General Chat

Afternoon All,

I slept well last night, but still didn't get up early. OH did his walk and brought the papers back from the village shop and has gone to a local match now. He spent all of yesterday at the council doing his Independent Person work. He got rid of 3 more boxes of footie programmes the other night (Yippee!). Sods law while he was out yesterday the nurse he's been trying to contact rang him, but said she couldn't get through so rang here. Apparently she doesn't work till Thursdays, so he will try and contact her then.

Not great news this morning to discover FB will only be free now if you accept adverts otherwise it's subscribe and pay a monthly sub. I have to keep my adblocker, so it may be goodbye FB for me. Then I read about the digital driving licences that means your licence will be on an App on your mobile and I hate the idea of my date of birth, photo and other info being on my mobile in case it gets snatched off me or lost. Then I was reading the detail about the changes for over 70s and driving and they are thinking of changes for the under 70s further down the line! Over 70s won't be able to drive motor homes, which will spoil their holidays for many. I think the eyetests will be more detailed than now so will we have to pay for them? Then I read one of the councils is to make petrol and diesels have higher parking charges according to emmissions. Luckily our cars are both below the point they charge and you can bet other councils will follow suit. It's hard to keep up with it all, but that's my moan over for today.

Your BP tablets are different to mine Mandy, as I take Bisoprolol. They are small tablets, tiny in fact, but there's no cutting them in half as the doctor issues tablets with half the dose in and just gives me twice as many to take two a day. As you say you will have to see how you are in another day or two and sometimes your system has to get used to them. That was nice of son and DIL to bring you cheerful Daffs!

I found my window seat with taller cupboards each side was too handy for dumping things too AnnG so know what you mean. now that's gone and been replaced by much shallower cupboards I can't dump much at all! OH said it was pleasant walking so it is a good idea to pop out. I was trying to remember which hoover you had AnnG and will check the weight of that one too as it also sounds good. I seem to remember it has a collapsible handle which is handy to store in our porch cupboard too.The lighter the better for me as I soon get a bad back. Fancy the Nurse calling when you were out! They really should have a better system. Good job she wasn't on a bike like the old days!

Mel I have a Dyson ball plug in too that seems too heavy now but I agree with Mandy that it has better suction than the Dyson V6 wire free one which is still pretty good. Don't do too much HW, you aren't better yet.

Vera, as you say I suppose our GPs would order a blood test straightaway if it was important. Fingers crossed your OH gets a quick reply to the email. What bad luck having two hoovers break down and burning smell isn't a good sign is it. We had to have a new battery in the cordless Dyson, but the chap also stripped it all down and cleaned it all as well and it's still going strong.

Like Mel I'd better pop to the shop and see if I get inspiration for dinner tomorrow and a few other bits.

Afternoon all,
Lovely sunny day here hardly a cloud in the sky ,son and dil came with the shopping and dil bought me a couple of bunches of daffs and they are opening up already on the sideboard in the sunshine.

All I have done is scrubbed a couple of potatoes for jackets tonight with tuna and a bit of salad and made some coleslaw, tablets are still making my head swim ,hopefully it will ease up in a few days ,it must take a while for them to get in your system because I had to make the blood test for two weeks time .

Gave my bedroom the dusting it needed. my 'dressing table' is actually built in along one wall between two cupboar/wardrobes so it quite long and is very convenient for dumping stuff. theat all had to be cleared and sorted before I could dust and polish it but it does look better now. The rest of the room didn't take quite as long. However that is all I have done this morning.

Dusted the plate rack in the hall and all the bits on it and am now going up the shop.

Morning all,

I slept well last night as I took one paracetamol before bed and got up twice for the loo and right back to sleep again afyerwards. Still woke late though.

Just the shop to do for my paper this morning then I really should do some housework.

Good morning all. Yet another grey day. Nothing planned except Tesco delivery this afternoon.
I slept well until 5am then just couldn't get back to sleep. So I feel tired now.
I think it could be housework and maybe a walk to the post box if it stays dry.
I did note the bedroom could do with dusting so maybe that.

My cordless vacuum is a GTech Air Ram. I am very please with it, it is light to handle, easy to charge and suck up bits well. However although it claims to be good with pet hairs I have not tested that. It is equally good on carpet and lino type floors.

Iv'e got a nearly new Dyson roller ball plug in vac but can't use it as it knocks the leccy out every time I plug it in. It was a great little hoover when I did get it to work. Iv'e had repair men come and take it away a\nd it work ok in their houses but still won't work in mine.

The plug in one I use I bought in Morrisons years ago and it cost me £49 something it good at sucking up the gravel I get brought in on peoples feet from the tarmac outside which the cordless one won't touch. The problem I have with it is that it blows the air out the front and I think dust comes out with it. I also have a Henry which oh bought for upt he caravan and I think he took that up the loft but I never did like to use that one.

My cordless is a Hoover and its useless unless you want to suck up some crumbs or flies off the windowsill and the spiders.

The surgery’s message said ‘as you are not house Lund’. Unfortunately there was no means of replying but Monday I will make it clear that at no time did I claim to be housebound it was the doctor who made that decision instead of passing the message to the doctor who would have been aware of what my problem was/is.

The surgery’s message said ‘as you are not house Lund’. Unfortunately there was no means of replying but Monday I will make it clear that at no time did I claim to be housebound it was the doctor who made that decision instead of passing the message to the doctor who would have been aware of what my problem was/is.

Vera when I was taking the 10mg I use to take it half an hour before my lunch ,but the doctor at the hospital said take this new one first thing in the morning , it says on the box to not have food until 15 minutes to half an hour after taking it so thats what I've been doing

Oh thats annoying Anng ,just as you've gone out she turns up , at least you've got an appointment now so you know what your doing .

Mandy, it could be your body needing to get used to the tablets. When do you take them? I have Lercanidipine 20 mg and I was told by the doctor to take mine first thing in the morning when I get up and not to eat anything for up to an hour.

Isn't that s*ds law that the D Nurse came when you were out AnnG? At least you have got an appointment now.

BIL came and we chatted for a while and I gave him some info he did'nt know about. It was about next of kin, He brought me two soups. One ws different to the chicken and veg he usually brings and he said he'd tried it but still lie the chicken one best so I tried the new one and it was chicken veg and very curry flavoured but I enjoyed it.

Its very cloudy and dull out there now and the winds up quite a bit. Think I will just hunker down in the warm now.

Well apparetly the D nurse called here at 2.40, then read the message I had sent and saw I was out until 4pm. (why she didn't read it before she came I don't know). Anyway she phoned reception at the surgery and they have given me an appointment at the surgery on Monday (as I am not housebound), and the buses should be running again ans the roads are back to normal from this afternoon. So that will be almost a week since I contacted them as I was concerned I might need more antibiotics.

Oh dear Vera that was a pain. that one was obviously sulking because you had bought a new one! I have a plug in upstairs (a very old one), and a cordless downstairs which I do like but I don't actually have a lot of floor space to vacuum really.

Wet here too Vera but we don't seem to have to much wind ,looking at the trees they don't seem to be swaying too much.
I'm feeling a little better thank you ,I think I just have to wait and let my system get use to the higher strength.

Oh thats bad luck having another vac go caput, I use to have a cordless one but changed to a plug in one ,a Shark and I was really surprised how much more it picked up than the cordless one , although we do get a lit of dog hair with max .

Yes we use to go to Wells a lot and walk through the pine woods to Holkham ,when I was little we would go cockling when the tide was out ,bring them home and mum would put them in one of those small tin baths and feed them with flour which helped to get the sand out of them , not that I use to eat them I hated the texture of them.

Ann I've had indegestion with these tablets they are Lercanidipine, today I thought I'd take the 20mg one instead of taking two 10mg I wondered if the one would desolve slower than taking the 2 tablets, I still had a bit of a swimmy head after about an hour but it's worn off a bit, I just have to do a bit then sit for a while.

Son and dil are getting some shopping for us tomorrow.

Another wet, grey day and a bit windy again. The wind and the rain make it feel colder than it really is.

I hope you are starting to feel better Mandy. You brought back some memories with your mention of Wells. We've always liked that stretch of coast and have visited a few times over the years. I always think of Wells as the home of fish and chips.

Your meal with Stu sounded tasty and very filling Mel. Sorry to hear you had a bad night and hope you sleep better tonight.

We seem to be having a bit of a run of bad luck. This morning OH said he would vac round upstairs for me and started on the landing using the big plug-in cleaner. Suddenly the cleaner stopped and there was a horrid smell of burning electrics. OH said he was sure the motor had burnt out though he did try the obvious things like checking plugs and changing fuses. No, it was the motor. It didn't owe us anything as it is donkey's years old and has had a great del of use over the years but it is annoying to have 2 machines give up in 2 weeks. It's a good job I got the new cordless one delivered quickly so at least we have something. Now I've got to decide whether to just manage with that one or whether to get another plug-in, another cordless or even a robot vac. I can almost hear our Frank saying MORE EXPENSE.

Afternoon, all,

Very dull first thing but it's now brightening up ,would be nice to see a little bit sun .

Mel that meal sounded a good plateful , home made chips are the best can't remember when we last had some .
Years ago we use to go to Wells on the coast and there was a tiny brick outhouse away from the front down a side road that was a chip shop they had a coal fire to heat the lard and those chips were the best .

Ann I'm glad they are sorting OH eyes out and can soon do something for him ,how good to be first in with no waiting

Vera thats good you've got your new glasses all sorted out .

meal sounds nice Mel does he do chips the old way in a chip pan? If so I bet they taste lovely.

Morning all,

Quite a bright morning so far but its 6 degrees and pc is saying rain by 2.05pm.

Had an awful night, got up for the loo and went back to bed only to lay there till ikt was light again. Feel drained now.

My meal last night was Lidl bacon cheese and pork sausages big home made chip with leeks, carrots and broccoli and fried red onions with thick gravy. I had so much on my plate I had to give Stu some of my chips and left some leeks too.

Better get the washer on and I want to do the bedding today too.

Good morning all 7 degrees and looks damp so no change there then. weather forecast was rain well into next week.
yes Vera it would help if they at least gave me a day. I think the Drs message to them might have been a vague one. I have never had any contact with this doctor but he has been at the surgery quite a long time now. given that I mentioned I thought anti Bs might be needed it is very strange. I actually don't thing there is any infection now but I still need it checked.

Sounds like you had an enjoyable hour with your friends. It brightens the day doesn't it? To have a chat. And new glasses at last, that will be a relief for you.

Hope you had a good meal at Stu's Mel. What did he cook?

Photography this afternoon. The subject is Trees and parts of trees. Most of my photos are from 2025 this time and earlier in the year.

Your meeting sounded good AnnG. As you say, the music would have been from our era and brought back a few memories but it’s a shame the speaker kept letting his mic drop. It’s a nuisance that you haven’t had any indication of when the nurse might call. I understand the nurses are busy people but just a text from her would be helpful. You’re getting on well with your cards.

I hope you are feeling a bit better now Mandy. You are doing the right thing by just sitting quietly when the shakiness comes over you. I know it’s hard but stay nice and calm if you can as stressing about it will just send your bp rocketing again.

Did you enjoy your dinner with Stu tonight Mel? What did you have? Yes, I also remember the discussion a while back about watching the amount you sell on Ebay or HMRC would class you as a trader. It’s a point to bear in mind if you do decide to put your prices up.

Your poor OH is going through the mill a bit Annx. You did well to get to the eye casualty unit so early and I hope the ophthalmic people can find some way of fixing his “lattice” retina. I’m crossing my fingers that there’s no delay in setting up his next appointment and that he manages to get through to the rheumatology nurse again. So your blood tests have to be booked now. I don’t think we ever had a walk in facility but if the doctor wanted bloods urgently a surgery nurse would do them there and then; if it was less urgent we could always get an appointment within a day or two. Then it was all centralized “for our convenience” and now it’s a real pain getting a blood test done. It’s the same with physiotherapy. I drafted an email which OH sent to the consultant last night, politely telling her that he had booked blood tests for 30th January as the earliest date available to him and asking if this was going to be satisfactory for her. Whether he’ll get an answer or not is anybody’s guess.

Apart from the dreary weather with on/off rain, it’s been a good day today. We went to our Thursday coffee meet for the first time since well before Christmas and passed a very pleasant hour chatting. There were 6 of us today. We didn’t stay quite as long as usual as we needed to get home, have a snack and get out to the opticians. That also went well. I was there for a very long while as I had to go through all the saga of the last three years and what the hospital doctor had said. The optician was really very thorough in his testing and the upshot was that the really bad eye is now better than the supposedly good eye. I am still going to need glasses so will have varifocals again. Mel, you reminded me to ask again about putting new lenses in old frames. They never used to be able to do that because of the special lens I had to have for my bad eye. They said they could do it for me now but it wouldn’t work out any cheaper as there is a charge for doing it and, in my case, it is the lenses that are so expensive, but they pared the cost down for me as much as they could as they knew I would be having the other eye done at some point soonish and that would mean another change of glasses. I picked out some cheap frames and the lady sorting me out said I could have cheaper lenses as I would no longer need the specially thinned ones for the bad eye. I also get 10% off for being a pensioner so they ended up costing me £340 instead of the £700-800 I’ve had to pay in recent years. It’s enough for what will probably just be a few months use.

A quick wave to Gwyn and ElizabethOS~~~~~~~~and I’m off to make a drink and go to bed with my iPad to either watch something on iPlayer or read my library book which I have downloaded there.