Good morning, weather grey and miserable AGAIN!

Sorry I've been missing in action for a few days, rather a lot going on here with o/h family and hospital appoinments.

Very relieved to report that my tests have all come back clear although I've still got to have scan done. Beginning to think I might put a case forward to have this bit of 'redundant equipment' removed.

I'm so sorry nyannie to read your sad news, as you say what a miserable start to the year. Sending you a great big hug {} and thinking of you.

John's certainly having a hot start to the year, it was 42c in Melbourne yesterday.

I read that one of the tennis players fainted on court in the searing heat and that they are retreating to the far edges of the court between games to seek shade.

I like it hot, but not that hot.

What is it with technology? It just suddenly stops working for no apparent reason.

I was going to post last night but Firefox just kept crashing, everytime I opened a new tab or refreshed a page, BAM, laptop returned to saver screen and flashed up a 'well this is embarrassing' message from Firefox. Not embarrassing Firefox, just very, very, annoying.

Don't want to speak too soon, but it seems to be ok this morning.

Is this smilie raised eyebrows does anyone know? It's the only one that doesn't have a meaning when you hover over it. I hope it is as I feel it might get a lot of use with me, rofl.

I'm a shocking hoarder too and I think it runs in the family.

I have a box which has things such as my son's first little shoe (why only one, what happened to the other one), Mother's Day cards made at playgroup, a big slab of clay in the shape of a fish painted in bright colours, a cat made from two round blobs of clay which have come apart, pebbles and shells collected on our beach walks, a green felt christmas tree decorated with sequins, ribbons from my wedding bouquet, pressed red rose from the first bunch of flowers my o/h gave me,now a rather faded brown, (well it is thirty seven years old) tail feathers from my beloved budgie that my parents bought me for my eighteenth and as for greetings cards...eighteenth, twenty first, wedding, new baby...

As a result of clearing my Dad's flat I now have two archive boxes on the landing full of photographs including people in Victorian dress, my Dad dressed as a Christmas cracker (he's just a toddler), weddings, anniversary's, birthdays. Then there's Mum's twenty first birthday cards, their wedding cards and telegrams, trinkets that she was given on the day, silver shoes from the wedding cake and so it goes on. What am I going to do with it all, and why am I keeping it?

Good to hear you like your hair colour, shame about the cut. Did you go for something really different style wise?
I feel like a different person when I've had a haircut, if my hair's wrong everything's wrong. Have to confess I have had some really bad hair days.

Ok, I've been sitting in my kitchen posting and now my washing machine is on spin and is making the most appalling noise and it's vibrating all over the place
I don't think that can be right, can it?

Hope you all have a good day, what's left of it. At least it's brightening up a little.

Oh, that's brilliant news Lena Fingers crossed for the scan and I hope you are feeling better, too xxx

Yes, what does mean? I have barely used it myself. I have a feeling that because it's so vague, it could be used when people aren't quite sure what they want to say..... And that isn't really the point of a forum, surely? Smilies should help to clarify messages, not confuse them.... is another odd one, as is the vivid pink of

You can perhaps deduce that I preferred the old smilies!

This is such a lovely post I don't think I could give away that kind of thing either.

Having said that, for each of our various house moves I have de-cluttered, so that now I have very little of this kind of thing myself. Nowhere to put it, really. I justify it by saying I always like to look to the future rather than the past, but I know I will regret disposing of some things

Note to nyannie: perhaps don't be too ruthless in your de-cluttering??? xx

When we moved houses when I was a child, I had to dispose of loads of my toys etc, whenever we moved, I always thought this was perhaps why I have my current hoarding streak...


Its hard to retain a balance isn't it, our loft is still full of all my daughters old school books, pictures etc.....I hated those parents so much who when presented with their childs work promptly disposed of it in the nearest bin..often in the playground on the way home...that I tried to keep everything for them. I don't really think they are going to care however!!!


I think my worst clutter though is the soft cuddly toys. with 2 girls and loads of birthday parties and school fayres etc....and the inevitable beanie babies collections etc we have got bin bags full of them in the loft. however 1 daughter has found a use for the over large 6 ft dog she 'won' at a fair, its now being used as a draught excluder for her student house.

Just watched 'Looking for Mum and Dad' or wtte, a programme about foster children waiting for adoption. Gulp!!

If I were younger and fitter I'd be on the phone now.....it's just awful to think how many kids stay 'in care' because they can't for one reason or another be matched with adoptive parents.

Anyone else see it? What did you think?

On another note, the Sport Relief Celebrity Bake Off was quite amusing....Victoria Pendleton was really funny.....but she couldn't hide her competitive streak, even in baking!

Am watching TV because daughter no 2 has been ill for nearly a month now with a throat infection. She keeps trying to go back to work, and it sets her back Think we'll be making another trip to the GP tomorrow....

Goodnight all. Sleep tight.

Lindy xx

nyannie...where are you? are you ok?

I haven't watched the adoption programme...and its such a hard issue, I really wanted to get involved with the fostering programme a few years ago, but unfortunately my OH didn't. He said, we had already brought up our kids and he worked too many hours and needed to be able to come home and chill out.....


which was on one level pretty frustrating, but on another fairly understandable.....

We had a similar conversation many years ago.....and actually I'm not sure I would really have had the energy to foster Or at least to make a good job of it. Some of the foster parents I've met have been pretty amazing people

Seconded !!

Come in nyannie, hope you're okay

Good evening, just checking in. Hope you're all well.

Nyannie MIA - hope all is well.
I think I remember her mentioning an outing with a friend.

Off to cook dinner and recharge laptop.

Morning all.

I now have a grip on myself so I should be OK - I think.

So pleased to hear that all your scans were clear Lena. It is so worrying! I am off to the GP shortly to see how my cholesterol is doing and also to see if there is any cause to all the infections and colds I've been having.

Went to London and saw a dear friend. Made me feel so much better.

Came home and friend next door suggested going to a movie - we saw AMERICAN HUSTLE - which was terrific. Really had lots of twists and turns!!

Well, best go - need to get organized before the taxi - O/H was very late home last night so don't want him to drive me.

As for decluttering. . .

We get rid of clothes we haven't worn in a year, light fiction books, things we haven't used for about 2 years - and I go through files every year. Paper - cannot believe how much junk mail and newspapers we receive. We regularly get rid of 3 boxes of paper alone!

As for family and friend photos - we have given most of our family photos to our in-laws as they have children and they have digitized them. Pictures of friends - I have given them copies.

One thing I am now working on is one file which will contain information people will need in case of our deaths. Have also made an appointment to have my will updated.

what a lot of sensible information....


I am going to need to really get my head around decluttering this year. It shouldn't really be too hard to do. If I tell myself this enough, I might be able to believe it...

Afternoon all.

I am absolutely pooped! Had the in-laws over for lunch today - really good fun! We are planning to go there in early March. Both their children now at university so they can travel more.

Friend seems to have made a slight improvement so I can breathe now.

Just finished the third load of dirty dishes,pans so I am now going to have a cup of tea and go upstairs to read the paper.

Have a good evening all.

Had a v busy weekend again. It feels said life just gets busier.... Or...maybe it's more that I'm slowing down and it seems to take forever to get anything done!!!

Anyway goodnight all, sleep tight

Lindy xx

PS 'Said' in post above was supposed to say 'as if' ....pesky predictive text!!

Night again

PPS I really miss the old sleepy smileys......xx

Morning all.

How are we all? Exhausting weekend so glad of a bit of housework.

I think Lindy we have to pace ourselves! We aren't 21 anymore - well I'm not, anyway.

Out to lunch with a friend today.

Have a good day.

thread Meet

Would Anyone Who Is Interested, Please Pm Me With Dates They Prefer To Meet Up.

As Weekdays Are Not A Problem, It Will Be On A Monday To Thursday - In February - Weather, Floods And Snow Permitting.

Please Let Me Have Your Preferences By The End Of This Week (25 January).

Many Thanks

I am fairly open to any date at the moment...so just give me a time and a place!!!

We went to the France show yesterday at Earls court and although it was interesting the best part of the day was wandering through the streets to the V and A museum afterwards!!!

We also saw the second Hobbit film on Saturday night which was brilliant...