🦞 Locked down no longer but still firm friends 🦞

Grammaretto - I would love to build a passiv kit house! How exciting that would be. My parents built their own home in 1950 when they couldn't afford to rent. It wasn't a kit home but was just what they wanted. Eventually they sold off half the garden to be able to live a bit more comfortably.
The buyers built a house on it. It was very sad at the time but necessary to raise some money prior to retirement. Luckily the access was not complicated there

Doesn't Morrisons make a ^Festival Gateaux? I think that is really a ^Princess Cake^

I would LOVE to be in Italy ixion
Ideally in the south - in Puglia or Basilicata - but would happily explore Lucca if I had to!

Ixion - I love your 12 cylinders story! 🤣

That car was the beginning and end of dream cars for Mr.I. Firstly , I came along, then children and all those Grown Up Responsibilities.

The closest he ever got after that was a copy of Classic Car magazine in his Christmas stocking😆.

I'm glad Mr I found responsibilities love for you more exciting even than his E type
I also love the 12 cylinder story.

My DGS is 17 today and was disappointed to receive a provisional driving licence. What was he expecting - a car!

I may be a 4th kind of vegetarian, that is not a veggie at all but a pescatarian.
I stopped eating meat when Edinburgh University agricultural college built an enormous barn so that the animals never went outside at all and along the road from us there's a huge prison camp for chickens.

I stopped liking the taste of meat but I still eat cheese and eggs so not a purist like my Sisinlaw who is vegan and very strict.

DH never stopped eating meat and used to go to his parents each week to have meat and 2 veg!

Grammaretto we were vegan for a number of years post Chernobyl from April 1996. We had a new baby and 2 older children and didn't want to risk dairy. In some other countries where the contamination was blown, farmers were having to get rid of milk - and even her some areas (Wales?) were told we were not to eat lamb.. I could get no info from the government so felt "better safe than sorry".

*Now, MrNS, one daughter and I are vegetarian. Both "boys" eat meat, two "girls" are vegan.

*Notspaghetti you are right about there being kind people in the world. My neighbour is one. I’ve had a really miserable day today and she came and stay with me while I sobbed my heart out and then made me laugh with some funny stories.
What a lovely story about the farm lady. *
*Are your children still vegetarian?
*Kaimoana I love samosas too. You had a good supply to take home as well.
I’ve watched people with tiny houses on you tube. Some of them are so well appointed and look cosy. Much better than not having a home at all.
Hope you’ve dried off now. Gentle rain is quite nice to walk in.

Space on the settee for you, Doodle ⚽️* .
Best hurry up, Mr. I has already made a start on the Pringles😱.

Let's hope 🍒 brings reinforcements!

X

*ixion your trip to Italy sounds amazing. I too loved the 12 cylinders. You’re right about the e type. So stylish but not a family car.
Grammaretto I think that means you like fish, very good for you but I don’t like fish much. DH hated it so we never had it much.
*Oh dear, your DGS did have high hopes. I expect he will enjoy some driving lessons though. Tests in England are so delayed it takes about 26 weeks to get one.
Move up then and do let him have all the Pringles. If you’re in the kitchen could I have some cheese as well please. I’ve brought a bottle 🍷 x
Thanks for cheering me up all x

No sooner said than done.
Thanks to Jeeves with his nifty set of wheels.

Ooh is that Cambazola in the middle. My favorite 😊

I like that cheese board - a lot!
I've started on the wine. I'll forgo the pringles. You can have those.

I've just come back from taking DGS - the Kiwi - to folk club where he recited 3 of his poems. He said if he lived here he would go to folk club every week.
His DP are out on the Town!
Tomorrow he and I are going to Glasgow for the day by bus and train.

I am sorry you were so sad today Doodle, but glad that your lovely neighbour cheered you up.
A good friend is the best therapist IMO.

It always astonishes me how 'fearfully and wonderfully made' our bodies are. Crying releases oxytocin and endorphins, both of which have a calming effect. Creative cleverness
How kind your neighbour was Doodle

We always have a large cheeseboard and fruits at our elders group lunches - Brie is always the first to go

I love seafod, as you know Grammaretto but nowadays can only afford the occasional battered (poor thing) fish.
Wet fish is far too expensive with prices at almost £30 a kilo...not counting the posh stuff.
And yes, it's all locally caught.

I was given a large dish of cooked mince containing a very few veg to bring home but I can't face it. It's 99% meat and if Ray hadn't just had 8 teeth extracted I'd give it to him. It'll stay in the freezer until needed.

Oh gosh yes, NotS I remember the many scares during the Chernobyl crisis. I'd not long been back in NZ and read even vegetables weren't safe, the radioactive dust being blown over to UK to gather in the soil.

I look back on all the scare stories: CND and the Bomb, Cold war, Mad Cow, K2, Chernobyl and more - always something to panic about and yet, here we all are, still battling on.
God bless us every one.

Ooh getting Jeeves' to deliver that cheese board was inspired ixion unlike England's performance 😋. Disappointing that GS didn't bring Our player on.

I'm sorry that you've been so miserable today Doodle but I'm pleased that your neighbour was there for you and and made you laugh 💐 xx

That's the word I was looking for NotSpaghetti, terraced! When I was writing I just couldn't find the word 🤦‍♀️.

Interesting, all the talk about different types of vegetarian. One of my nephews is, like you NotSpaghetti. What I'd call a natural vegetarian, someone who has never liked the smell, taste or texture of meat, or fish for that matter and my WP is a lapsed vegetarian.

Kaimoana, if it's gentle rain in the countryside or coast it can be lovely to walk in but I don't enjoy city rain. I quite like a good breeze too, very refreshing

it sounds like you and your DGS had a lovely day Grammaretto, enjoy your trip to Edinburgh tomorrow.

*Re the inspiring (or not) England team.
Someone sent me this*
I hope you can read it!

Grammaretto your DGS is a talented chap. Hope you two have a lovely time together in Glasgow.
Kaimoana I am blessed to have a neighbour who is just naturally caring and kind. She is so thoughtful and I don’t know how I would have managed without her these last few weeks.
Im not very good with coping with depression and I’m a very emotional character so life is very much a roller coaster at the moment.
i know it’s early days and many have to go through this I just need to feel that I will cope
I think my operation in my lung will be next week and the thought of coping with that without DH is really worrying me. He was so brave and never complained but I’m a bit of a coward.
Cherry I get the impression that we are not doing very well in the footie. I’m afraid I’m more interested in the cheese and Pringles than the football. 🤣

I don't think you're a coward Doodle, your worry about coping after your operation without Mr D is understandable, you always supported one another. I think you have been immensely brave, especially over the last year or two during which you've had your own health concerns simultaneous to Mr D having his. You are stronger than you think. You know you need this operation and you your family will be there for you and support you. You can be strong. I know it xx

Thank you, 🍒, for putting the thoughts of all us into such lovely words.💐

Yes indeed Cherry & ixion

It's understandable that you think you won't cope Doodle and that's because you have coped with so very much over these past, long months and are now feeling weakened by it all.
And who wouldn't?

But you'll do this for Ken and with the support of his love - the love you know will always be there for you. Just as ours is.

*Thank you all for being there for me. Time to pull up my big girl pants as they say. Hoping to hear a bit more about the op tomorrow. Xx

I can only echo what the others said Doodle, especially Cherry's last post. You've proved just how strong you are helping and caring for Mr D. Now it's time to care for yourself. I'm sure Mr D knows you will be fine, the same as my Best Beloved did and assured me all the time. But it is hard. Surreal. Amputated. Learning to cope as half the whole you once were. But, you are, as I am, fortunate in having loving neighbours, friends and offspring to surround you with love and support. Big girls pants and all that. We are all strong women.

I have of late, been looking at photos of the life we had and what we achieved and the joys we had together. And putting those last dark days away in a box. Perhaps I shall open the box again sometimes, but briefly. I know the box is there, and I will carry it with me always, but right now, it's firmly shut. Right now I have to learn to live a new life. One that means finding out how the hell to get the drill bit out of the drill. I got it in and made the holes, but how the hell to remove it?

I had to take the Camperbubble to Yarmouth (Great Yarmouth that is )from where I bought it to have the air suspension pumped up. So I thought I'd book in for a night at a campsite overlooking the beach in Kessingland. A lovely couple of days and just the distraction I needed. Kira enjoyed it too. The weekend after next I'll be scattering BB's ashes on the Broad. I'd been getting concerned at not hearing from the people at the Museum of the Broads about the boat. They are short staffed. But this evening the wonderful volunteer who's taking us out emailed. I shall ring him in the morning. Bless him.

I hope you do hear about your op tomorrow Doodles. Focus on it and getting fit and mentally strong for it. All will be well.

When is the op Doodle?
I hope it goes smoothly.
You are a very brave lady. You have been through so much lately and are still going through it.

After a very long day in Glasgow with DGS yesterday, I had a lazy day today. The family went off into Edinburgh while I went to yoga and a café afterwards. It was the last class till August. Everything stops here for the Summer holidays. Just like being back at school.

Thanks Nfk. I felt strong when DH was with me and could fight any battle for him. Somehow all that has escaped me now.
I keep reminding myself that you and Grammaretto have been through this too and however hard it is are coping. I must do too and learn to live with it. Thank you for the support.
Grammaretto it will be Wednesday I think. Not confirmed yet, I’m glad you’re pacing yourself. It can be quite exhausting being out all day.

Doodle we are all thinking of you...
We know this is inadequate- but we are rooting for you - and hope this helps give you strength.

Thanks Notspaghetti. I have decided to postpone the op until DS1 back from holiday. Surgeon phoned me early this morning to discuss what was involved and he suggested waiting as I will need help. Not allowed to drive or pick up things for four weeks after op and I will be in hospital a week. I will need both sons around.
Have a good weekend all.