🦞🦂 Lobstars 🌟 still shining bright 🦞🦂

I am in the middle of the Red Haze 🤬 - bear with me, please?

I’m with youGrandmafrench in they i think Kaimoana should put out another appeal for help in obtaining her supplies.
I fear the lovely lady will not be happy unless her son is happy. That’s how it is with most mums I think.
I’ve been to church again today which was nice as I’ve missed it for the last two weeks. Art tomorrow but no idea how I will cope as my thumb seems to have a will of its own.

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Still trying to send photos

Wow, that cherry looks more like an apple!

I agree that son's have to be happy to make mum's happy but, like Grandmafrench I have a feeling in my bones that all will come right in the end. Those leaves you need Kaimoana, will they freeze? I can't eat ordinary garlic but can eat the leaves of wild garlic, so freeze all I can get hold of when it's in season. Chopped and put into ice cube trays.. Would your leaves freeze too? It may be easier to persuade someone to get a goodly quantity all in one hit than to ask them to keep going for smaller amounts? Just a thought.

Off to make cakes for a gathering on Friday.

Beautiful photos Grandmafrench.
It took a while to realise they are France. There's a clue in your name ofcourse. silly me

I went to the lecture this evening, which was good, and am now on the bus home getting irritated by a young woman next to me, speaking incessantly in Spanish, presumably into her phone.
IMO- rude.

I truly hope your situation improves Kaimoana both your health and the family.

Tomorrow I am going to an award ceremony to honour my df who died in March. Her family can't attend so I have been asked. I feel 😪 sad.

I am glad you have been to church Doodle. Such a comfort for you.

Thanks for all the positive words about my house. I had a chat with the man who wants to buy it and that went well. We just hope the process will be smooth for both of us.

No, Nfk they would not freeze but once made into a tea, that would.
However my freezer is no bigger than the inside of a microwave!

I'm going to ask my homecare lady if she'll take me out into the bush. We have 3 hours on a Monday, so that's heaps of time to get there, do the proper karakia, gather and get back.

I'm relying on the fact that the bushes I used to gather from, are still there

Sorry Kaimoana. That idea out of the window then! I hope you get to have your trip out and that it goes well. Fingers crossed the bushes are still there.

Now that sounds like a plan, Kaimoana. What’s the saying…if you want a job done properly, do it yourself? Monday may just be your lucky day 🥳

kaimoana hope your plan works and you get your supplies.
Grammaretto. Hope the award ceremony goes well. I’m sure your friend would be pleased you are representing her but can understand your sadness too.
I might go to church tonight as there’s a service at 8. I like the evening ones too.
I’m going back to the hospital tomorrow. I’m not happy with my thumb and hoping they will check it’s ok.

I'm not happy that your thumb is sore Doodle. A trip back to the hospital sounds wise. Is your hospital fairly near?

I hope your trip to collect the herbs is fruitful Kaimoana.
A nice drive out sounds a good idea anyway.
Here it's very windy. Worrying about falling trees windy.
The award ceremony is at an ancient Abbey, now college, with many magnificent trees.
I brought my bike out of my shed to practice riding it. I'm going on a bike ride on Tuesday.
However I found it in a sorry state.: flat tyres, covered in mud and with the seat at its highest level. I wonder which of my not so wonderful helpers is responsible. I've cleaned it but will ask the German friend if he can sort it for me.

How are other Lobstars faring today?

Grammaretto hospital is about 30 minutes away so not too bad. I’m going to the plaster room so hopefully won’t have to wait long

I’m glad I phoned my arm is quite irritated tonight. I’m not in any pain but the skin under the bandage is itching like crazy and feels sore. Thumb is swollen and red.
I never learnt to ride a bike. I admire those who do. Hope you get sorted out in time for the ride

Good luck with the sorting of the poorly thumb, Doodle, you're very sensible to not just leave it and 'see how it goes'. You've not had much success with the treatment for your break, have you? Maybe there's some sort of allergy going on, assuming that the plaster is now not too tight. Who knows? All will be revealed tomorrow and we shall be waiting anxiously for at least a thumbs up 👍 and news from our Team Leader.
Try hard, if you can, to think about something else and hopefully get a decent night's sleep. Sending you - and Lobstars generally - a big hug from very hot French France. x

I hope all went well Doodle. My Mum (ex-nurse) used to say the itching was a sign things were healing. It's pretty common when you are wearing a cast and people usually keep a knitting needle hand for scratching. Sore thumb is not okay though -hope you were reassured in the plaster room.

I was pretty sure I'd have at least a bad cold by now becuase one of our elders cheerfully told us all he had flu and thereafter coughed and sneezed explosively every few seconds for the next 3 hours.
He was sitting opposite me at the trestle table and used neither hanky nor hand during this performance -but I have escaped

The funny thing is, the elders who took advantage of the free flu jab a few weeks ago, were most badly effected by this recent bug.
We who ignored it (for various reasons) have stayed well.
There must be a moral there somewhere.

The bisque-fired mug I decorated at the group, for Mila - and was sure I'd made a right pig's ear of, actually turned out quite pretty. She'll like it anyway and that all that matters.

Looking forward (as usual) to a quiet, long weekend. Perhaps I'll celebrate The Birthday with a cup of coffee and a mint choc biscuit.

Hari Huritau ki a koe Tāre

Charles Philip Arthur George at 6 months.

I hope Doodle is getting some resolution from the dodgy cast
review and that all is now settled. Try blowing a hair dryer on a cool setting down the opening for uncontrollable itches - safest way!
For how long are you in plaster?
At least you are mobile, so can get about be taken to church and the Hospice, your oases of peace, even if exercise and art classes are on the back burner for a while.

How's your bike looking, Grammaretto? A meany helper to abandon it in such a state. I remember now, one of our lovely German au pairs asking if we could get a child's carry seat for the back of our bike so she could transport no.3 to playgroup. 😱. We compromised by getting a seat but insisting that she push it only, on the pavement, to save his little legs. And his life, potentially.
My network of non-working playgroup mums was able to report back that she was following the rule faithfully.

Everything crossed for Monday, Kaimoana. I pray that your outing will (a) happen and (b) be successful for your foraging. It seems such a little thing to ask, but such issues can be almost insurmountable when one has to rely on others. I remember this about my mum as she reached (much) later life.

I went to the hairdressers yesterday and asked, casually, why my appointment reminder was now written as a short cut, shampoo and blow dry.
Was it, I asked, because I was now getting a reduced time slot (ooh, cynic) or because my hair is short.
She had the grace to look abashed and lowered her voice.

It's because, she said, the salon had gone gender neutral.
No longer could they have a differing price list for men and for women.
Henceforth, we are to be charged as short, medium or long, dependent solely on hair length.

I could reassure her that there is no way Mr.I would pay his barber the amount I have to pay my hairdresser.

Ixion that's an interesting way to deal with haircuts!
Maybe your husband would have to be very short!

Kaimoana - what a great photo.
Presumably in a christening gown?
Otherwise I think you dressed him up pretty fancy!
I do hope you get out to the herbs on Monday - or that someone has already been and will surprise you!

Doodle - I'm so fed up (on your behalf) about your thumb and all the itching etc.
You seem to have had a miserable run of things just recently.
I do hope at least these fixable body things are soon settled down!

Otherwise I think you dressed him up pretty fancy!

I bet 👑Great Grandma Mary👑 insisted he wore the family heirlooms.

ixion

^Otherwise I think you dressed him up pretty fancy!^

I bet 👑Great Grandma Mary👑 insisted he wore the family heirlooms.

That reminds me of a family story. When my sister and I were born we lived in Central London/Westminster so our daily walks in the pram were St James Park, a look at Buckingham Palace and my DM favourite shop the Army and Navy stores. One day my DS, aged 2, was having a tantrum as she
refused to leave a ride-on dog on
wheels.

Queen Mary walked by and glared at DS who was so petrified she stopped screaming!

Oh wow!

Doodle I know you said it's only 30 mins away but I do hope you had a lift there and back.

Queen Mary walked by and glared at DS who was so petrified she stopped screaming!

Hospital confirmed dressing too tight. Lovely nurse treated me very gently and took all the dressing off. Cleaned the wound an has re dressed it. She took over an hour to sort it all out and was so kind.
Thanks Grandmafrench👍
Kaimoana i know many medical people who refuse to have the flu jab on the grounds it makes the ill after. Thumb better now thanks. Still numb but not so painful. I think I have nerve damage as they said I might.
Ixion joy of joys the plaster is off ! I now have dressing tubigrip and a splint. Much less bulky and more comfortable.
&Grammaretto* what a lovely story. Quite a formidable person I think Queen Mary.
Notspaggetti I certainly didn’t walk it would have taken me hours. It’s a 30 minute car journey. No I went by taxi. Family often take me but I don’t want to interrupt their work too much.

SO pleased you are altogether more comfortable Doodle
👍

Only you could know Queen Mary's birth date, and remember it, Kaimoana. Think we need to change your name to Professor Google. 🤣

Are we impressed, Grammaretto? Indeed we are, since I expect most of us have only managed a threatening look from a Park Keeper. She was certainly formidable and probably not someone that a small girl would cross swords with. Hope your bike is in mint condition before Tuesday, and PLEASE don't take any tumbles. You've only just been rebuilt and nothing must stand in your way whilst you press on with the house plans.

Doodle. Heavens to Betsy, can no one be trusted any more? It should be fairly safe to go to the Plaster Room and get a broken limb sorted out. But they've had two goes at it, still too tight and you were still suffering. What a carry on. So pleased it seems to be more comfortable now. Let's hope that it can heal now in the normal way.

Your 'adventure' reminds me of when I broke an ankle skiing, when I was very young and in my prime (meaning everything worked, nothing creaked so I was anxious to have two working limbs again as soon as possible.) Ankle broke whilst I was going uphill on a wretched drag lift. Seriously. This was down to the idiotguy in the ski shop who set my bindings too tight. I caught an edge, and the ankle broke because the ski wouldn't !!!!! First part of inept treatment. After 6 weeks, or was it 8, I went to the Hospital and they cut off the plaster. I was quite surprised to see my poor wasted little leg - it looked awful and was going to take a while to build it up to match the other leg.

I was asked to sit on the bed whilst another idiot took some X rays to see all was well. Bear in mind that people taking X rays do this all the time every working day. The moment she walked away from me to operate the machine, the plate that she had lodged in the equipment above my leg and which would produce the 'image', dropped out of its slot directly onto my leg!

She shrieked and actually ran out of the room!

Those X ray plates (in those days anyway) were really heavy. Not expecting the equivalent of a wall brick to be dropped on my leg made me shocked as well as angry, but I honestly couldn't work out why she'd run away. Someone else arrived and took the brunt of my comments before I got my apology.

Shall be thinking of you next week, K, out in the bush with a big bag, maybe labelled SWAG ! Hopefully you'll come back with lots and lots and this will make a big difference to how you feel. Have a good weekend everyone. Wonder if Neine has turned into Bridezilla yet, and everyone (including dogs) is learning fast how to sit still, don't make a mess, don't distract her - as she makes and re-makes check lists for the Special Day. Tell us how it's going Neine and hope it's going well.
Night all, sleep well, I'm off to the land of Nod. xx

Ixion - I did laugh. So your hair has gone gender neutral....and Mr I is clearly a bit of a cheapskate. I love the fun facts that one can pick up on Lobstars !

Grammaretto Not I alas, it's the government who remembers the momarch's birthday and gives us a Public Holiday.
I can barely remember my own birthday but marvel with quiet joy that I've had so many

I also marvel, without much joy at the many and various ways relief homecare ladies find of making a bed.

I have to wonder how their own beds look.

Because I have a very deep mattress and can't lift it to tuck in bedding, this task is essential but once again this week I've had to pull it all out at bedtime and re-make

Fitted bottom sheet replaced fine. Next a blanket on top of which the top sheet which has been there a week and needed changing. Then another, quilted blanket, that's ok.
As I advised her to take note of how my bed was made (I know these tricks of old) I expected at least the two sheets replaced together.

My elder son, to avoid the hassle of changing his sheets, bought himself several cotton bags, the ones used inside sleeping bags. Brilliant idea.

If my bladder didn't shout me from slumbeer (at least) twice a night, I may contemplate this.

However, the time it would take me to sleepily fight my way out has obvious drawbacks.
I could of course go clad, as in a sack race, to the bathroom. but would still have to get free for a wee.
So I am the unwilling victim of bed harebrained 'helpers'.

Doodle I'm sorry you are having so many difficulties but these things go in peaks and troughs and the nurse's kindness and your comfier arm seems to indicate a time of relative calm is on its way.

Just don't get a cold or flu or we'll have re-christen you Doodlebug.

I am glad you now have a comfortable bandage Doodle but why you were given an overtight one at first, defeats me.

I hope ixion's hair-dryer which she no longer needs 😆 can help stop any itching.

Any other brushes with Royalty to admit?

DFiL, always direct rude at the best of times was beside me at a royal garden party when he was asked if he'd like to meet one of the Royals.
The late Queen had passed by so it was a smartly dressed man who came to shake Grandpa's hand.
"Who are you?" asked FiL. "I'm the Duke of Wessex" came the reply.
I whispered "Prince Edward".
"Oh, you're Prince Edward, you look so much older than in the photos"
I must say he took it very well.

Today is the annual fair in my town. I was woken by the sound of a bugle and horses trotting by as they ride the marches a fairly ancient tradition in the Border towns.
www.penicuikhunterandlass.com/history

When are the Naughtyneine
nuptials?- I fear my invitation has been lost in the post 😔