The Lockdown Gang - Keep Calm and Carry On

Doodle, I'm still bandaged. I saw one of the nurses at the GP practice today. She cleaned the area and dressed my thumb again. I don't think the new dressing will last long, it feels very tight and my hand is aching more tonight, I'll re-dress it tomorrow for comfort.

Thankfully DH is already bouncing back. His operation site bruising is multiple shades of blue and yellow but he's spending more time in the garage again, he's promising that he is only painting a battery box (external to the car).

I maintain that babies do a lot more and a very much sooner than we believe (including smiling). When my youngest turned onto his back within hours of being born (these were the days we were supposed to put babies on their tummies), I had such a telling off from the nurse. The same baby lurched forward and said 'hello' to another child when he was about 4 months old.

I just don't know what to do about Christmas. DH loves the tradition. I usually make all our cakes, mince pies, puddings etc but am not up to it at the moment. At the most there will be 4 of us (lockdown permitting), no little ones. What are others doing? Is anyone 'postponing' Christmas festivities until after lockdown? Will the gangsters have a very secret Santa party?

My head hurts too Doodle, I was working on a multiple email problem until the small hours of this morning. DH sort of minds when I'm late to bed, but I was sorting out a problem for his car club communications. I'm most definitely a night owl, it's when I think best but it's not very convenient as I overslept and ran all the way to this morning's appointment.

I will go to bed now.

I hope you all have a comfortable night and wake refreshed.

Cherry don’t give up on your non artwork. For every piece of work I’m pleased with, so many end up unpicked or I use as a base to improve the next bit. At the moment I am trying to sew a Christmas tree. If the one I have sewn was a real one it would fall over as all it’s branches are lop sided. ?

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202011/medium-247337-9ba8dbe9-5abf-4432-9e74-30b2a29d99d0.png https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202011/medium-827450-59026a10-b8c3-4203-84ce-fe3ef9e288b2.png

Cherry you have called it just right I think.
A group hug is needed. I prefer cwtch as I think it conveys more meaning somehow
Here is mine for all you wonderful special people.
And I second a big bunch of flowers to Bradfordlass who’s post says it all really ? x

Only me ?

I hope your treatment went well today dragonfly, is it 3 or 4 left now? You haven't mentioned having any side effects so I hope that you aren't and don't.

I hope Mr N is making the most of his birthday Nortsat and that you enjoy (have enjoyed) your meal ?

Nflk, no you mustn't have the stick of rhubarb. Don't beat yourself up for feeling a bit miserable, it will only add to it. The short days can get to all of us sometimes at the best of times - these times are not those times. As for the bread - flat topped bread is easier to slice and it'll fit in a toaster easier ?

I love the birdsong of the Silvereye BradfordLass and it's a gorgeous bird. It's funny, my mother used to get freaked out by birds but I love them.

If you're getting your coat I'll get mine and come with you BradfordLass because I agree with every word. I think our gang need a group hug or even better a group cwtch. You deserve a special bunch of flowers yourself for writing what you have written ? (it's one bouquet just double the size).

I've been trying and failing fantastically to be a bit more adventurous with my non artistic artwork today. I gave up and did some sewing and hand washing (which I hate) instead. It really was that much of a disaster ?

Sending ❤️ to you all.

What a wise and heartening post BL. Thank you.

Evening all.
Bradfordlass good little Gubbins is sleeping better.
I can hear the birds here chirping at dawn and dusk. During the day I love watching the gulls flying over the river. They seem to perch on the roof of our apartment block about 20 or 30 at a time. It’s a shame your social life stops for summer. Is there nothing going on?
Bradfordlass your post above is so spot on. Absolutely right.
We are not fair weather friends here. Good times and bad come to us all. We can share it here.
I love our gang and how kind all are to each other.
Mamissimo don’t go beating yourself with rhubarb, make me a crumble please with lots of custard. ?
Even if you do have Christmas at your DD’s you could help making all the goodies. Put your decorations up early. Have a pre Christmas dinner with MrM. Buy a job lot of maltesers and watch a box set ?
Grammaretto we have a routine too. We have settled into it in our old age and it suits us. I hope your DS isn’t trying to force too many changes on you. Shame about your yarn group. You could probably do with a good natter.
Cherry I think the phantom post plunderer stole your first one. It seems to happen a lot these days.
No wonder your cousins baby smiled at you Cherry, you were probably tickling her with your Tigger tail ?
Nfk these dark and dreary mornings are certainly not what I would call ‘get up and go’ mornings. More like snuggle under the duvet and stay in bed. I think we are all feeling a touch of being down in the dumps. I bet your bread still smelt nice though.
Panache hope you are ok.
dragonfly getting on well I hope.
Nortsat hope your partner had a nice birthday today. If there’s any cake left over you can leave it in the kitchen for us.
Did you have a nice meal?
Missedout are you still bandaged up?

Today is the day DH started teaching me how to do our accounts.?. Being a maths whizz, DH has done all the family finances since he retired. Our accounts are now all done on umpteen spreadsheets. Ooh my head hurts ?
Time for some chocolate I think ?

It's 8-9 months for all of us in lockdown and I think we have without exception, fought like Trojans against the miseries.

But there's only so much fight in us and I think we need a hiatus in which we can give ourselves permission to be sad and sorry for ourselves.
We're justified, we're not imagining this world and personal chaos!

Then we can gird up our loins for another few months.
That's what we've all done for decades and what we'll do again_ so just go with the flow at the moment and let it be.

I don't, by any means underestimate the tragedies some of us are facing; the pain we're suffering, the unhappiness we know is ahead - but we don't need to add to that by flagellating ourselves, even with rhubarb when we feel down.

I've never agreed that 'feeling sorry for yourself' is necessarily a negative thing - sometimes we need to just weep and wail at our unfortunate, factual circumstances.

Life isn't easy and comparing our situation (which I tend to do) with someone worse off is no help when we are actually suffering, as most of us here are.
There are people better off too - so what? That doesn't ease our grief.

So forgive yourself and others; understand that low mood is natural; that 'lockdown fatigue' gets to everyone and if it helps us to stick to a normal Christmas routine DO IT!

There is comfort in tradition and routine (and eating cake and Maltesers) and goodness knows, at times like these, we need all the comfort we can get. Plus cake and mince pies in the freezer for later

Nine months of constant strain, worry, reading and hearing about multiple deaths and political blunderings, does NOT just flow, like water off a duck's back, when you're a caring person. It hurts

I think we've all done a magnificent job keeping cheerful this long - and we'll continue to support one another, thanks to the amazing initiative of our dear Doodle.

Goodness knows where we'd be or how we'd feel if we weren't together and sharing.
I for one, would be a total basket case (no comments please )

Your miseries and sorrows have just as valid a place here and in your lives, as happiness and hope.
Life is a balancing trick.

Right, that's all - I'll get me coat......

Oh, Bradford, those little Silver Eyes are lovely. They look at bit like little Victorian mechanical caged birds.

I seem to be having a touch of the miseries today. It's the increasing dark days. Five weeks to the shortest day. And Covid of course. So much gloom and doom around at the moment its difficult to stay positive.

I made bread this morning and it rose majestically. - and then collapsed. I ended up with two flat topped 'sandwich' loaves.
I'll have the stick of rhubarb after you Mamissimo

Afternoon gang ?

That was a weird glitch last night, I still can't fathom why when I pressed send I ended up on page one of the thread twice and my post disappeared yet the next one sent ?. Any ideas? Anyone?

Grammaretto you say a flip-up chair is hopefully arriving tomorrow, did the electric bath arrive? I hope so.
Shame you are missing your yarn group tomorrow. It's a little bit of normal you clearly need too. I'm so sorry to hear you are missing out.
Why don't you go ahead and make a Christmas cake anyway? You could half the ingredients you normally use and make a smaller cake. You could still go ahead and make a big one and treat it like a modern advent calendar and eat a small piece each day ?

You may be feeling languid Mamissimo but still joking I see, stick of rhubarb indeed ?
It not spineless to be lacking get up and go. You are recovering, hopefully, from yet another bout of cellulitis. Don't be hard on yourself!
I hope you persuaded Mr M to take you somewhere for a change of scene and ? you got the potatoes maltesers too ?

May I be candid and say to both of you Mamissimo and Grammaretto that if a change of routine is unsettling you don't let anyone change it. I can understand that you may not want to upset family members whose intensions are to be helpful. I'm sure your DD2 will understand if you explain *Mamissimo and that your DS will too Grammaretto.

BradfordLass you've said something I have long since thought, that babies need to adjust to no longer being inside their mother. I think the fact that baby Gubbins is more settled and sleeping better since she's got the doll with a heartbeat speaks volumes.
As for babies not smiling in the early weeks of life I think that is bogus. I held my cousin's daughter when she was around 8 days old and she definitely smiled ?

Need to check on the food that's cooking, back later...

Hi gang,

I know what you mean Mamissimo about routine. DS is determined to shake us out of some of our habits but I find that unsettling.

As you can tell, I am a slightly reluctant carer.
I want to make a Christmas cake despite that even in normal times it lasts until Easter or I eat it when very hungry greedy

I'll miss my first, since August, RL yarn group tomorrow because a physio and hopefully, a flip-up chair are arriving. Yoga was interrupted this morning by the nurse.

Sad that your social life has to stop for the Summer BradfordLass but at least it will be Summer.

Good morning......
I need a prod with a sharp stick of rhubarb at the moment..I seem to lack the motivation to get up and get on. I feel quite languidly Victorian and spineless. A blob in fact!

Today I will coerse Mr M into taking me out for essential maltesers potatoes and a change of scene.

I think part of my problem is that my DD2 wants to do Christmas at her house this year. If we're allowed to go it will be the first time in 40 years that I haven't done Christmas here.....and I could really use the rhythm of preparing for Christmas to get my spirits up. I guess I'm beginning to mourn the life we were enjoying last year and next summer seems a long way off.

Actually cancel that! I'm just a miserable feeling sorry for myself blob. Must do better!

Cherry

Grammaretto I don't think Wullie is vomiting, he's splattered his food into Dad's face.
Is there any part of your repairs which are not associated with the rot and therefore enable you to claim?

Nortsat Gubbins is sleeping better since they bought her a doll with a heartbeat. So the adults are getting more rest too.

It can't be easy for new babies, springing from womb to world - there has to be a period of adjustment hasn't there?
DS says she's alert and learning every day and laughing a lot as his photos prove.
Remember when people insisted it was wind until the child was 6 weeks old? If they heard young Mila chuckling they'd know better and she's only 10 days.
Her Dad was a merry child too, so I'm glad she's inherited that.
I won't see her again until Christmas but I'm getting photos daily.

Megs I know just what you mean. I'm confined to the house most of the time (is it any wonder I'm batty?) although I do have 2 Xmas parties coming up.

I got that wrong too Doodle - it's next week, not this one - then everything closes for summer and my scintillating social whirl judders to a halt until February 2021.

Missedout I worry about your hand not getting the attention it deserves quickly - when the lockdown ends they'll be able to claim Xmas as an excuse. Is there anything at all you can do?
Glad to hear MrM is better and I hope your spirits are lighter too.

dragonfly by the time you read this, you'll have had another session. I do hope it went well. Thinking of you.

Norstat , Nfk and Mamissimo how's your spirits today?

As I can't resort to either chocolate or booze, I'm taking heart from being awoken by the Dawn Chorus every day.
There's a Thrush which sings outside my window and the Silvereyes have a lovely, trilling call. I'm very lucky to have a whole variety of birds nearby.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=eq3hn-NeYHo

You'll also hear Tui in this clip and the one after.
They come to the flax flowers nearby.
It fascinates me that scientists discovered they have a whole range of notes outside the human ability to hear. I wish I could.
My son probably can as he can hear "silent" dog whistles quite easily.

Haha, as I'm listening to birdsong on my computer, the same sounds are drifting in from the bush - stereo

I forgot to mention - we avoided another lockdown thanks to genome sequencing which discovered the person had been in touch with someone in quarantine with C-19.
How foolish to try and cover that up and go out into the community.

Jeeves and I will be patrolling as usual and the hot chocolate and nibbles plus extras are all set out in the kitchen.

Wishing everyone a good night's sleep and a pleasant day.

Left Jeeves in the kitchen baking a cake for Nortsat’s partner’s birthday. He’s using an an old record player as a turntable for the icing. He turned it onto 78 by mistake and he’s sprayed the kitchen with icing. ?
Sleep well gangsters. ?

Grammaretto like you we do a walk each day. We tend to do a circular walk which is quite populate here. We often meet people going in the opposite direction on our way out that we cross paths with on our way back. Quite nice really as most stop and say a few words from a social distance.
How are your roof repairs coming on?
Megs sorry I didn’t realise you and your DH have mobility issues. That makes going out more difficult. Are you able to drive to a local park or beauty spot for a short walk? Just looking at the trees or something tends to lift the spirits a bit.
Cherry you’re not the only one who wobbles around. My DH is constantly complaining that I wobble all over the place when we’re out for a walk. I too walk into door frames and bang myself on things, DH has poor balance too. If he shuts his eyes while standing, he falls over . What a bunch we all are. You are our very special Tigger so don’t forget that ?
Mamissimo did you finish your box of maltesers? Is it another duvet day today or are you feeling a bit better?
Missedout how is your hand doing now. Is MrM improving?
I too will be back later. Just going to check up on what Jeeves is up to. ?

I don't know what's happened tonight but I've written my post twice and they have both disappeared. All I've done is post message and for some unbeknownst reason I'm sent back to the beginning of the thread and my post hasn't sent ☹️.

I'm trying one last time but sorry I'm just sending this:

I've tried to write a post.
It disappeared like a ghost.
I'm thinking of you all.
But my posts have gone awol.

Posting.....

BradfordLass thank you for your rhyming post. I sat and read it whilst eating my toast. It made me smile which lasted a while. I laughed when I read the word dunce for I've clattered furniture more than once. I know it is there, I see table and chair. I've banged into walls when walking through halls. I've even walked into a door and fallen to the floor. I'm not a Weeble or a Kelly but a Tigger with a belly. I will bounce and bounce and bounce ?

Back shortly...

Yes Gramaretto, we pop to local newsagents (my husband drives there!) each morning. And I nip in for a paper then we have short walk like you , Unfortunately both of us not very mobile now but right enough it’s good to do even that. Also the weather is not so good this time but we are so lucky that we have each other so must make the most of things. Thanks all for encouragement.?

I am sorry you are finding it intolerable Megs. Are you confined all the time? Can you get out for walks?
I find a shortish walk each day makes a huge difference to my well being.
Like you though, I haven't got round to learning a language etc
For us there really hasn't been much change as we have to be careful to avoid mixing with other people and hardly go anywhere. We are lucky to have a garden which was wonderful in the summer.

Megs last time was a novelty. A new experience. Many of us were having trouble sourcing food and getting deliveries. I think this time round it’s more mundane and we were hoping we wouldn’t have to go through it again. I think also the weather makes a considerable difference. Last time we had days of lovely sunshine and light evenings.

I wonder if anyone else feels like this, in the last lockdown, I spent (as many others) more than twenty weeks indoors with my husband who was /is shielded, we went nowhere and saw very few people except in our garden for short spells, however despite not doing much, ie learning a language, baking ,painting, cleaning, you name it I didn’t do it! the time went quite quickly. This time just over a week into lockdown I feel I’ve been imprisoned for months!!!

Bradfordlass we all needed that. Thank you for cheering us up with your rhyming post. Brilliant ?.
That was an interesting list of films. Many I have watched and enjoyed but others I will look out for.
Hope your homecare lady will now accept your guidance and not force feed you ?
Hope little Gubbins is doing well.
Nortsat no need for further research on the “Comfy”, other grandma is getting it (great minds ?) . I am now on the track of a backpack and some hair tongs.
I see you are another I shall have to wrap in cotton wool. However did you get a bruise on your tummy?
I hope your partner has a good birthday tomorrow. Have you bought him anything interesting? I am buying my DH a pair of fingerless gloves for Christmas with mitten tops that fold over. Strange gift for a man but he has very poor circulation and his hands get very cold.
That restaurant looks lovely. Hope you have a good time at home overlooking your garden. (Put a candle or two outside and pretend ?)
Must dash. The dishwasher has attacked DH and I need to rescue him. ?

Grammaretto you couldn’t make it up if you tried could you. Your DS cutting himself opening Knives Out ? . Hope it wasn’t too bad.
Glad you enjoyed the film. I’ve seen it advertised but not watched it yet.
Missedout good to hear your DH is on the mend. My DH is a walker too. He gets irritable when he can’t go for a walk. We try and dodge the showers but end up going out even if it is raining. Looks a bit brighter today so fingers crossed.
I bet you wish you could be with your DGS on his birthday.
Little ones are so funny at that age. Thank goodness for face time though. You got to see your DGD too. Must have been a nice day.
I think we are all feeling a bit low Missedout. Life is not in any way normal and we are missing the contact we are used to with others. Hope you have a good day today.

Good morning gangsters, I have a cup of coffee and am sitting comfortably (thank you Doodle).
Bradfordlass, lovely verse, thank you.
I read your film recommendations with interest and was struck by how many were favourites of mine/ours.
How is baby Gubbins doing?
We had a new baby in the family in August, in Oz and the photos demonstrate almost daily change.
Missedout so pleased to hear that your DH is making progress. The on line birthday celebrations sound lovely. At least you can see them ... I know it’s not the same but technology has been such a boon during these difficult lockdowns.
Cherry, I hope you had a good night.
Doodle I like the sound of your wine glasses, wider at the base. I realise they must have been a purchase of necessity but they sound really interesting.
We await the outcome of your research into ‘a comfy’ ...
Grammaretto I hope MrG had a restful night. I can imagine that the electric bed was irresistible to your DGC.
I well remember loving the electric bed, when I was in St Bartholomew’s Hospital ( I would have loved to replace our M&S bed with one of those ). Glad you managed a visit to your DD’s house and how nice to have a tour from a small tour guide!
Panache how are you and your dear one this morning? I know waiting for the consultant’s call on Thursday must be on your minds, I hope you are able to push it to the back of your minds sometimes and focus on other things.
When I was having my cancer treatment, I got quite good at compartmentalising my thoughts and distracting myself with pleasant things. I think it’s a skill that needs practice but it helped me.
Mammissimo, how are things today, have you rested and recouperated a little? Hope today is a good day for you. Your talk of duvets, films and a box of maltesers made me want maltesers too. I think we should ask Jeeves to leave a box in the kitchen cupboard, as all the gangsters may have ‘malteser days’.
Then Dragonfly mentioned her farm fresh eggs and poached eggs (on toast) ... and I would like a portion of those too, please. Wishing you a good day today and it’s another treatment session ticked off the list.
I agree Nfk, I look at bruises and wonder how I got them. I have a large navy blue one on my stomach now ... and it’s a mystery.

It’s my partner’s birthday tomorrow, so I need to wrap up his presents and write out his card. Of course, we can’t go out for a nice meal. Last year we ate at the Sky Garden, which is London’s highest garden, which overlooks the city and the Thames skygarden.london/restaurants/city-garden/
This year it’s a party for two, overlooking our (rather untidy) garden.

Have a good day, gangsters.

Bradfordlass such joyous poetry!
What lucksters we are to have you in our slammer.

Thankyou for the film suggestions. Some I haven't seen and some are already popular in our house. Hunt for the wilder people is a firm favourite here, even used in class by my DB to show to his English students (in Denmark)
Knives Out was actually quite funny. A whodunnit where the heroine vomited, oor wullie style, whenever she told a lie. and a bit like a game of cluedo.
MiL was the one looking for happy films so I will look some of these out for her. We saw The Castle (an Australian funny)

I hope we didn't pick up the nits. Maybe the lack of contact and cuddles has certain advantages.

Missedout what a happy weekend you seem to have had, overall. Your DS is a chip off the old block by the sound of his techno genius.

Dragonfly I wonder if you are already on your way to the hospital for your next bout of zapping? I hope the weather is kinder there than it is here.

Go well my hearties.

From Grammaretto's valiant spouse, who managed one room of new house, to poor Mamissimo* in pain, I hope it doesn't flare again.

I too have fragile skin and this is due to my psoriasis. Infections therefore are a bane but Panadol is great for pain.

Oh, Doodle all the weather gods at once and Cherry you are not a dunce, just because you banged your knee on furniture you did not see.
Poor Grammaretto have you tried a herbal when your eyes are wide at 2am and sleep won't come? I'm sure old Boots will sell you some. They help when you are feeling glum.

A queen bee in your house you say? But Dumpling's DH saved the day. and showed her round their lovely home before releasing her to roam.

Missedout despite your hand you're entertained by your sweet grand children and son whose flatmates sound a risky crew who could pass Covid on to you, had not your son (were his teeth clenched?) been social distanced - and quite drenched.

So you and Nortsat and me too are feeling low, morose and blue but just hang on, it's true they say, "tomorrow is another day".
Despite my mood, I'm laughing yet, is that a promise or a threat?

Grammaretto feel good films are what you need - so here's a list for you to read. Not every taste but if you can, access these for your lovely man.

Little Voice * - the amazing and much under-rated Jane Horrocks
Hunt for the Wilderpeople * hilarious NZ film
Enchanted April -
Easy Virtue funny but black humour
Keeping Mum * ditto
Calendar Girls *
Brassed Off
The Full Monty
Fisherman’s Friends
Educating Rita
Shirley Valentine
Shakespear in Love
Johnny English (silly spoof spy with Rowan Atkinson, my dgs loves this series)
Kinky Boots * (true story of a shoe factory which turned to making boots for female impersonators and transgener)

Tea with Mussolini (English women in Italy during the war; star performance by Cher)
Ladies in Lavender
Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (the original)
Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont

Your DS may turn up his nose at made for TV but of those I've had some hours of fun and laughter, some have even won a BAFTA.

My homecare girl explained how she, in trying to take care of me and take me out (poor lass, she's sweet) to special places so I'd eat and not just live on fish and kale, had realsied this was doomed to fail.
I've promised her when I'm not ill, we'll both go out and eat our fill.

The picture of Oor Wullie here shows just the problem that I fear

So gangsters, that's my contribution; wish I had a good solution to our ills and pain and sorrow - blessings on you 'til tomorrow xxx