🦞🦂 *What are we up to?*🦂🦞

What a wonderful experience that must have been Grammaretto, having only seen a couple of photographs of the book of Kells it looks like an amazing piece of art and devotion, it must have been glorious to see it up close and personal. It sounds like you're really enjoying the rest of your trip too.

I couldn't help spluttering my tea over your tights tales Naughtyneine 🤭 🤣 but be careful, a friend of mine fell over the steps doing something very similar to you.

I love your work ixion, and just like Doodle, I especially love your birds

How are you Kaimoana, are you any nearer to being able to move around a little better? Sending you big cwtches x

I hope you, Doodle, and you NotSpaghetti, are okay.

I've had a very busy week so far and we're only halfway through 😬 - Jeeves where are you, I'd like a hot chocolate please before I end up sleeping halfway up the stairs. Night night LobStars 🌙

Grammaretto i Hope you’re enjoying your trip,
Ixion they’re beautiful. Love the birds. Nice to do hand made things.

As for the Argy, it’s amazing what you can do when you’ve had a few (too many 🥴) 🤣🤣

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Did you do that embroidery yourself ixion? How very clever and good it is.
The book of Kells experience it is
The book is there, rather small and unobtrusive, but the experience is anything but.

We weren't allowed to take photos of the book but we were allowed to in the long hall so I did.
There were interactive displays in another building.

Afterwards I tried to find the national museum. I only found part of it. The prehistoric part.
Still tomorrow is another day....
As Rett Butler reminded us.
Tonight, in torrential rain, we went to an excellent Italian restaurant.

I hope tomorrow will be dry and I plan to go to the Botanic Gardens and later to the rest of the museum.
I do like Dublin, despite the weather.
People are so friendly and down to earth.

Then back home tomorrow evening.

The tights story really is too funny NN sorry 😍🤣😅

You be careful now....
.
.

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I am hesitant to show my work, despite Grammaretto's exhortations, having followed the thread on Naff Christmas Gifts and the warning
just because you can, doesn't necessarily mean you should .

I will just add that I too add a favourite and, hopefully, appropriate vintage tome from my collection, thereby killing two birds with one stone.
Boom boom.

I am most impressed by how you reach to put on your tights, NN. I may try that on non bendy days, tho' I need to end up standing on the hall floor.
This is the stair where I always stop, says Christopher Robin.
I am so sorry for your pain.

Grammaretto, I am sooooo envious of your visit to see the Book of Kells.
Please do tell us what it was like. I hope you are having a fantastic time with family. Is this an early Christmas gathering?
Good to know your house is in safe hands while you are away

Doodle, no sniggering here.
Just perplexed that you always seemed so, er, supple when you were habitually draped over the Argy Bar.🤸🏼‍♂️

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I'm drinking coffee in the quad of Trinity College Dublin. I'm booked to see the Book of Kells.
It's not raining.
That's Edmund Burke on his plinth.

That’s amazing the DNA testing can tell all that Grammaretto I wonder how far back those connections are
I will try and avoid that car in future. Whilst it was funny it also put a lot of strain on my wrists and knees, I almost didn’t make it. Trouble is the car doors were very wide but the seat at the back was so far behind the door opening that I had to crawl forward to get my leg out of the door at which point my bottom was off the seat which is how I ended up on the floor. (stop sniggering *Ixion 🤣)

Wow Ixion have you still got your Silver Cross. I am envious. Mine went to a new home when my boys no longer needed it. I did love it though. Those big bouncy wheels .

NN ooh you saucy minx. I hope there weren’t any elderly gentlemen in the store. 🤣

Kaimoana i bet you’re still smiling from seeing your son and the lovely Gubbins again. 😊

Morning Lobstars...oh Doodle I've been in that situation soooo many times, all my height is in my legs (there is very little gap twixed waist and bust even when they were pert) and I've flashed what DH would term as 'tomorrows washing ' so many times

Yesterday was a flashing day too... unintentionally but having decided to bite the bullet and accept that Autumn is here I donned tights ( getting them on just now in involves sitting on the top step and placing each foot in then standing up on the 3rd step down and pulling them up. ) DH has offered to assist on numerous occasions but by the look on his face ....well enough said)

I'd teamed the dreaded tights with a pretty tartan skirt and yes it is fairly short but boosted by the fact it still fitted I didn't care (floosie I hear from all corners). All was well until the last packet of ridge crisps were right at the back on the bottom shelf.... I don't think I'll go back to that particular store for a wee while and can only apologise to anyone who happened to be in the snack aisle at the same time.

Needless to say the pain in my hip and now in my back too (it's pinned at L4/5 L5/S1) was not good last night. No news re admission yet...I had half hoped after Friday's phone call that maybe they had decided just to operate and not do the scan but we will see.

Grammaretto....have a wonderful trip to Ireland...I can't remember where you are going to....are you flying or sailing?

I'll pop back and post a bit more later so it's a bit easier for Kaimoana to read (hopefully)

Doodle It was never possible, even when young and agile, to get out of a sports car elegantly.

Finishing schools gave deportment lessons which included that very thing.

Since my replacement hip I know how to get into bed! First sit on bed and then swing legs up and over. Don't dive in head first. 🤣😂

I'm sure it was very funny to watch

Will you see DS and Gubbins again soon Kaimoana? I hope so. Your spread looked great.

I'd love to see some of your creations ixion
My DD likes to give handmade gifts but I prefer repurposed ones. I wrapped 2 books from my shelves for DSiLs birthday which he seemed to like. I added a T shirt which he wears so perhaps I can do that again.

I must get sorted and packed. My df from the north will move in here while I'm away so I'll need to make sure she can get in.

Moi - flagging a bit tonight, to be honest.
I finished another round of creativity, doubling up as Christmas gifts for the unsuspecting. I then went through my present list, decided that some weren't as appropriate as I thought they would be last time I perused it, then went back to the drawing board. Should've have left well alone, I think.

Another job project I am now saving for a rainy day is the donning of full PPE and the resurrection of my Silver Cross pram from the darkest corner of the garage. Then a serious think about its future. Mixed feelings, really. After that, the matching dolls pram, which has seen better days. Haven't we all?

I hope you are getting control of your pain, Kaimoana, with helpful tips from NS. And NN, how about you? Progressing, I do hope.

Doodle, you did make me laugh!
Mr.I talks about and looks longing at the sporty numbers of his youth and our early married life, before the advent of children and associated clobber, when sensible alternatives had to be found and charisma flew out of the window.

Now, I point out, we he could neither get into similar, yet alone get out.

Doodle

I know that situation from experience!

I don't know where DGS will be going. NotSpaghetti I can ask. I would guess it will be a school connected with his school or his church.

The Philippines sounds an amazing place. It's made up of over 7641 islands and has a population of over 112 million!

One of my gt grandmothers was Indonesian but when my DNA was tested I discovered I am 4% Filipino as well as SE Asian.

How are the Lobstars today?

Notspaghetti i think we all understood what you meant. Pleased his house is still standing. Such hardship for so many.

Grammaretto sorry sales weren’t so good. Is the exhibition still going? I think a lot of places are struggling with lack of volunteers. We have a problem at church as a lot of us are “more mature ladies” not much good for some of the hands on work required . We try to entice young people in with offers of tea and cake. Sometimes it works 🤣

Sorry I didn’t manage a selfie I was too busy trying to do cartwheels but my long johns were getting longer by the minute and tipping me up.

Kaimoana that looks a lovely tea. Happy Gubbins I imagine. I bet you gave your son a very big hug. 😊

Well I had an interesting day. Went to visit one friend with another. It was decided we would go for coffee somewhere and as it was only a two door car I had to go in the back as other friend is quite disabled. Managed to get in just about but getting out was almost impossible. I ended up sitting on the floor with one leg outside giggling and trying to heave myself out. Third go I made it but in a most inelegant manner. 🤣

I wonder where your grandson will be Grammaretto - I had no idea how huge and varied the Philippines are until my son introduced me to his (then) girlfriend and family who are from there

I have lost parts of the spinning wheel I was going to get rid of. The maidens and flyer are somewhere else!

How nice to have your butterchurn still working (if he does that)... we never made butter "seriously" - only for novelty sake at friends' houses (people with goats/cows).

Sadly our honey spinner has "had it" after years in a somewhat leaky shed.
It is in the queue for scrap now - what a terrible waste it feels 😠

I'm glad DS is safe NotSpag.
DGS #1 plans to go to the Philippines in the new year as part of his gap year. He'll be volunteering in a school.
I must admit to watching the tornado too.

Sorry about the pain Kaimoana. Like NotSpag I was advised that painkillers before exercise is better than no exercise.

I managed to sell my butterchurn
stop calling it a buttercup autocorrect and an antique radio yesterday to a couple from Portree!
He's going to repurpose the churn as a quirky coffee table but if he ever decides to get a cow..... it still has the paddle.

Slowly slowly things are leaving my cluttered house.

I have to add, I was NOT feeling good about the devastation caused to others who are clearly suffering a lot... I suppose I should have said I was really feeling relieved that the tornado went over and he is safe
🙏🙏🙏

Feeling good today having watched the tornado 🌪 go right over and then away from my son in the Philippines
I was weather-watching 🙏 - I know he is privileged to live in a solid home and so many have nothing...
He had moved his little staff team into a decent hotel so they are safe too

PS
Kaimoana, I know the paracetamol won't solve the back pain but it might just take an edge off it so you can at least stretch the rest of you ... thinking of you

Kaimoana2 - are you allowed to take paracetamol? I was advised to take it ahead of exercises if the other option was to not do any.

Once I got going it did feel better as I also got stiff sitting

Nobody cares about bought cakes these days (except us and our own memories and what we "used to do") - and anyway, you can clearly still lay on a tea party! 🎉

The trouble was Doodle that because your thermals are flesh coloured and very like a onesie, when you ran onto the pitch, we all thought you were streaking!
The chap sitting next to me got very excited I swear I never touched him

My back is still giving me 7 kinds of H*ll . Catch 22: to make it better I should exercise - exercising is so painful I can only sit or lie - which makes it worse.

Birthday tea table...sadly only a bought mud cake as I am no longer up to baking,

I wish I'd seen you at the match Doodle in your long John's.
Did you remember to take a selfie?

The preview went well although some of the work was still being hung when people arrived.
Sales weren't brilliant but some.
8 of us are exhibiting together at the community store. It's a bit of a squash.
We lost our art centre earlier this year due to rising costs and lack of enthusiastic young volunteers.

Your trip to Wells sounds wonderful NN are you going to the Glasgow meetup now a date has been set?

Plenty of networking. Music man who played the piano was introduced to my friend who works for a fundraising organisation was helping him to ask the right people.

Oh 😟 I forgot. Do you think I got away with the thermal long johns though 🤔 🤣🤣

🤫 Doodle.
The crowd loved you, but you are supposed to take your vest off first ...

Kaimoana i feel such happiness for you to see your beloved son and granddaughter again. What a lovely time you must have all had together. Love the volcano. Tea sounds good too.
NN so pleased you had a nice day out. Sounds beautiful. Difficult to make plans when you have a painful hip and digestive problems. Hope things settle down soon,
Notspaghetti glad your hip is improving. Physio should help.
Is the water physio a regular thing?
Ixion we won! Yea!! Must have been my belly dancing last night that clinched it.
Cherry it’s lovely news about Kaimoana isn’t it?
Grammaretto is the exhibition in your studio? How long is it on for? Difficult to make plans when you don’t know what’s going to happen about the house sale. There must be an amazing number of people who have passed over your doorstep over the years. Including all the helpers and tenants.
Perhaps you should have a visitors book.

Went to lovely memorial service this morning then to the hospice for some quiet memories of my own.