Gran Chat!

[Nanto2girls]

Thats a good thing Lizzie.

[Daisy]

Hello everyone. Sorry I didn't make it on here earlier. It's just been a busy non-stop day from an early appointment for a blood test which took far longer than usual, to organising food for 12 for Sunday (when we're celebrating OH's 80 th birthday), sorting out some last minute presents and several other things that cropped up. Nothing too bad, just non-stop, and it was so nice today I treated myself to an hour in the garden, tidying up the tomato plants cutting back some bits and pieces and generally enjoying the sunshine. Washing dried quickly as well.

Gem, enjoy your holiday. xxx

[Nanto2girls]

Daisy, no apology needed. You certainly had a busy day. Sounds like Sunday will be busy as well.

I'm going into town again. I've been enjoying my Tuesday jaunts into town.

I don't need much,just pick up a few things in Iceland and some mushrooms in the market. I'm doing a full English for dinner, got everything except fresh mushrooms.
Will meet up with hubby for home.

[Oma]

Morning Nanto, Ladies.

Nanto
I love mushrooms but I'm not keen on them on a full English , no idea why.
Even if I did they would have to be in a bowl on the side I can't have them on a plate with anything else.
Strange woman that I am😁

Enjoy your shopping trip.

Daisy
Sometimes the day just get away from you doesn't it,
I hope you slept well xx

I didn't have a good night waves of sickness, no idea why but I'm ok this morning,
We are off to Tesco soon have a look around and get my tea bags,
I can only get the Irish blend from there.

[Gemini]

Morning everyone.

Oh dear Oma, hope that's it for the sickness.

We had a good journey down and good day and evening.
My cold seems to have got worse! Hopefully the sea air will help.
I will be back later xx

[Lizzie48]

Good morning everyone, it feels warmer this morning. I have been to the gym then went to pick the old bike up to take to the garage, DS1 and DIL very pleased it has gone and the man at the garage was pleased I had taken it in! He was helpful and took it off the carrier, I will get the carrier off this week, I can do that myself, I hope! Otherwise the young man will do it when he is busy with his motorbikes.

DS2 phoned last night, bonus GGD1 was 4 yesterday so has started school, bonus GGS started a few weeks ago but isn't keen at all, they are letting him just go in the mornings until he gets used to it.

I hope you are feeling better today Oma, Gem as well.

I need to do some shopping then may get a bike ride in later on today. It was misty but is clearing now.

[Daisy]

Good Tuesday afternoon, everyone.

I think I've caught up with everyone's news.

Nanto, your little jaunt out on Tuesdays sounds great for breaking the week up a bit. It's nice to have a browse round, and probably not as busy as Saturdays.

Oma, yes, thank you, I slept like a log. It's been so mild here we've put a lightweight duvet back on our bed, but will no doubt have to change it when it gets colder again. I wonder what caused those waves of sickness? Were you just overtired after your hectic day yesterday?

Gem, apart from your cold, everything sounds lovely. Yes, lots of sea air will do you both good. I hope your friends enjoy themselves too. Are P and M enjoying lots of fuss from your cat sitters?

Lizzie, it's warm here as well - very welcome at this time of year. It's good to hear about recycling schemes like the old bikes. We throw far too many things away that could probably be repaired or used for parts. I know that can be too expensive to be cost effective, but when we keep on hearing that the earth is running out of natural resources it makes sense to take a long view. There is a bike shop in a town near us which takes in old bikes and volunteers repair/use them for parts and donate the bikes to charities. It's a very good scheme but does depend on volunteers. Hopefully your bonus GGS will settle down and start to enjoy school. Perhaps he just gets tired by lunch-time? Is bonus GGD1 at the same school?

Plant, have you found a home for those eating apples yet? I know you live in a private road, so you probably don't get many passersby, but is there someone who would let you put a box of apples at their gate for people to help themselves. It seems such a shame for them to go to waste. I've sometimes frozen diced eating apples and added them to cooking apples for apple tarts etc. The sharper flavour of the cookers still comes through ok.

I'm at home all day today, and have a telephone appointment with the Consultant this afternoon.

I've been trying to decide what to do for food for OH/s birthday bash on Sunday, and have decided to get it catered. It will be a buffet, and will save me hours of work. I'll add some cakes and other bits and pieces that I know the GCs like, and I'll make the birthday cake later in the week. It's a busy week anyway, with dog training tomorrow, meeting college friends for lunch on Thursday and hospital on Friday! Friends have invited us to dinner on Wednesday evening to celebrate OH's birthday and that of another mutual friend, and we are out on Saturday evening, also another birthday celebration, but I've been sworn to secrecy on that one.

[Plantaholic]

I am back, Sil had to do some adjustments in the loft.

[Plantaholic]

Just checked to see if I am back.

Daisy, getting OH’s birthday bash catered, what a good idea. Also a nice surprise for him too. I hope the consultant has some good news for you.

What an amazing warm day it was yesterday, still warm today but overcast. Just had a very nice lunch out at the cafe on the parade, they were busy. Bought some bits in the garage Waitrose, felt very tired in the legs, hadn’t taken my rollator. I have got to the stage where I can walk without it but I am safer with it. Very sad, the Cafe on the green is closing, rent too high. That is where I bumped into WG after she moved into the area and had been helping at the school on the green.

Gemini, I hope the fresh air is chasing those cold symptom's away, and that you are having a lovely time with your friends. Give the Oma’s a hug from me.

Daisy, I walked over to the fruit trees and felt very sad to see the eating apples on the ground, I hope DD and Sil will do something with them. The children prefer bought red apples. I also found three quinces, not enough to make into jelly but they will go nicely with some stewed apple. The pears are still on the tree, I shall keep an eye on those. We need to find someone to prune the apple trees properly. No decent cooking apples this year, they were like marbles, too many on the tree. I used to make puddings every day to use up the fruit but now they have a yogurt or something similar.

[Plantaholic]

Oma, Sorry to hear you had a sick feeling overnight. Hope you will be well for your meet up with Gemini and S. Perhaps you didn’t digest your food properly if you had a busy day

[WeeGranny]

Plant, I walked past the cafe yesterday and saw it was closed. I did wonder why? He was quite expensive though. I went to the new one opposite the Waitrose garage and the coffee was very good. Didn’t have anything to eat though. I don’t think it’s good for the parking there though. Bit of a nightmare getting back onto the main road.
I’ve got loads of apples from people who’ve put boxes out round the village. I used to do that from my mini orchard before I moved. Much appreciated when you haven’t got your own fruit trees. I made a Dorset Apple cake for coffee morning which wasn’t needed, but DD took it to her hockey match and she said it flew off the plate! At least it was eaten and enjoyed.
Spent a couple of hours in the garden unintentionally this morning! Cut up buddleia branches to go into tomorrow’s green bin, weeded and emptied some pots and planted the bulbs in the beds. Hopefully they’ll grow in the spring
Hope Gem is enjoying her break and that all those feeling under the weather soon feel better.
Have a good evening everyone xx

[Gemini]

Hello everyone. Just checking in. Talk to you tomorrow

[Daisy]

Plant, what a pity the youngsters prefer red apples from the supermarket. I bet yours are much crisper and tastier. If the green ones were peeled the children would think they were delicious. It is sad to see fruit on the ground, just rotting away, but there is another thought. My late brother-in-law had a large vegetable garden plus orchard which he didn't have time to look after. He let neighbours and friends garden quite a lot of it, but the rest became a wild orchard. The fruit rotted into the ground and the wild flowers etc flourished there. He always said the rotting fruit nourished the soil and helped to keep the flowers growing and his bees fed. Our next door neighbour has got a quince bush, and it's full of fruit. He didn't know what it was or that the fruit is edible. He said to help ourselves, but it isn't ripe yet. It's certainly worth getting an expert to prune your trees. We need to do the same but I never know when it's the right time of year.

WeeGranny, Dorset Apple cake is one of my favourites. I can just imagine how delighted the hockey players were! You did well in the garden today. We've cut the dead flowers off the buddleia bushes, but won't cut them down until the spring. They provide some cover in the front garden and help to break up the wind which would otherwise tunnel down the side of the house. It will be lovely when your bulbs come up in the Spring.

Hi Gem. I hope you've had a good day. Just enjoy yourself - all ok here. xx

Today's been one of those frustrating days when jobs never got completed. Mostly online stuff, but still annoying. The Consultant rang much later than expected (all ok) which made it late taking Eva out and then having dinner late. I now feel I've eaten too much.

[Nanto2girls]

Good morning.

Daisy, glad the telephone consultation went well.

Gem,hope you are both enjoying the sea air.

Plant, its a shame about all the apples going to waste. We've got a lot in the freezer. Also got plenty of homegrown rhubarb. With the frozen fruit I've bought, we've got plenty to see us through winter.

Later today, we are going down to visit GD1.Well hubby is giving her hubby a hand with some furniture.

Chicken stew for dinner today.

[Oma]

Morning Nanto,Ladies.

Nanto
We have loads of fruit in the freezer , Apples , blackberries , gooseberries, blueberries,
I didn't get any rhubarb frozen this year though.
It does come in handy doesn't it.

Daisy
So pleased to hear all is well, try and rest up before the weekend rush😁

B has his flu jab this morning then we are going to the shopping centre,
I need to go to Holland & Barrett for molasses B wants to make dark rye bread
I will pop into Asda while we are there.