General Chat

Good that you got most of it paid for Huia. Yes the buzz from the light would be bad with aids. Lectures I used to attend used to have the person talking speaking into a mike on the loop system which worked beautifully, as does also the loop system at one of the theatres we go to. Just as if they are speaking into your ear. The loop system (I think) only works on phones if the phone itself is set up for it. I rarely speak on the phone these days because of my hearing problem.

Hello Ann if you are still there. The insurance covered most of the cost of the hearing aid, but I had to pay the $250 excess that I have on my insurance :-( There are no volume controls on these aids, unfortunately, anyway the buzzing from the neon light would have annoyed me even more! The meeting was in a small hall (presumably the supper room) and they didnt use mikes. As for t-coils, they are useless on the phone with my aids, even though they are supposed to help. Ah well, at least I can hear a little better with the aids than without, even if I cant hear one person in a hubbub of voices.

Huia.

wow Sallie, making up for lost time there Lol!!!
Actually I would think you would recognise the A48, it has not really changed in that time. 35 years ago we were living in Lydney and I used to often drive down the A48 to Gloucester. It was, of course, much quieter with fewer cars in those days but, except for taking out most of the dual carriageways by putting in cross hatching to stop overtaking and doing away with the three lanes near Minsterworth, making it two way onle it is more or less the same until you reach Lydney which now has a by pass.

sounds as if you and alun are very busy, hope you mange to get the wallpapering done soon.

Huia. Did your insurance cover your hearing aid? Did you try turning your aid up? Or have yours not got volume control? when I attended meetings of the charity that I used to be trustee of we had a loop system and a wandering mike. That way people with hearing difficulties could hear OK.

Hello all.

I was out all yesterday. I had an appointment in the morning to get my replacement hearing aid (for the one I lost). Did a little shopping then spent the afternoon working in the hospice shop. The boss and her offsider did a 'Wok' (is that his name?) job on me. They decided my bra was much too big. They got one of the ones that were for sale and put it on me. Far too small in the cup but it certainly uplifted me. Told me what size I should try on in the shops. When we finished I went to one shop. Their fitter had already gone home (well it was 4.30). I tried one on but I looked all crumpled in it so decided I would have to try another day when there is more time and a fitter to help me.

I went to a shop to have dinner. I had brought a plastic bag from home as their roast dinner always has enough meat and veg for 2 meals, even though I get the 'small' dinner. I decided to come home afterwards and change out of the too-small bra before going out again for a candidates' meeting in Clevedon. I had not prepared a written speech. I did not go as well as I would have liked as I was worried that I would start coughing and that made me nervous, but at least I had waved the flag and let people know we are still around. I was very tired when I got home and didnt get up until almost 9.00 this morning.

Better get off the internet in case anybody tries to ring me.

Huia.

ps, the hearing aids are useless. I had trouble hearing questions from the audience, something I specifically hoped the aids would help with, and the fluorescent lights above us were buzzing in my aids.

Hi Girls,

Sorry I haven't been on here for several days only Alun is on holiday from work this week so we have been busy decorating a couple of rooms and I've also been busy making some birthday cards.


Mo, sorry to hear about your son's accident but pleased to hear that he was alright, as you said it could have been a whole lot worse. Hope that driver has learned his lesson and that he will not do it to anyone else in future.

Well done on your win on Monday night but sorry about you losing the pairs.

Pleased that you and your family had a good time and a lovely meal for your Grandson's birthday on Monday.

It's many years since I last went to Blackpool, unfortunately it was during the summertime so I have never seen the lights. Hopefully one day we might manage the time to go and see them. We have been to Blackpool Tower Circus though.lol!!






Ann, sounds as though you and T had a nice day out yesterday. It's nice meeting up with old friends and having a good chat to catch up on all the news.

It's a very long time since we've been on the A48, well over 35 years I'm sure, I expect it has changed quite a bit over the years so we wouldn't recognise very much of it now.




Sylvia, glad to hear that you are improving and that you are now starting to do some things that have been difficult for you to do since your operation.
Good thing that you are able to get a turtleneck sweater on now with the weather having got a good bit colder.


How are J,M and M J doing? I hope all is well with them all. MJ must be toddling everywhere now. Do you know when you and OH will see them all next?




Tess, it's lovely to hear from you and to know that you are alright.

I don't envy you having all the plastering done, it's such a messy job to have done......but well worth the mess when it's all done and the walls are nice and smooth and much better to decorate.

Alun has stripped the wallpaper off the walls on the landing and down the stairs, he's still got to strip the walls in the hallway which is a good size, we had hoped to do more this week than we've done, but I'm afraid age has slowed us down.lol!!! Goodness knows when we'll manage to get the wallpapering done and finished as it takes twelve rolls of paper altogether.





Caz, if you are looking in, I hope that your kidney infection is better and that you are feeling more comfortable. Also hope that you are feeling less depressed than you've been lately and that the tablets have now started to 'kick in'. Thinking of you.





Jean, I hope you and your family are all alright. I expect you are busy making cards.....I've seen the ones both you and Ann have made on the blog, they're all lovely as usual.

Thank you for asking about Jennie. She's fine at the moment (touch wood)
so hope she will continue that way. Ever since she's seen the dietician at the hospital, who she had never seen before she is going along.




Not sure if Marie is back home from the family reunion yet. Hope all is well with her and her family.



Huia, hope all is alright with you and Phil. It seems a while since I 'spoke' to you.


Mo, you certainly are well ahead hing wrapped all your Christmas presents.......I've bought some of mine but I've still got most of them to buy.




Well ladies, I'm going to make a cuppa now so will speak to you all soon.



Love and best wishes. Sallie.xxx

Sorry Ann, I meant to tell you about darts on monday night. We won 4-2 but lost the pairs 2-1.
Tomorrow night is our laughter night at darts, we just dont care if we win or lose, it's the fun we go for.

Fortunately,the people carrier driver stopped,and admitted that the accident was his fault. They swapped insurance details,and my sons insurance company got straight onto it, and arranged for the courtecy car,and collection of the damaged car.
Our son seems to be o.k at the moment. The hospital dont believe in putting collars on whip lash injuries anymore, they feel that leaving them off helps people to move their necks better, and a shorter time for recovery.

I have to admit Ann, that fortunately for us, we have never driven down the A48. The M25 is bad enough thanks.lol

I must go and prepare the dinner now, see you later girls. xxx

Mo how did you get on last night? You didn't say. We loved the lights in Blackpool the one time we went. I'd like to go again but we never seem to get around to it. Sorry about your son's acccident I hope the people carrier driver stopped and his insurance pays.

today we drove over to Chepstow driving down the notorious A48 (The most dangerous road in Gloucestershire. 39 fatalities in recent years). It was a beautiful sunny day and we arrived unscathed thank goodness. Probably because it was mid morning and the accidents seem to happen early morning or evening. Or maybe it is all the signs stating the number of deaths and the fact that the number can be altered, nobody wants to be number 40! We met up with a friend in Chepstow garden centre. She is staying with her sister in Chepstow, she lives in Essex so it is a handy place to meet up when she visits. We had a nice chat over lunch then drove back over the bridge, admiring the view of the River Severn in the sunshine and back down the M5, stopping at a local garden centre for coffee before driving home. Then when we got home I made a birthday card and three Christmas cards. :-) :-) :-)

Hi there girls.
Oh what a day!
Roly had to take our son to the hospital today. On his way to work, a stupid idiot in a people carrier, cut him up on a roundabout, and forced him onto the grass in the middle of it.
His car has been towed away, with damage to both doors on the passenger side and the front wing,and it has been scraped all down the side.
My son was furious, not only because of the damage to the car, but he said had baby Lilly been in the car, the impact would have been on her side of the vehicle, and she could have been badly injured.
Our son has got whip lash, and has been given strong pain killers and anti-inflamatories to help with the pain.
The insurance company, have already given him a courtecy(sp) car, so if he feels up to it, he will be going back to work tomorrow.

We had a lovely meal with our family last night. And my grandson was like the cock of the north, roosting over the whole lot of us.
We are sooo lucky, he is a lovely lad.

I spent most of the morning wrapping christmas presents, so that I know who else I have to buy for.
Thank the lord for the sales at the beggining of the year. I have only got to buy for five of the grandchildren, and our great grandaughter now, the rest are all got.
Our spare bedroom looks like father christmas's grotto, with presents all over the place. lol

Sylvia love, you are doing so well. Keep up the good work. I bet you are glad you can get into some warmer jumpers though.
I have started to wear my winter coat this week, as it has turned rather chilly here.
I think I am going to need it next week, when we pootle of to Blackpool next week.
It can get very very cold up there walking through the lights at night time.
I also want to go to the ice show again this year, it's been absolutely fantastic show when we have been in the past.
And we must go to the Blackpool Tower Circus, oooh we are both big kids at heart, but thoroughly enjoy going.

Well girls thats all from mrs gasbag for now.
Take good care of yourselves. Love to you all. Mo xxx

Hi all


we are having some lovely weather ...... it's often called an "Indian summer'. Lots of sunny days, getting up to about 14C, but the nights are cool and getting down to 3 or 4C

The leaves on the trees are showing some good colour ................... not common on this side of Canada, as we do not usually get the cold nights and sunny dry days!


I'm slowly getting more and more mobility back. I went to see the physio for the first time last Thursday. Came home with some exercises to do, and some massaging, and appointments twice a week for the next 4 weeks :-0


This is not going to be a cheap time ................ but "I'm worth it", as an ad on tv says (for shampoo, I think) :-D


.............. the latest achievement was being able to put on a long sleeved turtleneck sweater on Friday. Just in time for the cooler weather :-D.

I must admit I was getting rather fed up of blouses ............. I only have 2 short-sleeved and 3 long-sleeved blouses. Two of the long sleeved ones are actually more for wearing over thin tops than on their own!



Lovely to hear from you Tess. I don't envy you the plastering job!

We have gyprock panels instead of plaster over here ...... that makes life a lot easier!


Having said that, the older part of our house was built around 1943, and that has lath and plaster walls .......... which are terrible to deal with!



sylvia
xx

Oh my word Tess, I dont envy you with the plastering job.
A friend of mine, went to America for three weeks with another friend, and when she got back, the header tank in the attic had been leaking, and the house was soaking everywhere.
That was not the worse bit for her though, when they insurance company came out to inspect it, they said that all the ceilings, wall, floors etc had to be replaced, and to top it all, it had to be done by a specialist company, as there is asbestos in the plaster.
Poor woman has been climbing the walls with frustration, as it's such a big job, and she has to be out of the house whilst it's being done.
Jan is far more patient than I would be, as they keep doing a bit, and then leaving and coming back to do a bit more.
Whilst I realise that working with asbestos can be very dangerous, but if they are taking precautions with breathing aparatus and the like, I can see no reason for them to go and leave half a job done.
I just hope your builders are more considerate love.
Well girls, I cant stop as we are getting ready to go for a meal for my grandsons 18th birthday, and then I have to rush away to darts again.
Bye for now, love and best wishes to you all. Mo xxx

Sounds like a big job Tess, can't say I envy you but it will be good when it is finished I'm sure. What a time of day to phone you though, some of these people have not idea about the hours that we older people keep.

While reading the postings, I have tried to take in all your news.
Sylvia, good that your op is done and dusted. Even better that the staples and drain have been removed, but best of all the news that everything is now clear.

You must have really enjoyed your shower and having your hair done, both would have helped to give you a boost,

Huia, just as well that there wasn't a hidden camara around when you had your fall. Tremondous though that you were not hurt and could see the funny side, even while it was happening. Laughter is good for you (and us) so thank you for sharing.

Mo, sorry that you lost your darts match, but you were more fortunate in other matches. It must do you good to get out and about enjoying friendship and competition. Keep it up.

Ann, your day out sounds wonderful. Talking about autumn colours.... I had a short holiday in North Devon starting the 4th of September. We stayed near Bideford, many of commented that the colours of autumn were already creeping in, the leaves were of many colours, quite beautiful.


I hope you realise ladies, that after reading this thread, I have to go on Google to check out places and things you have mentioned.
I am off to search for Chathan Island, Westonbirt and Uley.


But before I go ... whilke in Bideford I saw a bust commerating a local man, who had the (I think ) rather unusall surname of "Pine-Coffin" I kid you not. Geoffrey Pine-Coffin ... Google if you don't believe me.

Hi Ladies,
couldn't sleep last night, which meant that I got round to reading the last several pages on here.
Got to this page, around 7.25 when I started to feel sleepy. So put kettle on for hot water bottle, prior to going back to bed. Made some toast too, which had just popped up when the phone rang! Must be either a wrong number or a long distance call, I thought, as no-one would phone at 7.30 in the morning. How wrong I was, it was my plasterer, I'd phoned his mobile on Saturday mid-day to say I WOULD like hime to do the job, but left a message with his wife as he was driving.
She said that he would phone back in ten minutes .. and this was the return call!
Don't think that I was very coherent when I spoke to him. Have now had a few hours shut eye so feeling more up to the mark.
Have now phoned hom up, he will be starting the job on Monday.
I am having both reception rooms totally replastered, so quite a big messy job. Will take me all week to get the rooms ready.

Oh good grief Sylvia, I bet you paniced when you got the call from the Cancer agency. thank goodness you have got a good G.P, to explain things to you.
I hope you are feeling o.k now though love.

No news tonight girls, ooh apart from the fact we lost drastically last night.
I just hope you are all well, and I will hopefully will speak to you tomorrow night.
Love to all, Mo xxx

possibly radiotherapy treatment just to make sure Sylvia. Glad it is all clear anyway, and that is a long time for you to wait to see the surgeon. Well, long time, I am sure it would be longer here but yours usually seems to be better than that.

Hi all
xxx

saw my GP yesterday, and they managed to read the pathology report ........... it seems as though everything is now clear ...... nothing in the lymph nodes, etc


But I did get a shock on Tuesday when I got a call from the Cancer Agency to say they had made an appointment for me to meet with a radiation specialist on Nov 7


I won't know exactly what is going on or why until I see the surgeon on Oct 31 ...... but the GPs' best guess (2 of them closely examined the pathology report) was that I might be getting a prophylactic radiation treatment ...... ie, to make sure that everything is sorted out.

They were not pleased to find out that I hadn't yet seen the surgeon .......... veyr diplomatic about it, but it came through loud and clear!



we're having some nice sunny weather here ....... although it is definitely fall!




sylvia
xx

Ooooh Huia, you have had me in stitches reading about your antics with your sister, you are a pair arn't you. lol
Just be thankful that I wasn't with you, as I would not have been able to help you for laughing my head off.
Yes I know, I have got a wicked sense of humour, and laugh if I see anyone trip up even though I feel for them, I just can't help myself.
I do hope you got the camera sorted out though love, it's an expensive piece of equipment to get messed up.
How was Phil when you visited him? I hope you found him well, and talkative.

Jean, I couldn't possibly post any photo's on here, I would get chucked off the site for indecency. The nudist beach at Brighton, is a sight for sore eyes, lol, but not for publicising on here.
And photo's of me playing darts are not very exciting, especially when I am pulling funny faces when I don't get what I am aiming for.
But if truth be told, I wouldn't even know how to download photo's on this laptop, me being a real thicko.
Roly send you a big ((((((((((HUGS and x)))))))))))) Saucy devil that he is, you get more than I have in a long time. ( oh poor me ). ;-)
My word I can't believe Debra travelled so many miles, and theres me complaining that I have got to sit in the car to travel up to Blackpool, and thats only about 300 miles from here.
I shall be away as from the 24th through till the 28th, so just think of me wont you, and hope for dry weather for us.
Our grandaughter is house sitting for us, and thank goodness she is a tidy girl, so we wont be coming home to complete chaos.

It sounds like you had a beautiful day out Ann.
I know what you mean about the dust from the block paving. It was bad enough when we had our drive done a couple of years back. The dust managed to lay all through the house despite the doors and windows being closed.
I was forever dusting the first day, but gave it up as a bad job till it was all completed.

Well my friends, I must go now, I am feeling shattered again, so I think I shall be going to bed soon.
Love to you all. Mo xxx

The story about my camera getting wet: On the walk there were a lot of peat-boggy patches. One of them looked reasonably dry and I stepped onto it and immediately started to sink in. As my other foot was already raised I put it down a bit further forwards and it sank in too! I was standing there trying to get my feet out without losing my boots and overbalanced and fell, finishing up on my back on a slight slope (head downhill). Most of the group were a long way ahead as I had stopped to take some photos, just my sister a little way ahead of me. She heard the splash as I landed (liquefaction). As she didnt want to get stuck too she wasnt going to come to my aid.

I was struggling hard to sit up, very exhausting. I should have practised my sit-ups before I left home! At one stage I told her to go on and I would wait until the group came back after their walk. She was waving to the group to try to attract their attention. The leader thought we were turning back, but somebody had binoculars and saw me down on the ground so the leader came hurrying back, by which time I had sat up, swung my camera back and forth until sis caught it, rolled onto my knees and crawled to terra firma just in time for the leader to help me to my feet. My trousers were soaked right through but I was laughing my head off.

We carried on with the walk, sis with my camera round her neck. There was a stream or pool to cross with a very shaky boardwalk in the first half then up onto an overturned drum and down onto a firmer bit of boardwalk. I was helped to cross it, but my sister must have been behind me and she fell into the water, although I didnt know until she caught up again. I didnt put all this on the blogspot as she might have been embarrassed. A fine pair of disasters we were.

I spent much of yesterday adding photos to my blogspot. Today I am going to see about getting the camera cleaned out, and going to visit Phil and to attend a meeting. I will add more photos when I get home, I hope.

Huia.

Already seen them Ann, lovely, I love places like that always feels peaceful, pity about the winds spoilng some of it for you but worth a run out ....

Huia, just had a look at your lot too, I am glad your camera started working again, is it the new one you got? the pics are very good and your commentry is interesting too.

Mo why dont you take pics when you are out and about it would be nice to see some of the places you get to...although I am not too sure about that on reflection , I have heard what you get up to, and I think it would be a bit risky to put it on here....lol....hows the handsome Roly doing? give him a hug from me, he deserves one with what he has to put up with.............


Sallie how is your Jennie, hope she is coping alright, Debra went to several places in the U.S. she toured and finished up doing 1000,600 miles....good job she loves driving .... she had her scooter with her so it was no problem for her. getting out and about...we dont think we will get anywhere this year, Jeff still gets tired, but we add a few more miles on every trip out, its a massive improvement considering how he was the begining of June...the consultant says it could be anything from 6 to 12 months before he gets back to normal .....

Sylvia, Joyce Caz, Liz and not forgetting Marie and Huia,and anyone else who just happens to look in....love and hugs all round....
love Jean xx

More photos on the photo blog.