🦞 The Lockdown Gang still chatting 🦞

Another hot day. Art this morning pastels. I hate them . Such a mess and no clear outlines, Company was good though,
Knitting this afternoon and even the church was hot inside,
Home, pjs on fans on exhausted.
Grammaretto i Hope viewings are lining up for your house,

NN so sorry about poor Luna. It’s always hard to say good bye to a much loved pet,
kaimoana I wish there was some way we could all communicate better. We miss you being here with us all the time.
Grammaretto good luck with the house viewing. Hope you get some real interest soon,

You only need one Grammaretto
Fingers crossed.
Your photos are beautiful.
😍

https://signal-corridor.live/uploads/talk/202605/medium-276h5b-1000024272.jpg%3C/span%3E https://signal-corridor.live/uploads/talk/202605/medium-6yng9v-1000024273.jpg%3C/span%3E https://signal-corridor.live/uploads/talk/202605/medium-9tkkwi-1000024267.jpg%3C/span%3E

Sorry you are grieving for your beloved Luna. Naughtyneine

Whenever I visit my DD, her youngest DD likes to take me to visit Teddy's grave, their beloved corgi who died just before DH during lockdown. What a sad time that was when they saw noone outside their tiny bubble for 100 days.

I am enjoying my time with my friend in the North. Yesterday we took the wee ferry to Cromarty and although several places were closed we found the ruined Gaelic chapel, the pottery and ice cream. On the ferry back a dolphin leapt and dived in front of me!

It is very quiet here apart from birdsong.
She is an artist and a weaver who dyes and spins so I'm surrounded by beautiful things.

I heard that someone is coming to view the house at the weekend. Just one so far.

Oh,how very sad. Great love we benefit by but it leads to su h sorrow when are parted. Aroha mai

I have just learned how to access this on my galaxy device but it is so hard to write messages when its all so timy. I may have to go back to my PC in an unheated room brrrr

Naughtyneine
I know only too well how hard that is. Been there several times. Sending love the pain and sadness will get better xx

Well our beautiful girl has gone to be with Neddy. She died wagging her tail and eating ham I couldn't have asked for a better way. The vet cried...she had made friends with everyone at the practice over the last 5 months. I went on my own....big girl pants on, I won't lie it was hard. We are now sitting in the garden drinking wine remembering her. In comparison to the loss that many of you have experienced this pales into insignificance I know... Thank you for being there in spirit.

Notspaghetti I’m not someone who comes well with the heat, it drains me. I’m sitting with two fans on me and it’s still really hot here.
ixion I hope that course works for you. I wobble a lot when I walk. Go from side to side without realising. My ankles are quite stiff and with a bad left ankle and bad right knee I think my they’re bothering fighting each other to keep the weight off them.
Oh NN I’m so sorry about Luna. I know how hard it is. Our lovely yorkie couldn’t cope with the heat. It’s a tough decision to make. Thinking of all of you and sending love and hugs.
Grammaretto is your house in the market now? Any viewings ?

I hope you aren't alone Naughtyneine
Sending love and hugs xxxxx

Have you someone going with you? Xx

Thinking of you and with you in thoughts as you make this most difficult of journeys.
🥀
Xx

Beautiful Luna
Gentle hugs to all of you
❤️

Luna.

I'll be back in a while. I've just made the call to the vet. We've reached the end of the road. Still wagging her tail but struggling in this heat. We are going in at 3 o clock. Rightly or wrongly I don't know but I haven't told DH. He was distraught when we lost Neddy 2 and a half years ago and although he knows it's time I am sparing him that final moment. Keep me in your thoughts please.

Good morning from yet another soon-to-scorching day. 🥱
Well no, not really. More 🥳

Lots of tips here as well as commiserations for the less mobile of the Lobstars.
I am hoping that my 26 (😱) week course of strength and balance workouts will lead me to more stability and general flexibility for striding out, despite the dodgy ankle. If nothing else, my purse will benefit, farewell 30 minute physio sessions at £62 a pop.

There is great comfort to be had by being in a class with others, lurking at the back and furtively glancing round to see if you are the worst in class.

I hope support is rallying for you, Kaimoana. What progress? In my thoughts💐

Did you get any viewings for your house, Grammaretto?
I wonder how, these days, they sort the seriously interested from the nosey-parkers idle curious? Continuing good luck.

Is Theo coping with the heat, Jan? We bought Barney one of those cool mats last year but he doesn't really 'get' it.
He has taken to sleeping in the hall in a cardboard 'tunnel' we rigged up as a piece of keep fit apparatus for him (haha), despite me telling him his stray-days are over now
I guess the fleece blanket on every available chair, settee, bed etc are unwelcome in this heat.

How is D🐕2 faring, NN? And you both, of course.
Worry, combined with sadness, is draining, isn't it?

Pace yourselves, 🦞🦞.
Apart from Kaimoana - wrap up warm!

Doodle, how very frustrating to have ankle problems. My left foot is sort-of "tight" and "slow" generally, and that is bad enough.

* I do hope you are all doing OK in this heat*

Notspaghetti balance is so difficult when your feet won’t work properly. I’ve got something wrong with my ankles. My feet just won’t bend like they used to. I think it’s the osteoporosis /old age wear and tear,
Jan hope you had a nice afternoon with friends. Good idea not to go out without your support. Finding help is difficult. I’ve got to lots of physio which is basically sheets of paper exercises and advice to just go off and do them.
Grammaretto is it tomorrow your house goes in the market? Hope you get some serious buyers.

These are what my physio suggested
www.corebalance.co.uk/products/foam-balance-pad

*And one of these*:
www.amazon.co.uk/Urban-Fitness/dp/B0BFWGDL5Q?tag=gransnetforum-21

I was lucky that mine foot wasn't bad enough to require an orthotic - but my physiotherapist (also private) said I need to get the back of my calves working and pumping blood better again and the movement back into my foot. This has definitely helped with the swelling. It was quite "plonky" initially as the minor movements in my foot weren't being used . I didn't feel safe on uneven ground - still don'tbut am definitely improving... Bear in mind it's been 3 years since my stroke now.

I'm also still using a mat that's a sort of dense foam. I stand on the edge of it with my heels hanging off and try to balance (next to something to hold on to).
I can feel the "foot and calf workout" (and don't really enjoy it!!) but can tell when I need to do more of it
😕

Small wins.

So pleased you are getting someone to help who knows what they are doing. I was left with almost nothing help-wise as I'd made a "good recovery" but last spring the stolen foot drove me to distraction and so I felt I needed to sort something out

Good luck to you Jan. It's miserable putting work in to just get back to square one - but keep at it and I'm sure you will find improvement- and at least you feel you are doing something !

Hi NotSpaghetti
Thanks for your tip. Will try that later. My foot feels quite steady walking around the house but Im very wary about it going over and me ending up on the floor!
Ive got a neurophysio +oming to the house ar great cost! She works in our local hospital and was my community physio when I first left hospital. Shes very good and when she is here next week will ask her opinion. We are out to friends this afternoon but wont risk going without it as obviously I will have to walk outside. Do you still wear your Orthotic? No one has given me any advice on not wearing it. This is what I find annoying in that once you leave hospital you are on your own. I’ve spent loads of money trying to find help which is ok we are lucky we can afford it but goodness knows what happens to those who cant.
Enough of me. Stay safe in this horrible heat everyone and everyone enjoy the Bank Holiday

Jan16 - do you have any control over your awkward foot? I find my affected foot to be a disappointment in that it's still not great at helping me balance. Not dreadful - just still not great.
I have a massage ball that's firm and spikey and about 3½ or 4 inches in diameter. My neurological physiotherapist suggested I practice rolling it about (quite hard) if I can - keeping it under the ball of my foot.

I use it when I'm watching television (if I'm in the higher chair) and find this movement, and stretching and relaxing my calf muscle seems to help with my puffy foot.
I don't know if this might be possible - or if it would help.

Thinking of you

Jan I bet it’s hot wearing your foot contraption in this weather. Been so hot here today, I’ve got the balcony doors wide open and the tI Dow at the back. Fan on and I’m still hot.
Grammaretto lovely to have a surprise meal invitation. I love Italian food.
ixion I only have a small freezer so I have to limit my ice cream choice but I do love M***ums raspberries and chocolate one.
Kaimoana like the others I hope family can help sort something suitable out for you.

What a beautiful cat. Hopefully he/she has a home nearby. I am really fed up with this weather. I know Im a miserable old so and so but its really just impossible to do anything except sit and grumble both of which Im very good at! Theo is definitely not impressed and wanders from one shady spot to the next.
The real trouble with my foot is that after I had the stroke my stroked foot kept turning over onto its side so I was given an Orthotic which is basically a contraption of velcro that goes onto the whole of my lower leg to keep the ankle from turning. Its very difficult to put on simply because there is a fastening at the back which I cant reach so its yet another job for DH. I think its this that is making my foot swell. Ive been walking around the house without it today. Certainly wouldn’t go outside without it but so far its been ok although it feels slightly scary! Oh well as I said yet another problem!

He really doesn't look lean or hungry and wears a collar. He seems to come from the gardens of the flats on the east side. This is supported housing for special needs adults. It used to be a manse . I hardly ever see anyone outside apart from occasional carers having a fag.
The flats on the other side don't have any gardens, just a carpark. They aren't supposed to keep pets as the flats are rented.
I am not going to start feeding him.

I've been gardening. Trying to get all the veg in before I go away.

Even if someone wants to buy the house, it won't be quick.

I really hope you have a good transition to the new place Kaimoana.
Will there be any advantages to living in a more urban environment?
Not so many barking dogs?
Nearer shops?
Easier for carers to come?
Nearer to family?