The Lockdown Gang - carry on chatting ⭐️

Yes Grammaretto great news about the fund.
Ooh how exciting. Your house is fascinating. So many nooks and crannies. Do you ever wonder if you’ve missed something….like the deeds. A posh hat shop it does sound intriguing. I wonder what the hat was like and who it was for.
Sorry you won’t get to see your DGC over Christmas. Perhaps soon in the New Year?
No letter here Mamissimo must be because of your immunosupressed status. I hope you don’t need any treatment but at least you know you will be given the drugs should you need them.
? That Honey beagle is a little minx. I bet she wolfed down her extra breakfast before you had a chance to take it away.
How is MrM doing, is he back to his usual self feeling better now?
Nfk I think knitted teddies is one of the best pastimes I have heard of. What could be better than providing a little boy or girl with a teddie. I always loved teddies. My first teddy was an orphan. He was found lying in the road uncared for. My Aunt picked him up and took him home, washed him and gave him to me. I had him for a long time.
Saying you acquire leftover wool makes me wonder if you knit other things for yourself. Is that the case?
Like Mamissimo I hope your DH doesn’t need these drugs but I have heard they work really well.
Hope your feet have recovered from your shopping trip. Did the young lady end up with a pair?
Kaimoana ?. The question if does he have Rudolph’s red nose under that mask?
Here is a photo of a cheekily little chap who was in the Dean’s garden today stealing Leo the cats food.

Yes Grammaretto great news about the fund.
Ooh how exci

Oh Jeeves!!

Isnt it fantastic the way Soop's fund grew so quickly? They must be over the moon. The best side of GN.

Yes Doodle the teddies go to pad out childrens' stockings. Cinders will wait for next year now. I do like to knit. I can't sew for toffee. I have got a sewing machine but we're not on the best of terms. It's happy at the back of the cupboard and I'm happy to leave it there. But knitting I like. Being able to pull it out and start again is a reassuring backup. I accumulate left over wool all the time and the teddies are a good way to use it all up.

DH has got the same letter as you Mamissimo. I confess I'm a little put out!

DS has decided not to have the booster jab as he was so ill after both vaccines. He wasn't able to have time off work at all and it took three weeks or so each time to start to feel vaguely human again. I heard that a bad reaction means he's likely to get the actual Covid worse too. I just hope this is another urban myth.

Are those broken shards really a chamber pot Grammaretto? Or a cremation urn. Why was it hidden there? What a mystery.

I shall away now and start dinner. My feet have just about recovered from pounding the streets of Norwich with DGD2 on her Christmas Shopping Trip. She's impossible to buy for so I take her shopping so she can choose. It always involves breaks for coffee/hot chocolate and cake and then lunch. This time the trip was for shoes. Bad idea! A girl choosing shoes. I've done 1093 steps today!!

Good morning ?

Did anyone else get a letter from the chap who took over from little Mattie Hancock? It's a two edged paper sword of a letter, telling me on one hand that I probably have no protection against covid and on the other hand that I will be given the new antiviral biological drug if I do get it. I was pleased to see a complete system of who to phone etc laid out but I also feel a little trepidation......

DS was here last night but left at about 6 this morning. I came down at 8, fed the starving animals and then received a txt telling me that he'd already fed them.......I swear H Beagle smiled!

grammaretto I reckon it's a simple case of Madame hiding her hat box so that she could do the "what? This old thing?" routine that I use frequently and successfully with Mr M when asked in a particular tone whether her guilty pleasure hat is new!

Today is hide all the junk in the shed day so that we're super tidy for Christmas.....obv. The junk is Mr M's.....?

Good Morning Lobstars,

The fund for Soop has reached its goal I believe Doodle
I am putting off clearing out the freezer cupboard. The electrician came last night to finalise where the wiring and pipes will need to go to save lifting floorboards and demolishing a wall.

In doing so he came across a "find" in the attic. (It was an opening behind the water tank in the attic which he had to crawl into). It is an ancient rusty brazier containing the remains of a hat box and what could be broken shards of a chamber pot.

The hat box lid has the words Camille and Valentine, Modes, rue de la Paix, Paris. (I have looked it up and the internet tells me it was a very expensive shop in Fin de Siecle Paree.
There is also a strip of very thick wallpaper.

Enough info for a best selling thriller?

If you are looking for a lockdown occupation Doodle you could write the best seller?

I don't think I will see my little DGC over Christmas . Boo Hoo. But we will have a family quiz on zoom which they may join.
Your shadow puppets sound great Mamissimo

Happy Solstice everyone.

These are my little light up houses from M&S.

Nfk sorry, I forgot the other half of your asterisk.

Really pleased soop’s fund has nearly reached its goal.
Grammaretto your little tree sounds lovely. What a kind little elf.
My cards all done (slightly smug expression ?) including 3 from people who I decided to leave off the list this year as we hadn’t heard from them for a while, only to receive cards from them. ?
Jeeves wake up. Stop trying to wrap yourself up in tinsel and get Grammaretto some hot chocolate.
Mamissimo I remember your lights from last year and think they are lovely. Not surprised you’re pleased with them. They look like they are floating in space.
I like your big tree and your other little lit tree in the background of the kitchen photo too.
Your shadow puppet theatre is a great idea. Something different. I bet they enjoy it.
Nortsat like me, you are picturing Honey beagle sneaking off with the whole turkey. ?
muse what an interesting story about Mya. What an interesting mix she is and of course the husky bit explains the blue eye. What a lucky lady to find such a loving home.
Sorry your Christmas plans have been thwarted. That’s a good idea to leave your laptops on so you can keep in touch.
Many happy returns to your DGD.
Sorry about you not being able to speak to your other DGD. I hope she has a relaxing Christmas and is able to have some relief from her worries.
May we ask which day over Christmas is your birthday?
The beach idea would be nice to celebrate if it’s not too cold.
*Nfk cooee. Hello ?. Lovely to hear from you.
I absolute love your teddies and the Cinderella doll. How clever you are. I could do anything like that if I tried.
Do they go to children for Christmas?
You have been busy.
Thank you for the good vibes being sent out. Same to you ?
Norsat they are really good too. I wondered what you meant about the chocolate orange until I’d taken a closer look at the photo ?

Wow! What a crafty lot of Lobstars you are.
Your home is stunning Mamissimo
Mine is so bad ? have walked out! I'm meeting an old friend at a quiet art gallery to look at the artwork put the world to rights

I hope you have your birthday picnic at the beach with the dog muse

Oh what lovely teddies and dolls NfkD and thank you for your positive vibes, which are radiating in my direction.

I am adding a photograph of the Santa Rabbits my cousin makes as part of the fundraising for her church. They are so cute but each unfortunate creature has a Chocolate Orange up his b*m!
I thought they might make the Gang-stars smile ?

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Good Morning All!

It's meee! I don't know where the time has gone considering I've not been out much, but somehow I've missed catching up with you all. I've attached photos of one of the reasons. I did eight teddy bears and a dozen mini Christmas tree elves and fairies in the end for the Salvation Army Food Bank. But it's been the Cinderella Doll which has taken me over. She was a lot more time consuming than I thought she'd be and she missed the boat, so to speak. She'll have to go into next years batch. I shan't be doing another one! It's used up most of the left over wools I had and most of a large bag of stuffing which was lurking unopened in the attic.

I shall have to think of a new occupation for the lockdown which seems to be lurking on the horizon. I've only read back from the top of this page to see what you've all been up to. Love the magic candles Mamissimo, Harry P would be proud of you! We've chopped down a small pine tree which wasn't growing as it should so our tree is the top of it in a bucket of sand. We bought it especially for the lovely purple pine cones it had, but there hadn't been any for several years. We discovered why when it was down. The squiggles had been eating them all! Just thin candles left with no cone bit! So we now have a proper Christmas tree and a bit more sky.

Do take care Kaimoana with those spores floating around. It sounds worse than hay fever, not knowing what you're inhaling, which are bad and which are good. A friend found a fungus growing locally which he can't identify. White with a frilly edge and rather lovely to look at. Either an artistic mouse or he's discovered a new species.

I hope you're feeling better now Nortsat, I'm sending positive vibes out in a large westerly arc in the hopes they reach as far as you and the other lobsters who're not firing on all cylinders at present. And really pleased you're in touch with Panache. I think of her often, please pass on a virtual cuddle / cwtch from me next time you message her.

Now off to read back further before Mr NfkD surfaces.

Hello Lobstars.

A little bit of Mya history first Doodle and BoadiceaJ. She is a rescue dog and I adopted her when she was four. She had been at the centre for 6 months and they decided to rename her. The name the previous owners gave her was Oddie because of her different coloured eyes, which comes from the husky in her, along with some collie and a lot of german shepherd. She is still nervous but loves the woods where we live and can now roam to her heart's content. I've been so pleased at how quickly she responded to training. She would sit for a treat initially and that was it.

Do hope Panache has some company over the Christmas period Norstat.

Christmas, through to the New Year, will be a quiet one here. Just the two of us, as the song goes. Normal family gatherings have been cancelled and that includes my DD coming down to celebrate my birthday with me half way through. Third year running now we have had to cancel the jollities. We plan to leave our laptops up and running for the day and can keep dropping by in to have a chat.?

My DGD1 celebrates being 17 tomorrow. She is another one, along with her mother, who likes Docs Doodle. My DD wore them for her graduation in 199I and DGD1 wore some for her school prom last summer. Mum still wears Docs.

I wish I could talk to my DGD2 BoadiceaJ. I have no contact number for her or her mother so I am totally reliant on my son for updates. I am sure she will have a lovely restful Christmas as you said.

Kaiamoana. Once, whilst visiting a craft fair at Harrogate, I visited a farm shop/cafe at the showground and had a traditional Yorkshire lunch. The pork pie was served warm. Delicious.

Beautiful tree and decorations from everyone. I have yet to finish my inside ones. All gifts have been sent and received though . Little to do food wise for MrMuse and myself. If the weather is fine and dry on Christmas Day or my birthday, I'd love to take a picnic lunch to my favourite beach, walk Mya and then find a bench overlooking the sea and have soup and sandwiches. Flask and bag are ready???

Take super care of yourselves.?

Norsat glad you like them.....when I left the BBC we went to live abroad while the girls were young. When we came back I started an interior design business and as part of that I dressed Christmas Trees for some banks in Mayfair. Mr M used his little black book to get me some introductions ........? the upshot is that I'm a bit of a decoration pain perfectionist!

Gosh your decorations look stunning Mamissimo and as if they should be in a public building.

The potential for Honey Beagle to misbehave during the festive season, is obviously considerable.
Steady honey ?

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Good evening ?

I'm almost sorted for Christmas but I'm a tad concerned that if the offspring can't come Mr M and Honey Beagle will be eating the 7kg bird till Easter. We're all on daily LFTs to make sure we're clean.

We've made the DGD a shadow puppet theatre to distract them a bit this week.I had great fun with some baking parchment, a torch and an old A***on box. Made me think of my old theatre that didn't make the cut when I left home and then disappeared...☹️

Photos are my big tree and the joy of my Christmas - the magical candles we hang in the kitchen. I find myself standing there looking at them with a soppy grin.....

Lovely twinkling lights Kaimoana and Nortsat very festive.
I traced the elf . He said he had stolen the tree but it was very small - more of a side shoot.
I love it
I should be writing cards but I keep falling asleep. Zzzz
No news of the kitchen Doodle I promise to tell you when there is. It's even less like a kitchen now that the plumber has been

So sorry you have been unwell Nortsat
Do stay safe.
Good that you have spoken to Panache . I hope she is well cared for .
Such a lot of sadness it seems alongside the celebrations.
Is it time for hot chocolate?

Nortstat sorry I forgot to mention your tree. It’s lovely.
Mine is tiny one.,as we live in a flat we don’t have much storage room.
Kaimoana I can’t believe how quickly the Omnicron varient has spread here. A few weeks ago it was 3 cases and now it’s massive. I hope you all manage to avoid it.
Your bedroom lights look nice too.

Lovely to see you Nortsat and your beautiful tree - sorry you've been unwell.
You are very wise to take all precautions.

A surprise Christmas tree Grammaretto how wonderful, you are obviously a well-loved lady.

Although 19 cases of Omnicron have been detected in NZ, all have been at the border where people are still required to go into managed isolate on arrival here.

Experts say if it can be kept there, we will have no leakage into the community. I'm not so sure; the Delta variant got in despite all measures.

Winter helps because there's less socialising and movement.
We are the opposite as summer is icumen in and that means everyone wants to be outside. After such a draconian lockdown, it's impossible now to stop 'stir-crazy' people taking a very necessary holiday.
We are down to only double figures per day now, 63 yesterday, 42 of them at the border, largely because we've achieved a 90% vaccination rate - and rising.

Like the UK, we are a sailing community with many small harbours and beaches - there just isn't the manpower to police them all.

I've heard iwi up North are doing a sterling job of trying though.

There's no comparison to the lovely trees featured here but I'll share the lights I put up in my bedroom so it looked cheerful.
It's blurry because they're twinkling!

Lots of memories it seems
Kaimoana those mould spores sound dangerous. If they get into your lungs that’s not good news. Is there anything you can take to help your breathing improve? Please be careful.
Grammaretto what a lovely welcome home. How nice of the Christmas elves to put up a tree for you.
What news of the kitchen?
I hope you don’t get snowed in. Please make sure you have adequate supplies of alcohol food.
Nortsat nice to hear from you. Sorry to hear you haven’t been feeling that great. I’m glad you’re in touch with Panache. Yes lots of things going on.
I’m sorry you will miss your Christmas with family and other lunches and get togethers but perhaps better to keep safe.
I’m glad you have in adequate supplies of alcohol food and you won’t go without,

Hello Gang-stars, I haven’t been well for about a week, so have been reading intermittently.
I had a nice email from Panache, who is facing her many challenges.

Now that the Mayor of London has declared Omicron a ‘major incident’ in London, we are battening down the hatches and have cancelled all diary commitments. We will be doing some Zoom drinks with friends and probably a Zoom Christmas lunch with family.

As I am a person previously classed as Clinically Extremely Vulnerable, we are continuing to shield.

We are warm and safe indoors, the freezer and the wine rack are full and I have emergency meds, incase I need to increase my doseage of anything … so we’ll stay where it feels safe.

Sending all good wishes and seasons greetings to all Gang-stars, whether present or absent. ??

Hello Lob-stars,
Sorry to hear about the nasty spores Kaimoana but thanks for the Stanley Holloway!
I arrived home eventually to find a pretty little Christmas tree in pride of place.

Elves have definitely been here while I was away. ?

Snow is forecast for next weekend. I had better get provisions in just incase it's not covid keeping us at home.

Kaimoana, when we were cleaning up the 96 years' worth of "stuff" left behind by my deceased mother, I inhaled black mould spores and ended up with a really nasty chest infection. It can be so serious, so please take care!

Doodle the mould spores are all around, in the bush, rotting leaves, detritus, fungi and humidity all add to the problem.

As you know, I am 2 inches from the bush and spores blow in the open windows and doors, so it's affecting my breathing.

This fungus, Plantpot Dapperling (Leucocoprinus birnbaumii) is only one of several currently squatting in my my rose tubs.
They are beautiful, I really love fungi so wouldn't do anything to harm them.

It's toxic if eaten but I'm never that hungry

Hope you are home safe Grammaretto and your new, red stove is installed.

muse and Jan how are you doing?

You just sent me down Memory Lane again Doodle.
A song which always made me cry when I was a little girl.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bUJJVSPdp4

I'm not much better now