General Chat

Afternoon everyone.
Florence you are such a busy lady,but you seem to enjoy what ever it is you have to do. The tunnel sounds great, you must be so pleased with how all the things you are growing are coming along.

I haven't managed to do any serious gardening work for about a week due to the constant April showers we've had recently, I spent a bit of time last Monday weedkilling through the gravelled areas but due to the rain coming on soon after I did it it just got washed it away

It was nice to see daughter etc but trying to have a decent conversation was difficult with the boys constantly asking their mum various questions, I would have loved a wee while with just my daughter but it wasn't to be !.

I did make use of son in law though & got him to clip some loong bits from the top of the hedge, I did most of it a while back but there were some right at the top that were too thick for me so had to leave them until the visit.
It looks fine now.

Joan.

That's good that Esme's new medication works so well and quickly for her, Linda.

Will one of your neighbours water the plants for you while you're away, Florence?

Packing for a trip always starts days in advance for me - and then I usually find I've packed far more clothes than turn out to be needed.
The trouble with going away in the UK is the very changeable weather. Even looking ahead at the forecast, it's hard to know quite what it's going to be like.

A friend of mine is away for a week (in Scotland) at the moment, and has only taken a small backpack. I don't know how she does it!
But, come to think of it, she is staying in a self-catering apartment, so will be able to wash clothes if necessary.

I had my Covid jab on Thursday, with no ill-effects, apart from a slightly tender arm for a few hours.

Thanks Florence , yes my leg has healed now after a lot of Anti Bs and dressings etc. it has left me with scarring and very dry skin on that leg but all healed now. I am trying to remember to wear trousers and socks in the garden now as still not sure if it was an insect bite that started it off .
I am hoping that this year will be slightly less rain than last year and more sunny days. I am not a lover of heat but do like some sun.

Joan I think we get used to the quieter days when our children grow and leave home and when the gr/children come along the noise and energy from them is lovely but sometimes overwhelming. My gr/children are all adults now but still noisy. lol.

Hello from a lovely sunny & warm day here in Aberdeenshire.
I have been outside & emjoyed doing what I could manage to do, which isn't much these days, usually dealing with weeds & clippinf back straggly plants.
It would be good to be able to get down to the soil level but I can't do that anymore, if I was to crouch down I would never get up again.

The daffies are fading now, some are still looking good but they are the latter plantings, lots of Grape Hyacinths on show some of which are self seeders & so some are not in the "right" place but not bothered.

Just waiting for the Bluebells to flower, there are lots of clumps..
The part of the hedge that I thought was dead has erupted & is well covered in leaves, fingers crossed it will flower, lovely to see that it's alive, I really thought it was gone for good.

I had the company of a Hare whilst I was outside, when I first got up & drew back the curtains a hare was just running past the window, & whilst weeding one was sitting in the field alongside the fencing close to where \i was working, there are usually 2 of them & I often see them running around or boxing ! LOL.
They seem very bold.

I hope everyone else is having a nice day.

Joan.

Your garden sounds lovely Joan. I am very pleased with our back garden, given that we only planted it last year, everything is filling out and growing again. That is apart from one part which had some tall blue plants which OH thinks that he cut back at the wrong time :-( If they don’t grow back I will have to buy something else.

We had our annual boiler service this morning. They were coming between 8am and 1 pm, so we were up early. Of course it was after midday before they came, so I missed my lie in for nothing.

Joan, the link below is for a garden kneeler, which is excellent. you can kneel on it and use the handles to help you get up or you can use it the other way up and lean over to reach the ground. I use the latter as my knees don't like kneeling any more!!

Easylife is a good company, based in UK and helpful if you have any complaints.

https://www.easylife.co.uk/product/comfy-garden-kneeler/2780

Thanks Andysmum, I do have one of those but not used it for some time, not since I couldn't get onto my knees.
I tried it the other way, but found sitting down to do vatious things in the garden awkward, rather like trying to do the ironing sitting down !!
I wouldn't manage to lie across it, too old now, getting upright again would be a problem.

Joan.

Afternoon all and what a glorious sunny & warm day with just a slight breeze.

I have been home alone completely today as yesterday turned into a disaster!!

We had arranged to go over to the frind who is looking after poochie when we fly south. So on route had to collect my meds, stop at the shop and then carry on.

OH came out of the shop, dropped a few things and then banged his head on the boot...ouch!! Then the car started misfiring and juddering. By now we were halfway to friends house across a road with nothing but fields for company!

We limped it and eventually arrived and all the warning lights were lit up like a xmas tree on the dashboard :-S

So we rang our garage who said it sounds like an injector has gone and really you shouldnt drive it anymore...But we had come over 20 miles and the garage was only 10 miles so friends hubby followed him incase it broke down.

Today of course we had a vets appointment so he had to go on the bus( that was an adventure for both of them lol) car is now at the garage where we bought it as we extended the warranty and they have ordered the part.

Fingers crossed it comes tomorrow as we still have other appointments to attend to.

As it happens, friend had to take her dog to the vet so she met OH and is bringing him home so that was a bonus as buses here only run 2-3 hourly!

So I have stripped our bed, washed another 2 loads and hung out on the line. bedding has just finished spinning ready to go out.

I have prepped eve meal already which is 2 smoked haddocks, new pots, peas and some salad followed by strawberries & ice cream :-D

So now sitting for a well earned break.

Once OH is home and had tea, we need now to water all the pots outside as soil is dry with not much rain. I went and opened the tunnel and left the top door open to get some fresh air inside as it was 40 degrees!!

Hope everyone else has some sunshine today and is outside soaking up the Vit D.

Florence in the hebrides

Oh dear Florence, you have been having some bad luck. I hope that it is over now.

It has been a lovely sunny day here, but when you get into the shade it is quite cool
Our, oldest granddaughter is away from tomorrow morning until Sunday afternoon doing her DofE silver expedition. It will be warm during the way , but only three or four degrees overnight, so she will be very cold camping. On Saturday morning, I am driving down to London with my daughter and Esme. We are staying at a Premier Inn near Heathrow on Saturday night, then going to a birthday party in West London on Sunday lunchtime. We then have to drive all the way back which will be about four and a half hours. If the worst comes to the worst, we will have to stop off on the way back and get up very early on Monday morning. The drive is fine for me, but Esme is the problem.

We are so dependent on our cars, aren't we?
I hope your long drive goes well, Linda, and that your car is repaired quickly, Florence.

Mine will be getting new brake discs and pads next week at our local garage, 7 miles away.
They will collect it and deliver it back to me afterwards, which is a wonderful service in a place like this, where public transport is not frequent, to put it mildly. (Three buses per day (M-F), in each direction, between the garage and our village.)

Your garden sounds lovely at the moment, Joan.
With this beautiful spell of dry and sunny weather, I've finally been able to give the grass its second cut of this year, which immediately makes the whole garden look so much better.

The midges haven't started yet, but unfortunately the ticks are there in full force.
I've found five on me this evening, after gardening this afternoon.

Morning.
LOL ArgylGran, re my garden, I think I make it sound better than it "could" be, it's tidy but not beautiful, & when the various spring flowers fade away there's a lot of greenery around.
I have to wait a wee while before the Roses & Hydrangas flower & bring some more colour.

The gravelled areas are looking "shabby" & really could dodo with topping up, it's on my list ! LOL.
Woke to a foggy morning today but now at last the fog has lifted & the sun is out, bit chilly though, maybe I will be able tho get outside after I have eaten.

Been trying to locate Classic FM on my radio this morning, the radio is in the kitchen & I always have that station on, it was working fine when I got up & I tend to leave it going throughout the day, but when I went to get my post the radio was silent.
Other stations are there but Classic FM has vanished !

Joan.

Afternoon all

Been a busy few days with soo much to attend to but today we are indoors all day and i have got my clothes all on hangers ready for the case.

I have a few gifts we bought earlier on our last trip for folks down south so sorted into different bags.

washed dogs bedding and blankets so she is all spic and span for her "holiday."

Its dull and overcast with some fog here and a bit chilly but next week supposed to have a heatwave lol typical as we are off island!!

My hydrangea plants now have the beg of flowers but will not put them out until after we are back along with the fuchsias which have flowers already.

Tomato plants have first flush of flowers as well so little tommys arriving soon.

Was out at the community bingo on Fri eve and friends hubby won twice so that was a bonus. A few holiday makers came so it was actually packed out which was good to see.

My radio sometimes use to go off air Joan for 10 minutes and then come back from time to time although I have no idea why :-S :-S

Well plenty more to do so hope all is ok with everyone looking in today.

Florence in the hebrides

Afternoon all
very foggy and misty murky here! 2 sleeps to go and then we are off flying south so hope the fog doesnt delay us although we have several hours between flights so thankful for that.

One plane couldnt land first thing and eventually turned around and headed back to its original airport. Awful for passengers coming home here.

All my clothes etc are on hangers in the daughters bedroom ready for folding and into the case tomorrow. So just about sorted really. Boarding passes all printed and other paperwork in a poly pocket. I never leave everything on my phone to chance, always have a paper back up incase technology fails!

Hope everyone looking in is well and enjoying some decent weather as a heatwave is promised starting tomorrow here!

Florence in the hebrides

Really sunny in the south east corner, Florence just like it has been over the last week.
We are forecast blusterly winds for a couple of days, then humid air coming across from the Continent on Friday, so it should warm up again for your arrival.
I wonder if you will notice a seasonal difference in the plants here.
Spring arrived early this year, so the bluebells etc. are already past their best in the south.
Hope you have a great time meeting up with family and friends and visiting old haunts.

Hello Gwyn, & anyone else looking in.
Lovely day for us today, had some fine days since Saturday,though the sun didn't shine until the afternoons,so I was only out in the garden during the afternoons.

I have done lots of W killing throughout the gravelled areas, & raked up the small twigs that have come from the trees. had 3 trees chopped down on Saturday, more to do as & when our friend can manage to be here.

Our Bluebells are only just starting to appear, it will be nice to have some more colour in the garden.
Tidied up the shed & have thrown out lots of rubbish, old plastic plant pots old rags, part empty tins/containers, things I put by, just in case !!

I really hate to say this but I have managed to empty the water bowie so some rain is needed to fill it up again, it's a big bowie, home made from a plastic drum / container.
I don't water everything & not everyday. just the new Climbing Roses & the new Primroses, but the level soon goes down.

Had some good news yesterday, our youngest son is recovering well from his recent operation, he was diagnosed with T cancer & "fast tracked" through the various procedures.
It has been such a worry, he lives alone & not nearby but our eldest daughter went through to Aberdeen & took him to the hospital as & when, she also did him a big shop so that he didn't need to go out & about until he was able.
Things are looking good.

Enjoy your holidays Florence.

Joan.

You have been busy Joan, well done.
I think many of us are guilty of keeping things, which then eventully make clutter.
Growing up just after the war years, we lived in the days when things were kept and repurposed if possible. We never wasted string if it came on a parcel. It was kept, folded neatly and stored in a tin. The brown paper too would be smoothed over and used again.

Sorry to hear that you have been so worried about your son.
Whether they are 2...,, 42 or whatever, we worry because we are Mum.
Good to hear that he has had speedy treatment and is recovering.
Lovely that your daughter could help her brother like that. Her support would have been so hepful.

I hope you get some night time rain to replenish your supplies. We haven't seen rain for a while now.

Afternoon all

Joan sorry to hear about your son but glad he was fastracked and hope he makes a full recovery. Sorry to ask but what is T cancer?

The fog is lifting but the early planes were cancelled again. Heavens knows if this happens tomorrow what we will do but trying to remain positive and pray the wind would come back as all is forgiven!

Good news is the car is fixed and OH over collecting and picking up last minute bits and bobs. When he returns, we then go to our friend with poochie which is an hours drive eeek.

Cases all packed and weighed. Mine weighs 20 KG and OH 18kg ( max 23kg each)and heavy to lift although on wheels. Problem is there are lots of gifts. biscuits in tins etc so once we off load them, cases will be much lighter.

Hope everyone looking in is well and ok today.

keep the thread going whilst Im away and no parties..without me :-D :-D :-D :-D

Back soon

Florence in the hebrides <3

Have a nice break florence and hope the planes are flying for you.
Maybe next year buy gifts that are not heavy to pack :-D

Joan It is good to hear that your son is recovering from his op. If it was the same one my Grandson had about 3 years ago he will recover ok with just regular check ups.

sounds like you have been busy in the garden. don't overdo it when the weather is good. take time to enjoy the good weather by relaxing occasionally.

It is 17 degrees here and sunny but I am taking my own advice and not gardening today. My legs are hurting so I guess I have pushed them a bit too far.

Hi Florence.
Oh my, my mistake, Testicular, I started to write it but then had to check the speling, & then silly me instead of adding the rest of the name I just continued with the thread !!

Apparently it was a rare type. His consultant is confident all looks well so far but our son has to have regular check ups,blood tests etc.
It's been a worrying time but things have moved along so fast we haven't had too much time to dwell on things.

..........................................................................................

Another sunny day, lovely blue sky but it's breezy, I am thinking of going outside to finish off painting the last of the garden seats & bird table.

Hi AnninGlos....It's a worry isn't it, I hope your grandson is doing well.
I did a lot in the garden yesterday, mostly going back & forth filling up the watering can, but I did rest regularly, thank goodness for the 6 garden seats that are dotted around. lol.

Joan.

good to hear that you factor in rests, nice to stop in different places to get different views of the garden Joan.
Yes it is a worry but Grandson is completely clear now and his check ups have been reduced.