The Lockdown Gang - on parole!

Afternoon all ?.
It's rained here, it's only gone and bl..Dy rained! I think the standards at the Met Office have slipped. I checked yesterday and, unlike the days in actually did rain, the forecast was 5% chance of rain. I did two loads of washing. It turned dry outside but ... proverbial dash outside! It's dry again now so it's gone back on the line. Typical though ? ?

Seems like not only your picture of beautiful French Bay BradfordLass has whetted the appetite for the coast. We too, Panache, have stirred an interest in the South Wales coast ?. The Pembroke an the Gower coastlines are outstandingly beautiful.

Before you posted that you will be heading to the Gower next year Nflk I was going to say, health and circumstances permitting, that for those piqued with interest should indeed book somewhere in 2021 or 2022 ?.
Nflk, you say an old friend lives in Laughne, have you visited her there before? Have you visited the Gower before? Nosey ain't I ?

On would you believe it ! We're jinxed! Now our line has broke!! We've just made another dash out to save the washing again! Part of the bottom of the pole has rusted, we've just had to do a bodged repair! Now we've got a crooked line, but we saved the washing. If I could drink alcohol this would be a good time for a stiff drink ?.

I think I'll come back later gang - when I've got rid of the grumps ?

I have just discovered a new place in my garden!
About 10 years ago we, (with much help from our young volunteers) created a patio in a place where we had kept chickens and was by then a midden.
It required a lot of work and slab laying at the time but we used it as a sitooterie for a few years until it became overgrown and rather cold and dark.

However we have realised at this time of year when the sun is high, it is warm and sheltered in there so I've been hacking away at it, pulling out weeds and rubbish and it is going to emerge once more.

Anything to stop me doing housework!

We will be heading for the Gower next year. It should have been this year, but not knowing how things would be, we decided on a week in Sussex instead. I think we just booked the campsite in time as they’re all filling up fast now! An old friend lives in Laughne and I’d love to visit. (We have a little campervan so will be completely contained. I just hope it starts as it hasn’t moved for a while now.)

panache your description of sitting on the loo and hearing the crashing of waves brought a picture to my mind perhaps not quite the one you were thinking of ?
I love the sea too. Nothing quite like being on a beach and watching the sea. It’s magical.
DH will most certainly have to share that wine. ?
Hope the weather stays dry for you and you enjoy your walk.
Have a good day all. Back later.

A big warm Hello inmates all

The morning has brought a few sharp showers but looks very much as though it will soon clear up for our afternoon.

My word, there is certainly many mini parties or shall we say family gatherings taking place,I am so pleased for you and I can almost feel your excitement and love flowing.
It must be such a treat to have your own dear families around you again,perhaps not quite like "norm" but surely improving daily.
A shame about the aborted camping holiday Missedout such a disappointment,surely though,only a question of being just a tad more patient.

Much interest shown in our beaches Bradfordlass and nearly having always lived within sight and sound of the sea I heartily agree with you,something so majestic,and yet so calming about the tidal movement.
It truly gets into your blood.
In our home in Saundsersfoot one could sit on the loo and hear the crashing of the waves and it truly was something I have greatly missed.

NFKD,*Grammeretto*and others that have not yet travelled west of the beautiful Brecon Beacons, believe me you have missed out on our rugged beauty,panoramic sea and island views, plus of course a plethora of castles.
Artists,writers,musicians..........they have made their home here after their initial visits......vowing never to leave!!
I can well imagine there have been a stampede for bookings for this summer!

Bradfordlass and Doodle........My hair turned grey at an early age too .......hence all my experimentations over all those years!!
Returning to my ward one time with a shade of deep purple (by error you understand!!) I was told to go off and not dare come back until I was back my own hair colour.
An impossable task I recall.
I totally despair after hearing that friends have not been able to get hair appointments for months.........I think any day now mine will be shaved off ,at least I have a tan so you should be able to know which is my face or head!!!

Oh! Doodle.........Wine by the crateful,now I am extremely fond of your Husband`s way of thinking!!!!Of course he let you down slightly by not forewarning you leaving you washing those bottles late into the night..........however on that basis I feel he owes you more than half the contents!!!

Hope all is well down Gower Cherry.......and it can only get better!

Whilst yes thank you,I slept well,in fact fell asleep to the closing chapters of the very frightening "Salsbury`s Poisonings"

Getting ready for our first stroll...... trying to whip up an appetite for our Roast Pork at Lunchtime.

Have yourselves a great day,hopefully no flocks of fleeting birds!!
Keep safe.

bradfordlass what a lovely reason to have green streaks in your hair and a special bond between you and your granddaughter ? Is the bush far from where you live? Shame something that helps the psoriasis tastes so bad but maybe worth it if it helps. I’ve never heard of it. Can you buy it locally or grow it yourself?
Yes I do remember the photo you posted. So sorry to hear of the loss of your friend. It’s always difficult when you are far away and can’t visit.
nfk. This thread is certainly providing interesting information. I too have been looking at French Bay and the Welsh coast. Such beautiful locations. We all want to go there now. ?
grammaretto whatever the changes to the rules I think DH and I will be using our own judgment as to what we will and won’t do. Off to sons for garden visit this afternoon but won’t go in the house at all. We would love a seaside trip but will wait till things look safer before thinking of that.
Hope you all have a good day.
Marydoll hope you have a quiet day today ready for your hospital visit to tomorrow. Hope all goes well and you are back safely with us soon.x

Hello cell mates!

It does look as though you in Englandshire are being let out far more than us.
We are allowed for walks, but the places near here are swarming with people, I'm told.

I went in search of a holiday cottage to rent for a week. Everything was fully booked. Of course it would be when people are not flying off to the sun.

Maybe I should let out the flat here but then I'd have to deep clean and I can't even shallow clean.

I hope you are all having a lovely Solstice Sunday. or as they say around here "the night's are drawing in now"

I knew there was a French settlement at Akaroa, and I have been there but I didn't know about others. BradfordLass

I wasn’t listening properly, but it sounds as if there are big changes afoot for July 4th. I wonder what, if any, changes there will be for Shielders.

I looked up French Bay and browsed the southern Welsh coast last night. It seems incredible that I’ve never quite made it past Brecon in South Wales (I too went pony trekking there in my youth - and canoeing in the Wye valley.) But I have been to Ninety Mile Beach in New Zealand and I think may have been to French Bay! We have photos of somewhere which looks awfully like it when we were in Auckland.

grammaretto French Bay was, I think, named for French people who settled for a while. They still have a French Market at the yacht club there.

Dream how amazing we should both have the glorious treat of a beach trip - and feel the same way about it too.
There's something about the sea, isn't there? I was so tempted to swim but didn't have my cozzie with me.
I was wondering if adult colouring might satisfy your desire for artwork?

One thing I recommend for anyone who does this - get some professional designer markers: Pantone, Prismacolor or Kurecolor. They go on completely smoothly and have a wide range of classy colours, plus a fine tip and a broader one at the other end. Amazon?
Children's felt pens are no good.

How nice that you too had a lovely day NfkDumpling, so nice to read about people's joys.

Doodle my hair is completely white and yes, I just streak a bit of green in now and then. It began when my then 5 year old granddaughter (now 27) told me, not unkindly, I was a grey haired granny and I joked, 'Would you want a green-haired granny then?'
'Oooh YES!'

She's supplied and applied many colours since then and I once had green, blue, purple and pink all at once - very pastel and subdued though.

I've spent the day looking online for things to visit whilst I have a free taxi. .
It's such a wonderful feeling to know I can get to things like Farmers' Markets and the beach - again on 29th I hope.

If the weather is good, I'll try to get out into the bush to gather kumerahou which I'll brew as a tea. It's brilliant for clearing psoriasis but extremely bitter.

Some of you may remember I posted, not long ago, a picture of a lovely couple I've known since 1979: he's Chinese, she Viet-namese. Sadly, he died on 13th and his daughter messaged me today. Never have I wanted to be with them more than at a time like this. They live in London so I'm wondering if it was Corona-related.

I'm going to put myself to bed early and watch/listen to 'Shakespeare & Hathaway' DVD.

Wishing you all a lovely day ahead .

grammaretto I see you’ve just popped back in too.
Sorry I misunderstood I thought you were setting the quiz. How lovely to have the family gathered to like that and to be able to see them all. Made me laugh the student who dressed in a shirt and tie.? never occurred to me what the children might wear for home school.?
Glad you had a good time. Sleep well.

Yes cherry he will share......or else ?
I have just (yes it is nearly midnight) been making a chocolate mousse for tomorrow. Wanted to do it as a surprise for DH so waited till he’d gone elsewhere. He sent a recipe to me by email the other day saying this sounds nice. He quite often does that but rarely gets the suggested items. This time I thought I would make it as a treat. I ordered the ingredients without thinking too much about it but when I started assembling it all I nearly said out loud. How much chocolate!! ? And cream!! Wow. It better be good. ?
Sleep well all

Good night from me too!
The quiz went well . It was hellish hard. My Sister set it with her DH. Lots of sport and music. Cricket! I ask you. Impossible.
But it was wonderful to see all our DC and my niece. My DB and DSiL Zoom didn't stop after 40 mins so some of us went on and on blethering. A few are teachers and were sharing how hard trying to teach online is,
DB said some of his students are still in bed and undressed in virtual class. He told them to please dress properly so one turned up in a shirt and tie.
DH's sister wasn't there because they are caring for her MiL who has just had a mastectomy but is recovering well.

I had fun on google earlier looking at all those places Panache talked about . I have never been to South Wales.
Although we have had a few holidays in Mid Wales.
Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant in particular. When we were first married we went pony trekking there. The pub was very memorable.

Sleep well everyone. The chocolate is so so good. What do you put in it Doodle ?

As I was interested earlier today I had to come back ... there is no way I can go without commenting on the jackdaw falling down the chimney Grammaretto and your mind boggling onslaught from the swifts in the 1980s Mamissimo ?

Grammaretto, a similar thing happened in a house we lived in, early 1990s. A jackdaw fell down our chimney. We were astonished. When we went to retrieve the poor thing we noticed that it had injured one of its wings. We gently put it outside in the garden but it just stood there. It was still in the same spot a couple of hours later so we opened the door and it walked inside. For a few days we fed it inside, introducing it outside for longer and longer each day. After a few days it flew around the room so when it settled we decided the time was right to put it back outside where it belonged. It tentatively flew a little and we closed the door. A couple of days later it had died. The weird thing is that it wasn't a fledgling like we might have thought, but an adult.

Your experience Mamissimo sounds like something out of the Hitchcock film. It's no wonder you passed out! My mother didn't like birds indoors, be it budgies or parakeets etc, let alone wild birds. She would have been horrified and probably screaming her head off. It sounds like one heck of an experience, I'm surprised your dinner party went ahead but having said that it was probably the best thing to do. It probably helped.

It's good to hear a bit of normality is resuming bit by bit for many of the gang, Grammaretto, Mamissimo and Nflk and receiving welcome visitors ?.

Missedout, sorry you will not be having your camping break after all. Is it not the case that since you were concerned about a conflict of timing between your camping trip and seeing your DGC and DiL surely now the latter will happen. That will be wonderful if that's the case, I hope so.

Doodle, as you pointed out - clearly I misread re. the chocolates . Of course, I see what you mean! I'm sure he'll share, he'll want to share, won't he ?

Well gang it's close to wooden stairs time again. Helping myself to delicious hot chocolate ?. Night ??

missedout sorry to hear that. I can understand your disappointment. As you can’t go on your camping trip does that mean you will have your DIL and DGC for a visit?
Hope your spirits are lifted tomorrow.

We have had to turn down our chance of camping in 3 weeks time. As far as I can see, nothing has changed, there are no changes to shielding lockdown rules yet in England and the campsite tell us what we can't do but not what we can. A few will go but they aren't shielding.

We will see our DS at a distance again tomorrow but only because I reminded him it is fathers' day, he hadn't realised and all he can do at such short notice is visit!

I'm not a happy bunny at the moment.

Doodle, I'm having an early night so I hope you don't mind if I skip tonight's cocoa, things will look better tomorrow.

cherry I too am envious of the visits to the sea.
I may look up the place you bought your supplies from when I have finished my painting I think I will try another project.
mamissimo ah, I wondered why all those birds descended on you. I bet that was a good source of discussion around the dinner table. Well done for carrying on. ?
How lovely to see your DGC and have them exploring your garden. Yes it’s supposed to be quite hot during the week. We may be out on the balcony again for our pre dinner drinks.
grammaretto hope the quiz goes well. As you are setting it I bet you know all the answers. You might win ?
Sorry can’t help with a gazebo as we’ve never had one. Something easy to erect and dismantle may be a good idea with changeable weather.
Hello again panache . I am sure if you try little outings to a bay or cove where there are not too many around it will do wonders for your spirits. I think you will get used to seeing people about again and being outside but continue with caution as we do and avoid busy days or places. Is it really a year since you moved into your flat. I can remember all the discussions at the time as to whether it would go ahead or not and the relief of hearing you had finally made it.
I have no plans for the hairdresser yet either. I am getting more bedraggled by the day. ?
Hope the magic potion in the hot chocolate works tonight and along with your walks ensures a good night.?
nfk sounds as though you had a lovely day. How nice to meet up and see each other again.
I am exhausted. Late Sainsbury’s delivery tonight. DH had forgotten to inform me that he had seen a good deal on wine and ordered some bottles...many bottles. The delivery man asked if we were having a party. It took me ages to wash them all and the shopping. Phew. Enjoying a sit now.
Sleep well all.

Hi All

We’ve had a wonderful day today! Lunch with DD2, SiL and DGD aged 10. In their garden to celebrate SiL’s birthday. The other GPs came too to complete the regulation six. We assumed children don’t count. The chairs were spaced appropriately around the table so we didn’t get too close although we didn’t actually measure!

I’m now going to look up on Google Earth all those lovely beaches you all mention with wonderful names I’ve never heard before. Gellyswick. What a wonderful name. Is it a hard or a soft G?

An uneventful day inmates,beautiful weather despite the breeze and white clouds,though certainly gearing up for the wet stuff late afternoon!

Thank you for your kind words Grammeretto,Doodle and Cherry.....so nice to share openly with friends who understand.
Gellyswick Bay is not exactly a bay of choice to visit,but it certainly is close and probably the least amount of people around,so it fitted the bill for us.
Our choice would be Broad or Little Haven,a little further away but also so very popular.
Mind you in my humble estimation nothing beats Saundersfoot Bay,where we lived for over 25 beautiful years!!
At this age you start being grateful for small mercies!!

I was shocked at my overall reactions,but I will take your word for it Doodle that it will get easier.

I don`t think at this stage it would be wise to even consider taking up some artwork,but you have both whetted my appetite and it is something I may very well turn to at some point.Must make a point of remembering the name you have given me Cherry

We have just realised next weekend is the anniversary of first moving here,at that time and for the best part of 4/5 months I still did not know which way to turn!
We did not expect this lockdown for sure!!!

Our friends arrived armed with the goodies we need and of course the conversation turned to the Hair dressers!
Lorraine has had some colour to help the regrowth,kindly sent to her by her H/D plus has an appointment booked for late july.............I still am waiting!!

Our early evening is planned,watching hopefully all episodes of The Salsbury Poisonings......have just finished the first episode.Not easy to pick up,but very chilling and it is only bound to get worst.
Hope that does not mean a sleepless night!
Although we have had 2 good strolls here today.

Whilst I note both you Grameretto and Mamissimo were fortunate in having callers and seemingly making quite an afternoon of pleasure.
Am not the one to help out where a Gazebo or some similar shelter is concerned,I would expect the market to offer many though,all range of prices too.
I imagine you do not want a permanent structure?

We did formerly have a Cedar Chalet which we turned into our garden room,beautifully placed at the top end of our garden,where we could enjoy far reaching country side views.
Memories again!!!

You are not the first saying Grandparenting is best Mammissimo

Having enjoyed our pizza supper,well I did my best! time for the next episode and not forgetting my nightcap served by our Guv,Doodle the best!!!

Mamissimo so lovely.
I can picture her cruising around your wonderful garden.

We had a surprise visit from a friend who brought us a tortilla and salad and I added more salad and bread and wine and we sat in the sunny garden.

Now I have to set up the quiz. I am puzzled why I, the most un-techie person is left to do the invitations.

I have been looking at buying a gazebo/shelter for the garden in time for next weekend. Any recommendations?
I see you can pay anything from £25 to £250 for a similar kind of thing.

Doodle apparently the birds had roosted along the top of the sash window which always keep a few inches open. We think they were in their way south but sensed the weather. When it got dark they came into the warm and were roosting on top of the wardrobes and on the picture rails. My hair dryer caused panic.

Our friends did come for dinner and I had some extra restorative tincture for my nerves....and slept right through the hurricane. I woke up next morning to no electricity - a situation that continued for 9 days. One of those nights you never forget!

We had a lovely lunch with our DD and the little ones. Mim is 2 and has taken to carrying around an IKEA step so that she can see everything....and Esme chomped a prodigious amount of pizza with her 2 teeth. She’s ten months old and determined to walk. She cruised the garden holding onto the tops of all of our raised beds.....she needed her nap after that! ? I love handing them back.....grandparenting is the best!

The weather forecast is so good for next week that we are planning to go to the sea ourselves. We know some quiet spots and will go midweek when it should be quieter...and if it’s not we will look and come home.

Wishing you all a pleasant evening..

And I love to live so pleasantly
Live this life of luxury
Lazing on a sunny afternoon
In the summertime
The Kinks

Happy solstice gang.

I've gone green, no not my hair! More tip to toe ?.
Only joking BradfordLass and Panache ?.
I'm so happy that the both of you have been able to visit the coast ?. I perfectly understand the emotion behind your respective visits too and the tears that fell.

BradfordLass, French bay is beautiful. No wonder you and your friend had a lovely time. I hope you have many more opportunities for wonderful days out and about.

Oh Panache, you have been waiting so long for that joyous trip. Gelliswich has a charm that I think some people miss. Like Bracelet Bay it often receives a lower rating on tourist information booklets and the like, whereas Caswell eg. receives a high one. I prefer Bracelet and, although I haven't been there for a while I really like Gelliswich too.

Don't give up on the idea of turning your hand to art Panache. As for obtaining art supplies it's quite easy to obtain them online. Most of my supplies have come from The Range. They have a good range (no pun intended) online, including books for beginners for sketching and painting. It's worth a browse.

Typical! I'm being summoned ? to help with the gardening. I do enjoy it ... but I've hardly started this post. I'd better show willing I suppose ?

panache what a truly lovely and descriptive post. I felt your panic at going out in the car and seeing the crowds and your joy in eventually getting your walk and your sea fix. Wonderful.
I wouldn’t worry too much about being anxious and upset when you see all the people about. When we first started going out for walks again after 12 weeks inside, I was much the same. Constantly looking behind and in front to see if someone was coming, dragging DH into bushes to keep him away from people. I am more relaxed now. Still aware and conscious of what we are doing but not so panicked any more. I think going out just needs getting used to again.
Like you, we live in a flat and space I realise is hard to find. However, if you fancy doing something artistic I would thoroughly recommend that you find a corner and do so. It doesn’t have to be a large project and small canvases can be bought (if painting was your choice). It is relaxing and absorbing. I keep a small box with my painting things in and tidy away in the evening. I’m sure you could get supplies online. You could do a small project to start. I was lucky with my painting by numbers kit as it came with canvas, paints and brushes.
Have a good day and lots of sunshine I hope. Glad you slept well.

You never overstay Panache I love your prose and I love the good news of the walk along the coast at Gellyswick. I want to look it up on google maps.

We used our walk to do some of our own shopping in the community shop. There's a strict oneway system and it's spotless. Fruit, veg, bread and dairy are behind the counter which is screen protected so the only thing touched is the basket handle.

bradfordlass.yes DH an I could both do with a portable loo. Your photo made me laugh. ?
Your hospital walk sounds good and a flight of stairs good exercise. It was a clever idea of yours to go there.
I can certainly see the green in your hair. Do you just do streaks rather than all over colour. Your hair looks nice is it blonde?
That picture of the bay was so beautiful. No wonder you wanted to go there. What a lovely place, I could just sit and look at it for ages.
Nice that Rangi lives so close to you. Means you can meet up often. ?
grammaretto sorry for that bad pain you are getting. I on occasions have jaw and face ache. I would try taking the paracetamol as you’ve been doing and see if it wears off. So painful.
I suppose there must still be sweeps about but haven’t seen one for ages. The birds obviously like your chimney.
Hope you enjoy the quiz tonight and all the family are ok.

Top o the morning on this Solstice, I hope the sun shines for each one of you and the day ahead proves promising.

As usual love catching up and reading about the differing regulations in our 4 little nations.........so confusing......but at least each one is now moving forward.
Sharing the many comments about camping,something I have never had the urge to do,though my dear man has often regaled me with many hilarious tales of his youth when camping was very much "his" thing,along with cycling.Yes he was one fit young man back then!

We are surrounded by such sites along with Caravan parks,dotted throughout our coastline Cherry whilst holiday homes are also rife so I imagine on July 4th we shall be invaded!!
The Hotels,guest houses and B & B`s will have to wait it seems.
We now feel we must move ourselves before that date if we want to escape both crowds and possable virus brought in afresh.

However my inmate friends we have made a start........

Hurrah......or is it!!!!

The weather cleared up beautifully yesterday and my dear man would not take no but suggested we go for our first drive.
Of course however much I try to look nice my hair lets me down in a big way,so I was not quite feeling it.....but whatever he wants, I fall over backwards to accomodate him.

Tentatively.....and yes he too was nervously driving, so we went into our town along The Rath, which has many little walkways off a wide promenadew overlooking the waterway.
We stopped had our first lovely,longed for glimpse of the water but the sight of people,wandering willy nilly,no social distancing in sight,grown ups,children,dogs spilling out ...... quite frankly I felt ill,almost if not in panicking mode.
Never felt like thia before in all my long years.
I realised that those almost 4 months of lockdown in total,seeing few other than the same handful of residents,I was totally not prepared to be let loose in the public!!
So that walk was cut short.
We then drove down to the little Bay called Gellyswick, just a mile or less away,this is quite a compact bay,one no through road offering seats along the pavement,with amenity grass to the rear where the kiddies played,
the yacht yard remained closed.
The sea was shimmering beautifully under the glorious sun, the smells of the sea were so strong,so after a good walk along we found a seat sitting there just drinking in the sounds of the in coming tide.
In the distance were oil tankers either coming or going and whilst enjoying the spectacle of the Irish Ferry slowly making its way along,looking majestic in this sunshine.
I had by now settled and thoroughly enjoyed our time there,few people around,and for us both that delightful sea once again.
We simply drank in the whole scene.
It was a bit of a jolt returning to the spot where we had seemingly been sort of stuck for ever..............but I was so tired,in fact we both were,no joining my cell mates here and even without your Hot Chocoate with additions Doodle ...........we slept like new born babes!!!!Hurrah......or is it!!!!

You too Bradfordlass enjoying French Bay...........just our reactions yesterday,in fact I truly cried more than once.
You needed that for sure and I hope you felt somewhat revived.

I was about to inquire about that darn toothache Grammeretto?? when I read of your re occuring pain last night,that certainly needs attention.Enough is enough.
Although we are enjoying new treats we do not forget others may still have their problems.

Next on our agenda is sorting out our manes,I am sorely tempted with your less than vibrant green Bradfordlass though find this purple cum lilac.......depending on how it turns out has brought in many compliments,and at this age I am more than satisfied with that!!!!

You have got me thinking Doodle and now you too Cherry about trying my hand at some sort of art.At school I was above average I was told,but my big problem was always deciding and sticking to the one same subject,if I saw someone else and thought it a good idea I have been known to scrap my work and start over............falling flat on my face.
However many years have passed but it has certainly triggered some thoughts...........yet again,do we have the space and where would I purchase the equipment now that everything seems so difficult?
Perhaps a foolish thought only!!
I will enjoy reading about your efforts instead!

I shall be counting swifts instead of sheep this night Mammissimo.............that was quite a story,certainly far from funny and the most awful bad timing.
We often had the odd one or two of the smaller birds fly in through our many open windows or doors,had one or two tales of chasing the little blighters whom had decided this was their new home...........but nothing to match your tale.Plus its the way you tell `em!!!!!¬

Having overstayted my visit yet again,feeling guilty about not calling in last evening syndrome!!!
Sun is glorious,the outside awaits and we also are expecting friends delivering some fresh fruit and bread,always ready with a few good tales of their week.

So do take care,have a good day............stay safe