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πŸ¦žπŸ¦‚ Lobstars 🌟 still shining bright πŸ¦žπŸ¦‚

(1001 Posts)
NotSpaghetti Thu 01-May-25 17:40:57

It began as group support during difficult times and although Covid has faded a little, the friendship has endured and become stronger.

Still here for anyone to join a non-judgemental, caring thread during the often challenging time in life.

I'm a newbie - found friends after lockdown. Grateful to them for being so warm.

Crossstitchfan Mon 14-Jul-25 13:29:12

Love your posts! Thank you! You sound a really lovely person πŸ’

Doodle Mon 14-Jul-25 19:13:55

NN what a lovely tale of your wedding night. 🀣🀣. Thank you for sharing with us.
Your tale about the crochet hook and the buttons on your dress reminded me of the night my mums zip on her dress got stuck after a night out. My dad spent 30 minutes trying to ease it down with out damaging the dress when finally he made it. Mum heaved one sigh of relief before my dad yanked it back up again in order to see if he’d fixed the problem. 😱
Take care all. Much love xx

Kaimoana2 Mon 14-Jul-25 20:27:40

Doodle grin grin grin

Grammaretto Tue 15-Jul-25 17:02:23

Naughtyneine thanks for a hearty laugh sorry at your romantic night in the shepherd's hut. Are you sure it wasn't the sauna?
And yes the crochet hookless husband carefully undoing you.

Your mum and dad Doodle πŸ˜‚πŸ€£πŸ˜…

I'm not really laughing as I am in need of St Anthony. I couldn't find my bag this morning. It's my small rucksack with everything in it but mostly my purse with bank cards etc.
I've searched everywhere I can think of, retraced my steps, been to Edinburgh for the day without my bag. I feel sure it can't be far away but where!
When do I start cancelling my bank cards?
Why am I so stupid?

It was a great day out despite the rain. We enjoyed the exhibition about King James V1 of Scotland, 1st of England. Only son of Mary Q of S.
He wanted to unite the countries but he was very superstitious and believed in witchcraft and therefore burning witches.

I then took us to Valvona & Crolla for a delicious lunch.

Have the leaves arrived yet? Kaimoana

These were some 1603 designs for a union flag

Grammaretto Tue 15-Jul-25 18:36:00

My bag has turned up! What a relief.

Doodle Tue 15-Jul-25 20:49:01

Nice day out for you Grammaretto so glad your bags turned up.
I’ve been out for the day with DH’s best friend and his wife. We had a lovely afternoon. They are such good company and it felt for me like DH was with us. Tired now so off to bed soon

Kaimoana2 Tue 15-Jul-25 21:51:21

Grammaretto please send the fairy who brought your bags so they can wave a wand over my kumerahou leaves.

I inherited a fully equipped sewing box in beautiful mahogany from my great aunt.
In it, as well as lace making and tatting equipment is an old fashioned button hook once used to hook the many button on the boots she wore as a girl.

A she was born in the last days of Queen Victoria's reign I guess they may have looked a bit like these......

Grammaretto Wed 16-Jul-25 09:20:57

Surely the leaves have arrived now Kaimoana?

Button boots and shoes were around in the 1930s. I have a pair of button shoes! Admittedly mine were bought in a charity shop in 1960's.
There wasn't a spare button in your box? Mine has one missing and the cobbler I asked to fix it sadly told me he couldn't find a button.

Your day out sounds very nice Doodle. Was it planned or spontaneous?

I had an idea to try to take my American cousin to a Scottish island as she's never been in all the years she has visited. This is her 10th trip.
I began looking up ferries but either they aren't running or they're fully booked. Also the English school holidays start about now so that's an added consideration.

Perhaps I should not be a tour guide after all πŸ˜‚πŸ€£

How are all the Lobstars?

Doodle Wed 16-Jul-25 21:12:19

Evening Grammaretto Hope you’re having a nice time with your cousin. I’ve been to church this morning then tackled my jigsaw this afternoon. Almost half way.
No art tomorrow as it’s summer holidays. I will miss the company,
Hope all are doing ok .

NotSpaghetti Wed 16-Jul-25 21:41:47

Totally exhausted but home.
πŸ₯°πŸ₯³πŸ₯°πŸ₯³πŸ₯°

Kaimoana2 Wed 16-Jul-25 22:37:37

Relax & unwind now NotS smile

Gram send picture of buttons and I'll look.

Doodle Glad you had a lovely day. What does your jigsaw look like? I see them in piles at the Hospice Shop.

No, the leaves have not arrived but I had assumed that along with the other retailers in NZ, they had stocks of dried leaves, neatly packaged and labelled to send off as requested.

These people have to go out to the bush (as I used to) and gather the leaves.
It's true we have had appalling weather this winter, it's been very, very wet - and still is.
So their excuse seems genuine. I'll just have to wait.

Bone scan went without incident yesterday, lots of laughter grin

I am off to the Sallies Community lunch today.

ixion Thu 17-Jul-25 10:57:24

Grammaretto, such a relief that your bag was found. Mr.I has an irritating habit of asking 'when did you last have it?' Well if I knew that, I'd be able to locate it...

Your leaves are specially plucked, Kaimoana? Gosh. No wonder you have an excessive cost and wait.
Are there no local rambling or -say- scouting-type groups who could search or pick for you? This is so dire.

I see your jigsaw puzzling as progress, DoodleπŸ’.
Jigsaws entail a lot of quiet sitting and focus, something I guess was very difficult in the past. Do you roll/fold it up each time or leave it out to peruse in passing?
We always have one on the go incase the spirit moves ...Good light, these summer days.

My visitors have gone, continuing their mind boggling itinerary of the UK. Although they have been before (London and up the eastern side of England, as you do), this is the first time they have been off the beaten track from the Highlands and Islands, through Wales, the Cotswolds, Bath, Cheltenham and the south coast.

Away from the lure of castles, palaces and stately homes, their delight in the miniature scale of British things is palpable. Lots of pictures of winding country lanes, 'this is me stroking a highland cow over the hedge', 'we came across a flock of sheep in the lane ahead of us' πŸ“Έ πŸ“·.
There again, I suppose if you come from somewhere where sheep farms are the size of Belgium, then you would be impressed.

What I found difficult was the fact that G, youngest son of Dad's older brother, had, since we last met at their home in Australia, had grown a full set, neatly trimmed beard and 'tache.
He is now the spitting image of my father. Sitting at the table with him chatting, it's a sense of dΓ©jΓ  vu.
Very hard to accept. I am quite discombobulated.

Grammaretto Thu 17-Jul-25 11:41:53

I think I know that feeling ixion .
Just speaking to NZ son this morning who is looking more and more like his dad. He was the one who, when his voice broke, gave my mother a fright. She thought her husband (my dad, his DGF) had walked into the room but he'd been dead for 30years!
He sounded exactly the same.

Here are my button shoes. Minus 2 buttons.

I managed to sell the rest of DH's record collection to an enthusiastic German. He took all 8 boxes plus a curling stone. My DS told me off for not getting the proper price for these things but I am so glad to not have them thrown in a skip, I don't care.

ixion Thu 17-Jul-25 12:46:48

Are they buttons on a shank, Grammaretto?
I'll have a look. I have a hefty supply of button hooks and beautiful buttons from GGM and GM.

NotSpaghetti Thu 17-Jul-25 13:10:22

I will look too.
I have 100s of buttons.
Assume they are black...

NotSpaghetti Thu 17-Jul-25 13:12:57

Presume they have a loop of brass at the back

Grammaretto Thu 17-Jul-25 13:27:46

Ooh goody ixion and NotSpaghetti
Yes there is a brass loop at the back of the button. The buttons are black glass.

ixion Thu 17-Jul-25 13:55:15

πŸ‘

Naughtyneine Thu 17-Jul-25 14:40:42

Yay we are all going on a button hunt
Lucky I read that back as predictive text had changed it to bottom....and I might have been sent into the Gransnet naughty corner

Doodle Thu 17-Jul-25 20:04:08

Kaimoana Hope those leaves arrive soon. Hope you enjoyed your lunch yesterday. I’ve been to our bereavement group today. Really nice service.
ixion my jigsaw so 1000 piece photo of our grandsons two dogs. One black one cream. It’s on the dining table and has been for months. Probably just over halfway done.
Family resembles are strange aren’t they. Sometimes I look in the mirror and see my mum.
NN only you could go on a bottom hunt. 🀣
Speaking of which I had a pamphlet dropped through my letterbox and on the rear end (no pun intended) of the leaflet was a photo of a HUGE female behind. It was advertising bladder problem products. I thought hmm I wonder why they sent it to me. ….. blush
Grammaretto Hope you get your buttons and not bottoms.

Grammaretto Thu 17-Jul-25 21:35:30

Well at least you get mail Doodle.
Today there were 2 "letters" one was for my previous tenant and one for the one before that! They probably aren't important but I always forward them.
I hope Kaimoana got mail too!

The carpet in the flat was professionally cleaned today. It looks very smart. I filled in a complicated form for the rental agency and Sparky came and took away my broken battery lawn mower.
He started sneezing. I forgot he suffers from hay-fever.

Thanks for looking out for a couple of shoe buttons or bottoms, Lobstars. You're the best!
Is Jeeves anywhere to be seen? I could do with a night cap.
I'm off to bed. Night night. xxx

ixion Fri 18-Jul-25 14:54:47

Sadly, Grammaretto, I think I have drawn a blank on the button front.
I have an emerald one and a mother of pearl one- only OK if the wearer wanted to make a statement πŸ˜‰

I have two, as per photo, but know they are too big: eBay has 6 of similar, link attached, if that is any help?

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/365733767263

My parcel to the boys in Oz has taken 7 days, door to door!πŸ’

On the other hand, I have just bought a book of 1st and a book of 2nd class stamps for the more traditional of my social circle.

Β£20.56. πŸͺ‘ needed at the counter.

NotSpaghetti Fri 18-Jul-25 14:55:30

I have just lost a l.o.n.g post, sorry.

Unfortunately I have no suitable buttons at all. I have a few white glass ones but nothing close.
I am totally amazed.
Apologies

If you can't get some easily maybe you could use plastic mushroom type buttons and dot them with a gold pen?

Or what about the glass teddies eyes?
They are often black domes...

Grammaretto Fri 18-Jul-25 15:28:36

I like the look of your button box NotSpag
It's hard to know without seeing them in the flesh.
I will ask around.. I may find some in one of my sewing boxes. You never know. There's no rush grin

Amazing how quick the post can be ixion. The same here. NZ in a week, my DGC in Edinburgh also a week.

I like the story my DM used to tell. She and my dad lived in South America for a year. I imagine they were spies . They were working for the British Council in Bogota during the war.
My mum posted invitations for a cocktail party but days went by and she had no replies. She bumped into someone on her list and asked her if she was coming.
"An invitation, how lovely. No nothing. Where did you send it? "

"I posted them in the letter box".
" Oh dear nothing is ever collected from there".

I think you were supposed to send a runner.
I fear our once wonderful postal service is going the same way.

NotSpaghetti Fri 18-Jul-25 16:22:18

The box was made by my grandfather Grammaretto and i did take all the packets out to look properly.
My mum had a haberdashery shop when I was a girl and did a lot of sewing for others so I know there are more.
... I believe I have a round tin somewhere but can't find it.
Maybe it's gone to live with one of my girls.

Rather annoyingly I lost a button at my mother-in-law's earlier this week...

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