Winter Chat

Yep, I got both those projects finished and started on another that has been a bit of a failure, but never say die.  I'm having another go at it tomorrow.

Today for some reason I have been so sleepy and every time I have sat on a comfortable seat I have fallen asleep.  I simply can't explain it as I had a reasonable night last night.  It's possibly the weather that's doing it.

It looks like the snow is on it's way early next week.  Maybe once that comes, and lays, it will get a bit warmer.

Louie is doing very well with his training off the lead, and yesterday he came face to face with Margarets dog, Patch.  It wasn't what I called a good meeting, but it wasn't too bad either.  There is hope yet.

I've finally finished buying all the big presents for the family and many of the stocking, or rather bag presents.  I just have to get a couple more each for them to put in their stocking/bag.  Then after Christmas it's a tightening of the belt to save for a faster mobility scooter.

I haven't even thought about Christmas yet. I always wish it would just go away.

Workmen right outside my house with pneumatic drills doing my head in. They're digging up a main sewer for repair. Supposed to take five days but if the drop downs were anything to go by it'll be more like weeks. They're already causing chaos with the traffic and my visitors will have fun finding anywhere to park.

I had a spell like that recently Sandy and it was when I'd been getting more sleep than usual. It seems if my body gets extra sleep it just wants more and more.

Hi everyone.

Sandy, 
Rainy weather here on a Sunday afternoon
often makes me feel like taking a little nap.
Or watching a movie in the recliner
while under a Sherpa throw blanket.

Wendy, 
It is no fun having drilling outside your home.
I remember one summer
we had construction workers redoing the road
right near our apartment.
Not only was it loud, but it stirred up so much
dusty dirt that I covered my couch with a white blanket.
(We often had the sliding glass door open)
The white blanket became a bit dirty
and we wondered what our lungs were taking in.
Needless to say, we quit opening our sliding glass door
until they were done working.

We have about 1 1/2 inches of snow here now.
More to come tonight.

I have done some of my Christmas shopping.
I bought some stem toys for one of my granddaughters
who is very interested in science and experiments.
I purchased an interesting kit about electricity
that she will love.

Another granddaughter is into crystals.
I went into several shops that sell rocks, geodes and crystals
and found them quite expensive.
But I still purchased a few things in my price range.
Then I ordered an amethyst geode online.
It is really beautiful.

One of my granddaughters
had asked me to help her make a candle once.
We did it in the kitchen and used crayons
and some old wicks from candles I had.
I had to stand over my stove for hours
boiling crayons and wax.
Then she would say, "Now we need a layer of red
in the candle." and I would boil the red crayons.
She was delighted but I was exhausted.

She recently asked me if we could work on another candle.
Oh my goodness, I would rather gouge my own eyes out
with my own fingers than work on another 4 hour candle.
But it gave me an idea for a Christmas present
and I bought a candle making kit online.

It looks like a lot less work.
I'll find out in the end.

I'm having some morning yogurt
and watching CNN News.
Some interesting clips and stories about 
former President George Herbert Walker Bush
as he just died.

Hope everyone has a lovely rest of the day!

Well, I'm a bit pissed off regarding Christmas this year.  Aimee booked in to work all day from 7.30am to 6pm, which was bad enough, then yesterday I found out that Adam changed his mind about spending C/mas day at Sarah's and Boxing day up in Blackpool with his parents.  Now it's the other way around.

Now because Adam (Jessie's boyfriend) isn't spending C/day with us, she went and booked in to work from 2pm to 6pm.  I am livid that things have changed like this, and I bet my Sarah is too.  She was not happy about Aimee in the first place and now it's Adam gone all day and Jess half the day as well.

I wouldn't be surprised because of this that next year Sarah and Martyn decide to go abroad for Christmas next year, and I wouldn't blame them if they did.  What's the point of them staying to make Christmas for the kids if the buggers are booking in work. 

The funny thing is, that Aimee worked last year as well and that infuriated Jess, and now she is doing the same.

Bummer you have to put up with noise outside your house yet again Wendy.  I do so hope it doesn't last long.  Our main town of Christchurch is in a turmoil with traffic due to road works.  What a time to start them when traffic is so heavy over this period.

Sod that for a game of soldiers Kerri, standing over a stove making candles.  You have far more patience than I do.  Good idea about the candle making set though.

Well  I finally found you .... lol, winter does not start until Dec 21 officially , so never thought of looking , but really wondered why no one showed up on the old thread .

We have no snow here , and it's 6c , but getting colder , down to 5c in the coming week .Christmas is  so commercialized  now days I find , watched the Santa Claus parade last evening . pretty lights alright , splashy decoration , but all about businesses advertising if you look closely . The children of course don't notice,  and that's good . I best look in to the Cards writing and sending this week .  It never fails , the Post office always strikes when they are needed most .... but I believe they were ordered back to work by the Government , but that is hear say .

Sandy: sounds like you are doing well with getting Louie trained , he is a smart dog by the looks of it .
Congrats on getting both your projects done , you are so ambitious with the sewing it seems . 
In my working days , and while I was single , I always worked all the special Holidays , as it meant getting paid double and some paid triple ( but my Income tax was sky high on that ) ....that is how I got my Christmas presents paid for .  I then made Christmas family day on Boxing day , or one day later if they were going to look for boxing day specials  , what does it really matter .   It's the really young families that keep everything up and running normally I think .

Kerri:  I do not envy you with that Candle making thing, hats off to you for being such a good sport .

Wendy:   Guess the men need to make hay while the sun shines ... lol , Christmas is expensive , but I do not envy you having to put up with all that , traffic should run smoothly at this time of the year .  Hope you get some peace and quiet soon .

Hello passing through but wanted to say hello.

They're working in heavy rain and strong winds Geru. lol Yesterday wasn't quite as noisy because the main digging up of the road was done on Saturday. It was more grinding and stuff than pneumatic drills. Not pleasant but marginally quieter. I certainly wouldn't be opening any windows Kerri.

It's wonderful that you encourage your granddaughters in their interests Kerri but yep candles from scratch again would be above and beyond. lol It's great that one of them is interested in stem subjects. We need more girls to get involved to show them how it should be done. I'm a big fan of will.i.am for his work in this area. He's ploughed a fortune into it not to mention precious time. He even donated his salary for judging on The Voice UK to The Prince's Trust to create a STEM facility over here.

I'm sure you and Sarah are disappointed about Christmas Sandy. I'm the opposite. I'm miffed I couldn't escape being dragged to my daughter's for a few days. lol Each to their own.

To me December, January and February are winter months.   March, April, May, are spring months, and so on. 

I only have one more pressie to buy and that's a little something for Margaret.  I am still thinking on her.

I've bought Charlie a guided tour for two of a 1600s prison and work house in Somerset for him and his wife.  I know they like visiting various places.

Then of course there is all the wrapping which I absolutely loath.

Yeah.  Jess is getting £100 for her 4 hours working on Christmas day.  No idea how much Aimee will be getting though.

I'm sure Christmas is going to turn out fine though.  We will all be together Christmas Eve for board games and then again Christmas day evening.

Just dropping in to say hello this morning . Sun is out , and I best get my hair coloured today, had it all cut off last week, have to get used to myself now , but it's so much easier  to take care of . Plan on going even shorter ... MAYBE ... lol .

have a great day everyone .

I'm having some wierd ole days.  They are flying by yet I seem to have no time to do anything constructive.  I'm sure time is speeding up.

It was raining so hard yesterday that Charlie came in for his cup of tea like drowned rat.  It was dripping off of him.

Today I really need to do another tidy up and then I want to start a new project.  I don't know what it will be yet though.

That's a great idea for Charlie's present. I'm sure they'll both enjoy the tour.

Pouring with rain again here too. The workmen have filled in their big hole and just collected the support struts and a few other things. The barriers and roadwork signs are still here though. They won't go until the road has been tarmacked so in the meantime my car is still parked over in the cash and carry car park. That's going to be a pain when it comes to unloading grocery shopping in the morning.

A new hair style is always fun Geru. Did you get it coloured?

Bummer regarding the problem with getting to your car.  Hopefully they will get the road tarmacked asap.

Peeing down on and off all day so have spent it yacking to either Margaret or Charlie, doing a bit of housework and finishing off another skirt.  Tomorrow I'm starting on making a petticoat.

Just popping in to say hello ,weather is cold for us here, 4c , not used to it for this time of year, freezing rain for tonight and tomorrow maybe , yuk , best make sure to get to the store ..

Nothing much new, except the usual mmmmmmm

Sandy: great present for Charlie and his wife ...... and have a good time chatting and sewing .

Wendy: Hope they get that road fixed real soon so you can get your car home .And no I did not get my hair coloured ,  I have to do that myself , and no , do not like my hair cut , but ...... it's easier  this way.

See you later folks .

Morning ...

Wendy I too admire Will.I.Am for all that he does and he's a very smart man too.

Sounds like life has been busy for you Sandy. Not so nice getting all that rain though.
Good on you getting all that xmas shopping done!

We've started our Summer season on Dec 1st. Had a few hot days but overall the weather has been pleasant.

I'm totally ignoring xmas this year and got tired of trying to fit in with everyone else's plans.
No pressies anymore as they are all adults with partners and they've got everything already anyway.
The peer pressure from advertising and shops is becoming a joke and quiet frankly I've had enough.
So will I see any of my lot this xmas? No idea .... they are all busy getting things organised with their inlaws ... enough said I think and that is not to say I don't like those people because I do; they are nice, kind people. But ... every year I am put on the "oh mum doesn't mind to wait, list" ... and this year mum does mind.

Still not feeling much better Sandy ... mentally that is ... so I'm just taking it day by day and I have been sleeping a heck of a lot lately too. Don't even know I've fallen asleep.
Managed to get my gardens kinda summer ready and that's about it really.
Receiving counseling but that is slow going and time will tell if it has helped.

Hi everyone.

Martha,
Anyone would get fed up
with being on the "Mum doesn't mind" list all the time.
Hope you feel better mentally and emotionally.
Sending out big hugs to you.
You've always had a huge heart for others.
In the tough times, remember how valued
and loved you are.  

Sandy,
What a nice gift for Charlie.
I would like any guided tour
that involved history. 
The family board games sound wonderful.
Hope you have a good time together in spite
of some of your sweet loved ones working a bit during
the holidays.

Wendy, 
Hope you get a rest from the pouring rain.
It's just plain cold here right now.

Geru, 
Hope you made it to the store
before the weather gets too difficult.

Hope everyone has a good rest of the day.

The rain was terrible yesterday but I actually managed to nab a space out back so only had to unload groceries from a few yards away which was a relief. The wind was really strong last night and all the roadworks signs, cones and barriers blew everywhere. The workmen came and tarmacked the road at 8.30 this morning and put them back in place. Hopefully they'll all be gone soon and in the meantime my car isn't budging from its prime spot. lol

Along the same lines Martha, my daughter and her partner were coming to visit next weekend. She texted me last night to ask if they could come today instead. I had plans but rearranged them so they could. Got a text at 11.30 this morning to say they hoped I didn't mind but they'd had a change of plans and were going Xmas shopping today instead. YES I do bloody mind. Pardon my French. I swear that girl thinks I don't have a life that doesn't revolve around her. Upshot is I told her I'd rearranged today's plans for next weekend now so I'd be busy. She said that's OK we'll come and pick you up for a few days over Christmas on the 24th. Something else I didn't want to even do that she just assumed I'd fall in with. Grrrrr!

Hello everyone , just dropping in , read the posts , weather is cool, but freezing rain is holding off ,glad to see this , hate having to go out and the roads  are  slippery .

Wendy; don't blame you for minding about all the plan changes , I would be upset too ,Moms should come first , but they never do so it seems .

 Martha:  hope you feel better soon , try to look at all the good things about your life if you can, that might help a bit 

Kerri:Have a great day .

I've now adjusted my life and accepted that I am in the middle circle of the 3 ringed circle that one draws to put the most important people in your life in the centre, the next one out are those you love but that don't really affect your life, and the outer ring for friends.

I no longer care if my girls cancel or don't visit much.  If they visit they visit, if they don't they don't.  I now fill my days with fun things to keep me happy and don't even think about it.  It's nice if they do pop in but I don't miss them anymore like I used to.

I've got myself a great hobby in my sewing, and quite honestly there now isn't enough hours in the day to do everything I want to.  I also have a really good friend and company in Margaret.  A woman friend was something that was desperately missing from my life.   I also have Charlies company for an hour or so a couple of times a week.

But I do have to say that without giving myself absolutely over to Christianity as I have done I wouldn't be as content as I am now.  Receiving the Holy Spirit and getting closer to God, believe me has given me a new lease of life and a far better understanding and acceptance of my girls physical presence not being absolutely necessary to my happiness.  Once I had faith my whole life started falling into place.  Everything good started coming my way.  And of course much of my time is also spent listening to lectures, Bible Studies and other interesting subjects.

As I mentioned before I was offered and appointments made for me to have counciling but I was able to cancel and turn their help down, because I no longer need it.

It sounds like you are now going through what I had been going through Martha and I am so, so sorry to hear it.  You were the one that kept me struggling on through my bad times and it was your wise words that helped me so much at that time.  I hope to goodness you don't have to go through this depression for long before you climb your way out of it.

Yeah, I'm really looking forward playing that game with the girls Kerry.  It's a new game on the market for Christmas this year.

The weather once again is bad down here too Wendy.  I wanted to go out today to have a look around the 2nd hand shops but it simply wouldn't have been enjoyable getting soaked and wind blown just to have a wander around.  I just wish the blasted snow would come as once it has laid it will be warmer and dryer at least.

The day is gloomy looking ,not to cold, 9c , lightly raining , some gusts of wind now and then ,not nice at all, but sure better then freezing rain .  We do get frost on the roofs over night , but if that's all , i would be thankful .

Got half of my Cards mailed,must finish them off today and get them off in the mail ,not sure if they get there in time with that darn postal strike off and on . Christmas is not what it used to be ,way the decorations where out in the stores right after USA Thanksgiving , guess that is to make the USA visitors feel at home . The USA  ferry comes in to the harbour here, so we get plenty of folks visiting from the USA here all the time .  I will get sick of hearing jingo  bells I tell you .
Christmas is bad for the homeless and all the depressed folks where ever they might be !! 

Sandy:  i got a chuckle out of your avatar....great job !!!  A step back in time.
I am happy to hear your thoughts on the girls visiting or not , good attitude .  You are fortunate to have found the faith to help you , all the best to you . And don't forget , you live in a fantastic place , and you found a lady friend , who you seem to have hit it off with ,  and that sure helps , and good old Charlie , lets not forget the helper for all the problems that come up . 

Kerri: Have a nice day 

Yes, I feel that I am very lucky to have both Margaret and Charlie. 

We all find it annoying over here too that Christmas is in the shops far too early now. 

I made myself a lovely pale yellow petticoat over the weekend.  I've just got to put the tapes on now to finish it off later today.  I have dentist at 2pm and so this morning can't think straight until that's over with.

I am getting a lot better at going, but I read somewhere the other day that "One doesn't get over a phobia, one just gets braver", and I think that is correct.  It still makes me sick to my stomach, but at least I can turn up at the surgery now.  My Jess, as usual, it taking me and will come in with me.

I want to make a start this afternoon on the skirt for Margaret.  She also asked me yesterday if I would also make a petticoat for her to go underneath.  She is a very large lady and so I am hoping that the material she has given me for the skirt will be wide enough to look good once the skirt is finished.  They do need a large amount of flow.

A light bulb popped in my living room as I turned it on this morning, and I can no longer climb to change it myself so I will have to wait for Charlie to visit this week to do it for me.  These long life ones are meant to last for years, but this will be the 3rd light bulb I have had to put up there since moving in about 16 months ago.

I have read the post's  , see you later 

Well, I survived the dentist.  No work needed doing, I just had a thorough cleaning.

I woke up really early this morning so I sat with a cup of tea un-picking some hems of 2nd hand material and now going to put it all through the wash before I start on making a petticoat and skirt for Margaret, hopefully tomorrow.

I also want to get some Christmas pressie wrapping done today.  I don't want to leave it until last thing as I usually do.  I also need to wash the kitchen and bathroom floors.

Other than that the rest of my day is a play day to do what I fancy.

I've done a bit of polishing and vaccing and I need a sit down. You're making me tired just reading your list Sandy. Glad you survived the dentist and I hope you have enough material for that skirt. Slightly embarrassing if not.

I'm trying to think what to get for Christmas for a 96 year old lady who has everything twice over and no space for anything else. She's not mobile enough any more for major outings so I'm a bit stumped.

Morning everyone , and what a nasty day it is here today, real dark and thick overcast and raining with a wind warning ahead  .  I cleaned off my balcony yesterday, as it was full of those long scotch pine needles, and guess i will have more mess to clean up tomorrow  .
Mailed some more cards yesterday, and I see more are  coming up , forgot some . Heaven  only knows if they will get there , or when , as the Postal workers Union is bucking the Governments call back  to work order .  Guess stamps will go up again , you would think , that the mail would fall under essential services 

Sandy: You are so ambitious , always a task on the go , well at least  you enjoy the sewing part , glad the dentist is over with , and better yet, no work needs done .  I need to go too, but I bet a bridge replacement is due soon, it will cost me and arm and a leg and then some .

Wendy:  how about a hairdo for this 95 year old friend  ,that always makes one feel better . 

Hi Everyone. 

One of my daughters came by
to say hi after I got home from work.
She suddenly ran for the bathroom and it seems
she may have a stomach virus. Poor Darlin'.

I Clorox wiped down the bathroom
after she left.

Glad you survived the Dentist, Sandy.
I should go and get a cleaning
before the end of the year since it is paid for
by my insurance through my employer. 

Wendy, 
A gift for someone who has everything and
very little room?
Maybe a small, pretty indoor plant?
Or a personalized gift with her name on it?
An old picture put in a pretty frame
or on a cup for tea or coffee.

Geru, 
I have not got a single Christmas card out this year.
Some years I feel so motivated.
Hopefully I can get to a few this weekend.

Hi Martha, Elaine and Susan.

Hope everyone has a good rest of the day!