General Chat

We have a large Beech hedge at the front of our garden with a triangle of council owned grass in front of it. We planted lots of daffodils under the hedge to make it look nice from the road. For two years in a row as soon as they flowered the “natives” kicked all the heads of, so we dug them all up and put them into our back garden.

We are both out if quarantine now, I did have three days in bed, the same as both OH and my daughter. I still have a sore throat, hopefully that will go away. I am now back to trying to cope with the vertigo symptoms which I had before the Covid. The urgent NHS appointment the GP made which turned out to be a nurse led clinic in mid July has been cancelled and no new appointment has been made, so I have given up on the NHS and am trying to go privately, but nothing much is happening with that either

Florence I have two plants in the greenhouse but I did last year and had the sum total of two cucumbers. So we will see what happens.

Joan sounds like somebody is making a rickety. And in moving the stones dislodged the bulbs.

Good morning from the wild west!

Blue and green bin day and guess what, its sooooo windy, a gale blowing but thankfully no rain...yet. Everytime its bin day, it never fails really!

Well fish cakes went really well and I have frozen 2 bags of 4 for another time. It is a bit messy but you just use your hands as its easier to shape them. I suppose if you want them perfectly round, you could put a cutter on a tray, fill and then remove but i dont mind them all different sizes. I had 3 with the Tzatziki dip and that was all. I am trying to diet and not had anything so far and yes my tummy is rumbling.

A bowl of Greek yoghurt and fruit is for lunch, not sure about tea.

Daughter has gone to town, so I have hoovered and tidied up.

Linda, hope your test will soon be negative for you and hubby so you can get out & about.

How many cucumbers Ann have you grown? Im thinking they wouldnt freeze well so what do you do with them?

My new touchlight in the hall cupboard is an absolute godsend so Im thinking of buying a few more to have during the winter months incase of powercuts, a lot safer than candles!

Joan, hope you are keeping busy and hubby is ok.

Have a good afternoon all

Florence in the hebrides

Well it is 20 degrees here, no wind at all and was quite bright with some sun so I went down to the greenhouse and sorted out the snails that wanted to eat my cucumber plants, three huge ones but they were dead. I admit to using slug bate in the greenhouse, then put the snails in the brown garden bin so they won't get eaten by the birds. We have lost too many cucumber plants in the past. I then filled a fairly deep trough with my own compost plus some new compost, put it in position when it was half full and then filled it in situ as it would be heavy and I have planted three climbing green beans (Cobra) the first time I have grown them. Then after I had been out there 40 minutes I got rained off, the sky was black but it looks like it has gone over so hopefully just a shower.

how many days for you now Linda? Your OH does seem to have had it worse than you although you didn't say if you needed to stay in bed. Does he usually suffer badly with colds or flu? So pleased I was not bad enough to need to stay in bed being on my own it would be difficult. Having said that I don't remember ever staying in bed ever when not well. I can only assume I have not been ill enough. I have been fortunate in that I have never had flu, plenty of nasty colds but no flu.

florence, the fish cakes sound nice, hope you enjoy them.

The fish cakes sound nice Florence.

It is raining here, there was a lot over night and it is still going. It is also very chilly.

I did a Covid test this morning and still have two lines, although the second one is not as strong as before. OH has decided to get up and dressed today to try and get back to normal, but he still has the cough and cold.

It is odd how some people have no symptoms, yet others have lots, maybe it is down to the strain.

My brother got the delta variant and he ended up in critical care. He was asked to take part in a clinical trial for an antiviral called Molnupiravir which he did. It helped a great deal and it is now on offer to all vulnerable people. His wife didn’t get it at the time, but she caught it about six months later, she was given an antiviral straight away because of her health conditions. After she got better, they asked her to do a blood sample to test the strength of her antibodies. The test came back with a good response, but it also said that she had a second lot of different antibodies which showed that she had had Covid previously. That was a surprise as she had never had any symptoms

A couple we know had it about a month ago at the same time as each other. She was really ill but he only had a slight sniffle. So who knows why?

Morning all to those looking in today.
Well its still sunny but oh my there is a strong northerly wind blowing outside so not even bothering to stick my head out lol

Spent the last hour trying to reset password to access my online Pension slips. I was getting so cross and going around in circles when suddenly found the right place to reset and then noticed...I hadn't changed my address!! I ve been here a year end of the month. Time flies doesnt it.

Anyway all sorted now and up to date. Printed off 2 payslips for the filing as easier to find. I'm so old school and keep paper copies of everything for the "Just in case."

Going to make fish cakes today and then my Tzatziki dip. Got chilli, spring onions, black pepper etc so hopefully will be tasty for tea tonight.

Hope everyone has a good day today.

Florence in the hebrides

Afternoon all. well we had a beautiful day here yesterday but such a change today back to full cloud cover and rain. At least the garden doesn't need watering.

Linda if your OH is in bed because of Covid it seems dughter, son in law and myself got off very lightly as, other than a cold and slight cough none of us were really ill I just kept doing normal things in the house and garden but obviously isolating away from people. Hope you all feel better soon. I think that advice is very bad, there will be people walking around in the shops who are still positive but have been told they can go out.

Well folks another beautiful afternoon with lots of sunshine.

I can't go anywhere but it does make one feel better and happier when there is good weather.

I got out my sewing machine earlier to have a go at changing the needle.
The last time I used it, the needle broke and somehow I had moved the dials and messed up the tension!. Watching a U-Tube clip, I sorted out a new needle and also the tension. Found some spare material and did a few practices. It seems ok for now.

Its a Brother machine and I bought it over 20 years ago but have rarely used it.

I used to love my mother's old fashioned Singer, it never went wrong and was so easy to use. She actually still has it in perfect working order too. I wonder if its worth anything?

Hope everyone else enjoying some sunny weather :-D

Florence in the hebrides

I will be watching Eurovision, it is a bit of a family tradition to do that.

I am glad your parents are sorted for now Florence. Mine were only thirty miles away from here, so it was easier to look after them.

According to the NHS Covid app on my phone, I can come out of isolation today. I did a lateral flow test this morning and I still have two thick red lines, so I will continue to stay out of the way. OH is still in bed, but he is three days behind me, so that is to be expected.

It is a glorious day today, I watered a few pots and filled the bird bath up. As OH is Ill, I have just done the ironing which he normally does. There wasn’t much apart from my granddaughters school shirts.

As we haven’t been able to get out shopping this week, I did a large Tesco click and collect order which my daughter can collect it soon.

Afternoon all,

Well a lovely day here and washing on the line and another load almost done.

Florence glad your parents are getting health problems sorted it must be hard being so far away. I lived close to my parents so was lucky in that respect.

I hope everyone else is keeping reasonably well.

Garden is coming on nicely now and looks tidy and colourful.

Yes Florence I shall be watching the Eurovision bit of light daft viewing .lol. OH will be watching football before that . Not much else on to watch anyway.


Take care all.and enjoy the weekend.

Good afternoon peeps.
Well Dad's bloods were redone and rushed through in an hour and it would seem they have now returned to normal limits so panic over!! However he enlightened me on what he drinks which apart from 6-7 cups of tea, some cordial and lemonade nothing else except.....through the night he drinks 2 bottles of lucazade!! Oh my as the mother of a type ! and he is type 2 i expressed my concern and he said he will change to something else...As I said hes very stubborn and doesnt take advice easily. Im 85 and can do what I like attitude!!

As for mum , her prescription was finally delivered at 8pm last night...so late and she was in a very bad mood at having to wait all day and evening. Hoping the meds kick in soon and shes feeling better.

With my own health problems, even if I wanted to, I'm not able to jump on a couple of planes down south but they don't want or seem to understand that.

Anyway all settled for now.

Bob, since my heart surgery, I am on blood thinners...Clopidogrel and yes they make my ankles itchy and also sometimes the skin breaks and starts bleeding. I scratched a tiny spot on my calf and oh my, it bled for hours before it stopped. I also bruise very easily if I knock my leg and with having no feeling, I often dont realise I have knocked it until i'm in the shower and see the bruise. So you are not alone but I'm just more careful as Gwyn says when cutting things with knives etc. I always have plenty of kitchen roll and tissues in my handbag if I go out.

Also everyone has different problems, some big, some small but they are all problems to everyone and affect us all in many different ways. Dont ever think your smaller problems are trivial compared to others, because they are not.

We on here are always happy to chat, share and when possible give advice or support to each other no matter what the problem.

Joan I can understand how you felt being far away from your mum, that must have been so hard but why do family members try and make those far away feel guilty, so unfair?Hope you are out in your garden today.

Well the sun is waking up but there is a keen easterly wind so not too warm.
Daughter and I managed to plant up the Violas and we have hung 10 brightly coloured pots on the fence posts. They really brighten up the front. heres hoping the wind doesn't destroy them!

Tesco coming about 3pm today, looking forward to a few goodies I added to the list and some snacks to watch Eurovision later.

Anyone else gonna watch it?

Right tummy is rumbling, so off to make a sandwich.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend folks

Florence in the hebrides

Good morning all from a sunny south east.

Florence I am sorry to learn of your parents' ill health and the worry to you and I can quite understand how helpless you feel from being far away, as I have been in that situation in the past.
I hope things settle down and they accept ...and take... advice and treatment.

Bob
Do take care, as Ann says.
I take a different blood thinner and well remember that as the hosptal doctor handed over my first batch, after new diagnosis of the medical situation, he said,
"There's no antidote to these".
Well, I thought I was on limited time, if ever I cut myself.
The 1st time that happened, I was gardening and cutting up twigs to get more into the garden bin. .. I was on my own and had cut the fleshy part of a finger just above my palm..
I just quickly wrapped a piece of clean kitchen tissue tightly round, sat down and held my arm up in the air. After a while, I dared to look.... I had survived !

I now don't worry quite so much about the dreadful warning.... but do take extra care.
When I go on a school trip as a volunteer, I always tell a member of staff that I carry a medical card detailing my medication, just in case of an accident.

Live life as you want, but be careful !

Bob your problems are as much a worry to you as others' problems are to them. It must be difficult having to be careful when you have gardening and other household jobs to do. I expect it will come naturally to avoid knocks after a while. But take care. <3

reading some of your problems seem to make mine seem a bit trivial, but worrying, nonethe less,
I have joined the ranks of Warfarin users... for my atrial problems..
and have to settle in to a steady user program.... I have had a fragile skin problem for a while now, the slightest abrasion results in either a bruise, or a skin tear....so I now have to be more careful ...in my daily tasks

That is a worry for you Florence. Dehydration causes Urine infections so it is a pity you can't get her to drink more. Sorry that you are having these plroblems when you have health problems of your own.

Good afternoon although nothing good about it!

The horrendous showers here look like snow along with gale force winds. Heatwave?
Some joke that is.

Both my parents have health problems and its causing me concern. My mother is vague and not with it and has yet another infection. She is dehydrated but wont admit that!
Dad had bloods done, was asked to go to hospital urgently as liver and kidney tests are abnormal. He is supposed to get his monthly cancer injection elsewhere in a hour. He explained this to reception but they are unconcerned!

What a worry being so far away from them, so hard.

Dad will phone later with results. Personally I think he has high sugar levels as he is always thirsty and doesnt always take his insulin tablets as too stubborn to listen.

Anyway fingers crossed all will be ok.

Florence in the hebrides

Good afternoon to all looking in.
Well my head is scrambled today dealing with various paperwork etc!

I bought something online 5 weeks ago from a company. The products were not suitable as the creams made my skin red and blotchy so I packed the box back up and daughter sent the parcel back through main PO.

I had requested a refund and now 6 weeks on have not received a penny. Unfortunately, the receipt had been misplaced so i cannot provide the tracking number to trace the parcel at the company's returns dept.

They have been less then helpful and even after several emails, they are not budging ie, no proof of posting, no refund!!! We are talking about £50 here not £5.

No idea what to do now except hope that just maybe sometime soon, the refund may appear in my bank but im not holding my breath. They were so unhelpful grrrr

My plants arrived today...some violas i ordered and although were still very watered, they were squashed and some were damaged. I shall use what i can and see how I get on.

Just been one of those days today and its really cold and rainy too so roll on tomorrow and hope the sun shines. Tomorrow is another day as they say.

Hope all's well with everyone

Florence in the hebrides

Exciting in your village then Florence.

rained here all morning which was good for the garden but I am hoping it will clear up now.

Linda did you check the heat in the potato after you swallowed some. It may be that your throat sis extra sensitive. I had the bad cold and cough and I seem to have been left with a very dry and quite sensitive throat as has my daughter.

hopefully you and your OH will soon recover.

Off to the local garden centre in a minute with my neighbour.

Afternoon all.
Oh Linda, I guess that was inevitable that your OH would catch it. At least your daughter is out of quarantine now so can get out to get shopping etc.Here's hoping you both make a quick recovery.

Well the sun has finally shown its face after all the rain last 3 days but it still looks like showers are never far away. Its also quite chilly here unlike the heatwave predicted down south....bring it on up here, we need the heat!

My strawberry plants that i moved to the lounge window are coming along nicely and have decided to leave them there and hopefully will get a few strawberries later on.

Not much to do today except off to strip my bed and tonight off to a village AGM with my neighbour.Last year there was nearly fisticuffs after 5 minutes lol!!!

Hope all is well with everyone else.

Florence in the hebrides

I can’t remember the last time I went in a bus Ann, our bus service is pretty dire in any case.

OH now has Covid, but thankfully little Esme went back to school today. I was trying to play with her yesterday to occupy her while her mum was working, so that was hard going. I just feel really achy and have a horrible cold. My daughter is out of her quarantine, so she has taken over the shopping from OH

The worst thing was that I had a jacket potato for dinner last night and as I took the first bite, it was so hot that it really burnt my throat. I don’t understand it as it had been out of the microwave for a while and cut in half, standing for a while before I started eating it. I could have done without that