Thread 17 - TalkLair: "Okay, first of all, what's with the outfit? Live in the now, okay? You look like DeBarge."

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(Previous thread 16).

Spring is springing, daffodils blooming all over our LairGarden, which have not all been picked by a neighbour's kid...

In the TalkLair, the hearth is glowing, books by non-approved authors line the shelves, cosy rugs are down on the floors looking a bit stained by cat hairball regurgitation. The denizens of the lair are a welcoming bunch though, always eager for general chit-chat on all manner of topics. We just won’t mention the gnawed bones of our prey over there in the corner of the cave…

@Gonners that sounds so crap, very sorry to hear about it. Fingers crossed the antibiotics kick in fast.

Agree about the feasts, they sound delicious!

My comment about J D Vance killing the Pope was light relief during a very brief hiatus in yet another Day From Hell. By 8 this morning we had two ambulances at the house - the first crew decided very quickly that they needed a specialist paramedic and (by extraordinary luck) there was one just around the corner. They were here for about an hour before blue-lighting him to the local hospital (my heart sank) but no! Straight to Resus, and not just there but the newly opened, well-staffed Assessment & Treatment area, with his own spacious and airy cubicle, and an actual window. He is properly ill and will be admitted to a ward if there's space, but otherwise will remain where he is. Fingers crossed for the latter.

The two ambulances have certainly got the neighbours talking, though! Throughout the day I have received umpteen missed calls, un-listened-to voicemails and unread texts from a couple of people who probably mean well, but really need to back off.

I must now write to the ambulance service and thank them.

I was disappointed that Vance eventually got the private audience after days of Vatican staff walking around with their noses in the air as though someone had brought in shit on their shoes. Which in a very real way they had. My guess is that Vance was told off and he'll lie about it because that's the sort of converted sofa fucker that he is.

I also saw some people say that he shouldn't have been made to go out and see the crowd yesterday and I disagree. I think he was delighted that he made one last Easter and that he Poped the staff and said he was going to be with his people because he knew it was his last time. I think he knew he was on borrowed time and I think he probably died very happily in his sleep knowing he was a sinner and knowing he'd done the best he could. I was shocked when I heard and then not even a little bit shocked at all.

Much as I'd love an African Pope they're all far too conservative and I'm hoping we get a pope who carries on looking out for gay rights and women's rights and jobs within the church. They're a long way from women priests but women are definitely better off after twelve years of Francis than they ever were before.

I'm sorry that we sort of cross posted there, but feel better that we were typing at the same time so that I wasn't just being "come on you, pope!" and ignoring your horrible day. Everything crossed for you and him, @Gonners and much love from the cool and soothing seaside.

N.b when you're in the car with a friend and do a dreadful Tommy Squeak, open the window to let the air in, although yes do that bit, but don't say "it's fine, I think it's because my digestion is getting a bit better and I think this can happen because the colitis is done. Because you have just tempted fate and it is back with little mercy. Although, thankfully you'd think that with all the drugs for pain, sickness, etc immodium would be far down the list of stuff that works. But although it's had a bit of a battle today, it is working. Some of the over the counter things work so much better than I generally think. For example, I think paracetamol is shit and for the amount of damage it can do to a person, it sort of is, but one of those (too skinny to take two any longer) on top of the morphine really helps it along and today has been a good morphine day with none taken for nearly eight hours. That said I do wake up to two slow release and go to sleep with two slow release, I've just managed not to have to top up as much as I sometimes can.

I was in the bizarre position today of, I guess interviewing for a cleaner although Snoop had talked to her thought she was great then failed to arrive here on time to meet her in person. I met her and within minutes thought "You're great, we'll be grand" and she's going to do a deep clean on Monday and then a couple of hours every Monday including putting out the rubbish/recycling, minor shopping for me and all round being a good egg. She has a friend who she was close to like Snoop and I and she became her carer for the last three years of the friend's life. Apparently we have a similar energy and this lovely woman just gives off kindness and down to earth decency.

Ha! @FagsMagsandBags - we're on the north-facing side of the Kent coast and walk on the coastal path, often battling the wind, most days. There are days when we come home rather wet and sandy, though not so much from the walk as from the enthusiastic greetings of sopping wet dogs. This is entirely our own fault for encouraging them!

But encourage them we must! I didn't realise you were in another lovely home county!

It's funny, not funny at all, but Snoop lives yards from the sea a couple of towns along and a very pretty town to boot. But because she's so close to the sea the wind can be challenging. I live twenty minutes from the seafront. Apparently that's it even for normal people, so I was quite normal here for a while and it never felt like twenty minutes to the front but that's probably because I love the shops - haberdasher, charity shops two of which are furniture charity stores, cafes, pubs, big greengrocers and a nice Greggs when you're closer to the front - that you get to walk past. And then there's the shops proper, the lovely pier and hello sea, hello wind farm that is lost in the mist some days and not on others. Hello fairy lights along the front that makes me think of the Med but I don't need the med because Costa del Worthing - I've seen the t-shirts! - is just lovely!

Sorry, lost in what I currently can't walk but there's going to be a wheelchair borrowed and I am shopping and sea fronting again soon. I can do it now via cab, so I'm hardly deprived but back to the point which is just those 20 minutes mean that I get to be so close to the sea but only get blown away when I chose. Ain't life a bit grand at times!

I'm left thinking "shall I read through this post to see if any of it makes any sense at all?" and I've decided that if it's all a stream of utter nonsense, that's fine too.

@Gonners if you're still awake I hope you get sleep soon and rest. It's been a day for you and a night and I hope that MrG is resting well too. I'll keep you in my thoughts until I fall asleep.

Sorry you had another shut day @Gonners - fingers firmly crossed for tomorrow being easier.

Your post does make sense @FagsMagsandBags but it’s also gloriously stream of consciousness.

Gosh, it really is. I thought maybe it's the morphine but nope. I hardly used any yesterday so it was just me generally away with the fairies as opposed to already high on the big drugs.

I followed you every step of the way @FagsMagsandBags :-)

@Gonners - I hope MrG is better tomorrow after some hospital care and I’m sorry you had such a bad day.

I went swimming this morning and managed a bit more than half a mile but had had enough by then. This peeves me a bit because it wasn’t too busy and I had a clear lane, and on Monday last week I’d pushed my distance up to 62 lengths, which is about ⅞ of a mile. I’m aiming to get up to a mile, which I have not done since I was a schoolgirl. However, I respect my body enough to know that when, for whatever reason, it tells me to stop I’m best to stop.

I thoroughly enjoyed @FagsMagsandBags stream of consciousness posts

@Gonners What a horrible day, but hurrah for the ambulances and I shall keep my fingers crossed for MrG's improvement

I've got an appointment with my oncologist this afternoon. It'll be the first time I've spoken to a cancer bob since they said, btw, the old cancer is going to do for you. To be fair to my oncologist she is lovely and really wanted to speak to me face to face and so today will be good for both of us. I very much doubt there will be anything of real interest to report but I'll let you know what happens given that you're all with me throughout this and it is much appreciated!

Sorry to hear of your woes, Gonners. I haven't cared for someone with dementia, but I think I've mentioned my great aunt, who was cared for by my aunt and cousin. I've tremendous sympathy for you.

Nowt too much wrong with being away with the Faries, Fags !

... bloody autocarrot always changes the f to a g...

Good wishes for your oncologist appointment later @FagsMagsandBags

I forgot to ask @DeanElderberry what the done thing is to say to Catholics on the death of the Pope - are condolences appropriate?

Don't know - we all seem to be just jumping into 'poor old Pope, but he seems to have gone on his own terms' and hoping that his successor is a good thing.

Special for Fagsetc, my 'May altar' from last year

That alter is beautiful, @DeanElderberry - love the Virgin Mary statue.

Here's my offering to Fags and the thread.

I found the statue in a charity shop about a year ago, just in time for May. It's Italian alabaster - there are quite a few of them on Ebay but no agreement as to date. I'd guess late 40s.

I love that capybara so much.

It's beautiful, @DeanElderberry . I currently have a surfeit of flowers around my Mary.

I love that photo, @Vegemiteandhoneyontoast thank you.

Love the living capybara bed!

I don't have a capybara to offer, but if anyone dares to put their face in this floofy belly, here it is.

I dare!

I'll share some photos of Francis at his new home soon. My friend's son is home for a few days and Francis is in love with him!

Aww lovely floofy Mochi!