No T Words mentioned at all - a fresh start

katep23

Sounds like a lot of fun Lynn! What a lovely day for it, a bit too warm for me to be outside for long but I really mustn't complain! One of the cats (heat tart!) has taken up residence on a shady bit of the staging in the greenhouse and is sprawled out, happily purring away.

Have let the ducklings out of their pen for the first time, there is not enough shade there for them right now so they are all sitting under the tree looking a lot happier. Need to count them back in later to make sure none have made a break for freedom (got a vision of a duckling on a motorbike now, Steve McQueen style!)

[Deleted User]

KATE If only I couldn't see it in my head, but I can, I now see them all in a row like the aeroplane in Chicken Run pedalling like mad to clear the fence, ha ha ha ha ha !!!!!!!

katep23

:rotfl::rotfl: :rotfl:

That's exactly it

katep23

10 ducklings counted back into their pen which is now in shade...

[Deleted User]

Well done those ducklets, they obviously know where they're well off and have a Mumi to look after them,glad all are safe, Cheers Lyn xxx.

katep23

Another early start, awake at 5.45, managed to stay in bed until 6.15 but then was wide awake so the ducks got an early morning as well (caught them sleeping, they are usually quacking to be let out!)

There's a haze on the horizon but it's already warm out there. Got lots to do today so quick cup of tea, shower, breakfast and then getting on with it so I can sit down and watch the tennis without guilt.

Hope you all have a good day x

flowertotmum

Hello everyone..hope your all ok...and enjoying the cooler day after the scorchers we have had...

Mlw..samuel got his award..i was so proud of him..he looked dashinh in his suit..he got a statue a certificate and £50 of Jacksons vouchers..boy was it hot in the hall where the ceremony was..felt faint..had a word with his tutor about the Painting and decorating course too...he has definitely got a place but it will cost (drum roll please and get ready to sit down)...£1200...just in case anyone missed it £1200...thats an awful lot of money...we did enquire about funding but got turned down..we qualify in the income area..its that the course is not recognized by the government(remember that David Cameron next time you need your wallpaper putting up)...so thankfully the college are great about it..we can pay in installments over the year...going to be frugal street again..sam for his part is going to look for a part-time job and has been helping us out more by the way of cutting the grass and cleaning the windows..cleaning out the chickens and doing what ever needs doing...good lad.

Katie..thanks for the birthday wishes and i hope you had a great day too..my birthday is on the 23rd of june when is yours?..i had a beautiful bouquet delivered on my anniversary too..thats the 21st of june..27 yrs wow a long time...how is your job going hun?

Sm..thank you for the cake lol...how is your friend doing?..

Right as for us we have been very busy doing lots of bits and bobs...the funeral went very well..lots of tears but then smiles..we all loved george..
We are still waiting for new sofas to arrive..i got given some lovely strawberries..not enough to make jam but enough to have some lovely cream teas...we have all agreed that from now on no matter what is on the meal plan they will eat it...i won't have the budget to do 2 different meals..plenty of ideas though..baked parmesan paprika chicken is divine with new potatoes...
I am making my own bread again..and have got some lovely courgettes to make chutney with..i got some lemon vinegar on the go too..for cleaning.
I know this sounds daft but i have got the girls some lovely winter clothes..yes i know its hot lol...but this is the time to get them..i got Iris 2 lovely fleeces for 50p each,Fern has a gorgeous cardigan for £1..found some lovely hats and gloves for 50p..so it will just be wellies and boots i hope this winter..am slowly building up a nice little pile of winter clothes for them..
What a wonderful weekend it was..we won the lions tour..the tennis and finally had a bbq...so a darn good news weekend...
right off to have a quick cuppa before getting dinner ready..only a salad tonight..got to have a break some time.
love you all
ftm

[Deleted User]

Hello FTM really pleased the award ceremony was such a delight for you all, how proud you must all have been, and prizes too, wow!!! £1200 for a course is a lot of money but you could look on it as a wise investment for the future. If Sam gets a career from courses like this it's better use of your cash than getting 1/2% interest in a bank account somewhere isn't it? Good for the college letting you pay in installments and even more good for Sam trying for a job to help out, he's a cracker!!!

It is never too early to think about winter preps, as I type we are over 30 degrees outside, but we've booked the chimney sweep and are waiting for a delivery of logs to go into store well found on all the winter things for the girls, every little helps as they say!

Yes it was a wonderful weekend, they kind that actually makes me proud to be british, enjoy this wonderful weather and make the most of the sun, Love Lyn xxx.

scottishminnie

Hi all. Sorry I've been a bit absent lately. I could do with stretching my days to 48 hours so I could achieve a bit more:o

Been busy on the farm and parents needing a fair bit of help to keep things moving in the good weather.

Having at least one day away on business each week which is a 4.30 start and close to 9pm finish which kind of wipes that day out for anything else.

FTM - my friend's news is not good. She has an extremely rare and terminal tumour. The specialists have no idea how long she has been suffering and, perhaps understandably, have no idea how long she will be with us. There is no possible treatment so they have sent her home, advising they will monitor her, she should take it easy and she could be around for 12 weeks, 12 months or who knows.

She is handling it very well, unlike the rest of us who simply don't know what to do or say. Her attitude is to carry on and simply see what happens. I just can't begin to imagine how you plan anything when you don't know what is in front of you. When I said so she just took my arm and said maybe it was easier than living her life putting things off because she thought she had years to do them. She's just over 80 although has the energy and appearance of someone 20 years younger.

When something like this happens I think I must have a very immature outlook on life and never consider the inevitable. I guess I expect people to be around forever. I don't seem to notice friends and family getting older around me either. I'm maybe just a bit shocked by the news but I've felt like some sort of ditzy, clueless bimbo.

Anyway, enough depressing news.

Kate - glad your job is going well. It's so nice when someone takes the trouble to give credit where it is due. I've always found that the little snippets like that are so much more rewarding than the big fussy, showy pats on the back that go around in my world sometimes.
You also have the joy of the ducklings to come home to - they are adorable. I could waste so much time just watching them!

FTM and MrsLM - it's never too early for winter preparation. I found some mincemeat reduced in Mr A last week and have stored in away for later in the year. And I'm sure the chimney sweep will be glad of the work just now rather then when the whole world wants him to come out to them.

We had a glorious weekend, great rugby and nail-biting tennis. I'm not normally emotional at all but that was two lots of tears over the weekend. Well worth the puffy eyes and sodden hankies though:o

We are also on something like our 6th straight dry day here which is fantastic, and set to continue over the weekend by all accounts. For some reason I booked myself a cut, colour and blow dry on Saturday though - only a mad woman would sit in a hot hair salon when it is to be over 20 outside! Never mind - I'll save money on sunscreen - every cloud has a silver lining as they say!

The new fridge freezer arrived - it's fabulous. Very sad that I'm so excited but it has an ice maker and a water dispenser. Because I don't have space in my utility room for a big American fridge/freezer I never though I'd find one with ice and water or that didn't need plumbed in however I'm thrilled with it. We are drinking even more water than usual so it has to be good for us!

Good grief - just noticed the time. Off to load the washing machine then to bed. Catch up with you all later in the week - I have some MSE questions so I will be back....

scottishminnie

How good is it that we are still having wonderful weather? Even in Scotland?!

I don'y know if it is connected to the weather but I am run ragged trying to get everything done right now. I do spend quite a bit of time watering plants so I guess that plays a part but I seem to have lost my sense of routine at the moment.

My veggies are looking good, potatoes flowering well, carrots and celery looking healthy as is the garlic. The big disappointment seems to be the onions. They never looked great but now the green parts seem to be shrivelling up and disappearing so not sure what I will find when I dig them up.

I planted two lots of rhubarb in tubs early in the season and I didn't expect to be able to use either of them this summer however one of them seems to have grown like fury in the last few weeks and I'm thinking I may have to harvest some of it before it gets out of control. Is it ever ok to cut rhubarb in it's first season?

The new apple trees have only 1 or 2 fruit each but they were only planted last August so I can live with that. The pear and plum trees and the cob nut bush have absolutely zero sign of anything which is a huge disappointment but maybe to be expected. Maybe I'm just too darned impatient. My old apple tree, which is really sick, is laden so it will be left for at least another year in the hope that the newbies catch on soon!

Lots of berries on the black and redcurrants. Nothing on the two gooseberries after the sawfly episode:( The blueberry bushes which were so prolific last year seem to have shrunk and have no fruit and I have no idea if the raspberry will yield anything. It has beautiful healthy leaves and lots of them but no fruit...

hmmm. I didn't intend this to be a blow by blow account of my produce however seeing as I'm on the subject I also planted some pumpkin seeds which I brought home from the US. Hubby has warned me if I ever get stopped at customs and locked up for bringing home veggie and flower seeds he will deny being with me!

well, very short lunchbreak over now so hope you are all well.