General Chat

Hi all
Sylvia did you launch yourself in to space with the injection? LOL! I probably would also. Tomorrow - Wednesday we are helping out at a "Cans" Film Festival where people donate a can of food and get a ticket to one of five especially selected movies. The cans go to Sallies with the company sponsoring the festival matching those donated. This festival has been going for 15 years and I remember the very first one. I just being 'chatting' to a friend on Facebook. Catch up soon, John

hello everyone,from a very cold and dismal Manchester,its really gone cold over the last few days,think I need the de icer out as I may be defrosting the car tomorrow ,this is one of the times I think I will definately retire next march.
Its chilly in this room at the moment anthe heating will not be on till later so i will be back then.Brenda

hi one and all to-day i fly back to barrie after a really good trip the snow is on the mountain tops but it will be 20 degrees as I head home will read allthethreads I have missed when I get home, my plane arrives at midnight so it will be 2am before Ihit my bed 7am your timetake care all fo you bye for now dorothy

Hi ALL,,sorry I did not get back last night ,it was one of those times when the phone was red hot with everyone calling me one after the other.!!
Hope tonight is quieter.
Glad you are home safe and sound Dorothy,
Been booking a hotel for Johns parents for christmas ,they will not come down here and we can not all stay up there,so we have booked them in the Norbreck castle over the holidays.
My back is acing so I am going for a drink of tea.See you all tomorrow.By the way we had a sprinkling of snow this morning.!!Brenda

hi wednesday 6pm my time well I arrived in barrie at 3am to-day the plane was on time but we hit a major snow storm in the 400 highway up to barrie it was !!!!!!! awful it finally cleared up about 20 miles outside of barrie, the cats were pleased to see me and dive bombed the bed until about 4am then had the nerve to want to be fed at 8am so I have not had much sleep but it is nice to be home, I had a great trip and saw lots of the sights of calgary and canmore, the two condo's that my sister and her husband live in are very nice, the one in canmore has wild life wandering by ie. elks deer and the odd black bear but I only saw the elks and deer, it is a very wealthy area with the money coming from balck oil, anyway it was nice to spend the time with chris but good to be back will catch up with all the threads to-morrow hello to all and goodnight dorothy

Hi All
Wednesday's "Cans" Film Festival was quite hectic around 540+ cans were collected and about the same number saw the five movies. Today was a quieter but where I volunteer 53 frozen meals were sold to eight people - some buy between 6 and 12 at a time. Craig was out on his bike this afternoon - and the weather is still good hope it remains that way until after the weekend to allow the visiting band to play outdoors. Take Care, John

Morning on and all,from a veeeeery cold Newcastle ,wherer hoar frost has covered all my veggies ,grass and greenhouse in the garden,nice to see it though as it may kill a load of pest in the soil.
I have been busy since getting up at six ,owing to one ruddy cat doing a Dorothy ,cat look alike ,getting dive bombed at fivr thirty is a joke lol.
Anyway ,i have cleared the windows ,done the housework,put the last of the gear from the caravan away,and made the dinner.
We are having a small casserolle ,with a red pepper,and onion chopped in ,four sausages ,cooked ,and cut in to pieces,some liver ,frfied in oil ,coated in flour ,salt ,and pepper before going in the pot.
I then cut up one large potato, sliced thinly before par boiling ,and in the meantime added half a tin of baked beans before putting the potato slices over the top,a little olive oil brushed over the top ,and it's ready for the small oven.
This means that there is a complete meal in one ,with no need for anything else ,nice and simple .
I think we have been lucky in the u/k with the recent weather ,Oz,canada,america,and pakistan have all had a beating ,so i ain't goin' to complain about a little frost and wind.
Hope everyone is managing okay and is nice and snug,and for those poor souls in Brisbane city who lost their power during an electrical storm,i hope you soon get sorted.
Fred.

Hi all,
Well Fred you are not the only one who has the cold weather. I listen to all the motorists - the early risers - scraping their windows and turn over and go back to sleep for another couple of hours - no life like that of a pensioner!
Am going to have X-rays of my knees tomorrow afternoon. First to the market, then the hairdresser comes here, then the hospital.
I don't think that the snow is very far away, brrh, brhh,
It's not so warm in this computer room so will keep my husband company this evening. He won't know what has happened when he sees me so early.
Sylvia xxx

hi well went tot eh doc's and obtained my flue shot so I am ready for the cough and cold season at the moment the sun is setting and it is a fantastice sight red and oranges sinking into the darkeness the temperature is supposed to be good for to-morrow for the trick and treating I am going over to the family to do the door for them as they walk with the children. glad to see fred that as always you are coming up with good receipes, sylvia hope your visit for the x-rays goes well. I shall have to get to the house cleaning to-moorw am two weeks off dust has accumalated. bye for now dorothy

Nothing special for dinner today dorothy,using what's left of yesterdays dinner with a couple of dumplings put on top.
A couple of roast tatties and a cut up parsnip,in the oven too,and veggies in the steamer with my favourite veggie ,which i have been watching in the garden for the last six weeks.
It's my old favourite from my Lincolnshire days brussel tops,Taken off the plants at the first frosts ,to encourage the sprouts to form,this is something you can buy on their own in the local markets down their,as tops,or supplied as the complete haulm tops and brussels.
The kids used to love them when they were young,but they wern't too keen on the brussels themselves,funny,that.
Anyway ,they will be cooked in the steamer along with some fresh carrots,and new potatoes,just the job on a cold day..
Sounds as though you could do with one of those background heaters for your computer room Sylvia,just enough to keep the chill off .

Have to go now to do a little shopping before the weather closes down again,i wouldn't go at all exept that we need milk,and some gravy powder[and some exercise he he.
Hope everyone is looking forward to the weekend ,and the planning of christmas ,which is looming ever closer.
Here,Fred ducks to avoid the shoes that could come my way any second he he.,catch you all later ,Fred.

Evening all.,had a busy few days so apologies for being absent!!.
HAd a few phone calls to make yesterday ,then was on work 12.30 til 8pm ,shattered when i got home, so just had my tea then watched some tv,sorted out the papers we needed for today, as we had to see the bank mananger and solicitor about Dads affairs.!! So we are a bit nearer getting things done.
Also did some christmas shopping ,and had a few birthday presents to get due to the fact we will be away when these birthdays occur.
We also have a wedding in two weeks and have been told today we have a christening the weekend we get back from holiday/!!
Just got into my pj's and going to have a drink befor bed as I am working tomorrow.
Glad everyone is keeping ok in the cold weather or sunshine in Johns case.
Love Brenda

goodmorning everyone from a cold but sunny barrie well last night was fun I was at the family's home handing out the goodies to the ones that came to the door once again the numbers are down I think we only had about 40 children about 3yrs ago we had over one hundred, my three looked great in their costumes well I would say that wouldent I, but about ten to eight Bryan (13) and three of his best buddies arrived back having gone out at 7pm to say gosh grandma it is not like it used to be it is not as much fun!!!!! so they hunkered down with a scary movie and looked at their loot, I lauged the joys of growing up it was kind of fun to listen to them natter away all of them now have deep voices and are close to 6ft tall . Lura and her mom arrived back about 8-30 but the youngest and his dad arrived back at nine he had a great time, Lindy is doing a music course to-day so andrew has all three off them on a sugar high I would guess. brenda it sounds like you have a lot of social engagements coming up you should have fun I think that it is time I gave you a phone call I will try nad figure out when you might be home, fred it is steak and salad for tea to-night I was going to do a veg but have a craving for a salad, well I am off to do some housework oh yes brenda I have just finishe p.d.james's the private patient and it is very good bye for now dorothy

Just a quick hello as i am just finishing lunch at work,the pc is so slowww ,will be back tomorrow as i have a couple of programmes I want to watch tonoght on TV.
Weather sunny but very cold.
Brenda

Hi all,
Well no snow yet, but it is so cold that I am sure we will get some soon.
I kept myself warm by baking bread, two brown and a sultana loaf, a Dutch apple tart for my neighbour and a butter cake - a bit like shortbread - as well as making a large pan of tomatoe/vegetable soup with meat balls thrown in. Who cares about the kilos, must keep warm.
I have so much pain in my knees and legs so wonder what the X-rays I had last Friday will reveal.
Keep warm everybody.
Sylvia xxx

Hi everyone
The Fellowship Brass Band arrived before lunch on Saturday and were supposed to have played at the park but it rained. They used that time to rehearse for the concert that night which was really great. Today they lead the service, then share lunch and played at small park area which was known as the landing area for ships bringing settlers to New Plymouth in the 1840's. Craig returned went back to Auckland after the luncheon and we stayed for the outdoor concert, and are now taking time out. Now its back to the two of us and we see Craig at Christmas. Hope nobody is feeling too cold now. John

Hello from a very miserable grey cold day here,no rain or wind just very grey skies!!!
Been out and printed some pictures ,will have to get my printer sorted soon,its ok in black and white but the colour is awful/.
Have had a few bits of information on my tree that i must get looking at ,.but will try being a bit more organised as I found myself looking at the same thing more than once !!!
Need to "feed " my christmas cakes later with the brandy!!
The veg will need to be put on for dinner soon,there is only the two of us but i freeze what we do not use for in the week..
Have cut down all the dead stuff in the garden so we could get it into the "green bin" to be picked up by the council in the morning.Due to recycleing we have numerous bins of different colours,green is for garden waste .we also have a large compost bin which we put stuff in first along with kitchen waste.
Speak to you all soon,Brenda

goodmorning it does sound cold brenda hope you wrap up if you go out anne phoned this morning at 8am my time we put the clocks back last night so we are now back to being 5hrs behind you, she had the whole family over last night for a meal and as usual put on one of her great meals she has two vegatarians in her family so the menue was as follows cheese and onion pie, a chicken and leek pie, steak and onion pie, mince pie, then roast and new potatoes, mashed sweet potato;s lot of veg etc and lots of sweet things for desert, her oldest son works in russia so he was flying back there to-day at 7am your time even when we were at school she was a great cook. to-day it is sunny but cold I am off to the library to pick up some books that are in and then to pop by the grocery store they have chickens on special buy one get one of the same value for free so it is time to stock up for the winter!!!!, the cats were confused by the time change they wanted breakfast at 7 but I turned over and made them wait it takes them a couple of days to get used to the time change, bye for now dorothy

Hi everyone
Had a bit of trouble typing this on GR this morning so put on notepad and pasted it over. After a busy few days Gayle and I are both relaxing. I had a go at the both the quick crossword and sudoku in the paper and decided I would do them later.
The weather around the world must be about the same, on Saturday here it was raining meaning the outdoor band concert had to be cancelled and Sunday it was hot sunny day and the second outdoor concert went ahead. It was a hot 21degress c, I got windburn resulting in a red face. After the concert Gayle stood to go and fell onto her knees on the grass resulting in bruising. She said that feet went numb and as one does stood and stamped end result a tumble.
Brenda I think we all look at things but never finish doing the task we start. I been saying for past few years since I was made redundant that I would sort out the family photos and still haven't completed the task. Your Christmas cake sounds like it is going to make you tipsy with the amount of brandy being poured over.
As in the States here NZ we have elections coming up ours are on Saturday so the politicians are pulling out all the stops to be elected.
Dorothy you mention about vegetarians - in our paper this morning comparisons were made about two spreads Vegemite (which is an Australian) and Marmite (which a New Zealand one) and what made them different. It said that Vegemite doesn't have vitamin B12 whereas Marmite does and this particular vitamin is essential to the body. Both taste differently and we actually use Vegemite because of it. The article actually said that vegans miss out on this vitamn and should be eating food that have it. Made interesting reading. Hey you are mean with the cats but mind you they will eventually get use to a later feeding time.
Catch up soon. John

hi john well the cats have recoverd from the time change as I fed them lunch early and since then they have been quite friendly with me, hope the wife's knees are better it is great hearing about your place on the world map regards dorothy

Sorry to be late again,we have been told we can not use the counter pc's at work for personal emails full stop,if we need to use the pc we have to book a public on on our break.Thats fine when the library you are working at closes ,but when it stays open over lunch you get people asking you questions all the time.!!
Had a lovelly couple of experiences with one of my cats over the weekend,Friday i was getting ready to go and meet my brother as we had to see the bank manager and solicitor about dads estate,was running upstairs for something when i noticed feathers ,first one or two,then a few more,.on each stair going up from about halfway. At the top the white cat Alfie was really enjoying the remains of a bird!! Feathers all over the landing ,poor birds head on the top stair,now I know its in their nature but he gets fed twice a day and scraps from the table sometimes.so i cannot see the need for him to do this.
Sunday morning I am reading the papers having a nice cup of tea,just after breakfast ,my son was having a bath,I hear him come out of the bath room and then the language was blue!!! Alfie strikes again,this time he had gone to town and brought in a pidgeon!!!David my son ,had not known about the previous bird and was so shocked about what he saw ,hejust shouted and swore at the cat who was trying to defeather the pidgeon,the cat ran off with the shouting ,David put the bird in a carrier bag and brought it to me to put in the bin,(he was in his towelling robe.)So either we have a very good hunting cat ,or all the birds near us are so slow.We had thought of locking the cat flap so they can not come in on their own ,but we did not want to do that.So we will keep the kitchen door shut when we are not in there so we can sort of control what they bring in.
weather cold but sunny again today,was working 12.30 til 8pm so was tired when I got home,
working tomorrow 10-2pm then visiting my friend who's birthday it is,she is going out to the theater with her sister in the evening.So i have to go after work.
John I know what you mean about getting things down I used to have a to do list but not a lot got crossed off!! Hope your wife is ok after her tumble.
Dorothy any thing good in those books i am waitng on a lot of books at teh minute.
Fred any news on the wedding did you sort out insurance etc.
take care love
Brenda