The Lockdown Gang still chatting

Well done to Hannah! She is beautiful Kaimoana
Such high achievers your family!

It's my DS and DGD birthdays today.
One is skiing in Switzerland, the other had an Easter egg hunt in their village hall. The gift I ordered online arrived broken.

I worked in the community garden this afternoon and have a long walk tomorrow.
No helpers until next month.

I have an appointment with the optician soonish to look at options.

How are the Doodle household today?

Any Lobstar news?

How upsetting when it's a gift Grammaretto.

I think both my boys inherited my creative side and determination, both of which I now see in Gubbins and Hannah, whom you may remember, is a talented artist. Though I am still waiting for a picture of a carousel she began for me 3 years ago

The only news from this part of NZ is that dog silence didn't last long but as it is now a wee bit too chilly to have all the doors and windows open, I can, with earplugs as well, get away from it completely in my computer room.

My bedroom is at the other side, the dog side, of the house, and I heard it at 11pm, poor thing. It didn't wake me, a faulty smoke alarm did that

Poke in the eye time this morning but I may get away with just an exam. Can't moan, won't moan, I get good care.

Good Friday tomorrow. I once asked my non-religious mother, 'What's good about it if Jesus died that day?'
She didn't know.

Dear lovely gang I have been in hospital with DH since 5 pm yesterday and just got home. So sorry not to have been in touch. I have been sitting on a chair at DH bedside all this time and am so tired and achy I can’t even read your posts. We are ok. DH is home with me after and eventful 2 days. Be back tomorrow. Love doodle

Hello Lobstars,
It's like old times here. I'm waiting for Sparky to come to look at the boiler in the flat which has stopped working.
He said it will be 10pm before he can get here.

A lovely walk today by the coast. Bracing. There was a swan beside her nest so I took a photo of her.

I hope the poke in the eye was not too painful Kaimoana

Any news Doodle?

Take it easy dear Doodle more than any chatty posts we want you and DH to be fit and well. Much love xxx

Grammaretto Unfortunately this has been the worst injection ever and I can barely see. The blurriness and pain usually wear off overnight but they haven't.

Despite only having an injection in my right eye, both are very painful and I have an ultra-sensitivity to light, including from my computer screen. I've turned the 'eye-saver' up to 7/8th but it's still hurting so obviously I won't be able to work on the book today.

I'm sure the swan picture is gorgeous - I hope to be able to see it tomorrow.

It's raining and according to Met Service, will for the next 2 weeks.

Have arrived in Cornwall with toute famille - promising to be a hectic week. H Beagle is with us - thank goodness!

Doodle remember to take care of yourself as well as The Dude Give him a squish from me, and have a big one yourself.

Will be following with concern for all Lobstars

Lovely that Honey B is with you all Mamissimo really lovely.

I do hope that the Doodles are keeping going and being looked after.

The eye business sounds very painful Kaimoana . Let's hope the blurry vision has gone so you can write again.

I sewed the buttons on the never ending cardigan I'm knitting but have now no sewing up needle to sew in the ends. Must have dropped it.
The end is in sight! In time for Summer.

I've invited my Gaelic teacher for supper. mustn't poison her
I bought fish at the best fishmonger yesterday.

I have so many 'sewing up' needles, shall I send you some? Grammaretto

As you can see it's almost 3am and I was determined to get in a few hours work once the eyes recovered a little.
They're certainly not back to what is normal for me and I don't know why.
Less pain though.
You'd laugh if you visited me right now: all the sun-block blinds down, curtain pulled across the French windows (why French I wonder?) It's like the Black Hole of Calcutta but it's the only way I can bear to open my eyes.
I should be right tomorrow.

Happy Easter to all.

Evening all.
Grammaretto Sparky must miss visiting your house so often. He was like a non paying lodger. 😊
Beautiful picture. You do have some nice walks.
Good your cardigan is nearly finished. You could use a crochet hook for the ends if you’ve got one.
Hope you have a nice meal with your Gaelic teacher. Will you have to conduct all the conversation in Garlic.
Mamissimo thank you for the squishes. So pleased Honey beagle is having a holiday with you. Hope the weather is good and you all have a good time.
Kaimoana oh I’m sorry your injection is causing so much of a problem. It sounds painful and worrying. I do hope your vision improves soon. Glad the pain has lessened a little.
Please be careful you don’t fall over anything in Calcutta .
Much love and hug.x
Had a worrying morning with DH who had very high temperature, cough and was quite unwell. I think it was due to side effects of the transfusion but it took me a couple of hours to bring him back to anything like normal. His temperature is fine this evening and the cough gone but he says he’s still feeling discombobulated.
Hope all the gang sleep well.

Good to see you Doodle! I hope dear DH has a good night and you to
I am rather hoping the café is closed tomorrow so I wont have to make a sunken loaf. But I guess it won't be.

Gaelic teacher has just left. We only spoke a few words in Gaelic and she liked being cooked for. She knew DH well and this is the first time she had been here since he died. She said she could feel his presence!
Poor Kaimoana.I hope you have your sight back now.
That must be very difficult for you.
Sending hugs.
Any other Lobstar news?

Now here's an odd thing. I wrote my post to this thread in Word as usual. Saw it come up here. My posts come up with a pink background so I assume yours do too. So I knew it had uploaded. But GN ate it. Naughty.

Now I'm too tired to repeat the process except to say I hope Doodle and DH have benefited from a good night's sleep.
More tomorrow.

Grammaretto I’m sure your sunken loaf is a big hit in the cafe. You should make it a special feature like mint cake 😊
Glad you had a good time with the Gaelic teacher. Is she prone to feeling the presence of others ?
Kaimoana the GN monster has eaten lots of my posts in the past too. Must have been hungry. Yes my posts show up pink too. How are your eyes now are they any better?
DH is ok but for some reason he says his feet feel cold inside 🤔. I’ve tried fluffy socks and hot water bottle and the skin doesn’t feel cold to the touch. I expect it’s all something to do with the nerves in his feet and legs. Just wish the symptoms would give him a break for once.
We are planning to go to DS for lunch tomorrow and he’s looking forward to that.

Had a really nice PM from our dear Cherry who sends love to all the gang but isn’t up to posting at the moment.

That greedy GN monster! 💩 💀. I wrote the word monster and these choice images pop up.
Never fails to amuse.
Sad that Cherry isn't too good.

Poor Dude, Doodle. But let's hope you have a lovely day tomorrow.

I made a cake which didn't sink! But I took it round to the Town Hall which was closed. I'm not coping very well am I.
I am now volunteering at the local paper heritage museum so I joined the team of 3 and we had a select few visitors this afternoon. Two made a sheet of paper each.
Our town was once a very important centre for papermaking.

I am just home from a fundraising event tonight for a very worthwhile African medical charity. It was mostly talks with a snack at the end. Again I should have read the small print.
I had imagined music and food. 🎵 🥑🥝 🍷

DD says the replacement gift for DGD has arrived intact.

It was a beautiful warm day today . I hope you all managed to enjoy it

I'm imagining the Mamissimos descending like emmets on a Cornish beach, with Honey Beagle frolicking in the waves.

So very sorry to hear our dear Cherry is not feeling the best, I hope that passes soon. I also miss our other gang members and wish they'd pop back for just a word of reassurance. Nfk & DH; Jan and others - we do care you know.

I'm sure your cakes are delicious sunken or not Gram. I once made paper in a craft class, we whizzed it in a sort of blender then poured it on a frame to dry. It was too thick to fold but I used it as a base for a watercolour.

Your DH is having the same sensations as diabetics with neuropathy Doodle. I have my feet checked for circulation and while they are always fine and warm too, they still feel cold inside. That's something which affects my balance as well.

I have just re-connected with a dear friend who, in 1990, recommended kumarahou for my psoriasis. I was overjoyed to hear his Mum, also a friend is still with us at 89. We were able to video together. Isn't technology wonderful?

Nearly right Kaimoana - H Beagle has been busy stealing pasties and ham baguettes from unwary people 🤣🐶

What an absolutely gorgeous photo. Love it. Love H.B too.

Here MrsKaimoana, here👋
Just popping in to wish all the Gang a Happy Easter, thinking of those celebrating and offering a hug or two for those in need.

Taking advantage of a half price offer from Sainsbury's (thrifty or what?), we have celebrated Easter Sunday with one of Mamissimo's famous legs of lamb. Cooked, not wielded in anger this time. No space for pud, Easter chocolate in lieu.
I wonder if Doodle has reintroduced her palate to choccy delights after 40 days in the chocolatier wilderness?
Hoping our poorlies and down-at-hearts are coping and can see some delights in the signs of spring - or whatever season NZ is offering up!

Keep posting- you're a lovely lot!

Been to sons for lunch today and really enjoyed it. DH very tired now and his legs are in revolt so we are off to bed soon to see if that gives any respite.
Grammaretto what a shame your lovely cake didn’t have a home to go to. You could have brought it here…..we would have welcomed it.
Your paper museum sounds interesting. Will you be having school visits do you think? Has it been open long?
Sorry your evening didn’t turn out to be quite what you’d hoped. I hope the snacks were adequate.
Glad your DGDS gift arrived ok. Yes a lovely day here too. Things look so much brighter in the sunshine ………well you know what I mean 🤔
Mamissimo what a lovely picture. A contented dog with a full tummy by the looks of it. Hope you’re having a lovely time.
Kaimoana yes you’re right DHs condition is very much like diabetic neuropathy. Balance is an issue as well. If you can’t feel you’re feet properly you have no idea what direction you’re going.
What joy to connect with a friend and to be able to see each other by video too. We’ve been watching a video of DGD doing her dance routines with her school group. How they remember such complicated sequences I don’t know. I got quite exhausted watching them 😊
ixion how lovely to hear from you. We had slow roast lamb today too. Delicious and like you very full.
Yes you’re right I have been indulging in some chocolate. I have two boxes from Mother’s Day to enjoy so have made inroads into both Hope you had a good day too

ixion you're a delight and it's SO good to see you.
Obviously you had a Happy Easter - lovely.
No special nosh chez moi, not even Easter Eggs, though I was given some but I did have lamb.
Lamb flap in a stew.

I'm laughing at that sentence now. Oh dear, there's no hope for me.


Wishing for good news at Doodle's house - fingers still crossed. Love still speeding towards you both.

Despite a weather forecast of rain for 10 days, it's been sunny and not really cold which has meant families could get out and about for the long weekend.

My eyes are gradually coming right, pain and ultra-sensitivity to light mostly gone but it's still like looking through a thick fog. No matter; soldier on!

I'm just home and reading all the lovely posts. They give off a warm glow.
I decided I would go to the evensong communion at the church where DH is memorialised..
I passed my df house so stopped to say hello and lovely people that they are they invited me in for a cuppa and for roast dinner on my way home.
I took communion for only the second time in my life.
An American preacher and it seemed to encompass all faiths.
The family dinner afterwards was very nice indeed.

I'm so glad that you have your eyesight back Kaimoana

And happy that you had such a good time at your DS Doodle.

HBeagle looks tired but happy Mamissimo
I perhaps recklessly,offered to dog sit for df if they go off cycling in the Highlands. He seems a nice friendly dog with kind eyes but he hasn't long been with them having been rescued.

I meant to say hi to ixion too. Hi!!
I'm finishing my chocolate egg. No more after this.....

Good night Lobstars.

Hello my fellow Lobstars, I'm still here, following your posts, although not having much to say for myself.

It's not that I have been too busy to post, but I suppose I'm doing more 'normal' stuff that is fairly mundane. We (DH and I) have visited our Northern family for DGDs birthday one weekend, and spent the day out with DS recently to a National Trust property - Montacute House. We were so impressed by the work that had been carried out there by the National Trust. The house was more or less stripped ready for demolition in the early thirties but was saved at the last minute by a philanthropist. The work that has gone on to reinstate damaged and ruined priceless antiques and furnishings is nothing short of miraculous. I came away thinking that my subscription is worth every penny.

I keep thinking of Doodle and The Dude. I hope things get better for you both.
Also, so sorry for Kaimoana2's eye problems. I'm grateful that DH and I just need slightly stronger prescription lenses in our specs - I need to remortgage the house to buy them though.
I hope Cherry is OK too. My best wishes to all the other Lobstars (and that includes Honey Beagle).

Next week I have my 7th Covid vaccination - will it ever end?

As I have been an infrequent poster - would it be very cheeky of me to request a Jeeves' hot chocolate special tonight?

Best wishes to all.

Kaimoana you’ve got me sniggering too now. Lamb flap in a stew 🤣. You are very uncomplaining considering all you have to go through. Glad your eyes are a bit better but hope your particular kind of fog lifts soon.
The mention of fog made me remember the pea soupers we used to have in London when I was a child. Very scary.
Had a really bad night last night. Poor DH had shooting pains in both legs, severe cramp , skin irritation and RLS. Needless to say didn’t sleep much.
Grammaretto I had big plans for church this Easter. I wanted to do the 3 hours of the Watch on Maundy Thursday but we were in hospital then I planned to go Easter Sunday but didn’t want to leave DH so didn’t make it. Can’t go to communion on Wednesday as we have another hospital appointment so watched 3 hour programme recorded by the Dean at Canterbury last year which I enjoyed,
So pleased you spent time with some friends on your way back from church. Many churches these days are open i.e. anyone can attend and receive communion if they choose. My church is one that welcomes everyone. It makes for a nice atmosphere.
Might be an idea to spend some time with your df’s dog before they go away just in case the dog eats all your furniture doesn’t settle with you.
Missedout what joy to hear from you. How lovely 😊
Glad that life is a little more normal now and you are able to get out and about a bit more.
Not heard of that NT property. I will have to look it up.
7th Covid jab 😱. You must be like a pin cushion. Still if it keeps you safe it’s worth it.
Jeeves is delighted to serve you hot chocolate. It will be one of his very best for you I’m sure. 😊

Hello All. Still struggling on! Hoping to get the b….y plaster off my wrist in about 10 days. I’ve really had enough now. I’ve got 2 hands one of which holds a stick and the other that’s in a cast and useless. Grrrrrrr.
Doodle I’m so sorry to hear DH is still having problems. Expect he’s feeling like me and thinking to himself “just give me a break”.
Mamissimo love the photo of Honey Beagle. She looks very self satisfied and if I didn’t know better would think she had demolished a pile of Easter Eggs. (Have to confess I’ve just eaten far too much chocolate.
Poor Cherry sorry to hear she’s poorly again. Fingers crossed that you feel much better very soon Cherry. Sorry Kaimoana to hear your eyes are still not right and fingers crossed the fog soon clears.
Had a glorious warm sunny day here yesterday which we spent at friends for lunch. It was a really special day. However today we have had strong winds and torrential rain all morning then a sunny afternoon but rain and wind have now returned.
Often think of Nfk and hope she’s ok and her DH

Dear Jan I hope Jeeves brought you hot chocolate when he was looking after Missedout

I haven't heard of Montacute house either. I must look out for it. I loved Allanbank at Grasmere.

Our river, the North Esk, was on TV this evening. A programme about Scotland's rivers There was even a short visit to the paper museum. Fame at last!

Sorry your day night wasn't good again Doodle it must be so wearing for you. So much worry and lack of sleep.
You are right about getting to know the dog before taking him for any longer than a couple of hours.

I'm in bed already. I have a pottery class in the morning.

Missedout it's wonderful to see you posting again. You may think your life is mundane but 'one woman's mundane is another's interesting.' and definitely better than news of crushed thumbs. I'm going to look up Montacute too. Thank you.

Doodle Uncomplaining, moi? Don't believe a word of it; if I had a cat I'd be kicking it .
As usual, Shakespeare had it right though. A star danced and under that I was born - in a merry hour.

Didn't all this latest pain and trouble begin with DH after they introduced new meds? Can't he go back to when he was in no pain? His quality of life isn't good the way you are now, that's for sure.
Love to you both - it's so hard.

Grammaretto how lovely to have Communion twice; once in church and then over a roast dinner with good friends.

Jan good to see you too - will they strap your wrist when the cast comes off? When my friend Karen did the same, she had a sort of removable cast - and removed it every day so she could work.
It took months to come right, so please persevere with whatever they advise for support.

My friend in New Jersey just wrote to say they'd had tornadoes which did a lot of damage, then Lo and Behold, I saw we had too.

www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/487657/tornado-sweeps-through-upper-south-island-as-aucklanders-clean-up-from-another-tornado

Will it never end?

I am being treated to a snack lunch with friends from NZ Blind Foundation today. I think it's 'compensation' for last week's fiasco .