The Lockdown Gang - Just chatting ⭐️

Grammaretto I'd better get the house demolished then ?

I don't want to resort to nasty chemical things but the utility room is horrid with the darned ants. A Bugs Life was a cute film for kids but this army is far from cute! Honey Beagle is doing her best to eat them all......

I'm trying to work out what to wear to DS's graduation next week.....there will be photos....is it currently the thing to match your mask to your main colour or contrast? My mask makes me look like a duck! Or a bandit......and DS looks like a rakeish cowboy....should he have a black one to match his gown? This is a first world problem.....I will give the gown hire company a ring and give them a laugh!

I have a picture in my mind of Doodle and the Dude standing Titanic like on the bow of their ?.......?

As the heatwave starts today I'm aiming to get my chores done early and adopt Spanish ways for a few days.....I'm rubbish in hot weather. Mr M will be frolicking out back while I drip drape myself over the chaise.

Keep cool!

Mamissimo I can vouch for the efficacy of this because I've used it to keep my house ant-free for years.: tea tree oil or spray.

The 100% oil can be diluted with any mild carrier oil and humorously, the Tea Tree foot spray works too and is non-oily.
Paint a fine ring of TT oil around the dog's bowl and any entry point and watch the ants stop, think, try to find a way round it, then give up.

I've never done this and won't but I do know it also kills them when applied directly. Poor things.

They say Auckland is built on ants nests and they are absolutely everywhere so finding a nest would be pointless, we are never going to be antless but they do learn quickly to avoid tea tree oil.

Grammaretto I don't know if it would work for moths but even if it didn't your investment is not wasted as it is brilliant for so many things from nits, to cuts and grazes, gargling, acne, toothache and it's a sanitizer and fungiside (which my son once told me is for killing toadstools)

I meant to tell you your story of cooking mussels straight off the rocks reminded me how the boys and I used to do that at Porthcothan.
It was our favouite place, very sheltered and safe for swimming. We'd take picnic early and stay all day. Such wonderful memories.

Post a sit rep please Mamissimo

Panache I shall be thinking of you and your beloved on Tuesday.
I didn't know you had a NZ son

Gubbins and I Skype every day now and she tries to feed me and give me her toys. So cute.

The family will be round on Sunday for the day and dgs will stay over for a Monday Cook-in Looking forward to that, I don't see him often enough and he's growing up so quickly.

Enjoy your sunshine as I freeze my toes off

Mamissimo Vinegar is supposed to be the cure-all prescribed for most things at present but I believe the thing is to find the nest and somehow (??) dispose of that and the rest will follow. Ofcourse this could involve taking down the gable end of the house....

My problem is still moths. clothes and carpets I have a dedicated moth freezer where I put special vulnerable woollen clothes and rugs I have tried all the cedar balls, smelly soap, hormone traps and lavender but these moths are hard core and determined.

Df (the young one) the night before he left came in with a very solemn face and said he was afraid he had bad news.
I tried to steel myself accordingly as I have had more than my fair share recently. When he said he'd seen a mouse scurrying across the kitchen floor I was so relieved I laughed. Young man looked bewildered.

Good Evening wise women .....I need your help! How do you get rid of ants? The moment the sun put his hat on they came in squadrons, in tight formation. First flight came in through the cat flap, round the dogs bowl, under the wine fridge, up the wall to the window.....and there they stayed.

Mr M sprayed them very vigorously with some toxic tincture he bought in France in 1976 Raid and got about half of them.

The yard had a detachment under the pots, and another mob have moved into the porch. I bought some organic stuff at the garden centre but it's pink and seems to stain everything....as I discovered when I was scrubbing off the sticky residue of Mr Ms vapour cloud.

Do you have wise words for me? Hints and wrinkles?

Well we’ve had a gardening afternoon and are now shattered! Have to say it doesn’t take much! We do have a gardener who comes in once a fortnight. She has made such a difference and is such a hard worker bless her but we’ve been moving garden furniture around. Slight difference of opinion still lurking but sure Mr J will come round to my way of thinking!! Oh yes he will!!!
So pleased Panache has got such good friends to support her. Will be thinking about you Panache next Tuesday.
Kaimoana sounds as if you had a good time with Mike and great that he’s coming back again with the family. Oh dear 2 degrees is a bit nippy! Sun is coming through in Norfolk and it’s very warm. We’re promised a heatwave next week but I will believe it when it arrives!
Sounds as if you had a great holiday Grammaretto. How lovely to be with the family. You sound like the best Granny ever! Bet your little DGD had a wonderful time.
Doodle your cruise sounds great. If ours does go we should be should be going with friends but heard today that A had a fall and has a badly broken ankle. She’s already had one op and has to have another. If they have to cancel then we will too and rebook for next year. Think there will be so many things we can’t do that I would be quite happy to cancel.
Mamissimo. I never get a tan. I’m very fair skinned but don’t even go pink - just nothing. Have tried putting tanning cream on my legs with varying success but do hate to see 2 white old legs poking out beneath a skirt or dress!

Hello gang,

Panache I am so glad you have found comfort with your beloved in these strange times and that your close friends were just that - close.

Tuesday is the funeral I guess. I shall be thinking of you.

Doodle I must say the cruise sounds delightful so far. I may yet change my mind about them.

As for tans! Ha. I have long embraced white. I have to wear a hat as do the DGC who are both very fair skinned and burn even on a warm day in Scotland. Red hair and freckles.
Yet NZ son turns deep brown but I do wonder about genes sometimes.
When he was young his feet were so broad he went over the scale and Clarks even offered to alter a last to make him special extra wide shoes. A few years later DD was being measured for her first shoes and I was told she had such narrow feet they didn't stock AA . Same parents.

How lovely to be planning a holiday with everyone Mamissimo. I don't believe I have ever been to the Gower either.

I am glad you enjoyed your time with Mike, Kaimoana but sorry to hear the reason for his visit.

The electrician was here again today. I am dreading the bill.
I had a power failure yesterday and thought it was a fuse but alas it turned out to be far more serious.

I am now going to enjoy some sunshine while it lasts and I may treat myself to some of your shortopen bread. with strawberries.

Dear old Falmouth. Perhaps if you look closely Doodle you might spot Dawn French put for a stroll

Panache it's good to read that you have such loving friends who fully understand what you must be going through. Yes, he's at peace now and his brave struggles are over, bless his heart.

Gosh, your family holiday has come round so quickly Mamissimo, I'm envisaging hilarity and the free flow of alcoholic substances...

Mike ad I had a very chatty 3 hours together and he's coming back, with the family on Sunday.

What I had not realised is that he's here mainly because his lovely Mum is terminally ill and very weak. Heartbreaking for him to leave her to return to a country and culture he dislikes.

It's down to 2 degrees today (do you enjoy my obsession with temperatures? ) so it's lots of woolies and a hat for me today, as I catch up on neglected paperwork.

Enjoy your summer days and the limited freedoms they bring.

Hello all.
Mamissimo sounds as though you’ve been busy on the internet. I’m hoping this post will get through. Wi fi is a bit hit and Miss
What a lovely surprise for you children to see their godfather. Hope you all have a lovely time.
Grammaretto glad you had a lovely time on your holiday. How lovely for your DGD to spend time with you. Spinning wool with a potato and pencil sounds the sort of thing mine would have enjoyed too.
It must have been a sad day for you and your MIL yesterday . Nice you could spend it together.
Kaimoana we have had a lovely day today. Stayed onboard but sat looking at Falmouth harbour all day. I don’t think there was a minute that didn’t have a boat coming or going. Beautiful place. Lovely weather too.
This afternoon we met a couple that we met on our first cruise 6 years ago, not met them since. Was nice to have a catch up.
Hope you have a good time with Mike.
Panache I am so glad you have such good friends with you. They sound very caring. x
Mamissimo my DH is a lovely tanned shade all year round. I meanwhile have a very pale complexion which takes hours and hours of sun to even get the hint of a tan.
Ooh I want to go to the Gower coast too. It looks beautiful. Please let us know how you get on.
Nice to have a family holiday.
Hope all of you are taking good care of Jeeves and making sure he’s not up to any mischief.
I will try and send a photo from Falmouth but the internet might not be good enough.
Take care all. I miss you.

Panache I'm so pleased that you have such caring friends and neighbours to support you. Your visit with your dear man was something to treasure. I think all too often we run and rush these things and it seems that you are able to do what's right for you. You're in my thoughts so much.

And welcome home Grammaretto! Sounds like a good trip for you and I'm entranced by the idea of spinning with a pencil and a potato.....we have wool in the fences and all kinds of things to make dyes from.....hopefully YouTube will sort me out! A lady down the lane runs felting classes but she charges £70 for a morning and I fancy having a go at that.

Mr M has spent so much time outside that his basecoat tan is already approaching walnut- it takes me six months to go slightly dirty looking. I have skin envy!

We are off to Wales in a couple of weeks for a holiday. We've rented a big house for all of us and I'm going to arrange for a lorry from Sainsbugs to drop off the food so that if it's all crowded and awful I won't have to join the throng. I've never been to Gower before....does anyone have any must does?

I'm sending bags of French beans to you all via Jeeves.....and does anyone have a use for eight crisp cabbages? ?

`Morning to you all from a very sunny Wales,and it appears even better hotter weather is promised for this weekend.

Having just about completed the paperwork hopefully, yesterday was rather a special day.
I went to visit and sit awhile with the love of my life now resting at peace in the Funeral Parlour.
I wanted my final and lasting memory to be one away from the Hospital environment,and indeed it has helped seeing him at peace.
Two residents had taken me and even sat in the waiting room whilst I was with my man.
To mark it as a special occasion they insisted on taking me out to tea afterwards so you can see how kind and thoughtful they are.
However Tuesday of next week cannot come soon enough now as I need to complete that final farewell here on earth.

Thinking of you all, especially Doodle having the time of her life with her man as she fully embraces escaping lockdown........... and all that went with it!!

'shortopen bread'?? What the divil is that?

Welcome back Grammaretto. No, I don't know 'Banks of Roses'. Rather melancholy but then many folk ballads are.

Maybe you'd like this website: www.freeart.com/gallery/alfaind.html
More atworks than you can shake a stick at

Mamissimo what a wonderful surprise godfather will be; I'm sure everyone will have a happy time.

Doodle messing about in boats obviously suits you. Fingers crossed for fine weather clears.
Looking forward to seeing photos.

I'm just back from my 2nd Covid jab and hope I don't have the bad reaction eveyone predicts as I have a busy week.

Looking forward to seeing Mike this afternoon. He's only here until 29th and then flies back to Atlanta (which he hates). I've made a ham, egg and vegetable pie which we'll have with salad and then shortopen bread.

It's getting harder and harder to be safe proficient in the kitchen but I'll plough on until I poison someone.


A toasty 9 degrees here and there's a sharp wind from Antarctica. It'll be colder tomorrow I'm told. What fun.
Stay well one and all.

Hello everyone,

I'm back. I missed you. I thought of you a lot.
The holiday was lovely. Weather typical of the islands. Torrential rain followed by so warm you have to jump in the sea not me but the young people
Midges: yes.
DGC: wonderful
Driving on my own: not much fun.
Potteries, dinosaur footprints, fairy pools, eating out, lovely walks. It was most agreeable. I even used my Gaelic enough to impress some lovely locals. DD says in a disapproving way, I always talk to people but to be fair, they talk to me. I do think when you are by yourself, people start conversations.
DGD collected wool from the fences and I showed her how to spin on a spindle made from a pencil stuck into a potato. She loved it and wanted us to collect lichen to make dye. But we didn't do that. I thought DD would object to me turning the holiday cottage into a woolly workshop. We made banana bread too.
I cooked some mussels we collected from the rock pools but I had to eat them myself!

Yesterday was DH's birthday so an emotional day but it was very nice. I took flowers to his mum and croissants so we had coffee and good chats about old times. She is amazing.

I now have a couple of df staying so not feeling alone. The garden jungle must have been well rained on while I was away and I spent about an hour just dead heading the roses today.

Doodle will be well on her way by now. I hope she and the Dude have a great holiday.

Did I hear folk music Kaimoana? I love it too but the only radio station I could get on the road from the Isles was a Gaelic one and one of the ballads "Banks of red roses" was far too depressing (it was in English) Do you know it?

I hope Panache is coping with all the sad stuff.

Sounds like your time away was good Jan

I also hope the covid rules are sorted out PDQ for everyone's sake. I don't mind wearing a mask for ever if that's what it takes.
I miss being able to just pop into an art gallery to look at a painting without having to book in advance and be kept in an orderly queue as I was recently.

I hope Jeeves is still around to get us our bedtime drinks.
Night night.

Good afternoon ?

What a stressful morning! I have been swapping internet providers and buying pasties....the pasties bit was easy and lovely...the broadband made me tear my hair out! Mr M kept interrupting me kept offering advice from the sidelines that was largely irrelevant and made me question my sanity. I'm still questioning why I do all the management stuff and he does all the questioning after 45 years of marriage. He's a very clever chap because he wriggles out of doing the dud jobs!

My two DDs seem to have inherited his clever streak because I find myself nominated to prepare the online supermarket delivery for the family holiday that is fast approaching. Perhaps they think that I've got nothing to do and that carrots grow themselves! ?

We have all the family coming for the day on Saturday and I've got a wonderful surprise for them......they all share a godfather and he's in the UK for the first time in 20 years and will be joining us for the day. I can't wait to see their faces because he is adored....only 5 sleeps to go!

I'd better go and make some lunch...H beagle is crying beside the fridge....

Don’t know if this will get though as WiFi connection is very hit and miss.
After a very nervous 15 minutes wait yesterday our COVID test came back ok and we are now on board and unwinding.
I must say the level of precautions here is excellent. Hav a lovely meal last night.
It is not so warm today and overcast but due to be better tomorrow. I have difficulty staying awake. Two nights of not much sleep before we left plus a precautionary sea sick tablet have left me nodding off a lot of the time.
Thank you all for your good wishes.
Jan glad you had a good time.
Kaimoana seems you and Mamissimo are nearly related and you and muse have a lot in common too.?.
dragondly nice to hear from you. It is a worry for those who aren’t sure how protected they are with the vaccination. DH has blood cancer so also is being cautious.
Hope Grammaretto had a good time in her holiday.
Pleased to hear from Panache about the support and friendship she is having from people around her.
Missedout please watch out for flares and come and rescue us if we get into difficulties. We are due to have a surprise meeting this afternoon with our sister ship who is out on her sea trials. Be a nice photo opportunity I hope.
Hello to Nortsat, *NfK and of course our Cherry ? Hope everyone is safe and well. Take care all.

Good to have another folkie here muse.
I'd guess your DH also went to the Skinner's Bottom Folk Festivals in 1987.
I took my son, then aged 8 and, we were totally washed out, the 'Bottoms' being flooded by constant, torrential rain. The boy thought it great fun to wade about in mud .
Elephant Fayre was another favourite, where I first encountered marijuana and had no idea what that smell was.

dragonfly - lovely to see you posting. Your holiday in the beautiful Peak District, sounds grand.

I have a busy week ahead and it hasn't begun well as NZ Post (who seem to have totally lost the plot as well as my parcels) are maintaining their reputation for dumb inefficiency. Grrr.

Tomorrow, a Kiwi friend, now living in Atlanta, is popping round for tea, so I shall make a quiche and some fresh bread today.

My poor homecare lady, who some of you will remember lurches from one disaster to another, has just lost her childood friend and is too upset to work.

I am waiting for a replacement but as usual the agency hasn't bothered to ring me to tell me the other lady cannot come and who the replacement is.
No doubt it will be Crazy Grace.

I'm imagining Doodle sunning herself on a gently rolling deck and being handed Mai Tai by her DH.

I'm away to cook...to stop myself freezing.

Stay well everyone.

dragonfly46. Pleased you enjoyed your Peak District holiday. It is lovely there but our favourite place is the Yorkshire Dales!
No Mr J had a cancerous patch on his forehead treated with radiation but it’s not a burn from that. Drs wouldn’t operate for complicated reasons so did it with radiotherapy instead. Apparently the scabs will gradually fall off leaving new skin underneath- we hope! Thanks for asking

Just popped in Lobsters to see how you are all doing.

Missedout I daren't do an antibodies test in case it is negative. I am hoping my immunity is high after my vaccinations.

Grammaretto looking forward to hearing how your holiday went.

Jan does Mr J have a radiation burn? I know they can be very sore and worrying. I hope they can clear it up soon.

Kaimoana sorry to hear your doctor is leaving I know how that feels. My oncologist has left the hospital and now I have to start with a new one. Hopefully I won't be needing her. She rang me for my annual appointment but I couldn't really tell what she saying.

I am sorry you found Hampton Court flower show disappointing Mamissimo. We used to live near there but never went to the flower show. I have been to the one at Tatton and loved that.
I hope your DD is feeling better.

We had a lovely time in the Peak District with my DSiL and DH. They have bought a cottage and done it up with lovely views over the hills. I am quite envious although I am not a country girl at heart.

Good to hear that Panache has support and I hope Doodle has the best holiday!
Have a good day everyone.

Good Morning from a lovely sunny Norfolk morning. Expect Doodle is on her way to join her ship. Hope you have a great time Doodle you deserve a break from keeping us all under control!
We got home on Friday. Feeling very fat from all the food and extra alcohol. DH has just informed me he didn’t put on any weight over the holiday. How annoying is that?! I darent even get on the scales!
We are off to meet friends for coffee this morning but no cakes or scones! Well not for me!
Such a worry at the moment for those who are vulnerable. Stay safe Missedout and Mamissimo. Would be great to see Cherry and Panache back soon. Fingers crossed for them.
Kaimoana. Yes Mr J is feeling fine if somewhat obsessed with this patch! It is horrible to look at but should eventually clear - or so we are told! He has to send off a photo every week to the consultant and she replies immediately. It’s not an automatic letter back but a very personal one. Have to say the hospital have been amazing. Next week once the photo has been sent she will be phoning to talk it the patient. Can’t complain about that sort of treatment.
Hope everyone has a great day and will be cheering England on tonight! ⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️

Yes they do Kaimoana. MrM loves folk music and went to the festival in his youth. He's been in Cornwall since mid 1970s. One folk singer he admires is Nic Jones. I found some youtube videos last year of Nic singing with his son. Brilliant.

Bodmin's new road system is still chaotic with people making a made dash to cross the roads. Visitors don't have a clue what the crossing strips are for How on earth the blind cope with not having the sounds from traffic lights. The new cycle lanes are well used?

We've been planning, on an off all this year, to visit MrM's son and family in Penryn. It's off again as covid cases are rising in the area. Wife and daughter have been really ill. They are out of isolation but we've postponed it again for a while.

Have a lovely time Doodle, I hope you don't get 'escorted back to France' by the UK border patrols!

Mamissimo, just be careful. I think it may be a good idea to follow Doodle's suggestion although my various consultants weren't able to tell me one way or another how vulnerable I could be. I took a private test (for Covid spike protein). I know others have been reassured by testing positive- I'm just one of the unlucky ones with negative results. It's a bit of a dilemma - perhaps I'd be a lot happier if I didn't know my vaccine status, on the other hand I could become very ill.

Stay well everyone- at least we can all avail ourselves of Jeeves' services without asking to see his vaccine passport!

I hope you have a wonderful holiday Doidle

Just a quick message from me. I’ve finished the packing.
Received a lovely PM from Panache saying how much the cards meant to her. Sounds as though she is having support from those around her which is such good news.
Hope Grammaretto and Jan get back from their trips safely and had a good time.
Kaimoana and Mamissimo what a strange coincidence about the Garland Ox. This thread seems full of such happenings.
Kaimoana we may have many posters missing but they will forever be part of our gang. I know Cherry said how much she would miss us. Sometimes things happen and people can’t post as they would like but we will always treasure their friendship through those months of lockdown.
Mamissimo is it worth putting all your questions for your consultant in an email and sending them to his secretary. It is hard when face to face consultations are missing for those with long term conditions.
Yes I’ve got my sou’wester and wellies and my life jacket. The oars are a bit unwieldy but I’m sure I’ll get the hang of it once we’re out in the Chanel ?
Be in touch when I can. If you see flares in the sky send Missedout and her DH in their boat to rescue us.
Take care all x

kaimoana we are practically related! ? The Garland Ox was owned by Mr M's first cousin twice removed.....who sadly died in 1928.......at the time you were in Bodmin three of his grandparents were still living there.

I've got everything crossed that the rain might stop this evening so that we can fire up the pizza oven.....if it doesn't poor Mr M will be out there with his brolly.....

I had a momentary wobble last night when Dr Google suggested that the COVID vaccinations didn't work with my drugs.....a tossing and turning night....then further reading this morning produced more recent and positive evidence that two doses does work.

I think that they are going to release new guidance for the ex shielded before they unlock.....but there is so little easily accessed information for us to make balanced decisions on risk. I haven't seen a consultant for nearly two years now and I have a million zillion questions! which is probably why I haven't received an appointment

Hope Doodle is now paddling her canoe around the coast.....

Mammissimo What a crazy idea! I had assumed the layout would have changed since the 80's but to something so outlandish and unsafe?
I did see on the map "Bodmin Jail Attraction" and was puzzled. It looks as if it was once a workhouse - was it?

The theatre performance of Kupapa (collaborator) was extremely moving and I wept at parts of it. Written by the g-g-g niece of the woman at the centre of the story.

muse do they still hold the Wadebridge Folk Festival? I once met Martin Carthy and Dave Swarbrick there as I was singing after them. Impossible acts to follow, they are icons

The Garland Ox pub was my local at one time and also where I sang on folk nights.
I learned later that the name may refer to Greek mythology or even a Neolithic practice of garlanding an ox before sacrifice.

Jan I hope you're safely home and MrJ is feeling well. I must admit that you lived my holiday dream - eating out so often.

It's something I don't often get to do now, having no transport and living miles away from any cafe or restaurant.
But when my son came over on Friday, we had a lovely morning tea at Columbus Cafe and lunch at a local fish restaurant. Bliss

I hope Grammaretto is back this weekend, I've missed her a lot and I don't know what we'll do without our Doodle pulling all the gang threads together.

Good to hear that Panache is up to posting. I hope Cherry, Nortsat, Nfk and others are all improving, we've lost so many it seems.

Love to all