The Lockdown Gang - still chatting ?

BJ when I looked up Cushy, in a manner of speaking, I saw she was "a big lass and a bonny lass" from Gateshead.

You'll enjoy all Mark Forsyth's books.

Boadicea I don’t remember that one. I’ll have to look it up.
Sorry to hear you’ll miss your concert. I hope you’re feeling better.
Kaimoana ah I do remember Cushy Butterfield. Wasn’t she the one who was a big girl and a bonnie girl and she liked her beer (i might have made that whole lot up) ?
Good to hear all the family are feeling better. Hope things are back to normal soon and they can visit again.
Thank you for the book recommendation. I will look out for it.
Funny you mentioning Mamissimo . I was thinking last night that we haven’t heard from her for a while.
If you’re reading anyone, we are still thinking of you Nfk , Nortsat, Jan on the high seas, Missedout, Muse, Cherry ,Panache and Dragonfly . Hope all is well with everyone.

Ok, I have never studied Latin but thought I would be letting the side down if it didn’t come up with some interesting fact. In doing my research last night I came across this:

Lax meaning not tense. Regardless of method, the practice of relaxing comes down to letting go of stress and releasing tension like in yoga or having a soak in a hot bath.
The root also appears in the word laxative which describes an agent used to relieve constipation by reducing tension in the bowel.
Well now every time I visit the toilet I can think to myself, I have learnt something Latin ?

Hello Lobstars, near and far!

Now I am thinking I should have taken up Latin rather than Gaelic as my Lockdown language. It might be fractionally more useful and a bit easier to spell. I did do some at school but not a lot. We read Caesar's Gallic wars and he didn't think much of Britannia's weather. Funny that.

Not a lot to report from the frozen north. It was sunny today and I had lunch with my in-laws.
In another place, DDiL now has covid along with her DD, who is improving. DiL is quite poorly and has taken to bed.

I am not sure sure if I could cope with Cushy Butterfield though I'm sure she's very nice all that cider!

Doodle has mentioned all our missing gangsters so I shall just say I miss you too.

I hope that sparky doesn't come tonight. I want to reLAX and not watch him climbing scaffolding to position all the smoke detectors. There are 16 in total! plus a master switch.


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Though it's early on a Monday morning, I've just been treated to a rendition of Cushy Butterfield from MrJ. An educative experience. Fortunately he has a lovely Welsh singing voice. What a lovely name is Cushy Butterfield. Conjures up a wonderful image of a bonny lass, even before the rest of the song.Blonde, blue-eyed, sturdy, broadly smiling, and in the words of T.S.Eliot -"uncorseted, her friendly bust gives promise of pneumatic bliss".

Imagine if her name were Edna Snipe. Or Mildred Scuttle.

Dear Miss.....the computer ate my post and I lost the will to redo it!

I've been swamped by visitors, both human and canine and by random tradespeople doing delayed jobs about the place. Head was spinning by Friday when the last family group arrived. Mr M and I did a quick count up and in seven days We've entertained nineteen visitors, changed eleven beds and cooked three roast dinners, twelve chocolate fondants, cheese scones, fruit pies and bacon butties.....and we had a great time!

two cases of wine, a crate of cider and two litres of gin have vanished from the cupboard we feel happy, fat, and tired!

I love Latin! My parents were both academics and encouraged my sister and I to study the classics. I took Latin and my sister read Ancient Greek and Middle English at Cambridge.....she became a computer programmer and I translate old documents for family historians for the joy of it.

We're going to blob in front of the telly tonight and do nothing much tomorrow except put our house back together ?

Ata marie oku hoa - g'day friends. :-)

Yes Doodle that's the lass exactly, right down to the beer.

We all use Latin every day, often without knowing it. I don't just mean 'et cetera' eg., and id est, i.e., but - bonus, facsimile, futile, celibate, insipid and dozens more.

We also use Hindi: bungalow, bandana, pyjamas, chutney etc.

Norse words are particularly common in the North of England but we all use them: thing, husband, their, saga, yule & thrift.

In fact, because Britain has been invaded so often and the British have been invaders in many parts of the world, we have swapped thousands of words and now have a very rich, multi-cultural language.

Are you all asleep yet?

Even Gaelic's in there Grammaretto with: cairn, trousers, pet, slogan and pillion, and in order to have a shindig, we must have whisky and we'll all cause a hubub

In fact, if you identify all the Gaelic words you already know, there's probably not much left to learn

I'm off to have me feets done by a lovely podiatrist, an Afghani lady who probably knows her professional title is Greek.

Jeeves, strong black coffee for everyone please.....

Glad to see you Mamissimo!!

Mamissimo*! However did you survive such an onslaught?! All that food! All that booze! It's a wonder you are not typing under the table. Well done, and there must be an award for The Most Tolerant Host. How lucky your sister was to read Ancient Greek! I had an English teacher I greatly respected at school-a Cambridge man - who offered to tutor me in Greek at lunchtimes, an offer I fell on enthusiastically and gratefully. I devoured the language until one day he committed the unpardonable...as a naive and shy 16 year old, I was terribly confused, and lessons ceased. Men back in the 60s, men in a position of power, were so entitled. The same thing happened several times at Uni, once during a French Oral exam, where I was trapped and vulnerable...had he decided to fail me - despite my winning the French Embassy prize in my year- I would have had no come-back. And my Archaeology lecturer, on my enquiring of him about the Masters in the subject, to make a career of it, stroked my knee, and above, murmuring "Why does a pretty little thing like you want to do a dirty job like that?" My Archaeology career, and the scholarship to Cambridge that I would almost certainly have won, disappeared in a second. I did however, on the recommendation of another of my lecturers, a lovely man, go to Cambridge the following year, and meet the professor, one of my deities for his amazing work. He invited me to go on a dig in Israel in the summer, an offer that he was forced to rescind later, because the looming war meant that they wouldn’t take women, only a skeleton group of big brave men who were, of course, owing to external gonads, capable of facing danger.

Doodle - great to know that you’re seeing the virtues of Latin! In the loo of all places! Do you have Nivea in your bathroom? From the Latin nix, nivis = snow.

Grammaretto - But isn’t G.J.C’s Gallic War wonderful? All that rip-snorting action, aquilifers leaping down into the deep water off the coast of Kent shouting “I shall do my duty to my legion and commander!” or some such…years since I taught it, so paraphrasing. Boys LOVE it – girls not so much, surprisingly. It must make a Scot’s patriotic heart swell with pride to know that they alone repulsed the wicked Romans. Or that the Romans had more sense than to squander men and money on trying to conquer a damp, dark, midge-infested land with few resources.
All those smoke alarms! What happens if they all run out of battery at the same time and start making that awful noise – the Song of the Dying Detector? I do hope your DDiL isn’t too poorly.

Kaimoana Hope you’re having a wonderfully reLAXing time with your podiatrist, and that you feel a million $$ after your PEDICURE. Did you know that a complete French dictionary contains 7 volumes, a complete English one, TWELVE? Goes to show the advantages of being conquered and conquering, both being part of, and creating, an empire, picking up so many rich and diverse words which make English so unique and amazing.

DS2 is at the specialist today. Everything crossed for the graft having taken. I’m still crook, fatigue and no appetite, nailed to the chair by MrJ - Kaimoanahas offered to send him more nails. Such a pain…so much to do in the garden.
Keep well, everyone. x

Oh, and Kaimoana, your Afghani lady may even have Greek ancestors, of course. Alexander's boys put it about a bit. Kandahar ( founded as Alexandria in Arachosia by Alexander the GreatButcher) was just one of many Hellenic cities built in that part of the world, where to this day, red/fair hair and blue/green eyes abound. Like the famous photo.)

Kandahar comes from Iskander, the name Alexander was known by in that area. Or as he is referred to in song and folk tale - "Iskander the devil"

Woo-hoo! DS2 reports that the surgeon is very impressed with the progress the eye has made in a week. Only one line below driving standard at this stage! So relieved.

Have been chasing chickens all day, rather than resting. They have found the garden and have decided that it's much more fun than their run.
Remember that old song?

"How you going to keep them
Down on the farm,
Now that they've seen Pareeee?"

Well, I suppose that the Japanese for "chicken" is "niwatori" = "garden bird", so they've taken that literally.

Tomorrow the doc, then some more netting, to add to the new netting already installed. Then, trimming their wings...Bossy Jill won't like that...

Kaimoana do let us know about your new feet. Did you get fancy nail colours, glitter and all? How are your little family? Still happy and perky?

Sorry there's been a plethora of posts, a superfluity of stories, a flurry of forgotten (stuff to add.) Being nailed to a chair is boring, even though I've used the time wisely on family research. I've even resorted to checking my cuttings for root growth several times a day, because it takes the mind off the mad Russian.

And I never did thank you for your kind enquiries after my health. Thank you, dear Gangstars.x

Hi Lobstars,

I'm just back from an overindulgent Christmas lunch for the walking group.
We paid before Christmas so it seemed to be free!
I hope you are still taking things easy, nailed to the chair
BJ
Good news indeed about DS2. Sounds like he is in good hands.

My family is still infected with covid (DDil, DGD) or just a bit crook (DD)
I bought a curtain on ebay and will collect it tomorrow as it's only in the next town. It's to cover a draughty door at MiL's.
I don't think a sari would be thick enough however beautiful Kaimoana
I am enjoying your etymology lessons BJ and Kaimoana I even found myself quoting you at lunch and sounding very erudite!

Nice to see you Mamissimo. I hope you have recovered from your massive visitor onslaught.

I'm just off for a post prandial ZZZZ

Hi all. Been a strange day. Phone calls from GP checking up on DH. Can’t fault our local surgery they have been so attentive. Then a walk in the sunshine but it was very chilly.
Been chatting about a night away somewhere and think we might go to Winchester.
Boadicea Cushy Butterfield makes me think of a buxom lass wearing one of those off the shoulder blouses, in fact just as you described her ?
Ooh I say….I’ve just read about your Greek teacher. And the others too. If any of that happens at my DGDs university, I will be down there with my rolling pin quick smart.
Sorry you missed out on the opportunity to go in the dig to Israel. That must have been a big disappointment. It would have been so interesting.
I hope all goes well for your son and his graft. Does he have to stay in hospital or is he at home? Sorry you are still feeling poorly hope you improve soon. Well done MrB for keeping you nailed down.
Mamissimo lovely to hear from you. Wow you have been so busy. 19 visitors, my goodness have you opened a hotel. You must be exhausted but it sounds as though a good time was had by all. (All that booze and you didn’t invite me ?)
DH studied Latin too as did DGD. I studied German but can’t remember any of it.
You must be good to be able to translate documents.
Enjoy your evening in front of the TV.
Kaimoana I had no idea all those words I use have such origins (I’m more fluent in different languages than I thought ?)
Hope your tootsies (that has to be an English word) feel fresh and light and ready to dance round the floor.
Ah Boadicea just read your next post and see things are Going well for your son. That sounds promising
Not sure chasing the chickens will make you feel any better. Perhaps you need the hen version of a sheep dog.
Grammaretto Christmas lunch ? did you have crackers and jokes and wear party hats ?
Sorry to hear the family are still poorly.
Yes Kaimoana and Boadicea are full of quotable offerings….I’m not so sure my one offering of the Latin laxative for bowel movement would have been suitable for your lunch gathering anyway. ?
Have a good evening all.

Yes, Doodle! Exactly! Cushy would wear an off-the-shoulder blouse and a full, gathered skirt in a somewhat bright floral. Teamed with Doc Martens. Hair in a dishevelled plait wound around her head, with tumbling wisps. Or else a boiler suit, with the front buttons strained by her generous proportions.
DS2 sent a very graphic photo that was obviously taken through the surgeon's lens. It was actually really interesting, showing the 16 stitches that are holding the new cornea in place. What amazing work these people do.
It's good to know that your surgery keeps such a close eye on your DH - so reassuring to know that he is not just a number. - I hope he's doing well?
And how lovely to just have a little chat and pick a place as amazing as Winchester to go for a wee trip. Yes, it was disappointing not going to Israel, way back in the 70s. I was also invited more recently to work on the Spittlefields cemetery excavation, but couldn't produce my smallpox vaccination certificate that is required for work in old graveyards. My doc from way back had died and my records had disappeared. Oh well...all that PPE in a hole in the ground in London was probably pretty unpleasant.
Grammaretto - how is the family doing? Still a bit crook? I hope the curtain is exactly what your DMiL needs, and that it makes a difference to her comfort.
I wonder how Kaimoana's tootsies are doing? And her little family.
Also how Jan's maritime adventures are going, and whether Mamissimo has survived her tsunami of visitors unscathed?
I see Maureen and Doreen are both out again, and heading for the fence...time to do some chicken-wrangling.
Bye all, and have a great evening!

White rabbits!

Hello gang, although not posting, I have been 'eavesdropping'!

Despite my science background, I have always been interested in language. It was compulsory to learn 2 years of Latin at my school and this was followed by French and German (I can't remember much now though). One of the reasons I like watching 'Countdown' is to listen to Suzy Dent's explorations of etymology.

I once found myself at a party where Adge Cutler and the Wurzels turned up as guests. It was a fun evening. I used to go to a folk club every week as a teenager as well, Cushie Butterfield was always sung with gusto (but was not a Wurzel's song).

Our garden currently looks a mess. The badgers have been at work again, digging divots in the lawn.

One of our three new trees (the Amelanchier which we call by our youngest grandson's name) will soon be in bloom.

My cleaner has left me, she has taken a full-time job. I'm not sure I can afford to replace her anyway. Today, we received our notice of gas price increases from April. Gloom on gloom, more housework and thicker, warmer underwear - can we still buy liberty bodices?

I have some more medical problems, need dental treatment again and my family are bickering. I just wish they could argue among themselves and leave DH and me in blissful ignorance.

I have thrown caution to the winds. DH and I have been on holiday with family, on a ferry during Storm Eunice, travelled on trains, had coffee (and cake) in a crowded Costa, food shopped and eaten out regularly. I just don't seem to care about Covid any more (although DH and I still wear masks in enclosed places). I've more plans to visit my 'up north' lot too.

I'm not a nice person at the moment, I'm angry. I loathe what is going in the world, feel desperately sorry for Ukraine and have only contempt for our pathetic government - enough said!

Perhaps, post Covid, my mood is still low.

I need my fellow lobstars to keep me 'grounded' so will keep dipping in and hope you will all forgive me for not contributing very often.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202203/medium-644976-bouquet.jfif https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202203/medium-333873-libertyb.png

Missedout you're a fellow folkie!

I used to sing at various festivals and folk clubs and even ran a club in my home here for years.

You are a nice person -you are reacting normally (and honestly most people here are saying the same thing) to a world which seems to have little regard for human rights, or respect for life.
Perhaps it's to do with Covid, long, weary lockdowns and many deaths but I think governments have always been pathetic; power-mad despots have always ridden roughshod; and caring people like you have always been angry and distressed about it. It was ever thus and I suspect ever will be.
Thank goodness there are still people like you who care enough to be angry and upset.

When Spring comes and your beautiful Amelanchier is in full bloom, you'll see the glory coming back.

You'll tell the family, 'Look, your bickering upsets us so take it elsewhere please.'

You'll stop gnashing your teeth and get them fixed - does your dentist allow you to pay over time? If you're a regular client, they might.

Meanwhile, here's a bouquet to cheer you and remind you there's nothing to forgive, we've all felt like that - and still do.

Oh, and a libby to keep you warm so you can save on gas!

Dear Kaimoana, I'm glad I posted. You have cheered me up immeasurably.

Thank you for the flowers and liberty bodice!

Ah Kaimoana can I accept that hymn of faith you have just extolled to Missedout as I am feeling pretty much the same way. a few mixed metaphors but who cares
It is a wonderful sunny day so that is a positive but the state of the world is not happy.

I had an odd sort of day. I set off by bus to pick up this eBay curtain which is not very nice and I will donate it to charity. On the way I had a call from someone who lives nearby so I called on her for coffee. That was so impromptu but very nice in every respect.

The lodgers called to say they are probably not moving in this Friday but are still coming to deliver half their stuff tonight! Apparently there has been a hitch in their house sale and they are very stressed. So of course I said that would be just fine.

Please can I share the flowers!
.

Kaimoana - you have the lightest of loving touches to the troubled. Bless you for your sensitivity and caring. x
Missedout and Grammaretto-thinking of you here in the dark of the predawn. The sorrow of the world is weighing heavily.

Boadicea that Cushie would be a big girl I think.
How is your DS doing? Not sure I could look at that photo I’m a bit squeamish.
DH is sleeping well thanks. Yes we have booked an overnight in Winchester later this month. Looking forward to it.
Well Ok Kaimoana I must admit you had me stumped. A beautiful photo and such a cute little rabbit, but why? Now I get get it, first day of the month. A white rabbit is better than a pinch, punch any time.
Missedout how lovely to hear from you.
Was it you who had a camera in the garden to capture the nighttime antics of the badgers? I can’t remember.
Sorry your cleaner is leaving. Yes we must pile on the extra socks and woolly jumpers this winter. The increases in gas and electricity are horrific. I am already in two pairs of socks but luckily have a lovely blanket that I can snuggle under when it gets colder. I used to wear liberty bodices because, as we all know, if you didn’t you would get a chill in your kidneys. ?
I hope your medical problems get sorted soon and the dentist isn’t a costly visit. Sorry the family squabbles are getting you down. Hope it’s resolved soon.
I’m glad you’re getting on with life and doing things again. Like us, still masked but going out.
I think we are all a bit on edge at the moment. Watching what is happening in the Ukrainian is dreadful. I can see no logic for it, poor people. The news seems to be one awful thing after another. Kaimoana’s right, we need spring to come and bring some sunshine. I think it’s a lovely idea to name your tree another your DGS. Hope your trees are thriving and weren’t damaged in the storm.
You are welcome here whenever you want to pop in. We are always pleased to hear from you. Take care of yourself.
Kaimoana well am I never going to cease being amazed at your talents. Singing too. Well I didn’t know that.
It would be lovely to have our own little club, music and entertainment, poetry reading, Grammaretto could show us how to throw pots, we could just sit and natter and put the entire world to rights.
Those are beautiful flowers. Oh and a liberty bodice for Mamissimo too. ?
Grammaretto yes I feel much the same as everyone else.
The situations in Afghanistan and Ukraine and many other parts of the world are dire.
Sorry your curtain was a disappointment. Hope you can find the right thing soon.
Glad you had a nice chat with a friend. That is cheering.
Sorry your lodgers are having problems with their house sale. Isn’t it always the way. Hope they get it resolved and move in soon.
Take care all.

A little poem for you all (John McLeod)

Can I give you a handful of laughter
A smidgeon of giggles to boot.
A cup full of tease and a comical sneeze
Followed by a hilarious hoot
Can I offer an hour of happiness
Throw in an odd chuckle or two
The time spent is worthwhile
If the joy brings a smile
To the friend(s) I am writing this to.
x

Doodle - you are a star...such a lovely, warm and empathetic person. Just like the rest of the gang. I love reading your posts! x

Happy Pancake Day ! ?

Mr M and I have just finished scraping the bits off the ceiling tossing our crepes and are ready to flop. We are beginning to get ready to temporarily move out so that DD1 and family have somewhere to live until their new house is complete. We have a lot to do because DSiL is a bit of an OCD clean freak!

Unfortunately this is an old house in the country and we have animals, mud and a Mr M who forgets to take his boots off when he comes in from the yard! I think we also have the only cleaner who can't see cobwebs, dust, skirting boards .....or anything else. She wears glasses to drive but takes them off when she starts work. She's very reliable about turning up each week but I don't think we'd really see much difference if she didn't.

The thing is that I need to have a cleaner to make me tidy up before she comes. I get up early on cleaner days and run around putting the place to rights and I usually go to the shed while she stirs the dust around works her magic. When I come back in it all seems lovely.....but DSiL will have a fit! He steam cleans his kitchen floor after every meal! We just call H. beagle in ?

Tomorrow I hope to collect the quilt and then I have 2 days to bind it before it's DS's birthday. I promise to post a photo as soon as I finish.

Lovely to see you Missedout !

Hi Mamissimo
He steam cleans his floor after every meal ?! Mine is lucky to get washed once a week.
Oh dear. You will be quite busy getting the house ready for them. I would hope they would be so grateful to you for giving up your home for them that they won’t complain at all.
Are you moving in with your other DD? I think you said that you were. Have you packed your hard hat …..I seem to remember you thinking it might be a stressful time.
Dear Honey beagle, is she going with you to your daughters?
I’m looking forward to seeing your quilt. It’s so exciting.