The Lockdown Gang - Indomitable Lobstars ?⭐️

Grammaretto as far as I know "cutch/cooch" is an approximation of "cwtch" because the Welsh 'w' is similar to the English 'u'.
I used to have a friend name Myfanwy and she would get so cross (and rightly so) when anyone said it "Meefannwee".

I'm glad your DS test is negative and that you had a lovely time with The Brownie Lady.
By Jingoes Doodle you are a busy lady - and yet you still find time to keep us all in check here bless your heart. Don't overdo it though, be kind to you.

Gubbins is trialling Goat's Milk Formula (4 times as expensive as the ordinary stuff ) to supplement breast milk - which is what I advised at the beginning of December but no one agreed
So far it seems to work.

Oh Mammisimo you disappoint me. A lawn like a wet sponge and you with a windsurfer! No races with MrM?

I bet those snowdrops are bursting out of their bags. Snowdrops like clumps, just dig a hole, fill it with water and put the clump in, they'll thrive.

Hello GrannyGravy and welcome.

I shall be without electricity all day Saturday what a shock due to vital work on overhead power lines.
I have a wonderful Swedish Trangia stove and batteries for my CD player so I'll survive.

Hope everyone and their DH's who were not feeling well, are fighting back with gusto.

I once asked my mother (I'd be about 5 at the time) who gusto was and she said, quite seriously, 'He's that Italian man who comes round selling ice cream.'
You can guess how I greeted him next time I saw him.

Forgot to say I hope MrDumpling is feeling a bit better today. Did you watch The Dig last night?

Kaimoana sorry you paid for your swimming that wasn’t open. It sounds as though you had an interesting and sociable morning. I bet you made the little girls’ daddy’s day ?
Poor little Gubbins hope she’s ok now.
I had an Aunt who had a wonderful life in Canada. Beautiful home in a lovely location, family and friends nearby but she always wanted to come ‘home’ to the UK.
Grammaretto your lunch in the garden sounds nice. So you found out who the brownies came from. A good friend obviously as is the one who chopped your tree up. It was nice to hear you didn’t feel lonely. Obviously it’s just one day and other days may be more difficult but I’m pleased there can be days when you feel ok. Good news about your sons test results.
Seems to be another heavy snowfall today hope it’s not affecting you too badly.
Mamissimo I’m not sure this is the forum for personal details like that ?. ..........or did you mean his jab ?
Good news about your son’s house. Hope it all goes well.
Do you still have the bed in your hall?
Oooh I want a dream box too. I could fill it in an instant. Fabric, wool, paper, thread, ribbons, buttons, beads....the list is endless.
I love the way your DGD approaches the family..does Gramps mind coming last ?
Have your snowdrops boomed in situ?
GrannyGravy you are most welcome. I am sure Panache will be please to know her kitchen friends are thinking of her.

Will I get round to painting today? ?. I am itching to do some sewing but have made myself pack everything away as I have too many things going on at the moment.
I am trying to do a video for our granddaughters. Arranging for someone to transfer all our camcorder tapes onto a USB stick so we can edit them on the computer.
Still getting to grips with the accounts.
Involved in emails about a local matter that will affect residents of our apartment block.
And then there’s the painting....... still such a long way to go.
Have you all finished your jigsaws now? Anyone started a new one.
Panache thinking of you hope MrP has got his hearing aid sorted out.
Cherry are you feeling any better ?
Nortsat hope you are looking after the Molls.
Nfk, Dragonfly Missedout and Jan hope you all have a good day too.

Please forgive my intrusion into this thread. I wanted to send a cwtch to dear -Panache I will hold you and MrP in my thoughts and prayers.

Ha Ha. I have chuckled at the dream box, Mamissimo.
Reminds me a bit of the mini kitchen I had fitted into the guest room last year when I feared DD and her family would be homeless. I probably shouldn't have bothered as it has never been used apart from to boil a kettle.
Like the mini kitchen, the dream box is barely big enough to swing a beagle.

Oh no, you don't want sponge drops.

There is still too much snow here to see if our snowdrops survived the fallen tree.
My df in Cornwall sent me a photo of some wild daffodils she had put in one of my vases. I didn't know whether to be pleased or extremely jealous!
.

Good morning.....I'm going to get Mr M done this afternoon. ?

At long last DS is exchanging contracts and we expect to hear that completion on his house purchase will be next week.....as he hasn't started packing I have a feeling the move will be a little later!

At long last I will be able to set up my sewing room ? as we already have spare bedrooms. I would love a dreambox but the price rather precludes it....but I lust after one.....

uk.createroom.com/pages/dreambox-detail

My youngest DGD often asks to speak to me on FaceTime and last night she appeared....."Grammy......Honey?...(I show the beagle)......Fergal? ...ditto the cat.....Gramps....she waves to him....cake? ?

The lawn is like a sponge in the bottom of the bath at the moment and I can't walk on it, let alone plant loads of snowdrops. When the digger arrived to do the garden revamp last year I packed all the soil containing snowdrops into plastic crates and we are very happy that they survived....and not so overjoyed at the thought of breaking up the clumps and getting them into new homes.

Have as good a day as you possibly can

Cutchy-coo! Is that how it's pronounced?
I love your swimming pool stories Kaimoana
Sorry you missed your swim.
A friend who lives 2 miles away invited me to lunch in her garden yesterday so I walked there along the icy, disused railway track.
I was hot and sat in her garden while she brought out delicious soup and coffee and a brownie. At last I realised it had been her who had left the brownies on my doorstep just after DH's funeral. I was able to thank her.
When I got home I found another friend chopping my fallen tree into logs for my fire. People are so kind.
I lit the fire in the evening and didn't feel lonely at all.
DS has just said his covid test was negative.

Thinking of your poorly DH today and you Panache and Cherry I hope you feel better soon.

Thank you for the birthday wishes, it really was an excellent day with the family, despite wee Gubbins cries.
I think we know why now.

Hope you feel a bit more cheery soon Cherry and Nfk you really don't need to apologise for being MIA, we all are at some point.

Missedout I hope the jab went well with no after-effects.

Grammaretto You wouldn't want me for a tenant; I've been training to be a hermit for a number of years and got my qualifications during Lockdown. I don't answer phones and if someone comes to the door, I bark 'YES?' if I'm feeling very friendly and ignore them if I'm not. And usually I'm not.

No, Doodle I don't want to leave New Zealand but the question is, 'Do I love my family more than I love Aotearoa?' Of course.

My plan was to go swimming this morning and the St John Shuttle dropped me there and sped off to take others to appointments, promising to return in 2 hours, as usual.

I swiped my card into the pool only to find there was no swimming other than for babies in shallow water.
Electrics in the lane pool had gone. No notice at the entrance or anything sensible like that, so I wasted my entrance fee .

I had a paddle then waited outside, where various lovely and interesting people sat by me and began to talk.
One man told me his arm had been degloved 4 years ago when he was caught in a printing machine. Ouch. He's still recovering.

A dear wee girl toddled up and I said, 'Hello Sweetheart' then saw she had a 5 year old sister, 'Oh two sweethearts!' then an 8 year old appeared and giggled, ' My goodness, hello_3_ sweethearts' - the Daddy waited and looked pointedly at me....
'Oh go on then, hello 4 sweethearts.' You can say things like that when you're old, isn't it nice?

The man emptying the huge public rubbish bins told me he always puts in a fresh, black bag even if there's only 2 or 3 bits of rubbish in there, "because you never know whether it'll be overflowing by the next day and people ring up. I like to do a good job." Bless him.

So not a wasted morning after all.

Hope everyone had a good night, or as peaceful as possible when you all seem to have problems which would keep even Hypnos awake.

Love to all.

PS. I wonder if "cwtch" is how 'cutchy coo' originated?

Sorry Jan I missed the bit where you said it was your DHs daughter. If they’ve had a holiday home there for 5 years they must have a good idea of what life is like before making the move. Nice to be able to go for holidays though. That’s if we are ever allowed to leave the country again.

Sleep well dear gangsters. You are a lovely caring lot.
We are with you Panache, all of us in a big cwtch x

Cherry that’s a lovely post.
Sorry you’re poorly. Hope you have a good sleep tonight and wake feeling better tomorrow.
Missedout good to hear you are having your vaccination tomorrow. Hope all goes well and no side effects.

Panache, I'm so sad for you and your dearest one. It is so cruel that you are separated now. I hope you both find the strength to cope and that, as others have said, you get a chance to take care of yourself.

Cherry, I'm another one who would join you in a long, gentle cwtch for the Panaches but also send one to you.

My first Covid vaccination is tomorrow, I hope it will go OK. I'm still not fully recovered but don't want to put it off.

I hope all the lobstars have a comfortable night.

I hope you do feel better tomorrow Cherry sleep tight.

It seems inappropriate to wish you a belated birthday Kaimoana or say I've been missing in action because I'm in the land of the ever so slightly unwell (not seizures) when you must feel like the sky is falling down upon you Panache. Oh how I wish I could give you a long and protective cwtch and be of some comfort to you. Goodness knows what you and Mr P must be feeling, away from each other as you are. My WP had some spinal compression in that some of his discs have disintegrated and therefore he has some bone on bone compression and he lives in constant pain but his condition is considered intermediary not severe. It's my fear that his condition will deteriorate so I have some small sense of what you may be feeling. I hope your fears that his condition will result in paralysis is unfounded.
He will be well looked after in hospital now and I hope his days will be as comfortable as his nights. They will make him as comfortable as they can.
Sending you that long gentle cwtch and all the sentiment that goes with it.

Please excuse that I do not stay and chat some more this evening, I hope I wake up feeling better tomorrow. Fondest wishes to all of you LobStars gangsters ?

Panache a bleak day for you both when you have always drawn your strength from each other. My heart goes out to you both. Do try to rest as much as you can and look after yourself a little....please?

Oh Panache !! Your worst nightmare. At least he is in good hands now and I am sure will come home to you.
As Kaimoana has said, look after yourself my dear.
I am getting good at that technique and never do anything I don't feel like doing or because I ought to.
I hope you can at least speak to your beloved and he can hear your voice.

So so sorry to hear your sad news Panache. As Kaimoana says I hope you’ve got someone to look after you. So hard when we can’t visit our loved ones in hospital. Hopefully the staff can make him more comfortable in hospital. Sending hugs.
Doodle. Trish is my step daughter. The move was relatively simple as they had had a house in Cyprus for holidays for 5 years. Like everyone else Cyprus has Covid and they have to get permission before they can leave the house. We haven’t been to the house but have been to Cyprus

Panache I hope you don’t mind but I took the liberty of updating Soop’s kitchen on your latest news. I still post there and often come across people asking after you.
Kind wishes are already coming your way from those who have read my post.

Dragonfly now you mention it I think you have told me before it was 18 years. I had just forgotten.
That’s a long time. I have never lived outside the Uk but did for many years love the thought of living in Switzerland (they have really lovely chocolate there ?)

Oh Panache how terribly sad for you. I do hope your dear one comes back to you soon and they can offer some help. Our thoughts are with you. Sending you gentle hugs.

Doodle we were in Holland 18 years. Our son at 16 went from a bike riding Dutch boy to a rugby playing English boy. It took many years to gain qualifications but he got there in the end. He has no ambition to go back although he probably could as he was born there.

Grammaretto I’m glad you enjoyed The Dig. A lovely gentle programme I thought.
I hope your DS’s test is negative. Any news of your vaccination yet?
Panache oh my dear I am so sorry to hear your news.
Poor MrP being hospitalised without being able to have you visit and having trouble talking on the phone. With the news of his compressed spine, no wonder he has been in such pain.
I hope now he is in hospital they give him the care he should have been having all the time. I hope the hearing aid is sorted out soon.
I can’t imagine what an awful day it must have been for your both. I wish all us lobsters could join together and give you a cwtch to comfort you.
I do so hope they can help MrP to be more comfortable.
Take care of your self dear Panache. Please let us know if you have more news you feel like sharing. You are very much in my thoughts and prayers. x
Kaimoana as always the right words.
Take care dear lobsters.

Kaimoana. I’m glad you didn’t mind me mentioning your special day. I thought you deserved a bit of gangster cheer.
Hope you had a good day even if little Gubbins wasn’t feeling her best.
I’m surprised your son would want to come back and live in the UK. I imagine the scenery alone would make him keen to stay in NZ but you never know what tugs at peoples heart strings. Would you want to come back?
We would never defend and repel against you ?
Grammaretto it must be hard having children abroad. Did you go and visit them? Would you go now if not for COVID?
I think I need to look into this raku business a bit more ?
Now explosions and singed eyebrows have come into the conversation. I think I will definitely watch the programme just to check you’re not getting into anything risqué or dangerous. ?
Nfk no need for apologies. Just nice to hear from you when you can make it.
Your family tree work sound enticing. I can imagine getting involved in all the different characters.
I too would love a trip to Scotland, we went with friends years ago but didn’t go to many of the places I wanted to visit.
DH and I have talked about going by train and hiring a car there but haven’t got round to it yet. We thought we would cruise while we can (no sexual innuendo Grammaretto) and then going places in this country when we can’t cruise (or afford to) any more.
Crumbs, married in 6 weeks. You lobsters are certainly people who make up your minds quickly.
DH asked me to marry him within 7 days of our fist date but it took us 4 years to get round to it. ?. I was but a young thing.
Sorry about Mr Dumpling feeling a bit poorly. Hope he feels better soon. Hope you enjoy The Dig.
Dragonfly I know you’ve told us but I can’t remember, how long did you live in Holland? Did your son ever want to go back there to live when he got older?
Jan suicide was definitely hidden years ago. My Aunt died after jumping off Tower Bridge in London. Her daughters were never told about it for many years. Just that she had been unwell and died.
Your daughter must have found it difficult emigrating last August in the midst of lockdown. You obviously haven’t been there since but had you been to their home before they emigrated? I have never been to Cyprus but I don’t like the sound of the animal cruelty.

Oh, bloody hell, Panache that is so unfair. I can only echo what Kaimoana has said so eloquently and send (((hugs))) of support. Look after yourself, your Best Beloved needs you to be strong.

Dearest Panache and MrP - I am so very, very, sad to read your post this morning but have to say I'm glad dear MrP is getting care _at last_.

The best you can hope for it seems, is that his days will be as comfortable as his nights seem to have been just lately - and that, as you say, is a blessing.

Who is looking after you dear Pananche? Try to be as kind and loving to yourself as is possible, though you must feel utterly wretched and grief-stricken.

We are all thinking of you and your beloved; praying for you where we can and uplifting you in our hearts.
With much love and sincere hopes for your peace of mind and continued strength of spirit.

Sadly I seem to be the one constantly bringing in bad news and I truly feel awful about it,however this must be my bleakest monday ever.

Very first thing our Palliative care nurse called to prewarn us the MRI scan had been read and it was the worse news, far worse than expected.
My dearest has severe compression of the spine, little wonder why he has been reduced to a mere painful crawl and in such awful pain,although true enough nightfall has been blessed with some relief and sleep.
I was advised to pack a bag as an ambulance had been called to take him the 150 miles or so to a Swansea Hospital,this was quickly changed on the advice of the Oncology team,he was to be diverted to our local Hospital and stay in their small cancer unit so that he could be thoroughly assessed............the penny then dropped,his lack of real care over the months.
Rather late in the day for them to realise how little medical help he has had.

As if this major fright was not enough stress, his hearing aid had refused to work all weekend,I was onto Audiology first thing, but of course these wheels all take time............so my dear,dear man has to face all these Medics and countless examinations without properly hearing anything.
It appears he maybe fitted with a new Hearing Aid tomorrow since the urgency of his need has moved things along.
Of course I cannot visit,we cannot have a proper telephone conversation even......... just a one sided one.

It really has been one of the worst days of our life together,the already short future very unsure and terribly bleak.
Complete paralysis is the greatest fear.He is now of course completely confined to bed.
We await with very much trepidation............and the heaviest of hearts.

It seems a million days since I was able to join in here on a more uplifting note,will I ever again I feel I have to ask myself??????.

Sending love to you all.

Fingers crossed your DS is clear Grammaretto.

I watched and enjoyed the Dig last night. I had heard a preview interview on radio which was all about how the actors were taught the Suffolk accent. It is not West Country yokel. You have to purse your lips and say NOW.
Next trip Sutton Hoo!

If you are off to the West Coast Nfk you might visit some potteries.
I have just watched a fellow Scottish Potter on YouTube making, guess what a Naked Raku pot.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRy6TKPGZ4A

DS is having a covid test today. Oh dear. I am anxious for him (and me because he came to change my light bulb)