Good Morning Friday 14th February 2025

Good morning. We are two hours ahead here in S. Africa , so I’m not as early as you think.
We have been to Durban, not somewhere I would go back to. Some beautiful buildings but very dirty. Not a place to walk around on your own.
We Leave the pretty Richard’s Bay this afternoon. and head for Port Elizabeth.
Being well fed and entertained and plenty of relaxing. Fabulous Zulu dance group last evening, amazing energy.

Wishing you all a good day with a smile along the way.

Good morning and a Happy St. Valentine’s Day from Malta where a high of of 20° is forecast. ❤️

Had a lovely day with the boys yesterday although the painting didn’t quite go according to plan! They wouldn’t let me paint their hands so my idea went out the window. They did do a lovely painting each which their mum loved so that’s all that matters.

I took them to nursery yesterday then went for my nails which I always enjoy as the girl who does them is so sweet.

Today I will try to take the boys out for an hour or so as it’s a lovely day. They have nursery this afternoon but the other grandparents will be taking them.

I have my hair appointment this afternoon, a much needed colour to cover up my ever increasing white hair. My mum was 80 before she gave up the colouring so I’ve a few years to go if I follow suit!😄

Wishing you all a good day.☀️

Good morning from a dreary, chilly, but dry Bristol. It would be nice to see the sun!
I hope the other “eye” GMmers had a successful outcome. I did
It was nearly 9 hours door to door! I took the first bus after 9 to use my bus pass, especially as it wasn’t urgent. Everyone was charming, polite and£ helpful, as I was pushed up the seniority chain, but, oh!, it took so long…
As I had thought, the operation provoked a recurrence of the uveitis I had this time last year. The staff was very thorough and professional.
I did cover myself with glory in my hurry to get to the ophthalmologist. I knew I would wait, so brought a book and my knitting, a rather complicated Aran pattern. When called, my legs got tangled in the yarn and I fell unceremoniously to the floor, hitting my head on another patient’s knee. My pride severely dented, but rather shaken, I was (and still am) fine. Being reasonably agile, I leapt to my feet and hurried off to the consulting room, leaving an amused/appalled audience behind.
All the tests and scans over, I still had to go to the BRI for my prescription of steroid drops. Yet another wait of nearly an hour, just for me to register, then for the drops to be dispensed. I got myself a welcome pot of tea while waiting. The queue for collection was 10 deep…
Yes, FGT2, I do normally go to DD’s for dinner but it had been cancelled as she is in London at the General Synod. SiL, bless him, kept in touch and offered to fetch me, but I refused. The rush hour traffic is even worse than the regular stuff, I live the other side of town and am perfectly able to get home by bus.
I collapsed in a dehydrated heap once home and did bug…r all for the rest of the day/evening.
I am glad to report that once dispensed and in my eye, the symptoms improved almost immediately. The only bummer is that they have to be used hourly for the first week, two hourly for the second, reducing by an hour each time, for six weeks…
Sorry about novella!
Take care all.
Carpe diem 🦩🦩🦩🦩

Good morning from s somerset, dull skies, cold, windy and probably showers

A rest day for me today, I need to catch up on routine housework and laundry and I will take a walk into town, I need some garden stuff and can buy it locally. I have acquired two pretty tin boxes so will gather and sort my seed packets later

I now have the ingredients to make broccoli and stilton soup, a large amount as it freezes beautifully and I will do that today.

Today will be taken as it comes, whatever I feel like doing and maybe nothing. The art of niksen, after all half my dna is Dutch

Have a good day

Good morning, it’s cold and dry here in south Glos and I’ve been awake since 3am 🙄.
I enjoyed the longer dog walk yesterday, somewhat muddy and wet in bits and I had to stop to get my breath on the steep uphill bits but otherwise was fine. DH collected us from the village saving me the mile and a half uphill at the end.
Today I have a return visit to the dentist for a filling, what fun (not!) at lunchtime. Housework this morning, I need to sort out the fridge too.
Really could do with some sunshine please 🙏
Best wishes to everyone 🌹

Good morning Mick and all GNers on this St Valentines Day. Hope eveeryone who has a loved one is able to speak to or see them today on this special day, and for those of us now alone that we can remember with joy all the lovely things we did in the past.

Well granMattie, I cannot compare with the entertainment value you gave to your fellow patients yesterday, but am relieved to have got through it reasonably well. The doctor was a woman and very pleasant and reassuring. My driver arrived to pick me up about 10 minutes after I would have done so was somewhat edgy waiting for him, especially as I couldnt do anything other than wait. He was fine as a driver and of course I was a model patient, ready to go as soon as he knocked with all my things ready , no going back for forgotten prescriptions or keys etc.

This was a private hospital which is doing this nhs work for them, so quite a posh waiting area etc. Of course , cold outside and far too warm inside, but I was ready for it with thin cotton shirt under jumper, so first coat came off then jumper, Anyway of course drops not pleasant but they took all details and did the job and the doctor said she would do the left eye first, and I have to go back on 4th march for some measurements, but hopefully wont be too long until they actually do the operation.

Home safely but felt like a ragbag just from lack of sleep and tension etc, and of course could not do my usual reading to calm down as not able to see print very well. So just glad to sit down and calm down and listen to radio 3. Made the bed, and had a curry for dinner that was already made, just needed to heat it up. Even that seemed an effort yesterday.

So today is catch up day, with paperwork, ring my friend later to tell her how this has gone on, then am going out on the yellow peril to get the local paper, a few groceries and some fish I think for dinner and then just do a few bits of housework and chill out and listen to Gardeners question time etc. Hope everyone has a good day and thank you all for your support and kind wishes for yesterday which I have appreciated very much

Happy St Valentine’s to all 💞

I’m looking forward to croissants 🥐🥐 and Buck’s Fizz for brunch later with the Waitrose Meal Deal as our treat eat this evening - prawn cocktail, paella followed by lemon tart all washed down with the rest of the 🍾 😋

Niksen…that’s a lovely word Karma and wouldn’t normally describe you so I shall adopt it for today!

Your description of the knitting yourself into a tumble had me 😂🤣 grandMattie although I’m glad you weren’t hurt - why do we laugh at other’s little slips?

Hope Ginny, Bonnybanko et all enjoy their holidays and everyone has something cheering to come this weekend x

Good morning all. 0deg and cloudy yet again in Glasgow.

A productive day yesterday doing tidy ups of bits and pieces for the recycling centre. All dumped in the garage at this point until my designated date and time next week.
GD2 called me whilst I was almost finished at the hairdresser asking if I could pick her up at her friend house in my area. Good timing and it was a joy to collect this ray of sunshine and listen to her non stop chattering.
An at home day with a short list of tasks to tick off. It’s good to spend time doing what I choose to do as opposed to demanding admin.

Bella, I would be delighted to have a full head of white hair. I have seen a few women who have stopped colouring their hair and with a good cut, it can look stunning. My paternal granny had glorious platinum hair and looked so elegant. Meanwhile I am patiently waiting for more silver to appear.

Best wishes to all for a positive day.

Good morning from a dry Oxfordshire although rain is forecast later this afternoon.

Have a happy Valentine’s Day everyone, hugs for those who are stressed or unwell and happy holidays to those who are away.

Good morning I’m earlier today as no grandson to struggle to get school

Posted too soon . We are burying my mams ashes this morning the cemetery is rite Nxt door to me so I have comfort in knowing she’s not far from me and I can pop in there every day . Xx

Good morning all from a hilly North Leicestershire.

I have to go to Waitrose and the butcher's this morning and DH is off to the gym.

My appointment at the eye clinic went well. The system worked like clockwork and I had my eyes checked, scanned and a consultation all done with in an hour and a half. The staff were all kind and friendly. I am to go back in 4 - 6 weeks to check progress and decide whether to start treatment. I was hugely impressed.

Happy Valentines Day and good morning from Kent.
I shall be trying to keep busy today as my eye appointment isn’t until this evening. I think I might do an online order and then send it tomorrow.
Best wishes to all

Morning Mick, morning All. Another grey day ahead for our corner of Somerset, enlivened by showers if the forecast is accurate.

More pottering and generally faffing today. Maybe a short trip out for a couple of balloons for our sons birthday get together on Sunday, or I could leave that until tomorrow, see how we feel.

That was quite a day grandmattie, good outcome for you though. Waiting for transport is always stressful madeleine, we both like to be early (usually far too early!) for appointments and can feel blood pressure rising when a driver is a just in time person. Sounds a good outcome for you too.

Hope Friday is kind to us all.

Good morning Mick and everyone from Carlisle where we still have the dreary greyness.
Yesterday the sun came out after lunch but not for long. After a morning spent doing little jobs, I thought I'd be enjoying a spot of sunny gardening. Not so, it was very fleeting. I did enjoy being outside at last though. Nothing strenuous, just topping up my containers with compost and spreading bark mulch about. I also cleared a lot of fallen oak leaves out of my front border. There's a very old oak not far away and my garden is a collecting place for its leaves. Don't mind, a privilege to have lovely old oaks around. I was, eventually, glad to get back in for coffee, the wind is still chilly.

Today, not much except the tedious task of getting down to necessary admin. I've been procrastinating about it for days, even cleaning the toilets seemed a better option!
I was planning a trip out but it had better be tomorrow when I hope to have a clearer conscience.

Bella, I coloured my hair until it turned very white. I was pleased when it finally did, I love white hair, Kalu is right.

Have a good day everyone.

Good morning all from another gloomy day forecast for Wiltshire.

Making a large venison casserole from a haunch supplied by my son in law. They will eat theirs today so will drop it off later but we will keep ours till Sunday. Then lobster Thermidor made with lobster tails later with a bottle of champagne as our nod to Valentine’s Day.

Your holiday sounds great Ginny. We went to Pilanesberg game park for a few days nearly 10 years ago which I’ll never forget. It was truly awesome. Gosh you were very lucky not to hurt yourself falling over GM. To have the agility to scramble back up is not something I possess. I hope your eye gets better quickly.

Have a good day everyone.

Wow kitty. My last check at our eye hospital took nearly four hours, pleased yours went well. Good luck lulu and all in the eye gang.

rainbow.

Good morning, Michael and all GNs. There’s a rumour we may see the sun in South Yorkshire today - I’ll believe it when I see it!
Bella my DD would scream the place down if she ever got paint on her hands when she was little. She’s not much different now😄! Glad the boys produced lovely pictures for their mum!
Walking group yesterday was well attended but we all complained about the cold, and with all the rain we’ve had this week it was very mucky. I had lunch with DD and then called on my niece on the way home. Her little dog was upstairs sitting in the window, recognised me as I was walking up the road and was barking excitedly at the door before I even got up the drive.
School this afternoon with Year 3, and then half term next week so I get a week off!
Have the best day you can, folks.

Good morning from another dull, dreary, cold day on the Essex coast. I'm sure the sun will appear one day, hope it stops hiding soon.
No real plans today but I'm sure I will find something to keep me busy.
Take care everyone xx

Good morning all from the Scottish Borders. Just getting light.

I caught the country bus to Peebles to get my watch mended. The kind chap took 5 minutes to fix the strap and charged nothing. I then tried on some bright red shoes in a sale!

My doorbell rang about 6pm to an unexpected visitor with 2 of his friends from England and Germany. I invited them in, made a cuppa while we politely chatted but then
thought I had better offer a meal.

They accepted so I cooked a
large quantity of pasta and made a tomato and veg sauce. While we ate I told them about the ceilidh dancing every Thursday and they jumped at the chance of going, so disappeared into the night.

I meanwhile, took my shopping trolley to Lidl and re stocked my cupboards!
It wasn't quite your 9 hour ordeal
gMattie and no getting tangled in
aran but a surprise for me.

I am expecting a glazier today to replace 2 broken windows. I shall cook and bake for the community café on Saturday as my friend who usually does the bulk of the work is in hospital today.

Happy Valentines everyone. 💝

Good morning everyone from mid Essex. It’s cold, dry and cloudy again, but the forecast is for a few breaks in the cloud this afternoon. I hope the forecasters are right!
Another restful day yesterday, a food delivery in the morning and my hairdresser came in the afternoon. I’m still having my hair coloured, otherwise I’d look a mess, with some white and some dark grey!
Good to hear that the eye appointments for gm and kitty went well yesterday. I hope there are no ill effects from your tumble gm.
Lunchtime bingo session today, a few games of bingo then a nice lunch provided, good fun and a chat to some friends. As lunch is usually quite substantial I shan’t need to cook this evening.
Have the best day possible everyone, keep warm!

Good morning everyone from Inverness where it’s a chilly -2° with clear skies, hopefully sunshine later
A very long day gMattie but you did it, onto the recovery now, you too kitty
I too enjoyed a bit of gardening yesterday Ekwa, couldn’t do much as the ground is frozen but I enjoyed being outside. Today I’ll be pottering about this morning doing housework and changing bedding then looking forward to meeting up with my pal this afternoon. We’ve lots of news to catch up on so we’ll be there a while, hope we can get the comfy seats!
Rainbow 💐
Enjoy your holiday ginny, it’s good to see new places even though they’re maybe not for you
Thinking of everyone with worries and struggles, hope today is gentle and take care all whatever the day brings 💐

Good morning from Shropshire.Slightly less dull day forecast.

Good news from the eye gang.Just lulu to get a good report now🤞🏻Like corner our eye clinic is never a quick experience.

Yesterday was a relaxing day.I had forgotten about Valentines Day so quickly made a batch of Maids of Homour, DH’s favourites.Happy news that DGD won the school Values award.DD found the award and certificate in her school bag, she hadn’t told them!In DD’s words it’s a massive deal to get this award.🌟

Well after a week where I cancelled all plans and stayed at home I feel ready to rejoin the world so school pick up later and Friday sleepover.

Rainbow💐

Have a good day everyone🦩

Morning all from a grey West Oxfordshire.

I have an early hair cut then I’ll collect my daughter from the station. She has been on holiday in Oman and we haven’t seen her since Christmas. This will be a flying visit as she has to be back in London by tomorrow evening. I’ll cook dinner tonight - I’ve a new recipe - marmalade pudding to try and we've booked lunch out tomorrow at our favourite restaurant.

I have coloured my hair for years and will continue to do so!

Have a good day.