Dear Christine and Carol we have heating on nearly 24/7 about 22°got to keep Brenda warm and cosy with her not moving about much. 

Fuel bill will be up but no choice this time any sun in window helps. 

Laughing at you Carol and your bedroom antics. And Carol thinking Brenda would get round carers like that. Bella would get jealous. 

Love to you both. 

Billy xxxx 

Ps three quarters of trimmings up and half gazebo tidied. Plenty more to do before chemo day. 

Hi you two, I'm missing this tree so much as I keep forgetting it's not there! I may have to resort to an old fashioned net curtain for my modesty sake.  I slept for ten hours last night, it may have been the large vodka and lemonade and two painkillers but it worked, when I finally emerged from my coccon David had opened my front door and left my newspaper for me, I never even heard him.  I've stayed home but Sue rang to say she has Covid, it's the first time for her, she isolated for two years due to the kidney transplant, are you OK she asks, well apart from pleurisy I'm fine, then she admits since Monday she'd been out with friends, to the supermarket and for a checkup at the hospital for her bloods, so I don't think our sitting alone eating lunch had much to do with it! Not a lot happening this week so I can get better and rest.  I've used £18 of gas this week and apparently have gone over my budget plan, they can stuff their budget plan, it's ridiculous to expect us oldies to manage on £2 of gas a day, I've just read my electric meter, 120 kwh this month in total so the £186 per month they want is way over my usage. Well better go and have some food now.  Catch up soon, love to you both, xx

Hello all,

Have been a bit quiet recently as had a month in hospital and caught Covid while in there. Just about got my strength back now. Thanks all for helping me laugh my way well now I'm home – didn't have any internet access in hospital – but sorry you got chemo to deal with Billy and Carol got pleurisy. Makes my troubles seem a bit insignificant. I been so scared of Covid, taken so many precautions, then where do I end up catching it... Take care all, Love Rose xx

That sounds like more sharp practice from the electricity company. Our direct debits are also very steep relative to usage – though it's about half what they're taking from you. We're now hundreds of pounds in credit. As for the gas, our bills are about the same as yours but for a month not a week. The friend I share a flat with only recently stopped wearing shorts for the year. Says he likes to stay hardy. Honestly! I've sneaked an LED fire into my bedroom so I have a warm oasis. My friend is now into the thermals – think it's just one layer at present, but when the colder weather comes next week there'll be more layering. It's important to have heat with respiratory issues, so glad you are keeping warm Carol. Got to take really good care with the pleurisy.  My friend should put the heat on more, I tell him. But some people are very stubborn and he says it's when he puts the heating on that he gets the colds. Hmm. Not sure what to make of that. But seems he's not the only one who likes to keep the heating off. Thanks for sharing on the frugality front, Christine. Love Rose Xx

Oh Rose I'm sorry to hear that I did wonder what had happened but knew you were struggling with computer.  Covid is horrible and I hope you are soon on the road to recovery.  Glad we made you laugh.  Xx

Dear Carol wish we could manage on 2 pounds nearer 4to 5, especially warming wet room and Brenda shower, and electric heating towels and drying after never mind halogen cooking and microwave to do quick cooking we come well over 200 a month, were warm happy and safe. but at least im saving money using scooter instead of car and helping environment. 

Hope your neighbours have plenty of photos to show you later. ＼(◎o◎)／ .

Love Billy xxxx 

Cheeky Billy, I still keep forgetting but fortunately this morning it was foggy so not a lot to be seen by anyone.  I am so sick of so called technology, yesterday I decided to renew my senior railcard, set up an account, filled in everything even driving licence number and so on, purchase ticket, would it take my money, No.  A whole hour wasted redoing it and I gave up.  So today as I'm home alone again I went through it all, today it decided my post code doesn't exist, I finally found a phone number which we all know is like hunting for hens teeth, ended up with some Indian guy whom I couldn't understand, so once we had both worked out what I was trying to do it turned out that the website has had glitches all weekend so we had to complete it over the phone which was not easy as his accent was more Indian than English.  So my second job today was to chase up the pension that the RAC said didn't exist for Norman, then last month they wrote and said sorry to hear about your husband's death!  So I've filled it all in, sent it back, then nothing again.  So today I've phoned and a letter was sent ten days ago asking for bank details, obviously I've not replied as it never arrived but no one chased it up.  Companies are atrocious nowadays, she was working from home and wasn't the least bit interested until I got upset.  So a lump sum has been offered and I'm taking that as this is all to upsetting to keep going over Norman's death again and again.  So it's coming by email now but I can't fill in the form as it's a pdf and so I've now got to go next door to Debbie's and ask her to do it all.  I said to the woman that they expect us oldies to have all the up to date technology when we are in our seventies and it's exhausting sorting it out.  So rant over, a large gin and tonic is calling me and my goodness I'm going to need it after today.  Take care, Carol x 

Dear Carol technology is there for the young under 50. I tried doing prescription for us both though Internet because they deliver so less running around going to Dr and picking up. 

I managed mine fine after a few little problems, then tried Brenda's, wouldn't accept same e mail address or house, phone, or plenty of other things, finally found email i could send to someone, (no phone no) and they explained they don't do family prescription till next summer .so I've still got to pick up Brenda's. 

Technology wants sorting out for the people who don't use it a lot or not very technical minded like me. 

Hope you haven't got nets up yet,  . (*_*) .

Love Billy xxxx 

No Billy, no nets yet as haven't been over the doorstep. Xx