.

Son in law got a phone call an hour ago to say his ninety nine year old father has just been taken to the hospital because he has sepsis. That doesn’t sound good. We were just sitting down for dinner, so he ate his at break neck speed, packed and left. Usually when we are going somewhere he is never ready on time, so we are always late.

Evening all

Oh dear Linda, your poor sister. The canula is for contrast, i had that myself last year when I had my brain scan. She will be bruised and exhausted. Hope she gets a good rest.

You Sil's father at 99 with sepsis does not sound good sadly. Hope he drives safely!

Never rains but it pours as they say!

Very quiet day as daughter elsewhere until Wed, never saw anyone!

Watching me soaps now so have a good eve all

Florence in the hebrides

Good morning everyone.
Oh Linda what an ordeal for your sister, it must have been upsetting for her, & then to gey "bad" news re your S in Laws father being ill, one thing after another isn't it, ley's hope things will ease up for all of you very soon.

After a beautiful day yesterday & some really nice days last week it's changed today, at the moment it's a bit chilly, it's quite windy as well, the sun is in & out so not hopeful that it will warm up !

Oh well nothing I can do about it, but if the wind doesn't drop I won't be going outside today. doesn't matter as I got my Rockery finished yesterday as the Postie brought my new rockery plants first thing.
I am delighted with the look of it all, the plants, 6 in all look great, well established & a good size.

Off to have a cuppa then I will maybe make use of the duster here & there.
Gammon Steaks for tea.

Take care.

Joan.

Morning all

Its a sunny day here and a bit breezy but dry and so pleased as grass cutters should be here today as yesterday was a bank holiday!

Joan, I'm sure your rockery will be fab looking with your new plants plants. well done you :-D

Linda, hope your sister has recovered from yesterday. How is SIL's father today, did you hear anything?

One of the 2 viewings is looking hopeful but shall wait & see. The guy may have a 2nd viewing later this week :-D

AnnG, how are you and is your cold better? Havent seen you posting for a few days.

Just Ginnie, hope your tax affairs etc are getting sorted. My mums file is now 2 files. Looks like my Drs notes! Once flat is sold, I wonder how long I should keep all the paperwork from sol etc? My sol said re my paperwork re divorce, I should keep it forever!!!

I made 10 bookmarks last night and hole punched them but waiting on the tassels to finish them off and some new patterned paper to do some more.

Well better be busy as house needs some attention, dusting & hoovering today...ooops vacuuming I mean :-D

As for tea tonight Joan, I haven't got that far yet lol

Florence in the hebrides

good afternoon. Yes you are right Florence, I haven't posted but I am ok and I have read the posts. I actually thought I had posted so must have got confused. Anyway yes cold had gone by Sunday thank goodness and I feel fine now.

Linda, that must have been very stressful for your sister. And It is also worrying about SiL's father. Hope the hospital have made him comfortable.

This morning:
Well. it rained....... And we walked through it. six of us. It was the fortnightly 'amble' with U3a Luckily it was not cold but my jeans were very wet by the time we got to the little cafe in the village, having meandered through lanes and alleyways I didn't know existed.. We sat with coffees for a good 40 minutes chatting and then walked back to the car park via a quicker route.

I think it may have been just about two miles. Luckily the rain had stopped by the time we came out after coffee. Still it was a bit of exercise, a bit of company and I can now feel virtuous for the rest of the day.

For once, it is a sunny day here. Esme was playing in the garden and wanted her crazy foam on a tray as she had seen some children on a You tube video doing that. It is foam soap which she plays with in the bath. It is horrible stuff because it leaves a slimy scum on the bath. She was having a great time playing with it outside, but then decided that she was going to wash the glass in the patio doors in it. That was fun, she was writing in it. Grandad had to bring a watering can and the long car brush on a pole to clean it off, needless to say she was soaked. It seems to have left a film on the glass, but no doubt the rain will sort it.

They tested grandpa as soon as he got to A&E last night, but said it wasn’t sepsis. By the time we went to bed, they were still waiting to see a doctor. He has got some sort of infection, but they didn’t know what. SIL eventually went back to the house, leaving his father there. He hadn’t been put on a main ward, but was in the A&E diagnostic ward. SIL was going back this morning,but we haven’t had any more news yet

Having just over the shock of my contents renewal quote, I have just received online my electricity bill for Jul and got a nice surprise.

The bill was £77.00 incl VAT, the lowest yet thus year. So now I have a credit of £81.00 which I am leaving to build up so in the winter, I wont worry having the heating on when its cold.

Always a silver lining!

Grass cutters came although front lawn was left as hardly any growth in 2 weeks and still some bare patches. Although recent rain refilled some rivers etc, the garden still needs watering every night mostly. I didn't water plants last night but the soil is dry today, so a job after tea once the sun has moved round to the back.

AnnG, glad you are now rid of your cold although doesn't help getting wet in the rain, poor you.

Linda, sounds like Esme was having lots of fun and at least it was outside mess and not indoors. SIL's father probably has a UTI as many elderly people get them especially if they don't drink much. My mum, bless her refused to drink water and said her cups of tea was all she needed but she regularly got infections and needed antibiotics. Just hope it isn't Covid!

Hope they find out today with blood tests and can treat him.

Decided to strip daughters bed before she comes back and made a load to fill the machine .Its still dry here so perfect for the washing to dry in the breeze.

Time for a quick sandwich for lunch.

Florence in the hebrides

Good morning, it is sunny and humid here, which makes a change from rain. I have just been outside cutting some of the leaves off my tomato plants. There are quite a few green ones but nothing has ripened yet :-(
SIL came back yesterday as his father was stable, his sister lives fairly close by, so he is being looked after. So far he has lived at home with carers, but he can’t feed himself anymore and as he mainly stays in bed, or in a recliner, he has some bed sores. He is going to be discharged but into a nursing home. He will be furious about that, but it is for the best.

Good morning, it is sunny and humid here, which makes a change from rain. I have just been outside cutting some of the leaves off my tomato plants. There are quite a few green ones but nothing has ripened yet :-(
SIL came back yesterday as his father was stable, his sister lives fairly close by, so he is being looked after. So far he has lived at home with carers, but he can’t feed himself anymore and as he mainly stays in bed, or in a recliner, he has some bed sores. He is going to be discharged but into a nursing home. He will be furious about that, but it is for the best.

A shame really Linda as he has been lucky enough to stay looking after himself but the best decision as otherwise not only is he no safe, everyone else in the family is worried. I hope they find him a nice kind place.
It is sunny here too and 22 degrees. I intended to cut the lawn but my ankle is playing up. It does occasionally, I suspect it is arthritis which eventually will right itself for a while, I have done a fair bit of walking the last couple of days so that is probably the answer. resting it today then. :-) :-)

Beautiful and sunny here today but with a keen breeze(as always).

Sadly another funeral of someone I knew, thats 3 extended family in 3 weeks and a close neighbour plus a cousin in his 50's is fading fast also! The sad thing is all of those passing were sudden and unexpected which makes it even more sad.

Sadly I wouldn't be welcome at those funerals as no longer part of the family and it would be rather awkward too as 7 years since I spoke with any of them so best to stay away.

Did a small basket of ironing so thats all up to date now.

Neighbour and I have clubbed together to get rid of some household rubbish and split the cost. So will need to get said items out on my driveway later on as the lorry comes from 8am on a Friday.

Just realised how strong the wind is as my curtains are now flapping around in the lounge!! At least no midges though :-D

Linda, glad SIL's father is being taken care of and him going into a home will ease the worry of him alone at home.

AnnG if i walk a lot with my stick, my upper arm muscles ache for days afterwards. So maybe you have been walking a lot and just need to rest a day or 2 before tackling the garden.

Linda, most of my little tomatoes are all red now just a couple left that are green but they are indoors on my windowsill in full sun. They were very sweet and am very pleased with them.

Got 1 flower on my hydrangea, its pink and has opened.

Well off to make a sandwich and then tackle the waste removal with next door.

Have a nice afternoon all

Florence in the hebrides

A beautiful day for us as well, it is very hot after a dull cool start.

We went into Morrisons for my weekly shop around 8-30 & I had my coat on, when we came out around an hour later the sun was stifling & no breeze !
I have just done a bit of watering of my newest garden plants & we now have a bit of a breeze but not spoiling the day.

Our daughter is taking me to Home Bargains tomorrow morning so I need to have plenty of money with me, lol.
We shall then come back to the house & unload the car in readinesss to visit the nearby garden centre after lunch/snack time, I neeed to be sure hubby is ok inbetween my shopping trips, I'm also hoping I will have some money left from shopping in H Bargains, LOL.

A light meal for us today, sandwiches & choccy cake, too tired & too warn to make something more substantial !

So sorry to hear about your father in law Linda, I do hope he settles in the care home, it will be a big step for him after being on his own at such an age .

Joan.