🦞 Locked down no longer but still firm friends 🦞

Grammaretto yes 5 months. DH was upset when he thought he’d have this problem for weeks. In many ways I’m glad we didn’t realise then how long this was likely to go on for. I’m not sure how either of us would have coped. We’ve not slept in our bed since October, not visited anyone or gone anywhere other than hospital. It seems never ending but perhaps a slight improvement has been spotted. I do hope so.
Those girls from Canada were a big help but I can understand you wanting a bit of time to yourself.
I think I remember the film now you mention talk of the paper mill. I’d forgotten. I wonder if you’ll get visitors to your house like the people who go to visit ‘Downton Abbey’ 🤣
Ixion are you going to try and get yourself a job as an extra? 🤣.
How did Barney enjoy the great outdoors. Hope he didn’t get his lovely, white paws dirty.
Weve had a lovely day here today. Not a drop of rain. DH and I stayed snug indoors but I gather from my neighbour it was freezing outside.
Kaimoana do you remember the days when we used to watch the Dean and the Garden Congregation and you were interested that the Dean had a partner Fletcher doing the filming but who was never seen? Now the Dean has retired, he and Fletcher are doing another set of broadcasts on the Garden congregation YouTube. Channel. Fletcher is much more prominent now and is featured regularly. Don’t know if you can see it but I include a photo for you.

Hello lobStars.

I'm still playing catch-up here I think as, sorry Kaimoana I missed the link to the reviews on Trevor. Can't get better than that can you, they're brilliant. I'm very pleased for you. Sending you a congratulatory cwtch.

I'd virtually forgotten about the filming Grammaretto as it seems to me was a while ago that you told us. As ixion says - it IS interesting., socio-economic history is interesting and there can be some amazing stories in true life experienced. It sounds very interesting to me. Have reached an agreement yet about when the film maker plans to film?.

Gosh Doodle, I'm with Grammaretto - I can't believe it's been 5 months or has something weird gone on with my clock. I'm pleased that Mr D's foot is looking a little better 😊

Nothing like a bit of variety, ixion 😉. It sounds like Barney enjoyed his venture into the big wide 😆. We had a new visitor into our garden today, a very young black and white kitten - who once in was a bit flummoxed about how to get out 😱. Lots of trying to leap until finally realising there was a gap to squeeze herself through and she didn't actually need to leap at all 😁. Sorry to hear you got soaked, do you think you can with a bit of help use the stamps at all? So annoying!

My WP is making some progress with the decorating. Still a heck of a lot to do yet. Apart from making cups of tea I haven't been much help 😱. I've had some more nasty seizures and am battered and bruised again, this time I'm a bit fed up of them all 😕

I'll have a hot chocolate, if I may, please Jeeves.

Ixion are you going to try and get yourself a job as an extra?

Crikey, Doodle. Was it that obvious?🙇‍♀️

Grammaretto I think paper and the making of it is very exciting. I love paper - especially beautiful paper and have a massive stash of it.

When the children were small we bought a really lovely Georgian (or maybe Victorian) "paper tester" it was a beautiful hand machined gadget about the size of an "in-flight" case made of brass and designed to see how much wet tensile strength a piece of paper had. It looked a bit like this image but without the electronics and with an extra gadget involving a paper-strip holder and a spring. We spent many happy hours comparing papers!" Eventually it had to go and it was sold via a friend to a collector of gadgets.

I wonder if your film will feature such a gadget?

Would help if I sent the image!

Kaimoana what has happened to your replacement "Karen" I wonder?* Sometimes a whole raft of things do come at once. In your case teeth you are struggling from feet to teeth! What a mess! I hope you are more comfortable soon
Regarding your book, what a treat to have such a great illustrator work with you. I've been looking at Nikki Slade Robinson's work and it's really lovely.

Our decorating is nearly done (thank goodness)! We are both so weary with it - but the end is now nigh ...
Cherry - there is no way we will be doing hall stairs and landings ourselves! We have 3m ceilings so 6m ground to ceiling on landing and then 6m again landing to landing as we are living in a 3 storey Victorian terrace. It feels totally unsafe to me. 😱 I would need someone to come in and do scaffolding if I was going to attempt it. Unfortunately neither spare cash nor spare energy just now so it will have to wait. I hope your WP is super-careful - how lovely to have it done soon though.

NotSpag There are a number of paper measurers and scales in the paper museum and many other gadgets and machinery to do with the ancient industry. There's a wasp nest to show visitors along with knitted tortoises.
Tortoises not knitted ones stowed away in consignments of esparto grass from North Africa and were often adopted by local families. I am supposed to be a volunteer at the museum but it hasn't opened yet for the Season so I've been avoiding the decorating and other preparations.

The filming will be happening at the end of April. My job will be to move furniture out the way. Is that what an Extra does? 🤣

Well done all you decorators! I usually make my helpers paint the walls but our hallway has only been painted once in 40 years. There was scaffolding involved and we paid a painter not Michaelangelo

The next helper is the Czech girl again in a couple of weeks.

Before that DD and her DC are coming for Easter. Should be fun!

I am rambling a bit.

Have you seen the kitten again Cherry?

Thanks for reminding us of the Dean, Doodle. Those videos were so gentle and funny with the chooks.

Hope you're all having an ok weekend.

www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://penicuikcdt.co.uk/index.php/penicuik-papermaking-heritage-museum/&ved=2ahUKEwiYmIbovIyFAxXGTEEAHZ7EAokQFnoECCUQAQ&usg=AOvVaw2BMqVFbFB3SE2pw1NnzAaK

Discussions here around paper making reminded me of our rudimentary projects in primary school. Perhaps I should suggest similar to the GSs' school Down Under. I read, in their school newsletter, that this Easter holiday, the school gardener-cum- caretaker has cleared sufficient space to install a mud kitchen.😳Requests have gone out for any offers of metal containers or kitchenware.
Pleased I'm not in charge of the family laundry, at any rate.

I spent a happy afternoon on the blower to my dear (second) cousin, busy catching up on news and family tree developments. Unfortunately, my meal plan had been to roast a particularly decent looking joint of pork with all the trimmings, timings for which would have broken into our agreed catch up session.

Step up to the plate, Mr.I.

I came down from my afternoon of nattering to the delicious aroma of Sunday roast, to find DH lounging in the sitting room.

There's an awful lot of sitting about when you cook a meal, isn't there? he declared.

Hello Cherry. Wish I could wrap all your furniture and floors in bubble wrap so you don’t hurt yourself when you have a seizure. Sorry if it’s a personal or stupid question but do you always fall or can it be sometimes that you’re just not aware of what’s going on for a while? You are such a brave lady to cope with all this and retain your humour,
Hope WP is being careful with the decorating and not taking any chances.
How lovely to have a visit from a little kitten. I don’t think I’ve seen a kitten for many years. They look so lost when young don’t they.
Notspaghetti that’s some gadget. Did yours come with instructions on how to work it? Looks very complicated
I agree with you Trevor is beautifully illustrated.
Good the decorating nearly done. Hope you are pleased with the finished look
Grammaretto I love the thought of a knitted tortoise 🤣.
Perhaps you could produce some and sell them as souvenirs
Be nice to have your family visit for Easter.
We can’t go anywhere because no one’s houses will accommodate the wheelchair but our son and his family are coming to us for a visit Good Friday,
Pleased the Czech girl is coming.
Do you get many helpers who make return visits? They must like being with you
Ixion, whatever is a mud kitchen? Doesn’t sound the most hygienic way of cooking.
Well done MrI on the Sunday roast. I take it he didn’t prep the veg or wash up …..or did he? 😊
We’ve been to a Sunday outpatient catch up clinic. Saw DH’s neurologist for the first time in two years, They had a computer glitch and were running ove an hour late. Still it was a nice drive over in the sunshine
Kaimoana, any news on your helper? More importantly any news of you? Hope you’re ok

*My daughter has a mud kitchen- has had it for years! - but just thought I'd share this (not a kitchen though):
images.app.goo.gl/fn8CikfjeB3DB2ij9

It's a Danish kindergarten.

OMG! No thanks NotSpag
😂😂

I thought it was an outdoor sandpit with various pots and pans and something resembling a cooker.
The DGD had one at their kindy in Aberdeenshire.

I love how you are so positive Doodle and enjoy your drive to the hospital. The weather makes such a difference.

Yesterday I was in a good mood all day. I got 2 loads of washing dried on the line, sowed a few seeds, ate in the garden, packed the kiln and sat through Avatar2 all 3 hours of it

Not so nice today and I have just had to let a crow out of my sitting room. It had arrived uninvited down the chimney and bit me on the hand as it made its escape though the window.

Having watched Avatar and knowing there's a full moon tonight, it's no surprise.

I've been wondering about Kaimoana. Hope she's okay.

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Grammaretto- no... that just looks like muddy play! This is the sort of thing our grandchildren regularly "cook" for us.😋
Of course they are much muddier than this! 🤣

Luvly!
Reminds me of when DGS was about 6 and very much wanted to play rugby. There was private coaching only.
All he did was roll in the mud so his DP stopped paying for him.

I let them play with the clay, specially the recycling bucket.

What was the problem with a sandpit? That's what I want to know.

ixion - nothing - but it's full of sand!

Not so positive today Grammaretto. I’m beginning to feel a little punch drunk today. I’ve been to hospital outpatients and they want me in for a small procedure Wednesday. I might have to stay in. 😱. Sons have said not to worry they will take care of their dad but it’s not easy.
So I might be missing for a bit later in the week.
Sounds like you had a lovely day yesterday. Shame the crow came along to spoil it. What a cheek biting you. Hope you’re ok
Yes I’m worried about our dear NZ friend too. I hope everything’s ok
Ixion, those children look like they’re having a whale of a time. Glad I don’t have to clean them up.
Notspaghetti, er I think I’ll pass on the dinner invitation thanks. I far prefer the playdoh spaghetti to mud any day, 🤣

“Ixion”We had a sandpit in the garden when our daughters were small. They had great fun with it but must admit the sand got everywhere but definitely preferable to mud!! Bet the Danish children had a great time though.
“Kaimoana “ Where are you? We are all missing you so much.
“Grammaretto* it must be interesting having different nationalities as helpers. Hope the Czech girl speaks good English!
I have been asleep on and off all day due to some new medication. Will not be taking anymore. It was prescribed by a hospital doctor to hopefully help the strange feeling in my head that I’ve had since the stroke. However as it is for pain and as I told him I have no pain it didn’t seem appropriate and my GP said he didn’t know why it had been prescribed. Decided to try it just in case it helped but after today that’s it. The sleepiness was the sort where you struggle to wake and then have no idea where you are or what’s going on. Will speak to GP on Thurs but no more Pregabalin for me!
Fingers crossed for you “Doodle” on Weds. if it’s not one thing it’s another isn’t it? Hope all goes well. We will all be thinking of you

NotSpaghetti, that kindergarten is horrifying 😱 😂. I'm not convinced by the mud kitchen either, but I do see the attraction.

You were sensible Grammaretto.

Thanks for the thought Doodle, I think I might need a padded cell house 🤣. I don't always fall at least not straight away. I can even keep doing what I am doing but am completely unaware I am doing anything and have no awareness of my surroundings or anything else. For example , if I am walking I can continue to walk, a phenomenon that's possibly responsible for the origin of zombies I think 🤔. A lot of my falls are falls out of bed due to seizures in my sleep, including one I had a couple of nights ago - my arm's back in a sling 🙄.

The decorating was put on hold today. Yesterday evening I put a load of washing on to go out this morning but it's rained all day and the noise was horrendous 😯. When the cycle ended I opened the door to find the washing covered in what looked like snow and there was a peculiar charred odour 😬. Bye, bye washing machine 🤦. Thank goodness for express delivery - there's plenty of washing waiting!

That's short notice Doodle. I know it's easier said than done but try not to worry, you know Mr D will be very well looked after by your loving DSs. If you do have to stay in overnight then that's what you have to do. It's midweek, you'll be taken care of, won't you. I hope it all goes well for you. I have a very busy day on Wednesday so I may not have time to post but I will be thinking of you. Sending you a warm cwtch x

Heck Jan, how horrible. Pregabalin is great for some but can be a (ahem) difficult medication to take. Imo I think you've made the right decision not to take any more of it. I do hope though that the Drs find a suitable solution for you what you are experiencing can't be very pleasant.

Jan, pregabalin has been in the papers a lot recently. Probably wise not to take it if you don’t need it, DH takes it for his peripheral neuropathy and RLS. Dh is used to it now but that sleepy feeling all the time and then waking up not knowing what’s going on is not a nice feeling.
Oh Cherry not your poor arm You complain so little about how hard things must be for you. 💕
Gracious your washing machine must have shaken itself to death. Hope the new one works a bit better. Do they take the old one away when they deliver?
Yes it is short notice but the Dr thinks it’s important to do asap which is why they’ve slotted me in Wednesday. They’d have done it today if someone had remembered to ring me and tell me not to take my blood thinners.
Take care all sleep well.

Kia ora everyone.

Doc appt today and I did the MMSE test to see if I was totally round the bend or just part way.
They asked me to draw a clock (probaly 15 years since I could even see one as Alexa tells me the time) then put in 10 past 5.

I put in 25 past two. But on balance I did okay and doctor think it's unremitting stress over the past 2 months wot caused these brain glitches.

So a bit happier in myself and family;s coming on Good Friday, bringing all the kai with them and leaving my DGS behind for 2 days when they go.

One thing which hasn't changed is a rapid deterioraton of my sight. Inevitable and like so much else, I have to accept it.

Whanau Day tomorrow, usually happy but the kaimahi were muttering this morning that the "organisers" couldn't arrange a booze-up in a brewery, so who knows?

Love to all.

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Lovely to see you Kaimoana but not so nice to hear the sombre tone of your post health-wise.
Luckily your family will bring healing and distraction. Have a super weekend.

Good luck for tomorrow Doodle. I hope DH can be cared for by your DC so that you don't have the constant worry.

Cherry, as others say, you are so brave and probably in pain all the time with bruises and slings!

No birds flapping about today but constant rain and I have a tickly throat so am probably getting another cold.

I shall post a photo of the washing on the line as a reminder that we do have occasional sunny days.

But then the Festival theatre yesterday . I've left it too late to get a ticket to Hamilton. All sold out!

Kaimoana so pleased to hear from you. I’m not surprised with all you’ve been through that the Doc thinks stress could be the cause of your memory problem.
The deterioration of your eyesight must be a big concern. Is your family aware of this. Is there any more help you can be allocated to help you in day to day living?
So pleased your family are coming Good Friday and your boy gets to stay on. So happy for you.
Hope you enjoy Whanau Day tomorrow and it goes better than some expect,
Grammaretto so nice to see the sun isn’t it. It’s glorious here this morning but this afternoon when we are due to go out to the podium it’s predicted 89% chance of rain ☔️
Sorry you missed out on getting your ticket
Im all of a dither today. Can’t settle to anything. So worried about how DH will be if I have to stay in hospital even though I know our sons will take the very best care of him. They have their jobs and own families to care for too. Do hope they’re all ok.
Back later. Have a good day all