Best wishes and good luck, Robo. I had a burst ulcer in my stomach several years back. Vomiting blood and black runny sh!ts wirh a most awful smell. If you had anything like that you'd know about it. Of course I have no idea about your medical condition but it doesn't sound as though it's as frighte...

Thanks for the good wishes, folks. Aye, the logistics of this one is not going to be easy, but we'll manage somehow. Primrose, I don't know where you got the idea that we would be permanently settled in our own house. I'm sure I never said or implied such a thing. It seems you have just made it up b...

What the heck does this mean?

Someone is asked a question and before they reply they say "Yeah, no". It very prevalent these days. What does it mean, why do they say it, do you understand it?

Peter, I'm so sorry that I wasn't around and missed your birthday. I know it's very late now. How about a happy unbirthday instead?
Very best wishes!

Husband unexpectedly was offered a side-step job in Scotland. We'd probably have stayed in SE England, within London commuting distance, if we had any intention of going overseas again, but after the appalling way we've been treated there is no way we'd contemplate doing that again. (And that's afte...

Asda's potato daupinoise is really good! I've often made daupinoise because it's not always easy to find in other countries so if that's what you want then you have to DIY. I was just feeling lazy (or drunk?) and I spotted that Asda sold it. Oh well, try just about anything once. Actually if was rea...

I have a so-called whipping syphon which is powered by nitrous oxide, ie N2O. Also known as laughing gas. Maybe I'm just too old to even think about inhaling that far less to do it. It never occurred to me! I ordered some of the N2O 'bulbs' online and husband traipsed half way across London to colle...

Thinking about reaching stuff, especially on the top shelf, I'm just not tall enough. I sometimes try to hoik it off with my walking stick and catch it on the way down. I'm a pretty good catch. But often I can't quite manage with the stick, and I don't do it if there's any risk of damaging anything....

It depends on how help is offered or given. I accepted an invitation to a meal out and was helped to get there by a very fit and capable woman. But I really felt patronised. It wasn't Stravaig and I came together. It was always I took Stravaig, like I'm some kind of dog that needs taking out for wal...

We live within easy walking distance of Asda so tend to buy a lot of stuff from there. But there's a big Tesco not very far away and it's en route to other places we go, eg it's next door to our self storage lockers. I decided to do a quick online price check and was surprised to discover that Tesco...

Dear Myrkk, I am Scottish and also driven crazy by some bleeping people. Still fighting with evil idiots. I can't tell you details because it might get my husband into trouble. We're now considering looking for a forever home in Scotland (more bang for our buck housing-wise) or maybe one more overse...

Sorry OH - refusing help doesn't make anyone 'very special'. It makes them stubborn for whatever reason of their own and it might hurt the person who is offering the help. Doesn't seem like a great idea to me. And there's pride before a fall. It would be better if people just behaved nicely instead ...

I'm pretty much house-bound myself. Haven't been out since we moved house (yet again!) in October. Too many years in war zones resulted in my being a deaf old cripple. I enjoy cooking and various arty things. I also like being friendly with people. :) I suppose I just expect people to smile and say ...

It's all worked out really well! In response to my letter explaining how I like to cook - and have no family or friends here - they gave me a 'Thank You' card and the message that they'd be happy to eat my food any time. :D I didn't expect that! I bought too many carrots. Yes, really - accidentally ...

I like twice baked potatoes. You know, you bake the tattie, scoop out the flesh, add cream or cheese or whatever and bake it again in the oven. It's easy enough but it can be a bit of a faff and it's not quick, ie assuming you're not just microwaving it. In contrast, gnocchi is very quick - and it's...