General Chat

Oh Vera thats an early start ,I too hope you can both really enjoy the holiday this time round ,safe journey and we'll all be looking forward to seeing a few photos .

Thank you everyone for your good wishes for our holiday. Annx, taxi is picking us up at 4 am tomorrow. I too hope it will be a great deal less stressful than last time but I do remember how supportive everyone on the thread was which helped me through a difficult time. Can you believe that was over 5 years ago?

We are each taking a mobile phone and I have an iPad and a kindle. Why don’t they have universal chargers? I’ve had to pack two adapters for power points plus 3 different charging cables and plugs.

Well, we couldn't believe that there are no 'doctor only' parking spaces at the surgery now. A few months ago they put signs up on 9 of the 18 spaces, so there was hardly any room at all for patients to park and a bit galling to see all the empty doctor spaces due to most of them working part time. The doctors also have their own seperate parking the other side of the surgery anyway. I wonder if patients were turning up late or cancelling if they couldn't park, so they've found an alternative or are sharing their own spaces. I asked the nurse to double check if my blood test results had actually come back and were waiting for a GP to process them as I couldn't see them online and they should have been back now. It was lucky I did, as she could see where they sent them off but no response at the hospital, so she did another blood test while I was there for the MMR jab to save me having to come back again.

It sounds like you are all prepared and almost packed now Vera. I hope it won't be as hot as previous months have been there for you, but light layers and a cardi or shawl to throw on in the evenings is usually good and a thin waterproof just in case as you say. I don't know when you are going but I hope you have a lovely time this time with no stress. I look forward to seeing a few photos of your travels too.

I bet yur bedroom carpet looks good after being cleaned Mandy. Ours needs doing, but it's not worth it till the ensuite has been done and workmens' boots have tramped over it.

Well, I did a photo of me with some of the gifts friend Terry has sent me from the pandemic and since that he asked for and will send it to you. The camera is no friend of mine, but OH thought it not too bad! lol. He is off to a match a mile or two away soon.

I hope you feel better now Mel. Do you think you were dehydrated? I also hope that your leg pain is easier AnnG and your blood test gives good results.

We had some rain overnight and first thing this morning but luckily it had stopped by the time I had to go for my haircut. I got my errands in town done at the same time and now all the packing is done, indoor plants watered, fridge sorted out, tonight’s dinner prepared and I’ve chatted to 4 friends who all rang to wish us a happy holiday. All I have to do now is shower and cook dinner. You’re right Gwyn about changeable weather making it difficult to know what to pack but I checked the 10 day forecast and it looks as though we are going to be facing high temperatures so I’ve taken a chance and only packed lightweight stuff with a cagoule in case it does rain. The way I’m going on you’d think we were going for 6 months instead of 1 week.

I’ve put my feet up while doing this post and now I don’t want to move but I suppose I had better go and have this shower.

Afternoon All,

I was awake till gone 3.00am this morning, so didn't sleep much at all. It isn't as if I had to be up early to go somewhere either which is often the reason. Now I keep yawning and having to mop my streaming eyes.

It must have thrown it down during the night and was raining when we went to the shop, but there were huge puddles at the side of the road making bow waves as people drove through. OH has to go back a 3rd time now for the remainder of his meds from the pharmacy.

About 3 miles away from here towards the city an 80 year old man walking his dog home near the entrance to a park was attacked and injured by a group of youngsters at six thirty pm yesterday. His daughter has said he was only 30 seconds from his house. He has since died in hospital. They have arrested youngsters (who fled the scene at the time) on suspicion of murder. They are two 12-year-old girls, one 12-year-old boy, a 14-year-old girl and a 14-year-old boy.

Mel perhaps the dizziness is because you got a bit het up with having these calls to make. I think one of your medications is the same as mine though and I find that one can cause me a bit of dizziness an hour or two after I take it. It's often wnen I'm in the shower so not ideal with all the hard surfaces around.

Better get ready to go for my MMR jab now as OH says there will be a lot of traffic even though it's less than 2 miles away.

Hope a drink and something to eat sorted you out Mel and also hope you got the problem sorted.

Gwyn I don't think what I eat affects my leg. It is a knock on affect from the op as afterwards I didn't go out, leave the house or garden or go for walks for about 10 days. My only exercise was gardening so the leg muscles tightened up. And sometimes if I sleep well, I don't move my legs. I managed to walk round there ok and they are a bit easier so we shall see.

anyway hair is cut. it stayed dry although rained earlier this morning.
Tomorrow I have to go to the surgery to have a blood test which is just as well as when I went to pick up my prescription it had expired and I didn't notice when I got the last one that it said 0 remaining. Strange though as pharmacist said if I had gone for it last week I could have had it but this week it is too late.

Afternoon all,

It's been a showery morning with bright spells the sun got out for a while but its clouded up again .

I've had the Rug doctor out and cleaned the bedroom carpet this morning so I've got the windows all open to help dry it off but it's practically dry after cleaning it .

Hope your feeling better now Mel .

It's another beautiful bright and dry day here, although we could get showers, as forecast. I trimmed a bit more of the pyracantha and did some dead-heading this morning for a couple of hours before I felt I'd had enough for a while.

Came in and checked e mails, as we were waiting for a quote re.home insurance and had asked a local firm who insured us a few years ago.
My goodness. Today's quote was more than 4 times as much :-0 :-0
We've made no claims, there's been no floods or other natural disasters and the house is as it was then, so although raw materials have increased in price, that does seem a bit steep :-|

Ann, What a shame that a good sleep resulted in pain for you.I hope you managed your walk without too much trouble. Does what you eat affect the feeling at all?

Vera, I hope you get done all you need to today. With the changing weather, it must be difficult to know just what to pack, but I hope you have an enjoyable time away anyway.
Yes, I will go back to school, but I will wait until next week to go in to give the teachers a chance to settle their classes first. I think the class I will be working with will have a job share, ie. one teacher working 3 days and another one 2 days, so we will have to see if my days suit that pattern. I'm happy to go in if they want me.

I have been on to Ebay all morning since I posted trying to sort out a problem and now have nice headache and feel a bit dizzy.

I have one sub today I ordered a pack of 10 Jaffa cake bars and they have sent me a pack of 5 Jaffa cake rolls. What is the sense in that but at least its something like I ordered but they will still be going back.

Morning girls,

I over slept this morning and the shoppings coming today. Its 17 degrees with a grey sky but it is quite bright at times.

Glad you had a better ights sleep Anng it mkaes so much difference if you get a few hours in.

I am now going to see if I can sort out this order I messed up yesterday.

Good morning all Slept well last night, woke twice for the loo and finally woke at 8am. Very go easy with the packing, don't put your back out.

I meant to ask how you got on with the one lamb shank, did OH have enough meat?

the trouble with sleeping well is I am now payign for it with aching legs and this morning I have to walk to the hairdresser.

I suppose it might just be our Asda that don't stock it anymore Mel. I hadn't thought of that till just. Maybe it just didn't sell well round here. It's good to know your pc is ok now.

Yes I hate how they seem to constantly change things and don't even tell you they are going to do it or what they are going to do. I've only driven OH's car once as it puts me off with all the different gadgetry to mine. Every time you start it up you have to remember to tap the screen to switch off the stop start or the engine switches off shortly after you are stationary anywhere eg at traffic ights. The handbrake is supposed to release on it's own when you drive away, but needs a bit of pressure on the accelerator then lurches forward. It seems like hard work after driving my car! lol.

Oh Vera, that's a meal with a difference!! lol. Yes I used to find we'd have a glut of things when we were going away and just when you don't have time to deal with it as well. Like you I used to make sure the house was cleaned before I went away so it was nice to come back without HW staring me in the face, but it's just been a quick whizz round with the hoover the last few times. Before the pandemic we did almost all of our shopping at Sainsbury's and it is near Asda less than a mile away and we thought we might try an order from there instead as I am signed up to their site.

Gosh sounds delious Vera, ha ha I'm sure he will enjoy that combination.

I have steak in ale , mash carrots and brocoli.

I sent an invoice this morning to a customer but mucked it up and instead of taking off one lot of postage as she bought 2 lots I took it all off so I am out of pocket. I have been on the pc and phone all afternoon trying to sort it out.

Yes the man came to see if my pc was ok and its is so that was good. Stuart did'nt come or ring me. The man (Neal) was very nice and showed me one thing to do to get rid of all the spam at once which I did'nt know before so that will be quicker now.

He told me its all changing soon so I think I am in for a shock once it does or it maybe better who knows. I just wish they would'nt keep changing things. I just get used to one thing nd then they throw something else at me.

As to Asda not stocking the milk powder anymore perhaps they found it did'nt sell so well as it did in lockdown. I shall have to have a look and see if our Asda still do it cos people use that in the bread machines.

Good luck with the packing Vera I hope you don't forget anything important.

It's been sticky and muggy and very overcast all day. The app on my phone is saying it's 24 degrees but feels like 27 and that seems about right but there has been no sign of sun at all today. It's definitely headache weather.

I've got the cases out ready for packing tomorrow and I've sorted clothes and made sure I've got all the paperwork in order and got all the things like medication ready. I can't believe that years ago I would be washing and ironing clothes for 4 of us, doing the packing and cleaning through the house the day before we went. I wish I still had that amount of energy. I have a busy day tomorrow again as I am getting my haircut and have some other errands to do in town.

I'm sorry to hear that your sister has Covid AnnG. Rotten luck to have it on holiday. I hope she's not too uncomfortable and it doesn't affect her fibromyalgia.

Mandy, I can't believe Chelsea is going to be 17. It seems no time at all since you sent us a picture of her all dressed up for a leavers' party at primary school.

I hope the BT man turned up on time and has got you all sorted out Mel.

I can't believe how many subs Asda seem to send Annx. It's not just you and Mel; my friend M used to have a weekly delivery and got so fed up that she changed to Sainsbury's. I think I'll stick with a combination of Tesco and Sainsbury. I think that photo search facility could be useful and I ought to look at downloading an app to my phone. I didn't have to download anything to my iPad; it all seems to be built in somehow and I can take a photo of something that it will search for or upload an existing picture. The problem is my iPad is one of the larger ones and a bit big to take out and about with me.

Are you back to school as well Gwyn? Your local primary must be very glad that you volunteer and I expect the children's reading improves no end with a bit of one-to-one help.

I'm just going to feed the tomatoes now and pick any that are ready. Isn't it always the way - everything ripens up just as you are going to be away. After that I must go and sort our dinner out. I took some salmon from the freezer earlier but I need to find veg to go with it. It's a case of trying to use up what's hanging around in the fridge. I wonder how OH would feel about prune decorated salmon served with a fried egg and a side salad? ;-)

Afternoon All,

It was very muggy here first thing with that very fine drizzle you can hardly see, but it was ok while we did some errands. We thought we'd check in Asda down the road to see if they really had some skimmed milk powder, as I hadn't even seen it listed on our last 2 online shops. It took asking 3 assistants to find the powdered milk and all one said to me was ''it's not my department' and no offer to find someone else to help! It was an older lady assistant who came with us and found the empty space where it should be that was most help. She checked on her machine as well and they've stopped stocking it. It was their own brand as well and got top reviews. We started using it for hot chocolate drinks during the pandemic to save using up our fresh milk and found it was better than the fresh for the drinks. So the the less tasty Co-op version will have to do now. We also saw 2 things we were sent subs for were in stock and the helpful assistant rolled her eyes and shook her head, so I think the pickers aren't always very good. It's a huge store so my knees had had enough tramping here and there looking by then, so it was an excuse for OH to park next to Waterstones a bit higher up and we had a bacon butty with coffee at Costa's in there.

I've booked our flu and covid jabs for October. I have 2 other vaccines before then so will be up to date with all the childhood ones and boosters by then at last!

Gwyn I didn't realise there were still any grammar schools let alone same sex ones which is what I went to as a girl. To be honest, if there had been boys I don't think us girls would have done as well at school with the distraction and competing with each other with boys around. The skirts on some of the girls that go to the school a quarter of a mile from here barely cover their knicker legs.

I didn't think Chelsea was quite as old as 17 Mandy! :-0 Is she carrying on at school for now? Money for her birthday will be appreciated most I think as it is an age when our tastes can be quite particular and can change each week! She'll enjoy being able to choose herself something she likes. OH said he is taking the Cordyline on the front to the tip when he cuts it down again as a bit of it will completely fill the garden bin. It's regrown since it was tall and cut down. I do like them, but this is a vigorous one, too near the bedroom window and the roots too near a drain for my liking. It also harbours a lot of jumping spiders that like to come in the bedroom. We have started clearing some things for the tip from the shed as well as it needs replacing and there are things in there we'll never need or use now.

Back to admin again now like AnnG, I want to set up a small saving account my bank has started for current account holders that pays 6.5% for 12 months. With just about everything likely to get more expensive every penny counts and ERNIE has forgotten me this month!

AnnG I think sometimes changes in air pressure can affect aches and pains. We were comparing ours when we woke up this morning. We both said how we can be fine going off to sleep, then wake up with something hurting/aching so it must be a change in position in our sleep at times. I hope your legs eased up after you got up.

Yes that's the one Anng I thought she was good and that Tom would turn I think he had his hand over the button , he turns his head to really listen I suppose for pitch .

Gwyn I suppose you get a lot of that fine sea mist as your nearer the coast ,its still muggy here and quite hot when the sun out but it has clouded up a bit here and there's very black clouds at times ,looks like it could rain at times and then the suns out again .
Mel I hope you get on OK with the BT man and its good you'll have Stuart there with you too .

Raining here now but its getting a bit brighter.

Good morning all.
Sorry AnnG, No sun showing in this part of the south east to send your way :-(

Earlier there was damp mist, so fine that you could not see it, but just felt it in the air, but now the ground is dry again and it has eased, although still overcast with no sign of the sun. Quite muggy.

It's back to school day for a lot of children locally and then very soon, - about 2nd week of September? there is The Kent Test for Year 6, ie. top junior age children. This is more or less equivalent to what you and I would know as the 11 +, as we still have grammar schools in this area. - single sex ones at that.

I agree with you Mandy, it's difficult to know what to buy teenagers these days. I have the same problem with a soon to be 16 year old's birthday. With the help of my girls, we usually have managed to come up with something for her, so far. I think they are always grateful for a bit more spending money, so that is a good option. There are grandchildren of friends and neighbours, who I buy for too, but for them I stop at their 18th and then they just get a card after that.

I'm glad some of you were able to benefit from daughter's method of looking up plants using her phone. I had to ask her how to do that, as I don't use a mobile day to day, but I know when we have been walking in the countryside or visiting gardens, she has been able to look things up and get an answer almost instantly.

Mandy, do you mean the one who sang Ave Maria? Yes she had a lovely voice but she chose the wrong song. They did say they were almost turning but something about it was 'off' towards the end so maybe she didn't have the stamina for that song. I thought Tom might have gone. I quite like the new line up and the fact that they were doing things differently and a bit more relaxed.