General Chat

Vera, we lived behind Marconi’s and off a back road to Galleysood where it was all fields. I guess there will be large housing estate there now but I must ask a friend who still lives in the road we lived in. I am still in touch this time of year.

The last time we went to Chelmsford which was about late 90s I was totally lost. We did continue to visit a friend who lived in South Woodham well into the 2010s but only visited Basildon from there.

Yes it was Rossi's icecream at Southend as Vera said. Iv'e never heard of Rossa's icecream.

I am stuffed full and shan't need anything else today but I may have some grapes later and maybe a pear. Iv'e enough left for tomorrow as well so no cooking tomorrow.

I have Sense and Senibility on in the background for a little company.

Afternoon All,

Happy New Year Florence and I wish the same for you in 2025 <3

I didn't get to sleep till gone 1.00 am and couldn't settle as I kept expecting more fireworks.

We had our Barnsley lamb chops yesterday, nice thick ones and very tasty, with green beans, broc, cauli, a little cabbage, onions and carrots. I used to buy lamb shoulder, but it seems too big for us now as we don't eat very much red meat these days. Now it's usually the chops or lamb shanks or lamb mince. We used to have lamb's liver sometimes, but I rarely see it in the farm shop now. My first OH loved it with cubed potatoes, swede, carrots and onions!

OH was expecting the match may be cancelled Vera, but as it turned out the match has gone ahead after the 11.00 am pitch inspection. The awful wind in the night had stopped this morning but OH has wrapped up well. I hope the 'lake' has drained away now and that you have a good journey to Great Baddow to see your friend tomorrow. I don't think I've ever been to Southend.

Mel do you mean Rossa's award winning icecrem or Roses? Me and a friend used to walk the Alsation that belonged to the branch of Rossa's on the city outskirts near where we lived when I was about 12. He was a beautiful, shorter coated one, black with lovely sandy markings.

Edit: I see Vera has called it Rossi's icecream.

Well I've not achieved much today except cleaned the kitchen sink and wonder what the best way to clean the wire oven racks is! Oh I have ordered a top online as well.

Thank you LaGooner and Florence.

Mel, did you mean Never Never Land at Southend? It closed in 1972, then was reopened in 1987 before finally closing in 2001. You can still get yummy ice cream from Rossi.

AnnG, it’s a while since I’ve been to Great Baddow as the two friends I had living there moved, both of them to be nearer family. I’m not sure whether Gt Baddow itself has changed much but you wouldn’t recognise Chelmsford now. On the very rare occasion I go there I feel completely lost.

Under normal traffic conditions it takes us about 75 minutes to get to Southend so not too bad. We want to get back before dark and before the rush hour build up.

I’d better go and give my stew a stir and wrap the presents I need to take with me tomorrow. We usually meet up before Christmas but didn’t manage it this year (oops, last year).

Happy New year to all on here, wishing you health & happiness in 2025 <3

Thanks Mel, yes it was until IPad spell check decided differently

Should that have been Great Baddow?

Yes nice to see her Mel although she was with us at Sory for a couple of days.
The sun lasted until 12 o’clock but then the wind blew the rain over and it is dull now.


Vera, hope you have a nice visit with your friends. Southend seems a long way to go so hope the traffic is ok.
I wonder how much Southend has changed since we used to visit I. The late (0s early )9s when we lived in Great Baddow

s young too.

Just lost the lot again.

Hope you have a pleasent trip to Southend tomorrow Vera. Do you know if they still have Fairyland there? I used to go every year with mum and dad when I was young and took my son when he was young too. Dad always bought us Rosses icecream as he said it was the best.

It’s 11 degrees but computer is telling me that the cold wind means it only feels like 1 degree. I’m not going outside to find out. It was an horrendous night with the wind. It’s eased a little bit but is still very strong and now the light rain we’ve had all morning has become a cloudburst. I’ve been standing at the window watching the courtyard to the front of the house turn into a lake while the wind is blowing the water along. 2025 isn’t coming in gently.

I’m trying to get on with a few jobs as tomorrow we are visiting a friend in Southend so I won’t get anything done then. We’re going early in the morning so we can have a few hours there and still drive home in daylight.

Enjoy whatever you are doing today

It will be nice to see her though Anng on the first day of the new year.

Not done a thing yet except have a wash. Still very dark and dingy and raining quite hard.

Good morning all. It was 1245 before I got to bed and gone 2 before I got to sleep so I was last up this morning. I am usually the first up.
It is 7 degrees outside apparently, the sun is shing and there is a pale blue sky but it is still very windy. I guess it is another day indoors as SiL’s youngest daughter, home from hospital is apparently coming to stay a night or two. A shame in a way as we might have gone out otherwise.

Morning all,

Just having five minutes before family arrive .

Raining here and so dark, winds dropped a bit now .

Morning all,

Dull dreary wet and not so windy here this morning. pc saying temp to rise and at the mo its 9 degrees.

Going to cook my New years dinner today and thats all.

A very happy and healthy new year to you all :-)

Not long now.......


<3 A very Happy and Healthy New Year to all on this thread <3

Just popped in to wish you all a <3HAPPY NEW YEAR 2025 <3. We don't usually stay up anymore, but fireworks have been going off here for about an hour now.

Thanks LG.

Vera coughs going gradually, weather today was foul. Wet and windy.nturkey meal tonight was scrumptious.

Happy new year all. We hope to stay up. <3

A very Happy and Healthy New Year to all on this thread. :-)

Its got really gusty here now and its been quite warm if you are out of the wind.

For those of you not staying up I am wishing you all a very happy new year and a healthy one. <3

Not done much today after all and not seen a soul. Feeling a bit lonely today. :-(