The Lockdown Gang - Indomitable Lobstars ?⭐️

Good afternoon all from my balcony in the sunshine ?
Happy Easter Sunday. Just back from a longish walk and haven’t got the energy for anything else other than putting the lasagne in the oven and pouring a glass of wine ?
Kaimoana I knew you would be able to create something tasty from your fridge and freezer.
I hate it when I wash tissues by accident (I too have a store under my pillow) I usually give them a good shake outside then put them back in the watching and tumble dry. That takes some of it off. I once washed a huge bright red linen Christmas table cloth with a couple of serviettes by mistake. It took forever with one on those sellotape rollers to get the white bits off.
Hope you have a good time with Anna on Wednesday.
What a beautiful lady in the photo. Who is it?
Gramaretto we have the sunshine today but rain due tomorrow.
I am so sorry you’ve still got the sore throat. I wonder what has caused that. Plenty of hot drinks required. I will get Jeeves to pop in regularly with something warm and comforting. ?
So not only do you have lovely countryside views you can walk to the seaside too. I am very envious. I love both.
Yes we went to son number two yesterday and we all sat in the garden and froze. So lovely they were prepared to do that just to be with us. Lovely to see them.
Glad you had a good lunch with your family.
Happy Easter to you too Jan. Of course we missed you.
I miss all the lobstars when they are absent for a bit but I know many have good reasons for not being here, health and otherwise, so I don’t like to pester with messages. Lovely to hear from you. Hope you are ok. Good news about your second jab. Keep well.?
Hello chirpy Cherry Happy Easter to you too ??????
Any footie on over Easter? I hope ‘our team’ aren’t indulging in too many chocolates or they’ll not be fit for the match. ?
Panache hoping things are ok and you are not worn out with caring and worry. Hope some help is at hand.
Take care all.
I leave you with a photo of the Dean’s Easter photo from his garden, I love the white rabbit lazing with the bunch of daffs.?

Happy Easter gangStars ???????????? ?

Oh yes we did Jan , lovely to see you ?. Lucky you to have your second jab, great news too! I hope you're having a lovely time down by the river.

Good to know that the jabs do actually produce antibodies Grammaretto and that you've got some. I'm so pleased that you saw your nearest family members yesterday ?. I'm sure your DMiL will enjoy the flowers and both of you will enjoy seeing each other.

I hope all the gang are enjoying Easter Sunday. Back later ?

Happy Easter All! Sorry I haven’t been about. Been a strange few days. Hope you all missed me ( bet you didn’t!) Glorious day here and must make a flask of coffee to take down to the river in a bit. Have as good a day as possible folks - especially thinking about Panache. Great news - had my second jab last Thursday! Managed to sneak in with the over 80s!! x

Hello Lobstars,

on this strange Easter Sunday.
Are you having a heatwave in NZ Kaimoana? I was sent a photo of swimming pool scene.
We had a mini one yesterday which was perfect.
But short and sweet, it's due to snow today.

I had a covid antibody test as part of the Biobank study/survey and the results showed I had some antibodies. I had the Pfizer vaccine.
However my sore throat will not go away and I hope that it isn't covid related.

Is that Hanna in the photo?

No eggs for me, chocolate or otherwise. I can't swallow.
(o me miserum)

One of the questions at our quiz yesterday was to name all 32 Unesco World Heritage sites in the UK. So there's a question for all of you to try. if you have nothing better to do
None of us did very well.
But we did name all the 27 countries in the EU.

I am glad you have seen your boys, Doodle.
I saw my nearest family yesterday and we ate lunch in the garden and walked to the seaside under a cloudless blue sky.

I'm now going to pick a big bunch of flowers to take to DMiL later.

Missedout have a word with your doctor before you pay for the antibody test as I've just been told by mine that the Covid vaccinations available in UK don't produce antibodies.

Johnson & Johnson's, one-jab formula, available in the USA are the exception but the others don't.

I can't believe this is the 970th post on our 'new' thread!

Our clocks went back last night but as I tend to go by daylight and birdsong to propel me, singing from my bed in the mornings, it doesn't matter. hee hee.

Grammaretto Ah, I understand; I thought the presentation was all over.

I still laugh when Hanna does yet another barmy thing.

Last week, she bundled up the sheets - and the tissues from under my pillow - and bunged 'em all in the washing machine and pressed the button.
Later, when I got them out and shook them - oh glory My garage is 2 inches deep in snow

Doodle I hope you have/had a great time at your DS and the weather was kind enough to allow you a garden visit.

From boredom I made a quiche:
Tossed a handful of frozen mixed veg in half a cup of boiling vegetable stock, added a few chopped, fried onions, drained it, popped it all in a pastry case with beaten eggs and covered the lot with grated cheese. e Voila!
Lunch, tea and probably breakfast tomorrow as well.
I may be housebound but I ain't starvin'.

My friend Anna is coming for lunch on Wednesday - remember her?
She's been trying to learn how to drive but Dad is teaching her and gets too impatient
I think she'll like the Easter Egg.
We may have Indian food.

Stay well everyone and enjoy the flowers, bird song and Springtime - however bad life gets, these are our perpetual blessings.

Kaimoana yes I’m quite glad my little fan isn’t a Beatles one. ?
Oh dear, I see your Hanna is still trying to bend you to her way of thinking. Nothing seems to get through to her.
I wish I could send you a hot cross bun. DH ordered some extra plump and fruity spicy ones from Sainsbugs which we had on Thursday. They were delicious. Sorry you missed out.
That a bit of a problem your transport not being available on other days. Hope you survive your veg and milk diet. Knowing you, I fully expect some wonderful dishes to materialise from your fridge and freezer. ?
grammaretto that’s so nice of your DD to make soup for you. That and some loving company will do you the world of good. Have a nice time ?
We are off to visit other DS today to sit in his garden. We got a bit chilly yesterday so will wrap up warmer today.
Tomorrow and Monday I hope to do some sewing, now that the dreaded painting has been put in the far reaches of the cupboard I can get on with something I enjoy.
Have a good day all.

I am sorry you have to miss out on outings because of the holiday Kaimoana. It seems the wrong way around.

As for Hanna!! If it wasn't so exasperating for you it would be very funny.
I don't think I should post DGS winning design here at least not until after the public presentation.

I was just keeping myself busy when I had a call from DiL who has invited me to lunch. I told her about my sore throat but she said to come anyway and she would make soup.
Isn't that nice!
Your photos are really lovely Missedout that's my kind of countryside. and luckily not so popular with crowds

Good sunny morning to you all dear friends.

Grammaretto are you allowed to put your dgs wining bus entry online here? I quite understand if not.
Good to hear the young man who would have been your boarder seems a little more settled. I feel so sorry for the younger generations - we seem to have weathered so much and come through and they have yet to learn they will too.

Doodle I'm glad your new fan is 'brilliant and quiet' - so different from those who used to scream for the Beatles eh?

dragonfly (I first wrote dragonflu - forgive me
I'm glad there are happy things in your life, in among all the considerable hard work and heartache. Lovely to see you posting.

You too Missedout and what gorgeous photos. When that little woodland walk has greened up a bit, it will be magical. I do envy you.
And the other photo, spectacular - thanks for sharing.
What an excellent idea to check on the anti-bodies; I hope you're chock full of the little beggars so you can visit the northern tribes.

Garden visits must be so much better for everyone now the good weather is well and truly on its way.
'Oh to be in England, now that April's here...'

I know Scotland and Wales are just as much missed by ex-pats - and it's usually 'nature' wot does it.

Last night I was three sheets to the wind, although perhaps not quite as one would imagine.

Hanna made up my bed (incorrectly, as usual, I've stopped even trying to get through to her after months of failure) and when I came to get into it, she'd used the set of floral sheets and a plain cream one.
So a fitted floral on the mattress, then 2 top sheets.
In any mind, in any culture, isn't that barmy?

Also, having ignored numerous conversations over the past 24 weeks - and a letter _in Korean_ about my health and dietary situation, she brought me a big chocolate egg full of truffles. What is one to do?
I'm beginning to wonder, seriously, if it's some form of dementia.

I shan't get my Hot Cross bun for Easter Sunday breakfast.


I only have help/transport for a short time Monday & Friday.
All the shops were shut on Friday, as they will be on Monday, so it'll be next Friday (an 11 day gap) before I can get out again.

Good job I'm a forward planner with UHT milk in the cupboard and veg in the freezer.

But no Hot Cross Bun.

"Let them eat cake!"

Love to all you wonderful persons

Grammaretto you popped in while I was typing.
Good you are ready for painting.
Nice afternoon for you in the garden with your friend.
Any potting being done ( nope that’s gardening isn’t it. Er pottering ...nope that’s fiddling about) What is it you call it when you wallop delicately place a lump of clay on the turnstile (wrong, that’s records) and give it a whirl.

Evening all.
Kaimoana how are you? I hope you are feeling better.
Grammaretto the young man sounds as though he’s doing ok. Perhaps his mum was just being a bit over cautious.
How lucky you found the switch for the shower. That is good news. We need to get someone out for ours. I think the thermostat in the tap has gone as although the water gets warm it doesn’t heat up enough.
Your girls seem to have fun with their time capsule even thought the contents didn’t stand the rest of time ?
Dragonfly how lovely of you to pop in. So pleased to hear you had a good day. 2nd jab is good news.
Knowing how some things troubled you last year (or was it this year ?) I am so pleased that your DS wants you to visit and your DIL says she is looking forward to seeing you. That must lift your spirits no end.
We went to see our DS today and sat in the garden. My DGS who is nearly 18 said he so wanted to give me a hug. A hug from him is a very precious thing and after over 12 months of restriction I could no longer resist and we had a hug. Wonderful ?
Missedout lovely to hear from you too. Glad you are getting your second jab.
I see cooking is back in the agenda with your over being repaired.
Nice to have the family over for a BBQ on Sunday. Be lovely to see them. Hope it’s a warm dry day for you.
My DS has bought a posh BBQ. He has always wanted one. Only snag is they can’t buy the Calor gas to run it ?
Beautiful photos. What a lovely place you live. We enjoy our walks by the river but nothing like as much countryside that you can see. Love those views.
Panache I am wondering how you are getting on. Hope you are managing ok.
Cherry hope you are having a relaxing bank holiday.
I have been watching the Dean at Canterbury today doing a 3 hour programme from 12 to 3. I’ve watched the first 1 ½ hours and am having a break before the final bit. Hope I can stay awake for it all. One lovely sequence was pre recorded in his garden at night sitting by a burning brazier. It was very atmospheric. Completely dark apart from the light of the fire. Very moving.
Happy Easter all.

Oh Dragonfly your happy post just made me smile and smile.
How wonderful to see the family again. I do believe the end is in sight of this terrible pandemic..
The stats are really showing the positive effects of the vaccine.
www.travellingtabby.com/scotland-coronavirus-tracker/

We had just enough sunshine today for me to sit and drink coffee and eat chocolatines in my garden with one of my potter friends.

The very helpful family with the strong sons spent an hour moving furniture so I hope the painter will be able to access most of the walls.
How are the Lobstars today?
Panache? and all of you?

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202104/medium-257690-e18890f3-c11a-4a6c-a48f-913a7d67972f.jpeg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202104/medium-144658-20210402-132001.jpg

Hello gang, I'm pleased to see that Dragonfly has joined us.

Like Dragonfly, I have had some bits of good news.

Our microwave/combi oven has been repaired.

We have found a new gardener. She will start next week. At least I won't keep feeling guilty every time I look out of our bedroom window.

I also have been called for my second vaccination next week. I plan to pay for a private antibody test 3 weeks after my vaccination. I need to know if I have made any antibodies so that I can estimate my risks before staying with our northern family.

We have my DGD, her parents and our youngest AC visiting in the garden on Sunday. I have planned a BBQ although it may get cooked in my kitchen if the weather is too bad. We can put up an event shelter if we need it. I have my fingers and toes firmly crossed.

I have attached 2 photos from today's walk with DH. Although the camera on my mobile phone is good, it doesn't do justice to views. I am so lucky to be able to walk from my home to this. I manage fine while I'm out but I am so tired now, it is very hilly.

My thoughts are still with Panache today.

And to all the other Lobstars, I hope you can all start taking baby steps forward.

Good afternoon dear friends.
I had a wonderful day yesterday after many of sheer worry so thought I would drop in and see you.
It started with a text from our GP while I was having my feet done telling me to ring for an appointment for my second jab.

Booked in for 9th April!

Then got a call from my son asking us when we could go and stay with them. He insisted we book in for the end of May hoping restrictions would be lifted by then. I received pictures of our grandchildren from our DiL in their Easter bonnets and saying how much she is looking forward to seeing us.

Later DD rang to ask if we would like to have (Zoom) drinks with them tonight and go onto a show (Zoom) with them afterwards.

I hope things are looking up for everyone.
Panache is very much in my thoughts and I hope they get support over the weekend.

I was all set to go hawking my mum's death certificate and will round the banks this morning until I realised they were closed. There is so much to do and not of the organisations seem to have any sense of urgency.

I hope you all have a lovely Easter weekend - the sun has poked out here. Sending love and hugs.

Such a lovely letter to the gang kaimoana. You seem to always know what to say.

The young man came to visit and told me he has found a flat nearby so won't be staying here long, just a few days between flats. I was checking out the room for him and remembered that the shower was cold (DS had mentioned that when he was here) I was just wondering who would repair a broken shower - a plumber or an electrician? when I looked behind the partition wall and found a switch. I switched it on and like Magic - hot shower. My little triumph today!

I love the sound of your time capsule Mamissimo. Beneath the plum tree.
DD and her pal when they were children, buried a time capsule in our garden. Some years later when they were teenagers they found the treasure map and paced out the site and began digging. They dug and dug until the garden was thoroughly churned up and eventually found a rusty wet tin with decaying treasures inside. Mortified, they left the scene . It gave me an idea. Rather than restoring the lawn (and those girls had vanished) I decided to plant shrubs and that became a shrubbery which now looks as though it has always been there.

Goodnight Lobstars. Sleep well.

Kaimoana thank you, I will think about the sage. Funny you should mention the magnesium for DH. I have been thinking about that as he is having so much trouble sleeping these days. I am writing to his GP to see what she thinks. Apparently, magnesium could interact with his blood thinners but there are sprays and creams. Thank you for the suggestions,
Good to hear dragonfly is ok. Thanks for letting up know.
Glad you’re getting your rubbish taken away.
So you are getting Alexa. Ours is a bit stroppy sometimes and won’t do as she’s asked. I often hear DH arguing with her when I’m going to bed. I can hear him mumbling silly woman.?
Grammaretto that’s lovey news about your DGS’s design being in the busses. I can see you standing at the bus stop all day just to see them go past ?
No Cherry it was tonight we celebrated first day of freedom rather than last day of lockdown. You could be right about the hiccups but it doesn’t usually affect me like that ?
My new fan is brilliant. It too is a small one that has a USB connection. Very neat and compact and quiet but quite effective. For a minute my eyes read that you were off for an early night with Jeeves and I thought hello, what are they up to but then I realised it was the hot chocolate you wanted. ?
Sleep well all

Yes Doodle it did ?. I laughed out loud and distracted my WP who's watching a film ?

I read this morning that your DGS' design has been chosen to be put on the buses Grammaretto. That is brilliant! ?

Mamissimo, burying bad news eh? ?. That's a plum(b) idea ?. When the capsule is discovered I hope people are able to read the date as the contents sound like something you might assume come from the Victoria(n) era. I think the idea is great by the way ?

Oh Doodle you do make me laugh ?, I celebrated the last day of shielding with a ? and you've got hiccups, don't know why ?. They may be distinct from one another and I'm assuming you meant yesterday you celebrated but I can't help the way my mind doesn't works ?
Shame about Mr D's new shoes. Sorry to hear he hasn't had a good night for ages, I hope the heating pad works ? I hope your new fan works for you too. I have one that plugs in to my laptop and tablet and even though it's not powerful it's portable and I can have it really close to me whilst I idle away sit comfortably on the sofa ?

Off for an early night, Jeeves where's that lovely hot chocolate ?. Night gang ?

Grammaretto I can go there and say a prayer for you, if it would help? How very kind of you. Prayer is never wasted.

I'm glad eye-plucking has now been reduced to eyebrows only and for reverse reasons - it seems it was quite the thing in the old days. Grim indeed.

Doodle have you tried sage capsules for hot flushes, or even a simple sage tea? I used to make it for a friend and put the bottle in her fridge.
A hearty, cooling glass of that stopped her flushes - which she called "power surges".
Magnesium for your DH to try?

I honestly don't think there's anything else the ophthalmology team can do for me, Doodle- my eyes have kept going longer than expected on what was cutting-edge, pioneering stuff 11 years ago, for which I'm grateful.
However, you never know what St. Triduana has up her sleeve.

I had a quick word with dragonfly who is very, very busy with family things but sends her regards to all.

My Alexa unit is on its way. What fun. My son will program that into my new PC.

Also, another miracle.
Whilst Council refused to empty my recycling bin, the dear fellow who's head of Waste Management took pity on me and said if I bagged up the contents (in recyclable black bags of course ), he will nip up in his car and collect them.

It's just paper, cardboard boxes from deliveries, milk bottles and the like, very clean but I do fill a wheelie bin every 2 weeks. Without this kindness, all that would have had to go in the rubbish

Mamissimo The time capsule sounds splendid. I hope you'll add your own thoughts on Covid, Lockdown and what it did.

One of the things the Oral History department used to moan talk about was how past accounts hardly ever contained emotional reactions.
One could see/read what had happened but seldom how folks felt about it all. Such an important aspect when recording history.

I have just seen "fruitless hot cross buns" advertised and can't decide if they are literally well named or a total travesty!
I am going to spoil myself with a brioche HCBun this Easter.

Thinking of all our wonderful Lobstars - peace, comfort and rest to every one of you over this long weekend.

Cherry sorry you’re not having a good day. I wasn’t sure what a perennial ictal was so I googled it and discover you are suffering from a bout of geraniums ?.
Sorry I know it’s not funny but I thought that would make you laugh (it’s what appeared on my screen as I was typing.)
Are you feeling any better this evening?
Hope you have enough meds for the weekend. It’s annoying when prescriptions go missing.
Have a good rest tonight and no aerobics in the bedroom ?

Evening gang ?

Quick visit from me this evening, not had the best of days ?. Grr!
Had one of those perennial ictals, very tiring and very tired but the icing on the cake today was chasing the pharmacy and GP practice over missing prescriptions! Both me and my WP had to do it. We have different GPs so it's obvious there's a glitch at the pharmacy, although they swear it isn't them. We both ended up having to get "emergency" prescriptions to tide us over the Easter weekend.

Kaimoana I'm squirming at the idea of what you've gone through with you eye. I'm not squeamish about much but there is something in my psyche that can't cope with the idea of needles and eyes. I hope your eye isn't sore now.

Grammaretto just looked up Taize and watched a video. How lovely.

Kaimoana thank you for the lovely eggs.
You cheer us all up so much, sorry your health problems are getting you down. Is there anything that can be done?
Your eye sounds sore. I was feeling sorry for myself because my eyes are sore tonight due to the pollen. Nothing like your problems though.
I have hiccups, don’t know why. Typing is a bit difficult ?
I hope you get Alexa. We have one. Don’t use it to anything like it’s capacity, mainly we use it for turning our coloured light bulbs on and off and telling us what the weather was like ( looking out the window is another option?)
Our bins haven’t been emptied either. Goodness knows what we are going to do with the recycling.
This is the first year I haven’t bought my DGC Easter Eggs. Neither Sainsbugs or Waitrose had any for ordering online. I made a quick dash into Sainsbugs this afternoon and bought them some bags of chocolate. The only thing I could find.
Grammaretto yet another thing I will have to look up. I don’t know what Taize is.
We’ve had a day of deliveries today. A small desk fan for me to help with the hot flushes. A new pair of shoes for DH that will have to go back as they’re too small. A heating pad for D H to see if there’s a chance in a million it will help him with his restless leg syndrome (actually it’s more like restless body syndrome). It’s got so much worse recently. He hasn’t has a decent night’s sleep for ages.
Went out for a walk which seems to have set my hay fever off badly and my eyes are sore. I am treating them with red wine ?
Mamissimo DH and I celebrated the last day of shielding with a ?. We intend to continue keeping to ourselves until 2 weeks after we’ve had our second jab, so for a while yet.
Have you got plans for your DS’s room now that he’s got his own place (Hope things are going well for him by the way)
I love the idea of your time capsule. Little Mattie being put in the ground for posterity.
We were really naughty tonight and had Cumberland sausages for dinner. Lovely.
Hope all the lobsters are ok. ?

Dear Panache I shall hold you and your dear man in my heart and prayers. ?

Time capsule will go under a plum I think!