Not Locked Down but may need to be locked up

How is our Doodle today x ?

Im ok Cherry. Thank you for your encouraging post. I must admit to being a glass half empty person rather than a glass half full.
Had quite a good day really. Been very busy at church craft this morning then with friend this afternoon. I have tried not thinking about the things that make me sad. It’s hard because this simplest thing can set me off. The fact I had a chocolate eclair today and I know how much DH loved them.
Putting the dishwasher on because DH always used to do it. Everyday things that remind me he’s not here. Tonight I am going to keep myself busy till bed then hope for a no dream sleep.
Grammaretto I hate dropping pins or needles. So afraid someone (me) will tread or kneel on them
Well done on making a dress. May we have a photo when it’s finished. I never had the patience (or skill) for dressmaking
Oh no not water again. You must be exasperated, annoyed and worried. Will this never stop. Hope the roofer comes to your aid soon
The May your buckets remain dry was NkFs idea Kaimoana not mine but I liked it……that was until Grammaretto’s buckets started filling up again.
The photos are beautiful. What a shame to destroy them
*Nfk glad your tooth isn’t causing too much pain.
Thank you for your kind thoughts. It is true the price of having that love is the grief after. I’m trying to make myself smile at memories rather than cry but it’s not easy
i love to paddle too. Probably be quite a while till I get to the coast again but I always loved the sea
A good day thanks ixion
Yes I’m ready with my Pringles and my rolling pin (just in case they’re not playing well enough.
I know what you mean about bank holiday weekends. Used to love them when I was at work. Now as you say doesn’t make much difference
Plump up the cushions on the sofa please and could you bring the foot stool a little closer ready for me tomorrow
*Cherry your poor WP . So sorry he’s been emulsioned. Is he a fetching colour?
I love your non art, I think that’s what I should call mine too🤣

Oh Blimey, more drips, you must be desperate Grammaretto. I hope the roofer comes soon. You don't seem to have much luck with your Tradies, do you

"...why is there such a vast difference in the range of opportunities for patients? " asked ixion.
The answer is simple: the Maori world's abiding philosophy is that people come first. That's why we elders ae treated like royalty and their health and educations systems are so successful.

Sadly, the arrogance of the pakeha (white-run NZ) world, means they won't follow suit and prefer to copy USA, so health care is profit-driven, $$$$ first. Cram as many as you can onto the Roll, for the government's per capita subsidy and to the divil with whether you have staff and resources to help them.

It's the same everywhere, sack 2 out of three then make the remaining one do three people's jobs.
It's led to mass unemployment, huge misery and homelessness due to thousands of evictions as rents and house prices more than double.

This is the Age of Stupifying Stupidity.

Those lupins could have been a wonderful natural resource. The seeds/beans, properly processed, are edible and are now in many foodstuffs, breads especially as a rich source of plant protein.

The picture comes with love to you all.

Oh, Grammaretto, b****r! The weather now is so awful it's a challenge for old buildings. They're not designed to cope with the monsoons you've been getting. I think ixion's idea of a Huf Haus might be a good one. All snug and weather proof and built so fast it all but solves the overlap of homes problem.

Raining in my bit of Norfolk today.

Evening all. Short post as I’m so very, very tired, I’ve been helping out at church all week from 9.30 till mid afternoon and I’m not used to being on my feet so much. I have enjoyed being in church though. I feel peaceful there.
Love that picture and the saying Kaimoana. Have you heard anymore from your son?
*Nfk we’ve had a lot of rain today too. Earlier whilst looking out of the window I was amazed to see how the rain was falling. Not seen anything like it before, it must have been a combination of sun and rain but it looked a bit like it was raining tiny slivers of diamonds so bright but it , only lasted for 30 seconds but it was beautiful.

Grammaretto I’m hoping you’ve not had more rain today. Had the roofer been yet

Would anyone like a match report 🤔? No. I didn't think so 🤣. Never mind ... in brief, 13 shots, none on target, then .... 2 on target ... two goals 😁. We won, yay. I think it was going back to our old cheerleader routine what did it that and inspired substitutions 😉.

Doodle, those simplest things upsetting you are understandable because they were in the comfortable, the everyday activities, everyday pet likes and dislikes, both yours and your DH's and combined. You are uncomfortable at the moment, in your loss, but you are allowed to enjoy that éclair because he did love it
The way I look at things is that half a glass is half a glass, no more, no less and since it is not less then, it being that, the glass has either been filled to halfway or it was full and has half its full contents left, an empty glass can only be filled Xx

Has the roofer got back in touch Grammaretto?

Yes Doodle we're in regular touch.
Here he is with my very dear sister who's' known him since he was a baby.

Aw Kaimoana that’s lovely
Cherry wow that was so exciting I dropped my Pringles and then Ixion stamped on them doing her routine. 😡
I do prefer your old routine. Less distracting for the players.
ive had another ok day today. Very busy and so tired tonight.
Sleep well all

Grammaretto
The water in your bucket tells me it is time to move.
Build your (modest) dream home. The family will be happy for you once they see how cosy and easy your life is... and DRY!
If we listened to our children all the time, those of us with larger (and opinionated) families would never do anything!

Thanks everyone for your wonderful support and continued sympathy.
I haven't completely given up on the house build and I think I've decided to sell up.
I must do some serious house hunting. The roofer is about to send a new quote for some more work.
If it requires a whole new roof, I can't afford that.

Lovely photo of your DS and DSis Kaimoana.

I hope you are OK Doodle? I wonder if you could do with an iron tonic. Or some other tonic.

There's iron in chocolate I believe *

I managed to finish sewing up my DDs mohair sweater which has taken about a year to do and my dress which has been much quicker. We went to the other DGP party yesterday and wore them.

I have DS3 and DGD staying who have scooped up my old vinyl LPs. I am a bit nostalgic but pleased she wants them and as I will be downsizing, sensible.

I'm out to visit a potter today who's firing his big wood kiln.

I've missed the footie starting. Perhaps this is why our team is winning 🤔

^Can the girl knit and sew or can the girl knit and sew^ to butcher a phrase! The girl can definitely knit and sew. Those garments are wonderful Grammaretto 😍. I'd love one of those sweaters.
Lovely to have your DS3 and DGD staying with you. I hope you enjoyed the party. I'm not at all surprised that you're a bit nostalgic letting go of your LPs, music does that. I bet you had some real gems in your collection that your DGD will appreciate. It's surprising to think that some of these LPs are valuable and the music valued by a younger generation, how the music endures. Your DGD will gain great pleasure from them I'm sure.
I hope you enjoy our visit to the potter today. Oh, and I've got my 🤞 that your roof requires very little work.

What a lovely photo of your DS and DS Kaimoana 😊. I'm glad you're in touch regularly, how are Gubbins and your DDiL?
That's a great quote btw. It's interesting that it's pondered over why all shall be well is repeated....

Gosh Doodle, I didn't realise you'd been helping out at the church all week and for that long each day. No wonder you were so very tired yesterday.
What a wonderful description of that rain shower and what a sight. I don't think I've ever seen rain like that but it has, on occasion, looked like giant silver sewing needles falling from the sky.

^What do you think then?^ my WP asked earlier, evoking a quizzical look from me. The coffee he said. Aha, he'd used the new one we'd bought. A bit bitter, what do you think? The whisky's good. Uhm, I didn't detect any whisky flavour, more quizzical looks. There's whisky in mine he owned. Aha, but what do you think the coffee tastes like, is it bitter to you?, I can taste whisky he said. Uhm, how much did you put in? A spoonful. Uhm, a ladles's a spoonful couldn't resist.

Cherry
If coffee is bitter, add eggshells while it's brewing and it takes the bitterness away.

Grammaretto I have been indulging in the iron chocolate tonight. 😊.
Love the jumper and the dress. How clever you are
I do hope you find somewhere to live where you will be comfortable and happy. Be it in your own garden or elsewhere.
Hope you don’t need a new roof that’s really expensive.
Yes I’ve had a good ish day thank you. Went to church this morning and had such a good chat with others after, that by the time I’d done a quick shop at Waitrose, I didn’t get home till after 1pm.
Notapaghetti hope you’re having a good weekend.
Cherry yes it’s been a busy week for me. Not used to being up so early or so active.
Please would you arrange for your WP to provide me with a large mug of his special coffee when I come round for the footie. 🤣

Apologies for absence.
I think there is something the matter with either my glasses or my iPad as I am getting horrendous ocular migraines - well, one perpetual one, really - after just a few minutes, which lead me having to lying down in the proverbial darkened room.
Something to do with the resolution, perhaps, or my eyesight has taken a dramatic nosedive☹️.

Your sweater (and dress) look lovely, Grammaretto. How busy you always are. Where is your new helper from? I hope you don't have to put him/her on standby 🪣watch. Time to go? Much to consider! If you invested in a foreign built kit house, presumably it wouldn't leave the factory until all the various components were ready to go, so you wouldn't be left with absent brickies, half dug foundations, builders who go bust..
Can't you see the avid Grand Designs viewer here? Decisions, decisions.

So pleased you have lots to occupy you, Doodle. A suggestion - titter not. Have you come across Grown Up Lego? The flower kits certainly look fun, not for any authenticity (unless you are into plastic flowers) but they really do concentrate the mind whilst working from elaborate instructions. Takes me back 40 odd years.
I picked up a kit from a charity shop which was a set of miniature cacti. Ergo, small and not too painful on the eye. I bought it for DD, who has made them up and put them in colourful mini pots on the kitchen window sill in her -swanky- apartment. So not that naff then? (See photo of kit).

You underestimate Cherry. No need to conceal a dram in a mug of coffee. She religiously brings her trusty hip flask to every match. Mostly we need it to raise flagging spirits.

Can we come for a paddle too, Nfk? Bliss.

Hello
Well the Spaghetti house has been busy with grandchildren, my mother-in-law, household (boring) stuff and getting sorted in the garden (at last) for the builder to come next week to start a brick shed for us.

We also went out for dinner with family which was nice - but I ended up with an "upset" stomach so that took a day out of my weekend(!)... luckily I'm OK now. Of course nobody else was affected!

I've had more blood tests and the nurse who took it was at least more efficient than the one who took blood last time - my bruise is only the size of an old sixpence whereas the last one - a month ago - was rectangular and e-nor-mus! - I don't really know what she did that time but she didn't get the right spot first and seemed to wiggle it about! The bruising lasted for weeks and was nearly as big as my mobile phone!

My youngest daughter is having some insulation done in her home this week. I expect she will visit to get out of the way!

The other thing we've done is take one granddaughter to a maize maze. It seems ages since we went to one of these and now they have a map so you can (hopefully) get out, and flags on sticks so you can be rescued if not!
Since we went to this one I've seen several advertised so it must be a bit of a "thing" now

Doodle, Ixion is right about the lego - very satisfying (but a bit fiddly!)

I think you are managing so well. I am always amazed that anyone manages to get through the day when their soul mate is no longer around. As my mum would have said "There but for the grace of God" - I do know how lucky I am.

Cherry, I too love the "all shall be well" quote.

^"He said, Thou shalt not be tempested, thou shalt not be travailed, thou shalt not be distressed; but He said: Thou shalt not be overcome." And "All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well."^

Not that there won't be pain and sorrow - but that all will be well

*ixion I’m sorry you are having such trouble with your eyes. Do you have any meds for migraine?
No I’ve not seen that Lego. Used to do lots with our grandson. Thank you I’ll look into it. They do look pretty.
*Notspaghetti nice to have the family round. Sorry about the upset tum. I find that happens a lot to me when I eat out.
I’ve had trouble with blood tests too and poor DH who used to have loads what permanently black and blue arms.
I’ve not been to a maze for ages. Isn’t having a map cheating 🤣. Mind you I’m no good at map reading so I’d still get stuck.
Yes not quite sure how I survive the days. Someone I know was recently bereaved and she wrote to me saying she had no idea it was going to be so hard. I think a lot of people imagine how it must be but the reality is so different. I’m so lucky with friends and family though. But it’s not the same.
I like that quote too

Message repeated for Kaimoana I forgot to do Star treck

I’m sorry you are having such trouble with your eyes. Do you have any meds for migraine?
No I’ve not seen that Lego. Used to do lots with our grandson. Thank you I’ll look into it. They do look pretty.
Notspaghetti nice to have the family round. Sorry about the upset tum. I find that happens a lot to me when I eat out.
I’ve had trouble with blood tests too and poor DH who used to have loads what permanently black and blue arms.
I’ve not been to a maze for ages. Isn’t having a map cheating
🤣. Mind you I’m no good at map reading so I’d still get stuck.
Yes not quite sure how I survive the days. Someone I know was recently bereaved and she wrote to me saying she had no idea it was going to be so hard. I think a lot of people imagine how it must be but the reality is so different. I’m so lucky with friends and family though. But it’s not the same.
I like that quote too

Thanks for the tip Kaimoana, I've got eggs I need to use too 🙂.

I'm pleased that you had a good day yesterday Doodle, being at the church obviously helps you, that and keeping busy. Don't go wearing yourself out though, please.

That doesn't sound good ixion 😟. Has this happened before with screen use? I have mine dimmed as much as I can but still find it very bright, probably not good on the eyes for too long. I hope you're feeling better now. Have you contacted your optician?
🤣, It's a match day rule. Truly, I never drink at any other time.

Your experience with the phlebotomist sounds horrible NotSpaghetti. I'm glad it wasn't as bad this time round I hope the results come back okay.
A brick shed sounds great. We need a new one really, ours has been falling apart for a while 🙄. My WP would have the touch of the ^green eyed monster^

Is it today your new helper comes Grammaretto?

I can't tell you how excited I am about the shed CherryCezzy.
It's to replace a decrepit wooden one and I bought the bricks in stages last year from a reclaimer. They are all Victorian and match (pretty close anyway) the old Victorian WC brickwork at the bottom of the garden. I wanted old ones as the new shed will be next to the old one.

I've also got a piece of old downpipe and some nice old tiles (not quite enough yet) a beautiful piece of oak for a lintel (left over from a roof project), a large window rescued from someone having an extension and a drainpipe hopper.
We've been buying what we could, when we could. The tiles are always in stock though so keeping fingers crossed they haven't rocketed price wise.

Apart from the joy of getting things in there it means that the slabs holding my "patio furniture" can once more be used as a patio! This furniture has been stacked behind bricks all summer! 😕🙄

I suppose I can get my patio set up for winter!
😂

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202408/medium-953492-joe-at-stadium-haka.png https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202408/medium-55763-joegrid.jpg

This morning's laugh.
My son has so often been described, though perhaps not in such delicate terms as built like a brick WC that I could not help but smile at NotS actually having one.

Here's DS, No.70 when he played American Football for New Zealand.

Happy days Kaimoana. How lovely for you to see him represent his country too!

Just realised I did really "go on a bit" about the shed!!
🙄
Apologies all!