🎃HELLO FORKERS 🧙‍♀️October’23 👻

Dovefromabove

October has arrived!!! … autumn proper … now it really is time to sort out the veg patch, sow the broad beans and make chutney with the last of the green tomatoes that really aren’t going to ripen now … and here is a new thread where everyone is welcome to say hello and chat with friends about the bits and bobs of life … celebrate triumphs and cry about our disasters, assured of friendly celebrations or sympathy, and virtual cups of tea or coffee and lots of comforting cake … so choose a comfy chair, the kettle’s on … 

coccinella

Hello

I see you are up early Dove. Thank you for starting another thread for us. October is my favourite month of the year, the morning mists, the golden hues. Preparing the garden for sleep in the knowledge of its reawakening. Such beauty.

AnnaB

Once again, many thanks to Dove for introducing another new month. This year sure does seem to be slipping away very fast doesn't it. Hope you got back to sleep after your early post, you too @coccinella. And @Hostafan1 I hope your journey home was a smooth one and that you are now tucked up in bed catching up with some sleep - sorry about the weather we are having just now in the UK.

As some of you will know I suffer from 'long covid' (it will be 3 years this Boxing Day) which has really affected my life in various ways, at the moment it is just causing havoc with my digestive system (which MAY be starting to sort itself out, fingers crossed) and my legs. My legs just wont carry me for any length of time or for any distance - approx 50yards is as much as I can manage without a chair or bench to rest on before I plough on again. And I have been known to scream at the kettle to hurry up and boil coz I suddenly need to sit down; throw the water into the tea cup and rush to the nearest seat to rest - and I dont like stewed tea! But I am in no pain so mustn't grumble as there are so many much worse off than me, just get so frustrated. My reason for saying all this is that unlike you wonderful folks on here who lead such busy and active lives and chat about your lovely food ideas and gardening successes or problems, I can only post occasionally about more mundane things that closely affect my life while I enjoy reading about all your interesting activities. I hope you dont mind.

You might like this little tale - use your imagination folks. Daughter was waiting for a parcel to be delivered from that big river company. She gave them really good instructions on how to find us and told them that beware, 'old' sat navs run out before you get to us and send deliveries off down a small lane off shoot next to a big forestry entrance, but the driver needs to keep going on up the hill. Well she decided to track the oncoming delivery. and I watched with her. Up came the van from the village (two miles to us). It passed the forestry entrance and carried on coming. It turned into our drive (wow) and slowly got closer - it's a long drive with three properties down here. Trouble is daughter's tracker was saying 'the second in line for delivery'? I suggested that perhaps Dawn in the main house was expecting something. Well the tracker stopped a while (making a delivery?) and then started moving again - back down the drive (!) saying your delivery is next! Off went the van, back down the road and yes, you guessed it, turned into the little off shoot road (unmade single car track with 3 houses down it) opposite the forestry entrance and stopped down there with the tracker saying 'your delivery has arrived'!! The mind boggles, we just sat staring at each other. If we hadn't actually seen it happening we would not have believed it. Quite apart from the fact that as you turning into our drive from the lane, right in front of you is a very noticeable wooden plinth with free range eggs and an honesty tin on it (from Dawn in the house for the locals)and directly above this is a large board with the easily read names of the three properties down here - you cant miss it (or it seems that you can!), then a little further on there are three private locked post boxes plus spaces for small parcels - everyone named individually for each house (for ease of local postie to save coming all down the drive).
We are expecting a phone call tomorrow morning from one of the cottages down the 'off shoot' to say 'we have a parcel for you'!

Have a nice Sunday forkers.

Pat E

We’ve had horrible high winds all day and now at 5 pm, he has a call-out for a fire. 😳

not happy here. 

coccinella

@AnniD First of all sorry about the parcel, what dunces, they just do not listen. At least you can rely on your neighbours. I am also sorry about your long Covid, can you take some vitamins to help a little? Not that you can start walking miles again, but it may help with energy levels. My mum takes something, prescribed by her doctor and she swears it helps. I don't know what it's called but I can find out. Do write about "mundane" I treat this thread a bit like a diary and I like reading other people's. 
So all of you keep telling us about your day. @Pat E hope he comes back very soon. I take he is obliged to go? And even if he weren't what do you do? Say no? It's for the community, I just hope your summer won't be troubled by flames.

Dovefromabove

Good morning all 😊 ☕️ 

I went straight back to sleep again … and slept until around 8 … coffee arrived and we did Wordle and Artle and put a load in the wash and read a bit … now I’m catching up on the Archers’ goings on .., I usually catch quite a bit during the week but somehow I’ve missed it all this week. 

Then there’s a chicken to rub with herbs and garlic and butter, potatoes and carrots to peel and green beans to top and tail … and more coffee to drink …

I think this thread serves different purposes to different people … for me it’s a way of gathering my thoughts in the morning, but also, and very importantly it’s a way of keeping up with the goings on in the lives of people I regard as friends, old and new … some of whom I’ve met and some I probably never will .., the way this community supported me when my son had his horrific accident back in February means you’re all important to me now … so you’ll have to ‘lump it’ 😉 
 

 

Pat E

whew, that’s a relief!   I’ve been trying to ring him for ages and getting no response. I was really getting worried. 9.15 pm.

They have been out beyond Nimmitabel and there’s no phone reception there. 🤬. They are on their way back.  Whew! 

Dovefromabove

Very relieved to hear that @Pat E  😅  … do they use CB to audios out there? 

Pat E

Probably Dove, to the office in town, but I don’t know if it’s manned at night. Must find out. The trouble is that our local fire chief’s wife goes to bed early, so I don’t like to harass her.  😉

Badly_Maintained

Hello Dovefromabove and everyone else.  

I hope you will soon recover from your long Covid AnnaB.  Sorry I can't provide any helpful advice for you, but I do send you my best wishes and hopes for your full recovery.  

A loved one is in a nursing home, so I was being super-paranoid about Covid to avoid bringing it there.  Ironically someone else brought it into the home and I caught it from my loved one.  This was in May, however after two weeks of moderate unpleasantness both I and my loved one recovered.

In the week just gone I was planting up Spring-flowering bulbs in containers, and then during GW on Friday evening the advice was for 50% grit & 50% peat-free.  Of course I had finished by this time, and my mix was only about 10% grit.    Looks like I'll be buying more bulbs next Autumn...

This Summer my hardy annuals were fairly reliable as usual (they are about the limit of my skill).  However my attempt to grow patio roses in containers fell foul of the caterpillars.  C'est la vie.

Happy gardening to all.

Dovefromabove

Hello @Badly_Maintained … good to see you here 😊 
I’m  glad both of you have recovered from COVID. 

Hopefully your spring bulbs weren’t watching GW and don’t know they need more grit 😉 Make sure the drainage holes aren’t blocked and don’t let the compost get soggy and with any luck they’ll be fine … we’ll keep our fingers crossed🤞