AmbridgesMrsP - January 1, 2022 at 10:47 PM Ah, the lovely memory of ships fog horns. Loved to hear them on the Thames when a child. The last time that we heard them en masse was for Churchill as he left London for his burial at Blenheim.
Unknown - January 1, 2022 at 10:55 PM In the trade they're known as Ships' Whistles, even if they don't. There's one vessel that calls in here (and I suppose it has to be a cruise ship) that makes a sound like someone practising for grade 1 bassoon, but I've no idea who it is
Ev - January 1, 2022 at 11:42 PM I love to hear them and often do on the island. In Crewe we used to hear hoots from steam trains at New Year but guess that was before diesel and electric trains came in.
parsley16 - January 1, 2022 at 11:50 PM We used to hear them out on the Humber bringing in the new year, loved it. Happy New Year to all, keep safe, keep positive, bisous xx
Lanjan - January 2, 2022 at 9:01 AM Oh Mrs P I am disappointed in you. Why have you not decorated your house for Christmas? Why do you not put your cards up? You don't need a tree but a few bits of holly is cheering. A friend sent me a tiny live tree from Bloom and Wild which included lights and decorations. It will be planted outside this week hopefully Well my decorations certainly cheered me up this Christmas and I spent yesterday finding cupboard space for them so that they don't have to be put up into the loft.
Hello everyone! I hope that you all had the kind of New Year's Eve (non) celebration that you wanted or needed. We did nothing apart from watch a couple of old episodes of Poirot and then went to bed. Some years I cannot be bothered with all the shenanigans and this year was one of them.
The upside to that is that on New Year's Day we got up bright and early and went down to the beautiful beach at Culzean Castle and then went to Brig O' Doon and the Robert Burns Monument in Alloway for a big long walk in the warm sunshine. A fantastic day out was had!
Happy New Year to you Gary and Mr G. and thank you for keeping this blog going. It is 50! years since I was in Alloway to see where Robbie Burns was born. I expect it has a lot more visitors nowadays.
Sounds wonderful Gary. Is that in the lovely photo above or would it be your own home I wonder?! So nice to see sunshine and green trees again ……roll on Spring.
Oh, and our evening treat was watching a couple of episode of The Detectorists, one of our favourite series, so gently amusing and full of countryside scenes.
Good to see the Hampshire rose Archerphile. I refuse to call the fairly new cricket ground in Southampton anything but the Rose Bowl. Does Dorset have an emblem?
I hadn’t realised the name had changed! We used to be members at the adjacent sports club before the stadium was built but changed to a different club about halfway through construction.
Neither have I. I’m lucky to live reasonably near Trent Bridge which is a lovely ground, though they are trying to spoil it with new stands. I grew up in Bournemouth and I often went to Dean Park an old fashioned ground where you could sit on the grass to watch. I’ve seen Freddie Truman and Viv Richards there. Hampshire used to play there and I can remember seeing Hampshire win the Championship under Ingleby-Mackenzie . I think the University use the ground now so it hasn’t been built over thank goodness.
Whilst looking on Sounds, for a programme as per AP. I came across something else, called Behind Closed Doors. These 45 mins listens are difficult to describe. They are stories revolving around a female barrister, who represents different persons in differing ways. These cases might be for or against, in a court, a hearing or a tribunal etc. I am finding these very interesting + intriguing. This is not just as to the cases, but also the evidence and the final outcome. Some others might also enjoy these listens.
Back to cricket. I haven't been to any Test Match grounds but I must admit our Kentish County grounds are beautiful. Tunbridge Wells is a lovely ground, just when the rhodedendrons are out. All sorts of colours leading up to the ground. Maidstone was nice but I think there has been some development there, also where two youngest sons played rugby there too. Canterbury is nice. The tree which existed ages ago had to be cut down as it was rotten in the middle but there is another tree in its place.
We had our Christmas dinner last night. I had bought a tiny turkey & Christmas pud just in case we couldn’t go to France and would be on our own. In the event, we went to daughters instead, so had our meal last night as a ‘New Year’ dinner instead.
The point of this tale is simply to say: Lidl Christmas puddings are lovely! I bought one of theirs because Sainsbury didn’t have any left, and the Lidl one was the best shop-bought one we have ever had! Moist, full of fruit and whole nuts and not overly alcoholic. Better than my usually home made ones in fact! Recommended for next year.
I had a Yule Log from Aldi as well as some gingrbread biscuits covered with chocolate and they were lovely The Yuel log was so chocolate you could have just a centremetre thick because of the richness. When I am in Germany (Hopefully sometime next year!) the cakes are are okay but the ones in UK are especially good. When my son came over last November he arrived with a Stollen cake which my daughter in law sent as we like this cake. (Not for the people who dislike marzipan on the other blog!) It was from either of the supermarkets but I don't know which one. Both my son shops are just a little way from his house so I shop at both in Hattersheim-am-Main, the village where he lives. At the moment I have a Christmas cake, a Stollen, a Pannentoni all still sealed up. Maybe Jon says we have to have a Christmas cake/fruit cake famine next year!
Archerphile….I always used to make my own Christmas puddings. A job I took over when my aunt died. About 6 years ago I could not find 8 hours straight to be able to steam them due to caring for my mother. So reluctantly I bought a Lidl pudding. Marvellous. Made my home made puddings seem crap. I love the nuts in them. When they first arrived in store before Christmas I bought a small and a big one, not knowing who was coming for Christmas lunch. We had the small one in the end. Will wait for a particularly depressing day before eating the other to cheer me up.
Lovely to have your confirmation PtbY! And when you add up the cost of ingredients and the hours of fuel spent steaming the pud on the stove, it makes the Lidl pudding even more attractive!
My year old, so it was very mature, home-made Christmas Pudding was absolutely delicious. Sadly, I left the fancy cream which I had bought to accompany it, in the 'fridge in my home, 26 miles away.
As to the costs and along with the time spent, as to both the preparing + cooking, this isn't an issue for me. I am doing it, as it is a family tradition which I don't want to give up, well just yet.
I dressed up on Christmas Day, wearing a lovely dress bought for a 2020 wedding, which has not yet even been planned. I felt so different, as I was wearing a dress with court shoes + "barely black" sheer tights, along with full make-up. This got me thinking - in that, throughout the many Lockdowns, I just slobbed out, in comfy but quite tatty clothes. I decided to change this. As such, I am waiting for a package with 4 new clothes items to arrive, to up-scale my wardrobe. These have been ordered from a favourite site of mine, due to the many wonderful Sale prices. I never pay full price for anything 😀
Now to sort my wardrobe out. The Oxfam collection bin in my S/market car park, will do well, and for a worthy cause.
Knowing that I would be scrabbling round the floor playing with children and probably taken on a very muddy walk I wore my usual skinny jeans and a top. I did have Christmas socks on though!
So today we ventured across to Manchester to take our Son and his Girlfriend their Christmas presents. We had to cancel their visit to us after Christmas til the New Year due to me being ill all Christmas. We took our Daphne, Mabel left with a friend, and I had all mi muck on expecting to go for a dog walk with them and their cockerpoo... a year old tomoz. Half way there, our son texts me to say that Liv's mother will be there also. S**t! Never met the woman and I looked like Wurzel bloody Gummage. Anyway she was fine and ordinary but I'm sure she wondered what the hell had walked through the front door. At least it's overed with. lol
Well, Ev and Miriam, whatever it is that happens to Bad People who leave their decorations up after Jan 6th, we are about to find out because mine, such as they are, will remain until Saturday. My son and his family are visiting on that day, and have asked me to do that. They have been unable to put their own up this year: owing to an installation error with their new broadband a water pipe was damaged, flooding the lounge so that half the ground floor was unusable and there was nowhere to put the tree. Will I end up covered in warts, do you think, or perhaps the Bogeyman will come and get me. At least I'm not working next day, so if he does the congregation won't be left high and dry.
Many decades ago an old family friend, a celebrated sports journalist, decided to leave his Christmas decorations up all year. They didn’t as far as I remember come down until his demise some years later, when the house was cleared and sold. He didn’t seem to come to any harm in the short or long term.
Archerphile' ,Lidl stollen is lovely too When M and S didn't have any I bought some from our local Garden Centre . Thrilled to bits I was to get it Then when I went to Lidl's there was more r less the same stollen ,umuch cheaper so I had to get that one too. Their mince pies are good as well.
I bought an Aldi Stollen this year as part of my contribution to the Christmas menu. There were several other Stollens and i don’t recall any of them being opened. Our Christmas Pudding apparently made to a recipe referred to as ‘ Rhonas Christmas pud ‘ passed on by my two daughters Australian step mother from her mother, the aforementioned Rhona, was served. It was dry, resembled cake rather than a pudding and although I was polite and ate my portion, I declined any more. I still have a small Aldi C pud from last year, and at some point soon, I intend to eat it. Like Miriam, I used to enjoy making my Christmas puddings and my mincemeat. But that was many decades ago.
As far as I'm concerned, the only good thing about Christmas pud is lighting the brandy and admiring the pretty blue flames. Stollen, though, is another matter entirely. Perhaps I'll dispatch a shoedweller to see if they've got any left in Lidl.
Thanks for asking PtbY. I am home, by train on Sunday, my younger daughter collected me from train at Bristol. Not anything like out of the woods tho’. Have spent today trying to find the money for the repairs and in getting a lower quote from different garages. A friend is helping with finance temporarily, and I have got a lower quote, but will also need to find recovery from one garage to the other, which might negate the savings on the lower quote. My daughters would help financially but with conditions that I find too difficult to accept. My friend of over forty years asks for no conditions at all. I haven’t eaten any proper food for a number of days. The very large lump of fear and dread in my chest prevents me managing anything but tea, even toast is hard to swallow.
Conditions!!from daughters Mrs P…… I am with your friend - help if able to do so, one never knows when the boot may be on the other foot. (Could you manage some soup?)
A white world here now. This is thanks to a massive hail storm, and is now freezing solid. The temp. is due to dip, if the forecast is correct to, -2C very shortly ❄
Mrs P. You need to eat + stay healthy, so just do this. I wish I could bring you some of my tasty meals, to help you out, but I am too far away, sadly. What lovely people you know, to help you out in this awful situation, when your family aren't really supporting you. I would always support a family member, regardless of the various circumstances, as this is what a family does and there is always a way around things. Stay Safe, and remember your pets rely on you, so stay healthy for them.
Mrs P…. I cannot believe that your daughters wouldn’t just automatically help you! Conditions!! Unbelievable. Thank goodness for your friend. Good luck with it all. I’m glad you are back in your own home now.
Mrs. P, I'm glad you are at home, you are not beholden to anyone there, and can resume your routine with Lady, which must be better for both of you. I wish there was a way to help, as I have been in difficulties before, when divorced and unable to work. A kind friend left a few bags of groceries on my doorstep, another took over cleaning my house, which was really irritating, but at least spurred me on just to get rid of her. If there is anything I can do, let me know, where there's a will there's a way.
Mrs P Your car is a lifeline; I imagine you want to keep driving and keep your independence as long as possible. If you move to a smaller place somewhere outside the Cotswolds(I think you live in that area, apologies if I’m wrong) would you have some money to spare to repay any loan you may need to mend your car now? Your friend sounds a better bet than family at the moment. Have you exhausted the RAC as a means of getting your car home then having the work done nearer home? I’m sorry if I’m just stating the obvious but your last post touched a chord. You are a brave resourceful woman and I’m sure you will find a way but that’s so easy for me to say and hard work for you to do. Your friend has faith in you so accept a loan explaining when you should be able to repay it. Stay strong Mrs P my thoughts are with you.
Locked out again since my brief reply to Miriam, when I tried to thank her for persuading me to eat. Thank you Miriam
Thank you each and every one for your kind responses. I have been able to have soup. I am now cooking an M&S cottage pie provided by daughter when collecting me on Sunday. And some vegetables.
At some point after the first lockdown I met a young couple when visiting daughter in Cornwall. Lady gatecrashed their first date. I followed up, apologising for her, to be offered a cup of tea within moments. The three of us talked for a while, and bonded I suppose. We exchanged numbers and that has developed into a loose friendship. He is Australian and lives in Truro, she is English and they have been championing me regarding finding a new home. I did contact him, Dave, when the car broke down and later we were emailing. Today I sent a text and he has called me back this evening. He will do his best to help me with moving the car to a different garage, but is also making enquiries about a mechanic known to him. This is a person, a couple I’ve met once. Aren’t some people wonderful !
Yes Soz - that’s the plan, to move somewhere that allows me to have some money in the bank, and a home I can manage. My present “cracking “ cottage has difficulties too numerous to discuss. I think Mistral has similar problems and might be moving for the same reasons. And I need to be in a place that is cohesive, this town is spread along five valleys and is very inconvenient for getting around. I yearn to live in the middle of a small community. Not be out on a limb, however cracking and desirable it might be. And I will have reserves to pay accrued debts once the sale completes.
Thank you again for such kind words. They really do help mend the gash left by harsh words from daughters.
You have all my support and thoughts too Mrs P I said I would, be devastated and ashamed if my daughter (or son)treated me in the way you have been. And I meant it! It may have something to do with being brought up in a Jewish family with the very strong influence of my parents whose ethic was always ‘family come first’ I agree wholeheartedly with Miriam when she would always help a family member, whatever the circumstances .
You have made some very good friends who are willing to help with your present problems - so please let them, there will be some way in which you can return their kindness later. You are a strong and independent woman, but we all need help sometimes, so accept it with open and welcoming hands. Sending my love and strongest good wishes that you will soon have resolved all the problems.
Not all families are full of largesse. I was once on a cruise on the same table with a couple who soon proved to be very tight fisted. They regalled us with a tale of how they had had to make loans to their two sons but only charged the going rate of interest! What?!! Mrs P, I hope you can get over this major setback so early in the year and that happier times are ahead.
OWiaS, did you ever manage to catch up with Wild tales from the Village on BBC 2? It's a year in the life of a French village from the perspective of the local wildlife, with amazing time-lapse sequences and an absolutely hysterical sound track. As you enjoyed the News from Nurseryland the other year I thought the humour might be right up your street Sarnia
Sadly, Sarnia, I can't watch it as the shoe doesn't have a TV license. So I'm re-listening to The News at Bedtime instead, thanks for the reminder. (Your memory if obviously far better than mine!)
Where has my long one gone? It was written, posted but has somehow gone into the internet ether. It was a story about a niece, who had to call the fire service out last night, with a suspected chimney fire. All was fine, but it was a very close thing. She is now looking for a chimney sweep and will not lay a fire, until this is done and she has the certificate to keep. As she says and now realises, this is just like having the boiler serviced, on a yearly basis and required.
A cold night tonight. My forecast is for -4C at its worst. Still it is not a problem, as my chores for tomorrow, are a Big clean of my home, and to catch up with the ironing. Plans can be changed though 😂 🤭
Ah good, someone else who has found it. My son introduced me to it a couple of years ago. Love the 'stonemarten' sequence. Don't suppose the owner of the van did, though.
Winter is definitley here. I have had lots of ice, sleet, cold winds which are giving a true "wind chill" factor, over the last 24 hours! In comparison, the photos coming from OZ are so very different - sun hats, shorts, sun-glasses, and true blue sunny skies.
I did a Lidl shop this morning before any bad weather comes. It can do what it wants now. Decorating Mr Ptby’s bathroom. It’s blue with the most horrible bright blue tiles. So I went to the local hardware store yesterday to buy some bathroom paint. Beige-ish. They had some pots reduced so I got “afternoon tea”. First coat on this aft. Oh dear. Should have been called wet plaster! Luckily boyo is colour blind and never knows what colour anything is……well apart from blue!!!! Must add…..the blue tiles are going for some beige marble ones we had left over from the other house. That is when the plumber actually comes ….due sometime after April!!!
Home improvements..I must now do my New Year Resolution, which is to source the new side garden gates, to be put in a new position, the new nearby fence panels, followed by a new + extended "fancy" driveway. This is a project, which has been planned for over 2yrs. It will happen as soon as possible now, of that there is no doubt ☑ Why wait - as it is what I want and no reason not to sort it all out at last. Plus the monies to pay for all this, are still in place..thankfully😗
Thanks for your thoughts, I am eating better than I was. Just taken some sausages out of the freezer and a friend who will take me and Lady for a walk tomorrow has also invited me to stay and have a meal with her tomorrow. The friend in Truro has organised the clutch repair by his neighbours mechanic, and the friend and his neighbour are intending to collect the car on Saturday and will take it to the mechanics premises. It’s booked for the end of next week. I shall then have to go by train to collect my car. My friend here has already offered to have Lady when I go. I am very grateful for the help that I’m receiving from friends, but still feeling very anxious about my situation and my relationship with my daughters. But I’m sure time will help me cope.
I'm relieved that you are beginning to be able to eat, Mrs P. It is good that your friend has invited you to share a meal.Being as anxious as you are at present makes eating alone twice as difficult.
Come to think of it, I'm mindful that you don't like cooking, LanJan, and wondering how you are managing. I get 'beans on toast' evenings when I'm too tired to do anything else.
I love cooking, planning and then creating meals, plus love the shopping for the ingredients to do this. I always cook from "scratch" which often ends withnsome strange results, but are always tasty....and edible 🤣
Mrs P. So glad that things seem to be getting sorted, at long last. Keep eating, and enjoy as much as you can. You need to keep your strength up. to be able to go forwards, then onwards + upwards, as to your intented move. Are your buyers happy for a slight delay, re contracts + completion dates, until you find your new home? I so hope so.
I am eating my way through my freezer which was disconnected when I got home last week. The electricity is tripping out every night, no idea why, but the fridge, freezer and washer are literally hanging on a thread, sockets hanging out of walls etc it is very frightening The walls are too wet after the damp proof course to safely connect the new rewiring, I suppose I am lucky to have the use of the appliances at all. The freezer was at +2 degrees instead of -18, but things were still half frozen, so I am getting through it, no ill effects as yet My go-to exhaustion meal is always an omelette, pref mushroom.
So Sorry. I have been far too vocal today (on both boards) - just put it down to the bad weather and not being able to go out. I apologise, in a sincere and heartfelt way, or my many silly and stupid posts. When will I learn?
Mrs P, I'm glad that your car is getting sorted out and that you are now eating. I really hope that things continue to improve for you.
We have finally got a decorator starting on the hall, landing and stairs next week. It's a job that's needed doing for a while but was put off till we'd replaced the bathroom. I keep thinking about doing some spring cleaning but somehow always manage to find something more urgent and interesting to do!
This evening my friend brought the shopping that she would have brought when she collected Lady and myself tomorrow. Tomorrow has been cancelled. She, her daughter and the two G children contracted COVID over Christmas. The father had it some weeks ago. My friend and the children have recovered but her daughter is now very ill and may be admitted to hospital tomorrow depending on how she is overnight. The daughter caught it the day before she was due to have her booster.
Miriam My buyers haven’t even started the process yet. And I haven’t heard from the agents since the offer was accepted. And given the present unpleasant situation with my daughter, the retired estate agent, she might just decide to withdraw her support over the sale, which I have relied upon up to now.
Small Person in a Shoe is upstairs because they are stressed about writing an essay and OMiaS is not performing his scribing duties to their satisfaction. I thought Art was a non-essay A level. Turns out it's not. I am increasingly of the opinion that they should put an 18 year supply of Valium in the Bounty packs ...
(Sarnia, I relistened to Episode 7 of The News at Bedtime. I had forgotten I'd featured in the reports. Although, obviously, they changed my children's names to protect their privacy.)
OWiaS: Presumably OMiaS had not heard the broadcast and was therefore not aware of the implications as to the provenance of the young shoe-dwellers. I protested vigorously to the BBC on his behalf, quoting Parish Records!
Sarnia, thank you for your efforts. But the neighbour they questionned is just jealous - he lives in a soleless plimsole and is well known for his burning underwear.
Yes, I got my upboot - but it turned back into a glass slipper at midnight, not suitable at all.
Went to do my weekly shop at Sainsburys yesterday. Surprised at how few shoppers there were in store….then I found out why. Meat aisle virtually empty of any meat. Some mince and stewing steak but no chops or joints of, pork or lamb or beef. Just long grubby empty counters. Milk - none, no standard red, green or blue top, only a few bottles of expensive organic filtered milk. It was midday and they had had no delivery! Vegetables- very few apart from spuds. No sprouts, cabbage, parsnips, only very old, yellowed broccoli. Hardly any tomatoes or lettuce, no salads. Mushrooms brown and slimy. A big Sainsburys which looked like a third world shop - it reminded me of the supermarkets in Moscow we saw on TV a few years ago with empty shelves.
Like Miriam I cook most of our deals from scratch, use a lot of fresh vegetables and never, ever use ready meals so I came home with almost empty bags & will have to rely on freezer stored supplies. Whether this is due to Brexit and the lack of foreign farm workers or Covid keeping people away from work I don’t know. But the effects of either/both are certainly showing.
This is really depressing. I have continued to order online and have the groceries delivered. So far no problems and generally they have provided most of my order although there does seem to be more items not available when ordering.FAs far as meat goesI have discovered Isle of Wight meat company which seems to be a Co operative with all the meat coming from the island. I only occasionally pop into little Tesco and have not encountered any empty shelves there. It seems to me your Sainsbury’s while having delivery problems is not well managed. There is no excuse for grubby shelves! You would think being an island we would have suffered more shortages than most but so far so good!
Since the pandemic started I've gradually done less of my fresh food shopping in the supermarket. Fruit, veg and milk delivered from local farms, fish and meat from local fishmonger and butcher. The farm from which I get the milk also makes delicious ice cream which they deliver as well.
CC - you are very lucky to have a local butcher & fishmonger and farms that deliver! We have nothing like that here. Possibly living between two largish towns, the various supermarkets have taken all the custom and the smaller shops have given up competing I remember years ago we had a Macfisheries in town, then a lovely indépendant fish shop which sadly closed around 10 years ago. Now the only place to buy fish is at either Waitrose or Morrisons as even Sainsbury no longer has a wet fish counter. .
When my sister moved to a village on the outskirts of Fordingbridge, there were 3 butchers and 2 fishmongers in the small town. Now there are no fishmongers and I believe the last of the butchers has closed. Many of the small shops have gone as well. The last time I was there the thriving hardware store was still trading and the bookshop but I expect their days are numbered. It’s so sad because the heart of the bustling town has gone.
What sad news has just popped up on my news feed. This is that the wonderful Sydney Poitier, has sadly passed away. I remember him so well in the film "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?".
This film is also memorable, as it was last time Katherine Hepburn + Spencer Tracy acted together, with emotions being shown.
PS I had to do something not nice today. There was a knock on the door and it was the guy who used to cut my hedges. Last time, he did these, I was far from happy. In September the hedges were cut back brilliantly by some-one different, and what a difference. The previous bloke was obviously needing monies, but I was not being conned. As I have said before, I do not like being taken for an individual female senior citizen, without a brain! I told him that I no longer required his services, but not the reason why. He just accepted it, with no questions asked..
My brother in law hired a gardener once. He said he wouldn't work a set number of hours but would do what was needed and charge £40 a time. The first visit he cut the grass on the samll back lawn then prepared to leave. Brother in law pointed out the hedge needed cutting too. 'No, I've done the work for this time. I'll do the hedge next time.' Needless to say, they didn't ask him back.
Our gardener, meanwhile, is worth his weight in gold. Very knowledgeable and can achieve more in our garden in two hours than I can achieve in two weeks. (My equally expert father in law used to remind us every year to remind our gardener to dig up the dahlia roots over winter. Every year we assured him they were fine in our heavy clay soil. They're still thriving, as are all the fuschias he grew for us.)
“Guess who’s coming to dinner” one of my few very favourite films (with the gorgeous Sidney Poitier) Superb acting pathos and comedy. I have watched it countless times and always have dust in my eyes during Spencer Tracy’s speech at the end. The N word is used but predominantly by the black people themselves and when used by 2 of the white characters never in an insulting way. RIP Sidney ❤️
I mentioned in a previous post, the series of Behind Closed Doors which I found on Sounds. I listened today, to the final "episode", which I found intringuing yet very disturbing. As such, I will make my wishes known to my family, so to avoid a similar occurence.
Sainsbury's shopping today and after reading of AP's experience I wasn't quite sure what to expect. However, although I noticed one or two sparsely stocked areas I was able to find all the basic items I wanted. When shortages occur in our local branch the space is usually filled with alternative goods, so that in the meat aisle you might find a sudden infill of recommended wine to drink with the cuts on display. When all else fails the shelf sports a stand-up cut-out of bottles, jars and packets which looks tidy and professional. I have never seen any part of the store looking anything other than spotlessly clean. AP, I think you must be the victim of extremely bad management. Sarnia
Yes, I think you are right Sarnia, there has been quite a turnover in managers at our branch in recent years, and it shows. I also very much miss the fresh fish, meat and deli counters which have closed to be replaced with rows of ‘offers’ of detergent, kitchen rolls and pet food.
Next week I am going to try the Basingstoke Morrison’s which, I am told, has an excellent fresh meat counter with a butcher who really knows his trade and an equally good fresh fish counter which has *proper* kippers! My only regret is that it doesn’t have a ‘scan and pack’ system which I find so much easier than taking everything through a standard checkout. That’s what stops me shopping at Lidl too, thé awful checkout system.
By the way, all you new News at Bedtime listeners, have you heard the one about the unfortunate Mr Truelove and the ramifications caused by all the Christmas gifts to his wife? Suffice it to say that after his neighbours' complaints to the Council the situation eventually involved the police, Noise Abatement Society (I think), DEFRA, and several other agencies whose names I forget. In fact, why not listen to the whole series to hear a hilarious modern beaurocratic take on all those unsuspecting songs and nursery rhymes. Sarnia
I listened to it out of curiosity. Although I could appreciate the cleverness, it was clear to me that I don’t share the sense of humour with those of you who enjoyed it.
Well MrsP, we're all different. That's what makes the threads in here so interesting : ) I for one would be bored to tears should a football match be inflicted on me; but some people actually consider going to a match a positive joy.
To those who are fans, of News at Bedtime, thought possibly also of football, I recommend Jasper Fforde's Nursery Crimes series. Amongst other things, it discusses the wisdom of The Right to Arm Bears, something that might have been pertinent to the ursines in episode 7.
Ev. thought you might be interested to know a sea eagle has turned up at Colliford lake in Cornwall. It is a 40 minute drive away from us but am hoping to persuade the family it might be worth a drive there tomorrow instead of our usual local Sunday afternoon walk. I am wondering if it is one of your young Isle of White sea eagles.
I wondered if anyone had any recommendations as to a reliable economical car, not too large but able to take 4 people occasionally. One that has seats a bit higher up so it is easy to get in and out of would be good. I have addled my head looking online, and I expect at the end of the day it will need to be something/anything secondhand I can get from a garage somewhere not too far away. My trusty very old skoda has had its day. It failed the mot in September and I have been car less since then. Our local mechanic said it was not worth repairing this time, and to use the money instead to put towards another car. Mrs P I feel for you in your car troubles. Your car seems to need so much done to it that I do wonder if they should have advised you to call it a day.
Janice - thanks for your thoughts. My car was second hand and aged ten years when I bought it. I’m not sure how long I’ve had it myself but it must be over fifteen years old now. It was always serviced annually and I have continued that myself. As far as I know it’s never before needed a new clutch or new brakes, so although it’s needed these two major repairs now, I hope it’s worth what its currently costing. My previous car, a Micro, kept going beyond twenty years and I loved it. ( I believe ARCHERPHILE is desperately hanging on to hers) If and when I buy a new property and have some money to hand I will certainly consider getting another car, but for me it will always be a second hand car.
I had a call today to say that my car has been delivered to the mechanic /garage where the work will be done. That was from a recommendation by my friends neighbour who has used them for years.I’ve just been looking at their reviews, which seem to be very positive. I’m happy to suggest that you might approach them or consult them for another opinion about the choice of your next car. They are near Chasewater, which I gather is towards Ruthin.
Janice, I am on my third Hyundai, had them for about 15 years, no bells or whistles but reliable and economical to run. They have never let me down, currently got an i10, it works and has a radio, all I need 👍
Janice…. I know it’s not got higher seats but we have a golf that is very economical and cheap re tax and insurance. It’s a petrol one. Nice to drive, quite comfy and easy to park. You can get it to park itself apparently, wouldn’t know how to though. Get about 50 miles per gallon.
Janice, I always had a Golf when I was working and loved them. When I retired I decided that I couldn't justify it so got a Polo instead. It hasn't got higher seats but fits 4 people in easily and is very economical to run.
It's funny that, once a good + reliable car is bought, then there is a brand loyalty. This also applies to supermarkets. My Sainsbury's is doing well - Yes, there have been gaps, but this is due to the ongoing supply/delivery issues. The shelves are always neat, tidy and the store is always very clean. The shelves are filled with all that is available and the staff are so helpful, friendly + caring. My big disappointment is the loss of the fresh fish + meat counters, which.I always used.
I drive, and have done for many years, a Renault (a Captur now), but that is the brand that I have loved, both with the cars and how I drive them. I have "brand" loyalty, for whatever reasons - probably as I have owned at least 7 different renaults now, spanning very many years. It comes down to, how comfortable one is with familiriaty, and is a change required. I prefer, knowing what I know.
Most people change cars when they want a newer model. We changed cars when we needed to fit in another car seat. We graduallu worked our way up from a Mini (best car ever) to a Galaxy. When that got written off by a fellow road user who lost control of her steering, we started down-sizing. Currently we've got a Ka. I think all that's left below that is a Sinclair CA. The Ka is great for road tax but only has 3 doors so getting in the back is a challenge. And once you're in the back you have to hope the journey avoids speed bumps or you're in for an uncomfortable ride. No idea what it's like to drive - I use the bus instead.
Actually, I wonder if we do own a car - perhaps it's actually a roller-skate.
I am having a few problems, as many of my written posts, are now not appearing, even after Publish thingy is being tapped. These were my usual why I am am suddenly having such a problem now. 🤷♀️
This post has appeared, but it was not as written, but at least it did appear, for once. I have a problem posting on this site now but it is not my device, of that I am sure.
Well at least you know that your not alone Miriam. ARCHERPHILE has problems constantly and I’ve lost count of the number of times that I’ve had to register. Even today, I’ve got a “WHOOPS” that’s an error, TWICE ! And we do know that several others have been locked out for months and months. I don’t think it’s you, I think it’s the website ( if it is a website, and I’m not sure of that ) I suspect we will just have to continue to suffer, unless some other brave soul is prepared to set us up from the beginning all over again. And I can’t imagine that will be a popular suggestion !
Have had several Whoops today so hope this works! Janice, the sea eagle might well come from the island but could be from the continent. An interesting website I found today is roydennis.org which details the movements of the birds. I’m glad we don’t live near Culver cliff as they could mistake Buddy for a rabbit! He is quite small, Dudley is too chunky!
Re cars. Miriam… I don’t think people nowadays keep to the same brand loyalty. More depends on price and economy and practicality. We had a Renault scenic when we had 4 dogs. The back window would open independently meaning you could leave it open in summer when out with them. They were in a cage. No one could get at them. Then of course when they updated the model they stopped the opening back window. So changed to Kia Sportage. Great. Loved it. Opening back window. Then, guess what, updated it, no opening window. When we changed that the only option was a bmw 3 or 5 series estate. I think car manufacturers are missing a trick not having this option. I’m sure a lot of dog owners would buy cos of it. I really miss the high seats of our Kia. Now I just spend my time making that noise you make getting in and out of a chair!!!
I’m not an Internet nerd but I’m wondering if there is another way to do these blogs I.e. a different programme from Google Blogspot which hosts our blogs. It seems to be becoming more and more unreliable and difficult to use. I am also having problems just using Google as a search facility. If I Google « wrought iron gates » for example, it brings up lots of suitable sites but I can’t get into any of them, I just get a sign saying I am disconnected- which I’m not!
I might have a bit of a look round and ask my son what he used for his blog when he was touring round Bolivia for 6 months. He could publish beautiful photographs as well as writing about his experiences. It might be time to think about moving to a different site.
We have a Citroën C4 Aircross, based on a Mazda model, chunky with oumph, higher ride height, suits us v well, no longer available.... sorry! But C3 Aircross is, slightly smaller, but v adaptable, 4 door.
When we were having so many concerns about the BBC letting us go, I suggested we started our own blog. I hadn’t a clue how we should go about it, but did have a friend who I knew would. I asked and he gave me instructions. I posted that it was possible and that if there was anyone willing to take it on, then we could go our own way. Not a single response as far as i remember. Then a week or so later, maybe longer, Ruthy set this one up.
Also - ARCHERPHILE had suggested that I changed toChrome. Over the Christmas period daughter set me up with Chrome. It hasn’t made a great deal of difference as I’m still getting blocked out, and it’s still as random.
I don't drive any more Janice but were I to buy another car now I would look at a Kia. What I particularly liked all those years ago when I had one was the fact that I could open the boot from the driver's seat. Our last car was a Ford Focus which we bought when it was a year old in 2008. No complaints about that one.
I had to hunt for the cheeky response, Mrs P, but now I've found it On reflection I think the answer is probably the fact that I'm not using a tablet, just a laptop or nowadays often my new phone Sarnia
Ev just to say that the sea eagle in Cornwall has been identified as one of the 6 juveniles released on the Isle of Wight. People are hoping it might stay.
Oh, that’s good news, Janice. Most of them seem to venture away from the island for a time and then return. I suppose it depends on the habitat over there! One of them did hook up with an unidentified one for a while. The original ones from 2019 having explored as juveniles have largely returned and settled here.
Something odd is happening to my posts now. Twice I have written a reply to Lankan and after clicking publish it appears but then vanishes again. I will try again later but am cooking Sunday dinner just now.
This is happening to me frequently. Sometimes I am able to scroll back and find it and then try again. Sometimes it just sits there in the ether, at other times it re appears. It’s all very tiresome.
Sarnia - You may be right . To know more, we need to compare what devices each of us is using.
Re Blog difficulties: I think we should ask GARY what he thinks as administrator of our blogs. I know he claims not to be internet- savy, but he may well know somebody who is, or could consult Mrs P’s friend who is., and may be able to set up a new way of us keeping in touch
Strangely, I have been having so many problems with Chrome AND Google that I have gone back to accessing out blogs through the Safari browser on my iPad. It usually publishes my post straight away but sometimes needs a second go.
I use Google Chrome to access this site, so it might well be a problem with them, rather than this actual Blog site. I say this, as it took me ages to access my bank accounts, and then also the site to order new meds. These were done eventually.
Winter is here - but then it is January so it is expected. I woke up to "icy feathers" on my car, and it is starting to get icy, once again. I am hoping for a wonderful sunny winter day soon, so I can get rid of the many weeds which are still growing in the flower beds, and also getting rid of the many leaves, which have come off from a beech hedge. Lot's to do, when the right day finally appears.
I use Google chrome on my Linux PC and Android phone and tablet. I was locked out a while ago but discovered it was to do with my cookie settings, since adjusting those I haven't had any problems. Hope it isn't going to be "famous last words" now!
Lanjan, I am going to have a go again at writing what vanished twice earlier. I notice that two shorter comments of mine did not vanish, so I am going experiment and split it into two and see what happens.
I was fond of my Skoda but it did ground on the track if I wasn't very careful. When young I had a Morris Minor for years, and the camaraderie from other Morris drivers on the road was great. When it finally gave up the ghost it was retired to the field, and when a horse rescue group was using the field for grazing I let them sell parts from it to raise funds. I like to think that pieces of it are still going strong in other vintage Morris cars.
Well Mrs P I am spluttering and cross right now. The second piece has come up but not the first which was thanking Lanjan and telling her about previous Fords I had owned and liked has utterly vanished. What on earth is happening. I have never had problems before.
Thanks Cheshire Cheese, for the name of the firm, doing the veg. boxes, which are also in my area. I have looked at this. It seems something that I am very interested in, and will suit me. Thanks again. ✔✔😊
As much as I love Wimbledon, and watching tennis etc. I do agree with OZ re the rules concerning the visa and exclusion, re Novak Djorkervic. Why should he be allowed to enter OZ - when my family members, who so want to see those who live there, are still unable to do so? My point is made 😣🤐
No Archers for me tonight...It was "Queen in Rio" on Sky Arts instead. It is now old + "grainy", but this great concert, still gave me goosebumps. This was my era, and still love all their music, as they were so talented in so many ways. Is there another guitarist to match Brian May around today, not sure.
We have used Riverford for years. Normally fruit and/or veg, and eggs. We had their turkey at Christmas, and we've had some very nice bread too. I'm no fan of honey but some of the other shoe dwellers like it. We have friends locally with hives so they give us a jar from time to time.
So far at least, I have had no problems with posts. I use Firefox, not Chrome. I had problems a while back when it used to update and forget all my passwords. A not so small shoe dweller managed to find and restore the file with old data for me. I've since found creating a Firefox account solves the problem. I have 2 or 3 addresses registered to google. If I'm signed in to the wrong one, I go to google.com and click on the circled initial in the top right hand corner. This gives me a list of all my accounts so I can select OWiaS. Firefox remembers the password for me, and if it doesn't, it's an easy one for me to remember. But, failing that, google gives the option to reset my password. I don't know if any of that helps the locked-out folks. If not, perhaps google simply holds a personal grudge against you ; )
Thank you OWiaS, that was most helpful. I followed your instructions and found that the only account listed in my name is the one Google say they can't find.
Hi, I get locked out regularly, one reason for my erratic posting. I have been accessing through chrome on my iPad on latest update (iOS 13 or 14 I think) I am trying this through safari.
Just like OWIAS I have no trouble at all. I think it is because of perhaps internet connection? I post from my laptop computer, mainly because I have it on my lap the whole day!
I don't post through my phone (an Android) as that's for my phone calls and messages only. I feel that so many problems with posting, with so many levels of equipment, must be probably something with the connection. I don't think another web-site would solve this. I don't have any technical knowledge or solutions though unfortunately.
Did anyone watch Monty Don’s new series on Friday? Visiting gardens in Venice, then along the Adriatic and - specially for Sarnia, Greece, later in the series. We saw some amazing gardens in Venice, several of which had had to be rescued and planted again after their terrible floods a few years ago.
There is only one thing that really irritates us and it is that strip of blue material that Monty insists on hanging around his neck, sometimes hanging loose, sometimes looped and knotted in various ways. Why? It can’t be due to the cold, so it must just be an affectation I suppose!
I was delighted to have a chance to look at that garden we were able to see as we chugged up and down the Grand Canal on the buses. I'm certainly looking forward to the Greek visit. There was an interesting article about the series in the GW magazine. The scarf doesn't bother me, but then neither do Carol Klein's fingernails which were commented on some time ago. The two presenters I find moreirritating are Adam Frost and Frances Tophill because their fast, breathy delivery means I can't follow what they're saying. Prize for the most annoying of all goes to Charlie Dimmock, but she's so very good at what she does and just like the rest of us, can't be any other than herself!
I thoroughly enjoyed Monty’s programme on Venetian gardens. The only time I’ve been to Venice it wasn’t to look at gardens: my mother had just died and I was determined to scatter her ashes from the Rialto bridge, which was near the hotel she had stayed in. Venice was her favourite city so I thought it appropriate to let her free in the place she loved so much. It was Easter and the place was alive with people. Clutching the urn I stood on the bridge and realised I would be showering the heads of the masses of people on the canal. So her ashes travelled back to England with us. She would have laughed. I hope she enjoyed the journey.
My favourite tv gardener is Carol Klein. Sometimes she is carried away by her enthusiasm but it is sincere. I have learnt so much from her and if her fingernails are dirty it’s because she actually does have her hands in the soil!
I find her a bit too gushy sometimes, but she is very knowledgeable and I'm learning a lot from her present series on gardening early in the year. Lanjan likes 'the one with the crinkly eyes', who I think must be Nick Bailey.
I am not a fan of TV gardening shows + presenters, as I find it hard to adapt their ideas into a small garden like mine. I go by my instinct, along with visits to nureseries/garden centres, and just asking questions + advice. Having said that - I have loved visiting wonderful gardens on my travels - Italy, S.Africa, Morocco, Ecuador, China, Spain, Croatia etc. etc. Those days are in the past now.
Due to my cat problems, I am not sure if I can dare try + put her into kennels again, so I can travel. Pusscat is still showing signs of early "cat senility", minor at the moment I know, but I am still a wee bit worried. 😼
If I was given a Golden Ticket to go anywhere in the World, where would I choose? I have two places, as I can't decide between the two. These are:- 1) Venice 2) Xian (China), to see the Terracotta Army again along with the further treasures constantly being found.
I would definitely go round Alcatraz again. In was fascinating. Also do different tours round Hearst castle in California…..unbelievable. To think you can stand in the same room that Clark Gable partied in!!!
Oh, here here CC! He was a guest speaker on a cruise we did to Madeira. He gave several fascinating talks and was very friendly, answering loads of questions long after his stint was supposed to have finished. Very genuine and not ‘starry’ at all.
I wrote a long post on the other board. I did this carefully and it was related to Alice + her future. Sadly it didn't publish, even though it was done with care and I know I tapped the publish button, and such I was told it had been, but it just didn't appear. Perhaps it was too long, which hasn't been a problem before - but perhaps it could be one now. No idea, though.
In the last ten minutes I wrote a post on the other thread and it published without any problem.
I then came on this side and wrote the post above. It did not publish, but came up with a whoops instead.
I immediately re registered, then returned to this screen. My unpublished post was still there. I did not type it again, I simply pressed publish again.
If I write a long post, I copy (Ctrl C) it before I click 'publish'. Then if something drastic happens and it vanishes I can just paste it back and try again.
Well, I carried out your instructions via my laptop, OWiaS and found my original Google registration account. My son must have changed it when he set up this new phone. Many thanks, OWiaS, I am no longer "Unknown'
I agree with those who like Chris Beardshaw as a gardening guru. On Gardeners Questiontime he is so knowledgeable. Also at Chelsea, his gardens are full of flowers in a natural landscape rather than hard landscaping taking up 80% of the space. I thought he would be a natural successor to Monty but it seems Adam Frost is the favourite.
The above has published, but an hour or so ago when I tried to respond to Sarnia I went through several hoops of Whoops and the word publish floating on my screen, but not actually doing so, though twice I could see that it had shown up as published, but then when I refreshed the page didn’t show at all, then refreshed again, and it was there. I eventually gave up.
With a final anguished wrestling match with the technology I've also managed to transfer my necessary data from Internet Explorer to Microsoft Edge, so I'm not 'Unknown' anywhere at all!.
Sadly not Sarnia I think the photo was taken at Mottisfont Abbey (NT) some time back. I remember we stayed in a hotel at Stockbridge - a short break offer.
I almost out-clevered myself this morning, and was instantly cut down to size: having worked out how to be fully registered to this blog and re-instated my profile on Microsoft Edge, I later cleared my browsing history, and guess what - it included all my alterations, so I had to do it all over again! What an idiot.
*** FROM PREVIOUS BLOG ***
ReplyDeleteAmbridgesMrsP - January 1, 2022 at 10:47 PM
Ah, the lovely memory of ships fog horns.
Loved to hear them on the Thames when a child.
The last time that we heard them en masse was for Churchill as he left London for his burial at Blenheim.
Unknown - January 1, 2022 at 10:55 PM
In the trade they're known as Ships' Whistles, even if they don't.
There's one vessel that calls in here (and I suppose it has to be a cruise ship) that makes a sound like someone practising for grade 1 bassoon, but I've no idea who it is
Ev - January 1, 2022 at 11:42 PM
I love to hear them and often do on the island. In Crewe we used to hear hoots from steam trains at New Year but guess that was before diesel and electric trains came in.
parsley16 - January 1, 2022 at 11:50 PM
We used to hear them out on the Humber bringing in the new year, loved it.
Happy New Year to all, keep safe, keep positive,
bisous xx
Lanjan - January 2, 2022 at 9:01 AM
Oh Mrs P I am disappointed in you.
Why have you not decorated your house for Christmas?
Why do you not put your cards up?
You don't need a tree but a few bits of holly is cheering.
A friend sent me a tiny live tree from Bloom and Wild which included lights and decorations.
It will be planted outside this week hopefully
Well my decorations certainly cheered me up this Christmas and I spent yesterday finding cupboard space for them so that they don't have to be put up into the loft.
Hello everyone! I hope that you all had the kind of New Year's Eve (non) celebration that you wanted or needed. We did nothing apart from watch a couple of old episodes of Poirot and then went to bed. Some years I cannot be bothered with all the shenanigans and this year was one of them.
ReplyDeleteThe upside to that is that on New Year's Day we got up bright and early and went down to the beautiful beach at Culzean Castle and then went to Brig O' Doon and the Robert Burns Monument in Alloway for a big long walk in the warm sunshine. A fantastic day out was had!
Happy New Year to you Gary and Mr G. and thank you for keeping this blog going.
DeleteIt is 50! years since I was in Alloway to see where Robbie Burns was born. I expect it has a lot more visitors nowadays.
Sounds wonderful Gary. Is that in the lovely photo above or would it be your own home I wonder?!
ReplyDeleteSo nice to see sunshine and green trees again ……roll on Spring.
Oh, and our evening treat was watching a couple of episode of The Detectorists, one of our favourite series, so gently amusing and full of countryside scenes.
DeleteGood to see the Hampshire rose Archerphile. I refuse to call the fairly new cricket ground in Southampton anything but the Rose Bowl. Does Dorset have an emblem?
ReplyDeleteUs too, Soz, it will forever be the Rose Bowl as far as we are concerned!
DeleteI hadn’t realised the name had changed! We used to be members at the adjacent sports club before the stadium was built but changed to a different club about halfway through construction.
DeleteGary is that the bridge ODoon? Thank you for keeping this little bark afloat. You do a grand job.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like the burns monument in the background.
DeleteI used to love the old Cricket Ground in Southampton ,Soz.
ReplyDeleteI never took to The Rose Bowl at all .
Neither have I. I’m lucky to live reasonably near Trent Bridge which is a lovely ground, though they are trying to spoil it with new stands. I grew up in Bournemouth and I often went to Dean Park an old fashioned ground where you could sit on the grass to watch. I’ve seen Freddie Truman and Viv Richards there. Hampshire used to play there and I can remember seeing Hampshire win the Championship under Ingleby-Mackenzie . I think the University use the ground now so it hasn’t been built over thank goodness.
DeleteWhilst looking on Sounds, for a programme as per AP. I came across something else, called Behind Closed Doors.
ReplyDeleteThese 45 mins listens are difficult to describe.
They are stories revolving around a female barrister, who represents different persons in differing ways. These cases might be for or against, in a court, a hearing or a tribunal etc.
I am finding these very interesting + intriguing. This is not just as to the cases, but also the evidence and the final outcome.
Some others might also enjoy these listens.
To add - very well acted in a sincere way.
DeleteBack to cricket. I haven't been to any Test Match grounds but I must admit our Kentish County grounds are beautiful. Tunbridge Wells is a lovely ground, just when the rhodedendrons are out. All sorts of colours leading up to the ground. Maidstone was nice but I think there has been some development there, also where two youngest sons played rugby there too. Canterbury is nice. The tree which existed ages ago had to be cut down as it was rotten in the middle but there is another tree in its place.
ReplyDeleteI like the beautiful view Gary - thank you and Happy New Year!!
ReplyDeleteMiriam - thank you for the recommendation which I will listen out for.
We had our Christmas dinner last night. I had bought a tiny turkey & Christmas pud just in case we couldn’t go to France and would be on our own.
ReplyDeleteIn the event, we went to daughters instead, so had our meal last night as a ‘New Year’ dinner instead.
The point of this tale is simply to say: Lidl Christmas puddings are lovely! I bought one of theirs because Sainsbury didn’t have any left, and the Lidl one was the best shop-bought one we have ever had!
Moist, full of fruit and whole nuts and not overly alcoholic. Better than my usually home made ones in fact!
Recommended for next year.
I had a Yule Log from Aldi as well as some gingrbread biscuits covered with chocolate and they were lovely The Yuel log was so chocolate you could have just a centremetre thick because of the richness. When I am in Germany (Hopefully sometime next year!) the cakes are are okay but the ones in UK are especially good.
DeleteWhen my son came over last November he arrived with a Stollen cake which my daughter in law sent as we like this cake. (Not for the people who dislike marzipan on the other blog!) It was from either of the supermarkets but I don't know which one.
Both my son shops are just a little way from his house so I shop at both in Hattersheim-am-Main, the village where he lives.
At the moment I have a Christmas cake, a Stollen, a Pannentoni all still sealed up. Maybe Jon says we have to have a Christmas cake/fruit cake famine next year!
Archerphile….I always used to make my own Christmas puddings. A job I took over when my aunt died. About 6 years ago I could not find 8 hours straight to be able to steam them due to caring for my mother. So reluctantly I bought a Lidl pudding. Marvellous. Made my home made puddings seem crap. I love the nuts in them. When they first arrived in store before Christmas I bought a small and a big one, not knowing who was coming for Christmas lunch. We had the small one in the end. Will wait for a particularly depressing day before eating the other to cheer me up.
ReplyDeleteLovely to have your confirmation PtbY! And when you add up the cost of ingredients and the hours of fuel spent steaming the pud on the stove, it makes the Lidl pudding even more attractive!
DeleteMy year old, so it was very mature, home-made Christmas Pudding was absolutely delicious. Sadly, I left the fancy cream which I had bought to accompany it, in the 'fridge in my home, 26 miles away.
ReplyDeleteYes. I will make another Christmas Pudding. I actually enjoy doing it, for many reasons..
DeleteAs to the costs and along with the time spent, as to both the preparing + cooking, this isn't an issue for me.
DeleteI am doing it, as it is a family tradition which I don't want to give up, well just yet.
I dressed up on Christmas Day, wearing a lovely dress bought for a 2020 wedding, which has not yet even been planned.
ReplyDeleteI felt so different, as I was wearing a dress with court shoes + "barely black" sheer tights, along with full make-up.
This got me thinking - in that, throughout the many Lockdowns, I just slobbed out, in comfy but quite tatty clothes.
I decided to change this.
As such, I am waiting for a package with 4 new clothes items to arrive, to up-scale my wardrobe. These have been ordered from a favourite site of mine, due to the many wonderful Sale prices. I never pay full price for anything 😀
Now to sort my wardrobe out. The Oxfam collection bin in my S/market car park, will do well, and for a worthy cause.
Knowing that I would be scrabbling round the floor playing with children and probably taken on a very muddy walk I wore my usual skinny jeans and a top. I did have Christmas socks on though!
DeleteSo today we ventured across to Manchester to take our Son and his Girlfriend their Christmas presents. We had to cancel their visit to us after Christmas til the New Year due to me being ill all Christmas. We took our Daphne, Mabel left with a friend, and I had all mi muck on expecting to go for a dog walk with them and their cockerpoo... a year old tomoz. Half way there, our son texts me to say that Liv's mother will be there also. S**t! Never met the woman and I looked like Wurzel bloody Gummage. Anyway she was fine and ordinary but I'm sure she wondered what the hell had walked through the front door. At least it's overed with. lol
ReplyDeleteThat made me laugh Ptby! 😃👏
DeleteMe too!
DeleteSarnia
Sort of thing that could so easily happen to me ptby (either that way round or arriving overdressed and others very casual 😳)
DeleteWell, Ev and Miriam, whatever it is that happens to Bad People who leave their decorations up after Jan 6th, we are about to find out because mine, such as they are, will remain until Saturday.
ReplyDeleteMy son and his family are visiting on that day, and have asked me to do that. They have been unable to put their own up this year: owing to an installation error with their new broadband a water pipe was damaged, flooding the lounge so that half the ground floor was unusable and there was nowhere to put the tree.
Will I end up covered in warts, do you think, or perhaps the Bogeyman will come and get me. At least I'm not working next day, so if he does the congregation won't be left high and dry.
Sarnia,
DeleteMany decades ago an old family friend, a celebrated sports journalist, decided to leave his Christmas decorations up all year.
They didn’t as far as I remember come down until his demise some years later, when the house was cleared and sold.
He didn’t seem to come to any harm in the short or long term.
I don’t think you need to be too concerned.
Sarnia!🤣🤣🤣
DeleteArcherphile' ,Lidl stollen is lovely too
ReplyDeleteWhen M and S didn't have any I bought some from our local Garden Centre .
Thrilled to bits I was to get it
Then when I went to Lidl's there was more r less the same stollen ,umuch cheaper so I had to get that one too.
Their mince pies are good as well.
I bought an Aldi Stollen this year as part of my contribution to the Christmas menu. There were several other Stollens and i don’t recall any of them being opened.
ReplyDeleteOur Christmas Pudding apparently made to a recipe referred to as ‘ Rhonas Christmas pud ‘ passed on by my two daughters Australian step mother from her mother, the aforementioned Rhona, was served.
It was dry, resembled cake rather than a pudding and although I was polite and ate my portion, I declined any more.
I still have a small Aldi C pud from last year, and at some point soon, I intend to eat it.
Like Miriam, I used to enjoy making my Christmas puddings and my mincemeat.
But that was many decades ago.
As far as I'm concerned, the only good thing about Christmas pud is lighting the brandy and admiring the pretty blue flames.
DeleteStollen, though, is another matter entirely. Perhaps I'll dispatch a shoedweller to see if they've got any left in Lidl.
I love Stollen too. It's the marzipan for me.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAs it was a repeat of the above.
DeleteHow’s things Mrs P?
ReplyDeleteHave you got your car sorted or are you still stuck in limbo?
Thanks for asking PtbY.
DeleteI am home, by train on Sunday, my younger daughter collected me from train at Bristol.
Not anything like out of the woods tho’.
Have spent today trying to find the money for the repairs and in getting a lower quote from different garages. A friend is helping with finance temporarily, and I have got a lower quote, but will also need to find recovery from one garage to the other, which might negate the savings on the lower quote.
My daughters would help financially but with conditions that I find too difficult to accept. My friend of over forty years asks for no conditions at all.
I haven’t eaten any proper food for a number of days.
The very large lump of fear and dread in my chest prevents me managing anything but tea, even toast is hard to swallow.
I hope that you will be able to relax a little more soon Mrs P and able to eat some food.
DeleteConditions!!from daughters Mrs P……
DeleteI am with your friend - help if able to do so, one never knows when the boot may be on the other foot.
(Could you manage some soup?)
Has any-one like me, noticed how much lighter the afternoons are now getting?
ReplyDeleteIt helps so much.
I am off to create a smoked haddock lasagne, with a creamy mushroom sauce.
DeleteYes Miriam, I’m noticing.
DeleteCounting those extra minutes daily.
A white world here now. This is thanks to a massive hail storm, and is now freezing solid. The temp. is due to dip, if the forecast is correct to, -2C very shortly ❄
ReplyDeleteMrs P. You need to eat + stay healthy, so just do this. I wish I could bring you some of my tasty meals, to help you out, but I am too far away, sadly.
ReplyDeleteWhat lovely people you know, to help you out in this awful situation, when your family aren't really supporting you.
I would always support a family member, regardless of the various circumstances, as this is what a family does and there is always a way around things.
Stay Safe, and remember your pets rely on you, so stay healthy for them.
Mrs P…. I cannot believe that your daughters wouldn’t just automatically help you! Conditions!! Unbelievable. Thank goodness for your friend. Good luck with it all. I’m glad you are back in your own home now.
ReplyDeleteMrs. P, I'm glad you are at home, you are not beholden to anyone there, and can resume your routine with Lady, which must be better for both of you.
ReplyDeleteI wish there was a way to help, as I have been in difficulties before, when divorced and unable to work. A kind friend left a few bags of groceries on my doorstep, another took over cleaning my house, which was really irritating, but at least spurred me on just to get rid of her.
If there is anything I can do, let me know, where there's a will there's a way.
Mrs P Your car is a lifeline; I imagine you want to keep driving and keep your independence as long as possible. If you move to a smaller place somewhere outside the Cotswolds(I think you live in that area, apologies if I’m wrong) would you have some money to spare to repay any loan you may need to mend your car now? Your friend sounds a better bet than family at the moment. Have you exhausted the RAC as a means of getting your car home then having the work done nearer home?
ReplyDeleteI’m sorry if I’m just stating the obvious but your last post touched a chord.
You are a brave resourceful woman and I’m sure you will find a way but that’s so easy for me to say and hard work for you to do. Your friend has faith in you so accept a loan explaining when you should be able to repay it.
Stay strong Mrs P my thoughts are with you.
Locked out again since my brief reply to Miriam, when I tried to thank her for persuading me to eat. Thank you Miriam
ReplyDeleteThank you each and every one for your kind responses.
I have been able to have soup.
I am now cooking an M&S cottage pie provided by daughter when collecting me on Sunday. And some vegetables.
At some point after the first lockdown I met a young couple when visiting daughter in Cornwall.
Lady gatecrashed their first date.
I followed up, apologising for her, to be offered a cup of tea within moments.
The three of us talked for a while, and bonded I suppose. We exchanged numbers and that has developed into a loose friendship.
He is Australian and lives in Truro, she is English and they have been championing me regarding finding a new home.
I did contact him, Dave, when the car broke down and later we were emailing.
Today I sent a text and he has called me back this evening.
He will do his best to help me with moving the car to a different garage, but is also making enquiries about a mechanic known to him.
This is a person, a couple I’ve met once.
Aren’t some people wonderful !
Yes Soz - that’s the plan, to move somewhere that allows me to have some money in the bank, and a home I can manage.
My present “cracking “ cottage has difficulties too numerous to discuss.
I think Mistral has similar problems and might be moving for the same reasons.
And I need to be in a place that is cohesive, this town is spread along five valleys and is very inconvenient for getting around.
I yearn to live in the middle of a small community. Not be out on a limb, however cracking and desirable it might be.
And I will have reserves to pay accrued debts once the sale completes.
Thank you again for such kind words.
They really do help mend the gash left by harsh words from daughters.
You have all my support and thoughts too Mrs P
ReplyDeleteI said I would, be devastated and ashamed if my daughter (or son)treated me in the way you have been. And I meant it! It may have something to do with being brought up in a Jewish family with the very strong influence of my parents whose ethic was always ‘family come first’
I agree wholeheartedly with Miriam when she would always help a family member, whatever the circumstances .
You have made some very good friends who are willing to help with your present problems - so please let them, there will be some way in which you can return their kindness later.
You are a strong and independent woman, but we all need help sometimes, so accept it with open and welcoming hands.
Sending my love and strongest good wishes that you will soon have resolved all the problems.
Thank you ARCHERPHILE.
DeleteNot all families are full of largesse. I was once on a cruise on the same table with a couple who soon proved to be very tight fisted. They regalled us with a tale of how they had had to make loans to their two sons but only charged the going rate of interest! What?!! Mrs P, I hope you can get over this major setback so early in the year and that happier times are ahead.
DeleteOWiaS, did you ever manage to catch up with Wild tales from the Village on BBC 2?
ReplyDeleteIt's a year in the life of a French village from the perspective of the local wildlife, with amazing time-lapse sequences and an absolutely hysterical sound track.
As you enjoyed the News from Nurseryland the other year I thought the humour might be right up your street
Sarnia
Sadly, Sarnia, I can't watch it as the shoe doesn't have a TV license. So I'm re-listening to The News at Bedtime instead, thanks for the reminder. (Your memory if obviously far better than mine!)
DeleteWhere has my long one gone?
ReplyDeleteIt was written, posted but has somehow gone into the internet ether.
It was a story about a niece, who had to call the fire service out last night, with a suspected chimney fire. All was fine, but it was a very close thing. She is now looking for a chimney sweep and will not lay a fire, until this is done and she has the certificate to keep. As she says and now realises, this is just like having the boiler serviced, on a yearly basis and required.
A cold night tonight. My forecast is for -4C at its worst.
ReplyDeleteStill it is not a problem, as my chores for tomorrow, are a Big clean of my home, and to catch up with the ironing.
Plans can be changed though 😂 🤭
Sarnia /Unknown, Wild Tales from the Village is a favourite watch chez Parsley. Lost count now.
ReplyDeleteAh good, someone else who has found it. My son introduced me to it a couple of years ago. Love the 'stonemarten' sequence. Don't suppose the owner of the van did, though.
ReplyDeleteWouldn't want to meet up with the wild boar! Somehow putting up with slugs, snails and caterpillars in the veg garden doesn't seem so bad now.
DeleteI hope All are well, warm + cosy.
ReplyDeleteMrs P. - are you eating again, and what is the up-date re your car problems?
Winter is definitley here. I have had lots of ice, sleet, cold winds which are giving a true "wind chill" factor, over the last 24 hours!
ReplyDeleteIn comparison, the photos coming from OZ are so very different - sun hats, shorts, sun-glasses, and true blue sunny skies.
Ooh I’d rather be here Miriam. Invigorating and then warm and cosy 🤗
DeleteI did a Lidl shop this morning before any bad weather comes. It can do what it wants now.
ReplyDeleteDecorating Mr Ptby’s bathroom. It’s blue with the most horrible bright blue tiles. So I went to the local hardware store yesterday to buy some bathroom paint. Beige-ish. They had some pots reduced so I got “afternoon tea”. First coat on this aft. Oh dear. Should have been called wet plaster! Luckily boyo is colour blind and never knows what colour anything is……well apart from blue!!!!
Must add…..the blue tiles are going for some beige marble ones we had left over from the other house. That is when the plumber actually comes ….due sometime after April!!!
Home improvements..I must now do my New Year Resolution, which is to source the new side garden gates, to be put in a new position, the new nearby fence panels, followed by a new + extended "fancy" driveway.
DeleteThis is a project, which has been planned for over 2yrs. It will happen as soon as possible now, of that there is no doubt ☑
Why wait - as it is what I want and no reason not to sort it all out at last. Plus the monies to pay for all this, are still in place..thankfully😗
Miriam
ReplyDeleteThanks for your thoughts, I am eating better than I was.
Just taken some sausages out of the freezer and a friend who will take me and Lady for a walk tomorrow has also invited me to stay and have a meal with her tomorrow.
The friend in Truro has organised the clutch repair by his neighbours mechanic, and the friend and his neighbour are intending to collect the car on Saturday and will take it to the mechanics premises. It’s booked for the end of next week. I shall then have to go by train to collect my car.
My friend here has already offered to have Lady when I go.
I am very grateful for the help that I’m receiving from friends, but still feeling very anxious about my situation and my relationship with my daughters.
But I’m sure time will help me cope.
I'm relieved that you are beginning to be able to eat, Mrs P. It is good that your friend has invited you to share a meal.Being as anxious as you are at present makes eating alone twice as difficult.
ReplyDeleteCome to think of it, I'm mindful that you don't like cooking, LanJan, and wondering how you are managing. I get 'beans on toast' evenings when I'm too tired to do anything else.
ReplyDeleteI love cooking, planning and then creating meals, plus love the shopping for the ingredients to do this.
DeleteI always cook from "scratch" which often ends withnsome strange results, but are always tasty....and edible 🤣
Mrs P. So glad that things seem to be getting sorted, at long last.
ReplyDeleteKeep eating, and enjoy as much as you can.
You need to keep your strength up. to be able to go forwards, then onwards + upwards, as to your intented move.
Are your buyers happy for a slight delay, re contracts + completion dates, until you find your new home? I so hope so.
I am eating my way through my freezer which was disconnected when I got home last week. The electricity is tripping out every night, no idea why, but the fridge, freezer and washer are literally hanging on a thread, sockets hanging out of walls etc it is very frightening
ReplyDeleteThe walls are too wet after the damp proof course to safely connect the new rewiring, I suppose I am lucky to have the use of the appliances at all.
The freezer was at +2 degrees instead of -18, but things were still half frozen, so I am getting through it, no ill effects as yet
My go-to exhaustion meal is always an omelette, pref mushroom.
So Sorry.
ReplyDeleteI have been far too vocal today (on both boards) - just put it down to the bad weather and not being able to go out.
I apologise, in a sincere and heartfelt way, or my many silly and stupid posts.
When will I learn?
Mrs P, I'm glad that your car is getting sorted out and that you are now eating. I really hope that things continue to improve for you.
ReplyDeleteWe have finally got a decorator starting on the hall, landing and stairs next week. It's a job that's needed doing for a while but was put off till we'd replaced the bathroom. I keep thinking about doing some spring cleaning but somehow always manage to find something more urgent and interesting to do!
This evening my friend brought the shopping that she would have brought when she collected Lady and myself tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteTomorrow has been cancelled.
She, her daughter and the two G children contracted COVID over Christmas.
The father had it some weeks ago.
My friend and the children have recovered but her daughter is now very ill and may be admitted to hospital tomorrow depending on how she is overnight.
The daughter caught it the day before she was due to have her booster.
Miriam
My buyers haven’t even started the process yet.
And I haven’t heard from the agents since the offer was accepted.
And given the present unpleasant situation with my daughter, the retired estate agent, she might just decide to withdraw her support over the sale, which I have relied upon up to now.
Not good MrsP : ( Praying the daughter recovers swiftly.
DeleteSmall Person in a Shoe is upstairs because they are stressed about writing an essay and OMiaS is not performing his scribing duties to their satisfaction. I thought Art was a non-essay A level. Turns out it's not.
ReplyDeleteI am increasingly of the opinion that they should put an 18 year supply of Valium in the Bounty packs ...
(Sarnia, I relistened to Episode 7 of The News at Bedtime. I had forgotten I'd featured in the reports. Although, obviously, they changed my children's names to protect their privacy.)
18 years supply of Valium in Bounty pack 😂😂
DeleteShould be 25 years supply of Valium in a bounty pack!!
DeleteDepends on how many Bounty packs you're planning to receive - I'd have enough supply to last way past retirement : )
DeleteThe rehearsal days with our vocal ensemble are followed by the obligatory beans on toast with all the trimmings.
ReplyDeleteOWiaS: Presumably OMiaS had not heard the broadcast and was therefore not aware of the implications as to the provenance of the young shoe-dwellers. I protested vigorously to the BBC on his behalf, quoting Parish Records!
ReplyDeleteI had to listen to The News at Bedtime, episode 7 - 😂😂😂
DeleteDitto! I hope OWiaS that you did indeed get your "upboot", and hope you applied for entry to the Guiness Book of Records.
DeleteSarnia, thank you for your efforts. But the neighbour they questionned is just jealous - he lives in a soleless plimsole and is well known for his burning underwear.
DeleteYes, I got my upboot - but it turned back into a glass slipper at midnight, not suitable at all.
I listened too, out of curiosity.
DeleteThink (? ) I understand the conversation on here, but conclude I’ve had a sense of humour by-pass.
I had a listen too!!
DeleteWent to do my weekly shop at Sainsburys yesterday. Surprised at how few shoppers there were in store….then I found out why.
ReplyDeleteMeat aisle virtually empty of any meat. Some mince and stewing steak but no chops or joints of, pork or lamb or beef. Just long grubby empty counters.
Milk - none, no standard red, green or blue top, only a few bottles of expensive organic filtered milk. It was midday and they had had no delivery!
Vegetables- very few apart from spuds. No sprouts, cabbage, parsnips, only very old, yellowed broccoli. Hardly any tomatoes or lettuce, no salads. Mushrooms brown and slimy.
A big Sainsburys which looked like a third world shop - it reminded me of the supermarkets in Moscow we saw on TV a few years ago with empty shelves.
Like Miriam I cook most of our deals from scratch, use a lot of fresh vegetables and never, ever use ready meals so I came home with almost empty bags & will have to rely on freezer stored supplies.
Whether this is due to Brexit and the lack of foreign farm workers or Covid keeping people away from work I don’t know. But the effects of either/both are certainly showing.
This is really depressing. I have continued to order online and have the groceries delivered. So far no problems and generally they have provided most of my order although there does seem to be more items not available when ordering.FAs far as meat goesI have discovered Isle of Wight meat company which seems to be a Co operative with all the meat coming from the island. I only occasionally pop into little Tesco and have not encountered any empty shelves there. It seems to me your Sainsbury’s while having delivery problems is not well managed. There is no excuse for grubby shelves! You would think being an island we would have suffered more shortages than most but so far so good!
DeleteSince the pandemic started I've gradually done less of my fresh food shopping in the supermarket. Fruit, veg and milk delivered from local farms, fish and meat from local fishmonger and butcher. The farm from which I get the milk also makes delicious ice cream which they deliver as well.
DeleteCC - you are very lucky to have a local butcher & fishmonger and farms that deliver!
DeleteWe have nothing like that here. Possibly living between two largish towns, the various supermarkets have taken all the custom and the smaller shops have given up competing
I remember years ago we had a Macfisheries in town, then a lovely indépendant fish shop which sadly closed around 10 years ago. Now the only place to buy fish is at either Waitrose or Morrisons as even Sainsbury no longer has a wet fish counter. .
When my sister moved to a village on the outskirts of Fordingbridge, there were 3 butchers and 2 fishmongers in the small town. Now there are no fishmongers and I believe the last of the butchers has closed. Many of the small shops have gone as well. The last time I was there the thriving hardware store was still trading and the bookshop but I expect their days are numbered. It’s so sad because the heart of the bustling town has gone.
DeleteWhat sad news has just popped up on my news feed.
ReplyDeleteThis is that the wonderful Sydney Poitier, has sadly passed away.
I remember him so well in the film "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?".
This film is also memorable, as it was last time Katherine Hepburn + Spencer Tracy acted together, with emotions being shown.
PS I had to do something not nice today. There was a knock on the door and it was the guy who used to cut my hedges. Last time, he did these, I was far from happy. In September the hedges were cut back brilliantly by some-one different, and what a difference.
DeleteThe previous bloke was obviously needing monies, but I was not being conned. As I have said before, I do not like being taken for an individual female senior citizen, without a brain!
I told him that I no longer required his services, but not the reason why. He just accepted it, with no questions asked..
I was prepared to tell him, why he was no longer needed. This didn't happen...Mmm.
DeletePerhaps he"s used to it, Miriam
DeleteSarnia
My brother in law hired a gardener once. He said he wouldn't work a set number of hours but would do what was needed and charge £40 a time. The first visit he cut the grass on the samll back lawn then prepared to leave. Brother in law pointed out the hedge needed cutting too. 'No, I've done the work for this time. I'll do the hedge next time.' Needless to say, they didn't ask him back.
DeleteOur gardener, meanwhile, is worth his weight in gold. Very knowledgeable and can achieve more in our garden in two hours than I can achieve in two weeks.
(My equally expert father in law used to remind us every year to remind our gardener to dig up the dahlia roots over winter. Every year we assured him they were fine in our heavy clay soil. They're still thriving, as are all the fuschias he grew for us.)
“Guess who’s coming to dinner” one of my few very favourite films (with the gorgeous Sidney Poitier) Superb acting pathos and comedy. I have watched it countless times and always have dust in my eyes during Spencer Tracy’s speech at the end. The N word is used but predominantly by the black people themselves and when used by 2 of the white characters never in an insulting way.
ReplyDeleteRIP Sidney ❤️
I mentioned in a previous post, the series of Behind Closed Doors which I found on Sounds.
ReplyDeleteI listened today, to the final "episode", which I found intringuing yet very disturbing.
As such, I will make my wishes known to my family, so to avoid a similar occurence.
It was Series 3, the episode called Protection.
DeleteIt was slightly scary.
Sainsbury's shopping today and after reading of AP's experience I wasn't quite sure what to expect.
ReplyDeleteHowever, although I noticed one or two sparsely stocked areas I was able to find all the basic items I wanted. When shortages occur in our local branch the space is usually filled with alternative goods, so that in the meat aisle you might find a sudden infill of recommended wine to drink with the cuts on display. When all else fails the shelf sports a stand-up cut-out of bottles, jars and packets which looks tidy and professional. I have never seen any part of the store looking anything other than spotlessly clean.
AP, I think you must be the victim of extremely bad management.
Sarnia
Yes, I think you are right Sarnia, there has been quite a turnover in managers at our branch in recent years, and it shows.
DeleteI also very much miss the fresh fish, meat and deli counters which have closed to be replaced with rows of ‘offers’ of detergent, kitchen rolls and pet food.
Next week I am going to try the Basingstoke Morrison’s which, I am told, has an excellent fresh meat counter with a butcher who really knows his trade and an equally good fresh fish counter which has *proper* kippers! My only regret is that it doesn’t have a ‘scan and pack’ system which I find so much easier than taking everything through a standard checkout. That’s what stops me shopping at Lidl too, thé awful checkout system.
By the way, all you new News at Bedtime listeners, have you heard the one about the unfortunate Mr Truelove and the ramifications caused by all the Christmas gifts to his wife?
ReplyDeleteSuffice it to say that after his neighbours' complaints to the Council the situation eventually involved the police, Noise Abatement Society (I think), DEFRA, and several other agencies whose names I forget. In fact, why not listen to the whole series to hear a hilarious modern beaurocratic take on all those unsuspecting songs and nursery rhymes.
Sarnia
I listened to The new at bedtime episode 7! Hilarious! I will definitely be listening to more! Thank you for telling us about it.
ReplyDeleteCan someone tell me what station this programme is broadcast from - it sounds just up my street!
DeleteArcherfile - Radio 4. I didn't know that before I just typed the title into the search box on Sounds.
DeleteI listened to it out of curiosity.
DeleteAlthough I could appreciate the cleverness, it was clear to me that I don’t share the sense of humour with those of you who enjoyed it.
Well MrsP, we're all different. That's what makes the threads in here so interesting : ) I for one would be bored to tears should a football match be inflicted on me; but some people actually consider going to a match a positive joy.
DeleteTo those who are fans, of News at Bedtime, thought possibly also of football, I recommend Jasper Fforde's Nursery Crimes series. Amongst other things, it discusses the wisdom of The Right to Arm Bears, something that might have been pertinent to the ursines in episode 7.
Ev. thought you might be interested to know a sea eagle has turned up at Colliford lake in Cornwall. It is a 40 minute drive away from us but am hoping to persuade the family it might be worth a drive there tomorrow instead of our usual local Sunday afternoon walk. I am wondering if it is one of your young Isle of White sea eagles.
ReplyDeleteI wondered if anyone had any recommendations as to a reliable economical car, not too large but able to take 4 people occasionally. One that has seats a bit higher up so it is easy to get in and out of would be good. I have addled my head looking online, and I expect at the end of the day it will need to be something/anything secondhand I can get from a garage somewhere not too far away.
My trusty very old skoda has had its day. It failed the mot in September and I have been car less since then. Our local mechanic said it was not worth repairing this time, and to use the money instead to put towards another car.
Mrs P I feel for you in your car troubles. Your car seems to need so much done to it that I do wonder if they should have advised you to call it a day.
Janice - thanks for your thoughts.
DeleteMy car was second hand and aged ten years when I bought it.
I’m not sure how long I’ve had it myself but it must be over fifteen years old now. It was always serviced annually and I have continued that myself. As far as I know it’s never before needed a new clutch or new brakes, so although it’s needed these two major repairs now, I hope it’s worth what its currently costing.
My previous car, a Micro, kept going beyond twenty years and I loved it.
( I believe ARCHERPHILE is desperately hanging on to hers)
If and when I buy a new property and have some money to hand I will certainly consider getting another car, but for me it will always be a second hand car.
I had a call today to say that my car has been delivered to the mechanic /garage where the work will be done. That was from a recommendation by my friends neighbour who has used them for years.I’ve just been looking at their reviews, which seem to be very positive.
I’m happy to suggest that you might approach them or consult them for another opinion about the choice of your next car.
They are near Chasewater, which I gather is towards Ruthin.
Janice, I am on my third Hyundai, had them for about 15 years, no bells or whistles but reliable and economical to run. They have never let me down, currently got an i10, it works and has a radio, all I need 👍
ReplyDeleteJanice…. I know it’s not got higher seats but we have a golf that is very economical and cheap re tax and insurance. It’s a petrol one. Nice to drive, quite comfy and easy to park. You can get it to park itself apparently, wouldn’t know how to though. Get about 50 miles per gallon.
ReplyDeleteJanice, I always had a Golf when I was working and loved them. When I retired I decided that I couldn't justify it so got a Polo instead. It hasn't got higher seats but fits 4 people in easily and is very economical to run.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny that, once a good + reliable car is bought, then there is a brand loyalty. This also applies to supermarkets.
ReplyDeleteMy Sainsbury's is doing well - Yes, there have been gaps, but this is due to the ongoing supply/delivery issues. The shelves are always neat, tidy and the store is always very clean. The shelves are filled with all that is available and the staff are so helpful, friendly + caring. My big disappointment is the loss of the fresh fish + meat counters, which.I always used.
I drive, and have done for many years, a Renault (a Captur now), but that is the brand that I have loved, both with the cars and how I drive them. I have "brand" loyalty, for whatever reasons - probably as I have owned at least 7 different renaults now, spanning very many years.
It comes down to, how comfortable one is with familiriaty, and is a change required.
I prefer, knowing what I know.
Most people change cars when they want a newer model. We changed cars when we needed to fit in another car seat. We graduallu worked our way up from a Mini (best car ever) to a Galaxy. When that got written off by a fellow road user who lost control of her steering, we started down-sizing. Currently we've got a Ka. I think all that's left below that is a Sinclair CA.
DeleteThe Ka is great for road tax but only has 3 doors so getting in the back is a challenge. And once you're in the back you have to hope the journey avoids speed bumps or you're in for an uncomfortable ride.
No idea what it's like to drive - I use the bus instead.
Actually, I wonder if we do own a car - perhaps it's actually a roller-skate.
Janice, the Fiat Panda has higher seats and I believe is economical.
ReplyDeleteI have a Toyota Aygo which I love. It is small but surprisingly spacious. Mine has four doors and seats four but the seats are not high.
DeleteI am having a few problems, as many of my written posts, are now not appearing, even after Publish thingy is being tapped.
ReplyDeleteThese were my usual why I am am suddenly having such a problem now. 🤷♀️
This post has appeared, but it was not as written, but at least it did appear, for once.
DeleteI have a problem posting on this site now but it is not my device, of that I am sure.
Oh Well. My thoughts are now long gone and never repeated, as worthless.
DeleteWell at least you know that your not alone Miriam.
DeleteARCHERPHILE has problems constantly and I’ve lost count of the number of times that I’ve had to register. Even today, I’ve got a “WHOOPS” that’s an error, TWICE !
And we do know that several others have been locked out for months and months.
I don’t think it’s you, I think it’s the website ( if it is a website, and I’m not sure of that )
I suspect we will just have to continue to suffer, unless some other brave soul is prepared to set us up from the beginning all over again.
And I can’t imagine that will be a popular suggestion !
I’ll put my tin hat on now !
Is anyone like me liking The Masked Singer?
ReplyDeleteIt is very silly, yet fun to watch in a strange way..😏
Have had several Whoops today so hope this works! Janice, the sea eagle might well come from the island but could be from the continent. An interesting website I found today is roydennis.org which details the movements of the birds. I’m glad we don’t live near Culver cliff as they could mistake Buddy for a rabbit! He is quite small, Dudley is too chunky!
ReplyDeleteRe cars. Miriam… I don’t think people nowadays keep to the same brand loyalty. More depends on price and economy and practicality. We had a Renault scenic when we had 4 dogs. The back window would open independently meaning you could leave it open in summer when out with them. They were in a cage. No one could get at them. Then of course when they updated the model they stopped the opening back window. So changed to Kia Sportage. Great. Loved it. Opening back window. Then, guess what, updated it, no opening window. When we changed that the only option was a bmw 3 or 5 series estate. I think car manufacturers are missing a trick not having this option. I’m sure a lot of dog owners would buy cos of it.
ReplyDeleteI really miss the high seats of our Kia. Now I just spend my time making that noise you make getting in and out of a chair!!!
I’m not an Internet nerd but I’m wondering if there is another way to do these blogs I.e. a different programme from Google Blogspot which hosts our blogs. It seems to be becoming more and more unreliable and difficult to use.
ReplyDeleteI am also having problems just using Google as a search facility.
If I Google « wrought iron gates » for example, it brings up lots of suitable sites but I can’t get into any of them, I just get a sign saying I am disconnected- which I’m not!
I might have a bit of a look round and ask my son what he used for his blog when he was touring round Bolivia for 6 months. He could publish beautiful photographs as well as writing about his experiences. It might be time to think about moving to a different site.
Can anyone explain why I don't seem to have any of these connection problems?
ReplyDeleteSarnia
Just wait your turn Sarnia.
DeleteDon’t be so impatient !
Thank you very much for all the car suggestions.
ReplyDeleteWe have a Citroën C4 Aircross, based on a Mazda model, chunky with oumph, higher ride height, suits us v well, no longer available.... sorry!
ReplyDeleteBut C3 Aircross is, slightly smaller, but v adaptable, 4 door.
Will look the Aircross up. Thanks Parsley.
DeleteTesting as a series of WHOOPS today, after allowing me a post.
ReplyDeleteI agree with ARCHERPHILE . We need to be considering another way.
There now it’s letting me in again.
ReplyDeleteWhen we were having so many concerns about the BBC letting us go, I suggested we started our own blog.
I hadn’t a clue how we should go about it, but did have a friend who I knew would.
I asked and he gave me instructions.
I posted that it was possible and that if there was anyone willing to take it on, then we could go our own way.
Not a single response as far as i remember.
Then a week or so later, maybe longer, Ruthy set this one up.
My friend could instruct me again if I asked !
Also -
DeleteARCHERPHILE had suggested that I changed toChrome.
Over the Christmas period daughter set me up with Chrome.
It hasn’t made a great deal of difference as I’m still getting blocked out, and it’s still as random.
Blimey !
ReplyDeleteThree posts on the trot. My luck is in.
Actually four as I left a cheeky response to Sarnia as well.
I don't drive any more Janice but were I to buy another car now I would look at a Kia.
ReplyDeleteWhat I particularly liked all those years ago when I had one was the fact that I could open the boot from the driver's seat.
Our last car was a Ford Focus which we bought when it was a year old in 2008.
No complaints about that one.
I've just adjusted my veg box for next week. They deliver in Cheshire, Manchester and Merseyside so if anyone's interested just Google "Groobox".
ReplyDeleteThanks. I will look at the website. 😃
DeleteI had to hunt for the cheeky response, Mrs P, but now I've found it
ReplyDeleteOn reflection I think the answer is probably the fact that I'm not using a tablet, just a laptop or nowadays often my new phone
Sarnia
Ev just to say that the sea eagle in Cornwall has been identified as one of the 6 juveniles released on the Isle of Wight. People are hoping it might stay.
ReplyDeleteOh, that’s good news, Janice. Most of them seem to venture away from the island for a time and then return. I suppose it depends on the habitat over there! One of them did hook up with an unidentified one for a while. The original ones from 2019 having explored as juveniles have largely returned and settled here.
DeleteSomething odd is happening to my posts now. Twice I have written a reply to Lankan and after clicking publish it appears but then vanishes again. I will try again later but am cooking Sunday dinner just now.
ReplyDeleteJanice -
ReplyDeleteThis is happening to me frequently.
Sometimes I am able to scroll back and find it and then try again.
Sometimes it just sits there in the ether, at other times it re appears.
It’s all very tiresome.
Sarnia -
You may be right .
To know more, we need to compare what devices each of us is using.
And I’ve had to re register again today, as my first post received aWhoops.
ReplyDeleteRe Blog difficulties:
ReplyDeleteI think we should ask GARY what he thinks as administrator of our blogs.
I know he claims not to be internet- savy, but he may well know somebody who is, or could consult Mrs P’s friend who is., and may be able to set up a new way of us keeping in touch
Strangely, I have been having so many problems with Chrome AND Google that I have gone back to accessing out blogs through the Safari browser on my iPad. It usually publishes my post straight away but sometimes needs a second go.
I use Google Chrome to access this site, so it might well be a problem with them, rather than this actual Blog site.
ReplyDeleteI say this, as it took me ages to access my bank accounts, and then also the site to order new meds. These were done eventually.
Winter is here - but then it is January so it is expected. I woke up to "icy feathers" on my car, and it is starting to get icy, once again.
ReplyDeleteI am hoping for a wonderful sunny winter day soon, so I can get rid of the many weeds which are still growing in the flower beds, and also getting rid of the many leaves, which have come off from a beech hedge.
Lot's to do, when the right day finally appears.
I have tried and tried to find out why I can't sign in as Sarnia and Google keep telling me they can't find my account.
ReplyDeleteI use Google chrome on my Linux PC and Android phone and tablet. I was locked out a while ago but discovered it was to do with my cookie settings, since adjusting those I haven't had any problems. Hope it isn't going to be "famous last words" now!
ReplyDeleteLanjan, I am going to have a go again at writing what vanished twice earlier. I notice that two shorter comments of mine did not vanish, so I am going experiment and split it into two and see what happens.
ReplyDeleteGood luck Janice
DeleteI was fond of my Skoda but it did ground on the track if I wasn't very careful. When young I had a Morris Minor for years, and the camaraderie from other Morris drivers on the road was great. When it finally gave up the ghost it was retired to the field, and when a horse rescue group was using the field for grazing I let them sell parts from it to raise funds. I like to think that pieces of it are still going strong in other vintage Morris cars.
DeleteWell Mrs P I am spluttering and cross right now. The second piece has come up but not the first which was thanking Lanjan and telling her about previous Fords I had owned and liked has utterly vanished. What on earth is happening. I have never had problems before.
DeleteThanks Cheshire Cheese, for the name of the firm, doing the veg. boxes, which are also in my area.
ReplyDeleteI have looked at this. It seems something that I am very interested in, and will suit me.
Thanks again. ✔✔😊
As much as I love Wimbledon, and watching tennis etc. I do agree with OZ re the rules concerning the visa and exclusion, re Novak Djorkervic.
ReplyDeleteWhy should he be allowed to enter OZ - when my family members, who so want to see those who live there, are still unable to do so?
My point is made 😣🤐
Yes, the
👍 Miriam
DeleteNo Archers for me tonight...It was "Queen in Rio" on Sky Arts instead.
ReplyDeleteIt is now old + "grainy", but this great concert, still gave me goosebumps.
This was my era, and still love all their music, as they were so talented in so many ways.
Is there another guitarist to match Brian May around today, not sure.
Cheshire Cheese, I looked at Groobox, how fantastic, I wish there was
ReplyDeletesomething similar in my area
The bread!! And honey!!
I am a tiny bit envious.
We have used Riverford for years. Normally fruit and/or veg, and eggs. We had their turkey at Christmas, and we've had some very nice bread too.
DeleteI'm no fan of honey but some of the other shoe dwellers like it. We have friends locally with hives so they give us a jar from time to time.
So far at least, I have had no problems with posts. I use Firefox, not Chrome. I had problems a while back when it used to update and forget all my passwords. A not so small shoe dweller managed to find and restore the file with old data for me. I've since found creating a Firefox account solves the problem.
ReplyDeleteI have 2 or 3 addresses registered to google. If I'm signed in to the wrong one, I go to google.com and click on the circled initial in the top right hand corner. This gives me a list of all my accounts so I can select OWiaS. Firefox remembers the password for me, and if it doesn't, it's an easy one for me to remember. But, failing that, google gives the option to reset my password.
I don't know if any of that helps the locked-out folks. If not, perhaps google simply holds a personal grudge against you ; )
Thank you OWiaS, that was most helpful. I followed your instructions and found that the only account listed in my name is the one Google say they can't find.
ReplyDeleteHi, I get locked out regularly, one reason for my erratic posting. I have been accessing through chrome on my iPad on latest update (iOS 13 or 14 I think) I am trying this through safari.
ReplyDeleteSafari didn’t work but it published through chrome without having to login, I got multiple whoops last time I tried 🤷
ReplyDeleteJust like OWIAS I have no trouble at all. I think it is because of perhaps internet connection?
ReplyDeleteI post from my laptop computer, mainly because I have it on my lap the whole day!
I don't post through my phone (an Android) as that's for my phone calls and messages only.
I feel that so many problems with posting, with so many levels of equipment, must be probably something with the connection.
I don't think another web-site would solve this.
I don't have any technical knowledge or solutions though unfortunately.
I also mostly post from my laptop, with no problems. I don't have access problems from my phone either, just loss of identity!
DeleteSarnia
Did anyone watch Monty Don’s new series on Friday? Visiting gardens in Venice, then along the Adriatic and - specially for Sarnia, Greece, later in the series.
ReplyDeleteWe saw some amazing gardens in Venice, several of which had had to be rescued and planted again after their terrible floods a few years ago.
There is only one thing that really irritates us and it is that strip of blue material that Monty insists on hanging around his neck, sometimes hanging loose, sometimes looped and knotted in various ways.
Why?
It can’t be due to the cold, so it must just be an affectation I suppose!
Sorry for double post - another glitch in the system!
ReplyDeleteIt's not the only thing that irritates me about Monty!
ReplyDeleteI was delighted to have a chance to look at that garden we were able to see as we chugged up and down the Grand Canal on the buses. I'm certainly looking forward to the Greek visit. There was an interesting article about the series in the GW magazine.
DeleteThe scarf doesn't bother me, but then neither do Carol Klein's fingernails which were commented on some time ago.
The two presenters I find moreirritating are Adam Frost and Frances Tophill because their fast, breathy delivery means I can't follow what they're saying.
Prize for the most annoying of all goes to Charlie Dimmock, but she's so very good at what she does and just like the rest of us, can't be any other than herself!
I thoroughly enjoyed Monty’s programme on Venetian gardens. The only time I’ve been to Venice it wasn’t to look at gardens: my mother had just died and I was determined to scatter her ashes from the Rialto bridge, which was near the hotel she had stayed in. Venice was her favourite city so I thought it appropriate to let her free in the place she loved so much. It was Easter and the place was alive with people. Clutching the urn I stood on the bridge and realised I would be showering the heads of the masses of people on the canal. So her ashes travelled back to England with us. She would have laughed. I hope she enjoyed the journey.
ReplyDeleteMy favourite tv gardener is Carol Klein. Sometimes she is carried away by her enthusiasm but it is sincere. I have learnt so much from her and if her fingernails are dirty it’s because she actually does have her hands in the soil!
I find her a bit too gushy sometimes, but she is very knowledgeable and I'm learning a lot from her present series on gardening early in the year. Lanjan likes 'the one with the crinkly eyes', who I think must be Nick Bailey.
DeleteI am not a fan of TV gardening shows + presenters, as I find it hard to adapt their ideas into a small garden like mine. I go by my instinct, along with visits to nureseries/garden centres, and just asking questions + advice.
ReplyDeleteHaving said that - I have loved visiting wonderful gardens on my travels - Italy, S.Africa, Morocco, Ecuador, China, Spain, Croatia etc. etc.
Those days are in the past now.
Due to my cat problems, I am not sure if I can dare try + put her into kennels again, so I can travel. Pusscat is still showing signs of early "cat senility", minor at the moment I know, but I am still a wee bit worried. 😼
If I was given a Golden Ticket to go anywhere in the World, where would I choose?
ReplyDeleteI have two places, as I can't decide between the two.
These are:-
1) Venice
2) Xian (China), to see the Terracotta Army again along with the further treasures constantly being found.
Where would others do a return visit to??
Both these would be very welcome return visits, as due to the experiences I had, the 1st time round.
DeleteI would definitely go round Alcatraz again. In was fascinating. Also do different tours round Hearst castle in California…..unbelievable. To think you can stand in the same room that Clark Gable partied in!!!
DeleteOooh ,PtbY you name dropper !
DeleteMy favourite gardening presenter is Chris Beardshaw.
ReplyDeleteOh, here here CC!
DeleteHe was a guest speaker on a cruise we did to Madeira. He gave several fascinating talks and was very friendly, answering loads of questions long after his stint was supposed to have finished.
Very genuine and not ‘starry’ at all.
I wrote a long post on the other board. I did this carefully and it was related to Alice + her future.
ReplyDeleteSadly it didn't publish, even though it was done with care and I know I tapped the publish button, and such I was told it had been, but it just didn't appear.
Perhaps it was too long, which hasn't been a problem before - but perhaps it could be one now.
No idea, though.
Doubt it was because it was too long Miriam.
DeleteThere seems to be no rhyme nor reason for this problem that, as it now appears, is troubling so many of us.
Are you taking note Gary ?
In the last ten minutes I wrote a post on the other thread and it published without any problem.
DeleteI then came on this side and wrote the post above.
It did not publish, but came up with a whoops instead.
I immediately re registered, then returned to this screen.
My unpublished post was still there.
I did not type it again, I simply pressed publish again.
And lo and behold, it published.
We need some technical help.
If I write a long post, I copy (Ctrl C) it before I click 'publish'. Then if something drastic happens and it vanishes I can just paste it back and try again.
DeleteWell, I carried out your instructions via my laptop, OWiaS and found my original Google registration account. My son must have changed it when he set up this new phone. Many thanks, OWiaS, I am no longer "Unknown'
ReplyDeleteHurrah! When done ex-Unknown!
DeleteNick Bailey✔️
ReplyDeleteChris Beardshaw✔️
ReplyDeleteCarol Klein 😡🤬
Christine Walkden🤬😡
Tried writing longer comments but they vanished.
ReplyDeletePerhaps Miriam is right.
Are you using a tablet, Lanjan, as that seems to be where the problems occur.
DeleteYay, pic as well!! I've had to do a lot of lateral thinking and my brain aches!
ReplyDeleteApparently Clark Gable had bad breath...
ReplyDeleteHe should have worn a mask....
Delete😷😶😂
DeleteI agree with those who like Chris Beardshaw as a gardening guru. On Gardeners Questiontime he is so knowledgeable. Also at Chelsea, his gardens are full of flowers in a natural landscape rather than hard landscaping taking up 80% of the space. I thought he would be a natural successor to Monty but it seems Adam Frost is the favourite.
ReplyDeleteMy favourite too Soz, though I’m restricted to GQT
DeleteThe above has published, but an hour or so ago when I tried to respond to Sarnia
ReplyDeleteI went through several hoops of Whoops and the word publish floating on my screen, but not actually doing so, though twice I could see that it had shown up as published, but then when I refreshed the page didn’t show at all, then refreshed again, and it was there.
I eventually gave up.
With a final anguished wrestling match with the technology I've also managed to transfer my necessary data from Internet Explorer to Microsoft Edge, so I'm not 'Unknown' anywhere at all!.
ReplyDelete👏🏻 🎉 👏🏻
DeleteWell done Sarnia 😊
DeleteAre those your very own snowdrops, Lady R? If so, I'm envious, because they don't like my garden.
DeleteSadly not Sarnia I think the photo was taken at Mottisfont Abbey (NT) some time back.
DeleteI remember we stayed in a hotel at Stockbridge - a short break offer.
I almost out-clevered myself this morning, and was instantly cut down to size: having worked out how to be fully registered to this blog and re-instated my profile on Microsoft Edge, I later cleared my browsing history, and guess what - it included all my alterations, so I had to do it all over again! What an idiot.
ReplyDelete