What are you Doing Today?

[Grauntie Mag]

🤣🤣😆😆😂🤣 thanks for today’s giggle Oma!

[Daisy]

Just reading through everyone's news. It's surprising how a couple of busy days makes me feel I've been away from here for ages.

Grauntie, I'm sorry you've been down in the dumps. You know we're always here, and lurking is fine if that's what you feel like doing. I hope thinking about your amazing holiday will help to lift your spirits. Sending hugs. It sounds as though your sewing machine is going to be kept busy between now and your holiday. Have you found some nice fabric?

WeeGranny, hanging pictures is a vexed job! My OH insists no matter how large a picture is it only needs one hook, so they are constantly crooked! By the way you can get a laser measuring tape which means you can measure on your own, if necessary - I think they're called something like a Laser distance meter. Screwfix, eBay and Amazon sell them, and I'm sure lots of other places as well.

Plant, you're lucky to have a choice of tips. We have only got one, you still need an appointment and it's run by a crew of unhelpful jobsworths. Did you go and feed the ducks? Are your family enjoying their holiday? Hopefully it hasn't been too cold.

Oma, poor you. I hope the effects of those tablets wear off, otherwise you might think the tremors are a better evil. Although I imagine there are other drugs that might do the job and suit you better. How is your SIL after her fall? (Sorry if you've said somewhere and I've missed it.) Glad MIL cheered up eventually.

I roared with laughter at the article about retarded grandparents! Brilliant. I'm sure teachers must get some very interesting replies to the question "What did you do at the week-end/in the holidays" etc! I have a friend whose class wrote enthusiastically about what they did at the week-end and one child wrote that they had gone shopping on the Saturday morning, had lunch and then daddy had put a video on for the children to watch while mummy and daddy went upstairs to do their exercises.

Lizzie, I'm sure the coffee was fine as well as the plants. I think a lot of countries are now seeing the consequences of keeping people so isolated during the lockdowns. Sheltered accommodation might be a good idea for your BIL - there is someone around if he does need any help with anything, but more importantly, it could give hime a social life without him having to go out and look for company. They will probably have a communal lounge and will certainly have various sorts of entertainment, outings and hobbies he can join in with if he wants to.

Gem, that's such good news about S, and I agree about keeping on with the Anastrozole when everything is going well. How was the pizza this evening? Do the GCs like the same flavours or do you have to order an assortment? It will be quiet without Baby E this week-end! x

Nanto, we had gammon tonight as well - cooked with brown sugar in the slow cooker, as per your recipe. It was very nice, and Plant, I've noticed cooked this way it never seems so salty.

[Daisy]

Some quite small things can throw you plans for the day out of the window! This morning our Sainsbury's order arrived. We've got 6 for lunch on Sunday and I'd planned to do a nice casserole recipe which I'd cook tomorrow and reheat on Sunday. The braising steak arrived with a use by date of today! Grrr.... If it was just us I'd have left it till tomorrow, but wouldn't want to take any chances giving it to friends. So I spent this morning chopping, browning, seasoning and carefully cooking the recipe. Freezing it tonight and defrosting on Sunday morning! I also wanted to wash our bedding, hopefully to dry outside, and had to totally re-organise the fridge because my order for 2 x 6 eggs had turned out to be 1 x 12 eggs, which didn't work in the space available in the fridge! It all seemed to take forever to do, plus the ongoing saga of the hole in the road!

I finally took Eva out late afternoon - saw two neighbours and had a chat with both, and every dog-owner in the area seemed to be out with their pooches, sending Eva giddy with excitement! Still, it was nice to get out and not too cold.

[Daisy]

Good Saturday morning everyone. It looks a bit dull and dreary outside this morning, but at least it's not freezing.

It's another busy day today because I want to make puddings for tomorrow and need to give the dining room a good clean. I don't think we've used it since Christmas and it tends to become a bit of a dumping ground!

I hope everyone is ok - I'll pop back later.

[Nanto2girls]

Dull, but quite mild. I've heard that from tomorrow it will be colder but with plenty of sunshine.

Daisy, what a shame about the date on the meat. I haven't done an online supermarket shop,since before covid first happened.
I like to pick my own stuff in the supermarket,and check dates. I'm sure the casserole will be lovely.

Only supermarket shopping for us today.
Not sure what dinner will be yet.

Oma, hope the side ffects subside. Giggled at the newspaper article.
So, we are all retarded then.

[Gemini]

Good morning everyone.

Oma, that made me laugh too Maybe drug the side effects will wear off?

Daisy, how annoying about the meat, but at least the casserole is done now. It sounds a real doggie socialising area near you!

Lizzie, as Daisy says, sheltered housing may be the way for your BIL. My auntie (94) moved into a retirement apartment about 4 years ago. She loves it. All the privacy and independence of her own flat, but with communal areas when she wants company. She spends a lot of time in the lounge socialising and has her lunch in the bistro there most days. A group of them have started taking turns buying a bottle of wine to go with Sunday lunch as the bistro has no alcohol licence. There are carers based there for anyone who needs them. My auntie doesn't but if she ever did it would be so easy to set up.

DD and GS1 have gone away for the weekend with friends. They forgot to make any arrangement for the Guinea pigs, so we are going today and tomorrow to see to them.
Tonight is New Year's Eve again in our house! One of our best friends missed our celebration due to covid, and another doesn't really do late nights any more. So we said we would arrange a smaller rerun when we were all free. Meal, drinks, chat, board games. Tonight there will be 7 of us. OH has cooked 2 kinds of Bolognese sauce . Lamb as I can't eat beef, and a veggie one for one vegetarian and one non red meat eater. Tonight will just be cooking the pasta and garlic bread and grating parmesan. I will of course be making my mulled wine

[Daisy]

Nanto, in lots of ways I'd rather we did our shopping ourselves, but were grateful for online shopping during the lockdowns. Our nearest large supermarket is a Tesco which is noisy, and thoroughly unpleasant. Staff never seem helpful, people are often rude and pushy, there always shelf-filling carts cluttering the aisles. There's a small Waitrose about 5 miles away, but for some reason their fruit and veg is never very good .. so we go further afield to a Sainsburys which is relatively pleasant. But we are fed up with road closures, long diversions and traffic jams. A 'quick' weekly shop can easily take 4 hours! We love living in the country, but it does have its downsides. But you're right. We should start shopping again!

Gem, yes, you're right - there are almost more dogs than people! Your Second New Year's Eve sounds great fun, and I'm sure the friends will be delighted. It wouldn't be complete without mulled wine - I can smell the delicious aroma already. Have fun. I hope DD and GS1 have a good week-end with their friends, and GS1 knows you will take good care of his guinea pigs. x

[Gemini]

Daisy I have had a message to please send a photo of the guinea pigs as GS misses them

[Oma]

Morning ladies
im still feeling light headed and a bit foggy but not as bad as yesterday ,
Eyes are a bit unfocused so if any words don’t seem right you will just have to guess 😁

Gem
i love Guinea pigs they are so sweet and vocal has he got more than one ?
Enjoy your 2nd New Year’s Eve it sounds fun 😁

Daisy
Its not easy to get to the big supermarkets for you is it , maybe a monthly shop if you have to go would be better rather than weekly .
I bet the casserole is delicious,
B made German Roulade last night, Im not a great Red meat eater at the best of times but the steak was tough I couldn’t eat it .
Usually it falls apart it’s so tender but this was like old shoe leather , so disappointing.

Nanto
I read we are in for a cold snap from 6pm tomorrow too
about time we had some warmth isn’t it .

Im off for a cup of tea and let my eyes focus a bit , be back later xx

[Plantaholic]

Not sure what I will be doing today, I might go and see DS and Dil, haven’t invited myself yet and I know my son will want to watch the rugby. I didn’t see a sole yesterday, did a few jobs, sat down and fell fast asleep. H isn’t very well, tummy was a bit off, her daddy is looking after her as her mother is working and DD and Sil are away. H has been to a lots of play places, and childminder, she has probably picked up something from there.

Gemini, there will be a lovely smell in your house. Do you play rummy cub (sp?)

Daisy I am not surprised you like to have your food delivered. I am sure your beef will be good.

[Lizzie48]

Good morning everyone, I had an early start to the market in Rotterdam, my aim was some buttons, the shop in Delft where I usually go is closed at the moment, the lady has been running it 50 years and retired, I see it will be re-opening but I don't know when. There was only one stall on the market selling them, the lady had what I wanted so I was pleased. The next time I go I will take my shopping trolley as the fruit and veg is so cheap, not to mention the cheese! They even had local cucumbers, I haven't seen them here yet. It was getting busy at 10am, I had all I went for so I went to a sport shop for something I need and I was back here at 10-30am.

Daisy, I would so miss the local shopping, a few years ago I was in Haworth for a week, a beautiful cottage, the best I have seen, only thing is if I needed shopping I had to drive to Keighley, they did have a shop in the village but it didn't stock everything. We are spoilt here though.

Oma, I hope you funny feeling soon goes. Oma, I am not a beef fan, mine usually ends up like old boot leather!!! I almost bought salmon snippets on the market, I used to go regular for them, only thing is I have enough food in the fridge so that will be next time.

Gem, enjoy your second New Years Eve, it should have been last weekend with the Chinese New Year.

[Mimi]

Morning all

Oma how are the side effects today, hopefully your body will soon adjust. That newspaper article did make me chuckle, the mental image of the man in the 'dolls house ' hilarious!

Daisy we have two Tescos in our city . The one in the town centre is old, scruffy and very noisy. The newer one , outside the city centre is modern, light and airy, a far nicer shopping experience but to be fair as I just do online grocery shopping I haven't been in either of those two buildings for a long time. I tend to pop to the Co-op if we run out of anything as it's only a few minutes walk from where we live.

We didn't get up until just before 9 this morning but by 10 OH had washed the kitchen, bathroom and porch floor and I've vacuumed and dusted and now we are sat drinking coffee.
Chicken drumsticks, jacket potato and salad for lunch today ( pleased to announce that the stew has all gone)

Today my beautiful sister would have been 71 . She died when she was just 16 . We were really close .

Has anyone heard that Hi Ho Silver Lining is banned from some radio stations as there is a word in it which apparently its offensive. I love the song, it reminds me of my youth

Have a good day everyone

[Lizzie48]

Mimi, I hadn't heard about HI Ho Silver lining, I was listening to Jeremy Vine yesterday about Delilah being banned!

[Mimi]

Mimi, I hadn't heard about HI Ho Silver lining, I was listening to Jeremy Vine yesterday about Delilah being banned!

Lizzie48 I have heard about Delilah which didn't surprise me as its about killing someone with a dagger but what has surprised me is why now, after all the song was recorded in the 60s and the lyrics were changed slightly for the USA Market as the reference to the dagger was seen as inappropriate which is ironic as they happily carry guns
I love Tom Jones and the song Delilah

[Gemini]

Oma, GS has 2 guinea pigs, Toffee and Fudge. They are cute. He has always wanted a cat but his dad is allergic, so maybe they will get one now.

Plant we haven't played rummikub (I'm not sure how to spell it either) but I think one of our friends has a set so if they bring it we will play. A favourite with us is Sequence, which we play in teams of 2 or 3
. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Goliath-Gam.../dp/B0013SW7YK

Lizzie, tying it in with Chinese New Year would have been a good idea This was the first weekend all could do however.

Mimi, to lose your beloved sister so young was terrible. I love songs which remind me of my youth and I hadn't heard that about that song. I will Google it to find out what could be offensive!

This morning we fed the guinea pigs and went to Sainsburys for a couple of things. We have done the cleaning and I have made the mulled wine. Nothing else to do until just before our friends arrive at 7, so time for a cup of tea!