The Lockdown Gang still chatting

My late FIL used to eat Yorkshire puds with jam.
Which of us was the cultural heathen?
I'm not from those parts, you see 😉

Yorkshire puds. Yummy 😋
The Brazilian helpers arrived tonight. It's going to be tricky. They don't speak English and I have no Portuguese.
We speak via Google translate or whatever their app is.
It doesn't help that I've lost my voice!

Ooh Kaimoana the mysterious plot thickens. 🤔

Doodle I do hope the weather improves for your trip to the south coast.
It's very wet here and cold

Night night. Sleep well.

Yes, Grammaretto and it's beginning to make me feel a bit anxious. Most things can be explained but this phone thing is, I am assured by experts, absolutely, technically impossible.
And yet - there it is on my phone record: my phone dialled 111 with no help from me. Unsettling.

ixion most Yorkshire people save a bit of pud to have with jam as dessert. My Dad always did too.

BTW All you really need is 'Obrigada' (because you are a woman) which is pronounced exactly as it is spelled but the 1st 'a' is a little longer (as if ''obrigarda').

If one of your helpers is a man, he will say 'Obrigado'.

If you can master the Gaelic, you can master or should that be mistress? anything.

Good morning 🙂

We're still in Spudland and the cuddles are dreamy....he's a lovely placid chap with a good sleep ethic and a healthy appetite so DD is is having a lovely time. We're very pleased that after all the struggle and disappointment she's happy - the thunderclouds are lifting.

DD1 meanwhile has been in charge of my garden and it's running bean time....and French bean time....she's filled her freezer and is sick of the sight of them. I'm kind of dreading going home to face the beans myself.

Mr M has been very stoical and has read a lot of books while we've been here - he's held Spud once, declared him splendid and made the odd cup of tea. He'll come into his own as Gramps once the lad is a bit more interactive.

Must be time to book a September holiday......

.... Which sounds like something I could use if I felt more up to it. I'm feeling a little bit better but not a lot feel like I have a way to go yet having a bad bout of seizures hasn't helped 🥴. I spoke to the specialist nurse today, they want me to persevere with the medication but increase it slower. I'm not convinced but agreed don't know why 🤦.

I am thinking of you all.
I hope your cold/virus is clearing up Grammaretto 🤞, and I hope the weather does improve for your trip Doodle.
I hope you enjoyed Yorkshire Day and suitably commemorated it with copious amounts of Yorkshire pud' Kiamoana.
Take care all 💐

ixion my DSIL, was Scandinavian, used to make something like a Yorkshire pudding batter and bake it in a special pan to make little round balls. They where then split open and filled with jam and covered in caster sugar. Delicious 😋
Grammaretto not sure we’ve had Brazilians before (Kaimoana behave yourself 🤭)
Oh that could be tricky using a translating device. Open to all sorts of misunderstandings. Brave of them to venture here without being able to speak English.
We did manage a walk in the sun today after my gruelling session with the physio 🥲.
Kaimoana it certainly is strange. Not your friend Phil playing a joke on your from above is it?
Mamissimo how lovely to have lots of cuddles with that precious bundle. Glad he’s sleeping well means mum can relax a bit now after all she’s been through.
Sounds as though the beans are rampant. Hope you’ve got lots of new recipes to try.
Cherry I’m sure a little holiday would do you good but trouble is you need to feel well enough first. You are wise to be cautious about the medicine.
Sorry about the seizures. I’m glad you are feeling a bit better.
The weather is improving for our trip…….the day we come home it’s due to stop raining 🤣

Ixion this is what my DSIL and I used to cook together in a special cast iron pan. We had to have a special device to flip the little balls over halfway through to cook the other side.
The technical term for the device was……old knitting needle 🤣

Oh Cherry I am so sorry to hear you are not feeling too good. I do hope things change soon. Thinking of you always

Doodle are you on holiday right now? I seem to have lost the thread, not unusual for me.

I did, fleetingly wonder if Phil was having a laugh but ringing the emergency services "without due cause" is a serious matter.

I read about your Æbleskiver - sounds yummy but no, Yorkshire Day passed quietly - and very wet.

2022 was the wettest winter on record here but apparently we've beaten it already and winter isn't over by a long chalk.
Met Office today:
“Those living in Northland & Auckland.... have dealt with a constant barrage of lows and cyclones, which caused copious amounts of rainfall. Quite relentless."

He's not wrong and I, for one, am sick of it.

Mamissimo to say I'm envious of your cuddles is an understatement .
I do however have a sovereign remedy for the bumper crops of beans which seem to trouble you each year.
Don't plant so many next time

Our trip to the hot pools has been postponed because of the weather . Not the rain so much as the 6 degrees which comes with it. We elders are regarded as too vulnerable to spend several hours in an open-air pool.
Bah humbug.

I would have thought 6° was a perfect reason to spend hours in hot pools Kaimoana bah humbug indeed.

I think Doodle is back on dry land.

Sorry to hear you are having a bad time Cherry and hope things improve pronto.

Lovely to have happy messages from Spudland Mamissimo it has been an incredible journey for DD and you all.
Such a lot of love for that wee bundle.

I took the Bs to the folk club tonight . I thought they might sing a song but it was a misunderstanding.
They live right beside the Amazon and she showed me photos of wildlife.
A furry animal with a funny face translated as laziness sloth

I have been told there are at least 2 Portuguese people living locally so I shall try to ferret them out although he cooked a delicious meal tonight so we get by.
My having no voice at all isn't helping.

Night night all Lobstars.

Kaimoana no we are at home. Going to the coast next week for few days (in the rain ☔️) .
We have had a lot of rain again today. Both this morning and again another downpour tonight. Did I sleep though summer 🤔
What a shame your trip to the pool has been postponed. You were looking forward to it. Hope you get to go soon.
Grammaretto I think you will have a lot of fun with the Brazilians and your translation app. I love the laziness animal 🤣🤣. At least you are enjoying the food. Hope your voice comes back to you soon.
Been with friend this afternoon whist DH has a visit from the Gasman. Who arrived on time despite DH having had 6 text messages from British Gas this afternoon saying he was on his way (after he’d been and gone )

If it was just the 6 degrees Grammaretto I'm sure we'd cope but its the hurricane blowing rain horizontally into our faces like needles which is a wee bit off putting.

You know that phenomenon whereby the instant you put out laundry, the sun goes in and showers begin?
Well, all this week I have been trying to get a moment or two on the book. Each time, phone calls, visitors, problems which must be solved right now and more. Is the Universe telling me not to bother?

A bit of sun in between showers today - I'm hoping for a peaceful weekend.

That sounds brutal weather Kaimoana but somehow I prefer cool to very hot. I think in future people will go to Greece in Winter.
Anyway no danger of too hot in Scotland.

How frustrating that your writing time is so rudely interrupted.

Not sure if my attempts at speaking with the BZ could be described as fun Doodle
But I hope we get basic messages across.
I am out walking today and have left them to clean my attic bedroom.
What can possibly go wrong ...,

I am intrigued to hear how your attic room cleaning went, in your absence Grammaretto . You were able to get the message across that they were to clean , not clear ?
A friend has a Vietnamese husband and wife cleaning/maintenance team, who speak no English. She works so is never home to see them, but she leaves written notes which they interpret via Google Translate. They, in turn, use said platform to leave messages. Seems to work quite amicably.

Thank you for putting me right over sweet Yorkshire puds. It must be that my palate had become acclimatised to expect them with onion gravy on Sundays or sausages.
Many years ago now, my mother's school friend married in her 40s much to her family's amazement in Canada. Mother in law was a redoubtable Hungarian matriarch who thought the match was totally unsuitable for her dear boy. They visited England, bringing mother along, and stayed with her parents for the full English experience where Mother's Sunday roasts were legendary. For the first time ever, said Yorkshires failed to achieve the usual great heights.
Can I have another pancake, please? the Matriarch asked.

I hop that Kaimona gets some quality writing time this weekend and that Cherry is getting to grips with her modified drug regime. More hiccups along the way, as Mr.D found out to his cost, in the pursuit of acceptable health.

Thinking of you all, as ever 😊

Kaimoana yes the weather isn’t inviting for your pool visit is it? Hope you get some time at the weekend to work on your book.
Grammaretto ooh I wonder what your attic room will be like when you get back. Please do tell. Have you tried explaining about the missing deeds to them.
Hope you had a nice day out.
ixion what a lovely tale. It’s funny how people manage to work things out even if they don’t speak the same language.
My mother (Welsh) spent some lovely afternoons in the company of her DILs mother (Danish). Neither one being able to speak the others language but with signs and smiles they got on really well.

I may have a quiet Saturday but on Sunday, Gubbins is bringing her Daddy to visit

Dgs is in an Underwater Hockey team (yes, I thought it was a joke too) and is playing at the local pool.

Went to visit an old friend in the Hospice today and was pleased to find her chirpy and playing Bingo

Underwater hockey!! That's batty 😉

Enjoy your time with Gubbins and her dad Kaimoana

I went upstairs to admire the attic again just now and found my missing specs. I must have taken them off up there yesterday when I came back from the walk.
It's the tidiest room in the house now but I have 6 bulging bin bags full of rubbish treasures to go through.
I'm sending the BZ into the Edinburgh festival today. They had never heard of it. We are getting along ok sort of with Google translate and like magic she made my printer behave itself yesterday.
These things see me coming!
😞
Firstly I have to ask him to put a chair into my car to take to a df who is going to finish upholstering it in her night class
It was one of many unfinished projects recently rediscovered when I began my decluttering in Ernest
Ernest or earnest just write what you want autocorrect!

I'm off to work. Here's my new bedroom.
Try not to notice the clutter under the eaves.

Lovely room Grammaretto😊
What are your weekly rates, please? And the current availability?

ixion

Lovely room Grammaretto😊
What are your weekly rates, please? And the current availability?

Ha Ha 🤣🤣🤣!!!

As you were....we're back home at last 🙂

I've already got baby withdrawal blues but Mr M assures me that processing the 15lbs of running beans in the freezer tomorrow will bring further joy. I beg to disagree!

It's been a magical week and we felt privileged to share it with them. DD2 thanks you for your good wishes and concern. It was a seven year journey for her - and she often says that the kindness of strangers, friends and family has kept her going. She herself is recovering well and we can all breathe more quietly now.

DS is coming for lunch tomorrow as long as Ocado have been in time and so it's back to the normal feeding the millions for me. We'd been home for all of fifteen minutes when DD1 popped in with the girls who needed me to know that 'Mummy took us swimming without Daddy and she was OK"......love it! Aforementioned Mummy was a very successful member of the England under 16's swimming team....Daddy can barely float....

Early night for us I think - is Jeeves around?

Kaimoana oh how lovely. Hope you have a great time with Gubbins. Bet your DGS has fun. Never heard of such a sport before.
Grammaretto please can you send the BZ here. I could do with a good tidy up. I wonder what they’ll make of the festival,
You have some useful friends.
ixion trust you 🤣🤣
Mamissimo lovely you got to spend time with Spud. Now is the beans.
So pleased to hear your DD is doing well.
Nice to have a visit from the rest of the family too. Have a good time with your son tomorrow.
Jeeves will be along soon with his drinks trolley.
We’ve been out for lunch today. Came home late and had a large glass of wine. Been asleep most of the time since .

Lots of moans today - best to skip this post I think.

Auckland has had only seven rain free days since Friday, March 3 (to Thursday, March 9) it's rained some part of every day since. On Wednesday 2nd August, temperatures fell to 1.6C.
I think I'll emigrate to Scotland

Sadly, the Repair Cafe could not fix the Samsung Phil gave me. I bought the new battery as advised but although it booted up, the screen was blank.
So I must now try to sell that battery. They really did work hard on it.

One of the repair guys drove me there but I didn't want to inconvenience him for the return journey. Someone rang for a taxi. I got in and the driver quoted a $25 minimum fare. It should not be more than $10. I told him I had a Disability card (50% off) he said his company didn't take them. I know for sure they do but didn't argue; just got out of the cab and staggered back to the cafe.

On Thursday I rode in a masked friend's car, only to hear later she had Covid. I hope the symptom now visited upon me are just a head cold. Don't want to cancel the long-awaited family visit on Sunday. I have a RAT but not enough sight to use it. First World problems I know, but problems for me nonetheless.

I should have a podiatrist appointment every 3 months and I always have to remind them - and by the time they fit me in, a month later, my feet are very painful indeed. Finally I got one for 8th August - and can't get there as I can't find transport.
My reliable Waipareira supporter is away dwon the line with a daughter in labour.

With my luck, a taxis is out of the question.

Feeling very sorry for my old, sick self today...and of course it's raining.

Sending hugs to you Kaimoana warm dry ones
Sorry about your rainy miseries. I feel for you. Quite a catalogue of disasters. What a miserable taxi driver!

Today was the first dry day here in a long time.

I don't know how my BZ got on at the festival because I'm only just home myself I decided to buy myself a ticket to hear my favourite folk singer. Edinburgh was nicely busy tonight with eager festival goers.

I'm expecting a visit from the police early tomorrow as I reported being almost run down by a speeding boy racer

I'm glad you enjoyed your day Doodle and Mamissimo is content knowing that DD2 is blissfully happy.
♥️♥️♥️

My midnight cirrus was flowering when I came home. One flower a year at midnight.

All your news, especially that of Spud and Mummy, cheered me and made me smile, as did the Midnight Flower and Doodle's soporific glass of wine and ixion's joke.

Thank you.

The rain stopped and we had a sunny afternoon.