Good Morning Thursday 28th August 2025

blossoming I’ll miss you and the lovely photos you post. Look after yourself and come back soon!

grandMattie

Don’t take any notice of me. Feeling rather low atm.

GrandMattie,
We all get days like that and they are horrible. Of course we’ll take notice! Pretty much everyone cares about others on here and it’s pointless never mentioning bad times. Someone quite often comes up with something to help.
Hope you feel brighter soon. You aren’t on your own. 💐

It will feel a long day kitty. Thinking of your daughter and you as you wait.

Hope all goes well maryd. You’re a brave soul

Totally understand blossoming. Go gently.

You too grandmattie. Forgot to say earlier. Met my friend in the church cafe you enjoy yesterday. There were two short lived cloudbursts. Very localised for sure.

Now who have I missed? Bound to be someone. Oh yes, the accuracy of that poem brought a tear maw. I think our family see as us as indestructible. I guess we have been, not so much now.

mums2 three
The cactus in question belonged to DHs grandparents and is possibly over a hundred years old. Precious to DH

Good poem Rosieandhermaw

Good morning all from the Scottish Borders where my plans have changed for today.
There was an accident on the road to my yoga class so I joined the cars doing u-turns and have come home thanking my lucky stars I wasn't involved. It's a notorious cross roads.

gMattie you have been an inspiration to so many of us. You've upsticks and moved to the other side of the country and made a fabulous fresh start. Your DD probably thinks you are absolutely fine and is so busy doesn't notice you may be lonely at times.

Much as I would like to, I'm not going to live near any of my DC. I don't see them as often as I'd like but c'est la vie.

The poem is apt RosieandherMaw

Well done Marydoll and good luck today. Also corner's DD

The FGTs are in my thoughts.

Hope everyone has some joy today.

Totally understand Blossoming my very warm wishes as you look to the future xx

Morning all from a blue sky West Oxfordshire. Rain is forecast and yesterday we had two lots of heavy rain plus thunder and lightning.

My kitchen is sticky! OH did his best to clear up after his honey extraction exercise.

He is out for the day with his target shooting club. My book group is at lunch time in the village cafe. We have been reading a historical fiction book on Cecily Neville, Duchess of York. Two of her sons, Edward IV and Richard III were kings. A good story but I’m not fond of historical fiction (apart from Hilary Mantell) so I’ve ordered a proper history book about Cecily.

Lots of sadness here today. I hope Mary D has a good appointment and GM has a better day.

My three children all live in London - two in south London and elder son and family in Kew. Daughter comes home every 6 weeks for a weekend and we see elder son a little more often. Younger son was home last weekend for the first time since Christmas. I have seen him a few times in London. We keep in touch by WhatsApp. I would love to see them more but they live just too far away to make it possible.

I’m thinking of FGT2 and hope her birthday surprise was all she hoped for. Some of you on GN have massive mountains to climb.

Good morning from an on/off Sunnyside sandhills northwest coast.
So pleased to have my car back. It was repaired yesterday and got through its MOT. It won’t go on forever as it’s sixteen years old, but it suits me. I fancy a Fiat 500 next time, I like a small car. It made me think about the future and no car, no popping out on the spur of the moment. However I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it. The bus stop is nearby and I use public transport a lot anyway. Groceries delivered etc.

Nice FaceTime with flying DD in the south. I travel vicariously through her and love her stories.

Horrible dreams last night. Dreamt I sang in a concert, but hadn’t planned it, couldn’t remember the songs, looked a mess and my mind had gone blank. Everyone felt sorry for me and we had to travel home in a small boat in a storm😁

Will put my stuff (considerable) back in the car today.
Thoughts to our resourceful GM, FGT and Blossoming💐

So much worry and sadness here today. Thinking of you all and sending hugs.
I am another in the AC class. Good in a crisis but not so good at being available for a mundane chore. DD2 texts almost everyday but visits are fleeting (but welcome none the less).
Blossoming you’ll be missed, hurry back, especially with your photos of Lytham and the Marina.
Cleaner due shortly., better go.

Good morning from a fairly bright Stockport.
10 minutes of heavy rain yesterday was our lot after being forecast for several days.
I visited my friend and oh how the topic of absent children resonates today.
Her H died two and a half years ago, they were joined at the hip.
Didn’t need local friends as they had each other, we all know how that works out when one goes.
She is so lonely but still makes every excuse for her family not visiting.
Their respective careers and lifestyle make it difficult to visit her!!
The fact is they just don’t make the effort but she is blind to that.
I moan sometimes about my bursting at the seams household but at least I am not lonely.
However it is need and necessity that they are living here, I am not blind to the fact that if things were different they might be elsewhere.
We must make the most of the fact that they are happy and living their own lives.
On that note have the best day you can.

Good morning from a sunny NE.
Yesterday the roadworks finished at lunchtime which made the street accessible when my sister came.
I had emailed the window cleaner and told him road was closed, he turned up anyway. Lovely clean windows for thirty minutes then we had downpour and thunder.
grandMattie, I think a lot of us are in the same boat, half my family live abroad. I usually only get to speak to people once a week.
The roadworkers are back with the heavy machinery, the gable end of the house is shaking.
Thinking of FGTand Marydoll.

Good morning from sunny East Yorkshire.

Popping in to wish all the best to your daughter today kitty a long anxious day. 💐

Also thoughts to Blossoming fgt and grandmattie 💐

Thank you all so very much for all your kindness and friendship.
I know DD misses her father, and was absolutely her dad’s daughter, but she knows perfectly well that I left Kent to spare her the long journeys she would have had to do again, should I have needed help. Distance was useful, a couple of visits a year was perfect.
Now, living 2 miles away, makes her feel guilty not spending more time with me. Hence not wanting to bother her, managing on my own, etc. It’s a lonely path to tread, but I shall NOT be passive aggressive, just passive….
A few doses of my go-to medicine, “Rescue remedy”,a smile plastered on my face and I shall be fine again.
Thank you again all - and I’m sorry if I have revived/raised unwanted thoughts, ❤️.

Good morning from sunny Lancashire. Today’s exciting adventure is an appointment with the haematologist. I am taking a break from social media for a while, MrB and I have some big decisions to make.
Hope all goes well Marydoll

Thinking of your DD kitty doesn’t matter how old they are we still see them as our babies, and want to make everything better 🌸

Good morning Mick and all GN's from a dry and sun rising North Yorkshire. A very weary good morning, as have had very little sleep and to cap it all this morning about 5am awful cramp in my right leg. It has stopped the actual cramp now thank goodness, but these little sort of juddering every so often warn me to take care as it could set off again in a moment.

So very frustrating as I have to actually think how and where I am moving, which of course we hardly think of normally , just carry on moving whilst thinking of other things. However after somewhat of a struggle am now up dressed and have gingerly got the stuff off the bed and into the washer, which is trundling along nicely. It just took me even longer today to do anything even a tortoise would have passed me twice at this rate!

Today it is like a domino set knocking one down and all the other ones falling if you do it right. I will not be going to the meeting this morning, as have to get things sorted here. Having rung about donating the dresser, when I thought they would be saying oh yes we can come in a couple of weeks , they are keen to pick it up next tuesday or wednesday. So a bit of a panic as I have to empty it all, and move everything out of its way so that they can move it. Well all the drawers only I can go through, but will have to get Jessy to reach up and get stuff from the top shelves and find somewhere to store things out of the way. I might have attempted a bit, before the cramp episode , but no chance now. So I can see the bedroom becoming an obstacle course, as also have to clear everything from the hall way, as they will have enough of a problem moving it as it is. Not looking forward to the hassle, but looking past that the thought of more book shelves and being able to reorganise the furniture is cheering. It will be sensible to reorganise things to the winter places rather than have it back as it is and then redo it again later, but dont really want to admit it is time to do it.

So because of this the decision is made for me that I must go through things and throw stuff out and check things. At least I am in a better mental state to do this. When my brain is not clogged up with combating a lot of pain, I am quite able to go through things and make quick decisions and carry them through. On a bad day I dither and cant make up my mind, it seems too much of an effort. Who knows, I might end up with a tidier room AND know where things are!

The thing I am desperate to know where it is ,is my key for the yellow peril!! Have searched high and low for it and know it must be here as I couldnt have driven back here without it , but reckon the Borrowers must have taken it with all my clean hankies. There is no chance that I could walk down to the washing lines carrying the wet washing, so if it doesnt turn up, firstly will have to wait for Jessie to come to the rescue this afternoon, and secondly I will only be able to go out in the car. Only have the one key, tried to get another cut but they couldnt do it. Ah well there is more than enough to get on with this morning and maybe it will appear as I clear the decks.

After various hassles yesterday improved. I managed to get to the hairdressers and she just had enough time to cut my hair before her next client. we have come to an understanding, which suits us both. I dont make an appointment because I cant say if I can keep the time according to how I am in the morning. So I just look and see if she is busy, and pop in and ask if she can cut it now. She will either say yes, or that if I can sit and wait whilst she finishes with something, or that she doesnt have any time now but at such and such a time later on she can fit me in. That way it can quite suit her too, as if she doesnt have a client at that moment I bring her a bit more unexpected business and it suits us both. I must always look such a scruff to her, as I always put on a clean but old T shirt to get my hair cut. Cant stand hairs down my neck and itching, so conveniently Cafe Nero is just round the corner , so it is a quick nip into their ladies and emerge in my clean T shirt from my bag and the haircutting one bagged up ready to go home to be washed. That felt good and I am pleased with the cut so it was at least another job ticked off the list. I had managed to buy a red and white striped T shirt in the sale, and put that on with my red seasalt trousers and with the hair done , looked quite smart for once. Received some very nice compliments when I went to the whist drive too. Didnt win anything and had to "give in" and ask to stay at one table as I was moving so slowly and badly that the whole game would have been held up by my trying to get up and down. However I enjoyed the evening and the game helps to take my mind off the endless pain. A good crowd again, and of course all the farming people are able to enjoy the evening, with the harvest gathered in.

A lot of talk about the moorland fire which, despite great efforts by fire brigades and farming people who have been getting water for them, has broken out again up near Fylingdales. It is so serious now that you cannot use the coast road going up fro Whitby and campsites and lots of visitors have had to leave the area, so again this is loss of income after a very bad year for the farmers and as usual in this wretched southern based attitude we appear to be getting little or no help from anyone in London. Not a sign of helicopters dropping water etc. But not only is it very bad for now, the affects will last for years on the moors. Because it is on a moor the fire can go under the roads and come up on the other side and of course you do not see the burning and smouldering peat deep underground until it bursts out again at a different point. Local farmers and gamekeepers who know the moors very well are digging out fire breaks but it is all very bad and on top of this , they cannot let the sheep up on the moors , where they would normally be and are having to feed them already. This is going to be such a bad winter both in trying to keep stock fed and in financial ways , as the small boosts of having temporary camping and being able to sell eggs etc to the campers has also been lost. If the fire had been in the Chilterns it would have no doubt been given much more attention!! Well I am pleased to see the good Yorkshire spirit coming to the fore, as local people take food and drink to the firefighters and doing whatever they can to help.

I was reasonably lucky yesterday and got one or two bargains in the supermarket, so have stuff in for 2 or 3 dinners and milk etc and so dont need to go shopping for that sort of thing, and even got round to cooking up the mince I bought, with onions, peppers, celery and carrots, so now shall put some of that into the freezer for a day when I am not up to cooking and then I shall add some mushrooms to todays portion and with a jacket potato will have a very nice meal without having to do much to prepare it . So no excuse to abandon my sorting out things. So have some purpose and plans for the day, what actually happens remains to be seen and depends quite a lot on if I get cramp again.

Pleased to see you settling back into your routine Mick and hope that you continue to keep well. grandMattie, I am sorry you are having a bad day. I think that we have always tried to cope with things that our children still think of us being able to do everything and dont recognise that we now need some help to deal with various things. Determined to be independant , I think we sometimes hide the difficulties we now find in doing things, and are too proud to tell them how much longer or what a great effort it is to do things that once we would have had no problem with. But I do also think that people are more selfcentred and quite selfish these days. I think this started way back in the days of Maggie Thatcher when the emphasis was on what you could get for yourself and less about community. The fact that people have moved about much more also doesnt help. When families lived close by each other they would be in contact more and neighbours and friends would tell them "Your mum didnt look too good yesterday " etc. Now it is the mixture of the economic problems where we are all trying to do more ourselves and not get professional help for whatever which takes up more time of course. But it is that tunnel vision that seems to be the worst problem. They look ahead and are pushed on by adverts wanting them to get more sooner. So it is harder for us, as when we look back we see that our parents and grandparents didnt have to actually ask for help usually. I think nowadays we have to be a bit more explicit in telling them how things stand , however hard it is for us to do so. My son doesnt look round to see what might need sorting or how he could move something in 5 minutes that would take me all day. So I dont do it all the time but I do sometimes write down lists of things, so that when he visits I can remember to ask him to move that curtain ring or whatever, change a light bulb . It tends to work well, as by writing them down I dont forget those annoying little things until after he has gone. He can usually do it all in less that half an hour and then can feel very virtuous and pleased with himself. So maybe that might be something you could think of doing, and that way it would be a sort of one off dealing with these small irritating things and also when you say I cant reach that or it is too tight etc these days , the list might make them just start to think about how things change. We admire all the things you do and your great skills in lots of ways, so like good friends do, we are here to listen to what you have to say and sympathise, and understand where you are coming from. Keep telling us how it is and we are here to listen. I know it is not the same as having a friend come round but I do feel that we all care about how our lives go, and are interested in what everyone does. So I hope that you can be kind to yourself today, have something you really like for your dinner, treat yourself to some little pleasure . Declare a holiday from all routine and put on some favourite music , put your feet up with a good drink, find that perfume and put a little of that on. I dont know why but putting perfume on that is usually saved for going out on special occasions seems quite decadent but is lovely to have the perfume wafting round you. We all care about you and hope that you will have a better day tomorrow.
Marydoll do hope you get on well today and that they can help you to better health.
The sun is coming out more and a bit of a breeze so there is hope for the washing before this afternoons forecast rain. Have a good day everyone and hope the rain pours down in the night to give the gardens a good soak

Good morning all and only one short, sharp downpour yesterday, with my washing on the line. It soon dried off in the humid heat.

Today we are off to our cottage by the sea for a week. A kindly friend is taking us as Dh is still not able to drive too far and I won’t! 🙄. Other friends are holidaying near by so we’ll catch up with them and have a jolly week. 🙏. Rain is forecast but hey Ho!

GM I think we’re all too focused on not being a nuisance and soldier on. Perhaps a bit more ‘asking’ and a bit less independence is needed. 😉.

I hope all appointments go well and all struggling find an easier day.

Take care. 🌼

Interesting that so many of us are feeling if not neglected at least of no importance. Perhaps it was always like this? In fact I shall see DD and co as they are calling in for a cuppa en route from Liverpool to Weymouth for an overnight channel crossing, but this is hardly usual. I have the U3A book group here this morning talking about Flora Thompson’s wonderful “Lark Rise”, a book I take something new from every time I read it.

Good morning all from a cloudy and breezy south coast. No rain on the cards and it went round us yesterday. DD is only ten minutes away - just around the corner of the coastline and she messaged yesterday evening to say it was chucking it down! 😡
We had a lovely afternoon going through and trying to sort out boxes of photographs and memorabilia. It’s taken me four years since DH died to be able to face it. I bought new, very pretty storage boxes so I’m chuffed by our achievement.
Hoping all goes well with your DD’s op., kitty. Try not to worry.
Hope everyone has the best possible day.

Morning from a sunny S Hants, we had a couple of hefty showers yesterday more due later - bring it on.
In between I went to book club, our new book looks an improvement on the last.
Best wishes to your daughter kitty a long old wait for you.
MD TU do delivery also click and collect.
This morning will be upstairs cleaning, beds need stripping but I’d like a drying window outside.
Tough times for some on here Blossoming, joy for FGT yesterday on her birthday.
I’m stuck for words gMattie and quite annoyed for you
🦩🦩.

Good morning all. Rain arriving soon for Glasgow today and predicted to last all day. The garden has had a thorough soak.

Heavy rain forecast for today and tomorrow will mean a no show from the painter as we wait for dry days. Hairdresser this afternoon will mean a dash to and from car to salon.

I’m pleased to hear the birds have arrived to lift your spirits Greyduster. They are missing from my garden at present, even magpies and crows which I put up with. Lack of sleep is rubbish and I hope a better sleep pattern returns.
I hope your low mood lifts soon GM. Such days are difficult to get through I know but thankfully, they do pass.

Best wishes to all for a good day, even if just snatches of one, here and there.

Oh, Maw, how that poem resonates with me. My DS and family live just 20 minutes walk away from me, less than 5 minutes in the car, and yet I rarely see them. The last time was 4 weeks ago when I walked up to give the DGDs some holiday pocket money. And even then I had to ask if it was convenient. I know they would be there in an emergency, but emergency contact is not what I need. I mean the ordinary everyday stuff, the phone call or text to say "how are you, is everything all right?" , or the casual drop in. Just for them to check that I am still in the land of the living. DS only calls when they want something... I am reluctant to call them as they are all so busy and lead full lives, so don't want to disturb them. They chose to move near us as they wanted the free child care when the DGDs were little...
I see a bit more of DD as we meet frequently at rugby, and have our wine club, but that's about it.
Like many others I have had to make a new life for myself.

Sorry for the rant, just had to get it off my chest.

Anyway,.good morning everyone from a bright and sunny 🌞 Northampton. Rain forecast this afternoon. We had rain yesterday, but I was in the cinema and missed it.

The film, 'Life of Chuck', an adaptation of a Stephen King short story, was odd, to say the least. Strange and weird also come to mind. I left the cinema still wondering what it was all about.

Home by 5.30, and enjoyed my macaroni cheese for dinner. Will put a chilli in the slow cooker today. Must get the Shark upstairs and do the bedrooms. A Sainsbury's delivery late morning.

Wishing as good a day as possible to all, especially those going through difficult times.
FGT2

Good morning from N.Bucks where the sun is shining for now. We had a couple of short heavy showers yesterday.
Will pop down to town for a bit of exercise and maybe a coffee. Later we shall have an early dinner in Milton Keynes and then we are going to the theatre to watch Blood Brothers. I have seen it before but first time for DH. I think he will enjoy it.
Hope all appointments and ops go well for Grans and families.
Wishing all a good day.

Hope all goes well today for you Marydoll with good results.