Not Locked Down but may need to be locked up

Hello lovely Lobstars,
Some sunshine here at long last.
The buckets are dry still and I have cautiously booked the plasterers for early September.

The young Kiwi Helper is very nice . He has been busy working his way through my "to do" list . I wish he could stay longer. I go away next weekend so he must leave.

Mamissimo, you have been through such a lot recently.

Infact most of us have been battling one thing or another.
Shows how strong we are to keep on going!

Keep it up Lobs!

Greetings to all, in the hope that you are experiencing sunshine -well not you, Kaimoana, Down Under😉- and improvements in health where needed.

Happy birthday to Spud, dear boy and hoping Mamissimo and Mr.M. between them can keep body and soul together for the celebrations☹️.

Your Kiwi sounds a keeper, Grammaretto. Do your helpers ever/often come direct from the plane or are they on some sort of well-planned grand tour of the UK already?
Tough luck on the dental plate - that's money flushed down the toilet, as they say, for sure.
Reminds me of the song my grandfather used to sing - to tease me, as it was guaranteed to render me tear-stricken😡

*My baby 'as gawn dahn the plug'ole....*
Please note, this wasn't his natural way of talking....😜

Off to await the Sainsbury's delivery and 🍦🍦 for this afternoon.

Ixion; Over the years since we began hosting, (this chap is our/my 230th volunteer) different routes and different reasons.
For some it's a brief holiday. Pre brexit this was easy. It's cheap for them without paying for accommodation and I give them some time off.

For others, like our Frenchman who came for 2 weeks and stayed for over a year, it's an opportunity to get away from home or uni and try something different. He has now gone back and got his law degree but has been doing research into and recording the exquisite plasterwork in historic buildings in Southern France. Plus playing his cello in a string quartet.

😂 ixion. I, too, was teased with that song. I was scared to death of being sucked down the plughole 🤣. Cream did their own version of the song on their album Disraeli Gears (1967) but the song was around in the mid 1940s (possibly earlier) so my mother told me.

That's incredibly bad luck Grammaretto expensive and 😠 too. I have to ask - how exactly did you manage to drop and flush your partials away I must say it's a fear of mine 🫣?
Your Kiwi helper sounds like a hard worker, he's been working on your patio I believe (I read on the morning thread).
I knew you'd had a lot of helpers over the years but 230 is amazing, I so admire you doing that👏.

I've put my Tigger tail back in the cupboard under the stairs because it might be cursed 😆. I've had another seizure since I last posted - in the supermarket not a good idea, even though it was not by intent 🙄. I'm feeling fine now and the sun is shining dare I dig it out again so I'm sitting in the garden with a popular ice cream Magnum thinking only thinking about deadheading 😉.

I did write Magnums too, Cherry, but seeing as I couldn't find an ice lolly emoji, I changed them to 🍦🍦.

I didn't want Kaimoana thinking I had a sideline in the arms trade. Sitting in my garden with a trusty Magnum 🔫 at my side ...

Kaimoana I remember the Bionic Man. It’s what our GP used to call DH as he’d survived so many serious health problems.
Grammaretto I do so hope your leaks are now fixed and you won’t have that problem again.
Good your kiwi helper is just that. Are you going visiting next weekend?
Wow your 230th helper. That’s amazing. How nice that some keep in touch so you know what happens to them. Your young Frenchman must have liked you to stay for so long.
Ixion I hope you’ve got my place ready on the sofa with an ample supply of Pringles. I shall be over for some of the Olympics.
Cherry oh dear we were hoping that tigger tail would be firmly attached. You sound relaxed now though with your Magnum and the sunshine.
Ixion oh dear I see yes we don’t want anyone thinking you and Cherry have gone into the arms trade. 😱
Grammaretto I have obviously missed something somewhere about the teeth and toilet. I shall have to go back an find out what happened

I've bought a new iPhone. Bread and water for the rest of the year, with maybe a small piece of cheese on special occasions. I'll be back when I've got it sussed¬

ixion You brought back memories talking about Magnums, the arms kind.

As you know, my husband was a gun collector and we went shooting regularly. He once borrowed a Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum from his supplier with a view to buying it. Let's forget I was working as a cleaner to make money for food for our boys

I had the chance to fire it and the recoil was astonishing; my arm flew up and although I'd hit the outside of the target, I thought my arm would never work again. A fearfully powerful gun.

I much prefer the ice cream version.
Though probably just as dangerous to a diabetic!

^I didn't want Kaimoana thinking I had a sideline in the arms trade. Sitting in my garden with a trusty Magnum 🔫 at my side ...^

That really made me smile
😍
I'm really going to try to be positive today... (so many small challenges) -
but today is SUNNY 👍

Sending sunshine and warmth to you all.
😍

Nfk oh I don’t envy you getting to grips with a new phone. I can’t ever remember what does what on mine.
Goodness Kaimoana I don’t remember know ing that about your husband. I’ve never held a gun in my life, makes you wonder with that recoil how anyone ever gets to shoot straight
Yes I’ll stick to the ice creams too
Notspaghetti well you’ve certainly sent the sun here. It’s been a beautiful day. Didn’t go for a walk as I’m out all day tomorrow and I didn’t want to wear my feet out 🤣🤣

I have managed, I think, to get the new phone to do as it's told but it does a lot of things the old one doesn't. And I get the feeling it's spying on me. Now of course I have to order an expensive case for it to protect it's delicateness.

I wish there hadn't been mention of Magnums. I want an ice-cream now. It's been a gorgeous day here in Norfolk. I drove the Camperbubble with DGD2 and her other DGM, plus Kira to the coast. We left later than we should and, because the tide was in so not much beach on my bit of the coast, we decided to go to the west. Mistake. By the time we got there all the car parks were full, and the camper of course is restricted anyway as West Norfolk puts height barriers on Everywhere! But we found a slot at Holme, and I had a brief swim and a longer loll around in the sea. And so did Kira! She swam! She was so obviously surprised when she found there was no bottom under her feet, she could swim. It was wonderful. Getting her out was a problem! The downside was that a favourite pub in Holme has gone up market. Big time. Chelsea-on-Sea has spread! £8 for two tiny "crab muffins" the size of 2p pieces. The muffin bit was so small it could have been anything and there was hardly a teaspoon of crab between the two. I'll not bother to go back. But it's been a good day. My mind feels soothed.

Nfk I love the idea of Kira swimming in the sea, how joyful it sounds. You were brave too - wwasn't it ccold?

Doodle I knew what I was getting into with my DH; our pre-marriage dates were to the gun club and my wedding night was spent learning how to dis-assemble then re-assemble a Walther PPK (James Bond's gun). A vital skill in DH's eyes!

Highly romantic my DH
He was from a well-to-do farming family and had grown up with shotguns, so probably not quite as weird as all that sounds.
We never shot anything live though, only targets.

Good morning 🌅

I'm planning a quiet week so that we can recover from Spud Fest - his first trip around the sun was celebrated with panache, cake, pasties and fizz - and a surfeit of balloons

DD2 had engaged in shopping on Amazon when unwell feverish and had ordered 120 balloons in many sizes, 2 kits to build your own balloon arch, 2 kits to build your own plumes of balloons, inexplicably, 3 number 1 balloons with no helium....and an electric balloon pump which she said was to save money 🤣

Unfortunately there were no instructions for attaching the balloons to the frames, or for making the frames stand up.....and at midnight before the big day I sent a very overwrought young mother to bed and then stayed up half the night watching You tube videos and sorting it out.

The birthday boy woke up early, took one look at the plethora of balloons and yelled his head off was not impressed! His mama thought I'd done OK - and I was so tired that I forgot to put the 40 pasties in the ovens and we had lunch at 4 pm

I feel it was memorable, as only all those lovely family disasters can be!

As you say Mamissimo another memorable family disaster. Poor Spud, he's only 1.

When DS was 2 he was invited to pose for a photographer who was in the market. I agreed and a real live monkey was put on the child's shoulder. He didn't scream but looks terrified in the picture.

I have the dentist later today. I hope she can make something to disguise my gappy mouth.

Kaimoana the beautiful rose you sent me after DH died, is flowering. It smells divine.

Mamissimo what a beautiful boy Spud is. Enjoy your hopefully quiet week. It’s so hot here it’s unbelievable and my physio has been here! Thank goodness he’s gone now. Lovely chap and so encouraging!
NfkDumpling I too have a new phone but it’s not much different from the old one except that it is reliable! Think the old phone was worn out and just gave up the ghost! We have had several dogs over the years and none of them liked water. Bet it was great to see Kira swimming bless her.
Cherry so sorry you’ve been poorly again. Hope your tigger tail appears soon x

Nfk what a lovely day. How nice you all enjoyed your dip in the sea and Kira found she could swim. So many places have put their prices up now. Ridiculous what they charge.
Kaimoana I had to smile. No one but you could have a date at a gun club or spend their wedding night as you did. Nothing in your life is ordinary or mundane. It is such a joy to listen to your history. What an unusual and interesting life you have led which I imagine has all helped to develop your wonderful writing and story telling skills.
Oh Mamissimo you made me laugh too. Your tale of the balloon arch. The things you get up to. Young Spud is a seriously handsome young man now, I’m sure the pasties were very welcome by the time they were served 🤣
Jan my BT landline phones have all stopped working which is a nuisance as entry to our apartment is via phone entry system. Means I don’t know if anyone’s here,
BT suggested I crawl under the desk to where the phone socket is and unplug it then remove the screws and pull a bit off the front to access another connection underneath. ………… several minutes, much confusion and sighing later, I convinced them to send me an engineer if only to help me up from the floor!
Grammaretto what have you been doing today? Have you been in the shop.
Cherry and ixion I have been out shopping today and bought 2 new tops and a bendable, folding, pack away hand fan. The latter being out to good use in the bus on the way home. Hope you are ok Cherry

Well how funny. I saw the photo but somehow managed to skip over your post completely Grammaretto
Your rose looks beautiful. What a thoughtful gift Kaimoana
How did you get on at the dentist Grammaretto

When I think of magnums (the guns) I can't help but think of of the line in Dirty Harry - "the most powerful hand gun in the world and it will blow your head clean off" 😬. I've been deadheading today but without a magnum in hand.

I have vague recollections of you saying that your DH had a gun collection Kaimoana but I had no idea you went shooting him, as for you firing a magnum 😯 - I can't help but recoil from that 😆.

I have a lovely image of Kira swimming in the sea Nfk and despite the many hiccups you appear to have had I'm glad you had such a lovely day 😊.

I hope your dentist appointment went well Grammaretto 🤞.
The rose Kaimoana sent you is, as you say, beautiful. I think they are always better when they are scented too.

Last night, I wandered into the kitchen to get some water to take my tablets and was greeted by a Buddha sitting in the sink having a bath 😒 ...

NO! Cherry you cannot leave it like that! What Buddha????????

I do hope the dentist can work fast for you Grammaretto there are few things more debilitating than not feeling comfy in the mouth.

Oh how gorgeous is that Sweet Potato boy - and there'll be many more birthdays so look on the mega ballons purchae as an investment
Spud may enjoy jumping on them more than the sight of them.

My goodness Doodle do BT really expect you to do their engineering work these days? Charge them time and a half and danger money

Yes, I have had an interesting life, possibly because I made choices (not always good ones) and accepted invitations others may eschew on the basis that I'd rather have a short and interesting life than a long and boring one.

As a fat person I believed what everyone, doctors included, told me "if you don't lose weight you'll die before you are 30, 40, 50" et cetera, so I thought I better cram in a bit of excitement while I could.

By the time I reached my seventies and realised I'd been misled, it was too late!

I'd still rather like to be slung in a harness under a helicopter and whirled round the Hauraki Gulf but I doubt there's much chance of that now, so I'll make do with the wild, exhilaration of a day knitting slippers.

Was he a little Buddha Cherry? I hope he was happy and didn’t splash the floor too much. (I’m assuming he was pill induced and you’ve not converted the kitchen into a temple.

You do indeed managed a very interesting life Kamoana! I must admit to a worrying fascination with guns so have avoided them. They hold so much power.

I’m glad your rose is blooming so beautifully Grammaretto. Is it in a pot? If you were to move would it come too? We brought a garden centre with us when we came here and there’s several I’d like to take with me when /if I move again.

Young Spud is still looking as gorgeous as ever. I’d love to babysit anytime if needed. Except I may spoil him rather

Im trying to type this on my new phone. I’m don’t think I’ll bother again!

I would quite like to meet a Buddha having a bath in the sink, Cherry.
All I get are potato peelings and unwashed dishes.

The dentist was rather kind yesterday and thinks my original impressions can be used so it will be 2 months rather than 3.
Hey ho! Oh and a mere £1000.

I asked about implants but they are far too expensive.

My Helper is delightful. He's been so enthusiastic about everything including haggis supper last night accompanied by a rendition from Rabbie Burns and rather a large single malt.

He's been restoring my willow bower, the patio and he would have mown the grass but the mower has decided to stop working again.

Instead he helped at our arts café garden by wheeling barrows full of earth from the forest floor and digging deep holes ready for planting. I helped by painting a wheeliebin store. It was very Garden Rescue TV programme
I've given him a day off today.

Nfk your description of Kiras first swim was pure delight 😊.
What a lucky dog and owner.

The rose is growing in the garden bed though I have an accidental cutting from it in a pot.
More reason to stay in this garden in a little eco house. I nearly wrote green house. Like my DB's summer cottage.
Pictured

Grammaretto your brothers cottage looks delightful. Are you still thinking about the possibility of having a home built in,your garden for yourself?
I can understand why you don’t want to part with it.
Cherry this is so tantalising. It’s like waiting for the next part of a TV series. We are all agog waiting for the next episode of your kitchen drama. 🤣
Kaimoana I loved your description of Spud as the sweet potato boy. That made me smile 😊
You must have the most fascinating bucket list of things you’d like to do. The helicopter trip sounds a little daunting to me
Nfk I can’t use my phone for typing. The keypad is too small. Hope otherwise you are happy with the new purchase.
Grammaretto wow that is expensive. Yes I’ve researched implants too and they are horrendously expensive.
Your new helper sounds great. I can’t remember where he comes from. Hope he stays for a while as he must be fun to have around.

OMG, I've just read my last message - I had no idea you went shooting him 😲. I could have sworn I wrote with him, that's what you get when you don't preview what you've written 😬 🤣. I certainly didn't mean to accuse you of anything criminal Kaimoana 🤭.

Did you go shopping with a friend Doodle? It's good to know that you're getting out and about and lovely that you're treating yourself 😊. Those pack away hand fans are brilliant, a friend of mine has one and I keep meaning to get one. I bet it was a godsend on the bus.

My word Kaimoana - I'd still rather like to be slung in a harness under a helicopter 🫣 😆. Going on a cable car in the Swiss Alps was enough for me 😂.

Nfk, I don't get on with typing on my phone either, I can manage a short text message but anything longer is a nightmare for me. I see people easily typing all their messages using their thumbs but because of de Quervains my left thumb is pretty useless (and I'm left handed) and trying to use it to type causes my whole hand to ache. I always use my tablet.

Crikey Grammaretto, that's expensive for your denture considering the original impressions can be used 😬. My dentist charges a similar amount which includes taking original impressions through to the final product 🤔. I'd love implants too but they are extortionate.
Your helper sounds great, it was so good of him to help out at the arts cafe garden. I hope you can get your mower fixed 🤞.
Is that really your DB's summer cottage, it's fabulous 😍, I'd be happy living there I think.

No Nfk, the Buddha in the sink wasn't pill induced 🤣.
Okay, I won't leave it like that Kaimoana.
The Buddha is a real, well okay, stone Buddha - of an ornamental, garden variety. I hadn't realised but instead of like any normal person would washing it outdoors my WP took it upon himself to give it a bath in the kitchen sink 🤣.

We had a day off from gardening today and had an afternoon by the coast watching boats go by and jet ⛷️ - picture perfect, if only I hadn't forgotten my phone 🤦‍♀️.

Your DB's cottage is very Kiwi Bach isn't it? grammaretto

'Bach' (not like the composer) said 'batch', is short for batcherlor and was the sort of ad hoc shelter put up by the many gold seekers and gum diggers. In the South Island they're called cribs.

They were often in fairly remote areas, beach, bush, forest with no sanitation or electricity and were made from anything handy: old crates, corrugated iron, raupo and even old, upturned boats.

Much later they became subject to local council rules, with all utilities provided and Rates demanded so a certain standard had to be maintaied.
Having a 'bach at the beach or bush, or at least access to one,' was a privilege most Kiwi families enjoyed but land prices and local authorities put a stop to all that. The rugged informality of baches and getting the kids away to the beach in summer became an expense many couldn't afford.

Now, even a small house on the beachside, anywhere in NZ is worth millions.
Ah, the cultural icons and fun we lose in the name of progress.

I had a whole day with DS and Gubbins who came for breakfast.

As usual she had us laughing with her chatter and comical antics but the more frequent visits have given her confidence.
She was even content to stay with me when Daddy went out later to buy lunch for us. A first.

She didn't want to leave either but Daddy is Chef de Cuisine so had to get home to make 7pm family dinner.
Such wonderful, contented day.

It looks as if I may be moving to the UK far soon than anticipated if all goes well.

I'm fine with that, quite excited in fact but it will take a while to untangle everything legal and financial here.

DS won't be coming back when the family does in January, so maybe I'll travel to UK with DiL, Gubbins and Dgs some time next year when they're all packed.

But who knows?

We live in interesting times.