🦞 The Lockdown Gang still chatting 🦞

Evening All

I've been away in the Camperbubble for a few days with the gang at the coast. Luckily it was close by as I had to come back on Sunday for the judging for the best Wildlife Garden in town. I had to admit mine is really wildlife friendly through my laziness. I only went in for it as a friend asked me to, being placed isn't expected!

At least at the moment, with a hose pipe ban I don't have to think of cutting the brown area which was grass or lugging watering cans to precious plants. The weather has been overcast a lot of the time and the wind is from the north so I actually needed to wear a jacket on the boat this week. No rain but at least very little more sun scorching.

Anyway, I'm really pleased to have read Grammaretto, that you've accepted an offer! How exciting! Hopefully the right place will now pop into view now the time is right. It is hard to find the right balance of compromise and how alterations needed will affect the cost, and also be ruthless enough when it comes to putting in an offer. I fear it's one reason why I went down the house alteration route rather than face a move. The Pros of staying here outweighed the Cons. I did a list! We're very good at lists in my family!

I don't envy you NN having to do the To Retire or Not Retire list. I remember DH and I sitting outside a holiday let in Corsica with paper and pen and being surprised how much the new life we wanted would cost compared with the one we wanted to abandon. Everything went on that list, from the "investment" of buying a Campervan, to the savings made from not working - buying work clothes, car parking and that sort of thing. Even my husband's tendency to browse the music shops in his lunch break and buy cds went on that list! The cons were as long as we could make it!

DGS dog has had to have emergency surgery and is in a specialist hospital. Got everything crossed for her. She is so lovely. Hoping she pulls through.

Grammaretto Aqua aerobics is quite popular these days it might be worth checking if you can find somewhere more local.
Sorry your back causes you such problems. Sitting with an icepack can’t be much fun.
So nice you get in well with DH’s siblings.

I went to aqua aerobics some time ago when my back was giving me pain.
It was held in a very warm hydrotherapy pool at the hospital dealing with orthopedic and stroke recovering patients.

However the journey to get there; it was in Edinburgh; did no favours to my back at all.

There are or were Turkish baths and what was called an Aerotone bath, a forerunner of a jacuzzi. You climbed a ladder into a deep round bath, and were sprayed with strong jets of water. It was like being in a washing machine.
A towel and recovery bed were provided.

I don't actually know ixion but my friend says it helps hers.

I find if I'm very achey it helps generally.
And the physio exercises seem easier if your body is partly supported by the water.

You'll know, NS.
Is swimming any good for backs?

Oh Grammaretto you are awake again at 4am!

I do hope your chiropractor is right.

What a series of annoyances NotSpaghetti.
Now I imagine you fencing! the foil kind 🤺. 😅. Never tried it myself. My self preservation instinct is too strong.
I hope you can get your glasses unbent.

Lunch in the garden was very nice and my BiL and SiL stayed until after 5 when the chiropractor phoned to ask where I was. I had forgotten my appointment. Luckily he saw me anyway and insisted I am making progress. Hmm.

I do my physio exercises too and take the pills but sitting against an icepack gives the most immediate relief.

I love DH's siblings having known them since they were small children. They are much younger than their big brother.
They are seeing some cousins today so will tell them about the various family stuff I need to get rid of to anyone who wants it

I guess I had better try for more sleep.
Love to all the Lobstars ⭐ ⭐

I'm pretty sure he didn't do any of the wooden sort but may have been a go-between re illegal Vesta chop sueys pinched with his friend from the friend's parent's caravan...

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

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.

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 🤣🤣

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. 🙂

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.

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

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 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,🤣

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.

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

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.

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!!

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!

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 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.

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🥶