🦞 The Lockdown Gang still chatting 🦞

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🥶

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

Yes, Doodle, yes!
Cross everything you can 🤫

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

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 ...

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

https://signal-corridor.live/uploads/talk/202607/medium-e9zr7f-1000026527.jpg%3C/span%3E https://signal-corridor.live/uploads/talk/202607/medium-frqwx1-1000026510.jpg%3C/span%3E

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 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

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

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.

Chillier here now, Grammaretto - only 23 degrees🤭
Hopefully, useful things may be achieved this week as it will be easier to move about. Goodness knows, they're mounting up!

No more tennis either.
I do take pride in the fact that contestants, when interviewed, always praise the atmosphere, the environment, that 'special feel' Wimbledon has.
And Sinner acknowledged tonight the special support the ball boys and girls provide.

DS says it's a standard script, just replacing Wimbledon praise with similar for Roland Garros, Flushing Meadows depending on which Open they're at.
I really love playing here, it's a special place, the very best.

Edinburgh? That was a curved ball!
Let us know how you get on when widening your field.
Are your interested buyers the family with the ones with the attached dog?
You'd be leaving a lot behind - but you know that.

I hope everyone has an easier week ahead, weather wise.
Still, mustn't grumble, as they say.
😡

Thinking especially of NN and Mr.NN and the big decisions ahead🌻

Grammaretto. I know you visit Edinburg a lot. It looks a lovely city. I imagine it’s quite expensive too. Do you have friends there? Be risky to cut yourself off from people you know. Not so easy to make friends when we get older.
Maybe your friend is just trying not to influence your decision .

Yes still baking here.

Are you still melting in England?

It's just nice here. Cousin and I went into Edinburgh today to look at a house for sale.

Most of my friends are surprised that I am thinking of moving to the city.
I liked the house. My cousin didn't like it but won't tell me why. DS didn't come after all.

So I'm home watching the tennis.

What are you doing?

Evening all.
Spent all day at Windsor today. Lots of tourists. We tried to stay out of the sun by going into the shops, quite exhausted tonight though. DS1 and family are in Croatia. I don’t think it’s as hot there as here,
Hope everyone can sleep ok.

Can’t wrote much tonight as for some reason my poorly wrist is very painful.
NN Dh retired long before me. I carried on working and bringing in money for our holidays etc. I had planned to retire at the end of the year but in July I suddenly thought DH has been waiting for me to retire all these years . He’s been home and I haven’t. He was due an operation at some time and I suddenly thought if I don’t get this time with him, if anything goes wrong I will regret it. I drove straight home and said to DH I’m retiring now. I handed in my notice the following morning. Luckily Dh survived that particular op and we went on to have many more happy years together, I never regretted that decision. Every second with him was precious.
I hope you make the right decision for you both xx

Pressed too soon.

I want to say How do you honestly feel about DH early retirement NN? My DH retired at 60 (he had to. Civil Service ) but was very frustrated at first and immediately was offered some part-time lecturing.
His hobbies , of which there were many, filled any spare time.
He was glad to stop the daily commute but missed his colleagues.

Ofcourse nothing is certain. DSiL's DH dropped dead aged 57 for no apparent reason. She was 10 years older and never expected to be a widow.

Thanks for your support re my house sale..
Hopefully the AC will come round and understand. It is that young couple NotSpaghetti 🙂

Your DH sounds like mine Jan - a darling.

I've come indoors to watch the tennis 😉
It's so lovely here.
Thanks

I knew wise words would come my way from you lovely people....
Ixion...he's on the After Sales semi management ( if that's even a thing) side.
Notspag...he took a part of his pension out when he reached 55 and in less than 2 years his portion of the former family home will be paid... and although it's not a happy thought he will inherit ( with his sister) when my lovely PIL are no more. I've still got some of the proceeds from the sale of my former marital home although a large chunk of it bought the cottage we now live in...and I have most of the pension sharing order I was awarded. Writing all that down is making me very aware of how very very lucky I/we are to be even able to consider this drastic ( for me) change.
Anyway enough of me looking up my own rear end...
Grammaretto...it's lovely news that you've sold...does it matter that it wasn't as much as some people ( children) thought you would get...they are not the ones trying to keep up with the ongoing repairs that comes with a house well lived in by you and those before you. Sell up and let it become someone else's dream home to make wonderful memories in just as you have ..take those with you...shut the door and walk into an exciting new stage in your life. (I amaze myself that words can just flow out when needed for others but am totally incapable of taking my own advice🤣🤣🤣🤣). I'm wishing you much joy...you deserve it. I really hope your poorly back does not impede the lifting of a glass or 3 tonight.
Jan...your DH is a star...as are you,
accepting major changes such as yours is brave and takes love on both sides to learn the 'new' way of living and makes what my DH is feeling all the more understandable.💐❤️
Ixion...has the whizzy paint dried? Can you hop from one bit of furniture or fixture to another until you get to the freezer...
Doodle...your party sounded lovely...dining under the trees.. We've been eating outside... We've a little area that is completely secluded so there is nobody to be put off their food by the sight of me only in my underwear..DH however said....he thought he'd like 2 dollops ( of ice cream phew) for dessert.