🦞 The Lockdown Gang still chatting 🦞

I received a message from Kaimoana this morning🥳

She apologised for not replying to my missives but says that she is 'in hospital, more details to follow'.

I said we had been missing her and that we had been worried, and sent her 🦞love and hugs.

I hope this is OK - I don't feel that I have broken any confidences in sharing this and will obviously share anything more that I may hear.
I am sure she will understand.

I’ve only been to Norfolk once. DH and I went with our sons and dog on the Broads. We had a great time but just as we were packing to come home Dh bent to pick up our little dog and put his back out, he had to have a pain killing injection for a local doctor and I had to drive all the way home in our new car. I was terrified.
ixion I’m so pleased we moved. Our elder son was saying recently that many of his friends have parents in their old family home and are struggling to cope. Maybe one or other or in some cases both have health problems and need a lot of input from their family.
I realise we are lucky in that both sons and families live very close by. There is a lift so if I can’t do stairs I can still get around. Being a flat everything is in one level. The doorways are wide and would accommodate a wheelchair. The ensuite has a walk in shower. The rooms are big so plenty of space. Someone gets paid to do the garden, the cleaning and sort out all the building problems like roof and gutters. All we have to look after is what’s our side of the front door. Gated entry system and so I feel quite safe here. Neighbours are great and we get on well.
Grammaretto i Hope you find your safe place where you are happy. Sorry about the pain. Glad the codeine helps. Please make sure you drink a lot of water and have lots of fibre though.
I too am really worried about Kaimoana . I wish we knew how she was. Just hoping somehow she will be back in touch.

Quiet night, Grammaretto. Here's hoping x

I know you live in Norfolk Jan. Lucky you! I was just going down memory lane.

I have had the laziest day in a long time. My lodgers are still on holiday: no house viewers: I donated some books to the local museum and had tea at the Gaelic café. Now watching something on Netflix and wondering if it's too early to go to bed.

I'm sorry you're still sweltering. Ixion
I think tomorrow is supposed to be cooler. I hope your delphinium survive.

It's wild and windy here so I am getting worried about falling trees as well as a leaky ceiling. I'm trying to pin down a roofer without success.
Right. Bed it is.
Night night Lobstars

We should have moved 20 years ago, I maintain. Downsized, settled in something smaller, easier to manage and not somewhere always needing something to be done on it. My dreams were always a Manhattan -style loft apartment or a coach house with a cobbled courtyard. Room for a steamer chair, table for a G and T and a good book and a tub with a palm and very little else.
DS says before any thoughts on moving, I would need to consult a map showing the proximity of a nearby Waitrose.
How rude.

However, where else currently gives us the luxury of being four floors apart when we are I am hot and crotchety? Me in my top floor sewing room eyrie, Mr.I in the basement with his trains and wine cellar.

I am sorry your back is giving so much pain, Grammaretto. Were you not having another helper? I hope you find something that you fall in love with.

I have messaged Kaimoana on several occasions but no reply.
There again not surprising if she can't see to read.😢

Special thoughts for NN🌷

Hopefully showers and cooler temperatures tomorrow so looking forward to at least getting my delphiniums in, they are looking a bit woebegone.
Maybe they are a tad disoriented being sat in ice cream tubs in the downstairs cloakroom. 🚽

Actually live in good old Norfolk!!!!

I miss Norfolk. I spent a year at the school of art in Norwich as a teenager. My first proper time away from home, fending for myself, paying bills and always poor.
I shared a room in a tiny terraced house off Grapes Hill. It's all been demolished now.
My furniture was an orange box (wooden crate) from the market.
There were a lot of pubs to frequent. Also churches but I went to the Quaker meeting in Goat Lane (love the names) where often a kind Friend would invite me and my pals home for Sunday lunch in Unthank road.

I used to get on a train or bike out to one of the villages on the Broads and sketch in the Summer. Years later, on studying my family tree I was spooked to discover that my dad's great grandparents came from that same village! Loddon, Hales, Berghapton some of the places.

Hi Jan,
I know you love Norfolk but sadly it's not for me.
We did live there for a couple of years when my husband did his MA many moons ago

But I do keep seeing places for sale over there - and my friend on the Norfolk Suffolk border is happy there.

I really appreciate the suggestion
Thank you

Hi NotSpaghetti. No idea where you live now but have a look round Norfolk. So many beautiful villages, beaches, old cottages which probably need work doing on them, friendly people etc etc! Just have a peep via the internet!! Good luck!

Thanks. Doodle. for your wise advice. I am listening. I agree and won't settle for a low offer.

I got on well at the GP. Although she gives out pills like sweeties. She says I don't have to take them but I must say the codeine does relieve the pain and allow sleep.
I have a physio appointment to look forward to.

I'm sitting, sweating, with a hot water bottle behind me. I slept on an ice pack last night.
🥶

I am sad that Kaimoana can't read. It must be devastating for such a reader and writer to lose their sight.

I hope Cherry and other Lobstars are ok.

Grammaretto Hope you got the help you needed at the GPS.
You really love your home and garden. Don’t settle for less than you want. If you are desperate to sell it’s one thing but if you can hold on for a bit don’t accept an offer you’re not happy with. Please consider too what it would be like if you were less able. Make sure your new home is suitable for life as you get older. Hope you find just the place for you.
Notspaghetti i Hope you too find what you are looking for.
When Dh and I found our apartment we knew straight away this was for us. Everyone loved it. My DIL says it’s like being in holiday all the time. We were so happy here.
NN I’m so sorry. I can understand living bereavement. Times like this making you feel so sad. I wish there was something that could be done. I wish you could get to celebrate his birthday with him. 💕
Love those lobsters.
Nfk as far as I’m aware would be Norfolk.
I’m concerned I have emailed Kaimoana but haven’t had a reply. I’m hoping she’ll b in touch soon.
Talking of being in touch, are you around Cherry? We haven’t forgotten you. Or Mammissimo and Spud
Hope everyone is coping in this heat.

Yes NS... apparently it's called a living bereavement.....
Grammaretto...start a little planning now...see which ones you love ...maybe pot up a few.... Because it was 9 months before we found the cottage and moved in I had pots galore at my parents in law...natural geraniums, hostas, agapanthus, dwarf lilac ( already in a pot) to name but a few. It made leaving behind the garden I'd cherished a lot easier

Oh Naughtyneine, another sad milestone day
Such a painful and beautiful memory
❤️
You are grieving for what might have or should have been

Where did those beautiful lobsters materialise from NN?
Whoever made them is extremely talented.
Was it you perchance?

We agree with eachother NotSpaghetti
It would need to be. very special indeed
to compensate for giving up this.
I think I would be able to take plant cuttings.
Although I look forward to creating another smaller garden..

I'm in the doctor's waiting room with my list of ailments in my pocket 😅

https://signal-corridor.live/uploads/talk/202606/medium-4zpgbx-1000036283.jpg%3C/span%3E https://signal-corridor.live/uploads/talk/202606/medium-c5kd9m-1000036284.jpg%3C/span%3E https://signal-corridor.live/uploads/talk/202606/medium-nuc3n-1000036275.jpg%3C/span%3E

Hi my lovely Lobstars. I'm sorry for being absent for the last week or so.

We came home on Sunday and on Monday another rock in the road appeared..... We've weathered so many over the last few years and thought we might have come thru the other side but no, here we are again Hey Ho, thankfully we have our faith so our Padre Pio mantra is standing is all in good stead...Hope Pray and Don't Worry

Thank you for your concern re my ribs....I can't lie they have been very sore and this episodes of being called able to breathe in but not out have not been fun, my inhaler that normally gets used once or twice at the change of seasons in March and September is in use at least twice daily. The heat probably doesn't help..I am glad we are not still in Maevemouse this week

Kaimoana...please stay.. we'll find a way to keep in contact, I am looking up a sort of reading pen thing and will get back to you

Grammaretto...I so feel for you and the house hunting....I really hope the right thing happens soon. When it does can you take cuttings etc from your garden to put in your new garden?

Lovely to see you Nfk ( does that stand for something?), I too wish we could meet up...I nearly met Grammaretto at one of the Glasgow meet ups but it was pre op and DH was not keen on me travelling at that stage( he was probably right) but can you imagine how long we'd need....it would definitely have to be residential methinks.

This time 22 years ago I was meeting my first Grandchild aged 12 hours at the (I think its called) Western General in Glasgow. I hadn't planned to be up there as the plan was for me to go up when DD1 was home but she phoned me and said I just wanted to hear you say I love you before I go into hospital....cue me to book the earliest train and hotfoot it 400 miles North. He was born 2 hours after I arrived. Lovely memories always of course tinged with sadness....I need a bit of a slap today I think...it's one of those think about anything remotely sad and the memory rolls out of your eyes and down your cheeks.
As you can see you were never far from my mind whilst I was away

This is exactly the issue Grammaretto. WHY are we moving?
I would like to be more rural but still want s.p.a.c.e inside- and a decent sized garden. Maybe ⅓ acre or even a little less... we currently have a very long garden for a terraced house but fairly narrow.

Modern houses have too small gardens - and if we are going to go "modern" I don't really want a "traditional" style one... Some mid century houses have pleasing shapes but oh my gosh the prices!

Another case of champagne taste but beer money
We are happy enough where we are - just a bit too busy.

Having had a drug dealer buy the beautiful, fully period restored and huge end terrace next door once 😬😬😬 with newly refitted stained and etched glass, my husband says he wants this next house to be detached.

So, detached, period, village with a shop, ideally a surgery not too far away, large garden, big rooms, space for a studio ... and cheap as chips???
Open to suggestions ladies!

Yay🥳

I've had an offer! It's a bit low so I shall think about it over the weekend and ask the family.

My family are scattered too NotSpaghetti
I don't think I will be moving nearer any of them. My optician I had an eye test yesterday showed me a pretty cottage on the East Lothian coast with its own beach.
Unfortunately it was already sold!
I ended up with driving glasses and no house 😕

I am inclined not to pursue the do-er upper. It really isn't worth exchanging this for.

I enjoyed the lightning show in the middle of the night. It was incredible and went on for over an hour.

The temperature has dropped to 19° which is lovely compared to where my poor DSis is @ 37°.

How are you Lobstars bearing up?

Moving is tricky isn't it... We are in a big house needing lots of things doing. We used to say we would move when retired - but then my mother moved to be near us and then we felt we couldn't move away.

Now we have nothing holding us here really. Although the family are fairly close we still get in the car to see them and once you've driven 15 minutes you might as well drive 20 and once you've driven 40 mins you might as well drive an hour

Now of course, having compromised when we came here, we are going to have to compromise differently if we want to be sensible as we age
The houses we like, of course, need work, are isolated, too expensive and sometimes are listed!

SO much sympathy Grammaretto

I hope the viewing went well, Grammaretto.
Is the fixer upper on a bus route? Perhaps you could point out to your DD the paucity of other houses in the area which would tick all the boxes. I'm sure this one has your name on it🌻
I hope your back continues to improve- how are your ribs, NN?

Relieved that our Strength and Balance group has been cancelled tomorrow too much worry about old dears keeling over, I would imagine.
I had planned to cry off anyway. No tea and biccies feature.

Roll on Wimbledon - more enforced sofa lounging👍

I’ve not heard of that either Grammaretto but I’m glad it’s helped.
Probably wise to wait for an offer and then have a good look around. I’ve said before it’s better to move into rented accommodation for a while than buy the wrong thing due to rushing. Hope you find the right place for you.

Summer has arrived at last. 26° here now.
I have a viewing in an hour. The EA has texted to say she sounded nice on the phone. 😯

I'm letting the dust settle literally on the doer-upper and trying not to see anything else until I have some offers.

My back has been very sore but my df gave me a therapy session of a kind I had never heard of,: KCR kinetic chain release therapy. I think it has helped.

Like you all, I must water my wilting plants.
A lovely rose has flowered. It's called Alnwick castle.

Wilting here, 100%.

Hopefully not the case for my 5 delphinium plants and 24 lavender plugs which arrived this morning.

Hey ho, something else to keep an eye on during this sustained heat wave.

Grammaretto it’s a difficult decision isn’t it. We bought a place that needed doing up. It cost us a fortune. Far more than you see on these DIY programmes. If you do take it on, make sure there aren’t any hidden problems as these can add to the cost. I’d love you to find the right place for you.
It is so hot here I can’t think of doing anything. I’m exhausted just sitting here
Notspaghetti i thought you were going to say you watered yourself in the garden.

I'm afraid I cancelled my yoga class - last time it was hot the "air con" was a "con" - I thought, defective.

I planned to go for a swim this evening - but I was saved by a new hosepipe delivery! Hooray.... and have watered the garden instead!

Mr Spaghetti is watching the football but went to the top of the house for a spare fan as the sofa and chairs are rather "snuggly" and he was hot. I'm surprised he made it down with the fan - just being up there long enough to test it made him look like a boiled tomato!

I realised he had socks on with his sandals and his winter jeans! He's now in sandals with no socks and has put shorts on. He said he was going to wear shoes (hence the socks) and he "hadn't realised" they were the thick jeans when he put them on
I confess I would not have started today in any jeans!

Well, he was very chirpy in his shorts - though I'm not sure what's going on with the footie as I'm elsewhere