The Lockdown Gang - Just chatting ⭐️

Sorry Dragonfly, I knew you'd had cancer but didn't know where/which/what. You definitely don't need oestrogen then, but you sound like a lovely person anyway. Without it I turn into my mother who, after the menopause, wasn't. (A lovely person that is.) And like her I can hear myself saying things I really don't want to, or mean to say. It's like having a demon inside. It made her a very unhappy lady. And I'm so pleased you said "'had' breast cancer".

So sad to hear that Cherry is very unlikely to post again. Things must indeed be bad. I' hope Cherry that you can still pop by and read our gossip even if you don't feel up to posting.

All the talk of cruising makes me want to get out to sea again. I've only ever gone on river cruises but the thought of a circumnavigation of the British Isles sounds rather good. We too went with Saga and I'm pleased to hear their standards are still as good after the merge with Titan.

A day in the garden beckons for me today. Plants have been bought and places are needed for them. Some re-arranging is needed.

Jan sorry to hear about your friend and hope your DH’s radiotherapy has done the trick. I had my annual call from the oncologist yesterday just to check I am okay with the tablets. There is not much else they can do on the phone!

Good morning all this talk of wedding rings reminds me of when my Mum lost hers. She had already broken the shank on her engagement ring on the car boot. She didn’t have it repaired as she didn’t want to send it away. Then she lost her wedding ring.
When they moved into the care home I found it on the wardrobe floor.

NFK I take the tablets because I had breast cancer last year fed by oestrogen.

I hope your cruise goes ahead Doodle. We don’t have any holidays booked yet but we are going to the Peak District next week to stay with SiL.

Love the sound of your garden party Gramaretto but not the sauna in the loft.

I am hoping Mammissimo’s daughter has good news.
So sorry to hear Cherry is leaving us. I hope things get better soon.

Oh no! I hadn't heard that Kaimoana
I would rather think about windmills.

Such sad news of your friend, Jan
You have such a lot on your plate at the moment. Take care of yourself.

Cherry, if you are reading, sending cwtches.
Thinking of the Panaches and Mamissimos

I have a kiln to pack but I will be back later.

Grammaretto doubtless you've heard Wellington goes into Lockdown again at 6pm tonight.

So many people were against opening the borders to Australia without any quarantine, for just this reason.

We learn by our mistakes.

I hope.

I'm so sad Cherry is going through such a horrible time. Things must be very bad. Poor Cherry.

Doodle due to his fall, your DH's back was already vulnerbale and only just healing so it's no surprise he discommoded the frail muscles.
Time, as alwasy and probaby hot water bottles (in summer )

Grammaretto your mention of windmills sent me on a journey during which I leaarn much local history

Be strong and try to be happy

Hi Jan us oldies are going with Saga. It’s who we always sail with. They always take such care of their passengers. Crew to passenger ratio is usually 2 to 3 so we get well looked after.
We are going round the UK so apart from not stopping in Scotland we may be ok. We too are only allowed off on escorted trips. It will be strange.
Yes the mask wearing will be a problem. I don’t like wearing them. We don’t have to wear them outside or when eating but when walking around the ship or in the lounge we do. We may spend more time in our room this time as we can take our masks off then. We have a cabin with a balcony on Sagas new ships so will be able to get some fresh air. That’s if we’re allowed in of course.
Perhaps you could wear a sign saying you are mask exempt.
DH had a badge during lockdown saying shielding due to blood cancer please keep required distance.
Glad your DHs treatment is finished and you are getting out and about. I do hope it worked.
Sorry to hear about your friend. I hope her chemo helps.
Yes we certainly will miss our Cherry and her Tigger tail.
Panache we are thinking of you too. Hope MrP is being well cared for.

Good Evening! Oh dear England are playing again. Hope they’re better than last time! Out for lunch with friends tomorrow and believe me DH and his friend could manage the England team for better than Gareth Southgate!
Yes we’re out to lunch and Thursday too because we can! DHs treatment finished today and now it’s a waiting game to see if it has worked. Apparently it will get worse before it gets better. Mmmmmm! Didn’t think it was possible for the scab thing to look much worse!
So sad about Cherry. Will miss her posts so much. Wonder how Mr P is too. So much sadness at the moment. Had a message from a friend who is only in her 50s. She has Ovarian cancer and was doing so well bet recently went downhill. Scan showed multiple aggressive tumours in her liver so chemo starts once more. Feel so sad for her.
Doodle. Have no idea about our cruise. We should be going to Spain and Portugal. P and O say it’s still going so must assume it is. Not happy about all the possible restrictions i.e not going off ship on your own and wearing a mask all the time you’re walking around the ship. I’m asthmatic and not good at walking and breathing! Know I don’t have to wear it but don’t like the dirty looks you get from people when you are massless! Think the companies who have overbooked and are now having to disappoint people are very naughty indeed. So hope you get to go Doodle. Which ship and where too?

Grammaretto I’ll be over with my towel later. I’ve heard saunas can be good for you. ?. Joking apart, that’s not a good situation in your attic. Hope you get the problem fixed soon. Good news about your Rayburn.
A windmill. Wow. Does he mean a wind turbine or a real windmill. That sounds like fun.
Glad you are not a screw lose anymore and your mirror is up?
We were going to ask DS to hang some pictures for us when he popped over but then we remembered house (apartment) rules for Sundays, no noise.
Cruise is still an unknown for us. Don’t even know when they will tell us.
Oh what a predicament for your friend. Could she perhaps have the left out 50 to an evening do.
When DS2 got married, number to the wedding were limited because of seating capacity. They arranged to have the wedding videoed and then replayed it in the evening when other guests were invited to a buffet dance.
So difficult for many people.

Oh dear Doodle . Cherry's departure sounds terribly final .
I hope she is ok.
All we can do is send her cwtches and virtual hugs.

It's become hot here at long last and I am not used to it.
I've had to recall the gas engineer/plumber as something has gone wrong and the painter went to the attic for some reason and discovered a sauna! Hot water in the expansion tank and dripping all over the place. The attic smelled of hot damp plaster.
On the plus side I have found someone who is going to convert the gas Rayburn to electricity. It's very popular at the moment with Aga and Rayburn owners.

My painter wants me to have a windmill in the garden.
It 's all a bit much to take in on a hot day. I really didn't think my life would be like this!

How clever of the Dude to find the schnapps bottle Doodle I agree about a safe place. The painter was helping to put back an enormous mirror which sits on the sideboard . I had put the screws in a safe place and he said surely you would have put them in the sideboard. He was right! I tipped the drawer out and right at the back were the screws.
When will you know about the cruise?
My df 's DD is getting married next month postponed from last year. She is allowed 100 guests and she has 150 How is she to tell people that they haven't made the cut?
If you break the rules you can be fined £10,000.
Oh Nicola!

Morning all and thank you for kind wishes on DHs birthday. He is still wandering round holding his back. We can only assume he pulled a muscle in standing up as nothing else happened.
We are waiting to hear if we are going on our cruise. The cruise is going ahead but currently has too many passengers so some will be unlucky. We don’t know which group we fall into yet.
Grammaretto your walk sounds lovely. I enjoy coastal walks, anything by the sea really. Glad you had a good time.
That’s some story about finding your wedding ring on your anniversary. ?
I think we all ought to have a big box labelled “A safe place” . How many times have we searched for something which we have put somewhere safe. Our recent minor search had us laughing . We have a small plastic bottle which we use to decant some schnapps and store in the freezer (best served cold) . After using it I washed it and we haven’t been able to find it since. I have searched every cupboard. Been all through the fridge and freezer nothing, we came to the conclusion that somehow it had been thrown out with the rubbish. A couple of days ago DH called me into the kitchen and said I’ve found our little bottle and there it was, where it had been all the time, neatly tucked away, out of sight, by the side of our giant peppermill. ?
I have about 2 cups of coffee a day. Don’t drink tea at all.
I hope the weather is good for your party on Saturday. Trust you will not be roped in to do too much other than relax and enjoy ?
mamissimo hoping that your DD is coping. Waiting for tomorrow’s consultation must be awful for you all.

Sadly I have had a PM this morning from our dear Cherry. It seems she is unlikely to be posting on GN again as she has quite a lot to contend with at the moment. She sends her love to all and I in return have sent her ours and told her how much we will miss her. I know that we will hold her in our hearts and miss her and her lovely cwtchs.

Hello Gangstars,

Happy Birthday week to theDude I am so glad you both enjoyed the day. Phone calls from family are good interruptions. What a perfect day to have a birthday - Midsummer
I had a surprise day out yesterday. I joined the walking group on their annual coastal walk from St Abb's Head to Eyemouth. It was sunny and warm with a gentle breeze.

I was very relieved to hear your ring was found Kaimoana.
I hate losing things.
I am sure I have told you about finding my lost wedding ring as we were clearing ready to move house. Dustpan and brush in a pile of clay dust and something shining. It was our anniversary.

I must have another determined look for the title deeds of the house and the screws for the back of the mirror which I put in a safe place when the room was being dismantled for painting.
A df who was a Helpx is coming to stay later this week and I have a list for jobs I want help with.
Either the garden party didn't happen or I wasn't invited but I am having a garden party here on Saturday. I have offered my garden as a venue for a garden party I don't think I will have too much to do. famous last words
I have not invited the midges.

I am shocked at the way DD is being treated Mamissimo and will continue to hold her in my heart.

I also heard something about coffee just today NfkD 4 cups a day to protect your liver. I can manage one cup in the morning.

Thanks Kaimoana we had a long lazy lunch and watched a film. It took us four hours to watch the film because we kept having to pause it while DH was having phone calls from the family ?.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Doodle's DH
Glad to hear you had the best, restful day
xxxx

Hello all.
DH’s birthday today so we are having a lazy day (no change there then ?). Unfortunately, his back is still causing problems so we are not walking today. Had his favourite lasagne for lunch with a nice bottle provided by one of our sons. Just relaxing now.
Kaimoana So your DGS’s got a girlfriend. Wow, time is moving on. Lovely to see them growing up isn’t it?
So glad you found your wedding ring. I often panic that I lose mine. I have an unusual shape engagement ring that gets caught in gloves and things at times. I keep checking we are still attached. I very seldom take mine off.
I have been through the searching panic too. You just keep trying everything no matter how unlikely in the hope that you find it. So glad your perseverance was rewarded.
I like the title of your book today. ?

Mamissimo I can’t stop thinking about your DD and the trauma the family are going through, Hope tomorrow brings an answer to what the situation is.

Have a good day all

Todays book A Sshort History of the World According to Sheep is excellent.

Thought 'Codebreaksing Sisters' was going to be but it turns out to be two privileged women rambling on about 'darling Mummy and Daddy' and what a good war they had.
Codebreakers certainly but so what?
Tomorow it's 'Letters on Motherhood', sounds promising.

I completely missed Mamissimo’s post about the extreme cruelty to her DD2 and partner.
It seems the IVF fraternity are in dire need of some sympathy training.
Yes, Nfk a sensible/sensitive press story is needed.

Nfk I have always made my own bread and when I first developed this wheat intolerance, worked in a health food store, so bought wheat grains to grind my own flour. It made no difference.

I began taking acidophilus bifidus capsules to balance the gut flora and that did help but didn’t cure. I still take them. It’s amazing what a difference a healthy gut can do for both mind and body.

The supermarket are now on the bandwagon with ‘probiotics’ but I’d recommend taking capsules, not pseudo-food.
www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/bifidus#benefits

Grammaretto I agree with your wheat man but it doesn’t apply to me.
Your prospective garden party sounds gorgeous, I hope you can post photos.

Jan16 Your news is sad too and I hope the outcome for your DH (and you) is good.

dragonfly the story of your grandchildren liking you made me smile, they are so cute in their candour aren’t they?
I was informed this weekend that my DGS has a girlfriend whom he took to the Junior Ball at school. Oh my, he’s growing up!!

Your poor DH Doodle putting one’s back out is very easy and very painful too. I hope he feels better soon.

I had a few hours of panic yesterday when I realised my wedding ring wasn’t on my finger.
It’s been loose a while as I’ve lost weight but I foolishly thought it was safe.

I swept and patted the floor (no point in looking of course) and as I’d just popped a batch of shortbread in the oven for my old friend Judy, whipped it out and went through that too in case I was giving her an extra gift . Nothing.

The full recycling wheelie bin was at the kerb. Had my ring fallen off my finger as I’d tipped the last of the papers in? In pouring rain I brought it into the garage, went through everything. Nothing.

In desperation I decide on another finger-tip search and there embedded in the mat and missed first time round, was my ring. It’s now in it’s box, safely put away.
It will eventually go to DGS.

It’s so nice to see some of our old gang posting.
I miss our Cherry; wish Missedout better health and am holding Panache and Mamisimo families in my heart.

Kaimoana my DH had ME. It’s why he had to give up work.
If long COVID is anything like that it’s a dreadful illness.
I hope that things have improved these days for those suffering with fatigue. It’s so difficult to get people to understand how you can be so exhausted all the time,
Grammaretto my I don’t know what the antidepressants prescribed to your DF were but I am on some for hot flushes. They have helped considerably. I was on HRT but after 5 years the GP wanted me off them. Within weeks I was on fire again.
At your Quakers meeting do you just sit quietly together, I have seen this and thought it a nice way to be peaceful?
Jan where is your cruise going to ? We would love to be sailing again. Don’t know if it will happen.
Hope the radiotherapy is going well. When will you know if more is needed?
Mamissimo prayers on the way for your DD as they have been all through this. What a dreadful situation. You poor DD must be beside herself being up and down with what’s happening. I am so glad you are getting an independent view. This is a ridiculous situation, I hope and pray things go well for your DD and all the family.
Nfk dark chocolate and coffee are good for you….that’s it . Stop there. ?
dragonfly your tales of your DGS made me laugh. Glad you had a good birthday. Not surprised you are looking forward to seeing your family. Our DS1 came inside our flat today for the first time in the last 15 months. Lovely to have hugs again.
DH has put his back out. Don’t know how. He was fine one minute, stood up and winced and that was it. Been walking like an old man bent over all day. I’m hoping it wears off over night.
panache and cherry as always, thinking of you both with love and cwtchs. x

Oh gosh dragonfly have you got too much oestrogen? Most people are like me and severely lacking. Every now and again a nurse or doctor will gently hint it's time I stopped it, but when I've tried I've really gone to pot big time. The jury seems to be confused as to whether its good for you or bad so I'm quietly staying on it as long as possible.

Hello everyone - as I said elsewhere the Panaches treatment has left me speechless. It is so sad and I hope things are looking up now.

Mamissimo how dreadful for your daughter. Your first post made me cry with joy but now I am just as anxious as you and really hope that the hospital are right. I suspect they are and it would be wonderful.

So sorry you are feeling so down Missedout I hope you can get on top of these infections.

I had a lovely birthday seeing very old friends, in both senses, although I came away worrying about the health of my friend.
My DGS sang Happy Birthday despite having told me he really likes Granddad. He did say it was okay as his sister really likes me!!
We also had a drinks party by Zoom with DD and SiL.
I am so looking forward to seeing them all again at the end of July.

You are lucky you are on oestrogen NFK I am on tablets to eliminate it. This causes me to have a receding hairline and achy joints. Still maybe it is keeping me alive!

I wish you all the best of Sundays.

Oh gosh Mamissimo, the last thing your DD needs is mental stress. You definitely did right in getting her that Tuesday appointment, what she needs now is reassurance - and the medication she needs to keep the embryo going. I've heard before that IVF clinics can be rather hard hearted and lacking in empathy. Has your journalist friend contacted them yet?!

The wheat intolerance being on the rise is interesting Kaimoana. I've been making my own bread since the first big lockdown and using locally grown flour from a local water mill. It does seem to have helped our digestion's. My DiL has no large colon and is now only eating this local flour as home made soda bread, having had big problems with supermarket breads. And she's now fine with bread so I do wonder what's added. (We bought some white bread on holiday - which was horrible - and the packaging said that it was clever packaging to give longer freshness. We bought it in the middle of May and the use by date was 22 June!! It still looked ok when I got fed up with it hanging around and threw it out on Friday. It did have various phosphatey stuff added which meant little to me.) I've been reading Tim Spector's The Diet Myth and am learning a lot about cultivating my microbiome. Just reached the bit which says that dark chocolate and coffee are good for you!!

I do hope your last two trips to hospital with DH are just that, Jan. The last two trips. Fingers crossed. It'll be a relief not to have that trek every time.

And I second your advice to your DF Grammaretto. Never scoff HRT. Been on it for 30 years now! (Minimum dose of oestrogen only). My DM, myself and both my DD's all suffered/suffer from bad heads once a month. (Did you get them?) Then I had a hysterectomy and they stopped!

I hope that Missedout, Cherry and all on an uneven keel just now are righted soon. And especially that Mr P gets into a really good care home so he and Panache get the support they both need.

Good morning ?

Put your prayer wheels to work.....I don't think I explained properly......as of Friday DD2 has an embryo with a heartbeat confirmed by an NHS consultant......and her ivf clinic saying she probably hasn't. This is why I'm so angry ?

The clinic is insisting that all may not be well and that she should attend a failed attempt consultation on Thursday.....the hospital has booked her for a further scan on Friday!!

My poor, poor daughter has celebrated, grieved and wants to celebrate and hope again but feels she can't. I've arranged for her to see an independent team privately on Tuesday who will try very gently to confirm either way. The mental anguish for them is too awful.

All her treatment has been provided by the NHS but the ivf is outsourced......the two sides don't seem to trust each other and DD2 is caught in the middle. She seems to be expecting......but may not be.....

Forgive me for being single track minded......I'll be back in a few days when we gain some clarity and can unscramble ourselves. X

Hi All. Just to say great to hear Mamissimo’s great news but so sorry to hear Misssedout has been feeling so poorly. As for Mr and Mrs Panache words fail me. Just to say sending love. Doodle we too are waiting to hear about a cruise.
We have 2 more trips to Norwich then they should be finished but I don’t think they will. Pretty sure DH will need more radiotherapy.
Not my usual chatty self at the moment but like poor Cherry hope to be bouncing around again shortly. Love to all

Oh my goodness! Mamissimo I hadn't seen your post.
Things happen too quickly around here. That is wonderful news indeed. I wish her, him, and you a safe passage on the sea of life.
I shall celebrate with a cup of tea and when the croissants arrive, one of those too.
I watched the film seaspiracy yesterday so can never eat fish again. I am no longer a pescatarian.
I'm glad you have found a comforting toe gel, Doodle and that the round table meal was lovely.

Sorry you have been so poorly Missedout. When gangsters go awal I always like to imagine they are away on their boats messing about in a river somewhere. I hate to think they are walking the walls in pain.

The story of wheat intolerance is interesting Kaimoana. It seems you have always had to be your own doctor.
My df is peri- menopausal so went to her GP who offered anti-depressants! She walked out of the door and went to see a herbalist who made her laugh and prescribed some vile tasting tea which is hopefully going to relieve some of the symptoms. She thinks the herbs are a natural oestrogen when I told her not to scoff at HRT.

My DD suffers from migraines every month. Any suggestions Dr Kai?
On the subject of wheat and flour you need to read be lectured by a man called Andrew Whitley. I nearly wrote wheatly
www.breadmatters.com/real-bread-campaign/

Quakers, then pottery today and possibly a garden party at a neighbour's. They have one of the prettiest gardens I have ever seen and at Mid Summer it is the best.

Missedout what a miserable time you're having, you poor love. All you can do is rest and more rest. Boring but effective.
Glad your family is doing well, that at least is a blessing.
I do hope you get rid of those infections and enjoy an energy boost soon.

Yesterday's book was The Corrigan Legacy by Anna Jacobs, in which she catalogues the symptoms of ME and how a wheat intolerance can make matters worse, lading to unbelievable fatigue.
That's my story

Not the ME, thank goodness, but the horrible symptoms of brain and body going into a thick, sticky fog I could not clear.
It took a long time to work out what caused it.

That's years ago now but I remember how scornful health professionals were when I tried to explain I couldn't function for more than a hour without falling back into bed.

Of course my being fat was all they saw. 'Lose weight' they said, ignoring the fact I'd been lively and healthy at this weight for 50 years

Then when it finally dawned on me it was wheat and cutting it out began to gradually lift the curtain, they were just as scornful.
I didn't lose an ounce, so that explanation didn't work.

Now wheat intolerance is so widely known that the shops and cafes are full of gluten free options.
Anna Jacobs knew about it as far back as 2004.

Did they do something to wheat to suddenly make it toxic to so many - or did all our bodies change?