The Lockdown Gang - on parole!

I'm still here - can't kill a bad weed !

Just been silently prowling the corridors keeping watch. Popped a GPS tracker in Mamissimo's slippers in case of somnambulism but they stayed by her bed all night.
Of course, Jeeves might have carried her.....

A lovely day for missedout - how nice.

How that story rang a bell with me. My wee son did a sort of change at about the same age and with the same consequences. No amount of professionals could put their fingers on what was going on. It wasn't until he was an adult we began to suspect autism - very high functioning as he's a successful businessman now. He could not deal with his own emotions which scared, confused and angered him.

Oh Doodle I'm so glad you have your kitchen back - what a relief. And you did a splendid job of keeping your DH clear of infection, you are now an 'essential worker' I'm sure.

I have a cherry stoner - it manages to splash my apron with a myrian red dots of juice every time I use it - may try a chopstick but that means buying a bottle of wine first.

Having just been forced to buy a new kettle, I unpacked it only to find there was no base and lead.
I buy online because it's virtually impossible for me to get to a store.
Now, however, I shall have to ask my homecare lady to take me into town to get a replacement.

What a hassle but I'm grateful my girl doesn't stick to the rulebook becaise she's not supposed to do jobs like this.

Our run of good weather has come to a halt and it's grey, miserable and overcast again...which exactly describes my mood at the moment.

Saw this placemat advertised - guess what it reminds me of

Oh mamaissimo if I could wave my magic wand and make all our poorly gang members well I would do so.
I’m not surprised you’re grumpy. Have you found out when your meds are coming yet.
24th August for the op. You must be both looking forward to it and anxious about it at the same time. No one likes hospital procedures but hopefully the outcome of this will be a pain free mamissimo.
Yes our plumber has been and I am now the proud owner of a water softener and a fully functional kitchen sink. I am so chuffed.
I am wondering about your shopping though. Shoes great, cherry stoner, why not, Eccles cake oh yes yummy but a saucepan lid. How and where do you buy a lid without the pan? ?
I am wondering how all our other gang are faring. We seem to be missing quite a few. I hope bradfordlass hasn’t been hit by a tornado and is on her way back to us.
Back later ?

And it’s an early good evening from me today.....no drugs prescribed as I feared so a quick skirmish with the hospital. Apparently it was all down to everybody else.....why can’t people learn to just say ‘I’m sorry about that. How annoying for you. Go and have a cup of tea and I’ll ring you back with a plan’.

I felt so grumpy I went out and bought some shoes, a saucepan lid and an Eccles cake. And I bought a cherry stoner so that I don’t have to do the chopstick thing again ?

Hospital rang......but it was a different department to book me in for the gallstones op, and the pre-assessment...and the Covid test. The op will be on the 24th August......when we had hoped to pay our first visit to our DDs new house. I became temporarily grumpy again.

I hope your plumber was successful Doodle and It’s very good that your DH survived your ministrations with no ill effects. Perhaps you could go on tour and fix the Ps, Missedout’s knee, and Dragonfly’s spirits. If you can manage that lot by bedtime I’ll ask Jeeves to stick a flake in your cornet.

?

Morning all. Another Monday.
Sunny here and warm. Plumber is back finishing off the kitchen.
DH has been to have his wounds treated by a professional (although she did say I had done a good job ?)
Looks much better now but he has to go back again next week and the following one as she said it will take a while to heal properly.
mamissimo I missed your post last night it must have crossed with mine. Those cherries sound lovely.
I agree with you about Google. I have used it for so many things. I am intrigued that you can de stone a cherry using a chopstick. I will have to look that one up.
Hope you get your hospital appointment ok. You are always welcome here, grumpy or not (must remember to ask Jeeves to be on standby and red alert ? )
I haven’t heard of this try a hairstyle thing. It sounds good if it helps you decide what you’d like done.
Hope today goes well and you’re back home safely.
As you say our missing ones are missed.
bradfordlass hope we haven’t lost you too. ?
Back later to check.

missedout I am so pleased for you that the visit went ahead and you got to spend time with your family and your DGD.
It must be difficult for you and your son that the little one gets so distressed. Does she go to school? I think it is a wonderful idea of yours to make a little fairy story in your garden. A good thing for you to share. Hope you get to spend more time together as she gets older.
We haven’t done much today. Just been relaxing. Went for a walk but it was really too busy for us.
DH off to Nurse for dressing tomorrow whilst I stay in and deal with the plumber.
bradfordlass thank you for keeping watch on the night shift, I’m sure we all sleep safer knowing you are keeping an eye on things. Hope your weather has been ok today and no storms.
Missing all our other posters and hoping they are ok.
Take care all.

Missedout I’m so glad that you had a lovely day. It will really lift you for a bit. I love the sound of your fairy house! I think I’ll have a look round my garden and see if I can find somewhere to put a little door. Do get your knee checked if it feels hot as well as being red - it’s so way to get dirt in a graze and peace of mind is everything these days.

I’ve been busy bottling cherries - someone stole my cherry stoner so I had to use the thin end of a chopstick. It did the job but was much slower and messier. I got the chopstick hack from google. It’s amazing how much you can learn by asking google questions.

I may not see you all tomorrow if the hospital has sorted the drugs out - be warned if I’m here I may be a bit grumpy!

I have my haircut appoIntment on the 28th so today I downloaded a hairstyles app and ‘tried on’ over 200 hairstyles and lots of colours. I’ve learned today that I would look much older if I dyed my hair any colour at all....that I look best with a slight fringe and that longer hair adds 10 years to my face. That was £5 well spent because I was toying with growing it on for a bit.

Sending hope and wishes to the missing ones, who are truely missed!

Sleep tight

I've had a lovely day! Thank you for asking Doodle. It was not a promising start as the skies were grey and it was quite breezy. However, the sun peeked out just as our visitors arrived. DH and I put up an 'event shelter' yesterday and it served its purpose admirably.

I know I have written that my oldest DGD is an anxious child. At around 18 months she seemed to change and we saw very little of her. Then, as she got older, she became very difficult to get close to anyway and we were discouraged from visiting as DGD was so easily upset. We have been asked to leave because she was having a tantrum then asked not to visit because DGD didn't want to see us. DGD is now 5½.

We have kept trying though. During lockdown, I have been drawing little pictures and writing to her about a fairy living in my garden. Today, was a breakthrough. She ran into the garden, and played with us. She enjoyed the food (in the past she wouldn't eat anything I gave her) and I encouraged her to get closer to the chickens (belonging to our neighbour but touring our garden for a change) although nervous of them to start with. She whispered to me about the fairy house and I showed it to her, complete with little table and nut shells for bowls and cups. Her mum and dad (DS) were relaxed and the BBQ was a success (it must be the first time that's happened)! It was good to see my youngest DS who came as well.

The only downsides have been my sore knee (which is now quite red) and the mountain of clearing up as DH and I were the only ones allowed in the house (except for the use of the toilet). I think we were all pretty good at social distancing (so no help with the clearing up).

Yes, today has been a good day.

BradfordLass, I like the idea of two Christmases, a rerun of the main one with all the right food and without all the razzmatazz.

I wish you all a peaceful night, unless, of course, you want to try something outrageous, perhaps ask Jeeves to show you some 'moves' on the helter skelter.

bradfordlass I’m glad the tornado weather did not materialise for you.
Oh that’s crafty. Two Christmas celebrations. One in December when presumably it’s hot and sunny and a snug cosy one in July when it’s colder and more Christmassy. Hope you enjoyed your Christmas pud.
Lovely pictures of Sir Tom being knighted. A special occasion for him and the Queen too I think. She looked so pleased to be doing it. What a lovely chap he is.
A restful day for us today I think.
missedout hope you have a good day today and you get to see your DGD.
Still thinking of all our missing gang members. Take care and keep safe. ?

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202007/medium-669619-sir-tom.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202007/medium-214544-sir-tom-and-medal.jpg

Mamissimo If you have enough sanitizer, it might be as well to dab it on your carpet after shampooing. That should kill any potentially smelly sour milk bacteria.

Doodle Where I live, July does tend to bring storms, high winds, flooding and tornadoes but thankfully, this time, not to me.
In fact it's been a pretty day, full of sun and birdsong.

It's also the time some people have Mid-winter Christmas celebrations and I indulged myself after my home-made cheese & onion pasty and salad, with Christmas pud and white sauce - and just a dash of brandy.

Here are two of the best pictures of 2020. A well deserved accolade.

I notice some of the very vocal anti-plastic campaigners went a bit quiet after essential, plastic PPEs were issued with plastic bottles of santitiser and plastic gloves.
Balance is all.

Signing off the night shift.
Wishing a good day for all.

Interesting task for you mamissimo. Your family history must be a wonderful thing with all the photos and letters kept for the future.
I will head off to bed soon. Please make sure Jeeves doesn’t scream so loudly when he goes down the helter skelter. You could tell him it’s not usual to go down head first.?
Sleep well all x

Nooooooo My DF did not serve Elizabeth 1 ——but his 11x gt grandfather with the same name did!

What a lovely day Doodle - you’ll sleep with a smile on your face?

Well the carpet didn’t get shampooed ......but I spent almost the whole day immersed in dusty documents. My DF’s direct ancestry goes way back to Elizabeth 1 who sent him to Ireland to help quell rebellion. He liked it - and so did several more generations until they discovered that they could pull the same trick again by going to Canada and Ohio and buying land grants again.

Now my family never throws anything legal away....nor any personal letter nor photograph.....and I married into a similar family. My FiL entrusted all his family’s stuff to me and I have catalogued and preserved the whole archive. It now has a study to itself and when I go for the eternal lie down it will go to the National Archive in Ireland.

Anyway....I seem to have cornered the market in depositions in Ireland ?

A quick trip down the helter skelter with Jeeves and an early night I think.

Sleep tight

mamissimo that’s an amazing story. A treatment that works so well but then only as long as you continue to take it. I can well understand your anxiety if it’s delayed. Hopefully, your treatment continues to be provided in a timely manner.
dragonfly hope you are ok.
I have had the best of days with our sons and their families. Outside in the garden keeping our distance as much as possible. It was lovely to see them and to see them all together. We had such a good time. I am on a high tonight.
I changed DHs dressing on his arm this morning. It wasn’t easy as it had been bleeding a lot. Managed to get it sorted but I think I will leave it now till he sees the nurse Monday.
Hope all the gang are ok. Take care all.

Mamissimo

Bradfordlass, your post was just what I needed this morning..a hug. It’s all getting a little bit much at the moment and I’m beginning to fizzle and splatter.

My medication is given by drip every six weeks in the chemo unit - it’s a cocktail based on a single protein taken from the ovaries of mice because I am missing that protein. Several years ago there was a delay in my treatment while the NHS argued about funding it and I developed sepsis, the ramifications of which were severe.

Whenever there’s a delay I feel overwhelming anxiety because I never want to be in that place again! The drug works so well for me that I tend to forget how unwell I am really - and how fragile my health is. When I was first offered the chance to try the treatment I didn’t realise that I was making a pact with the devil.

Within 4 hours of having the first dose my symptoms began to fade and I’ve been in remission for almost fifteen years. The downside is that I have become used to leading a full and active life and if the treatment is ever stopped so will my run of well being.

The anxiety levels in this country have shot up with lockdown and I don’t think we will ever feel as safe as we used to. I know that I’ll get it sorted next week after a spot of hassle but I was surprised by how badly I reacted to the phone call. I’m afraid the Sainsbugs delivery man did not get a smiley thank you.

Now it’s shoulders back, chin up....and choose whether to shampoo the carpet or transcribe some 17C Latin Irish land grants and depositions.....hmm?

bradfordlass Thank you for such a lovely post. Brought a lump to my throat. Such lovely sentiments. I feel the same too.
Your Maori terms seem to hold much meaning and describe well how we feel.
DH slept ok but his grazed knees (by far the minor part of his injuries) kept hurting him.
Missedout what a pair you and my DH are. Sorry your knee is still weeping.
Fingers crossed for you tomorrow. I hope that whatever the weather your son and family attend. I know how much you want to see them and your precious granddaughter. Hope everything goes well.
bradfordlass I sincerely hope you aren’t blasted by a tornado. At least you have your supplies ready. Does this sort of weather happen often? Please keep safe.

As bradfordlass said, thinking of you all ?

Just in case I don't get back to you for a while, this may be the reason why:

www.bbc.com/weather/feeds/39231760

Tornadoes, 9 inches of rain in an hour, thunder and lightning.

I've already got out the candles and me trusty Trangia camping stove

Yes Doodle I was here all night and they were as good as gold. Probably too exhausted by trauma to be anything else , poor things.
I'm so very sorry to hear about your DH's fall...as if he (and you) didn't have enough to cope with.

I've nothing special planned for today.

dragonfly - Doodle is right - out of sight doesn't mean out of mind, you can be absolutely sure we're holding you in our thoughts.

Panache and mrP, marydoll nfkDumpling;
mrDoodle and mrGrammaretto; Cherry and morethan who is struggling with horrenous and heartbreaking memories..... and indeed all of you in pain and need - you are constantly in our thoughts.

In Maori terms, we are whanau now - family. You benefit from our collective aroha (love, caring).

Kotahitanga means togetherness and this Gang has been together for a very long time now; supporting, weeping sometimes, laughing often but always, always caring.

Even though we have never met, we have something very special here.

I hope your DH is OK too Doodle. I'm also taking things easy today. I sent my DH to the chemist for some larger dressings for my scraped, weeping knee. I can't understand why I have bruises on both sides of my body at the same time either and didn't realise I'd hurt my wrist. I'm obviously not as 'injured' as Mr Doodle though, just a bit 'delicate' (not a word usually associated with me).

BradfordLass, you don't have to patrol the bike shed tonight on my account - honest!

We still have a BBQ planned for Sunday but the changed weather forecast here suggests it may rain. I suppose I'll have to make a decision tomorrow. We'll put up the event shelter and hope it stays warm. We can have family in the conservatory. I so want to see my DGD but she is a very anxious 5 year old and my DS and DIL are prone to cancel if DGD isn't happy so fingers crossed.

Time to creak myself to bed. As ever, my thoughts are with parolees who are really poorly or are desperately worried about their loved ones. Good night all.

Thanks marydoll. I’m sending him to bed with a couple of paracetamol. I think he’s ok. Hope you are feeling better soon.
Oh no. mamissimo what a mess and cream is fatty and difficult to shift. Hope your carpet is ok.
Annoying about the stand in consultant. Does that mean you will run out of medication before Monday?
DH won’t wear a sling but I think a log cabin one would look fetching too ?. The shielded ones don’t seem to be doing well do they.
dragonfly we have missed you but we realise some of our gang aren’t up to posting all the time. Just because you’re not on here doesn’t mean we have forgotten though.
Sorry about your PTSD. That must be really hard to cope with. Has it been made worse by being in lockdown?
bradfordlass hope you’re around later to keep an eye on things. Make sure mamissimo isn’t running all the staff ragged with her demands ?
Sleep well all.
Hoping the panaches and cherry are ok too.

So sorry to hear about your DH Doodle I hope he feels better tomorrow.
Sorry too to hear of your trying day Mamissimo I have a constant dread of not being able to get hold of my meds.

I haven’t been around for a while as suffering a little from PTSD. I am just trying to come to terms with all that has occurred in the last 18 months.

The stars have not been on my side either today Doodle! Sainsbugs delivery had everything I ordered....except they put the 5kg of dog food on top of the cream in a bag with holes in the bottom. I watered my carpet with single cream.....

Then the therapy unit at the hospital rang At ten to five to say that a stand in consultant hadn’t done my prescription for Monday so my drugs may be delayed.....and that my liver function is down again. That’s because of the gallstones but the stand in consultant didn’t read that far into my notes. A right buggeration that I can’t sort out till Monday.

Poor Mr Doodle - it’s the shock of the moment that hurts as much as the tumble sometimes. I am picturing him in a log cabin pattern sling in suitably manly colours. ?

I have a pet theory that mishaps are happening to all the shielded ones to keep us under control!

Is anyone else in tonight or do I have the use of all the staff? Party! ????????????

Doodle, what a worrying time for you. I hope your husband feels better tomorrow.

What a day (again!). DH lost his footing and fell down some steps this morning. He took all the skin off the outside of one arm. What a mess. Took me ages to clean him up and put dressings on. We didn’t really have any big enough. Let’s just say it’s a good job I have skills in patchwork quilting. ?
I’ve booked an appointment with the nurse Monday (they couldn’t fit him in today and wanted him to go to A & E. You can imagine what we thought of that) . He seems fine tonight. I’ve cut the sleeve off an old shirt to put over the dressings and keep it all clean and safe.
Hope all the gang have had a less eventful day.

I too have been shocked by morethans harrowing story of her DILs passing. Losing a mum of young children is always very sad but for those poor children (and the rest of the family) to have to witness such suffering without help is heartbreaking. I just pray that somehow they can rebuild their lives now and have some peace.
mamissimo sounds as though you’ve got some work to do helping this young man. This is obviously something that interests you. Do you get asked for help often?
Please send one large container of boozy soaked cherries this way please. Sounds delicious ?
bradfordlass I am sure you are nothing like nfk’s boat. ( I love your humour ?)
What have you got planned today, anything fun?
We had a phone call last night from my cousin who wants to pop over to see us today. Hopefully, it will be dry enough to sit in the communal garden and have a natter.
Off to wash my horses mane now and try and do something presentable with it before they come (or I might just wear a hat ?)