Gransnet forums

Coronavirus

🦞 The Lockdown Gang still chatting 🦞

(584 Posts)
Doodle Sun 03-May-26 19:56:19

Yes another new thread. A gentle chat for old friends and new

Grammaretto Sat 27-Jun-26 10:32:01

Thanks. Doodle. for your wise advice. I am listening. I agree and won't settle for a low offer.

I got on well at the GP. Although she gives out pills like sweeties. She says I don't have to take them but I must say the codeine does relieve the pain and allow sleep.
I have a physio appointment to look forward to.

I'm sitting, sweating, with a hot water bottle behind me. I slept on an ice pack last night.
🥶

I am sad that Kaimoana can't read. It must be devastating for such a reader and writer to lose their sight.

I hope Cherry and other Lobstars are ok.

Doodle Fri 26-Jun-26 22:11:07

Grammaretto Hope you got the help you needed at the GPS.
You really love your home and garden. Don’t settle for less than you want. If you are desperate to sell it’s one thing but if you can hold on for a bit don’t accept an offer you’re not happy with. Please consider too what it would be like if you were less able. Make sure your new home is suitable for life as you get older. Hope you find just the place for you.
Notspaghetti i Hope you too find what you are looking for.
When Dh and I found our apartment we knew straight away this was for us. Everyone loved it. My DIL says it’s like being in holiday all the time. We were so happy here.
NN I’m so sorry. I can understand living bereavement. Times like this making you feel so sad. I wish there was something that could be done. I wish you could get to celebrate his birthday with him. 💕
Love those lobsters.
Nfk as far as I’m aware would be Norfolk.
I’m concerned I have emailed Kaimoana but haven’t had a reply. I’m hoping she’ll b in touch soon.
Talking of being in touch, are you around Cherry? We haven’t forgotten you. Or Mammissimo and Spud
Hope everyone is coping in this heat.

Naughtyneine Fri 26-Jun-26 15:13:43

Yes NS... apparently it's called a living bereavement.....
Grammaretto...start a little planning now...see which ones you love ...maybe pot up a few.... Because it was 9 months before we found the cottage and moved in I had pots galore at my parents in law...natural geraniums, hostas, agapanthus, dwarf lilac ( already in a pot) to name but a few. It made leaving behind the garden I'd cherished a lot easier

NotSpaghetti Fri 26-Jun-26 14:42:03

Oh Naughtyneine, another sad milestone day
Such a painful and beautiful memory
❤️
You are grieving for what might have or should have been

Grammaretto Fri 26-Jun-26 14:30:16

Where did those beautiful lobsters materialise from NN?
Whoever made them is extremely talented.
Was it you perchance?

We agree with eachother NotSpaghetti
It would need to be. very special indeed
to compensate for giving up this.
I think I would be able to take plant cuttings.
Although I look forward to creating another smaller garden..

I'm in the doctor's waiting room with my list of ailments in my pocket 😅

Naughtyneine Fri 26-Jun-26 14:02:42

Hi my lovely Lobstars. I'm sorry for being absent for the last week or so.

We came home on Sunday and on Monday another rock in the road appeared..... We've weathered so many over the last few years and thought we might have come thru the other side but no, here we are again Hey Ho, thankfully we have our faith so our Padre Pio mantra is standing is all in good stead...Hope Pray and Don't Worry

Thank you for your concern re my ribs....I can't lie they have been very sore and this episodes of being called able to breathe in but not out have not been fun, my inhaler that normally gets used once or twice at the change of seasons in March and September is in use at least twice daily. The heat probably doesn't help..I am glad we are not still in Maevemouse this week

Kaimoana...please stay.. we'll find a way to keep in contact, I am looking up a sort of reading pen thing and will get back to you

Grammaretto...I so feel for you and the house hunting....I really hope the right thing happens soon. When it does can you take cuttings etc from your garden to put in your new garden?

Lovely to see you Nfk ( does that stand for something?), I too wish we could meet up...I nearly met Grammaretto at one of the Glasgow meet ups but it was pre op and DH was not keen on me travelling at that stage( he was probably right) but can you imagine how long we'd need....it would definitely have to be residential methinks.

This time 22 years ago I was meeting my first Grandchild aged 12 hours at the (I think its called) Western General in Glasgow. I hadn't planned to be up there as the plan was for me to go up when DD1 was home but she phoned me and said I just wanted to hear you say I love you before I go into hospital....cue me to book the earliest train and hotfoot it 400 miles North. He was born 2 hours after I arrived. Lovely memories always of course tinged with sadness....I need a bit of a slap today I think...it's one of those think about anything remotely sad and the memory rolls out of your eyes and down your cheeks.
As you can see you were never far from my mind whilst I was away

NotSpaghetti Fri 26-Jun-26 13:53:28

This is exactly the issue Grammaretto. WHY are we moving?
I would like to be more rural but still want s.p.a.c.e inside- and a decent sized garden. Maybe ⅓ acre or even a little less... we currently have a very long garden for a terraced house but fairly narrow.

Modern houses have too small gardens - and if we are going to go "modern" I don't really want a "traditional" style one... Some mid century houses have pleasing shapes but oh my gosh the prices!

Another case of champagne taste but beer money
We are happy enough where we are - just a bit too busy.

Having had a drug dealer buy the beautiful, fully period restored and huge end terrace next door once 😬😬😬 with newly refitted stained and etched glass, my husband says he wants this next house to be detached.

So, detached, period, village with a shop, ideally a surgery not too far away, large garden, big rooms, space for a studio ... and cheap as chips???
Open to suggestions ladies!

grin

ixion Fri 26-Jun-26 13:24:17

Yay🥳

Grammaretto Fri 26-Jun-26 13:10:05

I've had an offer! It's a bit low so I shall think about it over the weekend and ask the family.

My family are scattered too NotSpaghetti
I don't think I will be moving nearer any of them. My optician I had an eye test yesterday showed me a pretty cottage on the East Lothian coast with its own beach.
Unfortunately it was already sold!
I ended up with driving glasses and no house 😕

I am inclined not to pursue the do-er upper. It really isn't worth exchanging this for.

I enjoyed the lightning show in the middle of the night. It was incredible and went on for over an hour.

The temperature has dropped to 19° which is lovely compared to where my poor DSis is @ 37°.

How are you Lobstars bearing up?

NotSpaghetti Thu 25-Jun-26 21:51:32

Moving is tricky isn't it... We are in a big house needing lots of things doing. We used to say we would move when retired - but then my mother moved to be near us and then we felt we couldn't move away.

Now we have nothing holding us here really. Although the family are fairly close we still get in the car to see them and once you've driven 15 minutes you might as well drive 20 and once you've driven 40 mins you might as well drive an hour

Now of course, having compromised when we came here, we are going to have to compromise differently if we want to be sensible as we age
The houses we like, of course, need work, are isolated, too expensive and sometimes are listed!

SO much sympathy Grammaretto

ixion Thu 25-Jun-26 21:36:04

I hope the viewing went well, Grammaretto.
Is the fixer upper on a bus route? Perhaps you could point out to your DD the paucity of other houses in the area which would tick all the boxes. I'm sure this one has your name on it🌻
I hope your back continues to improve- how are your ribs, NN?

Relieved that our Strength and Balance group has been cancelled tomorrow too much worry about old dears keeling over, I would imagine.
I had planned to cry off anyway. No tea and biccies feature.

Roll on Wimbledon - more enforced sofa lounging👍

Doodle Thu 25-Jun-26 21:16:54

I’ve not heard of that either Grammaretto but I’m glad it’s helped.
Probably wise to wait for an offer and then have a good look around. I’ve said before it’s better to move into rented accommodation for a while than buy the wrong thing due to rushing. Hope you find the right place for you.

Grammaretto Thu 25-Jun-26 15:46:13

Summer has arrived at last. 26° here now.
I have a viewing in an hour. The EA has texted to say she sounded nice on the phone. 😯

I'm letting the dust settle literally on the doer-upper and trying not to see anything else until I have some offers.

My back has been very sore but my df gave me a therapy session of a kind I had never heard of,: KCR kinetic chain release therapy. I think it has helped.

Like you all, I must water my wilting plants.
A lovely rose has flowered. It's called Alnwick castle.

ixion Wed 24-Jun-26 23:08:52

Wilting here, 100%.

Hopefully not the case for my 5 delphinium plants and 24 lavender plugs which arrived this morning.

Hey ho, something else to keep an eye on during this sustained heat wave.

Doodle Wed 24-Jun-26 22:36:20

Grammaretto it’s a difficult decision isn’t it. We bought a place that needed doing up. It cost us a fortune. Far more than you see on these DIY programmes. If you do take it on, make sure there aren’t any hidden problems as these can add to the cost. I’d love you to find the right place for you.
It is so hot here I can’t think of doing anything. I’m exhausted just sitting here
Notspaghetti i thought you were going to say you watered yourself in the garden.

NotSpaghetti Tue 23-Jun-26 22:07:33

I'm afraid I cancelled my yoga class - last time it was hot the "air con" was a "con" - I thought, defective.

I planned to go for a swim this evening - but I was saved by a new hosepipe delivery! Hooray.... and have watered the garden instead! grin

Mr Spaghetti is watching the football but went to the top of the house for a spare fan as the sofa and chairs are rather "snuggly" and he was hot. I'm surprised he made it down with the fan - just being up there long enough to test it made him look like a boiled tomato!

I realised he had socks on with his sandals and his winter jeans! He's now in sandals with no socks and has put shorts on. He said he was going to wear shoes (hence the socks) and he "hadn't realised" they were the thick jeans when he put them on
I confess I would not have started today in any jeans!

Well, he was very chirpy in his shorts - though I'm not sure what's going on with the footie as I'm elsewhere

Grammaretto Tue 23-Jun-26 15:03:51

NotSpaghetti. I think I will hold my nerve and see if in a few weeks it's still there and I still want it, I could offer less. I haven't sold mine yet and now the Summer has arrived even here in Scotland! people are on holiday and not moving house. 😟

I'm glad your house is cool.

I am having a very lazy day. Dead heading roses has been the major activity and wrapping a parcel and posting to DGS for his birthday.

I have the chiropractor later and then the final Gaelic class where she gives us all a quiz.

NotSpaghetti Mon 22-Jun-26 22:20:15

We are lucky here as our house is cool - if you don't go to the top floor...
😬😬😬
...which is NOT
😫

NotSpaghetti Mon 22-Jun-26 22:18:18

Can you simply offer less for the one you like Grammaretto?

Grammaretto Mon 22-Jun-26 22:10:40

I looked over the do-er upper again today with 2 friends.
They can both see why I like it but think it's too expensive if you factor in the cost of restoration.

Seeing as DD is insistent that it's truly awful, I may have to finally say goodbye.

When I came home I discovered that a cat had died in my garden. The girl who found it was quite upset. It had been sick and convulsing.
I wrapped it in a towel and took it to the vet who dealt with it.
The receptionist said someone will call me if they find an owner. It looked quite like the cat who likes my greenhouse but that one wears a collar.
Very sad anyway.

Sorry to hear it's been too hot to function properly Doodle. I would like it to warm up here but not that much.

ixion Mon 22-Jun-26 20:26:56

That do-er upper must have your name all over it, Grammaretto.

What can you do to swing a sale?😉

Doodle Mon 22-Jun-26 20:20:25

Grammaretto it’s too hot for anything. Car is boiling if I get in it but far too hot to walk anywhere. There is no air. It’s just hot. Shouldn’t complain really but I find it totally draining.
Sat in my friends garden for a while this afternoon fully shaded but so so hot.
Ooh I wonder if that is a sign about your house. I don’t know what a note of interest is but it sounds positive. Hope it all works out for you.
Id never thought of putting my feet in a cool mat. Hope all the fluffy and furry friends are coping.

Grammaretto Mon 22-Jun-26 11:17:54

How are you Southerners coping in the heat I keep hearing about? It has missed us here. I am quite glad of that as sleeping is hard enough without coping with great heat.
My back is troublesome still.

I have had a note of interest on my house and the doer-upper is back on the market...
Much to worry about.

I have booked a roofer to take a look at the leak. My lodgers are on holiday so I hope to get it sorted before they come back.

I was at a lovely garden party yesterday amid roses and lush greenery. Such a great way to spend Midsummer.

When we had a cat, she would find the best places to sleep.

Jan16 Mon 22-Jun-26 09:56:17

Ixion Strange you should say that as I was only looking at cool mats for cats last night! Apparently if cats refuse to use them they are very good for humans hot feet!! Did get our dog one but it was not received with any enthusiasm! Must admit Theo is coping quite well and searches out shady patches in the house or outside. Looking at them on Amazon last night I got so confused by all the different ones I gave up!!!

ixion Sun 21-Jun-26 21:12:56

Much wilting here over the last couple of days, at least now with an end to end block of medical days, hers not his, I can look forward to putting my feet up. Today I have been armchair gardening. Filling, planning and moving tubs around and now waiting for the excitement of more plants to arrive.
Too hot for any craft activity.

I hope your ceiling is getting looked at prontissimo, Grammaretto. Can you distract your house viewers accordingly?

Another one who hopes we can connect with Kaimoana. We'll never give up when a DF has problems joining us.

Jan, does Theo have a cool mat? We bought one for Barney last year. He hasn't exactly fallen in love with it, but is obliged to sit on it when placed on his shaded garden chair. Failing that, Mr.I will sit on it - I don't know what his bottom does to the gel filling or what, if anything, the cooling gel does for his bottom 🫣

Thinking of - and missing - our lovely Dads on their special day 💐