🦞🦂 Lobstars 🌟 still shining bright 🦞🦂

Ixion did you have one of those prams where you lifted a bit out of the middle so one child could sit with their feet in the hold as it were. Im intrigued by your description of the basket but can’t quite picture it.
Grammaretto so pleased your two young helpers are getting on so well. I love the sound of their cleaning. I could do with their skills here. Good luck with the pottery.
My goodness that was some wind. I’ve been really blowy here but not that bad.
Kaimoana still thinking about your son and what a disappointment it must have been for you both. I do hope something good comes along for him soon.

Oxters Grammaretto?
Had to look that one up!🫣

Things you learn!

My brass tabletop flew off the table and blew down the steep bank in front of the house. It was retrieved with difficulty and a thick coating of sticky willy seeds on me not the table

I hope you've been busy doing something nice Naughtyneine.
Or have you settled into married life and are up to your oxters in housework! 😅😂

Grammaretto.... Fingers crossed you are safe and no damage during Storm Floris. Thinking of you all even though I've no time to post just now. X

I've enjoyed an Auckland sunset, thanks Kaimoana and Greek Islands. Thanks ixion.

My "girls" are just great. They didn't know eachother, or me, until they arrived but are getting on so well.
They have been cleaning the flat to a high standard - emptying and sorting the kitchen cupboards. washing things like cutlery etc. The cooker, which was old and grubby, is now sparkling.

They cook together vegetarian healthy food. Italian? universal.
I've just had the leftover tomato soup I made yesterday for the Quakers with marmite rice cakes. Delicious but I do put plenty of butter on them so not sure my cholesterol levels will drop. 😞

I must glaze some pottery this afternoon and watch the gathering storm.

I could close my eyes, Kaimoana, and I would be standing with you marvelling at the beauty of the dusk from your doorstep - you have a beautifully descriptive way with words.
Actually, I so wish that we were with you in person to offer company and support.
I am so sorry for the outcome of your son's interview, when so much was hanging on it. How closed a field is it? Would his name and C.V be circulated for consideration by similar companies in the future?
What next? How unsettling for all of you🌷.

Grammaretto, did your two helpers come as a pair, or have you taken on two independent travellers? It is looking optimistic for their settling in, as I read?
Do you have a two way 'trial period' for your lodgers, lest things don't work out? Your recent lady seems to have been eminently suitable.
What style of cuisine do they conjure up for you?😉

I was looking for a photo of the pram basket, Doodle, to no avail.
It had a flat back which sat suspended against the back of the pram and was fixed I don't know how. Probably in some Heath Robinson fashion. It came in very useful in the days when transporting 2 x DCs. Baby at the top end, DC2 plonked in at the foot facing forward. Mind you, I doubt whether this would be deemed safe practice these days.
But it did stop DS regularly chomping his way through the fresh bloomer I would buy from the bakers previously stored amidships. The basket on the back made all the tempting shopping quite inaccessible to podgy little hands!
Actually, he must have been destroying the edibles while I was in a shop 😱😱.

Ah, the Durrells!
I always read My Family and Other Animals routinely once a year. I first read it in my very early teens, on my father's recommendation. I loved the dysfunctional family, the flora and fauna, the heat and the villas they rented.

So much so, I spent my long vacs, backpack and boyfriend in tow, roaming the Piraeus harbour side deciding which Greek island took our fancy at the time to visit this time
The freedom! and lack of situational awareness.

As do your words Kaimoana you describe it perfectly. How beautiful

It's been a lovely, sunnt day here and as I farewelled a friend just after sunset, I was totally entranced by the evening sky and stoode at my door in the cold, long afte she’d gone, just looking and marvelling.

Translucent with palest, sugared-almond pastels of blue, pink and silver, there was not a cloud to be seen.

The stars seem to be at their most brilliat at this time of night; little specks of bright glitter so intense its hard not to believe one could just reach out and gather them like a handful of sparkling gems.

And the trees, leafless now in Autumn no longer look sadly naked as in daytime but bold, inky skeletons reaching with sharp and silhouetted purpose into the distant blue.

Sometimes the sheer beauty of light and the natural world leaves me breathless.

Kaimoana Im so sorry for your son, what a let down. I do hope something comes up for him soon. Good he’s got you to reassure him. Really hope it works out for him.
Grammaretto so glad your helpers are nice. When are your new lodgers moving in?
I’ve had a restful day too. It’s nice sometimes just to sit back.

We feel their pain don't we, Kaimoana. I am sorry too that your DS didn't get that job.

My Helpers arrived and are lovely 😍
I've just made lists of tasks for them while they're here.

Last night we had a nice dinner party with my df from Edinburgh and today having helped set up in the Town Hall for the usual coffee morning, they have set off together to explore the town.
I told one where she can hire/borrow a bike to use while she's here.
It turns out I wasn't really needed to serve the coffees today too many cooks so I've come home for some P&Q.
And to read your news.

So sorry to hear about your son's disappointment in his job search, Kaimoana. I can only assume that it was a highly competitive position.
It's hard not to get excited when you feel very close.

Will he continue to look in the same area do you think or is his particular expertise necessary in lots of different industries?

Would he be looking anywhere in the world?
I do hope something even more exciting comes along soon. 🤞

I was only on Soops thread for a short while a couple of years ago and I agree, a very kind, safe place to be. I hope she soon feels well.

Doodle you are so fortunate to have a lovely crowd of friends and I hope you all have a wonderful meal on the Glorious Twelfth.

It has been a golden day in my garden ! Local temperature says 14 degrees but I spent an hour sleeping outside this afternoon with only sunshine as a coverlet.

I think it's my dodgy heart making me tired so I am lucky that I live alone and rarely have visitors (other than my home care ladies)

My son didn't get the IT Manager job after 3 interviews and so much praise from the recruiter which made us think the last interview was a formality.

It wasn't and I wish he'd said nothing as it led to such disappointment.
We had been in contact via Messenger all night (my night) so I was able to reassure him that as he's been here before and beaten it, he will again.

He's philosophical and applying for more roles but I do so long to give him a hug.

Thanks both. Yes I do still go to art class though we’re on summer break at the moment. I love the company. So many nice people and I have a group of friends who meet after for coffee or we meet for lunch sometimes too. They are taking me out for my birthday. I still have no artistic talent but I enjoy dabbling with watercolours. I am improving a little i think.
Hope everyone has a good weekend.
I am very saddened to see our dear Soop is quite unwell in hospital. Lovely lady and her kitchen thread has provided a lovely place to visit and chat for years.

I hope you still enjoy the art class, Doodle. Nothing better 😉

I had a local artist as a customer this morning. She's good but very modest. She won portrait painter of the year some years ago and her portrait of Mo Molem was chosen by Mo.
Unfortunately the TV programme she was on was run by Rolf Harris.

It's turned quite chilly here.
See you all later.

Pleased you got to the Art Class Doodle.

I'm trying to make it possible to move round the house without tripping up to be honest.
Altogether too much uncoordinated sorting going on just about everywhere and I am supposed to be having a hip operation soon.

It feels a bit like moving house where you have to keep making horrible decisions.

I don't suppose anyone needs some spare Victorian inside doors ? 😬
They have been minding their own business in the hall (behind the books) for far too long!

Maybe I should give my daughter a ring? 🤔

Dear Doodle - I don't feel terribly brave. There are still boxes and boxes of books to go including maybe a thousand in my mother-in-law's garage that have been waiting for sorting since my husband retired!
We know we won't be re-reading the complete works of Ibsen or the book on Theatre of the Early Middle Ages that I bought at 17... so I think I must just put my big girly pants on...

Re the delegation of the reduction - our daughter just messaged to say that someone she knows bought our old "Tree Fruits" book.
They didn't want her to just gift it.
We had a lot of old "growing things" books - but have no more plans to buy somewhere to be self-sufficient.
It's still nice to think that other (younger) people do want to live that sort of life though - I wonder if I should dig out the old copies of "Home Farm" for them... but maybe I gave those away last clearout??

My husband rescued the 3 big volumes of Proust which I bought for his birthday maybe 8 years ago and he's never read. I'm sort of glad he saved those as what a waste of a gift that would have been!

Kaimoana happy Yorkshire Pudding day tomorrow. 😊Grammaretto i watched the Durells too. So glad you’ve got new lodgers and don’t have the hassle of showing more around. Hope they are nice people.
Notspaghetti. Wow you are brave culling books. Glad you’ve got them sorted.
I’ve been out for lunch with art class. Had a lovely catch up

Happy Yorkshire Day everyone for tomorrow.
We have a white rose of York in the garden Rosa alba
And also Peace which was a gift for me from Kaimoana after DH died.
It's blooming luxuriantly.

I'm impressed NotSpag by your delegation of the book reduction. Also the story of Lady Rhondda.

I've been watching the Durrells which made the idea of going to Corfu in the winter rather attractive.

I don't suppose I will but it's an idea.

I've to put a handle on a teapot and fix some veneer on a cupboard door.
The flat , like the rest of my house is more shabby than chic.

I've had a fairly lazy day. Such a relief not having to show people around.

Friday 1st August is Yorkshire Day. The White Rose symbol goes back to 14th Century it's believed.

I'm going to make and enjoy Yorkshire Pudding tomorrow

Hello.
After quote a long weary stretch I'm just popping in to say how pleased I am that some things sound a bit better today.
Lodgers, Tasty meals, Caring friendships - and Doodle, although you have been falling and breaking (and having bone scans and so on) you do, nevertheless sound a bit perkier in yourself...
Happy memories of Silver Cross.
I think we all remember those prams!

Today we have sorted four big boxes of books and reduced them to only one shoebox.
This is a major achievement as I have been tripping over them in the hallway since about April when we decided we had to thin them out again.
Lots were plays and study materials and it was hard to let go of some of them. We saw the original cast of Ionesco's The Chairs perform in Paris and it was one of the highlights of our very short honeymoon. Having the playscript in my hand brought this back again.
I also found some books I don't remember buying. And some old children's books that our brood really loved.

Amongst the books was one about the Rhondda Valley, written in thw 1970s which my father had suggested I would enjoy.
I don't feel any more excited about it now than I did when he gave it to me.
His family were from the valleys so it was obviously meaningful to him.
I have kept it out of a sense of duty.
It starts with the story of the miner's March to London in 1927 and advises us not to be rosy eyed about the "old days". It tells how Lady Rhondda stopped her car in order to give them a substantial donation and swiftly moves on to counting the numbers of miners killed in explosions.

It ends, I notice on how many miners were unemployed in 1974 - when the book was written - and a letter to the then secretary of state for Wales. Four factories had been brought into the Rhondda over seven years creating 300 jobs - where 3,000 jobs were actually needed.

Nothing much changes it seems.

Our lovely youngest daughter has taken the books that may be worth selling and I have a pile of books to go to the charity shop that should be easy sales.
I feel a bit mean selling the "best" ones and not gifting them all to charity but if she can raise some cash with the others it will help her out with some car repairs.

I have lots to say today but out of time now with all the sorting...
Love to you all.

Grammaretto Gland you’ve found some lodgers for a while. Are they a nice couple? Be nice to have some company.
When do your helpers arrive? One Italian one Danish should be interesting. Certainly a variety of food.
I like Malbec too though tonight it was a cheap Sauvignon Blanc out of a wine box. Very nice though.
Kaimoana how nice Aatora to being you fish and chips. That’s quite a lot to eat if you’re not feeling particularly hungry. Glad you enjoyed it though.
Do hope a new meeting venue is found soon
I’ve been to church this morning then spent this afternoon doing a jigsaw with my friend. I know how to live it up 🤣

That would be excellent Kaimoana. I 🙏 it goes ahead.

I have agreed to rent my flat to the couple who came today, cancelling all the other viewings. I think it's the right decision. No babies and only a 6 month let. Hopefully by then there will be some movement on my house sale/build.

I'm celebrating with a nice glass of Malbec, with my supper.

My last- but-one lodger came for lunch today. She's about to move to Somerset, where the cider apples grow and where her DC and DGC live.

Your meal sounds very filling Kaimoana
I'm thinking what to give my next helpers on arrival to eat.
I have frozen cream cake left over from the party. Could it become trifle, I'm thinking? A traditional British pud.
First course can't be fish, my usual Friday food, as one is a strict vegetarian. Spaghetti bol ? . One is Italian though so maybe not.....
The other Danish...
I'm looking forward to them cooking for me.

See you later Lobs. 🦞 🦂

As far as I know Grammaretto the land is earmarked for kaumau housing. This is only gossip but I do know Waipareira has, in other areas, built such structures. I hope so, there is a great need.

Aatoa arrived this morning and as she is always hungry, I'd saved her a hearty portion of the strawberry cheesecake I'd made and which she enjoyed.

Then she went off to make various purchases for me and came back with even heartier portions of piping hot fish, chips and crabsticks.

In the face of such generosity, I couldn't bring myself to tell her that I would be challenging my digestion with just the fish, let alone the chips and battered crabstick.

As she sat opposite, relishing every mouthful of her lunch, I stocally finished all of mine too.

It was delicious - we have a very fine local chip shop - but I was glad I had no reason to move from my comfy chair for the rest of the day
I doubt I'll eat for the rest of July

Kaimoana so sad you won’t be meeting in your usual place again. Have you somewhere else to meet. Such a good group.
Gettting soaked like that won’t help you. Hope you’ve warmed up now. Sounds a nice lunch. Did you get lots of the free veg.
Grammaretto wow things will be full on for you this weekend. I hope one of the six viewings results in a nice lodger. Hope the two new helpers get on with you and each other.
Thanks Grammaretto I’m doing ok. Wrists working better and I seem to have settled down a bit into a more comfortable state. Still get very upset at times but on the whole coping better.