Good Morning Tuesday 26th November 2024

Good morning all and it’s bright and calm here in Essex.

Our rehearsal for Chimes went well yesterday. Still one lady a beat behind but hey ho! 🙄🤨.

Today, I’ll shop this morning and go to Bridge club this afternoon. It’s always busy coming home on the roads. Not far, but rush hour, I hate it especially in the dark with bright lights coming at you! Mind you it’s always like rush hour around here now.

Enjoy your lunch GG. And Kitty.
I loved Bob Dylan Liberty . I’ve still got a few of his LP’s.
What a shame your visitors had to cry off karma and all your hard work with the shed! I’m sure you’ll ‘make good’ in no time.

Keep well and safe 🍁

Good morning all from a very cold east of Fife I’m getting the plumber today to look at my loo I think it may be blocked yuck. I’ll be having poached egg on toast with fresh orange juice for breakfast.

Be well warned these scammers are trying to get your money. Don’t reply to any friends emails asking if you’re on Amazon then asking you to buy something on their behalf - honestly 🤬🤬

Good morning all from the Black country, weather a bit calmer although with the wind yesterday bedding dried a treat.
Learnt yesterday one of DHs fishing members wife had died she was a lovely lady who had suffered ill health for a very long time.
A few things to post and a small shop in Iceland.
Enjoy your day everyone, safe travels those on the move ☀️.

Good morning. Dry and hardly any wind here in North Bucks. There has been flooding in nearby villages and the river is very high through our town.
A short journey to collect a couple of Christmas gift that I ordered and combined WI knitting and stitching groups this afternoon to finish off the decorations for the tree festival. This evening I’ll finish the one for our craft club.
Wishing all a pleasant and safe day.

Good morning Mick and all good morningers. Thank you so much for all your kind thoughts - I had no idea a cold could knock you out like that! In fairness, though, it wasn't just the cold but the combination of that plus my body fighting the infections provided by the covid and flu jabs. And old age too I suppose! And talk about no energy - a day's hard toil was feeding the washing machine, hanging a few things on the washing line and bringing them in again! However, gradually we got there, and here I am.
My little great grandson was one year old last week. He lives too far away for me to visit, but I received lots of photos and videos of his momentous milestone.
I have also had my hearing tested again and I am now 'officially' profoundly deaf in my left ear with the right looking set to follow in the next couple of years. At least it's not painful, but it is very isolating. I've quite a few lunches lined up between now and Christmas and I feel so sorry for the people who end up being sat next to me. To say nothing of Christmas at Newman's with the five teens (who are actually now three teens and two 20s)! I shall hear nothing but noise - but at least I'm 'officially' deaf now and not just stupid 😉
Karma as usual I am totally in awe of your abilities and resilience! So sorry your planned visitors have had to postpone their visits - you must be so disappointed even though you're relieved they're not travelling.
Safe journey to Cornwall today Mizuna and I hope there aren't too many weather-induced hold-ups.
Grandmattie try not to get too exhausted!
Grandmabatty I hope you've managed to get a doctor's appointment and, if you are looking after your little boys today, I hope they aren't too hard work for you.
I'm off to take my tai chi class this morning and hopefully I'll have the energy to do the sets with them. And after that I will have to top up the depleted shelves of my larder!
So that's it, and normal service is resumed.
Take care everyone because I'm not sure Bart is completely finished with us. I have a feeling Son of Bart is lurking somewhere in the wings, biding his time ......
Which reminds me - amazing photos of your Toad production Ash!

Good to see you back Taichinan take care and don't overdo it.

Good morning all from the Scottish Borders. Quiet weather.

DS3 is coming on his own today from the Midlands for a funeral of his best friend's mum but also to see me as we'll not see eachother until after Christmas.

I am sorry Karmalady that your plans have had to change but glad that the people are safe.

I enjoyed the portrait gallery yesterday morning and a very interesting talk in the evening about the building of Register House and the records kept within. They go back to the 12th century but with gaps!
The records are measured in miles/km, I think Jocelyn told us there are 49miles of them.
If any birth, marriage or death happened in Scotland since 1855, there will be a record of it there.

All the plants in The Archivist
garden relate to the history of Scotland!

Have the best day you can everyone.

Good morning from a dry NE, cool but less windy.
Nothing happening today, was to be boiler maintenance but they have rescheduled.
Another quiet day for me with some housework.
Sorry to hear so many are affected by floods.

Good morning all, its 2°C here in Glasgow.

Good to hear from Blossoming and that Taichinan is ok.

I had planned to have a wander round Silverburn, but my energy levels are very low and I'm a bit breathless. Also, I have those blooming risk assessments to work on. They are growing arms and legs.
DD arrived yesterday after work, so I had to abandon them, not that I am complaining. It was lovely to see her and listen to all her woes about work.. It is nineteen days until she becomes redundant. I am actually glad, because her work is a horrible place to be.

We suspect our conservatory guttering was damaged when the cowboy builders next door knocked materials off the roof last week. I was looking after Babydoll, when I heard an enormous crash and saw planks of wood flying past the window. Yesterday, I noticed our fence had also been damaged.
We are still waiting for our neighbour, our son's in laws, to advise us that we would experience ten days of hell and to apologise for all the mess on our front lawn, The builders were throwing materials off the roof. No health and safety at all.
As soon as the boss disappeared, they would down tools and go on their phones, whilst still sitting on the roof, using the foulest of language. They were not people you would tackle.
Our neighbours, although extremely wealthy, are the meanest of people (I once received a Christmas present of a £1 nail polish remover), when we invited them to Christmas Dinner, hence the reluctance to employ professionals.
The in laws went on holiday, with saying anything about the building work nor apologising for the impending upheaval..
I am raging about it all, but DH is counselling me to stay calm, because it would make things difficult for our son and other neighbours, if we fell out.😡

For all those, who are struggling, I send my best wishes. 💐
Have a good day folks.

My sympathy, Marydoll, nothing worse than justified fury with nowhere to go, but MrMD is probably right (just this once). Think I am developing the local bug - sore throat, snivels, generally feeling bleurgh - so will dose myself and hope for the best. At least the sun is shining and flooding is averted, at least for now. Good to hear from Taichinan.

Good morning Mick and everyone from brightish and cloudy-ish Carlisle. We may have a shower or two, or not...
It was a quietly busy day indoors yesterday, rather windy but occasional glints of sun also. I rejected the idea of gardening, I hate wind and being out in it, even more.
I am continuing with my tome on keeping fit into old age but am increasingly feeling I could have written it myself. I know most of this stuff as I am fairly obsessed with keeping healthy even though I often think it's a losing battle!

Today I am popping into town on various errands including posting to Australia and buying stamps for Christmas cards. They will be fewer this year, not that I can't afford the stamps, just that I think the cost of the latter is getting ridiculous.

That was some cold Taichinan, I hope you're soon fighting fit and ready to enjoy the coming festivities.

Have a good day everyone.

Good morning all from (in parts) flood ridden Wiltshire.

Our journey to Reading was fairly straightforward on Saturday. It was lovely to see DD1 and her family who had baked a birthday cake for DH’s 75th on Wednesday which we had before going out for an Indian.

The journey home on Sunday was fraught. The A4 between Theale and Newbury was flooded in places and we drove along in torrential rain until we reached Marlborough when it eased but there was a lot of tree debris to dodge around on the A4. Just as well we got home when we did as shortly after picking up our dustbins which had all blown over in the wind the heavens really opened. Within a couple of hours most roads in and out of our town were cut off. Chippenham just a few miles away was inaccessible yesterday as the Avon overflowed cutting off the town entirely and schools there were closed as some were elsewhere as people could not travel.

Picked up DGD3 from school without road problems. She is really getting into Solitaire. No DGS2 this week as we only have him alternate weeks now.

It looks bad in Northampton BlueSapphire, especially the railway station. GrandmaBatty I hope you feel better very soon. Do take it easy, childcare is very hard work.

Photo is of Chippenham yesterday. Just heard most schools have closed in quite a wide area including some here. Have a good day everyone.

Good morning from a sunny W Kent. I had a lovely long phone call to a longtime friend yesterday which I think cheered us both up. Today I have a quiet morning and then the DF who kindly passed on her cold to me is coming for a cup of tea. Although older than me she has very young GC who of course pass allsorts on to her for general distribution!
Interesting to see today’s photos.
Best wishes

Good to see you blossoming and taichinan. Go gently.

Good morning everyone from a sunny south Manchester. It’s wet out though so it’s obviously rained during the night. We have no plans. It’s state pension day (always a frisson of delight) so I might go for a mooch in the square (makeup from Boots) and up to the independent bookstore - which has a new owner, after breakfast and my shower. Christmas card writing needs to be done this week….

Morning all from a bright Kent. Having a quiet time atm. Proofreading a couple of novels so keeping busy. Thought I would share yesterday’s event.
Great start to Monday ! Handyman working next door drove over our grass and made a right mess! I contacted the houseowner who had a word with him. He came back ( having bought his sandwich) and went back indoors. He came out to the van and I asked him if he had anything to say. “It’s grass it’ll grow back” he said. “ That’s not the point” say I. I told him my HGV driving hubby had laughed at his bad driving. “I’m not a professional driver” he replied. He didn’t have the courtesy to knock the door and apologise. Good manners seem to be a dying skill. He is a man in his late sixties , is it too much to expect? He didn’t clip it on the way in so why would he do so on the way out. Rant over!
Marydoll I wouldn’t be able to stay quiet. 25 years of training people in Customer Care and Conflict Resolution wouldn’t let me! And that includes the ‘in-laws’. Bad behaviour and discourtesy I cannot tolerate. Not commenting gives them the precedent to do it again. I would take pictures and video the builders to show to your neighbours what you had to endure! Time for your ‘big girl pants’!
Hope you all have a good day, love reading about all the GNers adventures.

Good morning all from Polmont where it's currently 4° and dry. Taichinan and Blossoming, it's lovely to see you back posting. Ash great photos of the set. I wish I was closer to see the play. Marydoll that's a predicament for you right enough. Having horrible neighbours isn't fun. Mizuna safe journey home. Thank you all yesterday and today for your good wishes. I managed to get a doctor's appointment yesterday afternoon. He said it's definitely not kidney related and, being diabetic, I was mightily relieved. However after asking pertinent questions he's sure it is osteoarthritis in my right hip. He gave me stronger painkillers and I've to go back in ten days if it's no better. My practice has trainee GPs and I got fifteen minutes with him and a very thorough investigation.
Last night the pain was intense, notwithstanding the stronger painkillers. I was counting down the hours between them while I walked the floor. I didn't get to sleep until after four, so I cancelled having the boys today. I shall rest for a while to see if it helps. Certainly running or rather hirpling after dgs2 yesterday didn't help!
So today will be a self care day. Resting, snoozing and taking things easy. Have a good day all

Good morning Mick and all from 8°C Sunnyside northwest coast. Dreamt I was on holiday with the Trumps, very modestly in a wooden shack and was holding the whole family up whilst I got ready…

Six week check up after op’ fine, but the parking a bother. It’s a massive city hospital and I had found on my last visit a handy car park on the flat which meant a little walk, but avoided the dreaded (to me) multi storey. This time I couldn’t find it and ended up back going round in slow circles with everyone, ending up on the roof.

DD arrived last night from the south for a short stay and is about to go for a run. I will go to the music club, but still not allowed to sing, doctors’s orders. Might read a poem.

Nice to hear from Blossoming and Tiachinan thoughts to the flooded and all🌺

Good morning from a sunny Oxfordshire, bathroom items have just arrived and the incorrect stuff is being returned, let’s hope when we open the boxes we all have the right stuff this time.

Marydoll I would do as your friend says and bu***r the consequences, you have put up with their bad behaviour for far to long.

Taichinan good to see you back.

I have to go as they are up unpacking the boxes, although it’s all gone a bit quiet out there.

Have a good day everyone.

I came downstairs unable to find DH. I went outside, to find him balancing precariously on a ladder at the side of the house. (There is not much room).
I rather loudly expressed my horror at what he was doing. At this point the MIL came out to ask what was wrong. She offered to get the builders back out, to sort it. I refused (rather too sharply). Then the FIL got out of his bed to help. He tried to say it was moss, which was blocking it. The gutters were only cleared a few weeks ago, so he got short shrift.
DH asked me to open the conservatory window, so that he had something to hang onto. I couldn't reach, fell, knocking over a large plant and table lamp in the process! 😡
I am not in a very good humour at the moment. I had planned to get out early, I'm still here, terrified thatt DH will fall off the ladder. He will not be told!
At the moment the FIL and DH are up two ladders, trying to sort things. I am staying out of the way, for I am furious. No apology, just excuses from them! I expected nothing less.

Watch this space!

Borrheid, they were not professional builders.

It's a dilemma for you Marydoll but you and DH will know what to do, I'm sure.
Some quotes for repair of the damage followed by a copy to the neighbours?
When my neighbours complained about branches from my tree landing in their garden, I sent my friendly ecologist pal to see the damage. He returned with the news that I was responsible so I paid for a tree surgeon. Then the couple unexpectedly offered to pay half!
So my advice: send a mediator!

In my quiet voice, I have to disagree with those on here who are urging Marydoll to confront the workmen/vido them/take photos to show to her neighbours (who unfortunately happen to be her son’s in laws). Nope. Not a good idea in my opinion. Why risk making a bad situation worse? Plus Marydoll struggles with her health at the best of times! She doesn’t need the stress.

FriedGreenTomatoes indeed

Thank you FGT. I have to think of my son and DIL and not damage what is already the already fragile relationship with the in laws. They couldn't even be bothered to go and see Dollie on her birthday, despite living ten minutes away.

Falling out with them will also affect my other neighbours, we are a close knit community, so I do not want to jeapordise that. The FIL's friend is DH's golfing partner, it's a bit difficult to say the least.
DH as always, is the voice of reason.

I suspect that the builders will never be seen again. The registration of their van was not British, that explains a lot. They also do agricultural work and tarmacadam, they have many skills 😉.