🦞 The Lockdown Gang still chatting 🦞

We'll get tennis withdrawal symptoms ixion 🎾🎾

Not a visible dog, no. They may have a dog.

I probably won't go for the house I saw today. It's not perfect and I'm looking for perfection. 😊
Doodle you are wise as always.
Is your DS still on holiday?

I'm taking my cousin to visit DD tomorrow.
She'll be a good diplomat. i hope

DS is still cross with me for not consulting any of my DC before I accepted the offer for my house.
I tried to reason with him but feel he wasn't ready to understand my viewpoint.
Stalemate. 😟

My back is a bit better and
the sweet peas are flowering.

Grammaretto whilst my heart is in the countryside I can see the appeal of a city.
We want all the benefits of city living in a rural location.
We have recently be talking about a tiny place somewhere out of the way but with a decent garden and another tiny place in a city...
Trouble is you have 2 lots of everything then

Grammaretto yes Ds is away till Wednesday. He’s sent me some photos. Looks lovely.
What does your son want you to do? You could carry on waiting for a while before a better offer comes along. I just worry you might lose out both ways. Accept a lower offer because you really want to sell and then panic buy into something you don’t really want having given up your lovely home and garden. I only say this because that’s what DH and I did move before last. We both regretted it before the ink was dry on the paperwork but having given our word we stuck to it. We should have opted out and lost our deposit it would have been cheaper in the long run. We sold our lovely modern done up 4 bed for a run down 3 bed bungalow. I was considerably cheaper than our house but we spent nearly all the difference doing up the bungalow. DH always disliked it and we moved as soon as we could. Don’t ask me why we did it. Neither of us could really account for our madness.
Fortunately we moved from the bungalow to our lovely bright and spacious apartment and loved it as did our family.

Sorry I’m rambling on. Glad your back is a little better,
Hope everyone is ok. I’ve spent all afternoon trying to sort out my contents insurance. For all the sense the documents made to me they could have been written in Chinese

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Yes Doodle. I think renting may be a better option for a while.
I mustn't be tempted to snap up something I don't really love. I've not bid for the Edinburgh house.

I am glad you bought your lovely apartment and were able to enjoy it together and it works for you on your own .

I hobbled to the PO this morning and met and chatted to at least 4 people I know. I wouldn't have that in Edinburgh.
My DS has invited me round on Friday - a peace offering?

The Frenchies are making crêpes for tonight so I've invited a few folk to enjoy them.

Our day out, cousin and me, to see DD and the girls was a great success. The sun shone and the DGD paddled in the stream. They have a couple of turkeys still which survived Christmas.
We ate magnums by the river Tay.
The train journey was a bit fraught but worked out in the end.

Grammaretto Hope your Ds will be a bit more supportive, crepes sound lovely. Wish I could join you.
What a lovely day you had with your cousin. Great photos.
It’s been a bit cooler here today, so much more comfortable

Marginally cooler here too today.
Occupied sitting time by working out which engagements could be moved or rescheduled until lower temperatures are the norm rather than the exception.

.I hope you had a pleasant evening and that the 🇫🇷s weren't too désolés by the football drubbing loss.

Cool bath calling.
Plus ça change ...

ixion is the football still going on? 🤣
DS1 and family are due back from Corsica tonight. They’ve had a good holiday. I doubt they had better (hotter) weather than here though. It has been a little cooler today

Yes, Doodle, yes!
Cross everything you can 🤫

The weather is just right here, about 23° and warm. My French friend is a potter in SW France and trying to work in over 40°

I viewed another house today. A good position in and a proper good condition. However, too big and expensive for just me.

Sorry about the footie result for those backing England.

Night night Lobstars. Sweet dreams

Keep on looking, Gramaretto! Close to home.
Did your DD have anything to say, or was your cousin a useful foil?

I have been wondering why I was brought up thinking that midday temperatures were the most severe, after which time things cooled down progressively.
Is it global warming or my mother's adherence to Noel Coward's Mad Dogs and Englishment ?

Certainly temperatures peaking here around 4 - 5 pm latterly, so there seems to be no sign of the Oldies' exercise class being cancelled again tomorrow, sadly.
Well, I suppose that if I could manage a session at the hairdressers today, I can get to 🏋🏻‍♂️🤸🧘 tomorrow.
Well, that's what my DM would be telling me.

Providing a listening ear this evening to an 86 year old friend of my mother's (sadly few in number now) with various chronic conditions, widowed with poor mobility and a little, er vague.

She had been blue lighted (blue lit?) some 30 miles to a major cardiac centre in London for an emergency TAVI.
She had been assessed by an O.T by walking the corridor and making a cup of tea, then sent home.
End of.
Then a portable ECG home-use machine was sent through the post with a 22 page instruction booklet with print out to be returned via Royal Mail. Still awaited.
No back up.
So very sad these days.

Thinking of all Gang members this hot and sultry evening.
And Kaimoana🥶

I can't imagine how you can think of exercise in those temperatures ixion

That is shocking treatment for your df at the cardiac centre
I suppose there's no continuing care in the community to help understand /open the instructions?

Good thing you are helping.

You are quite right. Our American cousin made the visit possible. She had come bearing gifts for the DC , which they loved. She talked to them about their school and what books they are reading. So much so that they ran inside and emerged with a complete library. Cousin is a librarian.

My house move wasn't mentioned once 😄
I do have a viewing lined up tomorrow - locally but a bit of a trek at the far end of one of the older housing estates.

I'm skiving today. The Frenchies have gone West for the weekend. I had already cancelled my shift because I had booked to go on a long walk with U3A which I am definitely not up for.

I may do some pottery and make some food for my df gathering tomorrow or I may not 🙂

Thinking of all our wonderful Lobstar friends.

Ixion that poor woman. Fancy sending her that.
I remember being sent home from hospital being told I would be sent a heart monitor. I was expecting something you wear for 24 hours like I’d had before. No, I received a flying saucer with green flashing lights and instructions to connect it to wi fi and make sure it was in my bedroom at night.!
Grammaretto glad you’re having a rest today. You lead a busy life with all your visitors and helpers. How is your back now? I do hope you’re feeling better.

I did think you had lost some of your oomph today, Grammaretto. I hope you had a leisurely potter (ooh, double meaning here, totally unintentional) and were able to recharge your batteries. How's the back?

DF's surgery seems to be a strange one.
They don't do blood tests or ECGs, these are outsourced to a separate company, terrific waiting lists and miles from the surgery itself.
Never mind, maybe Andy Burnham will see scope for joined up thinking in primary care as part of his overhaul of the NHS.

I hope Kaimoana is making progress in health and packing up and, of course, getting as much help as possible with everything. I hope she will pop in to update us at some time when she can.

NN, have you reached any conclusions yet about future working patterns v. long term quality time together? Thinking of you.

Thinking, too, this morning about Doodle as I/we struggled valiantly with our Oldies exercise class. No sitting stuff here with today's stand in. I'm sure that, despite his youth, he must have been an Army PT instructor.
No coffee or nattering here, he cheerfully announced. I think he got a bit fed up with the length of time it took us to shuffle walk up to the table to select appropriate ankle weights, return and work out how to put them on (the newbies).
We then were running late, apparently, so, if he was fast previously, by now every exercise was to be carried out at a rate of knots with ever-decreasing rest breaks.

Do you still have your Personal Trainer, Jan? Is he 'pushy' too?
We shall see what tomorrow brings!

Hello All! In answer to Ixion yes I do still have my PT!! She’s lovely and I enjoy her coming even though I call her the Torturer!! The trouble is I dont do enough in between her visits but my excuse is that its been too hot! Actually its cloudy here today and this morning felt quite chilly but it has warmed up now. Tomorrow looks like being the same and its all a bit of a shock after constant sun! Hope Kaimoana is doing well and feeling better and that she gets her new home sorted and of course our ** finds the house of her dreams. So much stress.
Also a tip for anyone needing to water gardens or veg! Did you know that if you have a Blue Disability badge and there is a hosepipe ban where you live as we have in Norfolk you are still allowed to use your hosepipe to water! I didnt know this but probably all you clever people did know!! Happy weekend friends!!

Good thing to pass on Jan about the hose pipe.
Goodness Ixion i couldn’t cope with that. My sit fit is very good. No leg weights or instruments of torture just stretching exercises and balance routines.
Been to listen to 4 local choirs today outside in the local little amphitheater. Lovely atmosphere and very good singers.

The choirs must have been very nice Doodle

I'm awake in the early hours so will be tired in the day.

Yesterday my df had her gathering to remember her DH who died earlier in the year.
It was a very lovely afternoon. We were so lucky with the weather so spread into her garden. Some of her friends sang and played guitar. There was lots of lovely food and fresh flowers everywhere. She bravely spoke about her DH.

Her beautiful ginger cat was very put out by all the invaders and hid under her bed.

I'm going to try to get some more sleep.
I hope none of you are awake - apart from Kaimoana

Gosh Grammaretto, are you still around?
You did have the honour of being first to post in this morning's Wordle!
Was your brain in overdrive after the gathering, maybe?
I hope you have had a nap or two.

Not much to report here.
Cooler temperatures have given the opportunity to survey abandoned jobs over the past few days.
Victims have included lavender plug plants (lots) and those delphiniums which the slugs or snails hadn't already had a go at.

Oh, and the ironing basket.
Mea culpa.

Grammaretto I hate being awake like that and not able to sleep. I actually slept well last night but towards morning had a disquieting dream. My family had worries and I was trying to sort it all out. None of it true but I found it really hard to shake it off this morning. It brought me down a bit.
I really wish I didn’t dream. I never have nice dreams always problems, worries or trying to get somewhere but with great difficulties.
Had a lovely morning at church which helped then went to the hospice for lunch and by coincidence met a couple of friends there.
So pleased your DFs gathering went well, that must have been a comfort to her also getting together to remember someone and share memories is lovely.
ixion I’ve put off lots of things because of the weather too. I convince myself it’s not good to do too much when it’s hot,🤣

It isn't good to rush about when it's very hot Doodle and Ixion . 🥵

Sorry to hear that you have such disquieting dreams Doodle.

I slept a lot better last night. Both the Frenchies and I were invited to dinner with my lodgers in the flat and were treated to the most delicious Nepalese meal and very good chat.

Afterwards I binge watched the little house on the prairie on Netflix.

Earlier I had driven us to my pottery friend's place where we set her kiln going while she herself is in NZ. In fact today she will be visiting my DS! I am a bit envious.

We visited the sheep and admired her vegetable garden. Her lodger/neighbour has been looking after everything while they are away.

I bought a couple of haggises haggi? on the way home - by popular request.
One is veggie, one meat.
I think I know what's for dinner tonight 😂

Grammaretto i think you ought to run a small B and B for select guests. You seem to give your helpers such a good time. How nice of your tenants to do dinner for you all.
Sit fit tomorrow and coffee with friend, must go to bed now. Hope all are ok

Tonight my yoga teacher trod on my glasses, the fencing guy didn't really do what I wanted and I was too late getting out of the yoga class to have time for a swim...
Then I booked a class for when I'm away...

I thought I would have a lovely bath with a "lush" bath bomb (haven't had one of those since they were "Cosmetics to Go") and sadly it was underwhelming... pale tea colour, not a lot of fizz and not very fragrant... it felt too Epsoms-salty to wash my hair in it so that has had to be done in the shower!

My glasses are bent - but as they often are I can't really complain... just another trip to the opticians!
Lots of little annoyances.

I hope everyone is doing OK. It's actually not very warm here this evening. Brrrr.

My exercise class sounds very like your Sitfit. Ours is called Ageing Well. It was very hot today. So hot I thought the radiators were on.

I made a few pots and after salad in the garden I fell asleep.

Tomorrow DH's sister and brother are coming to see me. It will be the first time I have seen them since her DH's funeral. More salad in the garden. 🙂

Grammaretto Hope you have a good visit with your SIl and BIL Do you get on with them well?
Our sit fit class was nice and cool today. Temperature fluctuates a lot depending on the heating which is temperamental.
Notspaghetti oh dear. A day of small irritations. I’ve just realised when you said fencing guy you were talking about wooden stuff in the garden. As you followed it in from yoga I thought you were talking about fencing as in sport with foils. I was just going to write I didn’t realise you did fencing when it dawned on me what your really meant 🤣🤣

I used to fence at school - actually, I was quite good. Skills evolved from having made that choice of sport over the alternative outdoor, all weather, hockey.
No brainer.

Then, a quiet word in my shell-like from my Dear Father led me to rephrase telling people what I did.

My husband apparently had to do fencing - of the foil sort - at school.
...as well as Scottish country dancing and boxing!