The Cybergarden - Late Summer Edition

[madmouse]

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

Good for you onward, for convincing the HCPs you're now OK without the day hospital, and all best wishes for reorganising your life without it; such a lot of extra time! Am assuming you will still be in touch with someone from the team, just in case there are any blips, but this is definitely another milestone on the recovery road.
Hope you enjoy the rest of the evening, and have a good rest in preparation for the final day.

So pleased you'll have more time for your own activities , upward & hope your housemoving feels more complete soon < clinks > Many thanks for thinkin of my MIL - she had a small flushing" of her lung today which has eased symptoms , & is much cheerier . If only all cats would stick to spider catching for arachnophobes

Oh no shodatin, I was in a bit of a rush earlier & didn't mean to leave Tianc's home unpatrolled . HF , being a clever cat with knowwledge of quantum pysics , can zip about vising two or three of us simultaneously , but agrees it would be very suitable for one of her Norhern cousins to vist & complete a job trial . She wonders whether a fine tortoiseshell matron with magnificent reflexes , who definitely won't present you with arachnids , might start at yours tomorrow ? It would be a nice change of scene for her ... HF mentions she has a large appetite , mind...

I've asked next door's cuddly tomcat if he knows of a good sentry cat for Tianc & he recommends his nephew , a black & white chap who adores fuss but is magnificently accurate & reliable .

Hope you're not as wiped out by workmen's visit as feared , Tianc , & the work will prove life enhancing . Peaceful sleep to all if I don't catch up with you later .

Sorry - that should have read "HF can zip around visiting ... " < puts out unwise caffeinated alongside lemonbalm

Am really grateful that HF has decided she can help with spider work here in the North, and even more grateful for hints about large quantities of food, which would make this proposal difficult, even with the most beautiful tortoiseshell ever (Can hear some purring from here). It's some years now since I laid down the law re: having nothing else that needs feeding in this house, so any further animal would have to either bring a packed lunch or live off the land, so I think I'd better stick with the aerosol system, apart from fleeting, speed-of-light visits from HF herself. (Today's news from CERN is encouraging)

So sorry to hear about the nuisance person who has resurfaced in your life, Tianc, and I can sympathise, particularly as you were posting at 2 a.m.
Have had a similar problem for the past eight years, but someone who could make changes has recently volunteered to help, which is a great relief. If this sounds a bit like your problem, maybe there could be a similar solution. I do hope so, and wish you strength and serenity to deal with it.

Of course your guard cat comes with her daily packed lunch , shodatin And I meant to mention that both cats are hypoallergenic as I remember this is vital ( Oddly , I get anaphylaxis with some dogs & cats , but not with others - even of similar breed - how the doc raised his eyebrows at the impossibility ). Imagine my joy to not be allergic to HF !!

HF will of course be making her lightning visits ( prescient puss for the CERN news ) to supervise the probationers . < gets muddled as to whether cat teleportation is now more likely or less > www.tamu-commerce.edu/physics/anil/surfphys/physics_humor.html#cat]]

Very sorry indeed to hear ill -intentioned person has popped up again , Tianc , & that you have this long -running problem , shodatin - very glad you're getting new advice < frets unhelpfully about safety & stress levels > . I knew you two understood what I was on about a few months ago , though have no pressing difficulty at present .

It sounds as though you're dealing magnificently well , but so sorry that it's causing you any discomfort at all. < positive wishes & meditations for you to surround yourselves with a sense of calm & protection >

I managed to face a grumpy administrator today , who later rang me & moved a medical appt forward , meaning I have to make baffling attempt at a decision without enough resources . Have therefore been researching & contacting relevant sources - love the net

Hope last day at day hospital went OK upward , & that you have supportive keyworker/ s you can talk to comfortably once discharged .

Beautiful sunshine here - hoping for same for all , & for first frosts to hold off long enough to pick last summery morsels of crops not snaffled by Slugs of Doom

It's good news that HF's Northern cousin will be bringing her packed lunch tomorrow, although with a good appetite she'll probably need taxi expenses for the transportation. Feeding on birds is banned, of course, but any other smaller wildlife won't be missed if it (quietly) goes missing at snack times, and of course HFNC's owner can continue to receive the customary dead gifts. Do cats like yoghurt, I wonder? Never thought to give it to our small zoo, although am now making my own so there's plenty available.

Hope you were not too inconvenienced by grumpy person changing your appointment, hob. Is it possible she wanted to compensate for being less-than-friendly, as most of us are grateful for an earlier appointment ? Definitely nowt so queer as folk - an old friend now in a care home has been unable to write to anyone etc. because her specs went missing, and were eventually found in the bedroom of someone she doesn't like, no explanation available, but I'm hoping the staff have been warned to keep an eye open.

My eyes want to close, so will have to say goodnight, and hope everyone sleeps through. Remembering this was final day at day-hospital for upward, and hope it went well without being too tiring.
Also hope that tianc has a better night than the last one, and can think of something good without any nail-biting.

Thanks, am (gladly) falling asleep here too, so will read properly tomorrow. Hope everyone's day went as well as possible, sorry yours sounds challenging hob.

Sleep well all.

Morning all & glad to see you dropping off to sleep as shodatin hoped ,Tianc , & that the situations become less stressful for & shodatin -
< shows soothing episode of Springwatch with Kate Humble stroking infant animal >

Yes , hope your last day there was OK , upward , & you're having a mix of constructive & restful activities this weekend .

Very sorry for absence but dozed off on sofa after rather busy day - bit less stressed now , thank you very much Tianc & shodatin. I was shrieking with laughter at shodatin's arrrangements for HFNC then whoosh , was in land of nod

Visited friend in hospital yesterday & though we're a bit worried about the root cause of his symptoms, he should be OK after a couple of weeks' inpatient treatment , as long as he doesn't run out of Startrek novels

Has HFNC arrived at yours safely ,shodatin ? She's happy to abide by your very reasonable house rules . Homemade yogurt sounds luxurious & nutritious & I'd be surprised if cats didn't like a mild version , though we ought to follow the example of my neighbour who is adept at cleaning her cats' teeth quite thoroughly < ow ow ow >

Oh no , your poor friend with missing specs ... hope indeed the staff try to understand why possible "thief" may have done it & "protect" your friend a bit - if you feel up to it , you might write a light note thanking them for keeping an eye on the situation , keeping a copy ... I know you don't want it to seem as though your friend is accusing anyone .

OH yes , my grump sounded awful shodatin & I felt better at your angle on it , thank you . I promise I was fulsome in my thanks for her deciding to check something with a different doctor . , but she unilaterally changed a dreaded scary appt to a different doc ( & "wrong" gender for the task) and lost me the chance to actually find all the elusive info the doctor wants me to have decided upon .. am sure it will work out fine < watches more Springwatch >.

Hope stout - hearted young cat has arrived at Tianc's & is doing effective duty , & that madmouse , kizzie & families are well

Oh dear hob, had forgotten that HFNC was due today! She's not yet arrived either, so has probably been side-tracked by local wild-life or stopped for one of those notorious naps. It is just possible there's been a problem with the cat teleportation system, and unfortunately I couldn''t manage to get to the link you sent and don't understand it myself. The scientists at CERN seem undecided about how it's supposed to work these days, with one of them offering to eat his underpants if the new data is correct, so there's not much hope for one tortoiseshell cat apparently lost en route. (Apologies for delay in posting; weekend Skypeing started early).

Many thanks for your idea of contacting the staff at the residential home where my friend stays. I'll be writing to her this weekend (not on Skype unfortunately) and will check what if anything her two sons have done.

Such a shame about having your arrangements changed; would it be very difficult to have them changed back? As you say, it will probably work out alright, and it will at least be over sooner than originally planned.

Well I hope HFNC has turned up by now , shodatin ! I'm sure she was delighted by the variations in wildlife but think your nap theory holds true as we had tomcat napping out here for hours in lovely sunshine . Am imagining a scenario like the tale of Johnny townmouse by Beatrix Potter , with animals carrying well stuffed suitcases ( or is it more like the tale of Samuel Whiskers , where monster rat rolls hapless kittens in pastry )

Much as I wish that scientist can keep his pants , am hoping the findings turn out to be "true" so my convictions will seem less peculiar < would be intellectually dishonest if was more intellectual >

Glad you've been Skypeing & hope you got good tidings . You said the other day your admirable niece has had to battle health issues to achieve her goals in a medical field - hope she finds a fulfilling use for her knowledge .

Hope you've allowed yourself a break from sorting at home , upward < bossy > and are feeling relatively relaxed & positive now your time is your own again.

Best wishes for improved energy levels , Tianc, and a calmer time than of late .< extra strengthening , calming thoughts to Tianc >

MIL brighter again today , & nurses magnificent

Still frantically researching the medical thing I need to decide about , but 6 ( 6 !!!! ) websites with the necessary listings aren't showing the relevant pages < strangles gremlins long & hard > so will have to go to public resources centre at hospital , which sounds quite good .

Thanks for your support & advice , shodatin , which is all absolutely right , as usual - would normally be more assertive , but was lesser of two evils this time ... admin person was indeed trying to do a kindness Hope between her sons & you , your friend will feel a bit more comfortable about grumpy fellow resident situation etc .
Soothing bedtime

Oh dear, a bit fried again today. So sorry for not contributing properly, can I be a slacker and just put out ?

Reciprocating those lovely calming thoughts to those who also need them. hob, you're being incredible in the face of challenges.

shodatin thank you so much for keeping the sun shining in the cybergarden.

Upward hope all going well with you.

Wishing everyone a good and peaceful night.

It's good news about your MIL hob, and makes such a difference when the nurses are kind and helpful, so let's hope things continue until discharge. Best wishes for your own research.

Am still hoping to hear from HFNC, and it does seem more likely that she's been side-tracked by a nap, something like your neighbouring cat, as it's been so warm and peaceful here today. Can't remember details from B.Potter books, but am quite certain that no felines have been baked in pastry in these parts; there are still more than enough sheep and deer wandering freely and so many turkeys raised nearby that the locals choose not to eat them, so am certain cats would be quite safe. Wish I knew more about the transportation thing, as I'm sure most cats would be curious enough to experiment with the timings, after a nap, of course. Am more concerned about her food stores - must be running low for an animal who enjoys large meals, so hope she arrives soon.

Thanks tianc, for the , much appreciated, particularly as you're feeling a bit low, very considerate of you. Wish I could be more helpful/creative around the cyber-garden, particularly regarding proposed Autumn /Harvest Festival and time-travelling cat (can't remember Schrodinger either....)
Must say goodnight, hope all can sleep well, particularly (v.quiet)onward.

Hi all - Ive been working away for most of this week so havent had much time to log on. Apologies for absence. Had a lovely day yesterday and friday evening though catching up with boys:-)

You all sound a bit frazzled too - all very busy with lots to sort out...

Here's to a peaceful, calm week for us all :-) x

I've been dying all day to reply to your fabulous post,shodatin, but am still frazzled as kizzie puts it < waves to kizzie > Very impressed by all this working away & bet it's enriching the more local work, too. Glad you had lovely time once home too - sounds so sweet

Well shodatin , HF will be most displeased with her NC if she hasn't arrived by now .( Don't worry , her packed lunch is huge & self replenishing ) Never fear , HFnc will be censured if necessary ...< feline tribunal readies itself >
< some members distracted by nocturnal prey >

Am still keenly looking forward here to our harvest celebration ... my MIL always speaks of the harvest service when she was small at the local church (she lived on a mountain peopled by smallholders) & she recalls clear skies and a very bright harvest moon . Dh & I managed to go up there last month & eat our chips overlooking the hayfields till a suspicious local chased us off

Hope you're feeling much revived ,Tianc, & that DP has had further culinary inspiration this weekend .
Speaking of which , must try to organise some nutrition ... hope you're having a good day , upward

I am snorting with laughter at all these feline feeding and travel arrangements! Definitely seen flash of black and white from the corner of my eye, so next door's tomcat's nephew has clearly been busy!

Very glad your MIL has perked up, hob. And you sound marvellously patient with all these appointment changes and having to do your own research beforehand.

And I totally understood what you were saying a few months ago about dealing with your difficult person ? and was inspired by the fact that you just went and did it. I think you're egging me on leading me in the paths of righteousness: I used to be paralysed with fury at this person's behaviour, now I'm more able to say, "We all have someone like this, deal with them and move on."

And thank you shodatin, you're exactly right and I have recently acquired help from someone else: DP has been brave and agreed to become involved rather than being a passive shoulder to cry on. His involvement is of the "reading communications and talking through tactics" type, rather than anything more direct, but it has transformed my ability to deal with the situation. Heh heh, I was alarmed by a sharp intake of breath while he was checking an email ? but it turned out he'd just seen the news from CERN on the (muted) telly!

Anyway you guys are dealing with real, actual problems, rather than stupid personal politicking, and I'm really sorry for having deserted you for a few days.

shodatin that's absolutely horrifying about your friend's glasses. Such a tiny thing but with such a huge impact on her. I'm so glad she has you and her sons to look out for her, and do hope the staff can keep an eye on future goings on.

kizzie how lovely to see you. Hope you had lovely weekend back in the bosom of your family. It must be hard to be working away.

Upward I hope your weekend went OK. Did you bother with the farmers' market again, or do something a bit different?

Morning all, and hearty welcome to kizzie with apologies for being behind - just got sidetracked. Am also a bit lost regarding next chapter in cat saga, simply run out of ideas, which happens all the time and how I know I'm not capable of doing any real writing.
Am so pleased that tianc's DP has become involved with the problem person - finding someone who is happy to listen and able to understand is so important, and I've not been able to do this.

Still no news from upward, I'm another one hoping you're just busy rather than having problems.

Hob, will have to turn cat problem over to you, with apologies, and hope you have both the time and the creativity to deal with it. Am about at the same stalled position regarding Harvest/Autumn celebration, unfortunately, and have yet to find a way round any "writer's block" situation.

Hope news of MIL is still positive and that improvements continue.

I just wanted to come and give everyone good wishes - physical side of life is being tough at the moment, and my head is spinning.

So sorry it's such hard going at the moment , upward -rotten news . Hope you're reasonably satisfied with any medical treatment you're receiving . Head - spinning is horrible , whether it's with vertigo or from feeling stressed and exhausted ((( upward )))

You sound exhausted ,shodatin, and not surprising with your recent very troubling difficulty , plus concerns for DB , plus the long recovery period neded after vicious virus you had . I don't think it helps when physical limitations prevent a night or two away in summer , which can really refresh you emotionally - though I know you don't dwell on what can't be done , but enjoy what can .

Please don't worry about needing to use your imagination re: felines , as they'll come & entertain you . I knew your black & white boy would get to you , Tianc ) . Many commiserations with the writer's block , which I would never , ever have guessed from your hilarious posts these past few weeks. I meant to make you cringe by saying you have been at your absolute peak so far this year
Hoping your ability to express yourself will soon return as you like it . In the past I've found the "block"much worsened by pent -up emotions( & who doesn't have those) .

Thank you for your fabulous & amazing post Tianc , & am enormously humbled . My worst rotten person is someone I think I'll need to talk to the police about again as he impedes access to a vulnerable relative ,( have long wondered about asking you lovely people for advice , but it's been going on so many years I'll wait till your nasty people have vanished first ) but the one I actually complain about is a horrible ex ( there are a couple of horrors from my misguided youth ) - so , very much trivial politicking here !

Sounds hellish to have emails popping up from your least favourite , & very glad DP is helping , with sensitivity . It is incredibly hard on you shodatin to be facing this without DH's advice , and I hope you won't feel too concerned about safety & confidentiality to PM any of us if we can help in any way at all - we 'd really , really like to" listen & understand " , and hope you feel physically safe .

Found more info for medical decisions , but not enough yet ... HF is in a very affectionate mood , so is teleporting round all of us this evening < HF purrs hypnotically > < tries to dip nose in Tianc*'s delicious reheated chowder but last morsel is already wolfed down >

I'm going to try to put up with it for a week - I have what is essentially a pacemaker for the brain, changes of setting can cause transient effects, hopefully that's it. I forgot how whacked it can make me.

hob , I hope you get the info you need for decisions.

Thinking of you, shodatin , I hope it gets easier for you.

I'm glad DP is being supportive, TIanc , politicing can get so wearying.

kizzie , I hope you have a good week too!

madmouse , I hope you're having a good week.

Am so glad you posted upward, because I think we were all hoping you were OK, without knowing any details. You probably don't want to fuss about having more attention, but I don't think it's a good idea to ' put up with it' for a week - that is rather a long time to feel whacked. Is there anyone you could talk to about having ?settings changed? Thank you for your kind thoughts about my little problems (which don't normally worry me too much).

Lots of big thankyou's to hob for kindly offering to help with a listening ear, now DH is no longer available. There may be some changes in the near future, but if not I'll probably take advantage of your PM suggestion and am not in the least worried about the confidentiality aspect.
Regarding your own problem person, I'm relieved you feel you can speak to the police if necessary, as I do have experience of working with them and have been impressed by how many have a genuine urge to be helpful, but am also
happy to help if I can.

Sounds really hard in this warm weather ,upward < in awe > . Many thanks for giving us a fuller picture , & hope things improve very soon indeed .

Thank you so much shodatin for letting us at least attempt to support you whilst this long problem is tackled . I think we'd all struggle on the thread to not ask you how the situation is going , so will be priveleged to listen at any time .
You are incredibly kind to offer your assistance to me if needed - very much appreciated , and has already made me feel far calmer about approaching the police ( not for a couple of months at least ) .

Had a nice visit to local community centre ...it's very cheery to see the bingo sessions and classes , & lots of people with mobility needs / assistants enjoying the simple facilities.

soothing all round

< off to plot autumn celebrations >

What a good idea to have a hob, and thankyou for making them as well as making the suggestion.

I don't plan to mention the problem person again until there are any changes, but will be happy to let people know how situation resolves, if it does.

Your summer celebrations in the cyber-garden were wonderful, hob, it was as good as a day out, and I look forward to your autumn plans. Someone persuaded me to join a local writing club a few years ago, which I quite enjoyed, apart from having to use events from the past instead of inventing fiction, and it was obvious to me that no-one else was doing this! I have been involved in various fetes, fairs etc and can only rely on memory as I know my creative streak is nearly non-existent (but thankyou for very kind comment)

Have just seen the time and realised it's bedtime, so will make a few [brews] as night-caps and wish everyone a good night.