The Lockdown Gang - 🦞 Lobstars Unlocked 🦞

So sorry, Doodle, that you have been let down yet again. I know you must both be devastated. But bear in mind that, these days, a hospital's major driver is to get people back home to turn round beds for the next customer in the queue. I am confident that Mr.D's review and treatment plan will be addressed pdq. The usual caveat - be happy with arrangements before he is discharged. You know what abandonment at home is all about😩.

I think Royal connections is rather over-egging the pudding, Grammaretto, but a lovely thought and an over-generous résumé from Mamissimo!
I think we are descended from a background of - coal.
* She was only a coal whipper's daughter but *....
Cue bawdy song?.

If I am descended from royalty, you can rest assured that future posts will be on a Pay Per View basis😁.

Ah but Ixion, remember that coal is a precious natural fuel for growth. She was only a coal whipper's daughter and probably a spud growers granddaughter but one line of her descendants went forth and prospered royally! 😁

My heart aches for you Doodle but until the DN can visit to adminster the neccessary home aid, I suppose he has to stay.

I've been doing experiments with my walker to see if there is any way of carrying out "essential ablutions" while keeping pressure off the heels.

When Accessibility Services took my over-the-toilet frame which was rusting into oblivion, they provided a replacement, non adjustable - how silly - meant my feet dangled 2" from the floor - so it went straight back.

Today, by leaning over the walker constraption I can move on just my toes, pushing mysef forward until I get to the loo but then.....

I think great, thick, wodgy pads of foam under the feet might help.

Not intending to make light of what is clearly a terrible and upsetting situation and my heels are nowhere near as painful as dear Mr Doodle's, but perhaps it gave you a smile.

Nothing lasts forever.

Oh, Kaimoana, I do wish you hadn't said all that! I'd been putting off leaving my nice warm fire to visit the loo and nearly had a disaster! My DM nearly got stranded when she was given a raised toilet seat as, being knee high to a grasshopper, she struggled to dismount. Thick foam pads sound like a possible solution. Patents pending?

*Fingers (and legs) crossed here that they sort out a treatment plan very, very soon. I second what ixion has said perfectly. Stay strong. xx

Wouldn't it be wonderful to hear there has been some good progress with the dude.
I hope he can come home. Hospital is not always the best place.

You are so funny Kaimoana. Always a tonic. 😂

I have yet another architect coming to look over my house tomorrow.
Since it seems to take years for any work to begin I am not hopeful that my dream project is feasible. ☹️

I'm counting down the days till I leave now and find a million things to do.
I saw the chiropractor today and hope my hip will be a bit less bothersome.

Oh ixion!! 😯🤗 I'm not sure what a coal whipper is but I'm sure your ancestors were good ones!

Jeeves if you are around, can I please have a glass of wine and look after Doodle.

Such an image 🙈 you have conjured Kaimoana, not funny - but so funny. For some reason beknownst only to me I can't get the idea out of my mind that these foam pads underfoot are blue, rectangular and fastened to your feet with belts 🤣. How stupid of them to provide a non adjustable replacement for your old frame.

Jan, cawl is basically Welsh stew definitely not a casserole, ixion made with lamb.
It is definitely not Dickens' David Copperfield-
"^I was born with a caul, which was advertised for sale in the newspapers, at the low price of fifteen guineas^",
ixion 😜 🤣, though I have to admit that every time I use the word cawl I think of that passage 😂.

You're at the coalface of ancestral discoveries now then ixion 😉. Do you think that you've inherited your plates from the coal whipper's daughter 😁.
Grammaretto, if my Welsh history serves me, I believe a coal whipper was someone that hauled the coal out of the mine, by operating pulleys, bringing them up to the surface

You never know Grammaretto, it may not take years 🤞. My nephew thought that but was wrong.
I hope the chiropractor has helped and your hip doesn't keep you awake tonight.

Concentrate on our Doodle Jeeves but if you've got some time I'll have a sedative hot chocolate to help me sleep as I didn't sleep at all last night.
Night night lobStars.

Our plans for bringing DH home have been thwarted. Firstly due to the infection requiring intravenous antibiotics and now to a possible transfer to another hospital for specialist treatment
DH has decided to accept the offer and go. We are both worried as it’s not without risks but are hoping (and in my case praying) for a good outcome.
Thank you all so much for caring. I will let you know how things go but don’t know what the timescale is.
Please look after yourselves and take care. Kaimoana you made me smile 😊. I like the sound of the foam wedges

Good evening 🙂

Coal Whippers worked in the docks, mainly in London, in the early 1800s. They were casual workers who manually shovelled the coal out of the hold. Whether they got work or not depended on the gang masters, most of whom were 'publicans'. These lovely fellows tended to give the work to the men who drank the most. In many cases they also owned the housing

Gladstone was deeply troubled by their appalling conditions and the Coal Whippers act was passed to improve their lot. Their wives and children had to be made of stern stuff!

I knew nothing about them until Ixion allowed me to dig into her past and it's proving a fascinating journey.

Thinking of you Doodle

Thanks Mamissimo and ixion for explaining coal whippers. There was much shipping in the 19th century especially in the Thames. Most of my ancestors were seamen of one kind of a other. William Gladstone was the MP for Midlothian, where I live.

I shall join you in praying Doodle for a successful outcome and the end of DH's infection.

Sorry you didn't get to sleep Cherry. Better luck tonight.

Transfer to specialist hospital now cancelled. DH is not well enough. May be some time (months) before he is. Still needs IV antibiotics and is back on oxygen. Hoping now to get him well and back home asap. I don’t think hospital does him any good at all,
Grammaretto, you must be getting very excited about your trip. I do hope all goes well and you have a wonderful time.
Mamissimo, how fascinating. What an interesting story. Hope little Spud is doing well.

Doodle: This must be a terrible disappointment to you both. How worrying all round. But he shouldn't come back until he is well enough for you to be able to care for him. You must be strong and fit enough to do so.

((Clutches)) - or whatever it is that Cherry gives you😉

I am sorry he can't come home yet Doodle and that he is so unwell. It's hard for you to watch to bear
Cwtches, cuddles, hugs and prayers coming your way.

I had another architect to look at my house situation. He is great. Despite a cold, dreich day he raised my spirits and I think he and I are thinking along the same lines.
"Do you want me to send my ideas before or after your trip?" he asked. Yes I replied!

Doodle, it must be so disappointing that plans keep changing because Mr D isn't well enough. I'm sorry that because he's still so unwell the plan is that he stays put where he is. I've got my fingers crossed 🤞 that that plan soon changes and he can come home.
Warm gentle cwtches definitely not clutches are wending their way to you x.

Thanks Grammaretto, I had better luck last night.
This latest architect sounds like he's got his finger on the pulse of what you want. Very promising. Plans are being sent before and after your visit to NZ then 🤔
It hadn't occurred to me that you're a Midlothian. My WP descends (father's side) from the West.

Oh, Doodle, this is such an awful situation, when all you both want is for Mr D to be able to come home. Old age Maturity and illness is a sod. I wish you lived close enough that I could bring you the fluffy, squidgy, ginger lump who's laying beside me squirming gently to get me to cuddle her. (Although she's STILL in season, so you may not want her sitting on your best sofa!)

Sorry not posting much tonight. Pulled muscle in back and in agony. DH ok though. Back tomorrow. Love to all 💕

How are the Lobstars tonight? Especially the Doodles who are very much in our minds?

Drat Doodle, that's so unfair. I hope the pain doesn't stop you getting a decent night's sleep tonight 💕
I'm pleased Mr D is doing okay.

In answer to your question Grammaretto - this lobstar has come out in sympathy with Doodle by putting her^back out in the night, probably during a seizure. It's typical, tomorrow it's my walking group's first day back after xmas and now I probably can't go 🙄. Doesn't look like I'll be going anywhere tomorrow anyway as our car wouldn't start again today 😤. The battery charger is now charging it takes forever so we can charge the car battery. I know our car doesn't like cold weather but I'm sure there's something wrong with the alternator 😕.
How are you? Are you all sorted for you trip now 🤔

Oh no Cherry. Putting your back out in sympathy wasn't in the plan 😕

I hope you can walk with the group tomorrow and that your car starts and is repairable.

I am not ready in the least. I have been offered a lift to the airport, lent a suitcase and am listening to advice from everyone on what I need and don't need on the voyage.
My lodger has invited me to supper next week and is kindly looking after the house.
Meanwhile the downstairs lights which sparky recently repaired have died again.

I went to an osteopath today who was very thorough and I left convinced that the pain was less and that I was walking better like a human

She says the cold wet weather brings arthritic patients to her in great numbers.

Is Jeeves about?

Good evening 🙂

We're in the wars tonight as we're dog down here with Aoife staggering around after being spayed this morning. We opted for one of the snazzy suits to protect her stitches rather than a cone of shame so now I am following her around unpoppering her gusset when nature calls. I think it may be a long week!

Hopefully Jeeves has previous experience with pain busting massage?

Perhaps it's the Moon?
No homecare lady has turned up (so far two hours over usual time) - meanwhile there are excellent bargains advertised on FB at the local vegetable shop I can't get to.

That dog and another have been barking for hours.

The contractors, with several of those hugely noisy leaf blowers so loud I fear for my eardrums are doing my lawns and doing me in.

And none of this is any bother at all when compared to Doodle, Cherry and Aoifa's problems.

It's beginning to sound very exciting Grammaretto; daunting but still exciting.
I bet your NZ family can't wait.

Ah-ha! over the noise of a thousand lawn mowers and blowers, I think I may hear Mepa's rattle trap of a car.
At least I'll have vegies at the weekend.

I guess Jeeves had a big round last night with his drinks trolley.
I imagined him like Santa dashing around on Christmas Eve, trying to finish before daylight. Hope those pained in body or soul have found some sort of relief today.
Not a good look for the Gang atm. Even the pet fraternity is affected by women's troubles. One can hardly say bitches.

I hope you managed to grab your bargains, Kaimona. Always so difficult and frustrating when dependant on others.

Grammaretto, I always reassure myself when collecting stuff for the off, that suitcases' dimensions are finite - there is space for only so much at the end of the day. Ignore the piles of good ideas that will amass on the spare bed.
Actually, it would appear that you are leaving these shores just as it's getting exciting about architectural plans. Maybe the breathing space will help to collect your thoughts.

Like deafness (so I would think😉) or failing eyesight creeps up on one unawares, it took for DS to see us watching the telly with an ever-fading screen to point out that the set was giving up. We had been muttering for ages about how producers of drama these days insisted on filming everything in half light. We gave up the other night at the denouement of a whodunit as we couldn't make out the action. Mind you, judging purely by the sounds emanating from another drama the other day, it was probably as well. Much action in the bedroom, but couldn't work out if it was husband or visiting lover. All very steamy. So probably the latter.
Anyhow, new tv on the way. May well need sunglasses for a while.

Hoping to hear from Doodle with a progress report tonight.
In our thoughts, as always❤️

Grammaretto, I am better tonight thank you. The pain in my back last night was stabbing and so bad I couldn’t write. It is much easier today.
Do so hope your trip goes well and you enjoy your time there
Hopefully the better weather will help the arthritic bits and you will be running round like a spring lamb. 😊
Cherry, not you too. Hope you are feeling better today. What a shame about your car. Hope you made it to your walk ok.
Mamissimo, oh poor Aoife . I feel for her and you. You will have to be adept at spotting the signs for her nature calls. Hope she recovers well.
Kaimoana your carers missing again. Such a shame you missing out on bargains. Those dogs are not being looked after properly. Don’t you just value a little peace and quiet. The ward DH is in is quiet normally but all the buzzes and beeps and equipment hissing and bleeping means there’s no quiet time. Hope Mepa turned up ok and you were able to get out
ixion, you made me laugh with your TV issues. Hope you can adapt to the new one. I can just see the two of you sitting there in sun glasses and ear defenders, 🤣
Well progress report on DH is mixed. The plan is now for him to come home as soon as possible However, his chest infection is proving difficult to shift. He is now on two high strength antibiotics which may work but need more time. Unfortunately (as with many antibiotics) they have had an unfortunate effect on his tum and nether regions. If the situation doesn’t improve they will have to stop the antibiotics. Quite where we go from there I don’t know. DH is ok in himself but desperate to come home as I am to have him back.

Nfk, thanks for your kind thoughts. I think a cuddle with the fluffy, squidgy, ginger cutie would be just what I need. I’m pleased you are both getting on so well with each other

Very glad your back is better Doodle but still concerned that the antiBs don't seem to get rid of DH's infection.

My trip isn't until Thursday so I've plenty of time to pack and repack ixion.
😂
No time today though . I was on shop duty and then a visitor and my Friday friend brought food for us and for me to cook and we sat by the fire and put the world to rights
He thinks my plans day dreams are quite exciting.

Tomorrow my DS is taking me, DGD plus her school friend out to lunch.

Poor Aoife 😕 I hope she recovers quickly from her op. It's good to get it done I'm told and a reason why my DD's dog developed a tumour was that she wasn't spayed nor had pups.

I am glad Mepa came to carry you off to the market Kaimoana. Such a shame those poor dogs are left to bark.

When I first came to live in Scotland we lived on the edge of a vast housing estate where dogs were let out to roam. They quickly formed packs and could be intimidating. DS was bitten once. But they didn't bark so I suppose it suited them.

I couldn't help laughing at your TV story ixion. I hope you enjoy the new one.

My TV remote wasn't working so I ordered a new one on line. It doesn't work either. I also ordered a new desk diary online and the wrong one came.
I wish there were proper shops where you could buy what you want and shopkeepers were there to advise. I miss the old days. sometimes

Thinking of you all tonight.

Grammaretto, DH had another asthma/ breathlessness attack last night. Doctors say his lungs are ok and his oxygen levels too but his Bp suddenly shoots up for some reason (one doctor said it was the highest he’d ever seen). They are now querying who stopped his Bp meds and why. Anyway, meds reinstated so we’ll see if that helps.
You must be so excited about your trip. Do you know what the weather is likely to be?
It’s nice to have plans and things to look forward to.
So frustrating when things you buy don’t work. With regard to the Tv remote, have you checked where the batteries go. Sometimes there is a plastic strip which can get caught up.
I’d love to have some time at home just to catch up. I’m just there for sleeping really.
Hope all have a good weekend, x