General Chat

The roads between the villages here are the same from the huge tractors and trailers Mel, all broken at the edges and deep potholes. I hadn't thought about splits which would make those spray kits useless. I have more peace of mind carrying a spare.

That's a good point about slippiness in the shower Mandy, so it would be best to put an old sock on the foot over the polythene bag. It's good you found a dishwasher online and will have it in time for Christmas when there can be a lot to wash up. It is worth waiting till the 11th to get free postage and save £20 that's better off staying in your pocket! :-)

I think some of the rainfall showers have a hand held small spray as well which would be handy to use instead when you want to avoid some areas.

Thank you Vera as I didn't know about those shampoo caps which are a good idea and it's useful to be aware of them.

I've just had to fetch a lamb shank out of the garage freezer. OH got a pack out earlier but didn't notice it was a single one. I got some singles when Asda didn't have the packs of two for ages.

Well OH's friend was busy this morning and the road to his village from here is closed so he cancelled going to footieswith OH, who also decided not to go and started to watch some on tv instead. The weather brightened up so he thought he should go for a walk, then decided he might as well go to the match as he could walk around the pitch a few times instead. I was quite pleased as I was then able to hoover and mop the kitchen and bathroom floors without him 'paddling'.

A parcel just came with a nice gilet I ordered. It's a dark beige colour and is like a curly poodle finish on the outside with patch pockets and buttons up. It was £5.94 in the sale at Shein and free shipping and will be good to keep the chill off when doing jobs where I need my arms free.

Vera I will strip wash for a few days, I don't shower every day anyway. Grew up with one bath a week. I will cope. Not going anywhere until Wedneday. But strip wash is fine. Then I will cover with vaseline as was instructed.

Good afternoon people

Thank you for all your advice about my eye and hair washing. I'm full of moans at the moment because I am not sleeping and so I'm tired and grumpy but really I am managing OK. I was stupid and didn't get myself prepared. I should have bought some shampoo caps but just didn't think of it. I don't know if you know about these but daughter had them for her partner when he was becoming too ill to get out of bed. They are not cheap but very effective. They are like a shower cap. You put them on and they contain a shampoo/conditioner mix which you massage into your hair through the cap. Then you take it off and towel dry or use a hairdryer. There is no need to rinse your hair or use water at all.

Yes Mel, it is the eye that had the injections. I have no problems with the other eye with glasses but before the surgery if I wasn't wearing glasses and wanted to read something I could still read with the good eye. Now I can't. I do a lot of reading in the middle of the night and it is often too cold then to sit up in bed so I read laying down, snuggled under a duvet. I could do that without wearing glasses which I find dig into my head if I am laying down, now I can't.

Enough about me. Millions manage with much worse problems than mine.

AnnG, I hope you find some way of covering your wound so you can have a nice shower. If not you will have to have a strip wash at the sink. I expect you know the old war time saying when people often had to manage with a bowl of water and baths were a rare treat; you wash down as far as possible, then you wash up as far as possible, then you wash possible ;-)

Good luck with making your advent rings Mel and Gwyn. I am sure yours will be fine Gwyn even if it is your first attempt.

I'm glad you got your dishwasher sorted Mandy. I found a possible cooker but want to look at a couple of others to compare them. The possible cooker is the same make and same sort of hob (5 burners and a plate warmer) as my existing one though the oven configuration is a bit different. The reviews are all positive except they all make some comment about the difficulty of reading the markings on the switches. One lady said she had to nearly stand on her head to check that she was turning the oven to the right temp. I do wish we could see these things before we buy as they are so expensive and you need to be sure it's right for you.

I went back to card writing this morning but only did 5 before my hand was shaking too much. OH does offer to help but his writing is practically illegible at the best of times and I like to try and match the card to the recipient. He would just take the next one in the pile. There's all the little things as well. For example I have a very dear family member who is coming up 90. She has Alzheimer's which is getting worse all the time. If I sign a card Vera, she doesn't know who it is so I now sign them with a childhood nickname which she recognises. OH, bless him, wouldn't think of that.

He does do other jobs, one of which is getting us a snack at lunchtime and he has just yelled up the stairs that it is ready so I'd better go and eat it.

Mandy, yes I am very safety coscious so probably won't go the plastic bag way I do have a nonslip mat anyway in the bath for the shower.

Gwyn my hair is very thick so washing it in the sink is awkward for that reason as it needs a lot of rinsing. But also my bathroom sink is not that deep. I will have to go with doing it over the bath and hope my back holds out. I did wash it the morning I went to have it done.

Ann, thank you for the card. First post here since last Saturday and another bumper bundle of 5 or six envelopes.

Afternoon all,

Raining here but not cold ,yesterday we didn't have any heating on and didn't light the fire until about five o'clock as it was so mild .

Vera you can buy those sheilds to go on your head which is supposed to stop water getting in your eyes ,children have them in the bath , not sure if they would work in the shower but over a sink they might .

Gwyn thanks for the dates and prices of the veg ,there's a good saving there ,I usually buy some extra for after Christmas as they keep well in the cool of the shed .

Ann, thanks for mentioning about Appliances on line ,had a look and found a dishwasher ,son has been this morning and ordered it ,it should be here on the 11th ,I don't mind waiting a bit as it was free delivery any earlier was twenty odd pounds so that was a saving .

Anng do be careful if you put a plastic bag on your foot you could slip in the shower

AnnG, Could you wash your hair in the bathroom sink?
Not so far to lean over.
I always wash my hair in the sink, as I am not to get water in my ears, by request of ENTteam.
I find I can control the water more than in the shower.
Doesn't help poor Vera's situation though...

There are various waterproof tapes that might work on keeping your leg dry under plastic, or perhaps even some waterproof plasters to keep everything in place to hold the plastic together.

Mel
I have to make an Advent ring ready for tomorrow too.
Never made one and not artistic, so that will be interesting ;-)

I had thought of a plastic bag Ann, also if I had one a shower cap might work. I will look round and see if any ags I have are 'hole free' I wonder about bread bags But what tape to use that withstands water??? question after question.

Mel it is 7 degrees here now and has poured with rain all morning so far,

Morning All,

It threw it down in the night, but has stopped raining now. The sky is pretty black though so more is to come.

Yes I agree about the difficulties! When I had an operation on my foot I ended up taping a polythene bag over it and around the top over my leg to shower. It's probably only freezer bags that don't have holes in them now though.

Vera OH would sympathise with you! He had very short sight and so when he had his first cataract done he still had very short sight in one eye, but long sight in the other, so had that lens in his glasses removed. Somehow he still managed to do his work with me making a black patch for his glasses so he could write with the short sighted eye and went to meetings with me driving him there. He had a plastic cup shaped eye patch when he left the hospital to sleep in and to use in the shower, but didn't have a lot of hair to wash which helped!

Better nip to the shop now before it rains again. OH has gone to physio and will go with his friend to a local footie match later.

Morning girls,

Rained in the evening and the night here and we have a rain warning this morning and its 8 degrees which is cooler than you Anng.

As to Gwyn question I am starting the Advent ring today. I should have gone and picked stuff yesterday while it was dry but with one thing and another it did'nt get done.

Vera was the op on your eye the one you had to have injection in? and I wonder if that eye is so much better now that your other eye seems affected? or perhaps its just because of the glasses you are wearing with the one lens and it will be better once you have your new glasses.

Annx I remember you saying you wanted to buy a spare tyre for your car all those years ago and thats why I want to get one for mine. As Stu says they are not much good if you get a split in the tyre and with the roads round here and the tractors moving over the road edge they make it so dangerous for cars with ow profile tyres.

Good morning all 9 degrees here very dark and very wet so I am pleased to not have plans to go out.

We cwill certainly not ignore your moans Vera. It is always the post op problems (No matter where or how big the op) that are the hardest to contend with. And often, pleasant as the professionals doing the ops are, the problems are not addressed fully or help offered to patients.

I have found that with many, probably most of the minor ops I have had over the past 20 years (none before that), one of the most difficult things to contend with is how to wash your hair without getting the wound (in your case Vera eyes), wet. It was extremely hard when I had my nose op and it is equally hard at the moment. Body washing is hard as well but I solve that by not showering but strip washing. A friend who has a BCC on her temple solved it by having her hair washed at the hairdressers weekly (8 weeks I think), but not everyone can afford that, and in my case it would be a nuisance with having to walk there.

wouldn't it be good if somebody took it upon them selves to solve these non life threatening but frustrating problems?

While I am home here I will try the lean over the bath method but that is getting harder the older I get. When at daughters I will have to see, I might be able to do it in the en suite shower as that one the jets come straight down (like rain) so will possible be able to put my foot forward of the water. I was actually told to cover the place in the vaseline when showering so will try that too.

But that doesn't help your eye Vera. How about swimming goggles? I doubt you have any but a cheap pair might work.

My package has just arrived. At last.

Thank you for asking about my eyes Gwyn. The eye that had the surgery seems to be doing reasonably well, no inflammation or anything but I am a bit concerned about the other eye as the sight in that seems to have been affected, though I don't understand how that could happen. I shall be asking about that when I go back to hospital in 2 weeks. I'm getting fed up with constantly changing glasses. If I just want to look at an instruction on a piece of meat to see how long to cook it, change glasses, check how something on the hob is doing, change glasses, look at a text on my phone, change glasses, walk across the room, change glasses and so on and on and on.... Trying to wash my hair without getting water in my eye is a pain as well. Ignore my moans, it's just me being niggly. I'm grateful really for the skill of the consultant and the general kindness and care of the hospital staff.

I hope your leg is starting to improve and become less sore AnnG and I hope you have a restful night. That goes for all of us. Sleep tight, sweet dreams.

Yes Gwyn and I think as we get nearer Christmas more people will be rushing about in their cars with their minds on other things too. I see you have a busy day tomorrow. I have done next to nothing today and might see if there are any local Christmas Tree festivals tomorrow. I'm getting a bit fed up of the four walls and local shop walls! A short break might motivate me to get on with my home jobs I need to do. It looks like being a rainy day here.

Oh Vera that wasn't a good night after waking with a headache. You did well to get as much done today as you did. I don't know why it is but our food deliveries have been much later than usual the last two times. The tracking doesn't seem to kick in as quickly either. There seem to be more deliveries before us yet we are less than a mile from the supermarket they deliver from!

Well at least you have the brake pads in hand ready to be fitted in future Mel. You may not remember but when I got my current car I bought a secondhand wheel and tyre as a spare for it. (on ebay) It only cost me the price of a tyre and was hardly worn. Those kits they provide these days where you squirt stuff into the tyre if you have a puncture ruin the tyre so you have to replace it and are included in the MOT and have an expiry date too. I didn't want to keep forking out for new kits and prefer to have a spare that can be repaired and still used. Mine has has heavy wheels and tyres and I can't lift the wheel out of the boot myself, so I expect the extra weight must slow the car a bit. Not a problem with a top speed of 137mph though and I wouldn't want to be in the car at that speed, even if it was legal!

Off to bed now and may we all have a good sleep tonight. :-)

You're all safe for the winter roads now then Mel.

Have you finished your Advent wreath or is that tomorrow's job.

I hope Vera has a better night and gets plenty of rest. It must be so tiresome to want to sleep and not be able to. Are your eyes settled now? I hope so.

Hopefully AnnG will not have pain and will also have a good night.
You did well to get everything wrapped today.

Mandy's house must smell lovely with all the Christmas food she is making.

Annx, I hope you find more considerate drivers, when you are out and about. Some people just don't think about anyone else but themself :-|

Busy, busy day tomorrow. We are forecast rain, but I hope not too much, as I want to look in at a Christmas Fayre in town. Sunday will be colder :-|

I hate it when you have to wait for things to cme you can't seem to get into anything else.

Stu rang to say the car was ready and James came and picked me up and took me back to the garage to get the car. They checked the anti freeze and the tyre pressure and the tyre and Stu said it would be good for another year with the milage I do. Aso it did'nt need the pads so I still have those. When I bought the car they were already in it ready to be put on. Stu is also ordering me another key as I only have one and will feel safer if I have a spare. Its going to be well over £100 could be £180!!!! He is also looking for a secondhand spare wheel and tyre as it dos'nt have one only the spray stuff in the boot and Stu said if you have a split in the tyre they are no good. Now I am £59 something worse off.

Vera that was a nasty night for you and I hope tonight will be better with more earned sleep with all you've done today. Iv'e not dne a thing except order more stuff online.

Right I now need to get some dinner. :-D

Evening ladies

I’m pleased you had a reasonable night AnnG and it’s good the paracetamol helped. You are way in advance of me with getting ready for Christmas. I made a start on the cards a few days ago but haven’t written any since then. I did post the 2 that I send to Australia and was shocked at the price which was £6.80. Good job I only have to send 2. I can understand why so many people send e-cards but you can’t display a nice animated e-card.

I slept for an hour last night then woke with a real sick headache, verging on a full blown migraine so I took one of my pills, got a mug of hot milk and sat downstairs in the warm for quite a while. I eventually went back to bed and slept for another 3 hours but I seem to have been behindhand all day. This morning I had 3 calls from friends which is lovely but I really needed to get on. This afternoon I’ve at last managed to sort out the other trough of geraniums so they are now tidy for the winter and I took a few more cuttings. It’s a bit late but worth a try.

Now I am waiting in for a delivery which was supposed to be here between 12 and 4 pm. I’ve just looked at the online tracking and there is an apology for late delivery and it is apparently still out for delivery today.

While I’m waiting I’d better go and prepare the veg for tonight. Enjoy the rest of your day ladies.

Well done AnnG. That's a job mostly out of the way now except for any late purchases there might be. I have started writing my Christmas cards and have phoned in an order for a Turkey crown from the farm shop where we get them now. It's been windy and rained here so a good day for jobs inside and it's already dark now.

That is all my presents wrapped. While plenty of time to add more but that is it for now.

we have had rain and sun today but mostly drizzly rain. we do have a weather warning (never used to get those, either it was dry or wet). for tomorrow and Monday.

Afternoon Ladies,

Sunny here too but it must have rained in the night so the garden is sodden and I won't be doing anything out there today! I can hear the wind getting up too.

You had quite a good night then AnnG. Yes, it sounds like the paracetomol helped in the end so may be worth taking for a day or two and then see if you still need them at night. It's good your shoes won't rub on the wound as well.

I am the same if I have to be up in the morning with things or appointments to go to Mel. It's a nuisance the brakes needing doing so soon but I expect Stu knew that when you bought the car. At least they will be good for the winter then.

That's good the last pudding is cooking Mandy. The slow cookers are handy for things like that that take a while to cook anyway.

Better check lunch now!

Morning girls,

A nice bright sunny morning here at the mo with a bit of a wind and its 11 degrees with rain expected tomorrow.

was up twice in the night for the loo and the second time I could'nt drop off again. Think it was because I knew the car goes in today to have the brakes done. When Stu came last night he rang his son and I am to take the car down his at 1pm and he will run me back home.

Yes Anng keep the tablets going but don't take more than 4 lots a day. Its bound to me sore for a few days with what you went through so take it easy and space the tablets out.

Right better get on see you all later on.

Glad you seemed to have had a reasonable night, Ann.

I think the thing with paracetamols is to keep on top of the pain rather than trying to cure pain.
This advice was given by medical staff, after I had extensive dental work on roots at hospital, so I took them rather like you did, in anticipation, but only for a day or so, then just if I needed them.
I was afraid of relying on them, but getting relief in the initial healing time, I was soon able to lessen the number I took.


Here is Lidl's price list for Christmas veg. from 19th December until 24th

Lidl's full list of festive vegetables being reduced in price to 8p:

British Brussels Sprouts (500g bag)
British Carrots (1kg bag)
British White Potatoes (2kg bag)
British Swede (individual)
British Parsnips (500g bag)
Deluxe Echalion Shallots (300g pack)