Morning everyone

A cold start here again today. I’ve just had a look at the Met forecast for this area and they forecast rain from mid-morning until early evening, so I will go out early before it starts.

I want to go to the bank this morning, I’ve got a cheque to pay in. If I get there early they shouldn’t be a queue. During the school holidays the town doesn’t get busy until about 10.00am, so I try and get in and out before then.

There is a new caf! opened in the town, and it is being run as social enterprise to raise money for three local charities. It is the first of its kind in this area and I will call in and have a coffee while I’m up there. I would like to see it do well, so I will try to support it.

Have a good day whatever you are doing.

Morning everyone

Hollyharvey - thanks for starting us off x

Hugs to those that want/need one x

Happy birthday to those with a birthday x

Now light, cold and frosty again, but windy too.

DH up and gone to work stupid early, both DS's still in their pits, will wake them in a bit.

Dinner last night was smoked sausage and mushroom pasta in a creme fraiche sauce, menfolk had a breaded chicken portion with theirs. Tonight will be fish, chips/jacket potato, beans/veg.

Yesterday work wasn't too bad, but we had the normal all or nothing scenario on several occasions.

Feeling a bit better with this lurgy and my nose does seem to have stopped running like a tap, although now I have a voice that sounds like gravel - nice not. I've been dosing myself up with stuff overnight and then a dose of flu tabs first thing and then another at lunchtime, then something before bed - it's enough to keep me going without too much discomfort, once I've got through today and tomorrow I'm then on days' off, so will have several days too recover.

Electrician came yesterday to install the portable thermostatic gadget for the new boiler, all seemed fine, but then last night didn't work, but the instructions are virtually non-existent and I think it's more a situation of I don't really know how to use it and it didn't seem to be picking up the signal from the portable unit to the receiver. But as the boiler is so easy to control, when it was too cold last night I just turned that part off and turned the boiler on manually and it fired up straight away and in 10 minutes we were getting warm. If I can't figure it out, I'll get him to come back so it's not a problem.

Keep safe and well x

nmlc x

Good morning everyone.

Thanks for the thread HH.

The w8nd has been battering the house all night and the rain sounded like needles bouncing off the windows.

Yesterday was a good day. Only three students turned up (out of nine), none from Oban as I think they had bad snow. Today I only expect two.

No shopping needed and no washing to be done. If the snow holds off my day will be practically perfect. Watching Shetland will round it off well.

I wish everyone a happy Tuesday.

Morning all


Very windy and pouring with rain here a very blustery day it will be very quiet at work today.


All went well at the Dr yesterday so that's out of the way for another few years.


Off to work today but it will be very quiet so we will struggle for things to do with the clients today.


Burgers for dinner tonight will maybe do a few chips with them too and a bit of salad.


Washing to do tonight and a general tidy round.


Have good days all xx

Morning folks and thanks HOLLY. Brr another cold one but fortunately not as many snow showers forecast as yesterday. We were getting bombarded all day.

Mr TA has his pre-op assessment today prior to his ureteric stent change. No date yet for the op itself but it is due. The op will be in Leeds as usual but the appointment today is at Wharfedale hospital. We had no idea where that was but a search revealed it was near Otley. Hope we find it ok. We will treat ourselves to a very late lunch on the way back home.

My blitz on the 2 youngest DGD's bedroom got underway yesterday as planned and I was filling rubbish bags and cs bags at a rate of knots! It looks so much tidier now and I have made room on the run of drawers for a "new" (our old) much neater tv and dvd player. The big numb tv they had will go to the tip along with the rest of the stuff.

I shall be glad to be out of the house today as it was complete chaos outside yesterday with all the gas vans, diggers, muck grabbers etc to-ing and fro-ing all day. They worked through all the blizzards and must have been frozen stiiff poor souls.

Have a good day folks and ((HUGS)) for all the poorlies, carers, sad, worried or lonely. CSARINA especially as it seems two steps forward and one back with your DH, ELONA I think that was an inspired choice, I too would be more than happy with the Reiki crystals (although I am always happy to receive candles too!) DUMPLING have an extra ((HUG)) hope the black dog soon moves on. Take care all xxx ps SPEKY I too am old enough to be your grandma!

Morning, and thank you HH.

Starting to get light here, and it's dry, with a light frost. Yesterday was a lovely day, but bitterly cold.

Hope you get your thermostat sorted Nmlc.

It's tai chi for me this morning, buy one or two things on the way home, and who knows what delights this afternoon will bring - nothing but a bit of housework probably.

Our usual quiz will be on tonight, so that's today really.

That off meat I was talking about yesterday - I took it back to the store, explained, and they gave me a double refund, can't say fairer than that I suppose!

Take care folks, have as good a day as you can.

Speky, I'll be 70 next week, so at a pinch could be your Grandma as well! You've got all these spare Grandmas!!

Morning Everyone,

Raining here today - so a bit warmer than yesterday.

I have work - then from there I will go and visit my mom.

Will call in to Iceland on way back to buy some milk - 4 litres - they are cheaper than the other shops.

Telly night 'EE'. 'Holby' and if I can get into it 'Trauma'


have a good day everyone x

Morning All

I'm back from my jaunt, had a great time, lots of walking and a bike ride - that was hard as it was bitterly cold and quite windy! It was good to see DS2 and his lovely GF, they have had a fantastic time away.

I've come back to snow on the ground and rain battered the windows last night but I slept really well. All the washing is done, just drying round the house. I'll drop DDs off when I go out later, she doesn't know I've got it, I took it out of her washing basket when I went to check on the flat last week!

Another day off here for half term, my friend and I are going for an Indian meal with a voucher I got from one of the on-line offer sites, been before and it's amazing.

Hope everyone is well and keeping warm and dry. Have a good day. Take care. XX

Morning all
Very cold in the wind this morning Dolly has been walked and is now warming up in her bed no chums for her to play with but maybe tonight as i noticed it stayed light till nearly 5pm
Nothing much happening today all i need to do is sort out under the stairs as i was looking for our passports i noticed somethings were wet but i couldn't work out where from as there is no water nearby but i tracked it down as 3 of DH home made wines have popped so need to clear up the sticky plum and apple .
Dinner tonight chicken for me and roast pork chops ,roasties and veg for the men
Hugs to all who need them and extra strength to those who need it x
Have a great day whatever you are up stay safe and warm

Morning everyone,

Hopefully this will get to post, we are having big problems with our t'internet connection and have a BT engineer coming out today. Due to the location of our cottage our connection comes via a telegraph wire and we always have a problem when it's windy but BT don't seem to accept this and have tried new routers etc in the past. Well it's windy today so hopefully it will prove our point!
My DOH will be dealing with it as am off for some massage work on the tendonitis in my elbow this morning, am hoping that it will loosen up the muscles around it to make it a tad easier, don't want to go down the injection route.
Tea will be turkey and ham pie, still eating up the christmas excess am afraid.

Hugs to all with worries and cares, especially our Dumpling and Csarina, oh and hello to Polly sorry missed you the other day.

Have a good day folks x

Morning, another cold one with the wind from hell but OH is determined to go out for a walk, wish I could put him on a lead and reel him in when he has been far enough!! LOL I hate the cold especially the wind, I am always frozen when we get back despite going out well wrapped up. I have always felt the cold. Thank heavens for gas central heating, at least the bungalow is warm, although it does take its time first thing.

We did eat all our supper last night and also a custard tart. A slight altercation re his second headache pill, he wanted to take it at 10pm.....not 8pm.....hey ho. The headache seems to have dumbed down a bit, but has not gone altogether.

Nothing planned except supper tonight which will be easy, I have defrosted chicken casserole and he wants it with rice, of course we have to have pancakes with lemon, so I know his supper will get eaten tonight.

Its a very grey, windy morning, rain is forecast so if we want to go for a walk we need to go soon, I am not getting wet as well as cold.

TV is dire just now. We are ploughing our way through recordings of Taggart, 5 more episodes to go. They are the early ones with Mark Mcmanus in. What a good actor he was, shame he died......it was never the same afterwards, as happens with so many of these series, that carry on after the original main character dies.

My appointment with the GP has been cancelled, re-arranged with a different Dr for next Monday........ typical.....of course I can go and sit in the waiting room at open surgery, I hate that, you never know what germs are flying about. What happened to the hand in front of the mouth when you cough???? Plus by 8.45 the waiting room is heaving.....

Good morning everyone

I woke up in a bit of a panic and threw my clothes on as the recycling needed to go out and they are coming earlier and earlier. They have just turned up now so I am sat here feeling like smuggy smuggington The girls are all still fast asleep so I thought I would let them have a lie in as it's Half Term. Lilly has her friend staying which I always encourage as it makes her be on her best behaviour and easier to live with.

My lovely friend Clare is coming to see me this morning and I am very very happy about it. She is unable to drive at the moment so her dad is going to drop her off for a coffee and to meet Bobby. We will have a proper catch up as we can't really talk at her house as her daughter is always there with her baby. I just want to tidy the living room and run the hoover round before she comes, not that she will care what state my house is in.

I'm not entirely sure what I am going to make for dinner tonight. Maybe it will be sweet and sour chicken with rice. I made a load of pancakes yesterday (a day early I know) so at least I don't have that chore again for a while. I also have to bake the cakes for my friend Rose as I still haven't done it yet and she is coming to get them tomorrow . I will do it after Clare goes home and maybe rope in my girls to help, they should be awake by then.

ScarletRibbons, good result on taking the meat back. I never usually bother if it happens (thankfully rarely) but it definitely seems worth it now .

TA, hope Mr TA's pre-op goes well and you get to enjoy your meal out. You sound to be going great guns with the clearing out. I threw away a load of stuff from my bedroom that had been cluttering up the place and it looks loads better.

nmlc, hope your cold goes away soon and you start to feel a lot better x

Holly, the cafe sounds a great idea, enjoy your coffee and maybe a piece of cake too...just for quality control purposes you understand

Well, I hope you all have a great day whatever you are up to, take care xx

Morning all

Thanks for the thread Holly and hugs to those in need especially Csarina and dumpling, Lainey, ouch I have tendonitis too, not nice.

It's lashing down here and windy but toasty warm on the boat.

CHS was dropped a work at 7, next week it will be 6:30!

Since I've been home I've done two loads of washing and have one still to go.

I've started off some minced beef with onions and mushroom, it's now simmering on the log burner, half will make spaghetti Bolognese for tonight, I shall also make cottage pie for CHS'S lunches for a couple of days with the rest.

The sewing machine is set up I'm hoping to make two shopping bags a cushion cover and hem some scarves that I bought that were too big.

Have a good day everyone.
Hugs Hester

Morning all,

Feeling more human today, after a rough weekend. Been to the gym this morning too which always helps.

Yesterday I played football with my work mates which is a good laugh, although some of them are absolutely mince! Quickly stopped by my mums to drop some stuff off and then headed home for an early bed.

Oh, and yesterday I had my phone interview with an exciting company in Manchester. It was only scheduled to last 15 minutes, but I question how much can be discussed in that time. I've not got a particularly good feeling about it, just a bad vibe.

Today is my grans birthday. So I've bought her some lovely flowers and I'll get her favourite chocolates too. We're all going out tonight for a meal to celebrate. I say 'all' but there will be 5 of us. A nice number.

I can see snow on the mountains from the office, but none here in the city centre. Cold and wet, also known as typical Scottish weather.

Oh, and following on from yesterday - you all feel like extended family to me!

Electrician came yesterday to install the portable thermostatic gadget for the new boiler, all seemed fine, but then last night didn't work, but the instructions are virtually non-existent and I think it's more a situation of I don't really know how to use it and it didn't seem to be picking up the signal from the portable unit to the receiver. But as the boiler is so easy to control, when it was too cold last night I just turned that part off and turned the boiler on manually and it fired up straight away and in 10 minutes we were getting warm. If I can't figure it out, I'll get him to come back so it's not a problem.

Strange! Exactly the same happened here yesterday. I had to call the electrician back as soon as he left the heating went off. He was very honest and said he had made a mistake as he had connected two wires the wrong way round. Hopefully that should be the end of it. off to U3A Nature group now, a talk about the Galapagos Islands. This somewhere I would love to visit.

Morning all,

I thought no news was good news till Grump messaged me, he is still in his digs in bed.
"i'm ill" he messaged me.
He isnt ill, hes wore out doing the job he loves. Travelling 4 hours before a full shift is too much.

Onwards and forwards,

have a great day all.

Poppyjust to see those turtles would be amazing in the Galapagos Islands I think .

Speky you have lots of spare Grannies and Mums and aunties on here you will never be losy for a friend son

At Dds today making piles of pancakes for my DGS.Eldest Dd is enjoying her nYC break and keeps sending photo's of what they are doing over there.She is bringing me home another bottle of Smukers grape jelly when she comes home I love the stuff as its great for adding to yohurt or rice puds,slightly runnier than our set jam but delicious.

Last night's freebie meal at the pub was very nice and Icame home and had a piece of cake indoors instead of having a pud there .My 'give up for Lent' is going to be cake and biscuits biscuits will be hard as I adore a couple of ginger nuts with a cuppa.Cake I will stillmake but only for the grandchildren 40 days without a biscuit ,that's a toughie.

My DD gave up chocolate for Lent two years ago and has never eaten it since !!! says even the thought makes her feel ill.

Quiz night tonight so another night of no cooking, meal included at the pub. No food shopping bought at all so far, apart from one shop earlier this month. Budgets doing well as its 13th of February already

Hope everyone has a good day and manages to keep warm and dry
I read on the internet this morning of some low life who threw a bucket of cold water over a rough sleeper in Northamptonshire a few days ago How disgusting is that.The young lady was sleeping behind a furniture shop in a doorway. Poor lass homeless cold and lonely and an excuse for a human being does that to her I cannot understand the mentality of that at all Grrr

JackieO xxx

Gers
thank you for mentioning that Shetland starts tonight, we both like watching this