The Lockdown Gang - still chatting ?

Oh Mamissimo I’m so sorry to hear about your family and Covid. I hope you manage to keep yourself safe.
I do hope they are not seriously ill. Are your son and his family able to look after themselves or do they have anyone helping? Please let us know how you all are getting on and I hope they all recover quickly.
Kaimoana I think the Dean has aged a bit. His mind and humour are as sharp as ever. I can’t help wondering what’s going to happen to all his animals when he has to leave the Deanery.

Just a quick message, as I’m shattered after the trip to the specialist and cousin. All went well, cousin’s husband, who is terminally ill with cancer, looked 20 years younger and almost back to normal after completing chemo…so we had a celebratory lunch and lots of laughs. Long may it last.

On arriving home, went out to do the chores, including feeding chickens, and found that we had FIVE, not four. The chickens were telling me about it in no uncertain terms, so indignantly- “strangeralertstrangeralert!!, but tolerated the intruder enough to allow her to dine with them. I haven’t had the energy to go out to check whether they’re allowing her to bunk down with them, or whether she’s wandered off home. I’ll see in the morning.

The family are marginally better, but the food package is held up in the area mail centre! So “overnight” now means at least 4 days. The figs will be ruined ☹. Tessa’s little Boden hoodie had arrived, and she was thrilled. 6 days from the UK, 4+ days for perishable food to travel 900 km within the North Island. DGD’s birthday, and we had a chat on FB. Such a sweetheart she is, but ex DIL is not happy about me seeing her/them. Apparently, I’m violent and a danger. Just like their marshmallow Dad. Oookaayyyy.

Good morning Lob-stars,

So sorry your family has been afflicted Mamissimo. Let's hope they recover quickly and that you escape.

I am probably too complacent.

Cushie and I went to the folkclub last night and she sang a couple of lovely songs including silver dagger by Joan Baez
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MX-QApWIXs4
she is definitely not in the marriage market!
Today she has gone off early to look for mountain hares.

Thanks for posting the photos of the dean and his birds Doodle at least he is not one of "those" men, who break maidens' hearts.

When is your next holiday?
I love to hear about peoples holidays. I am strange like that. I live vicariously. DS2 has just told me his travel plans - I am exhausted just listening but they will love it and I have been invited to join them for a week in France in September.

Yarn group today - it's our outing.
Have a happy one, if you can . See you soon.

Good morning ?

I would like 5 legs of lamb please........frozen preferably!

I always knew that having DD1 and her family to live with us for a month or so would be a nightmare challenging but I didn't have the sense to foresee covid. Mr M is worst and is fighting me because I'm insisting that all adults wear masks in the house to give me a bit of a chance.

We've got him on one of the antiviral trials and the drugs arrive this morning - hopefully they won't be placebo!

Somehow I need to wear out two toddlers today....and it's raining.....do you think they'd enjoy compost heap turning? ?

Boadicea glad you had a nice trip even though it was tiring. Must have lifted your spirits to see your cousins husband looking better.
Well that’s a surprise, a visiting chicken. Perhaps she’s heard that your hens are well looked after and popped round to check things out. You could call her Wandering Rose. I wonder where she came from.
Sorry your care package hasn’t arrived yet.
I bet the hoodie was gratefully received. I’m sorry your exDiL can say such hurtful things. It’s not right to say things like that about you and your son especially to your grandchildren. You obviously care for them a great deal.
Grammaretto I think you should apply to keep Cushie. She is obviously someone of many talents. A hard worker, good cook and now a singer too. Hope you enjoyed your night out.
We are going to Norway. One of my favourite places to visit.
A week in France later in the summer will be something nice to look forward to.
Ooh please tell us about your yarn group outing. Where did you go……did you take your knitting with you?
Mamissimo I’d forgotten your DD and family were living with you for a while. I’m not surprised you want them to wear masks. Hope the new drugs work quickly . I was going to ask if you could hide away in your room till they’re better but I see you are in charge of the children.
I bet they’d love a go at turning the compost. I wonder how long it would take for you to clean them off after.
I hope you keep safe.
I had my hair trimmed today for the holiday. Changed some trousers in M&S and nearly got blown away by the wind in trying to get there.
I’m sending Jeeves round with the hot chocolate (he couldn’t find any legs of lamb in the freezer so he bringing two frozen baguettes and a container of my frozen rock cakes…….do with them what you will ?.)

Oh my, I DO love this thread

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202204/medium-44718-laerdal-tunnel.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202204/medium-364939-flam.jpg

I leave you for a few hours and come and find all hell let loose, at least in the Mamissimo household.
What a calamity. But on the plus side, they can't be so ill that they can't get about presumably nobody wears masks in bed
Like my dm used to say, if you are well enough to eat, you are well enough to get up to eat it. She was a tough cookie.

How did the compost/toddler session go?
My littlies would love that job. Would you like another two helpers?
Bigger DGD is coming for pottery today with her pal.
More tiles for the back of the, not yet connected, cooker?

Oh Boadicea your ex-DiL sounds unkind. I am so sorry. The postage system is crazy. Do you send figs to ex-DiL?
Stranger hen must have heard good things about your hen palace. Was she still there in the morning?

I like Norway too Doodle apart from those tunnels. I once drove across from Gothenburg in Sweden to Bergen through the longest tunnels imaginable. What a relief to emerge! we stayed (camped) at the beautiful village of Flam.

Cushie leaves today. We had a meal out last night at my favourite an Indian restaurant in Edinburgh. We wanted good food and atmosphere. www.dishoom.com/edinburgh/
Cushie was surprised that I was prepared to queue outside in the rain for 10 minutes before we were allowed into the bar to wait for half and hour for a table! Once sitting and eating she understood.

The yarn group went to the Tapestry Museum, a lovely wool shop www.unwindyarns.co.uk/ where I bought some wool,
and Borders Crafts for lunch, on the bus most of us have bus passes and a couple by train from Edinburgh.

What a high old time I have been having!

I've been listening to I'm sorry I haven't a Clue in which they find new definitions for words.

When I read "Flam" Grammareto I though if there was Japanese person living there, they may be In Flam Asian.

Flåm (or Flaam) has a ring over the o. I can't do accents on my key board.
There was a cruise ship in the fjord so perhaps yours will go there Doodle?
Well Cushie has gone.
I will miss her. I have invited her to return anytime.
My next helper is due on Saturday so fingers xed she and I get along.

Good evening ?

Rock cake cricket was a huge success Doodle and I've kept a few back to use in the catapult I have made from my own cheese straws.... Luckily it's Easter and I was able to order the lamb easily for delivery at the weekend.

The covid three are moping around groaning, coughing and eating.....endless eating! They all say they're hungry all the time. It's a strange illness!

Composting went well and I've managed to get it out of their wellies. I took them out on their scooters today and the little monsters both demanded a wild wee while we were out "because it's what you do in the real countryside Granny". Hmmm I think their father put them up to it.

And it's off to the kitchen for me as two have ordered shepherds pie and four want butternut squash and bacon risotto and two want the risotto without the squash. And then it's bath time! Another day done.....

Well what a day I’ve had.
6.30 am this morning our phone rang. I was fast asleep and by the time I woke up enough to answer it it had cut off. I got back to bed and then a few minutes later our doorbell rang.
I jumped out of bed, gabbed a fleece and tried to get into my jog pants while hopping on one leg in the direction of the front door. A very nice young man was outside with my Sainsbugs order. I gawped at him and said it’s 6. 30 in the morning. He’s madam he said. You ordered a delivery between 6.00 am and 7.00 am ?!!! I thought I’d ordered it between 6 and 7 pm but must have made a mistake and selected the wrong time.
By the time I’d got all the shopping in and out away it was too late to go back to bed.
No walk today, it’s been far too windy. Nearly lost our pots from the balcony. DH is just playing with our latest gadget a non contact thermometer. My temperature is 36.8 in case anyone is interested ?
Grammaretto how did the pottery session go? Are you making anything yourself at the moment.
Ooh Flam is lovely. That’s where we’re going on our cruise.
We’ve been once before and loved it. Love the photos. A Norwegian chap told us it’s spelt Flam but pronounced Flom.
Shame Cushie is on the move. Might she come back do you think?
Your day out with the yarn group sounds lovely. What sort of yarn did you buy, have you got a project in mind?
Hope your new lady is as useful and pleasant as Cushie.
Kaimona ? you would have made a good contest on I’m sorry I haven’t a clue. DH and I loved that programme.
Ah Mamissimo I thought so. My rock cakes would subdue anyone. Eating! Well it sounds as though the Covid three can’t be that bad if they are eating a lot.
Sounds like you had a lovely time with the DGC. Did you join them in their wild wee? ?
In view of the requirements of all your poorly people for different meals after you’ve been busy all day, I think I’d better bake another batch of rock cakes…..you might be needing them.

Just looked at your links Grammaretto . What a fantastic place to eat. No wonder you were prepared to wait.
The wool looks nice too.

Boadicea I’m interested to know if your chicken visitor spent the night or returned home. I wonder where she came from.
Do you charge for board and lodgings? ?
Hope all your family are doing well.

This is just a quick post-and-run, as I'm out of energy just now...
Doodle - Wandering Rosie disappeared like a ghost in the night...my girls were being so rude to her that I don't think she could cope with it. How ...ermm..fortunate to have had to get up to the nice delivery man. I hope you thought positively that at least he didn't arrive at 6 a.m. I hope Norway is as wonderful as is looks. MrJ was there once in the Navy and said beer was SO expensive! But then, he was a young matelot, and I'm sure you won't be spending shore leave in a pub...The care packages eventually arrived, but I have no idea of the state of the fruit. DS1 was very grateful to have something for supper anyway.
Thank you for the pictures of the Dean and his little flock...he will be sadly missed, I'm sure.

Grammaretto - when you mentioned your Yarn Group, I had an image of ladies of a certain age sitting around telling stories which became more and more fanciful and unlikely with every telling. I like the idea of a Tapestry Museum for wool better. I do hope your new lady will be as congenial company as Cushie. Yes, ex-DIL 's behaviour is beyond my comprehension. She had a horrendous childhood, so I/we always tried to be supportive and kind, but we get (metaphorically) slapped in the face for trying. Perhaps she doesn't "get" the close and loving relationships I've always had with my own kids. Anyway...nowt as queer as folks.

Mamissimo - you are so patient and tolerant with your invalids. All that catering sounds exhausting! I do like the idea of compost turning though. Nothing like getting little ones out in the garden and close to the soil. I hope all are showing improvement, so that you can put your feet up and they can wait on you.

Kaimoana - I'll email you back soonest-thank you for the mail.

Hello Gang,

I wonder where Wandering Rose is now? At least she was fed.
Boadicea

As you say, there's nowt so strange as folks, including moi.

I can picture you in a flurry and worry when the door went at 6.30am Doodle
My doorbell no longer works - another thing for Sparky to fix if I ever see him again. I hope he hasn't succumbed to covid. I must do a test today as I am taking DMiL out for afternoon tea.
The headstone inscription has been done for DH and I am keen to see it but it's a way away so it may have to wait until Easter.
The pottery session was fine, the girls made dogs and frogs and a whale, some thrown bowls and a tile each. Not long enough really but they were whisked away to a horse riding lesson. I was given chocolate eggs and flowers, and bought lunch. I had a long nap in the afternoon.

Thanks for the pronunciation of Flam. I hope you send a photo to us.

Cushie left her room spotless and a card and a note for me. The next Helper is from Germany so what will her name be?

Boadicea oh so Rose has Wandered off again. I wonder if she’ll write a trip advisor report about her visit.
Hôtel of good quality, food plentiful and nice. Owner very accommodating but other guests rude and unfriendly, ?
Yes Norway like all the Scandinavian countries is very expensive. At least being on the ship we don’t have to pay for our drinks.
Hope all your family are on the mend now and feeling better.
Grammaretto I will certainly have some photos to show I’m sure.
Cushie’s replacement ?. Hildegard, Brunhild, Gerda maybe.
Hope she’s nice and helpful.
Hope you are pleased with your DHs stone when you see it.
The girls seem to have had fun. Pottery then off horse riding, what a lovely day,
Have you eaten your chocolate eggs yet or saving them for Easter.
I had a friend round for coffee this afternoon. We have both given up chocolate, cakes and biscuits for Lent.
We had some fruit……..nice but not as much fun as a gooey cake ?
Hope everyone has a good weekend.

Doodle you are hilarious! I love your humorous posts.
I too was imagining Gudrun the Grim, couldn't be two Cushies, could there? But I hope there are Grammaretto.

Speaking of cream cakes. I usually fancy one every few weeks and when Mepa stopped to get chicken and chips at a lunch bar yesterday, I looked towards the fresh cream cabinet with envious eyes - and one called 'Eat me !'
I put the fresh cream cake in my bag to have later.

Totally forgot until 2am, as I lay awake listening to a story about Romans in Britain.

It wasn't so much the cake as the fact I hadn't put it in the fridge which impelled me to leap up . Went to my bag - no cake.
It must have dropped out in Mepa's car.
She left my house to collect her son from school - I do hope he found and enjoyed it.

I feel sorry for Wandering Rosie, I hope she's safe and not starving and languid under a bush.

In my old house, we had a stream running through our garden and I had Pekin ducks and their offspring, for many years and generations.

One day, they wandered to a Land of Plenty. A farming neighbour decided to cater for the Chinese restaurant trade and filled her barn with hundreds of Pekins.
Awhina, my mother duck must have discovered their grain was better than the duck pellets, crayfish and elvers in the stream.
Off she went, followed by her latest brood.

I'm hoping my next holiday is a couple of days in Northland to pester visit BJ and her DH but as yet, haven't heard from my transport.
If it happens Grammaretto both BJ and I will give our accounts.

Doodle - Kaimoana beat me to it to applaud your hilarious posts...you have such a wonderful turn of phrase. Yes, no more Rosie, just some very smug chickens who saw off the intruder. I hope she found her way home in time for supper. Good for you, to have given up life’s best Yummies for Lent. I hope the gooey cake comes your way on Easter Sunday.

Pudding is now the indignant one - he has been trying his paw at herding, because he came to tell tales on the chickens, who had moved into the mud room, out of the heat. Little madams. I shooed them out and then went round to the front garden. Suddenly there was a scuffling and a ruffling and a cackling, followed by MrJ's voice - the chickens had moved on into the scullery, and were standing there in a line, each with a neat deposit under her, bewildered because Pudding was guarding the door. Anyway, eventually sorted, but they are definitely getting ideas above their station.

We went out in a hurry to look at replacing my laptop, which had suddenly refused to charge. Everything is suddenly SO expensive! And not in stock either – long waiting lists for deliveries. Fortunately, MrJ has coaxed it back to life, so it will do for another little while. I hope! I can’t do without it. I was going to go out to the place where they have bags of horse poo for the taking, for a second load, but it takes so much energy lifting 30 kg bags, and MrJ’s shoulder has packed it in again. Think I’ll wait a day or two…

Kaimoana, so sorry to hear about your cream cake. We have a Bakehouse here …not just any old bakehouse but the Kerikeri Bakehouse. They do cream cakes to die for, or from. Doughnuts, eclairs, apple turnovers, lamingtons…and just up the road is the place that has Samuel the pâtissier, whose pastries are simply the best you’ve ever had. So, if it’s cream cakes you are after, this is the place…does it inspire you to get up here asap? We’ll be waddling along the beach, at least 5 kg heavier. Poor Awhina, too late did she learn that the grass is not always greener and better a meal of herbs than a stalled ox.

Let’s hope that Grammaretto’s new Helper is indeed not Gudrun the Grim, nor Helga the Horrible or Ursula the Unready. I hope that the stone is just what you wanted, Grammaretto - it sounds as though you had great fun with the little ones. Lucky you.

It’s 1.30, and I’ve been digging holes to plant some more trees. There’s a fig with my name on it. Literally. Time to stop and have a nice ham and feta salad. Toodle pip, everyone. x

Good morning ?

I unsurprisingly have covid. The others are recovering well so I can wallow rest up. I am on the list to receive antivirals so hopefully it won't be too bad. ?

Mamissimo I hope the anti-virals keep the worst at bay.
Has your appetite gone?

I am about to make up a bed for... Brunhilde? Her actual name is not one I've heard before so we'll see...

Kaimoana ooh I’m sorry your lovely cake went missing……I don’t suppose Wandering Rose wandered down your way and ate it?
Oh no ?. Poor duck family. They should have stayed near you where they’d be safe.
How wonderful to have a trip to visit Boadicea. You must be so excited. Pleased for you both. Wish the rest of us could come too……now that would be a gathering ?
Boadicea you make me laugh too. The tales of the chickens always make me laugh. And now Pudding and her herding instinct. You should write a book. Is Doreen the ring leader?
We rely on our technical stuff so much now. Good for Mr BJ getting you going again (Kaimoana I know you, no rude comments ?)
That bakery sounds wonderful.
Oh Mamissimo I’m so sorry. It’s good news that the rest of the family are on the mend but now you have it. I hope all the antivirals and everything keep you safe and well. Will be thinking of you. Please let us know how you’re coping. Yes do rest and no running round after the others. It’s your turn now.
Grammaretto I hope Brunhilde will be an asset at baking, befriending, bedding plants, being useful and behaving. She has a lot to live up to after Cushie.
I’ve just been baking some brownies for DGS. Popping round later with those and some Easter eggs then on to other son to make deliveries there. We are going to have to go into hibernation from then on before our cruise.
Hope all have a good weekend.

I'm still reading ...

Sorry to hear that you are on the receiving end of the alphabet soup of a virus that is nobody's flavour of the month Mamissimo. Good news that the other hostages of this dratted infection are on the mend. I hope the antivirals (and any other tincture you can lay your hands on to alleviate any ill effects) keep you safe and you make a hearty recovery to enjoy your legs of lamb in whatever way you decide to make use of them ? . No cwtches this time, as I am scared of virtually catching this virus ?

I hope all the other GangStars are keeping well x

Cherry yes please keep yourself safe too. Just heard my DGS hasn’t been in college last week as they had too many teachers off with Covid.
Take care all..p

Hi Cherry
I hope you escape the virus. At least it's supposed to be less aggressive especially if you've been vaccinated.
Poor Mamissimo . I hope your family are caring for you now.

Brunhilde is very sweet.

Good evening ?

Not quite so good today but our wonderous NHS has managed to ring to triage me twice for antivirals and totally failed to get a Dr from the Crisis Medical Unit to decide which drug to prescribe. One clinical expert nurse told me it was a shame I'd tested positive at the weekend.......whole family still testing positive after six days....but we had a lovely pork roast for dinner, blobbed around together....life could be worse! X