Hi Brian

Hope the new phones help with blocking the cold callers.  They seem to come in waves on my landline but as I have answerphone on mine I always wait to hear who it is before picking up and they rarely bother leaving a message ha ha.  Before this I would just put down the hand set to one side and wait and see how long it took them to hang up ...........................how naughty am I!!   My son in law used to confuse them completely by listening patiently and then telling them how lonely he was and how nice it was to have someone to talk to.  To be honest he has worked in a call centre in the past and told me what a thankless task it was but still gave him an income to keep his family on.

Glad you are finding bargain buys.  I occasionally buy online and it is amazing the savings that can be made by shopping around from the comfort of your armchair. It can be cheaper for me to buy online from my own employers!!

Spent  three hours with my eldest grandson yesterday morning and it made a lovely change.  When my daughter and Zack came back from the hospital appointment (all fine and now discharged) we went out to lunch before spending the rest of the day with me at home.  Good quality time much enjoyed.

Indeed it was Farmers'Market today and I went there after an early breakfast and the gym.  I was sitting enjoying a coffee over the newspaper inside the barn where it is held when my daughter and the boys strolled in having walked over a mile from home (think she was trying to wear the out ha ha).  We wandered the stalls together and purchased cheese/jam and fudge and Zack had his face painted.  They also enjoyed the lego table for a while whilst we chatted. Eventually we made our way home (them by bus and me walking) so has been a very pleasant weekend.   Hope to see Darcey again soon too.  Bless her she has just 'enjoyed' her first ride in a supermarket trolley and  looked pretty chuffed with herself! How time flies as she has just turned 8 months.

I am sure you are pleased with having lost a few pounds even if it means resisting your favourite nuts. I feel the same way about leaving the chocolate on the shelves ha ha but am happier when the scales tell me it is worth it.  A way to go to reach my personal goal but at least it is a downward trend since Christmas!!

Take care my forum friend and sending best wishes to you and Mrs B and the family.  Jules

Hi all hope your all well. Weather is very cold here so I spent the day cleaning the house and got the car washed. My sister got out of hospital the day I said to you she might get out so that was good. She's fine so let's hope she's stays in good health from now on. Hate seeing people ill. 

My daughter came to me and said she had discussed with my other daughter and sons about going on another family holiday. She said we all need to go away for my 75th birthday. Thankfully I don't feel old (Yet). So I said I will think on it. Honestly my family would go on holiday 12 months of the year if they could. The years just seem to be flying by I truly can't believe the age I am but it's life we must all become decrepit at some point haha. Take care all -Diane xx

Hi  Diane,

Glad  you and your sister are doing well.  The weather down here has turned chilly again but prefer bright but cold to mild and wet to be honest.  I wrapped up and went walking this morning but decided to give the gym a miss afterwards for two reasons; one was I was rather muddy and the second because I walked over five miles and decided that was enough exercise for one day!!

I would love to still be able to travel if health and funds permitted especially if it was a family get together. This year I have booked a peaceful (hopefully) week to Jersey in June and with family wedding next week and the liklihood of my daughter and family  moving further away soon, I think it is too much to do another holiday this year but will certainly try and have some days out if the weather is kind.  Have a coach tripped booked towards the end of March when I am going to Cambridge with a friend.  Have not been there for many years but was near where my nan lived and also where my Mum was evacuated to during the War.

Take care of yourself.  Jules x

Hi Jules,

Spent over an hour this morning trying to arrange to have our smart meter taken out. It has been nothing but problems since we had it installed, Our mains keeps triping out . Despite several changes, it was still causing the odd problem. I found out in the end it was down to my broadband router. I ended up moving it upsstairs which is not so good as it is best fitted as near to the incoming socket as it give a better signal. However since putting the new phones in on Sunday, everytime I get an incoming call which I have not programed into the phones memory, It has been tripping the power supply out again. So I have arranged to have the old type meter put back but have got to wait for them to send me an e-mail with the appiontment. My phone also has answer phone.

I have vitually finnished my acorn engraving and know the next one will take a lot less time and will hopefully be better than this one. I hope to try an owl engraving for Mrs B next. Will have to find a nice bit of medium brown colour timber for this.

I am visiting one of the national trust gardens tommorow with another wood club member to arrange the details for our three day wood show at the end. of May. I did very well there last year and hope to do even better this year with all the new lines I have developed since then.

I hear you are on holiday shortly so bet you are looking forward to this. The wedding seems to getting close really quick now. Has your daughter got a moving date as yet?  Hope this doesnt clash with the wedding!!!!

Take care, sending kind thoughts to you and your family, Brian.

Hi Brian

Hope you get your meter problems sorted out and that an appointment for replacement will soon come through.  I have heard mixed reports on the Smart Meters but for now have decided to stay as I am especially as I really do not want any problems if I can avoid them.

I am sure your first endeavours at the acorn engraving will be very good but know you always manage to improve with the more you do, especially on the timing side. Mrs B will be over the moon if you get the owl done too.

Hope you had a good day out at the National Trust Gardens though suspect it was a bit chilly.  Having another wood club member with you will have given you plenty to chat about with the upcoming events I am sure. 

Have now finished work for nearly two weeks (just by taking two days holiday ha ha). The wedding is a week tomorrow but we travel the day before to make sure we are there (as it was a winter wedding this was always the plan in case the weather was a little dodgy).  Several family members are staying at the venue so I can see a get-together over a cuppa in the evening beforehand as well as meeting some of my future daughter in law's family for the first time. Such an exciting time for everyone and think I have now accepted that the emotions will just become part of the day and are probably to be expected.  The bride's Mum has already said that one look at the happy pair will  be enough to set her off!!

My daughter is still awaiting a definite moving date though have already told the agents the dates they cannot manage.  Estate Agents are hoping for last week of Feb or early March so we shall see. There is no chain so fingers crossed all goes well.

Well, am off to put the kettle on so sending best wishes to you and all the family for a peaceful weekend ahead.  Jules

Good morning Jules.

Thanks we had a very good meeting at the N/T gardens at Wakehurst Place. They are repeating The Wildwood Weekend they did last year, so we as a society are very keen to take part.   Just near the visiter Centre there are a few big trees and underneath them were hundreds of small Cyclamens and Snowdrops and like an idiot, I didnt have my cameral with me. Absolutely stunning.

Still have a bit more finishing to do on the acorn. See attached photo. The snow we had yesterday laid on the garage roofs and car tops and was only about half an inch which was gone by late morning. It is so dull and dismal here this morning and its raining too so we have to have the lights on. Still no news on smart meter removal as yet. I have just bought ten various size brass colletts for my new hobby drill for only 99 pence and free pistage all the way from China. How do they do it. Some other cutters have just arrived and they work very well. Computer is working well after the problems yesterday. Hope the weather warms up a bit like their saying on the forcast.

Hope you enjoy your walk today and hope you dont get cold or wet. You are certainly taking some very good wildlife photos and allthough I accept what you say about luck, you compose the pictures so well. How big a big zoom do you have on the lens?? Sure you are feeling glad to be on holiday for two weeks. Is you mother aware how close the wedding is? Hope you get lots of great photos so you can show her.

My sister in law goes into hospital at last on Thursday to have a new knee joint done as she is in so much pain. She was originally supposed to go in for the op last September but it was cancelled.

Sending kind thoughts to you and your family, hugs from Brian

Hi Brian

Always so annoying when you do not have a camera to hand though I do have camera on my mobile so use that sometimes too (and it is always with me!!).  My camera's built in zoom can go up to x200 magnification though I usually find  x100 is okay when photographing from my armchair into the garden.  Not a patch on my son's lens attachement which to be honest would be too heavy for me to use regularly but then he has lots of accessories loaded into a special camera backpack for when he goes out.  Cameras have come a long way since my Dad's Brownie!!

No snow settled here over the weekend but it was still bitterly cold and dismal so walking was more around the shops that outside.  What a difference a day makes.  Today has been wall to wall sunshine with lovely blue skies and a light breeze. Spent time with Mum of the bride to be and enjoyed coffee morning and lunch at a large garden centre about 20mins drive away.  Needless to say I did not come home empty handed and have replaced my broken glass birdbath with a more durable material one (I think a rather heavy pigeon landed on my pretty birdbath during frosty conditions and the glass gave way!!  (it was listed as frost proof  but not big bird proof too ha ha)); lesson learned.  Also bought an indoor container and miniature cyclamen.  We are planning on going again in a few weeks when things brighten up in the garden and containers need topping up.

The acorn carving has really come on, well done.

Yes,my Mum is fully aware of the wedding plans and that it is at the end of this week.  Will drop in to see her tomorrow as usual and tell her about the different aspects of the day that have been planned and then photos permitting can show her these next week.  I have no doubt that I will order an official photograph specfically for her room but will keep this as a surprise.  My brother in law/sister in law may face a few problems getting over from the Isle of Man after one of the ferries was involved in an accident and they are trying to get one to replace it!!  (I saw it on the news this morning and they had also e mailed my son). Hopefully they will make it over on Thursday as planned (all the pets are being boarded so they can come - two large dogs and two cats).  My other sister in law is flying over so fingers crossed no problem for her.

Will post a couple of new pics from the last couple of day on the other thread.

Hope you and Mrs B are keeping well and your son's foot continues to improve. Take care. Jules

Hi Everyone

Back home after being at the most intimate and beautiful wedding of my son and now daughter in law.  Starting with the most perfect sunrise and through till gone midnight it was truly awesome.  I hope you will not mind me posting a couple of my own views of the day and I will try and catch up with you all over the next few days(they and their friends are 'trending' on another site and I know they will be happy for me to share so hope the moderators will be okay with this).  Hope everyone is okay and enjoying the better temperatures.  To say I am still happily buzzing but emotionally spent just about sums me up just now. Jules

Hi Jules :) lovely photos & so pleased the day went well x

Hi Jules, what a wonderful wedding....the venue looks fabulous, as do the bride and groom, not to mention his lovely Mum! Thank you for sharing such a special day with us.  Sue xx