General Chat

hi brenda good to see sylvia back and hear all her newss sorry that your weather is so wet and windy to-day it is a bit cooler over here and we are to have some rain to-day and that will be fine for the garden over at andrews so far I have not killed any plants, andrew called from calgary to say they are having a great time and all are well, I am keeping busy looking after the house and cat for them she is such a diva so small but a voice like a fog horn. have a dinner invite for the 19th from isobelle's son and daughter in law so that will be fun it is the day the family arrive back but I will go over in the morning and see to the cat and then head down to brampton and stay over till sun or monday. nothing else new at the moment bye for now dorothy

Morning everyone ,from one cold ,very wet and miserable Newcastle.
Nice to hear that you are home safeSylvia,sorry ,but i never got your phone number to arrange a visit,and may have been away at the time in Blackpool anyway,but i had to take the oppertunity to get away as soon as i could,Liz was more than ready for the break.
Hissy has taken to going out into thegarden,but makes no attemt to climb the fences to escape so we don't bother with the harness anymore.
I upset the little minx this morning he he,i gave her her breakfast,and then opened the back door ,knowing it was piddling down outside[polite to the last ,lol]
The cat shot between my legs in her haste to be out in the garden, then froze on the threshold ,one paw in the air ,tail straight out and hair up like a bottlebrush and yowled like a demented demon,she turned round ,shot me a reproachful look and shot under the kitchen table to sulk. he he ,this puddy tat,does not like water ,in any shape or form ,other than in her drinking bowl.
All this water though ,is doing my veggies the world of good ,and it looks like a bumper crop with any luck,even the late winter cabbage are now ready to go out,and the apples are doing great.
All i need now ,is a sign that all is well with the second tree ,which has never bloomed yet,but ,it is a different variety,and it is only it's second year,so ,there is time yet.
Hope everyone is looking forward to their weekend,even if the weather isn't too good for the campers lol.
See ya later.Fred.

I am sorry I have not been on and given you all the news from the wedding etc ,but i am down with a miserable cold,feel really grotty and its my day off.!!
Just came on to check my emails,
Its Johns 60th birthday tomorrow so we are going for a meal in the evening,my treat.Have a few birthday coming up for friends and family so have to shop for their presents tomorrow have no othet time.
Weather not as wet but still miserable.
Dad not too good still not eating.....
Be back over the weekend ,enjouy all your plans
Brenda

goodmorning brenda I do hope that you are feeling better and that john has a good birthday, nothing much planned for the week-end other than going over to see the cat at andrew's, anne phone me this morning she had been trying to get in touch with hello magazine uk for me as I have only recieved one copy of the years subscription that I paid for that was on june 27th nothing since it is supposed to be one copy a week, but i guess they don't work on saturdays so she will try again on monday, I tried from here but could not get through, I like the uk version better than the new canadaina version. I hope the sun is shining in newcastle for fred he seems to have had a lot fo rain,my half brother who works in leeds is going home to scotland for a week and his wife and son are coming to canada on the 27th of july to stay with her anunt so I shall get to meet her it soon will be a year since steven and I met for the first time having this other family so late in life still seems strange to me at times, well its time to get this day started bye for now again happpy birthday john bye dorothy

Morning everyone,I am sorry i have not been on again for a few days,was ill with a cold on Friday and Saturday ,but as It was Johns birthday i rallied to enjoy it with him,but was over at dads part of the day.Dad is in hospital now he is on a drip and having investigations as to why he can not eat or drink properly.He went in yesterday ,so I am a bit tired as i was at the hospital til nearly midnight last night and was over at his house at 10.30.before that i had a docs appointement myself at 9.30 so it was a long day.
Hope you get the magazine sorted dorothy.Am hoping to go to our favaourite place on friday ,depending on if dad is home or not,they did say it wpould only be a few days.in the hospital.
Where are you Fred lost in your amazing garden!! How do you keep the slugs off your veggies my friend is growing them for the first time and is really troubled by the slugs.Tak care Brenda

Morning dorothy Brenda ,edith ,and all the others lol.
you are right Brenda,i have been very busy in the garden,putting in the last of the winter veggies[cabbage] weeding out front ,doing the hedges and all the rest ,but it's well worth the effort,and it keeps me on my toes he he.
Slugs,i think i have got on top of them,being in buckets ,i have put a strip of copper tape round all of the tops .which slugs can not cross over,have used a systemic spray to keep the catterpillers at bay ,and the flies too.
The rest of rthe garden i use slug pellets,you can get some now that do Not harm birds [very important] so ,i use those freely around the flowers,a few pellets every couple of feet does the trick,too many ,or too close together confuses the slugs and snails ,and then the pellets don't work.
I am also keeping my eyes on ebay peeps ,having found 8 folding caravans i am determined to have one for the wife [and myself] to get us out and about for a few days here and there.
To this end ,i am away to durham [dragonville industrial estate] this Friday morning rto have a towbar fitted to the wifes car ,and have cleared it with motobility,they arn't bothered because at the end of the lease ,they will get extra for it,and we have only to clear it with the insurance company as soon as the job is done,which won't cost any extra, so Fred is a happy bunny.
This folding caravan looks like a normal van when put up,with all the usual stuff inside,cooker sink running water 240 volt power through a hook up,tables benches cupboards, the lot.
When collapsed it is just a trailor ,850 kilos no wind resistance when towing ,so chepish to haul around [just the job].
I have recycled the old recycle bin [pun intended].and it's now on the patio ,filled with a mixture of compost and sand,and has four rows of carrot in ,ready just in time to do the soups for the3 winter,and i can see me getting another one ready for early spring for parsnips.
Be back later,things to do and all that lol.Fred.

goodmorning from a sunny but not overly hot barrie good to read the thread from fred and brenda this morning, brenda hopefully they will sort out what is wrong with your dad this time once and for all and please do look after yourself it won't help if you get run down, glad you and john had a nice evening on his birthday, fred your stories on your garden are always great to read, my pepper plant is doing very well but the tomato plant is looking a bit faded lots of tomatoes still green at the moment but some starting to turn red.spoke to hello uk myself to-day they have sent 5 copies I have now recieved 2 the hold up seems to be at this end I have spoken to the mail dept over here and they are looking into it after I spoke to them yesterday the july 1st copy turned up in the mailbox !!!!! so I will be on to them again this morning, the family are in edmonton to-day and will be on the drive home stopping in at several places along the way should be home on saturday, the cleaning service they have will be in to day so they will come home to a clean house, not that I have mucked it up that much, andrew insisted lindy have this service when she went back to university and they have kept it on since they come every 2 weeks, woth the money what with the size of the house three children etc. though the children do have a weekly list of chores to keep on top of things plus it teaches them responsibility does it not. I shall be glad to see them when they come home and hear all about the things they have seen and done bye for now dorothy

hi brenda an update on the hello situation after two phone calls to england and much help from the people i spoke to and three phone calls over here I think the problem is solved the magazines should be arriving more promptly the hold up was at this end, when I spoke to the last person involved over here he knew who I was right away the person in london uk had followed through on all that she said she would very prompt she was. I will have to call to-morrow and thank them for all the help so I shall be looking foreward to several good reads off over to andrews in a little while, we had a new tile floor installed near the elevators a few weeks ago this morning they appear to be ripping it up again no Idea why it is a strange world at times bye for now dorothy

Morning peoples,Fred ,reporting in,after putting in the last of this years veggies,carrots in a recycle box ,which is just right for carrot and parsnip[hmmmmmm,where can i nick another from ]
It's amazing how much i can get into a small growing area using these buckets,i am jam packet full now ,but have brussel ,kale,two sorts of cabbage,two sorts of cauli,calabrese.,leek and sweede.
Herbs,i have parsnip,chive,sage ,corriander,mint,rosemary,basil,and chervil.
As an afterthought,my asparagus is doing so well ,i think next year i will be able to cut some at last,oh ,and i nearly forgot,i am trying some dwarf french bean for the first time.
Looks that with all this rain ,i am going to have a bumper crop of potato from my two bins as well,methinks i will be doing a lot of soups this autumn lol.
Liz says she will make me some green tomato chutney as well,so ,i am a happy bunny ,enjoying my retirement he he.
Time for me to get ready now,it's our 42nd anniversary today,and i am taking her out for the day .
See ya later peeps,Fred.
Herbs ,i have

Congratulations on your anniversary
What a wonderful sellection of produce you have in your garden tubs bins barrels etc
Margaret

goodmorning congratulations fred and liz on your anniversary I hope that you have a lovely day, also fred thankyou for the jokes I have passed them on over here to friends, as usual the info on the garden amazes me I have just been out and waterd my two vegatable plants the green pepper plant is producin lots the tomatoe plant is a bit sluggish (slow not slugs) another nice day to-day but we are in for a very hot spell in the next few days in the 30's with high humidity but it is so much better than snow. off over to the son's to check on the diva cat she is a lovely wee thing but very bossy and not pleased that the family are away to-day I think they are in saskatoon and then on to winnipeg bye for now dorothy

Hello All,just an update on things.dad is still in hospital,and on the drip,He will be put on a tube to be fed via his nose tonight as he still has problems swallowing and they do not know why.He does look a better colour as he is getting fluids but they want to get him feeding to get his strength up.!! He is not very pleased but realises it has to be done.
I keep telling John about your tubs and buckets fred ,but its doing no good.Will have to do them myself next yearwhen I have finished work.
Take care Brenda

Thanks Fred for sending me the photos enjoyed seeing them great effort ! Margaret

goodmorning from a hot and steamy barrie but it is better than snow, recieved a post card and a phone call from the family yesterday andrew called to say they have just crossed back into ontario and may be home by ten to-night or noon on saturday I guess it depends on how much driving he does to-day, the card said how much they had seen and all the wild life ie. black bears and two rattle snakes amongst the favourites!!!! I spoke to two of the children Ian had a lot to tell me and asked if his garden was still alive!!! happy to report that it is, westjest an airlines over here has a seat sale on at the moment within canada so I looked up fares to calgary in oct and should be able to get there for about 600 dollars that is a saving about 400 so I think I will pop over to the travel agent to-day and see what is available the sale only started yesterday so maybe I will get what I want, phone my sister to run some dates by her and she is pleased I am coming, but I would much rather come to england but should see a bit of the west I guess well off to start the day hope you got to bury to-day brenda take care bye for now dorothy

And a good morning from him,lol, here in sunny Newcastle where it is breezy,clouding over,and ruddy chilly,he he.
Well folks ,the tow bar is now on the back of the car,and we are rarin' to go,now looking at 7 folding caravans on Ebay,so i hope to be mobile with in a week,and able to go where we wish.
Some of the vans have full awnings too ,so ,i would prefer one of those for the extra space for visitors.
The beuty of a folding van is the ease of towing ,just as easy as a traler with no wind resistance,and far more table to tow.
Opened up they are as good ,and warm as convential van,all alluminum,with all the same sort of fittings,toilet,cooker mains power and such.
Just as well in a way that liz and i decided to become mobile after the news from the doc yesterday,the results coming back from the hospital about her empysema.
She has been forbidden to travel by air ,any sort of distance,and cannot get insuranceto fly very far,france and ireland being the limit.
No matter ,we can still get as far as Spain ,and Italy by coach if need be ,so it ain't all bad news,and rthere are plenty worse off than she is [her own words] she is a fighter is Liz ,and i reckon she could outlast me lol.
I am off into the garden shortly to remove the windmills,i use early in the season to scare the pigeons,the plants now ,have become harder than transplants ,and are too bitter for birds to bother with,so,only the weather to worry about,caterpillars,snails and slug,[yuk].
Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend,back later.
Fred.

goodmorning from sunny and hot barrie fred sorry to hear that liz has had some of her travelling curtailed but I am sure that you will come up with other idea's, the family arrived back from there trip last night at 8-30 after about 1000 clicks in one day they left very early in the morning from thunder bay, andrew sounded quite tired but said they had a wonderful trip, as I am heading down to brampton this am I will stop in and see them on my way back to-morrow, talking about flying westjet had a seat sale on this past week within canada so I have booked a trip to calgary to see the sister from oct 15th to 0ct 28th it was a good price about 600 dollars with all the hidden extra's the last time i looked it up it was over 1000 and I was not paying that. my sister is pleased I am coming (well she has to say that!!!!). I have never been west so it will be interesting to see the rockies etc. hope you all have a good week-end bye for now dorothy

Afternoon all.Dorothy glad you got a holiday sorted out ,hope you have a good time with your sister.
fred i am sure you and Liz would have a good time where ever you holidayed,you seem to have the knack of getting the best out of any situation.
Good luck with the trailer/fold up caravan.
dad is looking much better now his is being fed by the drip,but we still have no idea why he could not sswallow.Hopefully we will be told something this week.
Have to go and get ready for visiting now
Take care ,Brenda

hello it is sunday and I am back from brampton had a lovely dinner last night at isobelle's son's place dinner was spare ribs and italian sausage with fennel plus marlo made an apple and walnut with stilton salad and cheese cake for desert, to-day isobelle and I watched the british open before I drove back in a driving rain storm, popped in to see the family they had a great trip the children were full of stories re the mountains wild animals etc, andrew said it was about 9800 miles all told of driving and well worth it with all that they saw and did. the golf to-day was great I was glad harrington won but the young man who was the low non professional was very good, my son had been hoping greg norman would win but he didn't this week we have tennis in toronto the rogers cup so I will be happy to see the top players playing here, isobelle's daughter wants to get tickets for her mom's birthday so we shall see what happens about that so I am going to make some supper glad to hear brenda that your dad is a little better bye for now dorothy

Hi everyone,glad the family are back and by the sound of it had a wonderful time Dorothy.
John was watching the open all the time ,I did say I would buy him tickets to go for his birthday ,but he could not get anyone to go with him so wouldn't let me get them.(its not my game0 and i would not have enjoyed the tramping round).
dad sees the ENT people today so we hope they can sort out his problems.He is having a special tests which is like an xray video of him swallowing some thing so they can track what happends,but that is not today.
weather was really good yesterday but today is very grey but at least dry.
Speak to you all later.Brenda

hi brenda my friend isobelle's daughters mother in law was over on a trip to scotland and her brother lives in southport and he had tickets for them to go to the open on thursday so we will see how she enjoyed it when she returns she is a golfer. I am aware of the test they are going to give your dad it should show up what the problem is waiting for test results is always difficult. it is rainy to-day but that is allright though it will put a damper on the tennis in toronto as it is played at york university but it does not have a roof, to-day a friend is driving up and we are going to have an early lunch and then go and see momm mia looking foreward to that, obtained three large green peppers off the plant yesterday inculded on in my supper it as very good take care bye for now dorothy ps tell john that all three grandchildren are now taking golf lesson's and enjoying it the youngest has the straighest drive