The Lockdown Gang - Indomitable Lobstars ?⭐️

Morning. Dull and cold here today. Roll on Spring!
* Nfk• wondered where you were. Bet you will uncover all sorts of strange people in your family tree! Norfolk people in those days were a funny lot! After my mother died I discovered she had a brother who committed suicide years ago over a love affair! Tried to find out where he was buried but can find no trace of him. Strange but suppose suicide was something to be hidden in the 1930s. Good luck with finding the rest of your ancestors! Must try it myself sometime.
My DH daughter emigrated to Cyrpus last August. They already had a house out there and it was always their intention to retire there. Seem happy enough but not a fan of Cyprus. Too hot and dusty and they don’t look after their animals. When they’ve finished with their hunting dogs they just turn them out. Cats breed non stop. Hate cruelty to animals but imagine we will have to go on holiday when we are allowed.
Hope everyone has a good day - well as good as possible- and Mr Panache is still getting some pain relief. Better do some housework - maybe after coffee!!

Happy Birthday Kaimoana. It must be a little unsettling for you knowing your DS wants to come back.
It’s strange isn’t it, my DD was 4 months old when we moved to Holland but never felt happy there. Our DS who was born there morphed into a little Dutch boy.

I am pleased you are fully clothed Grammaretto it could get a little chilly otherwise.

Morning All

I'm sliding in with apologies for absence without cause - other than my family tree. It's taken me over! We seem to have been quite a boring lot in recent generations but going a little further back there's one ending up in an asylum and a very intriguing widow with a bastard son (my ancestor) - while the husband seems to be alive and well and living in Great Yarmouth. If you were going to run away from home - Yarmouth in the 1700's seems a peculiar choice of destination. And then there's this 2 x great grandfather's emigration to Canada leaving half the family behind .....

We've also been planning a trip to the west coast of Scotland in the camperbubble in May. Mostly one or two nights in any one place and its obvious that we're going to need to return - several times as we're discovering more places to see. I've not been as far as Scotland for over forty years and really looking forward to it.

It's taken me over half an hour to read through and catch up with you all. Thank you for explaining 'cwtch" Cherry. It sounds like a word which should be absorbed into English. Is it pronounced as it's spelt? And thank you for all the jokes, I'd love to add some but my atrocious memory means that even if I can remember the first bit, the punch line always eludes me.

Mamissimo you just beat us in the speedy wedding stakes - we got married with six weeks notice. A flat became available and in those days it had to be in DH's name and I couldn't live there on my own and give up the tenancy on my bed sit. Affording two lots of rent wasn't really an option and living in sin would have been too outrageous for our parents, so we got married. I know I was closely watched for signs of pregnancy!

Happy Belated Birthday Kaimoana. It looks like you had a lovely day. Would you really want to come back to the UK? You seem so settled in NZ.

I'm hoping to watch The Dig tonight. DH has been a bit under the weather, nothing in particular, just not 'right'. Something just relaxing and nice to watch sounds just right.

I have a vacant flat Kaimoana I only ever work on impulse

Perhaps we could do a swap? When DS (who shares your bd) decided to emigrate he/they announced it on DH birthday 15 years ago and said "It might not be forever" But I think it is and we were and are happy for them. So though both their DMs are widows now and are here, with DGS settled at school with what sounds a great lifestyle and certainly at the moment they are in the best place possible.

I'll have you know us naked raku-ers are fully clothed Doodle. I have been known to singe my eyebrows and have had the occasional explosion of pots or worse the lid has blown off. I raku in a converted dustbin or garden incinerator. The innuendos are probably getting worse
I'll get my coat.....

I am by no means offended that you blew the gaff told people it was my birthday Doodle. Did I read that right Grammaretto? Your DS is also a 30th January child?

UK: Both my son (who has dual nationality) and his partner wish to live in England.

He admits he's had better chances to rise to the top of his profession here, than he would have had in Thatcher's Britain and is grateful for that but NZ has never felt like home to him.
MY DS does nothing on impulse but always, always researches every aspect of any situation very carefully. This is no knee-jerk reaction, nor will he be burning any bridges. If it doesn't work, they can come back.

Frankly, I doubt I'll be part of the package but I'm not going to stomp on his sweet, optimistic plans.

They must wait until dgs can leave NZ without his abusive birth-father's permission, by which time I'll be 80 - if I stagger on that long.

So if you were thinking of alerting the border guards that an unpredictable, eccentric and obstinate Aquarian was making for Fair Albion - you've time yet to plan your Defend and Repel Strategy

Naked raku! I didn’t realise it was that sort of show. Group firing ?. , I’ll go and tune in right away ?
You potters are a racy lot.
Yours was a pretty whirlwind romance too Grammaretto Where did you and MrG meet if you don’t mind me asking?
Many happies to your NZ son for yesterday too.
Sleep well all

I had to check back to see if I had written Potty throw down! Doodle well I have now.

I enjoyed it tonight. I like naked raku. I miss the fun we used to have in groups firing all together.

I will look for the Dig on netflix, thanks Jan

I was going to let out my wee flat but the person who was keen has pulled out as she has had to go part time and can't afford it. I haven't met her but she sounded nice.

That was quite a whirlwind romance Mamissimo. I wonder how the jilted fiancés dealt with it!!
DH and I met in January and married in April the same year so that was quick too.

I am also interested Kaimoana as to why you are toying with the idea of coming "home"? I often toy with the idea of going to live there.
A belated Happy Birthday to you. I am sure you enjoyed seeing Gubbins even though she was unhappy.

It was DS (NZ) birthday yesterday so he's in good company.

My post might be a short one tonight (stop cheering ?)
My iPad has been playing up all day and keeps throwing me out. I will put it in a darkened room and shove a charger up it’s bottom if it doesn’t behave.
Kaimoana it was a very nice cake. DH enjoyed it.
I often make cakes with half the amount of sugar suggested. Never notice the difference. I hope you’ve left some Krispie cakes in the kitchen for us.?
Mamissimo ? 5 weeks, that’s a real whirlwind romance. Obviously meant to be. Can you tell us more?
Good to hear MrM has his jab appointment. We are still waiting.
I have thought about your DD Mamissimo but didn’t like to ask. I will certainly pray for them. I wish them all the best.
Hello Missedout how are you and Mr Dout doing?
Dragonfly I too wonder if June is too soon. We have a holiday booked in June but I wonder.....
Grammaretto The Dig is on Netflix . Do you have that?
It was a lovely film.
Oops dyslexia strikes again. I misread and thought you said Potty throw down......I was imagining DGC having a tantrum ?
I hope I won’t upset Kaimoana by saying this but I think it was her birthday yesterday and she didn’t tell us. A belated happy birthday from me and cake in the kitchen with candles.
Jeeves will be along later to give you a birthday kiss ?
Jan our bins are always emptied on a Tuesday......except when they’re not ?
Thanks Jan I hope everyone feels included.
Cwtchs 4 all ?

Grammaretto. The Dig was on Netflix- not sure if you can watch it on any other channel. It was very good. Getting to something when the highlight of the week is the day the bins go out! Kiamoana Would you really think of returning to the UK? We loved our holiday in New Zealand but obviously that’s very different to living there. It just seemed a lovely peaceful place to live.
Cherry. Thanks for all the cwtchs. Think everyone needs one or two at the moment.
Doodle. Love this group. You are so good at making everyone feel included.

I have wondered several times about that couple Mamissimo especially as just recently, a long-time friend of my son's in his early 40's and married to a Thai girl (38) are planning the same.
They only have one chance and if it doesn't work, they're not prepared to try any other course to have a family,
despite their desperate desire for a family.
I've shed a few tears for them, they are such a loving and devoted couple who would cherish a child.

I'm not sure who or what my God is but I trust She doesn't hold my ignorance against me, so will petition for success.

I have a God so will pray hard Mamissimo.
One of my friends has a 12 yr old courtesy of IVF. I don't know how long it took. A cousin has teenaged twins who were IVF with donor egg. Very brave I thought, and still think, as she was an older mum. I try to reassure her that whatever age you are, teenagers are not easy especially in a pandemic.

I know it's the last day of January and the 5th Sunday so roll on tomorrow. Bins go out in the morning.

How do I find the Dig? it sounds like something I would enjoy.

Pottery Throw Down tonight again.

I know what you mean Mamissimo. I too struggle to know what day it is. I thought it was Monday today - wishing my life away obviously.
I heard a friend's son has booked to come and see her in June from the USA. I am not sure it will go ahead but will not burst her bubble.

How romantic to marry within 5 weeks - it took 3 years to drag mine to the altar

Mamissimo, the only event that sets the days of our week are bin collection days early on a Wednesday! Without that, we'd be totally day-less (the confusion after Bank Holidays is palpable).

Good morning!

Doodle we dug The Dig too ? We went to Sutton Hoo the year before last when we revisited our honeymoon area. Mr M and I met and married in the space of 5 weeks (we were both engaged to other people when we met ?) and we spent our honeymoon on a friend's yacht on the River Deben......all a very very long time ago but a lovely part of the world.

Mr M has got his jab booked for Tuesday ? and my DD2 has got one next week too. We have decided that it might be too early to plan to go to Scotland in June though. Think we will be a bit 'Last Minute' in booking a holiday this year but those sort of plans often work out best.

You remember My DD was struggling to access IVF early in the pandemic....progress has been made and they are about to start their first cycle. I try not to worry about things I can't change but with our children it's different..... If you have a God of some sort please can you put a word in for them?

We had roast pork for supper last night because I was convinced it was Sunday unexpectedly, so this week will not go well. A cold collation on a Sunday will be all ?

And I guess that if the wrong supper on the wrong day is the sum of my confusion I'm doing ok and should be thankful!

I'm off to fire up the propagator......No! Not Mr M ?

Shame about your horrible day Muse I hope you wake up to a better one. Did you enjoy The Dig?

Ah yes, I can imagine the Mamissimo Smile - the tight, inch high grin which silently threatens and strikes terror to the hearts of the Sainsbugs.

Black Forest Gateau......mmmmmmm. I like the thought Doodle but it would be far too rich for me. I rejoiced that your DH has got to the "Eating Black Forest Gateau Level' of his recovery. That IS a good sign.

I made a sultana and cherry cake (no, not OUR Cherry) as my birthday cake and used only a third of the coconut sugar suggested. It was very nice and easily sweet enough.
Also a batch of sugar free Krispie Cakes (you all know that one?) which my dgs adores and would eat until comatose if allowed

Cherry I know just what you mean; words in one language don't accurately translate and dragonfly nailed it when she also said it's the feeling around it. It's the same with Maori.

No, sadly I didn't get much of a cwtch or even a cuddle with Gubbins, she was not a happy bunny, even for Mum or Dad.

It'll come right - she is, by nature a happy child, multiple photos of her giggling and smiling prove that - but not on Saturday.
Nevertheless it was lovely to be with the family and see my dgs as well. And I had a good, long talk with my son beforehand - always a highlight.

We discussed returning to the UK (not right now of course) as a distinct possibility.

I too was wondering about our missing Musketeers Panache, Nfk and Nortsat - as well as Fanny and GrannyFrench and hoping they were fine or at least things were no worse.

I try to remember everyone but I'm an old crone with a defective memory.

Wishing you all a gentle dawn and a bright day.
Keep smiling even if that smile is like Mamissimo's to the Sainsbug's.

Jan The Dig was good. I didn’t realise how fantastic a lot of the finds were until I Googled it.
Cherry Black Forest Gateux has always been one of DHs favourites because he likes chocolate, cream and cherries. ?. When I saw it, I bought it for him thinking we would have it at Christmas. Little did I know at the time he was going to do a kamikaze roll down the stairs and be in hospital Christmas Day ?. He did enjoy it tonight though.
Hospital car parks are always a nightmare. They hardly ever cater for the number of people who visit or have outpatient appointments.
Cherry you have given a lovely explanation of a cwtch.
Some words don’t translate. A bit like the Danish hygge.
It’s a very special thing. ?
Missedout handmade cards are always special. I bet your DGD loves hers. Hope you are feeling better now.
I have a feeling MrM will find himself in the doghouse if he doesn’t come up with something a bit more complimentary ?
Another nice sentiment dragonfly. I think we’ll incorporate them all into our gangster dictionary.
Panache, Nfk, Nortsat and the Molls Hope you are all ok too. Sleep well gangsters.

Cwtch must be like the Dutch word ’gezellig’. There is no translation as it embodies the whole atmosphere of warmth and well-being.

Thank you for your kind messages. It's a lovely thought that my card to my DGD was made with love, Kaimoana, certainly it wasn't made with skill!

I took my last robotic yesterday morning and today I have been hungry! DH says I don't look so grey-skinned! (DH has a lovely way with words!)
So I now look like a pink-ish lobstar.

I hope you all have a peaceful night, and that Cherry's bed behaves.

Ooh, I haven't had a black forest gateaux for years Doodle. Very 1970s, retro it might be said ?
I felt sorry for you going round and round the roundabout at the hospital but, sorry, it did give me a chuckle. It reminded me of more than one incidence of trying to find a hospital parking space. At our nearest hospital there is one main car park and a few very small carparks for specific departments. The last time we had to park in the main carpark we went through and all the way round and there wasn't a single space. As we were exiting one car was coming out so we entered the carpark again only to be pipped to the space. We came out of the carpark and the same thing happened again! When we entered the carpark for a third time the carpark attendant stopped us and told us the carpark was full and we couldn't enter but we couldn't reverse either because there was another car behind us also trying to go in. The attendant told us to move the car or we'd be fined . We spoke to the driver behind us and apologetically explained. Meanwhile three cars were trying to leave the carpark but couldn't because by now there was yet another car queuing to go in and it was blocking the exit ?. By now the drivers waiting to leave were getting impatient so one of them got out and went running up to the attendant and explained very clearly the carpark was only full because of him! ?. Was the attendant embarrassed, you bet ya, did he apologise ? no!
Was everybody cheering mockingly? Yes. Did he like it? No ?

Missedout, I hope you won't need any more robotics and that you find your appetite. I have my fingers crossed ?that your repeat blood tests results allay your fears. As for your hair, don't worry about it, I look like one of the hair bear bunch ?

I hope your venture out to the pharmacy wasn't as scary as you thought it would be dragonfly. I was a little nervous on my trip out to the pharmacy yesterday, as I was for my trip to the dentist on Tuesday, but it felt pretty safe.

Kaimoana, there's a saying in Wales that goes like this - "anyone can cuddle but only the Welsh can cwtch". Some people misunderstand this taking it to mean that a) you have to be born in Wales and have Welsh ancestry and b)you can't cwtch anyone who isn't Welsh. Neither are true. In this instance what it means by the Welsh is the tongue, the language. The word cwtch had no direct translation into any other language. It doesn't mean hug, it doesn't mean cuddle. It doesn't mean embrace, it doesn't mean snuggle. Looking for a synonym is futile. It is the meaning behind the act that makes it a cwtch. A cwtch is a "safe place", it is a "shield of protection", it wraps around the person. We can all cwtch, you most definitely can cwtch Mila ?.
Sorry she was a unsettled when you saw her yesterday but I bet you cwtched her.

Muse. We’ve just finished watching The Dig. Really enjoyed it and I too had a large glass of wine at my side! Found it sad at the end but maybe that’s just the way I’m feeling at the moment - lockdown blues! Hope you’re feeling more relaxed

muse sorry you’ve had a stressful day. Hope you enjoy The Dig. I did ?

Doodle Planning to watch The Dig tonight. Lots recommend it. White wine and loaded pizza by my side.
Horrible stressful day. Need to relax tonight.

Perhaps some Fortunately... with Fi and Jane before I sleep.

Hello Lobstars gang.
Grammaretto I am glad the gangsters have managed to cheer you up a bit.
Sorry your DIL didn’t feel too good after the vaccination. Hope she’s feeling better now. At least she should have better protection. Love the little girl who found the fossil.
I’ve just watched The Dig on Netflix. Really enjoyed it. No violence, no shouting just a lovely gentle and fascinating story.
Dragonfly hope you get your meds ok. Didn’t realise your DH was diabetic. I’m not a fan of needles so I would be down to the pharmacy for the short ones ASAP. ?
Kaimoana I love the name Eloise. Always been a favourite. Hope you managed a little cuddle with Gubbins despite her being unsettled.
I think all the gangsters can be part of cwtchs R Us on the grounds that, according to Cherry, it means so much more than just a hug. Because we all care for each other I think it is a feeling we can share.
I am now about to tuck in to a slice of Black Forest gateaux which has been tempting me in my freezer since before Christmas. DH hasn’t felt like it until tonight but we finally decided to try it. It looks delicious. ?

BTW the podcast 'Mike Steel's in Town' is very funny (to me it is) if anyone needs a cheer up and it teaches you a bit about Britain.
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b018xs8f

dragonfly If your DH puts an ice pack (anything from the freezer will do) on the site of the intended injection for just a minute beforehand, the blunt needle might not hurt so much.

Sorry to read you're not feeling too good Missedout and it must be awful to feel like that and yet fit in so many appointments. Brave of you.
I reckon your card will have been far superior to a bought one - they make theirs for profit, you made yours for love.

Mammisimo I clicked on the beagle site and it said, "Get a quote" - very disappointing. It was just a line by Mark Twain.

Cheery I liked you 'groans' - very funny and glad you had a quiet day for a change.

I'd like to take out a subscription to Cwtchs R Us please Doodle - I'll pass a few on to Mila Chloe Eloise (yes, my son forgot to tell me that one!!) Lily Gubbins. She was very unsettled yesterday.
What a performance to get your DH's meds - fire engines and trips on roundabouts - blimey!

My links to Wales are tenuous: my in-laws lived there, I've had a few holidays and I love cheese on toast but the discovery of a dinosaur footprint is spectacularly good news.

Thanks for the link Grammaretto.
I wasn't sure if the Curator, who said:
“Imagine a little fierce hunter and scavenger, with lots of sharp teeth, running around the shore,” was talking about the dinosaur or the 4-year old who found it.

Wishing all those MIA, a better day. Love to all