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General => The Stay Safe Board => Topic started by: Roobarb on Saturday 03 October 20 23:33 BST (UK)
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Have carefully checked the date before posting!
It was a Marti Pellow day today (Wet Wet Wet). Forecast was for heavy rain all day but it was quite light this morning and when I went out to the bin late morning it wasn't raining at all so took the opportunity to go out. It was pretty quiet, the field wasn't too wet but had been cut a few days ago so I came home with lots of bits of grass stuck to my shoes.
Had lunch, did a few things on the computer, felt a bit restless. The rain had got much heavier, a grey and gloomy afternoon. Did a tonal sketch for my new painting. Roasted the chicken I had got with my Tesco order. It was supposed to be a large one, it looked pretty small to me, hate to think what a medium one is like. The extra large ones are more expensive as you would expect but they're also more expensive per kilo. Strange, as buying bigger usually means more economical.
Nothing of any note today. Hope others have had a more interesting day.
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My day was no more interesting than yours! At least you got out for a walk...
Got up quite late as I was reading.... it was dull, dark and wet.... OH had decided not to play golf today as he’d not fancied getting soaked ... who could blame him!
We had a leisurely morning and decided on a brunch as we’d not bothered with breakfast...
I was busy getting it ready whilst he was in the shower...
. phone call from friends up the lane... they’d popped out got back in the car and couldn’t start it.... could we go into their house to get the spare key and bring it to them... no problem after OH was out if the shower....
brunch could wait a little longer....
hang on why did they phone us when we’ve not got a key so got in touch with other friends who do have the key... All sorted... at one point I had both of them on the phone... one on land line other on mobile telling me the same thing... very confusing and comical... off we go give them the key,.. car starts ...
As we were out went to the bakers for some fresh rolls...
Finally home... neighbour phoned to check that ‘operation rescue’ had gone ok!
By this time brunch was almost late lunch....
Something we never do we had bacon and fried egg bap’s.... delicious...
Still grey and wet had to turn on lights it was so dark...
OH busy watching golf...
Decided to go and do some sewing... I’d still got some scraps of 🌈 fabric in V shale cut from front neck panels decided I’d make some bunting will have more when I cut the next lot too... thought it might be nice for children’s wards in the hospital to brighten it up...
Still got some pretty fabric left so cut and sewed some more face coverings...
We had chicken baked in the oven with mushrooms, tomatoes, continental meats, new pots and green beans....
Watched some tv and retired....
Another day bites the dust.... life us very exciting! Hope others might have had a better day....
Caroline
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Finally got all decorating stuff organised to put away in the shed but it has chucked it down all day ,so as the shed is small and already full Iwould have been pretty well in the rain.So that will have to wait for a dry day.
Grandson, And Flash Harry’s Mummy and Flash Harry
coming sometime,we’ll today now.
Won’t come in so hope it is fine.
Not heard the news,curious re Trump.
Son did not come as I did not need anything but that means I have to look online to seeTV Programmes.
I think I have already posted this” news “somewhere,it seems familiar!
Must go to bed soon ,no idea of time they will pop round.
Been looking at a book catalogue ,to order some for presents ,though what Christmas will be like and how restricted we will be goodness knows.
I am not making a huge rich Christmas cake this year,too sickly ,I like Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall’s Dundee with plenty of whisky.
I used to make eight dozen mince pies! For Christmas then more for NewYear.
Not for a couple of Christmases now,just a couple or three dozen.
Same with pud, everyone was too full for a couple of hours to eat any, so still
steaming and I think it spoiled ,so an M&S microwave job this time .
That is IF anyone can come ,or I can go to one of my children!
But I have had worst Christmases,like the one I took my children to Manchester shops ,we had a milk shake each in a big store cafe.
All three of us had food poisoning ,but not my OH who had not been with us.
Everything else we had eaten was the same as what he had.
Gosh were we ill!
I did not get dressed even on Christmas day .
I suppose too when my sister and I were whisked off to Shropshire ,after the December 23 and 24 bombing of our area of Manchester.
I have only vague memories of that but I was only three and a half.
So I am not fretting ,what will be will be.
Hope everyone is alright , was thinking of Jeff and family yesterday .
Take care everyone
Goodnight.
Viktoria.
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Roobarb; Glad you got your printer sorted. We are lucky to belong to this website as there are boards for everything even help for roobarb and her printer. ( just me stalking again ) Well, I saw the topic and had a read to see if it would help roobarb only to find out it was roobarb. ;D
My Saturday.
Was finding it hard to concentrate, so went for a walk around my garden. Weeds are doing well, smothering everything.
Strawberries flowering again so will let them go now, should have an early crop. Tomatoes loving being in the ground. Beans doing well but were hit by the winds we had last week but they will be fine. Courgettes got dug up by the cats in the neighbourhood. Brought 4 more to replace them. Baby grapes on my grapevine so another early crop. Not complaining about them. Feijoa tree has been in full flower for the last month so another bumper crop. The fruit started dropping just as we went in to lockdown earlier this year so the fruit had to rot on the ground. Not much i could do about it. Ate as many as i could.
We are having our elections here. Election day was to be 17 September but due to an outbreak of COVID in Auckland at the beginning of August, our Prime Minister moved the date to October 17.
Early voting started at 10am Saturday 3rd. We are all being encouraged to vote early to avoid crowds. All polling booths are operating as if we are in Level 2. (Auckland still at level 2 ). So I decided as I don't know where I will be at any given time I would go and cast my vote at Midday when everyone should be having lunch, nice and quiet then. Bad idea as I think everyone in my area had the same brainwave. Stayed and voted so that's done for another 3 years.
Home for a relaxing afternoon. Had dinner and watched Long Lost Family UK. Before going to bed early I checked the T.V. guide to see what was on later. Another bad idea. Had 4 hrs of Who Do You Think You Are starting at midnight. Well, tomorrow is Sunday not doing anything so can sleep in.
Headed to bed at 3.30am.
Stay Safe Stay Strong
Carol
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Hello again
Not much has happened in past 2 days - apart from my grocery delivery yesterday and a Whatsapp from my pregnant niece asking if I could knit some 'teenie' hats for the babies. 'Teenie' ?? Knitted a couple of 'newborn' ones but now know she meant 'Premature'. Babies due end of January but she is going to be induced before then and having a caesarean so babies will be small.
Today woke to a grey and rainy day but had arranged to meet up with nephews wife at 12.30 at 'The Mermaid'. Being a family of 6 I can no longer visit them. When I arrived she was at the head of the little queue together with youngest daughter Ivy-Rose (5). We all had something different to eat and I chose scampi and chips (not having had any scampi since before lockdown in March). Thoroughly enjoyed it (and also the realisation that I wouldn't have to cook tonight).
After lunch we both wanted to go shopping but to different places so we said our goodbyes. I then drove to B & M to get a bottle of peach schnapps £4.99 (just as good as Archers) and a bottle of Brand X (£5.99) which is a brandy. Also bought a pack of kitchen rolls, a pack of 6 toilet rolls, and 2 boxes of tissues in case I'm unable to get any from ASDA in due course (with people already panic buying toilet rolls and store shelves empty). Didn't wander around the store, just got what I wanted and left. Home around 3.30 and went on PC for a while. Ordered a coat from Debenhams which was in the sale - if it's not suitable will simply return. Haven't actually stepped foot in town since March and due to visit SpecSavers for retesting but haven't plucked up the courage to go yet as it's in the town centre.
Just had a sandwich and a blueberry muffin in the evening, started knitting a 'prem' baby hat and watched TV.
Was good to met up with Amy and the young one for lunch and the day felt almost 'normal' aside from donning mask and sanitising.
Annette
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It was a Marti Pellow day today (Wet Wet Wet).
A bit of trivia for you - hey, you never know, you might find yourself packed into a dinner party this time next year.
The term "Wet Wet Wet", (apart from being the band) comes from an aviation terms that air traffic controllers use to describe the condition of a runway to a landing aircraft so they can adjust their braking on touchdown.
So "Dry Dry Wet" would mean that the last third of the runway is wet whist the beginnnig and the middle is dry.
As for our Saturday, we went to Asda to pick up our "Click and Collect". I spoke to one of the girls that brings out the shopping, as we've been sharing cooking tips. Recently,I told her about Aubergine Pickle. So she very excitedly told me how amazing it was when she added it to a Mackrel dish, and how amazed her mum was with it. So, I decided today was the day to take the flavour up a little notch, and told her about adding a tablespoon of Marmite into a curry (right at the beginning of making it). Her face lit up!
We then continued our drive over the tops, through the fog, and then home. We had a BLT (bacon lettuce tomato) roll. As it was so wet and wild, it was a perfect day for Sarah to make a victoria sponge, and I did a bit of soldering, fettling and moving bits and bobs around on my workbench.
For tea I made a Pizza, with a topping of Sweated Leek, Stilton (it should have been Goganzola), Anchovie, Chirozo and Olives. As I'm writing this the following day, I'm happy to report we survived it.
Trystan
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Caroline, well done on riding to the rescue! I was a bit puzzled at first as to why the second key would start the car when the first one wouldn't but I guess it's the electronic thing that's forgotten who it is! Modern technology is great when it works!
The bunting sounds a lovely idea.
Viktoria, Christmas cake with plenty of whisky sounds great! I really hope you'll be able to go visiting at Christmas and share it with your family.
Carol, I'm quite happy for you to stalk me, it's nice to have the company! And how kind of you to think of me. Your elections sound interesting, I don't know why they don't hold them on Saturdays here, it would give much more opportunity to vote to people who are working during the week.
Annette, nice for you to be able to get out for lunch despite the weather. Well done on getting your supplies in, ridiculous that we have to think like that.
Trystan, thank you for the interesting trivia, I love a bit of trivia! Your talk of all the food is making me hungry, in fact everyone seems to have mentioned food! Something nice to think about during the dire weather we all seem to have had. :)
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Roobarb ., yo do keep us going ,wonder if our thought sharing will ever be seen by others..
Has anyone ever read Nella Last’s War.?
Victoria Wood was excellent.
It showed so well the attitudes that prevailed at that time, both in class and
in marriage, and about sexual “ deviation” which now we think nothing of.
I think it would be good to show it again ,just to let people know we can get through things if we work together.
However ,the social distancing etc makes this more difficult .
In the meantime, do I start to bake or will they arrive just at the crucial moment..
Just been outside and a young family
were passing along the lane,a delightful little girl,so blonde - Ada- not heard that for a tiddler for donkeys’ years.
Has anyone heard from Jeff.?
Perhaps it is much too soon.
And the donor for bone marrow ?
I must read through again in case I have missed a post or more likely read and it has gone out of my mind,which is unkind of me.
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My Saturday was rotten on Friday evening I had a look at the website of the company I’d booked a holiday in England starting on Monday. I’ve kept an eye on the website and on Friday evening I found something new rather buried in the website which said
Please note: if you are displaying symtoms of coronavirus, have a shielding letter or live with someone with symptoms, please do not travel to our hotels.
I was told I was shielded on 23 March and on 1 August shielding was paused and I could resume a “new normal life”. So on Saturday I rang up the company And asked about this ban on those who were shielded ( I didn’t use the word ban) and explained that shielding was paused on 1 August in England and my doctors had said I could go away but it was no use my holiday was cancelled and the money moved to a booking I have next year.
I was very upset as having had two holidays cancelled during shielding this was to be something normal I was really looking forward too. Everything I’d got out to pack was unpacked and put away.
Can anyone point me to anything that says people who had a shielding letter cannot go on holiday. I’ve looked but cannot see anything. Can a company do this?
I have been pretty miserable since. The last 20 months or so since I was diagnosed with breast cancer have been horrible, although the cancer was successfully treated I have been left in a lot of pain with restricted movement in my arm and shoulder and have recently been diagnosed with post radiation neuropathy. The little holiday was something I was really looking forward too but it’s gone now and for a reason I don’t understand.
I’m glad everyone enjoyed their food I really wasn’t interested in food yesterday and can’t remember what I had!
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Half my last post is missing!
Gibel, I am sorry your holiday is cancelled, really.
Try to think it might be for the best .
Imagine being stuck in a foreign country etc with all this going on.
That you need a holiday I don’t dispute ,but things are changing so rapidly and not for the better.
Can anything be done re the pain in your arm and shoulder?
Stay with us on this site, we are daft but have a laugh and it helps.
Cheerio.Viktoria.
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Thanks Victoria, my holiday was in England about 100 miles from where I live. As for the pain in my chest and shoulder it’s just pain killers. Where I live we have the odd situation in that the surgery, (mastectomy)is done in one hospital in one trust then the radiotherapy is done in another hospital trust on the same site. And they operate like a conveyor belt. It’s hell and they don’t seem to talk to each other.
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Gibel, I'm so sorry to hear about your holiday being cancelled, it just adds insult to injury. Do you think it might be worth phoning again and asking to speak to a supervisor? The people who you usually get to speak to at call centres are often just reading from a script and know very little about any unusual circumstances. The fact that many of them are working from home also means that they would have to contact someone separately for advice if they weren't sure, perhaps they took the easy way. It might be worth a try. If you do decide to ring I'd wait till tomorrow, Sunday might not be a good time.
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If they don’t talk to one another, I might be tempted to tell a few porkies!
EG.My daughter was born in Belgium in a clinic run by Nuns but some other qualified staff also.
They had “ communication problems”, I fed her myself,but at night they insisted she go to the nursery ,not be in a little glass room in my room as during the day, however it was locked at all times!
Baby given to me at set intervals - well sorry mate but it doesn’t work like that with breast feeding.
Taken away the first night and came back shuddering from sobbing, tear stained and all her face scratched from her own nails.
I was appalled.
Tried to explain re natural feeding etc, but no go .
The second afternoon ,I was in such pain they put me on a machine,well the other way round,
Don’t know if I was a Friesian, Hereford, Dairy shorthorn—-.
The milk was suspiciously pink!
Fed her and back in the glass room.Locked.Sick. Turned her head into the vomit and her nose was in it!,
A little domestic help made a sign with her fingers like cutting ,scissors, into the lock hole as the handle / key was taken by nurse or nursing nun.
A square hole.The scissors did the trick, the little domestic help was deaf and dumb so she put her hands on her mouth to tell me not to say anything.
So I sorted baby out and a nurse cane in and wanted to know how I had got
the baby.
I lied,said the nursing nun had said as Baby was breastfed ( the only one i the whole clinic)I could feed her on demand and I needed attention for the blood in my milk as I could not give that to the baby from that side.
I expressed myself until the milk was clear, it was a split externally :-X
Then a bit later the nursing nun came and wanted to know etc etc
So I lied AGAIN!
Said nurse had etc etc,
It was never sorted or questioned but how disgraceful.
I also discharged myself when refused a commode as the very few toilets were also used by visitors and babies are Baptised at a few days old in the clinics in Belgium.
There are guests, champagne etc and to say the toilets would have looked in place in a busy pub is no exaggeration.
I had stitches so sorry mate.
The Dr.my GP came on a routine visiit and I played hell,and discharged myself.
Then fainted at home ;D ;D ;D ;D
Everything settled down,after all I was a trained a Nanny before doing further training ,it was my third child , so I was not a novice.,the first two home confinements .
How I would have talked my way out of it had the two factions had good communications.?
Do you know the nun nurse said “Young mothers must suffer.“
But we got through .
She , the baby, is now 53 in November and is Flash Harry’s Nanny
Cheerio.
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Viktoria, was the store with the milkshakes in Manchester that you got a dreaded lurgy from by any chance L*W*Ss?
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No, L- t-l- w o s .opposite Mosely St more or less, and the end of Piccadilly.
It was nearly closing time and the drinks were not icy cold.
Poor OH, Christmas Day and he struggling to cook himself bacon and eggs as I was too ill to do anything.We three , kids and I could not have cared less
about Pork ,roasties etc!
We survived.
Viktoria.
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Well the visit was not long but lovely to see them.
It was sunny but anyway they would not have come in , we went a walk round the cemetery.
Flash Harry has grown!
We had a lovely time looking for gribbles ,you know those grey things that used to be red,eat nuts ,have a bushy tail.
I was hysterical laughing ,remembering something he used to mis pronounce
when very small.
Erligerldy worms.—- Wiggeledy worms.
Have it on the iPad.It creases me up every time I see it.
He was on his bike ,pedal one ,I was amazed he could manage the steep uphill paths.
Sad to say my knees have not been strangled - no contact at all and kept a good distance .
Then they were on their way back to Suffolk .
Five hours driving but they will share it .
I think I will go to bed a bit earlier tonight ,although then I have a couple of sleepless hours in the middle of the night.
I might go on tour with “The Dubliners “ during that time .
Sing “ On Raglan Road “ with Like Kelly ,and “ She moved through the fair “.
Well a last cuppa,thirsty after the ham, which was not as nice as it has been before.
Goodnight all, sleep well, look forward to your news tomorrow and hope you all have something nice to share.
Some of you have been having it really tough ,but good or bad it helps to share , and things can change .
( I won’t really be singing with Luke Jelly you know,well I sincerely hope not!)
Viktoria.
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Viktoria, very pleased to hear you had such an enjoyable time with Flash Harry and his family. If you're going on tour with the Dubliners there's one song that's obligatory - Seven drunken nights! ;D
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Oh! That is a pnaughty one,Geranium pots etc :o
Ed Sullivan in America would not let the Dubliners sing that one.
Nor “ Girls when you are young never wed an old man”.
Yes It was lovely seeing them ,
It is fascinating to see how well his parents know him,suss him out ,as he is a clever little devil.Can’t let him get away with anything.
Found some sweet chestnuts but not ripe ,very small so the gribbles will have poor fare this winter,Horse Chestnut casings all over the floor but no conkers .
So what the“ gribbles “will eat in the winter until they hibernate??
Write more later.
Viktoria.
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Well... the several grey squirrels bouncing all over our back garden and driving the cats mad will have loads of delicious - I've munched many of them as I potter around the back garden - hazel nuts from the large corkscrew hazel in our back garden ( as usual). They are absent minded, though - I find little caches of them all over, and of course many seedlings result - but as I only want the one corkscrew hazel, so I've never let the seedlings grow large enough to see if the "corkscrew" as well as their parent! ( I believe it's the result of a virus, but the bare, contorted tree in winter is beautiful)
Ah yes, Viktoria, I remember that store well. The dodgy milkshake I had as a child came from the store I was thinking of, in the 1960s.
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Don't worry Viktoria, gribbles bury about 3 x more than they eat, which is just as well, because some naughty gribbles watch where others are caching a hoard, and then they raid it!! :)
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I had forgotten that Mowsehowse.
And bulbs!
The Heritage Society in our little town planted hundreds of Crocus bulbs at the approach ,by the river which can be seen from a steep hill as you come off the motorway.
I had one of those circular cutters ,took a plug of soil out,bulbs dropped in,plug back,job done .
Others used a hoe to make a narrow slit.
Come Spring and no crocus where I had planted ,plenty elsewhere.
Then—— we saw the plugs of earth ,pulled up by gribbles no doubt !
Yes ,they are cheeky little thieves aren’t they.
Just come off the phone ,can you believe it ,from speaking with my friend who I was convinced (and so were her family ) was going to die.
Perfectly lucid, sounded frail ,but a good care package in place and her son there all the time.
No chance of seeing her ,but at least she knows I have been in touch with her family about her.
Well I did not go on tour with The Dubliners,slept right through.!
I laugh when I think how my OH disliked folk singing and Trad Jazz!
We had a record of Peter Sellers making fun of it, Well the boys did.
An Irish band, In a crowded pub, de diddle de diddley , etc .
Someone says to the fiddle player” You played a bum note there Pat“——-
Crash ,bang scream ,glass and glasses shattering ,tables and chairs thrown, - ,,ambulance and Police sirens etc.but the music never stopped.
You have to hear it really ;D
Flash Harry’s Mummy is doing Bodyshop stuff,I might order some ,I send
money but like to give a modest gift too.
Where will we be at Christmas ?
Home probably!
Hope everyone is OK , I feel happy I have seen FH ,and his family and spoken with my friend.
Had a laugh with another friend ,lives on The Gower.
She sent a couple of photographs of her and her husband, her with Lionel
Blair who was being all “ lovey” and her husband who was furious LB
was so “ familiar “with my friend.Arms folded ,black looks and very menacing!
Fred Flintstone was surely modelled on him.
He bred our Lavender budgie .
Well must go, daughter phones tonight for a couple of hours ,FH’s Nanny.
Keep safe everyone .
Viktoria.
His face!
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Just wanted to let you know that I’m sitting in my hotel room in the Lake District. I rang the holiday company this morning and got a really sensible man. Anyhow he talked to his manager, my booking was reinstated and an hour or so later my bags were in the car and I was on my way. To be honest I don’t think they have a clue about shielding and that it was paused in England on 1 August and I could go out! Not that I go mad it’s just nice to know I can go out. I think they understand now!
It’ll be interesting to see what I have forgotten as I just threw things in my bags nothing like my usual neat packing.
So many thanks for all your support.
PS Good news about your friend Viktoria
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Jolly good, really pleased.
Enjoy ,
Viktoria.
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:D Hurrah.
That is marvellous news.
Have a lovely holiday Gibel.
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That's fantastic Gibel, I'm so pleased for you, hope you have a lovely time. :)
And great news for you too Viktoria, it must be such a relief to talk to your friend.
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Enjoy Gibel, you have waited long enough, will give you a boost
Louisa Maud
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Oh dear I’m having trouble catching up with everything!
Viktoria - delighted you got to see FH and his mummy & daddy too... even if no leg hugs just lifts the spirits seeing them doesn’t it..
Good news too that you were able to speak to your dear friend.. I’m sure it’s given you some peace of mind too...
Gibel - pleased to hear you’ve managed to get some sense from the holiday company and you’re now enjoying a break away... I’m sure it will boost your spirits and be even more enjoyable for that reason...
Gribbles, as you call them spend a great deal of time running along our fence having collected walnuts from our neighbours front lawn and digging holes in our lawn to bury them... also the flower beds, plant pots, veg patch and anywhere else they can think off.... the fence is right along side my kitchen window and when I’m pulling up the blind and see me they stay very still and so do I staring at one another, then quick as a flash they’re off! Come spring time we’ve got walnuts sprouting everywhere...
Caroline
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It is FH calls them Gribbles..............
"Come spring time we’ve got walnuts sprouting everywhere... "
I see a business opportunity here. ;)
There must be many who would love to buy a sprouted walnut and protect it while it grows.
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It is FH calls them Gribbles..............
"Come spring time we’ve got walnuts sprouting everywhere... "
I see a business opportunity here. ;)
There must be many who would love to buy a sprouted walnut and protect it while it grows.
Never thought of that!
OH has already grown two, one to replace a sycamore in our front garden and the other for our daughter if and when they move out of London ....
Caroline
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If we ever have a garden again I will be in touch Caroline. :D