General Chat

Hi all, Happy Easter to those I haven't already said it to lol
I don't know whether I am coming or going at the mo, I have been busy getting all the washing done, just his workstuff to do now, so will put the machine on when I go up to bed, and he can hang it out when he gets up a couple of hours later, outside if it isn't raining. The weather is so unpredicatable, sunny, bright and blowy and then you turn round and it's tiddling down with rain! Luckily he got a dry ride to and from work with rain in between yesterday, as he left the car for me, but I didn't feel up to driving so stayed home instead.
Will have to go out today as I need to pop two little cards and a small gift to two neighbours close to my house, both over 80 and one single lady so few visitos, the other has two daughters but she is in very poor health. The single lady can at least get out and about if she takes it slowly and I have been friends with them since I moved to that area in 1987 so like them to know I haven't forgotten them. I did call and see one the other day when I was there getting my mail from my house. She had just bought herself a new fridgefreezer, that's positive thinking at the age of 82!
I can also pick up my mail from the house and do some errands, see my son and give him an Easter gift, just a bar of chocolate or some creme eggs, and a bright little card to stand on his desk in the flat. He will be busy out and about with his mates - glad he has some time away from work till Tuesday as it gets him down so much, wish he could find a new job.

Huia, hope you can have a pleasant Easter time and have been able to get the lead you needed for the phone. I realised that you are 12 hrs ahead of us now we have changed the clocks to summertime.

We had a large Colmans Factory here in Norwich, it was a major employer but not sure if the Blue was made here at any time. I remember Mum using the blue bag and not just for laundry, she would put it on wasp/bee stings I think.

I like knitting baby things cos they grow so fast but I always make the back and sides of the cardigan/jacket in one and include the start of the button bands too. You can knit up to the armholes in one piece which saves a bit of sewing up. I also knit both sleeves at the same time with two balls of wool on one set of needles as it means you get the same length and don't have to go all way up one sleeve and then back up another!

I can't do lots of individual replies as I am really tired and can't remember everything so please excuse me and know you are all in my thougths, and I wish you a nice Easter weekend among family and friends where possible.

love and hugs
Lizxxx

I seem to remember my mum using the damp blue bag to ease the pain of bee stings. Can anybody remember that?

Huia.

Oooh Liz, you snuck in there when I was typing my last bit. I have only just noticed.

Huia, now going to see if I can get that phone sorted.

Huia, funny we both mentioned the bee stings lol

Hope your shopping is successful

Been thinking about you.

Lizxxxx

I got a 3m long lead. The one which came with the phone was only 2.8m, and wouldnt reach. It cost me $20 for the new one :-(( but it is now set up and I have to charge it for 24 hours, although it looks to me as though the batteries are already charged. I will try it out tomorrow.

Huia.

Morning Ladies, Happy Easter to you .... we look as though we are in for more rain, so I will get another excuse to do my crafting and not go out... lol....
Sylvia have a great time with your family,hope your journey is an easy one...

I remember my mother using the blue bags, and we had a wringer I had to help with turning the handle, it was hard work but it used to work very well ...
the items were almost dry ...

Marie,I used to be in the church choir but as I got older I found I couldnt sustain the breathing and so had to give it up. but I find the modern choruses and hymns are easier to sing. so I can manage them...Mo would be okay singing she is full of wind. most of the time..lol...

~~~~~~~~~~~ to everyone else~~~~~~~~~~~ have a great Easter Holiday and dont forget to tell us your news.... we love a good gossip....

welcome home Marilyn and Ann, Debbie enjoy your holiday, take your thermals....lol...

love Jean xx

Hello my friends,good to hear from you.
Sylvia,I hope your weather has brightened up a little. I know what it is like when bad weather hits the ferries,being so close to Dover and Folkestone.
In fact, yesterday the French seamen were on strike,so all the lorries that head towards the port off Dover,were stacked on the M20 motorway,till such time as the strike was over.
I know what you mean about sewing up knitted garments. But I used to get great delight,looking at the completed garment. I hope Matthew has not out grown them already,at the rate he is growing you will need to knit the next size up for him. lol
Hi Marie. Seeing you write the word BLUO,has reminded me off another chore that I used to get lumbered with as a child,and that was cleaning the brasses with BRASSO. Oh my word,I used to end up with black hands, and the brasses were never up to mums standard,so she would do them again. I never understood why she made me do them in the first place.
Under your circumstances,I can understand why you changed faith.
I am ashamed to say,that we are not great church goers. But it does not
change the way I feel about my faith in the lord.
The only times we seem to go these days,are I am ashamed to say,are for christenings,weddings and burials.
Keep your chin up my friend. Smile and the world smiles with you.
Liz,I hope you found both your friends in good health,bless them.
Some off our more elderly friends can put us to shame can't they. One off
my friends that I meet every day,is 84,and she walks down to meet us every day for a coffee. She is getting quite forgetful,and will tell us as soon as she arrives,which shops she has to go to,and then asks us again as she leaves where she has to go. She does enjoy a good laugh,
and even when some off the subjects we discuss,can be a bit near the knuckle,she sits there in hysterics. She feels that we do her good,but little does she know,that in fact,she does us good.
Huia,it seems to me that great minds think alike,as far as you and Liz go.
Saying about the bee stings at the same time.
I am glad you got the phone sorted out. At least now you can roam around no problem now,and chat away to your hearts content.
Oh my word Jean,have you been peeping in my window,how did you know I am full off wind. Theres one thing for certain,you would not want to hear me sing. They normally stick me out in the middle off the river,as a fog warning. lol
I had to send Roly out on the Easter Egg run today. I dont dare to go to visit the family. Still got this flipping virus,and will be phoning the doctors
first thing Tuesday morning for a prescription,to get rid off all the muck on my chest.
Now where is our Sallie tonight,SALLIIIIIEEEE, where are you.
I noticed that Ann is back from her holiday,hopefully she will pop in later and tell us all about it.
Thats me all talked out for now girls. Now Jean don't be cheeky,I know what you are thinking.
Good night god bless you all. Love Moxxx

Hi, As you saw Mo I am back, and thank you for the Easter card. Sorry, with being away I only sent a few cards out really early.

We had a lovely time, and we liked the area very much we were south of Malaga on the coast. The weather was lovely, like late spring, early summer here, warm and sunny nearly all week. A bit breezy the beginning of the week but seemed to get better when the clocks changed. we were an hour ahead of you which seemed strange. we had a nice apartment for the four of us with lovely views over Nerja and the sea. We drove around a lot (son in law drove the hire car) and went up to Granada and several other places. The food was great and we were surprised that it seemed to be cheaper than the Canaries. The flights out and back (Fly Be) worked well, no delays and very untraumatic. All in all a good week.

Hi all


This is the first time I've been on the computer all day!

I had to go to the mall to do a bit of shopping, and managed to tire myself out. I did feel better after a little snooze in the chair


........ I've been told that we will be over there when a Baby Shower is held, arranged by m-i-l and sis-i-l so that we can attend.

Oh how I wish they were not so thoughtful!!!


Showers are not in our culture ........................ nor I must say in that of most of our friends. J only had one Wedding Shower, held by her best friend. I've heard of some brides having 8 or 10!


I am not looking forward to this Baby one ....... partly because it is being held on our last full day there, when we had hoped to a) have a quiet day with the family, and b) arrange our packing for the next 6 days of the trip!


Anyway, I thought I had better go and pick up a little gift .......... thinking at least it would be different if bought on this side than over there!


The weather was much calmer today, and no rain, even some sun, but colder than normal for this time of year.




Take care

sylvia
xxx

Hello everyone.
Good to see you back Ann. It sounds like you had a wonderful holiday.
I think sometimes it's better to get off the beaten tracks,and try new places.
Have you booked your next holiday yet./
It doesn't look like we will get a holiday this year. Finances won't allow for it.
Thats why I love to hear off everyone elses holidays. It makes me feel like I am there with them.
Sylvia,I thought that baby and wedding showers were always held before the events,not afterwards.
What a shame it is being held on your last day there.
Have they arranged for Matthews christening yet. Or are they not going to bother.?
I have had a very lazy day today. Roly did the Easter Egg run for us. I did not think it very fair to take these germs around the family.
I hope you have all had a good Easter Sunday.
Love and best wishes to you all. Mo xxx

Hi All, Like Mo Sylvia I thought showers were held before the event. Shame it is taking up your last day.
Mo, we have our next holiday booked, a month in Tenerife in May, then back here for five days and a week in Dorset.

Hello Girls,

Hope you've all had a good Easter Sunday. It's been very quiet here, Jennie and Michael came for their lunch as usual, and stayed for a short while afterwards. I've just felt so tired tday, had a nap this afternoon, but it didn't seem to make much difference.

Mo, I sent you an e-mail yesterday, so hope you've received it. Thank you so much for your Easter card. I don't know why, but I forgot about sending any Easter cards--just put it down to old age.

Jean, I also sent you an e-mail, so hope you also got yours.

Ann, good to see you and T home safely and that you all had a good holiday.

Sylvia, hope you and OH will have a good time at your daughter's, and hopefully you'll get some good weather. I'm sure you're looking forward to seeing MJ and perhaps taking him out in his buggy. Enjoy your train journey home and take care! W e'll be waiting to hear all about your holiday and especially MJ.

Just a bit of news about us moving. We've seen another bungalow for sale, so we are going to see if we can view it this week. I'm not putting my mind to it, just in case it goes the same way as the other bungalow did.

Huia, glad that you managed to get the lead you needed, and hope that it's all now set up.

Love and best wishes to everyone. Sallie xxx

Hi everyone

we've just had our Hot Cross Buns for lunch!! We usually have them for breakfast on Easter Sunday, but OH had a bad night, which meant I did as well. He managed to get up to go to church, but left me asleep.


Yes, Wedding and Baby Showers are usually held before the event, usually within the last month.

BUT J's in-laws spend the winter in Florida. They usually go down after Christmas and return at the end of April. But this time they went down at the end of November and came back last weekend .... all arranged according to the due date, which was March 30th. M-i-l did suggest that they could hold the Shower last November before they left. J put the kibosh on that one!

So then the suggestion was that they would hold it at the end of April when MJ would be about 1 month old (again going by the due date).

Well of course MJ couldn't wait ....................... and it is supposed to be an honour for us to be included.

They probably will not have MJ christened ......... fewer and fewer people here do it these days. J did use to attend church regularly, but 2 or 3 years ago she realised that she really was having problems with the church in NS. She'd been to about 4 different parishes in the 5 or 6 years they had been there, and couldn't find a "home" at any of them. In fact their lack of charitable feeling towards, or even acceptance of, segments of society made her lose her faith to a large extent. She fouind their attitude to homosexuals particularly disturbing.


Off to mooch around on GR for a little ....... then back to that darn knitting!!




sylvia
xxxx

Hi..Girls.

I got back yesterday.......very jet lagged we traveled for 30hrs having left Sydney to Hong Kong 10hrs then 3hrs wait for flight to Heathrow,13hrs, then waited 3hrs for the coach to Devon that took 4hrs!!
So as you can see not quite with it ..Yet !!

I managed to do some washing yesterday as it was nice and sunny and I rushed the unpacking to get it into the machine & on line.

We did enjoy our cruise but felt a bit trapped at times, as some days we were at sea for three days.....if the weather was good it was fine ....BUT when it was not it was a case of what do we do now ?????
I'm not into Bingo or games as they reminded me of Butlins !!!
But I did read a lot....
Anyway we did see a lot of Australia as we stayed with my niece for 9days prior to the cruise ,.....but it was very expensive I was there many times over the past years ,but the prices HAD gone up almost doubled to what we pay in UK......simple things like soap & shampoo.I spoke to a local lady in a store that said she used to go out with her family regularly for meals but have now stopped it as it got expensive.

New Zealand was lovely less expensive than OZ and my favorite place was Dunedin ( quaint ). we ended up in Wellington. which I also liked but by now it was getting a bit chilly... as it was their autumn .
I did try and wave to Huia from the ship but I was a bit too far away...LOL

So now I'm back home , I have so much to do ..!!!!!! garden looks a mess but I did scatter some seeds in any part of my garden ,all seem to be coming up...... I cheated there. LOL
Its lovely to see primroses shooting up, the daffs seem to have been and gone a bit.

So now I'm staying grounded for a while, I told hubby no more holidays until after the summer.
I have not looked at any Photo's as yet but hope to get some to you soon as I have recuperated .

JEAN a big thank you for the lovely Easter card...that was brill !!!

I got to go out now and get some Easter eggs as the grand kids are coming later today......hope there are some left !!

I did try to wave to you Marilyn, but maybe I chose the wrong day.

My son paid a short visit this Easter. He has had a very busy weekend. On Friday he and his friends went tramping (aka hiking) in the Kaimai ranges. On Saturday his cousin visited him. On Sunday he went to help a friend in Hamilton. She has a rare kind of leukaemia. He was shoveling lots of pebbles around on her garden or paths or something for much of the day. He arrived here just after dinner. This morning he drove us both over to the next valley where we used to live as he wanted to clear the blackberries from around where he knows there are some old daff bulbs that he wants to get some time soon. When we got back he went a little way down the road to see if there were any grapes on a vine growing on an old house site, but there werent. Then he loaded some old sheets of corrugated iron that I had plus a pruning ladder which I wont be using onto the top of his ute and left. He was going to a forestry block which he and some mates have on the other side of the Waikato River, 'up the Klondyke'. That is the name of the road, so I can say I have been up the Klondyke. He was unloading the stuff, including lots of prunings from his Hamilton friends place at the block then loading the ute with firewood to take home to Rotorua. I just hope he wasnt too late leaving for home and didnt get mixed up in all the traffic heading home from their Easter hols.

I have just phoned my sparky. About a month ago the light over the dining table went out. I replaced the so-called eco friendly bulb with an ordinary one, but it went out after a couple of weeks so I replaced it with an ordinary one but on Friday night that one went out and as they were all different types of bulbs I figured it couldnt be the bulbs that were the problem. Sparky says it might be an extra high voltage occuring in the evening after everybody has finished cooking so he is going to talk to the power board to see if they can run tests. I cant afford to replace light bulbs every week or two! Or rather I find it a nuisance having to climb up to replace the bulbs.

I have been busy doing Phils tree on another site as I can print off a fan chart on that site. I still have some facts to find but I think I will have to give up on some as his Brown ancestors didnt register the births of their 10 (or thereabouts) children. And I have had problems deciding which death reg. are his family. I have been going cross-eyed looking at freeBMD.

Huia.

Hi Everyone,

Marilyn, glad to see that you and OH have arrived home safely. You sound absolutely worn out after all that travelling. Apart from the one part of the cruise where you were on the ship for three days, you had a lovely time.
Shame that both you and Huia missed each other waving.

Huia, you son certainly had a very busy weekend. I'm sure you were glad of his company. Did you both manage to visit Phil? Hope you can get your electrical problem sorted out soon.

I'm going out now, so speak to you all later on.

Love, Sallie xxx

Hi all.
Sallie I did not get your e.mail,so I don't know where that disappeared to.
I do hope that the Bungalow comes up to expectations,and is within your price range. There nothing worse than falling in love with a place,and not being able to afford it. I know speaking from experience.
I hope you had a good afternoon out.
A whole month in Tenerife Ann,how lovely. You will come back nice and relaxed. Have you been there before.?
Sylvia I can understand your daughters feelings about the churches where she lives.
When we had our church blessing for our 40th anniversary,6years ago, we had a lovely lady vicar. She was down to earth,and made us both very comfortable in her presence. The whole service was wonderful,and the guests that attended,said that they would start to attend her services. But unfortunately,they moved her to another parish,at the other end off the country. This is always happening,just as we got used to a vicar,they were moved on.
Hello our little traveller,good to have you back. Sorry that the cruise was not all that you expected. But it was nice to see family all the same wasn't it. Fancy you not being into bingo,tut tut. You could have been shouting to me,two fat ladies 88,or clickety click 66,key off the door 21. Off course I never go to bingo,hmmm little fibber.
My lord Huia,I am quite exhausted reading off all the things your son got up to,at the weekend. I bet he was glad to get home for a rest. Even though it was all done off his own back.
Did you get to see Phil at the weekend at all.? Whats your weather been like lately.?
Hi Marie,Liz and I must not forget Jean(((((((hugs for you Jean)))))))))))

Hi everyone , I have been, busy,busy busy....lol......card making, need to get 50 or so done to take into church next week, of course I didnt have all I needed, so have to go out tomorrow and see if manage to get it all....well thats my excuse anyway........
Marilyn, glad you like d the e-card, nice to see you back, I am sure as the days go on and you sort your photos out lots of good memories will come back to you....

Ann, are you going to the same place as before? wish I could persuade J to go for longer hols. two weeks is his limit,but thats better than none at all....lol....

Sallie I havent recieved your mail either, but you get mine so cant think what the problem is, I have some more pics of the cards if you want to see them...

Huia, Marie and Sylvia, hope you had a good rest over the Easter break thats if you get a Easter break....lousy weather in my neck of the wood, rain and a lot colder, the forecast is for warmer and nicer weather next week, so fingers X...

Mo, are you feeling any better now, what you need is sunshine, buck you up no end....J and I make a picnic and head of somewhere, we have some lovely places to go and sit, quite close to home so not a long trek....
we even picnic in the winter, as long as its fine, nice and warm in the car.
I do soup and sarnies coffee and cake ....unless we go to a place near a river lovely spot and there is a little cafe we get a tray with bacon and sausage butties plus mugs of coffee and cakes to die for....all brought to the car...love it....

Hope Debbie is liking her Holiday at Whitby,the weather forecast for that area is going to get better , we have friends who are at Scarborough, and they always have good weather ,I am sure they will have a great time whatever the weather.....

well cant stay here nattering , off to do some more cards....see you all soon....

Love Jean xx

Hi Sallie, just a quicky. I have been busy catching up in the house and garden since coming out of hospital last Sunday, and have made very few posts, anywhere. Thanks for reading my post on Eldricks thread. I was so frustrated when I came back from there, and yes, you have the correct store. Any Friday morning can be a nightmare in there, but Good friday, had to take the biscuit. I swear it was not like that at Christmas.
How is your bungalow hunting going. I am sorry, I have lost track.
I am at the Royal tomorrow for a barium x-ray, and tonight, no tea for me. I am now about to take a glass full of Picolax, a strong laxative.
I hope everyone has had a nice Easter, and will get back as soon as possible.
Julia in Derbyshire

Hi All,

Mo and Jean, I can't understand why you haven't had your e-mails. Alun is going to have a look at them when I've finished here.

Mo, we only went to Hobbycraft, to pick up a few bits and pieces that I need- the trouble is I just can't go and pick up what I need, the things that I needed would have only cost a few pound at the most, but I ended up spending £26. We've been busy today, started to sort some things out in the house---the stuff we've hoarded over the years, is unbelievable. Also got some washing done and dried, including the bedding, so that's a good job done.

Jean, I would love to have some more pics please, the more ideas I get , the better. I'm still waiting for Alun to send mine to you, but I think Christmas will be here before that happens. Are the cards you're making for the church, all religious, or all kinds? I'm now going to start making Christie's 21st Birthday cards, so if I'm not on for a day or two, you'll all know where I am.

Julia, hope all goes well for you tomorrow! Will you know the results tomorrow or will you have to wait? When Jennie has a Colonoscopy, she watches it on the screen, and the Consultant discusses it with her while she's doing it. She's a brilliant Consultant, a very friendly and homely person--she was telling Jennie that she hasn't got a daughter, but has got six sons. We are now looking for other bungalows, as it seems we didn't offer enough for the one near Jennie. Good luck for tomorrow, I'll be thinking about you!

Thinking of Marie, Ann, Sylvia, Debbie, Huia and Marilyn.

Love and best wishes to you all. Sallie xxx