Not Locked Down but may need to be locked up

Cherry don't tell me you have no talent, I've never read a more exciting account of a football match as the ones you write.
More please

Here are the lobster icons Doodle if you're able to add them to the title.
🦞🦞🦞

Hello all - I think I accidentally ended the thread.
Apologies

I saw 1000 and hoped someone else not me would start a new lobstar thread.
Thanks Kaimoana 😊

Thank you - but please can we have our lobsters back?
Nice and distinctive🦞.

This site is very stuttery this morning.
I shall try again later, have a good day.

Sorry, Kaomona2, I thought your pm was spam as there was just a link but no message, so reported it. Now I’ve seen this thread, I realise it wasn’t spam - apologies 😊.

Kaimoana thank you for starting the new thread. Love the title 🤣
I will see if GN will add the 🦞 for us
Off out to lunch with friends so catch up later

Evening all. Been out for lunch with two old friends. It was nice but I’m not the best of company at the moment. They were lovely though and did their best to cheer me up,
Cherry and ixion sadly all the cheering didn’t work and we lost but they did well to get to the final.
Notspaghetti, not to worry, courtesy of Kaimoana we are up and running again 😊
*Grammaretto is the exhibition still on. Are you selling things or are they just on display?
Just going to pop back to the old thread to read Cherrys report

We gave it our all, Doodle, didn't we? As did the team
Loved the shimmying😉
. I'm pleased that you went out today but real friends are there for you for the good times and the bad. They will understand🌈.

Cherry, you had a lovely extended birthday. Why did I always assume, in the olden days, that you were about 40?🤷‍♀️

I wonder if Grammaretto got out on her hike today - and whether the washing machine and roofing chaps came to sort your problems?
It never rains but ... How would you pot - and all the other hobbies you have -if you were in residential living? 🫢

Bit of a hiatus on the (televised) sports scene now, for a couple of weeks, til the Olympics kick off. Time to catch up on all those outstanding jobs.

Yawn.

I'm sorry I've been AWOL this week. I've been off with the Camper Crew. To Happisburgh. Not far. But a very nice new camp site since half the other one fell off the cliff a while ago. There are still fresh falls. All the rain has made the sandy soil very slippy. We walked the cliff path and, to her frustration, I kept Kira on the lead. It's best not to go too near the edge! It was just what I needed to bring me back to the present and stop me wallowing.

I wondered what you meant Doodle, when you said about reading Cherry's report! I did fortuitously see the last five minutes of the semi-final, very exciting. But I didn't watch the final. I'm not a football fan, too frustrating, rugby seems so much more natural. Pick the ball up and run like hell!

Has anyone heard from Jan lately?

NFK I thought from Kaimoana’s post that Cherry had written a report of the match but Kaimoana meant previous reports which I agree were thrilling. We should have had Cherry to script the play for the England side it would have been more exciting.
We to go to a campsite in Dorset and the cliffs there were eroding badly. Glad you had a good time
No not heard from Jan for a while. Are you around Jan? Hope you’re ok
ixion we certainly did. Er just as a matter of interest what goodies are you getting in for us when we come to yours to watch the olympics?

I think I'm washing my hair, Doodle 🫣

I sent Jan the same link to the thread I forwarded to everyone, so once she finds it (and doesn't think it's spam ) she'll be along.

I would never go into residential care. I'd walk into the sea first.

Residential Home care here (at least for people like me) is enmeshed about with necessary Health & Safety rules which cover abso-flippin-lutely everything.

You cannot make yourself a cup of tea in case you inadvertently scald yourself. You are not allowed custody of your medication and you certainly can't just go out for a stroll on a nice day.
You are even discouraged from staying in your room as “that can lead to depression.”
And oh so much more.

If you have savings or investments, Managed apartments or cottages to buy outright are an option and in NZ are mostly owned by the big international insurance companies such as BUPA, Rymans & Metlife. They allow more autonomy but for a price.
My friend's mother, having recently sold her home, bought into a Ryman complex of apartments with no attached Hospital, so if she's sick long-term, she'll be asked to move.
Her tiny apartment cost $1.2 million and as there’s no appreciation of assets, however long she stays, she (or her daughter) will only ever be entitled to what she paid for the flat. She pays an extra service charge for security, cleanliness of public areas and so on but if they organise trips, that's extra.
As all these insurance companies insist they sell the property for you or your estate, they make a tidy profit.
When Waitakere Gardens opened, a two-bedroom apartment was $135,000.

There are many advantages for those who can afford it: plus ça change

So I count myself very lucky indeed that I am in a Salvation Army Independent Living unit.

There is no oversight or outings but we are totally independent as we would be in private accommodation.

Salvation Army are one of the biggest landowners in Aotearoa as, like the insurance companies, they began buying cheap land 30 or so years ago, in anticipation of this very lucrative market.

What it's like in Scotland I'd be very interested to discover Grammaretto.

Elders group today - none of whom are in residential care.

I've made a quiche as apparently the budget is empty.

Kaimoana,We have a Housing with Care complex where I live. Independent flats all set up to cover most disabilities. There’s a service charge which covers the minimum of two hours care a week and all the gardening and cleaning etc. It includes a restaurant (with its own cooks), hairdresser, community rooms, laundrette (if for some reason you don’t want to use your own machine). When I costed it out for my DM it worked out marginally more expensive than her cleaning lady, window cleaner, chap to keep the garden, etc. with carers on call 24 hours. The flats are a mix of private and council provided. I suspect similar is available in Scotland. Probably better.

Nfk that sounds like the posh end of our market

At my elders group, so many people brought foods that we had to pull out another trestle table! We could have fed an army.

Unfortunately I had to leave an hour early (and my lunch) as they had invited 2 women with electric guitars who played jazz - the sort of situation tailor made to make me feel ill.
I went outside but it was still more than I could handle.

Everyone else heard pleasant music and of course were enjoying it. One of the kaimahi agreed to drive me home (my lunch in a plastic bag) and I was so grateful to get home to silence.

If you use Libby, have you all found the "easter egg" bouquet after you return a book?
Once returned, a small bunch of flowers appears on that black page, so don't go back to shelf too soon. Tap the flowers and you get a lovely shower of blooms.

Finally getting to see my doctor tomorrow, for a diabetes check. Dr Taylor, a man I haven't met before, might be able to explain why I am still waiting for the cardio tests ordered in April 2023.

Today has been one of those spectacularly warm days which drop in like unexpected, welcome guests you love but haven't see for a while.

Kaimoana what you describe sounds quite grim. Not sure it’s much better here. My mum lived in sheltered housing but had to pay as she had over the threshold of money for getting it free. She had an independent unit but had the security of a warden if she needed to call anyone. Fortunately she lived very close to my brother and sister in law who looked after her needs so well.
Hope you enjoyed the elders group
Nfk that sounds quite reasonable. I expect if you have any money at all you are expected to pay for everything.
The sort of thing you describe we have round here but it’s privately owned and the service charges are phenomenal.
Kaimoana I’ll have to look out for the bouquet.
Hope all goes well at the doctors. Yes please do chase your cardio appointment that’s a ridiculous wait.
Grammaretto is your exhibition still on? Have you been outa with you foraging group recently?
ixion you spoil sport. Washing your hair indeed. I expect proper supper and lots of Pringles for my Olympic viewing. 🤣

Sorry Kamoana I’ve got a very suspicious nature but Like Ziplock - hello Ziplock I honestly thought it was spam although I didn’t report it!
I’m ok just a bit of a down time and to top it all my lovely Physio came today and told me he was moving! Shouldn’t let such little things get to me but we just got on well and he’s a brill physio. But shouldn’t moan - although I do - when our Doodle has so much more to cope with.
DH is having his pacemaker changed on Thursday and will be pleased when that’s all done and dusted.
Will be back in a few days. Love to All

I hope when you do come back Jan you are feeling better.
Perhaps you need a wild night out? Is your physio moving right out of the area or leaving the profession?

I felt the same way when my lovely doctor moved to start a clinic of her own but too far away to make it feasible to join her panel (old fashioned phrase).

Nice to hear you are managing a bit of socialising Doodle. Day by day, one step at a time.

My 9.30 appointment went like clockwork. Seen on time, doctor a nervous chap but polite.
All my numbers are good so he was happy. It seems I've lost 16kg, must have a good look round for them.

Shuttle came back as I reached reception and I was home by 10am.

Shuttle drivers even managed to pick up my prescription items from the free pharmacy - and brought them to my door.
I'd just taken a batch of shortbread from the oven so was able to give them a sweet treat.

The gods are smiling on me - all except Tawhirimatea who's in a damp and dismal mood, sniffling all day. Alas poor laundry.

16kg! That is amazing if you had 16kg to spare.

I would be delighted to lose 6kg to be honest! I've managed to put weight on whilst I was ill with covid! I don't know how as I thought I ate a lot less!

Pleased for you that your numbers were good though. 🎉

Happy days Lovely Lobstars 😍
I've now lost 2 long posts in a row but hey I was just waffling on.
I don't know about kg but it sounds a lot Kaimoana. I hope it's not too much. My carry-on luggage to Denmark was a lot less than 10kg.

Good that you are well otherwise. Very good.

Have you more trips planned Nfk? Your camperbubble travels sound idyllic.

I shall be minding the exhibition today and meeting up with an old school friend for lunch if I can escape. It's going to be a sunny day!

I've just lost two long posts. One here, and one with links on another thread. I'm not going to redo them. Why does it keep happening?

Jan lovely to hear from you. Hope your husbands pacemaker change goes ok. Is it just the battery?
Thats a shame about your physio. You get to rely on people and used to their way of doing things. Hope whoever you get next is just as good.
Kaimoana wow that’s some weight loss. Good your appointment went well. Collecting your prescription on the way home was a bonus. Good the shuttle driver was on time and helpful.
Notspaghetti I hate losing a post. So annoying. All that work typing and then it vanishes into the ether. Hope you’re ok.
Grammaretto how’s the exhibition going? Are you having lots of visitors.? Hope you have a nice lunch with your friend
It would be our 54th wedding anniversary tomorrow. I’m going to the church bereavement group in the afternoon. I was invited out for lunch but don’t feel up to going so will go and light a candle for my beloved instead