General Chat

Hi all
xxx


we are having some pleasant weather at the moment ...... but it has gone from almost record rain on Tuesday to dry today!

Don't think it knows what it is supposed to be doing!!

we seem to be moving slowly towards being ready to leave on Dec 14th


Take care everyone ...... keep warm and keep your footing when you go out!



sylvia
xxx

from*** The Snow Fairy****Dear friends I almost made a mistake and posted on the last Page. That was close,Phew says she wipeing the sweat off her brow.
How are you all the rain has stopped in the last hour and the clouds are breaking up. I hope it stays away for awhile,I have a mini creek accross my drive way from all the water pouring accross it.

Hi Huia, according to the weather forcast the rain is heading your way.
I hope you dont get the deluge that we have experienced.
Hi Tess your son is keeping you on the Hop, you will miss him when he goes but you wont miss the mess or the cooking or the washing,, no no

Hello to Ann, Sylvia, Jean ,Mo, Liz and Sallie.
Love to you all
Marie

Hi there Marie, and anybody else who is already up.

If the rain comes here, it would need to be of biblical proportions to flood our house as we are up on a hillside. Of course it might make it difficult if I want to go to town, but the dams are not quite full at present so they will take some of the water. Northland could certainly use some rain though.

I went for a walk this morning, drove over the hill to the valley and walked up and across one of the dams and back down again (naturally). Tomorrow morning I am thinking of going to the Waikumete cemetery to see how my gt grandparents headstones are doing. A month or so ago some vandals wrecked a lot of old headstones. At least I have photos if my lot were among the wrecked ones.

Take care in the snow and ice all my friends in England and Wales and Scotland and wherever.

Huia.

Hello girls not been to good last couple of days so not been on, the pain in my back makes it hard to sit for long. Sallie I haven't forgotten to send my address, I'll send you an e-mail.
I hope you are all staying nice and warm and not going out unless you have to, it's been bad here and we still have a lot of snow on the ground. One thing I have noticed is how many icicles there are, I haven't seen any for years but they are hanging all along the roof opposite, they looked lovely when the sun shone on them yesterday.The sky looks full of snow today though.
I can't remember all the names so I'll just say be careful when you go out to you all, the oness here anyway.

Caz xx

Hi Ladys
have just put thread up for our Caz for postive thoughts she has another scan on monday so needs our surport ,which we give without question its been snowing all day and it dos,nt help with the pain but done shopping not going out any more,but must,nt complain could be worse take care everyone and keep safe might be back on in abit ,but its painful to sit for to long have anice weekend
Love Dutchxx
ps sorry Caz but you need us with you on monday so had to put thread up

Good afternoon girls.
Well we did our marathon expedition today. Roly cleared a way for us to get out of our road, then we had to tackle the supermarket. Oh my lord, what is up with people, do they think we are going to be snowed in for weeks or something.
Considering we had not been out of the house since last monday,and had lived from our food stock, and the freezer,we had done very well.
All is now replenished,and we should be o.k for at least another fortnight.

Tess you are going to be very busy, getting those certs through at last. At least it will give you something to do,if you do get another snowfall.
It doesn't seem to matter what age our children are, us good ol mums are still needed to do things for them.
We seem to think that when they leave home, that they will stand on their own two feet, but they don't do they.
I'm sure when I left home,I really did not call on my parents for anything.
As far as I was concerned, I intended to cope on my own. They had never given me much help when I was at home, so it didn't make much difference anyway. I was pig headed and stubborn I suppose.
But my own children, know they can rely on us to help them whenever they
need us to.

10 days to go Sylvia, and you will be on that train,travelling to see little MJ.
At least your trains manage to run during the snow, not like this country.
Our stop, even if they have leaves on the rails. It's stupid really, so many people have been unable to get to work, because there were no trains running at all.
So Viv is now in Spain then is she, lucky girl. I do read the thread and catch up on whats occuring. Poor Rene's don't know what she's in for does she.

Hi there little Snow Fairy, Marie.
Having that mini creek across your drive, could be made into a money spinner for you. You could hold the aqua aerobics out there. lol And then get the Gym instructor a nice cup of coffee,and a sanga, if he will hold the gym session in your living room,or on the veranda.
Hows the family love, and is your knee feeling any better.?

Huia, I don't know how people can desecrate cemetaries the way they do.
Shame on them all. I hope your grandparents graves will be o.k.
Only a couple of weeks ago, there was an outcry here. Someone had been and ruined headstones on quite a few graves. A young couple had lost a baby, and they had put lots of things on the baby's grave,only to find they had been stolen. They were heartbroken.

Caz, don't worry about not being able to post. Your well being is far more important to us all. We are here for you, and hope you can read our messages when you feel fit enough to do so.
Talking of icicles, roly had to lean out of the bedroom window this morning, to dislodge an enormous one, that was hanging from our guttering. Our neighbours must have thought he was mad, there he was,
broom in hand knocking it down.
I was woken during the night, to what I think was the snow falling of our roof. For one awful minute, I thought we had got the rats back in the attic, whew thank the lord it wasn't.

Joyce, thank you so much for the card, it arrived in the post this morning.
This is our first postal delivery, since last monday. There was only one good thing about that, no bills arrived.
I hope you and Jan are coping in this weather. It's a nuisance as you can't get out to use your mobility scooter.

Jean my lovely, thank you for your card as well. Both yours and Joyce's arrived in the same post. Now is that trying to tell me something or what, I know you are close, but blimey both cards at once is a miracle. I always said there was a little bit of witch in you Jean, the same as me.lol

I hope Sallie is o.k,as she has not been on for a couple of days again,or maybe I have missed her posting, I will have to check back in a minute.
Bye for now my friends, take good care of yourselves. Love Mo xxx

Hi Everyone.

Hooray! It''s just to rain here, so let's hope it will wash all the snow away.
We had another lot of snow last night, so couldn't go on our usual Saturday morning trip to Derby.


Joyce, I've just posted on your thread for Caz, thanks for letting us know.
At least you've done your shopping, so won't have to go out in the snow you're having for a while.
We went to A--a yesterday afternoon, there were casts of thousands there,
a lot of people were buying food as though it was going out of fashion.lolol!!



Caz, talking about icicles, when we went to get into the car to go shopping yesterday, I noticed that we had a few icicles hanging from the bottom of our car. I've never seen that before, unless I just haven't noticed.lol!

Thank you, I know you'll send me your address when you can, so don't worry. I know that you can't always do things because of your illness. I'll be thinking about you on Monday, and hoping that the results of the scan will be alright.



Marie, let's hope that you have seen the last of the rain for a while. It will be great to get out into your garden again.
I'm hoping that when this lot of snow has gone, we won't have anymore for a long time. I need to finish my Christmas shopping, but with the snow we've had, we just haven't been able to get about.



Sylvia, let's hope the snow will keep away from Vancouver, so that you can get out and about to get a few last minute things before you go to your daughter's for Christmas.



Mo, hope the snow is starting to go away from your area. I don't blame Roly for not going out in the car, it's much safer on your drive---only that Alun has to go to work, our car wouldn't be off our drive too.


Jean, hope your Vertigo is better than it's been. Also hope that D managed to get back and fore work safely this week. I know that she has to go on the road over the Pennines, so can understand you worrying about her, when she's travelling.

I'm like you, I worry about them travelling when the weather is okay, and imagine everthing that could happen when the weather is bad.




Tess, I'm sure you must be enjoying a quiet weekend. As much as we love our children, we get to appreciate our own space. After they have left home, we can do what we want to do when we want to. It's lovely to have them visit for a short time, but wouldn't want them to live with us again.

There again, I don't suppose they would want to live with us either, unless they really had to.

Could you pm your address please, if you don't mind. I would like to send you a Christmas card, but I understand if you would prefer not to give it.



Huia, hope you managed to get to the cemetery and that the gravestones of your ancestors were not too bad. What makes peoplewant to vandalise
gravestones, or for that matter vandalise anything. There must be something not quite right with them, to do all the damage they do to something that doesn't belong to them, for goodness sake.

Hope Phil was alright when last visited him, and that he was awake and alert for your visit.




Ann, sorry I missed you before went to Torquay. I hope you had a safe journey and that the weather isn't as bad as some parts of the country.
Take care and have a good and safe journey home.


Liz, if you're looking in, hope you are alright. Have you seen the baby yet?
It would be lovely to see her, especially now it's nearing Christmas.
Take care!




I might look in later on to see if anyone has posted.

Take care everyone, and for those of us living in cold places, keep warm and safe.


Love and best wishes. Sallie.xxx

Just a quickie girls, it's chucking it down with rain here. This time I am awake to see it,as it supposedly rained during the night as well,and I missed it as I was fast asleep.

Hi Mo, just missed your post earlier on. It's still raining here, only a fine rain and it's also a bit foggy, the main thing it's starting to get rid of the snow. Yipeeee!

The drum on our washer is loose, Alun has tried to tighten it , but he can't get to one part of it, so Michael is going to help him tomorrow to see if he can get to the awkward part---I think it will mean new washer though.

Love, Sallie.xxx

Oh for goodness sake Sallie, you don't really need that expense just before christmas, but a washing machine is a neccessity these days.
I do wonder how our grandparents managed years ago, and they had bigger families than we have these days.
I am watching Merlin, I love this series, but tonight is the last for the time being.
Love Mo xxx

Hi all

I'm really tired tonight .............. I went downtown!

Wouldn't normally have gown into town on a Saturday in December, but I suddenly realised that I needed some "intimate apparel", as it was listed on the store directory! The store I buy from is right downtown in the heart of downtown

Of course, I ended up wandering around the store more than I had planned

Our tempratures are dropping .... it was close to -2C last night and will reach the same tonight.

It actually was quite beautiful looking out of the bus windows as I went downtoen. The downtown is north of where I live, and north of it is the harbour and then the mountains start rising from the water on the other side ...... they were covered with new snow. There was a bright blue sky, and the sun was shining!


I love looking at those North Shore Mountains (as we call them) ......... from 5 miles away!!




sylvia
xxx

Most of 'my' headstones were ok. One had been twisted a bit on the plinth but the slimeballs must have decided it was too difficult to push over. Unfortunately another headstone was smashed. I am wondering if the bits can be glued back together, lying on the grave instead of standing vertically, but I dont know if there will be enough room as they have another little 'stone' added in memory of their son who died in Australia. I will try to ring the cemetery office in the morning to see if they have any ideas.

Phil was just finishing his lunch when I called in on the way back. He was awake for a while but then he fell asleep so I came home. I almost fell asleep as I was driving home on the motorway so I left it by the botanic gardens and went there to the carpark and had a little sleep before I finished my journey.

Huia.

Hello Ladies,


Hope all is well with you and your families today.


Huia, I can't understand why these yobs think it's great to smash
gravestones, it's a shame that there aren't any cameras in the cemetery, so that at least some of them would get caught and made to pay out of their own pocket for the damage they have caused.

Glad that Phil was awake for a short while when you called to see him.
You were very wise pulling off the motorway and into the car park to have a nap before driving the rest of the way home.

A few years ago after Richard had been here for a few days, I decided that I would go back down with him, as I wanted to go into London to do some shopping. We were on the M40 motorway when he started to fall asleep, so he pulled into the nearest services, and we both had a nap in the car.



Mo, our washing machine is beyond repair, so we'll have to buy a new one, I'm afraid.

Jennie and Michael have been for their usual Sunday lunch, so have taken two loads of washing with them, so they'll ring us when it's all done and we'll go and pick it up. So then I'll only have to dry it, not an easy job at this time of the year.

As you said Mo, I wonder how our grandmothers and great grandmothers managed all those years ago, it really must have been hard work. I know Monday was always wash day, it must have taken them hours to do the family wash, especially as most people had more children in those days.
I think we have it pretty easy compared to our ancestors.



Sylvia, going downtown has made you tired, but at least you now have your " intimate apperal " ----sounds very posh, I must say, lolol!!

I know what you mean about feeling tired and worn out after walking around the shops. Myself and two very good friends always went out for a full days Christmas every year, but now can only manage a few hours at the most. So now we go over a couple of times, and buy the presents bit by bit.

Have finished your present buying? I bet you've enjoyed buying MJ's pressies this year.

I've been trying to buy a snowsuit or pramsuit for Chloe's sister, but the only ones I can get in her size at the moment is quite expensive. I don't think that they are worth money, as she will have grown out of it by next winter.


Caz, good luck with your scan tomorrow, hoping and praying that things are no worse. I'll be thinking about you. Take care on the ice while getting to the hospital and also hope that the lifts in the flats will be working okay.



Joyce, have you had anymore snow since yesterday? I hope you are not in so much pain at the moment, and that you are able to move about a bit more.
Also hope your dog is better, bless him. Poor Jan could have done without all that mess to clear up, I'm sure.


Jean, were you able to go to church today? Not sure if you've had snow and ice in your part of the country yet.
We had rain yesterday which has washed some of the snow away, but still got a lot to get rid of. Last night it stopped raining, but then we had freezing fog---I hate fog anyway, but when it's freezing it's much worse.


Tess, hope all is well with you in Brum. Is it today that your son gets back?


Ann, not sure when you get home, but have a safe journey.


Marie, hope the rain hasn't come back, and that you are able to do your garden. Also hope that your knee is feeling a bit better.


Liz, do you still go to your Consellor on a Monday? I hope that you are feeling the benefit talking to her.
I know that I felt better after talking to the one I seen. Although I still get odd days when I don't feel quite on top. I don't think I'll be completely without depression, but as long it isn't as bad as it was then I feel sure that I can cope. Cross fingers!



I'm going to make some cards now, but might look in later on.


Love and best wishes to you all. Sallie. xxx

Hello everyone
Mo and Sallie, I remember well the times before washer drier machines and full length washing lines before rotary ones too.
I was one of 6 children, i was a fifties child so no electrical aids then.
I do remember a mangle and having to watch fingers in the rollers.
But mostly I remember the twin tub !! which was used first for the whites at almost boiling point. Then the coloureds cooler water. Lastly the dark things and the water looked grimy and was tepid. Then everything had to be spun dry.
In the summer it was easy as you hung it out whatever the weather, for days at a time if necessary. But winter they were hung out and often brought back in hours later stiff as a board cos it was always frosty.
No central heating let alone a tumble drier. The wooden horse which was covered in newspaper to soak up some moisture(I guess) and being placed in front of the open fire when everyone went to bed, fire guard in place. I wonder there weren't more house fires eh.
If you were really desperate you put items on the oven door and almost closed it, quite good for warming clothes too as the whole house was freezing. Only the one open fire in the sitting room.
Don't forget I am only talking about the late 1950's and most of the 60's.
When I left home to get married in 1973 my parents still only had a 3 burner gas fire in the lounge and no other heating in the house, Oh I forgot the paraffin heater in the loo which was almost outside, beyond the kitchen door and next to the coal cupboard.

Linda :o) XxX

Good afternoon girls.
Huia, couldn't you just want to string the blighters up, when they do so much damage.
I don't know if the headstone could be glued back together, if they are made of stone. It may need to be cemented,or something like that.
I hope the cemetery office will be able to offer you some advise.
Thank god you pulled over before you fell asleep at the wheel. It's your not getting a full nights sleep thats making you so drowsy.

Sylvia, your description of the view from the bus window,sound lovely.
I think we all get to a stage where shopping becomes a task, rather than an enjoyment.
But one must get ones undies, they are important,especially as you get chilly drafts over there. You get to the point of feeling the draft,but not knowing where it comes from, but knowing where it's going to. Brrr

Sallie what a shame about the washing machine. But you are lucky to have Jennie to do it for you.
When ours broke down at one time, I was having to do it all by hand, whilst waiting for the repair man to decide what day he could come out.
Talk about dish pan hands, they were red raw from all the scrubbing I did.
I don't want to go back to the old ways of washing, thank you very much.
And isn't it surprising how much washing just the two of you can make in a short time.

I have not been feeling brilliant today. I woke up yesterday, sneezing, with a runny nose,aching all over,and a headache, and it's still hanging around today. Paracetamol are helping to keep the aches and pains away. I don't want this over christmas again, I seem to get it every year at this time.

All our snow is slowly dissappearing, just a pile left on the drive from where Roly cleared the drive the other day.

I will say bye for now. Love and best wishes to Jean, Joyce,Caz,Marie,Tess,and our holiday maker Ann.
Love Mo xxx

Hello ladies, we have freezing fog now to go with the frozen snow , I wasnt going to go to church this morning Sallie, Jeff set off but came back black ice, Debra has been in work but is haveing a few days holidays she is owed, starting Tuesday, but is going in tomorrow....guess what we have to have a new washer too, cant open the flippin door , its been a bit dodgy for some time but now its nearly impossible to get it open, the bigger problem is our washer and dryer are up in the bathroom , we had them moved when we had the new kitchen, so we have to wait until our man who does all our jobs can get one and get help to swap them over old out new in... but its getting very close to christmas, and he is a plumber so is run off his feet with repairs .so I have told the gang to wear the clothes longer than a day which is what usually happens, on once then in the wash...

Linda, I remember scrubbing my fathers work clothes with a brush and green soap,terrible job, and then turning the mangle, but the water did come out very easily... clothes all round the house , we had coal fires so a maiden was put in front of it and we got cold because the heat was on the clothes !!, those were the bad old days....
I too hope and pray that Ann and T get home safely and quickly. ....
hugs and loves to Tess Huia, Marie Sylvia,Joyce Liz and Mo, not forgetting Caz and our prayers and thoughts for the hospital visit tomorrow, take care out there everyone,

Love Jean xxx

Special prayers for Caz, for a good outcome tomorrow. We will all be thinking of you Caz.(((((((((((((BIG HUGS and XXX)))))))))))
Love and best wishes Mo xxx

For Joyce((((((((((((((HUGS))))))))))) Love Mo xxx

S hoorid thought has just struck me, two of our friends washing machines have broken down, fingers crossed there will not be a third.

Hi Linda,

Oh I remember the wash days well from when I was growing up. I can remember my mother and nan boiling the whites in a metal boiler on top of the gas cooker, until they bought a gas boiler that was kept outside, The problem with that was that the kitchen window had to stay open so that the pipe could be attached to the gas tap just at the side of the window. Okay in summer, but freezing in the winter.
I was glad when my mother bought a twin tub, oh we were really "posh" then.lolol!! I'm sue my mother must have been in her sevevth heaven and especially to have a spin dryer instead of the wringer.

What a racket the spinner used to make though, especially if the load was a bit uneven.

When we got married my first washer was a twin tub, as there were no automatics then. Alun and I have telling Jennie and Michael today, that if we have to have a new washer, it will be our fourth automatic in 36 years.
So hopefully the new one should last us to the end of our dayslolol!! Unless of course, we live to a ripe old age. Have to look on the bright side!

Linda, Alun and I got married in 1967, when I was 20 and Alun was 21.
I don't know where the time has gone!




Mo, I hope that you are not going to be ill again like you did about this time last year.
Keep taking the Paracetamol, have plenty of hot drinks and stay in the warm. Thinking about you and hope that you'll feel a bit better tomorrow.

Love, Sallie. xxx

I feel rotten now, I missed your post Linda, I am sorry I would not have ignored you on purpose honest injun. Luv Mo xxx

Hi Mo
Don't worry I didn't feel ignored.
But jus tbrought back another memory.
When I had my first child in 1979 I didn't have an automatic machine either and we had terry nappies, most of you will remember them. Well I boiled them in a galvinised bucket on top of our electric hob(no gas). after they had soaked in the plastic bucket of napisan.
I didn't have a washing machine until my second child ws born in 1981.
No wonder our babies were potty trained so much earlier than the littles nowadays who are in disposables until they are almost into nursery at 3 years old.
Guess I should be writing things like this down for when I have grandchildren or for my own to chuckle over when I can no longer remember myself .
Just remembered Mum had a wonderful invention called a Flatley drier. A metal cabinet that was heated by electric, cost a fortune and took so long to dry the clothes as they hung too close together to be really effective.

Oh I am so glad of my washer/ drier. And so much less washing now there is only two of us at home now

Linda :o) XxX