Chatterbox LXXXIII AKA TONY

[KC2]

So glad to see that it's all wori

I have just closed my benefits claim..... I have never felt so elated.

So, so glad to see that it's working out, Tezza, well done. Definitely time for to celebrate the end of your first week

[TeresaFoodie]

I may sneak a in somewhere over the weekend !

I think I will nip to the Co-op and see what they've got that would go well with garlic bread. Maybe some little nibbly bits. I'm due a mammoth chat with a friend on the phone later. I know she's been to three job interviews this week and has been volunteering at her local library, so we've got a lot of catching up to do. I feel I will need a platter of snacks in front of me to graze on.

[Sloe-Gin]

Wuzzle is all packed up and ready to send to Zosh tomorrow.
I had a 2 hour one to one lead training session with the hooligan this morning. I have a strategy for walking him now.
I can take him to the enclosed field, but on a lead he's a nightmare

[aero280]

Well done Tezza!

I have spent the day running around getting parts for the builder and the plumber. They priced to move the water tanks in the roof, but it became clear that the forty year old plastic tanks were not in a fit state to be moved. And climbing three storeys on a ladder on the outside of the scaffolding and coming back to ground is bad enough once, but I've done it at least three times today...

[Cheezy_Jazzy]

Evening all

Have been out singing with choir today then three of us went out for tea. Got back quite late but got a rapturous welcome from Rusty and Zac as I am on dog sitting duty.

I think I shall head to bed. Night all

[TeresaFoodie]

I'm off to bed in a bit. Before I go, does anyone know why I keep getting emails from rio alerting me that
someone has posted to a certain topic on here? This since I logged on from work earlier today....

Have wonderful sleeps all!

[StokeySue]

Oh I do that occasionally, manage to subscribe to a topic so I get notified when there are new posts

Go to User Control Panel, select Manage Subscriotions, and uncheck anything you are subscribed to
That fixes it

[cyprusmoira]

Good Morning Wild Ones, glad to read that you are signed off benefits, Tezza. Love the sound of Fat Friday.
It was interesting here in the early hours of the morning, we had a full moon and lightning, very odd.

Moira

[Zosherooney]

Morning, had an early night so awake early, visitors today for lunch which is a bowl of borscht garlic croutons and cherry cake and mince pies for afters. A cousin of Mr. Z's who came down for the comedy night near Melksham. Brickies are on site again this weekend. They are doing upper floor walls this time. Cats will have an upsetting day - no where to escape to !

Aero hope you had your hard hat on and steel toecaps, elf and safety !!!

[earthmaiden]

Morning all! A quick wave . Busy at work for past couple of days but have the weekend off to attend a conference. Feels a bit nippy this morning.

So thrilled you have been able to sign off Tezza. You've come such a long way all through determination .

Ha ha Zosh, the lack of a comma between the borscht and garlic croutons had me imagining a bowl of dried beetroot and garlic cubes which didn't sound a very nice lunch ... too early in the morning for my brain to function . (as if my punctuation is top notch, especially on these pesky little phones ).

I'd better get dressed. Not looked out of the window yet, hope the car isn't iced up. My windscreen isn't heated - takes an age to demist.

[TeresaFoodie]

Thanks Sue, and morning all.

I just shot out of bed thinking I had work.

Another harsh frost here. Heating going straight on. I'm going to make a batch of leek and potato soup this morning using a couple of sorry looking leeks that should have been used last weekend really. This can go in the freezer if I can find room. I've been panic buying bread so not much room at the inn! First I have a serious letter of complaint to write. Then....relax!

Have fun one and all.

[icelesley]

Good morning wild ones. Damp and chilly here. For some reason we can't, get into the laptop the last couple of days, it just sits on the screen saver I am using my kindle fire. So annoying, it can't , be the internet or I wouldn't be able to get online any suggestions ??

[Cheezy_Jazzy]

Morning all

Great news about being signed off Tezza need to put my heating on too no wonder I am feeling cold.

My parents are back this morning. Once they get off the ferry they are go8ng out for breakfast so had better get showered etc before taking the dogs for a walk.

[suffolk]

Good morning all I woke earlier ... had a read and went back to sleep until just a few minutes ago ....

[PatsyMFagan]

Morning all … quite balmy here - I have just popped into the garden to empty a plant pot and was surprised how mild it was

A busy weekend for me as I am off early Monday morning to Kyrenia.

While I am away, I am having my bath removed and a shower fitted. What was originally meant to have been a straightforward job has meant that I have had to find some tiles to replace those below, and that complement, a very expensive border. The whole bathroom was originally tiled with a very pale (almost white) tile from B&Q - of course, no longer available, so I am expecting to come home to an unfinished, but useable shower - the tiling may have to wait

The pic shows the existing tiling, with the border, the 2 samples I narrowed down, eventually choosing the one on the left, and the new pseudo wooden tiles for the floor. One of today's jobs is collecting the tiles. Then on to a local GC that has a Cotton Traders outlet (the weekend man is looking for sweat shirts). Lunch is on the agenda before we do the shopping.

[earthmaiden]

Pat, that is exactly what I'd like done but have no idea what kind of person to ask to do it. The shower is already in situ over the bath so it's only the drainage, base, cubicle and tiling which need doing. I asked at B&Q but they only do whole bathroom designs now. Seems you need a range of skills so who to go to? I am hoping the cooperative I heard of recently might be able to help.

[PatsyMFagan]

My guy is local and self employed. His trade is fitting bathrooms, which is mainly plumbing and tiling .. in fact, he says he may get a 'tiler' in to finish the job, saying they are cheaper than he is. If you go to your local Topps Tiles, they sometimes have cards on display of local tilers/bathroom fitters. Or go to a bathroom shop and see if they have similar cards ?

Meant to add that I too already have the shower above the bath ….. a local builder had replaced that last year.

[StokeySue]

I know a couple of small firms locally that would do that earthmaiden - the point being one is my plumber, who will bring in other trades as needed to do a job like that, the other being a small building firm that started out as decorators but have expanded their remit

If you put the job into Rated People or Local Heroes you can see who responds, you don’t have to put in enough details to identify your self - in fact you mustn’t

The stripping out of next door continues, they seem to know what they are doing but last night I had an invasion of very confused mice, presumably displaced. Fortunately everything is spick and span so they aren’t finding it the land of plenty, though I suspect they will enjoy the central heating

Today a visit to the podiatrist then the deciding match in my Backgammon league, bit of shopping in between

Have a good day everyone

[liketocook]

Good morning everyone,
Grey & raw here. One of those days where it still doesn't seem to have got properly light.
Spent about 20 minutes watching a blackbird absolutely gorging on the cotoneaster berries. I'm surprised it could still fly after the amount in consumed. Definitely a wildlife friendly bush to have as the bees love the flowers in the summer and the birds the berries in the winter.
I'm undecided re food, a blt for lunch I think and I was going to have a gammon steak tonight but don't want bacon/ham twice in one day. I might defrost a chicken thigh and have that instead.
Over the next few days I need to get the bramble vodka strained so I can get it bottled for Christmas (must check I have enough bottles) and buy a small gift to send to Greece so it gets there in time. I love getting ready for Christmas.

[cyprusmoira]

A busy weekend for me as I am off early Monday morning to Kyrenia.

Patsy, I am glad that you mentioned that, it is not as warm here as it should be but definitely warmer then the UK, perhaps you should take some long sleeved tops, also there are showers around.

Deb has bought this years angel. Part of our Christmas decorations is the Angel Choir, it was started by my Mother and is a collection of angels who are either singing or have a musical instrument


Moira

[Ratatouille]

Afternoon everyone

I didn't go out this morning. It was very very foggy and our neighbour said Apt is lethal underfoot a combination of cobbles, wet and fallen leaves. Any way I'm preparing for our stir up lunch tomorrow. Beouf Bourgignon is simmering as we speak. Smoked mackerel prepared and chilling. All just the liquids to add.for puds prepared and weighed .

Things seem to be getting very heated in Paris. Shades of '68 with the pave being ripped up and thrown and the police answering with tear gas.

[suffolk]

Right, I woke up properly eventually and went shopping for food for the weekend ... duck and stirfry for this evening and fish pie for tomorrow.
Son is happy with his car (keeping fingers crossed) and is also buying a van for work so I'll take him to pick that up on Tuesday ... glad I'm earning my keep

[PatsyMFagan]

Patsy, I am glad that you mentioned that, it is not as warm here as it should be but definitely warmer then the UK, perhaps you should take some long sleeved tops, also there are showers around.

Thanks Moira … I will now have a re-think

[Zosherooney]

Brickies gone having done a good job, they will be back tomorrow.

Lunch guests been and gone, cats have been out briefly, long enough to do the necessary. No frost for us today. Only one small problem......

This is what happened today…..

"My darling husband threw the car keys through the existing kitchen window (badly) to me standing outside and they have ended up at the bottom of the cavity on the new outside ‘kitchen window’. On trying to retrieve them he has pushed them under the insulation and now they cannot even be seen ! As you can imagine I am not a happy bunny, he is very much in my bad books ! He wanted to snip the wires holding the two lots of brick/block work but I have smacked his fingers and taken away the snippers. He will not be getting any supper and will be sent directly to bed !!!! Thankfully we do have another car key but can you suggest a way of retrieving our keys ????

Angry of Urchfont

GGgggrrrr !”

Sent to builder..... he has said he will 'try' to retrieve them on Monday.

[earthmaiden]

Just got in. Thanks for the comments re the shower. I am trying to avoid using my usual plumber . I so miss the handymen I had for years - they retired and one has since died . I must look into the cooperative and hope it is good.

Oh dear Zosh .

Good day at conference in the wilds of Wiltshire not a million miles away from Zosh. Glad I live in the town, I don't like driving on small roads at night any more.

[aero280]

Zosh...

Something like this might get your keys. Magnet or claw. The second one looks to be the best of both worlds. I have something similar and have retrieved things from awkward places. The magnet on my (magnet only) tool is very strong.

https://www.halfords.com/workshop-tools ... ck-up-tool

https://www.halfords.com/workshop-tools ... ck-up-tool

[scullion]

i was going to suggest a very strong magnet - the type that's at the back of a speaker. they are doughnut shaped and so are easy to tie on a string.

[cyprusmoira]

Good Morning Wild Ones.
I can see exactly what happened, Zosh. I hope that the builder can retrieve the keys.
Sunny here this morning, when I go down to collect the papers I shall drive on to the beach and check whether the lads are kite surfing.

Moira

[icelesley]

Good morning wild ones. It's very dark and wet this morning, it rained, in the early hours. I had one of the night's where I was awake every 45 minutes

[Sloe-Gin]

Morning. Its dry, thankfully. We are on operation pedal, this morning. Trying to get grandaughter to cycle without stabilisers!

[suffolk]

Good morning all
Slept like a log until 8 when OH woke me with my I’m sleeping so much better since all the hassle with DDs car was over and it’s been taken back ... it’s amazing how that sort of stuff churning around in your head can affect your sleep
We have clear blue skies and sunshine ... looks gorgeous out there

Hope retrieving the keys happens quickly Zosh. I remember my ex throwing the house key to our teenage daughter in the dark outside a pub underneath some large chestnut trees in November ... unsurprisingly she didn’t catch it and he and a pub fil of bowls players took quite some time sifting through piles of damp muddy leaves in the dark until the key was found. Why do some chaps think it’s a good idea to throw important things like keys rather than walk a few more paces? Is Mr. Zosh still on Jankers?

[cyprusmoira]

No kite surfers this morning, not enough wind but I was surprised by a red, open topped double decker bus just under the cliffs where Ancient Kurion is sited.
There was a storm on Friday evening, we missed the worst of it but there are large banks of shingle thrown up on Kurion beach but most exciting of all there are photos and videos of a water spout just off the coast east of Kurion. When I was in Pissouri on Friday morning I looked at the clouds over the sea and wondered about water spouts but told myself that I had watched too many episodes of Horizon and similar programmes.

On a more mundane level I must make Spiced Carrot & Lentil soup for lunch.

Moira

[liketocook]

Good morning everyone,
There was a heavy frost first thing but it's turning into a lovely sunny morning.
My friends with the pooches are coming for lunch after they've given the dogs a run on the beach. I've not seen them since the engagement do so looking forward to a catch up. I would usually hoover before guests came but as the dogs usually seem bring half the shore back with them I think it might be a wasted effort. I made spiced root veg soup yesterday for us to have and I'm just off to knock up a batch of hummus.

[StokeySue]

Good morning
Hope the keys can be retrieved Zosh
I remember getting locked in a loo and throwing the key out of the window at my Dad, I scored a direct hit and he was so surprised he failed to catch them, but finally found them in the grass near his feet

Was thinking of going to the Scandi Christmas market in Rotherhithe, but I checked and there’s no Sunday service on the rail line, so I’ll go to the local open studios instead, and get my walk in

Amazed what a difference closing off the chimney makes to the warmth in the living room. I set my heating to go off just before I go to bed, but I used to find the temperature dropped very rapidly, but it’s much more gradual now. Very pleased with my chimney sheep

Have a good day everyone

[scullion]

good morning, all.
sunny with a few clouds.
a slow start today. i think some digging and other outdoor stuff may be done today - when we get our fingers out, and watching the last f1 of the year. it's live but i think we may watch it on record (and avoid the news on the radio).
have a good day, everyone.

[suffolk]

Christmas pudding mixture is all mixed up, the kitchen smells amazing ... we'll 'Stir Up' and make our wishes when OH gets home from work this afternoon and steam them tomorrow ... (at least we won't have to boil up the copper and do them with the laundry as in the old days ).

[Busybee]

Christmas cakes are made and cooling.

OH was sent on an emergency run for more eggs as I ran out.........I baked double quantities and had thought I had enough of everything but had used some eggs between checking store cupboards and actually baking.

Roasted squash and pepper soup also made as the oven was on.

House smells gorgeous. Just heard a steam train whistle..........OH is planting some roses in the garden, no doubt he will report back which train has just steamed past.

BB

[Ratatouille]

Afternoon everyone

I'm shattered. We have stirred up successfully and had a very long lunch and lots of chat. The puddings will steam tomorrow. I use my fish kettle because there will be 4 puds.

Have the keys been retrieved Zosh,?

Today started bright and sunny but rapidly turned to very dark and wet. Paul met a blockade on the way out of Avignon but when they saw the blue badge they let them straight through

[Sloe-Gin]

Lovely day. No operation pedal, as GD's helmet was forgotten in the rush to get out! So we walked round here
https://cadw.gov.wales/daysout/ewloe_castle/?lang=en

Then I had a run in with a door, so been nursing a sore head! I went to put my boots in the cupboard by the front door. Hub came in with an armful of stuff, caught the door by accident, which promptly shut on my head. Ouch. He was very contrite!

[suffolk]

Ouch! Sloe

[Grasshopper]

Just a quickie - as it's M****y tomorrow!

We are dog-sitting again - Charlie the Yorkie. But just for a few days, while his Mum moves house. The cats are calmer about the situation this time, as if they are thinking, 'oh, it's only him again - no worries!'


Grasshopper

[Grasshopper]

He's just been told to mind his p's & q's by one of the mogs! Domino, I think.


Grasshopper

[Zosherooney]

Hi folks, nuther busy one....

Keys have been retrieved. The brikies knocked the bottom brick out, pulled the keys out and then cemented a new brick back in. They have done well today except that husband came round and complained about them working at 8.15 on a Sunday. I explained that as it was not a commercial property and the brickies were 'friends' of mine invited by me there was nothing he could do and that we had to get on. could then be seen taking photos of their van through her bedroom window.

I have been over to Andover met Bro' and he transferred euros to me. The last lot and they will be used by us for holidays to Eurozone. I also visited the Range and got a frame and mount for Wuzzle's portrait. Some tea lights and some fairy lights. Tesco RTC shelf had a pile of stuff reduced to pennies, so supper is sorted for tomorrow. Good job as we are out all day in Kent and Essex, it will be a long day with Sparky work going on at home while we are out.

Just returned from the pub quiz where we came 2nd and shattered so crashing out...

[cyprusmoira]

Good Morning Wild Ones, sunny here but damp, getting the washing dry is a problem at the present.

Moira

[icelesley]

Good morning wild ones. Dry here but cold. I can't believe it's Monday already The weeks are flying by.

[earthmaiden]

A quick . Good morning! Good to think of all the Christmas cakes and puds done .. The thought of that lovely smell of the cakes baking .. mmmm! Of course, the good thing about boiling puds in the copper was that it didn't steam up the kitchen!

Glad the keys were retrieved Zosh!

Had such a lovely weekend, quite knackered now. Need some shopping as food supplies have got to the point where one has to be a little too imaginative. The house needs a good clean and tidy, my ladies group meets here this week so it'll get an extra lick and polish. Must try and sort out an electrician and there's always Christmas shopping if I'm bored. I love 'rest' days from work.

[suffolk]

Good morning all
Damp and drear here today ... I need to pop out for provisions otherwise we shall starve ...... that's the problem with having a fish pie rather than a Sunday roast yesterday ... no cold cuts today ...

[Ratatouille]

Morning everyone

Very foggy again and flippin' cold - around 4C. Laundry will have to dry indoors again.

Glad you retrieved the keys Zosh. should come to live here building work indeed anytjing that makes noise is simply not permitted on a Sunday and only on saturday morning.That of course doesn't prevent the hunters from blasting away all Sunday morning I'm also afraid your builders would probably be shopped by someone for working "on the black"

The puddings are happily steaming away so todays task is to jar the mincemeat. Did anyone hear Angela Hartnet in Broadcasting House yesterday? She doesn't even make her own mincemeat although she does add orange zest to her pastry but no sugar at all.

[suffolk]

The puddings are happily steaming away so todays task is to jar the mincemeat. Did anyone hear Angela Hartnet in Broadcasting House yesterday? She doesn't even make her own mincemeat although she does add orange zest to her pastry but no sugar at all.

I did ... it was good to hear her agreeing with my thoughts on mince pies

[StokeySue]

Good morning
I don’t think you would be allowed to have builders working at 8.15 on Sunday in London, doesn’t make any difference if it’s commercial or domestic property it’s simply the fact that there’s building and it makes noise that is prohibited

Talking of which, I haven’t heard the builders next door yet today, not sure if they are there, the party wall is soundproof
E
No excitement planned today it loads to get on with. Might try to place an Ocado order for later in the week