D'you know what?

[sandraggg, Newcastle]

Actually Mrs M, I resurrected my knitting skills (such as they were) a couple of years when my daughter gave birth to my first grandchild. She was delighted that I had made the effort after not picking up knitting needles for 45 years.

Whilst I don't profess to love knitting, I have found it quite therapeutic this year when I've found myself twiddling my thumbs. I've also taken up jigsaws if I'm stuck at home.

Maybe you should consider writing a book?

Years ago my auntie used to knit cardigans, but she hated doing the sleeves.

In the end she couldn't be bothered with sleeves any more so she just used to miss them out and leave her coat on when she wore the cardigans.

(No, I couldn't see the point of it either. )

[annie, Glasgow]

Learn a new language... or try to reach a more advanced level in one you can already speak!

I'm working on Spanish at the moment. It would be lovely to think I might be able to make use of it on a 2021 cruise.

Italian not Spanish for me. Many Italians in smaller cities don't speak or understand English e.g. small shop owners.

Another suggestion learn or refresh musical instrument knowledge.

Annie

[JohnR, Chippenham]

With more time on my hands I have discovered some great stuff on YouTube. You name it and there are videos about it, some very good and some you wonder why they wasted their time putting it on there.

I am not interested in modern popular music but an amazing band I have been taken with is Tuba Skinny, a traditional jazz, blues and ragtime street band from New Orleans. A bit of a motley bunch to look at and certainly not the epitome of sartorial elegance, all are musicians of the highest standard. Of particular note is Shaye Cohn, cornet, daughter and grand daughter of jazz musicians and unofficial leader of the band, Barnabus Jones, trombone and Craig Flory, clarinet with vocals by the outstanding blues singer Erika Lewis. They have played at countless jazz festivals in the USA and around the world but still play on Royal Street in New Orleans. They have a repertoire of in excess of 300 numbers, all without "dots".

More info at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuba_Skinny

A couple of the hundreds of videos on YouTube (apparently all of the videos on YouTube are amateur ones, some of doubtful quality)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oThw...Q3NNW4&index=6 and a little more up-tempo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1I-aWr8uvgw

[Delboy, Essex]

Another post where the original has come up unapproved after amendment.

[QUOTE=JohnR, Chippenham;n1390104]With more time on my hands I have discovered some great stuff on YouTube. You name it and there are videos about it, some very good and some you wonder why they wasted their time putting it on there.

I am not interested in modern popular music but an amazing band I have been taken with is Tuba Skinny, a traditional jazz, blues and ragtime street band from New Orleans. A bit of a motley bunch to look at and certainly not the epitome of sartorial elegance, all are musicians of the highest standard. Of particular note is Shaye Cohn, cornet, daughter and grand daughter of jazz musicians and unofficial leader of the band, Barnabus Jones, trombone and Craig Flory, clarinet with vocals by the outstanding blues singer Erika Lewis. They have played at countless jazz festivals in the USA and around the world but still play on Royal Street in New Orleans. They have a repertoire of in excess of 300 numbers, all without "dots".

More info at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuba_Skinny

A couple of the hundreds of videos on YouTube (apparently all of the videos on YouTube are amateur ones, some of doubtful quality)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oThw...Q3NNW4&index=6 and a little more up-tempo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1I-aWr8uvgw [/QUOTE

YouTube has been a life saver for me.

On the iPhone and iPad under settings, scroll down to screen time and you can discover a daily/weekly breakdown of how much time you spend on your devices and the breakdown of what you watch. You Tube regularly tops my list.

As for music the Spotify app is my go to, listened to via a good set of ear or headphones, Spotify have automatically produced a playlist of my top songs for 2020 which is my go to playing list at the moment. Have also discovered a sleep timer which I can set up for the playlist up to one hour, so when I listen to music in bed if I fall asleep whilst listening to music, which I often do, I now know it will automatically switch off at the time set. iPhone sits neatly onto my PJ’s pocket. 😳😉😎

[Yogini, Waterlooville]

I'm bored with watching TV. I keep looking for movies, and then stopping after a while because I can't concentrate on them. Under normal circumstances I watch around 2 hours a night. Latterly I have been putting the TV on late afternoon.

[Smith7]

I'm bored with watching TV. I keep looking for movies, and then stopping after a while because I can't concentrate on them. Under normal circumstances I watch around 2 hours a night. Latterly I have been putting the TV on late afternoon.

My youngest daughter video called me this morning. She is also fed up because being in tier 4, she cant visit her usual haunts in Surrey with her hubby and two young children.

When I told her that we were about to embark on a coastal stroll, she said how much she would have loved to get in the car to drive to the coast but currently is not allowed.

I am SO glad that we moved away from the Kent/London suburbs 4 years ago.

[PeterM, Southwell]

Italian not Spanish for me. Many Italians in smaller cities don't speak or understand English e.g. small shop owners.

Another suggestion learn or refresh musical instrument knowledge.

Annie

I had an Italian mother, but sad to say, I point blank refused to try to learn Italian as a child. My cousins in America, my mother's sisters' children, are all bilingual. I also did French and German A level, but can barely speak a word of those languages either. Probably a typical arrogant lazy Englishman who believes every one should speak English!

[annie, Glasgow]

I had an Italian mother, but sad to say, I point blank refused to try to learn Italian as a child. My cousins in America, my mother's sisters' children, are all bilingual. I also did French and German A level, but can barely speak a word of those languages either. Probably a typical arrogant lazy Englishman who believes every one should speak English!

Visiting Italy so often I just picked up some of the language.

Could we Brits be possibly too self-conscious to try the spoken word??

When working in India, I picked up a bit of Hindi but didn't let on until one day my driver worked out I understood what was being said

Annie

[sandraggg, Newcastle]

Visiting Italy so often I just picked up some of the language.

Could we Brits be possibly too self-conscious to try the spoken word??

When working in India, I picked up a bit of Hindi but didn't let on until one day my driver worked out I understood what was being said

Annie

I think a lot of Brits DO feel self conscious. Maybe they fear being laughed at for their attempts?

I do think any attempt to speak a bit of another language is often much appreciated as a gesture.

[PeterM, Southwell]

Visiting Italy so often I just picked up some of the language.

Could we Brits be possibly too self-conscious to try the spoken word??

When working in India, I picked up a bit of Hindi but didn't let on until one day my driver worked out I understood what was being said

Annie

I think you're right about us feeling self conscious, but I think other nationalities are too My Italian cousin taught English but would never speak to me in English, and my Uncle, my mother's brother, was a professor of English at an Italian University, and he was the same.

[annie, Glasgow]

I think you're right about us feeling self conscious, but I think other nationalities are too My Italian cousin taught English but would never speak to me in English, and my Uncle, my mother's brother, was a professor of English at an Italian University, and he was the same.

However they try ! When last in Chile the ticket clerk at the bus station practised his English on me asking me to correct his usage! Probably improves their job/career prospects.

However such apps like the Google Translate App assist in certain countries e.g. Japan

Annie

[sandraggg, Newcastle]

I had an Italian mother, but sad to say, I point blank refused to try to learn Italian as a child. My cousins in America, my mother's sisters' children, are all bilingual. I also did French and German A level, but can barely speak a word of those languages either. Probably a typical arrogant lazy Englishman who believes every one should speak English!

I bet there's plenty of French and German still in your head somewhere, just waiting to be brought out!

[smtcan, Scarborough]

I refreshed my sewing skills when a group from our church committed to make hats and scrub bags for our local hospitals. We provided over 1500 sets so staff could bag their work outfits and put bag and all into their washing machine to avoid spreading contaminants to their families. It was a major effort for 20 women to take on, but we eventually completed the project.
I have also taken up knitting again after about twenty years and spent quite a bit of time researching both my family tree and that of my husband. His is far more interesting than mine because his grandfather's family was from Turkey and his grandmother was French.

Sheila

[Blondie, Oxford]

I refreshed my sewing skills when a group from our church committed to make hats and scrub bags for our local hospitals. We provided over 1500 sets so staff could bag their work outfits and put bag and all into their washing machine to avoid spreading contaminants to their families. It was a major effort for 20 women to take on, but we eventually completed the project.
I have also taken up knitting again after about twenty years and spent quite a bit of time researching both my family tree and that of my husband. His is far more interesting than mine because his grandfather's family was from Turkey and his grandmother was French.

Sheila

An amazing effort Sheila making so many hats and scrub bags for your local hospitals. Well done to you and everyone in your church group.

Your family tree sounds far more interesting than mine, although I do have Elizabeth Fry, the prison reformer on my paternal tree. I have been interested in genealogy for about thirty years and during lockdown I have spent many hours continuing my research. Much as cruising is addictive, so is compiling a family tree. Good luck researching your husband’s Turkish and French families.

[ilovesunshine, east yorks]

I have been so busy during lockdown i have had hardly a minute to spare. Not had time to post on here often. I took redundancy from work so we could go travelling more but didnt get far before lockdown.
I opened an on line shop selling my handmade items. It has beenso popular i have opened another. Ihavesales every day. Husband is my chief packer! He is in his element as a retired accountant keeping track of my sales
Assoon ad we get the vaccine shops will be closed but it has kept us both occupied and as an unexpected bonus I have a substantial amout towards a world cruise.