CREATING A SHRINE FOR MY MAM

[Tina19]

Hello All.

Just thought I’d drop by to say good afternoon. I wrote some replies late last night but I was so very tired and had to abandon them as they were bordering incomprehensible in some parts!

Neil - Nice pictures. The outdoor shot reminds me very much of Preston Guild Hall in Lancashire. Not that you will have seen it in person but it must have been built in the same era as those *Theatres of that age are so alike and typical of the 60/70/80’s. It’s good when you develop a hobby with different aspects to it as with yours. There are always lots of options. Keep enjoying your shows!

Alison - Pleased to hear the war wounds are improving somewhat. Wait till they go yellow and green! We all do silly stuff! I remember dashing to the post office in the dark and pouring rain with an umbrella pulled down and next thing I knew I had ran into a concrete lamp post and ended up on the floor with two big black eyes and a huge tennis ball lump on my head nicely developing! I was too scared to move for 24hours and then had to go out for a month looking like Frankenstein’s Monster. Glad Bev had some good news recently too. A nice little celebration for you all and it will keep her spirits high. Your Mum sounds a little live wire watching the tribute act! Yes I remember the Partridge Family! It wasn’t something I watched but remember it being on the TV. It’s amazing the things that we can remember that have slipped off the radar over time isn’t it. Things like the “Jackie” Annual and there were two main teenage girl magazines out for a while and I just can’t bring the names up but I remember being in them requesting Penpals. Can you imagine it today if people had to write a letter, then go and buy a stamp and wait for a reply! Social media, phones and tech has made us all very impatient !! (Sorted with the Apple Crumble ingredients!!).

Christine - Still thinking of you and hoping you are OK. I know you will post when you are feeling able to so don’t want to intrude as sometimes people just want/need a bit of emotional solitude. I’m currently in the kitchen with the door wide open because the lovely sun is really warming and the trees are rustling with the breeze. I hope you are well as I remember you had been having blood tests at some stage. Still no results for him and it’s three and a half weeks although the letter said 6weeks for a biopsy result. How on earth does one preserve their sanity waiting for 6weeks. I’ve heard the winds are due to batter us again in the next few days so I have cut the roses back to prevent them being forced up from the ground. Can imagine there is plenty to do in your garden as well.

Catch up again very shortly but in the meantime keep well all xx

[warriner21]

Hi Nic

Thank you for the hello, hello to you too.

Sorry to hear things have been a bit crap for you, I hope things improve for you soon.

Alison xx

[warriner21]

Hi Tina,

Still very stiff & one leg is developing into a lovely colour palette. Feeling a bit sorry for myself though, still will get better. Had my flu jab today, so got a sore arm as well now. Life is grand.

The trip to the post office in the dark sounds awful, bet you looked lovely with two black eyes.

Yes my mum is a live wire, sometimes forget she is 81! She is a lot more outgoing than me. When you are with her she never shuts up. I remember once Rich & I taking her & dad to Whitby, she nattered on all the way there & all the way back, we both had a headache when we eventually dropped them back at home. Her excuse now is that she doesn’t talk to anyone all afternoon/evening unless she goes out or phones someone - so she has a lot of chatting to make up. She rings me every evening & can be on the phone for 30+ minutes, even tells you things she has told you in the morning.

I remember Jackie Annual, I used to get one every Christmas & loved it. I also had a penpal back in the day. You are right about nowadays people would not bother to write a letter. And sometimes I can go all week without getting anything through the post.

Glad you managed to get the apple crumble ingredients. Enjoy.

Hope you have enjoyed your day with the lovely sun. As you say it is not going to last all week, keep hearing about the storm we are due to have. It is quite windy here already, but no rain yet.

I hope your brother soon gets his results, the waiting is horrendous. Awful to have to wait 6 weeks.

Take care & speak again soon.

Lots of love xx

[Beki]

Ouch @warriner21 hope the leg gets comfortable soon.

I might join you if I am not careful - not sure how but there was one of those laundry liquid tablets at the bottom of my stairs and I stood on it - made quite the pop! Cleaned it up, but left that part of the entrance hall like an ice rink

@NEILB72 great photos and glad you’ve enjoyed more theatre trips - addictive isn’t it?! I went on Saturday to see Grayson Perry and it was very funny. What was particularly good fun about it was he had a big screen with slides on and we had access to an interactive app to vote in polls and questions. Was really interesting, would definitely recommend. Off on Wednesday evening to see Do You Believe In Ghosts? Will report back!

@christine51 hope you are keeping okay. No outdoor swimming this week as going to the theatre that evening then in October there are no more evening swims. Our little group of swimmers are looking to finding a new time, probably a Saturday, What’s nice about that is the cafe will always be open so we can eat afterwards!

I need to get to grips with the garden. have some tulips to plant for spring.

love to all

Beki x

[Debbie57]

Hi everyone,

I went to physio today, turns out I’m doing much better than I thought I was. Starting to build up my walking distance slowly walked round the block today and tomorrow I probably walk as far as Doug’s bench in the park , providing it’s not pouring with rain. I need to check it as someone told me it had been scratched. Still it’s in a public park that was bound to happen at some point.

A friend from school called in to see me today, he said I’m really missed at work. They didn’t get anyone to cover for me and the teachers are up in arms having to do their own photocopying. Oh dear, I broke the news I probably won’t be back until the middle of November. As I leave at Christmas they are going to have to get used to being without me.

Just booked tickets to go and see The Mousetrap at our local theatre with my daughter next Tuesday evening. Managed to get the front row, so I can stretch my legs and won’t have to keep getting up to let people in and out the row.

Looking at the calendar today it’s only 4 weeks until we go on holiday at half-time week. The whole family are going to Teignmouth. It’s a new family tradition we all go to celebrate Doug’s birthday and also the time of year we scattered his ashes. It’s a lovely family time together. We all stay together in a big house, my son and his partner and my daughter all love cooking and after the first night tradition of fish and chips, they cook lovely meals every night. Play lots of silly games and just remember Doug/dad/grandad. Hopefully my knee will be up to more walking by then.

I’m having my flu injection next week Alison, I’m not surprised you feel battered and bruised. Your mum sounds alot of fun.

Nice photos Neil, I’ve been to the National Theatre too, years ago with Doug. I don’t remember what we saw.

Hi Christine, hope your okay and still reading even though your not up to replying just yet.

Love to everyone else

Debbie xx

[Tina19]

Tuesday greetings all.

Feeling a bit worse for wear this morning as was out till 11ish last night walking Zoe. Knee joints are killing me, thank goodness I’ve only got two legs and not the four like Zoe who despite being barely two also has hip dysplasia. Always on the lookout for supplements for her for this but my mind has been well and truly boggled by the differing information out there on what’s the best stuff to buy.

Feels like the calm before the storm this morning. A bit like the quieter the calm the bigger the storm. The only storm though that’s brewing right now is coming from my nextdoor neighbour who has had his bedroom TV on since before the crack of dawn!

It made me chuckle Alison about your Mum chattering away! Mum used to ring me for an hour every single night, and often two and three times a day on top of the hour. I must confess I didn’t know that much between conversations but would give anything to have those calls again. You don’t realise do you that you are in your “best life” till you aren’t, but I think that’s simply human nature.

Christine how are you? I wonder everyday how you are and if everything is as ok as can be. We will all be pleased to hear from you again when you feel up to dropping by. All in your own good time though.

Well, need to write a shopping list so will say bye for now and much love to all.

xx

[Tina19]

Hi Christine

I hope you are well, but if not I hope you are being looked after. Just know we are always wondering if you are OK and anyone of us is available to message directly if you feel you need to chat. I’ve not been up to anything spectacular unless you count finding bargains! The local CoOp is closing down and over three visits I have managed to get over £80.00 of food items for just under £15.00. No chocolate involved unfortunately but as it’s all stuff I buy anyway it will be a huge saving. Unfortunately though when I “bulk-buy” Brother thinks it means “bulk-eat”!! The predicted storms here last night were quite ferocious, blew over a tree in the garden but it’s incredibly still now. So I hope you have had no damage at your end at least the type that doesn’t need a ladder to climb to fix. He has had no Biopsy results yet and it’s a month today. I’d have collapsed in a heap mental turmoil and anxiety by now if it was me. It’s because of the backlog apparently but everytime he goes to the Hospital they “forget” about him. Last time he was there for 8 hours before realising there’d been a breakdown in communication between departments so he can’t be sure the same hasn’t happened with these Biopsy results. Anyway I am rambling as per usual so will shut up promptly now!

Keep as well as you can and sending much love xx

[Tina19]

Hi Alison

Hope all is well at your end with you and your knee and Bev with the treatment.

Storms here were quite fierce last night but other than a tree being blown over no structural damage thank goodness.

Have you any outings lined up Alison? My Husband kept offering to teach me to drive and I so regret not doing so now as maybe I’d not feel as limited in where I can get to, but that’s life isn’t it. I’ve tried since and still got his car but imagine Mavis in Corrie behind the wheel of a car and that would be me, a complete ditherer. I’d be too easily intimidated on the road. But I’m a ditherer and procrastinator in a lot of ways! I’m sat here now debating about having walk to the a Supermarket. I’ve already been to the local co-op at just gone 7am. If I do stuff on the spur of the moment I’m fine, give it some thought and I usually find an opportunity to put it off!!

Have a good day Alison and much love xx

[warriner21]

Hi Beki

Leg is on the mend, thank you. Problem with my back now, think I must have pulled it when I fell.

Have you solved the mystery of how the laundry liquid tablet ended up in the hall?

Love, Alison x

[warriner21]

Hi Debbie,

Glad to hear you are doing well with your knee and managing to walk further.

Hopefully you will be fully healed by the time you go to Teignmouth for your holiday.

The flu injection was not great, my arm swelled up and took 3 days to go down. Hope you are ok with yours.

My mum is a lot of fun, she has a real zest for life - more so than me.

Take care. Love Alison xx

[warriner21]

Hi Tina

Thank you the knee/leg is on the mend. But I have now got a bad back, think I must have pulled it when I fell. Flu jab also wiped me out. So I have been suffering all week. Not managed to do a lot this week.

We got off quite lightly with the storms, not even much rain. The forecast for today is quite good, hoping to have a potter in the garden - back permitting. Not a great forecast for the weekend.

No outings planned. We go to Spain in a couple of weeks, so trying not to spend much at the moment. Mum wants to go to Harrogate on Sunday, but I would prefer not to - will have to let her down gently. Alan might take her. I want to stay at home & watch the racing at Paris.

Shame you didn’t let your husband teach you to drive, you would have had a lot more independence. But the roads are intimidating nowadays, some dreadful drivers on them.

I am also a ditherer - I think oh I will do such & such, then don’t seem to have the inclination to do anything. I have got worse since I lost Rich.

Sounds like you got some great bargains from the Coop. We have a coop in our village, I quite often get a reduced tea from there - I like there pasta dishes. Totally lazy, but more often than not I cannot be bothered to cook for myself.

Has your brother got his results yet? Can he not ring up & chase them up? The waiting must be horrendous for him.

Hope you have a good day & take care.

Love Alison xx

[warriner21]

Hi Christine,

Hope you are ok and managing to finish your garden tasks before the weather really turns. Not much gardening getting done at my house at the moment. Had a fall down the stairs & have been suffering this week, hopefully on them mend now. I am hoping to get into the garden some time today.

I have bought a rattan effect sofa set of a friend of mums. I only wanted the sofa & table, but have ended up with 2 chairs as well, the whole set was £50 & included cushions.

Really missing your chatty posts. Always interesting to read what you are up to.

Take care & hopefully we will hear from you soon.
Lots of love, Alison xx

[Tina19]

Hi Christine

Just a brief line to say Hello and hope you are getting by as well as possible.

Its a strange time of year in lots of ways isn’t it. Seems to be a bit more difficult than last year for some reason. Hope your Niece and Nephew have been able to drop by,

Like Alison says, we miss your chit-chat, I think we’d all get fired up that bit extra to do stuff after we’d read what you’d been up to. At least for me!!

Hope the neighbours are keeping a low profile and not troubling you.

Bye for now.

Much love
xx

[Tina19]

Hi Alison

Sorry to hear you had a bad back. Could be your back is feeling the strain by maybe having to compensate for your other injuries but it can seem that it is one thing after another doesn’t it.

Love the garden furniture Alison, apparently there is to be an Indian Summer in October so let’s hope it gets a lot more use. I need to go out in the garden and do some more kindling for the woodburner this week. It’s amazing how quick it goes. We only had the burner put in in April so we’ve not had to use much up to now.

Well, I’ll go and finish getting this shopping put away and see how the weather is for doing something outside.

Thanks for asking, no he hasn’t had any biopsy results back yet. Its four weeks today since he had it done. I don’t know, it doesn’t sound good having to wait so long but don’t have any experience myself of this kind of thing so don’t know if that is standard. But surely he’ll hear something next week.

Have a good evening Alison, mind the back!!

Much love xx

[Suzanne30]

Thought I’d just check in and see how we are doing but @christine51 and @NEILB72 are very much missed but get life gets in the road.

Hope everyone is doing ok and like a couple of folk apart from one night of high winds and bad rain think we did not too bad compared to some other regions. Hadn’t heard we were to get an Indian Summer but so hope that’s true as makes the winter seem shorter x

Just been ten pin bowling in the newly opened one in Dundee and it was a lot of fun…forgot how much fun it was tbh. Everything has changed so much since I was last bowling and maybe you all knew this but long gone are the days of you having to wear stinky bowling shoes that thousands of folk had worn…you can wear your own trainers now x so much more hygienic lol x

The work is trying to organise the Xmas night out but I see I’m working the day after so I’ve said I’ll not bother going. I would have gone if it was a nice meal and drink but they seem to want a party night with buffet and bingo!! Possibly being a snob but I don’t work all year for a buffet and bingo lol x

Going out for a couple of drinks tonight as it’s my pals birthday tomorrow and my niece’s on 3rd Oct so should be nice x

Well can’t rattle on about me all day so look forward to hearing what you are all up to and keeping well

[NEILB72]

Hi Suzanne.
I am here! Just been a pretty quiet week with nothing of note going on. Had a bit of a meltdown on Thursday as I found some personal stuff of Mums at the bottom of a cupboard that I didnt know was there and got upset. Phoned Samaritans later and felt better.
Will always have these odd moments and have to accept it moving forward. Oct and Nov will be difficult as thats when I lost Dad and then Mum ( two year anniversary).
Apart from that I havent been too bad on other days. Looking forward to seeing the Royal Ballet in the middle of October. New season starts tonight for them.
I see you have been bowling. Last time I did that was in the mid 90s. I remember being quite good at it even if I had a sore arm for a few days afterwards!
Didnt mean to cause any concern for not posting but time does indeed run away with us and the weeks fly by!
Football day today so hoping for a good result this afternoon.
Sending love and best wishes
Neil x

[Tina19]

Hi Neil and good morning to you. Yes the little “surprises” we come across can certainly unlock the floodgates can’t they when they catch us off guard. Dates, little handwritten notes etc. Hope the football lives up to expectation and I hope you have a treat or two whilst you are sitting comfortably watching. Keep well xx

[Tina19]

Hi Everyone

Goodness how cold it is today, what a shock to the system. Not a lot on the horizon for me today, at least nothing of the “nice” variety as I’m aware of.

Just been having a bit of a fight with some copper string lights and a tree and as I’m not over endowed with patience they may well look like a bit of a pigs ear when they light up at dusk!

Hope all are well and hope too we have a good a day as we are able.

Much love xx

[warriner21]

Hi Tina

My back is feeling much better today, thanks. I felt dreadful yesterday. Hopefully it is now on the mend. I think it was probably from falling down the stairs. Managed to clean the house today, so must be feeling better.

Very pleased with the furniture, I only wanted sofa & table. But I have ended up with 2 chairs as well; she wanted £50 for the whole lot & wanted it gone asap. So I am planning on selling the chairs next year. The coffee table has a waterproof storage area for the cushions, so very useful. Where I have placed the sofa is the most shaded area of the garden, ideal for a non sun lover. And it is really comfy.

Do you prepare the kindling yourself? We always wanted a woodburner, but could not afford it when we moved in. Not sure I could manage it on my own now. I love watching a real fire, I find it mesmerising.

Hope your brother gets his results next week, an awful long time to have to wait. Bev got all her results within 2 weeks. It just seems dreadful to make someone wait all that time for results for something that potentially could be life changing. Very cruel, or is it just the state of the NHS nowadays.

Weather is dreadful here now. Just been into the garden to try & do some pruning, had to give up - too wet. I have been googling how to take fuchsia cuttings & propagate them. Could do with Christine on here as she will probably know how to do them perfectly. I have a very large fuchsia and thought I might be able to get some free plants for next year, but I cannot find any plant pots & too wet too investigate.

It is dark here, have had to put a light on. Haven’t the nights drawn in this last week, I am closing the curtains before 7pm now. I have been getting on with my jigsaw, very slowly I must admit.

I am going out this evening to my local pub for a tapas night with mum & Alan. I have not spoken to anyone except my next door neighbour all day so I am looking forward to getting out.

Have you had any more super bargains from your Coop? I got some reduced chicken thighs this morning & cooked 2 for tea tomorrow. Frozen the other 2.

Hope you have had a good day & have a nice/relaxing evening.

Lots of love, Alison xxx

[Tina19]

Hello Alison

I haven’t done anything exciting today to bore you guys with but popped by to see if Christine had been in and saw your post. I thought I’d have a little chat back with you!

I must admit the warmth of a log burner really is on a whole different level. You can buy these mechanical fans that sit on the top of them and they circulate the heat round the room. It bothers me a lot about the the “clean-ness” of it, ie, fumes and particulates etc but you look around the road at the chimneys and they are seem to be increasing in number. You are right about them being mesmerizing to watch and I’m sure my Brother has it on sometimes as a kind of “comfort” blanket substitute to immerse himself with the flames! For the kindling he gets hold of pallets when he’s out and about at some of the businesses he visits and we cut them to length and chop them providing they aren’t chemical treated. It’s cheaper than buying bagged from the supermarket. We haven’t had the need to buy a builders size bag of logs yet which can work out at £130 per bag. In the end it probably won’t be more economical than electric but the heat is better. They look after themselves really, not like an open fire at all. They seem to be so popular don’t they are the moment.

I love the jigsaw Alison. At one time I’d mount them and had one or two on the wall. I had 2 Corrie double sided special edition ones once but without being too morbid, it does kind of take the shine off when there is no one to show off your handiwork to, even if they only humoured you! Have you ever tried DiamondArt Painting Kits where you stick plastic faceted “diamonds” on a sticky canvas. Very therapeutic but somehow Im still waking up with the things stuck to me from several months ago!

I can’t shed any light on the propagating issue sadly. I can make Hydrangeas from cuttings and that’s about it. You are quite right, Christine would certainly know! I’ve never been able to keep a Fuschia. Never sure whether the ones I have had have been annual or perennial as Im sure some fuschia’s can be either/or but that’s purely
a guess.

Good to hear your back has improved. It’s tough going when you back isn’t right.

No I didn’t get any bargains today at all as I didn’t go out, the rain just didn’t stop once it started today. I got some yesterday although not from the Coop. I also bought a waffle maker in the sale but wonder if I was having a funny turn at the time as what on earth am I going to do with one of those! Think I may return it as I didn’t even open the box!

I hope you had a good night tonight, sometimes you need it to take yourself out your yourself don’t you.

I was just talking to my Brother about not waiting for the full 6weeks for these results. I don’t take my own advice however as I will not get medical over anything and tend to stick my head in the sand, not very clever!!

Well I’ll say cheerio. Ive got into a right bad habit of gabbing on these days.

Much love xx