The Garden Fence - proper Old Style support and chat!

pollyanna_26

Just a quick one. Reading your post on the Turtles thread. I'm not sure if the better known foodbsnks would accept soap you removed from the wrappers to harden up and last longer. The ones here have very strict clear guidance on what is and isn't acceptable.

The small community foodbsnk aka The Soup Kictchen would as they feed homemade meals to many, except in lockdowns clients can sit there during the day for  some company, chat and to ask for advice. Theyre welcomed at Christmas for the full works. both on the day and boxing day.

The soup kitchen is based in a shop near the high street which closed a few years ago as many locals and visiters shopped on the high st and smaller shopping st by the railway station and there was little footfall for that side road.

The icy snowy winter rare for here when the fire station opened it;s doors to those on the streets as nearest hostels were 20 miles away. Needed money for the train and were full by the time they got  there. The danger to life warning meant those of us wanting a suitable source of food, advice and company other than the big names they didn't feel comfortable with starting a campaign mentioning all the empty shops which were becoming an issue.

Local council looked in to the matter for a while and offered that empty shop. It aleary had kitchen facilities, toilet and wash basin so we just tirned it in to a welcoming space, Food cooked from scratch as clents arrived except for Christmas and NewYear when some would be done the evening before.

There is a large area on the ground floor with armchairs, tables  board games, books etc or just somewhere to have a chat to another human being whether clients or volunteers.

Foodbank is in a seperate building at the back. It works well for those who struggle to use the usual food banks , many feel too shabby, have anxiety or other mental issues and wont try the more common foodbanks.

I know of others like ours in the UK. Ours would take unwrapped, unused soap both for clients and to use in the washroom. If you have somewhere similar MNI'd try phoning and asking.

My donations go there. Many well known foodbsnks do good work but many on the streets and even some struggling families don't cope with even admitting they're struggling and a less rule ridden way suits them. There are lists of does don'ts and other things on the doors of the others. There are a few clear rules delivered varbally at ours based on behaviour. No alcohol, drugs or fighting in the building then others re respecting fellow clients and volunteers. It works in most cases amd problems are soon sorted or the client will not be able to return. The idea of a proper Chistmas dinner and big buffet on Boxing and New Years day seems to focus the mind.

Very hot here now. I have a big garden clock with a thermometer on the back wall of the house where I can see it from wherever I am in the garden. Going out to look at it is a step too far at the moment. I've never been much of a water drinker but am regretting not buying those big glass bottles of spring water I did for decades when tap water ,dairy, eggs . citrus and many other things were identified when youngest the beby who never slept was referred to Alder Hey hosp[tal and they tested for pretty well everything. I was asked what I ate and cheese milk butter and many other things meant she needed bottle feeding . Prescription for GP and that was when she aquired the pharmacy she still has now.Big boxes of Wysoy formula and Vit A&E drops every month until she was weaned . Then it was health food shops who didn't sell much in the way of alternatives over 30 years ago but did get more varied stock over the years. Carob coated raisins , fishless fish fingers and fishcakes and in more recent years pretty well a sub for everyting.

My son firstborn screamed for a solid year after he was born and things only connected when she was diagnosed. she uses oat milk is mainly vegan  bur has a little Kelly's ice dream now and then. She pays for it afterwards but it's so rare she hasn't had the extreme reaction she did when swapping some things with another pupil in primary school . I was teaching there, the head and all other staff were aware and the pupils were to my knowledge she never did it again.

Our original GP had puzzled over what was wrong with this baby . It was the health visiter who used to pop in to see if I was still standing. who solved it. Youngest had one of those little baby chairs with a soft fabric and I could rock it with my foot , She's doze off a little then start screaming again..

One day I was hoovering the carpet around her and noticed the screaming had stopped and she was watching the hoover. Finished hoovering proppped the upright hoover up still running and the Health visiter rang the doorbell sat down and looked at the hoover. She asked if I minded if she popped round to speak to our Dr as she thought she knew what was wrong. That led to Alder Hey a great relief as I'd feared the neighbours would wonder about a hoover being kept on. However reason told me houses were detached  and I was more concerned it would fall over.

If I had the energy I'd do a rain dance but I don't  I've been good and drunk lots of tap water but am going to risk a proper brew letting it cool down a bit.

Wasn't planning to go out in the following week. Youngests monthly bloods need doing again at the hub, no info when phoning the surgery on why. I suspect it's a lab error which ahs happened over the years. Thankfully she agrees she'd be best waiting until the weather ccols down before arranging an appt at the hub.

Unless this heat settles I may have to go to the Coop in the next few days to see if they have the glass bottles of water. I'll phone first though as I imagine bottled water will be lke toilet rolls early in the pandemic. I do have two big glass bottles of Fentimans Rose Lemonade and Dandelion and Burdock from my last shop there a few weeks ago but I've decided they're my reward for when the water drinking is over.

Tap water here is hard and horrible it annoys me every time the dd goes out of the bank for Water. UU messed up the installation in this area and nothing has changed over the years.

pollyx

ETA I will get back later Nan. Laptop keeps having hissy fits and closing it down seems to be the only thing that sorts it after a while.

nannywindow

Hi Polly sorry you're too late with your "step away from the gravel" advice as I did that 2 days ago and only fell over the wheelbarrow once 🤣 and I'm sporting some pretty coloured bruises on my legs now.
Today I am having a quiet day working on my jigsaw as it's 27 degrees outside, but there is a lovely breeze blowing so it's not as bad as I thought it would be. Wouldn't like to be out working in it though 😰 I hope you're right about some rain on it's way as I'm fed up of watering the plants already !
Grandmanerd Glad you have been to see the baby already. My DGS never liked a nappy change either but I used to sing to him and he soon stopped squawking, probably to stop me from singing. They say all welsh people can sing but not me, well not in tune anyway !
Burtha I hope your wedding day went well and with no hiccups.
Take care all
nan

burtha

hi 
I'm now Mrs Frog 

Friday was fantastic  , 
Thursday was hectic, tables dressed ,booze , cheese,  40 herb plants , sweet trolley taken down to the community centre.  
bit if a hicup as the local orchestra turned up for rehearsal.... but I just moved the tables along for a bit and they played on  lol ... 
and breath.....
so Friday   ,  it was a bit rain here.. 
but I drove our huge 8 seater land rover down to the registry ,  was fun getting in the car   pulling myself in using the roof bars lol .. 
and strapping small children into car seats ...
After we said I do ..the rain had stopped long enough for 10 mins of photos.. 
then for  the meal with kids ..stress free .. 
then the centre , 
quick ring around with the balloons,  and it was fab . hog roast was a lovely chap  everyone said the food was fab , hall looked beautiful,  everyone was lush ... 
my frog got a surprise gift ... 
a 1972 beetle,  it's soooo sweet...I've wanted a beetle for about 40 years....it was just never the right time . 
life is good .
thank you for  all the well wishes,it means a lot .. 
hope you all had your hats on and a Glass of something.. 

( my friend   , couldn't come because of covid ... but did drive around and stand in my estate to watch me leave ...she was wearing a big red pom pom hat ... ) 

love to all x 

burtha

even managed do my flowers  , plus 1 a bit smaller and then 2 single big flowers for the little people to carry .x 

burtha

and we served cone shaped wrapped well known ice creams at 10pm ... promping many voices singing   just one cor.....o ,give it to me 
fab 
x

pollyanna_26

What are we going to do with you Nan? The way you;re going you'll be one big bruise. One less thing off the list is one less to think about which is a positive but after all the painting, taking down, washing  and rehanging those very big curtains along with trying to sort the van for your holidays you must be shattered.

I hope you get away for your break soon. Much needed unless you find a project at your destination to get your teeth in to.

It's beginning to get cooler here now.

Haven't been outside to check the garden clock temperature. When I did forays to the back garden I completely forgot about the mozzies and other bitey things that hang around the marshland between here and the shore.

Every year I would have something effective for bites two of us always reacted badly. Finished the last one last summer and have been bitten earlier today. Only realised when my arms started to itch.I finally remembered I always keep a big tube of Aloe Vera gel it was handy for burns and all sorts of things and came in handy last year when not concentrating I poured hot water on my hand rather than in my mug. Still within use by date but I bought another new one a while ago.It seems to have calmed down the Mozzie bites.

Your dads friend sounds lovely and supportive in a way onset of dementia does hopefully soften the way your dad talks to him.

My gentle Mum developed early  onset dementia when I'd moved away she'd refused to move with us to "The Back Of Beyond"

She was tiny but always helping others.When she woke one night to a strange man next to her bed  demanding money youngest sis got a call from someone telling her what had happened she drove there as she was much nearer than myself and middle

sister.

She settled happily with sis her husband and their sons but after a while started to get confused and escape the house, wander off and  as the beat bobbies got used ti her would take her back to sis. Every time she gave the beat bobby the address we used to live in but by then they knew exactly where she lived,

She wasn't old, as sharp as a needle but we could only think that sudden scare led to the early onset dementia and later admission to very good care home when the night wanderings became too risky.

It does seem as though the loss of your mum who used to keep him in check has made your dad blunter and hurtful even if to him that's normal now. Perhaps he doesn't realise how hurtful the behaviour can be now to family and anyone like the kind friend.

Some people get worse after a loss or as they get older and some value family and friends.

Your Mr Fixit may get on your nerves at times but whenever I read of both his and yours involvment in the Equestrian project for GD it makes me smile. She will grow up having known kindness rather than cutting comments and needing to gauge someones mood before opening her mouth.

pollyxx

weenancyinAmerica

I use regular toothpaste on bug bites. Seems to work very well.

Nargleblast

Glad you had a fabulous day, Mrs Frog, may you have many more years of fun and laughter with those who love you.

monnagran

Whoo-hoo!  Mrs Frog it is then.

So glad you had a wonderful day burtha, no one deserves it more.

A beetle.  WOW.  You've struck gold there.  What a kind and imaginative Mr Frog.  The flowers are lovely too.

And now the rest of your life.  With every good wish that it will be a long and happy one.  x

LameWolf

Just poking my head round the end of the fence to say...

Way to go, BURTHA!