The Lockdown Gang - carry on chatting ⭐️

Kaimoana! Who knew that we have an accomplished cat burglar in our midst? Or perhaps a kitten burglar, since you haven't had sufficient practice to qualify. I can just imagine the horror of discovering that you were in possession of inadvertently stolen goods. Your earrings sound gorgeous, and you really must send us a picture of King Solomon Queen of Sheba arrayed in all her glory.

Grammaretto What a fascinating house you live in! You could easily forgive its foibles because it's so full of character. The new boiler, however, now that sounds expensive....
Yes, it's distinctly possible that our two DGS will meet up at some time! Perhaps at some nerdy conference for computer buffs? Did you say they were based in Dunedin? (Sorry, the mental whirl of seven grandchildren still besets me, besides the physical strain of heaving of little ones up to the climbing frame and scrambling net!)

Doodle - Yes, I too remember the excitement of going to that mystical treasure house-in pedestrian terms, the library, my pass to other worlds (library card) clutched in my sticky little hand. Every Christmas, the maiden Great Aunts in Devon would send mysterious brown paper-wrapped parcels, which would disappear until The Day. The books they sent us remain hugely important to me. The Little Grey Rabbit series was a special favourite, and particularly the one where Mouldy Warp discovers the Roman treasure underground. I used to read and reread that book, wrapped in a glow of joy at the thought of discovering things that people had made thousands of years ago. What a pity that both your DS and DGS are dyslexic - it must be so frustrating to have the words become unattainable and the joy of reading lost.

Mamissimo - it sounds as though you are undergoing huge upheavals in your life. You are a very kind and generous DM to be so helpful to your DD. I hope all goes well for your DD2.

NfkD your pony is just adorable - what a sweet boy. Norfolk is fascinating, ancestry-wise, isn't it? I think I mentioned our pub-quiz partner, whose ancestors had been stone masons, in an unbroken line, in the Sheringham area for 600 years. He could identify every building or wall constructed by his people by their unique style. That's a sort of immortality, isn't it.

After the hot, dry weather, we're having a break of hot, raining and steamy. Mosquito central. I've never seen anything like the humidity - the marble floors throughout the house yesterday had a sheen of moisture all over them...in fact so damp that they were quite dangerous. I can't believe the growth in the garden in 4 days' absence. Of course, MrJ, being from Manchester, and big grey things with guns on the front, knows nothing of gardens. The courgettes had turned into marrows, the kikuyu grass had covered the potatoes, the tomatoes had remained unpicked.

We made a hasty sortie into town to stock up for the coming siege. Looks like omicron will hit with a vengeance. Both my DS and MrJ are due to have long-awaited surgery in the next few weeks, so everything crossed that the procedures won't be delayed again. DS requires a corneal transplant, very urgently, or he's at real risk of losing his sight. He has to go to Auckland for the surgery, which is a challenge with the demands on the major hospital. He works at Palmerston hospital, and gets very hot under the collar at the attitude of the unvaxxed. Up here, in the land of the dope-smoking hippy, there are still so many who refuse to be vaccinated - for ANYTHING- (they live such healthy lives, you see). They protest in the street, unmasked, shoving their faces and pamphlets into my face...DS said just to describe to them the chiller set up at the hospital for the bodies of the expected victims...not that that will make any difference.

My little fluffy girls are so happy to see me home that they won't leave me alone. This despite MrJ spoiling them rotten with treats and cuddles.
Must be off. Have a great day/evening, one and all.

Hello Gang,

Your life does take new directions Mamissimo. It is exciting but quite an upheaval. I hope that both DDs benefit from your help.

I have stayed in all day for very little purpose. The electrician came but just a few minutes ago. he told me it would be this morning The new tenants have called off their preview again. She has covid, not too badly, but I am very glad they didn't come.
I couldn't settle to anything and really feel the day has been wasted.
Did I tell you I now need a new boiler - urgently? It is leaking water apparently.

Kaimoana I hope you have a wonderful birthday. It sounds perfect.
I'm glad you weren't arrested at the supermarket, but Doodle would have rescued you!

I keep finding out more things about this house, Doodle Jason, the electrician, thinks it is back to front. He has discovered that the original staircase goes to what is now the back door. It was once a family home for about 150 years but became laboratories in about 1953 until the papermill closed in 1975 and laid empty for 5 years until we, rashly, bid for it. There was a lot to do but we were young and energetic back then.

I am going to watch a Burns' Night concert on zoom tonight - another one. A friend's DGS is performing.

Boadicea sounds like you had a lovely time with your family. How lovely your grandson has an interest in reading. It brings such joy.
Sadly both my younger son and his son are dyslexic and spent so long trying to work out what words were that reading for pleasure was lost to them. My son described it at getting to the end of a written line and not being able to find the beginning of the next one as the words were moving all the time.
Reading has always been a great love of mine. I still have fond memories of trips to the library, with my brother, who used to take me there every week to choose 3 new books (the maximum allowed).
Grammaretto was your home a house before it became an industrial building? You must have had quite a lot of work done to turn it back to a home.
Do you not fancy a night out bopping then? Handbag in the floor and dancing round it.
Kaimoana thank you for letting us know. Sounds like you are going to be royally treated at home. Much more comfortable for you all.
The earrings sound nice. Did you choose them yourself?
Oh my, a thief in our midst. I would have had to come over with a file baked in a cake had you been caught.
Mamissimo my parents did a similar thing for us once when we moved. They went to stay with my brother and his family while DH and I moved into their maisonette while our new house was being finished. My parents had only been in the maisonette 2 weeks before they moved out to let us stay there.
So lucky with my family.
A moth with your DD2 during her IVF. Perhaps she will be comforted having you with her. Hope Honey beagle is well behaved. Sounds as though all your diplomatic skills will be needed over the next month or so. ?

Good morning ?

I didn't have you down as a tea leaf Kaimoana ! I picture you putting a stocking over your head to take the items back into the shop...?

Life in M Towers is about to take a new direction.....DD1 has to complete the sale of her house before the new residence is complete so we're all shuffling up. Mr M and H Beagle and I will move in with DD2 near Margate for a month and DD1 and family will move into our house with Fergal. DD1 is our slightly bossier daughter so we are taking flight ?

DD2 will be undergoing IVF cycle 3 while we are there so I sense some heightened emotions all round. Lummy! Can't wait! By the time that's all over our long awaited family holiday will be sailing over the horizon towards us and we can all live together for another week..--we didn't see that coming!--

I think I need a bit of a lie down.....

It's on Sunday Grammaretto and Doodle, at least my NZ birthday is, I could have another on the UK January 30th.

Because of the Red Alert and to my relief, we are not going to the posh restaurant for the degustation feast.

I didn't feel we could take the children into a risky zone. However, I am promised the menu of my choice, cooked in my own home by an experienced hand.

I'm also getting emerald and silver earrings.

Nfk Your pony looks gorgeous and such a lovely personality, I can tell.

Welcome back BJ Glad the Palmie trip went well.

Karen and I did a bit of shoplifting on Monday.
I had put things in my trolley when I was 'taken short' and said to K, 'Look after my trolley for a few minutes, I'll be back soon.'

When I came back, she was standing outside by the car, empty handed.
"What happened to the shopping?"
"I put it in the car."
"Did you pay for it?"
"No, I thought you had".

She'd walked out with 8 items in my trolley and no one had stopped her.

As we dashed back to the shop with the goods, we were sure we'd see a police car waiting for us but no one had even noticed!
Phew!

Your DGS sounds such a bright young fellow. BoadiceaJ my NZ DGS is also a great reader and writer. Perhaps they will meet some day everyone knows everyone else in NZ don't they!

I love your pony NfkD he looks cuddly and happy.
I don't live in a castle but it was an industrial building when we bought it and turned it back into a home.
Half of it had been demolished in about 1950 to make a carpark for the workers. The letters are in the National Library of Scotland and have been transcribed by a descendant of the family who lived here. so they are typed up.

Nightclubs are open again.
Who wants to go partying!!

Good morning girls, and how are you all?
Just back in from Palmerston North yesterday, and exhausted from all the fun and frolic of the 8-year old's birthday party, plus trips to the pool, the playgrounds, the bookshop to spend Christmas and birthday money, barbeques, sleep-over, to say nothing of the very warm and sunny days.
DGS, who turned 8, is a very serious-minded young man, who reads at a 12-yr old level. He has a passion for mythology, though these days, that's been supplemented by Marvel Heroes. His daddy has read to him and to his little sister every night for an hour, for their entire life. His dad was explaining to the 5-yr old about the importance of water, fruit and veges to avoid getting constipated in this hot weather, but that too much can work the other way. Young DGS considers this information, then says "Oh, so it's a bit like being between Scylla and Charybdis, then." My DS reported this to me saying that he knew his Homer-mad granny would find it amusing. (Scylla and Charybdis were the two monsters that Odysseus had to face in the narrow Straits of Messina - if you escaped one, the other would almost certainly grab you). Hmm..perhaps you had to be there...

Grammaretto that’s a lot of smoke detectors. That’s a big place you have ?
Those old letters must be fascinating reading. Knowing they relate to someone who lived in your house must make a real connection. I wonder if they ever imagined that so many years later someone would be reading them
NFk I know nothing of horses or ponies but to me that is one lovely looking pony. Nice to spend time with your DGS. Hopefully he is not feeling ill.
We have had the blinds man round today and despite intending to have another quote we both liked him and his manner so much we have placed the order. Double roller blinds in the bedrooms. One that is voile like a net curtain and a top blackout blind for night time. Can’t wait to get rid of the Venetian blinds.

Eleven smoke and heat detectors *Grammaretto? Eleven? Do you live in a castle?

I've found a photo of my old boy which I'd scanned in. There must be more - somewhere!

I'm quite envious of your letters Grammaretto, would you be able to scan them into the computer for a photo book? It would make a wonderful heirloom in itself. I've seen many of the wedding banns for my ancestors scanned into Ancestry and I'm afraid the majority of my ancestors from 200 years ago were illiterate. It's been relatively (!) easy to trace many of the lines as they didn't stray far from one or two adjacent villages for several generations. All Ag Labs until the industrial revolution when they moved into Norwich and became clickers or cordwainers or glove makers.

I've resisted the 'puter today. Bread making, washing and then listening to DGS read has kept me entertained. He's been off school with the dreaded Covid and is still testing positive so its the full 10 days for him. DiL is tearing her hair out!

I can't remember when your birthday is Kaimoana , Is it soon?
I hope your homecare isn't affected.
The red alert will affect my NZ lot and make life complicated but if it works to stem the covid tide then so be it.

DD and family were here rather too briefly for lunch and the rest of the day was spent waiting in for the electrician. He came at last and fitted nearly all 11 smoke and heat detectors. He will do the rest tomorrow. I did a bit of knitting and lost myself in the old letters.
I find it strangely comforting to think that their worries of 200 years ago were quite similar to ours now. apart from the servants that is
Sweet dreams all you gangstars.
wave to Cherry

Grammaretto your Burns Night on zoom sounds great fun.
Ok, haggis I’ve heard of cranachan (mentioned before) but clapshot ? (can you get vaccinated against it?)
Have a nice time with your DD and family. You are busy making things for them. A hand made present is always so nice
Hope your son has a good big birthday. Is it this week?
Sorry about your other granddaughter. Hope she doesn’t feel too poorly.
Kaimoana you make it sound as though Mamissimo is in a musical, what with her being all crotchety and quavering ?.
Mama Mia perhaps ?
You were awake early then. I hope your neighbours don’t usually do that.
I have no doubt in years to come young Gubbins will be performing somewhere. ?
When is your birthday, if we’re allowed to know?
Tomorrow the blind man is coming to measure up. Not quite sure what we want yet. I have a hankering for double rollers. The under one being a light one where we see out but others can’t see in and the top one a thicker non see through one for nighttime.
Have a good night all

Sorry Cherry I missed your little post. Hope you are recovering well xxxx

All New Zealand moves into the Red Zone at midnight. That, according to the government doesn't mean lockdown.
I can't see any difference to any other "traffic light" phase but then I never did understand that crazy system.

Jacinda and Clark have postponed their wedding.

I'm not postponing my birthday!

Nothing changes for me unless my home-care is withdrawn.

Pull up the drawbridge!

Mamissimo you must feel as if you are on and out-of-control whirligig! I don’t wonder you’re crotchety and quavering.
I assume your DS was crying with laughter but I doubt your date palm would grow that big if it stayed in the pot.

Sounds like a grand day for you and DH Doodle nice, long chatty lunches are lovely aren’t they? I hope we’ll enjoy the same on Sunday.

Anxious news for you and yours, Nfk but hopefully all will be well now.
What a sweet story about your gorgeous ginger horse. Those must have been halcyon days, wandering companionably along the lanes together. I don’t wonder you still miss him.
My sister was the horsewoman in our family and worked at the local stables.
She once persuaded me to ride a 17 hand stallion called Sheridan but, as the horse knew, I was totally ignorant. I managed to get him out to the road, then he turned round in disgust and took me back.

Happy Birthday Jan, so nice to see you posting. I’m amazed the shipping company will let you wild bunch on the same ship! Who knows what havoc you’ll cause? Have a great time.
Theo looks very comfortable and relaxed.

At 4am and I was pulsated out of bed by hip-hop-rap coming from the next street. It’s the base which goes straight through everything.
The joys of living in suburbia.

Gubbins was dancing with Mum – I was watching on Skype.
Mum clicked her fingers to the beat and Gubbins copied her.
Not quite the same sharp SNAP! but a definite SNUP!

She’ll be whistling and walking a tightrope next.

Hello Gang,

Belated Happy Birthday to Jan alias moaning Minnie! How very dare you grumble about a 2 week cruise Hurrumph!!
Have a great time and send Theo a postcard. He looks as though he can take care of himself.

Nfk I love your story of the red haired pony who found you! ❤️ ❤️

Mamissimo You have been very busy waiting on everyone. Good idea to take the phone off the hook. I still haven't worked out how my phone works so I never hear it. Then when I sit down and look at it I see I have missed several calls .

I was out all day today and the electrician had left me a message to say he was coming this afternoon but I didn't see it. I may have to give him a key.

I have just been to a Burns Night on zoom. It was great. I cooked haggis, clapshot and cranachan (now I know how) a friend came over and we ate, drank and watched the performers.
DD is coming to lunch tomorrow so that will be nice. I will be able to do a fitting with the DGD of the trousers I am making them and perhaps a fitting with DD for the sweater I am still knitting.
DS2 is about to have a big birthday. How can I have a son as old as that!!
I am too late for the post as usual so I will make him a card and send it by email.
DGD down south has covid, Poor lass. She's in bed isolating and being poorly. She was about to be vaccinated but can't now.
I just hope she will be fine.

Making some hot chocolate now to counteract all the red wine. That works doesn't it?

Nfk what a worrying time you’ve had. Good your DH has managed to see a GP and get his (and your) concerns addressed. Hope he starts to feel better now.
What a lovely story about your pony and how he came to be yours. 15 years is a long time. How nice he was well looked after even into old age.
Mamissimo what a busy time you’ve had. Sounds as though you are much in demand at the moment. House move south of the country is certainly a minefield. Nothing ever seems to go smoothly, we have certainly been through our own share of hassle. I hope your DD gets sorted soon, sorry about DS2s hospital visits, hope all is ok. Boarding the loft floor, I trust he was joking. Not surprised the phone is off the hook.
Well, I never knew that about cucumber, mind you, my sons are both better cooks than me.
How lovely, a trip to Scotland. Are you going soon?
That will be a big palm tree. Perhaps it will take some time to grow ?

Jan many happy returns for yesterday. Hope you had a nice day. Ah so you’re off cruising at last. I do hope all goes well. Try and relax and enjoy yourselves. I can understand about your leaving Theo in a chattery. Hopefully, he will be fine. I think cats adapt better than dogs. Good food and somewhere cosy to sleep is usually the requirement but I expect your will get “the look” when you get back.
Not boring at all, nice to see photo of Theo who does in fact look quite content.
Cherry ? hope you are ok and you too Panache if you are reading.x.

Happy belated birthday Jan ? ??

Happy Birthday Jan! It sounds as if you're having a good time. And you can't be that old. Old is ten years older than you are.

That's a cattery? It looks rather different from the small shed with a short run I remember from my cat 'owning' days - 25 years ago!

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202201/medium-844591-ab5837a5-3241-4c02-bbbb-95b98648bf0b.png https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202201/medium-430011-e5572535-702b-4e5f-8163-67fe4937f37f.png

Just to bore you I’ve received photos of Theo in the cattery

Good Afternoon. Like NfkDumpling I too have been around but not feeling communicative! No good reason!
We are at my eldest daughters in Nottingham for the weekend. It was my birthday yesterday and I can’t believe how old I am! So scary. Drank far too much wine last night but at least I had a good nights sleep! Been out for coffee this morning and having a meal out tonight then home tomorrow.
We will be on the high seas 4 weeks today - hopefully not too high - so need to start thinking about clothes to take. Can’t somehow get into the mood and really not sure I want to go. Partly because there will obviously be some restrictions but mainly because I just hate being away for 2 weeks. Dislike being out of touch with everyone. Ships WiFi wildly expensive and unreliable so we don’t bother and have to wait to try to catch up when we go on shore. Stupid really when not so many years ago there was no texting, emails or WiFi! However we’re going with friends and also know another couple who will be on board so sure it will all be good!
Been a beautiful morning in Nottingham. Very hard frost first thing but sunny. Now clouded over and it’s very chilly out there.
Theo cat is in a new Cattery as the old one has closed. Had a message from Steph the owner to say he had settled in well. Not sure how you know a cat has settled in though! So my poor boy will have 15 nights in the cattery. As you can tell that’s another reason I’m not too happy about the cruise! Goodness I’m turning into a moaning Minnie! Sorry!
It’s great to see snowdrops poking through the ground and the buds appearing on the shrubs. January always seems a long month but by Feb the days will be feeling hopefully more springlike.
So we are now going out for a walk - hope it’s a short one! Love to everyone

Good morning ?

I've been busy ricochet-ing (is that a word?) between various ADC, small people and Mr M. Nothing exciting but the mundane trials and tribulations of a family. It's made me a tad crotchety!

DD1 is stressing over her house move. The English system is utterly absurd and needs an overhaul to make it fit for the 21st century.

DD2 had 4 separate hospital appointments, none of which went well and she's in a funk....

DS asked me if I was up for boarding the floor of his loft because he was busy at work......I blew a gasket and retired to comforting security of Mr M and daytime telly. ?

The phones off the hook.....

Cucumber is wonderful cooked! I use in a fab Chinese recipe by Ken Hom for a garlic, chicken and cucumber stir fry. We like it so much that I use it in most stir fries. To prepare it so that you don't get mush Peel it, cut in half, use a spoon yo remove the seed bit. Chop, put in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Leave for half an hour and then rinse well and pat dry with paper. Then use like a water chestnut. Lovely!

We've also finally booked all the hotels for a trip to Scotland that we had to put off last year. A proper holiday! I have promised Mr M that I wont want to visit potters and silversmiths because I have enough stuff.....but he doesn't seem to believe me. ?

My DS has a small courtyard garden and wanted a palm in a pot. I've managed to germinate a date stone and I was excited to tell him that his wish would come true in such an economical manner.....reader he cried....big tears and hiccoughs! "Ma! " he eventually said....".Medjool date palms grow to 50 ft and their fronds are about 8ft long" his courtyard is 15ft x 15. Ingrate! ?

Morning All

I have been around but DH and I have been a bit on edge of late so I haven't felt communicative. Just been lurking. He eventually managed to get a face to face appointment with a doctor and it transpires his chest pains aren't indigestion. Blood thinners have been prescribed and life in the Dumpling household is on a much more even keel!

I did manage to achieve horse ownership Doodle and Grammaretto. He was supposed to be a Highland cross, but, being bright ginger (sorry chestnut) and very hairy, he looked more like a Highland cow unless my friend clipped him out. We didn't intend horse ownership it just sort of happened. We were supposed to be going on holiday, camping in France, but DH was doing a favour for our neighbour by cutting his hedge for him two days before we left. Fell off the ladder. Dislocated his elbow. We had a lovely holiday in Norfolk instead. At the same time the riding stables decided to move to Majorca (like you do).
The money back from the holiday came through and the pony was there, looking for a new home. And a friend had a paddock we could share. Fate! We acquired a pony! He was with us, as part of the family for nearly fifteen years before he ran out of teeth. Despite another friend taking him on, who knew how to look after frail old horses much better than I, he eventually had to be put down. I still miss him and his companionship. The smell of a clean stable and the sound of munching a full hay net and brushing that big ginger posterior until it gleamed. I think the looking after was as special as the wandering around the countryside together and peering over people's hedges. I'm getting maudling. Breakfast time!

Hello all. Went for lunch with friends today and then stopped for coffee. Nice to have a lazy long lunch and chat. It was very cold walking there and back though.
Grammaretto that’s a sad tale about the Chemist but don’t know that should have made him grumpy and rude.
I always wanted a pony as a child but apart from not being able to afford one, we didn’t live in the right sort of area. I had to make do with a pretend one. A stuffed sock, for a horses head, with a wool ‘mane’ and tied to my dad’s broom handle. ?
Is your new carpet in yet?
Now do we have a prize for guessing correctly? If we are talking individual towels rather than sets, I’ll go with 25. Seems a lot but then you’re a woman with 9 bread boards. ?
Kaimoana cucumber doesn’t quite cook like courgettes it’s a bit soggy. Does the lettuce not wilt………then I suppose that’s a bit like spinach. Maybe I should start incorporating all these things into my cooking. Have to be a bit careful with cucumber though as it’s a diuretic.
Sleep well all.

mìle agus tri Grammaretto?

Which, to my astonishment is almost Italian (milletre) I wonder what connection there is between Scots Gaelic and Italian?

Excellent progress with the carpet.
Every time you move something, I expect to heard you declare 'The Deeds! The Deeds!'

Doodle I used to add lettuce to my stir fry but haven't yet tried cucumber.