The Lockdown Gang - still chatting ?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWUWk60PLBc
Kaimoana this is the link to the Deans last morning service.

Well good evening all.
Jan I was wondering how you got on in Stratford. I think it’s amazing that 8 of you still meet up after so many years. It must be fun to get together and explore new things. Glad you had a good time.
Thank you. DH is coming on well. He is able to see things more clearly again. They have suggested they may do his other eye soon which would be good.
Ooh no.? naughty muncjacs.. What a shame your poor beans.
Still the muncjacs had a good healthy vegetarian meal last night. ?
Kaimoana sorry if your DGS will be missing for a few weeks. It will be strange for you him not being around.
That’s some interesting information. I will look at your link.
I think your hair washing technique might have been more successful than mine. We wouldn’t have been wetter if we’d had a bath. ?
Grammaretto that’s ok it was still a special service and I’m sorry you weren’t feeling up to par for it. I hope you enjoyed it none the less.
Well that’s yet another coincidence for this thread, you meeting Verona.
You do look intrepid if slightly (!) damp. Hope the chill doesn’t make you feel worse.
Missedout a joy to see you here again too.
So sorry you seem to have been through a lot recently . I’ve heard long Covid can really drain your energy. Hope you feel better soon and the summer sun can give you a boost.(if we get any that is ?)
What a lovely visit from your DS and family. Shame your dinner wasn’t as appreciated as it would have been without the toast.
Bristol Harbour sounds a nice place to sit and enjoy a drink and cake. The walking group should be a good thing to do are you enjoying it?
Ah boating again. Have a good trip and mind out for your thumb. Hope the holiday with the Northern branch goes well too.
I never cease to be surprised as how long the thread has been going. I thought when it started we might get about 20 or so posts…. ?
Take care all

Hello my fellow lobstars, I'm sorry I have been AWOL again. I have been irregularly following your posts. I've struggled a bit lately with infections and suspect long covid. I find I have to pace myself if I want to do anything, my energy just seem to drain away suddenly, especially the following day. I've also had some uncomfortable hospital procedures lately that have slowed me down. I will try and catch up.

However, there is plenty going on in The Redoubt these days. DH and I have had several visitors, including my DS1, his wife and our DGD. They stayed for a weekend. We were lucky with the weather and spent most of the time outside. Annoyingly, the bow and arrow set I had ordered for my DGD didn't arrive so they had to make do with badminton and putting up the tent and a shelter. My DIL also did some gardening too. Can anyone tell me how to hint to my DIL that it is not a good idea to make two whole rounds of jam on toast for DGD just 30 minutes before we all sit down to DGD's requested favourite meal (I checked what time they wanted to eat too)?

I am going out a lot more - when 'the force is with me', so to speak! We've had coffee and cakes sitting outside in the local town square, explored Bristol Harbour, visited friends and I've had several hospital appointments (I've added 2 more 'ologists' to my lengthening list). Like buses, all the appointments come at once. DH and I have also joined a 'health' walking group, easily paced for us in the local countryside.

DH's lockdown project, rebuilding a vintage car, is now on the road - I can't say nearing completion because there is no such thing as a finished, running rebuild! I've yet to go in it - I think DH needs more practice before I risk it.

We're going on holiday soon with our Northern family branch and our shared narrowboat is available to us in a few weeks. (I'm hoping for an uneventful voyage this time.)

I've had my 2nd Covid booster (5th vaccination) and my last blood check showed that I have developed antibodies, whether it was the result of actually catching Covid or the numerous vaccinations, no-one knows. So I'm good to go......

I also hope the remaining 'missing' are all OK. We all helped one another during lockdown and it is good to see how we are adapting to the new normal - although for some, things can never be the same. I think of them in particular.

Thank you Doodle for keeping this thread going.

Dear Gang,

I feel bad that I gave the wrong impression yesterday. I didn't miss a memorial service. The churchyard is where the stone has been carved for DH and the singing took place inside
I went along and listened. There were tears and hugs and sweet music.

Your Stratford trip sounds fabulous Jan.
That's my kind of holiday too.

I went probably foolish on the U3A walk. It rained and never stopped raining. We were almost cut off by the tide . I have spent the last few hours thawing and drying out.
Thanks for the book heads up Kaimoana and the link to Veranoa. My DS had met her in NZ and when Edinburgh was looking for artists from the commonwealth, he suggested her. She came and wowed us!
She even came to tea with us and told some wonderful stories.

Here are wet walkers on the beach. We are intrepid. I hope Mamissimo will get some good weather.

Sorry, forgot to mention.

No, Grammaretto your DD won't feel patronised because that book is written for the teenagers themselves.
It explains why they cannot think, respond and feel like adults because their brains won't allow them to.

I believe its a book ALL parents should read before their children get to puberty - a lot of unhappiness could be avoided.

The weather, BJ is a lethargic, low cloud, 20 degrees, windy but enervating.
Thus I did nothing more productive over the weekend, than finish off the change-over of my wardrobe from summer to winter. Yes, I sorely missed my boy and will probably be bereft of his company for some weeks as he has water polo tournaments at weekends for a while.

Understandable that you worry about earthquakes Grammaretto but Wellingtonians have not had a major one since 1855. Rūaumoko probably feels all that wind is enough to put up with

You must be really crook if you were unable to get to DHs service, that is so sad.
I do hope you feel well soon.

I’d guess all Maori know the Hetet whanau; they are all famous weavers and began the Hete School of Maori Art..
Here’s Veranoa: www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsIrihf2fNg

Dame Rangimarie (b.1892) was the first to come to prominence (with white people), although of course she was from a long line of craftswomen. A gentle, gracious lady, she wrote a song asking her family to pass down the traditions and not to let them die out.

Her daughter Diggeress (one of 12 siblings) married into the Te Kanawa whanau and was aunt to Dame Kiri who took her skills in a different direction.

BJ The flax flower you mentioned is the only flax work I can do!
It’s taught to children and beginners like me, in the hope we will continue to more advanced things, as your splendid niece did.

Have a try? www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLDmLdidPUQ

You can make it with any broad, long leaved plant (Bullrushes?) but make sure it’s been soaked in hot water first to make it pliable.

Thanks for the links Doodle. My pious attitude did not survive the hilarity of you and DH soaking, fully clothed, in the shower.
What shenanigans.

Years ago, when I worked at Bradford Royal Infirmary I washed people’s hair in bed (they were in bed, not me too, although that may have been fun in Men’s Surgical).
It entailed soaking a towel in warm water and a weak solution of shampoo, ringing it out and then gently rubbing all parts of the hair. Repeating with a clean, water-only towel, then a dry one. It perked poorly people up and made them feel much better.

Hello Jan. You just had the holiday of my dreams Shakespeare and a different restaurant each night. I hope heaven is like that – with gardens and birds.

Where's muse these days?
And dragonfly?
Come out, come out wherever you are

I’m here! Sorry I’m getting very lazy in my old age!
We had a few days in Stratford on Avon last week. 8 of us met on a cruise about 15 years ago and since then have met up every year except during Lockdown. Was impressed with Stratford. Didn’t do the usual touristy things as had done them before. Having said that we did do a river trip! Lots of great shops that put our town to shame. The hotel was really close to the town so we could walk in and visit different restaurants in the evenings.
Doodle. I had both my cataracts done a few years ago. It’s an amazing op. Everything is so colourful afterwards and I only need to wear glasses for reading now.
Grammaretto. So sorry you are poorly and couldn’t sing at yourDHs memorial. That’s so sad.
So much happening for Boadicea and Kaimoana I will have to re-read it all but hope you are both ok..
A friend gave us some runner bean plants a week ago. They were doing very well so we went to a garden centre this morning to buy some canes for them to grow up - also managed to buy quite a few more plants. DH carried the canes to the bottom of the garden where I was standing where I broke the news that he had wasted his money on the canes as the muncjacs had visited over night and eaten the b….y lot!!
Will try and be good in future and post more frequently - promise! ?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=CB0vQKMfPsA
Kaimoana this is a link to Evensong at the Cathedral tonight where there was a farewell speech from the Archbishop to Dean Robert. If you want to watch it.
I intended to put in also the usual link to morning service but although I thought I saw it there earlier, I can’t find it now. If it comes back I’ll post the link.

Evening all. Been raining most of the day here.
Highlight of the day was trying to wash DHs hair. He can’t get his eye wet for a few days after his op nor is he allowed to bend his head forward. Trouble is DH can’t really lean his head backwards either. His neck isn’t very flexible.
We decided to put a plastic chair in the bathroom and try washing his hair with the shower attachment from the bath. Needless to say we both got absolutely soaked as did the floor.
Tomorrow we will undress first and try again but this time in the walk-in shower.
Grammaretto sorry you’re still feeling rough and won’t be able to sing at the memorial service. What a shame. I do hope you improve soon. How is your DGD now is she ok?
Any sightings over the weekend of the lesser spotted Sparky?
Have your fired your kiln yet (I have no idea if that’s the correct expression or not). Are you pleased with the results?
Boadicea not on the balcony today. Just indoors ironing.
I hope you have a good time with your nephew. How long are he and his family coming for?
Not sure I’d know what to serve vegans but at least you can send them out into your garden and tell them to pick fruit if they want it. I expect eggs are out of the question so Doreen and the girls won’t be called upon to increase productivity.
Sorry MrBJ didn’t get his follow up. Hope all goes well for Wednesday.
Nice of you to sit with your friends husband. I’m sure she enjoyed the break apart from the fall that is.
Your niece sounds very talented. Do you have any photos of her work?
Talking of photos, I haven’t forgotten I’d promised some of our cruise to Norway. DH hasn’t had time to sort them out yet with his eye op so will post some as soon as he’s up to playing with his camera.
Kaimoana what have you been up to this weekend? I bet you’ve missed your handsome young man about the place.
Hope all is well.

Hello Gang,
Your niece sounds very talented BJ
The Maori weaving is so beautiful. I follow Veranoa Hettet ever since she came here for the commonwealth games. Have you come across her?
I am still a bit rough today but it's sure to improve soon.
My regret today is that I'll have to miss singing at the church with DH's memorial. I am just not up to it and sudden bouts of coughing will not be popular.
I heard there was an earthquake near Wellington last night (our time) I do worry about them and your shaky country.
Luckily I don't think there was much damage..
Sorry you had to rewrite your post Doodle so frustrating when that happens.

Grammaretto - I do hope you are feeling better, and that you are wrapped up warm in front of the fire, imbibing something delicious and nourishing.
Doodle- I hope all is well with your family. Ain't that the truth - if only people would be kinder to each other. So glad that you had a lovely day on the balcony watching the boats go by, and that your DH is enjoying his snazzy sunglasses.
Kaimoana - how is the weather down there? I hope you're enjoying your weekend, despite the absence of your DGS - will he be able to come next weekend? Your DS sounds a bit stretched - I hope he's taking care of himself, as well as the family - he sounds a very selfless young man.
It's a beautiful day here, with cloudless blue skies, despite the threat of low cloud in last night's forecast. I've just been out to the Farmers' market and bought in some lovely salad goods, avocados and cheeses. The French-bread-and-pastries man was not there this week, which is probably just as well.
We're expecting my American nephew and family to stay this week - they've fled Seattle for the South Pacific, as they are so disillusioned about what's happening in their part of the world. They are vegan, so I'm trying to sort menus that will suit.
MrJ missed his check-up last week as the doc was ill, to that's the plan for Wednesday - clashes with my painting, which is disappointing, but needs must. I hope we'll have French on Thursday, but depends on what the family would like to do.
Yesterday I spent the afternoon sitting with my Canadian friend's husband so that she could get some air and space. He 's unable to process the spoken word owing to brain damage, so all communication must be written down. He gets terribly frustrated with his failing memory. Old age is indeed troublesome, eh. She came home with a badly skinned knee owing to a fall, poor girl. I hope she's done something about it...it will be very painful.
My niece is doing a gig at the Returned Services' centre in Paihia this afternoon. She plays in a Blue Grass band, and is a very talented banjo player and singer. She's also a weaver, of traditional Maori materials and designs, and makes beautiful flowers from dried and coloured flax (Formium tenax). She has studied under some of the very talented older weavers, and it's so good to see these traditional arts being practised with enthusiasm by the young. Quite a lass. I hope to get there, though MrJ just wants to stay home.
Doreen and Flora have been nagging and scolding at the window - I made date scones to take to my friend's yesterday, but now find carbs are just too heavy after years of keto diets, so the residue has gone to the Girls, who have no objection to carbs. They want MoreMoreMore! I'd better go and sort them out.
Have a great day/evening, everyone. x

www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAPZ21MUQkk
Your link Kaimoana ?

Well I’m really cross. I posted a whole message complete with links for Kaimoana and it’s all gone. ?
Try again
Boadicea DH is doing well thank you. I have a lovely bruise of delicate yellow hues on my tum but apart from that ok.
I’m sure you’ll arrange some fantastic speakers for U3A and I agree Kaimoana would be great at it.
I didn’t know that about Henry V. What a story. Poor “volunteers”. Your history and French groups seem to be lots of fun. I wonder what the common denominator is ….or should I say who ?
Kaimoana yes the Deans garden is beautiful. I expect he’ll miss it a lot but have happy memories of planting so much of it. Hope they have him back from time to time to see how its doing. Thank you for your kind thoughts. I will pass on your comment about Johnny Depp. DH will be chuffed.
Well done to your DS. He is doing well especially having little Miss to care for too. Hope it all goes well for him.
Grammaretto you are right we have lots of missing posters, Hope they are all ok and keeping well.
I’m glad you were sent home to recuperate. You don’t sound well and you also have to get well for your open day.
Hope you take the weekend to relax and feel better. Hope the results of the kiln are to your satisfaction.
DH and I have been sitting on the balcony most of the afternoon (DH in a snazzy pair of wrap around sunglasses he found in the back of a drawer) . It’s been beautiful watching the boats go by. Lots of activity as it’s a warm day.
So Mamissimo Missedout Nortsat Nfkdumpling Jan DragonflyMuse and Cherry, what are all of you up to. Panache we never forget you either. Hope all are well and safe.

Hello Gang,
Some Gangstars haven't been seen for a while. You are missed! Some are on holiday or otherwise occupied but there must be others, no?
I have totally copped out today. I was booked to work at the community café but the others took one look at me and I was sent home.
I coughed my way through a phonecall and did some things in the pottery. (Glazing etc) but I feel redundant and under par.
Your DS' busy life makes me tired reading about it Kaimoana
I must buy that book for DD. She won't feel patronised will she?
I really hope some help materialised for you. How is Karen?.
I hope the family news wasn't too upsetting Doodle
The sun has come out but I don't even feel like going out to enjoy it. I'll stop now before I really start to feel sorry for myself.
See you later, folks.
.

I'm certainly game to give talks BJ - have done quite a bit of that in my day.

Humans are still used as guinea pigs in all sorts of fields, sadly.

I didn't know people needed refuge from East London what's going on? Are vegans being forced to eat jellies eels?

Grammaretto did you pick up your dgd's bug? I hope you shrug it off as quickly as she did.
I'm getting very cross with Sparky.

Doodle thank you for the link. It's a lovely time of year to be in the garden, isn't it?
Very sorry to hear about family troubles - may they be over soon.

I too think your DH is much handsomer than Johnny Depp. .

My DS, who in addition to his job and Gubbins, is taking several papers on Cyber Security, has just passed the first with a respectable 80%. His policy of 'Just gimme more wax' seems to be paying off.

Before I forget Grammaretto, you made reference to this book. I bought it last year and hoped the parents would read it. I hope ALL parents read it, it would prevent a lot of angst.

It's something I realised decades ago but not being a neuro-psychologist, didn't write a book about it

Sorry, I didn't mean that history group was a lot of fun because of the deaths in battle and otherwise. The teacher, a cockney refugee, is full of entertaining anecdotes about the family squabbles of the Yorks and Lancasters. And the group, of diverse nationalities and backgrounds, have a great sense of humour.

Doodle - I do hope that your DH is getting on well, patch and all, and that you have suffered no ill-effects from your violent assault on the furniture. .
Grammaretto take good care of yourself, won't you...I wish I could send you some lemons - not that many are ripe yet, and some of the yummy manuka/kanuka honey that our neighbour sells. But a good nip of uisce beatha is sure to do the trick.
Kaimoana - so sorry that you will be on your own this weekend. Did Mepa arrive with your supplies? I wonder if I can count on the courier to get you some of the local cheeses sold at the farmers' market...a French lady makes beautiful cheeses from her own cows beyond the black stump somewhere, but sells them every Sunday morning in town, beside the man who makes wonderful French bread and pastries.
I've somehow found myself strongarmed onto the U3A committee for this year...not sure when I'm going to find the time, but hey...it performs such a valuable function in this town top-heavy with retirees and older refugees from Auckland. My job is sorting speakers for the monthly meetings...so Kaimoana, with your amazingly interesting life story, you are on my radar .
Yesterday's history group was a lot of fun...Wars of the Roses. I was able to contribute an interesting, though horrendous snippet about Henry V's injury, when he received an arrow in his face. Almost invariably fatal, but he survived, arrow still stuck under his cheekbone. His doctors had no idea how to get it out without killing him, so they lined up a few "willing volunteers" and shot them in the same place, practising different methods of extraction. Being a common soldier didn't always mean being killed by the enemy, poor buggers. A blacksmith saved the day with a new-fangled bottle-opener-type gadget. The Battle of Towton is a forgotten nightmare - those poor men, fighting blind in a blizzard, having no idea who or what they were dying for. 1% of the ENTIRE population of England. 'Twas ever thus.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=2r75axyToLc
Sorry Kaimoana I almost forgot. ?

Grammaretto oh no not mice. Hope you can track them down. Have you thought of getting a cat?
Sorry your DGD was a bit poorly sounds as though she’s on the mend and now you aren’t feeling too good.
Yours could be the Guinness world record for the length of time taken to complete electrical jobs.
DH is doing well thank you. We are having an easy day today.
Patch is now off and only has to go on at night. He’s also much better looking than Johnny Depp (well to me anyway ?)
His eye is a bit bloodshot but other than that fine.
Ah yes know I know what you mean. Thank you for the video.
Kaimoana the patch is off thank you. Back on every night for a while I think. He’s allergic to budgies so don’t know if that applies to parrots too.
Well even at a 5 hour drive, BJ is a lot nearer than me.?
I hope Mepa’s replacement firstly actually turns up and secondly is helpful …….and knows how to make a bed!
Boadicea how good to know your French class brought so much pleasure to your Canadian students husband.
Must have been a nice time for them both.
Been a strange day today. Quiet for most of the day DH had a bit of a headache but seems ok now.
Had some upsetting family news today. Brought me down to earth with a bump. So sad for their troubles and anxieties.
Wish people could be kinder.
Have a good weekend all .

You asked about the fortune teller salt cellars Doodle. Here is a video. We made them as children back in the day!
Making up the "fortunes" can be tricky.
I kept getting "you will climb a tree". Well the only way I can imagine climbing a tree nowadays would be if I were running away from some animal. An argument ensued about which animals didn't climb trees. I plumped for elephant.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZcagcS-ksc

Your description of the student's DH is so poignant BJ. I love that he is still appreciating beauty.

As long as the Dude hasn't morphed into Johnny Depp, it is OK for him to be a pirate. Doodle
I have a df who wears a patch over his missing eye - he always has - . One day he described when his small DD was having a strop on the bus and he dragged her off kicking and screaming. Later that day, police came to the house because fellow passengers had reported the "incident". strange man with a patch over one eye couldn't possibly be the father of a sweet blonde toddler! He is known to police though his work with the probation service etc so he didn't have to explain the incident and could show his happy child who was completely unaware of the fuss she had caused.

I am not feeling too good today. It isn't covid (I did a test) and surely can't be what DGD has, as I must have been incubating it before then. I am very cold and shivery. I haven't been ill for so long, I forgot what it's like!

I had an email this morning from my lovely Canadian student whose husband is very poorly indeed, but who came, as usual with his wife to the French group yesterday. I'm not sure how old he is, but he must be well into his 90s. She wanted to tell me that he'd enjoyed the French group enormously, specially because we'd been watching videos of the fashion "tendances" for this season. He said he loved the women because they were so beautiful, and wants to book for Paris later this year! His next stroke will carry him off ... how lovely that he still appreciates beauty.

My goodness, your carding takes me back Grammaretto. I remember the sequence: shearing, washing, carding, combing, spinning, dyeing, weaving. All of which, apart from the first, I've tried. I short-cutted shearing by gathering wool from barbed wire fences.

Many thanks for the link Doodle
My love to the Pirate. Tell him if he still needs the patch, I'll send him a parrot.

Yes, it is lovely that BJ and I have struck up a friendship, I just wish she wasn't a 5 hour drive away!

We can get British cheese here, from Coombe Castle.
Wensleydale (not the original made since Roman times but a fairly acceptable mass produced), Red Leicester and Cheddar. They have a whole range but few items reach NZ

I sometimes buy it as a treat at Christmas, it costs approx £10 for 4oz.

Mepa is due at 2pm so I'll get the balance of my fruit and vegetables.
Haven't heard about Karen but Mepa is off for 2 weeks so I shall be getting a replacement...I say, optimistically

A quiet weekend ahead - I may plant out the freesias which have been cooling in the fridge for 2 weeks. I can't remember where I put the hyacinth bulbs

Talking of rats I found evidence of mice in my "new" kitchen tonight.

After I posted today DGD was visibly wilting. She was hot and had been sick in the night so no nursery. She slept all morning. When she woke she announced she was much better and ate up all the food she had rejected. She is robust.

Sparky was here tonight so there's a bit of progress. He won't give me a timescale for finishing.

BJ is looking after you Kaimoana. Isn't that great.
Scotland was looking so beautiful today as I drove home. The road from Aberfeldy to Crieff is worth making a detour for Mamissimo

Oh Doodle I had forgotten that the Dude was having surgery today. I hope it was successful and his eyesight will be good as new

Hmm Kaimoana please don’t send me any rats ?. I don’t like them any better than lizards. ?