The Lockdown Gang - Indomitable Lobstars ?⭐️

Hmmm I think our Cherry might be a saucy minx. I wonder what that water pistol has been used for ?
Cherry I don’t think a year has passed since I mentioned my son’s birthday.....it was last week .......my other son had his birthday 9 days ago ?
Yes I suppose it does seem strange us in the garden and them in the house. They have bifold doors in their lounge which they opened up so they sat in the lounge and we sat outside on their decking which is the same level as the lounge. Bit like us all being in the same room really just with a bit more ventilation ?
Our GPS aren’t doing bloods at the moment hence the trip to hospital. I hope DHs bloods are ok too. They have been reasonably the same for quite some time now and usually the haematologist just asks him to either continue on the same meds or up or down them a bit. He seems quite well so hope things will be ok.
Hope all the lobstars are ok. Take care all.?

Evening Indomitables.

My worbles seem to be okay today Doodle ?. Not sure what difference that's making though ?.
I can see you out in the garden with a water pistol shooting the pigeons , surely not! ? We do have a water pistol and have used it but it'll take my being tortured to tell you why it's been used ?
Is it your DS' birthday today? Gosh, where's the time gone!? I remember you telling us but not exactly when a while back it was his birthday. Obviously that was a year ago! You said you had a nice catch up but I'm a teeny bit confused - they sat in the house and we sat in the garden, how then did you manage to catch up ?. Clearly you did one way or another and I for one am happy that you did ?
It's funny the things we're not aware of at the time Doodle, your mother's accent being a case in point. When I met my WP I didn't detect his London accent/lilt! He still has it.
I'd have thought that Mr D's blood test could be done at your GP practice, though I know a lot of them aren't. It's a shame you have to go some distance for him to have it bit I hope the result that comes back is good.
Hope you've enjoyed your coffee and chocolate, we've not long had dinner! Later than normal today and no not because of the switch to BST but because of the England v Albania footie match on tv ?

Happy belated birthday to Mr ND Nfk. Shame you weren't able to sit in the garden with your family, it would have been nice if England had allowed the rule to be lifted ready for the weekend rather than Monday. Even though you ended up having a pavement gathering I bet it was still lovely to see them, you say it was a ^happy half hour ?
I have a vague idea where the bandstand you are talking about is. Mr and my WP went to Chapelfield Gardens with his mother, oh it must be some years back now. Lovely Gardens ?
Hope you get to the true root of your internet problems ?

Off to have my after dinner coffee before it gets cold ?

Evening all.
Cherry I hope your worbles are flowing well tonight. I have always visualised you as short and sweet.....and bouncy. ?
I can see you out in the garden with a water pistol shooting the pigeons,.
Yes it was lovely watching the videos. My brothers voice was no surprise but my Mums strong Welsh accent did surprise me as I didn’t realise she had one.
Nfk nice for you to have a get together with your DD’s family even if it was in the pavement.
I see you suffer the same problem as me. My conversations are cut short by need for the loo too ?
Lots of people seem to be having a problem with the internet recently. We have noticed some issues too.
Went round to my son’s this afternoon with a big cake for his birthday. They sat in the house and we sat in the garden. Lovely to see them and have a catch up.
Hospital tomorrow for a blood test for DH. Having to go some distance as there is nothing available locally and he needs his results before his telephone appointment with his haematologist.
Time for coffe and a piece of chocolate now ?

Morning All

Just had a quick browse through. Pleased to see your pond is all sorted Grammaretto and it wasn't anything major. Tearfulness seems to be just under the surface for so many now. Especially us oldies with so much to lose and so much lost. And too much time to think about it.

I posted yesterday all happy as DD2 and family had brought a cake over for DH's birthday - but then the internet went down and the post vanished. I'd got in a muddle with the who does what when and had anticipated that we would be able to sit in the garden - but of course that's Wales not Norfolk. They're back at work next week so it'll be after Easter before we can have that tea and cake in the garden. As it was we spent a happy half hour chatting and blocking the pavement (we don't have much front garden).

My meet up with my old friend last week was much more successful. She bagged a seat in the sun by the bandstand in Chapelfield Gardens in Norwich - do you know where I mean Jan? And we spent a happy couple of hours catching up. It's the first time we've managed to get together for over two years. It would have been longer, but the loos are all closed!

I've got to call on our neighbour tomorrow to see if their internet is a problem too as they share the same pole. Ours drops out an awful lot. Sky sent the Open Reach blokes round last week and they can't find any problem, so after much persuasion and refusal to go away, Sky have sent a new router which Open Reach said was the problem. But it isn't. So it must be at the pole which we share with next door. It'll be an excuse for a chat anyway!

Kaimoana, I love the birds in the garden and my WP
overfeeds puts on a banquet for them every day but the pesky flying rats pigeons will scoff the lt if we let them. We've tried all sorts to outwit, outhwart and out them out to no avail ?. There's only one thing we can do now, that's shoot then , buy a better (allegedly) squirrel proof "cage" for the feeder. I do have a get out of gaol card from 1st April and garden centres are now open in Wales ... ?
Sorry that lovely Gubbins wasn't very happy when you saw her. No-one likes toothache!

Oh Doodle it sounds like you are having a lovely time watching the home videos, sounds like you have some very very special ones ?. Watching the one with your mother in must have been quite surreal, especially since you've noticed she had a strong Welsh accent ?. I haven't got an accent of course ? ?. Sometimes someone I don't really know will surprise me and ask me where I'm from when I've spoken to them or they say things like "you're my from round here are you" ? ?. I have, mistakenly, been identified as English ?

Unlike Doodle I love your picture of the spider Grammaretto and may steal it as inspiration for some non art ?

Hope you managed to finish the porch without the leg of lamb Mamissimo ?

Good evening ?.

Having trouble with my worbles (words) again ?. I was fine this morning! I'll be short and sweet I think ?. Okay, I confess to being short ?. My brother, who was 6ft 2" used to tease me something chronic (in a nice way), now my slightly taller WP has taken over the mantle ?.

I was upset to read about your tearfulness on Thursday Grammaretto though it's understandable. You are still very much grieving and annoyances and upsets like your chair being taken and your pond draining brings the tears to the fore. Today sounded just the ticket you needed ?. Roll on more impromptu barbeques or other lovely unexpectedness!

Panache it's good to know that Mr P's pain is under control as best as it can be. I think about what you are dealing with every day and how you are coping, we all do. It's obviously very difficult but you do keep going; love is your driver you know that. I will continue to think about you and will cwtches in your direction.

Aha, t'net connection problems for you both Mamissimo and Kaimoana but a leg of lamb doesn't work in that circumstance.

I'll be back ?

Grammaretto what a lovely photo. Your pond looks nice. How nice of your df to fix it. Your impromptu barbecue sounds fun.
Don’t worry about the photo. I don’t like spiders but I can cope with a photo. ? They sound less scary in Gaelic
Of course you can keep posting on here. You are a founder member ?. I’m more of an imposter never having been shielding in the first place.
I have been watching more home videos this afternoon.
I watched my 9 month old DGD getting her first close up meeting with her 1 month old cousin. The expression on her face was wonderful. She stared at him for ages then looked at her mum as if to say what is it ?

df came to fix the water problems and within minutes he had the water running beautifully again. He built some dams with old clay (of which I luckily have tons) and he doesn't think there ever were vandals - just leaves and mud blocking the pipes. Their family made a fire/barbeque outdoors and we all had sausages and pretended it was warm
I am exhausted now but a good deal happier.

Great that your seeds are sprouting Mamissimo . I look every day but there's not much to be seen. A watched kettle never boils, I guess.
What a total pest about the gremlins.
Sorry about the spider Doodle I didn't know you didn't like them. I have learned their name in Gaelic which is bound to come in handy

damhan-allaidh pronounced something like dammin alley

I am no longer shielding but can I keep posting on here? Please? I will anyway

Have a nice evening everyone or day if you are Kaimoana. I'm flying the NZ flag today.

Kaimoana I haven’t read the books you mention but I have read that until they are in their 20s boys cannot understand consideration of others and thoughtfulness of others feelings. That these sort of things develop in their 20s (if we’re lucky ?)
So glad you got your internet back. I feel marooned without ours. Sorry little Gubbins was a bit grumpy but no one likes toothache.
Your DGS sounds very accomplished. Nice that he has a talent for writing.
Grammaretto that’s a scary photo. I’m not keen on spiders.
Hope your pond is fixed soon although I can’t see the youf coming back to do it.
Mamissimo oh dear not a good way to start the day. I trust your wifi is now in working order. Annoying about the electrician for your son. Poor MrM I’m sure he’s doing his best ?. Perhaps MrM has got wind of your intentions and has changed the Sainsbugs order for lamb chops to be in the safe side.?
Little Mattie (as he is now known in our house too ?) has also written to DH. He too can get off the norty step and go out into the playground. We will continue shielding until we’ve had our second jabs I think.

Good morning ☹️

I seem to have offended the gods and chaos ruling.....the gremlins have fiddled with the WiFi, the electrician has cancelled for DS, Sainsbugs app went bottoms up with my order and came downstairs to a cold house because the heat pump had switched off. Mr M also got up earlier than me and robbed me of my leisurely get up made a right old cacophony so I'm having a sulk!

Thank you, feel better now. Parsley and lettuces have all germinated. Mr M went out to but me some more filler to do the bits he thinks I missed complete the prep in the porch. While he was getting it I tried to increase the size of the leg of lamb I've ordered to replace the one I'm about to use.....but the app still wasn't working......?

Little Mattie Hancock has written me a very long patronising letter telling me that I can get on my bike and go back to school......but to still be very careful. He says the supermarkets will still be helpful....--not today they won't!--

Hopefully normal equanimity will be restored soon

Hi Lobstars,

I woke to celebration Wales this morning. Not only have you won the six nations rugby but you are open to travel within the country. I am now imagining choirs singing uplifting anthems

I missed you Kaimoana when there was no post yesterday. I am relieved it was a roach and spider causing a holdup. picturing them at the controls
It was dgs's story about his life as a roach which won him first prize (in the NZ writing competition)

df is coming to inspect the damage today though the pond seems to have water in it again so perhaps the culprits have been back to do repairs or it has rained a lot. All very mysterious.

It must indeed be wonderful Doodle to see your mum on video and to hear her. Our home movies were silent though we have a few more recent videos, one of which has the previous girlfriend/boyfriend of our DC so viewing has to be carefully controlled.

I will keep smiling and hope you all do too.

So much happening to everyone, self included.

Panache such a wonderfully stoic lady you are. I'm glad your darling is sleeping and painless.

I don't wonder you're exhausted Missedout up hill and down dale

Like you Grammaretto I'm going to call my garden girl back. I nearly lost my fig tree this summer all for lack of care I cannot give.
I've read they grow in pots so I shall invest in a large one and get the lassie to dig the tree out of the lawn.

Have you read any books by Prof.Dean Burnett a neuro-scientist? He specialises in how the brains of young people/teenagers work and says they simply cannot think like adults; they don't have the neural pathways to do so for many years.
As we all know, car insurance premiums for the under-25's are huge for just that reason

Yes Doodle technically, I could set up my own computer; I've configured and repaired almost every computer I've ever owned (and many owned by others) since the mid-90's but alas no more. The eyes are just not up to it.

The various component parts are arriving piecemeal but as yet no monitor. If that arrives by Friday DS will come up and shackle everything together.

How wonderful to see and hear your Mum on film Doodle. I have an old cassette tape of my Mum talking about family history and the farm where she grew up. It’s quite moving isn’t it when your ancestors come back to you like that?

Went to bed, hoping to sleep at 10:30. Not a hope so got up at 3am to do prep for my students. No Internet. Yikes, no phone, no communication of any kind.

Wondered briefly if I could catch one of the greedy pigeons which steal my birds’ seeds and send it off for assistance.
Fortunately the family were coming for breakfast so they used their phones and expertise to check what was wrong. Fibre at fault.
ISP told us a techie would come out "within the next 4 days". Oh no! even more

Then, miracle of miracles, the technician called my son 15 mins later and said he was on his way! Yipee.
He checked everything and not quite jokingly I said, 'It'll be a cockroach in the box.'
He came back laughing and said it was - and a cricket.
How they got into what is supposed to be a rainproof box outside I don't know.
So once that was cleaned up, my DS re-configured the connections - and here I am.

Sadly, Gubbins was, once again, unsettled - teething this time?

We still managed to get a family Easter Celebration photo though and computer problems aside, a good time was had by all.

I got to see some of my dgs writings, for the first time. I was astonished by the maturity of structure and phrasing, I hope he keeps it up, he has great promise, like Grammaretto’s dgs. NZ schools must be inspiring .

Keep smiling my friends...

I’ve just been watching a video of my Mum on New Years Day 1991. Mum died over 25 years ago so I haven’t heard her speak for a long time. I hadn’t realised what a strong Welsh accent she had until I listened to the tape. I also got to see myself. I have quite a lot of hair anyway but 1991 was obviously the year or the perm ?. Wow

Dear Panache how lovely to hear from you again.
I’m so pleased to hear MrP is not in too much pain. I must be hard to see him so frail. Hope you are still getting help.
Much love to you both ?
Grammaretto hope you had a good rest. It’s nice to know someone is checking up on you.
Hmm I think perhaps MrM might be aware of the glint in Mamissimo’s eye and realise when she walks to the freezer that the frozen leg of lamb might make an appearance.
I hope you don’t have any more trouble from the youf. It sounds as though you have open woodland behind you. An attraction for most youngsters I would think.
Funny you should mention in but in the early days of our thread I had to keep checking how to spell your name and that of Mamissimo. It was the double letters that got me checking ?
We received all our video tapes back today. It will take ages to go through them all. I had a sneaky look at a couple and saw my DGD taking her first steps into her Daddy’s arms......she’s 18 now ?
Sad to hear from Urmsongran that poor Hattie (Maw’s dog) had to be put to sleep this afternoon.

Dear Panache I understand how you are feeling, so well.
Sending you both loving thoughts and prayers.

I would love to visit Wales again but I'm not allowed to leave Scotland or even my county for a while yet..

Greetings from Wales,now open to welcome some of you to our beaches!!

I seem to be losing the plot as I simply am stretched for time.
Nevertheless I do think.......and miss....you all.

We are continuin g down this rather grim path,my dearest seems to sleep for most of the day as well as through the night,at least for the best part he is relatively free from pain.
However it is noticable almost daily how very frail he has become,so totally far from the able man he has always been.
We are ever grateful for the help offered,but of course the situation remains so deeply painful.

Thought of Eastertime,Spring and glorious weather promised does nothing to fill me with delight.
But I sincerely hope it brings you all much peace and uplift.
As always sending blessings to one and all.

Morning Lobstars,

Things feel better in the cold light of day. I slept in and became a worry to my DC who were phoning me and then phoning eachother and wondering when to send the emergency services in!
I'm to give them a friend/neighbour's number so someone can find the body.... check up on me.

Do you think we should warn MrM about the leg of lamb?

As for bored youf. I think of it as another reason to get some help with the garden. I have a lovely girl who is a proper horticultural person who keeps my visible garden looking very nice but the wild bit - and it leads onto a sort of no-mans-land which is where the deer and badgers live - is very wild woodland and not really her territory, or mine.
I wouldn't mind much if the kids just played there but they always have to be destructive for some reason. Were we ever like that?

I hope Cherry is having better days??
Doodle I thought Spelling must be a new Lobstar since you wrote it in bold. Imagine that! I wonder if my name on here is intimidating. It's just grandma and amaretto and nothing to do with grammar.

Have a lovely day. See you later.

Grammaretto I’m sorry you had a sad day. What a shame about your DHs pond. You are kind to call them bored kids. I hope the damage can be repaired.
Is your garden very open? Do you think the kids took your chair too. How unkind some people are.
Your comment about Hot Walter made me laugh. I think Jeeves would take umbrage about that ?.
Hope today is a brighter day for you.
Mamissimo I too have read your thread. Amazing how the comments of one or two can derail things. Still you’ve brightened the day for some giving them something to argue about. Good idea for a thread though.
Poor MrM he better watch out for the frozen leg of lamb ?

Grammaretto so sorry to hear about your pond. Sometimes wonder about today’s kids. Such a senseless thing to do. We’re there fish in the pond? Also stealing your garden chair - that’s dreadful. Why do they do these things? Do you know the kids responsible? Hope you can find someone to repair the pipes. So sad - lots of hugs ?

I found your thread Mamissimo 6 pages!! I think I got the gist......

Hot Walter could stand in for Jeeves occasionally?
I love reading about your exploits.
Mrdout is secretly turning Missedout into a mountaineer. And there I was thinking she's a sailor.
I couldn't find your thread Mamissimo.
It sounds interesting.
Sorry to hear Maw's beloved dog is so poorly.
I've had a tearful day.
Some bored kids have been pulling out DH's pipes in our garden so the pond is almost dry. I can't repair it myself. Years ago, when a previous generation of bored teenagers were messing about , DH caught one and ended up training him as a garden helper. He turned into a fine young man.
Also my garden chair has been stolen. Then I was sent some videos of the DGC which are so lovely but there's no-one to share the joy. Not really.
You'll enjoy having the tapes streamed Doodle.
DS3 did ours in time for Christmas. We hadn't seen them for 20 years. Ours were home movies.

Night night Lobstars.

Good evening!
Lobsters are lovely......?

I'm saddened by the politicising of what could have been an interesting philosophic ramble through the traditions of peoples' families. I get out so little I forget what an aggressive bunch bored Grans can be.

Am I down? Am I heck. I've nearly finished sorting out the porch roof and Mr M has sweetly pointed out that I'll need another tube of gunk because I've apparently missed a bit. We will be having lamb at the weekend........if you get my drift!

Sleep tight!

Cherry I had to look back and find hot Walter. ?. I didn’t spot that one. Yes he does sound a bit like Kaimoana’s Dr Squirrel.
Feel a little sad tonight for one of our friends who posted a few times on this thread. Maw’s dog Hattie is really poorly. Anyone who knows M will know how much Hattie means to her and how distraught she is at the thought of losing her.

Tomorrow we expect the return of all our old video cassettes which have been transferred onto a USB so we can download them and watch them on the computer and then when we’ve edited them, on the TV. These are films of our children and grandchildren that we haven’t been able to watch for years as the video recorder broke and we couldn’t play them back. Neither of us can remember what’s on them but we have 38 tapes. I expect it will be a weekend glued to the computer screen ?

Evening LobStar peoploids ?

I'm tired and stamps feet it's not fair because I've been reading all your lovely posts, and they are lovely, but nothing is sticking in my brain ?. I won't ask if anyone wants to do a brain swap or brain share for a day but if anyone's got a brain cell to spare ... ?

Most of my family were not, are not, artistic but my mother and sister (in law) were crafters, both were knitters and crocheters. My sister (in law) turned her hand to a lot of crafts, macrame, sewing, quilting, embroidery, cross stitch and jewellery making to name a few. She also played piano and taught it in her spare time. I have no artistic or craft talent or skill whatsoever. I'm too academic to even write decent prose ?

Doodle, I'm glad you survived the one night without heat but who is hot Walter if you don't mind me asking? ? Is he anything like Kaimoana's GP by any chance ?.
Sorry for teasing you about your pile of almost but not quite finished craft pieces. I may not be good at crafts but I completely get it, there's always the -boring bits-- loose ends to attend to at the end of a project.

I'm glad that your blood test results weren't as bad as you were concerned they might be. I'm the last person to advise you on having or not having future tests. My condition is atypical too. It's hard to know what to do when you know that's the case. My philosophy doesn't always suit everyone but I ask myself three questions, what harm can it do to continue to have them, will it possibly result in better outcomes at some point and what do the medical professionals advise. Like I say, my philosophy may or may not suit you.

I took a peek at the thread you started Mamissimo, I shied away when I saw some of the responses ?. An interesting question though and I would contribute if it hadn't got that teeny bit political. Enough said on that as I wouldn't want this thread to be turned into a thread about a thread ?.

Hope the rest of the gang are okay, I'm off to get something restorative ?

Good evening all.
Kaimoana I think I’d ‘feel ill’ more often if I had a doctor like that. ?
Your sons sound as though they are good at writing and drawing. Don’t know about the drawing but I’m sure their writing skills come from you.
It sounds funny you talking about colder mornings as we are warming up. I have achy knee joints. The noise they make when I move is frightening.
Will you be able to set up your own computer or will you wait till your son comes over to help?
Hope you’ve got your shopping organised.
We had our weekly Waitrose shop delivered today. We were going to have eggs tonight but when I went to the fridge I couldn’t find any. I assumed I forgot to order them but later I discovered They had been delivered but I’d left them on the bookcase in the hall. ?
Cherry it seems for some reason we were all confused about Oscar. I thought it was an old photo of someone who was now grown up (even though it was in colour ?)
I actually received a bed sheet for my 21st birthday as a present from my aunt. It was a pink flannelette sheet to go on top of the mattress.
We survived quite well for one night without heat or hot Walter but three weeks ?. I would have been very upset.
Yes I know, I should finish all these project but I do the fun bit and then when it comes to the boring bit of putting the backing on and binding it I get too excited about the next project and move on. I will let you know how my new foot works ?
Please let me know when our team plays again or perhaps I will know if I hear you cheering.
Grammaretto I think many of us are staying up later due to lockdown. Not going out much means no reason to get up early. What a fabulous photo. It’s hard to visualise the old man with the beard as the youngster running from the butcher ?
Mamissimo best of luck. You know you have a safe haven here to come back to. I will check in a minute and see if I can find it.
Jan I love the old black and white or sepia coloured photos. People always used to pose as they didn’t have their photos taken often. I have a lovely one of my dad as a boy. He had long golden ringlets because my grandmother thought he had such lovely hair she didn’t want to cut it.
We have a pet squirrel too. Ours is called Cyril and he runs up to us when we go outside.
Thanks for telling me about your Yorkshire destinations. It’s good to hear of places others think are nice to visit.
Missedout that’s a good idea about the notes app.
Good to hear your blood test results aren’t as bad as you’d feared. Difficult decision to make about future tests. Hope you get the advice you need about making the decision.
Your DH obviously likes a good walk. You must live in a rural place to have woods and trees . Can be dangerous walking at the best of times, no wonder you were eyeing up the walking stick ?
I do so agree with you. Trousers have either got longer or I’ve got shorter. I always have to shorten them now when I never used to. Have you thought of using double sided hemming tape to shorten them?

Spelling I have mentioned before I have dyslexia. I apologise for my spelling mistakes. I use the spell check in my iPad but if I type a word it doesn’t recognise then I ask DH. He has had his headphones on tonight so please forgive any mistakes.
Panache hope you are both ok. Much love x