General Chat

Yes cutting back the thug rose is a good thing to be busy with Mel. You seem to have done a lot in the garden to get it under control this year, which is no easy feat with such a big garden.

I bet the Brill will be lovely, being so fresh AnnG. OH likes most fish, even the whitebait with eyes peeping out that I can't face! lol. I know children vary, but I can't believe so many children are even starting school in nappies these days. I remember being reluctand learning to tie my shoelaces before I started school, but my mother only had to say that all the other children would be able to do it and I soon got the hang of it.

I am sitting here with my feet in a shallow, unused humper with handles that I keep for soaking my feet from time to time in sweet smelling suds. I'll shower in the morning before being measured for the compression stockings which won't take long, but want to go with spruced up nice feet!

Something that happened at the docs yesterday has been preying on my mind today. There was an elderly man in the waiting room who was called and went slowly to the desk as he had mobility issues. No real privacy at our surgery and the gist of his conversation with the receptionist was that he wanted a nurse to 'take a peek' as he put it at something he'd had done to make sure it was alright and going along ok. He assured the receptionist that he had had a shower and was clean. He hadn't got an appointment so they turned him away saying everything should be ok. I watched him walk carefully through the glass doors, sort himself out and get on his mobility scooter and wondered what effort and time it must have taken him to shower, get ready and ride his scooter to the surgery. I doubt they even looked to see if a nurse had a few minutes, as they never seem that busy when I go. I couldn't have turned him away without making every effort first. He couldn't even try to make an appointment till after 11.00am, so what was he to do in the meantime.

Your OH's cleaning sounds much like my OH's Vera. Mine washes up the things we need daily, but never thinks to wipe the worktops, cooker hob or windowsill behind the sink or the bottom of the washing up bowl!

Better get the Asda order sorted now.

Afternoon all. 19 degrees here and a very blustery wind.

One of those days for thoughts and memories Mel. A good idea to keep busy.

Fish were interesting. We got to the harbour at about 0945, cars and people everywhere so daughter and I jumped out while SiL went off to park the car. The queue was quite long but all good tempered and everyone chatting to each other. A lot obviously local a couple who could be restaurant owners and some from the small holiday caravan site. We got a Brill just under a Kg and two small plaice. £13. For the Brill and £2 each the plaice. Really good value. So Brill for tea tonight for daughter and I. SiL not much of a fish eater. Daughter had to look up how to cook it so we shall see. They did have a really good selection including Sole and Lemon Sole, Brill, Turbot, Skate, Langhoustine, probably more that I didn’t recognise. All caught locally and landed about 0900.

Having been served we got back in the car and drove to a cafe for coffee before heading off to Lidl for some bits to go with the fish and a couple of comics for the girls. Comics are not cheap any more as they come with extra bits. But two year old did like her collection of Thomas Tank Engine miniatures. Eight year old was pleased with her Pokémon bits.

Not very peaceful here but they are good at entertaining themselves as long as we are with them. Had them for three hours this afternoon to give Mum a rest!! (No comment). Still my gain as it is good to see them, not long since I saw them last but they grow so quickly..

I do wish they would toilet train as we did though as two year ten month old is still in nappies.

I'm cuting down the thug rose. I have a trailer full already.

Good afternoon all

Temperature is 24 degrees and still climbing and there's no sign of promised thunderstorms or rain. We are definitely liviing up to our reputation as the driest part of the country. It would be good if it did rain, it might clear the atmosphere a bit.

I'm glad you had a good journey Anng.

It's probably a bitter sweet day for you Mel. Try to think of all the happy memories you made together.

It has been a noisy time in your Close Annx. I hope OH gets over all his sniffles and coughs soon. It sounds as though he is feeling a little better now.

I hope the hydrocortisone cream is working on Colin's hands Mandy. I saw those African wash cloths online and they look pretty good. I have a back washer that's a long strip, rough one side and smooth the other, and with cord handles either end but I've never been 100% happy with it so I might look again at those wash cloths. We have done a few boat trips and steam railway trips with the outings group but OH likes to be a bit more active and be able to walk around so we have started giving them a miss. We did go to our coffee meet yesterday. 3 people were on the boat trip and 2 on holiday but there were still 6 of us there.

I decided this morning that I must do some h/w however hot and uncomfortable it is. I started early before it got too hot and hoovered right through the house and I was soon sweating and exhausted. OH has offered to clean the bathrooms for me tomorrow. His idea of cleaning the bathrooms is to do the toilets and wash basins but he makes a good job of them so I don't mind cleaning the other bits and pieces.

OH has just called out that our snack lunch is ready so I'd better go and eat and watch the news.

Morning All,

It's 23 degrees here, but we had a thunderstorm last night and the rain was so heavy it was even overflowing our deep aluminium gutters where the gulleys run down from the roof and we had a big puddle by the front door. It was really windy too and blew the garden bin over by the garage missing my car by a few inches. OH had left it there to do more weeding before taking it round the back. The storm lasted about half an hour so has given the garden a good soaking.

All quiet down the close this morning, but when I got back from the shop getting OH some blackcurrant squash to dilute and paracetamol, honey and lemon linctus etc our nextdoor neighbour had someone sawing, hammering and banging and I think they are erecting a pergola over the patio like they had when they first moved here. OH is still sniffing and coughing but seems quite a bit brighter today and is writing up some of his work stuff just now. He didn't seem keen on doing a test, probably because he's hoping to not miss any footie matches, although you don't have to isolate now. He's taking hay fever tablets as he thinks it might be that as well. We planned to get on with so much with him here to help me once the schools broke up, but never mind, the heat would have stopped me anyway.

Mel that blob on your top is just like I had happen! Thinking about it I suppose the pods could still be used up by cutting them and pouring the liquid in the machine. I think I threw mine out in disgust though without thinking of that.

Your tomatoes have grown well Mandy and they should be fine outside in this weather. Are they the tasty cherry ones or do you have different sorts?

I'm glad you had a good journey AnnG as there are so many roadworks everywhere this year causing traffic holdups. I envy you getting some fresh fish at Maryport! Far nicer than the sort in breadcrumbs that we are having today! Speaking of which I'd better start getting our lunch! :-)

BIL is here mowing just before I went in the shower. Its clouded over now and is quite comfortable out at 17 degrees.

Morning girls,

Glad you had a good trip Ann enjoy today at Maryport hope there is nice fish for you.

Got a strange morning here as its sunny out the back and cloudy in the front pc is saying 17 degrees and partly sunny.

I want to do some more tidying today but not sure how much will get done as today would have been our 27th anniversary.

Good morning all. A lovely sunny morning although not as hot here. Yesterday was about 21 so very pleasant.

We had a good journey up. Left home T 0730 had two very short loo stops and one longer late breakfast stop and got here at 1 15.
I think today we are going to Maryport for coffee and up early hoping to catch the fishing boat which sells on the Quayside as it will be high tide.

Ann hope OH’s cold is better and test is neg.

Mandy hope Colin’s cream works. Could that be ab allergy to medication?

Not seen the wash sheets Mandy but I think I have enough washing powder, liquid and pods at the mo. My powder keeps going in big solid lumps even though its in the boiler cupboard/ airing cupboard. If I have it in the cupboard next to the cooker it still gets damp so I can't win really thats why I thought I would try the pods now I am worried they will get damp and disolve in the box. Best I think to stick to the liquid at least I know thats not ging anywhere. I shall have to look up these wash cloths you keep talking about.

Poor G having two tone legs after wearing his shorts. Did he have suncream on? Sounds like you had a lot of nasty noise in the close today. Has your net been ok now?

I have been fighting with the pond again today as all this crud keeps coming up when the sun shine. I think its the fish sucking weed off the liner. I really must try and have a go with the pond vac but don't think I am strong enough to move it when its in the pond. OH used to struggle with it and be worn out at the end of the day. Failing that I shall get the pond man in to do it for me but thats going to be more expense! Something I could do without at the mo.

I hope Anng had a good journey and there was'nt too much traffic on the roads.

Evening all,

Lovely sunny day and very hot ,I seem to have been on the go all day so I feel wacked now ready to drop think I'll be having an early night as I was still awake at twelve o'clock last night with the fidgets in my left knee again.
Been shopping this morning so thats one job out of the way ,I lifted the little greenhouse off the tomatoes as they were growing so tall they were beginning to bend over at the top and as the others I have outside were growing ok I thought I'd take it off so I took that to pieces and boxed it up and put it away in the shed.

Hope Anng had a good journey up and the traffic wasn't to bad.

Mel I didn't realise you had family coming to visit is it just for the day or a bit longer,nice for you to have a bit of company.

You didn't fancy the boat trip then Vera , did you have your coffee meet today or were they the people on the trip .
That's a bit naughty giving the coupons out instead of money back ,that way they get the money anyway.

Ann I liked the wash cloths because they make it easy to wash your back in the shower and rinse out easily ,they dry quickly too .
Oh poor OH catching the sun so quickly his skin must be really sensitive.

Going back to washing pods and liquid has anyone tried the washing sheets ,I saw them advertised on the internet, handy I suppose if your short on storage as they just lay flat in the pack. .

Afternoon All,

Phew it seems hotter than ever and so still. The ground was wet at 8.00am this morning when I opened the doors, so we must have had a drop of rain but it soon dried. A lorry turned up further up the close at 7.15 am and made a right old racket unloading building materials. Then a team turned up making a loud noise digging and repairing the tarmac where the cable repairers had been. Then a rubbish clearance van turned up and went nextdoor and now a car alarm went off and when I checked it wasn't mine I saw a tyre van parked on another neighbour's drive and their boot up. Then all that clattering when a wheel is changed and new tyre put on started up. To think we thought it was a quiet close when we moved here, well it did used to be!

I see we are due an even hotter heatwave from the 10th August, so I need to get my desk fan down that uses ice before then.

OH's croaky voice has got much worse today and his nose is runny, so the covid test might be used tomorrow. He didn't come inside the doctors with me when I went for my MMR jab this morning, so as not to spread his germs particularly if it might be covid! I need another MMR jab in a fortnight and the nurse thinks I need another tetanus jab as I had only had 2 a couple of years ago, but she will check and txt me. When I came out OH had moved the car to a shady spot when someone else had moved their car and stood outside behind the car. Another chap shouted that he should have brought his deckchair! He's been hotter than me today and flopped watching tv most of the day.

It sounds like a fungal infection is right Mandy if the cream is helping Colin already. It's not surprising with this hot weather. It must seem as if it's one thing after another for you both lately. I had to look up those African wash cloths as I'd never heard of them, but they do sound good. I had a back scrubber brush delivered this morning as I'd thrown away a plastic strap thing I bought with scrubby plastic bits to do your back. It was too short and getting it in position I kept twisting my shoulder. Those cloths look longer though and I expect you can put them through a wash as well.

Good idea to wash your winter teddy fleeces Mel as they'll dry quick in this heat. I ought to wash some pillows, but can't face wrestling with pillowcases just now.

I have to use non bio for washing Vera. OH has such funny skin! He went outside in his shorts for just 10 minutes the other day when the sun was out. An hour or two after he'd been inside he came and showed me his legs and there was a solid line between pasty and a bright red rash (photosensitivity not sunburn) where his shorts ended. It happens to his feet if he doesn't wear socks too and his middle, yet his arms are fine uncovered and go quite brown.

I even got one of those dog cool pads last year to try on the bed Vera, but the blooming thing was so heavy I got 10 times hotter getting it onto the bed, so I had to send it back! :-D I leave small windows open in the bedroom and ensuite at night and this year have left the bedroom door and door to the ensuite open about six inches after reading it helps the air to circulate from cooler areas and it might be working as I've slept ok up to now this time. I hope I haven't jinxed it now by saying that! lol.

I've just washed some tops so better put them on hangers on the line. They should dry quickly.

Vera Asda pay the refunds back into my bank and I am glad of that because I don't know how to do coupons on an online shop.

I have been trying to clear the top of the big pond as there is always stuff coming up which I think the fish suck of the sides.I so want it to look nice when the family come

There's no let up in the weather. It's 26-27 degrees again, not much of a breeze and our thunderstorm warning was withdrawn. There hasn't been a drop of rain though we might, only might, get a light shower this evening. 3 or 4 weeks ago I was complaining that there was too much rain, now I'm moaning because there isn't enough. Never happy, am I?

Some of our group have gone on a day trip to the Bedford area where they are having a 2-hour boat trip on the Great Ouse. It might be quite pleasant out on the river on a day like today.

I didn't sleep much last night because of the heat and ended up falling into a proper sleep around 5 am. That meant I didn't wake up till 9 which put me all behind. I had to try and time a tablet I have to take first thing but mustn't eat for a while after it with breakfast and shower/hair wash and getting out by 10.30 am. I feel as if I have been chasing my tail all day.

I didn't complain to Sainsbury's after my delivery yesterday as someone in their admin must have realised things weren't right and emailed me with a refund of £8.25. I'm dithering whether to make my other complaint as I don't specially want a refund but I think they ought to know. It's all to do with packaging that looked as though it had been deliberately opened and torn in the process. As the contents of the package was vacuum packed and undamaged I will keep it but the picker should never have sent it in the order. I also feel Sainsbury's are a bit artful in that they don't refund the credit/debit card you have used to pay. Instead they send you a voucher which has to be used on an online order so forcing you to shop with them again.

I'd better go and raid the freezer to find something to cook for tonight. I struggle to eat much in very hot weather but OH's appetite is as good as ever so I need to give him more than a small salad.

Hope AnnG had a good journey.

22 degrees so going up.

Washings o the line and I used the liquid today as it was all very thick fleeces and I did'nt want that mess in those as they are what they call Teddy Fleeces. Getting them ready for the winter.

I have one of those annoying poppy ears this morning. Have had it a couple of days this week on and off. I don't really need to wear a hat today but thats what I do inthe winter. Its my left one the one I don't sleep on.

Pinch and a punch.

Morning all and have a safe journey Ann and enjoy your time away.

20 degrees here at the mo and pc says partly cloudy. We had a few drops of rain last night before I went to bed but nothing to do any good I think as everywhere is bone dry here this morning.

Had a lie in as I hav'nt had to get up for the post van.

It's been another hot one here again ,we sat out and had coffee after popping to the
Coop for the tele book and then on to tesco to the hole in the wall to get some cash.
On the way back I managed to park in town and popped into boots for our tablets ,I had a word with the pharmacist as Colin has had itchy fingers ,he had antihistamine tablets and tried e45 itch cream but that didn't really help so she said it might be a fungal infection and suggested hydrocortisone cream ,he's put one lot on and said it feels a lot better .
Just done some watering as I don't think we'll get any rain and the pots soon go dry and then the water doesn't go into the soil just runs off .

I meant to say has anyone used one of the African wash cloths ,I sent for some from amazon and I love them in the shower ,I usually use one of those scrunchies in the shower but these wash cloths are brilliant as they are long and you can hold them over one shoulder and do all your back in the shower and your skin feels lovely after .

Have a safe journey Anng and have a lovely holiday .

Yes it feels much hotter here today and airless. I've had to put a strappy top on with my shorts today,

Gwyn you are right about smells. I used to hate that stale, oily smell on buses as a child. Cigarette smoke at work or in the cinema when it used to be allowed would give me awful migraines and I wouldn't eat out anywhere busy when smoking used to be allowed in restaurants, Even now going into hospitals where people smoke at the entrances I hold my breath as I walk past. Mum would never smoke in my car because of it. Hubby used to sometimes smoke those thin, black cigars when I first knew him, but soon stopped when he thought it might be me or the cigars!! This talk reminds me I read that insects don't like the smell of Lavender, so I must pick some from the garden and see if it will keep the pesky flies out that are a nuisance this year. It's since they mowed the field.

It is interesting our different washing practices. Annoyingly my machine doesn't have a 30 degree cycle, which lots of fabrics advise, but does have 40 degrees as well as 20 degrees and hotter ones. What I do is do some washes on 20 degrees but add laundry wash to disinfect it. I use vanish sometimes and washing up liquid on stains. Spits of grease on cotton get dabbed with a special cleaner for it. It was doing a 40 degree wash that I have trouble with the pods sticking to the clothes Mel.

I have my MMR jab in the morning and still don't fancy it as I've read about side effects up to a fortnight later. OH seems like he either has hay fever or a cold/covid starting since yesterday. His eyes are puffy, he has a headache starting again since one he had during the night and his voice sounds awful, but no sore throat yet. He wasn't entitled to the last covid booster, so is less protected than I am. At least we have a covid test I got a little while ago and I will test him if the hay fever tablets don't seem to be helping.

I hope you have a good journey and a lovely time AnnG and will have some photos for us of the wedding when you get back.

23 degrees here now and its been hotter but we are lucky really as being between two sea it seems to keep it cooler sometimes.

Anng I posted your card today as I did'nt know you were going early in the morning, sorry I meant to do it yesterday and I put a first class stamp on too.

I have been faffing with the ponds again today. Cleaned my pond filter out and then had the big pond scimmer on as there was loads of green fluffy stuff coming up I think the fish have been sucking it off the sides so after having the scimmer on nearly all day and fishing some out with my little net I gave it a blanket weed treatment again hoping that will kill it. We will see once the pond clears again as it goes all misty with this stuff. Iv'e just fed them and am about to go and do the chickens corn and then do my salad. Iv'e had it soaking in cold water since late morning. Now what shall I have with it Tuna or salmon????? Iv'e some nice coleslaw with cheese, beetroot, celery, cue, toms and spring onions and I may boil an egg.

I usually use Fairy powder but thought I would try the liquid but never had the measuring thing to put it in so used the top of the bottle but not sure if that was enough. I don't like to put it in the draw as I think when the drawers out and you pour the liquid in and then push the draw in you're pushing it over the liquid Anyway thought I would try the pods. Perhaps they are better on a hotter wash as I usually use 40 and no spin but then do a drain and spin as my machine won't do a 1400 spin on a coldish wash.

Thanks Vera, It is 28 degrees here PC says it will be 29 and mostly sunny.
I never use consitioner these days.