The Lockdown Gang - still chatting ?

Hello Lobstars,

I am so relieved that your good friends are looking out for you Kaimoana but also worried that you are still too isolated for safety.

How odd about the lady acquaintance Doodle but at least there is no animosity. I don't like to think that anyone is horrid to you.

I spent the day at a Camphill Summer fair. I spent all my money and most of my friend's. I even bought some pottery!

DD is recovering from covid thankfully and tested negative today. She had a hospital appointment which she has waited 18 months for. The ultrasound was reassuring so that's one less worry.

Herb tea tonight for me thankyou Jeeves.

I must confess we have had a lazy day today.
DH spent so long on phone to sons today that by the time we got back from our walk it was too late for lunch so we had an early dinner and watched a DVD.
I read an article in the paper over the weekend where Sheila Hancock said that despite the fact she knew her bathroom floor was slippery, she didn’t buy any mats until after she’d fallen and broken her wrist. We have mats but DH has complained they trip him up as they slide on the floor. Today 2 new rubber backed mats arrived courtesy of Amazon and the old ones are out. Trying my best to keep DH upright (as I type this he has just toppled forward onto the floor whilst trying to remove the DVD from the DVD player. Fortunately he just slid forward in slow motion and is unharmed). Can’t take my eyes of him for a minute.
Grammaretto the lady concerned is very elderly (more than us) and I think was led to believe by another neighbour (that I have never spoken to!) that I had complained about her. Why she should think such a thing is beyond me as I have only ever had pleasant conversations with her (I think in truth she might have mistaken me for someone else). However, I feel happier that she and I can now exchange a few pleasantries. I am not an argumentative person and hate any form of unpleasantness.
I’m glad you had a good time at the fair. Sadly, in areas like ours (non rural) we don’t get such fairs. I love going to places and seeing things there have made or crafted. Did you get any ideas for making something new in your studio?
I’m so pleased your DDs ultrasound results were ok. That must be a relief.
I wonder if you saw a series on BBC called Hot Cakes. About a couple of lads in Wales who run a wonderful cake shop. They took on a range of speciality teas, the like of which I have never seen before .
Hope all had a good weekend.

Phosphorylation and Putative ER Retention Signals Are Required for Protein Kinase A-Mediated Potentiation of Cardiac Sodium Current

Just had an email asking if I wrote this esoteric and academic paper.

(snort) As if!

Hello Gang,

Only a few of us about it seems.
Your explanation of the elderly neighbour sounds logical, if upsetting Doodle.
All good now though! It is nice that DH talks to his sons. I guess it was Father's day.
DS (NZ) called me. He didn't know about Father's Day. Was it NZ? I am a bit dismissive of it - just an excuse for the card companies to take in cash but I suppose it's a nice chance to celebrate dads.

It's still daylight here- almost the longest day.
I hope all the Lobstars are ok. I don't like to think of the Dude falling over. Well done getting the non slip rugs.
No broken bones please!
I am sure you are quite capable of writing an esoteric academic paper BJ if ever you wanted to.
In answer to Doodle's question did I get any ideas? I certainly did. Today I showed my new tile to one of my potters and she has made her own using the same technique.

Well, Doodle it occurred to me to say how often people believe what they're told without checking. Advertising and other scams wouldn't be so successful if that were not the case.

Does your DH have a walking frame? I found mine invaluable when I began having dizziness. You can hold on when you bend; lean over it; use it to push things you shouldn't be moving from room to room; sit on it if you're woozy or tired but it's a steadying thing most of all.

Karen came back today and is looking and sounding well. I am so much more comfortable with her, pleasant though the other ladies are. It's so good to have her back.

Phillip has moved to the hospice, sadly too far away for me to be able to visit. We can email though, which is a comfort.
Last night he told me he'd only be in there a few days before going home.
I find that hard to believe; do people on morphine have delusions?

My understanding is that when you are assessed by an Oncology Team as needing hospice care, it's an indication you'll need 24 hour oversight for life.
I may be wrong.

Bitterly cold today with a wind blowing straight from the Antarctic, so I'm a bit of a sight sitting at my PC in 2 jerseys and a woolly hat

My fingers are like icicles!!

Boadicea ….I think that might have been one that I wrote. It sounds like the sort of thing someone with dyslexia would write.?
Been out buying a few bits for DHs birthday tomorrow. We are going to his favourite steak house for dinner tomorrow night.
Yes Grammaretto, both my sons get on well with their dad and he can chat to them for ages. Hopefully, we will all get together next weekend for a birthday celebration and cake baked by DGD2.
I’m so pleased you have some new ideas. It’s fun to see what others can do and try new techniques. What sort of tile is it?
Kaimoana I have suggested a walker to DH but he is a bit reluctant at the moment although he has looked at some different ones in the internet. His balance issues we both think are due to the medication he takes as 2 of the tablets say can cause dizziness. He’s not so much dizzy just not properly balanced. I can see us getting one at some point though.
So pleased you’ve got Karen back. I hope she’s well.
The answer to your question about people on morphine having delusions is yes they do. When DH was in hospital with broken ribs he told me he’d moved wards (not true), that he hadn’t seen the physio (also not true). However, that doesn’t mean that Phil won’t be going home. He could be on morphine at home if his family particularly want him there. Wherever he is, I hope he’s comfortable and not in pain.
It’s very warm here. I’ve got the fan on. Sending you Jeeves with a warm drink to hold and warm your fingers up ?

Hello Gangstars,
Still very cold here but sunny, which makes a difference.
I've put out some fat-soaked bird seed, so my lawn has legions of cheeky sparrows, finches, my blackbird and a few Mynah birds..

Doodle Phil has lived alone all his adult life, so there's no one to take care of him. Also, he's is desperately shy and awkward in company (which he avoids) so as far as I know, I'm his only friend.

I am in touch with his family in the UK and we are working through this together.

I don't blame your DH for being reluctant to use a walker, I was too and in fact I don't use it every day in the home. Just when I need a bit of extra support or am doing something which means overbalancing is a possibility.
I would imagine one of his doctors could apply for him to get one free, or have the NHS stopped all that?

Yes, I used "dizziness" because I wasn't quite sure how to explain it. I don't go dizzy as such but I only have to turn quickly and my balance goes.
It's me lugs.
This is just one of the many reasons I hesitated to travel North, especially as my alarm would be inactive up there. I was lucky though.

And speaking of that, what a simpleton I was to forget, in my shock at having no communication, that I only had to press the button on my bracelet if I have a health problem.

Once Phil went into Hospice, I felt much easier and he's able to email me which he does a couple of times a day.

I'm calming down a bit now.
I don't panic but I do worry.

All the local dogs are howling - I wonder why?
Probably a quake, there were 3 yesterday.

Mammisimo Kei hea koe? I miss you. in fact, as Grammaretto said, we are a small band at the moment.

Hoki mai katoa, kei mokemoke au.

translate.google.com

Mānawatia a Matariki

Yes Kaimoana! Even up here in the "winterless North", it's 7 deg!! It was 8 deg this morning at 6 a.m., and the sun is out and shining enthusiastically. I had a plan this morning to go to History group, post some parcels, get in some oyster grit for the chickens...but then it started to drizzle so I decided to do some cleaning out of 'stuff"...7 deg and drizzle is too much on a Tuesday. Then the drizzle stopped and the sun came out, and it's too late for history (all in the past anyway), but at least I have a tidy cupboard.
It's so good that you are able to keep in regular contact with Phil - he must appreciate it so much, and his family too. A weight off your mind. And what a blessing that he now has a Hospice place. What have you planned for the arrival of The Boy for the long weekend? Wonderful that you have Karen back.
Doodle - glad it was you who wrote that paper – now can you explain just what it actually means?? I hope all is well with your DH and the balance. A walker sounds a great idea. So easy to yourself a mischief with a fall or even just by a lapse in balance. I hope you have a fun birthday party for DH.
Grammaretto - can you send a photo of your tile? Sounds lovely if it’s already been borrowed! Good that health issues with your DD seem to be resolving. The memoir makes fantastic reading, thank you again.
It’s been a busy few days. Yesterday was the U3A AGM, and I was voted onto the committee…I may live to regret it, having to recruit two speakers every month. There are lots of interesting people in our district, but not all that many who are willing to give a talk. We also had the Kapa Haka group from the local primary school come, with their tutor, to explain the significance of Matariki and the Pleiades, and to entertain us with their repertoire of songs that they are performing for the All Blacks when they visit tomorrow. Such a treat. Then we went to MrJ’s medical appointment – a 2 week wait for blood test result discussions! Turns out liver function is not good and diabetes is out of control…strict diet starting immediately…he did the keto diet with me a few years ago, and lost 14 kg in a couple of months, but a diet of lots of green veg is not all that appealing to a Mancunian, for whom cold chips comprise a salad. He seems keen though – let’s hope.
Must dash…washing done, might get a little drying now that the sun is out. Have a great Summer solstice.

Oh, I do have a few volunteers- a friend will talk about raising alpacas, another about gemstones/crystals and their medicinal use, yet another about how she and her DH sailed across the world in their small-ish yacht and found their paradise in NZ ..a good start, at least!

I don't know what they are going to do with that Gubbins, My DS is exhausted, trying to finish his papers on cyber security, deal with all the work change-over - and getting les than 2 hours sleep per night.

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That Gubbins needs a talking to
Here is the tile and also the happy pigs I passed on yesterday's walk
The Hospice sounds like a good place for Phil to be.
People do go in for a while and come home again.
I'm worried now about my DDiL. She won't leave the dog. He's become an excuse for her to never go anywhere. They called yesterday and I offered to take him so they could have a holiday or visit DS in Ireland but she says he is too badly behaved. I think she meant the dog not DS.

Wrong photo. That one was Greyfriars churchyard after last week's concert. Still some light. Not the basking pigs.

Kaimoana I started reading your post and was quite shocked.
“I’ve put out some fat soaked bird …….so my lawn has legions of cheeky sparrows”. I had visions of a basted roast chicken on your lawn…..until I re-read it and realised I’d missed the vital word ..seed. ?
Reading your comments about Phil makes me realise how much more your friendship would mean to him than I had previously thought. How wonderful it must be for such a man to have a good friend like you. I do hope you can keep in touch by emails. His family must value your input.
We could buy a walker if DH wanted one but at the moment he’s reluctant to depend on one. I am planning on trying to get him some physio help soon to try and straighten his shoulders and back. He’s become much more curved since the fall down the stairs.
I’m glad you have one of those bracelet things. Just don’t forget it if you need it.
3 quakes yesterday……I hope your bloomers didn’t fall down ?
Kei kenoi ahau mo koe dear friend
Boadicea your “all in the past” pun made me think of my brother who would have lived such a quip. ?
Thank you. Yes DH is looking forward to his meal out.
You will be busy looking for speakers but I’m sure the three you’ve got to start with will be interesting. I like alpacas.
Sorry about MrBJ’s results. Diets are so unappealing. I love food. I don’t know much about the Keto diet. I will have to look it up. Hope it is successful in sorting out the liver and diabetes.
Kaimoana I’m sorry Gubbins is still having trouble sleeping.
It must be a worry. Little ones do grow out of it at some point but it’s not fun while you are going through it.
Grammaretto my son and family won’t go on holiday because of their dogs either. In fact my son hasn’t had a holiday for as long as I can remember. Time off is usually spent doing more things round the house. I too wish they would have a break. They are starting to look for somewhere they can take the dogs with them. They’ve had a difficult time for many years now and could certainly do with a break.
Could your son and DIL rent a cottage or something by the coast and take the dog with them?
I do like your tile. Lovely colours and design.
Pigs looked very relaxed. ?
Have a good day all.

Update. I still have no way of communicating other than email and now, because the ISP has been messing about with the wi-fi, I can no longer download and listen to audio books which, as you know, are my sole means of entertainment.
Nor is the Alexa unit working.
I had hoped to go to a BlindLowVision support group this morning but can't ring for a taxi as nothing is working. No word yet of when any technician will be here to fix.

Grammaretto Phil is not in Hospice for respite care, he's terminally ill and although the oncologist would not give dates when Phil asked, in May, how long he'd got, he was told it was unlikely to be more than a few weeks. I have asked the hospice if they have any advice on travel: volunteer driver to whom one pays petrol costs, etc.

I'm am envying BJ's lovely wood fire, which keeps the whole house warm and smells wonderful. Wish I had something similar here, it's 8 degrees but the sun is trying to get through.

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I anything cheers me when I am very down, it's birds (and flowers) so when these two landed on my page, I felt heaps better.

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You do sound very low Kaimoana I wish I could magic some joy for you and warmth
Here is my rose Gertrude Jeckyll, a very well behaved girl.

Good morning ?
It's been one of those spells when queen Chaos reigns supreme - but I'm up to date with reading.

Kaimoana you are the kind of friend everyone needs, please never change! Glad the birds bring you joy - I'm utterly terrified of them, even the tiny brown jobs. I've been known to pass out when one gets in the house.

I was never keen on flying things but on the night of the great hurricane in the 1980s I found myself, naked, in a room with over forty swifts. No, not a dream Doodle !

We were renovating our house and the huge sash window had been sent to the joiners for repair and Mr M had tacked up a sheet of hardboard to cover the gap, and it was about 9" short.
The birds sensed trouble ahead and unbeknown to us had come in to roost on the picture rails. I showered, came into the bedroom to dry my hair and all hell broke loose.

Mr M was in the shower and covered in soap, the twins were screaming in their bedroom and I was out cold, starkers on the bedroom floor.........

To be continued tomorrow......?

Kaimoana I am so sorry. You must feel so isolated.
I do hope all your services are re-connected soon.
I’m sure you are anxious about communicating with Phil. Does your son realise you are unable to use your phone?
In an effort to cheer you, this is the best I can come up with on the bird and flower front

Grammaretto your rose is very pretty. In view of its name I am wondering if it turns into deadly nightshade in the twilight hours? ?
Mamissimo wow that’s some thriller. You’ve certainly got me in the Alfred Hitchcock frame of mind. I can’t wait for the rest of the story. ?

Good news for DH today. Went to dentist to have his broken tooth removed and dentist suggested as it wasn’t causing him any trouble they could just file down the sharp edge and leave it alone. DH and his pocket are very happy with that.
Been so hot today I feel limp and tired. Early start tomorrow as church in the morning followed by visit to DHs brother for lunch.
Hope everyone is ok.
Boadicea do the mean girls live outside when it gets colder? Does it actually get really cold where you are?

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Many, many thanks for the birds and flowers, they have cheered me a lot.

I loved the Snowy Owl Doodle but can't quite see if it's surrounded by buttercups or celandines. Whatever, they are beautiful. THANKYOU

Mamissimo I am so sorry you are scared by birds but can understand why.
I had a neighbour who only ever went out after dusk, so great was her fear of them. Sad.

Grammaretto Gertrude looks very happy in your garden. Her name, I was surprised to read, is pronounced Jee-kyl, not like Mr Hyde's alter ego.

She did some wonderful work in gardens and was possibly one of the first designers to include wild gardens within formal ones. See pictures for one and a very nice Queen Victoria-ish portrait of her.
Thank you too for your kindness in sending me roses. xxxx

Twenty minutes ago, my phonewas restored; what a relief, especially as Phil rang only moments later.

He, dear man, has applied to be moved from the distant Hospice to a local rest home with hospice care, just so I can visit. Isn't that amazing?
He hopes to move next week.

Also, hearing the 'out of service' tone on my phone, Matua Albie TePania, a lovely man and chairamn of our kaumatua committee, came round to see if I was all right.
We had a cuppa and a gossip.

Best of all, the family will be here tomorrow and instead of being greeted by a weeping and gnashing of teef, they will get smiles.
They'll leave my darling GS for the long weekend.
Yipee!

"Manawatia a Matariki" (welcome Matariki)

Morning All

Just popped in quickly with an update. I've been spending far too much time on the Zipper Club Facebook page trying to glean information.

DH was doing famously until the end of last week when he realised his diuretic pills were running out and he didn't know if he should stop them. GP surgery thought not, but seemingly had no record of his going into the local hospital after his discharge from Papworth. So they had no record of the medication he's been on. So they prescribed (it transpires) the dose he was on Before the op. Much too much and he's been severely dehydrated and rather poorly. Rang the surgery on Monday and fortunately it was our old experienced doctor who phoned him back. (Still no face to face appointments or home visits unless you can prove you're actually dying.) So he's now back on the correct meds. but he really wasn't much better yesterday so I rang Papworth and now we're just waiting to go to the surgery for blood tests etc. Of course, being weekend soon, we won't get any results until Monday! Sorry. Rant over! I'm rather p*****d off. And Himself isn't a happy bunny either!

Hello Gang,

What is the Zipper Club NfkD? It can't be about zippers can it.
Thanks for the update. The admin side of the NHS seems to be the worst part. DD had her scan after an 18 month wait and then 2 appointments were sent simultaneously, one in the past and one in a hospital 100 miles away at the same time as the first. I hope DH gets the correct treatment soon.

Kaimoana That is much better news! Hooray!! I am so glad you will be up and running again and able to see Phil in the rest home. Your cup runneth over.
Gertude Jekyll worked with the architect Edwin Lutyens and they left a legacy of many beautiful houses and gardens, including Greywalls at Gullane which is now a hotel and expensive restaurant. I have been hinting for years but so far no-one has offered to take me there.
greywalls.co.uk/about

I had a most interesting visit from an architect/friend yesterday who has another idea for me to ponder. His is to build a small house in my garden for me in my retirement and to sell the big house. The only thing is I need to find the deeds!
While he was here, a posse of neighbours appeared who say they are afraid my trees are about to land on their houses and could I please see that they are made safe/ cut down etc.
Some big decisions ahead!

Doodle that was a lucky escape from the dentist for the dude. I can't imagine the heat you are having. Here is decidedly cool freezing. The Czech girl arrived last night and said how pleasingly cool it was in Scotland.
I have set her to preparing the kitchen walls for painting. The problem is there are too many things with not enough homes for them. What to keep and what to rehome?

Mamissimo it's always lovely to see you but sorry to hear you are bird phobic. Perhaps like me and rodents? A bat flew in while I was ironing one day and I felt terrorised but I have had to get used to jackdaws and pigeons falling down the chimney. I don't enjoy dealing with them, catching and releasing, but needs must.
BJ I am glad you enjoyed GGF memoire. I have another from my German GGF somewhere. Perhaps the deeds will be hiding in the same place?

I have looked up zipper club and it is the heart surgery warriors! I should have realised.

Good afternoon.....?

........and I was naked and out cold on the bedroom floor.

Being a quick thinker, Mr M wrapped a towel round his nethers and threw on a fleece.....and set off up the Lane to get help from the elderly man who bred budgies.

In his absence I came too and grabbed a towel and bolted into the babies room......where dd1 had two birds on her Cot rail. Down I went again, as did the towel........just as elderly neighbour arrived with Mr M.

This gallant gent cleared the birds carefully.......we all calmed down and..........gallant neighbour went straight to pub to tell them all about.....my birthmark! ?

Mamissimo you are a hoot but perhaps under the circumstances, that not the best phrase to use!

Nfk I would have thought the pharmacist would have queried the dosage. Don't they have a record of meds? I do hope all comes right for your DH, he must be feeling miserable. Don't wonder you're cheesed off.

Yes Gramaretto things do seem to have become less fraught.
Once my DS arrives this evening, I'll be able to get into my library account, my bank and all other important places which make my life run smoothly and which nowadays rely on IT.

The cottage in the garden sounds lovely; like muse's. What do people do when Deeds are irrevocably lost? There must be some plan as I'm sure many must go astray.

Today, a hooley for Matariki at Papakura then home to quickly make dinner for my family's arrival.

Apple and blueberry crumble just needs its crumble; potatoes are peeled, veg prepared, so not much to make the meal complete.

I may even risk turning on the heat-pump for Gubbins!

Before I return to post my own message I have wonderful news to report.
I have had messages today from both Cherry and Panache
Cherry says hello to all the gang. Thinking of us and sending her good wishes to NFK and her DH, to Kaimoana and sorry about the sad news about Phil. Grammaretto, Cherry bemoans Sparky and the lack of your cooker and hopes your DD gets her appointment soon.
Cherry sends her love, best wishes and cwtches to us all.
Panache sends her best wishes to all the gang. This is a poignant month of memories for her but she wants you to know she is leading a peaceful and gentle life. She has had another cardiac issue diagnosed and has had an op for a facial BCC but is “Stepping out and looking forward” and hopes the same for all of us.