🦞🦂 *What are we up to?*🦂🦞

One only thing I missed, Doodle, on retirement, was the facility to ditch out of date and unwanted teabags. DC went through phases of fruity tea drinking and whenever they returned I would buy a box of the mixed variety to be on the safe side.
Anything leftover would be left, surreptitiously and anonymously, in the kitchen area at work, where the gannets would swoop keenly on any unclaimed comestibles. Ditto cuppa soups et al.

The state that the prams were in, Grammaretto, I am just grateful that they are bring removed unquestioned. The doll's pram is going to a lady who has 5 sons, 8 grandsons and, at last, one granddaughter. Her husband will be keen to do the renovation so she says🤔.

The unseasonably warm weather is playing havoc with the routine of our brave little band of annually-returning ladybirds.
Somehow, they find their way into the bathroom (we do like a warm one😉) and congregate for hibernation in the top corner of the sash window.
Normally they stay put for the winter, but now some of the more adventurous boys -boys they must be- go walkabout. This is all very jolly until you spot one or two of them on the floor where their futures definitely hang in the balance.

Evening all
Just popping in for a quick hello tonight. I went to our church service this morning. Then went to visit a friend for coffee.
It’s our Christmas tree festival at church this coming weekend so I popped into church on my way to the shops this afternoon to see if they needed any help. Five hours later I left church in time to poor into Waitrose for a shop and then home for. A late dinner at gone 7. Really tired now. Hope all are ok. X

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Five hours of church decorating Doodle! I hope we see a photo of the results.

I hope you managed to sleep well afterwards.

Those confused ladybirds ixion. Who can blame them though with the weather doing strange things. The rose clippings stuck in a pot are all sprouting, the hollyhocks are still flowering , or were when I last looked.

Anyone heard from Kaimoana?
I hope noone is in such pain they can't come on here and scream!

It was our penultimate Gaelic class last night with 3 presentations. One was about veganism and we were given cakes to eat. The talk was somewhat better than the baking.

A talk about Lord Leverhulme who bought the Isle of Harris and tried unsuccessfully to work with the natives.

Finally a talk about fly fishing. I just don't get fishing if you throw the fish back, which he does. Do any of you understand?

Yarn group this morning so I'll get on with one of my many projects on the go.

See you later!

I don't get fishing (unless for food) either - but there was always a joy if you went crabbing - even for tiny crabs in rock pools. You didn't have to go to the deep pools (to catch the edible ones) to enjoy crab hunting. I could spend all day in rock pools. I suppose it must be similar.

I think the fact that you damage/hurt them with a hook rather confusing and sad though.

But we had a friend once who fished and his fly tying was fabulous. Each was a tiny (or not-so-tiny) work of art. So beautiful.

If you 'hook' them, doesn't it leave an open wound when you throw them back?🤔

The extent of the damage is influenced by the angler's gear and his technique apparently but yes, always at least a hole or tear.
But yes. Everything from trauma to death...

I spent hours fossicking rock pools, then got into trouble for wet knickers.

Would love to join you Kaimoana!
..Anyone else for a Lobstars fossicking trip?

🦀🐚🦂 🐟 🦞 🐠

Yes, NotSpaghetti. Just don't expect me to catch crabs 🤣

Ooh, I thought.
I'd love to go frolicking.

Then I put my glasses on🤦‍♀️

I've never come across fossicking but if it's paddling in rock pools then I love doing that.

Good to see you Kaimoana and Cherry

The man last night had trays of sparkling fluffy flies NotSpag.

I'm glad that it's possible to hook fish without hurting them though it seems unlikely.

I must go to bed. Busy day tomorrow.
Night night all.

Evening all.
Sorry Grammaretto if I gave the wrong impression. I wasn’t decorating the church, I spent 5 hours cutting out angels for the prayer tree and counting tokens into envelopes. The trees are all decorated by the people who sponsor them. I will try and get a photo .

Hope you enjoyed yarn group. My knitting group is still going and we’ve added two new members which is nice.
I fancy a good fossick too 🤣🤣

Notspaghetti I’m not keen on fishing or crabs (don’t like eating them either) but I do like rock pools. I have fond memories of peering into the shallow pools with my Dad.

Kaimoana trust you to lower the tone of the conversation 🤣🤣. I once sat down in a big puddle on the sand and spoilt my Sunday best outfit.. I had wet knickers too. (I was 18 months old)

Cherry I’m with you, no crabs. Oh what a lovely day that would be. A beach picnic and fossick img with the lobstars. I’m up for it. 😊💕 I’d frolic in the waves with you anytime ixion 😊

I used to fossick -unbeknownst to me- with my beloved grandpa. He taught me how to catch shrimps in the rock pools on the incoming tide, employing a clean (!) white gent's hanky.

If I was unlucky, he would also make me a protective -apparently- sunhat made from another large hanky, knotted at the corners. My, how I hated that. Felt proper stupid.

I don't think I ever tucked my frock into my knickers. I think it was a case of sundress/cossy or miss out the paddling.

I do remember at school the big girls doing handstands in the playground- they did tuck their skirts up like that.

I am writing this hidden behind the settee 🫣 as Our Team are in action. And that's being charitable, considering our lousy performance this season.
Luckily my cheerleader leader has climbed in beside me. She and her hip flask make the experience bearable, even though there was no room for the pompoms.

How lovely it would be to have a beach-outing day!

* I sometimes have a "work day" with my friend. We chat over WhatsApp as we get on with the easier (but dull) jobs in our respective workshops.*

Thinking of happy beach days - and of Naughtyneine paddling
X

Beach days . Such a great plan.

My first viewer came to look at the flat today. I am so tempted to say yes and cancel everyone else.
He came without his DH so I suppose it would be sensible to wait for her to approve.
There's another viewing tomorrow.

I had an exciting offer yesterday for the massive bookcase . As a result I was tempted by some rather beautiful shoes....... if I don't wear them outside I could return them but I don't want to.

It's just incase they pinch. I intended to buy furry boots but the blue shoes just jumped out at me.

I would love some beautiful shoes (that don't pinch!

I would also like some nice tidy ankle boots - ideally in a beautiful green - like some I had years ago before my feet were lumpy and bumpy

🥰

Oh Grammaretto do treat yourself. The shoes sound lovely.
Hope you get to see your bookcase and get a new lodger/s.
ixion my Pom-poms are firmly encased in my double strength double thickness thermal undies. As is the rest of me.
I have been in church most of the day helping and it’s very cold mainly because of the door being opened to let people in and out. Been fun though.

I've just had an amusing time reading your posts so my day began with smiles - thank you

Fossick, which I had never heard until I came to Aotearoa, means to rummage about, often aimlessly.
Originally a gold mining, slang term it seems.

Typically, in UK, people fossick at a jumble sale for instance, something unknown in NZ (as far as I know) maybe no has jumble?

As you can see, I am still here as I don't want to give in.

That old song which goes, 'We've been together now for
forty years and it don't seem a day too much...' springs to mind.

I have not yet completely decided on Tuesday's beach day.

My back is still painful, despite painkillers (paracodol if anyone is up on such things) issued by my doctor.

I also kept back 2 Oxycodone, the next step up in pain relief, so I do have some stronger help if I decide to go. No, I won't mix and match!!

My kaumatua friends have offered help in every quarter, from cushions to a soft folding chair and a ride home early if I find it all too much.

They are such dears, bless them, how could I let them down after such kindness? And anyway, I don't want to miss out on the Christmas jollities. It'll be our last time together until 2026.

Go for it, Kaimoana, if you possibly can.
I wish we could all come and participate in a Group Fossick -creaks and aches and pains permitting.
Those that can't can be responsible for unwrapping and handing out the sandwiches. 😍

Are you going? Did you go? Kaimoana
I hope you did. We want to hear all about it.

An odd day. First the open house café didn't need my lovely cake as someone, a man, had made one the same. although bitchy me noticed his looked dry and overcooked So I have put mine in the freezer.

I do feel a bit sidelined by those people. They are terribly cliquey.
There I've got it out of my system!

I then went to view a house for sale. 2 actually. Neither are really suitable although they are in excellent positions for access to shops and buses. nearly as good as mine-

But I have no money. The person coming to view the flat today didn't turn up. Then I realised I hadn't replied to his last text!
I want to offer to the couple who came yesterday but they've not replied to my texts.

I've been advertising stuff on line again and have someone wanting a chest of drawers for a knockdown price. Australian Helper thinks this is normal and if I want rid of it I should let him have it. She's right ofcourse but I keep having a niggle that it's worth more than that.

As you can see, I am feeling sorry for myself today.

I think you're being a bit hard on yourself Grammaretto, you're a lovely altruistic person and you really shouldn't hard on yourself at all. I call a spade a spade and your not bitchy but most likely accurate. That sounds more like the clichy people at the open house cafe. You probably know that female dogs regularly tend to pee in the same place every time which makes their urine caustic. Such is cliquiness. Don't let them kill your fertile, beautiful, wildflowered lawn.
I'm not sure I agree with your helper, if it's in very good condition and made from quality materials then to buy it wouldn't exactly be cheap these days would it. Yes, allowances could be made but I don't see why you should accept below the going market value for similar second hand quality furniture.
It's a shame that neither of the properties you looked at were suitable for you, you have to do what's right for you. When, or if, you hit upon the right property you'll instinctively know.
🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻 X

Kaimoana, I hope you did make it to the ball and had a wonderful time X

Thinking of all you wonderful lobStars X

Kaimoana only you can decide if you’re going to go or not but if you do choose to do so I hope you have a good time and enjoy,

Grammaretto you are not feeling sorry for yourself. Things are not going your way at the moment and it’s right to be upset.

My dear friend has just had a similar situation to you. For a long time she has been making something for a charity close to her heart. The charity asked her if she could make 100 for a support group they were running. She’s been busy making them.
A friend of hers found out about this and as she’d already got 100 of these items herself, she took them to the charity which now probably no longer needs the ones my friend has painstakingly made. She’s quite upset too but won’t say anything as she doesn’t want to cause a problem with their friendship. (Sorry there’s lots of she’s in this. Hope you can follow. I have deliberately not mentioned what the item is because I don’t want anyone to make a connection)

I do hope you get a good buyer for your items. Try texting the lodgers you like and see if they are still interested.

I’ve been at church this afternoon. ds 1 and his wife came with me. It was lovely, to be there with them .

That does sound wonderful Doodle 😊 X

I do envy you your caring and interesting church life Doodle. I would so like to be able to go to church.

One of the many, many things one misses when one is housebound.