I'm Still Shielding (week 19).......

Saturday 18th July
 Lovely weather today, not too hot, and we fed the fish about 2:30pm and watched them while we ate strawberries and cream! Very pleasant.

Another now wearable item. This cardigan had taken me ages to knit and it was not comfortable to wear. I'd made up the pattern myself and obviously included some errors as the collar had never laid down and the sleeves were far too wide. So I bravely machine zigzag altered the sleeves and a full seam down the back and cut off the excess (praying it wouldn't fray). Finally taming the collar into a roll and sewed it in place. Feels so much better.

We are both trying to get back into walking round the garden, as I've almost run out of excuses😉 Hubby is on the go all day anyway but I seem to have lots of sitting down jobs. So 18 laps equals about 1.7 miles.

I'm still not going out anywhere but thought I'd make a few masks, trying a couple of different patterns, as I'm sure we'll be needing them for a long while to come.

We both prefer shaped ones (rather than pleated) as they come up the nose more without wire, essential as we are both glasses wearers and this avoids the steaming up. Also I've found strips of Tshirt for around the ears more comfortable than elastic although we'll need to wear them to find out if it's effective enough.

A regular part of our week is quiz night, which we play on YouTube while combining as one team with our Daughter&co on zoom.

This week was a triple zoom screen event with me and Hubby in our house, Daughter's family split with the three girls at their house and the three boys at the club (isn't technology amazing). So even having to cope with the  timing issues of YouTube questions delays, especially tricky on the audio round, we got our best collaborative score yet of 47 out of 50!

Talking of quizzes, we like quite a few of tv quizzes as easy watching time fillers and I'm sure they help keep the brain active. What makes us laugh is how often the same question comes up in a different quiz on the same day we watch, not only are they all recorded sometimes years apart but we often watch in our own catchup time. Well today was even more coincidental, we saw the same contestant in two programs on the same day!

Nothing much else to report on really, nothing bad has happened so that's always a good thing!
See you next week then. Take good care of  yourselves.
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I'm Still Shielding (week 18)......

Saturday 11th July
Last post ended as this post starts with this morning's visitors 😊 so worth sharing twice! 

I had a really long catchup phone call with friendN, I've been trying to get hold of her for days. Turns out they no longer use their land line but it's still connected for the broadband, so I can hear it ringing but they can't doh! Mobiles only in future. So finally getting together I wasn't going to cut it short and dinner ended up a quick one out of the freezer and our Sunday roast was on Monday. Don't think he noticed 😉

This programme was a suggestion from our Son. Good to have a story line that's very different and makes you think. A six part drama The Capture.  We both enjoyed it and hadn't guessed all the twists and turns. 

I saw this advertised and thought it perfect for our kitchen sink as the tap there could do with some help. It swivels so the spray can be directed around the sink. I know nothing of plumbing so sent the link to Hubby and he just said if I want it he'll get it, bless him eh? 

 Well it arrived, and doesn't fit the tap we have! 

 But rather than being cross with himself for not checking the details first he's now happy to have another DIY project! So now he's hunted everywhere for an adapter that he knows he has and feels he's seen quite recently, but doesn't know where! Garage cupboards and drawers, multiple tool boxes, two of the three sheds, and all the cupboards in the house, no luck. He even started looking online to change the taps completely. He's settled for ordering another adapter. 

I've managed to save two items of my clothing from the charity shop bag. The shirt was a bit too snug to button up any more and this lacy top was given to me by my lovely friendL, it had never been worn as it wasn't a good fit for her but she'd not got round to sending it back. It wasn't a good fit for me either but the front panel of one made the perfect insert to the other. 

The rest is just the usual pottering around and chatting with friends who are venturing out and sharing their horror stories of what other people are not doing that they should. Which reminded me of the first bit of advice from my first driving instructor..."you have to assume that everyone else is an idiot so you have to be extra careful".

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Not All Together in Isolation (part 17)........

Saturday 4 July - wow half the year gone!
Although there's been a gradual relaxing of the lockdown rules over the past couple of weeks it seems from the media both official and social that today marks the most changes and the country is almost unlocked but still with certain rules and restrictions! Although after relaxing a little Leicester was declared at risk and locked up tight again with the PM holding it up as a warning.

I may have to rename these posts again as there's no more mass isolation. I thought about "I'm still shielding" but I then feel the need to belt out the song Elton John style hahaha.

There was this.....

And this......

Easy watching and a good excuse to sit knitting.

Sunday 5pm we were asked to clap for the NHS 72nd Anniversary, but it wasn't really advertised like it had been before and only a few of the neighbours joined us, but we could hear the bagpipes a few streets away.

Rolls for tonight's burgers and the loaf is rye. House smells amazing...... but I can't get the bloody things out of the tins ggrrrrrr

I talked to them in my stern voice and eventually they came out, and were yummy.

Monday's coffee morning started 10:30am as usual but finished early when we felt the first drops of rain, turned out to be more of a threat than a soaking but we'd said our goodbyes by then. Wednesday's neighbour's exercise session didn't even get started as it was raining and that's how it's been all week. Hubby gets the figits if he's stuck inside and has made a start cleaning windows inside and all the open frameworks.

And a slight delay posting this today (no I hadn't forgotten again) due to lovely visitors arriving this morning to sit in the garden drinking tea with, neither sibling knowing the other was coming,  and Daughter brought pineapple upside down cake yummy!

Not All Together in Isolation (part 16)........

Saturday 27 June - although doesn't really matter what day it is 😉

Been wet on and off and very windy at times but still reasonably warm. Late afternoon and nothing worse than football on TV with canned crowd noise urrgghhhh!
So we watched a film

I was very pleased to see it wasn't just a remake of the original it was a whole new updated story of its own.

Oh dear, Daughter came round with R and E mainly just for a quick escape from their house and it also gives the dog a garden run around. The girls noticed the dog acting weird and running right through bushes and getting covered in bits of foliage...... then she got closer to us and we all realised she'd rolled in something and stank! So we found her some shampoo and Daughter had to give her a full lather up and garden house rinse! The look on her face was obedient humiliation.

Another film this week was Bumble Bee, a more modern transformers story. I found it after hunting through Sky Movies and knew Hubby would love it and I actually enjoyed it too.

Change of tempo Thursday as we had to leave the house, only my fourth outing in 103 days and all of them medical related. I need another operation relating to the recurring bladder cancer. Discussions between consultants decided that Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital could provide the best procedure. So we went to the hospital and saw the same consultant who had also done major surgery on me in 2017.

All went quite well at NNUH, a long chat with the consultant who explained everything and says he's doing this keyhole and robotic, which is a new one for me. Thankfully they managed to arrange my pre-op, ecg, bloods and another long chat with an anaesthetist without too much waiting around. So a long time there but saves us another 100 mile round trip.
Surgery is planned for 7th August and I'll need the covid swab test just before and I'll carry on shielding till then too.

And we were home in plenty of time to join Daughter&co on zoom and take part in the online pub quiz. 👍

And today it's quite grey and very windy, so here's my wonderful lavatera/mallow before the flowers go. Always reminds me of  mum who gave me the first small cutting from her's about a million years ago!

Not All Together in Isolation (part 15)........

Saturday 20th June and I forgot until the evening that it was my usual day to update you, but in the great scheme it doesn't matter as nothing much had changed here. Let's see how this week unfolds!

Sunday was father's day and both children and all three grandchildren called round. Iffy weather meant sitting undercover (just enough space to stay distanced). Thankfully it stayed dry so the girls juggled and O brought round his new chess set and the dog had sneaky ideas of escape, so in turn we seemed to ask "where's the dog?" and all while eating yummy cake that daughter made.

I really enjoyed this theatre trip, so well done and didn't lose too much of the live theatre by being shown on YouTube. Although I probably shouldn't have started watching it at 10pm as it wasn't far short of three hours long!

Small Island embarks on a journey from Jamaica to Britain, through the Second World War to 1948 – the year the HMT Empire Windrush docked at Tilbury. The play follows three intricately connected stories: Hortense yearns for a new life away from rural Jamaica, Gilbert dreams of becoming a lawyer, and Queenie longs to escape her Lincolnshire roots. Hope and humanity meet stubborn reality as the play traces the tangled history between Jamaica and the UK.

And a film we watched together, Hubby's choice of course. Predictable but enjoyable.


Online shopping has become the normal now, but sometimes pack sizes are not what we were expecting! This enormous box of cornflakes has had to have the box folded and laid on its side to fit in the cupboard. Although I can just see over it when pouring it out it does take both hands! Hahaha

And a pretty lacy scarf finished with the next one already on the needles.

Maybe a start on the Christmas presents stash.... or maybe just keep them for myself 😉
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Not All Together in Isolation (part 14)......

Saturday 13 June

There's the gradual unlocking but nobody seems to agree how or when and the school's were told to open with huge restrictions and everyone is arguing and some that have opened have closed again. There have been the mass "Black Lives Matter" protests, some peaceful and respecting social distancing and others violent, destructive, ignorant behaviour which will certainly cause a new peak in the virus. Even the BBC are removing archived programmes which were totally acceptable and even funny in the days they were made but now they may cause offence! I'm quite upset by the world I will have to join soon...... think I'll stay in lockdown for a while yet. 

Saturday was really lovely weather and we enjoyed it even more seeing those we love the most. In the morning Son came over bringing some spare plants, cherry tomatoes and a beautiful bush which I think is an azalea (unless you know different).

Correction: I've identified it online and it's alstroemeria

Then as we were eating our evening dinner Daughter messaged to say they'd like to come over as their neighbour's were having a very very loud garden bbq evening and they couldn't relax even with doors and windows closed! So Daughter and three grandchildren and the dog of course spent a lovely two hours ish with us in the garden.

I'm sure you've realised I have a "can't sit still" kind of Hubby, well now he's decided to repair the wall. A major job of replacing lots of broken bricks with some we had spare and lying around. Finished in one day! 

Locally there's a group called Teapot Project and they gather all the unsold out-of-date food that's still edible and sell on with a pay-what-you-can system and free delivery, saving food from landfill and feeding those economically struggling. This was my fruit and veg box this week. I paid full price of course under their "here to help" category and they keep plenty aside for "emergency" orders.

Hubby has been doing all this work in the garden and so has our next door neighbourA so they agreed to go halves on a skip and now spend their days clearing, sorting and chucking it out. 

Oh my the days really have all merged into a groundhog rhythm and it's now 10:20pm and I've realised it's Saturday and I haven't posted this week's blog......... so let's put that right immediately. 

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Not All Together in Isolation (part 13).......

Saturday 6th June WOW it's June already, hard to believe how time is whizzing by. The mostly wonderful weather has really helped and the learning and using of more communication high tech has meant that as the country is gradually being unlocked many people, especially the vulnerable like me, are happy to stay extra cautious, in fact I'm still not venturing out at all as I've a major op coming up sometime in July.

The weather has been wet and windy nearly all day so Hubby was on a bit of a Saturday film fest......

This film had already started when he 

changed channels and he was mesmerised! 

He'll never be too old for a Disney! 

This one was my choice and we both enjoyed it. 

Free on Netflix

I finally finished all the sewing and edging of the second jacket, tried it on! 

After all the long back aching hours of hand sewing all the pieced together lining it didn't hang right, it was pulling it out of shape and made it quite a bit heavier too. So the lining came out!!!! Then of course all the loose ends of wool, which had conveniently been hidden under the lining, had to be woven in properly. But it was missing something! So I've knitted a belt. 

We've had rain, very welcome rain, so Hubby was straight out there clearing guttering and down pipes...... he really does love the mucky jobs hahaha

Well the usual Monday end of the drive coffee morning happened but the Wednesday neighbour's exercise session was rained off. Thursday virtual pub quiz with Daughter&co on zoom happened though our score was not brilliant and of course the street clapping has stopped now, in fact overall it's been a flatter nothing much happening kind of week. That's ok, it's real life and certainly doesn't need to always be eventful. 

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Together in Isolation (part 12).........

Saturday 30th May and blogger has told me I need to use the new version. I hate moving from things I already know and understand and feel very comfortable with but the old version is going so fingers crossed this version works the way I want it to. If you notice any problems please let me know. 

NeighbourA showed me her new sandals at one of our "on your own drive" gatherings and they looked so comfy and stretchy and light that I went onto the Pavers webpage and ordered them in both black and white. A's are the plain beige and I got the patterned. They are so comfy! 

Thursday morning had a silly video group chat using the new messenger rooms. It's our usual monthly craft group day so someone said let's try this. Four of us managed to get on ok but one kept messaging the facebook page with 

"It won't let me join"
"Someone let me in"
"Can anyone hear me shouting "
"I'm still knocking"
Then she added a picture of a skeleton outside an old door.
All very funny but not for her 🤣🤣🤣

Apple turnovers and a small crumble and that's the last of the 2019 apples used out of the freezer. Looks like quite a few growing on the tree for picking around September

Hubby has now taken delivery of his second new lawn mower this week, as the first to arrive had a bent wheel..... nothing is ever easy eh? He's happy outside playing with his new toy putting it together under cover but can't use it just yet as it's raining and forecast for a whole showery weekend.

Friday night and Hubby's film choice was the latest Maleficent. Fantastic special effects all the way through. 

Apart from that it's been a bit of an uneventful week, which is totally ok with me. 

Stay aware, keep calm and be kind (or whatever this week's phrase is).

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Together in Isolation (part 11).....

Saturday 23rd May and its really changeable weather. The wind had picked right up again giving Hubby a constant job of anchoring down the fleece more and more hahaha

Oh my word, it's amazing to report that R and E had their 18th birthday!
The day before they came round so we could see them and give them their cards while shouting at a distance in a very very windy garden.
The night before there was a watchparty on Facebook showing them enjoying a great glow party rave! And I was sent this photo

Sunday morning we had a really lovely visit from Son who we haven't seen in the flesh since mother's day and he'd even brought the Easter egg he'd been saving for us. Sitting in the garden at the very safe distance of course we survived the chilly wind.
Sunday afternoon matinee was this,

and needs no explanation I should think. We both loved it.
And Sunday evening was a quick zoom with both my children and all our grandchildren to sing happy birthday to the girls while they had candles and cake!

A bank holiday weekend and I'm sure you are not in the least surprised that it felt just like all the others!

After such an eventful weekend it settled into a very typical (lockdown normal) week. Thank goodness for our garden keeping Hubby busy and he did some serious hedge trimming.

I mentioned to Daughter and R that I'll have nothing exciting to write for the blog so R offered to beat me up, but I reminded her she's not allowed that close, so she suggested beating me up verbally, but there's no photo opportunity in that, so she said she could throw a brick through my window........ nice of  her to want to help but I declined the offer and said our conversation would make an adequate amusing paragraph and thank you!

Hope you are all managing to plod along and take extra care as we gradually start to unlock our lives.
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Together in Isolation (part 10).......

Saturday 16th May

Slept well with the help of two paracetamol after bashing my hand yesterday and today even though I can't grip anything with my whole hand so long as I keep my painful middle finger out of the way I'm managing (not intentionally making rude signs).

This morning one of the bloodrunners from the north of our region has brought the van with the big trailer to take two of the blood bikes up there. With Cambridge, Addenbrooks, Papworth hospitals etc they are being used for regular daytime runs delivering PPE and other supplies as well as their normal work. At the moment BP are paying the fuel costs on all the official vehicles so it makes sense they have them.

Out loud I said thank you to our lovely friendM (she's not here of course)  as these came out the cupboard again for Daughter to borrow as she's making crumpets mmmmm.

And out loud I constantly say thank you to bestfriendML (she's not here either)  for these long heart pins, essential when working with chunky knits but I actually use them for everything.

I'm sure there's an increased swap in junk mail since lockdown, very little through the letterbox and far more in my inbox. This one caught my eye and could have been useful but cannabis gummy bears are no good if you don't like gummy bears!

When Daughter came over to collect shopping, R, O and the dog came too. O was in a very odd mood, argumentative and fidgety, so when he flippantly suggested a science activity out came the cornflour and water which seemed to help for a while. The liquid dripping and hand mixing had a calming effect while pounding and thumping this non-newtonian substance helped release some of the pent up frustrations, plus making all that mess in the garden on a warm sunny day is never a bad thing.

We've had a more interesting route for our laps of the garden this week as Hubby has put down grass seed and covered the patches with fleece to keep the birds off.

I've had to have a fasting blood test in preparation for a consultant's phone appointment.  So my second trip out away from home in 62 days. The scary thing for me is realising it's not scary, it's now normal to be permanently at home, nipping out for medical things only then straight home again and accepting that consultants are happy to phone me at home.

Keep caring and be kind.
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Together in Isolation (part nine)......

Saturday 9th May and the bunting is coming down

Sunday the weather drastically changed as forecast, a lovely warm morning so we walked the 18 laps of the garden. Daughter arrived with shopping, O and dog plus another yummy cake gift.

I'm not joking and you'd never guess one of this cakes main ingredients. (Unless you're friends with Daughter).
The back story is she had a box of mixed cheeses delivered and amongst the variety of yummy ones there was a white stilton with orange and chocolate, she said it was revolting. Not wanting to just throw it away, she added it to cake mix! Who else would even think to do that?
It really is yummy cake, no taste of cheese or chocolate but a hint of orange and the cheese probably improved the texture. My Daughter is a genius!

This week's "stay on your own drive" coffee morning was really brief as it was so cold and so so windy, I kept hiding in the hedge but it didn't help much. The Wednesday workout was mostly cold out there too until the sun popped out from behind a cloud, but we moved more and kept warm.

Having fun and games here today (Thursday). Hubby needs to pick up one of the blood bikes from across town and persuaded me it was ok to take him as I'd not leave the car just drop him off and come home. However, nothing is ever that straightforward, because we haven't used them my car wouldn't start. He just about managed to start his but even with lots of moving them around and jump leads no joy. I won't drive his and no flexibility in picking up the bike so our lovely neighbourA has taken him. He has a big car and Hubby's in the back far left so think they are far enough apart. Most excitement we've had here for ages 😉😲   So I've still not left the house! And I'm counting all that car pushing as today's exercise 🤣

Looks like they are having a long conversation!

Ouch ouch ouch I'm ending this week with a damaged hand.
Yesterday Daughter, R and dog called round to collect stuff and have a garden cuppa while the dog ran which was lovely. They left, as usual, by the garden gate and I, as usual, walk through the house to wave them off from the lounge window.  Rushing through I knocked my middle knuckle on my left hand on the back of a dining room chair. It really hurt and I swore a lot but still managed my wave with a smile (more like grimace through gritted teeth).

And late yesterday afternoon I had a lovely long phone call from an old friend I  haven't spoken to this year apart from Facebook mini comments.

So another mixed week of ups and downs and with government guidelines suggesting a very gradual unlocking....... but think I'm happy staying locked for a bit longer.
Stay alert but stay safe too.
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