Unfortunately we will not hear from Patsy again. She passed away at the end of August. ❤️❤️

Patsy, my writing pal has passed away? I had an awful feeling that this might have happened and it is with great sadness that I read the news, but very grateful to LIN for letting us know. Hope John and Katie are with family. It’s hard to imagine the fun we had composing our little children’s stories is no more. God bless you Patsy, it was a pleasure to have known you.
Anne. ❤️

LIN, I’ve replied. I found your email about a hour ago. Patsy was truly amazing. Thank you so much, it was awful not knowing what had happened.
Love, Anne.

With the weather being so awful, this time freezing and slippery, I threw myself into housework and food preparation yesterday. I was so sad to learn we had lost our dear Patsy but goodness, what a life she had! Weren’t we all lucky to meet her online and get to know her.
Sunshine around midday melted surface ice enough for me to walk round the block with George and Betty. Another walker warned me of black ice where he had come from but generally, I felt safe. Before we went out I prepared vegetable soup with whatever I could find so it was ready to blend when we came home. It was delicious and warming with a couple of cloves and teaspoon of Moroccan spices and there is enough for at least two more lunches. After that I made a chicken casserole in my slow cooker so now, just like Lin, I’m in for the duration!
This morning it’s trying to snow and although there’s not much at the moment, I know how it can quickly build up on the moors.
That is a cheerful teapot Lin and a reminder we are going in the right direction towards Spring, even if slowly!

Sandy, I hope you are managing to fight off that cold. Try to rest just a bit if you can. I did think of you when I found the butterfly in my window because I remembered you once telling me it was a spirit come in to visit. Perhaps I shouldn’t have sent her out into the cold but being chased by Brady would have been worse!! 😁

Take care everyone and keep warm.
Jackie 🥰

Dreadful day here as well. At the moment a sort of rain and sleet mix. The Bean and I won’t be venturing out.
“But if winter seems unkind, spring is never far behind”.

The one thing that Patsy’s passing has done for me is make me realize that time doesn’t stand still and given me an urge to write again. The other thing is I didn’t expect to be so saddened even though in my heart I feared she had died. So dear friends please take care of yourselves and especially on days like today with the awful weather.

Not much going on here. I’m still standing but that’s mainly because apart from meals I isolate myself with Jilly bean. The meals are nothing to write about because of temporary staff! ‘Nuff said! On the newsletter there are now only seven active cases. Cross fingers the meds have got it under control.
ANNE.🙃🐶❤️

f So sorry to hear about Patsy's passing. I saw her address in my notes and wondered if I should sent another card. It is a reminder to enjoy every day both in our own lives and the lives of our friends.

Sandy, My Sunday walking friend has been getting injections for macular degeneration about every four weeks for the last year or so. I pick her up and drive her to her appointment. Either I do an errand or two while she's there or sit in my car in the parking lot and read or listen to a book. The appointments are 45-90 minutes long. This last time she found out that the treatments are working and her next appointment is in eight weeks.



Here is Annie in her new bed. She chewed through two layers of backing on the old bed to release the foam stuffing and it was too difficult to repair. The new bed is canvas and looks relatively indestructible. It's big enough for her and her toys

Barbie

A bit of bad news here. The meds thought they had Corvid contained at last. Well, when I came out of my apartment for breakfast and to lock my front door the lady next door came out of her unit at exactly the same time. Our front doors are next to each other and she wasn’t wearing a mask. I was. I said “where’s your mask Gertrude.” And she said she didn’t need it anymore. Off we went to breakfast. Well, this afternoon, my lovely cleaning lady Fatima dropped by to see me at the end of her shift. You can guess the rest. Opening my door so I could see out, Gertrude’s door is plastered with infectious and quarantine notices. Since then, the nurse says she will test me in four days time! I’m not worried about me, but Jilly might have to go to Michael’s if I’ve caught it. However, optimistic as ever, I don’t think I’ll test positive and there’s no point worrying at this stage.

Just cross your fingers please for me. I have trouble breathing in winter ever since I got pneumonia a few years ago, but I have a humidifier which really helps.

Anne.

What a day I had yesterday. All plans went out the window, and I had quite a few, but Linda phoned in the morning to ask if I could invite her and the lady that works a plot at the allotments I used to dig, over for coffee. Of course I said yes and Rachel arrived first, in tears. It turns out she visited her plot on Tuesday to find the nasty man I had so many problems with sitting there with a bonfire, burning her possessions. When she confronted him he physically attacked her so she had to go to A&E! He bruised her face and lip pushing her face into frozen ground and also fractured ribs so she has reported it to the police and was waiting for them to contact her for a statement but apparently nasty little man has already been to the police to say she attacked him! She’s in bits so Linda and I will support her any way we can but meanwhile I will visit the site later to take photos for her. Don’t worry, I’m not scared of him and anyway, I’m bigger but will let Linda know when I arrive just in case!

It remains very cold but more sunshine this morning so I have a cycle of laundry to hang out for a couple of hours.

Goodness Anne, this Covid outbreak is a constant worry for you. Everyone should be wearing masks unless in their rooms but sounds like you are the only sensible resident! Any chance you could return to your old homestead and live in the basement until Spring?

Lin, we could have done with that tea set and caption yesterday! It’s beautiful.

Sandy, my friend who phoned me from the South of France last week has the same macular degeneration diagnosis but has been told the injections don’t work for her so I’m guessing that’s to do with whether it’s wet or dry. I do hope you can get some encouraging information from your regular doctor.

Time wrap up warm to walk with George and Betty but I’ll check back later.
Take care everyone.
Jackie 🥰

Watch out, MFP is playing hard to get again so I had to bypass their password and somehow get in via Google. At least that worked this time!

I’m more worried about you Anne, especially after you worked so hard to avoid Covid when you were in your previous home. You’re right of course, the world has changed so much that joint families with a variety of generations aren’t as common anymore, except Asian families. Yes, do keep an eye on Jilly with grumpy next door. She obviously doesn’t understand pets need time to settle, as do we.

I’ve spoken to Rachael on the phone this evening and she told me she has contacted the police again and been told the case has been referred for investigation. The problem in this country now is so many government cutbacks in police and NHS staff they have to prioritise cases but the doctor she saw in A&E says she would have got similar injuries in a car accident so the bully can’t justify what he did. He behaved like some sort of psychopath, one minute smiling while telling blatant lies, the next trying to snap her neck and suffocate her. The police officer she spoke to was sympathetic but it might be a couple of days before he visits to take a statement. Ivor is crazy, mad and we think he should be locked up too but in case not, we are going to follow official procedures to get him sacked as a local councillor and also a very good friend of Rachael’s, who happens to be a local journalist, is so furious, as all of us are, she won’t stop until his behaviour is publicised!

Sandy, that’s good, your eye doctor has put your mind at rest so you are doing the best thing for you and continuing driving. Being told my driving license might be taken away was what made me brave enough to face my two cataract procedures!

Lin, do be careful shovelling all that snow. It’s only January 11th so lots more Winter to come! That’s an interesting tea set. I wonder if the word Jerusalem refers to our unofficial English anthem. Anne might know, being our font of knowledge on all things poetic. Dark Satanic Mills Anne; what do you think?

David just phoned to check if I’m ok and now it’s suddenly 7.30pm so I had better think about meal preparation.

Take care dear friends.
Jackie 🥰