Anyone else lonely and want to chat?

[Ijustneed]

Feeling pretty lonely at the moment. I suffer with anxiety, so struggle to get out and make friends at the best of times, but lockdown has made it even more difficult.

I moved to the area late last year. Dd19 was home during lockdown, but has since returned to shared uni accommodation. I'm alone with my cats. Recently ended a relationship. The only person I see is my mum once a week. I don't work at the moment, although I hope to change that soon.

Anyone fancy chatting here? Anyone in a similar situation? It would be nice to have someone to talk to.

I'm a terrible gardener too, but I enjoy pottering around anyway. I'm impressed that you managed to grow some tomatoes. Bet they were tasty. Do you have a greenhouse, or just a sunny sheltered bit in the garden?

I once - after weeks of TLC - managed to grow a solitary tiny cucumber, and then made the fatal mistake of looking into my guinea pig's little pleading face, and gave it to him instead. He seemed to enjoy it anyway, bless him!

Forgot to say, I'm reading Dracula just now. It's surprisingly creepy actually (although I am a big wuss!). You might enjoy Morse, I like John Thaw anyway and I think he plays a good part. I love Oxford too, where it's set, so even if the plot is a bit daft sometimes, it's nice to look at the background.

Anyway, I'm keeping you back from your gardening, sorry! You'll enjoy it once you get started, and think how good you'll feel afterwards. Bye for now!

Feel free to keep me from gardening! I've not got that far yet. I've been washing up and listening to the new Taylor Swift album - again!

I'll check out Morse .. do you know if it's on N5?

I've not read Dracula, I think I have it on my kindle, so might check it out.

The tomatoes were surprisingly easy to grow. I got some plants locally but also grew some from seed. I started them on the kitchen window sill, then moved them to the shed window sill. When it got warmer I moved them outside, but a freak cold night nearly killed them off. Some of the plants still look half dead but have lots of tomatoes on them! I'd like a greenhouse but don't have the space or money for one.

I couldn't resist a pleading Guinea pig face either! Bet he enjoyed it.

Not N5 .. I mean Netflix! Silly auto correct

Yes, @CarrieMoonbeams, I do have a lurcher. He's half Whippet and half Bedlington Terrier, colloquially known as a Whiplington, hence the user name. He's slightly bigger than a Whippet, but just as fast! He's black haired with white bits turning to grey as he's 10 on Friday. Wish I knew how to post pictures on this new fangled thing they call the interweb.

It's very hot here today so we've just been taking it easy. I've just made a smoothie out of the blackberries and raspberries I got out of the garden yesterday. It was delicious.

If you Google 'Whiplington' you'll get an idea what he looks like.

Aww, I just googled whiplington, absolutely gorgeous!

If you click on the paperclip below where you write your message, you get the option to attach a photo. We'd live to see him!

I miss having a dog, but I'm not sure I can afford one at the moment. I'd get a rescue, but I live in rented accommodation and not sure my landlady would be too pleased. I'll never be able to buy somewhere, so not sure things will change. And the prices for privately sold dogs are crazy right now. I also need to be sure I'd be able to walk it every day, although maybe having a dog would help me get out.

Your smoothie sounds lovely.

I just had an email from someone I used to work with, so lovely to hear from her.

It's great that you've heard from an old friend. You just never know what the day might bring. I'll try attaching a photo of my dog. Not sure if it will work.

It worked! Aw, he's beautiful ❤

Yes, it was lovely to hear from her. We've agreed to meet up once things get back to some sort of normal!

I bet it felt nice to know she was thinking of you. Thanks for the tip about the photo. Would love to see anyone else's pets. We only have the dog but I love seeing other animals. They're great companions.

Glad it worked.

I love photos of people's pets too. I've just tried twice to post some and can't for some reason. Last attempt ...

@mrswhiplington

It's great that you've heard from an old friend. You just never know what the day might bring. I'll try attaching a photo of my dog. Not sure if it will work.

Oooh what a big old tat!!! Lovely pooch.

Your cat is beautiful. He looks very relaxed. I love the way they sun themselves anywhere.

Here's the other cat.

You do realise he’s thinking ‘fuck off, I’m hooooottttttttt’. It’s the same look I have right now...

😂😂😂 He probably is. Even the siamese isn't sitting on me now, he usually does!

Owwww cutie pie! We had one like that years ago - bright blue eyes. Very stroppy animal!

Yes he's very assertive! Knows what he wants and won't take no for an answer.

It's been too hot to do anything much, so I've mainly been reading, apart from washing up and a tiny bit of weeding. I'm going to go for a walk soon though.

We also had a Persian - big daft ball of fur. Also quite a stroppy and stubborn tat.

I love persians, but don't trust myself to keep one combed and brushed enough. I've mainly had black cats, moggies. I love their black noses and whiskers.

Hi there (I haven't read the full thread!) my dc are still at home but I'm a single parent and lonely! Would love some adult conversation if you want to feel free to message or chat here x

Hi @clpsmum welcome to this friendly thread.

How old are your dc? Mine are all grown up and have left home, well, youngest is at uni so home in the holidays.

Do you have any friends you can meet when the dc are at school or are your dc too young for school?

Hello! I've just caught up with this thread, Mrswhiplington your boy is beautiful! (and, as an aside, my phone wanted to call you Miss Whiplash 😂😂)

Ijustneed, your cats are just gorgeous too. I love Siamese cats, but have heard they're very vocal. Is yours? I don't think my poor ears could cope with a chatty cat! My cat just asks questions - she doesn't meow but goes "brrrrp?" instead, it's so funny. I usually make up a ridiculous answer like "no, sorry sweetie, I don't know what time the number 42 bus will arrive" or "Salvador Dali? I think he was Spanish, darling". DH just stands there laughing and shaking his head 😂

Good to hear that you had a productive day ijustneed, and how lovely that your old colleague got in touch, you've had an exciting few days since your first post! Such good news, you deserve it and it's so nice to hear how much happier you sound.

Hello clpsmum, nice to "meet" you! I don't have any DCs myself but I'm an extra granny to my friend's wee one, she's nearly 2 and is such a wee sweetheart. She calls me "gwanny Cawwie", it melts my heart ♥. How old are your DC? What kind of things are you into, do you read, go out for walks etc?

Hi, just found this thread and meet the criteria! Lonely with a slipped disc which f**king awful. Dozed after acupuncture this pm so obv now I'm wide awake... But feeling broken.

@CarrieMoonbeams the siamese isn't very vocal - unless he's in the car, then he doesn't shut up! Otherwise he doesn't say a peep. He only learnt to purr in the last couple of years and he's still not very good at it. My black cat on the other hand talks a lot, I have conversations with him too, but I love yours 😆

Hi @colouringindoors and welcome. Sorry to hear you're in such pain. I have a lot of ongoing pain too that prevents me sleeping a lot of the time, so know how miserable it can be. I'm awake at the moment because the cat woke me up with his scratching, so I've just put some flea treatment on him - I can't find any fleas and he doesn't go out much, but he's had ear mite problems in the past, so hopefully this will deal with them.

I'm going to try to go back to sleep now.