UK Amazon Kindle Forum discussion

note: This topic has been closed to new comments.
664 views
General Chat - anything Goes > Pop in for a chat!

Comments Showing 14,951-15,000 of 18,142 (18142 new)    post a comment »

message 14951: by M.T. (new)

M.T. McGuire (mtmcguire) | 8049 comments Morning all. Thanks for the good wishes. Knee appt went rather well. Also I haven’t used my car for ages and I’d forgotten a) how much fun it is to drive and b) how much I like it.

Also, I saw a lovely video yesterday, newsman interviewing two trump supporters near the capital.

‘We’re not stupid,’ says one of them.
‘Yeh,’ agrees the other, ‘and Donald J Trump is a genius, that’s what the J in his name stands for.’

I think that just about wraps the whole thing up.

Still bloody cold here but nothing like snow to make it interesting. I haven’t really been out much since mid October because shielding and then knee op! I’m like Rosemary, though. If I go out, I tend to end up talking for hours to pretty much anyone I meet coming the other way. Bury is a reasonable sized market town but I seem to have ended up getting to know quite a few people in my little bit.

Also it looks like I can visit Mum, despite the distance, sporadically, at any rate. I want to as she’s really down and also getting completely adrift and at sea. I know my visits anchor her quite a lot because they give her something to think about and look forward to each week and if anything goes wrong she knows I’ll be there to fix it soon. When I don’t see her she worries more, I think.

It’s really very sad at the moment. I thought familiarity with the process might make the whole parent-going-mad thing less painful. Unfortunately, it’s still heartbreaking. Bummer.

Never mind. I have an authors’ group zoom call this morning and had another one yesterday. It was lovely to catch up and read our work and as usual they were extremely helpful. This one is chat rather than reading but also lovely. Lots of zoom calls this week. They seem to all turn up every couple of weeks, like buses.

Hope everyone is fine and dandy.


message 14952: by Alicia (new)

Alicia Ehrhardt (aliciabutcherehrhardt) | 4836 comments Be glad you mum is still here - I miss mine, and Daddy.

The biggest bummer about my kind of residential community, especially while we can't have people in, is that we keep losing people, not to covid, but to age and illnesses that go with it.

Lost another dear friend - he had Alzheimer's but was the sweetest man with it; we had dinner with him and his wife many times - and he just didn't wake up two days ago. The last time I saw him he was fine, walking, getting around on his own (though sometimes falling asleep in one of our nice padded armchairs). And I can only send a note to his wife - can't do anything really helpful.


message 14953: by M.T. (new)

M.T. McGuire (mtmcguire) | 8049 comments Alicia wrote: "Be glad you mum is still here - I miss mine, and Daddy.

The biggest bummer about my kind of residential community, especially while we can't have people in, is that we keep losing people, not to c..."


Bless him, that's a wonderful way to go though. For both of them. Alzheimer's can be very, very cruel so to slip gently away like that, while still enjoying life ... that's a good death in many ways.


Desley (Cat fosterer) (booktigger) | 12595 comments Nothing much to report, am waiting for the local coffee shop to deliver some blondies. Dry today, but cold.

What a nice way to go though Alicia, it is so hard when you can't do the things you would normally when someone dies. Glad your check up went well MT and you are able to see your mum.


message 14955: by Stuart (new)

Stuart Ayris (stuayris) | 2614 comments Hi everybody!
Hope all is well!

My somewhat painful phase continues. A week after taking the stitches out of my foot, I somehow managed to crack a wisdom tooth where it meets the gum. I have honestly never experienced more intense agony in my little life! So back on antibiotics and painkillers. Oh the life of a struggling writer! :-)


message 14956: by Lynne (Tigger's Mum) (new)

Lynne (Tigger's Mum) | 4643 comments I did a fly by to my daughters this morning. I didn’t go in just gave her some fruit and things as a treat, I was only round the corner picking up a prescription so I wasn’t breaking the rules. I had to pass her house. I feel as though I’ve abandoned her and it hurts, It must be worse to feel abandoned though. I’ve got a great nephew who is really struggling with loneliness. Poor lad. We’re all messaging a lot he says that helps. It’s really biting hard isn’t it.


message 14957: by Stuart (new)

Stuart Ayris (stuayris) | 2614 comments I know what you mean Lynne. I have a couple of mates who have been pretty much fine up to a week or so ago but are now really beginning to struggle.


message 14958: by M.T. (new)

M.T. McGuire (mtmcguire) | 8049 comments Yeh. Lynne and Stuart, Mum is really struggling. I'm just getting a bit fed up with the whole lock down thing now ... I think we all are.

Stuart, hope your tooth is soon sorted.

Lynne you haven't abandoned her but I totally get that you feel it because I feel the same way about Mum.


Desley (Cat fosterer) (booktigger) | 12595 comments Well, I've been extra naughty, neighbour persuaded me to have chinese takeaway, I probably shouldn't but it's nice to have something enjoyable, and having random conversations with strangers really did help my mood. I did have to chuckle at a woman who was stood with her puppy who came running up to me 'you don't know her, what have I told you about going to strangers'!! I think the dark, wet and cold makes it a lot harder to make yourself go out and interact with people, or even just leave the house - it's supposed to rain tomorrow so ordinarily I wouldn't go for a walk, but my friend makes me go whatever the weather, and I do feel the benefit for it after.


message 14960: by Stuart (new)

Stuart Ayris (stuayris) | 2614 comments On the plus side, we've just had an offer accepted on the house!


message 14961: by Jim (new)

Jim | 21809 comments Stuart wrote: "On the plus side, we've just had an offer accepted on the house!"

nice to have something positive :-)


message 14962: by Jim (new)

Jim | 21809 comments Stuart wrote: "I know what you mean Lynne. I have a couple of mates who have been pretty much fine up to a week or so ago but are now really beginning to struggle."

I think the weather makes people feel more isolated :-(


message 14963: by Stuart (new)

Stuart Ayris (stuayris) | 2614 comments I agree, Jim. I really miss the songs of the birds in the five o'clock morning and staying out late waiting for the stars to come out. I think people are maybe reflecting on where their lives have led them and find themselves on occasion stumbling into some kind of gloom regardless of their circumstances.


message 14964: by Pam (new)

Pam Baddeley | 3334 comments Alicia wrote: "'Antifa' doesn't exist. It is simply short for anti-fascist, and the Trump administration pretends it's something like ISIS.

There is no organization - I'm an anti-fascist, and many others who opp..."


Yes, that's what I thought when I found out what it meant. Some of the things that have been happening were reminding me uncomfortably of 1930s Germany and when the actual invasion of armed thugs occurred that had a horrible resonance. Of course DT is too crafty to march at the head of his troops and risk being shot at, as Hitler was in his Putsch.


message 14965: by Lynne (Tigger's Mum) (new)

Lynne (Tigger's Mum) | 4643 comments I think I’ve aged more this year than a year. I’m in gods waiting room and the magazines are crap.


Desley (Cat fosterer) (booktigger) | 12595 comments Raining till lunch, but we are going to get to 6 today. Hopefully it will be dry when me and my friend go for a walk, but finding somewhere that isn't going to be sodden ground is tricky.

Glad you've had an offer on the house Stuart


message 14967: by Stuart (new)

Stuart Ayris (stuayris) | 2614 comments Thanks Desley. Hopefully will all go through fine. Plan then is to hang around for the summer staying at friends or my mother in laws (if you'll have us!) and then off to South America after the cricket season (should there be one!) for six months of who knows what? Well what else is a 51 year old fool supposed to do? :-)

Been snowing in dribbles the last couple of hours in Tollesbury. Nice to see some motion though.


Rosemary (grooving with the Picts) (nosemanny) | 8590 comments It does feel like 74th January today Lynne which is probably why you feel you're ageing more.
We've got sun today, still no snow though, other than a wee sprinkle the other day. Ten miles inland people are going sledging :) The rain gauge on the roof tells me we've had 49.5mm since Jan 1st, which is remarkably high for here on the east coast.
I'm surprised by how active the property market is Stuart. There seem to be Sold signs everywhere. Hopefully they're not ALL going to end up as holiday homes


message 14969: by Stuart (new)

Stuart Ayris (stuayris) | 2614 comments Something to do with the stamp duty thing I think Rosemary, but who really knows. Same around here too. Where abouts on the east coast are you?


message 14970: by Jim (new)

Jim | 21809 comments Lynne (Tigger's Mum) wrote: "I think I’ve aged more this year than a year. I’m in gods waiting room and the magazines are crap."

We'll have to find you something better to read :-)


message 14971: by Lynne (Tigger's Mum) (new)

Lynne (Tigger's Mum) | 4643 comments You mean I could do better than dog eared Readers digests and Peoples Friend with the crosswords filled in? :o)
Yes I’ve thought I’ve got to up my game and read something decent or indecent even.
It sunny today so that’s good. Garden this afternoon to do a bit of agressive cutting back. That’s always therapeutic.


Rosemary (grooving with the Picts) (nosemanny) | 8590 comments Stuart wrote: "Something to do with the stamp duty thing I think Rosemary, but who really knows. Same around here too. Where abouts on the east coast are you?"

About 25 miles eastwards along the Forth from Edinburgh - in a "golfing, nature lovers and foodie heaven" coastal resort. Apparently!


message 14973: by Stuart (new)

Stuart Ayris (stuayris) | 2614 comments Lovely stuff!


message 14974: by Stuart (new)

Stuart Ayris (stuayris) | 2614 comments We spent three weeks wild camping in the highlands and some of the islands last september. Just gorgeous.


message 14975: by Alicia (new)

Alicia Ehrhardt (aliciabutcherehrhardt) | 4836 comments Got off my duff and gave myself a new haircut - had an interview with my photo showing the last haircut, and I realized I like my hair much better that way! There's a bit of wave, so mistakes aren't quite as dire.

Interview with photo:
http://writingandwellness.com/2021/01...


Desley (Cat fosterer) (booktigger) | 12595 comments Well, life here is so interesting that the highlight of my day is putting my new bedding on and getting in it after having a bath - I'd forgotten that my neighbour had got me a fleece sheet in the sale, so it might be a struggle to get out of bed in the morning!


message 14977: by Stuart (new)

Stuart Ayris (stuayris) | 2614 comments Sounds very Sunday morning cosy Desley! I'm listening to the Test Match whilst doing a bit of writing. Lovely blue sky round these parts.


message 14978: by Jim (new)

Jim | 21809 comments Stuart wrote: "Sounds very Sunday morning cosy Desley! I'm listening to the Test Match whilst doing a bit of writing. Lovely blue sky round these parts."

lovely test match as well :-)


message 14979: by Stuart (new)

Stuart Ayris (stuayris) | 2614 comments Jim wrote: "Stuart wrote: "Sounds very Sunday morning cosy Desley! I'm listening to the Test Match whilst doing a bit of writing. Lovely blue sky round these parts."

lovely test match as well :-)"


Absolutely Jim!


message 14980: by Kath (new)

Kath Middleton | 23860 comments Alicia wrote: "Happy Birthday, Kath! Hope it's the beginning of a better year."

Thanks, Alicia. It was a good start and I'm hoping for better things soon.


message 14981: by Kath (new)

Kath Middleton | 23860 comments And good morning all. Just about. We've been getting our daily walk through the village when it's not absolutely piddling down. Everyone else seems to be doing the same. It's like rush hour some days.


message 14982: by Anna (new)

Anna Faversham (annafaversham) | 1752 comments Sunny here, at last. After lunch I'll go for a walk along the cliff top and hope no more of it has fallen down!


message 14983: by M.T. (new)

M.T. McGuire (mtmcguire) | 8049 comments I did gardening yesterday. It was a bad idea as now I have vertigo. Should have stayed indoors and finished tidying out a cupboard the way I originally planned. As it is the Vertigo has gone finally but now I have to tidy the cupboard in my writing time, because I was sitting under a blanket feeling very sick with vertigo during my cupboard tidying time! Oh well. Can't win 'em all.


Desley (Cat fosterer) (booktigger) | 12595 comments Well, my day started off well, I slept quite well with my new bedding, which I wasn't expecting as I don't always sleep well on bed change day, never mind with new bedding - Lucy doesn't seem keen on the new sheet though. Did find one of the pillowcases has ripped at the seam though, and I've only slept on it once. Then I got to work and we were told that a colleague who left last June died over the weekend, rumour is Covid, he was only in his 40's.

Sorry that your plans got messed up due to you getting vertigo ?MT


message 14985: by Alicia (new)

Alicia Ehrhardt (aliciabutcherehrhardt) | 4836 comments So sorry about your colleague, Desley.

Sorry about the vertigo, Mary. I had a recent bout. Started with spinning world after rolling over in bed. By the end of about a week I had it under control with having done the Epley maneuver (for the otoliths in the ear) a couple of times. Hasn't come back yet, but I do NOT like vertigo. Weird feeling.

Learned I can tell Siri to turn the flashlight on my iPhone on - helps not to be in the dark.


Desley (Cat fosterer) (booktigger) | 12595 comments Urgh, now we have a flood alert, only consolation is I can work from home, so don't have to worry about leaving the house. Will make people stay in though.

Sorry you also had vertigo Alicia, how cool to get Siri to switch your phone's flashlight on!


message 14987: by Alicia (new)

Alicia Ehrhardt (aliciabutcherehrhardt) | 4836 comments I found I could use my voice when I wasn't sure I wanted to sit up or reach for a light switch!

Watch out for the floods - I can only imagine the mess of cleaning up after one.


Desley (Cat fosterer) (booktigger) | 12595 comments Urgh, what a morning. My eye felt a bit funny yesterday but I was very sinusy, but looks more swollen this morning, so rang the triage nurse who doesn't think it will be iritis, but did agree to see me, although then they had to push me back till 6pm, can't say I'm thrilled at going at that time seeing as we got upgraded to a flood warning this morning - while I'm not in the area, the roads to leave are. Then while I was working, I heard a funny noise, looked round to find my ceiling was leaking again. Have managed to get in the loft to get a bucket under it, and need to find someone to fix it when the weather is better - it didn't drip for long, and is a tiny hole, so I'm wondering if it has done it before while I've not been in the house. Just rang Asda, I had the option of being refunded for the entire bed set, but I'd have had to return it, or just get a £5 voucher for my inconvenience, went for the latter, I'm sure my neighbour can sew the pillowcase up, and it can go towards the matching cushion I saw at the weekend.


message 14989: by Alicia (new)

Alicia Ehrhardt (aliciabutcherehrhardt) | 4836 comments Hope your eye is only temporarily inconvenienced - you've had enough problems, Desley!

Another leak is not a good thing. Water leads to mold when ceiling materials never dry. You don't need that.


Rosemary (grooving with the Picts) (nosemanny) | 8590 comments It's snowed all night and although it's all very wet there's enough lying around to make a nuisance of itself - and our boiler has decided to start leaking. Fabulous. (it's come out in sympathy with your roof I think Desley). At least it's happening where we can see it rather than under the floor somewhere. Although we have a service contract will try and hold off calling out the engineer until next week as the roads are really bad and I expect there are people needing them more than us.
The neighbours had a very loud - and long - argument in the garden yesterday over the repositioning of their old garden hut so at least they're still keeping me amused. And of course they can't have any workmen in the house due to lockdown so it's been very much quieter (apart from the contretemps)


Desley (Cat fosterer) (booktigger) | 12595 comments Well, my iritis is back, but with the timescales it is more likely it didn't clear fully last time, slightly kicking myself for not chasing that last checkup, but it is what it is. She said it was mild enough I only need dilating drops for 3 days and I can start reducing after 4 days, but think i'm going to do a full week on each level. Luckily the roads weren't too bad. By bedtime it was snowing and heavy enough to start turning things white despite all the rain we'd had. Wet and windy again today, but we have briefly had blue sky. A colleague got evacuated at 2am. If it isn't too bad when I finish, I'll nip to Lidl, although a friend has offered to get me some stuff if I need it.

Jealous of your snow R! Although maybe not with a leaking boiler, at least you can see it.


message 14992: by Jim (new)

Jim | 21809 comments Rosemary (grooving with the Picts) wrote: "It's snowed all night and although it's all very wet there's enough lying around to make a nuisance of itself - and our boiler has decided to start leaking. Fabulous. (it's come out in sympathy wit..."

Chuffing wet here as well :-(
Glad the neighbours have been quieter. My daughter was telling me that there are unwritten rules about how you behave in flats in Scotland.


message 14993: by Jim (new)

Jim | 21809 comments Desley (Cat fosterer) wrote: "Well, my iritis is back, but with the timescales it is more likely it didn't clear fully last time, slightly kicking myself for not chasing that last checkup, but it is what it is. She said it was ..."

Hope it clears up soon


Desley (Cat fosterer) (booktigger) | 12595 comments Afternoon, we seem to have sun, an unusual concept! However, there is now a weather warning for ice. Had my one-to-one over teams yesterday, it wasn't as bad as I expected. Eye must be mild, it's not very bad.


Desley (Cat fosterer) (booktigger) | 12595 comments Morning, could have spent all morning in bed with my nice cosy sheet and watching the snow fall! Fortunately I can't drive, so we have to stay local for our weekly Sat walk. At least watching it fall when I don't have to drive in it makes me happy. Then some housework.


message 14996: by Jud (new)

Jud (judibud) | 16799 comments Hello!

I'm supposed to be doing work which is due tomorrow, I've only 2 questions left though so a wee break will be fine I still have 34 hours to get it done.

How is everyone? I don't get on here nearly enough but it's a nightmare balancing all the the obligations now that home schooling is also one of them *big sigh* I hate home schooling. We're really bad at getting the kids outside too with everything that's going on. Kitty was sick yesterday though so despite the sun today we are playing safe and letting her recuperate rather than dragging her outside for a walk.

I have my vaccine for covid now too, got it last Sunday :o) just in time for starting my first ward placement on Monday night.

Think of you guys often and will try to visit more often!


Rosemary (grooving with the Picts) (nosemanny) | 8590 comments Nice to see you Jud and do pop in whenever you can! Yes I'm really not sorry I'm past the home schooling stage...
It's been a cracker of a day here. Thick frost first thing and lovely blue skies with no wind all day. Think it'll be cold again tonight


message 14998: by Lynne (Tigger's Mum) (new)

Lynne (Tigger's Mum) | 4643 comments It’s been lovely and sunny here, miracle really, showed all the dust up.
We had a snow warning but I think it’s gone somewhere else. Nothing much in the way of gossip, I’ve not done a useful thing all week. I’m getting expert at thumb twiddling though.
Have a good weekend all


Desley (Cat fosterer) (booktigger) | 12595 comments Lovely to hear from you Jud, I'm so glad I don't have to worry about homeschooling.


message 15000: by Jud (new)

Jud (judibud) | 16799 comments One question down, one to go. It's taking me far longer than it should. Laptops are too distracting


back to top
This topic has been frozen by the moderator. No new comments can be posted.