🦞 The Lockdown Gang still chatting 🦞

Well done NotSpaghetti and Doodle. with the exercises to keep you as fit as possible.

I wish I could say the same. The cold just makes me hungry and doesn't tempt me to be active.

The surveyor came to do a home report and I viewed yet another house for sale.
It has a lovely walled south facing garden but the house itself isn't quite right.

Night night Lobstars. Sleep tight.

Morning Lobstars. Grammaretto I do feel for you...we looked at so many places that were right in some ways but not in others.
Our cottage on paper was not what I thought I wanted, 2 bedrooms after 5 etc but it's everything I didn't know I wanted, in the countryside but within less than 2 miles of a small town with everything we need. Shops, Doctors, Catholic Church ( And an Aldi coming soon too).
I really hope your maybe forever home comes soon.
Notspag and Doodle I go to something called the Wellness Suite at the gym, it's a series of machines that you can work with or sit/lie and let the machines move you.
I put on a few pounds when I was inactive leading up to the op and the GP changing my HRT hasn't helped either. It's quite shocking that I weigh the same now as when I went in to have my 3rd DD.
I'm sure the extra weight is my very ample bosom..in fact I know it is as I've weighed them on the kitchen scales. It was quite a challenge admittedly and the Ddogs took to their beds when I shouted out I knew they weighed loads.
DH's response to said information was to merely smirk and say Ding Dong.

DF is going home today so Domestic Goddess will make a very brief appearance to strip the bed and generally flick dust around and if I can be bothered I'll get the stair carpets attacked with the tool thingy that removes dog hair very effectively.

The ex lodger (DD3 brother in law) is coming for the weekend and actually won't notice if the hoovering and polishing have been done but I'll do it anyway and that will count as today's exercise
Tomorrow I'm going to do a new class something called seated aerobics, my mind has boggled at what it involves, how fast can you get your heart rate on a chair? DH suggested a few ways non of which are printable here ( There is no hope for him but it did make me laugh). I will keep you posted.

So far my day has been a series of things going wrong. I should have stayed in bed!

Motivated by NS, NN and Doodle. I set off for the yoga class - by car. The road there was closed and the diversion took me miles round the Borders countryside on single tracked roads. Arriving late I couldn't see any cars parked and sure enough it wasn't on this week. I'd have known if I hadn't missed last week.

Never mind, I'm in the car so decide to drive to a car key cutting place on the outskirts of Edinburgh. More roadworks but I arrived and the only keys he didn't stock were mine. "Just 7 minutes along the road and there's another place"....... Said he.

At that point I decided to come home.
Now it's raining hard so isn't a good day to take things to the tip or do the other thing I want to do: walk up to the reservoir and listen to the cuckoo.

Do you get days like this? I'll listen to the Archers

I meant to thankyou for your very funny post Naughtyneine. It made me laugh.
😂😂😂

Yes Grammaretto i too get days like that. One thing after another. The rain and cold don’t help either.
Sorry the viewing wasn’t an option for you. Is there any chance you could build in your garden. I know your previous plans were refused but wonder if you’d thought any more about it. Is it up to you how much of your garden you sell with the house? Could you sell the house and part of the garden keeping some for yourself?
NN you did make me laugh, Your home sounds lovely. Perfect for you.
I’ve been to art this morning then church for cake and tea. Back to church tonight for late night service. Just hope I can stay awake.

I get days like that too, Grammaretto. Sympathy 🌺

I have to put my hand up to joining the Lobstars Fitness Club. Well, almost.

I have passed the phone interview, which, I think, was an assessment of my mental acuity. You'll be fine, the lady tells me. Our exercises can always be done with a chair (dear). Maybe we should swop experiences, NN.

Tomorrow is the practical assessment.
Quandary. Do I try ultra hard to earn a place on the course and be too fit (haha), or struggle at every turn to get a place, and prove myself a clinical liability?
It is a 26 week course, run jointly by the local authority and NHS. Hopefully, I will make more progress than my free NHS physio sessions ever achieved. My aim is to get everything functioning smoothly and safely, rather than targeting just the one joint for which I had been referred.

Put it this way, I haven't bought any kit yet.

Are you celebrating Ascension Day tonight, Doodle?

Hi Ixion yes Ascension service last night. It was lovely. Got back late though and was very tired this morning. Went out with our walk and talk group which was nice then did my weekly shop. Don’t normally go Friday evening. Lots of things had run out.
Hope you pass to be accepted on the course. Hopefully it will get you in shape for next seasons cheer leading. Make sure you lubricate your body well with engine oil first so when you end up with your right leg wrapped round your left ear you can slide out of it ok,

Surely WD40 is what Ixion needs for her cheerleader joints not engine oil?

I am verry tired tonight. I don't know why.
I viewed the second house and think it's really nice, not just a lovely garden. There are 13 viewings booked, however and the cottage I looked at before has already sold!
These little single storey cottages go like hot cakes.

My DF is staying a few nights. He liked the house too. We watched I swear on Netflix as he'd not seen it before.

I'm going to a book launch tomorrow. Sounds v important but it's a book by a friend's DD in the Scots' language.

Did your domestic goddess turn up Naughtyneine?. I wish mine would. She's so unreliable.
Jeeves has gone AWAL too so there's no hope

I hope all Lobstars are ok.

Yup, got accepted- start next Friday.

No mention of engine oil, tho'. Just a bottle of water. 🤔

Goodness me you ladies will be so fit! Me exercising consists of a physio trying - with very little success - to help me get more active. Staggering round the house with my stick is about as good as it gets. Its so frustrating as I cant understand why I cant just get up and walk. Grrrrrr!!
Grammaretto so sorry you have finding it so difficult to find your ‘forever’ home. We live in a 3 bed house with a too large garden and should have probably moved years ago but the idea of packing up now fills us with horror! So I expect we will just carry on!
Yesterday I was thinking back to when I was young - a very long time! - and my first daughter was a baby. I have no idea how this started but a group of mums from all over the country used to write a letter talking about our babies and what we had been doing etc then pop it into an envelope and post it on to the next person and so on! It used to be so exciting when the big thick envelope landed on the doormat. Obviously no ipads, mobiles or even many landlines then! Think the postal service used to be more efficient then too! Bet noone else has heard of this!
Well the FA cup will soon be on with the resulting moans and groans from DH!

Grammaretto is there any movement on selling your house? Must be frustrating to find something you like but no be able to make an offer on it. Hope something works out for you soon.
Sorry Jeeves is on long term sabbatical. He’s working in a bar on a tropical island waiting for us all to join him.
Glad you got accepted Ixion you’ll be super fit in no time.
Jan what a brilliant idea about writing news of your babies. Never heard of anyone doing that before.
I’ve been to the Stanley Spencer Gallery today. Nic but not really my thing. Happened to pop into the local church where an orchestra was rehearsing, amazing sound. Such a lovely surprise.
Difficult weekend and few days for me. Sons coming to see me tomorrow and we’re all going to the hospice for a chat and memories.

Doodle
It's hard.

All this activity may force us to change our team name.
Lobstars isn't nearly energetic enough 😂
🫣
It would be good to find the perfect house but I'll need to at least have an offer for this and to do that the house will have to go on the market.

I had a chat with music man tonight. He was playing piano at a jazz concert. He's still keen and tells me he understands that I can't wait for him forever.

Grammaretto does music man have any realistic hope of buying your place? Are you going to put your house on the market soon? Hope you find somewhere right for you.

Very emotional morning for me in church but lovely friends rallied round. Went to hospice with our sons this afternoon lots of happy memories to share.

Doodle... sending you a cwtch. I hope the happy memories make you smile and ease the sadness in your heart....he is always with you, just out of sight for now.
Grammaretto the Domestic Goddess did appear but she was in mardy b**ch mood all day and uttered several expletives especially when having carefully arranged the cushions on the sofa so that it looked like a DFS advert ( it involves a sort of karate chop in the middle and no I don't know why I do it either) anyway no sooner had I popped into the kitchen to put the kettle on the ginger ninja (Ddog3) got the zoomies and within seconds the sitting room looked like we'd be robbed.
All 3 dogs ran like hell when the Domestic Goddess screamed like a banshee and spun like a dervish yelling the Dogs Trust are looking for new inmates you know.
As it turned out we ended up doing a spur of the moment night away in Maevemouse where the Domestic Goddess morphed into Cooking Countess and managed to produce 3 gourmet ish meals in less than 24 hours.
Thankfully Slutty Housewife is back in residence and until an hour ago was still in bed and shhhhh don't tell anyone but all 3 Ddogs were on the bed too.
Thankfully we are not expecting any visitors for a couple of weeks so the DG will not be called upon any time soon.

NN that made me laugh. Thank you. Thinking of you all. Not up to posting much tonight. 💕

I wonder if the Dogs Trust will take a cat too, NN, as a sort of job lot?
Similar screeching chez Ixion when, returning from the quickest of loo trips, Barney had emerged from nowhere and was caught on the worktop with his head in a pan of corned beef hash ready for the oven.

Looking forward to improving weather as the week progresses. Thinking currently what I could put in my tubs for the summer.

Mr.I has been trying to lasso and capture waving tendrils of the house-wisteria. It has grown apace since flowering, and its fronds have an unnerving habit of tap, tapping on the windows in Triffid fashion. Good news is that it hasn't yet reached the first floor windows, where, at least, he one can hang out of the sash windows to hack away at it.

Thinking of you, Doodle, at this difficult time 🌻

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202605/medium-by5e0e-1000023766.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202605/medium-81sqcp-1000023767.jpg

Hello Lobstars!
I don't know what I am doing awake at this hour. A seagull has been screeching and I needed the loo.
I can't imagine how you manage with animals inside the house NN and Ixion. I despair at the animals outside namely deer who chomp on my flowers.

The home report arrived yesterday and a questionnaire which was a memory test.
How am I supposed to remember when the work was done on roof, heating or electrics over 46 years?
I guess proper people keep receipts and know where they are.

The walk yesterday was lovely despite heavy showers. It was along the Forth with glimpses of castles and bridges followed by coffee and scone at a garden centre café with half the elderly population of Scotland.

I have appointments this week for feet, hair, teeth etc I have booked to stay with my friend in the north next week.

Perhaps the agent will sell my house while I'm away?

Hello. I don't know why I'm awake either. I have been wondering for ten minutes or so

How strange it would be if your house did suddenly sell after all this time!

Grammaretto i do Hope you have some success with your house sale. Sounds like you’re having a full body MOT before going to visit your friend. Hope you have a good time
Ixion I’m with Barney. Never could resist corned beef hash.
Thank you for thinking of me. I’ve spent a quiet day at the hospice shedding a few tears but also thinking of happy memories too,

Doodle -❤️
“We have such a long way to go," sighed the boy.
"Yes, but look how far we've come," said the horse”

(Charlie Mackesy, The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse)

Sending love x

What a beautiful saying ixion
I hope Doodle is comforted.

We were learning some Gaelic proverbs from someone at class tonight.
One was: "I may be poor but I'm a MacLean"

I misheard and thought he said "I may be poor but I'm on a plane"

I think my version was just as obscure.

Gaelic class was hard. My head was about to explode trying to understand the grammar.

The house is about to be launched. I had to make a couple of changes to the "blurb"
It said there are banks but by next month the last one will be gone.

I can remember when our town had 3 banks and a building society.
There were lots of shops and even a department store.
Now, apart from our wonderful Storehouse, there are charity shops, barbers, nail bars, vape shops, takeaways, 2 pharmacies but very few real shops. I expect most people buy online.

When is the warm weather going to arrive?
It's only just dark here but it's still cold.

Keep cosy everyone.

Yes I love that saying ixion and it’s so true. Thank you for thinking of me.
Grammaretto i admire your determination with your Gaelic lessons. I find it hard to take things in there days in English let alone in another language.
I do hope you get some good prospective buyers and not time wasters. Years ago people just used to come round to have a look with no real intent. I hope the agents these days do there best to make sure there is real interest.

Another Gaelic proverb in translation:
Three things come unbidden: age, love and rheumatism.

I am going to try to get to yoga today and hope the road has reopened.

I spent yesterday afternoon in the Dentist's chair having some 'planned' work done to replace a crown and a filling. Neither seemed to want to come out so I was clutching my sweaty hands together tightly as the D and her assistant battled inside my mouth. It took over an hour and there's more in a fortnight. Was it really necessary? I'm an NHS patient but it still costs hundreds of pounds.

I definitely need yoga.

How are you all doing?

Grammaretto that made me smile too.
You’re lucky if you have an NHs dentist. I haven’t had one for 30 years or more. Dental work is so expensive. Hope you weren’t in too much discomfort.

Yoga must be good for you. I do sit fit and can just about keep up.

I've just cancelled the seated aerobics..the sun is out and I'll garden instead. We are not going away in Maevemouse this weekend. Ddog2s treatment is not working as well as it was , she is still happy and eating and we have given up on her but won't put her through any trips just at the moment. We know we heading towards a conversation with the vet but all the time she is not suffering we will continue to bury our heads in the sand. I'm looking forward to the long weekend. Nothing planned ....apart from a BBQ maybe on Sunday. What are your plans for the weekend?