Nice to see you Giddy. Although I haven't watched BB I do know who the characters are. I thought Sam would win.

Hope we will see you in January.

Hi Giddy, good to see you.

I also had a soft spot for Sam and was really happy to see him win. Sad to see there's plenty of vitriol on the forums just because their favourite's didn't win. Still, I don't suppose he'll lose much sleep over their opinions, infact I doubt he'll even see it.

Didn't actually watch the last couple of weeks or the final but switched on for Under The Dome, the new Stephen King/Spielberg series and saw last seconds of Gina's interview. What a strange idea to split the final into two parts, the last part was almost like an afterthought. Infact for one horrible moment I thought Dexter had won, just didn't warm to him at all, I thought he was one slippery customer that couldn't be trusted for a minute. Made a great housemate though.

Hi nyannie, sounds as if you have everything under control. I do admire your organisational skills.

When's the holiday, must be soon now?

Last episode of The Americans on Saturday night, but I see it's been picked up for a second series.

Whitechapel's back in a couple of weeks and I discovered yesterday that ITV3 is reshowing Downton Abbey from the start so now I can catch up on the first two series that I missed. I was about to order the set from Amazon so that saved me a few pounds.

Morning all!

Holiday in 3 weeks, but lots to do and we have a party to go to on Saturday and just realized I've no wrapping paper (gave a donation to charity).

I've started watching the return of Downton. So sad Dan Stevens left. Hope his career doesn't turn out to be like Ion Gruffds (sp) who was terrific in Hornblower and since then has made some truly awful movies - with the exception of the one about Wilberforce.

I'm looking forward to both Whitechapel and of course Nashville and The Good Wife. Also enjoying the Last Leg on Channel 4 - really funny - and I don't say that too often.

Well, best get going - need to get o/h up and ready for another day of toil. I plan to do a thorough job on upstairs today and try and organize the studio - it is a mess!

afternoon everyone.

Ive sort of pencilled the date in for next year. I think I quite like being slightly disorganised and not putting too much into my diary, then it fools me into thinking im being spontaneous!!!!


chemist, Debenhams, and Tesco this morning.......and it took all morning, Im going to scream if the chemist loses my thyroxine prescription again. I go every month, and 2 out of 3 times they mess it up. Unfortunately this is the only chemist near enough to use regularly , the others are at least 20 minutes drive away, and I don't always go to the same stores every week.


But apart from that , its lovely and sunny and a beautiful day.


I didn't like Under the Dome, purely because I was watching the BB final and didn't like waiting to know the winner for an hour. Im not sure if it was good timetabling or not.

Hi augusta, how annoying for you. Doesn't your Tesco have a pharmacy, or is that the one that's twenty minutes away?

I find it quite worrying that they can be quite slapdash sometimes. On more than one occasion my Dad was given the wrong dosage of his regular medication, thankfully he was on the ball enough to check it before using it.

My son's partner is diabetic and she collects her prescriptions for insulin, stores it in the fridge and doesn't think about it till she needs to open a fresh batch. Nearly came unstuck when she went to open a new lot for the next day only to discover they'd given her the slow release nightime one instead of the daytime one. You would not believe the trouble we had trying to get the correct one as it was a bank holiday and the nearest pharmacy that had the correct stuff was a twenty mile drive away!!
Needless to say, she now checks them before she leaves the chemist.

I really enjoyed Under The Dome, but it was a strange way to treat the final. It was as if the second part was an afterthought. I see viewing figures for the second half were down on the first half, hardly surprising when it made it so late for people having to work next day.

Morning all. How are we all?

Lovely 'wasted' day yesterday. Had a list of calls and chores to do and wouldn't you know it, everyone I know in the village popped in for a coffee and had three phone calls from friends.

All I managed was to put some soda crystals down the drains to clean them and tidy up the kitchen.

Hopefully can catch up today!!! Going out at 11.30 though - wish me luck. I want to enjoy the Bank Holiday, not be doing housework.

yes Tesco is one of those 20 mins away... And I don't always use the same branch.......it depends where Ive been when I go shopping. My favourite is the biggest in Colchester, but its not the one on the way home from work!!


It is frustrating that you do have to check, some pharmacies don't do that good a job at times.


It was odd timing for the second half of the final wasn't it. ?


Off to see the Vermeer exhibition at the National Gallery today, and its pouring with rain, but my garden is drinking it happily.



Oh I have such a dilemma. We have 2 dogs and 2 cats, left over from when my girls were small, and I am on the point of being so fed up with too many animals, Im on the verge of taking the cats to a shelter and getting rid of them. BUT im confused, part of me is feeling so guilty about doing this, as they have lived here for years and aren't really that much hassle, but I really don't want them any more...

that sounds like a lovely day.....

It does indeed....I reckon chores can wait when friends call

Oh, I do sympathise with this augusta My dear little cat died at the age of 20 a couple of years ago, and much as I missed her, I would have left it at that. However, daughter no 2 wanted a kitten and guess who looks after it now that it's a stonking great tom cat? Okay it's pleasant to have around, but there are times when I feel I need a break from nurturing a pet

So I think with four to look after, you've got a good case for rationalisation. Trouble is, it's so hard to 'rationalise' a living creature, isn't it?? / / .............x

Exactly.....


One of the cats is 15, so its not as if she has much longer to go, she isn't really that healthy either, so it feels mean to get rid of her... Its the younger one whose about 6 or 7, Id really like to rehome, but...my daughter is adamant, that it should be either both of them or none of them that go...

yes its that nurturing a pet that gets hard isn't it. They are lovely in small doses. but demanding and a massive responsibility.

and after months of silence, John has been tweeting birthday messages today, to 3 of his longstanding supporters...


which is a lovely thing to do......


But I cant help wondering ...why now?

Who can read John's mind? I hope for his sake that someone can....and understands him, bless!

Yep, it's the nurturing that is a) lovely and b) exhausting! Lol I do hope that you and your daughter can come to an agreement soon.....the last thing you want is to end up resenting an innocent pet! We love them but they don't always fit in with our changing lifestyles, do they?

Hope you get it sorted soon - even if the decision is to keep them......xx

I can't sleep AGAIN....I'm turning into a total insomniac. No point tossing, turning and staring at the ceiling disturbing o/h, so I'm downstairs with my laptop.

So John's been tweeting, shall take a peek in a minute.

Hi augusta, just read your earlier posts.

Sadly animal shelters up and down the country are full of pets who for one reason or another have been handed in.

Unfortunately, the older ones are less likely to be rehomed and if they are not healthy then more often than not they are put down.

My lovely cat who died three years ago (where does the time go?) had three homes in eighteen months before he came to us. I was adamant that I didn't want anymore animals (I'm a mess when they pass away) but they were desperate so I took him in. He was frightened and untrusting after such a miserable start and it took a while for him to settle down, but he soon took over the house and became part of the family. Sadly he was still only young in cat years when he died, but I don't regret having him.

Now of course we have the two budgies (I am such a soft touch) They too have taken over the house, mainly because they chatter nonstop and fly around in 'budgie mansions' spreading their feathers and seed all over my floor.

The only problem now is we have to watch what we say as they have a terrible habit of suddenly repeating it back.

It's a very difficult decision for you, guess you have to go with your heart.

Morning all.

Sad to hear about the pets. Agree with Lena - how can you be up so early?

Perhaps you need to tell your daughter she needs to take responsibility for the animals as you can't look after them anymore.

It really isn't uncommon. I have three sets of friends this happened to. One actually gave an ultimatum to her daughter and she actually found a new home for the pet.

So pleased it is the Bank Holiday. Want to do some serious cleaning with other half!

Hmmmm John tweeting. Well at least we know he is alive and well. . .

afternoon all.....how is it going?

Hi all

Just got back from Bristol - popped down to see a friend who'd lost his job - amazingly he got another one, just as good, this morning So, panic over

Traffic was awful. M4 was completely solid but I was able to work out a short cut via Yate. Remember who used to live there? That short cut is the one thing I can thank her for, that I know of!

Anyway now got daughter and friend staying over so best get on and be a hostess......no rest for the proverbial !

Good morning JJat

sorry i've not been around
and i don,t like to moan here
so i won,t
but what a week

hope all are well
just going to read back and see
what you've all been up to

Hate Motorways and driving on them, not surprised
by the M4, the M25 has been bad this week

pleased your friend found work so quickly, must be a great relief for him.

I have never been to Bristol, i,m sure its nice, but i,m not sure its a place,
i need to go
but i,m not going to right it off, due to just one person
but you never know

its been busy
quite eventful
and i've just managed to flash the gardener
so he's never gonna be the same

hows things with you

Just been reading about the pet problems

i think we have been quite lucky really
we had a lovely dog when we first got married,
but when she passed on we never felt the need to bring
another one in.

The boys like animals
but never wanted any pets, the neighbours cat comes to visit
now and then
and one son, won a goldfish at the fair once, but that only
lasted a week

its very sad to hear about the shelters
being full of unwanted pets, if people want to bring
pets in, thats where they need to go