The Lockdown Gang - Indomitable Lobstars ?⭐️

Good morning ?

It's muck spreading day for me so I've got my best shoes and pearls on.......

The health and safety elf would have a field day with me but I have the ballet pumps in every colour under the sun and when they get a bit tired they get finished off as garden shoes. I did go online yesterday and bought a pair of green rubber grippy shoes but whether my common sense and mummy voice will manage to persuade me to wear them remains to be seen.

Honey beagle is in the dog house again....she stole a loaf on Saturday night and ate most of it and hid the remainder all over the house. Poor Fergal had three slices under his bed, there was one under my chair and two on the kitchen sofa under the cushions. She was a bit dopey with carbs all day so we took her for a nice long walk. She's not talking to us today.

I was jolly excited to learn that our GPs have completed vaccinating all the over 80s for all the surgery's in the area. They don't give you appointments.....to save time you get a call to say you can have it in two hours time. That way they don't have to rearrange if stock isn't delivered and they just keep the list rolling. They're doing them 12 hours a day, seven days a week. Mr M and I are in the next group so it's coming soon ?

In other news I managed three pieces of the jigsaw last night.....

Kaimoana I have to tell you, Jeeves throwing me over his shoulder is the most exciting thing that has happened to me all year! I don't allow many men to manhandle me!!
Btw I love your new name. My DGD would love it as Moana is a favourite of hers.

I hope Cherry had an uneventful night and Mr Panache had a painfree one.

Nothing happening here today except my DH is going to the opticians. It is the first time he has been out alone for months. I do hope his car starts.

I'm in a changing mood . I've been wearing Gucci 'Rush' for many years and love it.
I don't like musky perfumes and they don't like me but I'd like to try another floral one - does anyone have any recommendations?

Yes, Doodle Kyul aka James is Hanna's great nephew and we did a lesson on his favourite soccer club. I've set him a small research task to find out about New Zealand for next week.
Glad MrD is sleeping well, it's a great healer.

Oh that vision of Jeeves throwing dragonfly over his shoulder is the best of the new year

I've been assembling my swimming things as excitedly as a teenager going to her first ball.
It's months since I've been able to go swimming!

Spelling of my name doesn't matter. My RL first name is spelled incorrectly 9 times out of 10, even if the recipient has it written in front of them it's not even a long or difficult name either!

Look you lot, stop falling, tripping and throwing wine about or I'll have to ask Jeeves to put something slightly dodgy in the hot chocolate to calm you all down.

Oh thank you cherry. Teddy ? and I are going to bed soon. Teddy’s tired ?

Doodle, of course you can have a teddy ?.
I've done the same as you and spelt Kaimoana's name wrong too .

Night lob-stars, sleep well ?

Grr ?. I knew I’d get your new name wrong. I have Kia fixed in my head. Sorry Kaimoana I will try and get it right from now on.
Glad you are able to manage your pain with your therapies.
Wow swimming again. Lovely (it’s freezing here ?] Have a good day. ?

Well good evening lobsters and welcome to our new (or not so new) beautifully named Kiamoana. It has a nice ring to it I think.?
Sorry about your Skype chat with your friend. They certainly do have a situation in America.
How is your young Korean friend getting on? Did you say he was Hanna’s nephew, or did I make that up?
Should we hope for bad weather in the winter so your broach can get an outing ?
cherry I’ve had a bit of a tummy upset today. May I have a Teddy too please ?
Oh dear ruined ballet pumps....you should have listened to your mum...and worn wellies with your ‘dressed up outfit’. ?
Jan what is it with wine glasses that they can suddenly take on a life of their own and jump around. You were lucky it was white wine. We’ve done it a few times with red. It makes such a mess.........and what a waste.?
Nfk that’s an interesting way of looking into your family tree.
Oooh two times great grandpa and three times great grandma I wonder what made them take off for Canada like that. ?
I love a bit of intrigue ?
I am quite happy with my username (it is easy for me to remember). It seems I have also acquired a pet on GN too as there is now a Doodledog ?.
Oh dragonfly I’m so pleased Jeeves has found you and thrown you over his manly shoulder to bring you back to our gangster hideout brought you back to us.
It is often more difficult to watch loved ones suffer than to be in pain yourself. It makes you feel so helpless.
That’s a nice SIL you have, wanting to show you his homeland.
I am sorry you have problems getting your medication. That is a worry., especially if the new brand causes bad side effects.
I was quite worried when my asthma tablets that I had taken for about 45 years were suddenly discontinued and I had to change to something completely different. Fortunately, the new tablets seem to work fine. I hope you get something sorted out soon.
Grammaretto I think I must be at least half Welsh (both parents Welsh but I was born in London. Not sure how much Welsh that makes me) Which part of you do you think the 2% Welsh is concentrated ?
I followed your link to Kaikoura. What a beautiful place. Lovely scenery. No wonder you have fond memories of the place.
Pleased your MIL has a date for her vaccination.
Have you started glazing spot pot lobster pot yet?
Nortsat I think in view of the things people are doing in lockdown now we should have a video clip of Mamissimo “doing ballet in the garden with the bay tree”. I’m sure it would be a bit hit ?
I’m sorry for all of you who are having trouble with side effects from medication. It always seems that the thing which helps one condition exacerbates another. One effect of DH breaking his ribs is that with all the pain killers he’s on, he is now sleeping better at night than he has done for years. He is normally up walking around 4 or 5 nights a week but dosed up with his painkillers he is sleeping better. I, on the other hand, am up more as I have to follow him to the loo to make sure he doesn’t fall over.
DH has been told he should be offered the chance to book an appointment for vaccination by mid Feb. We will wait and see.
Cherry oh no.? hope you’re not too badly bruised.
I have Jeeves working in the cellar trying to make a special hot chocolate that smells like Newcastle brown ale, just for you.
Please hold tight cherry you are very special to us. ?
Mamissimo I hope you haven’t developed any more aches and pains today from your ballet exercises.
Panache hope you and MrP have had a comfortable day.
Take care all.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202101/medium-847372-avocet.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202101/medium-636102-hfish.jpg

Nfk my first choice for you would be Avocet - Norfolk birds, symbol of the RSPB and very beautiful.

Grammaretto Kaikōura would have been a good name too as kōura means lobster. Mamissimo guessed my name correctly.
Glad your Mil has her vaccine soon. You may have heard NZ won't be vaccinating for some time.

How are you planning to decorate the pots? Or will you just fire them plain?

dragonfly and Nortsat I have had years of bad, often dangerous reactions to pharmaceuticals and now take the much-maligned alternative therapies.
I'm not suggesting you do the same, nor am I saying they are always side-effect free but they work for me when standard drugs don't.

Although I've had psoriatic arthritis for 51 years and osteoarthritis in pretty much every joint including my spine for over 20 (made worse by 2 car accidents) , I don't need painkillers, except on very rare occasions when 2 paracetamol do the trick.

I'm a happy fish today as the shuttle which takes me swimming is back for bookings after the long summer break. Tomorrow I'll be in the water early. Yipee!

Wishing everyone a gentle and healing sleep...and a good tomorrow.

Just a brief visit from me (fortunately for you all ?)

Unfortunately I had another seizure and fell out of bed again last night ?. I wasn't carrying any pots, I didn't have ballet pumps on and thank goodness I wasn't outdoors. Goodness knows what bruises you have Mamissimo, I fell a short distance onto soft carpet and have several. I hope you're okay!

Jan I think it was me who started the hot chocolate addiction ? as I am teetotal. I used to enjoy a nice glass of red wine ? but alcohol reduces the efficacy of my medication so much, it's really not worth the bother. I don't miss it and because it has been years since I drank red wine it now smells like it's 70% proof alcohol ?. Strangely, the only alcoholic drink I still like the smell of is Newcastle brown ale ?

Kiamoana, ooh that is a lovely username ?. Thankfully that slaloming experience was a very long time ago. I was young, agile, fit and didn't have epilepsy then. You could say it's been all downhill since (groan).

Brilliant news that your MiL has a vaccine date for next week Grammaretto. Does that mean that you will have more opportunity to see her? I'm losing track of all the advice and of course it varies according to where we all live.
I hope it's not too long before we are all vaccinated, here in Wales though the vaccination rate is the slowest in the uk so I think I will be waiting a while ...

I'm not sure what I'd change my username to if I did change it Nfk. Maybe I would make it a shorter one though.
I haven't done much work on my family tree either. Neither me or my niece1 have been able to track down our greek ancestry much at all.

Sorry to hear you're having problems with your medication dragonfly and that you have problems with yours Nortsat. I've had a lot of issues with medication over the years, one which was exactly the same as yours - brand change. You'd think they'd be fine wouldn't you ?. I hope it gets sorted out for you.

I'm not surprised that you are getting nervous about the infection rate where you are Nortsat. It's scary for sure. The rate where I live has increased and is worrying but it's not a high as the rate where you live. I think a mask outdoors now is a good idea (I'm exempt too) and I think I read that some top medical professionals (sorry can't remember names) are calling on the government to advise people to do just that.

I am hanging on in there, just, Nfk ☺️

Good afternoon indomitables.

Panache I am so sorry to learn that your dear one is in such pain. It must be a nightmare for you both. What dreadful care. We can only send good thoughts and hope things improve.
Mammissimo so sorry to hear you had a fall. Hope a soak in a nice hot bath eased things a bit.
But if you insist on doing ballet in the garden with bay trees, you may be asking for trouble.
Cherry so sorry that you’re feeling low and those feelings are being made worse by GN. I know from personal experience that managing a chronic condition can be exhausting and debilitating. Sometimes I get fed up with managing/coping/finding solutions/tweaking my ruddy meds etc. I hope things pick up a bit for you. ?
Grammaretto I have been following your posts and photos of the snow and snowy footprints. No snow here in London, it’s cold but that’s all. I hope you’re doing ok and being kind to yourself.
Doodle how are you and the Dude. I hope his pain management is working.
Kiamoana what a lovely sounding name. Hope Baby Gubbins is comfortable ?
Dragonfly sorry to hear about the issues with your meds. I sympathise.
I seem to spend a considerable amount of my time dealing with the side effects of my medication ...

I am feeling a bit nervous about the Covid levels in London. I am shielding until 21st February or until otherwise advised. But I began to be concerned about the number of people I pass on my daily walk. So I am now wearing a mask on my walks despite being medically excused and I feel a little safer.

Have a nice evening gang-stars and enjoy Jeeves’ special hot chocolate. ?

Hiya Lobstars,

I just had to come by and send cwtches to poor Panache and her Mr (I am 2% Welsh) to give her the strength to send him back to bed.

I also needed to say hi to kaimoana, saying that makes me feel homesick.
I lived in Moana road and our holidays were spent with my DGM and cousins on their farm in Kaikoura where my intrepid DGG had settled in 1866.
www.kaikoura.co.nz/

As for the RL name. I thought it was Finn? but maybe Gill, Herring, Kipper, Fisher goodness there are a lot.

Years ago when we used to get a newsletter from the Young Ornithologist Club. (the junior branch of RSPB) the leaders of the walks very often had suitable names. There were Robins, Fields, Gates, Birch, and so on. It seemed you had to have a name to match the job.

Oh Mamissimo you need a talking to about dancing out in ballet pumps carrying pots. Naughty! but hope you aren't sore.

Lovely to see you all and think of you drinking your chocolate wine
Hi NfkD, Dragonfly, Jan, Missedout, Cherry, Doodle

Still bitterly cold here and nothing to report apart from MiL has a date for a vaccine. Next week. Hooray!.

Oh gosh where does the time go when you are doing nothing.

I have just seen that Mr Panache is in pain again. I am so sorry it must be heartbreaking to see him. I know how I felt when my DS had pancreatitis and I was helpless.

What a lovely idea and something to look forward to Grammaretto - going to NZ. My DD told me that it is my SiL's wish to take us to Australia to see his homeland. It warmed my heart even if it is not possible.

Bradfordlass I am so sorry little Gubbins is having problems. It is so difficult when they are so tiny as they cannot tell you what is wrong.

Yes I have been having problems with medication Doodle.
I have been given a different brand by the chemist and it would seem I have been having side effects which are not kind. Unfortunately they are having problems sourcing the original brand as it is made in Europe. The GP and the chemist are going to try and find one which does not cause me to ache all over.

Sorry to hear you have had a fall Mamissimo. It is so easily done. I hope you are not suffering any after effects.

As I say the days flash by and suddenly I find I have not got round to posting but rest assured I am thinking about you all fellow lobsters.

(And we don't have earthquakes in deepest Norfolk - perhaps Jan has a poltergeist with a liking for white wine.)

Good morning Kaimoana! I like it. It trips nicely off the tongue.

Oh, Panache I agree with Kaimoana Mr P really shouldn't be trying to hobble anywhere until he's had that hip checked properly - and I fear that's not likely. Stubborn things, men. He sounds like the loveliest of blokes and I can imagine you trying to pre-empt his needs to keep him in one place - and him trying to save you by doing things himself when he shouldn't.

I've not gone back far with my family tree as prior to the census returns they just become names - and many of them approximate with different spellings. My family is all strictly very lower working class and illiterate back then and many of the surnames and some Christian names were obviously said with a local accent and the vicar/curate had problems figuring out what they were to write them down! So, I've gone more sideways to find out what life was like for them in the 18th and 19th centuries, looking at the neighbours on the census and old maps on line. They really didn't go far and families stayed in the same streets with children living with aunts and uncles if there were too many under one roof. I am intrigued by a two times great grandfather who when his wife died, upped and offed to Canada with my three times great grandmother and left all the children behind! Is there a skeleton there?

Hang on in there Cherry. This is not a good time of year and its even worse this year. But the evenings are starting to draw out and the year is slowly turning the corner. I've never understood why people change their GN names but since Kaimoana has joined us, I'm thinking its a good idea. What would you choose?

I shall now make marmalade. And maybe paint my fingernails bright jade.

Cherry I don't like to think of you skidding and slaloming down that hill to the inevitable crunch.

Jan16 What made the wine jump up and spill? I've seen that happen during earthquakes. Good that your housekeeper DH cleaned it up.

I’m impressed with all this hot chocolate drinking! I’ve had 2 glasses of wine - well it is Saturday! The first one sat quite happily on my table when it suddenly decided to do a somersault! Wine - luckily white - went all over the carpet up the wall and over the table. Cue DH grumpily scrubbing the carpet with Vanish and me dashing around like a headless chicken trying to clean the wall! All ended well with glass replenished we settled down to a very boring night on tv! Such exciting times!
Sleep well everyone!

We may all be barking up the wrong tree with BradfordLass, perhaps it's something like Fisher. Why did I think of that? ? It was you saying it could be fishy *Doodle. This whole game could be fishy or could open a whole can of worms ?. As long as the can doesn't contain zoodoo .....

A teddy for Gubbins BradfordLass?. I hope her tummy settles.

I hope a nice long soak has helped Mamissimo.
The way you've described your fall you make it sound quite comical. I'm sure it wasn't. Were you really wearing ballet pumps? If so, don't do that again!

I remember an incident that happened when I was in my teens and was all dressed up with nowhere to go heading to a friend's house. I was wearing a pair of ballet pumps, my mother had warned me they'd be inappropriate for the weather, it was icy ❄️. I wasn't listening to any of that. My friend lived on a very bendy road on a hill and I was walking uphill to her house ... I had just gone beyond the second bend when I started to slip. I stayed on my feet but the turn was so slippery that every time I tried to take another step I slipped. I tried again but it just seemed to be getting slippier. I was not going to give up! I decided the best approach was to take an almighty giant step ... I slid all the way back around the bend. I tried to control my feet, I couldn't and as I had tried I ended up sliding sideways all the way down to the next bend when ... crunch, oops, on to the tarmac I went. Bruised? A bit. Ballet pumps ... ruined .

I think I'll have an extra chocolatey hot chocolate tonight. Sleep well gang ?

Good Sunday morning gangstars.

Cherry the names I took back to 1300 were on my mother's side and my name is a married, not maiden name as I'm no longer a maiden lady.

Not sure I ever was a lady even though my mother tried to drill it into advise me how to speak and walk.
Oh, those wearying hours with 6 volumes of Encyclopoedia Britannica on my head

Mamissimo you got it.
Why on earth did you try to pas de chat to the greenhouse carrying a potted bay tree?
That's what men are for although the image of MrM in a tutu and ballet pumps has given me a moment of fun.

Your DD wearing dgs's bling is hilarious too. Wish I'd seen that - the poor, deprived girl.

Speaking of bling - the (quite heavy) dragonfly brooch will, I think, be better on a winter coat to sparkle up the dark days. Haven't worn that garment for years. Maybe in this El Nina year I'll need to drag it out?

Oh Panache why is your naughty man even trying to walk with such injuries? Morphine can only cope with so much!
I know you're a kindly soul but I think this merits finger wagging and a firm word.
The book sounds wonderful, just the sort of thing I love to read and were I able to, I'd buy it.

My usual Sunday Skype chat with friend in NJ has been cancelled as she's far too upset by the situation there.

Still, I have a tutoring session with the genius boy (he's quite sweet really) in Korea at 2pm. Looking forward to that, he seems to live in a vast warehouse full of toys.

kia tau te rangimarie; have a peaceful day everyone.

Evening lovely lobsters. How are you all?
Nfk I think there are many who are planning summer memorial gatherings. It’s a nice idea.
grammaretto it sounds nice to have a plan to go to NZ with your sibling(s). As you say, some VIP live there. ?
Manure full of worms would be something that I would steer clear of but then I’m not a gardener?
Silly question, was your frozen clay frozen because it was cold or is it delivered like that normally? Second silly question, what do you do with it next?
Bradfordlass you made me spurt my coffee. ZooDoo, really!! As for Endangered Faeces that really made me laugh.
What an excellent idea. I have never heard of such a thing but obviously someone with a sense of humour named the by products ?
Poor little Gubbins. I hope she settles soon and her tummy doesn’t cause her too much upset.
Grammaretto what a perfect photo. ?. I have just finished watching Queen’s Gambit on Netflix. Something different, I enjoyed it.
My maiden name is one no one would ever come up with. Very unusual and not many around although there was one famous one in America.
So Bradfordlass could be fishy and Grammaretto’s has religious connotations. ? I will have to think.
Panache oh no. I am so sorry to hear about MrP
Knowing how much DH was in pain with his broken ribs I can only imagine how painful things are for MrP. Is there nothing that can be done. Has he been checked over by anyone? Can you manoeuvre the wheelchair in the apartment?
The book must be very interesting. Do you know who your grandparents are?
Jan that’s a nice post.
Cherry sorry things are not too good for you. I hope you stay with us because I for one would miss you. GN has its ups and downs. There are some really lovely posters and ...some others ?
A cwtch for you. Wish we could make things better.
mamissimo you certainly have come up with some fishy names. You would have to think more alcohol based for mine ? (no surprise there then!)
Oh not another one to fall. I do hope you are ok. Jeeves will certainly pop by with your hot chocolate and he can give you a message if you like but I think a massage might be more beneficial with the aches and pains ?
dragonfly I have read somewhere that you are having problems with your meds at the moment. Hope whatever the issues are things improve soon and you are feeling better.

Panamche that is awful for your dear man. I know you both value your privacy but I think it's time to make a big fuss. I do hope you are managing to take care of yourself as well but your anxiety and tiredness is palpable.

I can picture you poring over your book with a big magnifier like Sherlock Holmes. If someone knows who your grandparents were it would be possible to work forwards from that....you may have second cousins locally with knowledge of their family history.....or you may want to let sleeping dogs lie?

Cherry and Bradfordlass by the same logic, could the answer be Codpiece? Nooooo ? how about Roe, John Dory.....Scales....Finn....

I completely surprised myself and fell over this morning....dropped like a sack on ice. I was carrying a bay tree in a pot at the time and saved the pot but bent the greenhouse door, the glazing stuff fell out...I landed on both knees and bent my thumb back. Everything works but my dignity is bruised. Mustn't do gardening in ballet pumps I guess!

I spotted a bumper box of crowns, tiaras and assorted jewels for young ladies of dubious taste so I sent it to my DGD. DD FaceTimed me this afternoon.....wearing a silver and purple crown and the biggest dangly earrings I'd ever seen.....I had to remind her it was for the children and she had the nerve to complain then pointed out that I'd never bought her a bumper box of fake jewels for dressing up. Oops!

Can I have a very medicinal chocolate tonight and a special message from Jeeves? I don't want to wake up stiff in the morning.

Off for a soak!

Afternoon everyone.

Panache, has Mr P been examined? Surely he can't remain at home in this condition if it's likely that he has a fracture. Where are the nurses in all this, it sounds like nothing is being done. You can't both go on like this. I'm sending you both a very gentle heartfelt cwtch.

I love the joke Grammaretto ?. I wouldn't have been amused in the school you went to either I don't think. I had one teacher, who was actually a brilliant teacher, who often used my surname to his advantage just by adding one word before my surname when he addressed me.

I'm thinking that maybe your surname BradfordLass could be one that has been around in Yorkshire since around the 1300s ?. I could be wrong ... but in astrology a cancerian is represented by a crustacean and there's a saying that a wood can't be seen for these. Putting these together ...

In answer to your question Doodle, no I'm not really. Batters rise when you cook them in the oven but not when cooked on a hob. Currently I think my batter is being cooked the wrong way. Hey ho! If I'm honest gn isn't helping, if it wasn't for the gang and a couple of other posters I would definitely leave. I'm not much company at the moment if I'm honest.

Panache. So so sorry about your man. I know all about the pain you are both feeling as my poor Mother died of this dreadful disease many years ago. There is nothing I can say to help but wish you strength to cope and some easing of the pain for your partner.

Here I come along once more and drop a bit of a clanger when you are all seemingly in such a jolly mood...........sorry folks.

A warm hello dear gangster friends.

Back to exceedingly painful times I am afraid,in fact I fear my dearest may well have fractures in this one hip and /or leg.
He is in excrutiating pain,and yes,my heart breaks witnessing him still trying to hobble along.
He always tries to lighten his load to stop me fretting.
Back to bringing in the wheelchair and frame as I now fear more than ever that he may fall.
I have removed certain pieces that could be in his line of fall etc, but yes,my cup is distinctly rather low again.

The weather remains fairly kind,although grey and gloomy earlier,once again the sun is shining brightly........quite dazzling at this time of year.

Have been sent a book entitled "Broth again for supper" by Florence Coombe,it is of a large,poor family brought up in a small village some miles away.......where I was born........i have been told that there are references there to my grandparents, whom of course I have never known.
It is of great interest and you can picture me reading by magnifying glass...............wondering if somehow I may unravel the mystery of my birth etc.

Sending you all every good wish,and a virtual hug for our Marydoll

Oh dear, poor Marydoll - wishing her well soon.

Love the chess joke Grammaretto

no picture?