General Chat

Morning girls,

Well the pc is saying mostly sunny and 13 degrees but Iv'e not seen any yet just miserable grey sky with darker clouds looking very much like rain.

Iv'e sent a message to Stuart wishing him a happy birthday and thats it so far today.

Hope you get your graveling finished today Anng.

Slept well but got up twice in the night for the bathroom but must have dropped off right away afterwards but had two strange dreams that I can't remember.

Good morning all, grey here and 9 degrees but dry so hoping it will stay dry until the gravel is finished. Vera, I have been quite happy with the garden since the large bed was gravelled and then the left hand part of the lawn was taken up and gravelled as well. I have now decided that taking the right hand side up and gravelling is the right thing to do. Originally it was quite a large lawn and hard work keeping it nice. I have been really pleased with how the gravelling has looked so I am hoping this last bit will complete the effect. I expect it is not to everyone's taste and I do like to see a nice lawn. However mine was not nice and I really could not keep the weeds out of it. And it is great not having to factor in mowing the lawn, especially when so much of the time it was too wet to do it.

Good evening

Last night the weather app said it would be foggy this morning, at 8 am it said it was foggy, at 8.05 I looked out of the window and it was perfectly clear. There hasn’t been a sign of fog all day. At times it’s been bright and sunny, other times cloudy.

I did the ironing first thing before getting dressed. There wasn’t much as I iron the minimum. Then it was shower, hair wash, and some general tidying up before making a few phone calls. After lunch I had a big Tesco delivery so that took a while to sort out and put away. I had big packs of some products that needed to be split into smaller lots and frozen which all takes time. Nothing missing and no subs so that was good. I also got a stew for 2 days prepared and cooking. We had half tonight with a jacket potato and a bit of cauliflower that I wanted to use up. Tomorrow I’ll reheat the other half and throw in some dumplings.

It was good that you and Colin managed to get your jabs done Mandy. I hope your arms aren’t sore and you don’t have any ill effects. Ours aren’t till 9th November.

I hope you get a good turnout for your quiz next month Gwyn

It’s a shame Jake and his Dad couldn’t finish your garden work AnnG. We had our lawn taken up when we first moved here and haven’t really regretted it though we did make bigger beds for shrubs and flowers which seem to make a lot of work with weeding and looking after the plants. Yes, our committee at the Club are a bit protective of their jobs but you can really only have one person handling the money side and one to book speakers but we all take a turn organising the raffle and sorting the teas and we all suggest possible speakers or outings.

Thanks for suggestions for attracting new members but we’ve tried just about everything. When I was chairman cum secretary I wrote a piece after every monthly meeting saying what we had done that month, what was happening next month and saying new members were always welcome. That went into the Suffolk Free Press and the East Anglian Daily Times. We are listed in the local quarterly newsletter which goes to every house in the locality and there have been notices up in various places. Oh well, at least we are staggering on. Several other clubs have closed.

OH has annoyed me by doing his usual trick of putting a programme he wants on the TV and then going to sleep. I tried turning it off but then he woke and insisted that he was watching it on and off. Yeah, right. The only thing he was watching was the back of his eyelids ;-)

Evening All,

A mostly dull day here too with a little sunshine later in the day. The washer's on with towels and light colours that I hope to dry outside tomorrow, but, if not, it will be rads and airer inside a bit like Gwyn.

I hate the clocks changing this time of the year too. I enjoyed those few years when they didn't change them.

At least Jake and his dad did a lot of the work today AnnG. Will you be lawnfree like us then? We have never regretted it although a well kept lawn does look good. Lawnfree looks neater in winter though.

We went to the carvery today as we had 30% off voucher again. Not many were there and we noticed they have now not only stopped using the rubber plates to carry your carvery plate in, but additionally now there are no serviettes on hand to carry your hot plate with and the plates were quite hot today. At least the meal was nice today though. We then went to the nearby Factory Shop as I wanted some of their gentle grip socks. Having read Mandy's post I could kick myself as I never thought to buy some of their moisture absorbing crystal pots while I was there. Our window condensation is all at the bedroom windows on the front and nowhere else usually and I wanted to try them after meeting the lady with the Hedgehogs who recommended them last time I was there.

OH has managed to get up in the loft to look for my spare car key which we think he might have hid there when we went away last time, but no luck so it looks like I will have to get another. The daft thing is we seem to have also mislaid his his spare car key now as well. :-S

OH stayed in tonight instead of going to footie. His back and sides have been less painful today after a good sleep last night and he was probably thinking standing in the cold wouldn't help. There's plenty of sport for him to watch on the tv.

All I've done today is clean the bedroom bay window and done some dusting.

OH wants to pop to the Aldi that was closed to be extended a little while ago, so depending what time we get up tomorrow we might pop there.

O dear Anng all our plans seem to go wrong when we think we have ourselves sorted and then something happens to put a spanner in the works. :-( At least your gardener handy men come I am still waiting for mine to call back in about the [atio roof and the box hedge I think its going to be down to me, not the roof but part of the box hedge but only what I can reach with the hedge trimmer.

Just picked most of my tomamtoes and 3/4 of a lb iof the last of the runner beans.

Just having a COT and a sit down.

I had an egg laid in the run today and one in the nest box which is better than yesterdays none. :-(

It is very dark and feels cold here but it is supposed to be 15 degrees. Unfortunately Jake and Dad couldn't do all the work today. they got the grass up and cleared the front border both ready for the chippings. Then they went off to collect chippings and stepping stones and discovered that they can't get it until tomorrow as somebody at the yard was off sick and the chippings are not available until tomorrow. so they left and will continue tomorrow. I am a bit put out by it as that is two days messed up and Thursday was the only day I could get to town this week. While away my watch battery went. I bought myself a cheap watch to wear but want to get mine fixed.. It will have to be next week now. Then I was thinking my vaccs appointment Saturday was for 1126 just happened to check the calendar it is for 2.27. Cynth was able to take me in the morning but not in the afternoon. So, not my day today.

Oh I don't like the dark evenings either Gwyn, it's a bit lighter in the mornings when ths clocks go back but not for long .
Hope you can get the posters out so you get more people for the quiz ,has your local supermarket got a board I look on ths tesco board and they have all sorts advertised on there .

Well Colin went in for his appointment at the docs do I stood in the queue to book our flu jabs ,we missed the sat clinic but she said we could do a walk in any day and they just fit you in between patients, I said Colin had gone in for his blood tests and she said oh I'll message through and see if he'll do Colin's flu jab while he's in there ,yes that was fine and if I go through with Colin he'll do mine too, so flu jabs done , how good was that ,I did feel a but bad as there was people sitting waiting for theirs as walk ins.
I went into QD store for a pack of the moisture traps ,we always have them on the bedroom window sills over the winter and its surprising how much liquid they collect .

We then went to tesco for some bits, we like their Granola so got a couple of bags and a few other bits and pieces .

Stu's not coming because its his birthday tomorrow and he and his girl are going to Minehead to a hotel for the night. Net week he's away in Mexico with his youngest daughter for a week so I think I wil make individual pies and freeze them.

It has brightened up here and we have some sun but still only 13 degrees and it says its getting colder on Friday.

Iv'e done some drilling and some varnishing and now I am going to go and feed the girls and see if I have at least one egg today and then I am going to hoover and dust and tidy the kitchen.

I also have to take some pics of the garden hoover BIL has bought me for my Christmas present and Birthday as when I tried to put it together there were two lugs missing that fit into the next bit and I looked in the box and there they were broken off the next bit to go on. BIL said he will have to return it so coud I send pics.

Good morning all.
I thought when I saw today's weather map that Mandy and perhaps Vera would be affected by the fog. I hope it clears soon for you and doesn't hinder your driving.

I hope the weather stays fair for you too AnnG so that the garden work can go ahead and that it brightens up for you Mel. I'm sure your homemade meat pie will be appreciated.

It's quite sunny here and dry with a temperature of about 13 degrees. Not sure what I will do with my day. There's a wash load drying on the airer indoors as we are forecast showers today, but I might try and dodge them and go out to deliver some posters for a forth-coming Quiz next month. I've already put a notice on a roadside noticeboard near one entrance to the school, so I might target the local pub and some small shops a short distance away in the hope of reaching out to more people.
Yesterday was a beautiful day and so mild, when I went into town. It completely threw me though, because later I thought it was Wednesday, because I'm not usually in town on a Tuesday.
Not looking forward to the clocks changing at the weekend. I don't like the dark evenings and the lights having to go on earlier.

Morning all,

Not a very nice morning here its very foggy it has cleared a little since we got up but I think they said it could be lunch time before it clears .
Colin has the doctors this morning for his blood test that they do every year for blood pressure and diabetes check and then I think we're going to tesco for a few bits.

Good morning all, grey here and 10 degrees but dry. Hope it stays that way as jake and Dad are coming to finish off changing the lawn to gravel.

BBL

Morning all,

Its very dark here this morning and looks horrid out although Iv'e not been out there yet. Its 10 degrees and cloudy. Nothing else to say really. Slept well and I have the pie to make ffor tonights dinner and have a hoover and dust for when Stu comes.

Noi subs on the shopping today. I have been doing sme painting today and got the meat cooked for a meat pie for when Stu comes this week but apart from that and making two new moulkds iv'e not done much. The chickens hav'nt done much today either not an egg in site.

Night night all see you in the morning.

Evening All,

A dry day here but clouds as black as your hat over the city this morning. We were up early and went to Costas in Next and Waterstones and had one of their bacon butties with a decaf skinny latte. OH was eyeing up the books with Christmas in mind! I noticed the other day that some of his books are creeping back in the study! I told him I'm taking a photo in the study so I know if he starts pinching my shelf space, but he just laughs. He's a cheeky devil! He didn't sleep much last night so has stopped the statins till he sees the doctor next week and will see if things improve in the meantime. He hasn't gone to footie at Warwick tonight like he planned either, but will go somewhere more local tomorrow.

Mel that's reminded me our boiler is due a service so that's another job for the list! I wonder what we will have to pay this time. Every bill goes up in price now. :-S Any subs with your big shop today?

That's a nuisance about your tumble drier AnnG, but Paul sounds like a good chap to find you another and fit it for you though. I need to do a bedding wash which isn't easy to dry indoors, but Thursday is supposed to be dry here so I might put it outside then. That's good your daughter and SIL are home now. Yes I think what a worry big bills must be for those on just the old state pension with few savings. Once OH's parents were persuaded to claim Pension Credit they were so flush with money, we discovered after they passed away that they had subscribed to various charities with some of the extra money they didn't need!

Vera, isn't that just typical in many groups/clubs that people often won't volunteer to be the Chair. That sounds a much better idea to have an annual payment so the rent will be covered and will save time collecting in and accounting for the £2 payments. The suggested afternoon meetings in the winter might be better attended in bad weather too. It's a pity you can't get a few more people interested. Our local Co-op has a noticeboard for fliers for local news and groups, so might you be able to spread the word with something like that.

You have been busy Mandy, yet you still find time to make the lovely gnomes with Daffodil with the pretty hat being the latest.

The 30% off deal is on at the carvery again this week, so we might give it a try tomorrow and be early to avoid the children ywho are on half term break. I can pop in the Factory Shop afterwards. I need some of their socks with the loose tops.

yes home safely Vera.. When white goods go wrong I realise how lucky I am to be able to afford new replacements. It must be awful if all you have to live on is the DSS pension and no savings.

At least things were sorted at you meeting Vera. I actually think that the job of getting speakers is almost more difficult than that of chair. Have they tried splitting out the individual jobs the three ladies each have and asking for volunteers to do those jobs. And do the three ladies un - meaningly put up a united 'we do these jobs and have done for many years' so that others are nervous about offering to do anything? I have noticed at U3a that people are nervous about putting themselves forward but will sometimes happily comply if asked direct to take on a job.

I expect we all know what you mean by an expensive month Mel and AnnG. We had a credit card bill come in at the weekend and I nearly had a fit when I saw the total. When I looked at the itemised bill I realised that over the space of a couple of weeks we'd had to pay for 2 extra visits to the dentist and a repaired plate, some new glasses and the annual car insurance which is now pretty hefty.

It's been sunny all morning but is cloudy now. OH did a couple of minor household repairs and I at last finished dealing with my geraniums. I took a few more cuttings but I don't know if they will root. I tidied up a couple more pots in the garden as well.

I hope your family had a good journey home AnnG.

Last night the AGM at the Club was as interesting as predicted. No-one was prepared to take on the chairman's role so the remaining three committee members are going to try to run it between them. Part of the problem is that we are all getting a lot older, some members have sadly died and 2 have dementia and are now in dementia care homes. We've tried very hard to attract new members, especially younger ones, but without much success. At the moment we pay a small annual fee and £2 per meeting but if numbers are down the £2s don't even cover rent of the room, let alone any speakers' fees. After much discussion it was decided that we would all pay £30 for the year with no further payments. . That way the committee will know they can at least cover the rent. It's very good value really. For £30 we get 12 meetings a year in a warm, comfortable room, a speaker or some sort of social evening, a cup of tea/coffee and biscuits and a raffle ticket. It was also decided that the November, January and February meetings would be held in the afternoon rather than evening, starting from next month. I happened to say that it was good that the speakers booked for those months were able to change from evening to afternoon. There was silence and then I was thanked for mentioning it. Would you believe that none of the committee had even thought of contacting the speakers? The 3 ladies are all lovely people and we are friends but you can see why I don't have a lot of faith in them making much of a job of running the club. We shall see how it pans out - watch this space.

I've been upstairs in the study with no heating on for some time and I've got rather cold so I think I'm going to get a hot drink now and have a read of the paper.

Its all expense lately for a lot of us. I have just paid my boiler service £367 odd.

Had sun and a couple of light showers this morning. pc is saying 14 degrees and cloudy nw.

not good news about the tumble drier. Paul has just been and stripped it down again, it seems to be the printed circuit board is not receiving power. New board about £150 but not worth risking as that may not fix it.
So Paul is going to source a comparable machine for me and he will fetch it and put it in for me. Just got to wait until he finds a reasonable replacement with a heat pump as that one has been so good.

So that will be a new fridge and a new tumble drier this year (so far!)