The Garden Fence - proper Old Style support and chat!

nursemaggie

DS came for dinner. He brought me a huge bag of oranges, he says he does not like them they are bitter. They look a bit like Seville oranges but they should not be around at this time of year. If they are I don't have any jam jars.

I hope you are OK Monna You said you would come back.

The smell of the fires cleared away mid morning but it came back tonight. DS says he has smelled it everyday but it is more open where he lives. It blows straight down the hill to where he is.

The volunteer shortage could have more to do with the attitude of Charities now. They want guaranteed time every week for four or five hours. They treat it like you are applying to be CO of a big multinational not a few hours a week serving in a shop or sorting through things. There is no way I could guarantee I would be there every week I never know how well I will be from one day to the next. Five hour shifts are too much for me. I could not stand for more than three. They want references just like you were applying for a paid job.

pollyanna_26

westcoastscot wrote: »

Yes, 67 for me so a long time to go. I've always been rich in everything but money so shall be fine. This far I'm enjoying the frugal challenge !!!55357;!!!56832; will look out for that book x

It's better to be rich in everything but money than count your riches by your bank balance .
Lots of us OSers have known tough times but in a way it's brought us through the good and bad times . We know we can survive on very little , how to make do and mend and make a good life . You learn the important things in life and don't get blinded by bling and tempted into debt .


MMF If you look along this fence there are probably a number of us with a soapbox ! I've had mine since the 60s . Many of us saw division coming a long time ago . It's a cruel method to divide and conquer . My concerns are for the generations younger than us , their loved ones and children and generations to come .
You're correct about volunteering , part of my thinking through things at the moment concerns the many things I'm involved with and it's difficult to choose any to ease up on .


Kittie I chose the link a bords for their green credentials and have had them a long time and sometimes think they'll outlive me . I bought my hoops and things from HH too . I love that company .


Hester I will be lying in bed thinking of roast lamb . It's the only meat I eat nowadays and my favourite especially lamb steaks with garlic and rosemary . I'm sticking with cold meals at the moment but may head for the garage freezer tomorrow as i know there are organic lamb leg steaks from the village butcher in there .


SS I keep a large jug by the sink for the water while waiting for the hot to come through . I can't remember if I replied to your post about the charity shop shirt but if not well done . You've been so strong and determined in your efforts and I expect you smile each time you wear that shirt .


The first cutting of my two earliest lavenders have dried naturally outdoors hung from the arbour . Usually they get done indoors . Everything has been prolific but earlier than usual so far . The roses have been and are stunning . I only grow climbers and ramblers nowadays .


It's still hot here tonight . If I complain about rain in the future feel free to shout at me .


I wish you all some sleep . I'm not sure when your appts are NM but hope the journeys aren't too taxing .


Night all

polly x

pollyanna_26

I always seem to just miss your post NM . I think it depends on the charity . There are many I wouldn't touch with a barge pole nowadays . Our local hospice and animal rescue are genuine and glad of any help .Same with the lifeboat , soup kitchen and voluntary advice groups .


I got some lovely Wonky satsuma's in Morrison's on Friday . I'm not really fond of citrus fruits but have loved satsumas since childhood . They normally have quite a short season after Christmas so odd to see them now . They were quite cheap and very nice . Coop has been selling Scottish strawberries in large packs which are a good buy . Mine are not quite ready but the local farms are beginning to have them .


We really do need rain to clear the air but none in the forecast so far . I too hope Monna is ok . People I know who usually enjoy hot weather are struggling now . I shall never wonder or ponder on weather related things ever again . I feel as though I've brought a repeat of the year which will remain nameless our way . At least Michael Fish got the hurricane wrong but then that went badly for us then .


Bedtime ,
polly x

pollyanna_26

Interesting times news wise in the past hour . I'll get to bed yet :rotfl:
polly x

fuddle

Welcome back WCS it's lovely to see you again.

Yes polly, what a mess this Brexit thing is turning out to be. I wonder if this is the final straw hat sees someone else at the helm. All I know is we know nothing and time is running out!

Super weekend although we did little else than dip our toes in at the waters edge and watch the football amongst our Scots neighbours who that it would be funny to paint their face in the colours of the Swedish flag and set about in Viking hats. Wind up merchants you Scots the majority left the site pub after the second goal and those who were left shook DH's hand at the end. May I add that I would only watch England play in Scotland in our site pub. The barman, waitress and the a couple of site staff are English. We're known and have Scots pals. We're not daft

That thing called sleep has got up and gone and I'm sat supping peppermint tea wondering what this week shall bring.:cool:

monnagran

I'm wondering too, fuddle.

Sorry to be so quiet, although I thought you might be glad to have been spared my ramblings for a while. The truth is that I find life difficult in extreme weather. My automatic body-control temperature has always been dicey and seems to get worse as I get older. I don't sweat. I don't even glow. So in this heat I just lay under a fan and do nothing.

However, this morning my bedroom is down to 24° as it jolly well should be as the fan has been on all night.

Talking of volunteers, my dear friend who was given 6 months to live in 2012 and who is still soldiering on, although, as she says, with one foot in the grave and the other on a banana skin, volunteers at the local hospice shop. She says that she is anxious to make the hospice as luxurious as possible before she moves in.
Anyway, the PTB decided in their charitable wisdom that, as the people who came into the shop might be in need of special help and understanding, all the volunteers should be trained. A special training course was set up that they had to attend . My friend was amused but dutifully turned up. They were all given a gingerbread man as they entered. Apparently they were going to learn how to show empathy with this gingerbread man. Unfortunately Julie had absentmindedly broken off an arm and eaten it. The trainer was appalled. Julie went home during the lunch break. She is still working in the Hospice Shop.

Well, time for my shot of caffeine, I'm not as pure as my dear fuddle and don't function without my early morning coffee.

I may be back later, but don't worry nm if I'm not. I may be on my way up to move into your cold room.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

Sometimes miracles are just good people with kind hearts.

[Deleted User]

monna and others, the body MUST cool so wet the body and let it dry naturally, having a shower and not towelling works too.

I am acting like a sloth in the house and am inside all day with the fan on, day and night. My circadian rhythm has turned upside, I don`t want food, so I listen to what my body wants, food is heating and I only eat when hungry and just foods like lettuce. I am having a nap mid-day, up early and bed later

We are all different and metabolisms change as we get older, who is to say what older is, it might be forty for some. Adaptation is very difficult for the very young, the poorly and the older ones


Watering pots: put a drop or two of washing up liquid in the watering can, it will help the water disperse in the soil and not run straight through

Softstuff

I think I love your friend Julie Monna. Partly because had I been there, whilst she was being berated for eating the arm I would have been chewing on the head and waiting for my dressing down :rotfl:

nursemaggie

Polly and Monna The charity shop I wanted to volunteer for is our local hospice. They do not want me unless I can commit to a five hour shift at a particular day and time. And they want 2 references. Where am I going to get them from? I retired 12 years ago. I would like to do 3 hours twice a week rather than 5 all at once. If it was really busy I know I can't hack 5 hours at once, it's just too much. I don't even mind if I do two separate shops because the one near me will take the same time to walk to as it takes to get to town on the bus to the one in town.

I know I have long days when I go to the hospital and I do manage it but I really have to push myself. Then it knocks me out for a couple of days. This weeks appointment is here in Bolton. I only have to go into town, there is a big outpatient department in the leisure centre.

Kittie is right monna. A quick in and out of the shower with just tepid water, just pat a towel on yourself not fully dry and them let yourself dry. Only wash with soap once a day or you will get dry and sore skin. Alternatively you can stand on a towel at the wash basin and splash cool water on your self. You can do it as many times as you need to.

Another thing you can do in between is run cold water over your wrists and splash your face. Drink lots of cold water rather than tea and coffee.

I would have started eating the gingerbread man too. I don't know how you can have empathy with a gingerbread man they are for eating.

maryb

So glad I don't have to attend any mandatory training sessions any more. I remember just before I decided to go, they had an "owning your career" workshop (that's usually code for redundancies on the horizon, get used to the idea now)
Anyway, they started off by going round the room and asking everyone to say where they saw themselves in ten year's time. I said straight out "retired!!" This would not have gone down well but for the fact that the partner in charge of our group was also there, laughed and said "you beat me to it"