Today I shall be Mainly...

[Sue]

Today catching up on two days lost as we had to go to Coventry to baby sit the grandchildren who had a gastric bug/ food poisoning.

[Wendyf]

Celebrating my birthday with a walk. Family coming to stay.

[EileenDavid]

Happy birthday Wendy. Today I will be going to the library for census I think Eileen

[Tizer]

Happy Birthday Wendy!

[Sue]

Happy 21st Wendy, you did say it was 21?

[Wendyf]

Thanks everyone. 62 now and a lot happier and healthier than I was at 21! We have had a lovely couple of days with walks along the Dales Way. Burnsall to Kilnsey on day 1 and Kilnsey to Buckden today. Its been glorious weather too.

[Nolic]

Belated Happy Birthday Windy. Nolic

[Stanley]

Making Kev's bits and the last eccentric rod. Plus walking, a bit of baking and a couple of hours sleep in the afternoon. Retirement is pretty bloody good!

[Sue]

Today I shall be pottering at Chez nous. The garden has survived our ten days away but the veggie plot needs alittle tidying and veggies cropping. Sooooo many courgettes. I found out yesterday it is possible to make courgette cake, it must be a bit like carrot cake. Has anyone tried it?

The runner beans here had gone a bit stringy but they are all picked and where appropriate now frozen. Hopefully clearing the crop will encourage a new one. The lettuce have all bolted, but the leaves are still edible.

The ladslove Stanley is very good indeed and ten times larger than its Rochdale brother. I don't think I answered your question about splitting the plant . In the autumn lift the plant ( if possible) and just cut the root ball into pieces with a sharp spade, then replant. That usually works.

This afternoon a read under the trees may be called for depending on the heat and my cold, kindly given to me last week by number one grandaughter!!

[Wendyf]

It took me a moment to realize that you are in France Sue. What! Runner beans already in Rochdale?? Then it dawned...phew. Never heard of courgette cake, but am making all sorts of variations on courgette soup and freezing it.
Helping Col to put new windows in the workshop today. We are building up to replacing 5 big windows in the house, a spell of decent weather would help.

[Sue]

I have retired to the house after a warm morning cutting back the strawberries, sometimes we get a second crop if we do that. I have been on the receiving end of an almighty awful insect bite this morning despite using insect repellant. I have a large red patch aboput 3 cm by 2c. As yet no itch or pain .

[Stanley]

Dab it with surgical spirit! Fitting the last eccentric rod...... Watching the post for the tank book!

[Wendyf]

Sounds like a cleg bite to me Sue.
Yesterday didn't go as planned. Window work rained off in the morning then a panic phone call from Mum sent me off to Leeds. If something goes physically wrong she works herself into a state about getting a doctor out because they might pack her off to hospital. She wont call her neighbours because doesn't want to bother them, and "No, you don't want to come Wendy, it's too much for you.."
I got her surgery phone number from the internet, explained the problem and they immediately arranged for a doc to go and see her. By the time I got there the doctor had been and sorted out the problem, leaving a pale but relieved 91 year old who then refused to sit down and let me look after her. She eventually sat down for long enough to eat some scrambled eggs and drink a cup of tea, but then she was off again. I eventually decided that the only way she was going to get some rest was if I left, in fact she virtually marched me to the door. Control freak my mother, always has been, always will be. Scary.
Library today, and anxiously listening for phone calls...

[Stanley]

Never mind Wendy, treasures in heaven as they say!
I'm at a straight edge with my engines so today is washing bedding (can't waste a fine day!) cleaning up in shed and writing a couple of articles for the BET.

[Wendyf]

Helping himself put the scaffolding up to reach one of the upstairs windows ready for swapping it. We bought some Norwegian laminated wood windows when we started renovating the house which were meant to stand up to extreme conditions. Unfortunately they haven't and some are already rotten after just a few years so its out with the principles and in with the UPVC.

[Stanley]

Good choice Wendy. I had many arguments with English Heritage on their insistence on wooden window replacements. I pointed out that they didn't have to live in the houses, put up with the draughts and maintain the property. The best way of preserving our heritage in terms of domestic houses is to get people to live in them, maintain them sympathetically and enjoy them. Making them put up with draughts and rotting windows that need painting every year isn't helpful! I know which I'd rather have.... The only outside painting I have now is the back gate and the front railings and gate.

Come to think, I have a question. I suspect that the front railings have been coated with one of those modern pints based on plastic which I thing they heat treat after manufacture. Has anyone any experience of smartening them up with modern gloss paint? Also, I need a good gold paint for the balls on the top!

[Big Kev]

Come to think, I have a question. I suspect that the front railings have been coated with one of those modern pints based on plastic which I thing they heat treat after manufacture. Has anyone any experience of smartening them up with modern gloss paint? Also, I need a good gold paint for the balls on the top!

Finnegans "Smooth" Hammerite. Will stick to almost anything and looks like regular gloss.

[Sue]

What is a cleg Wendy. The red patch got larger and very swollen. There was no pain , itch or heat. Today the arm is nearly back to normal

Yesterday we drove up to Giverny ( about 5 hours from here) to see monets garden and house. I was not prepared for how large and beautiful it was. Lovel.

[Stanley]

Sue, a horse fly. (LINK) Funny thing is the lack of pain, in my experience they hurt!

[Sue]

Ah yes a horsefly, I had never heard it called that. I was bitten on the other arm by a horsefly at the same time. That itched but did not swell much and is OK today. Now this other 'thing' . I have NEVER had a bite that didn't itch or get hot. It is most peculiar. Perhaps it was my first aid. I applied a swab of some ammonia type stuff and wrapped it on my arm with elastoplast. Then a cold compress with ice cubes till they melted.

[Stanley]

If it was an acidic venom like a bee or an ant that would be a good treatment.

[Nolic]

Catherine, Misty and I will start our exploration of the Welsh border regions starting with essential shopping in Ross on Wye. Nolic

[Stanley]

Lovely area and you deserve a rest. Question is, what is 'essential shopping'?

[Nolic]

Dog and human food!!. Nolic

[Wendyf]

Enjoy your holiday Nolic. Hope the weather holds for you. Back to Leeds for me today.