The Cybergarden - Late Summer Edition

[madmouse]

Sorry been unfaithful, lots going on. But making myself useful - here's your new thread x

[shodatin]

Thankyou madmouse - I didn't even realise we needed another one, and probably have much more free time available.
Hope everything's going well for you and your family, and that the job is not too tiring these days.
Someone made lots of s recently, probably our own lemon balm flavour, so hope you got one while passing through the cybergarden.

[Upwardandonward]

Thanks for doing this, madmouse - nice title (I was thinking something more general would be good). I hope you're getting some R&R/busy in a good way.

I've made some strawberry granita (virtual only unfortunately), as the sun is hot here.

Did you skype today, shodatin , and are you continuing to feel better? Well done on getting the bathroom fittings done.

hob , how's your day been?

[cityhobgoblin]

Hi all & well titled madmouse, on your busiest day too . Hope mouseling is having lots of fun this summer .

Ooooh lovely strawberry granita , upward , & wish you had some there in RL . Excellent that you got some proper sunshine at last , though it's probably beentoo hot < fussy hob >

Impressed with your bathroom fitings shodatin , & mending things like that has such a positive effect whenever you see them . Hope you'll soon need fewer extra rests for convalescence .

Thank you for v interesting post & for taking an interest in my auntie's nestling - I know you'd be very keen to help the bird population if you ever found found one like that .( is your blackbird still about , or has he hopped off on holiday ? I know you long for something other than seagulls in your garden ) .

I wouldn't know where to find a mealworm either , but for sake of brevity I omitted to mention she has a large jar of dried ones on her kitchen windowsill , which she wets, & mashes up to feed little bird with tweezers .( which it presumably thinks are its parents ) It was very sweet to watch .

Hope we all have a picturesque sunset

[cityhobgoblin]

< slaps forehead > Sorry upward , didn't answer your question- having lovely quiet day thank you , recovering . Her Magnificence was delighted with the hot sun , & next door's tomcat came to sit peacefully with humankind - it was amazingly tranquil . < feline eyes darting about for prey at all tmes >

[Upwardandonward]

I'm glad Her Magnificence enjoyed the weather, and you too? My flat is nice and cool thankfully.

I just had a phone call checking that I will go to the day services tomorrow. Whilst I think it is better to go than not, I'm unsure about some of the sessions - ceramics and psychoeducation I can cope with, but for music and writing, not sure what they'll be getting at. I really need to know why on earth they stuck me work with the crisis service tomorrow to come to some sort of agreement.

[Upwardandonward]

PS I do realise it's a worthwhile thing to go to and participate in, it would just be nice to understand ;)

[cityhobgoblin]

I should say it would be , upward ! Maybe the team aren't suggesting the music & writing classes for hugely significant reasons , but just to help you express yourself if you wish , at a time of stress . I daresay the music & writing classes don't want you to have to think / feel more deeply than you feel ready to .( Sorry if I'm getting wrong end of stick here ) .

Are you perhaps nervous some of that work would uncover stressful memories / topics at a time when you feel raw ? There have been times I've felt that way . ( obviously , please don't answer if don't want to / question is irrelevant )

I can see why you're wondering what the team are suggesting , ie do they think these are areas you "should" be addressing to aid your recovery , but I don't necessarily think there's anything to be uneasy about . In fact , I'd feel I'd better urge you to be cautious in how you ask the team about it just in case they suggest you're having paranoid feelings ... sometimes mh service users aren't allowed the luxury of 100 % free thought , are they .

< am sure I'm completely off the mark with all this >

Thank you , puss had a lovely sleep after her sunbathing & I absolutely loved the sunshine too . So pleased your flat is cool in summer , & hope your new furniture has arrived / comes very soon .

Lemon balm for stargazing in our cybergarden.

[Upwardandonward]

I think they're just because that's what is on the timetable. I see what you mean, hob , but crisis stuff is explicitly about the here and now (from last week), so it's more that I'm not sure if I can produce anything (I get a jigsaw mixed up at the moment even).

You're probably right about overthinking/questioning their suggestions.

thanks for the

I hope everyone has a good night!

[shodatin]

Of course you'll find out all about the various activities very soon upward, but I think I agree with hob that team are not going to demand you join in, and are more likely informing you which activities are available/ might be enjoyable for you. Nobody offered me anything like these, just a physical check-up (which I didn't get anyway), so I can't suggest other reasons.

Bed is calling again, so am going to lie down , although I love the idea of star-gazing in the cyber-garden.
hob, the blackbird is still around, along with a female, so I hope they're a pair, and really enjoyed hearing about the small sparrow.

[Upwardandonward]

Good morning everyone.

[shodatin]

Morning all, and what a good idea upward - cheers with the cordial, here's to good health all round! Another beautiful morning here, and computer expert just made appt. for p.m., so all is well in this little world. Hope you have good experiences today, upward, and that misunderstandings are over.

[cityhobgoblin]

< quenched and very grateful >
< toasts good health to all >
Good morning lovely cybergarden people . Hope we all slept well ? I 'm afraid I started another long oversleep with an impromptu doze - off which prevented saying goodnight .

Thanks for your patience with my over cautiousness, upward , & for explaining futher . I'm not surprised you feel you can't come up with anything atm but I imagine the crisis team thought these activities might be pleasant & distracting for you right away & that would be beneficial . I'd feel the same as you I think , but don't necessarily expect staff to " get it ".

How lovely that your blackbird is still coming into your garden , shodatin , & with his ladyfriend too . Thanks for telling me < infant sparrow chirps to shodatin >

Hope computer expert can help this afternoon , & that we all have a troublefree day .
Won't have internet access again till later today , so making extra & sending good wishes .

[shodatin]

Blackbird was too busy sunbathing (next to his drinking-dish) to move when I walked out of garage and towards him today - there really can't be two as tame as that in the same area? I just gave him a whispered "hallo" and retreated to leave him in peace, but glad he's still around.
Thanks to hob for too - my turn next time, usually about 3.30 chez shodatin.
Hope you're having a good day upward.

[Upwardandonward]

Dozing can be good, hob - better than being up til 4 in the morning!

It's lovely to have 'tame' wildlife in your garden, shodatin

I've had a mixed day - a little embarassing, as I admitted to the group that it is my first time (everyone else has done it multiple times, and can map out what happens when they start to relapse). But one of the staff did try to explain stuff to me a little afterwards. I then had a bit of a sob once I got home (possibly because someone was kind towards me ). I don't think I like where I am at the moment!

Hope everyone is having a good evening

[cityhobgoblin]

Evening all - lemon balm

Sounds as though you overcame huge obstacles today , upward and I'm sorry you felt so emotional afterwards , but hope it did you good to shed a tear . Very interesting that you're getting to hear about other people's experiences already , which could prove so helpful, as could the staff input .

Really , really feel for you when you say you don't like where you are at the moment . Hope you can continue to talk about it ( which can't always be easy ) & get constructive support . I'm always amazed by your dignity in the face of what TIANC describes as "undermining" events , and hope you recognise your own humility and open mindedness .

Thank you , agree about the dozing being v positive & I doenjoy it greatly .
I wish I could teleport you to the country churches dh took me to today for family history research - one was as early as 11th century , & deeply peaceful . There's lots of enjoyable history footage on Youtube etc when you feel up to it ( sorry , you probably very well versed in Church history ) but I find that , & virtual journeys via Google Maps , very cheering if feeling claustrophobic .

Hope shodatin isn't too exhausted if computer person came over this afternoon . Loved hearing about your dear tame blackbird , thank you ! There could possibly be two such in your vicinity , but I bet you'd be able to tell them apart . Aha , will remember teatime as it's nice to have regular meetups . Apologies for so much absence at the moment - will have a quieter day tomorrow .

Hope TIANC ,madmouse , kizzie , pixie & butterpie are well at the moment

[shodatin]

My apologies too for unscheduled disappearance - today was tiring and have just returned to laptop, which now seems to have another two years' space available since (v. expensive) expert fixed it.
upward, sorry you found the new stuff emotional (and you're probably tired too), but am sure it will get easier, particularly with member of staff available to chat. Is this a weekly appointment, or available every day? You did well to join in, and hope you're in a better place very soon.

Hope you're not too tired now, hob. I used to really enjoy the "church-crawling" part of local architecture classes, especially on a summer evening. It had not occurred to me to look at YouTube, so thanks for suggestion. I plan a quieter day tomorrow too, altho just recently had a reminder about public holiday next Monday, so will need a shopping list soon - a nuisance.

Will say goodnight now, hope we all have a good night, and thanks again to madmouse for the new title.

[cityhobgoblin]

Hope you're recovering from tiring day & horrible bill for laptop expert , shodatin, & will be able to enjoy the extra memory freed up , if that's what it is < technodunce > .

So agree with you shodatin that upward is doing amazingly well in going to the groups etc at day services , meeting many new people at once . Really hope you find the support you need & deserve , upward.
Are you able to have a quiet day today , resting ? When you say that unscheduled dozings are better than being awake till 4AM, I hope that weren't unwillingly up half the night , & that you had a good sleep last night.

Very interested to hear about your local architecture classes , shodatin - was that in your current / native area, or one of the places you lived in between ? It's great when you find yourself in a place good for pottering around , spotting features . ( I know your area is swamped by tourists , so you're probably fed up of everyone doing the same at once ).

Would anyone like an early - one extra refreshing one for TIANC , who we hope is well & resting after break away .
Thanks for reminding me about provisions for bank holiday weekend , shodatin , before the shops become too packed . < comforting August drizzle here >

[kizzie]

Hi everyone :)

Upward i do have some experience of the day centre services from when I originally had PND. I really do think you should give yourself credit for going - Just thinking back a few weeks and it wouldnt have even been an option. You are doing so brilliantly. Trying desperately not to sound patronising !!!! But I honestly do think that.

I hated going at first. Really really hated it. Thought it meant that basket weaving was my future. but once i got over my own completely groundless prejudices i met some lovely people and picked up some really good skills. (I was there to do an anti anxiety course - but other people were doing all sorts of things like photography etc.)

Im so glad that the staff sound like they are understanding and caring.

I dont know if this helps but someone once said to me : try and think of recovery from your illness like a basket full of different things. Not one thing will get you better on its own - but a combination of things will. So maybe think of the day centre as just one thing in your basket - not the be all and end all - just one item - which may be helpful to you.

Hope that makes some kind of sense

Hope you are having a good day everyone.

[cityhobgoblin]

< waves to kizzie & agrees with her wise words > You are always incredibly uplifting kizzie - patronising indeed < skype head - shaking emoticon > Hope you have a good week

Sorry late for your teatime shodatin

[shodatin]

Hallo again kizzie, hope you're well and thanks for your recovery thought, which I plan to pass on to DB, who still gets a bit down. I rarely know what to say to be helpful.
hob, I'm late for usual tea-time too, having decided to get holiday shop done today, along with an amazing number of other people. This is the first time I've had to queue to leave the supermarket car-park, probably co-incided with school run, but it was surprisingly slow and probably getting worse as week continues.
Local architecture course did cover this area, but based about 15 miles south and probably around ten years ago when I gave up, after around five years. Being sheep country, this was a wealthy area of course, so some magnificent churches and smaller stately homes, as well as usual towns and abbeys etc., York being perhaps best known but we never ran out of new places!

[ThisIsANiceCage]

Ooh, it's a new thread!

[cityhobgoblin]

Joooy to see you , TIANC !! Excellent , & hope you had a mentally refreshing time & were able to venture out a bit , if you were still not at your physical best . upward's thread has missed you greatly < passes round lemon balm and rice cakes , porridge or luxury .

5 years of glorious exploration ,shodatin ( I'm sorry you had to leave eventually ) That's my idea of heaven . Have heard euphoric holiday tales about York & am inspired to look up Youtube etc of that area's buildings & There was a very interesting programme about the buildings whiich resulted from the profits of sheep farming - will ask dh if he taped it .
Ugh , that busy supermarket car park sounds so claustrophobic , & I hope you've had a lovely lazy evening to recover .

Hope upward isn't feeling too stressed today < hands upward bag of dried lavender from garden & extra lemon balm & strawberry granita >

[shodatin]

Welcome back, TIANC, we missed you! Hope you're not too tired, and enjoyed your time away.

Thanks for remembering the and hospitality hob, you are so good at remembering, in fact, our convalescent upward remembers more often than I do. It's my theory that living alone can make one less considerate, as I've noticed it in myself, and am just grateful to have contacts who are good at this hospitality thing.

No news from *upward today - hope yesterday's new experiences were not too stressful, and that you're managing alright.

Time for me to sign out and wish a good night to all.

[ThisIsANiceCage]

And night from me too. How lovely you all are!

[cityhobgoblin]

Afternoon all Hope upward is having a reasonable day & that TIANC & shodastin are looking after themselves extra carefully . ( I know it must get very tedious ) .

shodatin , if you feel less considerate than you'd like , you obviously worked hard at being so for a long time so have built up a good store of it .

Oooh , just had my ears syringed & everything is ludicrously loud .( sorry to be yucky ) Incredibly nice nurse at new GP surgery
Won't have internet access till later so wishing everyone a good day .

Hope your thermos of cybertea lasted you , TIANC