General Chat

Iiiiiil tell you what i'm up to Brenda now that i'm retired he he.
I have been up since five lol ,after a lifetime of getting up at this time for work i find it difficult to stay in bed [bummer]
I did an hour on the family history before feeding the cat,who kept reminding me that every two days ,she gets a little milk with her brekkie,mainly by the way cats do it,get behind ,and between your feet ,till you either do as they ask ,or fall over he he.
I then opened the door to let her out for her morning visit to her boyfriend,who ,i might add ,she can't think that much of ,because as soon as her nose went over the portal ,and she saw the snow,she shot back into the dining room,and went under the table to sulk.
It's perishing up here this morning ,and i have just opened the blinds to reveal a white world ,and still it snows,but, B***** it,i have all the supplies i need to exist ,for at least two weeks ,so ,it can please itself,as to what it does.
Think today something warm and filling is required for dinner,so .i think a bacon badger is called for,with some bubble and squeek to use the last of the cabbage,and mash from yesterday.
The cat ,by the way ,took another look through the window as i opened said blinds and appears to have gone back up to bed,not daft is she?
Think i will have a quick shuftie at the other boards before starting the dinner preperations.
Catch you later everyone,Fred.

goodmorning, fred it is good to hear someone else has snow other than me it does take time to get used to being retired and waking up at the usual work time but it will happen, the poor cat I can just imangine how she felt seeing all that snow both mine where screaming to go out on the balcony but only put out two paws and came back in as I had not brushed the snow off, oh bubble and squeek how nice, I have a ice piece of pork tenderloin that I am going to cook for my evening meal not sure what veg as yet but something will come to mindbye for now dorothy

Hi all,
Yes, it is certainly winter wonderland here too Fred and Brenda. It's a good thing I have enough food supplies in the house as I'm not venturing out - don't want to break my leg, do I? I watched the cars going past inch by inch. We are lucky in having no appointments until the end of the week - well we should have been on holiday. Yesterday I made a huge pan of Dutch pea soup, so thick you could cut it. I have frozen in 7 meals. I also made a Dutch apple tart. Today I decided I ought to have a rest day so phoned for a takeaway meal. So cheap and enough for two days.
Johan is coping ok with his urine bag strapped to his leg. He has an appointment with the urologist on Friday so wonder what he will say.
I cannot feel any difference with the new antibiotics, so we seem to be at a standstill. I have to see the urologist on 8th December.
Be careful everybody, and if you don't have to go out then don't. We have had so many accidents here this weekend, even though everybody was warned about the snow coming.
Sylvia xxx

Hi there,well its still cold here but at least we have not had any snow.!!
Rain and wind yes,but none of the white stuff .
The christmas markets are good some great things to buy but so exspensive...
Hope fully I will be able to get up to Bury after my holiday Dorothy.,have done some ironing for the holiday and will start to put some things in the case tomorrow.
Sylvia ,would suggest take away for us now and again ,but John would not touch one,sp my son and i only get one now and again.
Fred I always wake upearly when I am not working,and have (once or twice overslept when I am working)!!!!
See you all tomorrow.
Take care Brenda

Hi everyone
This coming Saturday we having a bike run around the mountain getting children toys for Christmas. This is an annual event throughout the country where motorbike groups do their bit for the community collecting toys for children. I've been roped in to wear - you guess it - the Santa suit, just hope its not too hot and more importantly that it doesn't rain.
By the way Brenda, coffee is fine for me considering Sallies don't drink.
Catchup next time. John

goodmorning good luck on the collection of toys john and I hope it is not too hot in the santa suit, brenda we are having the same kind of weather cold and wet plus the odd snow streamer off the lake I did not go out yesterday and I don't think I will venture out to-day, the cats do not have to have their regular shots seeing that they are in kidney failure and the rabies shot is only given every two years so they are not due till 2009, plus seeing that they are indoor cats and 15yrs old the vet said that they are starting not to vacanate older cats, I mailed my overseas xmas cards yesterday all 25 off them the postage was very expensive but it is only once a year and I like keeping in touch with people going to do laundry to-day brenda I do hope that you have a great holiday bye for now dorothy

well just about finished my ironing and just have to get it in the case!!!!
My friend at work was making up shoe box gifts for her church,the idea is that you make up a shoebox with small gifts for a boy or girlof a certain age,things like pens, paper pencils,sharpneers,erasers,soap. toothpaste etc,the church will then send them to somewhere in either Europe or Africa where the boxes will be appreciated.We can put a post card in from where its from but not anything about us.We did it were I used to work and got quiet a few boxes done each year.
John youare a very busy person,do you get to ride on the motor bike in the father christmas suit??/ or do you have a sleigh.
Dorothy,luckily I do not have many overseas cards to post,so thats ok,but the posty here is about 28p second clas and the size of the envelope matters as well now.and the weight!!! I have well over 50 to post and am thinking of cutting sown next year when i am not working.
Work are asking us to give to one of three chosen charities intead of cards for evertyone ,which is a good idea ,if i had not already got my cards.
Off to finish teanow.See you all tomorrow ,take care.
Brenda

hi brenda the idea of doing boxes is a great one the church the family go to are also doing that and have been for quite a few years, the three children now do one each as they are now older and able to do so. plus the family have adopted a child in africa that they support, last xmas my sister and her husband through world vision supplied desks and chairs for a classroom in the childrens name as their gift to the children. so the cases are ready to be packed you must be happy to get away again have a great time. it is about 5pm and I am trying to think what to have for dinner cooking for one is so boring looking outside I see some of the houses have their xmas outdoor lights on it does look pretty bye for now dorothy

goodmorning fred did you send the snow over to me I awoke this morning to lots of the white fluffy stuff coming down like it was raining I can hardly see out of the window it is coming down so thick and fast a good day for staying indoors, but the children will enjoy it and the ski hill resorts, my son called me last night a young woman of 40 who worked for him died in her sleep about a week ago very sad yesterday he had to go to her home to remove all work related products and paper work (he works for a drug company) she had a 12 yr old daughter who will know live with her father the parents were separated, andrew said it was a difficult day she was a good employee and no health problems she just went to sleep and did not wake up. sometimes I forget that he is 42 and has many employee's he is responsible for so we talked about how I felt and delt with losing a patient I hope he feels a little better to-day, perhaps to-day is a day for writing the local xmas cards and maybe wrapping some gifts hope everyone is well bye for now dorothy

hi everyone appears to be busy I am just dressing in many layers to go and clean off the car and get the cats their special dry food, it is a very gray and cold day out there don't think that I will stay out long bye for now dorothy

Hi everyone,especially Dorothy.Sorry I have not been on had a couple of extra things to do before getting away.
Hope you are all well and happy while i am away,hopefully i will find an internet place like last year and can check in now and again,
Will be of to the air port at 3.45AM ,flight at 7Am,and should be back two weeks later at about 7.30pm .
Take care Brenda

hi well brenda you probably won't get to read this tillyou get back but I shall think about you about 10-45 pm as you are getting up to go to the airport I hope you have a great two weeks, for the rest of the people on this thread I spent 45 minutes cleaning off the car there was about 3feet of snow on the car and around it I was quite winded but then gone on with what I had to do, to-morrow I am loooking after the children andrew and lindy are going to a school dance! actually it is all the teachers at the school lindy teaches at getting to-gether for christmas early but people seem to have so many things to go to it is perhaps a good idea it will do them good to have a night out without the children I am an old romantic at heart well off to cook supper bye for now dorothy

Evening everybody,from a chilly north east where it reckons to go well below freezing point tonight ,huh,wouldn't you know it ,having just got home with two bags of Bluebell bulbs to plant ,to find the ground frozen [bummer].
The missus bought a huge ham shank home as well,that's mainly for two biiig pans of country broth or soup ,which ever takes her fancy when she starts,lol
There are plenty of shallots,carrots ,onions ,parsnip ,and pulsessitting around the kitchen.
There4 will be more than enough ham ,off the bone left for me to make some thick pea and hame soup too [yum]
One of the pans of soup is to be split up between the two sons ,and daughter,the other pan will be put into little containers for the freezer.
Hope everyone is looking forward to the weekend ,he ,he ,make the most of it you lot ,because when you go back to work on Monday,you are looking at December ,and santi claus lol,our grandbairns are already exited.
I won a long standing battle with the wife,and came home with two boxes of lanternchristmas lights for the tree,low voltage /waterproof ones,in case Hissy decides to have a chew.
Have a good night all ,be back tomorrow.Fred.

goodmorning everyone fred your bluebell bulbs interested me I love them and have many happy memoires of fields of bluebells behind where I lived as a child I don't think that I have every seen them over here a friend of mine in prince edward islands has lots of blue lupins in the fields near her house and had a enlarged photo fo them framed for me the closest Ive come to the colour of the bells. again it is cold but not snowing though we are in for another major storm on monday they say but it could pass us she says keeping fingures crossed, I looked after the children last evening so that andrew and lindy could go to the teachers xmas dinner and dance they had a great time,plus lindy said they were voted the most romantice couple on the dance floor she said they only won that as they danced to unchained melody which was the dance of choice at their wedding, but they both seemed rather pleased by it as my son walked me out to my car he quietly said "see mom after 17yrs of marriage and three children I can still be romantic you taught me well!! not sure what he meant but I took the compliment, actually with both working and the busy lives they lead with their family its nice when they have some time to-gether, well enough of that hope brenda and john are having fun and that sylvia and her husband are feeling better have a great week-end bye for now dorothy

goodmorning just a note to keep the thread up near the top yesterday I had a big shopping day bought a turkey one of the stores had a good sale plus other xmas stuff, obtained the new reginald hill book from the library, to-day just having a quiet sunday we are in for a big storm to-night they say so we shall see have my regular eye check up at 4pm on monday plus this new test they are doing if you are diabetic it is a lazer machine and you can see the back of your eye in living colour quite neat the machines are very expensive so two eye clinics share it plus it is 50 pounds for the test not covered by the government health card as yet but if you are diabetic all the other yearly checks are covered so that helps well bye for now dorothy

Hi all,
The best thing you can do with your bluebell bulbs is eat them Fred, stew them would be a nice thought.
What weather we are having, lots of sleat and snow, brrh, brrh. Me, I'm staying indoors. Johan is going to the hospital tomorrow for his cytoscopie and I have told him I am not going with him. My help in the house is coming to change the beds. My ex son in law is taking Johan to the hospital as the weather is so bad and slippery. I had changed my day for household help but have asked my help to just come in and change the beds. The duvets are so heavy for me to lift. She will then come again on Thursday to do the rest of the flat.
Today I started decorating for Xmas. I got a couple of table runners out and put my poinsettas and white cyclamen out which I bought on Friday. Our taxi company is offering us old 'uns trips to the Garden Centers and family over Xmas and New Year for 50 cents. Now that is next to nothing . I can also take my scootmobile. Anyone with a wheelchair etc. can also go.
Hope Brenda is enjoying herself and everybody else of course.
Sy lvia xxx

hi sylvia I don't blame you for not going out if it is that slippy how nice that you have started decorating for the holidays I am thinking of starting mine this week, hope all goes well for your husband with his test and that he will soon be feeling better we missed the promised storm last night but to-day is not over yet bye for now dorothy

Hi all,
Well Johan will be operated on 16th December, just a week before Xmas. The urologist wanted to operate on him next week but he had to see the cardiologist first. We fortunately both have an appointment with the cardiologist next Tuesday so then that will be ok hopefully.
I think we will have to get our Xmas tree home early as Johan won't feel like going round Garden Centers after his operation.
Everything has been set in fast tempo here as I am trying to buy Xmas presents, write cards, etc.etc.
No more time now girls.
Sylvia xxx

goodmorning first of all sylvia I hope all goes well with your husbands surgery and don't rush around to much or you will be ill, this morning I was reading the daily mail on line as per usual and there was my old home town of bury lancs in details and pictures because of the three inches of snow that they got also a picture of a horse playing in a field of snow in ramsbottom another place I know so well, of course I had to phone my friend anne in bury and tease her about the 3 inches whenI have about 3 ft of snow around where I live we had a good laugh, she said the schools were closed and she went to get a bus this morning to go to an appointment as she did not want to shovel the car out of the garage and the buses were not running as there was not enough drivers, she did go toyork shopping yesterday with her daughter they took the park and ride into york but she said it was very cold anyway it was great to see bury featured in the daily mail made my morning bye for now dorothy

Afternoon peeps,i have at last done the ceiling in the bedroomprior to starting the wallpapering,put up the decorations in the front room,and assembled the new bedroom furniture,so ,i am now sat down until i go to make the tea,.
Hope your hubby recovers quickly from his op' Sylvia,and you are right of course,the last thing johan needs is to be trundling around in the cold when he gets home.
Dorothy lol,it's bitterly cold here ,but i will make do with the inch of snow we have had so far,three feet?,you can keep it for me.
Hissy will not go outside in it [sensible lass that she is]prefering the hearthside rug ,or my lap when i am sat next to the fire.
The snow clouds are gathering here again Brrrrrr,i am soooo glad that all the shopping we rerally need is in,we can survive for rthree weeks without going shopping if we need to,thank goodness .
This cold spell has boufght some of the birds back into the garden,and my two special little buddies are back,my wren and robin,both having a go at the seeds,so if they come back for a few more days ,i will buy some mealworms for them,they loved them last year,and they need the protein in this cold weather.
Something warm is called for for tea tonight ,i think i will fry a little liver,a couple of slices of bacon and an egg ,together with some bubble and squeak,which should fit the bill nicely.catch you later Fred.