Not Locked Down but may need to be locked up

ixion

Doodle shared her choice of garden party hat with me.
Very swish.

Gosh, Doodle, you're jolly busy. Good to hear. Enjoy your Garden Party, hoping the weather stays (becomes?) fine for you.

I have just read up about the John Buchan Way, thank you Grammaretto, with a good dollop of famille Buchan history. The 1959 film version of the 39 Steps was one of my parents' favourite films - and mine too, by extension. Prester John was on our prescribed reading list at school.
We recently saw a tv series on the North Coast 500 road trip
www.visitscotland.com/inspiration/touring/north-coast-500
and I have suggested it to my cousin and his wife who are holidaying in Scotland from Brisbane next summer.

You are right about the chairs, Cherry. I have interacted with a very helpful and extremely courteous virtual assistant to effect a return next Tuesday. Sadly tho', no opportunity to stray outside the conversational box.
Can I request an exchange?
I'm sorry, I don't understand your question. Do you want to return your order?
However you couched the question, she was having none of it. I'm sorry....

DS had better luck with his bot TOBi. We have reached level 2 of Engineer Assistance, reporting back within 24 hours with the landline/handset/router issue.
Just like that. A marked improvement on Mr.I crawling under the hall table, torch and mobile in hand trying to follow instructions from a real assistant in a far off land.

Yesterday, I made my routine call to an elderly neighbour, who was, as guaranteed, glued to the Paralympic coverage. I was pleased to see the road racing, with its sights and sounds of foreign climes.
Oh look I pronounced with some disappointment it looks just like the British countryside after all.
That's because it's the Tour of Britain, he explained kindly.

The 39 Steps is one of my most favourite books of all time.

Ooh a garden party sounds lovely Doodle 😍

You're having a really sociable time. That's good.

Kiwi girl brought her Kiwi friend for tea tonight. They bought supermarket pizzas to heat at home. Not the most exciting food but most enjoyable company.

Tomorrow we are foraging again. It'll be fungi I guess.

Those paths we walked yesterday, go from Peebles to Broughton though we only did part of the way. It's the John Buchan Way. He wrote the Thirty Nine Steps and other thrillers and came from the area.

I feel very lucky to live near such beautiful, peaceful countryside.

A man on the walk has cured his diabetes by living on a keto diet. This means no carbs and high fat. It has worked for him though it probably is bad for his kidneys or something.

Where's Jeeves tonight? He's not here.

Grammaretto I wish I could have joined you for your pottery lesson it sounds fun. Mind you if I was having a go there would be clay everywhere
I had a good day yesterday with friends and then a lovely meal with family last night although we all missed DH being there as he would have loved it.
Busy day today. Been to Windsor and had a look at the shops. Bought a few bits for DgS birthday and had lunch out. Tired now though
i love your photos. What a beautiful place you live to have such lovely places close by
Notspaghetti good the shed is coming on. Hope you get more of it finished before we have too much more rain. You Italian restaurant sounds lovely. We did Italian last night and it was so good.
Kaimoana that’s a nice lining your friend said about the pearl.
I saw your lovely monarch on the BBC news website last night and thought of you. She’s very young
I don’t remember the spooky Alexa story. Can you tell it again please?
Oh dear. Poor Mepa hasn’t got the hand of this diabetes shopping has she.
Hope you have a lovely day Sunday. You will be so pleased to see them
Ixion I am eating ok now thanks (too much actually)
There are about 30 in the art class. Mostly around my age with some much younger. They are all far more talented than me but some are really excellent. They are all supportive though which is nice
Oh dear you seem to be having one of those times when things you want to do or buy don’t turn out right. Our kitchen doors didn’t turn out the colour I wanted either but we’d ordered them so had no choice but to go with it, They are ok but look grey instead of the mocha chocolate I thought they were,
Cherry how are you doing lovely lady? Hope things have been better for you recently,
Have a good weekend all. I’m going to a garden party……….in the rain most likely ☔️

Is that stunning landscape where you went walking with your U3A group Grammaretto? If so I'm not surprised you were tired afterwards, walking up hills is tiring 😴.
How are you after your jabs? No side effects I hope I nearly always have a swollen arm afterwards but nothing else.

Ooh, I love tagliatelle but not spaghetti NotSpaghetti. I also love it when a spur of the moment decision turns out well. You won't be leaving it 20 years before you go back again, will you 😁.
Have you had a chance to check out the honey spinner yet? I hope it's salvageable 🤞.

I'm not sure what the reverse of the Midas touch is ixion but do you do seem to be a victim of Sod's or is that Muphy's ☹️. Are the chairs going back? No point keeping them if your not happy with them, is there.

Mepa sounds a lot like a Spanish friend of mine Kaimoana. She's been told that she needs to drink more as she's getting dehydrated all the time. She was advised not to drink fizzy or sugar laden drinks as she's pre-diabetic but says she hates the taste of water so me and others have been suggesting various alternatives. Last time I was out with her she ordered two glasses of apple juice (cartoned) none of us said anything 🤷‍♀️.
Aww, Gubbins will be in her element Sunday (and so will you). Enjoy your family day on Sunday 😊.

I'm pleased that you had a lovely meal with your family yesterday evening Doodle 😊 x.

The heavens have just opened here 🌩🌨, the thunder sounds like bombs going off overhead or how I imagine bombs going off overhead would sound like and a few times it has felt like the house has been shaken 😲. Just as well I like a good storm 🙂.

Did I remember to tell you the spooky Alexa (AI) story?

Some time ago, poor Mepa had repeated plagues of boils so bad she couldn't work. Her GP said it was due to her uncontrolled diabetes.

To encourage her, I put together a full list of all sugar free and low-sugar items in both our local supermarkets. From chocolate, ice cream and drinks, to all manner of jams, spreads, biscuits and cakes.

Today, when we went hunting for the shy and elusive Lebanese cumber hiding in Woolworths, she bought a family sized block of Cadbury's chocolate and said it was her treat for the weekend. <sigh>
I said nothing, none of my business but I do feel sorry; she is such a lovely woman and wonderfully helpful.
She's going to a wedding tomorrow as well.


It's a good thing Te Ariki nui Ngawai is only 27 because she will have similar duties here and overseas to any other monarch.
Only difference is, she won't have a retinue of servants to do all the drudgery work.

The mokos are coming here on Sunday, so I'm planning crafts and kitchen chemistry - which Gubbins loves - and possibly a little cooking.
Lovely

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Good night Doodle!

What a pest ixion. All these things being wrong and needing to be returned all at once!

I am tired this evening. I joined a U3A walk today which was lovely but a wee bit too long for me. I am so unfit.

Then I had yet another vaccine. This one is protecting me from winter pneumonia and respiratory disease.

Here are some photos I took of the beautiful Border Hills.

Evening all. Just got back from meal out with family. I’ve had a good day but very tired now so will catch up with all the news tomorrow. Sleep well all x

Thrilled to hear about the Maori royal history and was equally interested to see snippets of the coronation and hear the history of the bible crowning on tv. I shall go for in depth reading at the weekend with a large glass of 🍷 when things are quieter. She looks a very pretty girl!

I hope you had a nice meal out, Doodle. Are you eating with more interest better when a meal is put in front of you? How many are in your Art class? Ages? Skills level? No matter, as long as they are a welcoming bunch. Bravo!

*The analogy of which you spoke, Kaimoana, the growth of the
pearl easing the pain of shared memories, was indeed a beautiful -and really helpful- one. It makes perfect sense and has given me, too, something to hold dear*.

How is your friend, Cherry? How did you make her laugh? *Not your baton twirling routine, I hope. *
Do you have depths hidden from your Lobstar pals? 😉
It's amazing how much we take functioning limbs for granted.
This I have learnt from my dodgy shoulder(s).

Not much to contribute atm from this end. I seem to have acquired the reverse-Midas touch. Replacement kitchen chairs, not to my liking on arrival. One opened, 5 boxes blocking traffic in the hall til I make up my mind. When will that be? asks Mr. I tentatively. A pair of cushion pads purchased to see if the seat height is improved. Don't like the look. Home phone took to ringing in non stop, indicating an incoming call, which wasn't. Line confirmed as OK, new pair of phones purchased, not working either. My life seems to be one of returns, or potential returns. Ditto recent clothes purchases.
Am I becoming a ditherer?
Can't make up my mind about that.

Gosh 22. So young!

What a wonderful find NotS. You will know good Italian cooking.
We have but one restaurant locally and it's years since I visited (for the same reason as yourself) Nor did they have gluten-free pasta option, though they may now.

My cousin Jackson married Olivia Pellegrino and had three daughters.
I was at their wedding and still have the decorated ceramic dish we were given - the sugared almonds quickly found a good home
I was a teenager at the time and when they went to live in Italy I had great hopes of being invited. They had to save hard for dowries for the girls.
When I was doing my family tree, I saw Jackson retired to Batley must have been mad and at least one daughter (married by then) lived nearby.

Doodle many years ago, someone once described how painful it was to re-visit places she and her DH had frequented and enjoyed.
She said, 'But I'll keep doing it because it's like a pearl, each layer covers up the painful bit until you have something beautiful.'
It takes a long time to make a pearl.

We have a new monarch Te Arikinui Nga Wai Hono who is 22, and currently completing her Masters at Waikato Univerisity.

Thought I should just pop in and say a few words - by the time most of you get this it will be Friday so I hope everyone is well rested and ready for a new day. Thinking of all those we have loved - kings or commoners.
❤️
News wise my shed has stalled because of rain! 🙄 - but I'm hoping next week now. The first bit is messy and it would be a mud bath there.
The old shed is ready to be demolished though now - sadly rain has got into our old honey-spinner and it seems it's probably rusty inside. I'll have to get it up to the house to wash it out and take a look.

On Sunday Mr Spaghetti and I went out for dinner on our way home from visiting his mum. It was a spur of the moment thing in a local Italian restaurant we haven't been to for over 20 years. It seems it changed hands shortly after we went there and it's lovely now! Exactly like a trattoria as you might find in any small Italian town. All those years ago it was expensive and not so good. Because of this we never went back. Well we will now, that's for sure. What an error. We have missed out on 20 years of excellent tagliatelle!

Hope today is a better day than some recent ones - for everyone. 💐

I pressed post too soon! Ah well good night everyone xx

Hello Lobstars,
Thanks for the Maori history lesson. We learn so little of other people and their traditions.
Now the lads have gone it's just me a the Kiwi girl for a few more days.
Tonight she had a pottery lesson. There was lots of laughter 😃

I am so glad you are getting out and about and have such good friends and family Doodle.

Thank you all for your nice messages. I’ve had a good day today overall. Got a bit emotional at the chemist when I went in to collect my prescription. I used to go once or twice a week to collect DH’s. Haven’t been there since his funeral.
Going for coffee with art class tomorrow morning then out for dinner with DS1 and family tomorrow. It will be the first evening meal I’ve been on for ages,
Grammaretto your visitors all seem to enjoy the club. I bet the locals like your visitors too.. They get to hear different kinds of music.
Kaimoana what a fascinating story. Thank you for taking the trouble to write it. I will have a look at your video
Cherry I’m sure your visit cheered up your friend. A broken arm will be painful and difficult to cope with

Funnily enough, in my lost post of yesterday I said I'd heard that the Maori king had died and I was wondering if you were going to say anything about it Kaimoana - and now you have. Thank you for relating the interesting history.
In answer to your question, yes I've long noticed that there's an awful lot in more than one sense of women's names of masculine root. There are a huge amount of surnames too and surnames rooted in (what were once) male professions. To some extent, all a bit Handmaid's Tale but, discounting that, I still think some of them are pretty names.

Ah, I do remember you telling us that there was a Frenchman that stayed with you for a year Grammaretto. I see now, it was he and a friend that have been staying with you for a few days. I think it's great that he still visits you.
NotSpaghetti is right, beautiful photos of Ullapool.

Doodle, I forgot to say last night that I'm pleased that you had a lovely meal out and such a pleasant time with your DH's best friend and his wife.

I've been spending some time today making a friend, who fell on the weekend and broke her arm, laugh. She's in quite a bit of pain but good humour, thank goodness.

There is an interesting documentary here, should anyone care to watch it.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6WtbvoW33k

It's 47 minutes long but split into parts so you don't need to watch it all at once.

Gramaretto at minute 29 you will see Canon Wi Huata who wrote Tutira ma nga iwi

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You may have heard our Maori King has just passed away and his 6-day tangihanga (funeral) is still in progress at Turangawaewae Marae. (Too-ranga- why- why) '

One meaning is 'a place to stand' but it's more than that, it's a place to truly belong, where you are safe in all senses: physically, meantally and spiritually..

I thought I'd give you a potted history of the Kingitanga movement - feel free to skip it


Maori have always had tribal aristocratic lines, called Ariki but in 1858, paramount chiefs decided all tribes needed to unite under one supreme ruler.
This, after 14 years of broken Treaty promises by British colonial governments, mostly in order to steal land.

The Kingitanga began in the Waikato with a somewhat reluctant Te Wherowhero (Ti ferro ferro), who wanted to work co-operatively with the government; not always seen as a popular move by some Maori.

He died after only 2 years and was succeeded by King Tāwhiao (Tah fee ow) just before the New Zealand Wars of the 1860/70s. (his picture featured here)

The longest-serving Māori monarch has been the beloved Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu, ONZ DBE OStJ (Ti Ata -rangi -kah - whoo) who reigned for 40 years until her death in 2006.

She was highly respected by all cultures for her dignity and tireless community work.
Her name means The hawk of the morning sky.

She was succeded by her son Tūheitia Te Wherowhero VII GCCT KStJ KCLJ who passed away aged 69, on 30th August 2024, after an 18 year reign.

King Tūheitia (two-hey-ti-ah) has had poor health for most of his life but was a cheerful and much respected man.
He died after unsuccessful heart surgery.

Multi thousands of people from Aotearoa and overseas have gathered at Turangawaewae Marae to pay their respects.

His successor will be announced at the end of the week.

Some press pictures here.
www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/526762/in-photos-day-3-of-the-tangi-for-kiingi-tuheitia-at-tuurangawaewae

Maori tradition is that anyone coming onto a Marae must be fed and, if staying overnight, housed.

Food is essential as it takes the manuhiri (visitor) from the sacred realm, (tapu) back into the mundane (noa) world.

Can you imagine making 3 or more meals for 10,000 people each day? And setting up proper sleeping areas and all facilities.
But they alwasy do - and only on donations. No one is expected to pay.

www.folksong.org.nz/tutira_mai_nga_iwi/index.html

How annoying Cherry. A good post lost! Again. 😠

I don't feel brave Doodle but I think DH's mum, my DMiL having lost her son and then her DH within a couple of weeks was an inspiration to me as she was so very brave. Anyway we are all different and cope in our own ways.
Lighting a candle in a peaceful church will comfort you.
Thinking of you xx

The Kiwi girl sang a Maori song at Folk Club tonight. She was told it was the first Maori song ever heard there. It was beautiful

I've just lost my post 😤, I didn't get a Snap message so I don't know if it was something I accidentally did 🤷‍♀️.

100% not self pitying Doodle, grief - yes. I'd rather you be open with us all about what you are feeling than hide it away. We are your friends here, we care about you - you are important.
Trying to be more positive is one thing and you do sound more positive, as long as you don't go bottling everything up to everyone but yourself. You are allowed to feel sad when you are, and be ready to be more positive when you are.

Sorry, I don't mean to be ignoring everyone I hate losing messages and writing them again, I am thinking about you all.

Yes. I've thought of this, Kaimoana2. A close friend talked to me about it when I had my first baby. "I'm not prepared name any of my girls as diminutive boys" he said.

Have you ever realised how many female names are actually male derivatives?
Victoria, Josephine, Henrietta, Georgia/Georgina, Davida, Stephanie, Wilhemina, Roberta, Charlotte, Frances/Francesca, Albertina, Pauline, Louisa, Jacqueline, Eugenia, Albertina, Michaella/Michelle, Antonia, Leonie, Jessica, Bernadette - and so on, ad nauseum.

If I didn't think 2024 would go down in history as The Great Fire of Auckland, I'd burn 'me bra.

Well I’m going to try and be more positive. I have so much to be grateful for. I had a lovely meal out today with DH’s best friend and his wife. Easy company and it went well.
Tomorrow church. I love going. I light a candle for DH and it gives me some peace.
Kaimoana yes I remember that song but with slightly different words.
i do hope things work out for your DS but hope they do for you too
Aw Ixion, thank you………..have you got any more Pringles?
Grammaretto, I do feel bad because I remember how brave you were when you lost your DH and just got on with things.
No doubt you were suffering just as much but putting a braver front on it
Ive been to Ullapool with DH on a cruise. It was such a beautiful place we had a lovely time just sitting looking at it. Lovely photos
Shame your young men have to leave so soon
Notspaghetti it is lovely isn’t it. How have you been today?
Cherry I keep thinking about you. Hope you are having a better period at the moment. Is that Tigger tail attached?