Purplemaniacs

I agree at secondary school there is definite peer pressure to have a mobile phone but also I think it is a good idea if they are travelling a distant to school in case of emergency. I work in a small village primary school and we have three or four mobiles deposited on the office desk each day. This does surprise and sadden me. I don't think they really need a phone at that age.

Nice to see you back Ali's girls. I got my bantams from Redwing as eggs which I hatched. I wonder how she is. Also Snowy. We went to her chicken party ( not sure if that's what they were called) before we had chooks. Both lovely ladies.

I love recipe books and I often go through phases of using particular books and then DD will say can we have ..... then I can never find the recipe again. I need a way to record what I've made so I can make it again in the future. I made Stilton soup for lunch as I felt we needed something warming. Should have made bread to go with it.

Geoid oh no. Glad the bike is now fixed and you are on the mend too. Patricia congratulations on the birth of your grandchild. Grandchildren are a lovely gift. Enjoy 😊

DS when he was a teenager called his chicken Latte. At least she was a white hybrid. My first group of ex batts all had names beginning with A and the second group B. If I have some more in the future they will have to have names beginning with C.

I think I could fall into that category too 😀

Perhaps depressing was the wrong word. I often feel sad or disappointed not to see some of the regular posters from years ago. Nice to see there are some familiar faces still.

I don't get on here as often as I used to but have a look every so often and post sometimes. I find it quite a depressing experience. I used to love the forum it was so busy. Over the years I've asked many questions some chicken related and others covering a wide variety of topics and always received lots of responses. Also had lots of support at difficult times. I will always remember how supportive and encouraging omleteers were after we were burgled. It seems so sad that there are now so few people on the forum. Still a few names that I know but lots seem to have moved on. I wonder if it is the changes in the structure of the forum or do people now meet in Facebook. Hello to those still here and happy new year! Xx

I thought I would put an update. Colder today, cloudy and a little light rain around lunchtime.

I think the run extension is a good plan. I bought some Omlet netting some years ago and it sits unused as I always worry about chooks escaping or foxes getting to the chooks. As others have said it is quite likely they will need to be confined to a covered run soon.

Happy new year everyone. I hope 2019 is a good one and all your hopes and dreams come true. I hope you've all had a good Christmas we have had a lovely one but rather strange as it's the first Christmas since DD graduated as a paediatric nurse. As a student she'd always had leave over Christmas but this year she offered to work it as her girls were at their Dads. DD worked a long day on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day but the littlest granddaughter couldn't go to her Dads so she was with us and then eldest asked if she could come Christmas Day. So the quiet Christmas I'd rather dreaded became a lovely family Christmas. On Christmas Eve I did lots of Christmas craft things with little one (5), we both enjoyed it and it reminded me of all the clever crafters on here. We did simple kits but it was great fun I wanted her to remember this Christmas as being a fun Christmas with us not the Christmas that Dad couldn't have her despite agreeing the arrangements back in September. Happy 2019 everyone xx

I'm afraid like DM I too had to laugh. Especially as you were working 😀 PL many congratulations. It seems the time for babies. Two of my friends have become grandmas in the last couple of days.

We had our kitchen redone almost a year ago, it was finished about a week before Christmas, we had been promised it would be ready for Christmas and it was. We used a local business who had also done our cloakroom, bathroom and ensuite during the previous 12 months. I think it was Howdens that our builder suggested came with him to give ideas as the Howden man was supposedly the expert but he was awful. No exciting ideas, all very boring simple ideas and he just kept saying what a lovely cottage, dog etc you've got. I couldn't wait to get him out the door. We ended up using a local kitchen company for the kitchen and the local business for design and installation. They were great but as they worked they did suggest changes to improve the design and these were a great success. We went for a carousel. OH said it was a very expensive piece of metal work. It is great I love it. It rotates and sections pull out. The old kitchen just had a cupboard that was very difficult to access. I just piled my tins and stuff in there and never rotated things in date order. With this carousel older at the front new goes in at the back which rotates round to give access to the back of the shelves. Well worth the money. I love it.

Yes when I left for school at 8.00 I thought the windscreen was just damp but it was icy. Turned into a lovely sunny day. Is that early for the first frost? Chrissie

Good to hear you are ok.