🦞🦂 Lobstars 🌟 still shining bright 🦞🦂

Sparky is full of surprises! He hasn't answered my texts so presumably he's still in USA.
The problem with the bric a brac stall is more things keep being added and I don't want to throw them out. I had forgotten about them but seeing
them again is hard.

How lovely to spend time at the Hospice with your DGD Doodle

The gas kiln is quite big and takes ages to fire. I'm still waiting up to go and switch it off when it's done.

I unpacked the electric kiln today and there are some beautiful pots in it despite the crazy controller.
None of the pots were mine unfortunately.

Tomorrow, or do I mean today, DH's brother and sister are coming to have lunch with me.

Good night lovely Lobstars 😍

Naughtyneine hope you’re ok. Thanks for popping in.
Sparky, motorbike, Nevada desert 😱 Well I’d never have imagined him doing that Grammaretto I hope he realises his services are needed and heads back soon.
Does your gas kiln hold as much as the electric one? Do things get spoilt if the electric one gets a power cut or can you safely transfer them to the gas one?
That’s a good idea about your stall. Hope you get some buyers.
I’ve been to the hospice with our elder granddaughter today. We had a nice long chat and it was lovely to spend time with her.

Such a scary journey Doodle!! Well done getting home in one piece.

Oh not an operation. I hope it's as straightforward as they say.

Good to see you Naughtyneine. Look forward to more stories from your neck of the woods.

I am indeed opening my showroom at the weekend but I've had problems with my electric kiln. It keeps cutting out. A call out to Sparky beckons.

He was last heard of on a motorbike riding across the Nevada desert.

I shall fire my gas kiln tomorrow. Much more reliable.

The American was very helpful today. She's been setting up a stall in my hallway to sell off all the bric a brac (rubbish) I no longer need or want. What with her and me taking another car full to the recycle centre I am making some progress with the decluttering.
I must say goodnight. Xx

I haven't deserted you my lovely lobster friends... It's been one of those periods that happen in life... Nothing dramatic...I hope you are all ok... Sending love to you all.

Evening all
Grammaretto i see you’re getting ready for another open day next week. Will it be in your studio? Do you have many contributors?
Your new helper sounds like she needs a fair bit of guidance. Not what you’re used to.
I went to hospital today and they have confirmed they want to take the fixing plate in my right wrist out, they are afraid it may damage tendons. Quite straight forward it seems . No splint just bandages and no driving for three or four days.
On the way home I took a wrong turning and had to drive through the busiest parts of town in a tremendous downpour complete with thunder and lightening flashes in front of the car. I was so relieved to get home.
Ixion and Cherry don’t hear much from you these days but just because you’re not posting doesn’t mean we’ve forgotten about you. Sending love and hugs to you and all the missing lobstars.

Evening all. Had a nice time in church today and a long chat with others after in our coffee area. Went to lunch with a friend then spent the afternoon drawing and painting.
Hospital tomorrow to check up on my broken wrist. I’m hoping they will say all is well.
Take care all the lobstars, miss our absent friends. Xx

I do agree with you Doodle and it's even worse if you want to take a holiday as nearly all the prices are for two.
In the past, I enquired about a $500 (for 2) price, asking what it would be for one.

Some people told me it was just the same because I would be using a 2 bed room in which they could not put a stranger and me.
Others "graciously" suggested I could have a 1/4 off and added I might bring a friend if I didn't have a partner.
Thus totally missing the point that I wanted a solo holiday without any companion at all.

Surely the expense of one person's laundry and heating (a poular if illogical excuse for insisting on full price) is less than 2, and they save on food as well.

Nowadays, singler person holidays can be found but still far more expensive than a 50% of a two person break.

Hugs Doodle
I'm sure he is with you in spirit.
🙏

Evening all. Had a mixed day today. Did some housework then drawing practice (miserable failure) . Went to Waitrose and got upset at the “dine in meals for two” offer.
Home now and it’s so quiet here.

kaimoana i Hope your son finds a suitable job soon. I know you worry about him as we all do about our children if they’re not happy.
Grammaretto glad your new helper is getting on well.
When is your next open studio?
I went for my usual Friday walk and as usual there was no rain. It rained before I went and after I got back but was dry for our walk. That’s every Friday morning since February it has been dry for the duration of our walk. Nice coffee and chat after

That is difficult and sad Kaimoana. I'm sure I "don't know the half of it" as the saying goes.
Perhaps my own lot will end up joining the exodus I hear so much about.
DDiL teaches nursing and as soon as her students qualify they leave for Australia where they can earn twice as much.
I used to think this was exaggeration but obviously not.

My American helper is settling in and has been working outside a lot reviving the old yew hedge by removing ivy from strangling it.
She enjoys being able to plunge her hands into the undergrowth without meeting a snake or some other scary creature.

I have been hastily selecting pots to show at open studios, ditching others and cleaning the place a bit with my fellow potters.

I'm fairly sure people here can get some sort of emergency benefit but they make it very complicated to apply and from the day you DO apply there is a 6 week stand-down when you get nothing at all.
Governments have 'blaming the victim' down to a fine art
It's cruel.

I've just looked this up.
It is Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) "welfare" and there are several schemes.
Two-parent families may have additional work requirements, and a lifetime limit on benefits typically exists.
It is different in each state.

Kaimoana2 that's a terrible thing to happen to families.
Similar to the situation when we lived in America in a way. We were told that if there were 2 patents one hsd to find work as there wasn't anything from the government for families where there were two "fit for work" adults and neither was working.
It was a case of people having to split up to get help.

This is what we were told. I don't know if it was everywhere or just some states - but it seems very hard to punish people when already low.

It seems incredible to me now. It makes me wonder if it's even true???

Oh Doodle, what fun I used to play Pooh Sticks with my grand-daughtes too.

I guess the priority for my son Gramartto is being in a country where he can work and keep his family.

The job situation in NZ is what keeps him in UK.

Here, there is Uber Eats and you may make $5 a night if you are one of the hundreds on the books, as Ds was - and jobs such as stacking shelves in a supermarket - for which each vacancy has dozens of long-term unemployed applicants, despite the fact that the total wage for such jobs is actually lower than rents.

It's inconceivable that he would be parted from his beloved daughter unless the situation forced it upon him.

DS is at least working in the UK but also getting interviews for jobs within his capabilities, although there are many more applicants than normal due to desperation in UK - at least there are jobs.

Add to that the landlords who own the house where Gubbins lives, want to sell it.
Dil has to be out by January (originally October but they agreed some leeway) and the pressure is immense.

They are not the only ones; the flight to Australia, UK & USA for work has meant many, many children are now without a resident parent.

Glad your leaves have come Kaimoana and are doing the trick.
Does your son still l’an the move to the Uk even if he doesn’t have a job? Adores he still think things are better here for little Gubbins*
Kaimoana you are the least selfish person I know. You are always on the lookout for others and don’t complain whatever gets thrown at you. Little Gubbins will miss out on a lot not having her grandmas guidance and fun.
Grammaretto thank you i had a lovely time with the girls . After lunch we went to see DH’s tree and spent time wandering round the park talking about how they used to play there as children. Just to prove they’re not totally grown up, we played Pooh sticks for the little bridge.

So glad your leaves are working already Kaimoana I hope you are feeling better.

How strange that DS thinks that his family would be better off here. My DS thinks the opposite for his family as far as I know. Time will tell. I suppose much depends on what your priorities are.

Doodle I hope you have a lovely day with your granddaughters. It sounds very special.

Yes Doodle the kumerahou arrived a few days ago and there is an improvement already.

Sorry I haven't been posting. My PC is in an unheated spare room so unless I want hypothermia I stay in the one room which gets the sunshine.

News from UK is still the same. DS2 is back here at the end of the year and by January all my family, little grand-daughter included of course, will be permanent resident in England.

I used to feel quite sad that I didn't see her (2 visits since last November) but I suppose it will be easier to bear when she's gone for good. DS feels there are better prospect for her future in this move, so I must stop being selfish.

Ixion 🤣 trust you .
Oh dear I think if I’m going to be cheerleading it will have to be seated. I’m not so nimble on my pins now.
Grammaretto although inflamed tendons can’t be pleasant I imagine it’s better than something being wrong with your hip. Hope a little rest cures the problem.
Hm not sure a sad American is what you need in a helper. Perhaps she’s homesick.
Oh Notspaghetti what a trial 😱 After you’d been through all that awful prep only to fail at the last hurdle. I bet you could kick yourself. They won’t do anything if you’ve taken blood thinners. Still not too long to wait till the 10th. Make sure you hide those tablets,
Kaimoana no sign of those leaves I suppose?
Went to church this morning and had a lovely hour after chatting with everyone. Tomorrow our granddaughters are coming to take me for lunch and then visit their grandads tree.

roadscholar.org/find-an-adventure/20881/The-Best-of-Scotland share.google/Rr6nfyDGHuReDnb08

My American is a regular traveller to the UK and Europe. This is her last month of a 6 month trip where she's stayed in London and Ascot for example. I think she's missing her family and may cut her trip short.
She seems rather sad but hasn't said why.

There was a fellow American at the yarn group this morning. She is learning Gaelic and is staying with a Gaelic teacher. She's travelling about with something called Road Scholars.

A road trip for people who are looking for a rather different holiday it's not cheap

So it was blood thinners you should have stopped taking NotSpag. I understand now.

I haven't been swimming for ages. I would have gone today but fell asleep instead. It would be the baths. I swim in the sea, if hot enough, but wild swimming in rivers, lochs and reservoirs is not for me.

I hope all Lobstars are well and that Jeeves will pander to all your needs. Well some of them.

🤦‍♀️ NS.
Guess you needed to stop your blood thinners well before the op!
I think the days, sadly, are long past where you would come in a couple of days in advance for your 'pre-op workup'.
Pick up your disinfecting jallop from the chemist and off you go.

(I did note, in a previous existence, that the instructions to patients for major surgery to give themselves an appropriate site shave at home before coming in were rapidly abandoned: assorted sticking plasters, razor burn, other DIY measures very evident! The walking wounded even before the op!)

Is this your helper's first time in the UK, Grammaretto? Will she meet up with her fellow American, do you suppose? I'm sorry you have to curtail your long walks for a while. Do you swim at the baths or en plein air?
The exhibition looks really interesting.

Thinking of everyone this evening and, as always, enjoying reading your 'doings'.

How is married life treating you, NN?

Off to find a new Team ⚽️Routine - or possibly a new and better team altogether🤔.

Oh dear! I don't actually understand what happened or why but now you've to wait a couple of weeks NotSpag. Isn't that just prolonging the agony?
I would be gutted too.
Why did you need to perform all those disinfection duties? I thought that was the hospital's job?

Sorry anyhow. Groundhog day.

I took my Helper to yarn group with me where there was another American. Anyone would think they are taking over the world 🤣😂

Then to the community lunch where I ate so much I'll never need to eat again today

My consultant's lovely secretary was remarkably sanguine about it.
I felt pretty gutted - and then wondered if I'd sabotaged it unconsciously...
The secretary says she will find some jobs to fill the slot (so that was a relief).

Nevertheless it was nice and disappointing to have a reprieve!

Yes, Kaimoana2 an epidural is the plan.
I met with the anaesthetist and feel confident with her... I think!