Chitchat thread #24

[Armorel]

Evening all Glad to hear that things are improving with the invalids especially Mr GF, good that the antibiotics worked on the pneumonia, but sorry to hear about the punctured tyres Parkin is delicious when it softens, my Dad used to have a chunk of strong farmhouse cheddar with it ... but then he used to have that with fruit cake and apple pie as well.

We've had a very busy three days with friends and packed in a LOT during that time including Mars at Truro cathedral, a fabulous meal at the Nepalese restaurant, a visit to our friends' glorious sheltered Cornish valley garden for a tour, tea and home made apple cake, then Glendurgan Gardens for lunch and a wander round the beautiful valley garden in the afternoon, dinner was hubby's delicious beef stew with Guinness made in the slow cooker and I made herby dumplings to go with it, the home made raspberry trifle afterwards went down very well too.

This morning, we went to an indoor farm market with our friends and we bought delicious organic sausages, lamb chops and vegetables (hubby loves a globe artichoke and we found romanesco and fresh beetroot too) while they bought cheese, bread and cakes. I was tempted by the damson jam (my Mum used to go to the pick-your-own fruit farm and make some delicious damson jam when I was a child), but I resisted. There will be another pre-Christmas market on the last Saturday in November if I change my mind.

The coffee stand was there was very busy and there was nowhere to sit so we drove 15 minutes to 'Cows and Sows' which is a very quirky little farm shop/nursery/cafe tucked away in a valley near Idless woods. The lattes were excellent, served very hot and foam-topped in large ceramic cups and saucers, and the hot toasted saffron buns with fresh soft butter were to die for. Even better, they had lots of plants for sale and I spotted a beautiful Aeonium 'Medusa', quite a big one with one main head and several small ones. It was half the price we'd have paid in most other nurseries and there are at least six smaller heads that I can propagate. Win!

Our friends left at lunchtime to drive back to Devon. I managed to get a load of laundry through the machine and hung on the line this afternoon. It was breezy and the showers actually stayed away. I had to put the heated airer away while they were here because it has to be collapsed and put in the garage, so it's now out and drying the laundry in the corner of the office. I don't think I'll get any laundry done tomorrow, looking at the forecast.

It's bucketed down with rain in the last hour, so I'm hoping it will stay dry when I make the short walk from the office back to the house soon. I'm glad of my small electric heated floor mat which sits under my computer desk and keeps my feet lovely and warm. My chrysanthemums are looking very bedraggled after the recent rain but the pinks and cyclamen are bearing up OK. We've also got lots of leaves on our gravel from a very tall field maple or sycamore nearby that have gone all soggy. I shall have to clear them up when the weather is kinder.

Tea in the pot if anyone wants some

[Tripmeup]

Flying visit but hello all my old friends.. Good to see the "old" (well just Rary obviously 😉) posters still flying the flag..be back soon, promise...

[Nicos]

Mornin n’alln’all

Tripmeup ….Huuuuge smiles here seeing you bob back in to see us Trip…How are you doing matey? Long time no see….I seem to recall you’d recently got a dog? Do keep your promise and be back soon x

Did everyone remember to put their clocks back an hour? Looks like the Vine didn’t…or is it just showing like that for me?

We were forecast a frost last night, but it must have rained so my nasturtiums are still looking lovely. They don’t half turn into a slimy mess do they?
This year we allowed them to grow in the potato bed and they dropped seeds everywhere…most of which have germinated already - so I hope there are still some dormant under the soil for next year.

More pottering for me today. Think I’ll sort out the rest of the kitchen base units. It’s a long while since they got a clear out/ scrub for some of the lesser used ones.

Dare I suggest the shredder??? I’m really in the mood for something like that!

Whats everyone else up to today?…whatever it is , those smiles were bobbing around the tree tops this morning - up to no good no doubt

[mothhawk]

Morning all.

Trip!! Hi! Long time no see. So good to see you back again.

The vine is still trying to hang on to summer for me too, Nicos, but it's lovely to be back on GMT again, (or as we must call it now, UT). Got up at my usual time and managed to see two shooting stars before the street lights came on at 5.30am (GMT ). The sky was very clear, and I've got your frost, Nicos, first of the year, just a light one.

I'm glad I dug up yesterday a variegated weigela that needed moving, and put it into a tub till I decide where it will go. Unfortunately a lot of its roots had gone under next door's shed, so it came out without its full quota and because of that might struggle to survive, but I have a rooted cutting if it turns up its toes.

[Snoop Puss]

Morning all. And a big hello to you Tripmeup. Hope you're doing well and jolly.

Dull and drizzly here today. Got a couple of lads helping us out with some odd jobs this morning, moving heavy things and generally helping us get things winter-ready. Jack is going berserk, as he really wants to say hello and jump all over them. All in all, it's the usual madhouse here.

Have a great day, everyone.

[Bren In Pots]

Morning

Up at my usual time and for the rest of the day we ignore the clocks and eat when we fancy, doing it that way I don't really notice the time difference.

Rain from lunchtime onwards here so i'll be in the garden soon to get veg and salad.

Waves to Trip

enjoy your day

[Florence Fennel]

Good Morning All Sunny but very cold here too. Breakfast on the go. Hello Trip!
Have a lovely Sunday

[greenishfing]

Good morning all.

I never posted yesterday. It was just such a roller coaster of a day and I had had practically no sleep. Hopefully today will be a better day and at least we have both slept. At the moment I'm still in bed. Mr GF is snuggled up under the duvet and I'm going to go and make drinks for us shortly.

His new riser/recliner is hopefully being delivered and set up on Tuesday morning🤞 I have ordered a two motor one, Snoop. I did ring them up first to see if the one that I was looking at was suitable for someone tall. He is still 6 foot 2 now, even with some shrinkage. The company that I have ordered from delivers all over the UK and abroad, but is only based about 15 miles away. Not a company I'd heard of, but they have good reviews and faster delivery/setup than anybody else. I have already filled in their VAT exemption form online which they emailed me. They do appear organised🤞Touch wood.

I hope everyone else has a good day.

Armorel, do you recommend an heated airer? Does it create lots of condensation?

Welcome back, Trip.

[Armorel]

Armorel, do you recommend an heated airer? Does it create lots of condensation?

I use mine mostly to finish the last bit of drying on laundry (cuffs, fastenings etc) or just to air out dry but chilly laundry. Which? magazine actually said a dehumidifier was as good an option as a heated airer. Anyway I very rarely put laundry straight out of the washing machine into the airer and, if I do, I make sure the dehumidifier is on as well. Mine has a cover but Which? reckoned you're better leaving it off. It's a matter of choice, I suppose, but my airer lives in a dry but unheated office so the warmth of the airer keeps the office aired too. I used to have a big internal walk-in airing cupboard with a 200gallon hot water tank that kept toasty warm all year round - I miss it

Gloomy day today with the occasional really warm sunny spell. Intermittent heavy showers this evening and it feels quite chilly.

Hello Trip, nice to meet you.

[Nicos]

Mornin n’alln’all
My turn for a rubbish sleep…. Ah well…maybe a siesta later.

I’m nipping out later and may incorporate a quick grory hop, but apart from that I’ve nothing planned apart much of the same. Lots of pottering …it’s very rewarding once it starts coming together!

I was wondering if there are lots of fireworks being set off early these days?…I was reading that they are getting harder to get hold of fir private use…or isn’t that the case?

Anyone fancy a brew?I’ll go and pop the kettle on…although I must admit that it’s feeling a bit nippy out of bed!

Have a great day peeps and keep those smiles coming!

[greenishfing]

Good morning.

I've just had a lovely dream. Mr GFand I were aboard what looked like a lovely yacht. We were in the cockpit, the sails were up, it was warm and we were just floating along in a gentle breeze.

The night before last one of the "muddle" mats that I bought a few months ago had a true test. They are rubber backed, supposed to absorb up to 3 times their own weight of water, and wash in the machine. I bought them as bedside mats although they recommend them for pets and muddy shoes. Somehow, I managed to pour a glass of red wine on one of themI bunged it in the washer on a quick wash with some other bits that were waiting to be washed. It came out of the washer nearly dry and looks just like new again.

My sister rang yesterday. The plants that I ordered from T and M for her partner's birthday in September are now starting to flower and evidently are looking good.

It is a silly time of the morning but I've been wide awake for a while now.

The single duvets and covers that I bought a few weeks ago were definitely a good idea and it is so much easier to get a single duvet into a cover than a kingsize.

I miss my airing cupboard too, Armorel. A walk in one must have been luxury. They were great. I used to have a central heating system once that blew hot air through vents in the walls and floor. That was great too, and I could put an airer full of washing above a vent to dry quickly.

..............Much later......

I fell back to sleep I've turned the themostat up now and am awaiting the results, before I head to the kitchen. When I was young I thought sleep was a waste of time. Nowadays, a good night's sleep is like a welcome friend.

I hope everybody else has slept well and is ready to welcome a new day.

[Snoop Puss]

Morning all.

A decent day here, yesterday. The lads who came to help us proved so helpful we'll be getting them to come back on a regular basis. Lots they can help us with, not just shifting heavy stuff.

As for today, it was so clear last night I expected our first frost, but it's still holding off. Very chilly this morning, but not that cold.

Have a great day, everyone.

[Bren In Pots]

Morning

Nicos not many fireworks up to yet mostly just rockets making loud bangs.

Its looking like being a dry day here, lots of little things I want to do in the garden and a bit of shopping.

Enjoy your day.

[Nicos]

Aaaand I’m back!
That didn’t take long.
Impulse purchase?( well…there should always be at least one shouldn’t there?) …2 red Amaryllis from Lidl. Two buds just starting to show. Far too early for Xmas, but I can’t help but love them.

A quick siesta for me now seeing as it’s started raining .
GF…those mats and duvets were a really good call weren’t they?

[Florence Fennel]

Good Morning All Sunny and cold here. We hear fireworks regularly Nicos. Many people in the area complain because of their pets. Have a good day