Good Morning Saturday 22nd March 2025

Good morning from coastal West Sussex. I have a friend’s dog for the day - she is a very sweet rescue dog. She was initially very nervous round DH but she has now got used to him and loves it when he plays with her.

We are getting ready for a trip in the campervan to our flat in East Lothian, with a couple of stops on the way. The first one will be Oxford. We haven’t be there for decades and I thought I’d like to see it again.

The sun is breaking through so I must get out into the garden to prepare it for 3 weeks of neglect. I have a pot of tulips which are probably going to flower while we are away so I will see if one of my neighbours would like to have them (and water them). It would be better not to have anything in pots as they dry out too quickly when we are away but I never quite manage it.

Stilllearning, that sounds a good trial run for your DGD. She will soon be able to do the journey with you meeting her from the train at your end. The ability to phone if anything goes wrong is something we didn’t have when we were that age, though as a good Brownie I always had my pennies for the public phone box and knew how to use it 🙂

glammagran, why won’t they listen? 😬

Marydoll 💐

You will have made your decision by now, Mick - have a good day.

A quick good morning, the GC have given me a gift, the V & D bug which is doing the rounds of the local primary schools 🤮

Fingers crossed for your passports FGT2

Marydoll sorry to come back on the thread to find your day isn't going well. You've endured so much and pain is wearing.

Every now and again I find myself having to log in and couldn’t be bothered yesterday . Don’t know why this happens. Am psyching myself up for a supermarket trip which I have been putting off for days; am cross with myself for making such heavy weather of such a basic activity.

So sorry that Marydoll is finding life so hard; glad to hear from Ashcombe again; keeping fingers crossed for. FGT’s passport delivery. Hope we all have a good enough day.

Good morning from a damp Co Armagh, think the rain is on for the day
I do hope you get some relief very soon Marydoll 💐
I’m still trying to get the paint off my hands after art session on Friday, started a new picture , Teacher is doubtful, too much green she thinks
I’m still out of sorts , not sure if it’s the uti or the antibiotics are the problem
Today will be a lazy day ….. so not much change !

Good morning all from the Angus coast where the "Fool's Spring" has ended and grey skies and drizzle have taken over. Those sunny days have done their job though and I notice that the clematis that meanders along the fence outside the garden room now has leaves, and the leaf buds on the white lilac are plumping up nicely.
Welcome to this thread Gracie.
I hope those passports arrive FGT.
Your short foray into Wales sounds to have been lovely Rosesandlilac, as does your new little dog.
Marydoll you're allowed to feel grumpy and down 💐
As usual, nothing of interest to report from here. I must pop down into town and get some milk - I've just used the last drop.
Enjoy your various activities this weekend, and if the sun reappears, so much the better ☀️

Welcome Gracie12
Marydoll I know you don't want sympathy but I hope you get some help from somebody soon.

Good morning all Bit dull and grey in our part of Essex, but not cold!

I’m off to a Barn Dance tonight, yeeehaw!

Good morning from Sunnyside sandhills northwest coast.
Lovely day with DD and DS yesterday. Meal out together in smart restaurant, I had duck and excellent service. Afterwards we had coffee on a ferry boat moored in the river. On returning home, I saved a failing bee with sugar water and it has flown off.

Flying DD leaves for the south today and is due to fly to Singapore but it’s possible that the Heathrow situation will affect her. I do enjoy her travel tales. I’m meeting up with DGD next week as she couldn’t make the pre-birthday meal.

Nice to hear from you again Ash, all the best for the passports FGT and welcome to Gracie🌺

Marydoll. Gentle hug

Good morning from a rainy NE.
Think DS and GD will visit this afternoon, she always brightens my day.
Binge watched the rest of Ten Pound Poms yesterday and then started watching Adolescence on Netflix, female lead in both series is the same actress.
Have a good weekend.

Good morning everyone from a cloudy and damp Northampton, showers forecast later on.

A long and busy day yesterday, dance classes, watching DD's riding lesson, then a quick snack and out to the rugby (I shall draw a veil over that particular activity...).

The gardener came and did 4 hours; cut the grass front and back, weeding, dug out two dead shrub stumps and then trimmed the hedge at the front. Looks nice and tidy.

Had a nice chat while watching DD ride; another mum watching her daughter ride turned out to be the ex-wife of a teaching colleague. Talked about the old days which was nice.

A quick trip to the shops this morning, then home for a late lunch/early dinner, then out to DD's concert tonight - her wind band is performing an evening of American music, including Rhapsody in Blue, which should be good.

Trust today goes well for all.

Welcome Gracie12!

Marydoll 💐

Morning, high cloud in S Hants, the rain late yesterday was most welcome for the garden, I'm itching to sow more seeds but temperatures drop again next week.
Welcome Gracie12
I had a mad couple of hours yesterday cleaning, MrJ was quite perturbed! Pub last night and we caught up with lots of mates, we left before the rock n roll bingo 🙂
Good to see you Ash
Fingers crossed FGT
🦩🦩

Good morning from a 12 degrees and wet Cambridgeshire.
Our new Smart bathroom scales arrived yesterday (our old ones were giving erratic data) and hopeful these ones will give more favourable results! Well I have decided they are a lot smarter than me but will persevere in my battle to reduce what they are telling me!
Today we have nothing much planned. First stop will be the local Farm shop and then either a walk or cycle ride weather permitting.
Hope everyone has a good weekend. Fingers crossed for those passports FGT

Good morning everyone. Missing the sun already!

Our trip out with the other GPs could have gone better as we were nearly half an hour late. We had arranged to meet at one garden centre which is lovely but has a very small restaurant and drive to another for lunch. DH had put the postcodes into the sat nav in the the wrong order so we went to the one for lunch first despite me saying constantly we were going the wrong way when we’d been to the first one last year. 🤬
Anyway once we’d arrived at the correct venue we had a lovely time and lunch at the 2nd venue was excellent in a a lovely setting.

I’m pleased your wine evening went well BlueSapphire. That would be my idea of a great evening.

I shall read all your posts later. Have a good weekend all.

Morning from my bit of South Lanarkshire. 12 year old DGD is here for the weekend, deep joy. Her dad put her on the train into Glasgow, ( 10 minute journey) her mum met her once she came through the barriers and saw her through the gates to me on the platform of the train I had travelled in on and we both reboarded and came here. I know how much more independent we were at that age but it’s a different world. She is keen to repeat without the supervision!

Really good to ‘see’ you again Ashcombe you’ve been having a difficult time and having your DH there must be a great comfort.

I hope Gingster is having a great weekend with her old pals, I value you mine greatly but miss my ‘best friend’ so much.

Hoping that the FGT passports arrive today and that everyone has a good weekend

Good morning, Michael and all GNs from South Yorkshire where it is mild and damp. I’m hoping at some stage today to get some gardening done. I want to sieve some compost to sow some seeds. I said I wouldn’t this year but I missed the cosmos last year and they’re so cheerful and easy to grow, as are bedding dahlias. Other than that, I have a small shop to do this morning and then have a general tidy round. Also DS wants to FaceTime me later. I hate it - much prefer a straightforward common or garden phone call - but he likes to see that I haven’t turned into an alien while his back was turned👽!
Good to see you posting again, Ash!
Have the best day you can folks.

Morning Mick, morning All from a bright, mild corner of Somerset.

I’ll be up in the loft for a while today moving stuff around now there’s space. Not too long as constant bending isn’t a good plan. It’s an opportunity to give the new hand supports a workout.

Have the best day you can everyone.

Lovely to see you back Ash
FGT everything crossed in the hope your passports arrive today.
The blanket of flowers for your friend is such a lovely personal touch baubles💐

Welcome Gracie12 👋

Good morning from Bradford where I met up yesterday with my 4 friends and we spent a hilarious late afternoon and evening recalling things we had done more than 50 years ago.

After a leisurely breakfast we plan to a e a wander round the city visiting a couple of art installations specially commissioned,for this special year,go to the cathedral and see the stained glass windows designed by William Morris and other members of his group and have coffee in the hotel which we always thought was terribly posh when we lived here. I imagine we now will think it has faded grandeur!

It looks cloudy and dull ish but hope the sun might appear later. Hope all have the best day possible whatever your situation.

Good morning all from the Black country. Rain overnight which will please DH he had treated the lawns with a moss remover it needed watering in if no rain had appeared within 48hrs, one less job for him.
After yesterday's trip to eye hospital still non the wiser why I was referred, consultant not convinced I have glaucoma all readings fine but he said something not right with the pictures taken will go through all the tests again in another 9mths before discharging me.
Won a bottle of wine in the raffle at the club and a small win on the thunderball so a nice end to the day.
Fgt hope the passports arrive 🤞.
Out with friends this evening, usual full English calling so will catch up with everybody's happenings later, have a good day everyone whatever your plans and may you all find some ☀️.

Good morning Mick and all GN's on a grey wet and miserable morning here in North Yorkshire. Not a sign of any sun or wind and looks set for the day! What a change from yesterday

So on the plus side, my eye is a bit less painful, for which I am grateful as yesterday it was a constant effort not to rub it, and I couldnt find any way that made it easier. However my back is even worse than yesterday so it has taken me ages to get myself up washed and dressed. Still not driving so going to be rather a wet and miserable trip to the market and shops on the yellow peril. I shall also look a bit strange as I need to wear my sunglasses on the buggy at the moment so that the wind doesnt get in my eye.

I am not making any great plans for the weekend. From experience, when my back is like this I just have to go with the flow and do what I can, when I can. If I make plans I only get very frustrated because I cant do most of them. So it s going to be a mundane day, but The Yorkshire Post will be the cheering bit for the day. I only buy it on saturday, but besides the main news and local news there is a country part and then sudoko and crosswords etc etc so it is very good to keep me occupied when I need to sit down. I also have a quick look at the sports bit if there is any rugby or any horse dressage or cross country etc , then that is my little pleasure to give it to someone who can enjoy it. So If I call for a coffee half way through the shopping I offer it to anyone sitting near me, and if not sometimes see another gentleman who is on a scooter too in the market, who is always grateful for the up to date sports page, which he tells me he has as a reward with his coffee when he has put all his shopping away.

So my only task I have set myself today is to get my two calendars made up to date. I keep one with hospital dates and dentist and such stuff on , to make sure that I dont miss anything and can also check with that before making any other arrangements . On the other one I put all and anything that I am doing or hope to go to , so when I have read the local paper put things like coffee mornings and repair cafes on.

I am hoping for a repair cafe to be on somewhere near me soon. I have three pairs of trousers that are slipping as the are TOO BIG on the waist now!! Rather pleased to have lost a bit of weight, as not being able to do any swimming until the eye people say I may , and with my back too, have not been able to do much exercise.But on the other hand it has been very irritating sort of hitching up the waists on these trousers. As I am happy knitting but dislike sewing, apart from some embroidery, am happy to pay for someone who knows what they are doing to make a good job of them.

I very much approve of the repair idea. Having been brought up to make do and mend, and definitely in the "if it aint broke dont mend it " brigade, I have never been keen to spend money on new things, as long as the one I have got still works, and we have some amazingly clever people with various skills come to these things. It is a definite win /win situation. The experts can be sewers, electricans, menders of all sorts of things , so you take your problem to the reception and they direct you to the particular person who can help you. Of course, people like electricians have to be qualified in their job. So they can then look at your item, and tell you if it is mendable and the cost of doing it. They can also tell you if it is totally broken, or if they could retrieve at least some parts from it to use on other things. So this way, things are mended and reused, people know that the job is going to be done properly and the money goes to our local community action group. so everyone wins. Less going to the tip, reassurance that something is safe to use , and when something is no longer usable as is, it is good to give bits to the experts for use in other machines. In the meantime they have coffee and home made cakes so you can wait if it is something quick or arrange to come back.

Mick, defintely stay and enjoy the cycling. Bicester will still be there next week!!
Ash nice to meet you, sorry to hear you have been ill.

Well the day is not improving at all so I am resigned to a rather wet and miserable trip out. Time to fish out the big mack and yellow hat so that I am clearly seen in the mist. No meandering about today just get the necessary and head home.

Have a good day everyone