The Lockdown Gang - Keep Calm and Carry On

Dragonfly your hair must have grown back for you to have a haircut. Hope you are pleased with the results. ?
Cherry hope you are ok. We are thinking of you.

Bradfordlass what a lovely surprise encounter, meeting up with old friends. Well that is a bizarre coincidence. To get an email from someone you’d just been talking about. It is obviously meant to be that the three of you keep in touch.
That’s really kind of you to provide that link for me. I will have a look.
Grammaretto hope MrG had a good night.
How lovely to have your son coming home from NZ. It will be good to have him with you. I do hope MrG is able to be treated at home and you all get a chance to spend some family time together.
Family history interests many people. My BIL is doing my husbands side of the family and my brother did ours.
Hope you are allowed into the hospital and all is ok.

Hello Gang,
I was happy to read on GM that Dragonfly is having a haircut! Her hair is growing again.
And that Missy the cat is out of the vet hotel. Nortsat
But that coincidence/telepathy is wonderful Bradfordlass just ask the universe and voila!

Well my news is that #2 son is coming home this weekend from NZ. Not a good reason but it will be wonderful so I am really hoping DH can get home very soon. We are going to arrange hospital at home. Having DS here will be great for me too.
he can clean your fridge out says his sister, cruelly, implying it's not been done since he was last here 2 years ago

I'm off to the hospital later with a list of things to bring so I hope I can see him.

On the trail of the origins of my wooden cabin trunk, Its owner came from the Isle of Skye before 1878 and although they lost 2 sons in the 1st world war (one at Gallipoli, the other in the flu pandemic) there are still a number of descendants in NZ.

This is my displacement activity. Knitting too but it's just a cardigan for DGD, next size up so nothing too absorbing.

Mamissimo you are exactly the right person to ask.
We have a local baker who makes an out-of-this-world cream which he says is just a mixture of custard (commercial, powered kind) and butter cream.
Have you any idea what this is called and how I can find it for the proportions and method?
Or would you advise simply experimenting?

At Communicare today, I met a lovely couple I've not seen for over 18 years.
We talked about old times (we were both librarians) and she asked if I had contact details for Anoma, a mutual friend, and librarian, with whom we worked two decades a ago.

I haven't heard from Anoma for at least 10 years as she's been working all over the world, although her home is in Sri Lanka.
I promised to send details if I still had them.

I came home, switched on my computer and there's a letter from Anoma asking 'Is this still your email address? How are you?'
The Universe certainly is an unfathomable place.

Doodle there are many suppliers of Mimosa or Acacia as some nurseries call it, in the UK. This just one of them:

www.rhsplants.co.uk/plants/_/acacia-dealbata/classid.2000032100/

Ooh Mamissimo I washed all my dusters too. We must be kindred spirits. ?
Basque Pie sounds like something that should be served at the Moulin Rouge ?.
Sleep well

Ah Doodle it was indeed pouting weather here too...no gardening today so sulky adults. I made a Basque Pie....and played genealogy again. Tomorrow I will try again.

I forgot....I washed all my dusters. That kind of day!

Whilst the weather here today hasn’t been in a good mood I think it was actually pouring rather than pouting

Grammaretto is there any further news of MrG? Do you know when he’s coming home?
Dragonfly how are you doing today. I keep looking for mimosa but haven’t seen any. My dad always used to buy it for my mum.
Mamissimo have you been doing any planting today? It’s been pouting here most of the day.
Nortsat glad Missy is home and isn’t holding any grudges against you. My dogs always used to sulk after a visit to the vet.
Bradfordlass I’m glad you found your book. Of course it would be in the last place you looked. It always is ?
It will be a lovely present. I love that little imp in the lily pads ? Hope you have a nice time today but don’t overdo it.

Sending a but gentle hug to all the gangsters tonight and all my good wishes. Take care all ?

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202010/medium-26935-baby.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202010/medium-204675-babyrose.jpg

It seems everyone here needs extra love and good thoughts today and you can be sure that as many as I can send are winging your way.

To all of you who are watching beloved partners going through difficult times, and especially when you cannot be with them, I totally sympathise. It's always harder than it is to suffer our own illnesses.
Much love and strength to you all.

It seems crazy to me too that you can go to the shops but not (in appropriate PPE) sit with a sick loved one. all the hospital staff do!

I found the book I've looked so hard for, in the very last (wouldn't you know it?) of the 10 boxes moved and searched.
It's an Anne Geddes and appropriate to give any young couple on the birth of their baby.

I've kept it, in its packaging for many years, always hoping my son would, one day, have his own child.
It was sent to me when I was a book reviewer, almost 20 years ago now. The book itself is timeless.

I am venturing out this morning (shaky and weak but determined) and my lift is due but I WILL be thinking of you all and sending every good wish and vibe and blessing I can lay my hands on.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Good evening gangsters, gosh what a day ..
Grammaretto, so pleased to know you’ve been able to speak to MrG and that he’s comfortable. All good thoughts coming your way, from east London.
The same good wishes to Panache and MrP. So sorry your dear one isn’t eating, the constant worry must be exhausting you. Try to think of yourself too, though I appreciate that must be hard.
Dragonfly, I hope you’ve had a better day today. Incidentally all my favourite flowers are blue, too. I love irises and Iris was my dear mother’s name. Consequently, my cousin always sends me birthday cards with irises on them.
I wholeheartedly agree Missedout (and Doodle) about partner’s needing to be present at important medical appointments. My dear partner is terrible for not asking the right questions.
Perhaps a phone call to your Consultant’s secretary to clarify the isolating question?

Thank you for asking about Missy, Doodle. She only spent the day in the Vet Hospital and I was pleased to bring her home. You’re right Bradfordlass, she’s too old to spend long away from home. She was completely spaced out when she got home. She’s fine today but seems weary.

Oh our lovely gang is having a challenging time ... good thoughts and an iris for everyone.

Oh golly what a time of it you're having Grammaretto, Panache and Dragonfly I really admire the way you're doing your swan moves....I sense your feet are paddling away like fury below the water line. Do look after yourselves as well as your loved ones.

Grammaretto I am so sorry your DH has been taken into hospital. He is comfortable which is a blessing but such a shock for you.

I am sorry you too are living on a knife edge Panache. There seems to be so much illness around at the moment.

I haven't seen mimosa around for years but do remember it from my childhood. My mother was very fond of laburnum which you also see less of. All my favourite flowers are blue!

Dear Panache
I was so full of my own news today I missed that you have such big worries too. No appetite and living on pain relief sounds hard, really hard.
Thinking of you xxxxxxx

Grammaretto thanks for popping back to tell us that you have spoken to MrG and that he is comfortable. Thank goodness for mobile phones.
Your family history is interesting. Hope you will be able to trace a relative.
What are you knitting now?

Thank you Missedout and all the best for Mr Dout for his op going ahead.
MrG sounded comfortable when I phoned, so that is a relief.

I have begun some new knitting (headband is finished) and I have received a marriage certificate for my gt aunt which identifies her DH, I am now able to add some more names to the family tree waste a few more hours
I have inherited an old sea trunk which allegedly went to NZ from Scotland on one of the early sailing ships. It belonged to my gt aunt's husband. He died in the flu pandemic of 1918 and they had no children so my dad was given the trunk when he left NZ for England in 1935. For some reason I have it now. It's fit for firewood but has the story attached so I thought maybe a relative of uncle Jock's might wish to know. (or take it off my hands)

Panache it is sad to hear things are not so good with you both. Your walks gave you so much pleasure. Is MrP still under the care of the Macmillan nurses? Is anyone visiting to see how you both are?
Thank you for posting. I realise it must be difficult for you. Please know you are in my thoughts and prayers. Take care

Must make time on hearing of your latest news Grammaretto,sadly it seems we are getting these unpleasant shocks one at a time.
Feeling very much for you as I fully understand the great anxiety that follows not really knowing what is going on,more so now than ever because you are not allowed access to be with your loved one.
Thinking very much of you both,hoping and praying for some good and positive news.

My heart goes out to you too Dragonfly and the very upsetting news you have had to deal with,sometimes itr leaves us feeling so very helpless.

Life continues in a troublesome way with us,no daily walks anymore,a sad loss.
My dear one has sadly lost his appetite, is living on pain relief and generally we are both living on a knife edge.

Here`s hoping that generally you are all in good spirits,please know my thoughts are very much with you.

Do keep safe in these turbulent times.

Nortsat I hope Missy is back with you and ok.

Grammaretto I am so sorry MrG has been taken to hospital. It is much worse in this COVID time that we are not allowed to go with our loved ones. How worried you must be, not knowing what’s going on. I can only hope that at least perhaps he will have treatment that helps him. I hope you can find out what’s happening soon. Is your son still with you?
Take care. We are thinking of you both.
Missedout I think it’s this mother of sons thing that is mentioned so often. The wives and their mums have a closer bond, I did with my own mum. However, I am blessed with two fantastic DIL’s.
I find this thing about not being allowed to accompany partners to appointments is very upsetting. Apart from, in many cases, the partner being the carer they should be there to find out what’s going on . I know it’s to keep people safe but it’s a really worrying aspect of this virus.
You made me laugh calling that young man darling. Probably made his day. ?
Your grandmother liked mimosa too. Always my mums favourite.
Hope all the gangsters are ok.

Grammaretto, I hope Mr G gets treatment that helps and is back with you soon. Thinking of you and your family.

Hello gangsters/darlings

You could be silver darlings I suppose. They were the name given to the herrings from Peterhead to Yarmouth.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcHhSywE9pk

I'm in a kind of shock.
DH has just been carted off in an ambulance.
Sequence of events:
Yesterday I changed his appointment to a phone call so he wouldn't need to go in.
Hospital phoned late afternoon to say he needed to come in due to the dodgy blood results.
He found he had no strength at all and could hardly move.
I made him a bed downstairs and DS came out to sit with us.
I called 111 at 7am to ask what to do and they sent out the paramedics who whisked him away (quietly).

Of course I couldn't go with him. I will try phoning him and see if it's possible to visit or to hear what's going on.

dragonfly, I'm sorry you had a distressing weekend. Losing a friend like that is a shock and knowing how worried your good friend is about her DIL and being upset that someone so young has been let down by doctors too. No wonder you feel sad.

I can empathise with your feelings about your son spending a lot of time with his in-laws too, our DS lives much closer to us than his in-laws. It's complicated isn't it? We take what is on offer and try not to feel hurt that the in-laws are there all this week. It means our DGD has company this school holiday anyway and we are not sure if DH is supposed to be isolating prior to his operation (which may or may not go ahead in the next few weeks). I wish I had been able to go with DH to his appointment last week, I certainly would have asked for clarification about isolation, why didn't DH?

Doodle, not only do I see my mother when I look in the mirror but I hear her talking out of my mouth sometimes (loud voice without the Welsh accent though). My mother had a terrible memory for names, I realise that her calling everyone 'darling' saved her from having to think about who she was talking to. I was on the phone the other day to someone who I help with their IT problems. They wanted to thank me for the help I'd given them (absolutely my pleasure) and call round with a little gift. I heard myself say, 'oh darling, that is so kind of you'! It was totally inappropriate. I apologised, so embarrassed, DH laughed and luckily, so did the young man I was talking to.

I'm afraid Mr Mamissimo appears to to have a lot in common with my Mr Dout. DH is like a kid in a sweet shop when allowed into a builders merchants.

I'm pleased to read that you are feeling better, BradfordLass. The mere mention of Mimosa takes me straight back to staying with my grandmother. She always had a Mimosa in a pot. Such a fascinating plant. My grandmother was quite a gambler too, she would take bets on horse and dog races (she would lay them off with her bookmakers sometimes too if she didn't like the odds). I remember answering her old, black bakelite telephone with a little drawer in the base. She was quite a character.

Goodnight all my darlings friends!

Well I wouldn’t have won the bet then Mamissimo. That was quick service. Sorry MrM’s DIY shopping was curtailed ?
I must admit when I first read that you and Mr.M spent a couple of happy hours spreading organic matter on the garden, I did wonder quite what you were up to ?
Sleep well all ?

Evening all - I will take bets again when I go to the blood letter's because Sod's law unbelievably the nurse opened the surgery door when I rang the bell, ushered me in, took the blood and gave me a surprise flu jab....and I was out before I was due in. Verily a miracle!

Mr M did not view it as a miracle because he had no excuse to cruise the aisles....

We spent a happy couple of hours spreading organic matter on the bit of the veg garden that needed it, followed by sieving soil for the seed bed. It's going to rain for most of the week here so we had to grab the chance. We really know how to live!

Dragonfly that sound like an awful day! Why do we get days that hit us like an avalanche and make things so hard to process.

Here's wishing everyone a good nights sleep....and Bradfordlass slow down!

Bradordlass you’ve been busy. I’ve told Jeeves off about dressing up before ?. Seriously though, I’m glad you had some help, especially the sort who brings coffee and food.? is there any point to me saying please don’t overdo it?
It’s a lovely photo of you. I think you look warm and friendly and fun.
Mimosa. That was my mother’s favourite plant/flower. I always think of her when I hear it mentioned. Don’t often see it here.
I too hope we get out Tigger back soon. ?