Not Locked Down but may need to be locked up

A mixed bag of fortune here today. Kaimoana had a last minute reprieve from the surgeon's knife 🔪. Poor Cherry and Grammaretto still in the wars but Nfk having an envious early morning run to hounds. Can you walk to the beach or is it a drive? Sounds lovely. I cannot understand why dogs can't be muzzled whenever in public places? They can still sniff and snuffle, surely, but without the risk of nipping someone or pinching food from eatery tables. It sounds like a decent and sensible compromise in your case, Grammaretto.

I soldier on, thank you Cherry, ten days post injection. Not the silver bullet I was hoping for, so now debating whether I simply carry in with Grace's (NHS) exercise sheet or cough up £60 a session to see if going private is the way forward🤔.

Is your DS coming over for a recce, Kaimoana? Makes it all sound fearfully close.
What area might he/you/they be based in?

Wondering where Doodle is up to on her Big Day? I just pray she's not been cancelled due to lack of beds. That would be unforgivable.

Our Parish Council had announced in an earlier edition of their quarterly Newsletter that they were to trial a community skip, manned, for a day. Exactly how that would work remained a mystery- on the assumption that if you loaded up your big Chelsea Tractor, could you not drive 7 miles to the Tip Recycling Centre? If you had no car or were elderly, just how much could you carry round in your shopper?

It was academic, anyway.
Having announced the day it was to be delivered, the venue was kept a closely guarded secret to avoid folk sneakily using it in advance or adding inappropriate stuff, like gardening waste.
So secret, no-one could find it in the village at all on the day🤷‍♀️

BTW. The swelling has gone down a lot but I now have another round of antibiotics which seem to give me a permanent headache and stop me sleeping at night! I just feel tired all day.
O me miserum

That is such a satisfactory outcome Kaimoana. 😃 I am happy for you.

I am still on the waiting list for my other cataract and ofcourse a new right hip.

*I'm obviously not on an urgent list.
I'm one eyed really. My new lens on the left eye is doing all the seeing. If I shut it off, it's like looking through a dirty window.*

I hope Doodle's operation is going well. 🙏

*Do you live very near the beach Nfk?
It sounds wonderful that you can release the hounds, and run along the shore as in Chariots of Fire.
Bare feet probably....*
🏃‍♂️

Cherry it's good to see you but sad to hear you haven't been well with the dreaded covid. You have had a holiday though so that will have been good.

*I must send this before it disappears.
My love to you all.*

Wonderful Kaimoana! No operation for the best of reasons! When I first saw your post I'd jumped to the thought that it had been randomly cancelled as happens here so often.

I'm sure your sister didn't mind in the least that you'd taken years off her. I wouldn't.

It's such a lovely morning here I'm now off to take the dogs to the beach for a quick early morning paddle. Then I really must clean this house. DS's dog is staying while they're on holiday and he's very old, very senile and very, very big and hairy. He permanently moults, bless him. So I have to clear the wafts of tumble weed fluff drifting under the furniture and getting caught up in the cobwebs!

Thinking of you, Doodle. XX

What an anti-climax.
After 2 hours in the hospital, most of it waiting in busy corridors because I can't tolerate crowded waiting rooms, with intrusive TV and people coughing and sneezing, I had the usual pre-op prep.

When I saw the surgeon she said the lump was noticeably smaller.

I'd thought that myself and although assuming that to be a good sign (if it could get smaller, it could disappear altogeyher) I needed professional confirmation.
So no operation.
Phew!

Although it doesn't matter a jot to anyone, but in the spirit of accuracy ....my sister Gillian was 71 a few days ago, not 61 as my fat fingers declared.


I hope all goes/went well for dear Doodle who's been on my mind the whole time. Wishing the very best and a total recovery - and always much love.

Prior to hospital:

Thank you so much for all your good wishes and support.

Cherry dear, you're another one with a whole cluster of "stuff going wrong" - I hope that's the last of it for you.

NotS I drop a lot of things these days and knock things off tables and benches - and you can bet your life they always land on my right, arthritic toes.

Yesterday it was tomatoes - in a tin.

Thinking of you both Doodle and Kaimoana, I hope your respective operations go well. Sending my love and watm cwtches to you both XX

Many in our little gang are in the wars it seems 😟.

That dog bite was a nasty one Grammaretto, yuk and double yuk. The consequences sound horrible, it must be very sore and is probably making you feel quite low and somewhat vulnerable, it would if it were me. Have you taken that pharmacist's advice and contacted your GP to get more antibiotics? Poor you, it does sound like you need a further course. Sending cwtches x.

Eek (and yuk) NotSpaghetti 😬. Your poor foot! Did the air turn blue -- and your foot turn purple--. You say it's minor in the scheme of things ... I hope you haven't broken anything 🤞

I'm that your DH's pacemaker change went well Jan 👍. Apart from infuriating internet problems and even more infuriating questions in triplicate or more when you go through the inquisition trying to sort it out, how are you?

How's the physio going ixion? Are you making progress with Graceless Kelly's exercises?

It must have been lovely having your DS and the wonderful Gubbins at your Elders group Kaimoana ☺️. Gubbins sounds like she was quite content there and I can well imagine the Elders admiring her hair, I do.

Thank you Doodle, Grammaretto, ixion and Kaimoana for thinking of me and being so caring 💐 xxxx. Yes, I have been unwell but not for the entire time I've been away. To cut a long story short, first I kept losing my posts to the gremlins at ^Snapsomethingwentwrong.com, then I went to Pembroke for the day -- which was lovely -- then finally I caught the dreaded covid 😠 probably from a friend who'd just recovered from it. In turn this has led to some nasty seizures and all the coughing there's been an awful amount of coughing caused a relapse of my sciatica 🤦‍♀️. My WP had it too,-- caught it off me-- but fortunately he was fine after 2-3 days. I'm recovering now I think, albeit slowly. It's my walking group tomorrow but don't think it will include me as it would be the case of "look out there's a monster coming" if I do 🤣.

Just dropped by to wish Kaimoana and Doodle the best of wishes for their operations tomorrow. I hope all goes well and you're both back to bouncing normalness PDQ.

Thinking of you today, Kaimoana and hoping you are well supported on your return.
Haste ye back💐

Hope all goes well for youKaimoana2

Thinking of you Kaimoana xxx

Kaimoana2 - thinking of you this morning

Wise words from the pharmacist Grammaretto hope you are in less pain.

NotS Not an easy time for you atm is it. Minor things still hurt and are still scary - thinking of you

Our poor Cherry mustn't be well either - sending cwtch and cymryd xxx

All the very best for Wednesday Doodle you'll be in my prayers as well.

Had a jolly time at my elders group today and was joined for lunch there by my son and Gubbins - who went quite happily to play in the childrens corner. Everyone admired her wonderful hair

DS flies to the UK on 18th August.

I may not be able to post tomorrow due to my eye operation at 9:15am - so you'll have a break from my chatter

I hope it all goes well dear Doodle.
Look forward to hearing about your recovery v soon.

It does seem like we are all falling apart at the seams - like your outfit ixion.

I managed to show my hand to a nice pharmacist today who gave me some dressings and said I should insist on more antibiotics when these finish.

Your poor toe NotSpag!
Night night Lobstars.

Jeeves- you are on duty at the hospital looking after Doodle.

All these "body problems"
What a strain it can be just trying to keep well. Being bitten by a dog and so on just adds to the effort required. I have now dropped a big old wooden 'hearth surround' thing on my arthritic toe and think I've done something horrible.. my husband is waiting for a hernia operation and so on... all relatively minor things but...

So many people needing surgery - several of us on here.

I hope things are straightforward and soon over Doodle (and others being treated). 🍀

Bon voyage to you, Doodle, for tomorrow.
We shall be thinking of you throughout.

Our pompoms are at the dry cleaners and my outfit - at least - is at the dressmakers, having a teensy bit let out at the back.
Let us know when you are back and we'll be round for a twirl.

Love and prayers 💐❤️

Hi All. Doodle just checking in to say good luck for tomorrow and hope all goes well. DH pacemaker change was apparently successful and he seems to have bounced back! He enjoyed taking his stitches out today! Really not sure he should have done that ……..?! However all seems well healed. He loves anything medical 😩! Having big internet problems at the moment but hopefully will be sorted tomorrow but if another so called Advisor from Sky asks me my mothers maiden name again you will all hear my scream!! Love to Doodle and everyone

Grammaretto I’m glad the wound is feeling better but please don’t take any chances if it starts to get worse.
So pleased you got to see your DF. Lovely to have a catch up.
Please avoid the covid you’ve had enough to deal with recently
Notspaghetti what a lovely story of the rescue dogs, I can’t understand how people can be cruel to animals.
Lovely to think of her mothering the little kitten 😊
Cherry I’m hoping you’re ok. We miss your cheerful banter.
ixion have you hung up your Pom poms now?
Mamissimo how’s that little smasher Spud doing?
Kaimoana hope you’ve had a wonderful day with your dear son and Gubbins.
Jan and Nfk Hope all is well with both of you
I’ve had a bit of an up and down day. Been busy getting ready for hospital tomorrow. Not looking forward to it but looking forward to having it over and done with. Don’t actually know what they’re going to do yet 🤔

Grammaretto it does seem like this nervous dog needs a muzzle in public - maybe the owner thought he was OK now?

My son and daughter-in-law adopted two rescue dogs (pit bull crosses) many years ago in America
The older one, a male, was definitely very scared in new situations and with new people. He had a muzzle in public. After some years he was pretty friendly and reliable. Nevertheless he was never taken anywhere on a long lead, into cafés etc as my son and daughter-in-law knew his past and were always on guard. He was such a softie inside - but being chained to a huge tyre in the hot sun of Arizona (and being tormented) is bound to leave deep psychological scars.
The rescue centre staff wept when they kept him as he'd been there for ages having done disastrous "trials" in several homes

The other rescue dog was just a puppy when they brought her home from the same rescue centre and so she was socialised early and well.
My daughter-in-law said the staff were sure they had brought the male dog back when they turned up again. They had come for a companion dog but wete recommended a puppy as the staff there said he would look after one rather than an older dog (who would be a challenge)

He was besotted with his puppy and a allowed her to be pretty rough with him.
Sadly he has recently died and she is bereft. She has a little kitten now and is "mothering" her

It used to be that if a dog bit someone here, the dog had to wear a muzzle when in public and if not trained, must be. Animal Control checked every few months.
Not sure this applies now, though it's a good rule.
Rescue dogs particularly can be very nervous which can lead to defence aggression. Like humans, they all have very differing personalities.

My US friend who moved from New York city to rural New Jersey, sent this picture of a faun which had been hidden by its Mama in the narrow alley between two houses.
She said it wasn't at all scared of her, even when she went close.

My df from the north of Scotland is in Edinburgh visiting her DC . She got the bus out to have lunch with me! That was very nice. She's a tonic. She stayed here when I was in Denmark so was part of the baling team emptying buckets of water

The biting dog is a Romanian street dog rescued and rehomed. I think he has had a bad start and is around 9 years old. I really fear for children who he could attack.

I think my hand is getting better at last. If still bad tomorrow I'll go back to the doctor and demand that someone look at it.

How lovely that Gubbins is coming to see you Kaimoana!

My Dsis and DBiL have covid.

Kaimoana so pleased you’re having a visit from the lovely Gubbins. I’m sure that will be fun. Do you think you might see your grandson soon?
Ixion I’d love to wake up from the op with my own personal cheer leaders egging me on 🤣
Grammaretto I hope your hand is feeling better today and not so painful

Kaimoana 🤣 I hope I’m on my best behaviour.
i certainly hope you haven’t caught any germs
Oh dear I’m afraid that’s a scenario that I’m well aware of too oops

Please don't feel sorry for me ixion, I really am not bothered about Piha. I have a long association with them and my needs have changed.
When one goes there, absolutely everything is taken care of. If you want to sleep all day you can. If you want to walk on the beach or in the bush, you're free to do so.
NO domestic chores and a gorgeus garden to spend time in. All meals cooked for you; eat alone or with others. No washing up!
There's even option massage and counselling. Ideal for women who never get any time to themselves and just crave a little peace and quiet.

Years ago, I was a hard-working, worried and unsupported single Mum and Te Wahi Ora* was a godsend. Now I’m an old layabout and free to do exactly what I want. Apart from sleeping all day which I could never do.

I agree….I'm sure we all feel like being there to hug our dear friends coping with troubles but knowing we all genuinely care about one another, might help

Another welcome visit from DS2 and Gubbins tomorrow after he’s taken in the car for a WOF (MOT). They’ll join us at the kaumatua group and have lunch for which I’ve just made a huge pizza.

*Te Wahi = the place of…
Ora = to be alive, well, safe, cured, recovered, healthy, fit, healed.

Such a shame you will miss your Piha weekend, Kaimoana. I feel sorry for you😥. I wish we could have somehow helped get you there.

Like I wish we could be there for Doodle on Wednesday. Maybe me 'n' Chezz (where are you,🍒?) could perfect a little cheer leading routine to ease your path.

How is your hand healing, Grammaretto? Hope it's not manky. Can the dog or owners not be sent for some form of corrective training?

Not a lot happening here atm as you will have guessed and the typing judders are off again, so I will bid a hasty retreat, wishing everyone well.