The Lockdown Gang still chatting

Grammaretto you sound as though you had a fun time. So glad you enjoyed it. Did you learn anything new?
DH not too good. Coughing a lot and swelling up with fluid. We are beginning to wonder if it’s a new medication he started in January as the side effects match.
Jan thanks for popping in to let us know how you’re getting on. Nothing boring about you at all. Don’t be disheartened, these things take time. Hope you are gradually improving.

Heck Doodle, your DH coughing and swelling up with fluid is a miserable state to be in, not only for him but for you both. It does seem like it could be a reaction to the medication he's been put on. I hope you get an urgent GP appointment for him in the morning x

Jan unless posting is a bit too much for you at the moment because you feel permanently worn out please don't shut up. We don't get bored of hearing from you.
You're clearly frustrated by the pace of the progress you are making after your stroke and it's natural that you are feeling down. You are making progress Jan, you know that yourself, but for you it's taking too bl**dy long. Remember, slow and steady wins the race 💐

I'm pleased that you had such a lovely timeGrammaretto ☺️.
Now, about that fancy dress ceilidh ... I'm itching to know what you wore wasn't flippers and inflatable armbands was it, pray tell 😁

Hello Jan it's good of you to keep us posted. But horrible to take what seems like ages to heal.

The fancy dress ceilidh was really good fun. There was someone in a vintage bathing costume, a couple of pirates, a captain, a sailor, someone in a life jacket and another with arm bands, many ladies in evening dress, a couple of kilts, and me in my bed sheet wearing all my jewels.
But the first prize went to an immaculately dressed violinist.

I'm sure I learned a lot from the brilliant demonstrators.

I have the dentist first thing tomorrow. I really hope I'll get my new teeth!

The film tonight was the National Theatre Live performance of The Crucible.

Best of luck with the GP app Jan. You're not boring at all.
I find I'm slower to heal - slower to do everything in fact and I haven't had a stroke (why do they call it that?).

It's just age.

Why do they call it a stroke?
Is it like a stroke of lightening?

What's apoplexy?
An ancestor of DH died of apoplexy as a result of shock having discovered his cow had recovered.
There was a report in the local paper

I did get my new teeth!! Now just have to get used to them.

Tonight I am going to a concert in the Usher Hall. It's a community choir, and band. Should be lively. Df is singing.

Good morning 🙂

I wish someone would put the brakes on time - it's going so fast and I seem to be going slow. I sat and watched my family at the weekend and their energy was exhausting - or is it that I can't take two glasses of wine at lunch time anymore?

Doodle Mr M sends his commiserations to the Dude....he had a car crash in the meds mix a few years ago and had to let me go to war.....it turned out to be a rogue vitamin pill was the culprit because it interfered with A, so they prescribed B, which made his heart thump, so they gave him C,D and E....which led to muscle pain....and inactivity which meant......

I summoned all my leadership skills and diplomacy bossy fishwife skills and suggested that they admit him, take home off everything one by one......and he was fine. He just needed to stop the St John's Wort. Sometimes you have to thump the table with the clever medical people and get them to start gain.

We gave DS one of those clever smart watches for his big birthday and now I know that I don't need one! His analyses his sleep, his step count, his blood pressure, heart rate.....ok at 30 but terrifying at Ofer the hill over 21.

Dump run for us this morning. It's too cold for gardening activity this week so I have to get rid of the stuff I've massacred in the last few weeks.....and so much cardboard!

Huge coincidence:
stop the St John's Wort.

Last night I watched listened to one of the Brokenwood Mysteries and that's how the killer managed to dispose of his rich wife! Like MrM she was on several meds and he added the St.J.
How likely is it that I'd come across that scenario twice in 12 hours?

Yes, Grammaretto you are pretty near the mark with your lightning - originally (I read on Etymology.com) it was A Stroke of God's Hand'.

apoplexy (n.)
"sudden fit of paralysis and dizziness," late 14c., from Old French apoplexie; Latin apoplexia; Greek apoplexia, from apoplektos.

It is Census Day for us and I am being carried off to get help from a scribe to fill in my forms.
Big Brother is watching me....

Cherry I was on the phone at 8 sharp this morning and managed to get a telephone appointment with our usual GP. I am extremely grateful because she knows exactly what DH has been through and understand straight away what I was telling her. We have agreed that DH will stop straight away the medication I fear may be causing his problems but also he is to undergo more blood tests as his symptoms could be heart related and she wants to cover all bases. I’ve no problems with that.
What a nice message to Jan and you are quite right, news doesn’t have to be exciting or interesting but it’s just nice to know how others are getting on. We’ve been part of the same gang for a long time now and each and every one who’se posted on the thread is a treasured friend.
Hope your neighbour has quietened down again now and you have a peaceful night tonight.
Kaimoana there are many people who want a stoke renamed as something else, they think the word imply something tender and gentle when it can be far from that.
I think we’re all slower doing things as we get older but does anyone else feel it’s come upon them all of a sudden without the, noticing. I can’t believe how fit and active DH and I were 2 years ago.
Grammaretto was your DHs ancestor attached to that particular cow for any reason. I must look up apoplexy. I wonder if it’s a heart attack. I
I bet your bedsheet was much admired. Glad you enjoyed the demonstrations. Was there anything you would want to have a go at yourself?
I remember seeing the Crucible on TV many years ago. Really scared me almost as much as the real frightener The Pit and the Pendulum.
Have the teeth arrived?
Mamissimo two glasses of wine at lunch would have me snoring in the armchair I’m a few minutes. Did you have a lovely time with all the family?
Thank Mr M for his commiserations for DH. Sometimes have a bossy wife is helpful. When people are on multiple meds it’s so easy for the, to conflict with each other and cause upset.
DH has one of those smart watches. He finds it useful to check his Bp and heart. I’m happy because if her falls suddenly then the watch phones me to let me know. Do I want one myself, no thank you!
Have a lovely time at the dump. Do you have enough rubbish to take a picnic lunch with you 🤣
Kaimoana I have read quite a few articles about St John’s Wort both of is beneficial factors but also that it can cause huge complications with other meds.
Have you heard from your friend who has cancer back? Do you know how she’s coping?

That's good that you got a GP appointment for your DH this morning Doodle, I'm pleased it was your usual GP too. It's understandable that your Dr wants your DH to have blood tests to rule out other possible reasons for your DH's symptoms, they generally do other checks I think. I've had this myself with my GP and a consultant when I've had reactions to medication but which could be indicative of something else. It was the medication both times. I hope his horrible coughing bouts and the swelling and oedema subside quickly now.

What a brilliantly witty fancy dress costume you chose for the ceilidh Grammaretto. I love it -- or do you normally wear all your diamonds to bed-- 🤩.
Great, you have your new teeth 😁. As long as they're a good fit they shouldn't be difficult to get used to I won't say anything about the way mine fit .

Census are odd things I think *Kaimoana, I always get the feeling of being interrogated by a form 🤣. For planning services they say .... 🤔

I had a GP appointment myself this morning, just a routine review didn't know they were still doing those. I sat in a packed waiting room for half an hour what seemed like ages . When I was called and walked into the room my Dr was shocked 😬. It wasn't me ... he'd just crashed his car 😱. He wasn't injured but my appointment didn't last long 😄.

We’ve been part of the same gang for a long time now and each and every one who’se posted on the thread is a treasured friend.

Ain't dat da troof and I miss so many of the old friends who used to post here.

If you're reading this (and you know who you are) Doodle is right - you don't need to read all the posts, or even write a lot, just a couple of lines now and then will be like popping in for a cuppa.

Cherry those Census questions can be a wee bit intrusive can't they? I was offered privacy but the others at the table were too busy filling in their forms to listen to my details!

I was treated very kindly ( and that was before I offered a plate of freshly baked butter shortbred ).
They also served me a splendid free lunch afterwards.
I was also given a hat, a badge and a note clip.

"if wishes were horses..."
I'd sell mine to ensure Doodle DH gets well; Cherry's neighbour moves house; Grammaretto's Mil settles peacefully and without further incident in her new home; and Jan's progress continues.

A Paintbrush Lily has just flowered in the gardens we were supposed to visit. Isn't it gorgeous?

I know people recover chairs and couches but I didn,t know you could recover a cow. No wonder he had apoplexi 😃

Thanks Doodle that is so true. I hope all our treasured Gang, past and present, are ok or good as
A saying we heard a lot in NZ

Thanks for the explanation of both a stroke and apoplexy. You clever lot.
I will try to find the original cutting. It made me chuckle. He was an old weaver in Selkirk called Alexander Clapperton.
He was a Radical and a founder of the Selkirk Coop around the same time as the Rochdale Pioneers.
The Hungarian Radical, Kossuth spoke in Selkirk and AC was inspired by his ideas.
But the story of the recovering cow is so happy and sad at the same time.

My teeth fit so far. My gums were a bit sore. Cherry but I shall persevere because I look less cronelike and don't want to frighten the children

I shall find out how DMiL is getting on. It's her birthday soon.

Thanks for the paintbrush lily Kaimoana

Been to GP this morning. Been up all night since 2am. Gp has given DH another tablet but says if it doesn’t help he will need to go to A&E. She’s written a letter just in case.
The cough has been bad and the oedema gets worse every day. He had to go to GPS in his slippers as he can’t get his shoes on.
.Cherry like you I find the census quite inquisitive in content. I can’t remember now what it asked but I do remember a couple of questions that I thought were going too far and felt like writing MYOB . No wonder your GP was a bit shaky. Car accidents always shake you up.
Kaimoana you certainly got good treatment filling in your census. Hope you enjoyed your lunch. A hat, a badge and a note clip ……you didn’t have Christmas crackers too did you. 😊
That Lily is amazing. What a beautiful colour.
Recover a cow 🤣🤣
Grammaretto that’s a fantastic name for the old weaver.
Glad your teeth fit. Hopefully the gum soreness will wear off soon. Can you take them out if it gets too painful?
I may or may not be back later depending on whether or not I fall asleep. Be so nice to have a good night for a change.
Take care all

Doodle my dear friend, what a nightmare you are both going through. I have all right fingers crossed 🤞 that your DH improves and you don't end up having to go to A&E but if needs be it's the best option isn't it. I'm sending you my warmest heartfelt cwtch x

Thanks Cherry . The diuretics seem to be working so we may not need to go.
We are both so tired . Thank you for the cwtch x

Relieved to hear your news Doodle.
Every night is one closer to Monday ...
💐

I hope you both get some sleep tonight Doodle. Last night sounds the worst.
I'm glad the meds are bringing him some relief.

There's a photo of the old weaver somewhere. He has a walking stick and a plaid around his shoulders.
DH often visitedone of the last remaining mills in Selkirk and bought
blankets and throws for all the family.

I was invited to music performances this afternoon and spent 2 hours listening to young people playing their pieces including DGS who is brilliant on the clarinet and piano.
I am tired now so I am having an early night.

www.elliot-weave.co.uk/history

That paintbrush lily is stunningly beautiful, thank you*Kaimoana*. Thank you 💐 too for your lovely generous thought too, not just for me but for Doodle, Grammaretto and Jan. If wishes really could come true I'd use some to make that happen for our gangStar friends, one to take away your AF and one to make my neighbour well.
As Doodle says, you certainly got good treatment filling in your census you don't think it was a Big Brother tactic to make you compliant in their sinister interrogations in future do you, they made a lovely event out of the process. I think even I would have enjoyed that ☺️

Your ancestor sounds like an interesting individual Grammaretto. I know so little about my own on my father's side and it' was proving nigh on impossible to trace my Greek ancestors on my mother's side I gave up. My niece is still trying so maybe she'll succeed where I failed.
The music performance sounds lovely. You must be proud of your DGS, I know I would be. ☺️

I'm so pleased that the diuretics the Dr prescribed are working for your DH Doodle. I truly hope you can both get some much needed rest and sleep tonight 🤞

We spend a couple of boring hours today whilst we had new brake pads and new windscreen wipers fitted to our car. Why are these places miles away from anywhere other than car showrooms selling cars we can't afford 🤷
I'm feeling tired myself tonight so I'm drinking my hot chocolate I ordered from Jeeves and then I'm off to bed.
Night night lobStars 🌉

Thanks for the link Grammaretto, I bet those blankets your DH bought are beautiful.

Good to read there is some improvement Doodle, I do hope it continues.

Grammaretto you have such a full social life, I am quite envious, although I doubt I could sustain such a gad-about life now

I don't think I answered your question, way back, Doodle, sorry. The book is called, "It's Funny Being Old'.
That's the full length non-fiction book I've been working on for a few months. It's already been rejected by Random House but the trick is to try again with another company.

I've just submitted another children's book to a publisher as well.

I am beginning to know how poor, dear Cherry feels.

Just across the way from our little enclave of elderly housing are family homes.
Most of them have dogs. No problem; it's not a good area, I understand that and have no objection to a dog doing its guard bark, night or day.

But two homes have poor dogs which they shove outside and either leave to go to work, or simply ignore.

The result is sad whining and lonely yapping from 7am to 5pm - every day, with no let up.

In summer, when I must have doors and windows open, this wears on the nerves because I can't get away from it.

My neighbours have complained, several times, to Council who say they operate a noise control policy for barking dogs and have a specific form to report it.

When you fill it out, they come back with "we don't have the manpower to investigate" (then ask a woman!!)

So why have a form? Why not simply tell you they don't intend to do anything?

Their letter to me suggested I walk round and have a word with the owner!
Not my job and beyond my ability anyway.

I feel so sorry for the dogs -why do people who are not prepared to look after them properly, get a dog then leave it all day?

My doctor's appointment was postponed as she has a family emergency, poor lass.

I'm taking the shuttle there anyway as it will give me the chance to get away from the house fill in the enrolment form prior to the new appointment on St. Patrick's Day

Don,t forget to wear purple for International Womens Day 😃

I wouldn't like listening to a barking dog either Kaimoana. From both the dog's pov or mine.
I hope that book gets published! It sounds great.
I get very tired trying to do all the things I want to do!
A potter friend asked me how I kept my huge house clean

I am hosting a couple of Brazilian girls/women next month so perhaps the cleaning can wait for them.
I hope you had a better night
Doodles and Cherry.
I hope Jan's healing is progressing well.

It's very cold here today. I may have to wear outdoor clothes indoors.

ixion that’s nice of you. Thank you. Hope you and yours are ok.
Grammaretto we had some sleep last night for the first time in ages. We went to bed at 8pm and apart from an hour at 2am we slept until 9am. Amazing.
How lovely to watch your DGS play, he sounds very talented.
I bet you were beaming with pride.
Ooh have you had anyone from Brazil before? They’ll be cold here unless they are used to the climate. I trust you will have adequate supplies of mops and buckets ready for them 🤣
Will have a look at your link now.
Cherry thank you we did have a good sleep. Hope you did too.
Car maintenance is such a chore. Why can’t they make self healing cars . We had to go and put air in the tyres of our car last week. DH usually does it in his own but I was afraid he’d fall or overbalance so I said I’d do it. Managed to get the valve covers off and put them in front of their respective tyres. Put the money in the machine and started pulling out the air hose. It’s one of those reel devices with such a strong pull I had the hose over my shoulder and I was bent forward pulling it out of the machine. I looked like the weakest contestant in World’s Strongest Man contest,
Managed to get the nozzle in the valve eventually but found it hard to keep the pressure up. Finally got all four done but when I went to put the valve caps back I could only find three of the four. They caps are dark grey and the car was parked on tarmac. I was trying to bed down to look under the car but couldn’t find it. In the end I reversed out a bit then went back and had another look. I did find it the opposite side of the car to where I left it. Obviously the car gremlins were having a laugh at my expense.
Kaimoana DH lost 4lb in weight overnight which just shows how much fluid he is carrying around.
What a wonderful title for your book. I bet it’s a great read and I hope you get a publisher soon for that and your children’s book.
I feel sorry for you and the dogs, barking dogs is no fun for anyone. Poor things. Why do people have pets if they don’t intend to look after them.
Hope you get your Gp appointment rescheduled soon .
DH would be a good candidate for International Womens Day as purple is his favourite colour 😊
We were summonsed to the surgery again today for further tests. Narrowly avoided been sent to hospital for the time being but we are being kept an eye on. Gp thinks DHs problems are definitely heart related. Had ECG this morning and she is referring him back to cardiologist.
Have to say we were very well treated by all the staff there who couldn’t have been kinder.
Trying for another early night tonight

Doodle, you both managed to get virtually 12 hours sleep, that's brilliant, I am so pleased ☺️. I hope your attempt to get another early night and decent sleep is equally successful.
Losing 4lbs overnight, crikey, your DH has certainly been carrying a substantial amount of fluid. Is he carrying a lotmore do you think? I'm keeping my fingers crossed that he continues to lose what he needs to 🤞. You have a good GP I think, I'm glad she's keeping an eye on you you'd better be good because not only will she summon you again if you're not but next time she'll fine you as well .
You don't 'alf paint a picture sometimes and your tyre inflating story has done it again. Sorry but I had to chuckle; so evocative of Ealing comedy 😄. Glad you found the caps!
Sleep well x

Why oh why do people have dogs as pets when they're not willing to treat them with love and kindness Kaimoana, that's the question isn't it. It's cruel for a dog to be shut out, or even shut up indoors, all day on it's own. Poor dogs and poor you having to put up with their distress, because that's what it is isn't it, and in turn distressing you. I don't know if I'm more unhappy with these people for the way treat their dogs or the way they disregard their neighbours 😕
I hope you do find a publisher for your book, I'd love to read my signed copy 😁

What is that saying Grammaretto - life's too short for cleaning 😯 🤫. Definitely leave it to the Brazilian girls you will be hosting even if that's not for a month! It's been a little while since you last hosted, I hope they'll be helpful when they come.

Did any lobStars wake up to snow this morning? I was quite surprised when I opened my curtains, didn't expect it. If it snows here it very rarely sticks because we're so close to the sea... it had stuck. My walkie talkie and my evening out got cancelled ... by --a couple of inches of- snowflakes 😉