Lovely morning chit chat thread - September

Good luck with your surgery tomorrow KrisPy, make sure you take it easy, and don't lift anything that you shouldn't be during your recovery! 

~Stacy

Thank you Stacy - that is most kind of you.  

I'm just prepping my bag to take in with me!  Hopefully be in and out on the same day though.

I have a good book to take in with me (rather than my kindle) which is called "Bloody Scotland"  - a series of short stories by Scottish crime writers each based around a particular landmark building, so a travelogue and a whodunnit!  I also have my "Snoozeband" which has speakers built into the headband and lets me listen to my music via bluetooth, so hopefully all bases covered!

Hi Stella,

Finding new hobbies is something I've been working on as well. I did a couple of small water paintings while in the hospital as part of my therapy there, and they were fun working on. I'd probably be much better using colored pencils or markers. There's an artist on TikTok that I watch at night when I can't sleep, she uses oil pastels, and draws characters from cartoons or anime, but she doesn't look directly at the paper at all. She looks at her phone so she can read the chat and at a mirror that's behind the phone, so it's quite interesting to watch such a gifted artist.

Your cruise in October sounds like it will be an amazing trip for you guys, hopefully you'll have wonderful weather.

~Stacy

Hi Stacy maybe we could see your water paintings?  I started the hobby thread again.

Lee xx

Hi Krispy.  Good luck for tomorrow.  Hope you have a speedy recovery.  I wanted to ask you a question if you don't mind.  Am I right in thinking you don't need planning permission for a ground floor extension on the kitchen?

Lee x

Hi Lee

Thank you!

There is a thing called Permitted Development which allows extensions to domestic dwellings up to a certain percentage of the original (un-enlarged ) volume without PP.  A check on your local authority building control website should give you the percentages/maximums.  There are exceptions to this rule if you are in a conservation area or in a listed building for instance - so it is always best to have a chat with an officer if you can.  Any neighbours? If so then early chat with them is always best, especially if you are going anywhere near them and rights of light could get involved or any party wall issues could arise.

These days it is a bit more convoluted with pre-applications for instance.  And there are fees to be paid....

And it is also a good idea to see what has been done in the immediate area - ie to see what others have been able to do....

However that does not mean you would be exempt from Building Regulations which is different and will apply to all new construction.  Again check local authority building control.

Disclaimer: Although I am now not on the register this advice is purely personal and should not be relied upon !  Sorry about that, old habits.....

Hi Stacy

Have you tried water soluble pencils - you can use them as normal but can then apply a little water and then get a watercolour effect....

Good luck with your operation. The book sounds interesting and the snoozeband is pretty jazzy too. I may get it for my mum as she like to listen to audio books in bed.

Wow, there is no way I could be painting when I was in the hospital. Well done!

Are you watching Slow horses on apple tv? It is a spy drama but very funny at the same time. 

I think PBS is showing Marble hall murders. it is part 3 of a series - magpie and moonflower murders. It is slightly complex but still light hearted watch. BBC will show it in the UK later on. So I am looking forward to that. 

I went to the gym for the first time and glad I had the personal trainer. He was very good and it was not too bad! 

I'm pretty sure my mom has photos of my paintings on her phone, I'll have her look. They were small paintings, only like 8x10 I think. I gave them away, I gave one to my OT since she wanted me to try painting, and the other one I had in my room I eventually gave to one of my nurses. Just something to remember me by. If my mom has the photos I'll be sure to share them on the hobby post that Lee mentioned.

I just need to find a hobby that I'll enjoy and want to keep doing on my own, especially with winter coming up.

I haven't watched that series, so I might have to give it a try based on what you said. We've been keeping up with Ted Lasso and Lioness. So far the New Years Eve Ted Lasso episode is one of my favorites this season. Much like the Christmas episode in a past season.

~Stacy