The Lockdown Gang - carry on chatting ⭐️

Happy Christmas and a very healthy New Year to you all the Lockdown Gang. Hope each of you have a great day tomorrow.

muse sorry, I’ve just woken up. I now know what’s happening next Thursday. Don’t worry I won’t say a word to anyone. We’ll keep it a secret just between you and me.

Now where did I put my candles. ?

Well, the sunny day continues apace. Thought I'd pull a few weeds that are annoying me, then it occurred to me that it was actually quite warm. So I put the wee weather station out in the garden, and within minutes it had reached....wait for it...55 deg!! I photographed it at 53.3, then put it in the shade in case it blew up. I'm having a chilled whte wine and fizzy water under the vines right now. Cold shower coming up soon.

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BJ I'd have a word with your weather station.
I don't know what it's been tippling but that's neither Celsius nor Fahrenheit - or are you just trying to make our UK Gangstars envious?

I bet they're not. Even at 29 degree, which I see it is for your part of the country, as for mine, it's still TOO DARNED HOT.

Denied my pork pie , I had kippers and avocado for breakfast at 5am.

Then set about fitting batteries into Gubbins' new toys.

Skyped with the family at their breakfast time.

Put out seeds, fruit and banana loaf for the birds.

Did 2 loads of laundry (quaking in case the shades of my Yorkshire relatives hurled thunderbolts - washing on Xmas Day, the very idea!!)

Iced the Cherry Bakewell Tart, made yesterday (another Xmas tradition especially for my son) and made the Brandy Butter.

Haven't had Christmas Dinner yet. Even though it's a tempting crispy, cool salad. It's just too hot a day to have any appetite at all.

Two picture - Hahei Beach, often called Hot Water Beach as it bubbles up from below ground and you can dig 'baths' in the sand and sit in the warm water.

And the Poinsettia from my friend (homecare lady) Karen. Isn't it just gorgeous?

Kaimoana - honest, miss, honest...have a look at my FB feed and see the temp registered on the wee station. That's in the sun. No wind. It's now down to 33.4 under the shady vines. The KK temp is registered at the airport, notorious for its breezes. It's no doubt a chilly 29 out there I doubt anyone in their right mind would be envious of 55 deg!! Just as well we have enough water in the tanks to cool the garden down a little. You sound impressively busy for a hot Christmas Day. I did manage a crispy salad, followed by just a teensy weensy plate of mango trifle made by the fair hands of 'im indoors. Now a sleep is definitely required.

Don't work too hard and be too tired for the Big Day tomorrow!

Merry Christmas Gangstars from me and MrN and the Gangstars Molls (Missy, Minnie and Ollie) xx ?‍⬛?‍⬛?‍⬛

Good Morning! Last night H Beagle found the Brussels sprout stem........? Happy Christmas everyone ?

Nadelik Lowen Gangstars! ?
MrMuse and I are still snuggled under the duvet. Poached egg and smoked salmon on toasted sour dough is on the breakfast menu when we finally arise.
I’ll brave a walk with Mya ? before the rain arrives but it’s then back to the log fire.
Lovely to hear from you Panache. ?

And the same to you!

I am glad you are getting a dry walk muse
Oh dear Oh dear Mamissimo has she eaten the lot?

I have opened my first present. A friend knew how much I was missing my Rayburn.
Have a lovely day all Lob-stars. And for the Antipodeans, I hope the evening is cooler for you.

Merry Christmas one and all. ?
Hope you all enjoy a peaceful happy day whatever the weather.
Standard muesli for us.

Kaimoana and Boadicea it’s a bit hot there for me but hope you enjoy your day. Despite not liking it too hot, that beach appeals to me Kaimoana especially as it a raining here ?
muse I see you’re early risers, just like us ?

Mamissimo oh no?. Don’t tell me she’s eaten them all.
Grammaretto that’s a lovely little gift. Will you be using it to cook your Christmas dinner ?

Have a good day all.

Hi All. Hope you’ve all had a good day and those not feeling so well or feeling sad have found some comfort.
Have to say I have eaten far too much chocolate and drunk far too much wine. Can feel a self inflicted headache coming on but have enjoyed the company of both my grown up daughters and their partners so that it’s been worth every minute! And there is still tomorrow to repeat it all again! Happy Christmas from an inebriated Jan!

Hello Gang,

After so many gloomy days, yesterday was sunny and bright.
I spent it at DS's with the older DGC and my DiL who did all the work and wouldn't let me help.
Saying "you know what it's like - you don't want people in the kitchen" Well no dear, I didn't know what that's like and think you are making a stick to beat yourself with but who am I to grumble, being treated like a VIP visitor.

I tried, with a modicum of success to teach DGD to crochet with her new wool, hooks and book of ideas. The board game I bought them wasn't a big success though we tried to understand the rules.

I am now waiting for DD and the small DGC to call round.

Your day did sound nice Jan. I haven't started on the chocolates yet.

? I’ve eaten too much.
Had a lovely day with DS2 and family yesterday. So nice to see them relaxed and happy together. Off to other son today. Do I have any room left I wonder ?
Hope you all enjoyed your Christmas whatever you were doing.
Hello inebriated Jan ? lovely to hear from you. Glad you had a good day with your family. Enjoy today too.
Grammaretto ooh I’m afraid I’m like your DIL. I’m not one of the worlds best cooks and get flustered with others around so I too like to be on my own in the kitchen when I’m preparing food. I talk to myself and give words or encouragement or rebuke. I think you have to be comfortable and relaxed with what you’re doing to be able to have others helping. My own dear mum could knock up a meal for a dozen or so uninvited guests at the drop of a hat, whilst holding conversations with all, juggling gravy, carving a joint, sipping a glass of Sherry and sending my dad out to the garden to bring in rhubarb for the crumble which would appear magically at the end of the meal without anyone seeing it being made. Me, I have to have lists, timings, plans, a dry run at least once before of any new dishes, a fan to cool me down and I still end up with ingredients forgotten in the fridge. ?
My son cooked dinner for us all yesterday with us sitting at the kitchen island in front of him chatting while he did all the work. He seemed to have no problem with us being there and prepared a beautiful meal for us all. He’s a relaxed cook not like me.
Sounds like you were well looked after.
I too have bought board games for Christmas which turned out you needed about 5 hours to understand the rules and keep and ended up being too complicated.
Our family favourites turned out to be simple things like Aaargh! A pirate game and a 4 row version of Tic Tac Toe.
Hope you had a good day though and enjoy yourself with your DD and little ones today.
Hope everyone has a good day.

Sounds as though a good time was had by all, ably assisted by chocolate and alcohol - just the way it should be. Excellently done, ladies!
I have to tell you about my wonderful gift from the lovely MrJ. You will never guess what it was, and have to promise not to laugh, or raise eyebrows. It was ... a Bayko Building set! Yes, from the 1950s! I told him, years ago, that my Dad had given me one for Christmas back in 1957. I loved that set, and played with it endlessly. Then, when we moved house, in 1965, it was stolen, along with virtually all of our toys. He remembered from all that time ago, and went online to source one from Bournemouth. Isn't that sweet? Last year, he chose, all by himself, with no hints from me, a beautiful cashmere scarf.
I realise what a keeper he is, especially after last night's incident. We were peacefully watching a good movie when I had really bad chest pains, palpitations. What wonderful people ambos are. ECG not too good, but I didn't want to go to hospital...They were ok with that provided I went to the doc first thing this morning. But medical centre closed, because it's a public holiday. So, feet up, cups of tea being brought and dire consequences promised if I dare to do anything in the garden. I'm complying, because you don't argue with a Chief Petty Officer.
Have a wonderfully peaceful Boxing Day night, everyone. I promise not to cark it any time soon. (Though I have to say, last night the recollection of the fantail coming into the house on Christmas Day crossed my mind - a harbinger of doom, in Maori lore.)

What dramas BoadiceaJ. Please behave be careful. I hope you get medical attention soon. Mr J does indeed sound like a Keeper. I miss mine. He would have been similarly attentive. I am sorry to hear the Fantail is a harbinger of doom. Do they often fly inside?
I remember being entranced by them and the bellbirds whilst walking in the bush near Rotorua.

I did get to see the little ones and hand over gifts galore. Did you know galore is the English corruption of a Gaelic word? I probably told you that before. gu leòr means sufficient or enough.
The DGC were showing off their talkie walkies which Santa had left.

I had another visitor this afternoon and now DSis is coming to stay tomorrow. I will have to start making up beds.
I wrote this yesterday but it didn't send. I hope you are all still here!!'

Good morning Gang-stars from Missy, Ollie (the *Gangstars Molls*) and me.

It sounds as though we’ve all had the best Christmas we could. Special thoughts to Grammaretto and Panache who will have faced a number of ‘firsts’.

Our celebrations went well and we had family Zooms.

But I wanted to share the drama we experienced this morning. We have three (rescued) cats, who are all enthusiastic eaters. This morning Minnie was (unusually) AWOL at breakfast. We called and called and went out in the garden … no Minnie. Then we heard a faint miaow … but we couldn’t locate her. We checked all the rooms, bathroom and loos, kitchen cupboards, cellar … no sign of her.
I said ‘She couldn’t be in the tumble drier, could she?’
Surprise, surprise there she was.
She had been in there for 13 hours, since it was last used.
She seems no worse for her experience, whereas we were emotionally exhausted.

She has occasionally jumped into the machine when it was empty and warm, but we’ve always shoo-ed her out.
She must have jumped in yesterday after my partner emptied it … and he didn’t see her and closed the door.
Thank goodness she’s unharmed.

Have a good, safe day Gang-stars and be wary of the tumble drier …

Norstat. Poor Minnie - bless her. Bet you were worried when you couldn’t find her. Cats can be such a worry. Theo will insist on crossing the road outside our house. It’s a relatively quiet road but obviously cars and the occasional lorry come along some far too quickly. Theo is so silly as if he would just explore behind our back garden he could go for miles in safety.
Very quiet in our house today. Eldest daughter and son in law gone home but we should be at their house next month for my birthday. Had an hilarious day at youngest daughters yesterday where we played our variation on “pass the parcel”!! And no there are no children in our houses! It involves opening the parcel wearing oven gloves and to get a turn you have to shake dice until you get 2 numbers the same. Oh dear really wish I hadn’t mentioned this. Obviously now going to be known as “that mad woman!”
So it’s now DH and me with masses of leftovers. Can someone please take all this chocolate away? Plus the mince pies etc etc! Have friends coming round tomorrow so hopefully some of the food might vanish then!
Will spend the afternoon watching rubbish tv and reading my book. That’s after I’ve hidden the chocolates! Hope you’ve all enjoyed the last few days

Thankfully Minnie was found unscathed. I might try the drier if I get cold. An idea Minnie

I am glad all your celebrations went well Nortsat

Goodness Jan your pass the parcel sounds fun.
A bit like when you have to cut a giant ice cold bar of chocolate with a knife and fork when the music stops.

I gave my DGD a scratch picture book each and DD was itching to "help" them as they weren't doing it properly. It is called etch art and did look fun.

Boadicea of what a worrying end to your day. I hope you’re feeling a bit better and off to the Doc as soon as they’re open.
Well done MrJ for looking after you. Your present sounds intriguing. I will look it up.
Take it easy and have a restful day.
Grammaretto you seem to be quite busy. Perhaps a good way to spend Christmas without MrG. I expect you miss him a lot as do the rest of the family.
Always lovely to see the little ones at Christmas.
We went to DS1 yesterday and he played us a video of our DGD2 singing Christmas Carols when she was four. Brought a tear to my eye. What a cutie she was and still is now 12 years later. Lovely to see her and big sis home for the holidays.
Nortsat and the Molls. Ooh poor Minnie ? how frightening for you all. Glad to hear she was found safe and sound though probably perplexed and hungry. So glad you found her.
Hope you all have a relaxing day together today and no one goes missing,
Jan good you had an enjoyable time and your game sounds like fun. Nothing mad about a good party game.
DH and I received hampers from both our sons. We could host a party for 20 and still have left overs. Our fridge is bursting at the seams (as am I ?) . Just cancelled Waitrose delivery this week we have no need for more food.
Grammaretto I remember those scratch art books, I bought them for my DGC too along with felt art which is similar.
We watched some old movies yesterday and spent a long time chatting about this and that. So nice to get together.
Hope everyone else had a good time too.

Don’t have the energy for a walk today even if it wasn’t raining.
Just want to sit and watch an old film and relax.
Take care all

Phew! We survived Christmas ? Last off the offspring and accompanying dogs have just driven off and Mr M and I are lying down in a slightly darkened room with a stiffener cold compress!

It was all much fun but I think probably the last time I want to do the whole shebang here.... I have provided over 90 meals, nibbles, a tanker full of fizz and cocktails, a whole bottle of cough medicine, two boxes of LFTs, two packets of paracetamol and a couple of plasters.......

Mr M is still with us and recovering at his own pace. Now his children are gone I can get the sharp stick of rhubarb out.....no more "poor Daddy" ! Motivational Matron is back on duty ?

Hi Gangstars, we have yet to have Christmas. DH tested positive for Covid last week and, now a week later, so have I! DH has recovered, he just had 'cold' symptoms but he's not the one who is vulnerable. I'm waiting for the NHS to phone me to suggest treatment. I'm not too bad at the moment but am worried that too much time will have elapsed before the window for specialist treatment closes.

I was in time last week to cancel my Christmas order but have mince pies, a home-made Christmas cake, marzipanned and iced, and stacks of presents for the family - the presents may have to wait about for a while in case they are coviddy!

I know I haven't posted very often recently but I haven't really been able to move on with you all. With luck, that will change. I hope to have a family party soon.

Take care all.

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Christmas came and went for the two of us but was interspursed with calls from DD every day and one from my DS. Not sure if I can emotionally cope with another Christmas without family around. 2022 has to be different.

I saw a gap in the weather today and took off to the North Coast and walked a section with two beaches joined by a small headland. I keep Mya on the lead as she would just disappear after any dogs she could see (and there were lots). She just wants to play but not all dogs like that! As I got into the car to come back home, the rains started again. A few photos from this walk.

I love visiting the beaches at this time of year and despite the cold, there were a couple of swimmers (no wetsuits!). The kitesurfers were having great fun. I wish I was young and that brave.

MrMuse stayed at home to finish something he is making for me but the weather looks dry tomorrow so we will head off together for a walk further down the coast. It is looking too bad to walk on my birthday - pity. We usually go out for a meal but food is in and we plan do a joint cooking session.

What a story Norstat. I don't blame Minnie but ?she kept meowing.

Oh BoadiceaJones. Let MrJ do as much fussing as he wants. Hope all is sorted when you see the doctor.

I have just eaten four After Eights. Will someone please take the box away from me.

Mamissimo wow that sounds like a full on Christmas. I got exhausted just reading about it.
How lovely to have all the family together. Hope everyone was ok and MrM is recovering well.
Have a good rest now (if Mr M will let you) ?
Missedout lovely to hear from you but sorry about the Covid test results. I hope you aren’t feeling too poorly and you get all the treatment you require soon.
Don’t worry about catching up it’s just nice to hear from you when you can make it. I’m sure your family will have missed the Christmas get together but hopefully you will be better soon and able to reschedule. Hope both of you have a restful few days and improve soon.
Muse such a shame you didn’t get to be with your family either. I hope you too will be able to meet up with each other again soon.
I wish I could have joined you in your beach walk. It looks lovely. I love the sea at any time of year. You are lucky to live close by.
I’m like you. I have to have the chocolates taken away or I’ll eat the lot. Hope you have an enjoyable birthday on Thursday (don’t worry I haven’t mentioned it to anyone ?) .

Hope everyone else is ok. Quiet day for us. Nice walk by the river then home for an early dinner (more turkey) .
I have put a load of washing on today. That’s my first step back to normality. That’s enough for today, I’m resting now ?

Wonderful news! It's been raining steadily, on and off, for 36 hours now. Water tanks are refilled, drooping plants perky.

it can stop now, please. Temperatures have dropped, too, so sleeping is less disturbed. Only, now we'll have a plague of mosquitoes...
Grammaretto - that was a fascinating story about the origins of "galore". I love collecting info about word etymology. When I was teaching Latin, I always wrote an English Verbum Diei (word of the day) on the board, together wth its Latin derivation. Words like "companion" - "cum" = "with, "panis"= "bread" - so a companion is someone with whom you share your bread. The kids loved it!
You must miss your DH so badly at this time of the year...thinking of you and wishing you well.

Yes, the sweet and feisty fantail (piwakawaka/piwaiwaka) is the last bird you would think of being a harbinger of death, isn't it? How it acquired that title is an interesting yarn.

Maui was the great Polynesian hero. He performed such feats as pulling up the North Island (Te Ika a Maui=the fish of Maui) from his canoe, the South Island, using a hook fashioned from the jawbone of his old granny, stopping the sun in the sky, giving humans fire...but his greatest attempted feat was to destroy death and make humans immortal. To do this, he had to reverse the process of birth. So when the great goddess of death (Hine Nui te Po) slept, he crawled between her open thighs (which were lined with sharp obsidian), and began the journey into her vagina and beyond. He had warned the forest birds not to make a sound, but the fantail thought the situation so funny that she could not help bursting into laughter. At that, Hine Nui te Po awoke, and clamped her thighs together, crushing Maui the great hero to death. Poor old piwakawaka now gets the blame, and is shoo-ed out of the house when she comes in to find insects, as death is sure to follow in that house.

Nortsat - I can only imagine how distraught you were at losing Minnie - what a relief to find her, none the worse for her shut-in adventure.
Muse - loved your photos - but just imagine being out in that without a wetsuit! I hope you get to do something exciting for your birthday! I think 4 After Eights is eminently forgiveable under the circumstances - in fact, a whole box is absolutely understandable.
Missedout - wishing you all the best, and I'm so sorry to hear how hard it is for you just now. Please keep warm and well.
Doodle - enjoy the old movies and the sitting about. Walks can wait. Fun is for now.
Mamissimo - you deserve a medal for your patience and your energy. Motivational Matron would really put the wind up me! You go, girl!

All is well on the heart front just now, though my own doc is so hard to get an appointment with. MrJ still has me nailed to the recliner chair, cups of tea and books and interesting links being sent every 5 minutes, to keep me busy. I did manage to sneak out and feed the chickens and quail while he was still asleep (I've been up since 5 am, not being used to such indolence). I have to say, when i saw my BP (normally 100/60, pulse 45) rise to 159/128, pulse 100, with severe chest pain, I panicked a bit. All ok now, though, and I will be sensible - I have no choice. Part of the problem was working in the heat, dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. And changed meds.
Keep well everyone.

Good morning Gang-stars, from Ollie and me.
BJ, glad you’re (mostly) glued to the recliner chair, with interesting books to occupy you. What are you currently reading?
I am finishing my birthday reading before I get on to my Christmas reading … so currently it’s ‘Renegades’ which is conversations between Bruce Springsteen and Barack Obama.
Jan your Christmas Pass the Parcel sounds hilarious.
Doodle are you working your way through the hampers? Which are your favourite things?
We received two hampers last Christmas and still have an unopened jar of cranberry sauce and an unopened bottle of non-alcoholic fizz…
Gosh Mammisimo you must have felt like a popular and much loved hotelier during the festivities. Hope MrM is making progress and that you are finding some time for your own ‘rest and relaxation’.
Goodness me, Missedout, how are you? I hope your symptoms haven’t worsened and that you are in reasonable spirits. Worrying is so draining. Thinking of you and sending good thoughts.
Panache sending all good wishes to you, incase you’re reading ?
Muse, what lovely photographs, thank you for sharing. It made me want to walk by the sea.
It’s been a challenging year hasn’t it … especially for we weary shielders.

We are struggling with Missy and her daily meds. She suddenly won’t take them, in the usual way. We have tried grinding them, mixing with squirty cream, hiding them in turkey. The next step is liver pate (a recommendation from a friend with an elderly dog) and kitten milk (a recommendation from the Veterinary Nurse).
Good thoughts to Kaimoana, Cherry, Nfkdumpling and all Gang-stars present or not. ?