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🦞🦂 Lobstars 🌟 still shining bright 🦞🦂

(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.

NotSpaghetti Mon 05-May-25 21:28:35

Oh my goodness! What do you do with them when they've finished blooming?

petra Mon 05-May-25 21:05:02

NotSpaghheti
Like you I never used to like tulips but now I’m a bit obsessed.
I have 16 pots that come out in the spring and then placed around the garden.

Doodle Mon 05-May-25 20:44:06

Hi ixion yes it was Cherry that persuaded me to start the thread.
As for the lobstars, Cherry thinks we were gangstars until she made a typing error and we became lobstars. Cherry isn’t up to posting at the moment but sends her love to all.
I’ve been to the hospice today with other grandma and son and DIL. Nice to sit and chat together in such a lovely place., managed to avoid the showers too.
Hope everyone has a reasonable bank holiday weekend

ixion Sun 04-May-25 21:04:10

www.gransnet.com/forums/coronavirus/1276162-The-Lockdown-Gang-not-setting-foot-outside?msgid=27951055

2nd April 2020, Doodle, you seem to have started the ball rolling. xx

Thank you for such a supportive thread over the years💐

ixion Sun 04-May-25 20:56:33

Always relishing a challenge, Doodle, I have just found a Lobster thread dated October 2020, in which you state it' the fourth one😱.
You must have all been very prolific. But there again, plenty of time on your hands!☹️

Mamissimo features in the page I've just read.

Has anyone told her of our latest home?

www.gransnet.com/forums/coronavirus/1286332-The-Lockdown-Gang-Keep-Calm-and-Carry-On?pg=34

Doodle Sun 04-May-25 20:28:04

Well I’ve been doing some research to see if I can find out when and how we became lobstars. Still don’t know yet but I do know we were already lobstars in February 2022 so over three years now!
Crossstitchfan as you can see I’m on the trail of the lobstars.
Kaimoana my friends husband was told that. He had to sit on the side of the bed for a few minutes before standing up.
Notspaghetti you’ve had a busy weekend clearing up and tidying. That’s what I should have been doing but I’ve been looking at pictures and finishing my jigsaw instead.
ixion good to hear news of Cherry. I will certainly come up with a new routine for next season. I think it will be chair based as befits my experience in the sit fit class. Swing arms to the left swing arms to the right……..oops two people have been knocked off their chairs.
Grammarettohave you introduced your new helper to the delights of folk night yet?
Bit of a sad day today. Went to church and saw DH’s name in the book of remembrance. It will be open at that page all month. Miss him so much.

ixion Sun 04-May-25 20:16:38

Heartfelt thanks to the Gang's concerns and suggestions.
He was thoroughly checked for postural drop at the time, but, having a remarkably healthy and consistent blood pressure, this wasn't deemed a problem.

I was tickled by Doodle's suggestion that it was the excitement of my cooking which prompted a melodramatic leap from his chair.😍
If only.

Cherry and I cut out the cheerleading routine for today's match, as we are both thoroughly disenchanted with our boys' performance these days. We shall look to Doodle for an inspired routine for the forthcoming season.
She sends love to everyone and assurances that they are never far from her thoughts.

Did you get your timber preserving completed, NfkD?

I hope you are enjoying your latest helper, Grammaretto and that you are reaping the benefit of her input. I wonder, is there some form of informal or informal networking system between helpers to swap info on prospective placements?
I remember we used to be intrigued by the meet-ups of our au-pairs, when their friends from the English classes used to come round to socialise with each other in the evenings!🤔
From the feedback, we seem to have come out very favourably!

I hope, Doodle, that Church, the Hospice and your friends continue to give you and the family the support you need, especially during this particularly challenging month 🌻

How are things, Kaimoana?
Thinking of you xx

Off to tart up improve the appearance of an aging big filing cabinet which is being collected tomorrow by a Freecycler.
Or two, hopefully. It's flippin' heavy!

NotSpaghetti Sun 04-May-25 10:39:07

Ha ha Ixion - exactly that...

ixion Sun 04-May-25 10:35:34

I guess your family arrangements for summoning the family, in that case, were/are very much like ours, NS.

Established 'cos there was always at least one member who decided they needed to go the toilet first ....
Plus ça change 'n' all that ..

It's a standing joke that the cat has learned that the shout 'five minutes' heralds his being fed. He wakes up, stretches and queues up by the bowl.
Just like his rôle model.

NotSpaghetti Sun 04-May-25 00:00:36

Nothing exciting going on here- just lots of sorting and cleaning.
I was going to be decorating but am just SO slow... and making the rooms that we've already painted look clean and tidy is so much easier than lots of wallpaper stripping!

My husband found 12 lily beetles on the lilies today (and disposed of them - sorry) as late year they had the buds off many before they even had a chance to form..
Grrr.

Our air purifier was really busy today - don't know ow if it was just the sorting and dusting or the very high pollen count!

What a terrible shock Ixion - I do home MrI is OK - and doesn't leap up quire so quickly next time!
We both tend to give a 5 minute warning for dinner - I think we've done it since the children were small.

Crossstitchfan Sat 03-May-25 22:52:22

Thank you Kaimoana x

Kaimoana2 Sat 03-May-25 21:19:34

Welcome to the Lobstar Pot Crossstitchfan.

ixion I hope the hospital warned that the temporary blackout was the sudden change in BP? Stand up slowly and wait a few seconds is the rule.
Terrible shock for you all though with blood.

Crossstitchfan Sat 03-May-25 20:57:00

NotSpaghetti

I don't know what a Lobstar is but I think anyone can be one!
I expect they are a particularly friendly version of a lobster???

They existed long before I found them!

Hello Crossstitchfan 👋

Hi NotSpaghetti! I always read your posts! Thanks for the ‘hello’.
I think I feel ‘joined’ now 😀

Doodle Sat 03-May-25 20:41:03

Oh Ixion what a shock. I’m glad Mr I is ok. Your dinners must be amazing for him to shoot out of the chair like that.
Thank goodness your son was there too, hope you have a calmer evening this evening.
Kaimoana what a good idea about the Lily of the valley. I’ve seen those pots. Whilst I’ve been typing this I’ve been invaded by some huge white gulls of some kind. One nearly flew in through my open patio doors. I think they’re landing on the roof but my goodness what a noise they’re making.
Grammaretto hope you are getting on well with your Chinese helper and enjoying the weekend.
I’ve been to a friends house today. The most amazing place and such a fabulous garden. So peaceful it was lovely.

ixion Sat 03-May-25 19:34:25

Well, it was all going so well yesterday until a large thump followed by silence made me rush into the sitting room, where Mr.I had fallen when getting out of the chair, in response to my clarion call that Dinner was served.

A few sharp verbal nudges finally prompted some grunts as my eyes alighted on the once white bookcase and carpet now an interesting vermilion colour and the blood from his head flowed copiously thanks blood thinners..
Luckily DS was here, we finally got through 999's questionnaire, by which time DH could move and speak a little and it was recommended that we take him ourselves to A and E as the ambulance wait was 3+ hours.
After extensive checks, offers of coffee and a shared and rationed packet of polos, we got home more or less in tact with the milk and the dawn chorus.
Sleep at 5am, up for the food delivery at 8am and I am still totally washed out.
We don't recover as quickly these days do we? 😉

I will be back to catch up with everyone over the forthcoming days tomorrow and wish everyone well tonight.

Kaimoana2 Fri 02-May-25 23:10:06

butterandjam may I suggest, when you plant your potted Lily of the Valley, you transfer it to one of those fibre pots made of compressed compost (any garden centre will tell you if you don't know them but I'm sure you do smile).

Potted like this, they can go into the ground and the roots won't have the shock of dealing with a strange soil environment/temperature but will gradually grow through the compost pot which will give it an extra boost.

Uncle Google tells me:
The name "Lily of the Valley" is derived from the name, Convallaria majalis. Convallaria meaning "valley," while the species name, means "of May".


The Lily of the Valley (or Field) which Jesus knew was Anemone coronaria, prolific on the hillsides he knew and the national flower of Palestine.

Wouldn't it be wonderful to see a whole hillside blooming with these colourful flowers?

NfkDumpling Fri 02-May-25 22:54:41

Hello Crossstitchfan and Butterandjam. So lovely that you've both joined us at the same time as you rhyme so nicely.

I love that all you need to have to consider travelling is a bra and a suitcase Grammaretto. Have I missed you acquiring the rest of your wardrobe somewhere along the line?

Sending Norfolk cutches to Kaimoana and Cherry and has anyone heard from Jan lately? Have I missed her dropping by?

Doodle Fri 02-May-25 20:33:15

Evening all and welcome to all.
I can’t remember why we became lobstars I will have to look back on the old threads and see if I can find out.
Naughtyneine such good news for you how wonderful you can now get married as you want to. I’m glad those are your knees because being that red anywhere else would be more painful. Lovely photos of the beach.
NFK so glad you Felicity and Kira had such a lovely time. Kira looked happy playing in the water and the sunset was beautiful. Glad the new sleeping bag is working out well and you had a nice meet up with friends.
Grandmafrench how lovely to hear from you and such an uplifting post too. Hope you and Mr Gf are doing well.
Your little hairy friend was lucky to be rescued by you, I’m sure he/she is well loved and cared for, I can’t believe how many new threads we’ve started either, Thank you for your kind thoughts.
Notspaghetti we’ve been lobstars for so long I can’t remember. I’m intrigued now and will have to look it up.
I had an aunt who always wore Lily of the Valley. It was always popular.
Grammaretto thanks for the photo. What a lovely place. Nice to have a walk on a sunny day. I went with my walk and talk group today and then walked more with my friend. My legs are aching tonight.
I’m hoping your Chinese helper speaks English so you can have nice chats over dinner.
Butterandjam how nice to be reminded of your friend by the smell of Lillys
Crossstitchfan you are most welcome to post here, we just come on and tell each other what we’ve done with our day really. Like you I’m in my 70s and we had lots of lovely holidays in Wales.
Kaimoana hopes to be back with us when she’s feeling a bit stronger.
Ixion hope you and Mr I are ok. Cherry we miss you. Cwtches on their way.x

NotSpaghetti Fri 02-May-25 18:32:01

Hello ButterandJam too 👋
I think I may have to buy a pot of Lily of the Valley like you...

NotSpaghetti Fri 02-May-25 18:29:27

I don't know what a Lobstar is but I think anyone can be one!
I expect they are a particularly friendly version of a lobster???

They existed long before I found them!

Hello Crossstitchfan 👋

Grammaretto Fri 02-May-25 13:39:01

Hello and welcome crosstitchfan I think you become a star or a lob-star whenever you post. I can't actually remember why we are lobstars - does anyone know?

I went to the funeral but the 2nd bus had broken down so despite leaving 2 hours to get there, I was 15 minutes late and had to creep in at the back of the church.
It was packed with everyone in black except me so I handed a card to the one person I recognised and caught a
bus. I couldn't face the cemetery or the reception.

Now on the way home. I popped into M&S and bought a bra and a suitcase.
Now all I need is somewhere to go....
A wedding perhaps?
Or a visit to the df whose offer on a house in the Western Isles was successful!
.

.

Crossstitchfan Fri 02-May-25 13:16:49

Oops! Me again! I have now had the sense to read the thread properly and have seen the great explanation of what Lobstars is all about. Thank you.
I would love to be part of it🤞

Crossstitchfan Fri 02-May-25 13:12:19

Sorry Lobstars! I have happily posted on here but realised I am not a Lobstar! I don’t even know what they are. Please can somebody tell me, and tell me what I need to do to join, if that’s possible.
Thank you and apologies for intruding!

Crossstitchfan Fri 02-May-25 13:07:00

Naughtyneine

And the glorious mentally ( for me); healing South Beach

I love Tenby, and don’t have a favourite of the three beautiful beaches.
I spent my childhood holidays in Solva with my grandparents and Tenby was a favourite place to visit.
I am in my 70s now and live in Kent (as I have always done) but I look back on my Welsh holidays with nostalgia. Circumstances were such that my husband and I couldn’t move there, although we would have loved to (mainly the fact that our jobs did not have the equivalent in that area) so we visited as often as we could. Not the same though!
You are so lucky to live there!

butterandjam Fri 02-May-25 12:46:21

NotSpaghetti

Lily of the Valley always make me think of my childhood where we had hundreds growing under the trees.
😍

I found just two in our garden so far... but each year we plant a few more (just a couple of dozen) - optimistically.

I once bought a Muguet des Bois fragrance that I really loved. It all came flooding back just before Christmas when TKMaxx had some Lily of the Valley soap.
... small treats.

A French friend used to bring me a bunch of LOTV in flower, every May 1st, from a huge bed of it growing in her garden. She gave me many slips but I could never get it going in my own garden a mile away. We both moved away, she's long dead but the flowers and scent are a happy memory. Thinking of you Fabienne.

I recently bought some bare roots of it , unusual find in garden centre; doing well in a pot and hoping to get a colony established.

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