🦞 The Lockdown Gang still chatting 🦞

I like the sound of your party Doodle but perhaps not that heat.
I put the heating on this evening as my cousin wasn't taking off her coat!

I'm firing the gas kiln today and it's taking ages to reach top temperature. Lucky there's a good match to watch at Wimbledon to keep me company.

Still feeling wretched with the backache. I tried a tens machine for an hour or so but really it's only the drugs that touch it. I have a physio appointment on Friday. Can't wait.

The Frenchies had a great day out at the Museum of Flight. They have another day planned for Saturday being tourists but otherwise they'll be working in the garden.
Night night Lobstars.

Not terribly hot here, north ofWatford, but extreme temperatures on their way. Pleasant breeze which has been welcome.
Not a lot achieved, just waiting for Felix A.A to win the outcome of the tennis before retiring.
Lovely lillies,, NS.

Notspaghetti it’s been over 30 here for days and getting hotter. It’s exhausting. No wind or breeze. It’s gone 10 at night all doors and windows open two fans on my and I’m still hot.
Your Lillie’s are lovely.
Sorry all been a long day. Had a lovely party with friends in a beautiful garden, we ate under the shade of the trees.

Oh Grmmaretto let’s hope it doesn’t rain in July then.
My goodness that’s a misty photo.
Nic you’ve got your cousin with you, how long is she staying?

It is ok today Grammaretto but this week is predicted to be 32⁰
Today it's 26⁰.

Beautiful lilies NotSpaghetti. Mine are flowering in the greenhouse. They make it smell lovely in there - too strong for the house.

I'm watching the tennis and knitting at the same time. A load of stitches fell off the needle and I tried to pick them up but it doesn't look right. Luckily my cousin is a knitting goddess and she'll be here for dinner tonight.

Our weather is very showery and not hot.
Is it still very hot down South?

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We have been asked to water next doors pots while they are away. Of course it's a garden full of pots/hanging baskets and hydrangeas and though I'm happy to do it for them I'm not looking forward to doing extra in the next hot days

The Met office predicts 28⁰ to 32⁰ here for the next week - with nights of 15⁰ to 18⁰

Also, our beautiful lilies are opening - I expect this blast of heat will mean they are "over" far too quickly - however they are truly fabulous and very "heady" at the moment.
I took these two days ago intending to share them and expect there will be more open today

NfkDumpling - so pleased you had your family with you yesterday. I'm sure you surrounded each other with love

I can't lend my car to the French boy. He's too young! My insurers won't give me cover so they are going by 3 buses tomorrow to the Museum of Flight.
It's less than half an hour by car.

My cousin arrived today from Boston. She speaks some French and we talked about French beaches. The Frenchies are lifeguards and surfers and have worked all around the coast.

Meanwhile DD sent photos of the scene from her camping holiday in the north of Scotland. 😦

The roofer came to find the leak in my ceiling. He can't do the repairs until August!

That looks appetising Grammaretto i expect it was very welcome after a busy day. The Frenchies sound good fun and hard workers. The gardens look good too. Glad you’ve got some good company.

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Nfk. is it really 3 years ❤️ . So good that your DC are rallying around you.

You make the oldies exercise class sound fun ixion. I did something similar last year - it was circuit training - a fancy name for trying all the apparatus in the gym hall.

I cooked last night Doodle. Frenchies were tired. They worked so hard clearing a large area of jungle behind my house and the cellar steps .

In the afternoon we were driven to see some gardens open for one day only .
The first one only 6 years old but already lush and productive. (See pic) One was a sculpture garden, another belongs to the stone carver who inscribed DH gravestone.

I'm going to lend the French my car. I told them about the Museum of Flight and now it's a 'must do' for him at least.

They are also going to volunteer at the Store café to get more experience to speak English.

Today I have a roofer coming to see if he can find the source of the latest ceiling leak and wet wall.

I also have the chiropractor again. I must be a little bit better. I haven't seen that mobiliser yet but it sounds exciting Nfk

I'd love to see your watercolours Doodle
Has DH tried an icepack yet Jan? It must be horrid for him.

I love mine to numb my back and am lying on it right now. 😅
Photo of their leek pie.

NfK is it really three years? Glad the family are thinking of you and popping round. Good to have things to do to keep you occupied. Shame your camper is scratched. Some of these narrow roads have very overhanging branches.
Ixion i have visions of lots of unconscious bodies on the floor of your exercise class having been felled by flying ankle weights. Well done you for going though. I’ve missed a few weeks of mine due to the wrist problems.
Grammaretto i wonder if your helpers have cooked again tonight. Did they enjoy the French conversation class.?
I’ve had a busy day with my watercolour project and as usual have overworked it. Will I never learn when it’s time to stop,

Evening All

It was good to hear from Kaimoana and she's probably in the right place for now and she sounds as if she's trying to be positive.

Grammaretto I have a Mobiliser (from Back in Action) to keep my back straight, stretched and in order. It cost what seems like a small fortune when I first bought it, but it works and keeps me mobile. I did just check and it costs a bigger fortune now so I'm pleased I did buy it when I did! Perhaps if you make a goodly profit in your move ....!

I can remember making stuffed tomatoes in cookery class at school. We all thought it was really posh.

How long is it estimated that Mr Jan will have to stay on immunotherapy, Jan? I hope the itching is a sign that it's working its magic.

And, yes, ixion I do still have a camper. I had it cleaned professionally last week - the roof was turning green and the pigeons were trying to nest on it. And it came back with the polishing having exposed a long deep scratch down one side. It's the side which is parked against the hedge and the grime was disguising it. I can only think it was a branch I must have hit while in Cornwall in the spring. My wing mirrors were hitting the foliage on both sides at once on more than one occasion. I'm a rather miffed about it!

I'm expecting a call from DD1 for a chat. The other two offspring have already been round today to keep me company. Tomorrow is the anniversary of DH's death. They of course will all be at work but they felt they should keep me company today. I can't believe it's three years already. I've got a busy day tomorrow too so all will be well.

How many more sessions does your DH have, Jan?
Those hospital transports must relieve much of the stress.
I do hope you see some improvement.

Is your back any better, Grammaretto? It looks like you have very capable helpers who will ease your path.

Exercise class went fine, thank you.
I have found a rest opportunity since there is no break for tea and biccies. By declining the selection of ankle weights situated on a table at the end of the room, I can rest up while the more keen participants fetch their chosen pair.
Sometimes this results in people not picking up the 'correct' weights, finding they are struggling until it is pointed out that they are wearing 2kg ones instead of 0.5kg.
I think our dear young leader has found the measure of an oldies class.
Don't worry if they fly off, she tells us.
😳

Glad to hear you have been signed off at your follow up appointment, Doodle.
Always good to remove one medical item from the list, I find.

Oh good idea Doodle except I can already hear DH complaining cause its too cold but will give it a go - Thanks

Dinner looks delicious Grammaretto they sound really good helpers. Are they staying long?
Jan how annoying. I suppose the more he scratches the more he want to. Shame the antihistamines don’t help. Have you tried a cold pack. When Dh had restless body syndrome and his nerves were all on edge I used to wrap a cold sheet round them which help elevate it a bit.

Doodle. No luckily the immunotherapy doesnt make DH feel ill but what it does do is make him itch! He scratches like mad day and night. Has tried lots of antihistamines prescribed by Drs and different sorts of ointments but none seem to have any effect. Do feel sorry for him but it drives me mad when he’s scratching especially in bed!
Grammaretto Luckily DH gets free hospital transport which so far has been very good. Pleased your helpers are being so helpful. So windy today but good for drying washing! Our next door neighbour has been laying a patio today and the noise has been something else. Theo hasnt been out all day and I dont blame him.

The cost of the alarm does sound a lot Jan but I guess it's worth it for peace of mind. How kind your DD is to "babysit" you.

I hope your DH is doing well on the immunotherapy. It certainly is a long way away. How does he travel?

Doodle I'm glad you were given the all clear at the hospital.

I hope Kaimoana is recovering well from her surgery.

I continue to enjoy my French couple. They worked in the garden today while I did my volunteer shift on the till at our community store. That took my mind off my pains.

When I came home I saw the Helpers had trimmed and shaped the willow bower -something I can't do - involving a tall ladder and long clippers. This evening they cooked a delicious tomato farcie (stuffed tomatoes) yummy.
We then played Boggle and I introduced them to some English words they haven't heard of 😂

Tomorrow they will go to the French conversation class where everyone loves to have Native speakers.

How was your exercise class Ixion

Jan it’s good to have the alarm for help if you need it. Hope your DH is coping well with the immunotherapy. I don’t know a lot about it. Does it make him feel ill at all?
Grammaretto so pleased the new help are nice people. Spag Bol would go down well with me too. Hope they get lots done.
ixion hope you got through the exercise class ok. Good practice for the cheerleading.
I went to the hospital today and have been discharged now, they are happy with my scar so no more visits necessary.

Hello Kaimoana great to hear from you. You do sound very cheerful which is great. When I was in hospital I spent a few days on a ward with a lady with dementia. As soon as the lights went out she woould start banging in the bedhead and showing. Im sure the more the lovely nurses told her to stop the more she banged!
Your lunch sounds great. My DH has gone off to hospital 50 miles away for his immunotherapy session and my daughter is here babysitting her mother! Its just in case I fall! Getting a Careline alarm soon so I can press a button if I need help. Must admit Im horrified by the cost £400 a year!
Once again great to hear from you. Jan xxx

ixion I found watching the young Fearnley a tad painful but he did well.

So good to hear from Kaimoana. Thanks Doodle for sharing.

My Frenchies arrived and are lovely as I knew they would be. I almost forgot my pain. They are eager to start attacking the jungle and cooking for me.
I cooked some Spag Bol which went down well.

The charity bookman took away another 20 boxes of books.

How nice to have the time away with your old friends NotSpag

Night night Lobstars. I am very tired 😴

Meant to say, Grammaretto.
Well played Master Fearnley - the final score doesn't reflect how well he played!

Well , Kaimoana seems quite chipper in her news to you Doodle, doesn't she?
I hope it's for real and not to allay fears.

Have your French assistantes arrived, Grammaretto? Helpful and willing hands, hopefully, to give you a lift one way or another🤪.
How are you feeling today? More mobile? But no heavy book lifting just yet!

Old dears' exercise class tomorrow - weary just thinking about it and wishing, most sincerely, that I'd done, as gently suggested, a few of the manoeuvres our lovely girl lady suggested. I'm still ready for a cuppa and a lie down after the first 15 minutes warm up.

Never mind, I shall be positively skipping about in the end - one to watch when the cheerleaders strut their stuff when the season starts. 👯

Well dear lobstars I have news.
Kaimoana has been in touch and said I could share her news with you. So here it is in her own words.

I think the day is not too far distant when I have to give up my PC but I shall battle on as long as I can.
Beautifully sunny day here so not so bitingly cold as it was all last week when I was in hospital.

I sm just back from a community lunch (chicken in sauce, noodle and broc and choc pud and tinned peaches for afters).
I enjoy the company too.

Hospital was a series of misunderstanding and people panicking without any cause but it was because they cared about me.
Thus, once you are in The System ther is A Process and it is very, very slow.
I lay in a ward of 4 people two of whom had dementia and shouted day and most of the night .
Ah well, at least I was warm, safe and had free food (far too much of it actually) 3 times a day - and extras. 🙂
I hope this is readable, please feel free to use any of it to keep my lovely friends updated.

So good to hear from Kaimoana again.
Hope all are ok x

We have been away for a night to see The Spooky Men's Chorale with some (old) friends

We see them rarely but it's always as though we haven't been apart
Every time we say "let's not leave it another six, seven, ten months this time.
We all laugh like drains. They are such a joy - and we are all so very lucky to still have each other
🥰

spookymen.com/