The Lockdown Gang still chatting

Well they are certainly messing you about Kaimoana. What a shame your class was cancelled and the lunch. Were you due to give a talk?
That’s a nice meet-up Grammaretto . You obviously got on well if she stayed with you for three months.
I have always fancied à tricycle. Never been able to ride a bike but a tricycle has appeal. Sorry I’ve missed something, what is wrong with your DGDs ear?
Jan isn’t it annoying when your post vanishes into the ether.
Yes I’m booked for hand therapy which I assume is physio.
I think mine hurts as the numbness is gradually receding from my fingers going back down my arm. My hand is still swollen but it’s going down. Funny you mentioned the hot wax. Took me back to my childhood when I had a ganglion on my wrist and I too had to go for the hot wax treatment. Al the others were “old” people 🤣
That’s some achievement walking into see the GP. Sounds like you are making progress.
Cherry yes easily a three hour drive. Too far at the moment as I can’t share the driving,
Must be a relief to get the meds sorted. DH has all his from the local pharmacy except one that he can only get from Charring Cross. Fortunately the give him 3 months at a time.
Hope you enjoy the shopping. Do let us know if you buy anything.
I changed the dressing on my arm today. All looks good underneath but it’s still like an alien being. It doesn’t look like my arm and as my hand and part of my arm are still numb, it doesn’t feel like my arm either. I keep getting little stabbing pains which I think are the nerves coming back to life.

There must be a glitch in the matrix Jan as I've lost two posts to the ether this evening too. It's so frustrating!
Well done for walking into your GP practice room. I'm sure your GP was genuinely pleased. I'm pleased and so proud of you 😊
Unfortunately I do have some idea of what's going on in my neighbour's head - I've heard her rantings enough to know that she has some serious delusional thoughts 😟. I feel sorry for her really as she's not getting the support and treatment that she needs, it's very tricky all round.

I get your point about coming to the Gower Doodle. You would have to be quite fit if you and your DH drove all the way from your neck of the woods. it's about a three hour drive (without stopping) I think.
I love light, floaty and shapeless dresses in the summer or soft, warm and shapeless ones in the winter shapeless is fine at any time 😹.

Drat Kaimoana 😕 Your City Council sounds a bit like mine. Mine has a Care and Repair scheme which is meant help older and disabled people with things like gardening at low cost. People are meant to be able to book a date for, albeit you can't pick and choose exactly when you'd like. It's exceptionally rare for it to happen that way - they turn up as and when they like (or not at all). Will you be able to do the computer course at all now?

That was a nice, unexpected catch-up* Grammaretto 🙂
I love the traditional Bank holiday fetes, our Community Council decided to do away with the annual one in favour of biennial - cut backs 🙁. I hope you see your family and DGD's GD tricycling in the parade 😃
Your visitors are descending on you sooner than you thought 😬. You'll be fine plenty of time to hide any mess under a throw 😁

I think the issue with my new medication is resolved. I don't have to go to the hospital pharmacy and pick them up every month either 😁. In the end it was the hospital pharmacist who came to the rescue - he found out that the pharmacy (part-time opening hours) on the outskirts of the village can stock it. Kerching! Courtesy of my GP I've got enough prescription sheets to incrementally increase to the full the dose my neurologist wants me to take - three months worth 😯. I'll collect them tomorrow 🤞. Maybe I'll do a little retail therapy and buy myself some new summer tops at the same time 😉

Hurrah its gone!!!!!

Good Evening Lobstars except its not a good evening as I have just tried to post you 2 very long messages to have them vanish into thin air. Grrrrr!
Will try an abbreviated version!
Doodle. My wrist hurts sometimes. Are you having physio? When I broke mine several years ago and had to have it pinned and plated like you I used to go to the hospital and put my hand and wrist in hot wax and then the physio would manipulate it. Haven’t had that this time as this was just a straightforward break but my stroke physio gives me some exercises. My fingers feel are very stiff but no idea whether its the stroke broken wrist or arthritis that is causing it!
Kaimoana you are such a kind lady. Pleased things are going well for you. Youve had a rough time recently so its time for some fun and smiles.
Mammissimo We love Norway too. Hope we will get back there someday.
Grammaretto I bet your granddaughter will remember her day out with you in years to come. Sound an amazing day. Enjoy your New Zealand visitors
Cherry hope your neighbour gets the help she needs so you can get some peace. Does make you wonder what goes through her mind doesnt it?
Hope your GP appt went well and you got your meds sorted. I saw my lovely GP this morning and I managed to walk to his room whereas before he has pushed me in my wheelchair. He seemed genuinely pleased that I was doing wobbly walking! Hoping when I see him in 3 weeks to do wobbly walking minus the hated walking stick but think thats a bit ambitious!
Now going to try and post this and if it doesn’t go this time you will hear my screams wherever you live!

Hello Lobstars,

Do you ever hear why nice things are cancelled at short notice Kaimoana?
It seems to happen often.

Your outing with Artoa sounds very special.

Cherry good luck with your GP. Is it in person?
I don't think our GPs ever went back to the surgery after the Pandemic. They like not seeing patients.

Your mention of summer clothes made me take a look inside my wardrobe as opposed to looking through the pile outside oh dear. I have no idea what fits still or if I'll ever wear them again.
I gave away a couple of tunic tops to a lady at the yarn group who said she liked the colour.

I had a visit from a friend yesterday who came here as a Helper over 10years ago. She came for 2 weeks, stayed for 3 months and then decided to live in Edinburgh. We used to see her fairly often (she and her flatmates had cocktail parties and invited the likes of us oldies) but she has settled down now. Has moved in with her boyfriend, buying a flat etc.
I hope your wrist continues to heal well Doodle I hope you have comfrey cream to massage gently in .
I've bought a herbal tincture for DGD ear. I hope to see them at the weekend as our town is en fête and her DGDad is to be riding a tricycle in the parade.


Yoga this morning. The NZ cousins are coming next week. I wrote the wrong dates in the diary!

How are your steps Jan?
I wonder how the Nfks are. Sending love.

Good luck with your GP appointment Cherry hope it goes well.
Oh dear, what a terrible hassle for you; a new summer wardrobe eh? I hope you pluck up the courage

Grammaretto What a wonderful island adventure you two had and the pictures are superb. Lovely memories for DGD too.

Both my computer class and the SA Old Codger Lunch have been cancelled for today and our super-efficient City Council, either sent the wrong date or re-scheduled without telling me as the Disability Hui I was supposed to attend was 2 days ago. No one contacted me. Maybe I should ask for my $125 fee anyway

Kaimoana 🤣🤣🤣 sorry didn’t see that till you pointed it out.
I’m glad your injection wasn’t cancelled because you were too unwell. Glad you’ll have it rescheduled.
What a lovely time you had with Artoa. You were certainly made welcome.
Nice evening with Ray too, he must appreciate your friendship.
Grammaretto what a fantastic day with your DGD. A special memory day. I bet she loved it.
Cherry yes I will certainly take your advice when we make it to the Gower. Have to both be more fit to drive before we do though.
Sounds like you had a good walkie talkie. Oh dear poor lady but we have to rely on good people speaking up when they see things that aren’t right.
My summer clothes don’t fit either but for the opposite reason.
Just bought a really comfy dress. Pretty material and no shape whatsoever so no elastic or zips or squashed stomach just light and floaty (unlike me 🤣)

Fabulous photos from the Botanic gardens and your bird watching trip Grammaretto. There's something special about blue flowers I think. Not good photos from the Isle of May 🤔 - no they're great that's why. I love the one of the puffins 😍. It's sounds like you and your DGD had a pretty special day together ☺️. Shame about the fish and chips, the queue sounds exactly like we encountered on Saturday 😕
It always amazes me when an old but probably perfectly structurally sound stone building is demolished to make way for a new build. What's wrong with refitting/rejigging/reconfiguring the interior of the existing building? Is that too simplistic?

What a yucky experience you had when they took your cast off Doodle I'm so pleased that you've got a splint now, much comfier and less like a lethal weapon 🙂.
I hope that you do manage a trip to the Gower at some point - I can recommend many places to visit 😁

You've had a lovely couple of days Kaimoana 😊. I like the sound of your new kaumatua group. Well done on the bingo! I hope Ray does come next time. I wonder why he declined the bright pink socks ..... 😉
Your experience at the cafe is what a friend of mine called a headline day - eg. coffee & cake costs a cwtch ☺️. Poor girl indeed, so lovely of you and kindness all round 👌

I had an extended walkie talkie yesterday and was walked and talked out my WP was pleased by the time I got home 🥱. Came home a little upset though as one woman who comes was telling me about the shenanigans her employer (the NHS) are up to because she has whistleblown 😤. So wrong!
Been sorting out my summer clothes today why, when it's so warm, did I leave it so late and I had a bit of a surprise. A lot of my summer clothes don't fit. I know I've lost weight but I still expected my summer tops and trousers to fit. Oh well, I guess I'll have to go shopping 🛍️ 😂
Got a GP appointment tomorrow to try and sort something out vis a vis my new medication 🤞

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202305/medium-224432-img-20230523-172542234.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202305/medium-369342-img-20230523-165327645-hdr.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202305/medium-854399-img-20230523-153349442.jpg

Such a lovely day Kaimoana!
😊☀️😍
My day was pretty amazing. I took my DGD on a splashy adventure to visit the seals and puffins on the Isle of May.
There were trillions of diving birds and nesting eider ducks too.

She was good company, was my map reader and she really enjoyed herself.
I intended to take her for fish and chips afterwards but the queue was out the door.
It was very windy so my photos aren't good.
Here are a few.

A lovely thing happened today. Artoa and I went to a local cafe, new to us, for coffee and cake. We were greeted very warmly by the owner.

The cafe was empty and I saw we had obviously interrupted her lunch.
I apologies and said we were in no rush, 'so please finish your meal'.

She took our order and Artoa and I had a pleasant half-hour chatting and nibbling pineapple cake, next to the huge tree in the courtyard. The cafe is built around it.

Then we got out our money to pay.

The lady said she'd paid our bill because I reminded her of her grandmother. She was almost in tears.

Of course I had to give her a big hug and she said, 'That's what I really needed.' Poor lass.

I don't know where her grandma is but not in NZ, so she must miss her.
There's such a lot of kindness about, isn't there?

Ray came over later to have tea with me and collect the tote. We were all given these at the Whanau Ora launch, so I got one for him too. I was effusive about the new kaumatua group so I very much hope he'll come next Tuesday.

I offered him one of the pairs of socks we were given yesterday and was unsurprised when he decided not to take either the bright pink or turquoise ones.

A sunshiny day with the Thrush still singing merrily.

You can just see the trunk of the wonderful tree in this pic.

Oh my goodness Doodle, you made me laugh with your juxtaposition of sentences!!

"Did you decline the eye injection just for today or are you considering not having any more? Went to the blind shop today...."

Yep me too and no, I declined only because I was going to the kaumatua group and didn't want to feel grim for the rest of the day. I'm told I am now "Priority Red" which means they'll schedule another jab asap.

No rain predicted today so laundry is Priority Red for me

No Cherry not been to the Gower coast before but know of its beauty so we’re very disappointed we didn’t get out trip.
Definitely mean to try again.
Oven chips are fine but nothing beats chip shop chips 😋
Glad you had relaxing day. Enjoy your walkie talkie tomorrow.
Grammaretto no danger of me overdoing it my hand hurts too much. Took the splint off for a bit today to exercise my fingers and I see my hand is still very bruised and swollen. Numb across from below the knuckles to the wrist but I think feeling is coming back a bit.
Love your photos. The blue flowers are a stunning colour.
Hope the weather was fine for your birdwatching trip and you enjoyed the picnic with your DGD.
Kaimoana your new club sounds much more fun. My in laws used to love playing bingo. Glad you won.
Well your palm reader was right about you being a gentle soul so perhaps she can read your palm.
The meal sounds delicious. Hope the transport works ok and you get to enjoy the same sort of thing again.
Did you decline the eye injection just for today or are you considering not having any more?
Went to the blind shop today to explain that as I’ve broken my wrist and DH isn’t allowed (by me) to stand on any steps, we were unable to plug the charging unit in our electric blind and one of them was stuck down. Very lovely man said he’d have someone come round and sort it out for us, no problem and no charge.

You'll be so much comfier in the splint Doodle

What kind of birds did you see Grammaretto? Did you take photos?

The gentle garden pottering sounds just the job Cherry

My first time at a new kaumatua group today. I went straight from the hospital where I’d refused to have an injection in my eye.

It's still a Waipareira group but unlike Te Ropu, which is run by committee and quite boring, this is just socialising, playing brain games, doing light exercise and, at the end, after lunch, playing Bingo.

To me, Housie is the most boring game in the world but it can be funny when the caller comes up with inventive definitions such as, 'What's that on your plate? Oooh, it's number 8'; 'Sexy old men live at Number 10' and 'I'm still nifty and I'm only 50.'
Friends helped find the number on the card and I got ‘a line’ and won a chocolate
I had my palm read by a lady I hardly know who told I was a gentle soul then gave private information which me. Surely she couldn’t see that in my hand?

It was a very happy four hours and the talk about natural medicine from the bush was fascinating. It reminded me of when my boys were young and I used plantain leaves instead of sticking plasters for cuts; crushed Comfrey for grazed or bruised knees, honey for burns and a warm ginger drink if they felt sick. It always worked

The lovely food Waipareira is known for was served. We were able to sit outside in the courtyard for morning tea. I chose a chicken salad and mayo roll and a bunch of grapes and our lunch was a tasty meat and 8 veg stew with sage and rosemary, and mashed potato; cooked right there in our kitchen.

Before we left, we all received several pairs of warm, winter socks and a pot of berry yoghurt.

Next week, the van will come for me and take me home.
I feel incredibly blessed to have such a good life with wonderfully caring friends.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202305/medium-678774-img-20230522-110952036.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202305/medium-677867-img-20230522-110919550.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202305/medium-144496-img-20230522-110855051.jpg

Hello Lobstars.

I am glad you've got rid of the heavy cast Doodle . A splint sounds lighter
Don't try to do too much will you.
Those boys of yours are mostly younger and fitter.

It must have been shocking taking it off. No wonder you almost vomited.

So the neighbour saga continues Cherry. I hope something can be done which would allow you some peace and quiet I don't mean murder
Enjoy your walk today.

I had a lovely day at the Botanics yesterday apart from forgetting it is a bank holiday in Scotland. This is to celebrate Queen Victoria's birthday.
A quaint custom IMO.
As a result it was rather busy and noisy, at least in the café, so we found another place to have soup.
Today I am taking my DGD birdwatching to an island off the Fife Coast. I must make us a picnic and hope it doesn't rain too much. Although sometimes you see more interesting sights on a wet day.

Your Norway trip looks amazing Mamissimo .

The Maori way of doing things sounds sensible Kaimoana from the grassroots.

At least once a day I moan to someone about some stupid idea imposed on the people by somebody with power but no sense.

Yesterday I was watching a great stone building, a bank, being demolished in Edinburgh to make way for more student accommodation. As for the trams! Grrr.

Better get organised.
Here are some photos of nice flowers and streams at the Botanic gardens.
I hope you are still managing your steps Jan

You've been to the Gower before then Doodle? I hope you do at some point manage to make the visit you planned.
Yes the chippy is a good one, known for miles around. We could have cooked oven chips in the time it took us to queue on Saturday as we queued for around 25 minutes 😯 🤣
I'm pleased that you saw DS 2 (yes I know what you mean by DS 2 being DS1) . Nice of him to bring you chocolates - always welcome aren't they 😁

The Maori way sounds like a good way of doing things Kaimoana and I think it's great that it's to be trialled further. I'm not surprised that the blessing ended up being an an emotional day for you, the Maori population have been treated appallingly.

Today wasn't quite as taken up with the after spill of the weekend as I thought, thank goodness. I've been able to have a pretty relaxing day gently pottering in the garden. Got my walking group tomorrow - I wonder where we'll end up for lunch this time 😁

Well I’ve had my cast removed and I’m in a splint now. Took a bit of negotiation with the consultant as he said it was a really bad break but he agreed if the arm wasn’t too swollen and wound looked ok I could have a splint.
Nearly disgraced my self in the plaster room by feeling so nauseous. Cutting the cast off was no problem but all the dressing underneath was firmly stuck to my arm with some dried blood and it took two of them ages to gently peel it all off. The consultant came in and said the wound looks great what do you think. I said I haven’t looked at it yet so then I did 🤢. Managed to keep hold of stomach contents but it was touch and go. I have a dressing to change tomorrow…..might get DH to do it,
Cherry I will keep everything crossed that your neighbour is helped to move on somewhere more suitable to her needs and leave you in peace.
Kaimoana what a cheering post and such a wonderful idea.
A cause well worth supporting indeed.

!! JAN !! How fantastic! Forty steps is bloomin' amazing and without your stick. CONGRATULATIONS. [SMILE]

I do hope your neighbour is getting help at last Cherry.

Today’s blessing was for Whanau Ora (family health) a radically different approach. It began in 2010 with face to face consultations with 800+ families. Its launch was due just before Covid which scuppered it.

Instead of Top-Down care (a problem arises and here's where you go to get help) the Maori way is From the ground UP, providing the means and support to stop the problems happening in the first place.

It's been so wildly successful that they have just received a massive injection of non-government funding to keep it going (although all political parties have pledged to support it).

As with many other successful Maori initiatives, it is to be trialled across all cultures now, although the 800+ families were by no means all Maori.

Waipareira services have quite a high percentage of uptake by other cultures. Like me

As usual, the food was superb and the young people serving were caring and cheerful. They are normally admin, researchers, accountants, IT professionals but they will turn their hands to all tasks where needed.

The 6 security guards on the gates at 5:30 were actually Waipareira executives.

They also launched a new slogan:
The future is Maori

When I first came here and for the next 20+ years, Maori were the underdogs.
Institutionalised, government and social racism was rife.
And yet my experience was that Maori were clever, caring and endlessly resilient people who deserved a much better deal.

Now, at last, I can see they are creating that - present and future - and I am grateful and privileged to see it and support it.

<very emotional day for me>

It was good of you to take the couple to Curry's Grammaretto a good deal failed by what sounds like poorly trained --and probably poorly paid staff.
You must have taught not only large groups but a lot of potters over the years to have 13 wheels. Do you know if any of them went on to teach others themselves?
If it's the film I think it is I started watching that once, it was a bit odd if I recall but I dozed off 😬

You are a good neighbour Kaimoana. Isolation isn't good for anyone and can play a significant part in decline, Ray is lucky to have you as a friend and I hope he picks up again.
Did you go to the dawn blessing?

How did you guess my promising news might relate to my neighbour Grammaretto. I can't say she's moving but I can't deny something is in process. I can't really say very much at all but help looks like it's forthcoming 😁. It's been an interesting couple of days with lots of telephone calls back and forth. I would say more but this being an open forum I can't. Tomorrow will be another busy day I'm sure.

How could anyone be miserable in Alesund. It’s a beautiful place. We have a photo from there on our lounge wall.

Cherry DH and I had plans to visit the Gower coast earlier this year but his medical problems meant we didn’t make it. Hopefully we will get there soon. Lovely area.
Sorry about your neighbour again. Have you had anymore thoughts of moving? Oh I love fish and chips. I image the big queue means it’s a good fish shop. Glad you enjoyed it.
Saw son 2 today (who is actually son 1 if you see what I mean). That was really nice too. He brought me some chocolates as everyone knows chocolate fixes most things.
Grammaretto I hate those sort of sales people. Not surprised your friends didn’t buy anything.
13 wheels 😱 that’s amazing. Enough to start mass production isn’t it?
Nice of L & C to take you out for a meal. It’s obviously you got on really well.
That’s a good trade. Gardening for a wheel.
Kaimoana I’m surprised Ray is so young. Shame about his sister. He must appreciate your efforts to include him in local things. I’m sure he enjoyed the meal it sounds lovely.
Sweet gravy? That doesn’t sound right. What are they doing, reducing the salt content but counterbalancing it by increasing sugar ?
Ooh yes I do remember Katie. That was a while ago
Jan that’s great news. Well done. You are making progress.
Mammissimo that’s lovely. Glad you are enjoying it.
I have read Norway is going to ban cruise ships (well large ones) in 2 years time. Not surprised.
The ships we go in have about 800 passengers but that is a lot for some places. Some of the small villages make their money from tourists though so a bit of a balancing act.
Those pictures are wonderful.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202305/medium-813079-75bf57ae-3d6b-431b-8008-d3451a844f9d.jpeg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202305/medium-838740-5ac03948-80f2-4583-b515-c17da03737ac.jpeg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202305/medium-852415-6c201c4a-f496-4d11-a6ed-a5b4c6dd5554.jpeg

Hello! We're still in Norway and having a fabulous time. This hotel has real WiFi so I thought I'd send some pictures.

I have decided that I don't like cruise ships Doodle. We have been to several places that had ships coming and going and they seem to disgorge a few thousand people into a tiny town where they wander aimlessly for a few hours, buy something, and then shuffle off when the horn starts blowing. They looked really miserable in Alesund the other day.

We are now inland and it's much quieter. The kind of awe inspiring peace we craved. Tonight Mr M and I have what they call a romantic room basically full of old stuff and dodgy paintings it's given us the giggles and probably killed the romance. The views and grounds however are to die for.....we're in Hjelle. 🙂

Don't tell me Cherry. Your neighbour is moving?

Jan that's such good news. Well done!

Sorry about your neighbour Kaimoana
He sounds very low.

I'm just home from the film night. It was the Illusionist animated Jacques Tati script set in Edinburgh in the 1950s. Beautiful drawings but a strange story.

I'm missing the Frenchies.

Just had hot chocolate. Thanks Jeeves.

Wow, that's brilliant Jan 😄. Well done, you have worked so hard and can be very proud of yourself. I'm really happy for you 👍
On top a bit of promising news I received earlier today this is a good day.

Back later 🤞

My exciting news of the day! 40 very wobbly steps with no stick!!!