🦞 Locked down no longer but still firm friends 🦞

I decided to have my breakfast outside on this beautiful Maytime morning and think love and strength towards my friend Doodle.
.
The sun had just risen and was wandering up through the bush, sparkling every drop of dew.

Because I often put out seeds for the birds, there is always a flurry from every quarter when I appear as, alerted by the manutaki, they race to nearby trees in hope.
There is always at least one bird from every flock whose job it is to warn, in advance if possible, of approaching dangers. These are the manutaki, guardians and they take the task in turns.

The ambient air was a crisp 11 degrees and the Tui, always the first and last to sing at either end of the day, had been adorning this morning for two hours, in a tree so close I could touch it.
The Tui is the delight of my spirit, singing throughout each day. I usually pretend it’s just for me. Today it's for Doodle too.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucvO-gphZng

A gentle rain, percussive against the glowing leaves graced the early air as yet untainted by diesel and bacon breakfasts.

It reminded me of the many rural years I'd slept outside all summer, listening and learning as day birds gave way to the nigh singers.
Warm diurnal aromas fled to be replaced by the deep earthy night scents.
There is something very special and precious about this experiene, almost as if, when the world-sounds cease, I was back in ancient time. It was a respite and relief which used to armour me for the day.

So often I regret this is no longer possible but on this May morning, I was suddenly thankful again to have had the privilege.

Doodle, I hope you find a lovely and welcoming art group.

I'm sure you will find satisfaction in the chance to do something new - without expectations and pressure.

I am a terrible singer and can barely hold a tune but for a couple of years after my father and then my mother died, I took singing lessons. I improved enough to sound "normal" - but more importantly I felt free for a few hours a week when i practiced - and enjoyed doing it.

Fill those days up Doodle until you no longer need to.

Thinking of you.

Kaimoana2 - the Tui song is extraordinary- and fabulous. Thank you for sharing it.

Do you remember the flip-down-a-person elimination game Guess Who?

I thought I'd just share with you the Guess Who game my grandson and his friend were playing earlier
... My grandson is 13

Grandson : Does your person look like they drink too much wine?

Friend : Does your person look like they could be X’s friend? Not like his best friend... But like his work colleague type friend?..

No hats, facial hair, glasses... A different way of doing it!

Good morning lobStars.

Doodle, I have received a message from Nfk for you. She's been away since Friday of last week, has managed to get into her inbox but hasn't been able to load the GN site.
She said: Can you pass on my, condolences isn't a big enough word is it, hugs, sympathy .... no words fit. I am sorry.

Back later, I hope.

Oh Cherry that’s so kind of you and Nfk thank you.
Kaimoana thank you for sharing the Tui song with me. Your post was so descriptive today
Notspaghetti I am trying to find things to do but it’s not as easy as it seems. I have church Wednesday morning and coffee after which is good. I’m not particularly active which rules put walking groups. *
Love your grandsons way of playing Guess who 🤣
Grammaretto need to find if they have a place for me in the art class. It’s very popular

Doodle, have you thought about, er, finding a fun, lightweight singing group? Or a stitch and bitch knit and natter session? You could try lots of Kaimoana's knitted slippers, if all else fails.
If you want to capture memories while they are fresh in your mind, you could buy yourself a lovely Moleskine notebook and just- write. Anything and everything about Mr.D and you that you are afraid might slip through your fingers with the passage of time.

A trip to ultrasound scan today reveals rotator cuff tears. Must improve my overhead smash technique. I phoned the lovely Grace Kelly, my young Aussie physio, to report in and to plea that she now cuts out some of the more painful exercise first set.
Tears? she remarks. Aw, Beaudiful.
Pain? Not 'cool' this time. 'Beaudiful'.
🤷‍♀️

Mr.I and I now have to come to some agreement as to who sleeps on which side of the bed. Ailments dictate. Never used to matter in the olden days IIRC. 😉

Barney is today celebrating his 3 month anniversary chez nous.
He is doing his best to be cute and appealing so we don't send him back.
He sent me out to buy an anniversary pack of custard doughnuts. Of course he can stay.

Ixion Barney is soooo gorgeous. He knows you won’t send him back! He’s a clever lad sending mum out to buy doughnuts!
We are back from the Norfolk Broads - all of 60 miles away! Enjoyed it very much but the weather is so changeable. Where is summer?
Doodle I know only too well how you are feeling as my first husband died very suddenly over 20 years ago. I used to hate Sundays. I’m not in the slightest religious so used to go supermarket shopping on Sunday mornings. I usually found someone to chat too! I also had 2 dogs then so they needed walking twice a day and quite honk think they saved my life. Sounds melodramatic but I had to get up in the mornings to look after them. Not that I’m suggesting you get 2 dogs!
I hope and I’m sure that you have good friends who will take you out for a coffee or a meal and will be a listening ear when you need it - and you WILL need friends as well as family to chat too and who will listen when you just need to talk.
It’s a hard road now but it will slowly get less bumpy and I too used to wake feeling confused as to where I was. I hope you find a good Art class. Have you thought of U3A? They have loads of different classes you can join and also have meals out etc etc. Just a thought. Will be thinking about you and sending hugs xx 🌻🌻

Ooops not “honk”!! Should be quite honestly not quite honk! 🤣🤣🤣

Evening lobStars

Daytime TV is so yawningly 🥱 irritating Doodle. Even though it's popular, the art class is still a possibility then? Are there other arts/crafts groups nearby, do you know? A woman who is part of my walking group goes to a jewellery making class which she enjoys and she's made some lovely stuff, nothing expensive or elaborate but beautiful, she also tried a paper crafting class that was strangely expensive and a friend of mine from the epilepsy support group joined a community choir which her sister strong-armed her into. She didn't fancy it at first as she said, not unlike NotSpaghetti has said, she couldn't hold a note but she thoroughly enjoys it. There are things out there. There may be things you've never considered before but you end up enjoying.

Wow, Kaimoana, Gubbins is growing so fast! She's also adorable 😍🤗, a real character, I love her impression.
I've never heard TUI birdsong before, it's fascinating and delightful, as is your inimitable poetic musing 🙂.

What unique methods your DGS & friend used to Guess Who, brilliant . I am wondering which character your DGS had in mind 🤣.

That sounds plain yuk ixion. At least not you know what the problem is though and the charming physio should be able to home in on which specific exercises are right for you.

Did the roofer come Grammaretto?

Very 😴 tonight, is Jeeves about? If you're there Jeeves I'll have a small cup of tea please.

I hope you find a class you like Doodle. There's no rush though. Just take things gently as they come.

The new roofer and his son came today. They took photos of holes and broken slates but the main problems are a chimney and a rotten attic window. They found bees in the chimney. Meanwhile the buckets are still filling.
I liked them and will give them the job. I hope they can begin soon.

Barney looks extremely relaxed and content ixion. You must be doing something right. Sorry your physio is a bit rough!

Glad you enjoyed your holiday on the Broads, Jan.

I enrolled at a physio run class mostly for people like me, who are awaiting new body parts. Some have been waiting a very long time indeed.

It's so cold here I turned the heating back on.
Hot bedtime tea pour moi, monsieur Jeeves.

I know you say you aren't creative Doodle but everything you've shown us has been lovely. Anyway, you don't need to be creative, just to enjoy craftwork - which you obviously do.
I hope you find a nice group of people to craft with
Have you tried quilting?

I went out to lunch with a very nice group of people myself. The only one I knew was Liz, who invited me to join her family in a local restaurant in memory of her sister, my friend Mihi whose birthday would have been today.

I only had an entrée, something called Pork Tupig. It came as 4 crispy triangles of glutinous rice, stuffed with spiced pork mince on a bed of salads and mixed Filipino beans. Yum.

It was such a happy occasion despite its reason and at the checkout, a sweet girl called Karapu who had been sitting opposite, paid my bill! What a lovely gesture from a complete stranger. She was Mihi's niece.

In the morning Liz and I had driven to support our friends who were fundraising with an outdoor Sausage Sizzle BBQ for Fresh Talent (actors charity).
Their stall was decorted with gold and black balloons and I said if they had no home for them afterwards, I'd like them for Gubbins. At 5pm, friend Marg delivered a cluster of about 20. Gubbins will LOVE them.

Hope you get all your house sorted with the new crew Grammaretto.

Dear lovely lobstars, thank you so much for your card. Such a lovely one and totally unexpected. It made me smile when I opened it and read all your names. Thank you so much.
Been a day of battling with the accounts again. I need to get my head round the money. This afternoon went for a nice walk with a friend and we had an ice cream and sat for a while.
Going to DS1 tomorrow and DS2 Monday.
ixion I have done what you were thinking and every time I remember something of DH I jot it down. It helps me.
Ooh that rotator cuff sounds nasty. Is it very painful ?
Barney is adorable. Don’t think he’s in any danger of being rehomed.
Jan thank you for your kind thoughts. Yes I will need to do something to fill the void. I have looked at U3A but couldn’t find anything that wasn’t on days when I was doing something else. DH and I spent all our time together which meant I didn’t have many friends, those I had at work are moved away or ill but I will go and visit some who’ve been in touch.
Cherry I’ve never watched daytime telly so not sure I can get into it. Hadn’t thought of jewellery making. I will need to check locally.
Grammaretto glad you’ve got a new roofer. Finding someone you get on with is a good way to start. Let’s hope they do a good job and soon you won’t need your buckets,
Good luck with the physio.
Kaimoana I am going ahead with the art class. If nothing else my attempts will give them something to laugh about.
Haven’t looked for a quilting group either although I do like quilting.
What a lovely afternoon you had. I’m sure Gubbins will love her balloons

Doodle, I'm pleased you've received our card ,sending you one was the least we could do, we all wanted to show you how much we care Xx
You're a wise woman to have never watched daytime tv, I wasn't so wise after coming out of hospital after being on traction and told to rest - I soon learnt 😅
I'm glad you're going ahead with the art class. Remember my non art artwork - now that's something that would give an art class something to laugh about 😹 so I'm sure you'll be better than that.
Tomorrow and Monday sound like the perfect way for you to spend this weekend x

Crossed posts yesterday Jan, I'm pleased you enjoyed your trip to the Norfolk broads 😊

The new roofing crew sound like they did a thorough reccy Grammaretto. I get positive vibes about them, I'm sure they'll do a good job.
When does the physio start? It being run by people waiting like you are sounds helpful. Good luck with it ☘️.

Sounds like you had a lovely lunch out Kaimoana 😊. Gubbins will ♥️ those balloons.

I'm trying desperately to get on with my new glasses (they've had to be adjusted once already) but they're not quite right. I think I know why 🤔, I'm almost embarrassed about going back again to tell them and ask them to do a third pair but I think I'm going to have to 🤦. Hey ho, eh.

Now if you lived near me Cherry I could get you an eye test and up to 2 pairs of specs for free. You may remember Karen and I had them a few years ago?

Just recently I enquired on behalf of the elders to see if it wa still in place and about 30 have given me their details, received a free voucher from OneSight to take to a local opticians and now see clearly again.

Most of the elders are, like me, just on a basic pension, so new specs, which cost hundreds of dollars (the test alone cost, in most cases $80+) so well outside small budgets.

It's a pity there isn't a charity for new brains. I got up this morning and started preparing for Karen, noting what we had to do and where we needed to go.
Then put my computer on to see I was a day ahead, it's only Sunday!

Most banks have a bereavement phone line Doodle which I was grateful for a couple of times.
At least a sympathetic person will speak to you.

I had problems when I started looking for those house deeds. The nice person at Nat West seemed not to know that Scottish law is different. So although I called the Royal Bank of Scotland, I was transferred to their English overlords.

I hope the weekend has been bearable for all Lobstars.

I've just been for ny covid booster. It's raining again so the ceiling is dripping
Sorry to be such a damper!
The film tonight is a sad one.

Come on Jeeves. Pour us a comforting beverage. Tea will do.
🍵 🫖

Cherry I have had a problem with glasses in the past too. If there’s something slightly wrong they just annoy you. Hope you get it sorted out soon.
That’s certainly a wonderful charity Kaimoana. I’ve only recently found myself struggling to read things I’ve normally not had a problem with. Reading glasses are on order.
Thanks Grammaretto I will have to contact them. I was supposed to have my covid booster yesterday but decided not to go. I have enough to deal with at the moment so will try and re book in a few weeks time.
Been raining a lot here too but the sun is out at the moment

Sometimes, isfspecs don't sit properly on your nose, they feel weird but an optician will fiix that for free.

DGS hugged me when mine were hangng round my neck and they were hugges out of kilter. Two mins at the speccy shop and all was well.

Karen took me to Habitat for Humanity Op Shop today and not only did I get a bargain on a piece of essential furniture but met a whole gang of lovely, kindly, helpful people.

Made me want to move in and live there

Drippy day here but intermittent sun cheered it.

Thinking of you Doodle and indeed all our Gang who may not be on top form for one reason or another.

Do you remember that BBC Radio programme "Top of the Form"?

*Not one I remember Kaimoana but I didn’t often listen to the radio. I’m going to DS2 for dinner today. It’s been sunny all morning but now it’s got very dark so I think more rain might be due. In fact I’ve just looked out of the window and it’s starting already.
DHs printer has run out of black ink. I need to replace the cartridge but have no idea how. I have just found a YouTube video that might be for a similar printer so will have a go later.
Have a good day all x

My printer, an Epson, runs smoothly on compatible cartidges so if you can avoid it, don't pay full price.
Naturally the manufacturers say you must use their brand - they lie, the dogs.


Hewlett Packard sell cheaper printers because they then recoup on carts which cost almost as much as the machine.

Just a couple of many online places in UK.
www.printerbase.co.uk
www.prink.co.uk

You'll need to quite prinyer make and model (usually seen in a prominent place on the machine. Mine is Epson XP340 for instance.

I've just discovered something delightful. Guess where you'd find the Bay of Rainbows and the Sea of Nectar?
They really exist, not in some Mills & Boon fantasy.

If you don't ask Uncle Google, I'll tell you tomorow but I bet you know anyway.

It took me almost 55 years and 10 months (clue) before I learned.

Rainy here too and quite cold but I'll soon warm up at my Elders group.

Have a hopeful day everyone.

I vaguely remember about the glasses Kaimoana. It's great that so many of the elders have been able to benefit from the charity, I'm glad you found that it's still up and running.
Yes, It's a crying shame there isn't a charity for new brains I could do with one, but knowing my luck a new brain would be worse than the one I've got 🤦 😹
Your trip to the OP shop sounded productive. What, may I ask, was the piece of furniture you managed to get?

I hope you had a good day at DS2's Doodle. I hope you manage to change the printer cartridge.

How are you today Grammaretto? Have you got a new helper coming soon?

I'm still having problems with my tablet as it's got a leaky battery. I got a temporary fix for it but I think that's failing now - it doesn't want to charge 😕. I can't cope with typing anything more than a few words on my phone because I struggle with the size of the keypad and I keep hitting unnecessary Vs and Is , it's so frustrating 😤. I'm going to have to shop around for a new tablet pdq 🙄.

Hope you had a comforting time with your family Doodle

Cherry a tallboy for my bedroom.

Due to a whole set of mistakes and mismanagement, I was one of those kaumatua who were promised much but didn't get it

So Op Shop it was.
It's being delivered on Wednesday but I already tested the runner on every drawer = byootifully smooooth. Remember that - for some razor or shaver wasn't it?

I have the same issue = hitting the wrong keys so I bought a stylus and that solved the problem but it does sound as if you need a new battery or charging unit. Here, it's cheaper to get a new phone

Mais oui Cerise 🍒 I do have a new helper coming on Saturday.
From Grenoble.

I'm feeling relieved this morning as I have accepted the quote for roof repairs.
It's a big job but I think the cost is reasonable. If the photos are anything to go by, the chimney is particularly desperate! He found bees nesting so a bee keeper will have to remove the Queen.

I'm so glad you and the other elders are getting eye care from the charity Kaimoana. *Sight is so precious.
Such beautiful flowers. Thanks.

I was struggling with my very cheap HP printer at the weekend. I got it going but not before a lot of wasted pages from a previous time came out.
I hope you were successful Doodle.

I use my phone for most things despite my arthritic fingers. I have to proof-read.

I took some photos at the King's Gallery yesterday. It's an exhibition of Georgian costumes. Here is a princess whose hair is apparently her own.

I'm sure not all HP printers are like this.
I have had four HP printers - initially I wanted a colour printer and not just a huge golfball type. The first two were excellent abd identical as I replaced one with the other. That model had enormous ink carts.

The one I have now is ink cart heavy but was an expensive model in the first place as at the time I wanted to be able to print photos.
My complaint with this one is not the (expensive) ink carts but the imperfect colour resolution - it is a Photosmart - or, maybe not so photosmart!