The Lockdown Gang - on parole!

Grammaretto I looked at the forecast and it was 18 degrees up there on Thursday but dropped down to 13º for the remainder of the weekend so it's a jolly good job you insisted on wood. I hope there's enough to keep you snug.

Mamissimo I too am utterly stunned by Morethan's dreadful, dreadful experience and that of her poor dil and family.
How do you ever get over something like that? What will those poor wee children remember and be scarred by? You would not think anyone, even during lockdown, could be so totally heartless. I don't wonder she found it hard to post.
When my husband died, there were questions asked in Parliament - nothing changed despite many calls for it to do so. I have no faith in any of it.

Doodle I shall certainly keep an eye open for Missedout and steer her gently back to bed. Meanwhile, I've put the bike lock on the conveyance.

I've just finished, 'Becoming' by Michelle Obama.I knew the US political system was crazy but never realised what my US friend calls 'The Repugnicans' were so evil. They have corrupted the whole system and certainly care nothing about their country or its people.

I refuse to leave on this depressing note.

NfkDumpling she’s rather old and not really comfortable for anything more than one night
Have you been talking to one of my old boyfriends?

Crikey I’m late in tonight.....no excuses other than I was doing something interesting and I lost track of .....well everything!

I’ve been footling about in my archives and one thing led to another. A young man in Ireland has asked for my help with some old documents so I’m wearing my best goggles and doing lovely Latin stuff.

I was lurking around the kitchen earlier today and read the searing pain from Morethan - her anguish is utterly palpable and my respect for her knows no bounds. I hope with all my being that I never ever get to feel pain like that. She’s been in my thoughts all day.

I believe it’s Friday again and that means Sainsbugs day...and cherry day. We will pop to the back door and buy big boxes of luscious dark cherries. This week I’ll make some boozy syrup and preserve a few pounds....last week we ate the lot like greedy children. But then again the greedy child is still lurking ?

Safe travels, try to stay safe - and sleep tight!

Oh missedout not you too. What is it with all our lovely gang. Please take care. Glad you’re not badly hurt but it sounds painful. Hope you’re back in the saddle soon.
Sleep well.
bradfordlass if you see missedout sleepwalking tonight, please don’t let her go anywhere near the bike sheds ? ?

Hello all, just a short post tonight. Pride comes before a fall, and during my bike lesson this morning, I fell. I haven't done a lot of damage but I have scraped my knee and my wrist aches a bit. I was fine, finally cycling along a quiet road after weeks on grass but, trying to signal with one hand while riding, was my undoing! I'm dammed if it is going to beat me now so, as soon as I've healed a bit, I will be practising trying to signal very, very carefully.

I'm aware that I'm so very lucky to be strong and mobile. However, any bug can take that away within hours so I am making the best of my isolation. I really want to learn to ride a bike with/for my DGD.

I think every day of my less mobile fellow parolees. I hope you all sleep well and that Doodle has a 'leak free' night.

I’m exhausted. A long day of mishaps with the plumber (very nice chap and very professional but things kept going wrong). He eventually finished and left so I set to with the disinfectant washing down everything he’d touched or been near.
DH had been locked away during his visit so he came out to admire the new taps and have a go turning them on and off.
I opened the door under the sink to put the bin back and.........water. Spurting out of a pipe everywhere.?
So there was I head in the cupboard with a load of kitchen roll, shouting at DH to turn the stopcock off, phone in hand trying to get through to the plumber. Fortunately, he’d only been gone a minute so he came straight back. He decided there was a minor crack in one of the fittings and so he got a spare from his van and changed it. So far so good. It seems to be ok.
As soon as he’d left I had to go round again with the disinfectant. At that point I said to DH wine, now ? and went and sat on the balcony for half an hour to cool off.
grammaretto I was chilly this morning too. I’ve warmed up now. What are you going to be knitting and what colour is your wool? Wouldn’t it be lovely if you had a rocking chair ?
Hope your DHs feet are ok on your trip and you both enjoy yourselves.
nfk a loo. How wonderful ?. I may well come with you.
We used to have boats too. Had some good fun when our sons were young.

Hope marydoll the panaches and cherry are all ok.
Take care all.

Our little boat is great for day trips, just big enough to take friends and has a loo, a dolls sized sink and tiny cooker, and with a bit of rearranging we can just sleep on her, but she’s rather old and not really comfortable for anything more than one night. I’m just so pleased to have an anti-social DH who hates cities and hotels, so we have two self-contained get away bubbles which are perfect for the present situation.

Grammaretto, a cottage by the sea in the north of Scotland is DH’s idea of bliss - especially if its in the middle of nowhere! (Will you be fishing?) I hope you have a lovely time and one of those Scottish heat waves appears which sometimes happens when the rest of the country is under cloud.

That is so nice Bradfordlass your hugs and hongi. I don't suppose nose greetings are allowed under lockdown. Elbows only and even those are rare.
My DGD pumps both arms in the air at once and says I'm here!

It is honestly like winter here. I spoke to the housekeeper to ask what we should bring and suggested we bring fuel for the fire. Oh no, she said, you won't want to light the fire surely. Oh yes we will! This is northern Scotland by the sea. I pleaded old age and infirmity so she said she would bring some wood. You can always strip off but being cold is not nice. My new knitting wool arrived (I am such an online shopper now I never thought I would be) so I am set for sitting at the fire watching the sea and feeling like I'm in the 19th century.

Sorry everyone seems to have sore feet. DH's are bad again. He is looking forward to this break away. It's something new. Like nfkD's trip to the South. I was imagining you on the Broads too.

Well I had better pack a box of food or we will have nothing to eat and it will be exactly like a poor 19thC fishing family.

Morning all. Up early today. The plumber is coming. Yeah!
Mask at the ready. DH locked away in another room ?

mamissimo, I’m with you. A nice plate every time. One place we eat has a tendency to serve their food on slates. It looks pretty when it arrives but as soon as you touch the food it starts falling of onto the table. I too ask for a plate.
I had a big housework day yesterday. Set to on the lounge in the morning. Very embarrassed to find loads of teeny little dead flies and cobwebs behind our blinds. The lockdown has made me lazy ..must do better
bradfordlass ah a steel plate. But it does look like a hubcap.
That meeting of your elders sounds comforting, particularly honouring those who’ve passed. What is a hongi please?
Do you have a hall or special place where you meet regularly? Obviously not someone’s home, not with 54 steps I would think.
Thank you for keeping watch on the night shift. Sleep well ?
Thinking of all our other hand members and hoping they are ok ?

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202007/medium-497736-eb.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202007/medium-820165-sweets.jpg

Lovely to see Marydoll, NfkDumpling and Cherry posting despite their struggles.
I don't know why you should feel guilty NfkDumpling, you didn't do anything wrong and I'm sure that break did you both good.

Doodle and Mamissimo that's not really a hubcap, just a giant, steel plate.
H&S would never allow hubcaps or indeed anything which couldn't be properly sterilised.
The huge plates are popular at weekends when the restaurant has an all-you-can-eat buffet for £10.
That has to be the cheapest meal in NZ.

Yes, Mamissimo I too prefer a nice plate (Eternal Beau and Spode Canterbury) but if you're eating at an authentic South Indian café, you have to adjust including eating Dosa with (very clean) fingers.

They also sell Indian sweets, many made with condensed milk but I'm not tempted, though I used to love jalebi in my youth. It's all far too sweet.

Our elders group got together this morning for the first time since February.
Hugs and hongi and catching up - then a kawemate = honouring those we've lost in the past 6 months.

On leaving after lunch, I walked down the 54 steps rather than take the lift, even though my foot's still sore.

I remember how I used to skip down in secons. Now it's a one-step-at-a-time old-lady hobble!

l'll just make a pot of Buckwheat Tea then I'll do me final patrol before handing over to Grammaretto prior to her much-needed holiday in the north. Enjoy.

Have a good day all.

Your plate Bradfordlass ! Good job I wasn’t with you....for hundreds of years we have been refining plates so that we don’t have to eat off bits of slate or rocks.....or cars! On several occasions I’ve asked to have my food replated because I find the sound of cutlery on slate spoils my meal. I like a proper China plate. I don’t mind what shape but I like it glazed....and plate-y. I’m not princess picky .....no I’m not! ? Loved your rose by the way.

It’s been a whole day of domestic drudgery here....laundry, food ordering, the cleaner - and shepherds pie. It seemed to fit a domestic day somehow.

There was also some joy.....nearly 200gms of french beans, the first of the year. So crunchy!

This has been a grumpy post...sorry! I have nothing to be grumpy about except things that make me grumpy. I will try harder tomorrow.

Sleep tight

Night night from me too. Early start in the morning. The plumber is coming ?
Sleep well all ?

I'm so glad you've decided to go Missedout, I do feel quite guilty about our jaunt but DH felt it was with the risk. He never wanted a campervan but his health means that it's the sensible option - it's taken several years of persuasion! It is a bit noisy to drive with lots of vibrationy rattles from the windows and coversion bits, but I take my hearing aids out and we just play music louder!

I had so hoped I'd come back to good news. So sorry you're still stricken Marydoll. And (((hugs))) for Cherry too. I'll read back properly in the morning. Night, night All

grammaretto a cottage by the sea sounds lovely. Hope the weather is good.

Oh Doodle you have my utmost sympathy. Hellish.
Other people!! If it weren't for them..................
Those are adult booties/slippers in the photo.

I am just overtired. After my garden full of people I thought I'd have a wee lie down but a lovely friend who has been creating a meadow in the garden cycled over and spent 3 hours with his sickle cutting back the nettles. I felt guilty or inspired (whatever) and felt obliged to look busy so swept and cleaned, weeded and made cups of tea.
NfkD. what adventures you are having! That sounds a wonderful trip for you.

We are going away on Friday for the weekend. A long drive to the very north of Scotland to a cottage by the sea.

We bought a campervan once Marydoll but for some reason it was always breaking down and we ended up giving it away.

I am so sorry you are still feeling wretched. Is there a cough medicine which helps? DH eats herbal sweeties to soothe his.

Hello marydoll thank you for popping in too.
I have been reading on the GM thread about your dreadful cough. Poor you. It must be so exhausting. I gather nothing can be done and you just have to cope with it till it wears off.
Hope you feel better soon.

Been cleaning most of today. Went for a late walk this evening.
I am actually hopping mad ?. When did this country decide that people were not allowed to walk on pavements. It seems the new rule these days is that anyone who is running, riding a bike or horror or horrors an e scooter on the pavement all have right of way over those who want to just stroll quietly on the pavement and enjoy the evening. Our quiet stroll by the river was anything but. One jogger shouted excuse me when she was about 2 inches away from my ear I jumped out of my skin and at least she had the decency to apologise for frightening me. Pavement cyclists swish past me so close they almost touch me and as for the guy who rode past me on an e scooter at such a speed that, had I moved an inch to the right, would have knocked me flying, words fail me.
Sorry for the rant. I just get so fed up having my walks ruined by constantly jumping at every sound and looking over my shoulder all the time.

Evening all.
nfk, I am beyond jealous, but so glad that you managed an outing! I have always wanted a camper van, but DH has resisted. He has no sense of adventure.

I think I may be afraid to go out when I am eventually allowed out on parole.
Anyway I still feel pretty rubbish, so have no inclination to go anywhere, which is so unlike me.

Hugs for all the gang who are struggling. Night all.

nfk nice to see you back. We’re a bit low on numbers at the moment. Some really poorly people in our gang.
Oh I am so jealous. Both of your camper van and the trip to Worthing. We went there a lot in my youth. I can’t remember the places you mention but we did enjoy some holidays there.
Yes you should feel guilty. You could have taken us with you. We could have traveled on the roof rack and all shared your tiny toilet ?

Hi Folks - I'm back!!

We've been very, very naughty!

Last week we upped and orfed and drove our campervan to the south coast! We took most of the food we'd need, beer and booze and went to Worthing! Well, we didn't actually go into Worthing at all. Or to the beach. Or anywhere where there might have been lots of people. We booked into a Caravan and Camping Club site just outside Worthing. We walked up Highdown Hill, visited Nymans and Houghton Lodge, Arundel Wetland Trust and Knepp where we coincided with the first wild baby stork fledging in the UK for 600 years! Because of pre-booking timed entries with limited numbers and strict one ways system social distancing wasn't a problem. The car parks were even every other space! We used our own (tiny) toilet and shower and mostly ate in the van.

I feel very guilty!

grammaretto another fun morning by the sound of it. Wish I could join you. Difficult to tell from the photo is that is the slippers or a pair of babies booties, either way they look lovely. ?. I want to get on with my quilting but it will have to wait today. I need to get cracking on my lounge and give it a good seeing to ?

I forgot to mention Cherry on the GM thread and I have only just been there.
I think someone else did. I do hope she is OK.
Missedout It is tricky isn't it to know what to do.
We had a 5 double sided letter from the Scottish Government to explain what we can and can't do but after all that, you must make your own decisions.
* stop press * I see you are going. Great!!

Our wee ones came and sat on our knees but they haven't been anywhere and neither had we. Also the situation in Scotland is not too bad. There has just been a full week with no covid deaths reported.

I had the yarners in my garden again this morning. Some are making such beautiful things. A pair of slippers which felt as they are worn. A fairisle hat, pattern from RSPB
I just made the coffee, the tea and the cups.

missedout, that explains it ?. I’m sorry I should have remembered what everyone said when they first joined this thread but my memory isn’t that good and I get things muddled up. I’m so pleased you are going to visit. It will be a lovely boost for you and your DH and nice to see the little ones. I am happy for you. I’m sure it will be fine ?

I thought I'd let you know that DH and I have decided to go and visit DS and his family. I've had such lovely, understanding messages fom my DIL, she was even concerned about my hair appointment! (I've already moved it).

Thank you Doodle and Mamissimo for you kind advice. It really helped.

Hi Doodle, it's easy to type out a quick post and leave out a vital word. In my last post I said I didn't know anyone who is shielding - what I should have said is that I don't know anyone else who is shielding (none of my friends, family or acquaintances). I have always been cagey about my health condition, and where I have told
someone, other than family, that I am shielding, it comes as a surprise. It must have seemed a strange thing to gave read after weeks on the lockdown thread.

bradfordlass that’s a beautiful rose what a lovely delicate colour. Glad you enjoyed your meal and time with friends. I see the trend for serving food on things other than plates is the same in NZ as here. You never quite know what it’s going to arrive on or in ?
missedout hope you get to meet up with your son and family soon. Sorry my advice might have been a bit OTT if neither of you are shielding. Some shielded people are at greater risk than others and need to take more care but if you aren’t with anyone shielding I’m sure you would be fine visiting your family, it would be nice for all of you, ? mamissimo’s advice is great as she has contact with young children too. Whatever you decide, Hope you get to meet with your family soon. ?
mamissimo I use tissues to open doors too. We don’t wear gloves either much but the hand washing continues much the same.
Tomorrow’s the day when my sink gets fixed hopefully. Who would know that there would be so much excitement at the thought of being able to do the washing up! ?
Hope you have a good day all. Thinking of all our gang members ?