The Lockdown Gang - not setting foot outside!

bradfordlass and panache thank you for your kind words. The company of all you lovely ladies and your interesting stories have kept me occupied too.
I have read in soop’s kitchen that dear cherry has had a tumble in her garden. Extra soft bedding for you tonight so your bruises can have a rest.
Take care all and sleep well.

Well grammaretto on closer inspection I think you may well be right and I fact Nellie is a little piggy. You can certainly have her. I have found a proper elephant to add to your choices.
24 hour salad bar will be open from 10 am tomorrow to allow me to train up the staff and the cocktail bar will be open as soon as I’ve sampled all the cocktails on the menu just to make sure they are up to the required standard. ?

I think Nellie looks like a pig. Can I have a pig please Doodle
Off to collect my hot chocolate from the kitchen.

I would never dare cut hair Mamissimo. Last year one of our helpers arrived with shoulder length hair and he asked me to cut it. I refused but asked the local hairdresser and they did. It took 2 of them an hour!

Dominic Cummings' story unravelling has taken up far too much of my day.

Nighty night everyone. Sleep well.

I certainly second that Bradfordlass our Guv is worth her weight in gold,she stands out by a mile as a caring,compassionate lady but also so humerous with it.
My wobbles are far less for entering this "jailhouse rock!!"

Whilst I cannot thank you enough for some first class advice about dealing with AMD.Amazing the amount of folk I have found that suffer with it although in this establishment 4 have the wet variety,one dear lady of 92 is virtually blind though.
I did not know about your computor teaching,I must be extremely backward!
How I managed to pick it up is again thanks to my husband whom would repeatedly go over each step after we left our College course.
He picked it up so easily whilst I struggled.
But then once I got the hang of it I have done rather well,though still am unable to conquer the darn tablet.
Strangely enough the second bit of advice you gave is exactly what I have been requesting my husband to do.We have a book and he puts in step by step such things as we need to know such as Bank accounts and all that stuff.
Trying to memorise has been out of the question.
So a big vote of thanks heading your way...................hope you get some sturdy firemen visits soon!!

My word what a very demanding clientele you have here our *Doodle!
Elephant and swanlike towels and now a 24 hour salad bar!
Mind you.,you seem to be encouraging them!
I may as well add my request, and that will be for a fully fledged cocktail bar!
Don`t forget to add the high bar stools too.

You maybe needing a helping hand though I am not exactly offering with my dodgy hands!

Have been incensed by the fiasco performance on the Corona Virus briefing this afternoon,methinks our Boris has given himself an outsize headache,so arrogant whilst most certainly one law for us poor lot and a different route for the Government elite.
THIS is not going away.

On that note I wish you inmates all a very peaceful night,dreaming about swans and our lovely hostess with the mostest our Guv *Doodle.
Night all.

Dreamkeeper as a fellow AMD warrior, I use those Sharpie black pens as the very thick line & dark contrast helps me see the words (I long ago ceased to see Biro or anything not marker pen).

Secondly, you may have read I taught computers to the over-55s. To help their memory lapses, I gave little notebooks and they wrote down every single step of each process. When they tried it again; and if they'd marked down all steps; it worked. No memory needed.

Rainy again today so that puts paid to my GOAT = Going Out Again Today (or tomorrow).

Please Doodle can we have a salad bar on the go 24/7?

And I should like to propose a Vote of the Greatest Thanks, to our Chief Warden who is more like a House Mother and has kept us going (and still does) through Dismal Times.

Bless your heart Doodle you've made a real difference and we love you for it.

Nellie on her way to your room now cherry. There is plentiful supply for all of you ?

Ah now that would be an interesting standoff mamissimo. You with your Absinthe and fig cocktails and lemon with her potent poteen mix and a tug of war with George in the middle. That would be a sight to see. Hope you all enjoy sweet dreams tonight and your folded towels. I’m off back to Mr Google so I can brush up on origami napkin folding for the breakfast trays in the morning as I have no doubt that will be the next request .?

Bags me Nellie*Doodle*, pleeeeeaaase ?

Now then, now then, you lovely ladies you will be making me . I think the same with everyone in our lockdown cells, you all have your own serious illnesses, partner's serious illnesses and other things to contend with. You are all amazing!

This "penintentionary", catching that Dreamkeeper , is turning into a 5* hotel Doodle I could almost get used to it ? ?.

Off to watch Killing Eve now, sleep well inmates ?

Doodle towel folding may be a new skill to learn and would follow on nicely from having mastered the elegant folding of fitted sheets. Today’s new skill was hairdressing. DH is happy with the result and he does look better. DS wants me to do his tomorrow but he’s talking about fades and chops.....I may try to talk him out of it or else I’ll have to watch a lot of videos.?

I’m not too perturbed by Lemon thinking that Mr Cloony is hers.....a few pints of my signature Absinth and Fig cocktail would remove her from the scene for long enough for me to rescue him. I think he would be very grateful indeed.....I’d better have 2 swans tonight just in case please.

Well Sunday is list night so this week I plan to worm Fergal the cat, steam clean the grout......a bit deja vu but new in at the bottom of the list are cleaning the bathroom light fitting and auditing the bottom of the potato storage box. I may get DH to erect the shade sail over the table outside in case the sun is too bright.

The clean sheets were lovely last night - I found the chocolate stains were a little off putting when I came in every night.

Sleep tight everyone

Or Nellie the elephant ?

The swans

The bunny

Evening all. I am wearing my constables hat and checking on inmates who may have absconded. ?
Hope you have all had a good day.
No panache I don’t believe my problems have affected me that much though if I did not have my DH, who has looked after me so well since my teenage years, things may have been different. I am quite adept at computers, which has helped a lot with my working life.
panache I agree cherry is amazing with what she copeS with. Certainly our cherry could be re named cheerful cherry or cherry cherry ?
Now, the big question for tonight!
mamissiomo has requested her towels be folded into a swan. I am more than happy to oblige . However, you other ladies may wish an alternative. From now on, along with the fresh sheets, the nighttime turndown service with chocolate on pillow, the hot chocolate and additions at night and the croissants and coffee for breakfast .......we now have towel options for you all.

A warm hello to my fellow in mates.

Talking about firemen Bradfordlass I can hardly hear myself think at this moment in time as opur fire alarms throughout this 4 storey building are ringing out giving us real ear ache!!!
Just on lunch time so I suppose the Fire engine and our favourite crew will be a little late!!
It happens rather too often here usually only caused by someone burning toast.........hope there is a similar need today.

Whilst Doodle I have read and reread your post with great interest,plus thinking of how great your perseverance has been throughout.It has seriously had me thinking about myself.You mentioned difficulty in spelling,although I had very good school results etc spelling has always been an issue.Like your good man my husband has been a constant help.I find it is good to be open about these things because that is how others often learn.It has certainly not been a real handicap to you.........or perhaps it has?
Another difficulty I have found over these latter years I just cannot learn anything new.
Amazingly yes I did slowly pick up the rudiments of computing and went on to truly master quite a few additions to it.However although my dear man bought me a tablet mainly so whenever I am ill in Hospital I would be able to communicate with my friends especially on these sites........and try as I might I just cannot grasp it.
Since hearing of my dear one`s prognoses of course I have panicked knowing how he has always taken care of all financial aspects of our lives,all this paperwork that one needs to understand and deal with from time to time.He has tried to be instructive,I have tried to learn..........but it as though I hit a brick wall.I simply cannot grasp anything.
Yet other things I can hold in my head and deal with.It is so very odd and immensly frustrating.
Added to which having progressive MD (dry) my vision just does not help at all
So believe me I was so pleased to hear how you cope and can see with my own eyes it has not held you back.
Mind you at my age I should not worry anyway!!

Then another learning curve from our cheery Cherry although this condition I am well aware of having met many forms during my nursing career.I certainly take my hat off to you for not allowing your health to restrict or put you into any kind of "box".I do believe its not the illness or disease that matters most but it is the way we,as individuals,learn to handle it and overcome the many trials.
We have a lady in her late 60`s here with us whom wears a crash helmet all the while,in fact has a change of colours to compliment whatever she wears each day!
Good on you girl,we cannot allow these issues blight our life,we rise above and battle on wearing a great smile .........at least for the best part!!

Talking about diaries Grammaretto my man has decided to write a blog on our life in lockdown,and although he has never written or kept a diary as such,he diligently writes daily.He has long called our place The Penitentionary so I am looking forward to what he daily writes about these inmates!!
Talking of talents and family gifts.It appears my family were musical,I know one grandfather was the Conductor of the London welsh choir for very many years .Although I love singing sadly I cannot hold a note,and it is truly a disappointment to me.
My "gifts" were in the arts and I truly love writing,be it books,poetry or letters and it has taken up much of my life.
Whilst latterly voluntary work in the field of caring for those with cancer or life threatening illness was also a great passion of mine.
Sadly now I am reduced ...........or enhanced......by life in lockdown!!!!
I think perhaps it is a matter of choice so I will say enhanced!

No firemen needed today Bradfordlass although the fire engine arrived.......the incident had been dealt with by then..........our loss of course!!!

Mammissimo we too were truly cringing on hearing poor Grant Shapp whom was in the Hot seat,and again in a morning programme where he was not once left to speak about transport...... as the whole time had him going round in circles about the goings and Cummings!!
Time ye Boss himself came out of hiding!

I am being hailed by he whom has now improved greatly,he wants us to take our stroll in the garden,I have been avoiding it simply because there is a strong breeze,having shampooed...........and tried taming my very long and unsightly locks..........I was hoping to remain looking acceptable for this one day!!
However what my man wants,he gets!
So I bid you all a fond farewell,keep safe and I hope the lovely perfumed bed linen has been enjoyed by you all.

Three cheers for our Guv!!!!!

What about "Greek outing at Thebes" or "gallivanting off any time" or perhaps just "going out at times" *BradfordLass%?

I wouldn't mind any of the above but a holiday in Greece sounds like just what the doctor ordered, perhaps I'll try and wrangle a prescription for that as soon as it's safe to do so ? .

Off to sort food out for later, we'll never have dinner if I don't start now.... and I do like my food ?

That is an odd dream Grammaretto. I had a strange one a few months back that I still remember, which is odd in itself. I had been unwell and then taken some time off afterward to recover. When I came back I checked the calendar and realised that I had two essays I hadn't even started and they were due in the next day. Yep, I was back at University and in danger of forfeiting my degree because I hadn't completed the work. I woke up in a panic ?. Absolutely ridiculous dream, my student years were eons ago ! ?

I would add that DH is a bit mellow yellow and creaky not creamy! (where did that come from ?)

grammaretto glad you enjoyed the quiz. ? Sorry to hear your friend has lost her son. Difficult at any time but more so with this lockdown.
mamissimo this prison is getting more and more like a five star hotel. ? Ok tonight towels will all be swanlike, chocolate on pillows. As for George Clooney, the last I heard about him was that lemon had got him chained to a nespresso machine in the cellar of the Argy Bargy. I would go and get him for you but lemon’s a bit possessive ?Take it carefully with your DHs hair. Don’t go too mad ?
bradfordlass I will have to have a go at those little mug cakes. Wish we had some ice cream. Have passed on your best to DH. He is slowly developing bruises now. He is a bit mellow yellow at the moment and quite creamy but he’s doing ok thank you. Like your idea grammaretto for GOAT. Sounds like fun.
Hope dragonfly is coping well without Dexter.
cherry I am hoping you haven’t been using the floor as a trampoline again.
Mr and Mrs P hope you have had a better night now that the tooth is out. I am away to Google towel folding. Any further requests, please list. I want your stay here to be as comfortable as possible. ?

GETTING OUT AND TANGO-ING?

Me too Bradfordlass

Your teenage son's bed linen brought back funny memories.
We were driving DS down to find uni accommodation in England so had to make an early start. He was fast asleep in the back when suddenly, about 6am, he woke and said "What's that in the sky?" It's amazing. Look everyone. Look!" It was the dawn.

I had disturbing dreams last night. In one I had given someone all my diaries, thinking they were quite innocuous and then realising, too late, that they contained secrets that person should not see....
Why would anyone want to read my diaries!
I think it stems from the family history I have been into recently with Mum's memoirs and family secrets are coming out.
Oh dear as if Lockdown wasn't bad enough without more misery.

I hope your day turns out well and with fewer aches and pains.

It is interesting how the family traits are handed out Doodle There's a musical gift which I didn't get, sadly.

Dream Busted! ahaha. You're right, the firemen are always welcome
To Mr Dream and Mr Doodle, I do hope you feel better soon. Sending love (it's allowed, I'm in NZ )

Doodle Lack of cake is easily remedied: adapt this recipe (it doesn't have to be chocolate) and use a bowl not a mug:
www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/microwave-mug-cake

Feeling slightly irritated with a friend who should have known to search the web before re-messaging dozens of people with a hoax about paracetamol containing a virus. Why do people do this? Grrrr.

Rainy and dull today; the first day for many month that the sun hasn't been out. NZ is now officially in drought and desperately saving water .

Thanks for the clean sheets Doodle. I always love getting into a newly-changed bed.

When my teenaged son, responsible for his own bed changing, finally brought sheets out to wash, I said, 'I didn't know we had any grey sheets.'
It wasn't a joke, I genuinely thought he was carrying grey sheets.
In order to save himself the 'bother' of bed changing, he later bought a sleeping bag liner - a large, cotton bag, and used that instead. Quite enterprising I thought.

JOSH? I'm mostly JOSH but getting a bit SOSH sometimes and looking forward to GOAT. Go on, guess what that means

Is it Saturday? Or another Blurday? I’m afraid I’ve snoozed the day away and now it’s bedtime.

If you’re doing a turndown service now Doodle please may I have my towel folded into a swan? I’d also like milk chocolate and George Clooney on the side......

I’ve ditched the winceyette tonight as it’s a bit warm!

Today I’ve decided that I’m glad I’m not Grant Shapp - his briefing was interesting but the questions from the inquisitors about Dodgy Dom were so awful that I felt sorry for him. He handled it well but I’d been him I would have gone straight round to Boris’ gaff and thwacked him for not turning out himself!

Watched the perpetual spinach for a change today with a cup,of tea - also a change for me. It was too early for gin ?

It’s been a funny old week - maybe next week will be different? It will be for my DH because the clippers arrived today and I’m going to tackle him tomorrow.

Sleep tight

Just came back out to see you all again. I wanted some choccy and cake.
The quiz was fun. We didn't do very well but it was great seeing all the faces. 10 screens tonight. From NZ to Northern Jutland. Scottish Highlands, Edinburgh,York and here in the Borders.
3 DGC poked their heads round.

You certainly have a lot to contend with Cherry and are cheerful with it.

The day went very quickly here. Awful weather and feeling tired all day. I'll bet I'll not sleep tonight, although the clean sheets will be nice.

I also had a couple of long calls. A local friend has just lost her son to cancer. She's just back from his funeral. She has been very brave and stoical, comforting her daughters. She is in her 80s so he wasn't a very young man but even so it is unnatural. Good night cell mates before I get too maudlin.
xxx

grammaretto I am no artist. All the artistic skills in the family went to my brother who could turn his hand to anything. However, I like the idea of painting and have found it very relaxing (well apart from the trauma of opening the paint pots). I am managing quite well with a magnifying glass and I find it strange how I can lose all track of time whilst paining tiny little shapes on a canvas. My DH looked at my painting tonight and said he thought it was coming on well. He could definitely see it taking shape. I think he was just trying to be kind as he didn’t realise he was looking at it upside down

Well you’ll be wanting me to turn down your beds and leave a chocolate on the pillow soon ?. Toilet rolls and fluffy towels have now been provided cherry so you should be comfy tonight. ?. Croissants a plenty in the kitchen for breakfast.
Sleep well all

Hello inmates, not sure where Saturday's gone

I've managed to smuggle in a Victoria sandwich so tuck in ?

Nice comfy padded place to sleep last night, perhaps a bit too comfy as the best of the morning was ? away ?.

Thanks for the lovely clean bedding too gov'nr Doodle, that should make tonight's sleep lovely too. Now, what about a roll of toilet paper and a lovely clean fluffy white bath towel? ?

Grammaretto, better the acronym JOSH that one I came across last night for staying home is tedious ?
Maybe most people are starting to feel like me and Dreamkeeper . Sounds like you are feeling this way too Missedout. One day, hopefully not too far in the future we can all use JOGS, joy of going somewhere, instead ?

Dreamkeeper, it's not that I play things down so much as I'm determined it doesn't get me down. I must have had thousands of seizures since I was diagnosed, many potentially life threatening and some that have put me in dangerous positions. I have scars and repercussions from injuries incurred many years ago that are with me to this day. It would not do me any good to dwell every time I have a seizure or get injured as I wouldn't have any time to enjoy the good things I do have. A number of years ago I met a man who went to the same epilepsy support group as me. This man had about 3 or 4 seizures a year, he was miserable, self pitying, sympathy seeking and completely lacked any empathy for anyone else. We (the rest of the group) tried to be supportive, tried to help him to no avail. His own misery began to affect some in the group. They started to lose optimism for themselves. I didn't want to lose mine. Yes my condition is chronic, it is intractable but it is a condition. Yes it affects the way I carry out my life, I have had change much of that. I will not change my being for a condition. I guess that's where I come from.
What a shock for the gentleman and his wife your friend is close to.
My friend & neighbour had no idea she had cancer, she started feeling unwell after Christmas. She visited the GP and waited for a referral to come through. Her scans revealed secondary cancers in most of her vital organs. She died within weeks of diagnosis.

There's dyslexia in my family Doodle and in my WP's. Both my WP and his sister are dyslexic. My father was dyslexic. When I was at University me and another student walked out of a seminar and reported a lecturer because of her disgusting comments about dyslexia. She was made to apologise to us and go on an awareness course. Ker-ching ?.

I can't believe where the day has gone.... Oops said that already ?. I think a lot of it has been spent doing very little in a slow fashion and yaking on the phone, mostly to my WP's sister. I love her to bits, she infuriates me no end and intentionally but mainly unintentionally makes me laugh ?. Goodness knows when we'll see her again, she lives miles away.

Doodle you make it sound funny I'm sure it isn't.

What constitutes a hobby?
I dabble in family history, knitting and sewing, I make pottery but that was my profession so not a true hobby. I was an avid stamp collector as a strange child but gave all my albums to my wee brother when I took up with boys. He licked the back of the mint stamps rendering them worthless.
I'm playing a quiz with him tonight so I had better not remind him. (he'll deny it or say really, you still bring that up!) It's starting as soon as they wake up in NZ.