The Lockdown Gang - still chatting ?

Hello Lobstars,

Nice to see NfkD back from the sea
Sparky is in the kitchen now this minute working away. Cushie and my df have gone to bed but I am staying up a bit longer. Cushie thinks I should just leave him to it and go to bed but that goes against the grain to leave someone at work.
Df reminded me he was here when she last stayed in November!

We delivered the barometer to the repair shop in Fife today.
It was a bit like the TV programme.
His messy workshop filled with vintage clocks and barometers. He said he had never seen one like mine before. He told us tales of a Dentist's DD who swallowed a mouthfull of mercury and was none the worse for it! not sure I believed him

More people in the garden today. One of the potters found some teenaged boys smoking. She shooed them away but I think it must be the fine weather. Tis the sun that brings them out.

I like the curious cormorant too NfkD
I hope the hospital goes well today Kaimoana

I was sent pictures of electric storms in NZ. plus another story competition won by DGS.

www.asianz.org.nz/education/short-story-competition-the-case-of-the-missing-polar-bear-lantern/

Was the sand from the Sahara again Doodle? It didn't reach here.
Night night dear friends

Kaimoana what is worse is that I talk to my artificial plants on the balcony. “For goodness sake stop falling over in the wind. Stand up straight why don’t you.” ?
Sage advice indeed ???.
Hope the appointment at the eye hospital went ok.
I would be far too scared to steal someone’s flowers.
Nfk yes the news is very troubling these days. Always sad or bad things make the headlines.
I like your curious cormorant. How do you know he’s curious and not just pondering the meaning of life??
I think the Dean must have help with all his animals. The Deanery must be like a mini zoo with all the different birds, pigs, fish and cats etc.
Oh that’s a shame about your heater …or not heater. I bet it’s cold on the river. We always found that.
Our car looks much the same. That sand went everywhere.
Hope you have a warmer trip next time.
Grammaretto I am wondering if you have a working kitchen yet. How about the worktop, has that been fitted?
Our man is coming to fit our blinds tomorrow I hope. Not getting too excited till he turns up.
Have a good evening all.

Lovely to see you Nfk and glad you got a short sail in. I often feel like an old rust bucket myself!

My sage advice (thyme & rosemary too) is to only read the latest posts, one page, or if it's a new page, a few of the previous posts as we move on so quickly.

I think you'd lose the will to live if you tried to catch up on everything.

From necessity I must do this as my eyes are wonkier than ever (seeing the hospital today) and if my Page Reader does it, I forget what it's said before it's done half the job.

I too was stunned at the damned cheek of Grammaretto's visitors. Had it been my flowers, I'd have asked them for money, reminding them if they didn't pay it is theft.

Stealing was common when I lived in a rural area (of blessed memory) as nearby fields were devoted to daffodil and narcissi.

Field gates were locked but I regularly saw people hop over and begn helping themselves to armfuls, no doubt to sell at a farmer's market. Incredible.

I thought you might like to see a curious cormorant.

Just popping by to say I am still about and lurking a bit. I find myself getting too involved in reading the news just lately. A new habit I must stop. As DH says there's not a lot we can do.

Love the photo of the Dean in the chicken run. A very clean chicken run too. Ours never looked like that, the hens always had it re-arranged as mud/dust bath within a day!

I can't get over Grammaretto's brazen visitors. There are a couple of really big gardens I know of around here which have footpaths running through them, but I don't think anyone would dare treat them as a park - and to PICK the flowers!? That really is beyond the pale.

Last Saturday was warm with blue skies and we saw our DD2 and family for lunch which we wouldn't have missed, so Sunday was the day for trying out the boat for the first time this year. Chugged off down the river with just enough water in the drinking water bottle for a couple of coffees (we forgot to top it up) and tried the newly fixed heater (it was a cold day on Sunday, with banks of cloud coming over). It works with enthusiasm - except it doesn't heat! Nevertheless we had a nice time with a picnic lunch on South Walsham Broad for those who know it. We're going back today to ask the yard to have another look at the heater and hope we weren't doing/not doing something silly - and clean the red Saharan dust off her. We should have on Sunday but were too cold. At the moment she looks like an old rust bucket!

I did not, personally, get wet but my garden loved it. You know you're getting old when you talk to your plants.
Everything has had a boost and I've saved some rainwater for my glorious Poinsettia.

Kaimoana DH took the photos. I man the video camera.
You should see the positions DH got into trying to photograph the infinity font at Salisbury Catherdral. I will see if I can locate one to show you. The infinity font at Salisbury is the most beautiful thing.
Oh dear are you getting a bit wet??
Boadicea has the rain passed you now and moved in to Kaimoana . I often listen to the choral singers from the Kings school at Canterbury. Lovely voices though with my Welsh family background the thing that moves me most are the Welsh male choirs.
Your 100 biscuits sound good. I bet you were a super mum to all those boys.
Sorry to hear about your lemon tree. Hope it survives.
Grammaretto your DDs comment made me laugh. Perhaps you should lean Gaelic songs and then at least you would be able to say you know the words.
I bet your MIl enjoyed the concert but as you say a bit of an adventure for you. DH and I hate driving in the dark and avoid it as much as possible,
Wow, really, you’re kitchen might be finished soon. ?. I do hope so. I want to know how that cooker works out.
I wonder what Cushie can rustle up on that.
Have a good evening all

What a fabulous building Doodle
Hello Lob-stars btw.
I hope you are fully recovered from your - er, holiday.

The Gaelic teaching for the wee girls is mostly songs. DD pointedly remarked that her DD and her DM had supposedly been learning Gaelic for a year and neither could speak a word of it.

DMiL insisted she wanted to go to the concert in St Giles Cathedral last night so we drove in taking the wheelchair. It was easy to park outside on a Sunday. Her cousin and his wife played piano duets including Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring.
Here is something like it I found on the internet:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_eKUp8qhpc

Afterwards she was desperate for the loo and there was nothing on the level so we had to rush away to a friend's house afterwards. Quite an adventure and hard for me driving home in the dark.

Another walk today and I think the electrician is coming this evening to finish the kitchen. Who knows! My friend is still coming tomorrow despite the memorial having been called off. She has appointments in Edinburgh.

It is your DGD Muse, not DS who is the worry.
See you later everyone.

So, Kaimoana, après le déluge, we have a beautiful, sunny, tranquil day, whereas I read that you had the wettest hour in Auckland’s history. Even Jacinda is not immune. I hope you’ve not got your feet wet! And, eyes off my girls, please, though healthy chickens they are indeed.

Doodle Your photos are so beautiful. Like Kaimoana, I love architecture, and especially cathedrals, and miss that part of Britain so much. Especially the music. My sons’ NZ independent school had a strong English tradition, having been founded in 1854 – yes, I know…just yesterday for you people! DS1 discovered the joys of choral singing with the inspirational choirmaster they had there. There was a strong bass line (teehee…”but no top tenors, see…”-“Zulu-the Movie”) of big strapping lads who, aspiring All Blacks to a man , played like demons in the First XV on Saturday, then sang like deep-voiced angels in Sunday Chapel. Their version of Locus Iste, sung on tour in Auckland Cathedral, still moves me to tears. Anyway, we made a point of going to as many cathedrals and minsters as we could in the UK, especially when there was something musical on. Midnight Mass at Lincoln was profoundly moving.
I hope you have recovered from your exertions, Doodle and have taken some time out to rest. You are so lucky to be able to decide on a whim to go to all these magical places.

Wow Grammaretto - some people have a cheek! Do you suppose the daffs really were for her DF? Is there no end to Cushie’s talents? And yours? Locks on gates, on top of everything else? Your DGD sounds delightful with her Gaelic bird!

Muse - I hope you can soon get on top of all the troubles facing you. The build must quite a burden, with so many facets that have to come together, and taking so long. Specially with labour shortages, materials deliveries being erratic. I hope that your DGD can find just the right person to help her.
On the subject of blind fitters and deaf teachers, I have been described as a French mistress on occasions. In more old-fashioned schools.

Courtesy of our energy supplier yesterday, we had a 4-hour power shout. Free electricity! What fun that is! I did three loads of washing, 2 of drying (I never use my dryer, as a rule, but it was raining), MrJ did a roast pork/kumara lunch with roasted figs, slow-cooked creamy rice pudding, and then I did my famous “Hundred Biscuit” recipe, to send a care package to DS1&2. When I was a Matron/teacher/Head of Department and “Mum” to 70 teenage boys in a boarding school, I used to make the recipe x2 every week to ensure no-one went to bed hungry or in need of a comfort snack. While the rain was coming down, I transplanted some small self-seeding native trees from under the hedge into a new garden bed…they seem to have enjoyed that rain, and have taken well, I hope. Then, this afternoon, I discovered that a lemon tree had split in half in the wind, because it had so much fruit on it that it couldn’t cope. I had to prop the branch back up on a couple of big rubbish bins, still attached to the tree, then brace it up with rope, ready to put a pruning paint and gaffer tape on it tomorrow.
Hopefully it might survive.

Doodle thank you or DH for the spectacularly beautiful pictures.
Cathedrals are one of the very few things I miss about England, loving architecture as I do and always have.

In my younger days, I had no qualms about lying on my back to take photos.

BJ can't you just hearr the laughter in all that thunder.
'OK, wahine ma, you asked for rain, how about THIS!?

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202203/medium-548244-7247dc7a-66e8-4343-bd99-fdbf40f1e44e.jpeg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202203/medium-275524-557d928e-93eb-419c-88de-0b43bbd97c32.jpeg

A couple of photos from Winchester.

Muse I suppose I should call him the man who fits blinds.
I’m hoping to see him Wednesday.
Wow, sounds as though you are in for a busy few weeks. Floors and kitchens sounds like you are getting nearer to moving in. Bet you can’t wait.
Glad you’ve heard from your son. Hope the counsellor helps your DGD. Maybe it will take more than one visit for your DGD to get used to talking to her.
Kaimoana without reading your post, my first question is, whatever is that big green thing?
Oh a bottle courgette. Nope not come across one of those before.
I can remember at the beginning of this thread, one of your earlier posts was about having entertainers coming round to your garden. This lot look quite acrobatic. I don’t think it’s anything that happens in this country but I could be wrong.
Glad you were able to salvage your cake.
Yes we did lots of walking in Winchester. Such a beautiful cathedral. Lovely intricate carving. DH nearly fell over back wards trying to take photos.
Grammaretto the man is coming Wednesday covid willing.
I’ll have to move things out of the way again and clear all the windowsills.
Sign language is a good thing for youngsters to learn. Gaelic for 4 year olds, wow will she be able to converse with anyone else in the family? I love the sound of her bird impression.
Boadicea it sounds as though you are having a deluge.
I hope you’re not getting washed away. Hope all the animals are safely tucked up away from the storm. Hope it doesn’t cause any damage.
Take care all

Be Careful What You Wish For. Rain? Rain?? It absolutely hammered down. Hammered. Thundered. Roared. And the gale-force wind has ensured that absolutely everything is wet. Nesting/feeding/sand boxes, under slightly open windows, gumboots, even though upside-down in their MrJ-made-rack, outdoor furniture under the roofed pergola. The three irrigation tanks are full, garden is awash, and more expected this afternoon. At the moment, the sun is shining, innocently and benignly, lulling us into a false sense of security. But beware...storms on the way. Take care, Kaimoana.

That must have been fun to watch the young acrobats.
Kaimoana
Many years ago DH and I were at a ceilidh dance and in the interval were treated to a performance of yoga which consisted of 2 very wiry male contortionists. Not my idea of yoga!
I am glad you enjoyed Winchester Doodle but sorry that the walking was a bit too much. Has the blind fitter been yet?

DGD aged 4 is learning Gaelic and sign language at her pre-school. She told me excitedly that she could say Bird in Gaelic.
She proceeded to cross her arms and flap them!

Muse, the build is hotting up along with the weather. That's good isn't it?.
I understand your worries about DS. I worry about mine too.
sending big hugs and chocolate and anything else which may help. xx

....shows how fuzzy brained I am after my fall ..... I have NO idea what we were talking about that I intended to comment upon. Hee hee.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202203/medium-60123-img-1641.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202203/medium-336053-te-rehia.jpg

Poor Muse you must be going round in circles. I do hope your family moves to happier times.

It really is important to have a counsellor you can relate to, otherwise how can they help?
.
My family have met some horrors but fortunately are confident enough to not waste their money after the first session but moved on to another.

One particular idiot person gave such stupid and dangerous advice I wondered how she'd stayed in business.

Let your emotions flow where they will. It's never good to supress them as internalising can lead to physical illness.

I smiled at your 'deaf teacher' story as I have just been reading a recipe for, 'Healthy Chicken meatballs'.

First catch your healthy chicken

What a shame the Celebration of Life had to be postponed, a real disappointment to so many Grammaretto.

Cushie sounds a marvel, how long is she with you? Sounds like a lassie to keep in touch with after she's moved on.

How nice that you and DH had such a lovely time in Winchester, Doodle even if you did walk 6" off your legs. At least you won't need to turn DHs trousers up now

It's amazing to think Winchester Cathedral began some 250 years before any human arrived in Aotearoa.

Has anyone ever seen a Bottle Courgette?

Here are the young people who came to entertain me in my drive.

Doodle I think I was able to save the cake. It's still in its tin because I dare not release it !! in case it falls apart.

Talking about

Good evening Lobstars?

Wish I could send some of the wet stuff your way Kaimoana but Cornwall has had a very welcome dry spell for the past few days.

My word, Cushie is diamond studded treasure Grammaretto, in whipping up a spag bol on the little camping stove. Gosh! I am really shocked the visitors didn't ask before doing that.

I had to smile to myself Doodle when I read about your blind fitter. Not because he had Covid, poor man, but I taught in an inclusive primary school that had a small number of deaf children. We employed teachers of the deaf as well as teaching assistants and I remember being reminded by one of the teachers that they were not deaf themselves as I had referred to her as a deaf teacher. I was wanting to know more about how your blind fitter manages.

Feeling rather pooped tonight as the grass - well some of it - has had it's first hair cut. Two long walks with Mya and I'm now enjoying a glass of wine before doing MrMuse's favourite dinner - stir fry with masses of veggies and noodles. MrMuse has been busy with our little old Jimny car after it failed it's MOT on Thursday.

Text from my DD today. She has started to take DGD1 to open days at a few universities. Today's visit was unsuccessful but another is planned for next weekend. After numerous texts to DS with love and hugs, I had a reply a few days ago. Two months since I have heard from him. He is busy and DGD2 has seen a counsellor but wasn't very enamoured with the experience but will tell me more when he rings, which I hope will be soon.

I am getting a little anxious about the build as the main open plan floor area is still awash with tools and lengths of copper pipe. All the units for the kitchen and utility room arrive a week on Monday. All the appliances have been delivered, along with the steam cleaner. What an amazing machine.

I shall do my daily read of the on-line Guardian news and again struggle with my emotions.

Take care dear Lobstars.

Hello all. I’m back. Lovely time in Winchester. Good weather but worn out with walking.
Yes Grammaretto it is Jane Austin’s burial place. Lots of tributes to her. Bought my friend a Jane Austin jigsaw in the gift shop.
Had a lovely walk by the river then got lost and we were worn out by the time we made it back to the hotel.
I’m glad you kept all the rain away from us. Glad Cushie is being a real help. Nice you are getting on with each other.
Sorry the memorial service had to be postponed.
Oh ?. I hope the lock in the back gate keeps everything unwanted out.
I can’t believe that people just walk into your garden, sit in your chairs and pick your flowers. Do they think you are some kind of park?

Kaimoana and Boadicea I can’t send you any rain because we haven’t had any yet.
Boadicea I feel so sorry for poor Flora. I’m glad you are taking extra care of her.
I like the way you have named all your birds and that they all have their own characters.
My DGS loves animals. Dogs are his favourite but he likes most animals. The only thing he’s not keen on is spiders but he’s ok with snakes, lizards and porcupines which he looked after at college.
Hope you start to feel better soon too.
Nice trip away but good to be home now. DS1s birthday today. We have been invited over for cake tomorrow. Be nice to see them all as DGD1 is back from university for her dad’s birthday.
Have a good weekend all

That sounds truly lovely Boadicea but also sad that you weren't all together.
A setback today because the "not funeral" has been postponed due to a covid scare. So many oldies are expected including me that his DSis is worried. Now this means everyone must change their plans. All very unsettling.

The weather has been gorgeous today, so much so I was nearly fooled into sowing seeds!
Cushie and I have put a lock on my back gate after we found something truly disgusting in my garden.

Unrelated to that incident, Today I found a couple sitting in my garden chairs sunning themselves. Uninvited and unknown to me, I was appalled because even though I pretend that everyone is welcome, in reality I do like to be asked first.
Then a while later I met the same couple coming out of my wild garden with a large bunch of daffodils. This time she said the flowers were for her poor father who is dying. I again wondered why she didn't ask.

Cushie has gone badger watching with my permission

Grammaretto - When my DB died in the US, he, in the tradition of his American wife's family, didn't want a funeral. He was cremated without fanfare, and his ashes scattered by his adoring family at Big Sur, where only the Pacific separates him from his beloved Aotearoa. His NZ whanau celebrated his life with an informal church ceremony, with stories and readings and laughter and tears, with a video link to the USA. We raised a glass of the Macallan to a truly remarkable man. Way to go.

Hooray for rain!
We had a heavy shower yesterday but enough sunshine today to keep us happy.
I keep wanting to plant things but my sensible friend says it is still too early.
We are having takeaway tonight so I don't have to worry about cookers for once.
Cushie continues to be the most helpful of helpers. She is busy making a bed clearing a room up for my next guest who arrives on Tuesday in time for the funeral of our friend. It isn't a funeral really, more of a celebration of his life. I may do something similar for DH when DS comes from NZ.

I hope all the Lobstars are around and doing well just too busy to post.

<<Stop Press>> We have RAIN! Actual, dinky-die rain! Not very heavy, yet, but I have every faith in those clouds up there. That wonderful smell of petrichor...

(Snort)...ONE shower of 10 seconds' duration. What's the point of that? So, sorry, Kaimoana, nothing left to put in the box.

Can I put in a special request BJ? Next time you plan to send a box this way - can you fill it full of Northland rain?

The media says we are now 43 days without rain in this region but it's longer, because they count the useless sprinkle which last 8 minutes. That's not rain, it's Tāwhirimātea's shaking his hands after a 'Happy Birthday' hand-wash.

Well, 2 hours on from the early forecast, and no sign of rain yet. Just a semi- leaden sky, with patches of bright sunlight. Rain must be on the way though, because all three cats are frisking and cutting capers in the garden.

I went out to feed the chickens, and I’ve been determined to give poor Flora, at the bottom of the pecking order, some help. Maureen, Doreen and Jill give her such a hard time and drive her away from the food. Flora and I have an understanding now…as soon as the Mean Girls are tucking in, she sneaks away with me as I go to the quail run, and she is served meal worms, rather than boring old laying pellets and seed mix. Flora’s little rebellion.

I picked up the feed bowl, and Dove flew down and landed on the rim…”noticemenoticeme”. So she had a handful of seed mix out on the drive. She, her Gang and the cats have an arrangement too. The cats pretend to be great hunters, and Adopt the Position, crouching low, tail lashing, but Dove and cohort just carry on eating, feigning indifference.

I think my girls must be pretty happy with life, because they haven’t gone off the lay at all in the 11 months we’ve been here. Jill, BTW, is named after my mother - red hairedfeathered, big, bossy and aggressive. A difficult bird.

Doodle - I hope you are having a wonderful time in Winchester, though you probably are not reading this right now. What a disappointment for you not to have your blinds done, when you were so looking forward to it. Your poor fitter…I hope he is coping ok with the virus. A nightmare, losing pets when you move, but what a little trooper your DGS is, not giving up till your kitty was found.

Grammaretto - Well done on making a good meal without a kitchen … a good Chianti is just the thing to make it all better. And how lucky that Cushie has a camping stove! She sounds a real treasure – was she a Girl Guide, since she is always prepared? I think you are a saint to have coped for so long with no proper facilities and exploding fuseboxes and the relentless cold. I’m not surprised that RLS adored Samoa, and chose to be buried there. What fun to have had a Grans’ meet-up. That’s a very grand building – where is it in the city? Is it relatively new?

I’m still, or rather, again, wrestling with this virus-that-is-not-covid. Thought I was better, but not. Had to cancel French group for fear of spreading it further. Loads of people seem to have it, or similar. MrJ seems to have recovered, and not had a relapse, which is good, since he is revelling in his new workbench/desk. His model of the “Temeraire” lookalike is going well, and keeps him happy and occupied, in between making me cups of tea. Bless his little Navy socks.

Well, Kaimoana, according to the 6 am forecast, both you and I will be having "showers, some heavy this morning". Yay! And Sunday looks quite wet.