Not Locked Down but may need to be locked up

Hopeful news at last (I think).

Ange the Advocate arrived, looked over all the papers I'd prepared for her perusal and said she had no idea why Work and Income NZ (WINZ) had so drastically cut my pension but she'd find out.
Phew, someone on my side at last.

She took copies and tomorrow, whilst I am enjoying Christmas Lunch at Te Mahurehure Marae with my kaumatua friends, the well-named advocate will be trying to sort out the mess.

She also brought several bags of food: vegetables, meat patties, eggs, dried milk, yoghurt and some pasta.
This lasta will be pasta-ed on to Mepa as it's not gluten free.


I bought a little angel today - it has auburn hair just like Gubbins.



If you have access to Facebook, this a spectacular bird’s eye view of Te Hikoi nui.

If you don’t, it’s worth asking someone who has. This is history being made.

He tangata, he tangata, he tangata…was never more true.
("It's people, people, people")

I am so proud of us
The trees look like broccoli.

The song in the background is Stan Walker's 'I Am' from the film, 'Origins'.
It begins, 'As far as the eye can see...' and the chant at the end, means 'Bring us together, bind us together' (Haumi e, hui e, taiki e ) - an ancient chant. "
The underlined words are said by everyone, similar to 'Amen'.

www.facebook.com/JuanIsaza270695/videos/1307722880222097?idorvanity=729627775689241


I think I was possibly the only person in New Zealand still at home

Cherry I have photos of my beloved on my phone and Home Screen but I will keep the one of the hospice. Ours sons were saying the other day it’s nice to have somewhere to go and sit and think of their dad in quietness.
ive spent the afternoon with my friend. We’ve been laughing about how many mistakes we could make in knitting a 4 inch square (like making it too big, then too small, then getting the pattern wrong). We’re doing them for church. If today is anything to go by we’ll have them ready for Christmas 2025.
Thinking of all the lobstars. Hoping all is well

Grammaretto hope your yarn group and pottery was good today. Some people I know have bought electric throws this year and seemed pleased with them. Have you considered one for the chilly evenings. Don’t know what’s wrong with me p, I’ve had the fan on 😱

Doodle you're having a power surge' !

That video is inspiring Kaimoana. And Stan Walker lifts the spirits (especially if there's an accompanying video of him!)

DS, DiL and DGS were all there in Wellington Kaimoana. Thanks for the amazing footage.

You and Doodle sound more upbeat today I'm happy to say. Your yarn group sounds hilarious 😂 may I join? Ours has become a bit big and serious. Also the founder has just moved to Yorkshire to be near her DC.
Although one lovely 90yr old told me how she lived in caravan in a field on the outskirts of Edinburgh when she was first married. Her baby's first word was baa from hearing the sheep. The nappies were stiff with frost on the line but there was a coal fire so they were warm enough and had rosy cheeks!

Thanks for a heated wrap suggestion too. I think it's only when I don't manage an afternoon nap that I get really cold. Then I just go to bed with a hottie, my books, my phone my radio.....sometimes a hot bath first.

I told the architect I would like a bath and they put it on the check list. The plans will be submitted in the next couple of weeks. It's exciting.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202411/medium-130303-1000020075.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202411/medium-295852-1000020078.jpg

Here are my DS photos from the Wellington protest

I detect a note of optimism in your recent posts, Kaimoana.
Not that your family issues are resolving but at least that your medical and pension ones are being suitably acknowledged and that your social outings are now in hand.The marches sound remarkable- and not before time.

Doodle, too. Never underestimate the work involved in knitting 4 x 4 squares! It should be the simplest of things but the faff in row counting and the worry that different patterns can distort the finished dimensions, and different plys make it a road lined with potential pitfalls. Do you have to do the sewing up too? Ghastly job. I made two, ostensibly for the DGSs (where 'chilly' is less than 18 degrees C)
but they suffered from all the problems mentioned above, so in the end they were made up into smaller blankets for the local Animal Shelter.

Hope you can keep warm today, Grammaretto. It's jolly cold here. I am intrigued by your developing house plans. Is the chap who envisages a Music School still in the picture? That would take a lot of the uncertainty out of the mix.

Thank you for the jeans tip, Nfk, gratefully received. Maybe I will move onto a capsule wardrobe next When I find out what that is . Anyone remember loons? 19" flares, mine, with Indian-style embroidery around the lower legs.
Bell bottoms? My DM remarked. That's what sailors wore to swab the decks.
Seems impractical to me ...

Hoping those who have to be out and about have safe travels today, and those fortunate enough to be able to hole up indoors stay warm and cosy.
Well, those in the Northern hemisphere, at least.
*How's it with you, Kaimoana?🌟☂️☃️ 👙 ?

I gave DH jeans to my df who is making a chair cover from denim patches.
The easiest way to knit a square is to increase on every row until you reach the 4 or 6 inch mark and then decrease. I learned that when our school project was to knit patchwork blankets for some charitable enterprise. I'm sure they were beautiful 🙄
I pity the person who had to sew them together.

Sorry all I’m down in the dumps tonight and not able to write anything positive. I’ll be back tomorrow hopefully in a better mood. Love to all x

Brilliant footage Kaimoana and a hearty 👍 to every person who was able to attend.
Good on your DS, DiL and DGS for attending, Grammaretto. 👏
Ange sounds on the ball, Kaimoana, very kind too,🤞a bit of a guardian angel. Maybe you found and bought your little auburn haired ^ Gubbins Angel^ at the right time.
I hope you enjoyed your Christmas lunch.

Doodle, it sounds like you had a lovely afternoon yesterday. 😊

Everything that could go wrong I exaggerate really went wrong yesterday. 🙄 🤣 I received a text (and letter in the post confirming it) that my procedure to remove my oral polyp that very day was cancelled, the vacuum cleaner gave up the ghost and we had to call a locksmith so we could leave the house yes that is an exaggeration because we can leave the house by either the front or back door . 😲 🤣 I now have an appointment for next week (🤞). We bought a new vacuum cleaner today.

Love to you too, Doodle x

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To delight NFK

www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-ruWbYq6mM
AND my favourite:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWhAoZZh8fc
(which, if there is one, I've asked to be played at my funeral along with birdsong from here and England.)
I'll be in every note.

I did a bit of tweaking and managed to capture still images from the Hikoi video for anyone who couldn't play it.

I know I've gone on a bit about this but it was/is something we have never seen here before.

Protests, yes but never like this, uniting a whole country.

Moreover, it wasn't planned or co-ordinated to be like this.

It had birth as a Maori protest, beginning at Cape Reinga (with Johny Wihongi, the young girl who runs our elders group chosen to start it) with the hopes the various tribal groups in each area, would send someone to join the Hikoi as it progressed to Wellington.

Instead, the whole country joined.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202411/medium-544532-hikoi6.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202411/medium-999062-hikoi7.jpg

Yes, things are gradually turning around for me with some positive things.
Our lunch yesterday was joyful and the food tasty.

Shame things went wrong for you Cherry - not what you needed.

The weather heer ixion is decidedly weird. At 6am it's about 10 degrees and by afternoon it has leaped to 21° - so I start off complete with petticoat, long sleeves and jumper then gradually do the dance of the Woolly Pully during the day.


Doodle I'm sorry you had another bad day.
I found some pretty videos on YouTube; you may like them.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8YZMPpcmpo
(Amazing Barrier Reef footage as if you are swimming with the fishes {smile])

www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNEOdCllR6E
(An English garden.)
Sending love to you all.

And a couple more stills from the Hikoi video.

So many of us with problems or health worries.
Kaimoana pleased things are looking up for you and hope your family upset can soon be resolved and what an amazing video.
Exciting times for you Grammaretto waiting to see your plans.
I have an Oodie that I snuggle into when I’m cold. My daughter bought it for me and it’s just like a big thick blanket with a hood! Hardly glamorous but really keeps you warm and nothing to plug in.
Had to laugh at your square knitting Doodle. Sure they will make a great blanket! Hope you’re had a better day today.
Oh dear Cherry sounds as if you’ve had a bad day too. Fingers crossed things are better today.
My daughter arrived home on Tuesday after 6 weeks in 3 different hospitals, a dose of Covid, a very bad chest infection and minus her thyroid. She seemed quite upbeat but now is coughing a lot and complaining she sounds like a man - which she doesn’t! Oh dear you never stop worrying about your children however old they are do you?
I’m getting very depressed about my mobility. It’s not improving and it’s beginning to feel that this is as good as it gets. I’m permanently shattered doing very little and of course winter is not helping. We are forecast high winds and torrential rain tomorrow- great!
Love to all x

Jan what a sad little post. I'm sorry to read about your struggle to stay mobile as I too have gone through that.
Just know that you have done your very best and that's all you can do.

Age and illness 'disables' us all to some extent.
Before Covid, I was an avid swimmer - now I am almost totally inactive and confined to the house most days.
It is what it is, so I put my energies into acceptance, it's less fatiguing than fighting for the past.

I'm never going to get my sight back; my wonderful support ladies are not allowed to take me anywhere other than shops.

I'm fortunate indeed to have transport provided one day a week to go to my elders group.
That stops at the beginning of December but will start up again end of January 2025.

Karen is on holiday for the whole month, so not governed by VW rules atm.

She took me to the beach yesterday albeit for a much shorter trip than planned due to VW changing Mepa's time from 11am to 1pm. Didn't tell me of course.

So we couldn't leave until 2:30 and K had to be back home by 4pm.

But when we got there - oh glorious - as the fresh wind blew across the water towards us, life changed from hopeless to optimistic again.

I breathed in that special happiness the sea brings, watched gulls fishing in the shallows and Karen gathered some shells and stones for me to bring home as souvenirs.

No one was around until a very wet, affectionate spaniel with trailing lead came bounding up, so we had a lovely cuddle until it was claimed.

Grammaretto, that particular yarn group was just me and my lovely neighbour. We are not known for our knitting skills.
Funny enough a friend from church told me to knit squares, just as you described , a couple of weeks ago. She too was taught that way at school.
Cherry so sorry your procedure was cancelled. So many people having things postponed these days. Hope the appointment next week goes ahead as planned
Kaimoana I watched the Hikoi video and it was quite something
Glad things are looking up a bit and you had a lovely lunch.
Thank you for the videos. I have watched them but I have to do it without the music. I can’t listen to much music at the moment. Lovely flowers
I do so wish you had more support. I know your helpers do what they can but the agency does seem to be a bit hit and miss. Your joy at being near the sea was so obvious . I do wish you could get there more often. Mush love to you dear lady
Jan I’m so sorry you feel you’re not getting any better, this awful weather doesn’t encourage going out at all. Are you having any more physio?
Glad your DD is home now. It sounds as though she really had a bad time of it. Hope she starts to improve more now she’s home

I too watched the videos in silence Doodle.

Every single one, supposedly for relaxation, has music but that's the last thing it does for me.

Why can't anyone understand that Nature doesn't need_ background music?

When Karen and I were at the beach, a car drove up with pounding, booming rap music (with much obscene language too) and had he stayed, I would have asked him to turn it off - but he was soon away.

The garden video takes me right back to the days when I had 2 small boys and we lived in Kent. Our nearest stately home was Sissinghurst. I used to take the children there to picnic and play at the wild part well away from the house and formal gardens so they could run about and watch dragonflies on the lake, but I could still have my fix of being in that
glorious place. Thanks Kaimoana

I am so glad you had a taste of the sea air!

So sorry Jan that you are having such a tough time. Sending hugs and catches to you dear girl.

So sorry you are feeling low, Jan. Not the best season to lift the spirits and encourage physical activity, is it?😢And Cherry too, falling at the last hurdle in the Surgery Stakes. Good luck for your rescheduled date next week🤞

Lovely videos, Kaimoana, now that I've had a chance to view them. Well, all but the Great Barrier Reef one, which has gone - but not to worry. DS and his partner work, research and lecture on it, so it's close to home here! In fact, during one of the recent BBC News features on global warming, we were staggered - and mighty proud - to see a photograph of coral bleaching with his name acknowledged in the lower corner of the screen!

Thank you for the knitting tip, Grammaretto! Makes perfect sense🤦‍♀️.
Edinburgh seems to be badly affected by Storm Bert. How are things with you?
Our village festivities have been cancelled this evening- the annual Lights Switch On, food and drinks stalls, the artisan market faithfuls, tat, and the giant stage straddling the main road. Disappointment, undoubtedly, for all the aspiring little Bonnie Langfords and their mums and dads. Didn't know we had that many Schools of Dance ...

Hoping that Doodle is having a better weekend and thinking of NN, who has posted elsewhere that she is not having the best of times.

A 🦞 hug who all who need one.

Cwtch* auto correct grr

It's slush now but the buses were cancelled so I'm sitting knitting and I'll be on zoom instead of in person at the meeting this afternoon.

Is your roof holding up, Grammaretto? 🤞xx

My roof is holding up thanks for asking ixion.
But poor DD has no power and no water like thousands in the Highlands. They were cosying round the woodburner cooking soup when I phoned. They have bottled water so are not starving or thirsty but she didnt sound happy, unlike Kiwi lass who has gone out to enjoy the switching on of the Christmas lights in the street outside, having already won a multitude of prizes at the tombola!

Thanks for the video links, Kaimoana. The English garden one is lovely, though like ixion I couldn't access the Great Barrier Reef one either, it says it has been removed by the uploader.
What is lovelier is that you got a trip to the coast. 😊 Nothing quite like sea air, is there. I'm pleased that you got to go.

Jan, I'm really sorry to hear how low your reduced mobility is making you feel, how tiring any exertion is making you feel too. 💐 Your DD having been so very ill and, yes, winter and the weather doesn't make difficult things any easier. 💐 I am wondering whether you keep up with any physio exercises? Keeping up with them is meant to help, but it's not always easy to, I know that. I'm pleased your DD is home now, I hope her cough goes soon and she goes from strength so strength.

Grammaretto, your roof is holding up. 👍 Sorry to hear that your DD doesn't have power and water though. 😬 We've cooked soup today too, but not on a woodburner - I bet it was delicious.
Well done to your Kiwi friend, I hope she had some nice prizes.
I hope your zoom meeting went well.

Shame your village festivities got cancelled, ixion. I hope the spring Bonnie Langfords get their opportunity another day. 😁

I hope today has been a good day, Doodle x.

Kaimoana these supposedly calming videos often have depressing music that spoils the peace of birdsong and puts me off watching.
Grammaretto glad the roof is doing better now. Your poor DD they must be cold there. Your kiwi girl is really into the spirit of things. She obviously likes the area
Are you manning your pottery stall this coming week. I think you said you were having a market week soon
Ixion our local craft fair was cancelled due to wind today. Disappointment for those who spend time preparing these events.
Naughtyneine sorry if you are having troubles, hope things improve for you soon
Cherry I went to Oxford with our son today to visit DGD2 at her lodgings and to take her out for lunch. Lovely to see her and we had an amazing beef and ale pie for lunch. Really good and enjoyed it a lot.
The journey home was a nightmare with torrential rain we could hardly see out of the windows. Glad to be home now
Sorry all not posting much sense tonight. I’m so tired I keep yawning and nodding off. My mind is all fuzzy
Thinking of you all xx