The Lockdown GangSTARS still going

Jan Jeeves is heading your way with a concealed supply of gin and tonic. Look out for a hot water bottle 🤣
Hope you are gaining strength every day and the physio is coming round regularly. How is your DH coping?
Grammaretto I am concerned that your American visitors are giving you more stress than company. Glad they got their coats back. How strange they were found on a skip. Hope you manage to have a peaceful weekend without any more incidents, Hope the show goes well tomorrow. Have you got all your pots ready?
Kaimoana what are you up to this weekend, any visitors?
DH and I had a lovely walk this afternoon. It was slightly chilly but not windy. Lots ove lovely crunchy leaves underfoot and that beautiful smell of autumn in the air. The weather forecast for the weekend isn’t good so I’m expecting lots of fireworks tonight for bonfire night.

It's very tempting to over-praise one's country (I do it myself) but one must be realistic, even in Kentucky there are 1,000s of thefts.

Unexpected joy this morning: DS has just asked if I'll be home. He's coming over with Gubbins.

Posted too soon

Doodle your walk sounds delightful - wood smoke is the smell of Autumn to me - lovely.

Hope you are a little more cheerful Jan - every day of progress is a day nearer parole going home. Enjoy the G&T.

Glad to hear muse DH* are moving into their wee palace next door, that will be such a relief for winter/Christmas.

Loud fireworks at 3.30am where are people's brains, not to mention concern for others?

Gubbins will be 2 years old on Monday and she can count to 5.

Thinking of Cherry, BJ & Nfk hope you and all our other friends are battling through.
Please book the retreat Grammaretto

Have a good weekend everyone

I cannot believe that Gubbins is 2. That is just not possible.
Doodle your Autumn walk sounds divine.
We had a lovely evening. I lit the fire and my df came for supper. The American man noticeably relaxed and chatted to the man!
We heard all about their 8 years living on a boat on the. Chicago river.

I am going to bed but I'm watching the last embers of the fire.

The fire still burning. I was explaining about Guy Fawkes to the Americans. They were fascinated.

I've had what I think may be a supernatural experience, don't laugh. It was really moving.

What happened? Kaimoana

Kaimoana hope you had a lovely time with Gubbins . Is she really going to be 2 soon. I can’t believe it.
Ooh, I too want to know about your supernatural experience. Please turn the lights down low and in the flickering of a candle tell us all.
Grammaretto hope all your pots got cooked in time for the show and it went well. I’m glad at last you have had a more relaxing evening with the Americans. I love a real fire and watching the embers. Wish we had one. Have you got any fireworks going off round you. At least the Americans know what it’s about.
Been wet all day here today but a dry evening so far which is why there are so many fireworks going off.
Mark is sulking in the knitting bag as I have been asked to knit another sheep. DH is busy sorting through thousands of photos to make a photo book.
Hope Jan is feeling a bit better and as always thinking of Nfk and all the other gangsters. Take care all

Unfortunately the physio is not coming round regularly or even irregularly. I have had 2 god sessions and that’s it. Tomorrow being Sunday it’s unlikely there will be physio. Sitting in bed is not good either mentally or physically. The story is the Physios are short staffed. That maybe but that’s the hospitals problem. I have to think about my mobility and I need to get on my feet again. Not sure where to go from here. Complain I suppose but as I can’t get out of bed without help it’s difficult to know who to complain too. Answers on a postcard please!!!
Loads of fireworks going off here. Surprised people have the money! Hope everyone is having a good weekend - best wishes from a miserable old woman!!

Jan my DH faced a similar problem with lack of physio after he ended up in hospital with 6 broken ribs. Physio wanted him up and walking every day but only visited once. He was too unsteady to walk on his own and the nurses too busy to help him. I hate to say it but I think the answer is to complain. Ask to have exercises you could do on your own or, if your DH is allowed to visit, perhaps something you can do with his help. Might be an idea to get your DH to ask to speak to the person in charge of the ward. Sometimes that helps rather than you making a fuss yourself if someone else is seen to do it it adds extra weight. When DH was in pain and needed painkillers (i wasn’t allowed in due to Covid or I would have put a rocket up someone) the nursing staff wouldn’t give him any because it needed to be signed off by the pain clinic (who didn’t work weekends). I eventually got hold of a senior nurse and said it was ridiculous that there were no pain management staff on duty at which point she said Well there is the duty pain Dr on call. Through gritted teeth I suggested it would be a good idea to beep him. Pain meds duly administered and on the following Monday a phone call from the pain management boss to apologise for the fact he’d been left without meds at the weekend. Please don’t get me wrong, I think the nurses are great (well most of them) but they are just too busy or not of high enough rank to be able to act independently and sometimes need a nudge.
Hope you manage to get more help. The might of the lockdown gang is behind you so they’d better take good care of you. Thinking of you grapes 🍇 (🍷 ) & 💐 for you.

Hello Jan, this is your personal, digital physiotherapist

Here's what you can do for yourself.
Clasp both hands on top of your food tray or table. Use your good hand to guide the other in circles. Start slowly and see if you can do it 3-10 times, clockwise and anti-clockwise.

Then, with clasped hands, pull them towards you then push away. It might help to hold a cup, a small, rolled towel or full water bottle between your hands.

Also put both hands flat on the table (good hand helping affected one) and press into the table and relax (3-10 times). Then put your affected hand, palm up on table, use the good hand to flip it over. Do as many times as you can manage.

If the fingers of your affected hand are curled, gently, gently try to straighten them with your good hand.
Massage the affected hand with the good one to increase blood flow.

If you are 'sat out', maybe on a commode or wheelchair, clasp your hands together and move left and right, trying to move your torso too.

Pull your toes upwards towards you. This will tighten the calf of your good leg and tell your brain what it's forgotten about the affected one.

You know how you're taught relaxation? Tighten muscles from toes upwards to calves to thigh to tummy etc then relax. Do this right up the whole body. This can be done in bed and helps circulation, mental positivity – and relaxation skills .
Don't forget the muscles of your face and scalp.

All this helps the neuroplasticity of the brain, which can make new pathways and accept new instructions from these exercises, so do them as many times as you are able during the day.
It will be tiring, start slowly and don't worry if you can't do them all. This is just a stop-gap until your physio is able to see you.

Ask the nursing staff if there's a knowledgeable volunteer who might visit and encourage you.

As Doodle says, we are all behind you (like pantomime villains ) Team Jan are cheering for you from the side-lines. .

Thanks Kaoana that’s really helpful . Will try those exercises. I have politely complained and should be having physio today.

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Hello, you gorgeous GangSTARS. Sorry for no posts for yonks. When time permits, I read your news and soop's news and have tried to keep the kitchen up to date with what's going on in mid Cornwall.

Thank you to Doodle for letting you know our excitement. My arms are growing longer by the day. MrMuse is not allowed to go from current cottage to new home without some of the bags that I have loaded up. Today I'm taking more of the kitchen shelves and cupboard contents over. Oh My! What storage I have. I do hope the plumber manages to complete all the checks next week and we can put up the tubes in the solar thermal on the roof. MrMuse has the scaffolding up ready.

My face was a picture, when the electrician finished on Friday. I love the corner of the kitchen with it's lights. (photo) He has one more visit though. We changed the layout of the open plan room two years ago which meant the position of the main light has to be adapted. Difficult as it is a vaulted ceiling. We have a plan though, and he will return with a new fitment - it's on order.

We jumped at a new date for Openreach. They came last Monday to put in the fibre cable and move the hub but it has meant we have a snail's pace connection for mobiles in the cottage. However, it gives me a good excuse to be in the corner of the living area in the new house to get some work done. It won't be as untidy as this, when we move in properly towards the end of next week.

I am looking for a tree Kaimoana. It will go on the veranda.
I've miss you too, Cherry. Good to see you posting.

Back soon to celebrate our final moving in day. Photo of five years ago, on 26th November 2017, when we finished laying the foundation stones.

Hello Gang

I read on the GM thread that it's 14 years today since your DM died Grammaretto. Of course you still miss her, I miss my own and come December it'll be 20 years since she died. She actually popped up in my dream last night and have been thinking about her quite a bit today. Good memories, especially since I spent time cooking a lamb dinner. My mother loved a lamb dinner ☺️. I hope you have had equally pleasant memories of your DM today. Sending you a wuggerly cwtch xx

You are a wonderful font of knowledge Kaimoana Some great information on exercises for Jan to do to help her rehabilitation. I remember doing the palm on the table one myself in physio after the burns on my hand had healed enough. You really are a gem Kaimoana 💎 x

Jan, I do hope that you did have physio today as you were promised. Keep your pecker up, as Kaimoana says we're cheering (like cheerleaders not villains) for you xx

muse lovely to see you posting, thank you for the update on your house. You'll be well and truly settled in by Xmas won't you 😀. I love your kitchen not envious at all 😍

How are you on this fine 🤣 Sunday*Doodle? It's been gloriously wet here. Just to let you know that our team won in the last group match in the European competition in midweek. Yay! We played some young uns and they were very good. Today we played our A team and ... lost 😒

Kaimoana I should have known we could rely on you to come up with some practical help for Jan. Good suggestions.
Hope you have had a good weekend.
Jan hope the physio does come soon and start your exercises.
Muse what a glorious setting for your home. Your new kitchen looks lovely you must be so pleased with it. Your lounge looks cosy. I see Mya is well settled already.
Must be so exciting to see all your plans and hard work come to fruition.
Grammaretto hope the show went well. Did you sell anything? Are the Americans still with you.
Been raining most of the day today. We have had an at home day and a leisurely day. I feel sleepy now.
Cherry has our team been playing again?

See☝️Doodle 😅

Oooh you sneaky Cherry you popped in while I was typing my message.
Funny how memories suddenly pop into our minds isn’t it. You lost you mum a long time ago as did I. Mine was a really good cook (unfortunately not a skill passed on to me)
I’m sure you miss your mum Grammaretto as do you Cherry. I miss mine too. I was very lucky with both my parents.
Oh good news and bad for our team. Oh dear that’s the way of things. I expect I wasn’t cheering loudly enough.
See you’ve had the rain too. It’s been torrential here.
Ok then, I must ask, what is a wuggerly cwtch and if it’s nice please can I have one too 😀

I came home at the interval from the cinema tonight with a coughing fit. actually several
My df sent me home. I had hot milk with whisky and honey and a hot bath. That should cure it. The film was not my style.
It was Top gun maverick. I think I can guess the ending.

That's great for Jan, Kaimoana all those exercises. You are very knowledgeable and kind.
muse that's so exciting to be moving into your new house in time for Christmas. All that storage too.

Doodle since you asked, I sold one large bowl and had an order for some goblets which I didn't have but there's no rush so that's a relief.
I served apple juice from the apple pressing day and I made apple shortcake which didn't last long.
There were old friends there too who I only ever see at this event.
I have been thinking of mum today. My sister is writing a story of mum's life but she'd better get a move on. She's been writing it for years

Tomorrow I'm driving to Fife to collect the barometer which Cushie and I left at the repairer in March. The Americans are coming to help.
Mr America was sorting an old cupboard today and came across books of green shield stamps.
I tried to convince him they might be valuable some day and you should have seen the look I got

My 'supernatural' experience.

As you know, Phillip gave me his Samsung T813 so I could listen to downloaded audio books. Shortly after he died, the Tablet did as well. It wouldn't charge.

DS took it, found a new cable and managed to get a 40% charge before it gave up again. It came home, I plugged it in – it wouldn't charge.

Two men at BLV are very much into computers and they also knew Phil. They agreed to look at it. After 3 weeks, during which progress reports mentioned, 'built-in obsolescence', age, faulty charger and more, the T813 came back.
'Sorry, we tried but no hope'. I left it on a chair, unplugged and in its bag for the next 5 days.

Then I had one of those very vivid dreams such as Cherry just mentioned, when someone who's died, comes to visit.
It was Phillip, looking really well (but whiskery as Phil never was).
He put his hands on my shoulders (Phil in life would never have done this) and I said, 'What was that funeral business all about if you're not dead?'

He said, 'I spoke to the surgeon and he said I had to be taken up and healed before he could operate.' And then he was gone.

I turned to a boy using a laptop on the table next to me (dgs? dh?), and said, 'Am I dreaming, pinch me.' But as I held out an arm, I woke up.
So far so normal.
I went immediately to my computer and wrote everything down, knowing the dream would fade.

Yesterday I was at my PC looking for audio books to download into the new but tiny T225 phone bought by DS.

When I find a book, I right click and choose 'Send to your device', click on the T225 pop-up and off the book goes to be listened to later.

Instead, I saw not only T225 but T813 listed as 'Active'.

The T813 was still on the chair, unplugged and as far as I was aware completely uncharged.
But it wasn't - and has worked, like a dream, ever since.

Thank you Phillip.

Grammaretto well done on your orders. I think your apple shortbread must be delicious as it soon vanishes.
Sorry you had to leave the film early, although perhaps not if you weren’t enjoying it. I hope you felt better for your trip to Fife today. Can you try and get the Americans to look for the deeds……now that would be something worth finding. The hours I’ve spent sticking little green stamps on pages……..can’t believe we used to do this.
Ooh Kaimoana how strange. Perhaps it became charged by your dream of Philip. I’m sure he’d be happy to see his laptop in use again.
DH is coughing and his breathing isn’t as good as it should be. GP put him on some beta blockers which shouldn’t affect his asthma (it’s a new kind) but I don’t think it works for him. Gp to phone in the morning but we have stopped the meds for now. I was going to do lots of housework today ( 🥺 ) but sadly all my cleaning cloths were in the pile to be hot washed……so I couldn’t. What a shame 🤣

My long post just vanished!
I think I'll give up and go to bed
A whisky for me please Jeeves, with warm milk and honey to aid my raspy throat.

I hope the Dude feels better soon Doodle and the doctor can give him something that works.
Your dreams are so vivid Kaimoana . I wonder if Philip was keeping an eye on you. He would want to for sure. Is the tablet still working?

How's the physio going Jan?

I'll ask the Americans to keep a look out for those pesky deeds. They are worried about their elections back home.

Grammaretto hope you had a good night. DH and I were both up for a while. We knew we had to get up early this morning as we had an electrician coming, so instead of having a good sleep we were both awake for ages. DH spoke to his Gp this morning who has changed his meds. He’s no worse but the cough is lingering.
How’s you’re throat today. Jeeves is ready with the whisky
medicinal tonic.
Hope the Americans are helping out a bit if you are not feeling well.
Kaimoana what have you been up to today?
Jan hope the physio has been back and you are able to exercise now.

Hello Gang,

Maybe the Dude and I have the same cough!
I stocked up on vile cough mixture and probiotics today to try to frighten it away
I can't lie flat and have try to sleep virtually sitting up.

The Americans have gone for an overnight stay with some old friend which is somewhat of a relief as I find it an effort to do anything and planning their work adds another layer of anxiety.
Sorry to wallow in self pity - I am not used to being ill
I hope our gang are all ok.
Someone from the letting agency is at last coming to see the flat before marketing can begin. One extreme to another. I was turning away people without an agent but they have to do a description and photos before it can be added.
My DB is coming to see me this weekend which will be nice. He's really coming for a rugby match because the All Blacks are playing.

Thanks for the whisky🥃 Jeeves. It helped a lot.
Now for bed. Night night xxxx🌛🛌

Grammaretto you do sound poorly. DH’s cough is I’m sure a reaction to the beta blockers his Gp prescribed. Now he’s stopped taking them his breathing has improved but he’s still coughing.
I always find it difficult to sleep sitting up. Sometimes a pillow under the knees helps as it stops you sliding down so much.
Hope the agents do a good job and a suitable tenant is found soon.
Be nice to see your DB. Will he be staying with you or just visiting for the day?
Jeeves has just popped down to the cellar for another bottle of whisky. He likes to be prepared. 🤣

Thanks Jeeves!
Day began showing the agent around, then yarn group, collecting MiL for the community lunch, having a tooth out, a surprise visit from my last tenants and now watching the Crown 👑
I know how to live!
I'm glad the Dude is better after ditching the beta blockers, Doodle
Anyone about?