@picastoc - hi - I realised you were a little sad (and so did NoBoDe - no harm meant there!!) and wondered, but really knew that being locked up within 4 walls (more than 4, I know!) would be exasperating. I don't go out much, but enjoy every moment of it when I do, and - I guess, I talk a bit more now, when I do strike up casual conversations with strangers.
I have also begun contacting long-lost friends.
I have written a number of lengthy emails with good - sometimes funny - content and my friends have responded appreciatively.
I am working on a letter - more of a poem - to my sick girl in England, who looks very bad. I saw her on Zoom last weekend - but did mention a funny episode during one of my visits over there - the rest of the family were fascinated and she chimed in eventually . . .
and I am writing a book - and also working on a translation of a diet book, both of which are heavy going atm, so only bits happen, but keep my mind busy, and there is always a bit of research involved.
I have thought of you and the problem with parking your car. I would be inclined to go into battle - have learnt to do that from bitter experience; (I tend to be peaceful - until stung - I then overreact; twice in my life with disastrous consequences
).
You need to check your purchase/ or rental agreement re car parking etc., but i am sure there is provision for parking one car - maybe the bollards need removing or your neighbour needs to make more room.
Pls. check, but maybe talk to your neighbour(s) first - and your present experience with your street car parking arrangement could be used in a convincing argument.
My lady friend (the actor-writer) lives in one of those multi-house arrangements, but there are only 6 houses arranged lengthwise along a long drive and hers is the last one, but there is plenty of space, even for a small table and mini-garden outside the front door of each house.
I am glad you enjoy knitting - I have given up most handicrafts years ago, as I have so much upkeep, including painting to do on my house; I still own a sewing machine and have oodles of neatly folded material - a wardrobe full! - I admire you for that patient art of knitting - I am an impatient sort of person, quick to be happy and also sad, quick to laugh and quick to anger, too - getting older hasn't changed me, except I can laugh at myself now.
My priority now is to get a decent gardener, if I don't, I will have to do more . . . but it's good for me, I know that - just a bit bored by it.
I began looking at stocks again today and might buy into some specs - so I had a good read of the day-traders thread - you mightn't see me as often on here from now on.
My thoughts are with you all in the Eastern States and I hope our Premier opens the doors soon to Western Australia, but he seems to want to go into battle with Clive Palmer - I don't fancy his chances, though, but it would be great to see C.P. taken down a peg or two.
....and today I have realised what made this very strange man with a bad speech fault (which he corrected!!) become Premier - he is a pugilist, but essentially a good guy! We are lucky to have him, as many of our previous Premiers were simply non-talented party hacks of one colour or another, who finally got along the production line of party politics and became Premier as the last man standing . . . . not the best man standing . . .
All the best, dear Pica
Tau