General Chat

Gosh sounds delious Vera, ha ha I'm sure he will enjoy that combination.

I have steak in ale , mash carrots and brocoli.

I sent an invoice this morning to a customer but mucked it up and instead of taking off one lot of postage as she bought 2 lots I took it all off so I am out of pocket. I have been on the pc and phone all afternoon trying to sort it out.

Yes the man came to see if my pc was ok and its is so that was good. Stuart did'nt come or ring me. The man (Neal) was very nice and showed me one thing to do to get rid of all the spam at once which I did'nt know before so that will be quicker now.

He told me its all changing soon so I think I am in for a shock once it does or it maybe better who knows. I just wish they would'nt keep changing things. I just get used to one thing nd then they throw something else at me.

As to Asda not stocking the milk powder anymore perhaps they found it did'nt sell so well as it did in lockdown. I shall have to have a look and see if our Asda still do it cos people use that in the bread machines.

Good luck with the packing Vera I hope you don't forget anything important.

It's been sticky and muggy and very overcast all day. The app on my phone is saying it's 24 degrees but feels like 27 and that seems about right but there has been no sign of sun at all today. It's definitely headache weather.

I've got the cases out ready for packing tomorrow and I've sorted clothes and made sure I've got all the paperwork in order and got all the things like medication ready. I can't believe that years ago I would be washing and ironing clothes for 4 of us, doing the packing and cleaning through the house the day before we went. I wish I still had that amount of energy. I have a busy day tomorrow again as I am getting my haircut and have some other errands to do in town.

I'm sorry to hear that your sister has Covid AnnG. Rotten luck to have it on holiday. I hope she's not too uncomfortable and it doesn't affect her fibromyalgia.

Mandy, I can't believe Chelsea is going to be 17. It seems no time at all since you sent us a picture of her all dressed up for a leavers' party at primary school.

I hope the BT man turned up on time and has got you all sorted out Mel.

I can't believe how many subs Asda seem to send Annx. It's not just you and Mel; my friend M used to have a weekly delivery and got so fed up that she changed to Sainsbury's. I think I'll stick with a combination of Tesco and Sainsbury. I think that photo search facility could be useful and I ought to look at downloading an app to my phone. I didn't have to download anything to my iPad; it all seems to be built in somehow and I can take a photo of something that it will search for or upload an existing picture. The problem is my iPad is one of the larger ones and a bit big to take out and about with me.

Are you back to school as well Gwyn? Your local primary must be very glad that you volunteer and I expect the children's reading improves no end with a bit of one-to-one help.

I'm just going to feed the tomatoes now and pick any that are ready. Isn't it always the way - everything ripens up just as you are going to be away. After that I must go and sort our dinner out. I took some salmon from the freezer earlier but I need to find veg to go with it. It's a case of trying to use up what's hanging around in the fridge. I wonder how OH would feel about prune decorated salmon served with a fried egg and a side salad? ;-)

Afternoon All,

It was very muggy here first thing with that very fine drizzle you can hardly see, but it was ok while we did some errands. We thought we'd check in Asda down the road to see if they really had some skimmed milk powder, as I hadn't even seen it listed on our last 2 online shops. It took asking 3 assistants to find the powdered milk and all one said to me was ''it's not my department' and no offer to find someone else to help! It was an older lady assistant who came with us and found the empty space where it should be that was most help. She checked on her machine as well and they've stopped stocking it. It was their own brand as well and got top reviews. We started using it for hot chocolate drinks during the pandemic to save using up our fresh milk and found it was better than the fresh for the drinks. So the the less tasty Co-op version will have to do now. We also saw 2 things we were sent subs for were in stock and the helpful assistant rolled her eyes and shook her head, so I think the pickers aren't always very good. It's a huge store so my knees had had enough tramping here and there looking by then, so it was an excuse for OH to park next to Waterstones a bit higher up and we had a bacon butty with coffee at Costa's in there.

I've booked our flu and covid jabs for October. I have 2 other vaccines before then so will be up to date with all the childhood ones and boosters by then at last!

Gwyn I didn't realise there were still any grammar schools let alone same sex ones which is what I went to as a girl. To be honest, if there had been boys I don't think us girls would have done as well at school with the distraction and competing with each other with boys around. The skirts on some of the girls that go to the school a quarter of a mile from here barely cover their knicker legs.

I didn't think Chelsea was quite as old as 17 Mandy! :-0 Is she carrying on at school for now? Money for her birthday will be appreciated most I think as it is an age when our tastes can be quite particular and can change each week! She'll enjoy being able to choose herself something she likes. OH said he is taking the Cordyline on the front to the tip when he cuts it down again as a bit of it will completely fill the garden bin. It's regrown since it was tall and cut down. I do like them, but this is a vigorous one, too near the bedroom window and the roots too near a drain for my liking. It also harbours a lot of jumping spiders that like to come in the bedroom. We have started clearing some things for the tip from the shed as well as it needs replacing and there are things in there we'll never need or use now.

Back to admin again now like AnnG, I want to set up a small saving account my bank has started for current account holders that pays 6.5% for 12 months. With just about everything likely to get more expensive every penny counts and ERNIE has forgotten me this month!

AnnG I think sometimes changes in air pressure can affect aches and pains. We were comparing ours when we woke up this morning. We both said how we can be fine going off to sleep, then wake up with something hurting/aching so it must be a change in position in our sleep at times. I hope your legs eased up after you got up.

Yes that's the one Anng I thought she was good and that Tom would turn I think he had his hand over the button , he turns his head to really listen I suppose for pitch .

Gwyn I suppose you get a lot of that fine sea mist as your nearer the coast ,its still muggy here and quite hot when the sun out but it has clouded up a bit here and there's very black clouds at times ,looks like it could rain at times and then the suns out again .
Mel I hope you get on OK with the BT man and its good you'll have Stuart there with you too .

Raining here now but its getting a bit brighter.

Good morning all.
Sorry AnnG, No sun showing in this part of the south east to send your way :-(

Earlier there was damp mist, so fine that you could not see it, but just felt it in the air, but now the ground is dry again and it has eased, although still overcast with no sign of the sun. Quite muggy.

It's back to school day for a lot of children locally and then very soon, - about 2nd week of September? there is The Kent Test for Year 6, ie. top junior age children. This is more or less equivalent to what you and I would know as the 11 +, as we still have grammar schools in this area. - single sex ones at that.

I agree with you Mandy, it's difficult to know what to buy teenagers these days. I have the same problem with a soon to be 16 year old's birthday. With the help of my girls, we usually have managed to come up with something for her, so far. I think they are always grateful for a bit more spending money, so that is a good option. There are grandchildren of friends and neighbours, who I buy for too, but for them I stop at their 18th and then they just get a card after that.

I'm glad some of you were able to benefit from daughter's method of looking up plants using her phone. I had to ask her how to do that, as I don't use a mobile day to day, but I know when we have been walking in the countryside or visiting gardens, she has been able to look things up and get an answer almost instantly.

Mandy, do you mean the one who sang Ave Maria? Yes she had a lovely voice but she chose the wrong song. They did say they were almost turning but something about it was 'off' towards the end so maybe she didn't have the stamina for that song. I thought Tom might have gone. I quite like the new line up and the fact that they were doing things differently and a bit more relaxed.

Morning girls,

I woke at 6.15am for the loo and it was all foggy and grey so I went back to bed for a while. Woke again and it was still grey fog so thought I'll just lay here a while.As i sit here it is just brightening up a bit and the fogs gone now. Its 17 degrees and pc says fog.

Got that BT man coming todya so better have a bit of a tidy up. Not much to do just some washing up. He is supposed to be coming between 12pm and 2 pm and I must ring Stuart.

Morning Anng, morning all,

Sorry Anng we have all the sunshine again and it's very muggy ,I was so hot in the night.
We watched the Voice I recorded it so we could whizz through it ,they didn't put the one I liked through it was the young lady she had a lovely voice but as soon as she started I thought they won't put her through with that song .

We're off on a tip run this morning, garden rubbish and lots of stuff from the shed ,there's lots more bits that needs to go but we need to sort it out .
I picked a nice little bowl of toms this morning and three big cues and three small,

Ann ,Chelsea will be 17 this month she's into her clothes and makeup so it will be money for her birthday as I have no idea what to buy .

Good morning all, 18 degrees here now but grey and damp. Would somebody please push that sun over here from the south East.

A strange 'bitty' sleep last night but not too tired this morning. Woken up with very painful legs again, though I had got that sorted. No idea why they should be painful as I didn't walk far over the weekend. I am wondering if it is the return to the damp weather?

Nothing planned for today but do have some admin jobs to do.

That was a good sub then with the tamps Anng.

The cloud shifted a bit this morning and there was some sun but after that heavy downpour it was so very muggy out. I hav'nt done any gardening today just flopped about after feeding te hens and fish. I did feed the toms and yesterday I spied some small runners on the beans so I think I may have some of those this year and the other tomato was'nt really ripe enough to have for my big breakfast today so I left it on the plant. I also have a dragonfly in my little greenhouse and I can't get it out, may have to try my net pond net and see if I can catch it in that. My cue plant seems to have gone blind and has only reached about 4 and a half foot. I usually grow them on over the canes of the toms but its not even reached the top of its own cane.

Left knees very stiff today. wehad no more rain today after that first shower so that was good.

Had a bonfire tonight and then went and washed my hair and had a shower.

Now i am ging to wish you all a good night sleep and see you inthe morning. Night night sleep tight.

Did anyone watch the Voice yesterday? I recorded it and have just watched it. A new line up of judges and I found it really entertaining, very funny.

Yes Ann if Tesco sub they charge the original order price. So I got two books of first class stamps for the price of two se one class. Can’t be bad.

Afternoon All,

It's dropped to 24 degrees here now, and still bright sunshine. It was muggy earlier and I had to splash my face and arms with cold water as I was really hot and clammy in the study where the sun beats down till it moves to the back.

I had a look at the Sheb Fest as I know Terry played with Primal Scream in Devon last year. Then I realised he's not there just now as I heard from him at home this morning! My brain gets worse!

I had 6 subs today and have had to send them all back! It doesn't help meal planning. AnnG if Asda send a sub that costs more they don't charge any extra so maybe Tesco do the same. I'm glad you slept better last night. It must be more comfortable with the stitches out and no dressing blob to be careful with. It's a shame your sister has covid while on holiday, but I would hate being in 33 degrees. Often it is a bit cooler by water though or a bit of breeze. I think you were right about the planes coming in on a different flight path, as I can hear some now as the show comes to an end. They've upset the geese down the road on the lake as they made a right racket when they first heard them!

I hope you have no problems with your holiday this time Vera. I'd heard of those picture searches before but had forgotten all about them! Thanks very much for mentioning them and to Gwyn and daughter as I've now managed to download a free app for one and will try it out tomorrow. It looks quite straighforward and will be good going on walks as I am poor at identifying things like trees as well as plants. Oh no, it sounds like a plate of mint sauce with lamb on the side then. He does better than my OH who wouldn't know where to start with making mint sauce.

It's a horrid thing to have happened and is quite understandably upsetting for people to behave like that if it was deliberate Mandy, but I keep thinking of you in the front of your house peering through houseplant foliage with binoculars like Miss Marple! Do take your makes in when you can't keep an eye on them just in case she thinks she got away with it and tries it again. People wouldn't usually suspect someone in a wheelchair would they? Young Chelsea must be quite a young lady now going off to a pop festival with a friend! I've never been to one in my life. OH watches some of Glastonbury on tv.

He did some more bramble and ivy clearing at the bottom of the garden early this morning, so the garden bin is filling up again. He keeps getting a lot of worse aching in his legs and sat in the stand at footie yesterday so I think he might have to try some different statins.

We had our covid and flu jab invites yesterday so I'll have to check when the dates start as I already have 2 other jabs booked to have.

Vera that single on lasts me two days, I have got one in the fridge right now. They are often shown side by side in the picture lisiing. Have you got a couple of sausages you could defrost to give your OH with his meat?

My sister \who is in a hotel in Lake Garda has just tested positive for Covid. At the moment she says it is just like a cold., she has probably had it for three days so hopefully it is quite mild. Probably caught it at the airport or on the plane. The hotel don't seem bothered. She will stay away from people. As she suffers with fibromyalgia she often spends time in her room and she has a balcony. She has 7 days before flying home.

Glad you got 2 packets of stamps AnnG. I am sure it is OK for them to be sold to you at a discount because Tesco will cover the difference when they make their payment to Royal Mail or whoever their contract is with.

The Tesco saga goes on but now it's my fault. When I went to take the lamb shanks out of the box I found I'd got a single serving. I must have clicked on the wrong button and I didn't notice when it was delivered because the box is the same size as the 2-serving one. I'm not a big meat eater so I'm OK with sharing it between us but it doesn't seem much to give OH who likes his meat. The funny thing is I asked him to chop some mint for sauce and he's made up the sauce and done enough for 10 people. So lots of mint sauce and not much lamb to put it on.

Vera yes sometimes you think 'but just WHY?' However this time it is ok.
Sister is at Lake Garda and has been shocked to have temperatures 33+ and, she says very sticky.

I stand corrected. just rechecked that and I am wrong, they have sent two 1st class books so I will keep those. (for the price of the 2nd class, not sure they are supposed to do that.)

Sometimes you wonder what some of these pickers and packers are thinking. I saw an even better one on their website the other day when I was putting in my order. It was a plastic pot with 3 types of cabbage and smoked bacon and was out of stock so underneath it said why not substitute with.............wait for it.......... a pack of sticky toffee puddings. There'll go well with meat and gravy!

Sorry Mel it's wall to wall sunshine here and 25 degrees. There is a slight breeze but my phone app is telling me it feels like 30. I suspect it's similar where Chelsea is. It might be just a little cooler or cloudier but it should stay dry for the music festival.

I've just looked up the 10 day forecast for where we are going next week. OMG, they have a severe heat warning!!! The temp there yesterday was 34 degrees and feeling hotter and it is supposed to be in the 30s most of the time we are there. I think we'll be dashing from hotel room to air conditioned cafe and back, maybe taking a look at a nice, cool stone church on the way, lol.

Mel, I am sure it can't be good for you to go without food and drink for such long spells. I know when you're working you might be quite a way from your house but could you take a little mini picnic with you? A bottle of water and a couple of cream crackers would do to tide you over till you eat in the evening. At least make sure you are drinking plenty while you are doing all that physical work. I do admire you being able to keep at it for so long. These days I think I've done well if I manage an hour outside.

I've got some birthday cards to write for people whose birthday is while we are away so I must get those done and walk to the post box with them. We only have one collection a day from the box and it is at 9 am Monday-Friday and 7 am Saturday so I have to try to remember to get anything I want to go in the box the day before. I'll get that done now and then get our lamb shanks in the oven. They only take about 45 minutes as they are the pre-cooked ones