Wild about Chatter ... Vol. 5

[KeenCook2 Profile]

arghhhhhhhhhhhh, aero

[cherrytree Profile]

‘Bentalls calling’ was an announcement I heard every fortnight when Mr Brogie in the gentlemen’s barbers department cut my father’s hair. My mother and sister and I would then do any shopping and we’d all meet at the Silver Cafe for a drink and maybe a sandwich. Occasionally my mother would take us to the Tudor Restaurant on the top floor (past the lady announcer in her office ) . The Tudor Restaurant had an orchestra where I would plead ‘Mummy don’t clap’
The magic of Christmas was good as they transformed one of the lifts into maybe a spaceship or something similar. One year we went to Selfridges instead but the family agreed that Bentalls was so much better.
Then off we’d go to Boots in the Market Place for my mother to change her books at their Lending Library. I was always intrigued by the woman in her nurses uniform selling ‘ladies products’

[Suffs Profile]

Oh dear Aero ... think life in the NHS world is a tad busy

I’m feeling very virtuous... paperwork all sifted, sorted and filed ready for end of year stuff. Lentil and tomato soup (with smoked paprika) made in the slow cooker and bread baked in time for lunch. Now I can watch the athletics I recorded at the weekend while knitting woolly hat number six.

[herbidacious Profile]

I had exactly the same thing with that app, Aero. So annoying.

I have to ring my mother's doctor's surgery. It usually takes at least 45 minutes to get through. If it were urgent they would ring me? (I think it's about her meds.) In spite of doing nothing physical all day, other than sipping coffee and reading things, I am feeling really sleepy. Tempted to go for a nap. I could put it down to pain... which is abating now thank goodness, so gone into feeling guilty about taking sick leave mode.

[Sloe-Gin Profile]

I have been sitting sowing seeds in the greenhose with both doors flung open (23 in there). Then I sat and did a good half hour of strategic garden planning, then I planted some garlic.

If you asked me what I achieved during my strategic planning, I'd say I thought about it a lot! But I have now ordered max/min thermometre and dug out the 4 drawer plastic box unit from the caravan, to store everything in securely. Plus the sun was a real tonic

[KeenCook2 Profile]

I had exactly the same thing with that app, Aero. So annoying.

In spite of doing nothing physical all day, other than sipping coffee and reading things, I am feeling really sleepy. Tempted to go for a nap. I could put it down to pain... which is abating now thank goodness, so gone into feeling guilty about taking sick leave mode.

DON'T feel gulty, Herbi, enjoy your afternoon, now, thank goodness, the worst of the pain has abated
And pain always makes you tired and leaves you feeling drained.

[Pampy Profile]

Gosh, Herbi - those links brought back memories - I'd forgotten about some of the shops! One store that seemed to be missing from the chain stores list was Etams - it was around in the late 60s/early 70s. And Kendal Milne in Manchester, which I believe is now House of Fraser. Mum used to get our school uniforms from there and I remember that during their sales, they always had a huge counter full of "bruised" Bronnley soap - smelt lovely!

[aero280 Profile]

Plymouth had a range of department stores: Dingles, Spooners, Pophams & John Yeo. They were all subsumed into each other, and then into Debenhams and House of Fraser.

There was also a large and very good Coop. The Coop was, perhaps surprisingly, the place to go for up-to-date ladies fashions.

[Pepper Pig Profile]

My carers group have just emailed me. If you are the sole carer for someone you have now been prioritized for a a Covid Jab if you haven’t had one already. Starts tomorrow and appears to be nationwide.

[aero280 Profile]

Well, fair play to the health centre.

I wrote up my experience on their facebook page, and they have come back with a reply to say that they will be changing their telephone message. Because of the covid vaccination load, they have called in retired doctors and nurses, so the staffing availability changes from day to day, so they have had to turn off long term appointments and only doing "on the day" ones.

[herbidacious Profile]

So the lockdown release plan... no mention of being able to go further than your local area? I suppose it's implicit in staying in self-contained places later in the year (n.b. that's after Easter.) but will there be no relaxing of this without overnight stays beforehand?

I have no idea what the implications are for visiting my mother. I don't want to stay with her. My husband's take on this is usually do it in a day rather than stay somewhere nice overnight. Heated discussions will ensue... Mind you self catering for one night is near impossible to do. I don't think we should wait until May.

[Pepper Pig Profile]

I’m planning on going to see my mother after April 12th if nothing changes with the new rules. She’s 80 miles away but is on her own with just her next door neighbour in her bubble. First and second time round this was allowed in lockdown but not this time. (Comes under Care Package I think). Or it did. I may still have to meet her in her garden however.

[Earthmaiden Profile]

I'm so angry that the announcement has been leaked in dribs and drabs for days that I refuse to listen until tonight's announcement (and obviously will be able to read it after that).

I've been trying to phone my surgery all day to make an appointment to speak to the nurse as instructed in a recent letter. They've been engaged all day, can't help feeling that the phone is off the hook, I know they're short staffed as some of the office staff and doctors have been roped in on the rota at the main Covid jab venue. They have at least mentioned in their phone message for some time that you can't book online. TBH, it was pretty hopeless trying to book online long before Covid. The appointments were usually all gone or weeks ahead. I was told by the receptionist that they released the appointments on a Friday night and everyone logged on in a mad scramble then to get one .

Good news re carer vaccine. You've had yours haven't you PP?

[Pepper Pig Profile]

Yes I have EM, the first anyway but I’m particularly pleased that registered Young Carers over the ago of 16 now qualify. There does seem to have been some joined-up thinking here at last.

[KeenCook2 Profile]

I've been trying to phone my surgery all day to make an appointment to speak to the nurse as instructed in a recent letter. They've been engaged all day, can't help feeling that the phone is off the hook, I know they're short staffed as some of the office staff and doctors have been roped in on the rota at the main Covid jab venue.

Is there a surgery email address? If so, maybe send then an email and say you've been trying to make an appt to speak to the nurse?

So frustrating

And talk about a trip down Memory Lane re the shops that are no longer!

Do you remember those nylon sheets that were all the fashion in the 60s/70s? Much loved of B & Bs because they dried so quickly. I think they were originally from Brentford Nylons?
Goodness, I've just googled and they're still around! But probably not actually made of nylon any more.

[Seatallan Profile]

So the lockdown release plan... no mention of being able to go further than your local area? I suppose it's implicit in staying in self-contained places later in the year (n.b. that's after Easter.) but will there be no relaxing of this without overnight stays beforehand?

I have no idea what the implications are for visiting my mother. I don't want to stay with her. My husband's take on this is usually do it in a day rather than stay somewhere nice overnight. Heated discussions will ensue... Mind you self catering for one night is near impossible to do. I don't think we should wait until May.

The restriction on staying in your local area is to be lifted from 29th March Herbi, but overnight stays not allowed until a few weeks after that.

[herbidacious Profile]

Oh I didn't see that. Thanks. Eek a long time off.

I have been looking at holiday cottages. The prices have gone through the roof. I suppose they want to recoup losses... although I think slim pickings at this time of year anyway, but I suppose there will be losses from over Christmas and New Year and indeed Easter. The prices aren't going to come down next year, though are they? Well I suppose they might when people start going abroad again. Glad I booked Wales when I did!
I'd really like to go up for my mother's birthday weekend - May 9th.

[herbidacious Profile]

Oh bu**ger. I just realized that I had booked to go to Perch Hill the day we are booked to go to Wales, and "Tickets... are non-transferable and non-refundable." Boo. I was looking forward to this.

I have asked if I can change the day but I got one of those, 'we will try to reply in ten days' replies.

[Grasshopper Profile]

BOO!!!!!

I really MUST post more often!

REALLY annoying that we MUST wait ages until non-essential shops can open. BIT of a problem when there's a B-day in March, Mother's Day, and a DOUBLE B-day in early April!

What to buy for presents?????

Suffs - might I be nosy & ask why you are knitting woolly hats??

[Earthmaiden Profile]

What to buy for presents?????

I received an awful lot of flowers for my birthday for that reason - and very nice they are too!