Good Morning Saturday

Good morning Mick, Annie, and all.
A very big thank you for all the birthday wishes yesterday.
Cheered me up no end.

Gilly, I can't believe this awful saga goes on and on for you. As someone said, everything else pale into insignificance.
Also think that Gransnet should be able to somehow take up the cudgels on your behalf.

Have a good weekend one and all.

SusieB50 hope your sad day turns brighter at some points.
DHs and dear friends are rarely replaced when it happens in later life, but reminiscing the good times and looking at some old photo’s may help to mark the harrowing ‘anniversary’ days. May bring some smiles as well as damp eyes. Fondest wishes to you ?

Good Morning (again) from across the Channel.

What crazy winds you are all having. Horrible having to clear up a garden full of wind blown pots and battered branches (this iPad typed ‘buttered’) when so much loving care has been lavished to bring on all the blooms. However, nature always recovers and fights back......we should learn a lot from that.

It seems I have work waiting for me everywhere - small things/annoyances that have been lying in wait for too long, like reducing the length of 3 new DH shirts. Must catch up and stay out of the garden until -at least- tomorrow?.

Hope you’re keeping well away from alcohol-related ‘incidents’ in Malaga, Urms. I was curious to know who might be responsible....there are surely not loads of tourists back in Malaga already? Or are there.

Will this weekend bring about any changes or new rules because of packed British beaches? Do hope not. Just a bit more patience and everyone may get to benefit.

Stay safe whatever you’re doing, GM people. Hot hugs from ??

Good morning everyone from a very windy East London . One of my tomato has been broken off it’s stem and my hay fever running riot. I went into Sainsbury’s for the first time since lock down yesterday, and bought some flour ! It never arrives with my delivery order so very pleased . It felt very strange and not very enjoyable .
I had someone recommended to me to have the outside repainted and he came yesterday to estimate . It’s the first trade I have had to organise on my own . Late DH having been in the construction profession always organised it .But felt quite happy with him .Feeling quite low at the moment , it is the first anniversary of the sudden death of my dear friend . She was killed by a dangerous driver , so missed by so many people .

Good Morning from a sunny, but very windy Cambs., Our garden is taking a battering.!

gillybob, I can't believe how rough a time you are having, everything seems to be against you, & over such a long time. Do stay strong, we are all with you.

Take Care Folk.

Blade type an asterisk immediately before and after the name

I didn't know how to write the name in bold ??? X

Good morning, Michael and all GNs. The sun is shining?, the wind is blowing☹️ in South Yorkshire. I feel totally
lethargic this morning - hope I can shake that off. The first attempt at elderflower cordial we made yesterday is delicious, so we may gather some more heads and freeze them so that we can make it again later in the year. I could become addicted!
Gilly ?. Good advice from Nortsat. Have the best day you can folks.

Good morning all from a sunny and blustery mid-Notts. Not much planned for today - take the day as it comes I think. Gillybob I'm desperately sorry to hear just how bad things are for you and wish I could help in some way. Stay safe everyone and may Saturday be kind to us all x

Sorry about lack of punctuation in my post.....oh for an edit button...

Good morning from a cloudy and windy Colchester.
I was going to suggest Gran power to help gillybob. There must be a way (apart from sharing our Lottery win)
DD is popping round today to drop off her brother's birthday present and I am hoping she doesn't bring DGS as I will not be able to resist a hug. My resolve to follow the rules is crumbling just like Mick I am crossing days off until July......

Good morning from a grey and still blustery Newcastle. Yesterday the wind was crazy although I did get washing on the line. It dried quickly which is just as well as i feared it may end up in next doors garden.

gillybob I am so angry and upset on your behalf - surely there must be something that can be done to put a stop to the demands from the Pensions Regulator.
Re:the Barclays fiasco.. Are you on Twitter? Sometimes publicly "outing" a company on there can get positive results. It's just a thought but it may help

I hope everyone has the best day they can.

Good morning Auntyflo and all x

Good Morning All x.
Disgusting yesterday with the gales. I was just sitting watching all kinds of debris flying past the windows. All the pots are lying on their sides. Still, they can be sorted, poor Gillybob has much bigger problems ! I can't believe that it's literally one thing after another.

So many are in dire straits it does now make you wonder whether this lockdown was necessary when you see/read so much heartache and whether we should just have taken our chances with the worst yet to come I fear. Things now are really getting so out of hand that I have the feeling that nobody knows what they're doing any more.

Yes,Gillybob, hand everything over to the accountant, they're the ones who are there to sort such matters out----well they're supposed to anyway.

People's mental health will overwhelm the NHS soon and will overtake the virus as many who've lost their jobs have lost everything. I feel for them all for the future.

One of my GGD's has been moved from pillar to post over the weeks. She has a behavioural problem which everyone involved appears to have given up on even psychiatrists/psychologists ? Surely all this movement has been wrong during these times ? This by professionals too?
The child is asking for her nanny with whom no " meltdowns " have been experienced. Does it not make sense to leave her with my D who knows the child ? It's a worry !

Do people know what they're doing ? No, they don't. I'm furious to say the least. Those involved in mental health badly need re-training to my mind as do those in government employment !

I want to go to the butcher's today but will wait for the wind to die down, not sure what'll be on the menu tomorrow .

Try and break yourself away from all the cr** this weekend Gillybob as you won't get any sense out of anyone until after the Bank Holiday anyway. Shut it all from your mind for a couple of days x

Everyone else take care and stay safe.xx

Good morning from a sunny but very windy Manchester. gilly I wish there was some practical help we could give instead of words but we really do feel for you. My mum used to say, This too will pass. It doesn't feel like that to you.
Click and collect today and a pile of ironing from the mum to be, any day now. Due date Thursday, hope we don't go over by the 2 weeks it will feel like forever. I was disappointed to find the Take That gig I was looking forward to last night is next Friday! Have the best day you can. (((.))) hugs for those in need, for those with extra worries. Thinking especially gilly today.

Good morning from Malta where it is another lovely day.

Everything pales into insignificance after reading gillybob’s posts. Like all of us, I am so very sad to see yet another burden heaped on such a lovely lady, who has already had far too much to bear. Is there nothing we can do to offer practical help? I don’t know, but it feels trite to just offer lip service.

Mick please don’t risk the buses just yet awhile. Who’s to say your friends will be on board anyway? Just my opinion, but I would wait a bit longer if I were you.

Yesterday was another sad one for my friend, she came over and we tuned in to the video link to see her sons and one or two family members paying their last respects to her husband before he was cremated.

It was very moving, the bagpipes played ‘Flower of Scotland’ and ‘Amazing Grace’. His ashes will be returned to Malta next week.

I feel very guilty about this, but I am going to have my grey roots done this afternoon. No blow dries allowed so I shall scurry down the road to DD3’s with a towel on my head and dry it at hers. Salons have reopened but with very strict conditions so fingers crossed all will be ok.

Wishing you all the best day possible.

Good morning everyone.

Contact the Pensions Advisory Service, gilly ?
Impartial advice on all things Pension.
Online/webchat or call them for advice or further referral.
0800 0111 3797
Don’t give up or give in and don’t panic. x

If they want their offices raided by hundreds of grans waving umbrellas that is their choice!

Cari and Laragransnet could help I am sure by highlighting the injustice being perpetrated against one of our members.
All sorts of information about us ends up in newspaper columns and in TV interviews, so how about it HQ ?

Gillybob is it worth writing them a letter , pay for recorded delivery and say if they wish you can back up the medical information with a letter from your GP or husbands consultant? Tell them you were close to breaking point as you really thought your DH wasn't going to make it and you struggled to get through each day and there was no room in your thoughts for pension payments. Tell them if they don't waive the fine you will feel obliged to take this further. Sign it Yours in a distraught state, Gillybob

Good morning Mick and the GM team from a gusty but sunny east London.

Gilly, forgive me if this is a stupid idea. What is your MP like? You could ask them to support your appeal against the fine from the Pensions Regulator. Given the almost overwhelming difficulties you have faced as a small business, surely your MP could pitch in, on your behalf.
My personal experience is that Government bodies are a little more careful when MPs are monitoring their outcomes.
I know it’s more admin and emailing but it may be worth considering. I am so sorry I have nothing else useful to add. Sending you good thoughts ... ?

Quiet day for me today, my additional meds make me tired. I am sleeping like a log and my poor partner is sleeping very badly, despite running and long walks to tire him out.

Lamb Bhuna in the slow cooker today, with veg that needs to be used up.

Have a good day all, special good wishes to those who need them and ‘let’s be careful out there’. ?

Morning everyone from a very windy but sunny north Wales where I’m running late again - I’m blaming the blackout backing on my new curtains!

How soul destroying that news about pension payments Gillybob and adding insult to injury with the £50 a day penalty! You truly do not deserve any of the crap being dumped at your door at the moment

Will rise soon as I’ve finished my tea and trot for a paper and make a chicken jalfrezi curry for this evening then clean the windows - all those flies, wasps etc coming in during the last week have left their mark - yuk!

Another day of staying safe folks x

Good morning gransnetters from the Scottish Borders where we have horizontal rain and it's cold enough to put the heating up.

Porridge cooking.

Just don't pay it Gillybob
What's the worst that can happen. You are arrested and carted off to jail? when you are in there you can write a book based on your experiences, with the help of GN it's all here.
It can't be worse than what you've been going through.

I can't go outside today so have no excuse not to finish my knitting and tend to DH and make some phone calls to equally isolated friends. clean my house

Have the best day you can good morning people.

Good morning from a dry and very windy NE. We had heavy rain overnight that has settled the dust.
Spent yesterday in a haze of pain, paracetamol did not help nor did pain relief gel rubbed into both hands. DH had to cut up my food and help with dressing. No improvement this morning.
Email from solicitor to say completion on house sale is about to happen, not sure about practicalities as it is in the Lake district and we are not.
Video call from family last night, not a lot to talk about as both parents are working from home and barely seeing the outside world.
gilly I am furious for you, talk about kicking a man when he is down.
Take care everyone.

Good morning from a very breezy Suffolk coast. It’s blowing off the land so strangely it’s not too bad down by the sea. ?.

Oh Gilly what can we say. Thank goodness you have this GN to off load. There must be someone who can help. I expect youv e tried Citizens Advice? You’re always in our thoughts! ♥️.

Had a lovely picnic yesterday a local little beauty spot where we had never been. A fishing pond with picnic area. Absolutely spotless and well maintained. We were the only ones there for a while before a couple of people wandered past for a walk through to the woods. No crowds here!

We will be returning to our house in Essex after nearly 10 weeks here on lockdown. Mixed emotions as I can’t wait to ‘see ‘ family but it’s been so lovely here. Peaceful and stress free. Not looking forward to the busy roads and shops . We will be back very soon I hope, maybe permanently.