The Lockdown Gang - Carry on Regardless.

Dragonfly I think from reading today’s GM thread that your visit with the consultant was a bit disappointing and some more preventative measures are required. I am sorry if that is the case but hope that the treatments are successful and things improve for you. We are all thinking of you. You are certainly one of the gangsters so take care and pop in whenever you feel up to it.

The other child has a problem and needs help too. If a child of 5 is having fights with others and hitting people it may well be something more than bullying. The other child needs help too and the teacher won’t help either of them by ignoring it. Something must be causing this other child to act up like that and her situation needs investigating as well.

Grammaretto I totally agree with Maw . Bullying is not on. Your DD needs to get in to see the head soon and sort this out straight away. Schools are supposed to have an anti bullying policy. I suggest your daughter tries to find out what the school policy is and talk to them about it.
Let’s hope the teacher gets her act together and sorts it out.
There are many wonderful teachers in schools but some also that don’t do children any favours.

MawB I asked if the teacher had a classroom assistant? Yes there are 2.
It sounds a twisted psychology to me when the teacher thinks to be fair she must not be hard on either child. I should add that the bully had also been involved in a floor fight with some other children and DGD was hit by this girl.

The worry about the DGD is that she's getting bullied at school. First term, aged 5 and it has begun already. She cries and pleads with the teacher to help her but the teacher tells her she must deal with it herself. I find this extraordinary
That is truly heartbreaking and that teacher is talking out of the back of her head.
I would be beside myself and hope your daughter can sort it out - no teacher should condone bullying or expect a little child to “sort it out”
The bully and their behaviour need to be addressed too.
This is wrong on so many levels

We now know the worst about the rotten ceiling. It is wet rot, not dry rot so that is good (or at least better) it will cost £ thousands but not tens of thousands.

Went for a lovely walk in the fresh air. I wish MrG could come with me but he isn't able to yet.

The worry about the DGD is that she's getting bullied at school. First term, aged 5 and it has begun already. She cries and pleads with the teacher to help her but the teacher tells her she must deal with it herself. I find this extraordinary.

DD has spoken to the teacher so hopefully things will improve. They are on holiday now for 2 weeks.

I hope Nortsat you have accomplished the dealings with HMRC satisfactorily. People are trained not to apologise.
When is the big birthday?
I could do with a party so I hope I get an invitation!

What a grey, wet and gloomy day it is here. However, the up side is that DH has said we will stay in today so if I get through some jobs quickly I can have a crafting afternoon. ?
Cherry I go by an abbreviation of my full name. I don’t like the full length version and like you, don’t feel it is me.
That’s a lovely quote from Viv Stanshall. I used to love the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band. ?
So sad you lost your father when you were so young.
My dad would never have been described as the life and soul of the party as he was very quiet and reserved and enjoyed nothing more than spending time tending his garden but he was a kind, loving and gentle man.
A new car is exciting. You should enjoy it. I know nothing about cars so will ask the only question I ever ask others about them.....what colour is it? ?
Hello Bradfordlass three interesting photos. I look forward to reading about them in your post ?
Good job your washing isn’t hanging out here, it would be soaked in minutes.
How sad your romance in Paris had to end. Nice to look back on though.
The picture of your mum and grandad at the farmhouse is certainly one to treasure. Have you ever been there? I’ve known a few dogs like Moss. ?
Interesting picture of the the bottle. I’m not sure a flask of cold tea would encourage me out in the fields though.?
What a lovely photo of your son. I love his thick curly hair and big eyes.
I hope your DGS gets to come over soon. What a nice tradition to continue.
Done all your C.... shopping ?. I’ve not even thought about it.

Well I’ve got out my trusty magnifying glass and studied your photo. I’m no dog expert but I think Moss looks a bit like a collie perhaps a collie cross. She has very pointy ears and a long nose and a long haired coat. Being a farm dog, a collie would be my best guess. She looks as though she had black ears and a white front. In studying the photo I could also see what I think might be a cat sitting beside them by the front door.
Nortsat your phone conversation story made me splutter my coffee. I bet you thought it was going to turn into one of those phone sex conversations. ?
Ah I see we agree on the collie.
Nortsat we must indeed celebrate your birthday with a gangster party. When is it? Jeeves is in the kitchen bashing pots and pans about. He is going to make you a cake.
Hope you are feeling a bit better today.
Grammaretto yes I have just heard the news about Trump and his wife too. I suppose they mix with so many people it’s not surprising.
I am so sorry to hear your DD is unwell and you have worries over your DGDs. That must be upsetting, I hope whatever it is resolves itself soon and your daughter’s health problem isn’t serious.
I see we’re all agreed on a collie. Yes a Border collie I think you are right Grammaretto.
Take care all and hope today is a pleasant one.

Hello Gangsters,

I hear that the Donald now has the virus and the press has another story to get excited about.

I should wait in for the ceiling inspectors. As I was heaving plaster out to the bin I marvelled that it probably dates from 1830 or thereabouts.
I wish I knew when they were coming as I could really do with a walk to clear my lungs.
Gas inhalation from the kiln yesterday and old plaster dry rot today.
DD phoned me with worrying news about her health yesterday and both of her girls a worry for different reasons.

Moss is a Border Collie Bradfordlass a proper sheep dog -of course.
Thanks for the photos and another very interesting post.
Fancy you having Isaac Button pottery. Not surprising seeing it was such everyday stuff in Yorkshire. Mine was given to me by a potter who grew up surrounded by it . Her mum had everything from hen feeders to cider flagons.

Doodle I was thinking the same about a non-wine evening. Please explain Nortsat!.

Hello gangsters I hope everyone slept well. I have my coffee and am sitting comfortably (thank you Doodle).
Doodle I will have a look for a ‘re-do’ button, that’s a good suggestion. Now that I know ‘undo’ exists... I will be a bit more conscious of it.
Your ‘downstairs loo’ story made me laugh. Thank you.
It reminded me of an occasion a while ago when I was on the phone with a male colleague who was working from home. In the middle of our discussion he said ‘Oh alright just take your trousers off...’.
I was stunned and then he said ‘Oh N, so sorry I was talking to my little son who has just had a bit of an accident’...
(Those are the perils of wfh).
Cherry, how exciting to be getting a new car. Do tell us more ... colour, model etc. I am hopeless about cars .... I know ours is white and a Citroen but beyond that ...
Bradfordlass, what a lovely photograph of the farmhouse, with your grandfather and your mother as a child and Moss.
It looks like such a solid, comfortable family home. It would be interesting to hear more.
Moss looks like a very alert collie to me.
I mentioned my birthday a couple of days ago and (I think it was Cherry) asked whether we gangsters should have a party?
My partner and I are a bit trepidatious about going out and so we will probably only venture out for dinner...’une table pour deux’. The family are 300+ miles away in an area of lockdown, so we’ll be zooming. Thus it might be fun to have a gangster party?

Leaving whimsy aside, have a happy day all.

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Good morning!
It's a bright early-Spring day - the lawns were mown yesterday so the lovely, soft aroma of cut grass is floating in with the warm breeze.
Perfect drying weather so all my laundry is out.

I'm glad to say both my Banksia rose and the Jasmine survived the transplant. The former in full bloom but the latter was clearly shocked and didn't produce flowers but there's always next year.

Nortsat I wish you weren't always unwell that was my mother's fate too and I know how debilitating it can be.
Yes, the Paris romance should have played and played but it didn't. I couldn't bear to leave NZ permanently and he had a well-established career as an architect in Paris, so we had to bow to the inevitable.
I have an antique bottle, precious only because it belonged to my farmer granddad (and possibly his before that) The picture is not his one but very much like it. It's flat and designed to go into the back pocket full of cold tea! It was taken out into the fields.
This is 'our' farmhouse: my mother is sitting on granddad's knee and dear Moss beside them. Mum used to say, "She'd let anyone in but woe betide them if they tried to get out without my Dad giving her the order." She once caught a thief by that method

Since Grammaretto put up the link to Isaac Button, I saw some large earthenware bowls with yellow glazed interiors and I inherited one. Sadly, in the many moves and forced downsizing, it had to go. One learns how to let go of so much that way.

Yes Doodle that is my DGS, my first grand child. When I was a photographer I used to tutu about in the darkroom and this is one of the pics I did of her Dad, years before he was, of course. He hated the official school photos but was happy enough to sit for me.
My Viet friendsalways called him 'Number One Son'. He lives in Australia now.
I gave swimming a miss this week, didn't feel up to it but I'm booked in for next Thursday.
I'm glad you enjoyed the diary, I'm very lax at keeping that up too. Must try harder

Cherry the only reason I know that word is because I'm interested in both Roman history and wild-fowl and it applies to both. Fingers crossed for Mila Eloise

I'd love an ice cream right now! I buy one called Zilch which is 4 times the price of regular stuff but because it's better for my DGS - and me, I don't mind.
It lasts ages too. www.zilch.co.nz

I'm hoping he'll be able to come over for a visit soon. We've formerly planted potatoes together each year and he loves harvesting and cooking them. They're waiting but it doesn't feel right to plant without him

My homecare girl will be here soon and we're off to buy vegetables.
I did my duty with the bit of meat in September so it's back to my preferred vego-pescatarian diet now until Christmas.
I'm allowed to say the C-word because I've done ALL my Christmas shopping!

PS: If anyone can see Moss clearly, could you please tell me what kind of dog she is?

Wishing everyone a truly wonderful and peacful day.

I don't know what happened to my third post last night. I needed the loo so posted what I'd written love the parakeets Doodle. When I came back I wrote a 3rd post pressed post... but looking back today I see it's not there ?

Today's another day and I can't remember what I went on to write last night ?.

I see what you mean about the name Chloe BradfordLass, I can't say that any similarity had occurred to me but yuk I wouldn't want to be called that either now.
Doodle I'm just glad that my parents always called me by the name I do like ?. They say people "grow into" their names but the other name on my birth certificate just isn't me. I think names have a sort of 'personality', in a way not unlike BradfordLass's associating the name Chloe with a sewer. My other name, thankfully never use by anyone who's ever known me, comes across as formal but cloying. I don't think that's ever been me ?

You didn't wake me this morning Grammaretto, though I did hear a bit of clinking going on shortly after I woke up but I thought because it's Thursday it was the bin men. Sorry, I don't mean to offend ?
A pretty good claim to fame I think Grammaretto but I may be a teeny bit biased ?.
I'm pleased your electric kiln has been repaired.
Oh, did you manage to phone your friend ? ☺️

Mamissimo there's less Ox ? and more moron in this shower of a government. No matter where someone stands on the political spectrum, left, right or centre, it can't be said that there's an efficient and effective method of doing things. Could other politicians, of whatever persuasion, do any better. I'm constantly reminded of Viv Stanshall's words "no matter who you vote for the government always gets in" ?
My niece1 is a teacher and she has two boxes, yes she's honoured, she's allowed to be in in the classroom. There haven't been any instances of covid in the school yet. She's told me that the majority of the children are very good with social distancing but one or other has a cough or cold everyday, as usual, it's impossible to know for sure if any one of those children have the virus.

Yuk Doodle, I hope you managed to sort your toenail out. It must be/have been very painful. I have strange toes on both feet but my left foot is the oddest. The toes are a bit squished ?

It's a shame your friend's stories are/will be lost with time Panache. I wish I had a record or a recording of my father's stories. I remember snippets and would love to be able to pass them on but there's not quite enough in my memory bank to do so, I was 6 when he died.
Joe's Ice Cream parlour "the best ice cream in the world". It was always a big treat to go there when I was a child. I still have a favourite - a chocolate north pole ?. We have to nip into the village tomorrow, ? I could eat one now.
I wish I could "shout" you and Mr P one, whatever your favourite.
Anyone else fancy Joe's ice cream?

I don't like to say it Nortsat but wicked (joking really, sort of) grandmother ?. I'm glad your mother knew better for you ?
For heaven's sake!! What the hell are HMRC playing at? Woe betide the little man/woman making an error of pence but they are notorious for not apologising when they get things wrong! I'm not surprised you opened a bottle of wine on a non wine night.

Our car has had it's service and passed its MOT. We were there for 4 hours. We also did something we didn't intend to do but have been thinking of doing for the last 18 months - 2 years and now I feel sort of guilty about us doing it! We put a deposit on a new car ? ?. It's the make and model we've looked at lustily before but since our car was perfectly serviceable we couldn't justify it. Our current car now though is not the car it was, a bit of age and a selfish hit and runner has put paid to that. Why then do I feel guilty ?. Perhaps it's the way I was brought up, frugally. My mother didn't have a choice but to live any other way and brought us up to budget well, make a meal out of nothing and not be extravagant. A new car feels extravagant.
I'll be excited about it in the morning, probably ☺️

Night gang, sleep well ?

Bradfordlass just been catching up on your lockdown diaries. Love the story from 24th September. Made me giggle. ?

Mamissimo I was just going to post a link to an article I read in the paper today and I see you’ve beaten me to it. Amazing collection of pottery. And what was I thinking......... I wonder who does all the dusting ?
Hope Cherry is ok and Dragonfly hope you got on well with your consultant visit.
Sleep well lovely gangsters.

Panache I’m still hoping those meals improve. I would imagine the refuse department will have something to say if their bins keep getting clogged up with inedible food. ?
I love children’s little stories. I remember my nephew telling his teacher that his grandma had a lot to drink at Christmas and ended up under the table. The reality was she caught her foot on the table leg and fell on the floor and making light of the situation she said oh I must have had too much to drink at lunchtime.
Well you certainly had some energy from somewhere to turn out your wardrobe and big drawer and dressing room. Are you trying to find space for new clothes? ?
Bradforlass I didn’t realise the SA owned so many homes in NZ. I’m not aware of them owning homes here though I suppose they do,
It was Peter O’Tool for me. As you say, those eyes.
Is that a picture of your son as a baby. Very cute and big eyes.
Is the girl his daughter? Beautiful eyes.
Good that the swimming pool got classed as health related . Do you go every week?
Night night. Sleep well. Jeeves is on guard duty.
Nortsat ah you have found the culprit for your deleted post.
You need to look and see if you have a re do button so if you undo by accident you can re do it back,?
How are you feeling today. Hope things are better.
Oh we must be twins. I have changed the bed and washed the linen today too.
Your HMRC problem is a worry. I have found on a couple of occasions when phoning help lines that I have been cut off because the person on the other end is working from home. Either that or the reception is so bad I can’t hear what they are saying.
In an attempt to cheer you a little, I was on the phone to someone the other day trying to return a parcel. There was a strange noise in the background and the woman I was talking to on the phone suddenly shouted “ for goodness sake if you have to use the downstairs loo when I’m on the phone you could at least shut the door” . ?
I hope you get your problem sorted soon. In the meantime, enjoy the wine.
Er......what exactly is a non-wine evening ??

Hello gangsters I suddenly worked out why I lost my long post yesterday, there is an undo button on my keyboard, alongside the numbers and I inadvertently touched it and deleted the post. I am pleased that I know what caused it.

I am sitting comfortably (thank you Doodle) and looking forward to a catch up ...
Grammaretto I think I will subscribe to your friend’s theory of achieving one thing each day, so that anything else is a bonus. I have changed the bed and washed the bed linen. I have cooked some salmon for supper ... so that’s two already.
I loved the parakeet too. We saw one perched in a tree in a pub garden, before lockdown. I hear there are wild flocks of them here in London. They escape from their owners and then find each other and form flocks ...?
Doodle Hever Castle is lovely. It’s a sort of Tudor Museum set in beautiful grounds. Well worth a visit.
Cherry, I am left handed too. My grandmother wanted my mother to stop me writing with my left hand, for fear that when I grew up, I would never get a job in a shop, as a left handed writer! My mother just encouraged me to carry on writing in what ever way felt comfortable.
Bradfordlass, I am still thinking about your post yesterday.... Paris ... Armande... the silver Mont Blanc pencil. That sounds like a story which could run and run.
Mammissimo 20 kilos of tomatoes, that’s a great harvest. Lovely soups in your house, throughout the winter.
Panache thank you for your kind words and empathy about me being ‘under par’ quite frequently, I appreciate that. Sometimes I get sick of the sound of my own voice saying I am unwell.
It was nice to hear about your antiques fair purchases. I love a good root through an antiques fair.
Walnut tree, in the lost post yesterday I was asking about the bumper crop on the walnut tree. I can’t now find the post. Who was it? do tell me if you harvest the walnuts and what you use them for.
Nfkdumpling I do think you should chase yout GP surgery about your flu jab. My partner received a reminder email and we both had our jabs on the same day. It’s good to tick it off the list ✔️

I am over my upset with HMRC. They sent me incorrect information and I may owe them about £7k. I have phoned 5 times on this matter.
Their staff are working from home and the phone connections are poor. I was on the phone for an hour yesterday and got cut off three times.
They have put the wrong address and phone numbers on my file and sent my letter of explanation to someone in Doncaster (where I have never lived).
They read the explanation out over the phone to me and it made NO SENSE.
Its their error and NOBODY HAS APOLOGISED TO ME...
(I don't think I am quite over it yet). However, we opened a bottle of wine last night, on a ‘non-wine’ evening and that improved matters.

Have a pleasant day, all. ?

Mea culpa - I forgot to preview - apologies for typos.

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Just popped in for a quick nosey before I go to bed.
Mamissimo It's ludicrous that official rules force us to do things against common snese. Why can't your DD wear a mask - crazy! I do hope all it well with the test.
We're still all masked up in NZ eventhough at the moment we've no Corona in the community. I think we're ultra-cautious here but rather that than another spike.
Your oxymoron made me hoot

Doodle The Sallies have a whole range of age-appropriate housing but our street, wholly owned by them is specifically for people over 55 (it was 65 when I came here) but I believe the young couple were housed on an emergency basis as there was nowhere else.

The SA are one of the largest property owners in NZ; they went into it in a big way about 18 years ago, buying up waste land on which they subsequently built homes for older people.

Oh yes, the gorgeous Omar Sharif and 'El Orance' .
I'll never forget that scene where he shimmered across the desert towards the camera.
I don't know who I loved more, him or Peter O'Toole - those eyes!
Oddly enough, my son's eyes were just as striking, as are his daughter's'.

I get free transport to any health-related appointment, which (thanks to my doctor) includes the swimming pool. I have a special card for half-price taxi fares but seldom use that.

Well my dears, it's just gone midnight so I suppose I better get my saggy self to bed.

Have a lovely day y'all.

Hi there troops,and how does the day fare in your neck of the woods?

Surprisingly we have clearing skies after a wet night ,but I rather think we shall need to keep our fingers crossed if venturing out of doors!

Meals can only get better you say Grammaretto with a dubious questio mark..... and I for one live in hope.
However thus far the bins are still overflowing,and it has become even a greater topic of conversation than this darn covid situation!
Hopefully our lunch will bring us a helping of "rubber beans!".......out of the mouths of our youngsters eh?!

An aunt had taught the youngest class of children for very many years and the stories she regaled would have us in stitches!!!!
Innocently they would reveal those details that were certainly not quite fit for consumption by us all.
I always said she should put these stories into book form,sadly though she passed away without doing so.
Such a loss.

So pleasing hearing of others loving the Calligraphic style of writing,it seems to truly add some "panache" to one`s letters.
However since being unable to find a suitable pen over the years, I join the scrawling sector nowadays.........much to my shame.
I totally agree though Grammaretto nothing nicer than recieving a hand written letter,sadly almost a dying art these days.

Always lovely strolling down "Memory Lane" Cherry.......and yes I well remember those eating places,and those great stores that served us well back then.
Whilst of course, when a nurse in Swansea Gen "Joe`s Icecream Parlour" was very much a favourite.............they really knew how to serve them and we would be standing waiting............mouths drooling!!!!

The nearest lovely looking bird I have seen at close quarters Doodle was a woodp;ecker who called every early morning to help itself to some bark from a mature pine tree right by our kitchen window.
My man managed one good picture, and thereafter it kept its distance!!
Nothing like your lime green Parakeets though,it did have some bright green in its plummage I recall.

Not only did I completely turn over my wardrobe and big drawer,I also decided to rearrange the dressing room cum study!!
Still needing much more space though,the same old hauting cry!!

A day of rest it seems so I will love and leave you all,hoping you enjoy a peaceful one.
Take great care............as we all get ever nearer to another lockdown it would seem.

Morning my friends. A grey start here but a nice hot coffee will soon warm me up.
Cherry how lucky you have a choice of name. I only have the one. Whenever people ask me if I have a middle name and I say no they look sceptical and assume it’s one I don’t like.
My handwriting is always block capitals as otherwise people can’t read it. DH’s tremors mean he can’t really write legibly at all. He can’t even write his own signature with ease. I do envy those with beautiful handwriting.
Hope you had a better night last night.
Bradfordlass I don’t know why but I assumed all the people in the SA homes would be older retired people. Do the SA own many homes in the area?
Thank you for the link I will look at that.
Our garden centres here often have coffee shops too. Be nice to take your friend out for a birthday tea. Are you still getting free transport or has that finished now?
Well done on sorting Jeeves out ?
Grammaretto so it was you that woke me early ? Not to worry I soon went back to sleep.
Ah so that’s what you meant by packing the kiln. 15 hours is a long time.
I remember, when watching Greyson Perry’s art programme, being amazed at the size of his kiln. It was huge.
That’s an interesting claim to fame about T.E Lawrence. Whenever I hear the name Lawrence I remember it the way Omar Sharif used to say it in the film.
2 new puppies. That will be fun. Do your sons live near each other, will they meet for dog walks do you think?
Do you know what they are getting?
Mamissimo hope your daughter gets on ok. I think the season of coughs and colds is upon us, DH was coughing yesterday but seems fine today.
You seem to have had a bumper crop from your 3 tomato plants.
Grammaretto you story of the electrician and the chandelier reminds me of the classic Only fools and Horses sketch. Do you remember that? ?
I can relax and read for a while this morning as I have to soak my foot. One of my toes is painful and I need to soften the toe nail to be able to cut it as I think it’s digging in to the side of the toe.
There, I bet your days aren’t as exciting as mine ?
Have a good day all.

Thanks so much for the link Mamissimo what an amazing story!
I have a shelfie which is a shelf or two of other people's work that I admire or have bought because it is quite different from anything I make or ever could make.
I have a Lucie Rie exhibition catalogue (does that count?). and I was once given a piece made by the last country potter in England -Isaac Button.

lakesidepottery.com/Media/Isaac-button/isaac-button-country-potter-part-1x.html

The kiln has been repaired by the wonderful electrician. I told him about our probable dry rot (being inspected tomorrow) and he told me a story of people living in the New Town (posh Edinburgh) who called in an electrician on Christmas eve to change their chandelier. He duly did and discovered it was the only thing holding the ceiling up. After a comedy moment, the whole thing came crashing down and the electrician was blamed!

Your tomato plants are like the magic pasta pot, Mamissimo they keep coming.

I wonder if the Panaches will get a decent meal today. Surely it can only get better?

Just popping in to share this article which might interest Grammaretto . It made me think about the difference between collectors and hoarders....I'm still thinking ?

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/ceramics-collection-has-experts-bowled-over-d50sq808c?shareToken=116c3e062765ce07ade2d635261b47b1

My DD, a teacher, is off for a Covid test this morning. Rules in her school are that no masks are worn in the classroom and she has to stand in a marked out box and not leave it while pupils are in the room. For the last week she has faced a raft of coughing children......

It makes me wonder if everyone with a cold or cough should be told to isolate too to save everyone from being dragged down by respIratory bugs this winter while we deal with Covid.

Bradfordlass my three wise men in government is an oxymoron ?

Today I shall finish the purée and pick a large bag of tomatoes for my non Covid suspect daughter to make soup with. So far we have had almost 20 kg of tomatoes from 3 plants. I bought the new type of grafted plant which is designed to cope better with British summers. Seems to have worked too well!

It's sunny at the moment so I'm off to the veg garden....

Good very early morning Gangsters,

Sorry if I've woken anyone with my bashing about. I had to light the kiln early . It's the gas kiln which is in a shed outside and takes about 15 hours to cook so if I don't light it early I will be asleep when it gets to temperature.
I am also expecting the electrician quite soon to see if he can change a broken element in the electric kiln. It's all very well sharing my studio with enthusiastic potters but I have to keep it running smoothly.

I changed the battery in the smoke detector yesterday Cherry so my friend would have been proud. I may phone her today. She moved up north when she retired and is a little reclusive though has renewed her interest in Pictish art and is a guide at her local church.

I watched a tv programme about the real T.E Lawrence last night (Lawrence of Arabia), partly because when I was born, we lived in a flat in the house in London where he wrote his autobiography Seven Pillars of Wisdom. There is now a blue plaque on the house and it looks posh but I think it was very rundown when my parents rented there. Quite an interesting claim to fame though?

I meant to say 60 years ago I had good handwriting. Not now I love getting handwritten letters though so I should write some.

I have bought some books on dog training for out 2 DS who are both getting puppies!! Not the DD whose dog died recently but her brothers. They have both given in to pressure from the kids.

I meant to say Bradfordlass that DH's favourite dish is Eggs Benedict although he has even gone off eggs now.

Good morning everyone

All this talk about left/right handedness - we have a lot in common here don't we?
Living by oneself, as I have for decades now, someone has to cut the fingermails of my right hand. So I taught myself to do that with my left. Angle of scissors is vital.

And my boy, who is right handed, has always reversed his knife and fork, no idea why.

Hever Castle my New York friend Jayne, stayed in their B&B apartments last year, very luxurious.

Doodle Yes, the Sallies have a waiting list for their homes, so it won't be long before a new resident arrives. I doubt I'll see or meet them; they're likely to be working people, as most here are.

How lovely to have parakeets on your tree; are they a detriment to native birds? We have flocks around here but they are quite shy.
There's an interesting short film here. I hope you can understand the strong South Island accent
www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-animals/birds/birds-a-z/nz-parakeet-kakariki/

Grammaretto The chooks were not led to the Happy Farmyard on a communal lawn but sadly within sight of 3 other neighbours who have only ever known the frozen drumstick
Your picnic sounds grand and I hope your DH was tempted to a few mouthfuls.
When I first came here, I heard a pheasants calling for a while but no longer

I'm looking forward to summer picnics.

Panache thank you for your good wishes.
Yes, my son really is a chip off the old block; we think so much alike but he is much more knowledgeable than I.
We laugh a lot together and he has a quick wit which keeps me smiling. He is SO excited about the baby and told me he reads her stories.

Cherry I'm hoping they don't choose Chloe as a first name - it's far too much like 'cloaca'.

I sometimes, just for the joy of it, write by hand, as I love that flowing feeling of forming letters. Trouble is, I can't see it once it's written.

Mamisimo "rubber beans" LOVE it!
Would blending the tomatoes make a shorter process? Then they can drip through muslin as you sleep and you'd have tomato juice for breakfast and puree in the bag, so to speak.

I'm very surprised you have as many as 3 wise men in government - we are not so blessed but we do have wise women

First of the month today, so bills to pay and I'm a typical Yorkshire lass in that I dislike parting with my brass. However, I accept that I'm getting good value from the utilities, so that's some compensation.

An unspectacular day ahead for me but I'm content to enjoy my quiet solitude while I can.

Next week looks as if it may be busier. It's a friend's birthday and I've said I'll shout her morning tea....which of course gets me out as well. We may go to a garden centre, most have cafes. So that'll be pleasant.

I've told Jeeves that if he goes boating, he has to behave and not whistle at other sailors. I've confiscated his 'Kiss Me Quick' hat.

I hope they do get that cheque out to you Missedout and that it is to you this time!
I like the sound of your granny bag. Is it a bit like the one Mary Poppins has? ?

BradfordLass what a wonderful name choice if that is what your son and his partner end up calling the baby. I'd be happy to have any of those three as my name. I dislike my first name but fortunately I've always been called by my middle name and I like it ?
I'm glad your son enjoyed his breakfast with you and stayed to enjoy yorkshire pudding as part of his lunch ?
More importantly I'm glad that you got to spend some quality time together ?
Thanks for reminding Jeeves that he mustn't let his standards slip.

Grammaretto even though Mr G pointed out that you can see buzzards etc. from your home I'm glad that you did get out and have a pleasant day yesterday.
Your friend seems to have a similar philosophy to one of mine, she has said virtually the same thing to me. I asked her if getting out of bed counted ?.

My handwriting can be neat and it can be a scrawl, it's variable and inconsistent. I don't hook my hand over and I don't write with a fountain pen, never did get on with one. I do not things down by hand rather than note them on any device and I do still and the occasional handwritten letter. I still think it's an important skill.

I remember the Milk Maid Panache, it's a place I haven't thought about for years. Yes the Kardomah is still there but it's a far cry from what it used to be and it looks like it may not survive. It was a lovely place to have afternoon tea but sadly not anymore. Do you remember Eynon's cafe? Their pies were the best around I think and their pineapple ? cakes were heavenly.
Maybe, ?, your new resident and her daughter can be allies to help kick the owners into shrift. Surely her daughter with want to hold them to account.

Love the parakeets Doodle

Cherry Sneaking in behind me again. ?
I too think it’s wrong to force children to use one hand over another.
You are one of the nicest chipolata people I have met. ?
I’m not sure what sort of sausages my brain is made of but I think it’s likely to be sausage rolls as the pastry impaires my thought process.
Sleep well.