JenGog&#39;s Guestbook

boris o clock
Sadly Dave I cannot lay claim to it being my own . I have to give credit where credit is due to someone else who coined it and I used it . It is a worry that there will be second and third waves of the virus . Sounds as if you are safer than we are . If we follow Boris' road map I hate to think where we will end up. Less cases in London but it is rife in care homes . Still large numbers dying but it does seem to be coming down . Life is wierd here and travel seems a long way off . Might go and sit in the van tomorrow and have tea there . Imagine I am somewhere else . The sign was simple . I must have walked past it many times but all this walking is making me look at life differently . Guess we are all changed after this . Keep safe

From Blog: Derbyshire 106 - Chesterfield - keep alert /the difference between England and Wales /overlaying

10th May 2020

wales v england
We got our seeds from Tamar Organics. I think Monty Don must use them as well as I think I saw a seed packet on his last programme! I think they are only open 9.00am - 10.00am but the seeds came quite quickly! Hope this helps!! Spoke to my daughter today who said that in England they can now drive,,,,,but not in Wales!! So I still cannot see any of the family as they all live over the Bridge. Its been cold here today too - so after speaking to my daughter in law, who was 40 years old today ( poor girl - I really feel for her) I pulled up the forget me nots and then did nothing except watch the birds and the wind in the garden!!! Stay safe! x

From Blog: Derbyshire 104 - Chesterfield - Smocked clouds/todays plan is mostly about washing the car

9th May 2020

wales v england
When did we become so separate!! In Wales the Senate announced that some Garden Centres would be open from Monday and that we could all exercise outside more than once a day! Boris is due to make his announcement tomorrow, for England only!! And there was me thinking we were the United Kingdom!!! We have loads of courgettes you could have.....planted six out and have another six in the cloche!! Yellow and green ones!! Stay safe! x

From Blog: Derbyshire 104 - Chesterfield - Smocked clouds/todays plan is mostly about washing the car

10th May 2020

england v wales
Hi Jackie Yes did think the same . They sure know how to confuse people . It seems like very mixed messages along the way. Not sure what to think about Mark Drakeford. Did not like Carwyn Jones at all . He used to irritate me no end . I guess we will be allowed to go out twice a day but people are doing that anyway. Same with the shops opening . Some of the scenes in London and Manchester beggar belief . What a shame courgettes dont travel by post . Thankyou wish we could have some . I looked in gardens this morning to see if anyone had any sign of any for sale but nothing . Will keep looking . Same with broad beans . Could do with a packet of seeds but cannot get them up here for love nor money . My potatoes seem very slow coming through . Glenn has been moving runner beans from the cold frame to the garden. Strawberries are flowering . He had been making trellis and putting it up. All I need now are some plants to grow up it . Trying to keep busy . Not so easy when the weather is so miserable today. It is a lot colder up here in the Pennines and the wind is chilly. I dont think we will be out sitting in the garden today . Will watch Andrew Marr over another cup of coffee . It is doing my BP no good at all. Got a powerpoint presentation to do on phobias for work so that might keep me busy today . Bit of family history perhaps and a lot of thinking about holidays . We would have been in Copenhagen today . Have a good Sunday . You keep safe too xx

From Blog: Derbyshire 104 - Chesterfield - Smocked clouds/todays plan is mostly about washing the car

8th May 2020

From Blog: Derbyshire 103 - Chesterfield Day 49 /another bridge, another country /VE day celebrations or is it remembering

Thanks for the reminder that oday is VE day...
I've spent two minutes in silence and asked my FB friends to do so, too. I find it interesting that your dad fought in Burma under General Slim. Near my high school in the Cameron Highlands of Malaysia there was a British jungle warfare training area named Slim Lines, used by the SAS, the Gurkhas, and the Australian and New Zealand forces training for battle in Vietnam. I wondered until now why the name Slim. I still wonder about the name Lines. There was also a British Military Hospital where the wounded from Vietnam came to recover. I particularly enjoyed the Kiwis who we played rugby against. As reparation for our broken bones, they put on a pig roast and demonstrated the haka.

9th May 2020

From Blog: Derbyshire 103 - Chesterfield Day 49 /another bridge, another country /VE day celebrations or is it remembering

Slim
Would it be soemthing to do with battle lines I wonder ? Like the Maginot Lines . Dad never talked about it at all . He had a great deal of respect for the Gurkhas but not for the Japanese . That is one of the few things he said apart from having maleria , being treated by nuns who taught him to embroider . Most folk here have no idea who Slim was either . Glenns dad was a marine and served in Italy and Egypt .

5th May 2020

From Blog: Derbyshire 100 - Chesterfield - my five a day challenge/100 who would have believed it? /closed footpaths

Tomato Plants
We have loads!! Bought loads of seeds from Tamar Organic and six different varieties x 25 from Primrose! I think I shall end up making a lot of tomato and basil soup!!!

6th May 2020

From Blog: Derbyshire 100 - Chesterfield - my five a day challenge/100 who would have believed it? /closed footpaths

tomatoes
Hi Picked up three varieties of tomato plants for Glenn yesterday, £1 each outside someones house . He put them in the cold frame . He had some wood delivered this morning to make a trellis . Should keep him busy for a couple of days . I have had 64 hours of my holidays given back to me . My boss said it was OK - bit of a surprise to be honest I was not expecting it . I lost 16 for March but I thought it better not to argue for the 80 and accept 64. You cannot win them all . I am working from home and had a telekit this afternoon and a long catch up with my manager . I have found work to do for tomorrow risk assessments and other stuff . I think I might be Ok next week too. Wont be working too hard especially if the sun comes out . My first husband was thrown in at the deep end and never learned to swim . Glenn cannot swim . I never went with school . Linda my daughter used to do synchro and also Lifeguarding . She was very good . Not sure she bothers now . The soup sounds good to me . I had a load of tomatoes and apples last year made chutney . Had to throw a lot away when we thought we were moving house . The storage area never would have kept them xx

5th May 2020

From Blog: Derbyshire 100 - Chesterfield - my five a day challenge/100 who would have believed it? /closed footpaths

Questions and Answers...
What is a plank? What is the maximum number of people who can congregate at once...here it is 10? When will your swimming pool open and under what conditions...ours is still closed? Yes, I have had difficulty splitting a tablet as you have described. I got a tablet cutter.

6th May 2020

From Blog: Derbyshire 100 - Chesterfield - my five a day challenge/100 who would have believed it? /closed footpaths

the plank
An awful exercise loved by gym instructors !!!! We cannot have meetings at all and although there are no numbers for people meeting the information we are given is that we should exercise on our own. only go out with members of our household and not to meet up with others . I have little idea when the gyms might open . gut feeling not for a long time. I think they could move equipment around to distance us and limit numbers and time in the gym. The showers might be problematic. We will know more on Sunday but I feel that nothign will change . We are weary of it but we have had a death in our village so it is on our doorstep .

3rd May 2020

jackieandchris2011
Jackie

morning
I cant swim!! lol! Well I suppose I would swim if I was being chased by a shark but I really hate the water!! The sea feels like a fishes toilet and the swimming baths - well I dont really like the smell....or noise...or the small children come to that!! It may have started ie my phobia of water, when we were forced to go swimming at school.jump off the side and go underwater.( felt like I was drowning!!) and then go back to school and have communal showers!! How undignified!! I would keep you autumn trip for now - see how life pans out! We have nothing booked at the mo so we'ill just play things by ear! We havent got the campervan anymore - not sure whether it was a good or bad shout that we sold it? In one way its not sat around, on our drive, doing nothing and frustrating me looking at it and wanting to go places! On the other hand it would be handy to have a safe place to go travelling in when lockdown is lifted. Not sure i'm ready for hotels yet! I think for the time being I shall content myself walking down to the allotment every day. through the footpaths, playing fields and woods. Chris has ordered a greenhouse and we have planted loads of tomato seeds the greenhouse when (if!!) it arrives!! We are busy building the base at the moment!! On rainy days I shall do my jigsaws or read a book or both!! I havent tried the online jigsaws yet! I tend to try and stay off the computer for most of the day - I save computer mostly for the evening whilst watching TV!! We tend to still watch english TV as we find the Welsh TV doesnt have Location, location or other programmes we enjoy watching!! Saying that we do tend to watch the local news more for Wales. Bristol news is not relevant anymore!! Anyway, enjoy your walks - I do!! And stay safe!!

From Blog: Derbyshire 97 Chesterfield - small random acts of kindness /The Five tests /The R word /Here comes the sun /E45

2nd May 2020

From Blog: Derbyshire 97 Chesterfield - small random acts of kindness /The Five tests /The R word /Here comes the sun /E45

swimming
Now there's an idea!! A good one!! If only it was possible!! The uk people stuck in Spain have finally been allowed out to exercise - 1hr a day and only 1km from their house! That after being in lockdown since 14th March!! We only had a week of it and it was tough! Loads of Police on the street arresting anyone who didn't have a valid excuse to be there. You were only allowed to shop at your nearest shop and you had to produce a receipt of over 30.00 Euros!!

3rd May 2020

From Blog: Derbyshire 97 Chesterfield - small random acts of kindness /The Five tests /The R word /Here comes the sun /E45

morning
Morning , it is nice to see your messages when I get back from my walk . It has been a cool one this morning . Your friends in Spain must be relieved to get out even if it is only for an hour . Fresh air and exercise are really important and they must have been suffering. The fines are hefty . I know here in England they can go up to quite a high figure . I believe Wales (we still watch Welsh TV - I cannot stomach Yorkshire TV) have not imposed such high fines . I have to have my dose of Derek Brockway giving me my welsh weather forecast even though we dont live there any more :( We also watch a lot of the welsh dramas which have not been shown up here like Hinterland and Hidden . Thank Goodness for a satelitte dish to enable us to continue watching what we enjoy . I love swimming . I learnt late in life - in my 30's and have really taken to it . I usually do 64 lengths 3 times a week and do one day in the gym just to break it up. My carrots and beetroot have started to show at last . Our soil is very claggy - thick clay . They must have to battle their way through . The peas are growing nicely and Glenn has to get the wigwams up for the beans . He is wall building at the moment . Keeps him busy . I wonder when you will get back to Spain . I was just reading Our Tour - we started reading blogs before we bought our first motorhome and I still find myself hunting them out even after all this time . They have just written a good piece on what they think might happen and it sums it all up quite well . I guess this week nothing much is going to change . I have relatives and friends in the US and it looks like they will be coming out of lockdown this week . Europe is still looking very cautious . I think I will leave our trip booked for September with Eurotunnel until middle of August. If we are still on lockdown I will rebook for Christmas and see what happens by then Eurotunnel have agreed finally that if we cannot use our ticket within the year they will issue a credit note . So good news there . Sun coming up finally - not sure what to do next . Have you tried the on -line jigsaws ? They are not brilliant but at least they are something to do . xx

2nd May 2020

From Blog: Derbyshire 97 Chesterfield - small random acts of kindness /The Five tests /The R word /Here comes the sun /E45

I am also fascinated by long roads...
especially the first ones built across the U.S., not the interstates. We have tried to drive these, such as US1 down the east coast and US101 down the west coast, and US50 from the Atlantic to the Pacific. US66 is probably the most famous, which goes from Chicago to Los Angeles, so not all the way across.

3rd May 2020

From Blog: Derbyshire 97 Chesterfield - small random acts of kindness /The Five tests /The R word /Here comes the sun /E45

Roads
We travelled small bits of the Route 66 when we drove around Chicago and St Louis . Wish we had done more of it . Not quite sure the length of the M1 or going round and round the M25 here has quite the same charm . Just been reading about the length of A5 from London to Holyhead . Now that could be an interesting route for future travel . I have been reading an article on the Celtic path in Cornwall . Sounds an interesting long distance walk taking in Celtic crosses and ancient churches . I belive that lockdown looks to be lifted for many of the states this week . I have a cousin in Steelvllle Missouri and she is saying that things will change this week but she is very worried about what will happen when the lockdown is lifted . I dont think anything will change for us this week . I firmly believe we will get another three weeks of lockdown with a review again around the 28th May. Given that is a long Bank Holiday weekend I doubt the lockdown will be lifted that week but I could be wrong . Who knows what is on Boris' mind ?

1st May 2020

That is terrible that you can't reclaim your leave...
don't they permit an exception due to the virus? If not, then there is the rest of the UK that you can visit. I'm sorry that the Continent is out for now. It seems that your sense of humor got away...

From Blog: Derbyshire 96 - Chesterfield - Today should have been the day - that's about all I can say

2nd May 2020

holidays
The Department for Work and Pensions who I work for always tell everyone what you should do but rarely do it themselves . We have been fighting the government for 4 years over pension overpayments , different rates of pay for the same job and other issues . Unfortunately when the government make their mind up you stand little chance against them. We have been paying for austerity by having no or very little payrises because the government is my paymaster . This holiday rule is a good example . It seems that if you are working you can take your holidays over the next 22 months . If like me they would not guarentee social distancing and told me to stay home then I have different rules applied . If you have holidays booked then they expect you to take them . I had a phone call from the union about it yesterday . I have had to send a report in explaining the management stance in my case which is very discriminatory . They argue that holidays are for getting away and rest and relaxation . Getting away no chance at all . I am not sure our country is going to open to holidaymakers for a long long time . Cornwall and Scotland dont want any of us back . It will be interesting to see how you all get on

From Blog: Derbyshire 96 - Chesterfield - Today should have been the day - that's about all I can say

29th April 2020

From Blog: Derbyshire 94 - Chesterfield /the day did not start well/a skip in the pouring rain/running out of things to say and do

The natives here are downright rebellious!!
Of course the Brits should be familiar with that side of our collective personality...HA!

30th April 2020

From Blog: Derbyshire 94 - Chesterfield /the day did not start well/a skip in the pouring rain/running out of things to say and do

rebellious natives
Hi Bob - yes it is in our collective DNA . We do smile though seeing the demonstrations with all the gun toting that goes with it . If one gun was produced on the street here the police would have pounced within seconds on the offender . Glenn is a member of the local gun club and is currently trying to get his firearms licence back . He is on probation for six months (all gone wrong now with Covid 19 shutdowns) and has to apply for his licence which he may or may not get . The laws are so strict here about guns . He cannot even show his firearm when he is out. It has be covered and carried in a carrier . He cannot fire it anywhere apart from the firing range . Even that is highly regulated . Funny how the right to bear arms is very different here to the USA. Many things similar but many very different . Two cultures the same but worlds apart at times . Seems like life is opening up for you. A relative of ours in Missouri has said her gym might open May 4th and the beauticians as well . Here still lockdown for at least another week . They will consider it next week but I am not expecting much to change .

29th April 2020

From Blog: Derbyshire 94 - Chesterfield /the day did not start well/a skip in the pouring rain/running out of things to say and do

Wednesday
Oh you do sound down in the dumps!! Its very difficult to stay positive though these days! The garden helps - its very tidy and quite colourful!! I watch the birds - we have loads of different birds feeding and the squirrel! It actually broke the plastic bird feeder today to get at the sunflower seeds inside it! We spent a couple of days watching the antics of the bluetits - the female bringing loads of moss in - they have since abandoned the nest :-( Today I did my jigsaw this morning because it was raining (after my exercise routine and shower!) but we did mange to get to the allotment this afternoon as the sun came out! Back home for a cuppa and cookie, a bit more on my jigsaw, put washing away - and that was Wednesday done!!

30th April 2020