Chitchat thread #24

[Nicos]

Oh gosh - I’ve just found out that some ‘find my past’ records have free access this weekend ( but not the 1921 Census). I guess I’ll be on there quite a bit printing off stuff .
The sewing can wait a bit longer…

[bramble]

Good morning all, sunny and cold at just 5 degs.
I need to go into town this morning to pick up some gifts and birthday cards.

Flok it's nice to have family visiting, enjoy the company.

Grenishfing, that food trolly looks very useful to have in the house.

Nicos, the sewing can wait, it's far more exciting to research your past.

Have a good day all,

[Snoop Puss]

Morning all.

I'm back in the land of the living. Well, feeling more human than I have these last few days. Now I only have a hillock of work rather than a huge mountain. Altogether more manageable.

Nice and bright out. Mr Snoop and M are busy mixing mortar while the weather's fine. Very cold nights coming. I think the little redstart that we disturbed in our bedroom last night knows. First time we've ever had a bird try to overnight inside our room. The smiles thought it was lovely but Frankie had other ideas. Fortunately we managed to chivvy it out. Sadly, the blackcap that roosted in our garage for the last few years hasn't returned, but maybe the redstart will move in instead.

Good luck at the vet's, Nicos.

Time to go on a quick round of the Vine, see what I've not spotted in the last few days.

Have a great day, everyone.

[Bren In Pots]

Afternoon

Snoop Redstarts are pretty birds rather robin like, we don’t have them in our area though. Hope yours comes back.
Enjoy your weekend of research Nicos like Bramble says the sowing will wait.

[rary]

Good afternoon, was up at our sons this morning to put the boys out to school, and that's the first day of scraping ice of the car windows, when I got up to my sons I told him I felt cold after clearing the windows, his answer, yes I know, the cars just clearing mine, how come mine doesn't do that😢 it was also quite foggy up until 11.30 but has now cleared up and ice and sunny now. I also had to do some shopping, OH gave me a list which unfortunately I lost, and when I got back in with the messages some were missing, guess who isn't too popular, as some of the things that are missing, are things OH was wanting.
Nicos didn't you keep diarys when you were young, if so look up the 1920s ones for family info
As for getting trollies ect. I don't think it would be a good idea, OH would expect me to use the tea one, and that's a definite no, I am going out to the garden for a short time, mainly to tidy up all the leaves that are lying about,

[greenishfing]

I am feeling quite pleased with myself. I went and picked up my new foldable shelf this morning. As soon as I picked it up I had a suspicion it would be too long for the available space in the bathroom. It was! A quick rethink. I took the kitchen one down and moved it to the bathroom for now. All the holes and fixings were identical. It is on it's last legs however. There is plenty room for the new one in the kitchen. I use it for airing washing above the radiator. Mr GF came into the kitchen as I was finishing up. It is dead level and very secure. He did look askance at the rolling pin that was sitting alongside my tools and I had to admit I couldn't find a little hammer and had used it to tap in the rawlplugs. I told him he should be proud of himself as when I met him I wouldn't have had a clue how to put a shelf up, which drill bits were for which job, etc, etc. He was a very good teacher of DIY and I was an enthusiastic student. I think the best thing though is that he always had confidence in me. The only thing I was totally useless at was welding.

[Florence Fennel]

Well done GF - I couldn't put up a shelf - both Himself and I are useless at DIY, although I can usually manage something along the lines of Heath Robinson in the garden environment! We rely on the many practical skills of our youngest son. They're definitely not inherited!

[greenishfing]

Well done GF - I couldn't put up a shelf - both Himself and I are useless at DIY, although I can usually manage something along the lines of Heath Robinson in the garden environment! We rely on the many practical skills of our youngest son. They're definitely not inherited!

They're definitely not inherited as although my father taught me how to sheet and rope an articulated lorry by the age of twelve (he then tightened the dolly knots) he was not allowed near any thing electrical in the house (I won't go into details about his catastrophes) and I was in charge after learning how to wire a plug at school at age eleven. I was so jealous when my young niece told me that they were using soldering irons at school. Yes, something else Mr GF taught me eventually when I was rewiring one of our boats. Girls were obviously never thought capable of such skills in my youth........just sewing and cookery, which I was hopeless at in my youth (complete lack of interest didn't help).

[rary]

Meant to say earlier, with all the references to freezers, I am thinking of looking for a large chest freezer or possibly a tall fridge, any of the two would make a great wormarie, large, not too deep and well insulated, I would of course seal any openings within the unit, the tall fridge that we have in the kitchen has a fan at the back of it as well as a light fitting so things like that would need to be sealed, I suppose the ones that fit under work tops would do, I am now wondering if I could talk OH into needing a new fridge or freezer, and it needs to be a separate unit as I don't want a partition in it eeem will think on this🤔😁😁

[Nicos]

Mornin n’alln’all
Been awake since 5am But at least I got to see the sunrise over misty fields . Stunning.

Obviously more family tree research today, but I felt chuffed that yesterday I unpicked one of the zips from the original campervan mattress covers.

It’s quite calm outside still but only 4C at the moment- but no frost .
I’ll probably pop out into the garden later for a bit of fresh air- there’s potentially loads of cutting back to do but I want to be more selective and consider overwintering insects.
We’ve already gently released 3 queen wasps which have been on the wood for the fire, and woken up in the warmth, so that has probably made me even more mindful of what else is overwintering in the garden.

Well, it’s Armistice Day - I’ll be silent at 11am - always reflective out of respect. My grandfather fought at the Somme and Ypres and survived , but many of his friends didn’t.

Look after yourselves peeps - see ya later.

[Bren In Pots]

Morning

A frosty start here, up to yet I've only been as far as the GH and gate to collect milk but will be going out later for a stroll.

enjoy your day

[Snoop Puss]

Morning all.

Yes, Nicos, I've just been listening to a recording made at the end of the war. When the guns stopped, the birds could be heard. Not sure if it was a true recording or not - you never can tell these days - but I'm sure the same thing must have happened in some places, so still real. Terrible that there's so much strife still going on.

Got two loaves spending a few hours in the fridge for baking on our return from an outing to a nearby wine village with M. Might even spoil ourselves to lunch out. Also, there's a talk this evening in our village on local drystone buildings. These events are always popular. Not sure if I'll go along or just Mr Snoop and M. No need for all three of us to go and there will be limited seating.

Having said yesterday that the blackcap had disappeared, there was one back in the garage last night for the first time. Not sure if it's the same one. It looks a bit smaller and has opted for a perch in a slightly different spot. Always nice to see. Still a few geckos braving the cold in the hope of insects, but the bats have found a warmer roost. In the summer, they're always in there in the early hours after dark, but then off hunting. No idea where they spend the winter or daylight hours. Another project for my retirement is bird and bat boxes.

Right, better go and tidy myself up.

Have a great day, everyone.

[greenishfing]

Good morning all.

It's a sunny morning here and the frost has already melted away. I could see it forming on the cars before we went to bed last night.

I was dreaming that I was making mince pies just before I woke up this morning. 😋 I never got to eat them though.

Yesterday Mr GF's old friend, age 97, was on the local news as he was a veteran of D day.

Having had a critical look at our bathroom I've decided it could do with a revamp. Not just a shelf, but a new laundry basket and storage.

[Florence Fennel]

Good Morning All Sunny here, but again very cold. I have to bake for Prem Day again next week so making salted chocolate shortbread biscuits today, they'll be ok in a tin until Friday. Have a good day

[bramble]

Good morning all.
Bright and cold here but its dry.

My hubby's grandfather was killed on the first day of the Somme.
He is attending a local ceremony of remembrance at 11.0'clock.

Lots of domestics to take care of today do it's going to be a busy one.
Have a good day all.