Chitchat thread #24

[greenishfing]

I'm amazed! Yesterday 4 out of the 6 seeds had germinated, and today the other two have started as well. I really didn't think ten year old seeds would be any good, especially as they were self saved, so not vaccuum sealed or anything, just in a fold of kitchen towel in a mini ziplock bag.

Hopefully they'll carry on the same way and end up strong and sturdy.

[Bren In Pots]

Afternoon, just home from the Grory hop it’s much quicker to get around the store instead of Thursday morning.
That’s good news about your seeds germinating MH, I’ve grown old saved seeds with success but not any that old. Will have to give them a go in the future.

[Nicos]

Wow MH!…you get the ‘Green Fingers of the Day Award’!
Most impressed - bet you are too

And Flo!…190? I can’t go more than about 20, but having said that I prefer my sudoku and have more patience with myself with that. Still…it’s good to tax our minds in that way.

We had a very productive day out and even managed a very swift hot chocolate at IKEA. No time to wander around ( …even though they had their sale on ) but I do enjoy their chocolate in such a bright , open space.

[Bren In Pots]

Morning
A dry day here the beddings out on the line and I'll be in the garden later i did spot some snow drops and self seeded violas.

enjoy your day

[Snoop Puss]

Morning Bren, morning all.

Bright start to the day but a really good frost again after a chilly night. That said, one of the birds roosting in the garage seems to have moved on. I keep wondering when they'll find proper nesting sites, now it's getting warmer and the days are longer. One down, three others to go. Will miss the little black redstart that roosts just above our door (gap in the wall above that it pops through). Makes you feel good when a little bird trusts you enough not to be bothered by your constant comings and goings, dogs and all, just 30 cm below it.

Loads to keep me busy today as per. But should start to get gardening next week. Hope you have a jolly time outdoors, Bren.

Have a great day, everyone.

[greenishfing]

Good morning.

Thick cloud and 6°C here, going up to a maximum of 7°C later. My main job today is taking my brother-in-law for an appointment at the hospital this afternoon. I'm also trying to think of something to buy him for his birthday next week. I will make him a cake as he loves cake but I think 82 candles on top might be a fire hazard and I don't think he'd have the puff to blow them all out.

There's no sign of any early flowers here yet but in a few weeks I'm sure there will be lots of daffodils and crocus. I do like to see early signs of Spring. It gives me hope.

[Nicos]

Mornin n’alln’all
We have a drizzly start to the morning.
1st of February eh?

When I was putting the bins out yesterday I had a wander around the front of the house checking out which Spring plants were coming up and was drawn to what I thought could be snowdrops, but nope, much to my surprise they were tiny white primroses.
Along with the hellebore, there’s a bit of colour finally arriving in the garden! Everywhere on the ground is actually starting to green up with the awakening of the Spring bulbs etc. Lovely

Lots of domestics for me today - the washing machine is already on its second load. Pity I can’t hang things out.

Enjoy your day peeps- I spotted the smiles excitedly jiggling around when they flew past…clearly someone is in for an exciting day!

[Florence Fennel]

Good Morning All Sunny here so I might put some bedding in the wash. Waiting for Grory Hop delivery. No Frank again today so another peaceful delivery. I too have snowdrops, when only a few days ago they were tiny shoots. Have a good day

[Snoop Puss]

The smiles were very excitable today, Nicos. The birds were singing away first thing. Lovely to hear and it got the smiles right skittish. Especially when I told them I might have seen a black wheatear yesterday and perhaps his mrs (more discreetly tucked away in the trees). A first for me if so. A surprisingly chubby chap. Fingers crossed they stay.

[bramble]

Morning all. A lovely misty one with no breeze at all.
Daffodils, grape hyacinths, polyanthus and cyclamen in blossom here.p

I need to pop into town this morning for a gift and a birthday card.

Have a good day all, catch up later.

[Bren In Pots]

Afternoon, no gardening we’ve been out instead to one of the local towns for a look around. A bit cold but it made a change. It’s tea and fruit loaf time then I’ll fetch the laundry in.

[Nicos]

We had a GP appt today as we thought it advisable to have a tetanus booster. Ended up coming away having had a routine tetanus/ diphtheria/ whooping cough and polio vaccine
Wasn't expecting that!

I managed to weed a few pots before we went out- the grape hyacinth look ready to flower pretty soon.

[greenishfing]

I took my brother-in-law for his hospital appointment this afternoon. Parking is usually horrific but has now hit a new low. There was a small disabled car park not too far from the main doors but this has now been shut off and there is a massive MRI scanner in it. Although this is I am sure good for some patients the logistics of getting an elderly man who has limited mobility even with his rollator and who is registered blind into the building safely is nigh on impossible. In the end I had to double park at the front door and let him get to his appointment on his own while I went to park miles away. Fortunately he managed on his own and by the time I had found somewhere to park his appointment was over and yet again I double parked, blocked the road, and got him and his rollator back in the car.

Why on earth, if space is at a premium, there wasn't a multi storey car park built next to the hospital when it was built about 10 years ago is beyond me. Don't the planners realise that most patients at a hospital, even if not permanently disabled, quite probably can't walk far because of their illness. Ggggrrrrrrhhhhh! Originally there was no seating near the doors as it didn't fit in with the open plan design. Where were sick patients meant to sit??? Rant over. Incompetence does drive me mad though. Does no one think to ask the end users before designing?

[rary]

Good evening, had to take my grandson to his work this morning, it was a dry but cold morning and once back home I went out and fed the birds and moved some compost bags into the greenhouse, got a phonecall from daughter asking me to go to the bus stop to give the pavement a wash as younger grandson had been sick when waiting for school bus, so had to drive round with a pail of water in the he car to clean a pavement, the things that i do for ma wains
then up to the church coffee morning, before heading to collect my son's dog who was in at the vets to get dressed, once back home I started repairing some areas that had some damage from the winds, now going to have a cuppa so I will ill wish you all goodnight and pleasant dreams

[mothhawk]

Why on earth, if space is at a premium, there wasn't a multi storey car park built next to the hospital when it was built about 10 years ago is beyond me. Don't the planners realise that most patients at a hospital, even if not permanently disabled, quite probably can't walk far because of their illness...

I sympathise, GF.

Our hospital had a multi-storey car park built several years ago. I had occasion to go there on Monday, my brother gave me a lift and at 1pm we joined the queue for the carpark - there were about 25 cars in front of us. The car park was already full, so it was one out, one in. I got out and walked the rest of the way.

When I came out at 3pm, the queue stretched the length of one road, around the corner, and the whole length of that road - there must have been at least 70 cars in that queue. I hope they were all just visiting and didn't have appointments to keep. There is a patient drop-off/pick-up point, but guess what? You have to pass the car park barrier first.