🦞🦂 Lobstars 🌟 still shining bright 🦞🦂

Grammaretto Im glad the pots weren’t ruined anyway.
Hope you’re pleased with the ones in the gas kiln too.
I’ve been to church this morning then had coffee with some friends this afternoon. I met the Doctor who was with me when DH died. He was a lovely man and cried with me. We had a quick chat and then he said can I give you a hug. What a lovely man.
Hope you have or had a nice lunch depending on whether it was today or tomorrow.

Grammaretto I can't do that kind of stall.
It's way to difficult for me.
I'm afraid I take the easy way out and would send to charity rather than price my once-treasures.

American helper has done all the pricing and will mind the stall. I'm unsure about it but she is keen.
DH's DS spotted a toy dinky car campervan which she had given my DC many moons ago . She excitedly claimed it!
.I can't imagine much will be of interest. I am getting better at parting with things. There's a portmerian teaset which belonged to my DM but it's never been out of the attic till last week.

The man came to install a smart meter but it was groundhog day. He couldn't do it until Scottish Power did something else which they haven't so we had a coffee and a chat and he went on his merry way. Nice
chap!

I'm a bit sad today as one of my very best friends has moved hundreds of miles away. I am really going to miss her. They've sold their house and bought another and here am I still in my old house for yet another winter.

Your time with your church friends and the good doctor sounds very special Doodle.

How's it going NotSpag.? Is your operation going ahead next week? How's your intrepid MiL?

I wish Jeeves was around to wait on me us. Perhaps he's away in Las Vegas with Sparky.

Someone is having you on Gramaretto Groundhog Day is in February, a US celebration

It's a comical fantasy.
www.britannica.com/topic/Groundhog-Day

Just been this afternoon to collect yet another bottle of antimicrobial body scrub and nose ointment from the hospital.
I confess to feeing sick just going in.
I truly hate hospitals and wish my new hip could be done somewhere else!
Pretty much anywhere would do.
😬

Oh sorry Kaimoana I thought it was just an expression used when something is repeated.
This is the third time the energy company has sent the same man to install a new meter. We know eachother quite well now 😂 🤣 😆

I do recommend the Golden Jubilee hospital where my hip was done NotSpaghetti. It has a hotel attached where they put you the night before the op.
It was built as a private hospital but bought by the NHS.
share.google/jhvCmjGMcyS6rlHXB

Grammaretto how sad you must be about your friend moving. I know I rely on mine quite a lot.
Is there really no movement on the music man buying your house? I couldn’t sell things from a stall either. Hope your helper has some good trade.
Oh you made me laugh about the smart meter man. He might be your next lodger if he keeps up with the visits.
Notspaghetti i feel exactly the same about hospitals now. I hate being there. Hope all goes well with the op this time. You will be sparkly clean my the time you’ve finished all your scrubbing.
Kaimoana my dear friend I’m hoping those leaves are still working their magic.

Did you have an alright day today Doodle? I do hope so.

I've sold 3 things already! Not pottery, just some tiny tins.
I don't care about the money, it's not much anyway but it's nice that people get excited and want my old stuff.
If successful I may do it again.

I am sorry NotSpaghetti that you hate hospitals. It wasn't helpful of me to post boast about my one either. 😞

How are you faring with those herbs Kaimoana? Well I hope.

My helper is tired out. She has worked so hard. Not just the stall preparation but she mowed the lawn. I cooked a haggis dinner tonight and one of the potters joined us.

I'm working tomorrow so had better go to bed and have a decent sleep.

Sleep tight dear friends.

Still taking them Doodle and some things are certainly better

NotS Please ask your GP to give you something for this 'hospital anxiety' its quite common, in fact more people feel like you do than those who just swan in and out with no problems.

It can't be helpful for your overall situation if you are so afeared.
Thinking of you ♥

Thank you Grammaretto yes I had a good day thank you. My friend and I laugh a lot like when we were sitting chatting on the bus and just realised in time we’d reached Bracknell and if we didn’t get off quickly we’d be on our way back without having done any shopping.
Nice to find new homes for things.

Thank you all for your continued support over my stupid hip.
I'd gladly walk away to be honest but I know I'd regret it later.

I know it is from my complete lack of trust in "systems" and the fact that hardly anyone can answer "why" with any conviction.
This started with being told actual untruths when pregnant with my first baby.

It's not good just going to the GP to be honest ☹️ although mine is always very patient with me and will (even) discuss obscure papers I've found. He's written to a consultant with a query he couldn't answer so it's not a problem with that particular individual.

I have a lovely consultant for my heart too... but I now refuse to cooperate with his many minions. I check in the morning to see if he's actually in clinic and if he's been whisked off for emergency surgery (say) I tell them I'll come back another day.

It has taken me years to accept any medical help in any context and I still need to research exactly the consultant (or whatever) before I commit. I found two people in England for my hip and I do trust him and have met the anaesthetist who I decided was good too so 🤞

I have already had 3 different explanations about something (minor) from my hip hospital. I wish people would say they don't know as if you say "Is this really the whole story or an educated guess/assumption" they generally say they "can't be sure".
This is what I can't be doing with.

Regarding my mother-in-law... 😬😬😬
...she commented in passing that she'd given her care company 2 weeks notice!!!
😱😱😱
Well that was a mess!
Now we are nearly back to "normal" having persuaded her to hang on a couple of weeks before doing anything radical.... so now we are looking for private live in care (not through an agency) and having to fit interviews in with my hip next week.

When asked why she wanted rid of all her care she said she would be walking everywhere in a fortnight and only wanted someone to help her dress and undress - an hour morning and night - as she was feeling much stronger.
She is worn out so quickly and can't even lift a kettle so how she would survive alone is a mystery to everyone.

She has agreed to a stairlift though and today had the digital measurements taken.
One giant step!

Glad some things are better Kaimoana 😊

By Jingoes NotS, you are lucky indeed to have any choices at all.
Here, as I know too well, it's "you get what you're given and grateful for it"

Mind you, I haven't come across your problems as any procedures I've had, both in and out of hospital, have generally been preceded by full and down-to-earth information and clearly answered questions.


It's been a gem of a day: sparkling with Springtime sunshine and full of happy birdsong.
Their song change with the season and they've been singing wintersong for the last month or so then suddenly they began springsong. So wonderful to hear.

Went out with my home support lady and saw clouds of pink and white blossoms in various ornamental trees on the grass verges. Amazing.

I don't know if this applies to anone else but when I was a child, we knew by the fragrance in the air what games to take to school.
Winter was often skipping but as soon as the aroma of Spring wokes us, we all turned up with our whip n tops.

So this morning was certainly a "whip n top day"

For those who cannot get to Aotearoa - NZ, I bring it to you, with love.

Aotearoa - The Land of the long, white cloud.

That is a fabulous photo Kaimoana!

And Doodle, your laughing on the bus little story filled me with a lovely warm feeling.
Hugs everyone.
X

What a lovely photo, Kaimoana.
Do I sense an uplift in spirit with the coming of spring?
Let's hope so!
Or is it the leaves?

Are your art classes starting again now Doodle? Hoping your laughs extend to these as well.

Your table-top sale sounds intriguing, Grammaretto.
Any chance that you might change your mind about items your Helper has so helpfully curated? (Think that's the modern word ...)
Maybe not watch?🫣

I hope you are coming round to the idea - or, practicalities at least - of your op, NS.
Wishing you well.

kaimoana what a lovely photo. Beautiful place.
Yes. ixion art starts next week and there are certainly lots of laughs there……..specially when you look at my paintings🤣

Notspaghetti thank you. Laughter goes a long way to lifting spirits.

I am "resigned to my fate" as my head knows I need this operation.

My heart is somewhere else!
If you have lived with a level of "everyday" pain for most of your life (since 14 or so) you think another few years is ok.

It's getting worse though... so it's not really.

Thank you friends.
X

Thanks for the beautiful photo from Aotearoa, Kaimoana
You sound so upbeat. Is it the herbs or the Spring?
DS also sounds cheery and busy in NZ.

I am amused by my bric a brac stall. I wonder if anything will sell. What doesn't will go to charity. There's a local one who will collect.

I look forward to seeing some of your art work Doodle.

I'm wishing you very successful surgery NotSpaghetti

I had a small dinner party tonight. Just 3 of us. I made a fish pie. My American helper says she's never had that before. She liked it. High praise indeed as she doesn't enthuse about anything.
She leaves on Monday. I think she's bored with travelling and wants to get home.

See you all again soon.

"If you have lived with a level of "everyday" pain for most of your life (since 14 or so) you think another few years is ok."

Oh, NotS I do understand and sympathise. I developed arthritis and acute chronic psoriasis when I was 22 and just given birth to DS1.
Over the years I've learned about natural remedies (drugs do me in ) and now I can just about cope with it most days. I can't take anti-inflammarories either so there also has to be a degree of Yorkshire grit-and-get-on-with-it!

Or in modern terms ‘accept what you can’t change’

However, sight loss is far worse so if I could swap chronic arthritis to get my sight back I would.

And now, as you know, my family including my darling Gubbins is leaving for the UK, and that’s the worst of all.

But that's life isn't it? No one escapes sorrow.

Good luck with the Art Trail, Grammaretto - and the Bric-à-Brac table!

Well finally I can come back to class!!!!. The weeks have just flown by.... The project I was working on was all encompassing....not only the execution of it by the lead up too. It was our back a week luckily so that meant I was home for DH first week in his new job. It was a great relief when he left the last place...he became aware of criminal activities taking place and reported them but was then horrified when no action was taken leading to the conclusion that it was known about already and ignored. He is loving his new role and is all round much happier so I felt much better leaving him. It was the longest we had ever been apart and I have obviously become a country girl as I hated being back in city like and couldn't wait to return home to our cottage and the 'children' ( who all went insane when I walked back in).
I'm so glad Kaimoana you eventually got your leaves and hopefully they and the onset of Spring will boost your wellbeing.
Not Spag...I will be thinking of you on Wednesday...I was listening to an article on the radio that mentioned that people due surgery who used to be given a pre med to relax them were helped by listening to music.... Maybe it would help you.... Whilst I was away I received a letter to say that I'm going to be seen by another orthopaedic consultant for his view on how to resolve the hip problem. I don't relish having the revision done but I can't live like this for ever. My appointment is on Monday.
Grammaretto... I hope the table top sale is a success... I'm useless at parting with things...hence why the man cave is stacked with boxes of things I couldn't get rid of when we moved from a 5 bed room house to a 2 bed room cottage. Sets of china, silver, etc etc all so important they haven't been out of their boxes in 3 years.
Doodle... I know what you mean about laughing at friends...my 2 besties and I ( aka Thelma Louise and Vera) go on girlie weekends and out stomachs ache by the end of it. We have had so many adventures and made some wonderful memories. I think if I even ventured into an art class the hilarity would begin... I look forward to seeing how you get on....( Art done properly as opposed to what I'd achieve).

We are currently in Henrietta MoHo at the Bath and West Showground...DH's company is exhibiting here...I am still amazed at the price of some of the motorhomes.....more than the price of what I paid for a 5 bedroom house...mind you that was 30 years ago but still...DH is doing something....I don't actually know what what but he's enjoying it and I have finally got time to catch up with you all. Yay.

The bric a brac sale was fun. Quite a few things left for new homes.

Pots also but we have to repeat it all tomorrow
I judged the art competition and presented the prize to an emotional and surprised winner.

Tonight a concert with local musicians. I may fall asleep.

Nice to see you back in class Naughtyneine and to hear about your doings.