🦞 Locked down no longer but still firm friends 🦞

So dreadful Kaimoana. Everyday is an uphill struggle for you but Trevor has flown!

I haven't decided who to give my copy to. I may keep him for future child visits.

That is good news about Ray.

The wee DGD came today wearing bindis and bangles received from their other DGP who have been in India.
Ofcourse they immediately wanted to make pottery and had to remove their jewels.

DD looked at my poor swollen nose but wasn't impressed. She thinks it not too bad and that I will recover

She liked her Whittakers chocolate

I managed to break into my own bank account today but not without a phonecall to HQ and having to create yet another new password.

Imagine if, in the days when there were actual branches, we had to prove our identity each time we queued for service at our bank!

The film tonight at our community cinema was A Haunting in Venice. Don't bother. I should have stayed at home and watched the BAFTAS

Goodnight folks. Is there anything in the bar - Jeeves?

ixion, the anaesthetist seemed to think the longer we wait for for DH op the better as long as he is stable so I assume he has discussed the date with the vascular surgeon we have asked to do the op and that is the date they have come up with. Funnily enough it’s the same date as my proposed pacemaker re fit so that will have to be moved again.
Your village sounds nice and cosy. Local group assembling everyone for parlour games by candlelight and the odd tipple. 😊
Grammareto hope you had a lovely time with your DGDs but I bet the last thing you felt like doing was pottery after your long journey home.
Do hope your poor nose will recover soon
Sorry the film wasn’t up to much. Jeeves will be over soon with a 🥃 but he’s under strict instructions to make sure you don’t fall over
Kaimoana I just click on the “I’m on” section at the top. I don’t know how to bookmark the thread. Anyway we have our 🦞back so not to worry.
Sorry you’ve had a bad week. Hope Ray cheered you up and Trevor was well received that’s good.
as you say, tomorrow is another day and I hope it’s a good one for you 🤗 (that’s a hug in case you can’t see it )
Jan hope you’ve had better weather today. We have had sunshine all day.
Hope you had a nice lunch with your friends. I’m the opposite of you and I never (well very seldom) eat fish.
Good luck with the exercises. How’s the dishy physio, is it my turn yet.😊

_if you're Not Spaghetti, what are you?_

Well, I'm too round to be Spaghetti!
..but it's a sort of pasta that when asked years ago which pasta they liked best, one of my grandchildren said rather forcefully "NOT Spaghetti".

I haven't yet cleaned the car but I have spent a jolly afternoon helping 3 grandchildren create a flower display in some Oasis for their mum and dad's wedding anniversary. - they seemed to really enjoy doing it. Just wish I'd remembered to tape it onto the tray first... as they have a kitten.

Doodle - yes they offered to clean the car but the friend was only visiting my daughter friday evening to Sunday afternoon (so really only for yesterday and today) so it felt a bit grim to let them clean it and then for the friend to hop on the train home - besides which she would have to have borrow clothes too - if she was going to do it - as hers were trying to get dry after being washed Saturday evening!

I did consider bringing them home here to "help" them but when I saw the state of them I'm afraid I quickly changed my mind and just took them to my daughter's house! They were both very apologetic but said they were "too muddy to call a taxi" and they don't like taking dogs anyway - well no, not if they are super-muddy, 🤣

I will do the car tomorrow now - I have to wait in for a delivery and a collection anyway
The good news is I have a new swimsuit - hooray! No more mending after every 3rd swim! There were none suitable my local shops to try.

Sending good wishes and positive thoughts to everyone who has been struggling recently.🙏

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What a lovely memeory behind your name NotSpaghetti and the flower crafting with your dgc sounds fun too.
I'm a crafty person myself and loved working with my sons, then later the grandchildren.

For my birthday, friend Liz gave me a bottle of wine for which she'd made a special woven holder made of flax.
I couldn't bear to throw this away so you will see, in the next picture, what I did with it.

Thank you *Kaimoana2 - yes.*
... and how pretty! *

I wasn't casting nasturtiums about the lack of 🦞🦞s, Kaimona. Truly. I'm sorry you've had a bad week. Trouble with you is that you're usually so buoyant with us mostly that we don't always pick up on less heartening times. I find that incredible that now the elderly or infirm can no longer be assisted. How on earth can said folk be expected to leave their homes and socialise? This doesn't affect your home helpers, does it?😳. I recall that they take you places?

If you've not been able to get out à deux, Doodle, have you been able to watch for signs of spring from your balcony during the better weather? I hope it has lifted your spirits a little. Are you still building Mr.D up successfully? 💪. I hope you're not giving up anything nice for Lent this year, you need all the treats you can get. Wasn't it chocolate last year? 😳

Thank you for the Ancestry tip, Grammaretto. I must leg it across in the hope that I am not too late. I have wandered a little from the straight and narrow of my family tree, pottering unnecessarily down the lines of first cousins thrice removed and found one such relly who married into a family of Lithuanian Jews🤷‍♀️.
The father in law is readily traceable on Google, a scholar of some repute I presume not reading Hebrew. I have located an image of his papers requesting British naturalisation for his wife and six children in the 1870s. At least I don't feel obliged to pay a visit to his last resting place. A long way from the East London trips readily available to visit. Mount of Olives, 1930 ...

The dropped iPad of Mr.I has been returned again to the Repair Shop. The grieving is palpable. Time to rediscover the joys of books, methinks, and to cease prowling up and down being generally irritating.

Waving to Cherry. All well?

Notspaghetti what a nice way to spend the afternoon. I have 3 DGC too but mine are all grown up now. We used to do things like that too.
I bet you’re a lovely mum helping them out like that and cleaning your own car. Hope you manage to get all the mud off.
Kaimoana I love what you’ve done with your flax wine carrier. What a good idea.
ixion I thought I was the only one who said casting nasturtiums. Is it a well known phrase?
We have been sitting and looking out of the window at firstly the lovely pink sunrise this morning. Then the ducks battling against the current. Wonder if one of them was Trevor?🤔
Sadly it’s chocolate this year too. However I have decided to treat myself and instead of chocolate with my evening coffee I am enjoying …………..2 rich tea biscuits 🥲
Your ancestry is very interesting. You must be enjoying the research.
I’m waving to Cherry too. Sending cwtches as well.
Today I had to pump up DHs air mattress type chair cushion which the DN obtained for us.
I watched the video telling me how to do it. Quite straight forward I thought until I tried to attach the nozzle on the mattress to the air pump. It wouldn’t go in.
I pushed it leant on it, shouted at it and thumped it all to no avail so in disgust I slammed the pump down hard on the mattress and ……by sheer chance, on top of the nozzle which finally went in.
Blowing it up then was no problem and DH is sitting comfortably tonight.
We have a full on day tomorrow. Gp surgery in the morning and hospital in the afternoon hopefully home by 4 when we have a Waitrose delivery. Phew..
Hope all the gang are ok .
Kaimoana I meant to say I love the jolly lobster you found for your opening post. He’s really lovely. I suggest we keep him as our mascot.

Hello folks
ixion no worries. I wasn't upset, just felt sorry you couldn’t find us. Needed to explain the lack of....well, kai moana

Doodle glad you liked the cheerful one.

I have forgone my elders group today in favour of a quiet day but as it turned out the electrician came to fix a dodgy socket and then, bless his heart, put in two new ones. No more socket board on my work bench, yipee!

Doodle & ixion My Mum used to say 'casting nasturtiums' too and my Auntie Minnie used to finely chop their leaves with mint and the green tops of spring onions, and with vinegar, sugar and water, make it into an instant and delicious addition to a ham salad tea.
I’m finally going for my X-rays in the morning

Doodle
I have one of those cushions too, won it in a writing competion would you believe, and had the same problem.

I still use it but was recently told that several (6-8) layers of large-bubble wrap, enclosed in a pillowcase or cushion cover, does a good job.

As I make enough rude noises from that area already, I don't fancy the sound of bubbles popping as well.

Hello Lobstars,

I am writing this on my brand new phone . I discovered that my Highland friend was in Edinburgh until today so decided to hop on a bus and meet her at an exhibition of traditional Scottish pottery
.
I popped into a phone shop on the way to get an old phone working but was there for several hours signing new contracts and trying to tell my friend I would be a bit late.

2 hours later we had some soup and cake and she bought a coat in a second hand emporium

. She's the sort of person who can look stunning in a motheaten tent

. Meanwhile I asked for a seat and sat outside the changing rooms casting nasturtiums on all and sundry. It's almost entirely young people who shop in these places so I guess customers were quite amused to be told by old granny here that they suited the grey one better than the pink

As it's nearly 3 am and I'm wideawake I guess this is jet lag. 🙃

I am so glad you finally pumped up the cushion Doodle. You have been working overtime. 💪
You can't beat watching the ducks on the river as a change from surgeries and hospitals.

Ixion your family is becoming ever more diverse and intriguing. Irish and now Lithuanian. So many places to visit 😍

Is Jeeves on holiday or observing Lent? I've not been offered anything nice for ages.

Goodnight folks

Oh Grammaretto I do like your posts . So your friend could look stylish in a motheaten tent? Any idea where I might buy one, I'd love to look stylish.

It would be nice to thinkTrevor was one of your ducks Doodle but alas he is no more.

My quiet day wasn't but no complaints.

The electrician arrived about 10:30 He's a long distance runner and travels all over the world. Very interesting stories.

Shortly after he left, another voice calling; the new Chaplain appointed by the Sallies. He too is a long distance runner and travels world-wide.

He bought a snooker table for $1,000 (imagine having that kind of money to spend on a table!

They have to be professionally assemed and the crew said, 'Do you know what you have here?'
'Woodworm?'
'No, an oak Barton McGill from about 1890 and numbered 217.'
One of the first batch to be made in New Zealand by these master craftsmen and worth at least ten times what he paid.
Blimey.

He was still here when my lovely friend from Waipareira walked in, ' worried: Are you all right Whaea? Why weren't you at Waiora? (elders group.)

She's determined to get me everything my little, if dodgy, heart desires to reform my health and house.

New dresser will be ordered soon; a large recliner chair will be next and all my expensive alternative medicines will follow.

I'm to be measured for bespoke shoes and sandals as soon as I'm feeling lively enough to go to the orthotic place.
I am quite overwhelmed but don't intend to look a koha hoiho in the waha!

Last week was the one from Rarohenga but this week is shaping up to more than balance it.

Ciamar a thèid thu air adhart leis a’ Ghàidhlig agad Grammaretto did you forget any while you were away?

Cherry How are you?
Oops, might as well do it properly: Sut wyt ti ffrind annwyl?

Disclaimer: all translations other than te reo Maori, courtesy of Google.
(Hell - gift horse - mouth)

I like the disclaimer Kaimoana
The answer is ofcourse no in my case. Not opened duolingo or a gaelic dictionary for weeks.

Today is the day of reckoning as it's my class this evening. Oo 'eck.

I am glad that some lovely things are coming your way.

Afternoon All

Welcome NotSpagetti and Ziplock, nice to see you here.

Glad you're home safe and sound Grammaretto. The novelty does rather wear off on long distance flights and they don't get much more long distance than that one. And why oh why do planes always seem to land at the furthest bit of one end of the airport and the connecting flight is right at the other end? Is it spite or making sure the circulation gets a good boost?

And Doodle, I'm sorry the buggy didn't work out. Some NT properties have really comfortable double ones so you can both travel together. They don't fit in a car though!

We've always said "casting nasturtiums" too. Is this the English language evolving?

Good luck
I've had one of those weeks with nothing much in the diary, but which mysteriously fill up. Keira, having gone through the pre-op procedure for her spaying (She's a cocker spaniel, NotS and Zip) didn't get 'done'. The vet decided that, since her last season dragged on rather and it was cutting it fine anyway, that she should wait another month. Re-booked for mid-March. I didn't realise they wouldn't spay within 68 days of the end of her season as her hormones still thought she was pregnant. That being a doggy gestation period. Too dodgey. So we wait again. It's not really a problem as the vet surgery is only 300 yards away and she likes going in to see them.

Sorry Kaimoana forgot to do the * thing.*

Hello - Car now cleaned inside whilst my husband did a great job in the bathroom. - hooray!

Today I've also I've put up 3 framed photographs at last. It was tricky with old walls to be honest. The photos were bought to support Ukraine some time ago so its nice to see them on the wall.

I have also eaten too much ... I made a (gluten free sugar free) cake to suit all the various preferences in people's diets yesterday as had visitors over and then of course I forgot to send the rest away with them.
Now I'm forced to eat the remains

NotSpaghetti "whilst my husband did a great job in the bathroom. - hooray!"

Finally got the hang of the potty then?

Kaimoana glad you got some extra sockets from the electrician.
Sounds like you have a busy week. I’m pleased to hear you are being looked after well by your friend from Waipareira .
I hope you get your special chair soon and your new shoes.
You’re a special lady and deserve to be looked after.
Gramaretto so pleased you’ve got your new phone. Don’t like to think of you being unable to contact anyone while you’re out and about.
Im the opposite of your friend ……I can look motheaten in a stunning gown and all my coats look like tents. 🤣
Hope class went well and you didn’t get detention
Nfk Keira must be a rare dog if she doesn’t mind visiting the vets.
Most dogs I know shake and shiver at the mere mention of the word
Lucky you have a vet so close by.
Notspaghetti glad the car is ok. Did it take a lot of cleaning?
Why is it we can eat and not feel full and then a little while later realise we’ve overdone it. I do that all the time.
If your DH is free he’s welcome to come and clean my bathroom for me.
Kaimoana…took me a minute to work that one out 🤣🤣
Mamissimo how little Spud doing.? Is he onto caviar yet?
Cherry my friend you’ve been missing a while we are worried. Hope you’re ok x
DH went to see the podiatrist today. Very nice lady but very matter of fact and explained quite clearly that it might be a year or more before DH might be able to walk again . Bit deflating as we’d not exactly thought of it in those terms. She did say exercise was vital to keep up strength. We have a physio coming next week so hope she’s going to give us some good exercises
Jeeves got himself locked in the cellar by accident (or so he says) He’s fine and will be back on duty soon……..when he’s sobered up. 🤔

Mr Doodle
don't be despondent - it may be quicker if you are determined and keep your exercise up. It would be fabulous to prove her wrong 🤞*

Yes the car took ages but I think in the end it was better to have dry mud to deal with rather than wet mud!

Truly, NotSpaghetti, that's what I tell my walking boots when I look at them after a walk. You'll be easier to deal with when you are dry.

Dogs are likely the same. 🐕

I survived my Gaelic class and have a list of events I could attend including a not-dancing ceilidh on Friday.

Keira sounds like an easy dog Nfk or does she still cry when you are out of sight?

Today I must test my car to see if it survived the month of freezing cold and storms. My df wants to borrow it for a few days.

How is Spud and his family Mamissimo?
How is Cherry 🍒 doing?

I'm sorry Jeeves has become an old soak Doodle. We should never have given him the cellar keys.

Golly. Nerves kicking in here as I am to be INTERVIEWED
Lost my heart to the one of many feline profiles all needing worthy homes, as forwarded to me by friends and family.
I wondered whether there would be moggy amongst them who touched my heartstrings and this is he.

My concern was that we might be considered too old and that he might outlive us, but if ever one needed a reason to keep on going, he is that!

The rescue centre lady will be WhatsApp-ing us this evening to see if we pass muster.

Off to put the vacuum cleaner round, just in case ...

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Good morning Spud fans 🙃

As you can see he is loving life! On the menu this morning....dairy free raspberry porridge, puréed prunes and pear, wholemeal toast with dairy free spread....ate the lot!

We're out to lunch today - one of our favourite haunts is doing unlimited moules on Wednesdays....it's a dream date for Mr M. Spud is his doppelgänger!

Aoife snuck off and ate a stick the day before yesterday. Luckily it merely made her 'unwell' but I had sleep nearby in case vet was needed. Darned beagles - they're a bit like Spud too!

Notspaghetti yes I think DH needs to keep up the physio for upper body strength. Hope your cars in better shape now
gramaretto what is a ceilidh is it a gathering for music or dancing? Nice of you to lend your car to your friend. Hope you don’t have any trouble getting around without it
ixion how exciting. How did you get on? I hope you passed and were accepted.
Mamissimo Spud is a bit of a gourmet. He certainly likes his food. Oh poor Aoife Hope she’s ok.
Sorry can’t write much tonight, I’ve hurt my back and it’s agony sitting typing
Take care all and sleep well

I hope it wasn't that 40kg box of ruddy scooter wot did it for you, Doodle☹️

Poor Doodle, I hope your back gets better soon. Sending many cwtch and to Cherry who mustn't be on top form or she's be joining in. Multi warm and gentle cwtch to you too dear friend.
I'm with Notspaghetti and hope you prove the doomboots wrong Doodle.

Grammareto I used to love the books by Lillian Beckwith in which there were regular ceilidh which I longed to join. Everyone round the hearth having a good old craic with a glass of Uisge beath in hand. How wonderful if yours is like that.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lillian_Beckwith

My plan for yet another quiet day was scuppered. I wanted to get on with clearing the garage and cataloguing everything. I was happily doing this and listening to an audio book with coffee to hand and... “Hello, we’ve come to help.”

'Where do I put this?' (asked every few minutes)
'I can't see it, what is it?'
AND
'I've put all the rubbish in this box.' The box I intended for Xmas decorations and the 'rubbish' was packing materials for the delicate things I am storing. <sigh>

But how can you be annoyed with such dear, well-intentioned people?

Or Ray who came over after they'd driven off and just as I was getting back into the work

He tells me the full power of Waipareira's wrap around service is going to change his life
Tomorrow he'll go out with kaimahi (helper) and a $250 voucher to fill his currently empty fridge and pantry.
It's a start.
They'll also arranging Meals on Wheels.
I am so relieved.