What are you all up to
Comments
-
When we sold the motorhome last year we had some decking installed where we used to park it with the idea we would have a gazebo erected on the decking. Our IKEA gazebo arrived on Monday and we made use of their service where they arrange for someone to come out and construct it. The company IKEA use is called Taskrabbit seems to work a bit like calling an Uber taxi. You choose a date and time and they allocated someone to you. The first workman pulled out so I thought I would have to rebook, which I did but I was unaware that Taskrabbit automatically rebook so ended up with two people coming on two different days! The long and the short of it was that I managed to cancel the automatic booking and the booking I made was completed today. So we now have our gazebo on our decking. Only need some hot weather yo make use of it.
David
0 -
Sound really good @DavidKlyne - just need the good weather now... 👍👍👍
David
1 -
We were hoping to get back into the garden today but "Rained stopped Play". Quite a cold wind as well.
We have the same problem as mentioned by @Takethedogalong. They even wanted to close down the little cottage hospitals that are an integral part of rural life here. It was interesting that a couple of years ago they decided to make more use of them, after local outcry at proposed closures. I attended one this week, only 10 minutes drive away, and they moved the Stroke rehabilitation and recovery centre from the main hospital at Wrexham to that same hospital. However, where are the new surgeries and the GPs to "man" them plus Pharmacies are closing. We used to have 5 in town now down to 2. As Ttda stated there's no forward planning for the basic infrastructure needed to support these new houses.
1 -
@Tinwheeler yes, it does concentrate the mind. It was Cornwall that made us appreciate what we have close by, following an issue I had while away one year. (Tooth abscess, excruciating pain, a Sunday in the 1990’s) I went to local cottage hospital in Fowey, no Doc there, then sent to St Austell Hospital (is there still a hospital in St Austell🤔), no we cant help, so Treliske next. They sorted out some medication, but I had to find a Pharmacy that was open on a Sunday……..finally found one in Newquay. Whistlestop tour of mid Cornwall, in agony. Ordinary meds weren’t touching it, refused at local dentists, and I needed antibiotics. Nothing compared with what OH has gone through of course. Back then it wasn’t too bad getting around, now it would be awful on roads I am sure.
@DavidKlyne yes, our hospital has probably trebled in size down the decades. It too has a nursery within the grounds. Lots of big ops carried out here, plenty of clinics. But Sheffield Teaching Hospitals are where the big Renal Unit is located, specialist Cancer units. It’s the daily travel for things like Chemo that you want close by. And for visiting. Our next door neighbour spent six weeks in a London hospital last year, he’s got Lung cancer with all sorts of complications. He told his wife not to visit as it would be too much for her. I think she got down once, but they do have other family down there. A London ambulance brought him home. (He’s an ex anaethetist, so might have been pulling in a few favours🤣) Sheffield still has a special Childrens Hospital, Dental Hospital and I think the Jessop Maternity Hospital unit is still there. Three of my SILs gave birth to all their sprogs in Jessops, all vulnerable when pregnant.0 -
@Takethedogalong Fowey hospital closed some years ago but St Austell is still open. In fact, they’ve recently constructed a minor surgical unit there. There’s no A&E though, only a minor injuries unit but not open 24/7. A&E is only at Truro or Penzance, or Plymouth if you go east.
1 -
There are many complaints to our local MP about our local hospital being too small for the population, last year they treated over 400,000 people. The population is 180,000 but of course it almost doubles in the holiday season. Despite so many houses being built here now they are reducing the beds, due to lack of money. There are far less beds now than 10 years ago. For many treatments we have to travel to Exeter or Taunton both over 50 miles away. As many on here have said, healthcare really is a postcode lottery.0
-
We are very fortunate where we live as our local hospital is within walking distant from our house. They are continually expanding it, adding new units, although thankfully, so far, neither of us have not had any serious conditions which require major surgery, so have no experience of altered waiting times being a problem.
Today started of damp and it gradually got more rainy and rather chilly with it. Obviously I have delayed cleaning the outside of the caravan @InaD, but was able to get the inside dusted and hoovered out, so fingers crossed for a better day tomorrow.
e
0 -
You should have better luck today @nelliethehooker although mostly cloudy, it's forecast dry, apart from an early morning shower, and tomorrow looks very promising, sun all day 😊 so no excuse!
1 -
very pleased that most folks are ticking along nicely 😁
cant complain about the weather in Stubbers, almost 2 months without any significant rain, having said that it rained yesterday and overnight but ground is so hard the effect was minimal, this is one of the reasons i dont go in for bedding plants etc, soil is rubbish and too much watering needed, garden is full of hardy shrubs that must have been here for 30 years or more so are very resiliant, i do grow hyancinths in pots for indoors for early new year etc then put them in the garden when they have gone over, some survive the squiril hunt some dont.
Away next Thursday Devon 1st stop, Spanish daughter has gone home now, lovely site with indoor pool, sauna & jaccuzi, love it, too cold to swim in the Solent just now so looking forward to dipping my toes in the pool, site is quite small so no problems in the pool with overcrowding, site fees are also out of season with a discount for over 50's , so super pitch fully svcd for £35, CAMC eat your heart out.
1 -
A walk along the Newlands valley with a visit to Newlands church. Had the place all to ourselves.
3 -
Not such a good start to the day here @InaD with early morning light drizzle. It did clear and we had some sunshine for a short while later in the afternoon but it has been chilly all day. I didn't bother working outside but was able to get the woodwork painted in our lounge, the first stage in our planned redecorating.
Enjoy your time down in Devon, @Rufs
1 -
@nelliethehooker decorating is our latest activity too. We have been working hard for the last 10 days or so, although it seems longer! It never seems to be such a big job until you start but having an OH who must have everything done absolutely correctly, not one short cut, makes things longer I’m sure. We have done ceiling and walls and yesterday started on the skirting boards. The worst, and longest, job is painting the dividing doors between the sitting room and dining room there 10 small glass panes in each one!! This is in between having someone come in to remove some over large garden shrubs, hair and other appointments, and shopping. There are two more bedrooms to do which OH thought he would do after this along with the dining room, this will not be happening as it just takes us so long these days, I have asked a decorator for a quote to do them. Unfortunately I can’t help very much these days with my dodgy hip so it’s all down to a, not so creaky, 78 year old.
@InaD so pleased to hear that all is going well with your new hip. You will be getting better more and more each day now. Take care.
@DavidKlyne equally pleased to hear about Margaret’s progress too. Really surprised to read about the NHS wait in your area, I think the wait here between consultant and operation date was about 8/10 weeks but I will find out later in the year I’m sure.
Lovely to read of everyone’s trips out, pictures and all the news. Happy Easter to all.3 -
@nelliethehooker re your decorating. When OH turned 80 last year he announced it would be decorators coming in from now on. We were about to book someone to start on our lounge when other things took over recently, it will now have to wait until winter. I’d even purchased the curtains but fortunately was just in time to return them to the shop for a refund.
Our sons dog has met next doors dog at our garden fence, new neighbours who moved in recently, they really don’t like each other!0 -
I quite like painting walls, ceilings are a bit more tiring, but fortunately we do not have any interior doors or woodwork to paint as it is all varnished mahogany and still looking good 37 years on. Only a bit of vacuuming and the occasional wipe with a damp cloth required.
When we had the house built, OH was adament that there should be no painted woodwork involved, has certainly been a good decision.
We are now on our next site, a fully serviced hard standing on a fairly new CL, Heritage Wood, between Derby and Ashbourne. There also seems to be toilet facilities, and wi fi is provided. £25 per night. 3 outfits here, one a MH. Glorious sunshine all day so far, and absolutely nothing to hear here than the birdsong and the very occasional plane high overhead. A 90 minute drive from York, traffic not bad at all, and only one set of roadworks on the A1, about a 10 minute delay.
Last night we treated ourselves to fish and chips for dinner, very good place quite near our site, very tasty. Should have ordered the small portions as there were far too many chips, which it seems is usually the case!
0 -
A hard mornings work finishing off our clearing of a large border. I now hate Grandma's Bonnets!😡 Still, the border looks a lot better and we did some weeding of one of our other borders as well. We'll fill the empty looking one soon.
Both of us feeling our age, OH with her back, me with my hands. Think it will be an easy dinner tonight, probably Pizza from the freezer.
MiL received a small Easter egg and a homemade Easter card from the young children who live opposite. They called on her this afternoon. So nice to have them wanting to see her.
2 -
@nelliethehooker Glad to hear you found something else to do yesterday indoors 😁 and I'm sure you'll have been able to clean the outside of your caravan today, the weather has been beautiful.
@heddlo Thank you for your kind wishes. The last few days have been quite good: yesterday I decided to try and have a walk in the house without any crutches, and that went quite well. I've only been using the one crutch outside for the last few days as well, so yes, it's all looking positive.
2 -
Good to read folks are doing well after hip operations and other doing gardening or decorating, we went to friends for lunch today as they now have his mother staying with them and looks like it could be permanent as she has Dementia and unable to look after herself even though she has had carers in during the day and does not want to go into a home and at 94years old plus other ailments hence our friends bought her ove last Wednesday by play a long day but all now recovered and getting ready for their 1 st guests this Wednesday so a busy week.
Yesterday was a complete washout rain all day heavy at times 50mm recorded on weather station and thunder all afternoon had more rain this month than the last 3 months and now starting to rain again heyho.0 -
Sunshine all day here in the lakes and warm in the afternoon. We dodged the crowds by going to Loweswater past Whinlatter and doing two Wainwright's from there, Low Fell and Fellbarrow, not exactly the most exciting but just perfect today. We only came across two other walkers the whole day then a lovely drink at the Wheatsheaf Inn near Lorton.
5 -
@InaD your were right, it was a grand day, sunny but still a little cool, for getting the outside of the caravan cleaned and Bobby Dazzled, all done by lunch time. We then had a walk along by the shore which was nice and quiet. Maybe it will be more decorating tomorrow.
That sounds like a lot of hard/ boring work, painting around the panes in the doors, @heddlo rather your OH than me. It is bad enough having to paint the surrounds from four doors leading off a small hall, which might just be tomorrow's job.
@DEBSC thankfully, although nearly 8o, I am still able to get down, and back up again, from ground level to do the low level painting. Hopefully we will complete the redecorating of our downstairs rooms this year between trips away, although I doubt we will be any major wallpapering work.
0 -
Beautiful day here yesterday, warm out of the breeze. I was outside for most of the day, lots of gardening tasks. OH busy on garage sanding down MG. Our paths only collided for dog duties, hound needs help getting out and in for a pee nowadays. I think there’s some doggy dementia going on as well, as he seemed overly anxious yesterday some of the time. Watched a fabulous bike race in the evening, Amstel Gold on the Dutch/Belgian/German borders. Very exciting finish.
Had a bit of rain overnight here, much needed. Starting again as I type. I will be up at Mum’s later, less busy day today I think.1 -
Persistent rain this morning, nothing heavy just non stop. Has brightened a little now so we've been out to put some things in The Van as we have some nights away later this week.
Had a quite depressing chat with my elder brother in France. He's in the wrong place to be on his own. Nobody passes his place and his immediate neighbours are a 20s couple just moved in. Nothing we can do to help him, not that he'd want it. Frustrating.
3 -
Sorry to hear about your brother @wherenext. It must be difficult for him. Sounds like it is not the place to be when on his own and in later life.
We have had a good Easter with reasonable weather until today. On Friday local son and DIL came round to help us with some jobs both in the garden and in the house. All jobs that we would easily have done by ourselves a few years ago but frustratingly time moves on. On Saturday OH and I had a walk in Ferry Meadows with his new mode of transport - his rollater - which proved very successful as he managed to walk much further than he has done for some time. We saw a swan chasing the geese off on one of the lakes. Presumably defending it's nest. It was very fierce. We also saw a heron. Yesterday we had a family outing to Peckover House. The weather was beautiful. We just did the garden and the small cafe. There was a very good Easter egg trail wirh games for the children to play on the way round so 5 year old gt grandson with 15 year old grandaughter helping him had a wonderful time. It wasnt at all busy so very enjoyable. The gardens were lovely as usual. I attach some photos. Today is very wet so the planned gardening is on hold.2 -
I now hope to attach the photos. No link when I posted my previous comment 🤔0
-
It is not attaching the photos properly. Hopefully @Rowena can sort this out tomorrow please.0
-
Lovely photos @milliehull . We, too, have got that same weather - first daytime rain we have seen for ages!
Bit of an exodus on site this morning - our friends from Newcastle left as did the other two occupants. Just us and a campervan, tucked in behind the hedge in the other field - and they're leaving tomorrow. We'll be "Billy No-Mates" again!!😕
0 -
It's been pretty wet here in MK today, although it is just brightening up now. I won't complain about the rain as it is so badly needed on the garden which is almost rock hard!
@Wherenext is there any prospect of your brother returning to live in the UK? My ex brother in law has lived in Spain for years and now on his own, is considering coming back to the UK because of health issues. We know several ex colleagues who move to Spain as couples when they retired and wonder what might happen when they are no longer couples? Many years ago one of Margaret's brothers moved to France. He had serious health issues with his heart even then and eventually the doctors in France said there was nothing more they could do. He moved back to the UK a few years ago now but strangely his heath problems don't seem to have got any worse and if anything they seem to have stabilised!
David
0
