The Lockdown Gang - Keep Calm and Carry On

Good morning gangsters.
Grammaretto I am thinking of you and MrG this morning. Did you both have a reasonable night? I hope you are both in reasonable spirits.
I wish I had some helpful words or actions to offer. ?
Dragonfly day 3. Hope all goes as well as possible.
Panache all good thought and wishes to you two.
Bradfordlass your roses are beautiful and do indeed lift the spirit. What a lovely idea to take roses for the tables at the Community dinner. I think the expenditure on the taxis is a good investment in your quality of life and it means you will get you Quiz tickets?
Do you enjoy quizzes? ... you have had such an interesting and fulfilling life, that I suspect your knowledge and experience make you a very good team member in a quiz.
Doodle ... what a lovely image you create of your DGD as a liquorice allsort dancing with a lollipop. I think all we gangsters could do with a bit of dancing liquorice in our lives ... I certainly could.
Missedout, how is your hand today? I hope you can see some improvement, albeit slow.
Mammissimo wishing you a good day today and hoping your meds are feeling more manageable.
I sometimes feel I have to spend more time offsetting the side effects of my meds, than anything else.
Cherry wishing you another seizure free day. I loved your story about your erstwhile placid cat and the chimney sweep.
Nfkdumpling hope all is well with you and yours.

My slooow wardrobe clear out continues. I have sold 20 items on EBay and made a little over £400. I have bought myself a bangle with the proceeds.
I think I can easily find another 20 things to list.

I hope we all have a pleasant and comfortable day. ?

BradfordLass, I also thought your comment very funny. Please don't start censoring yourself. I always read your posts with admiration and enjoyment.

Good morning all (well just. Another late start )
I hope you slept well last night Grammaretto and MrG too. Hope today gives you time to relax and enjoy each others company.
Panache I hope you managed to sleep and aren’t worrying too much about Tuesday. Hopefully you and MrP may manage another stroll in the garden today.
Dragonfly hope things are going well with the treatment.
Missedout hope your thumb is on the mend.

Nortsat I am suitably impressed with your sales on eBay. Never done it myself although my two DIL’s are active buyers and sellers. Did you buy your bangle from an auction or just online? Must be fun looking.
Sorry your meds give you troubling side effects. I hope you’re feeling ok today.
Cherry hope you had a trouble free night.
Bradfordlass I hope you get those quiz tickets.
Waitrose delivery soon and more washing the shopping but then I hope 2 fun deliveries.
I have ordered some new fabric to make some art pictures with. I always get excited to see what it looks like. Also expecting my DGD’s Christmas present and a new foot for my sewing machine.
Hope everyone has a good day. Back to check up on you later.?

Hiya gang,

I too am impressed by your Ebay sales Nortsat
I once decided I would list some stuff and began with a Singer treadle sewing machine (you know the sort) They should be expensive but they are so common, they are not.
I made the mistake of mentioning it to DD. "What" she shrieked "Not selling the only nice thing you have, why don't you get rid of some true rubbish" So I tried to un-list the machine. but by the time that happened someone had bought it. I wrote to them and explained I'd taken it off the market and got a very snippy reply! I probably lost my ratings too and guess what, we still have the sewing machine.(sigh)

You are probably right BL my DS is taking out some of his frustration and sadness on me. and the way I choose to live.
Much as I love my DC, I couldn't live with any of them for longer than a couple of days.
Meanwhile MrG is fading away. He is fatigued and totally lacking in energy so any plans to take him out somewhere are not met with any enthusiasm.

How lovely are those roses. Thank you and I hope you enjoyed, or will enjoy, the ball meal. Cinders indeed!

I am still thinking of poor Missedout's hand and hope it is beginning to heal.

Doodle is being industrious as ever.

I hadn't realised Mamissimo is another one in pain.
I hope the Panaches get out for a stroll and aren't too anxious about next week.
Here is a quote from a Stoic.
If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.” “Never let the future disturb you.

A rather hurried message from me this day.

Firstly I am so very thankful for your warm caring support,it means such a lot.I feel I owe you all so much.

However having read your posting Grammeretto with an understanding and heavy heart I simply felt the need to reach out and give you the biggest virtual hug ever.
Believe me I know the enormous and helplessness you may well be feeling.
I can but offer you and your dear one a listening ear and all the love I can muster.

This week has been overwhelming and so I am quietly retreating to lick my wounds,knowing you will all understand.

Take great care dear friends.

Grammaretto I doubt if anyone outside of the relationship understands a husband and wife and how they choose to live their lives. I think you may well be right that your son is taking his hurt out on you but that doesn’t help you. I hope he is being more supportive,
I’m sorry you can’t have any trips out with MrG. I can imagine you’d have liked to visit some favourite places with him. I hope he is at least comfortable and not in pain.
I like your quote. I may try and remember it as I tend to let the future disturb me a lot.
May I join with the other gangsters and give you a gentle hug and the promise we’re here to listen whenever you want to talk.
Panache that’s a nice post. I expect you can understand more than others. I hope you manage a little walk today. I am keeping my fingers crossed all goes well Tuesday.
Like I said to Grammaretto we are here whenever you feel up to popping in. Take care of yourselves x

Shoppings been delivered and washed. Going for a walk soon. The weather looks lovely but bitterly cold I think.
Neither of my fun parcels has been delivered yet. I want to stamp my feet ?

Good evening friends - and thank you for your kind wishes about my arm....but worry ye not! I was born missing a vital protein and my wonky skin just gives up the ghost occasionally. Its a rare condition and used to cause me a lot of difficulty but I have amazing access to a wonderful team of surgeons and doctors who have managed to keep me in one piece.

My remaining intact arm is now at the right stage to rebuild from the elbow to armpit and they will give me a new blood supply, harvest some muscles from my back and skin from my legs and all will back together again. This is the last part of me with dodgy tissue because the rest has been dealt with.

I'm not in physical pain that I can't deal with but I get a little sadness sometimes that the girl I knew has had to go through so much to reach a relative peace with her body.

When I read of all our combined troubles and buggerations I'm astounded at how strong we are. We are not of the Snowflake generation!

Mr M and I decided to make the most of today and went to our favourite restaurant beside the sea for lunch, followed by a quick cruise round John Lewis. Lunch was lovely, the sun shone, the sea glittered and there were lovely white breakers. John Lewis was sad....the were three customers apart from us. A day of great contrast.

Tomorrow I will plant stuff!

A quick pop in while DH cooks dinner. We've had a few busy days. The announcement of lock down meant that we had to get all the stuff off our little boat and do our bit of winterising her before the yard lifts her out and services her. Didn't get the loo pumped out though as it means a long chug to the yard wot does it. Himself says it should be ok though, not very full, and sloped some extra loo stuff in! It means the campervan is full of boat seating etc which can't fit indoors until we've sorted out the loft which we can't get to as we'd moved all the furniture from the little box room where the GDC used to sleep into the proper spare room where the loft access is. The DGC have grown too big for the narrow beds so the box room was about to be re-born as my play room. Which it was before grandchildren. Phew!

And, as we are in Tier One territory, we've had friends round for coffee and cake two mornings running. Four of us in our biggest room are able to sit well apart and today I was able to have the door open and the sun streamed in. It's a final fling also because the NHS has caught up with DH and he's booked in for routine blood tests next week and a Covid test as the hospital want him to have a colonoscopy to check things haven't got worse. So two days of proper meals before he (we) starts the 'light diet'. So, I've been a busy bunny.

We're fighting over who gets to decorate the little room, but I will let him win as, although he'll be living on pain killers, he'll be much nicer to live with if he has something to do!

I've not heard of anyone with wonky skin before Mammissimo, it sounds incredible that its taken a life time before you are on the last bit to be fixed. You are indeed a woman of courage. As are all of you. It seems that Fate isn't happy sending angst and problems in single doses preferring to bombard. Complaining that it's not fair sounds childish, but it really isn't. I feel quite a fraud being here as modern medicines are keeping us both quite fit and healthy - even if Covid vulnerable. How things have changed in our lifetimes.

Mamissimo I think you are our resident Stoic. What ordeals you must have been through - with more to come. Thank goodness you have such a wonderful medical team.

Grammaretto I suspect you're going to need all the patience and understanding you can muster for the next wee while. Your life-style suits you and you're entitled to that.
I have, at one time or another, lived with both my boys. I've never had even a cross word with the younger (that speaks more for his good nature than mine) but the elder is volatile and unpredictable, so not a good flatmate for more than about...oh....10 minutes .

Panache What a lovely and loving message from you, especially when we are all aware how you and MrP are struggling. I do hope you are getting enough support during this wretched time and with the added complication of lockdown.

Missedout I might be labouring the point but it was the similarity between 'job' and 'work' - as in Handwork, a genuine specialist clinic, which was uppermost in my mind but that's really no excuse. I'm glad you found it funny.

dragonfly How's it going? If you're up to posting, let us know but of course you have our love and thoughts anyway.

Wow Nortsat $400 - I doubt my whole wardrobe would fetch $4 and that includes the wardrobe itself!
I'm very fortunate indeed that I had a lovely fat friend who, in 2000 sent me a box of her old but beautiful Amercan clothing just for the price of postage. I'm still wearing some of "Susie's tops" and remember her with great fondness.

The Saga of The Non-appearing Taxis - feel free to skip.

I was totally pipped off by the time I arrived, 35 mins late at the dinner.
They always begin promptly at 6pm and finish at 7pm as there are children to consider.

In the early afternoon, I'd ordered a taxi to get me there in good time and the same company to bring me home at the end.
When, 10 mins after the time they should have been at my door, they weren't, I rang to ask if the cab was en route. The chap put me on hold, must have discovered my job hadn't even been logged and came back, "We can get someone there in 35 mins".
I declined and rang another company.
They came promptly but it was still 15 mins later.

At the dinner, everyone was going for 2nds already and I sat by myself at a big trestle table fighting my angry, tearful self and trying to see the positive side.
I was there. I was eating good food. I was able to get 7 x $15 tickets for the quiz. So pull yourself together wumman.

Gail, one of the ladies from the CH ran me home, which is really only about 8 mins away, just too far for me to hobble walk.
I'd put the roses out and invited people to take them home but no one did, so I gave them to Gail the Samaritan.

The duff taxi company had also been booked to pick me up at 7:10 at the Community House to bring me home.

At 7:45, they rang me at home 'Do you still want a cab?' I just said, 'no' - there's no point in arguing with that kind of logic.

Yes Nortsat I love Trivia and for many years was a regular at a local club. I'm also a long-time member of an online team. I'm hopeless at any questions about celebrities, TV shows or pop culture but usually someone in the team knows, so it works out.
I'm not at all competitive and never mind not knowing an answer because I learn something but I do get cross with myself if I know but can't remember!

To all the gangsters who are struggling and locked down and worried, I send much love. You WILL get through this; we always do.

Wow, what a busy lot you've all been here today ?

I'm very tired (again), so a quick visit from me today ?.
Why is it that some neighbours just have to be noisy late at night some nights and then workmen doing something or other always start at the crack of dawn the following morning ?.

There's been something odd going on, I swear it, in Cherry cottage today ? . Earlier today, just after I'd say down with a cuppa after a mad cleaning hour I heard my WP exclaim "whoa, this is weird. This Is weird, whoa I've never seen anything like this before". I must admit I was intrigued but I was more interested in my cuppa than going to have a look ?. He had other ideas. I was beckoned to go and see this weird sight. I could see that he had the back door open so I thought maybe some poor and unusual creature had made itself at home in our garden. Not so. What I did see was a small, maybe 1.5cm, white stone slowly spinning round and round whilst hovering in the air . It's obvious why but it was fascinating nevertheless ?.
That was the first "odd" occurrence. The second is much more mysterious. I decided that it would be nice to have toad in the hole for dinner ?. What we ended up with was sausages on a "duvet" ?. How did that happen ?. Very mysterious ?.

Like I said, a quick visit from me. Please know that I am thinking about you all. I care ❤️. Early night (as soon after my meds as possible) for me. I just hope my neighbour is quiet today as I'm pretty sure the workmen (tarmacing) will arrive at the crack of dawn again.

Night night gang ?

Mammissimo I am so sorry, I had no idea you had such serious problems with your arm. I assumed you meant joints rather than needing your arm to really be re built. What you must have been through in your life. It sounds as though you have had to receive treatment since you were quite young. That must have been really hard to deal with.
I am sorry you have had to go through so much.
What an amazing bunch you gangsters are.
Glad you had a nice lunch. Must be nice to sit and look out at the sea in the sunshine.
Nfk I remember winterising and summerising our boats and caravan. Always that end of season closing down stuff. Do you have to do anything with your camper van or is that kept in use?
What sort of activities are you planning for your play room.......or perhaps I shouldn’t ask
I hope your DH is ok and the colonoscopy goes well. He’s not in pain all the time is he?
We do indeed have some courageous people in our gang. As you know it is not me but DH who is the shielded one.
Bradfordlass I’m sorry about your meal. It was annoying to arrive so late after you’d planned it all to arrive in time.
I hope the meal was nice but I expect you were too upset to enjoy it properly. At least you have the tickets now. I’m glad you got a lift home.
I would think you would be quite good on a quiz team. You seem to have an interest in such a variety of things. I am hopeless at quizzes. I can’t remember things.

Waitrose delivered and everything washed and sorted. The new foot for my sewing machine arrived but not my fabric. Hopefully, tomorrow.
Sleep well dear gangsters. Jeeves has the hot chocolate ready for anyone who wants some. ?

Oh look who popped in when I wasn’t looking ?
Hello Cherry. Hope you have an undisturbed night tonight and no noise from the neighbours. If you hear any grinding noise DH has just informed me an iceberg the size of Somerset is on the move in the Arctic.?
You know how in posh restaurants they always call ordinary things by fancy names, I would love to go in and order sausages on a duvet. ?.
No sorry you’ve got me, what was the white stone thing in the garden. Not a UFO for a mini Martian was it?
Sleep well ?

Cherry Come back !!

"What I did see was a small, maybe 1.5cm, white stone slowly spinning round and round whilst hovering in the air. It's obvious why

It's not!

I won't sleep now for wondering.
Is it obvious only because you have many incidents in your twilight zone garden like this?

Does the weird neighbour have a drone the shape of a small white rock?
Maybe it was Daffyd o'r graig wen?

Wasn't it you who had a large drone hovering outside your bedroom window for ages?

When you said, 'toad on a duvet' have you been eating hallucinogenic toads again?

Speaking of magic: the adorable Philip Madoc is on Radio 4 Extra. I love to hear him, especially speaking Welsh.
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03tt7k0

Doodle you are so endlessly creative; I so admire you and would love to see the fabric when it gets there.

Horrible, rainy and cold day here, very miserable so I'll be snuggled in bed watchinglistening to a DVD about how David Suchet brought Poirot to life.
And being deeply grateful that I'm free to do just that.
Carrot soup for lunch

Oh I didn’t think of a drone but it wouldn’t be that small would it Bradfordlass. I’m glad you don’t know what it is either. I thought it was something obvious and I’d missed it.
I will certainly share a photo of my fabric when it comes and again when I’ve done with it what I plan.
DH looked at the new foot for my sewing machine tonight and is very underwhelmed. He doesn’t know what it can do though ?
You sound all cosy and snuggled up. Hope you enjoy David Suchet. ?

Good morning gang,
A drone flew about our garden earlier this year. It was surveying the neighbour's roof. It was around the time when batmen came to listen to the bats.
Two men in fluorescent outfits in my garden after dark. Luckily I was warned in advance.
I wrote a long post which disappeared yesterday so won't repeat it. It was a bit depressing.

I admired BL for not giving up when that taxi let you down.
Doodle I wonder what your fabric and foot will produce.

I hope today brings good things and few worries to all the gang.

Mammissimo what a lot you have been through. I do hope the next op means the end of it. You are indeed a strong lady.

I too am intrigued by the spinning stone Cherry. Does your neighbour still spy on you?

Panache that was indeed a hard week for you. I hope you find your fears are groundless on Tuesday.

I always have the fear that a taxi will not turn up Bradfordlass. We get them to the station, or used to. I always book them half an hour early which means standing on the cold platform for an age.

You are constantly in my thoughts Grammaretto. I know what you mean about living with grownup children. Ours seem to live in a different time warp. Sending you .

The treatment is going okay but I think it would have been easier straight after chemo. I had got used to feeling fit and well. It was very busy getting there yesterday so hoping with lockdown it will be quieter today. Rest day tomorrow and start again on Monday.

Good morning all....there are two male pheasants in the garden this morning and Fergal Cat is beside himself with excitement....everything is tense and poised......until they look at him and then he shoots through the cat flap. He's a wus but boy does he like the fantasy victory stalk. ?

Good morning gangsters, I have my coffee and am sitting comfortably (thank you Doodle).
Here’s my bangle Doodle I bought it from an auction house, so they had assayed tested it, weighed the gold etc. I am looking forward to hearing more about your new craft project and seeing the fabric when it arrives.
Grammaretto ... the sewing machine... oh dear ...
Sorry to learn that MrG is so weary. Will he be up to a trip out in the car, or is it too much for him today? I hope he’s comfortable and that you are in reasonable spirits.
Mammissimo your lunch at your favourite restaurant by the sea sounds like a lovely tonic ... good choice. I wish we’d done something similar.
I love the image of the two male pheasants looking at Fergal cat and him shooting back in through the cat flap ...
Nfkdumpling it sounds as though you have been enjoying coffee with friends ... lovely. And a decorating project to be getting on with during the new lock down ... a good plan.
Bradfordlass what a bl**dy nuisance those cabs are. So pleased you got your tickets for the Quiz ... is it this Saturday?
Have you ever seen the television quiz ‘Only Connect’ on BBC2? It’s good fun and the questions are really obscure ... can you get the BBC in NZ?
I am really surprised that no one took your kindly donated roses home ... I would have loved some. Glad to know your Good Samaritan benefitted from them.
Cherry, hope this is another seizure free day.
I too am perplexed about the levitating, spinning stone? Please say more ...
Dragonfly is it Day 4 today and then a rest day on Friday?
You sound very resolute and as though you are taking things in your stride. Well done and enjoy the welcome rest day tomorrow.

I mentioned on the GM thread that I have had the email from the Dept of Health setting out the guidance for the clinically vulnerable. So now we know what the next four weeks will look like.
It means we can’t go out for my partner’s birthday later this month ... so I will have to plan a party for two at home (sigh).

Have a good day all ... hope it’s as comfortable and pleasant as possible ?

Hi there gang.

Bringing beautiful sunshine from our corner of Wales,and I can assure you it is even nice and warm.
Having now had 2 sleepless nights I was decidedly not working on any cylinders this morning,but then we both managed a fair few rounds of the garden,drinking in the sunshine and lovely fresh air..........coming back with a little bounce to my steps.........plus a happy chappie although rather tired!!

Norstat We too have had a lengthy letter of advice for the most vulnerable,rather reassuring although for us,nothing much changes.
Of course we though are in a Firebreak this side of the border.

Indeed Dragonfly I have truly felt punched rather hard on those three mornings this week,but I am trying to rise above and get on with all that needs doing.
You will know all about it.

In fact, in different ways probably we have all experienced these bad weeks, and then we have Mamissimo to show us how to step over....and some!!

Hopefully all your days are pleasant and peaceful,take care always.

Grammaretto I will indeed show you what I produce. Not sure what it will be like yet.
Things must be tough going for you at the moment but I am so glad you have your DH home with you. I hope MrG is comfortable.
dragonfly thanks for the update. Good to hear the treatment is going well. Do you think Cherry will ever tell what the spinning thing was or will she leave us in suspenders? ?
Mamissimo your tale (tails) brought a smile to my lips. I can imagine your brave cat with the pheasants. We used to have a yorkie like that. She would strut her stuff at every dog that passed regardless of size. Most of them would run but if not she would hide herself behind our feet.?
Nortsat I think I spy a bangle. That is really lovely.
I wondered how the auction houses went about these things. Interesting to know. Hope you enjoy wearing it.
DH had an email from Matt Hancock and Robert Jenrick spelling out what he should and shouldn’t do during lockdown too.
Well the fabric has arrived. Not exactly what I expected. It’s always difficult buying off the internet. Some of the colours are not as vibrant as they seemed on screen but they will do to start with. The new foot is a couching/cording foot allowing me to sew cord or thread onto the fabric. It remains to be seen if I can turn this into anything arty (not being the least artistic in any way).
Photo of fabric to follow for all those who expressed interest.
Back later. Hope the Panaches and Cherry are ok.
Take care lovely gangsters.

No sooner did I post and up popped Panache
You walk sounds lovely. We had mist first thing but bright and sunny now. Glad you both got out for your walk.
Hope tonight brings a better nights sleep.

I have come back BradfordLass, just not until today ?

I'm a little surprised by the speculation a little white stone has created, "what was the white stone thing in the garden" and"a drone the shape of a small white rock". It was what I said it was, a small white stone ?.
I think the speculation is really about why it was "spinning ... hovering in the air, stones can't do that can they ?. This one was apparently doing just that! There was nothing below it to prevent it falling to the ground. There didn't appear to be anything above it holding it in place and stopping it from falling to the ground. I'm sure you can all work it out now.

Cherry no I can’t. Or.....can I ....a spider web maybe ?