Thread 6 - TalkExiles: "Yup, still round."

[Kucinghitam]

Continuation of previous threads (thread 5).

Gather here all ye refugees from the JTT Flat Earth Society, welcome to the reassuringly oblate spheroid of MN! Ye all already know the answers to the questions "How the heck do I format my post?" "Why can't I edit my typos?" "What do those acronyms mean?" and most importantly, "Where is everybody that I used to know?"

So really we're all here just to chat randomly.

That sounds fair enough. Order it immediately!

Done.

The bumble bee will thank you. (We'll keep that filled with spent compost to a suitable nesting level.)

Splendid, enjoy it.

I have always wanted one of those turning compost bins!

Really enjoying the satisfactory end to Linekegate. Well, it would be perfect if Sharp (and Davie and Gibb) resigned, but Tories never resign on principle so that won’t happen.

My composting is shamefully primitive, I have 2 big squares made of tree trunks (we felled some deeply ugly conifers when we moved in) and I just lob everything in, cover with a tarp when full, and then dig it out when I reckon it-s cooked. I have never aerated it once, despite MrBibbs claiming I should.

Disaster today, my 4 shelf plastic jacketed grow house rammed full of seedlings and things that didn't get big enough to plant out blew over, tipping every tray and pot onto the decking. Gah! I had to spend ages trying to rescue everything and replant all the seedlings. Carnage!

Meanwhile my sister has been posting from Malawi where she's watching everyone's crops being washed away by Cyclone Freddy. Perspective!

The videos she's sent are apocalyptic, it's horrifying.

I'm glad you've ordered the compost bin because I was on my way to tell you to DO IT! When you have the money and it's not going to inconvenience your funds, then do it is always the answer.

I'm watching Paula on Channel 4. Terence Trent Derby has not aged well. At all. I loved Paula Yates back in the day. Christ, they're showing her on HIGNFY and the misogyny is bloody awful! Anyway! Back in the long ago days of the eighties a couple of older women stopped me in the street and asked me if I was Paula Yates. They were very excited about it so I told them I was and gave them an autograph because I wanted them to think kindly of her and also because it was fun. The thing is I didn't look that much like her really, but we both had the same hair and we dressed similarly. n.b. I didn't copy her, we just had a similar style. I was dressing that way before I ever saw her. She was far better at it than I was, thobut.

Those of a certain vintage may appreciate this:

@NotDrowningJustCrowing that is hilarious.

Just when I thought things couldn’t be more stressful, another shitstorm has rained down upon me. I used to have a heart condition but had surgery to correct it some years ago. For the past eugh teen months or so I’ve been experiencing increasingly odd heart sensations, but ignored it as after my operation my cardiologist told me my heart would probably always feel a bit strange. Recently it’s got a lot worse, so I finally booked an appointment with my GP who booked me in for an ECG. Turns out I’ve developed atrial fibrillation, and it also looks like the original condition I had might have come back. Having both AFib and my original condition (Wolff Parkinson White syndrome) puts me at risk of ventricular fibrillation if I go into SVT, which is really not good. Waiting to speak to the cardiologist.

I feel so unwell. These last couple of years have been just one health problem after another and I feel my body must be trying to tell me something. I’ve made the difficult decision to drop two of my modules which will put me back a year, but I feel I need to try to minimise stress and put more effort into looking after myself. I don’t feel scared about it as such because I lived with an unpleasant and potentially dangerous heart condition for most of my life, but it’s just another thing I could do without. I feel more depressed than anything, that maybe I wouldn’t have developed AFib if my life had been different, if I’d made better decisions… I feel it’s somehow my fault. And I feel annoyed with myself for not pushing through with university, even though I know taking a step back right now is probably the right thing to do. Fortunately I’m blessed with wonderful student and non-student friends who have been a rock these past couple of years, as has studying to be honest. And of course my lovely Kasper. I’m not sure I could’ve managed this a few years ago.

‘The past eugh teen months’, sums it up 🤣 eighteen*

I honestly thought eugh teen months was a way of saying "FFS, whatever, a lot, I can't be arsed to count them" and I liked it. I'm so sorry you're having to deal with this shit shite shitstorm. Please don't blame yourself. You've had a heart problem for most of your life that you didn't cause so despite the operation your heart is likely to be weaker and more inclined to other issues. It's not your fault. You've made a good decision re university and you will catch up. If your body is trying to tell you anything it's that it's sorry it's a bit feeble but it does love you. Or something.

Oh @CyanCrystalViolet I'm so sorry to hear about your health conditions It is not your fault! I don't know what else to say but can only offer unMumsnetty virtual hugs. I'm so glad you have lovely IRL friends and (best of all) wonderful Kasper.

All my sympathy for your health, Cyan I hope that it's something which can be treated soon.

Sounds awful Cyan, sending you love and good vibes, for what it's worth.

Cyan - not your fault. Do look after yourself and take stuff off your plate. X

Rotten, cyan.

Has your cardio team offered any surgical approaches? A pulmonary vein ablation is pretty common. I've had dozens, or at leat 5! They're not too bad a procedure and they do work, and work better now than a few decades ago. Best of luck and lots of sympathy - AF feels awful.

Many sympathies @CyanCrystalViolet . You made a smart decision re university. There's always time and it makes no sense to push yourself when you have health concerns. I hope your cardiologist comes up with a good treatment protocol.

Many sympathies from me as well, @CyanCrystalViolet, that sounds rotten and I hope you can be treated for it soon.

Thanks everyone ❤️

@angelico53 I had radiofrequency ablation last time and I think it would be similar again. I had really excellent care before so I know I’d be in good hands. I’m not keen to be on beta blocker/antiarrhythmics indefinitely so I’ll be saying yes to surgery if they offer it again.

That sounds so shit, Cyan, and so bloody scary too. I'm sure you've made the right decisions. Sending warm thoughts.

That sounds both scary and depressing @CyanCrystalViolet - definitely right to drop the units for this year (and I speak as someone who’s currently taking 5 years over what would have been a one year MA if I’d done it full time). Be very kind to yourself.

And great Paula Yates lookalike story @NotDrowningJustCrowing

These days I only use my phone to take photos. But this weekend I dug out my actual camera which has an actual zoom lens (not pretending it's a great camera) and got these pictures from the bird metropolis of our apple tree.

Very nice. We have a pair of robins and another of hedge sparrows, which visit. There's a juvenile hen blackbird, which now doesn't fly out of the yard, if I go through.

A couple of times, she's gone into the completely leafless apple tree, a couple of feet from my face, apparently convinced that I can't see her!

Apart from the obligatory pigeons and magpies the most frequent bird visitors here are great tits. Obviously if I go out and do any digging a robin will come and watch, just in case. And I do see a blackbird or two most days. When the weather improves the parakeets will come out to chatter loudly amongst themselves.