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Post by ambersparkle on Dec 27, 2020 11:07:25 GMT
Good moaning Girls, a grey Day, but not as blustery as yesterday. Chaos everywhere, well, Boxes, and Bags all over the Place. Going to sort out the Bits and Pieces that I do not want, and give them to someone who could use them, An Orange Lamp, the Person who gave it to me knows I love Orange, but it does not go with anything. A Handwarmer, a Neck warmer, both for the Microwave, two Calendars, where do you hang these big Calendars, such an inconvenient Shape, the long Ones are much handier. Daughter has just rung to say put my washing in a Black Bag, she will do it, to save Son a Drive, so better go and do that. be back in min, back! Carer, has been, Feet are now warm. Son, rang to say he has made me some Dinners for the Freezer, Fish Pies, Soup, Cheese and Onion Pasties, and Curry. So will be stocked up for a while. The CO-OP have started a next Day delivery, so decided to give them a try, and have an Order coming this Afternoon. The only thing is, they have quite a limited Menu, know that's not the right Word, but could not get several things that I wanted. They also deliver free, over fifteen pounds, and that is easy for me. Can spend that, nae bother! Better make a start, be back later. love Tina x
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Post by irist on Dec 27, 2020 13:46:26 GMT
Afternoon ladies. What an evening and night we had. I woke this morning to a flash of lightning piercing through the curtains and rain being driven at the windows like bullets by the gales. We have been fortunate to have no damage, apart from a couple of pots blown over on the patio but the greenhouses are still in tact. It's still very windy but at least we are seeing some sun for a while between the showers. Others around have not been so lucky - trees down all over the place and lots of flooding. There was even a house collapse not far away - it was under renovation but the owners will now have to rethink. I made lunch with some of the gammon I cooked served with cauli cheese, potatoes and a few carrots that were left in the garden. Afterwards we had a mincemeat slice with fat free Greek vanilla yoghurt in a bid to be slightly healthier OH is poring over his jigsaw whilst I'm on the laptop but we are going to play dominoes afterwards. We are now in Tier 2 so we are slightly more restricted in what we can do. I have plenty of food here so will only venture out when really necessary. Our son's address is now in Tier 4 so we will catch up on Zoom later to find out how he is faring and how DiL is coping with her broken shoulder. Her boss has allowed her to work 3 hours a day at home but only to take/make phone calls as she can't use her right arm on the consultant's orders. Talking of calendars, Tina, our daughter is getting me one so hope she continues my tradition of having the long type with a line per day for notes. I keep mine hanging in a little nook which is not suitable for one of the large square/rectangular ones but is handy when I need to refer to it. Glad you are getting some ready made meals from your son. So easy to take from the freezer when you don't feel like cooking from scratch. Whatever you are doing for the rest of the day, have fun and take care.
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Post by brightspark on Dec 27, 2020 18:44:47 GMT
Hello ladies, We also had terrible weather last night, and through the night. When we woke up, several of the fields on the other side of the river were looking more like lakes, although it mostly went down considerably within the hour. The river is now very wide and brown in colour - usually very clear, as it is near the source. Talking of calendars, we used to use a company called The Book People, and every year if enough money was spent, we could include a free copy of the RHS diary in the order, which we usually did. Unfortunately The Book People closed down during the last year. I honestly thought that would be the end of my diary era! But no, OH bought one for me for Christmas, so I'm all set up again. This diary has a page per week, so plenty of space to use - and, it has been invaluable for remembering specific things that happened throughout the year. Today we had the traditional turkey soup - using the set jelly from cooking the bird - so delicious - hah, reminds me of Miriam Karlin in 'So Haunt Me', where she used to frequently offer chicken soup, while saying "eat, eat!". We'll be having sandwiches this evening and watching tv, I'm not sure what's on, but we'll find something on iPlayer. OH has been trying out different ideas to try to get the brakes working again on the cars - it is really weird that both cars seem to be suffering from the problem of malfunctioning brakes. It's lucky that, at the moment anyway, we don't have to go anywhere!! Tina, you lucky lady, having a son who's a chef. What a treat to have the meals made by him in the freezer, a great idea on his behalf. Iris, our daughter gave me a lovely jigsaw to do. The picture is one of her favourites by the artist Leonid Afremov, who sadly died this year. afremov.com/night-fantasy-palette-knife-oil-painting-on-canvas-by-leonid-afremov-size-24-x30-sku19010.htmlLooking forward to doing that jigsaw. I hope your DiL is coping well with her broken shoulder. At least without too much discomfort. My sister-in-law is, I'm afraid, still waiting. Her arm was broken in two places (Aug 20th), and it still is. She has been passed from pillar to post, about needing this or that checked. Her daughter has told me that everything has been assessed that she can have the 'operation', whatever that may involve. Then the orthopaedic surgeon has gone on holiday for two weeks, and he has told the daughter that there is a 6-month waiting list. She has already been waiting 4 months - and my bro said that it is possible to see the broken bones sticking out. All this is so incredible that you couldn't make it up. I am quite angry about it, but I live 100 miles from them - there is very little I can do. The two daughters have been in touch with PALS (Patient Liaison Service) and also CQC (Care quality Commission) - how long does it have to take?? In the meantime, SiL is getting very depressed - she does have a tendency to depression, and is taking pills for it, but this would be enough to unsettle anyone/everyone. Hope you have an enjoyable evening, x
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Post by ambersparkle on Dec 28, 2020 9:53:25 GMT
Morning Lasses, windy here but bright, chancy though, as the Sky is a funny colour, and very low. Tried to get through to the Doctor just now, but told to try again later. The short, sharp dose of Antibiotics has not worked on my Problem. The Television has been dire over the Holidays, worst ever, I think. but watched two Films, and it is something I never do. Grease, and The sound of Music, really enjoyed them, especially the latter, I could never 'take', to Julie Andrews, don't know why, but Christopher Plummer, what a handsome Man! And of course, the Music was wonderful. Absolutely no Plans for today, with Dinner sorted, and too many Goodies hanging around to justify baking, want to do something different for a change, I have had for a long while, a Sketch Book, and Paints, unopened, always wanted to paint, so might have a go. I also got a Jigsaw for Xmas, might start that, decisions, decisions. My Son, is retired now, and can't leave the Kitchen behind him, he was teaching eldest Son to do more fancy Dishes, but has to keep away now, as we are in Tier 4 . I did get a Delivery from the Co-op yesterday, seemed okay, alright for Basic Groceries, but not a big Shop. Well, better make a start, whatever I am starting on, be back later. Hope your Weather has calmed down Iris, Thank goodness your Greenhouse is intact. Bye the noo.x
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Post by ambersparkle on Dec 28, 2020 9:55:08 GMT
Sorry, old Age and Insanitary, again, the Sky was not very low, it was the SUN !
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Post by Aly on Dec 28, 2020 11:23:31 GMT
Morning An early appointment with the notaire and we have sold our house. We can stay until the weekend. Later today we will complete the paperwork to buy the new house. Called in on our way back from shopping as wanted to see the couple we are buying from. They are busy packing up the camper van to leave tomorrow lunchtime. They have arranged for the money to go into a French bank account and will transfer into their English one themselves. Our notaire is doing five completions today. Our landline is not working which is a pain but the internet is. Just trying to sort it out now. We have hired a Luton van with a drop tail gate and have arranged for some help to move the big heavy stuff Thursday afternoon. The dogs will go to the kennel tomorrow and stay until Sunday. They are getting stressed with all the coming and going. A great deal to organize as well as packing. Our last night here will be Friday. It is likely we will be without internet until 12th January. We have booked the new connection. Weather is atrocious and cold.
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Post by irist on Dec 28, 2020 14:54:28 GMT
Afternoon all. Atrocious and cold about sums it up here too, Aly. Good news about your house sale and purchase. At last you can focus on the future - so pleased for you. Good luck with the move and look forward to your news when you are able to connect to the internet. OH has broken a tooth from his denture so I will have to call the dentist tomorrow to see if we can get it fixed. The break has left a very sharp piece of metal sticking out which is catching his lip so he can't wear the denture until it is fixed. Good job we are not going anywhere in public!! We had a good Zoom catch up with our son and DiL last night. They are organising a Zoom quiz for New Year's Eve. Each of the 8 households invited is going to provide 5 questions so I got down to researching ours this morning. Should be good fun as long as there aren't too many football and pop music questions We are having an easy day today. I made a curry yesterday to use up the remains of the Christmas beef. I like to leave it to stand for a day to develop the flavours. I've also put some red cabbage in the slow cooker to braise with spices, apples and raisins. We will eat some tomorrow with yet more gammon and roast potatoes. Daughter has taken enough gammon to feed her family for a main meal then there will be enough for sandwiches for us. I slow cooked it in Coca Cola with onions, carrots, peppercorns etc and really enjoyed the flavour and succulence. I was a little dubious but if Nigella can do it, so can I! Feeling a bit as though we are in No Man's Land now Christmas is over. I'm really looking forward to 4th January when the workmen arrive to fit the heating. Once that is done we will be able to get back to what passes for "normal" now. I'll start taking the decorations down and packing them away in the next day or so. Then I can move some of the furniture around to make access easier for the workmen. They will need to be able to check the radiators in each room which will make things a bit awkward with regards to social distancing but I'm sure it will all be fine. I've packed up the small Christmas cake and DiL's glittens ready to post tomorrow. The Post Office Click and Drop service is very useful I've found. It means I don't have to queue at the desk as long when I fetch the paper at the local shop/Post Office. Well it's afternoon cuppa time so I'm off to put the kettle on. Enjoy the rest of your day.
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Post by brightspark on Dec 28, 2020 15:38:03 GMT
Hi ladies,
Oh, Aly, what good news for your. Hope everything goes smoothly for you, you've had enough obstacles already. Looking forward to hearing about your new home.
Tina, it's blumming cold here too, as it is with Iris. Luckily our wonderful son bought me some lovely warm slippers, or bootees, for Christmas, so I have warm toes, but the rest of me is feeling the chill. Brrr.
We've done rather well with our small turkey - we have just finished the last of the very tasty turkey soup, and tonight we shall have a Boxing Day-style dinner to finish the rest of the turkey. I have a gammon to cook, so that'll be next.
I managed to get a Tesco delivery for Thursday, which is quite handy as I have now realised we're low on dishwash tablets and also washing sachets - it has become too easy to use the dishwasher, and the thought of washing up by hand doesn't thrill me!!
OH is still trying to get the automatic sensor sorted on the brakes of the car. He's due to take it out for an MOT tomorrow, so he's anxious to finish and sort it; (MOT runs out on Wednesday,so it's a bit tight!).
Had another Zoom meeting this morning with the family - it's so good to keep in touch, and have lots of laughs. We did a quiz yesterday, Iris, on Zoom. Our granddaughter had organised it - though it was clearly a pre-written one, and biased towards Americans, so I guess she had found it online. I have been reading the book by Emma Mitchell, "The Wild Remedy - How Nature Mends Us" www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B073VM99TB/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1 - if you watched Autumnwatch, Chris Packham said how good the book is. I already have her book from last year, "Making Winter" www.amazon.co.uk/Making-Winter-Creative-Surviving-Months-ebook/dp/B073VM99TB and this year, daughter bought the newer one The Wild Remedy. She also bought the book about Dick and Angel in France - "A Year At The Chateau". www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B089LP341P/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1
My friend bought me a book about making quilts from scraps - ha ha she knows I have plenty of scraps.
Oh well, time for a cuppa I reckon, have a good afternoon/evening, x
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Post by ambersparkle on Dec 29, 2020 12:00:08 GMT
Good Moaning Girls, full Steam ahead now, Aly, great that everything is settled at last. It is a beautiful Morning, Sun shining on crisp White Snow. Am waiting for a call back from the Surgery, the short sharp Dose of Antibiotics did not work, so el have to get se Ailmentsomething else. I am going to have a look at the Books you mention, Val, am interested in what our Ancestors us
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Post by ambersparkle on Dec 29, 2020 12:03:51 GMT
Gone potty again, the Computer, not me, then again. Son, has taken away my new Computer, to set it up for me, going to come back later, ta ta the noo. love Tina x
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Post by brightspark on Dec 29, 2020 16:18:53 GMT
Hello ladies,
The day is closing in again currently, and it is damp and very cold. This morning we thought was frost on the fields, but it was actually a light sprinkling of snow!! I have cooked the gammon - as it is smoked, I tend to boil it, rather than roast it. I add a few bay leaves, plenty of peppercorns and some black treacle, and then I leave it in the cooking water until cold allowing the joint to absorb some of the moisture and flavours.
OH took the car out this morning, but it still had the problem, so despite the really cold damp weather, he's been working on the car on our drive most of the day. Very brave, and determined!
With reference to the books, Tina, I just know you would love the book from Dick and Angel. Some of their story wasn't in the tv programmes, and makes good reading. I could recommend this one. Emma Mitchell's book shows what a talent this lady is - her knowledge of flora and fauna is amazing, and her drawings are superb. I have one misgiving about the book. She has suffered from bouts of depression through a large part of her life, and the book is basically about her finding solace in the outside world and its inhabitants, which is marvellous. Her experiences of the wildlife in the woods and similar places are just inspiring, and a delight. I found her references to 'the black dog'; being in a dark place; even at one point, suicide, was to me a tad upsetting though, and it was referred to much too often, I thought. I haven't suffered from depression, so I can't experience just what she has gone through, so forgive me if I have wronged her. Her first book was wonderful (Making Winter), and I often pick it up and look through it. I had hoped that this one was as good, and in some ways it is.
Tina, I hope you managed to get the phone call from the surgery to help you out with the medication.
Iris, I can understand that with teeth, if it shows, it's amazing how embarrassed we are if it isn't looking right! I have veneers on my front teeth, and on one journey home from France one of them just 'flicked' out. I was so conscious of not laughing and covering my lips when speaking. You're right about that 'suspended' time between Christmas and New Year, and sometimes beyond that. Of course having to use up the Christmas leftovers, this includes all the chocolate gifts - we had so much this year - I think they must be running out of ideas! It seems like we can't wait to get back to normality. Aly, I'm getting quite excited for you - yes, it is very tiring, this job of moving, but starting over is quite motivating to try new things, new experiences, new places to see. Wish you the very best of luck and hope that it goes as smoothly as possible.
Have a good evening ladies, x
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Post by irist on Dec 29, 2020 16:41:43 GMT
Afternoon ladies. We started with some glimpses of sun but everything has gone downhill since! Heavy rain, hailstorms and general wetness have conspired to keep us indoors again. So the decorations are down and everywhere hoovered to pick up the inevitable bits which fall from the tree. Whilst I had the hoover out I decided to top up the polystyrene beads in our bean bag. I know from past experience it's a messy job - the dratted things cling to the carpet and clothes but at least the bean bag is more serviceable and it's a job done that I have been putting off.
I made a pot of mushroom soup for lunch and dinner is an assembly job rather than any real cooking as such. I'm trying to make meals OH can eat easily without his denture! I got hold of the dentist this morning but can't get an appointment until 11th Jan. I was offered next Monday but that's the day the plumber arrives to start work and feel I need to be around to answer questions about stop taps and the like. OH has to have new impressions taken then go back the day after for some reason. Previously he's had the mould made and it is sent direct to the dental lab.
Hope you can get some help from your surgery, Tina. It will be so good to have your new computer set up and working reliably.
You certainly have a good deal to read now, Val. Hope your OH's car was sorted in time for its MOT. As soon as I passed me driving test I attended evening classes on car maintenance for ladies. My father told me I had no idea what went on under the bonnet so that was red rag to a bull! I learnt how a car engine works, to change a wheel and plugs, sort out the points etc. It's not possible for an amateur to do most of these jobs now. Mechanics trace problems by plugging in a computer to find them and have special tools too.
Bye for now.
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Post by ambersparkle on Dec 30, 2020 11:13:19 GMT
Morning Ladies, it is another beautiful Morning, full Sunshine, we are having beautiful Days, but the Nights are beyond cold, I had to put the heating on, as I was catching my Breath. No help from the Surgery, and when I told my Daughter, she exploded,Wills Book, is it Wills, and as you have recommended it don't know what was said, but she is fearsome when roused, and had my 'Flu Injection within the Hour! I have sent for the Emma Mitchell Book, and as you have recommended it, Val, will send for the Dick and Angel Book, I am kind to myself when it comes to Books. Have to go and deep clean the Kitchen, as my new Machine is coming tomorrow. Have as good a Day as possible. bbl Tina x
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Post by ambersparkle on Dec 30, 2020 11:14:58 GMT
Honest, something happening with this Computer, it is not me!
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Post by irist on Dec 30, 2020 15:27:33 GMT
Afternoon folks. No let up in the rain here but at least it's not coming down in torrents now (but I shouldn't tempt fate). There are so many floods around but fortunately we have been OK. I didn't think it was so cold today when I set out for the paper but by the time I got home I was glad to be indoors. After doing the usual chores I set about defrosting my upright freezer (another job I have been putting off) and of course my hands were frozen and hurting by the time I finished. However, it's satisfying to have the task over with and the contents of the freezer organised. OH has a tendency to put supplies in anywhere when he "helps" unload my shopping but now I know where everything is. I will need to do the small chest freezer but will try to use up some of the fruit and veg in it before I tackle that one.
I hope your daughter's intervention with the surgery helps to get you some medication asap, Tina.
I'm having a lazy afternoon. I helped OH for a short while with his jigsaw puzzle but he's a bit proprietorial and really wants to complete it himself so I'm going to look at the daily crossword instead. He's snoozing at the moment as he didn't sleep well last night.
Can't make up my mind what to make for tonight's dinner. It's a toss up between a pasta bake, ham and pea risotto or ham, egg and chips. Just want to use up the last of the gammon so will let OH decide when he wakes.
I feel a bit listless without any knitting or special cooking to do. Will have to buck my ideas up and find something to keep me occupied as it looks as though we will be going into Tier 3 soon. The R rate has shot up in Cornwall, although it is still well below the national figure, but who knows what will happen when the effects of Christmas bubbles is taken into account. Think I'll have to try to get a home delivery slot from one of few supermarkets that will deliver here.
Hope all is going well for Aly. Take care and be back tomorrow.
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