The Lockdown Gang - Indomitable Lobstars ?⭐️

Yes Doodle my WP is persevering with "The Terror", for now at least, but that doesn't mean he'll watch the series to the end. If it really grips him he'll continue but only if it does.

Brr, that abandoned town looks incredibly cold❄️ Kaimoana. If there are any people living in that block, as the article suggests, I feel for them ?
I really like your picture. As Doodle asks, is that one of the ones you did? Looks like a skillful use of colour and that's an art in itself ?

Nfk, it's lovely to see you posting ?. I was wondering if you were okay and it seems you are so all's good. I agree with Doodle, it's fine to just pop in and say hello and let us all know how you are, when you don't we worry.
Until the beginning of March meeting up with another person from a different household to go for a walk wasn't allowed in Wales ☹️. There have been stricter rules here than in the rest of the Uk in this last lockdown. I'm pretty sure ? that meeting one other person to go for a walk is allowed in England, plenty of people are doing it. I just think exercise is meant to be local.
When we had that spell of fine weather at the end of last week the police were out in force around the Gower handing out warnings and fines to people who had driven to the various bays to walk on the beach. Pretty much like Jan had described happening around your beautiful coastline. In the end the council closed the carparks! In a way it was quite curious as there were more people walking on the path 'on the front' in the village, jostling past one another than the number of people who visited one quite large open beach .
The people 'on the front' didn't receive warnings.

Grammaretto, whatever the forbidden or not I'm glad you saw your other bubble, especially your DGC ?. I've no doubt it's done you all more good than harm.
I hope you are right, now that I've brought my neighbour's plight to the right people, that she'll get the help she and consequentially there DDs should.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202103/medium-16868-img-1197.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202103/medium-320872-summer.jpg

Cherry I think you possibly remember my dear friend has a similar situation as your neighbour, with her grand-children and his drug-crazy parents.
At the moment, Dad is incarcerated but Mum is hateful, as is 'the other grandma' so those poor wee things have only my friend to turn to. It's truly heart-breaking.

Grammaretto Your Highland fling sounds absolutely wonderful and just what you needed. I wonder if I can persuade our local Council to do something similar to the poetry walk? Have they even heard of poetry I wonder?

Here's one of my favourites; by Leigh Hunt.

Jenny kiss’d me when we met,
Jumping from the chair she sat in;
Time, you thief, who love to get
Sweets into your list, put that in!
Say I’m weary, say I’m sad,
Say that health and wealth have miss’d me,
Say I’m growing old, but add,
Jenny kiss’d me.
***************************************

I'm with Doodle, don't read everything if you've been away a while. Just read the latest page and post your own news.
I'm not ordering you about, you understand , just trying to spare anyone unnecessary angst/guilt/trepidation.
It can be very daunting when you haven't posted, to see reams and reams of text - and that Kaimoana is one of the worst for wittering on!

Panache It's the answer to many hopes and prayers that you now have such amazing and steadfast help and can spend peaceful times with your lovely man. Much love to you both.

Nfk How lovely to see you again but sorry your post got lost. I wonder why the GN combined harvester does that?
When I saw those pictures of the road, static with cars, I wondered why they hadn't put police officers on point duty to regular the flow. You never see it these days, just a poor junior standing miserably in the hot sun or pouring rain, with a STOP/GO sign.

Yes Doodle it took me hours to do just that little bit of colouring in.
Total concentration (and some vision accessories) needed as it had to look good enough to be made into mats.
I'm still not sure the Co-ordinator will think it is.
I was boss-eyed at the end

I like this fish one but that took several days.
Half of me is grateful I can still do something artistic; the other half, remembering what I used to produce so easily, is frustrated by the dreadful limitations.
First World problem of course - I'll pull myself together!!

Cardi weather today and rain on the way, "Autumn is i-cumen in, lude sing boo-hoo".

Doodle. It’s the river Ouse which then goes out to the Wash and the North Sea.
Cherry so sorry for those little girls. That’s really scary for them and a worry for you.

I don't know anything about barbaric bananas, ferocious figs or a vicious apple but I know people who have become sucked in by lemons. Blackberries are by nature thorny and soursops are prickly so and sos. Perhaps some fruit need caging after all ... ?

Good evening Lobstars,
I have been trying to catch up with the gang doings but am probably not quite up to speed.
I am glad the Panaches sound positively cosseted at present. So different from their situation a few weeks ago.

Mamissimo and co are in good spirits too and that garden must be looking good now.

I joined my other bubble I daresay that's forbidden and saw the Highlands and the wee DGC. It was just the tonic I needed.
Or I could say I was charging the car battery?
That must have been what all those other cars were doing!

We went on a poetry walk and there was even a poem about jigsaws. So I thought of you.
www.corbenicpoetrypath.com/
We saw a red squirrel and some friendly ponies.

I am glad you were able to get some help/attention for your neighbour Cherry before things get worse.

How lovely to sit and watch the boats Jan
Thanks for the links, suggestions and photos gang. Keep 'em coming.

.

My biggest concern re. my neighbour is also for her lovely twin daughters. Fortunately, but also worryingly, they haven't been with her during her latest relapse. I'm pretty sure they are with their daddy. I say worryingly though because they only went with him about three days into her relapse and I think it might have been because she scared them. The problem is this keeps happening. The girls return to mummy, mummy manages for a couple of days, mummy then starts to relapse, mummy antagonises the girls, mummy gets more erratic, more verbally aggressive and bangs about. After several days (sometimes a couple of weeks) daddy picks up the girls and takes them to his home. The pattern repeats ?. If she isn't helped neither are her lovely twins.

Panache, thank goodness. It's great to hear that you are now getting so much help and support to help you both ?. I hope you do get some night relief so that you can ? reenergise yourself! Now, I hope this means that the time you spend together is completely personal, sharing and being with your dear man x

Back later ...

Kaimoana the photo is lovely. That’s not your colouring in is it?
I watched a programme on Vorkuta recently. I can’t remember what it was about (travelling Russia maybe). A very strange place. DH and I have been to Russia twice. Once we went to St Petersburg but the other time to Murmansk. Two totally different experiences.
NfK speaking for myself, I am more than happy for you to just pop in and say hello and tell us how you are. There are lots of long posts on here (we like to ramble ?) you don’t need to respond to everything, just tell us how you are.
The problem with the Terror is not so much whispering as the way the actors say their lines. It’s more like mumbling with an accent than anything.
Interesting about you mentioning taking the camper bubble for a run. We had to have a new battery in our car yesterday. The garage recommend we take it out for a drive every few days to keep it topped up. How far I asked ....oh about 100 miles should do it ?. We don’t do 100 miles a month let alone a week.
I would love a walk on the beach. Hope you get to do it.
Panache I cannot tell you how pleased I am to hear that you are at last getting that time alone together. So glad you are getting the care and help you have needed for such a long time. Take care and much love to you both x
Jan how nice to sit and watch the boats on the river. We have boats on our river too but not at this time of year. When the weather is warmer they come out in droves. What river is it that you go to if you don’t mind me asking?
Hope all the gangsters have a good day ?

Panache so good to hear about all the help you are getting. I hope you can get a good nights sleep now and enjoy those special moments with your man.
Nfk yes the police are really coming down on those people travelling to our beautiful coast. They have fined those idiots driving from Corby and even further afield. Also those second home owners who are travelling from London. It’s hard on people I know. We would love to drive to Hunstanton but are having to make do with going down to the river and watching the fishing boats come in! It was glorious there today. Yes you’re are allowed to walk with a friend and from tomorrow you can sit on a park bench with a friend - you can tell someone in London thought that up - how many parks are there in Norfolk let alone benches!!
Really is a wonderful day here but the rest of the week not looking good. ?

Tuning in when I have a rare quiet moment.

Indeed how impressive is the care my dear man is now recieving,it is second to none and what a tremendous weight off my shoulders.

Yesterday for instance 2 delightful nurses called around 10.30 and my man had a lovely wash,and placed back on his chair with the greatest care.
He even managed a little bit of banter with them.......music to my ears.
3pm a visit from a sister part of the district nurse team whom checked over areas now needing special attention.
Again at 6pm a further visit from another 2 nurses whom eventually had him tucked up beautifully in bed.
another visit this morning and again in the evening,whilst i have a lady staying over giving me a better night`s sleep...........hopefully.
We are now finding those all important moments and indeed longer times to simply sit together,chat or just hold hands..........and that is just sheer heaven.
So for once I can happily put all your minds at rest,all is more or less well at the Panaches.

Have yourselves a peaceful sunday dear friends.

Good morning. One of the Missing here. I have been dropping in occasionally but by the time I've caught up with all the chat something interrupts and I don't post - or if I do I loose the lot as I did yesterday.

It was a relief to see that the tsunami came to nought Kaimoana. That photo looks as if thing are very organised there. American films are always scary showing roads all jammed up with folk trying desperately to get out of town when threatened by fire, flood, quake or zombies. On a trip to California we found all the tsunami warning signs and directions rather disturbing. That and the shark warnings rather put the dampers on the good life we'd imagined. The best one for me was the one which stated in large writing "Drowning is a once in a lifetime experience"! Not many people swam in the sea!

I don't think we'll bother with recording The Terror if its another one where everyone whispers. I know we could have subtitles on but I find them distracting. I can't watch and read at the same time.

I met a friend yesterday went for a short walk. I'm still not sure if it was really allowed but she says it is. We really need to take our camperbubble for a run (she's supposed to go out once a month to keep everything working properly) and would love to head for the coast and maybe a brief beach walk. But the nearest is twelve miles away. Does that count as local? I heard that someone was given a warning by the police at Hunstanton for coming seven miles! I shall have to check the Government website.

Best wishes and gentle (((hugs))) to the Panaches and sending virtual as you don't have to reach for vases to put them in water.

Doodle the Internet is littered with people complaining about the audio on The Terror.
There's also a story of how cast members in full makeup and looking pretty grim, came upon a car accident and the poor victims, thinking their ancestors had come to 'take them home' began screaming in genuine terror.

Cherry I hope something is done for your neighbour and children; it's the twins I worry more about.
A Gubbins email on its way to you.

I've had a literary/arts day. Listening to the complete plays of Oscar Wilde whilst doing something I never, ever believed I'd do - colouring in.
Adult colouring is something done at Communicare but I have always eschewed it until the Co-ordinator suggest I do some to laminate and sell as placemats for our funds.
Taxing on the eyes but the things look all right.

I also took a virtual trip to the abandoned town of Vorkuta to see some spectacular sites, photographed by Maria Passer.

edition.cnn.com/travel/article/vorkuta-russia-frozen-ghost-towns/index.html

Hope our missing Gangstars are keeping well.

Jan good idea. I did think about it earlier but although I can do that on the iPad I couldn’t see where to do it on the TV. I think you’re right and I need to investigate further as I am missing so much of the dialogue.
Hope you have a good weekend,

Doodle if you are having trouble understanding what people are saying on tv why not put the subtitles on? We do this if we can’t make out peoples accents etc. Works well

Aaah that minx Cherry has sneaked in behind me again ?
WP is your partner Cherry you can call him what you like. Much more loving than other half.
What a good idea to phone someone about your neighbour. It is worrying about her manner with two young girls to take care of. I do hope someone checks it out and makes sure she and her children are safe.
Is your WP persevering with the Terror? It’s a bit blood thirsty but I shut my eyes during those bits. ?
DH has woken up. He now has half a glass of wine, half a cup of cold coffee and half a glass of water on his table. I wonder if he’ll stay awake long enough to drink any of them ?

Kaimoana pansies are one of my favourites. I love their smiley faces and colours. They always cheer me up ?
I’m glad your warning has been stood down now. I am of the better safe than sorry brigade.
Thank you for your kind comments but as I have always said, this is our thread and all of us make it what it is.
I’m so glad your fruit is of the gentle variety. I have never known a vicious Apple. ? I didn’t realise your son was so tall. So glad you had some lovely cuddles with Gubbins
Love your thinning scissors ?
Mamissimo it made me smile to think of your little granddaughter face timing you at random. ?
All is forgiven Mamissimo. What we would all have done I think. Made me remember when DH and I got married. It was lack of funds rather than lack of an IKEA that made us willing accept a chair (not matching) from 2 different aunts. A spare single bed which we used as a sofa and a free tea trolley that came with our new oven, which we used to eat from as we had no table. ?. Nice to look back on but I like my creature comforts now.
Oooh a new impossible jigsaw on the way. I bet you can’t wait.?
Been out for a drive today to charge the car battery. Lovely and sunny but very cold.
Watched the second and third episodes of The Terror tonight. I am still having so much trouble understanding what they are saying.
DH had one of his restless nights last night when he didn’t sleep much. He is now snoring quietly in his chair, half a cup of cold coffee by his side and his iPad open on his lap. Cant decide whether to wake him up for his coffee or let him sleep.
Hope all the gangsters, posting or not, are ok. Much in all our thoughts.
Sleep well all

Not visit - sit!

Gosh, it's quiet here today, Jeeves is pacing the floor ?

Yes Doodle, in answer to your question, it was intentional ?.
Thank you Doodle. I have had a few sarcastic comments from some gn quarters about using an alternative abbreviation for an unmarried partner. I'm not changing my choice of abbreviation though ?

Awkward squad Kaimoana, you and me both - as you can tell as if you haven't done already from what I've written to Doodle above ?.
There are a lot of so-called weeds I would call flowers too. There are a couple of exceptions, one being dandelions. Horrible things, because they bring me out in a rash.
I love the pet slimming scissors ?. I wonder what size they'd be for human beans ?
I agree with your answer. Without getting too political though there are too many who agree with the justifications of these governmental decisions.
Gubbins has her priorities right Kaimoana - food and smiles for her grandma ?. I'm glad you and she both enjoyed her visit to you with daddy.

Mamissimo I hope your im patient has been well behaved comfortable today. I'm glad he's got his pre-op assessment next week and has his surgery as soon as possible.
Did everything except the garden get put on the back burner today then ... I know that's what my WP did today ? ?.
I forgive you your sin, when you've got to go you've got to go! What else could you have done.
I'm sure your DS appreciates your offload of things you don't want and don't need furniture donations ?

Yesterday I had a brainwave ? in regard to helping my neighbour. She'd been awake all night, shouting, swearing and banging about, very disturbing behaviour.
I don't know why I didn't think of it before but thought ? what if I contact the charity Mind? This meant I had to google to find the number and in doing so I found a few other organisations to ring too. I couldn't get through to Mind so I rang C.A.L.L who were incredibly helpful. Unlike the social services, who don't provide the phone number for their mental health services online (or give it to you if you ring their central hub), they gave me the telephone number for mental health services. I rang them and was put through to the duty officer. I outlined to him what I know and have witnessed and he couldn't thank me enough for ringing ?. I only hope I have helped. She may not appreciate it ... but sometimes you just can't visit on your hands and do nothing!

Mamissimo if you ever wanted a second career, you would be a huge asset as a stand-up (or even sit down) comedienne.
I laughed all the way through your post.
Thank you for such a joyful beginning to my Sunday morning.

Good morning ?

Kaimoana glad the Tsunami has shrunk and that Gubbins has finally got her eye in! I've just had a random FaceTime with youngest DGD who wax expertly using randomly pushing things on her Mum's iPad and called me....her delight was a joy as she grinned and said "Grammy!" and then asked to see Hon Knee. ?

My fruit cage arrived yesterday so I may erect it today....or I may make a trifle...or flap Jack...or I may do something or other. One of those lack of direction days.

Mr M has now fully mastered the art of being a pain in the proverbial convalescent patient. He has his pre-op assessment next week and I'm hoping they put him straight on the milk diet- he needs subduing!

Forgive me Lobstas for I have sinned........It seems that IKEA has sold out of most of the furniture DS was going to buy for his new house so I loaded up the estate with all the bits from here that I could get rid of as the dump's shut easily spare. I drove it down and popped it all on his drive.....and inadvertently broke lockdown as I needed the loo before I drove home.......honest! Did me the power of good. ?

DD1 has just messaged to ask whether I could send her in laws the darned jigsaw as they have posted me the one they've just complete from the same series.....noooooooooo! Mind you, it will give Mr M something to moan about. ?

The garden is beckoning and I can't resist....

Don't put your budgie, cat, fish on a diet - use these miraculous size-reducing scissors.

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Tsunami update: we woz stood down at 3:45pm yesterday when it was clear the tsunami waves were no larger than normal once they hit the east coast from their origins in the Kermadecs, 968k away.

Lots of complains about over-reaction, especially from those who fled in terror from their homes but the fact is it could have been disastrous and these plans are put in place to save lives. To me, the scariest thing was the terrifying noise which is the alert signal!

Doodle your pyromaniac oven remind me of something I heard on Radio4Extra where the called the pandemic a 'pandemonium'

So glad people are rallying round to support you Panache; I hope you can get a little rest too.

Cherry I'm of the awkward squad mind which believes there are no weeds, just wild flowers in places gardeners don't like.
So no weedy pansies for me, they are dear little flowers and used to be all over my garden when I lived in the country.

You asked why people cut budgets then don't accept blame for the consequences? Having read two books, by NHS staff, about the appalling, long-term starvation of hospitals - not even decent razors to shave poorly men with - that's a question everyone in the UK must be (should be) asking.

Jan your travelling cafe sounds cosy, delightful and safe. It's one way of getting out whilst sticking to the rules.
I don't think you're lazy for paying someone to clean your oven - I especially didn't think so when I was head down and swearing working hard on mine.

"Fruit cage" ? do you have barbaric bananas and ferocious figs? My fruit just smiles peacefully from the bowl and doesn't give me a moment's bother

Doodle I'm definitely comparing us to Michelangelo, whether we're artistic or not. We never know if something we've done, made, written or said, radically changes things for someone later.
You only have to read this life-affirming, wonderfully supportive thread to know you personally have made a huge difference in many lives. Stop blushing, it's true!!

Thanks to everyone who buoyed me up about Gubbins. Your assurances that it would come right in time were invaluable when I felt down about it.

My son arrived for breakfast this morning. As you know, he's a well-built, 6ft 7 and she's the tiniest wee girl but she's definitely The Boss.
Once she was fed (always hungry as was her Papa) she came to me and smiled and smiled and smiled. It was such a relief.

Thinking of all those who can't post right now - you're never forgotten. Only a thought away.

Cherry was that intentional ....sound problems falling on deaf ears ?
I like the fact that you refer to your man as WP. Much nicer than other half
Kaimoana I hope things are quiet in your part of the world tonight and no more earthquakes.
Are you comparing the lobstars to Michaelangelo Kaimoana?
I suppose with grammaretto’s pottery, your hats, my painting and Cherry’s non art we could put on some sort of display. ?

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202103/medium-918728-michel-amgelo.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202103/medium-121803-michelangeoa.jpg

Today is the birthday of Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (6 March 1475 – 18 February 1564).

He cannot possibly have know how much he would influence, change and delight lives for the next 5+ centuries.

And neither do we, in our small corner, doing our best.

I was reading about the earthquakes and tsunami warnings last night Kaimoana and was pleased to find out this morning that emergency warnings have been lifted. It was reported that, thank goodness, nobody was killed. I haven't read any updated reports yet but I hope the previous ones were accurate. I'm glad you live on higher ground and are safe, similarly Grammaretto it sounds like your DS and family are safe too ?

Jan, it's just as well that I read your post after I'd drank my cuppa because otherwise I think I would have spluttered it everywhere ?. Yes, my WP is definitely a whole person and he's also had, on the odd occasion, moments of wackiness ?. Kaimoana's revealed what the abbreviation stands for uppage. I don't use DH as we're not married Jan ?. I don't like the use of other and I really dislike the use of half, my Wonderful Partner is not an other and as I've already said he is a whole person and never a half ?
I hope you had your "river trip", enjoyed the view and and enjoyed your coffee ?

Panache I'm really pleased you are getting the help that you and Mr P need and I hope it does mean, despite the busyness that you are getting some time together to just be. I send you a bundle of cwtches and will them to be carried to you on the westward breeze x

Doodle, you are absolutely spot on about me, I am a young bubbly person ? ?. What a nice thing to say about how you see me ❤️. Let's stick with that image of me shall we ?
I think my WP also struggled a bit with the sound of the dialogue on "The Terror". It seems to be a common issue with these drama productions these days and a common complaint but one that falls on deaf ears.
Oh, poor Jeeves. I'll have to tell him that whilst I have a new night guard he's irreplaceable unlike the one I have to wear ☺️

Panache you sound swamped with helpers now. I’m glad they are all there supporting you both but you I fear are worn down by it all. I am glad MrP is home with you and trust you get more opportunity to spend time just being together and comforting each other.
Much love and cwtchs xx