Spicycushion - October 14, 2020 at 8:44 AM I suspect there are two reasons why flu jabs are difficult to come by this year. 1 More people are getting them because of Covid. 2 Laboratories are not making so many because they are working on Covid vaccine?
My doctor's surgery is usually quite quick in answering the telephone nowadays. I think they may have installed extra lines. There are certainly more 'girls' in the office. When I started at that practice there were just two receptionists manning the desk, sometimes only one at a time. One doctor only as well, and he was very, very lazy! Then about 35 years ago my present doctor arrived and soon expanded the practice. There are four or five 'girls' in the office/reception, a nurse, a Practice manager and a pharmacist, two regular doctors and sometimes a locum as well. Of course as with so many other places there are many more houses built around here and much woodland and green space have been built over. More doctors etc are needed anyway.
Ev - October 14, 2020 at 9:04 AM I had no bother and in fact the surgery rang to say they had availability earlier than my appointment on 20th so had the jab last Thursday. I wonder whether there isn’t so much a shortage as Boots etc not ordering enough of them! Sarnia, your experience is dreadful and wonder whether you could change your doctor maybe for one a bit nearer?
Miriam - October 14, 2020 at 3:54 PM My car has arrived in Chester. I am waiting for an e-mail which I need to sign "virtually", to register it. Once I have the registration number, I can sort the insurance. I also need the bank details, so I can transfer the monies due (gulp!). I am, provisionally, picking it up on Saturday morning. There could still be some hiccups, but a delay of a few days, well that I can accept.
Sarnia - October 14, 2020 at 4:32 PM Ev, this IS the one that's a bit nearer! All six surgeries in the area have been combined into one large partnership, including my local surgery about 10 minutes up the road, which is probably the smallest and therefore one of the four which are shut. Only the two largest remain open, which accounts for the huge number of calls, rubbishing their idea that nearly everything can be dealt with online.
Today I got the usual 'go online', followed by 'too busy, call back later'.
After three visits and many discussion over the last year and a bit, having promised much and delivered absolutely nothing I've ditched my landscape gardener (pity, as he was the charming son of a good friend and seemed to understand exactly what I wanted and why) and the new one is coming next Monday or Tuesday. I've explained that I don't have any more years at my disposal to spend waiting for things to happen, I need the work done so that I have time to enjoy the results!
Gary, your garden is beautiful! When I first saw the photo I thought it was a glamorous outdoor bar or bistro in France or Italy! The lights are lovely and add a very festive air. Can I ask if they are solar powered or if you have wired them up to the electricity supply?
The lights are wired into the mains - MrGG is very good at practical "things" so we have actual sockets in the greenhouse and on the outside of the house.
That is a good question. I am getting so many things, via the post, as it is this time of the year. I look through them and then I put in the recycle bin. I did see in one, solar lights for outdoor use, which would look good in my front garden. My thought is that, are they as good as advertised?
Sarnia, your surgery problem is unbelievable. We have a shortage of doctors on the island but we have a surgery here in our village about 10 minutes old lady walk away. There are surgeries in Cowes, Newport and Ryde that I know of. I don’t drive so it is a blessing to have the surgery so near even though I don’t go often but it was handy for the jab! We also have a vet and dentist here. I had to walk Gypsy down to the vet the other day in her pram as the poor old lady had a urine infection! Centralising you’re surgeries like that makes no sense at all. We did choose to live here nearly six years ago noting all these benefits but I just hope they remain!
In our suburb, which is across the river from the main town, it's a mile up a steep hill to the nearest post office, ie not all that accessible to someone with 4 replacement joints and the only banks and building societies are now in the town centre, 40 minutes away by bus - which I can't use at present because of my medical history. It's like living in the urban equivalent of a village in Norfolk!
Mistral, how exciting about your first grandchild! Hopefully you will get to cuddle them to bits soon. Your last sentence about the windows really made me think about all the things that we are missing this year - some huge, some little, but ALL important to us. I wish all your family a fantastic day tomorrow!
Is that a pond at the bottom of your photo, Gary, reflecting the plants ?
How idyllic ! Not the setting for tea, methinks - more suited to cocktails, white wine, sangria, olives very small crackers with cream cheese & a dash of artisan chutney or something.....
Was just seeing if there was anything on TV worth watching and I see that "Abigail's Party" is on BBC4 at 21.00. I think I will make some cheesy pineapple on a stick, sit back and savour the sheer joy that is Alison Steadman in full flow...
...and the soggy vol-au-vents, followed by an equal soggy black forest gateau, if I remember correctly. Luckily I do not have any of the awful, flowery, full length dresses, which I wore at that time!
I loved that play and saw the production of it years later in the West End. The original tv play had a wonderful cast and it stayed with me after I'd seen it. They gave up so quickly on CPR in those days compared to now. Your lights are really pretty Gary BTW.
I too have seen a stage version, but I found watching it too strange - I have seen the TV version so many times that it is imprinted on to my brain and it was just jarring seeing different people say the words.
Mistral - hope all goes well for the arrival of your grandchild tomorrow and that Mother and Father get through it without too much nervousness, and that you get to see the child as soon as possible.
Thanks everyone! My son just phoned, he sounded manic. I expect to hear about 11 a.m. tomorrow. He is coming for tea at 9 p.m. when the hospital closes for the night, and I have cooked up a storm this evening in preperation - Miriam would be proud. Steak, mushroom and ale pie, creamy cheesy leeks, mashed potatoes with fried onion and mustard stirred in, apple, sultana and cinnamon crumble/custard. Made all this today to reheat as I am work tomorrow afternoon. The wine is in the fridge.....
I got my test results today, negative. I was half hoping to have the antibodies for a bit of immunity, but now it seems that people are re-contracting the virus, some worse the second time. I think this area will be upgraded to the worst tier within days, also expecting travel restrictions very soon. I just don't know what to make of it anymore.
No need of the winter fuel allowance here, my kitchen is boiling, had to open the window.
Gary, I love your garden. I remember you saying that you had planted 100's of bulbs, and have many many tubs/planters. I can't believe you have sockets in your greenhouse!!
Sarnia, good for you. Hope your new garden designer gets his finger out...
Miriam, good luck with your car - I got a new one last Sept, just booked it's first service, only done 4500 miles. Still needs the service to keep up the warrenty, hardly seems worth it. This time last year I was up and down to Devon, (7 hr drive) and needed something reliable. Wouldn't have bothered if I'd known!
He phoned today, will inspect next week and mentioned starting earl in the new year before he gets really busy. This garden design has been a long time in the making and I will prepare diagrams over the weekend for him to work from. Pity it's a work weekend, as I could do with the time!
All the very best Mistral, what an exciting time for your family. I hope everything hits perfectly and you will soon enjoy the absolute delight of being a Grandma!
Hilary ,11:41 ,I agree with you. Excellent cast ;excellent viewing . I have been watching an episode each evening on my IPad. Last episode for me this evening. Then I plan to do the same with "All creatures great and small"
Yes, I’m really enjoying that too. I record each episode and watch in the daytime as Mr A is not all that keen on drama & would rather watch documentaries or wildlife programmes. So I have taken to watching the first episode of each new series that starts to see if I am interested enough to carry on.
‘Life’ has several actors I know well (and two moonlighting from TA), the story has twists and turns and I feel involved with the characters. Excellent writing and acting. Didn’t take to the other new one with Tom Hollander taking his family on holiday at all, couldn’t be bothered with all that harking back to their past lives. However, I am looking forward to ‘Roadkill’ which starts on Sunday, starring Hugh Laurie as a new Prime Minister. Sounds promising.
We have been enjoy ing All Creatures Great and Small..such lovely stories away from the usual angst and serial killer series that seem to be on the box. I've dug up the original series on you tube so when we've finished the new series well have lots to keep us entertained as the night draw in. Didn't take to the Tom Hollander one either Archerphile. Just watched the first 2 episodes then lost interest. We'll certainly check out Life.
I binge watched the complete series one of Life and enjoyed it immensely. Excellent writing, cast and acting. Alison Steadman, is brilliant yet again. I have frequently disliked the characters she often plays, but admire her characterisation of each. I never did see 'Abigail's Party ' 1977 being a year when personal matters were extremely high on my agenda and television hardly existed for me. I started watching it last night, and will continue into the weekend. Then I shall be watching ' All Creatures '.
Who are the two moonlighters from TA Archerphile ?
Bunny Davis (Jolene) is in the cast of Life but under the other actors I did not see TA mentioned so I will be interested to hear from AP who the other moonlighted is.
Yesterday at about ten to six in the evening , there was a knock on the door. Our Boot's pharmacist with a smile on his face ,had brought Mr LJ's prescription round . He said he thought he would bring it on his way home (although our road is not a direct route to anywhere , really.) I saw he had another Boots bag in his hand too so was probably helping someone else out. I could go to the little shop but there is never anywhere to park nearby . Archerphile ,that was the nice thing that happened to me yesterday.
LJ. As a retired Pharmacist, I often did similar, when I was working. My worst was in the Swine 'Flu epidemic, to deliver the much needed Tamiflu to a client. It was thick snow, I got lost and had to be pushed out of a snow drift by locals, after knocking on a door for help + directions. I did deliver the much needed medication, eventually. I didn't get home until 8.00pm. I didn't mind, as I had helped some-one who so needed it.
This is today’s effort! For the first half of the zoom session I had a freeze on the picture and only had sound so couldn’t see what he was doing! Then Katy came home and with a few flicks sorted it out! Technology, bah!! Did my best and reasonably pleased with the result but will have another go when I get the video on u tube!
All Creatures Great + Small, is still recorded, to be watched at a later date. This is for Winter Sunday's afternoons, to binge on!
I watched Abigail's Party, last night. What a blast from the past. Sadly, the wonderful Alison Steadman, to me was exactly the same as Pam, in Gavin + Stacy, in the original version. I remember that era well 😀
Busy day today. All is done re getting my new wheels on Saturday. The paperwork has been done + signed "virtually", the car has been taxed + registered, and as soon as I knew the reg. no. I have been able to sort the insurance out (after being "on hold" for 20mins). It was lovely doing this, talking to a real human being..so nice.. 😊
On transferring the money today, I triple checked everything, before confirming the transaction. I was quite shaky afterwards, as I did not like doing this type of payment via internet banking. But it is the time, we are now living in.
I am listening to Desert Island Discs with Floella Benjamin. What a lovely lady! In particular was moved by Nat King Cole singing “Smile”. Life throws such sorrow sometimes but as she said a smile conquers all although a tear may be ever so near. Inspiring! His voice seems to give you a hug!😊
I was just about to answer Mrs P’s question to ME about cast members in ‘Life’ But it seems others were keen to butt in and answer for me, which I find vaguely annoying So it seems, Mrs P, that I needn’t bother to reply, sorry I wasn’t quick enough.
Sorry 😟 AP I was the first - I only saw a little of first episode but recognised “Jolene’s” voice straight away as she was also in Doc Martin. However as you have correctly pointed out the question was asked of you.
(Lanjan 11.49) I have watched All Creatures Great and Small and loved it. I read the first book of the trilogy recently. I enjoyed “Us”. My cousin was in Venice and saw them filming it. She was hoping to be called in as an extra but was told they wanted younger people!
Are others as fed up as me in saving household food waste? We have biodegradable bags which disintegrate when inevitably damp bits are put in there! In the guidance we are told to use these but I have had to put them into plastic carrier bags to stop the waste being dumped into the bottom of my outside food bin! This morning I took the bag which had only been there for a day out of the indoor bin and the contents splatted on the bottom of the bin! Well as in my earlier post will keep on smiling!
Archerfile, surely others can politely join in a hitherto two way conversation ?
We use 7 litre compostable bags from www.ecosacks.co.uk and have never had any trouble with them at all. We buy a years worth at a time for about £15/20.
Ev, do you have compost bins? We have a communal one and I take my small plastic bucket out once/twice a week to empty there. I use the biodegradable bags which sometimes leak, but I also re-use paper bags after fruit and vegetables to soak up the moisture. I keep the compost bucket under the sink. I do have another bin in the kitchen which has hardly anything in it, therefore my other waste is collected only 4 times a year. I have an allowance for 12 collections included in my charge, any above is extra.
1. Death in Paradise - I love the laid back setting, the ironic manner of the police commissioner and the effortless changes of the main character - a bit like Dr Who! It is so Agatha Christie in the way the suspects are assembled before the culprit is revealed! Corny but nice!
2. Not Going Out - Lee Mack is so funny and the interaction between him and Hugh Dennis ( loves him in Outnumbered)is brilliant! The acting and comedy timing of all the cast is so skilful. When you have had children the situations in it are so close to home!
3. The Great British Bake Off - not too Cheffy as in Masterchef, just ordinary people trying their hand at skilful tasks. Pru Leith and Paul Hollywood are perfect partners and sometimes don’t have an easy time deciding who should go home! I enjoy all the presenters and feel as the series progresses there is usually a great camaraderie between the contestants. It is nice to have a favourite and hope he or she will win the cake stand!
4. The Chase - we record these and sit down to watch it with an afternoon cup of tea. All the Chasers are amazing in their depth of knowledge and of course Bradley Walsh makes the show! I especially like the times he dissolves into uncontrollable mirth!
5. The Crown - this is on Netflix and the subscription is worth it just for this series. The actors throughout have been well chosen and enough like the Royals to be believable. Of course we must take a lot of it with a pinch of salt and although it follows historical fact there is much fiction involved! I do wonder whether the Queen watches it as of course she and the duke feature throughout!
Not a very learned collection but all are much enjoyed!
My least favourite is Pointless which I find pointless!
Ev, I can't comment on your list as I have never seen or watched any of your choices. I would have liked to see the Crown, and who knows, one day I might.
Your complaint about your food bin. I did use the compostable bags at the beginning, and note how many others do not use any liner at all, which I find disgusting. Both my bins are checked and cleaned after collection each week. I've changed my usage however. I came to the conclusion that it was foolish to buy ( yet more unnecessary expense) special plastic when I had plenty of other robust plastic bags that were going into landfill anyway. I now keep all my larger plastic bags, and use them inside my bin. I do have a number of very heavy plastic bags, dog and cat biscuits, frozen chicken pieces etc. I agree that sometimes there is a leak but I usually do the transfer from the small bin to the larger one outside or sometimes in my kitchen sink, where any leaks can be sloshed away. My local authority includes in its instructions, lining your bin with newspaper which is of course what we all did before the advent of plastic into our daily lives.
Archerphile , please don't "take the hump" as we say in Lancashire.
I dare say Mrs P didn't mind who told her the names of the moonlighters. I was pleased that Ev told me which character "Jolene " played I am planning to rewatch the first episode again -or part of it- because of that. I certainly didn't recognise her. David Troughton sounds like he does when playing "Tony" though. I haven't said who he is playing in "Life" so it isn't a spoiler.
Love the Bake off, and have more than one favourite to win at present. Wish I could decorate cakes like they do. I like Death in Paradise too, a gentle sort of programme even though about murders. The others I haven't seen. We don't have a television so just watch programmes via the computer that other people have recommended as very good. A comedy would be nice at present so I will start with Not Going Out. Thanks Ev, always good to hear of new things to try.
Ev 1)I have never watched Death in Paradise 2) Lee Mac is from the Lancashire town where I lived for many years. I think he was chosen as Comedian of the year 2019 I preferred "Not going out " before they were married but like you.I like Hugh Dennis especially in the first series of Outnumbered. 3) Don't watch any baking or cooking programmes 4) Must check out"The Chase" I know nothing about it. 5) We haven't got Netflix.
I don't like either of the Presenters of Pointless,Ev but I do enjoy Richard Osman's House of Games BBC 2 6:00pm Worth a watch if you like quiz questions which are quick ,clever and witty.
Yes, I like Richard Osman away from Pointless where he seems to be an insufferable know all! I have seen House of Games a few times and liked it. He has also appeared in the Bake Off - an extra slice which I enjoy! He is very witty and so different to the Pointless character.
Ev. Thank you for your prompt response. The only show I have watched is the Bake Off but didn’t follow it to channel 4. I tried pointless can’t stand it and have never watched the RO quiz thing on 2. Only Connect and University challenge is my sort of quizzing. Have occasionally watched The Chase. Like Lanjan we don’t have Netflix. I more of a documentary person and really like Scandi Noire. I like feel good programmes like The Repair Shop. Love the new painting.
Firstly:- Congratulations MISTRAL on the safe arrival of your grandson. I am thrilled for you all. Your life will change, in ways you cannot imagine, at this strange time.
Secondly:- EV Great TV choices. The only one I don't know is "The Crown" for 2 reasons. I do not subscribe to Netfilx, and like Spitting Images, I personally do like how the images/persons are portrayed. The choice was brilliant. I am off to do some chores, so I am ready for The Chase.
I always think, I can do that! Perhaps, an Archersfan,blogspot team? 🤣😣
Everybody I apologise for ‘taking the hump’ as Lanjan so elegantly put it. Not in a good mood this am, bad night & woke up feeling very depressed, (seems to happen a lot recently), then seeing that I had been pipped to the post answering Mrs P question just tipped me over! Please forgive. It was childish.
Ev: 1) never watched Death in Paradise, but my neighbours love it and are always saying we should watch. 2) We love Lee Mack in ‘Would I Lie to You which often has us both in tears of laughter. He is so quick and clever with his humour, but not watched his sitcom...perhaps I should. 3) GBBO - agree, love this programme, such gentle competition, no showing off between the competitors and I’m always amazed at what they are able to do, so brilliantly. 4) The Chase - Sorry watched one edition but not my type of quiz show I’m afraid. Several of the current game shows are too noisy and garish for me. Hardly dare say it here but we much prefer Pointless which we sometimes catch the end of, after watching our recording of each day’s Countdown. Just wish Pointless had less sport and cinema/film questions, I know nothing about either subject. 5) The Crown - would LOVE to be able to see this but not willing to take out subscription to watch one particular programme. However our family in Dubai are hooked on it, I am amazed to say! Perhaps I could see some episodes if we are ever able to visit again.
I like most quizzes except for the ones which ask people to gamble on the amount they might win (relying on peoples' greed I think) so I don't really like the Chase either. I like Pointless. Usually watch it after a quiet afternoon and ready for the News at 6pm! The only programme we have set up to record every week on our TIVO box is Only Connect, mainly because both of us were out and now 'Zooming' Cub and Scout meetings on Mondays! Have just taken out a sub to Netflix as very little else on TV appeals. Not sure how long we'll keep it though! GBBO was my absolute favourite but in my personal view it is going downhill fast as the contestants seem to be chosen on a 'tick box' basis than those who can actually bake! Same with the last two series and now with Sewing Bee! Archerphile Perhaps your son could download The Crown on a USB stick and post to you? Just plug it in the side of the TV I think. Mine has done The Mandalorian (Star Wars spin off) for Jon to watch as I refuse to give a penny to Disney!
Ooo Spicy! That’s a good idea, I hadn’t thought of that. I’ll see if it’s possible.. He has just installed a new gadget on his TV which allows him to watch BBC iPlayer even though in Dubai where you can’t normally see BBC programmes. The boys are thrilled to be catching up with old episodes of Horrible Histories and other children’s programmes. Corrin & Sarah are watching lots of old comedy programmes and David Attenborough Planet films.
Archerphile, you don't need to apologise. I am sorry you are feeling depressed though. Like Stasia. I like watching Only Connect and University Challenge. I feel chuffed when I get the answer to something that they don't know . Don't mind sport and older films but can't be doing with modern pop groups or "celebrities".
I once had the misfortune to watch Egg heads. I don't know why it isn't called Big Heads. Insufferable lot.
Archerphile- taking the hump - may be childish, but you were already feeling down. Owning up to doing so, and apologising is very grown up.
Some take the hump and then let it all pass over, never thinking to apologise....... So..... IMO - well done you.
I have never watched any form of quizz show on television except University Challenge and the one in the ' Big Chair ' the proper name of which escapes me at the moment. ( and I'm sure some kind soul on here will supply it for me ) However I have been listening to round Britain Quiz and Brain of Britain since childhood. My father was a master of general knowledge and could answer most questions about almost anything correctly. As a family we would frequently urge him to enter what was then only radio programmes but he always declined. I have inherited some of his ability and am invariably able to answer one or two questions on the programmes that I listen to.
I so enjoy GBBO plus it's many spin offs, even GBBO The Proffesionals. This is the same with all of the Masterchef programmes,in all its varying forms.
The other quiz show I enjoy is, Impossible, as again I think, "I could do that".
I will be addicted, as from tomorrow night, to another show I love and enjoy watching. Strictly Come Dancing. The sad thing is, it means Winter is not far away. 😣
I love the crown. A friend recommended it. I was hooked. Can’t wait for new series in November. We don’t have Netflix but our son does and you can have 5 people signed up to it. So we watch through that. Archerphile , maybe your son can add you to his list.
I adore “Gogglebox”. Tonight at 9 on channel 4. It’s my have a good laugh/cheer you up program. Once you get to know the people on it it’s very amusing.
Last paragraph - totally agree Ptby. I saw a late night repeat some time ago (had heard of the programme but never seen it before) played it again next day for Mr R and we were hooked 🤣😂 only downside too much of “that“ word although it comes across less offensively from some more than others. Particularly love the Wiltshire couple and the caravan duo....
I also enjoy Mastermind and Brain of Britain. Death in Paradise is too corny for my taste but I do have friends who love it. Baking shows I have to be in the mood to watch and mostly don't. Haven't seen the Lee Mack one but anything funny would get my vote at the moment. I'm probably alone in this but I refuse to watch The Crown. I have always questioned the director/producer's motive in making this series. I suspect they are republicans who want to do away with the monarchy. I wonder how the Queen and the rest of the royal family feel about this programme. I understand the new series will feature Princess Diana suffering from bulimia and how will William and Harry feel about seeing their mother throwing up for others' entertainment. Sorry, I will get off my soapbox now.
Informative documentary is how I see it Anneveggie especially series one which covered the time when I was no more than a toddler. One can certainly see history repeating itself over and over on personal levels right up to current times. The Queen is portrayed extremely well I feel and would not wish to swap my life for hers that’s for sure.
I agree totally with your views after "I'm probably alone in this, but.." I didn't dare say the same, for fear of repurcussions! Well Done - for posting, the same as I feel. My soapbox is still with me, but I don't use it so much now. It is still in working order 🤣😂🤣😁
Thank you Miriam. Makes me feel good that someone agrees with my view point. I feel I'm amongst friends here and we should be able to say what we really think.
Monday nights are perfect for us at the moment. One and a half hours of grown-up quizzes. Mastermind followed by Only Connect, followed by University Challenge. They give our brains a good work out! Though I do get irritated by the very long questions asked in Mastermind, they could be much shorter. Only Connect - I am thrilled if I get even one answer before the teams but usually do well in the last round, missing vowels. University Challenge - the teams are getting much older, lots of post-grads these days which I didn’t think was the point. Again, really chuffed if I get a couple of answers right, usually the music ones 🎶 🎵
Lanjan - I too can't bare Eggheads. load of know it alls! Gary - I remember you telling us of your appearance on Mastermind but regretfully have forgotten your specialist subject! Not surprising with my memory lapses nowadays! MrsP - I often catch both Round Britain Quiz and Brain of Britain when I go to bed early enough! I think 'Only Connect' on TV is like RBQuiz where the answer is connected to cryptic clues. Anneveggie - I have only seen so far the first series of The Crown and thought that quite innocuous. But perhaps the later series show the RF in a poorer light? I will soon find out. And I agree that if Diana is not sensitively portrayed it will be upsetting for her sons. I wound up Jon a few weeks ago by telling him that future dil will be coming over Saturday evenings to watch Strictly with me! He absolutely hates it! However I will not be watching it now! Again I loved the first series and it reminded me of watching Come Dancing all those years ago with my Nan! We were taught Ballroom dancing at school during 'Wet' lunchbreaks by the Prefects but as I have no sense of rhythm (and being tall I was always the 'man.) I could just about Waltz! I even had to give up Zumba classes the doctor sent me on! But later it turned out to be 'The Brucie Show' What an unpleasant man he was! Now with all the dramatic pauses; the emphasis on elaborate costumes and stage settings; the one hopeless comedic figure and a load of C list celebrities I can't bare watching it.
Archerphile,you and I are in agreement about older students who take part in University Challenge I always support the team with the younger students unless I take to someone like Bobby Seagull and Eric Monkman. I think it should not include Post Graduate Students whatever age they are. I don't bother with the specialist subjects on Mastermind . They are far too obscure. A former colleague was on Brain of Britain this week In the previous Round he scored 20+ and the other three candidates got 3,4 and 5 . This week was the semi final and at the end of the penultimate Round he was in the lead but then the questions were such that even I knew the ones the eventual winner got five in a row for so my former colleague was the runner up in the end A few years ago he made the final. I was in a quiz league years ago and we were on the local radio. Before we went on air we were asked what our hobbies were. I said watching cricket and The Archers. When the programme was broadcast I apparently enjoyed cricket and archery!
Spicycushion, I never liked Strictly Didn't take to Bruce Forsyth Couldn't take to that woman who can't afford to cut her fringe although she is apparently one of the best paid people on TV. Hadn't a clue who most of the Celebs were . Didn't like the bad tempered bloke on the panel or that Bruno chap who always seemed to be acting.
I like Round Britain Quiz too,Spicy cushion Feel pleased if and when I get something right.
I watched Gary on Mastermind I think he was very brave . He was good too.
It is so interesting reading others thoughts + ideas. I realise even more now, how different mine are, on so many topics.
Back to my book of Sudoku, my jigsaws and card games for one person - eg solitaire, "clock" patience, (done on the lounge floor with a pack of cards, I have had for ages) and my many books.
It is a simple life, but there is no other choice at the moment. All my family + friends, are either in Wales in "Lockdown" or in Tier 2. At least I can still meet up with neighbours, in the middle of the road.
You are not alone in what you like,Miriam. Mr LJ ,like you ,loves sudoku and always has a jigsaw on the go. I do Patience on the Ipad. and love reading and most mornings at the moment I am having a great time cutting back overgrown climbers and bushes.
I love a jigsaw too. Just finished flags of the world. A good book is fab but I do like a bit of crappy telly to veg down with on a winters night. Bliss would be, fire on, curtains drawn, pj’s on and a midsomer murders on telly.
Yes, I tend to watch, as you have so well phrased, crappy telly. No Midsommer Murders now, as I seen them so many times. I still have the DVD of the final series of Lewis to watch, for the 1st time. Last Saturday, I was glued to Dr.Who (on Drama) with David Tenant + Catherine Tate. I was so enthralled watching it again, I actually stopped doing my jigsaw! Yes, crappy television - but I loved it... I am also addicted to Coronation Street and never miss an episode.I record it, so to miss the ads. and watch the two half hour episodes, as one.
I have also been re-watching Dinnerladies, on a late Sunday afternoon. This is my type of humour (like Gavin + Stacy) written by and starring Victoria Wood and a great cast.
We have just started a new jigsaw, a rather beautiful reproduction of one of Van Gogh’s Iris paintings. All beautiful blues, purples and greens. But it’s proving a nightmare to do. I spent well over an hour on it this afternoon (listening to Gullivers Travels on the radio) and only managed to place 3 pierces! 🙄
Hope tomorrow starts better than today when I had a distraught daughter messaging me from Australia because she had just had to have her pet ram euthanised after it was savaged by a neighbour's dog which dug a hole under the fence and got into her (very) large back garden. I know it wouldn't have made a difference if she was here in this country as I still wouldn't have been able to give her a hug but it's times like this when you feel really a long way away. I suggested she had a couple of large glasses of something to help her get to sleep but I felt so helpless and sat crying for her , for me and for Hoover the sheep!
That is so sad Spicy. And I know exactly how you feel, having a close relative living far away and being unable to comfort them when something distressing happens. I so miss giving hugs. It’s such a natural human thing to do and both distance and Covid are denying us this reaction, even with those nearby. 😢
I don't think it matters Spiceycushion where you are, near or far, your daughter must have been distraught and why wouldn't you cry for her and Hoover. Will she get another ram, or will she wait a while. And what happens to the dog ?
It was an accident she had the lamb. A colleague found it absolutely newborn by the side of the road. He took it home and cared for it for about three months but it was then too big for his suburban garden and as Alex lives in a country town she has a huge garden as it's an old house so she took on Hoover. He played with the dogs and went for walks with them all through the bush she has at the end of her street. My sisters who visited A. 2018 said he behaved like a dog but wasn't permitted (much) into the house! Apparently the neighbours were very very upset and have paid the vet's bill. They called the dog warden who took the dog away and A says it looks like she (the dog) may be put down too as they didn't think she would be safe now around other dogs. A. was at home and managed to save her chickens. Alex adores animals and is a very strict vegan so, like one of my sisters, collects all sorts of creatures!
New message this morning. Vet gave Alex the number of a guy with a digger who came round. Alex thought it would be nice to bury Hoover near the pear tree as he used to headbutt the trunk to make the fruit fall. It turned out a water pipe was under the tree as well! Following instructions from a plumber friend (by messaging) she went to the hardware store in town, got connecting stuff and three metres of piping and fixed it herself. I am amazed that she has such practical skills! As she said 'A girl's got to do what a girl has to do!' Not the day off from work she had planned at all!
That is such a shame. I have known sheepchasers put in a pen with a ram to put them off chasing, but as a pet brought up with dogs he wouldn't have expected to be attacked by one. I am guessing the dog was a big one. So sorry for your daughter.
What a sad story Spicycushion. That must have been traumatic for your daughter. She sounds a very capable and sensible person and, like Gary, I would have been a crying wreck.
I do at least one sudoku each day, and when I am anxious or depressed I find concentrating on a sodoku very calming. I am also still doing the puzzles on line and am choosing very difficult ones to challenge myself.
I like to do sudoku. Katy gave me a book last Christmas and one with 1000 on my birthday. I haven’t yet worked through the first book so have more than enough to keep me going!
Back to the food waste, we have a system here where you have a food caddy indoors and an outside food bin. There is a collection every week and it all gets composted and the result sold by the council. The guidance is to use these dreaded biodegradable bags which split on you but like you Mrs P am now using plastic bags though heaven knows how these are extricated to make the compost! A communal compost heap like Basia’s would be so good but we don’t have one! We don’t waste food but surprising how much you get from peelings, teabags, egg shells etc. Oh well, onwards and upwards!
Spicycushion,I was so sorry to hear the news of what happened to your daughter's pet..It is so hard when something like that happens when one's children live so far away . I think I know how you must be feeling.
We have a small caddy (with lid) on our draining -board and we use the green bags we buy from the supermarket. We use about two a week and I rarely have to worry about it 'dissolving.' Not much 'wet' food put in it I suppose; coffee grounds, tea bags, peelings and egg shells with occasional cooked food left overs. There is no point in putting regular plastic carrier bags into the compost as they take decades to break down and it is ruining the proper compostable material. I am surprised the collectors continue to collect them. Our 'brown wheeley bin' is for food waste and garden waste, as well as shredded paper, and is collected weekly on the same day as the 'white bag' which is plastics, tins and glass, the 'blue bag' which is paper and cardboard and the regular black sacks with non-recyclable rubbish. All collected every Tuesday by very cheerful men! At least by collecting food waste in the big bin it has stopped the foxes (and one of my anti-social cats years ago) from ripping the black sacks open overnight! Although if it's windy sensible people don't put the 'paper' bag out until the morning as you often have to walk down the road to collect it and pick up scattered paper!
Wow wow wow Spicy. We have just 2 wheelie bins black for paper, tins, cardboard etc and green for non recyclable items each one collected every fortnight. Nothing for food waste, garden waste collection available for a fee but as we are all pots no need for one. I have seen wonderful cleaning and deodorising services advertised but not our way. I believe Mrs P has this service. Our council some years back we’re going to offer this and I sent off our monies in advance they then pulled out after not even turning up for first appointment said they were finding it hard to find some addresses - what! If we lived in the sticks fair enough but really 🤣
Lady R, you have to PAY for garden waste to be collected in your area!!?? We have 4 different bins (garden, household, glass, other recycling) that get collected by the council, and if you need bulk items removed (white goods, mattresses etc) you just give them a call & they will come & collect it - usually very quickly.
I pay £6 per month for my garden waste. There is a special bin which is confiscated if you don’t renew in the new year from April! Spicy, your bags are obviously better than ours and we have a load of them to get through! I know plastic bags are not a good option but the bursting of these bags is very hard to cope with. Will try doubling them up, maybe that would work!
Mr A is a sudoku addict, I prefer word puzzles. Especially codeword puzzles where you don’t have clues but have to work out the solution by applying letters to numbers to fill the grid.
A question for Facebook users: Has anyone else’s Facebook page layout changed in the last couple of days? I always use to have a full page with posts down the Centre, links to other pages, favourites etc on the left and adverts on the right. Top right hand corner you see if there were notifications, log in and out etc. Yesterday when I logged in everything had changed to what seems to be a ‘minimalist view’ just a single line of enlarged posts down the centre of an otherwise blank page. It took ages to find how to read notifications on my posts, find other pages I wanted to view or do anything else. I have been trying to get help from FB but none of the answers on their ‘help’ page fits the problem. Is it just me who has had their page layout changed?
Archerphile My page changed a couple of months ago but still displays all that I need. I have connections to my Old Girls' Association page, my fb jigsaw puzzles and so on down the left, Messages and posts in the middle and Contacts list on the right with a couple of 'sponsored' posts. I use Mozilla Firefox as a browser almost all the time but have Chrome as a back-up. A couple of months ago after Mozilla had installed updates I couldn't load the DT correctly so I had to use Chrome to read the paper! Now after the most recent updates I have got the correct settings for the DT but a store where I have an account does not display any pictures just blue writing of a list of what should be the connections to different parts of the page! OK on Chrome though! I use tracker blockers on facebook and Privacy Badger as I don't want anyone tracking my movements on the net. However I suspect I somehow have left my life story on my laptop!
I realise I have hardly answered your question. What I am thinking is maybe the browser you use has changed (updated) and that is what is causing the problem. It may fix itself after a couple of days?
Wouldn’t be at all surprised at so-called up-dates Spicy. I normally use Safari browser on this iPad, so I could try using a different one. It’s what several of us had to do in order to access these blogs too. Wish they’d leave things alone!
I don’t do Facebook so can’t help with your query AP but I have been meaning to ask if anyone has actioned the latest Apple update (14.0.1) Ihave not done so yet or my sis/b-i- l. l do know the home screen and other things have been changed and as it is not a bug fixer I am holding off for now and think I will google to ascertain what problems users may have had with it.
Lady R, I looked at the Apple information page about iOS 14 to see if it was worth downloading. As this iPad is still only on iOS 12.4.8 I would have to to drastic things which might mean I loose all my information if I font make sure everything is uploaded to “The Cloud “. So I have decided not to bother, and a lot of the new features are to do with clever things you can do with photographs etc . I really don’t want to have to get used to a new homepage layout either, it’s bad enough coping with my trashed Facebook page. I do wish these companies would leave things alone!
Back to the compost food bins. I do believe that many local councils throughout the UK now use the food composting system, but not all. When both my daughters had it, in Bath and the IOW, I was in London and envious as London had declined it. ( too high non compliance forecast ) However when I moved to Stroud I was pleased that we had it hear in Gloucestershire.
I have possibly said before that I grew up with a father obsessed with recycling and or composting, anything and everything ( including the contents of my baby's nappies ) I have inherited his passion and was involved when in London with the subject of refuse with my local community. So I have visited the huge London refuse and recycling centre at the Thames estuary as well as other sites, around the UK. The food caddy contents are emptied into one large container on your local collection wagon and taken in those containers to a separate site for food waste. The container is emptied onto a rolling conveyor belt and human operatives remove any plastic and other non food items. *** This is a HORRIBLE job, but people do it and get paid for doing so. Rather like sewer work, which must be even worse. The waste food then goes into an anaerobic ( ? ) digester and onwards to make gases creating in the end electricity. If you Google ' what happens ..... ' you can read about it. I've seen it and it's amazing and very interesting. Well it is to me.
*** all sorts must be in those caddys, plenty of knives and peelers I should think as well as our plastic bags. Newspaper liners would compost down with the food I imagine. I had one single back tooth on a little plate. I lost it, and think that I must have taken it out after a meal and left it on the side of my plate, then, probably the next morning, scraped it into the food caddy along with some left over food. I've gone without that false tooth ever since. And I still wonder where it ended up !
Writing the above has taken me back in memory to my childhood, when recycling was a big part of life. During the summer holidays we would go door knocking to collect jam jars. When we had enough, a group of us would borrow a pram, and wheel it full of j jars to the jam factory a couple of miles away in Bellingham. I do wish I could remember how much we got in pennies for the jars. Probably threepence for ten or something similar. We also collected old rags and newspapers and took them to another district for recycling and got paid, pennies again methinks, for them.
Is it Essie who lived in Penge ? The newspaper and rags depot was on the outskirts of Sydenham Essie. Are you old enough to have done the same as us on the other side of Beckenham Hill ? This would have been in the early fifties.
We used to go round the street collecting pop bottles and took them back to the shop where we got a penny each! Kids nowadays don’t know how to live it up!!😉😁
Talking about children trying to get pocket money - about 20 years ago our Sainsburys opened a big new store on the outskirts of town. The carpark was a bit of a downhill walk away and so many trolleys were being just abandoned there that they introduced a 10p in the slot system on each trolly. To retrieve your 10p you had to push the trolly back up the hill to the shop. Within a couple of weeks there was a small crowd of young (mostly) boys hanging round the carpark offering to take trolleys back and pocketing the 10p pieces. Quite enterprising really! And it saved a slog up the hill, so I often used their services.
Years ago when you could park in the streets when watching football at Anfield or Goodison Park ,you would be asked by young scallywags "Mind yer car Mr." It didn't cost much ,about 2/- and well worth it! You would never risk saying "No thank you"
The last time I parked in a street in Liverpool, I checked the car, before getting in. I am so glad I did, as there was a plastic bottle, wedged in front of one of my rear tyres. Had I just driven off, it would have caused a bump + bang! I took it home + re-cycled it.
I have been like the proverbial Cheshire Cat today. I picked up my new wheels today, it is gorgeous and drives like a dream. I have stalled it at traffic lights, 3x today, but luckily those behind me were patient! The best feature, for me, is the reversing camera, which I need to practice with. I have a bottle of good quality prosecco, to celebrate later on. As some-one asked yesterday, am I going to drink it or break it on the bonnet. I'll leave you - to answer that question 🍾
My food waste system is the same as Ev's in that I can use normal bin liners in the caddies. Mine are always full, not with waste, but egg shells, tea bags, but just general fresh veg.+ fruit peelings. It is amazing how much goes into my bins. I notice many other neighbours, do not use these, but perhaps it's because they use frozen veg. frozen chips/wedges etc. I am be generous in my thoughts. I made a goulash, a few days ago, so I had onion, garlic, red peppers waste, along with potatoe and carrot peelings, plus the ends of green beans and outer leaves of sprouts. It was surprising how much went into the caddy.
This is it, Miriam. If you do cooking from scratch you do have loads of peelings! Just lately though have bought frozen chopped onions which I find good value and far less trouble!
I use usually mixed frozen peppers, which are great for chucking into chilli and many other dishes. On this occasion, I was using some red peppers, picked from my Big Sis's green house, before the N.Wales "lockdown".
When I was little we had the Ragman come round blowing his trumpet about 3 or 4 times a year. We would run with a bag of "rags" and believe me they were because everything was recycled many many times. Hand-me-downs from older siblings to younger and then passed on to cousins or neighbours. Anything left was made into dusters..something I still do with old flannel sheets. The ragman used to to give us a ring or a bottle of bubbles in return. Although there were much more luxurious gifts on display we never got them no matter how much we brought. Still we were happy with a junky ring.
We too had the Rag & Boneman visit us when I were a lad. I hadn't thought of him in decades Autumnleaves! I can remember getting a tiny pack of playing cards from him. There used to be a knife sharpening man who came with his van, as well as 2 different grocery vans along with the ice-cream van.
Dusters in my home, as a youngster, were made from my Fathers old Y-fronts (which were boilled first). I understand "make do + mend" but this was going too far 😣. I had to use these, to polish the wooden, parke floor border, around the central carpet. That was my usual Saturday morning job, before being allowed to go out and play. Such different times.
That's just great especially for those who can't get around too much. We had them too ( the vans) when I was little so we used to get our Forfar bridies and hot pies at lunchtime. The ice cream van was a regular..a packet of cheese and onion and a bottle of Irn bru. It was always too cold for ice cream but in the summer we had the Mr whippee come round ..sooooo good and creamy.
I also loved Aberdeen Butteries, the best being served in the Art Gallery cafe. We used to sneak out, whilst supposedly doing lab. work, to go for one with coffee. Memories. I went to RGIT 1973-1977, School of Pharmacy.
This was in the Schoolhill premises, so well placed in the centre of Aberdeen. I so remember the cold + snowy winters...living in digs with little heating, in a garret room, coins in the meter for the electric fire. I wore more clothes in bed so to keep warm + sleep, than during the day! I loved it though, and would not change my time in Aberdeen, at all.
Many years ago was stationed at Lossiemouth which was a Royal Navy Air Station now regrettably RAF! We had to change trains in Aberdeen and found a Wimpy near the station where we would indulge in banana splits and Top Hats, a concoction of mounds of ice cream topped with a chocolate bowler. That’s all I knew of Aberdeen!
We had a rag and bone man with a handcart. He gave crockery in exchange for the rags. We had a kitchen cabinet full of mismatched cups, saucers and plates! A far cry from my Italian pattern mostly inherited from MIL! The rest I bought when we sold my ancient Datsun also inherited from her. How times change!
There is a veg shop in Ryde called Barrow Boys. Was reading in local press the other day that they had delivered fruit & veg etc during lockdown but now people had gone back to supermarkets. The boys who run this shop go over to the mainland early mornings to purchase their wares so everything is as fresh as possible. I decided to give them a whirl and had a delivery yesterday. Everything looks good and mostly packed in paper bags, remember them??! The young man was telling me their main concern is the demise of the High Street. Many empty shops both there and in Newport. There are 40 empty shops in Newport mainly as the town sold out to big firms like Laura Ashley, Monsoon & accessorise which have since gone to the wall. In Ryde it is mainly small shops but even there they have Edinburgh Woollen Mill which has just collapsed. I fear this is the future and maybe instead of shopping centres there will be more housing and just coffee shops etc. I think my barrow boy will maybe have to just make deliveries in time. There’s nothing like picking out your own veg though!
I am optimistic, that once this situation is over (but when?), smaller business will be continuing, with others starting up, to provide better products and quality. That is my wish + hope, but probably not too realistic.
Fed up with looking at the front of an Airbus, so thought I’d use my recent painting of bunches of grapes. The small purple ones actually come from the vine over our pergola but the green ones are Sainsburys!
A superb painting, Archerfile and so well composed! Are your grapes sweet enough to eat? I know black grapes are difficult in this country. Hope your cataract ops gave you really good vision so that you can carry on painting!
Well, Miriam, I am still trying to get used to my ‘new eyes’. I have perfect long vision in the first eye and can read with the other one. But they are not working well together yet The surgeon, at my final visit this week said it could take up to 6 months for my brain to accept the different focal lengths. When watching TV for example, I can read subtitles perfectly now, but have to keep my right eye shut or the blurred distance vision in that eye ‘dilutes’ the sharpness of the other one. It’s taking a lot of getting used to!
And Ev, thank you for your kind words. I’m still only painting close up things where I can see small details. So far I’ve not tried painting or drawing far scenes as my eyes are still not working together properly yet. I do like doing still life, it’s my thing! Sadly, the grapes are nor sweet enough to eat. The hundreds of little bunches have dozens of tiny grapes on each one & we should have to spend hours snipping off half the grapes to allow the rest to grow big enough to ripen. Also they would need a very warn autumn a heated greenhouse. We only grow them for decoration really, not for eating!
Miriam . I am confused . I may have got this wrong. Are the contents of the caddy you use then transferred to the waste food bin which the bin men then empty? Why do you not put your potato peelings and fruit waste into your own compost bin or onto a compost heap? My used tea bags are composted (when they have not been used to put at the bottom of plant pots) Eggshells are kept to put down on piles to deter slugs and snails. We were given a food waste bin but don't use it. I don't know what I would put into it .
Has the decision not to provide food waste bins in London changed LanJan ? If it has I am really pleased. I will answer your question and hope that Miriam does not mind me doing so. The system here and with other districts / towns / areas that I know of, is that you get two caddys, identical but one smaller than the other. The small one is for use in your kitchen. You then transfer your bag of waste to the larger bin for collection. If you have a large family I can imagine that you do need the larger bin and by the next collection day a week later it will be full. Mine usually has only one bag full. I'm not good at cooking nowadays !
Yes it is Mrs P. My lovely girl and Hoover about 4 years ago. She had him shorn about three times and has the fleeces in her garage. I told her she'd have to get a spinning wheel!
Anneveggie - sorry I got you mixed up with esscee, so did you go down to that depot in Lower Sydenham ? Or had it gone by the time you were old enough to venture that far. It was a really long walk for us from Southend Pond.
My only memory is as a young child on the doorstep watching the rag & bone man with his horse and cart coming down our road. I've no idea what he did with the stuff he managed to accumulate. I don't remember mum or dad taking anything out to him either.
Just an update on the Facebook changes. I have heard from two friends in Australia, also bemoaning the fact that FB has changed its layout. They hate it too. Seems to be a ‘new look’ that FB are rolling out across the world. I have now downloaded the FB app which seems to give more information on each view and is a bit easier to use than going through a browser like Safari or Chrome. I shall stick to the app. now.
Yes,Mrs P we do have two food waste containers . I use neither. I have a stainless steel cylindrical lidded container about 7" high which . i bought from Lakeland. I put all the vegetable peelings ,used paper towels and tea bags into that and when it is full I put the lot in my large plastic compost bin. I add manure ,comfrey leaves and nettles to speed the composting.
With respect ,Mrs P, you haven't actually answered the question. What is termed as food waste? Is it the remains of the joint perhaps. That of course would not go onto a compost heap. I just thought that if Miriam is putting her vegetable peelings into a food waste bin which the Council collects she is wasting valuable soil improving material.
Lanjan, our council composts food waste, peelings etc and then sells it either in bulk or in sacks. You can include remains from meat and as I boil up chicken bones for stock I usually put the bones in the food waste. Other joints we go for boneless cuts so no waste there. I expect the receivers of food waste know what they are doing so can only follow their guidance. Speaking for myself, I only have a small raised bed for growing veg which I enrich with bought fertiliser such as chicken pellets and a raised bed going across the bottom of the garden with shrubs which is overlaid with bark clippings so do not need much compost and I don’t have space for a compost heap. Bear in mind too that there is only me so have to have low maintenance and much time saving! Katy is too busy and not all that interested in gardening! Was just lamenting the onward grind of jobs to be done and this year no break! I love to goon holiday away from phone, home obligations and yes, dogs! Am always happy to get back though and do miss the dogs with all their funny ways! It just is so nice to have a break from normal routine!
Tomorrow, Katy and I together with stepdaughter and SIL from Dorset and their dog are going out in a boat hired just for us to near Hurst Castle on the mainland to put Mike’s ashes into the Solent. As a teenage boy he used to sail from there over to Yarmouth on the island so we follow the same route. He joined the Navy at 16 and served until he was 50 followed by 12 years as a retired officer in Torpoint as property manager at HMS Raleigh. The sea was his life so it seems fitting that he returns to it. The urn is biodegradable so will dissolve when it gets wet and he will slowly float away. The boat company do take ashes out there so know the correct procedure. We will be taking small posies of flowers from the garden tied with grass so biodegradable and will later raise the toast “To the Immortal Memory” usually attributed to Admiral Lord Nelson on Trafalgar Day which occurs later this week on 21st.
Lanjan, what do you do with the remains of a joint? I hardly eat meat and not at home, so that simplifies my food waste. I have a general waste bin of 80l capacity which I take out to be emptied 4 times a year. Glass, plastics+paper are recycled separately. Like you I have a container for the organic waste which I take out to the compost bin 1-2 a week - it doesn't accept protein or plastic. There's no way to control it but after a few years it seems that people have learnt.
Sorry LanJan if I didn't answer your question. Neglectful of me.
I understand food waste to be anything organic pertaining to food. Cooked or uncooked vegetables, meat, fish, including bones, sinew, skin and flesh, and all dairy products. I hope this answers your ? LJ.
I understand your point about composting, but Miriam may choose not to compost. I know she is a gardener, but even so, it is her choice. Nevertheless I agree with you it is wasted organic material that could be used to improve her soil. But it is not wasted in the sense that it is being used, recycled, to create electricity. I no longer compost, because I am no longer coping with gardening as my garden has too difficult access for me to get to it. So all my food waste is dealt with by the local authority. However I have two long haired animals and the fur that is produced when grooming them, which I do myself, is collected and given to other compost makers in my district. I am currently mentoring a young woman who is new to composting through my local 'Next Door' site, and she has taken a large bag of fur in the last few days. The contents of my hoover is also collected by me and passed on to a neighbour for his ' rough compost', his second, on his allotment.
Sorry LanJan if I didn't answer your question. Neglectful of me.
I understand food waste to be anything organic pertaining to food. Cooked or uncooked vegetables, meat, fish, including bones, sinew, skin and flesh, and all dairy products. I hope this answers your ? LJ.
I understand your point about composting, but Miriam may choose not to compost. I know she is a gardener, but even so, it is her choice. Nevertheless I agree with you it is wasted organic material that could be used to improve her soil. But it is not wasted in the sense that it is being used, recycled, to create electricity. I no longer compost, because I am no longer coping with gardening as my garden has too difficult access for me to get to it. So all my food waste is dealt with by the local authority. However I have two long haired animals and the fur that is produced when grooming them, which I do myself, is collected and given to other compost makers in my district. I am currently mentoring a young woman who is new to composting through my local 'Next Door' site, and she has taken a large bag of fur in the last few days. The contents of my hoover is also collected by me and passed on to a neighbour for his ' rough compost', his second, on his allotment.
Thank you Mrs P. Miriam is due in less than half an hour so she may well say whether she has a compost bin or not. I can certainly understand Ev not having one in her circumstances. Our refuse collectors come so early that I would have to leave out the food waste container overnight and would hate to do that because of foxes. We have plastic bins for paper and for metal,glass and plastic We put contents of our dustbin in a black bin bag if we have enough -in a carrier bag if not and leave that out .
I am told that a neighbour saw the collector throw the food waste into the bin lorry . It must be a horrible job collecting food waste Must it be organic?
Nice idea to give the fur to a neighbour,Mrs P. Like Monty Don I love my compost heap. I remember John's granddaughter when she was little being entranced when I showed her the compost in the bin . There were thousands of worms and she loved the idea that worm poo was really good for the soil. She is now 22 and has started her first teaching job. However she has been told that a child in her class-year1 - has tested positive for Covid 19 so she has to self isolate for two weeks.
Ev I think that is a lovely idea of yours. I know tomorrow will be memorable and I hope the weather is kind to you.
We use the 2 bin food waste system here in South Gloucestershire. I started using the worktop sized one and wrapped the waste in newspaper to go in the bigger kerbside bin. Now I have bought a nicer looking bin for the worktop and buy the degradable bags or use Co-op bags, also biodegradable. All food waste goes in as Mrs P has described and goes to an anaerobic digester to produce electricity.
Didn't Brian and Adam discuss having one of these some years ago?
I have tried composting the non meat waste in our garden compost bin, but stopped that a year or so ago when we had rats in the bin and garden 😳 I remember the rag and bone man coming round.
Mrs P, I was near(ish) your way this morning, to see the Severn Bore at Epney. My first time seeing the bore. Lots of surfers and paddleboards about.
It was fascinating. The wave was lower than I expected. I know it varies, but don't how how today's bore compared to others. The whole phenomenon was interesting though, seeing the flow of the river in reverse, the speed of the flow etc. Especially seeing whole trees go by in the 'wrong' direction 😀
All our vegetable waste goes in one of our several compost bins. Food that can’t be composted (eg meat bones, chicken carcasses, after using for stock etc) gets sealed in a recyclable plastic bag or foil and goes in our grey bin which is for non- recyclable rubbish. It is collected weekly . All recyclable stuff, paper, card, certain plastics (but not all) go in the green bin which is collected fortnightly. All glass goes in a spécial box which is collected, when full, with the green bin, fortnigjtly. No problem.
*** FROM PREVIOUS BLOG ***
ReplyDeleteSpicycushion - October 14, 2020 at 8:44 AM
I suspect there are two reasons why flu jabs are difficult to come by this year.
1 More people are getting them because of Covid.
2 Laboratories are not making so many because they are working on Covid vaccine?
My doctor's surgery is usually quite quick in answering the telephone nowadays. I think they may have installed extra lines. There are certainly more 'girls' in the office. When I started at that practice there were just two receptionists manning the desk, sometimes only one at a time. One doctor only as well, and he was very, very lazy! Then about 35 years ago my present doctor arrived and soon expanded the practice. There are four or five 'girls' in the office/reception, a nurse, a Practice manager and a pharmacist, two regular doctors and sometimes a locum as well.
Of course as with so many other places there are many more houses built around here and much woodland and green space have been built over. More doctors etc are needed anyway.
Ev - October 14, 2020 at 9:04 AM
I had no bother and in fact the surgery rang to say they had availability earlier than my appointment on 20th so had the jab last Thursday. I wonder whether there isn’t so much a shortage as Boots etc not ordering enough of them! Sarnia, your experience is dreadful and wonder whether you could change your doctor maybe for one a bit nearer?
Miriam - October 14, 2020 at 3:54 PM
My car has arrived in Chester. I am waiting for an e-mail which I need to sign "virtually", to register it. Once I have the registration number, I can sort the insurance. I also need the bank details, so I can transfer the monies due (gulp!).
I am, provisionally, picking it up on Saturday morning. There could still be some hiccups, but a delay of a few days, well that I can accept.
Sarnia - October 14, 2020 at 4:32 PM
Ev, this IS the one that's a bit nearer! All six surgeries in the area have been combined into one large partnership, including my local surgery about 10 minutes up the road, which is probably the smallest and therefore one of the four which are shut. Only the two largest remain open, which accounts for the huge number of calls, rubbishing their idea that nearly everything can be dealt with online.
Today I got the usual 'go online', followed by 'too busy, call back later'.
GG Is that your garden?
ReplyDeleteIt is Miriam - it's the bottom of the back garden. Took that pic the other week and thought it looked cute with our new string of lights.
DeleteThat is Fab-U-Lous..to quote AN Other in a show I also love, and that a I am equally addicted to:- 👗👠🎩 and 🎶.
DeleteLovely - can I come for coffee?
ReplyDeleteOf course you can! I'll get the fire on...
DeleteIn that case I’m going to be gatecrashing GG 🤣
DeleteI was going say "the more the merrier!", but in this day & age maybe not the right thing to say at all....😉
DeleteAfter three visits and many discussion over the last year and a bit, having promised much and delivered absolutely nothing I've ditched my landscape gardener (pity, as he was the charming son of a good friend and seemed to understand exactly what I wanted and why) and the new one is coming next Monday or Tuesday. I've explained that I don't have any more years at my disposal to spend waiting for things to happen, I need the work done so that I have time to enjoy the results!
ReplyDeleteI'll report the outcome next week.
Gary, your garden is beautiful! When I first saw the photo I thought it was a glamorous outdoor bar or bistro in France or Italy!
ReplyDeleteThe lights are lovely and add a very festive air.
Can I ask if they are solar powered or if you have wired them up to the electricity supply?
Thank you AP!
DeleteThe lights are wired into the mains - MrGG is very good at practical "things" so we have actual sockets in the greenhouse and on the outside of the house.
That is a good question.
DeleteI am getting so many things, via the post, as it is this time of the year. I look through them and then I put in the recycle bin.
I did see in one, solar lights for outdoor use, which would look good in my front garden. My thought is that, are they as good as advertised?
My experience of solar lights is mixed Miriam. It does seem that the cheaper the product, the higher the likelihood is that it will fail within weeks.
DeleteSarnia, your surgery problem is unbelievable. We have a shortage of doctors on the island but we have a surgery here in our village about 10 minutes old lady walk away. There are surgeries in Cowes, Newport and Ryde that I know of. I don’t drive so it is a blessing to have the surgery so near even though I don’t go often but it was handy for the jab! We also have a vet and dentist here. I had to walk Gypsy down to the vet the other day in her pram as the poor old lady had a urine infection! Centralising you’re surgeries like that makes no sense at all. We did choose to live here nearly six years ago noting all these benefits but I just hope they remain!
ReplyDeleteYour surgeries! Auto correction put the rogue apostrophe in!
ReplyDeleteIn our suburb, which is across the river from the main town, it's a mile up a steep hill to the nearest post office, ie not all that accessible to someone with 4 replacement joints and the only banks and building societies are now in the town centre, 40 minutes away by bus - which I can't use at present because of my medical history. It's like living in the urban equivalent of a village in Norfolk!
DeleteHave you thought of moving, Sarnia?😉
DeleteToo late, too late!
DeleteMistral, how exciting about your first grandchild! Hopefully you will get to cuddle them to bits soon. Your last sentence about the windows really made me think about all the things that we are missing this year - some huge, some little, but ALL important to us. I wish all your family a fantastic day tomorrow!
ReplyDeleteI so agree. 😁
DeleteAll I want is a hug or a cuddle - which sadly I haven't had since March. Still PussCat cuddles up every night, but is it not the same. 😸
DeleteIs that a pond at the bottom of your photo, Gary, reflecting the plants ?
ReplyDeleteHow idyllic ! Not the setting for tea, methinks - more suited to cocktails, white wine, sangria, olives very small crackers with cream cheese & a dash of artisan chutney or something.....
It is indeed a pond carolyn. The noise of the little fountain we have in it is sooooo relaxing.
DeleteWas just seeing if there was anything on TV worth watching and I see that "Abigail's Party" is on BBC4 at 21.00. I think I will make some cheesy pineapple on a stick, sit back and savour the sheer joy that is Alison Steadman in full flow...
ReplyDeleteThanks for the heads up. I missed seeing this, but it is now "on record", to enjoy at a later date.
Delete...and the soggy vol-au-vents, followed by an equal soggy black forest gateau, if I remember correctly. Luckily I do not have any of the awful, flowery, full length dresses, which I wore at that time!
DeleteI used to have a copy of the raunchy painting that she loves! And I've always adored Demis Roussos...
DeleteI loved that play and saw the production of it years later in the West End. The original tv play had a wonderful cast and it stayed with me after I'd seen it. They gave up so quickly on CPR in those days compared to now.
DeleteYour lights are really pretty Gary BTW.
Thanks AV!
DeleteI too have seen a stage version, but I found watching it too strange - I have seen the TV version so many times that it is imprinted on to my brain and it was just jarring seeing different people say the words.
Mistral - hope all goes well for the arrival of your grandchild tomorrow and that Mother and Father get through it without too much nervousness, and that you get to see the child as soon as possible.
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone! My son just phoned, he sounded manic. I expect to hear about 11 a.m. tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteHe is coming for tea at 9 p.m. when the hospital closes for the night, and I have cooked up a storm this evening in preperation - Miriam would be proud. Steak, mushroom and ale pie, creamy cheesy leeks, mashed potatoes with fried onion and mustard stirred in, apple, sultana and cinnamon crumble/custard. Made all this today to reheat as I am work tomorrow afternoon.
The wine is in the fridge.....
I got my test results today, negative. I was half hoping to have the antibodies for a bit of immunity, but now it seems that people are re-contracting the virus, some worse the second time.
ReplyDeleteI think this area will be upgraded to the worst tier within days, also expecting travel restrictions very soon.
I just don't know what to make of it anymore.
No need of the winter fuel allowance here, my kitchen is boiling, had to open the window.
Gary, I love your garden. I remember you saying that you had planted 100's of bulbs, and have many many tubs/planters. I can't believe you have sockets in your greenhouse!!
ReplyDeleteSarnia, good for you. Hope your new garden designer gets his finger out...
Miriam, good luck with your car - I got a new one last Sept, just booked it's first service, only done 4500 miles. Still needs the service to keep up the warrenty, hardly seems worth it. This time last year I was up and down to Devon, (7 hr drive) and needed something reliable. Wouldn't have bothered if I'd known!
He phoned today, will inspect next week and mentioned starting earl in the new year before he gets really busy. This garden design has been a long time in the making and I will prepare diagrams over the weekend for him to work from. Pity it's a work weekend, as I could do with the time!
DeleteEverything crossed, Mistral ! What an exciting time, & what a feast to celebrate tomorrow..
ReplyDeleteAll the very best Mistral, what an exciting time for your family. I hope everything hits perfectly and you will soon enjoy the absolute delight of being a Grandma!
ReplyDelete(Gary 8.22) I think Alison Steadman is brilliant in “Life” which is being shown on BBC 1 on Tuesdays. In fact all the cast are good.
ReplyDeleteHilary ,11:41 ,I agree with you.
ReplyDeleteExcellent cast ;excellent viewing .
I have been watching an episode each evening on my IPad.
Last episode for me this evening.
Then I plan to do the same with "All creatures great and small"
Yes, I’m really enjoying that too. I record each episode and watch in the daytime as Mr A is not all that keen on drama & would rather watch documentaries or wildlife programmes.
DeleteSo I have taken to watching the first episode of each new series that starts to see if I am interested enough to carry on.
‘Life’ has several actors I know well (and two moonlighting from TA), the story has twists and turns and I feel involved with the characters. Excellent writing and acting.
Didn’t take to the other new one with Tom Hollander taking his family on holiday at all, couldn’t be bothered with all that harking back to their past lives.
However, I am looking forward to ‘Roadkill’ which starts on Sunday, starring Hugh Laurie as a new Prime Minister. Sounds promising.
We have been enjoy ing All Creatures Great and Small..such lovely stories away from the usual angst and serial killer series that seem to be on the box.
DeleteI've dug up the original series on you tube so when we've finished the new series well have lots to keep us entertained as the night draw in.
Didn't take to the Tom Hollander one either Archerphile. Just watched the first 2 episodes then lost interest.
We'll certainly check out Life.
I binge watched the complete series one of Life and enjoyed it immensely.
ReplyDeleteExcellent writing, cast and acting.
Alison Steadman, is brilliant yet again.
I have frequently disliked the characters she often plays, but admire her characterisation of each.
I never did see 'Abigail's Party ' 1977 being a year when personal matters were extremely high on my agenda and television hardly existed for me.
I started watching it last night, and will continue into the weekend.
Then I shall be watching ' All Creatures '.
Who are the two moonlighters from TA Archerphile ?
Looks like I needn’t bother to reply Mrs P, as several others have Answered for me below!
DeleteBunny Davis (Jolene) is in the cast of Life but under the other actors I did not see TA mentioned so I will be interested to hear from AP who the other moonlighted is.
ReplyDeleteTony .
ReplyDeleteAh - I haven’t watched the series yet only a short part of the first episode will give it another try.
DeleteI didn't notice "Jolene " in "Life" but one person who was particularly good was Elaine Paige.
ReplyDeleteJolene is the one Alison Steadman nearly ran over in the first episode.
DeleteYesterday at about ten to six in the evening , there was a knock on the door.
ReplyDeleteOur Boot's pharmacist with a smile on his face ,had brought Mr LJ's prescription round .
He said he thought he would bring it on his way home (although our road is not a direct route to anywhere , really.)
I saw he had another Boots bag in his hand too so was probably helping someone else out.
I could go to the little shop but there is never anywhere to park nearby .
Archerphile ,that was the nice thing that happened to me yesterday.
Lanjan - isn't it lovely when someone does something kind. Makes life so much more pleasant.
DeleteLJ. As a retired Pharmacist, I often did similar, when I was working. My worst was in the Swine 'Flu epidemic, to deliver the much needed Tamiflu to a client. It was thick snow, I got lost and had to be pushed out of a snow drift by locals, after knocking on a door for help + directions. I did deliver the much needed medication, eventually. I didn't get home until 8.00pm. I didn't mind, as I had helped some-one who so needed it.
DeleteThis is today’s effort! For the first half of the zoom session I had a freeze on the picture and only had sound so couldn’t see what he was doing! Then Katy came home and with a few flicks sorted it out! Technology, bah!! Did my best and reasonably pleased with the result but will have another go when I get the video on u tube!
ReplyDeleteWell I’m still impressed with your result Ev but will look forward to your second attempt all the same!
DeleteAll Creatures Great + Small, is still recorded, to be watched at a later date. This is for Winter Sunday's afternoons, to binge on!
ReplyDeleteI watched Abigail's Party, last night. What a blast from the past. Sadly, the wonderful Alison Steadman, to me was exactly the same as Pam, in Gavin + Stacy, in the original version.
I remember that era well 😀
Busy day today.
ReplyDeleteAll is done re getting my new wheels on Saturday. The paperwork has been done + signed "virtually", the car has been taxed + registered, and as soon as I knew the reg. no. I have been able to sort the insurance out (after being "on hold" for 20mins). It was lovely doing this, talking to a real human being..so nice.. 😊
On transferring the money today, I triple checked everything, before confirming the transaction. I was quite shaky afterwards, as I did not like doing this type of payment via internet banking.
DeleteBut it is the time, we are now living in.
I so hope Mistral is celebrating tonight, with the birth of her 1st grandchild.
ReplyDeleteI wish them all well.🍾
Well done Gary, with your welcoming garden.
ReplyDeleteWell done Ev, I especially like the light effects of the sky.
Thank you Miriam, We now have a baby boy, hurray, no name yet, 7 lbs, both well. My son and I each had a huge g & t, and a hefty meal. Lovely.
ReplyDeleteHuge congratulations to your entire family Mistral! Welcome to our weird and wonderful world, little one... 👋🧸
DeleteCongratulations Mistral. Enjoy!
DeleteCongrats, Mistral. Here’s hoping the world will be a good place for these little ones! Our twins are at home now! 😁
DeleteMistral, a new life and a new generation of your family, I can see you stayed up and thank you for letting us know.
DeleteMistral thrilled for you all - here’s to better days for the new generation 🌈 👶 🎈
DeleteCongratulations Mistral!!
DeleteGreat news!
DeleteI am listening to Desert Island Discs with Floella Benjamin. What a lovely lady! In particular was moved by Nat King Cole singing “Smile”. Life throws such sorrow sometimes but as she said a smile conquers all although a tear may be ever so near. Inspiring! His voice seems to give you a hug!😊
ReplyDeleteVery apt for current times Ev!
DeleteI was just about to answer Mrs P’s question to ME about cast members in ‘Life’
ReplyDeleteBut it seems others were keen to butt in and answer for me, which I find vaguely annoying
So it seems, Mrs P, that I needn’t bother to reply, sorry I wasn’t quick enough.
Sorry 😟 AP I was the first - I only saw a little of first episode but recognised “Jolene’s” voice straight away as she was also in Doc Martin. However as you have correctly pointed out the question was asked of you.
Delete(Lanjan 11.49) I have watched All Creatures Great and Small and loved it. I read the first book of the trilogy recently.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed “Us”. My cousin was in Venice and saw them filming it. She was hoping to be called in as an extra but was told they wanted younger people!
Are others as fed up as me in saving household food waste? We have biodegradable bags which disintegrate when inevitably damp bits are put in there! In the guidance we are told to use these but I have had to put them into plastic carrier bags to stop the waste being dumped into the bottom of my outside food bin! This morning I took the bag which had only been there for a day out of the indoor bin and the contents splatted on the bottom of the bin! Well as in my earlier post will keep on smiling!
ReplyDeleteArcherfile, surely others can politely join in a hitherto two way conversation ?
We use 7 litre compostable bags from www.ecosacks.co.uk and have never had any trouble with them at all. We buy a years worth at a time for about £15/20.
DeleteEv, do you have compost bins? We have a communal one and I take my small plastic bucket out once/twice a week to empty there. I use the biodegradable bags which sometimes leak, but I also re-use paper bags after fruit and vegetables to soak up the moisture. I keep the compost bucket under the sink. I do have another bin in the kitchen which has hardly anything in it, therefore my other waste is collected only 4 times a year. I have an allowance for 12 collections included in my charge, any above is extra.
Delete*** FIVE OF THE BEST ***
ReplyDeleteEv, since you are here, just to let you know that you're up! Enjoy...
I decided my 5 would be TV programs:-
ReplyDelete1. Death in Paradise - I love the laid back setting, the ironic manner of the police commissioner and the effortless changes of the main character - a bit like Dr Who! It is so Agatha Christie in the way the suspects are assembled before the culprit is revealed! Corny but nice!
2. Not Going Out - Lee Mack is so funny and the interaction between him and Hugh Dennis ( loves him in Outnumbered)is brilliant! The acting and comedy timing of all the cast is so skilful. When you have had children the situations in it are so close to home!
3. The Great British Bake Off - not too Cheffy as in Masterchef, just ordinary people trying their hand at skilful tasks. Pru Leith and Paul Hollywood are perfect partners and sometimes don’t have an easy time deciding who should go home! I enjoy all the presenters and feel as the series progresses there is usually a great camaraderie between the contestants. It is nice to have a favourite and hope he or she will win the cake stand!
4. The Chase - we record these and sit down to watch it with an afternoon cup of tea. All the Chasers are amazing in their depth of knowledge and of course Bradley Walsh makes the show! I especially like the times he dissolves into uncontrollable mirth!
5. The Crown - this is on Netflix and the subscription is worth it just for this series. The actors throughout have been well chosen and enough like the Royals to be believable. Of course we must take a lot of it with a pinch of salt and although it follows historical fact there is much fiction involved! I do wonder whether the Queen watches it as of course she and the duke feature throughout!
Not a very learned collection but all are much enjoyed!
My least favourite is Pointless which I find pointless!
Not familiar with your first choice Ev but all others get an A⭐️ from me 🤗
DeleteEv, I can't comment on your list as I have never seen or watched any of your choices.
ReplyDeleteI would have liked to see the Crown, and who knows, one day I might.
Your complaint about your food bin.
I did use the compostable bags at the beginning, and note how many others do not use any liner at all, which I find disgusting.
Both my bins are checked and cleaned after collection each week.
I've changed my usage however. I came to the conclusion that it was foolish to buy ( yet more unnecessary expense) special plastic when I had plenty of other robust plastic bags that were going into landfill anyway.
I now keep all my larger plastic bags, and use them inside my bin.
I do have a number of very heavy plastic bags, dog and cat biscuits, frozen chicken pieces etc.
I agree that sometimes there is a leak but I usually do the transfer from the small bin to the larger one outside or sometimes in my kitchen sink, where any leaks can be sloshed away.
My local authority includes in its instructions, lining your bin with newspaper which is of course what we all did before the advent of plastic into our daily lives.
Archerphile , please don't "take the hump" as we say in Lancashire.
ReplyDeleteI dare say Mrs P didn't mind who told her the names of the moonlighters.
I was pleased that Ev told me which character "Jolene " played
I am planning to rewatch the first episode again -or part of it- because of that.
I certainly didn't recognise her.
David Troughton sounds like he does when playing "Tony" though.
I haven't said who he is playing in "Life" so it isn't a spoiler.
Love the Bake off, and have more than one favourite to win at present. Wish I could decorate cakes like they do. I like Death in Paradise too, a gentle sort of programme even though about murders. The others I haven't seen. We don't have a television so just watch programmes via the computer that other people have recommended as very good. A comedy would be nice at present so I will start with Not Going Out. Thanks Ev, always good to hear of new things to try.
ReplyDeleteEv
ReplyDelete1)I have never watched Death in Paradise
2) Lee Mac is from the Lancashire town where I lived for many years. I think he was chosen as Comedian of the year 2019
I preferred "Not going out " before they were married but like you.I like Hugh Dennis especially in the first series of Outnumbered.
3) Don't watch any baking or cooking programmes
4) Must check out"The Chase"
I know nothing about it.
5) We haven't got Netflix.
I don't like either of the Presenters of Pointless,Ev but I do enjoy Richard Osman's House of Games BBC 2 6:00pm
Worth a watch if you like quiz questions which are quick ,clever and witty.
Yes, I like Richard Osman away from Pointless where he seems to be an insufferable know all! I have seen House of Games a few times and liked it. He has also appeared in the Bake Off - an extra slice which I enjoy! He is very witty and so different to the Pointless character.
DeleteEv. At last another GBBO devotee. This is just a breath of fresh air, at the moment. It amuses me, in so many ways.
DeleteEv. Thank you for your prompt response.
DeleteThe only show I have watched is the Bake Off but didn’t follow it to channel 4.
I tried pointless can’t stand it and have never watched the RO quiz thing on 2.
Only Connect and University challenge is my sort of quizzing.
Have occasionally watched The Chase.
Like Lanjan we don’t have Netflix.
I more of a documentary person and really like Scandi Noire. I like feel good programmes like The Repair Shop.
Love the new painting.
Firstly:-
ReplyDeleteCongratulations MISTRAL on the safe arrival of your grandson.
I am thrilled for you all. Your life will change, in ways you cannot imagine, at this strange time.
Secondly:-
EV Great TV choices.
The only one I don't know is "The Crown" for 2 reasons. I do not subscribe to Netfilx, and like Spitting Images, I personally do like how the images/persons are portrayed.
The choice was brilliant. I am off to do some chores, so I am ready for The Chase.
I always think, I can do that!
Perhaps, an Archersfan,blogspot team?
🤣😣
Everybody
ReplyDeleteI apologise for ‘taking the hump’ as Lanjan so elegantly put it. Not in a good mood this am, bad night & woke up feeling very depressed, (seems to happen a lot recently), then seeing that I had been pipped to the post answering Mrs P question just tipped me over! Please forgive. It was childish.
Ev:
1) never watched Death in Paradise, but my neighbours love it and are always saying we should watch.
2) We love Lee Mack in ‘Would I Lie to You which often has us both in tears of laughter. He is so quick and clever with his humour, but not watched his sitcom...perhaps I should.
3) GBBO - agree, love this programme, such gentle competition, no showing off between the competitors and I’m always amazed at what they are able to do, so brilliantly.
4) The Chase - Sorry watched one edition but not my type of quiz show I’m afraid. Several of the current game shows are too noisy and garish for me. Hardly dare say it here but we much prefer Pointless which we sometimes catch the end of, after watching our recording of each day’s Countdown. Just wish Pointless had less sport and cinema/film questions, I know nothing about either subject.
5) The Crown - would LOVE to be able to see this but not willing to take out subscription to watch one particular programme. However our family in Dubai are hooked on it, I am amazed to say!
Perhaps I could see some episodes if we are ever able to visit again.
Archerphile. We can all be a bit “childish”. I sending you lots of winky 😉🥰 winks and warm hearts.
DeleteI like most quizzes except for the ones which ask people to gamble on the amount they might win (relying on peoples' greed I think) so I don't really like the Chase either.
DeleteI like Pointless. Usually watch it after a quiet afternoon and ready for the News at 6pm!
The only programme we have set up to record every week on our TIVO box is Only Connect, mainly because both of us were out and now 'Zooming' Cub and Scout meetings on Mondays!
Have just taken out a sub to Netflix as very little else on TV appeals. Not sure how long we'll keep it though!
GBBO was my absolute favourite but in my personal view it is going downhill fast as the contestants seem to be chosen on a 'tick box' basis than those who can actually bake! Same with the last two series and now with Sewing Bee!
Archerphile Perhaps your son could download The Crown on a USB stick and post to you? Just plug it in the side of the TV I think. Mine has done The Mandalorian (Star Wars spin off) for Jon to watch as I refuse to give a penny to Disney!
Ooo Spicy! That’s a good idea, I hadn’t thought of that. I’ll see if it’s possible.. He has just installed a new gadget on his TV which allows him to watch BBC iPlayer even though in Dubai where you can’t normally see BBC programmes. The boys are thrilled to be catching up with old episodes of Horrible Histories and other children’s programmes. Corrin & Sarah are watching lots of old comedy programmes and David Attenborough Planet films.
DeleteJust check you have got a USB 'port' on your TV . Ours has and the TV is about 7/8 years old .
DeleteI love Bake Off with a passion!
ReplyDeleteNever seen any of the rest, cannot stand Bradley Walsh, dislike Lee Mack and never watch ANY murder mysteries apart from Poirot & Marple!
Archerphile, you don't need to apologise.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry you are feeling depressed though.
Like Stasia. I like watching Only Connect and University Challenge.
I feel chuffed when I get the answer to something that they don't know .
Don't mind sport and older films but can't be doing with modern pop groups or "celebrities".
I once had the misfortune to watch Egg heads.
I don't know why it isn't called Big Heads.
Insufferable lot.
Archerphile- taking the hump - may be childish, but you were already feeling down.
ReplyDeleteOwning up to doing so, and apologising is very grown up.
Some take the hump and then let it all pass over, never thinking to apologise.......
So..... IMO - well done you.
I have never watched any form of quizz show on television except University Challenge and the one in the ' Big Chair ' the proper name of which escapes me at the moment.
( and I'm sure some kind soul on here will supply it for me )
However I have been listening to round Britain Quiz and Brain of Britain since childhood.
My father was a master of general knowledge and could answer most questions about almost anything correctly. As a family we would frequently urge him to enter what was then only radio programmes but he always declined.
I have inherited some of his ability and am invariably able to answer one or two questions on the programmes that I listen to.
"Mastermind"? (Which I take EVERY opportunity to remind people that I was lucky enough to appear on...)
DeleteMastermind. Brain of Britain will have its final on Monday. I don't have/watch TV, not out of snobbery, one screen is enough for me.
DeleteGG
DeleteDo tell, as to when you appeared, what your specialist subject was and how you did.
I am intrigued..
Mastermind and the Archers Conference, Gary you're a star!
DeleteI so enjoy GBBO plus it's many spin offs, even GBBO The Proffesionals. This is the same with all of the Masterchef programmes,in all its varying forms.
ReplyDeleteThe other quiz show I enjoy is, Impossible, as again I think, "I could do that".
I will be addicted, as from tomorrow night, to another show I love and enjoy watching.
ReplyDeleteStrictly Come Dancing. The sad thing is, it means Winter is not far away. 😣
....and also, this year I will be watching it "home alone" unlike in previous years. I will enjoy it, regardless.
DeleteI love the crown. A friend recommended it. I was hooked. Can’t wait for new series in November. We don’t have Netflix but our son does and you can have 5 people signed up to it. So we watch through that. Archerphile , maybe your son can add you to his list.
ReplyDeleteI adore “Gogglebox”. Tonight at 9 on channel 4. It’s my have a good laugh/cheer you up program. Once you get to know the people on it it’s very amusing.
Last paragraph - totally agree Ptby. I saw a late night repeat some time ago (had heard of the programme but never seen it before) played it again next day for Mr R and we were hooked 🤣😂 only downside too much of “that“ word although it comes across less offensively from some more than others. Particularly love the Wiltshire couple and the caravan duo....
DeleteI also enjoy Mastermind and Brain of Britain. Death in Paradise is too corny for my taste but I do have friends who love it. Baking shows I have to be in the mood to watch and mostly don't. Haven't seen the Lee Mack one but anything funny would get my vote at the moment. I'm probably alone in this but I refuse to watch The Crown. I have always questioned the director/producer's motive in making this series. I suspect they are republicans who want to do away with the monarchy. I wonder how the Queen and the rest of the royal family feel about this programme. I understand the new series will feature Princess Diana suffering from bulimia and how will William and Harry feel about seeing their mother throwing up for others' entertainment.
ReplyDeleteSorry, I will get off my soapbox now.
Informative documentary is how I see it Anneveggie especially series one which covered the time when I was no more than a toddler. One can certainly see history repeating itself over and over on personal levels right up to current times.
DeleteThe Queen is portrayed extremely well I feel and would not wish to swap my life for hers that’s for sure.
I agree totally with your views after "I'm probably alone in this, but.."
DeleteI didn't dare say the same, for fear of repurcussions!
Well Done - for posting, the same as I feel.
My soapbox is still with me, but I don't use it so much now.
It is still in working order 🤣😂🤣😁
Thank you Miriam. Makes me feel good that someone agrees with my view point. I feel I'm amongst friends here and we should be able to say what we really think.
DeleteMonday nights are perfect for us at the moment. One and a half hours of grown-up quizzes.
ReplyDeleteMastermind followed by Only Connect, followed by University Challenge. They give our brains a good work out!
Though I do get irritated by the very long questions asked in Mastermind, they could be much shorter.
Only Connect - I am thrilled if I get even one answer before the teams but usually do well in the last round, missing vowels.
University Challenge - the teams are getting much older, lots of post-grads these days which I didn’t think was the point. Again, really chuffed if I get a couple of answers right, usually the music ones 🎶 🎵
Lanjan - I too can't bare Eggheads. load of know it alls!
ReplyDeleteGary - I remember you telling us of your appearance on Mastermind but regretfully have forgotten your specialist subject! Not surprising with my memory lapses nowadays!
MrsP - I often catch both Round Britain Quiz and Brain of Britain when I go to bed early enough! I think 'Only Connect' on TV is like RBQuiz where the answer is connected to cryptic clues.
Anneveggie - I have only seen so far the first series of The Crown and thought that quite innocuous. But perhaps the later series show the RF in a poorer light? I will soon find out. And I agree that if Diana is not sensitively portrayed it will be upsetting for her sons.
I wound up Jon a few weeks ago by telling him that future dil will be coming over Saturday evenings to watch Strictly with me! He absolutely hates it! However I will not be watching it now! Again I loved the first series and it reminded me of watching Come Dancing all those years ago with my Nan! We were taught Ballroom dancing at school during 'Wet' lunchbreaks by the Prefects but as I have no sense of rhythm (and being tall I was always the 'man.) I could just about Waltz! I even had to give up Zumba classes the doctor sent me on! But later it turned out to be 'The Brucie Show' What an unpleasant man he was! Now with all the dramatic pauses; the emphasis on elaborate costumes and stage settings; the one hopeless comedic figure and a load of C list celebrities I can't bare watching it.
Archerphile,you and I are in agreement about older students who take part in University Challenge
ReplyDeleteI always support the team with the younger students unless I take to someone like Bobby Seagull and Eric Monkman.
I think it should not include Post Graduate Students whatever age they are.
I don't bother with the specialist subjects on Mastermind .
They are far too obscure.
A former colleague was on Brain of Britain this week
In the previous Round he scored 20+ and the other three candidates got 3,4 and 5 .
This week was the semi final and at the end of the penultimate Round he was in the lead but then the questions were such that even I knew the ones the eventual winner got five in a row for so my former colleague was the runner up in the end
A few years ago he made the final.
I was in a quiz league years ago and we were on the local radio.
Before we went on air we were asked what our hobbies were.
I said watching cricket and The Archers.
When the programme was broadcast I apparently enjoyed cricket and archery!
.
Spicycushion, I never liked Strictly
ReplyDeleteDidn't take to Bruce Forsyth
Couldn't take to that woman who can't afford to cut her fringe although she is apparently one of the best paid people on TV.
Hadn't a clue who most of the Celebs were .
Didn't like the bad tempered bloke on the panel or that Bruno chap who always seemed to be acting.
I like Round Britain Quiz too,Spicy cushion
Feel pleased if and when I get something right.
I watched Gary on Mastermind
I think he was very brave .
He was good too.
.
It is so interesting reading others thoughts + ideas. I realise even more now, how different mine are, on so many topics.
ReplyDeleteBack to my book of Sudoku, my jigsaws and card games for one person - eg solitaire, "clock" patience, (done on the lounge floor with a pack of cards, I have had for ages) and my many books.
It is a simple life, but there is no other choice at the moment. All my family + friends, are either in Wales in "Lockdown" or in Tier 2.
At least I can still meet up with neighbours, in the middle of the road.
Take Care All.
You are not alone in what you like,Miriam.
ReplyDeleteMr LJ ,like you ,loves sudoku and always has a jigsaw on the go.
I do Patience on the Ipad. and love reading and most mornings at the moment I am having a great time cutting back overgrown climbers and bushes.
I love a jigsaw too. Just finished flags of the world. A good book is fab but I do like a bit of crappy telly to veg down with on a winters night.
ReplyDeleteBliss would be, fire on, curtains drawn, pj’s on and a midsomer murders on telly.
Yes, I tend to watch, as you have so well phrased, crappy telly.
DeleteNo Midsommer Murders now, as I seen them so many times. I still have the DVD of the final series of Lewis to watch, for the 1st time.
Last Saturday, I was glued to Dr.Who (on Drama) with David Tenant + Catherine Tate. I was so enthralled watching it again, I actually stopped doing my jigsaw! Yes, crappy television - but I loved it...
I am also addicted to Coronation Street and never miss an episode.I record it, so to miss the ads. and watch the two half hour episodes, as one.
I have also been re-watching Dinnerladies, on a late Sunday afternoon. This is my type of humour (like Gavin + Stacy) written by and starring Victoria Wood and a great cast.
DeleteWe have just started a new jigsaw, a rather beautiful reproduction of one of Van Gogh’s Iris paintings. All beautiful blues, purples and greens. But it’s proving a nightmare to do. I spent well over an hour on it this afternoon (listening to Gullivers Travels on the radio) and only managed to place 3 pierces! 🙄
ReplyDeleteHope tomorrow starts better than today when I had a distraught daughter messaging me from Australia because she had just had to have her pet ram euthanised after it was savaged by a neighbour's dog which dug a hole under the fence and got into her (very) large back garden. I know it wouldn't have made a difference if she was here in this country as I still wouldn't have been able to give her a hug but it's times like this when you feel really a long way away.
ReplyDeleteI suggested she had a couple of large glasses of something to help her get to sleep but I felt so helpless and sat crying for her , for me and for Hoover the sheep!
That is so sad Spicy. And I know exactly how you feel, having a close relative living far away and being unable to comfort them when something distressing happens.
DeleteI so miss giving hugs. It’s such a natural human thing to do and both distance and Covid are denying us this reaction, even with those nearby. 😢
I don't think it matters Spiceycushion where you are, near or far, your daughter must have been distraught and why wouldn't you cry for her and Hoover.
ReplyDeleteWill she get another ram, or will she wait a while.
And what happens to the dog ?
It was an accident she had the lamb. A colleague found it absolutely newborn by the side of the road. He took it home and cared for it for about three months but it was then too big for his suburban garden and as Alex lives in a country town she has a huge garden as it's an old house so she took on Hoover. He played with the dogs and went for walks with them all through the bush she has at the end of her street. My sisters who visited A. 2018 said he behaved like a dog but wasn't permitted (much) into the house!
DeleteApparently the neighbours were very very upset and have paid the vet's bill. They called the dog warden who took the dog away and A says it looks like she (the dog) may be put down too as they didn't think she would be safe now around other dogs. A. was at home and managed to save her chickens. Alex adores animals and is a very strict vegan so, like one of my sisters, collects all sorts of creatures!
New message this morning. Vet gave Alex the number of a guy with a digger who came round. Alex thought it would be nice to bury Hoover near the pear tree as he used to headbutt the trunk to make the fruit fall. It turned out a water pipe was under the tree as well! Following instructions from a plumber friend (by messaging) she went to the hardware store in town, got connecting stuff and three metres of piping and fixed it herself. I am amazed that she has such practical skills! As she said 'A girl's got to do what a girl has to do!' Not the day off from work she had planned at all!
DeleteOh, that sounds all just awful Spicy. And to have the added business with the water pipes is just too much. I would have been an angry, sobbing mess.
DeleteThat is such a shame. I have known sheepchasers put in a pen with a ram to put them off chasing, but as a pet brought up with dogs he wouldn't have expected to be attacked by one. I am guessing the dog was a big one. So sorry for your daughter.
DeleteWhat a sad story Spicycushion. That must have been traumatic for your daughter. She sounds a very capable and sensible person and, like Gary, I would have been a crying wreck.
DeleteI do at least one sudoku each day, and when I am anxious or depressed I find concentrating on a sodoku very calming.
ReplyDeleteI am also still doing the puzzles on line and am choosing very difficult ones to challenge myself.
I like to do sudoku. Katy gave me a book last Christmas and one with 1000 on my birthday. I haven’t yet worked through the first book so have more than enough to keep me going!
ReplyDeleteBack to the food waste, we have a system here where you have a food caddy indoors and an outside food bin. There is a collection every week and it all gets composted and the result sold by the council. The guidance is to use these dreaded biodegradable bags which split on you but like you Mrs P am now using plastic bags though heaven knows how these are extricated to make the compost! A communal compost heap like Basia’s would be so good but we don’t have one! We don’t waste food but surprising how much you get from peelings, teabags, egg shells etc. Oh well, onwards and upwards!
Spicycushion,I was so sorry to hear the news of what happened to your daughter's pet..It is so hard when something like that happens when one's children live so far away .
ReplyDeleteI think I know how you must be feeling.
We have a small caddy (with lid) on our draining -board and we use the green bags we buy from the supermarket. We use about two a week and I rarely have to worry about it 'dissolving.' Not much 'wet' food put in it I suppose; coffee grounds, tea bags, peelings and egg shells with occasional cooked food left overs.
ReplyDeleteThere is no point in putting regular plastic carrier bags into the compost as they take decades to break down and it is ruining the proper compostable material. I am surprised the collectors continue to collect them.
Our 'brown wheeley bin' is for food waste and garden waste, as well as shredded paper, and is collected weekly on the same day as the 'white bag' which is plastics, tins and glass, the 'blue bag' which is paper and cardboard and the regular black sacks with non-recyclable rubbish. All collected every Tuesday by very cheerful men!
At least by collecting food waste in the big bin it has stopped the foxes (and one of my anti-social cats years ago) from ripping the black sacks open overnight! Although if it's windy sensible people don't put the 'paper' bag out until the morning as you often have to walk down the road to collect it and pick up scattered paper!
Wow wow wow Spicy. We have just 2 wheelie bins black for paper, tins, cardboard etc and green for non recyclable items each one collected every fortnight. Nothing for food waste, garden waste collection available for a fee but as we are all pots no need for one.
DeleteI have seen wonderful cleaning and deodorising services advertised but not our way. I believe Mrs P has this service. Our council some years back we’re going to offer this and I sent off our monies in advance they then pulled out after not even turning up for first appointment said they were finding it hard to find some addresses - what! If we lived in the sticks fair enough but really 🤣
Lady R, you have to PAY for garden waste to be collected in your area!!?? We have 4 different bins (garden, household, glass, other recycling) that get collected by the council, and if you need bulk items removed (white goods, mattresses etc) you just give them a call & they will come & collect it - usually very quickly.
DeleteI pay £6 per month for my garden waste. There is a special bin which is confiscated if you don’t renew in the new year from April! Spicy, your bags are obviously better than ours and we have a load of them to get through! I know plastic bags are not a good option but the bursting of these bags is very hard to cope with. Will try doubling them up, maybe that would work!
DeleteMr A is a sudoku addict, I prefer word puzzles. Especially codeword puzzles where you don’t have clues but have to work out the solution by applying letters to numbers to fill the grid.
ReplyDeleteA question for Facebook users:
ReplyDeleteHas anyone else’s Facebook page layout changed in the last couple of days?
I always use to have a full page with posts down the Centre, links to other pages, favourites etc on the left and adverts on the right. Top right hand corner you see if there were notifications, log in and out etc.
Yesterday when I logged in everything had changed to what seems to be a ‘minimalist view’ just a single line of enlarged posts down the centre of an otherwise blank page. It took ages to find how to read notifications on my posts, find other pages I wanted to view or do anything else.
I have been trying to get help from FB but none of the answers on their ‘help’ page fits the problem.
Is it just me who has had their page layout changed?
Archerphile
DeleteMy page changed a couple of months ago but still displays all that I need.
I have connections to my Old Girls' Association page, my fb jigsaw puzzles and so on down the left, Messages and posts in the middle and Contacts list on the right with a couple of 'sponsored' posts.
I use Mozilla Firefox as a browser almost all the time but have Chrome as a back-up.
A couple of months ago after Mozilla had installed updates I couldn't load the DT correctly so I had to use Chrome to read the paper! Now after the most recent updates I have got the correct settings for the DT but a store where I have an account does not display any pictures just blue writing of a list of what should be the connections to different parts of the page! OK on Chrome though!
I use tracker blockers on facebook and Privacy Badger as I don't want anyone tracking my movements on the net. However I suspect I somehow have left my life story on my laptop!
I realise I have hardly answered your question. What I am thinking is maybe the browser you use has changed (updated) and that is what is causing the problem. It may fix itself after a couple of days?
DeleteWouldn’t be at all surprised at so-called up-dates Spicy. I normally use Safari browser on this iPad, so I could try using a different one. It’s what several of us had to do in order to access these blogs too. Wish they’d leave things alone!
Delete✅ Absolutely!
DeleteI don’t do Facebook so can’t help with your query AP but I have been meaning to ask if anyone has actioned the latest Apple update (14.0.1) Ihave not done so yet or my sis/b-i- l.
ReplyDeletel do know the home screen and other things have been changed and as it is not a bug fixer I am holding off for now and think I will google to ascertain what problems users may have had with it.
Lady R, I looked at the Apple information page about iOS 14 to see if it was worth downloading. As this iPad is still only on iOS 12.4.8 I would have to to drastic things which might mean I loose all my information if I font make sure everything is uploaded to “The Cloud “.
ReplyDeleteSo I have decided not to bother, and a lot of the new features are to do with clever things you can do with photographs etc . I really don’t want to have to get used to a new homepage layout either, it’s bad enough coping with my trashed Facebook page.
I do wish these companies would leave things alone!
I’m with you there AP 😡
DeleteBack to the compost food bins.
ReplyDeleteI do believe that many local councils throughout the UK now use the food composting system, but not all.
When both my daughters had it, in Bath and the IOW, I was in London and envious as London had declined it. ( too high non compliance forecast )
However when I moved to Stroud I was pleased that we had it hear in Gloucestershire.
I have possibly said before that I grew up with a father obsessed with recycling and or composting, anything and everything ( including the contents of my baby's nappies )
I have inherited his passion and was involved when in London with the subject of
refuse with my local community. So I have visited the huge London refuse and recycling centre at the Thames estuary as well as other sites, around the UK.
The food caddy contents are emptied into one large container on your local collection wagon and taken in those containers to a separate site for food waste. The container is emptied onto a rolling conveyor belt and human operatives remove any plastic and other non food items. ***
This is a HORRIBLE job, but people do it and get paid for doing so.
Rather like sewer work, which must be even worse.
The waste food then goes into an anaerobic ( ? ) digester and onwards to make gases creating in the end electricity.
If you Google ' what happens ..... ' you can read about it.
I've seen it and it's amazing and very interesting.
Well it is to me.
*** all sorts must be in those caddys, plenty of knives and peelers I should think as well as our plastic bags. Newspaper liners would compost down with the food I imagine.
I had one single back tooth on a little plate. I lost it, and think that I must have taken it out after a meal and left it on the side of my plate, then, probably the next morning, scraped it into the food caddy along with some left over food. I've gone without that false tooth ever since. And I still wonder where it ended up !
Writing the above has taken me back in memory to my childhood, when recycling was a big part of life.
ReplyDeleteDuring the summer holidays we would go door knocking to collect jam jars.
When we had enough, a group of us would borrow a pram, and wheel it full of j jars to the jam factory a couple of miles away in Bellingham.
I do wish I could remember how much we got in pennies for the jars. Probably threepence for ten or something similar.
We also collected old rags and newspapers and took them to another district for recycling and got paid, pennies again methinks, for them.
Is it Essie who lived in Penge ?
The newspaper and rags depot was on the outskirts of Sydenham Essie. Are you old enough to have done the same as us on the other side of Beckenham Hill ?
This would have been in the early fifties.
We lived in Penge Mrs. P. I do remember a rag and bone man coming down the street with horse and cart. My goodness, that makes me feel ancient.
DeleteWe used to go round the street collecting pop bottles and took them back to the shop where we got a penny each! Kids nowadays don’t know how to live it up!!😉😁
ReplyDeleteWe did the same Ev. And it was only last year that Irn Bru in Scotland stopped giving you 30p back per empty bottle - there was uproar at the news!
DeleteTalking about children trying to get pocket money - about 20 years ago our Sainsburys opened a big new store on the outskirts of town. The carpark was a bit of a downhill walk away and so many trolleys were being just abandoned there that they introduced a 10p in the slot system on each trolly. To retrieve your 10p you had to push the trolly back up the hill to the shop.
ReplyDeleteWithin a couple of weeks there was a small crowd of young (mostly) boys hanging round the carpark offering to take trolleys back and pocketing the 10p pieces.
Quite enterprising really!
And it saved a slog up the hill, so I often used their services.
Years ago when you could park in the streets when watching football at Anfield or Goodison Park ,you would be asked by young scallywags
ReplyDelete"Mind yer car Mr."
It didn't cost much ,about 2/- and well worth it!
You would never risk saying "No thank you"
The last time I parked in a street in Liverpool, I checked the car, before getting in. I am so glad I did, as there was a plastic bottle, wedged in front of one of my rear tyres. Had I just driven off, it would have caused a bump + bang! I took it home + re-cycled it.
DeleteI have been like the proverbial Cheshire Cat today. I picked up my new wheels today, it is gorgeous and drives like a dream. I have stalled it at traffic lights, 3x today, but luckily those behind me were patient! The best feature, for me, is the reversing camera, which I need to practice with.
ReplyDeleteI have a bottle of good quality prosecco, to celebrate later on.
As some-one asked yesterday, am I going to drink it or break it on the bonnet.
I'll leave you - to answer that question 🍾
My food waste system is the same as Ev's in that I can use normal bin liners in the caddies. Mine are always full, not with waste, but egg shells, tea bags, but just general fresh veg.+ fruit peelings. It is amazing how much goes into my bins. I notice many other neighbours, do not use these, but perhaps it's because they use frozen veg. frozen chips/wedges etc. I am be generous in my thoughts.
DeleteI made a goulash, a few days ago, so I had onion, garlic, red peppers waste, along with potatoe and carrot peelings, plus the ends of green beans and outer leaves of sprouts. It was surprising how much went into the caddy.
This is it, Miriam. If you do cooking from scratch you do have loads of peelings! Just lately though have bought frozen chopped onions which I find good value and far less trouble!
DeleteRe the prosecco, drink it every time! Enjoy and congrats on new wheels!!🥂🍹🚖🚘🚔
DeleteI use usually mixed frozen peppers, which are great for chucking into chilli and many other dishes. On this occasion, I was using some red peppers, picked from my Big Sis's green house, before the N.Wales "lockdown".
DeleteJust been for my drive through flu jab 💉a very smooth and quick operation 🤗
ReplyDeleteSo glad for the marshals and nurses etc that it is dry today.
Great!
DeleteI noticed, on popping to Sainbury's a short while ago, the in-store Lloyds Pharmacy, is no longer offering 'flu vaccines.
Mine was at my Dr’s the surgery is set in our Community Hospital grounds so a drive in jab and drive out.
DeleteWhen I was little we had the Ragman come round blowing his trumpet about 3 or 4 times a year. We would run with a bag of "rags" and believe me they were because everything was recycled many many times. Hand-me-downs from older siblings to younger and then passed on to cousins or neighbours. Anything left was made into dusters..something I still do with old flannel sheets.
ReplyDeleteThe ragman used to to give us a ring or a bottle of bubbles in return. Although there were much more luxurious gifts on display we never got them no matter how much we brought.
Still we were happy with a junky ring.
We too had the Rag & Boneman visit us when I were a lad. I hadn't thought of him in decades Autumnleaves! I can remember getting a tiny pack of playing cards from him. There used to be a knife sharpening man who came with his van, as well as 2 different grocery vans along with the ice-cream van.
DeleteIn fact, we still have a fresh fish and grocery van visit once a week in the West End of Glasgow - one of his stops is about 200 yards from our house.
DeleteDusters in my home, as a youngster, were made from my Fathers old Y-fronts (which were boilled first). I understand "make do + mend" but this was going too far 😣. I had to use these, to polish the wooden, parke floor border, around the central carpet. That was my usual Saturday morning job, before being allowed to go out and play.
DeleteSuch different times.
GG. We had a bakers van which had fantastic fresh bread and also a fruit + veg. one, also selling fresh laid eggs.
DeleteThat's just great especially for those who can't get around too much.
DeleteWe had them too ( the vans) when I was little so we used to get our Forfar bridies and hot pies at lunchtime.
The ice cream van was a regular..a packet of cheese and onion and a bottle of Irn bru. It was always too cold for ice cream but in the summer we had the Mr whippee come round ..sooooo good and creamy.
The mention of Irn Bru, reminds me so much of my college days in Aberdeen.
DeleteI never see it now..
I also loved Aberdeen Butteries, the best being served in the Art Gallery cafe. We used to sneak out, whilst supposedly doing lab. work, to go for one with coffee. Memories.
DeleteI went to RGIT 1973-1977, School of Pharmacy.
This was in the Schoolhill premises, so well placed in the centre of Aberdeen. I so remember the cold + snowy winters...living in digs with little heating, in a garret room, coins in the meter for the electric fire.
DeleteI wore more clothes in bed so to keep warm + sleep, than during the day!
I loved it though, and would not change my time in Aberdeen, at all.
I've only ever been to Aberdeen once, about 30 years ago. It appeared to be shut...
DeleteMany years ago was stationed at Lossiemouth which was a Royal Navy Air Station now regrettably RAF! We had to change trains in Aberdeen and found a Wimpy near the station where we would indulge in banana splits and Top Hats, a concoction of mounds of ice cream topped with a chocolate bowler. That’s all I knew of Aberdeen!
DeleteWe had a rag and bone man with a handcart. He gave crockery in exchange for the rags. We had a kitchen cabinet full of mismatched cups, saucers and plates! A far cry from my Italian pattern mostly inherited from MIL! The rest I bought when we sold my ancient Datsun also inherited from her. How times change!
ReplyDeleteThere is a veg shop in Ryde called Barrow Boys. Was reading in local press the other day that they had delivered fruit & veg etc during lockdown but now people had gone back to supermarkets. The boys who run this shop go over to the mainland early mornings to purchase their wares so everything is as fresh as possible. I decided to give them a whirl and had a delivery yesterday. Everything looks good and mostly packed in paper bags, remember them??! The young man was telling me their main concern is the demise of the High Street. Many empty shops both there and in Newport. There are 40 empty shops in Newport mainly as the town sold out to big firms like Laura Ashley, Monsoon & accessorise which have since gone to the wall. In Ryde it is mainly small shops but even there they have Edinburgh Woollen Mill which has just collapsed. I fear this is the future and maybe instead of shopping centres there will be more housing and just coffee shops etc. I think my barrow boy will maybe have to just make deliveries in time. There’s nothing like picking out your own veg though!
I am optimistic, that once this situation is over (but when?), smaller business will be continuing, with others starting up, to provide better products and quality.
DeleteThat is my wish + hope, but probably not too realistic.
It has made me shop for local products and will continue to do so. The beef raised on the island is superb! Rivals Aberdeen Angus!
DeleteFed up with looking at the front of an Airbus, so thought I’d use my recent painting of bunches of grapes. The small purple ones actually come from the vine over our pergola but the green ones are Sainsburys!
ReplyDeleteDoes this means your cataract ops were succesful and your vision is now 100%?
DeleteI so hope so.
A superb painting, Archerfile and so well composed! Are your grapes sweet enough to eat? I know black grapes are difficult in this country. Hope your cataract ops gave you really good vision so that you can carry on painting!
DeleteWell, Miriam, I am still trying to get used to my ‘new eyes’. I have perfect long vision in the first eye and can read with the other one. But they are not working well together yet The surgeon, at my final visit this week said it could take up to 6 months for my brain to accept the different focal lengths. When watching TV for example, I can read subtitles perfectly now, but have to keep my right eye shut or the blurred distance vision in that eye ‘dilutes’ the sharpness of the other one. It’s taking a lot of getting used to!
DeleteAnd Ev, thank you for your kind words. I’m still only painting close up things where I can see small details. So far I’ve not tried painting or drawing far scenes as my eyes are still not working together properly yet. I do like doing still life, it’s my thing!
DeleteSadly, the grapes are nor sweet enough to eat. The hundreds of little bunches have dozens of tiny grapes on each one & we should have to spend hours snipping off half the grapes to allow the rest to grow big enough to ripen. Also they would need a very warn autumn a heated greenhouse. We only grow them for decoration really, not for eating!
Stunning painting AP 👏🏻
DeleteCome the Spring your vision will be in sync and just think what beautiful sights you will be able to see crystal clear and enjoy anew 🤗
🌷 🌼 🌸 🦋
Thank you Lady R. I hope so too!
DeleteMiriam .
ReplyDeleteI am confused .
I may have got this wrong.
Are the contents of the caddy you use then transferred to the waste food bin which the bin men then empty?
Why do you not put your potato peelings and fruit waste into your own compost bin or onto a compost heap?
My used tea bags are composted (when they have not been used to put at the bottom of plant pots)
Eggshells are kept to put down on piles to deter slugs and snails.
We were given a food waste bin but don't use it.
I don't know what I would put into it .
Has the decision not to provide food waste bins in London changed LanJan ?
ReplyDeleteIf it has I am really pleased.
I will answer your question and hope that Miriam does not mind me doing so.
The system here and with other districts / towns / areas that I know of, is that you get two caddys, identical but one smaller than the other.
The small one is for use in your kitchen. You then transfer your bag of waste to the larger bin for collection. If you have a large family I can imagine that you do need the larger bin and by the next collection day a week later it will be full.
Mine usually has only one bag full.
I'm not good at cooking nowadays !
Spiceycushion - is that your daughter with her pet sheep on your new picture ?
ReplyDeleteYes it is Mrs P. My lovely girl and Hoover about 4 years ago. She had him shorn about three times and has the fleeces in her garage. I told her she'd have to get a spinning wheel!
DeleteAnneveggie - sorry I got you mixed up with esscee, so did you go down to that depot in Lower Sydenham ?
ReplyDeleteOr had it gone by the time you were old enough to venture that far.
It was a really long walk for us from Southend Pond.
My only memory is as a young child on the doorstep watching the rag & bone man with his horse and cart coming down our road. I've no idea what he did with the stuff he managed to accumulate. I don't remember mum or dad taking anything out to him either.
DeleteJust an update on the Facebook changes. I have heard from two friends in Australia, also bemoaning the fact that FB has changed its layout. They hate it too. Seems to be a ‘new look’ that FB are rolling out across the world.
ReplyDeleteI have now downloaded the FB app which seems to give more information on each view and is a bit easier to use than going through a browser like Safari or Chrome. I shall stick to the app. now.
Yes,Mrs P we do have two food waste containers .
ReplyDeleteI use neither.
I have a stainless steel cylindrical lidded container about 7" high which . i bought from Lakeland.
I put all the vegetable peelings ,used paper towels and tea bags into that and when it is full I put the lot in my large plastic compost bin.
I add manure ,comfrey leaves and nettles to speed the composting.
With respect ,Mrs P, you haven't actually answered the question.
What is termed as food waste?
Is it the remains of the joint perhaps.
That of course would not go onto a compost heap.
I just thought that if Miriam is putting her vegetable peelings into a food waste bin which the Council collects she is wasting valuable soil improving material.
Lanjan, our council composts food waste, peelings etc and then sells it either in bulk or in sacks. You can include remains from meat and as I boil up chicken bones for stock I usually put the bones in the food waste. Other joints we go for boneless cuts so no waste there. I expect the receivers of food waste know what they are doing so can only follow their guidance. Speaking for myself, I only have a small raised bed for growing veg which I enrich with bought fertiliser such as chicken pellets and a raised bed going across the bottom of the garden with shrubs which is overlaid with bark clippings so do not need much compost and I don’t have space for a compost heap. Bear in mind too that there is only me so have to have low maintenance and much time saving! Katy is too busy and not all that interested in gardening! Was just lamenting the onward grind of jobs to be done and this year no break! I love to goon holiday away from phone, home obligations and yes, dogs! Am always happy to get back though and do miss the dogs with all their funny ways! It just is so nice to have a break from normal routine!
DeleteTomorrow, Katy and I together with stepdaughter and SIL from Dorset and their dog are going out in a boat hired just for us to near Hurst Castle on the mainland to put Mike’s ashes into the Solent. As a teenage boy he used to sail from there over to Yarmouth on the island so we follow the same route. He joined the Navy at 16 and served until he was 50 followed by 12 years as a retired officer in Torpoint as property manager at HMS Raleigh. The sea was his life so it seems fitting that he returns to it. The urn is biodegradable so will dissolve when it gets wet and he will slowly float away. The boat company do take ashes out there so know the correct procedure. We will be taking small posies of flowers from the garden tied with grass so biodegradable and will later raise the toast “To the Immortal Memory” usually attributed to Admiral Lord Nelson on Trafalgar Day which occurs later this week on 21st.
Our dogs are going into daycare as Shih Tzus are not too keen on boats!!
DeleteLanjan, what do you do with the remains of a joint? I hardly eat meat and not at home, so that simplifies my food waste. I have a general waste bin of 80l capacity which I take out to be emptied 4 times a year. Glass, plastics+paper are recycled separately. Like you I have a container for the organic waste which I take out to the compost bin 1-2 a week - it doesn't accept protein or plastic. There's no way to control it but after a few years it seems that people have learnt.
ReplyDeleteSorry LanJan if I didn't answer your question.
ReplyDeleteNeglectful of me.
I understand food waste to be anything organic pertaining to food.
Cooked or uncooked vegetables, meat, fish, including bones, sinew, skin and flesh, and all dairy products.
I hope this answers your ? LJ.
I understand your point about composting, but Miriam may choose not to compost.
I know she is a gardener, but even so, it is her choice.
Nevertheless I agree with you it is wasted organic material that could be used to improve her soil. But it is not wasted in the sense that it is being used, recycled, to create electricity.
I no longer compost, because I am no longer coping with gardening as my garden has too difficult access for me to get to it. So all my food waste is dealt with by the local authority.
However I have two long haired animals and the fur that is produced when grooming them, which I do myself, is collected and given to other compost makers in my district.
I am currently mentoring a young woman who is new to composting through my local 'Next Door' site, and she has taken a large bag of fur in the last few days.
The contents of my hoover is also collected by me and passed on to a neighbour for his ' rough compost', his second, on his allotment.
Like my father, I waste nothing.
Sorry LanJan if I didn't answer your question.
ReplyDeleteNeglectful of me.
I understand food waste to be anything organic pertaining to food.
Cooked or uncooked vegetables, meat, fish, including bones, sinew, skin and flesh, and all dairy products.
I hope this answers your ? LJ.
I understand your point about composting, but Miriam may choose not to compost.
I know she is a gardener, but even so, it is her choice.
Nevertheless I agree with you it is wasted organic material that could be used to improve her soil. But it is not wasted in the sense that it is being used, recycled, to create electricity.
I no longer compost, because I am no longer coping with gardening as my garden has too difficult access for me to get to it. So all my food waste is dealt with by the local authority.
However I have two long haired animals and the fur that is produced when grooming them, which I do myself, is collected and given to other compost makers in my district.
I am currently mentoring a young woman who is new to composting through my local 'Next Door' site, and she has taken a large bag of fur in the last few days.
The contents of my hoover is also collected by me and passed on to a neighbour for his ' rough compost', his second, on his allotment.
Like my father, I waste nothing.
Thank you Mrs P.
DeleteMiriam is due in less than half an hour so she may well say whether she has a compost bin or not.
I can certainly understand Ev not having one in her circumstances.
Our refuse collectors come so early that I would have to leave out the food waste container overnight and would hate to do that because of foxes.
We have plastic bins for paper and for metal,glass and plastic
We put contents of our dustbin in a black bin bag if we have enough -in a carrier bag if not and leave that out .
I am told that a neighbour saw the collector throw the food waste into the bin lorry .
It must be a horrible job collecting food waste
Must it be organic?
Nice idea to give the fur to a neighbour,Mrs P.
Like Monty Don I love my compost heap.
I remember John's granddaughter when she was little being entranced when I showed her the compost in the bin .
There were thousands of worms and she loved the idea that worm poo was really good for the soil.
She is now 22 and has started her first teaching job.
However she has been told that a child in her class-year1 - has tested positive for Covid 19 so she has to self isolate for two weeks.
Ev I think that is a lovely idea of yours.
I know tomorrow will be memorable and I hope the weather is kind to you.
We use the 2 bin food waste system here in South Gloucestershire. I started using the worktop sized one and wrapped the waste in newspaper to go in the bigger kerbside bin. Now I have bought a nicer looking bin for the worktop and buy the degradable bags or use Co-op bags, also biodegradable. All food waste goes in as Mrs P has described and goes to an anaerobic digester to produce electricity.
ReplyDeleteDidn't Brian and Adam discuss having one of these some years ago?
I have tried composting the non meat waste in our garden compost bin, but stopped that a year or so ago when we had rats in the bin and garden 😳
I remember the rag and bone man coming round.
Mrs P, I was near(ish) your way this morning, to see the Severn Bore at Epney. My first time seeing the bore. Lots of surfers and paddleboards about.
That must have been a magnificent sight to see. 😀🏄♂️
DeleteIt was fascinating. The wave was lower than I expected. I know it varies, but don't how how today's bore compared to others. The whole phenomenon was interesting though, seeing the flow of the river in reverse, the speed of the flow etc. Especially seeing whole trees go by in the 'wrong' direction 😀
DeleteAll our vegetable waste goes in one of our several compost bins. Food that can’t be composted (eg meat bones, chicken carcasses, after using for stock etc) gets sealed in a recyclable plastic bag or foil and goes in our grey bin which is for non- recyclable rubbish. It is collected weekly
ReplyDelete. All recyclable stuff, paper, card, certain plastics (but not all) go in the green bin which is collected fortnightly.
All glass goes in a spécial box which is collected, when full, with the green bin, fortnigjtly.
No problem.