Grandma Chat Space

[Gemini]

Good morning ladies

Nan2, it looks a good drying day here too.
Daisy, the girls will feel they have had a holiday! It's wonderful to have the GC (especially after the recent times when we haven't been able to see them) but it's always lovely to say goodbye too It IS tiring!
Oma, you could have a little long pony tail just at the back!

DD2 is asleep in our spare bedroom. She 'booked' her room a couple of weeks ago. She has had a lot of conference calls from abroad recently during the night from home. This one was in an actual studio, 2 miles from here. Finishing at 5 or 6 am. She has a half hour drive home, then the children would be waking up for school. So a short drive and quiet room at the back of our house seemed a good option. I am library volunteering this afternoon, so may not see her at all.

Have a good day everyone.

[Lizzie48]

Good morning, the sun is shining but got caught in a hail shower whilst shopping. Yes Gem, DS1 has lots of conference calls, the children knew when not to interrupt, he now has a home office so much easier for them all. DD2 will get a good sleep at your house.

[Plantaholic]

Hairdresser coming at 12.30, I am so excited. Nothing else planned today apart from pushing the sucky- up thing around. Got to decide how I am going to cook the piece of brisket I bought from our local butcher yesterday. Slowly in the oven of course but not sure whether to cook it in beer or wine or neither. bought a bag of casserole veg from the farm yesterday so at some stage they will go into the pot. I have my Delia book out and have looked on line, any suggestions will be welcome.

Gemini, mothers have quite a stressful life these days, I hope your DD got some well earned sleep. Did you get that stitch removed okay and your trip to town.

My DD and Sil saw the last of the furniture that was stored in their garage, go yesterday. They were some fitted wardrobes that GD and her partner got from his father and then decided they didn't need them. My DD advertised them on line, free of course and a man drove for over an hour to collect them. He didn't have a very big van but Sil was determined they would go in. Pleased to see the back of them. Don't tell the GC that they have an almost empty garage.

Nanto, loved the graphic, cheeky little fairy.

Daisy, that sounds a lovely time spent with your GD's now time for a rest. I hope your DS and Dil managed to get lots done.

Sun shining, have a lovely day everyone.

[Lizzie48]

Plant, the wardrobe story is the same as I had last year, he drove over one hour to pick it up, I was pleased it had gone!! Good luck with the cooking!

[Oma]

Well hair is cut and I feel so much better , although the spot is on show now ,
my hairdresser had a even bigger one on her forehead she was trying to hide with her short fringe

Daisy we forget how energetic children are but you wouldn't change it for the world no matter how tired you are

Plant how long will the garage stay empty
I love Brisket slowly cooked its a much unused cut these days , I think its the one beef I will eat as im not a red meat eater as such but it has a taste of its own doesn't it .

Lizzie we had overnight frost but no hail , it is cold though , hope you were well wrapped up and had a hat on xx

Gem bless her she needs a bit of peace , its not easy having little ones and having late conference meetings like that ,
Hope you having a celebration meal tonight xx

[Daisy]

Good morning ladies. Cold but dry here but quite overcast as well.

I slept well last night after two busy days. Yes, it's great to have the GCs, but I forget I'm a good few years older than I was for my own children, and even for the first generation of GCs. It seems a long time since they were little!!

Went into Southampton first thing for a Covid test before my hospital appointment on Friday. It took longer to find the test 'centre' than do the test! We had asked about 6 people where it was and eventually got there, only to find that it was a drive through! It felt a bit like going through a car wash in an open top car!!!

Plant - my go to beef dish is a pot roast, using brisket or top or silverside. Brown the meat on all sides. Put it in a roasting tin with a couple of quartered onions, a few cloves of garlic, a couple of carrots cut into large pieces, a bay leaf, a bouquet garni, seasoning, and a few whole cloves. Pour over one or two glasses of robust red wine, cover with buttered tinfoil and cook on low (about Gas 3). Allow it to stand for 10 minutes or so. Use the juices to make gravy, adding beef stock and any seasoning. It's equally good served cold!

Shhh - don't tell the family about your empty garage! I think DS2 and DIL were grateful to have a couple of days just getting back into work-mode again. They both said it seemed hard having to do so much talking and listening!

Gem - I'm sure your DD2 was grateful for a quiet night and a catch up on her sleep. Work too often seems to be a 24 hr a day activity these days. I hope you and S have a lovely day today. xx

Nanto - what a sweet little girl on your graphic.

Oma - Oh dear, who knows what will be revealed with everyone getting their hair cut. I'm sure people won't notice your little spot, and it's cold enough to wear a scarf when you're out. Does it feel strange to have short hair again?

Lizzie - hail storms seem to come on so quickly. I hope it didn't last long.

Off to do the Sainsbury's order for tomorrow and then I might spend the afternoon painting. I'd like to get some more seeds sown, but while it's so cold at night it seems a bit risky - I don't want to start heating the greenhouse at this time of year.

[Nanto2girls]

Good news for all those getting haircuts. My appointment is tomorrow.

I have never bought brisket, always buy topside or silverside.

The sun is shining,but hasn't warmed up as much as it did the past couple of days.

[Daisy]

Nanto - even when the sun has come out here there's been that chilly wind. Even the greenhouse didn't warm up much this afternoon.

I spent a couple of hours sloshing paint about but don't seem to have made much progress on the picture itself - still trying to get colours right.

Just off to cook dinner - not sure what as it depends what's left in the fridge! But we have got some very nice strawberries in. I got them for a treat the girls, although I really prefer to wait till they're in season here. So that's pudding sorted.

Gem - have a lovely anniversary evening. xx

[Gemini]

Thanks Daisy.
Nan2, my haircut is tomorrow too. I hope you are pleased with yours Plant.

Ooh it was cold in the library! We have to have doors and windows open and I was deceived by the sun and wore a thin top and took no coat or cardigan! I usually don't have my mask on when there are no customers but this afternoon I needed it for the warmth.
We have ordered a Chinese takeaway and are going to continue watching the ITV thriller, Come Closer.

DD2 will be coming here for a bit of sleep again. She said she hardly remembers driving here this morning so I would hate her to do that long drive home with no sleep. This is the final night of this job.

[Daisy]

Gem - I do things like that - look out, see sunshine and expect it to be warm! Enjoy your Chinese take away this evening. My OH is watching Come Closer - it looks very dramatic. Your poor DD2 - she must have been shattered, and it's scary when you look back and don't remember driving somewhere because you're so tired. She was probably already worn out with all the home schooling as well. I've seen how exhausted my DS2 and DIL got with doing it day after day alongside everything else they had to do.

Plant and Oma - you should be going out this evening to show off your new hair cuts.

After saying earlier about not knowing what to get for dinner, I walked downstairs thinking there are some lamb steaks so I'll do them with potatoes of some sort and carrots, and whatever green veggies we've got. Then I spotted prawns so ended up doing a sort of Thai stirfry with ribbon noodles, peppers, finely chopped mushrooms, ginger and lime. It was quite nice!

Any more grannies having hair cuts or salon treatments this week?

[Plantaholic]

Me thinks you are a gourmet cook Daisy. I am not very daring. I pot roasted the brisket in a robust wine but over cooked it. It was very nice though, cooked loads of chunky veg to go with it. Will put some in the freezer tomorrow.

[Gemini]

Good morning everyone,

I agree with Plant, Daisy seems to be a good inventive cook.

I have just heard DD arrive (7.15) she will be go glad to lie down!

Hairdresser for us this morning. Then golf for OH and a couple of hours at mum's house for me.
My left cheek is still swollen, I really am sick of it. The tooth next to the one I had out needs attention (I had this filled over the summer/autumn) and the receptionist gave me an appointment 6 weeks away. If it had been with the dentist who I saw he could have made it, but as its to be with my regular dentist I had to make it at reception. I think I will have to get in touch.


It is a lovely sunny morning here.
Enjoy your day whatever you are doing.

[Nanto2girls]

Good morning. Weather the same as its been all week. Frosty,but the sun is shining.

Hairdresser coming this morning, thank goodness.

GD2 texted before she went to work this morning, asked if her and her boyfriend can come on sunday.
Told her they can come for their dinner if they want.

[Daisy]

Good morning Early Birds and those who come later.

Nanto - same here - hard frost - again! - but sunny now. Please can we have proper Spring, at least 10 degrees warmer.

Gem and Plant - I happily make meals up as I go along when it's just us, but when it's visitors as well I panic. I'm not very good at following recipes because I don't plan ahead and never have all the right ingredients in!

Gem, no wonder you're fed up with your swollen cheek. I hope you can get to see your dentist before the end of May. I think they should treat you as an emergency before it causes you any more pain or problems. xx Enjoy your hair dos today. S will enjoy the golf, and the sunshine! Nice to have DD2 there even if she is asleep.

Plant - I'm sure the brisket was tasty. My OH likes beef well-done - he'd have been round like a shot if he'd known.

I'm just off for a shower before Sainsbury come. Why did I say they could deliver earlier than the stated time!!! Silly me. Back later.

[Enfys]

Good morning, it is sunny but chilly here. No haircut for me until mid May! My poor hairdresser is trying so hard to fit everyone in, even staying open late and she’s all on her own. I could have had it done this week if I went in the evening but prefer a morning appointment so am happy to wait.

I am going out this morning! DDs friend has invited her round for coffee in her garden and she invited me too!! Feeling ridiculously 😀. We will wrap up warm and sit in the sunshine so should be nice. I am also going round to my friends tomorrow afternoon for afternoon tea in her garden, what a gadabout I am!

I must catch up with all your news, after being awol this past week. I’ve popped on now and then. Nothing much has been happening here, apart from a bit of gardening when it wasn’t too cold and general mooching. I’ve been reading a lot, also giving audio books a try which I’m enjoying now I’ve got used to it. It’s nice to listen to a book whilst I’m out walking, makes the walk go quicker. I’m struggling a bit with my walks, I think I’m so out of condition sometimes it’s hard work but I will go slowly and hopefully it will get easier.

At least my BP has gone down after the doctor slightly increased my medication. I had to keep a record for a couple of weeks of my BP readings and then let him see it and I was surprised how much better it was. So that’s good.

Hope you all have a good day, enjoy the sunshine 🌞