The Cybergarden - Late Summer Edition

[madmouse]

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

That was my academic course unfortunately tianc :( - the one I'm working on now is professional at masters level (not sure when/if I should apply to go back on the register, but it needs finishing). It is confusing.

I think Christmas shopping would not be a good plan at this juncture - don't fancy the bus in the dark!

Oh . I'm so sorry. I know that's a big thing.

Do you have research that can be written up a paper later, if you can be bothered? (Or should I be less nosy?)

Impressed that you're still working on the masters, though.

Oh I just meant online shopping.

< slurps shodatin's gratefully > The thread keeps moving on as I try to post -

Hope the time in the cybergarden helyou in your efforts , upward . So glad you are doing the masters -level professional course , but so fed up for you when you have extra obstacles with it .< waves to Tianc > I assumed it was sadly the academic course , Tianc , and was also caught in the traps of trying to be tactful . So in awe of your adaptability & positive attitude , upward . Would indeed be brilliant if there were to be some hope of using your work for a paper later on.

Hope Tianc has one or two an unexpected events in her day to help her recover from last night's misfortune . Hope no bruising etc .

Thank you for writing such interesting posts , shodatin , even late at night . Hope you can find new ways to manage tasks in improved comfort . Hadn't seen the kneeling chairs in the Argos catalogue - will look up . Am glad you have a pain consultant , though not that you have cause to attend clinic .

Very moved to see your DB's continued improvement is such a wonder to you , and hope it continues as steadily as possible . I'm intrigued now as to the odd situation with his Skyping friend - surely you don't think much would surprise us in our cybergarden

Ah shodatin , may I be very nosy and ask if you like to tune in toMfW at home , or have been trying an online meeting ? I don't know if any of the sites I saw it being trialled have been able to hold cyber Meetings . I have massively neglected Quakers this year , for many reasons , but I haven't done it lightly . Local meetings have grown enormously in last couple of years . I 'd never think of you as being non political , more that you are disgusted by corrupt systems & have a strong sense of social justice < makes assumptions >

Thank you for asking about the virus , upward & shodatin - haven't been able to clear it , but dh will try new approaches when has some time off . He's managed to increase capacity , but beloved old PC can't struggle on much longer
Slept very late again , & am trying to catch up with chores . Am delighted that DM is goig to try to overcome a phobia of hers to come on an outing with us - & if she can't manage it , she might consider asking for treatment .
Hope we all have a good evening

That was meant to read hope time in garden helped . Thank you for showing us the site , Tianc - so many hilarious and affordable pressies < gleeful >

Wish I'd slept less today, and sorry have missed time in cybergarden. Hope you got beyond the block upward, it can't be easy working alone, but at least the time pressure should be off and maybe a little break away would help. Hope you're feeling better about it now.

Hob*, I didn't find anything new on Quaker site this year, and was just having a few quiet moments at home. It must be difficult if your local meeting/s are suddenly much larger, as knowing each other is part of the pleasure to me.

My cryptic comments re Skype were about the service itself, which seems particularly crazy when DB is online, like having the info that we have lots of background noise when actually it's perfectly clear, until call cancels, then the many times we've been informed that someone is trying to contact us, and they've been asleep at the time (I ignore these now, too embarrassing), or the many occasions when we have some variation on lack of video ...
Now, we just laugh it off, but check the alternatives when it's really bad (and can't imagine paying for it unless improved).
Hope everyone's had a decent day and that upward's muse returned.

Just seen that gift page from tianc, what amazing stuff they do have, and what prices! It's worth knowing about, so thankyou. Am off back to bed as seem almost permanently tired - hope everyone else is OK today.

It's brilliant isn't it - so sorry to have just missed waving you goodnight , shodatin and all lovely cybergardeners .
Sorry about the near constant tiredness , shodatin ... maybe there are things which could make a worthwhile difference ... I've forgotten to carry on with my experiments on the subject < restarts >

Hope Tianc had a calming day, upward not too frustrated with her work , and that kizzie and madmouse have a positive week too ( rather than having to rely on thinking positive thoughts , I mean )
Sorry not a proper post ... peaceful sleep to us all

Haha, hob, thank you for firing up the time machine! Can I set it to just as I toppled, when my hand grabbed at the nearest object while my brain went, "No no that's the thing you must never do oh shit..."

Thank you so much for the soothing musical thoughts. Think I heard you last night while I tucked up my mild bruises and critically ill ego, and then everyone's good wishes today, as I seem to be fine.

Your Saturday sounds busy and enjoyable after the trials of the workmen, PC and late hours. DH is obviously working extremely hard as usual, so a peaceful day with scrolls must have been very restful. And marvellous news that DM might venture out or at least make changes to her situation. I'm sure this is your good work again.

shodatin you're a genius! Insurance! Will see if it can be patched up first, but then look for paperwork.

Sorry, you've had so many Skype problems. Such a blessing when it works, so frustrating when it doesn't. The dud calls... is that actually a call or just the little alert when a computer comes back online? I get that all the time, and it's actually an Australian cousin (who should know better) leaving his computer switched on all the night. V annoying!

Please excuse me if that's a stupid suggestion and I'm teaching my grandmother, etc.

Sleep well, lovely people, and hope upwards muse indeed returns on the morrow.

Morning all, where do all these sunny mornings come from? Another cold but bright day, and have washing on the line (optimist).
Hope you're feeling better today tianc, and not too stiff and sore after the fall, but I'll admit it took me a couple of days to recover last time, as well as being cross with self, although nothing broken but pride.
Thanks for mentioning the Skype messages, but the ones you mention pop up even when friends are absent from laptop, as have sometimes thought it would be a good time for conference call, then check it's bedtime, people on holiday, etc, so have come to conclusion that Skype just run through contact list to remind us to use it, and cut us off so often just to check we're awake or planning to pay for an improved premium service. Or it's being run by monkeys as an experiment - sorry to take your time and will leave the subject now.
Hope upward has had a helpful reply re course; just an idea, and probably my optimism again.

I hadn't seen that site before, tianc - looks worth a look!

I hope you're feeling less tired, shodatin - not a pleasant experience.

hob, I hope you've caught up with your sleep!

Ooh, nice (and you've reminded me of xkcd, haven't looked at it for ages).
I'm not surprised you've lusted after it, looks good fun :)

You are good at getting onto the laundry - I've mostly mooched today, had a quick look around the christas market when I went to get some veg, but that's pretty much it. On the positive side I've lost 25lbs now (it was my Christmas goal, but as it tends to go in spurts then maintain for 2-3 weeks, it may still be :) ).

Yaaaaaaaaaaay !!!! magnificent achievement upward < turns cartwheels > That really is staggering , all the things you've dealt with in recent months . Xmas market here features a massive 2 storey building I thought was thronged with little children - turned out to be an open air bar...
Thank you , afraid I've been sleeping far too long , but feel better for it Hope we've all been sleeping OK lately ?I've been wondering if you're at a comfortable temperature now it's colder , upward .

Gorgeous sunshine here too with laundry on the line but a sudden rainstorm put an end to my smugness and I dropped jumper in dirt
fingers crossed you can retrieve something via the insurance.

"These kits let you have all the fun of flinging" Are yu sure you can't justify it , Tianc ? Love the Star Trek board book for little geeks .
My favourites are the museum shop sites , but very pricey so I try to find copies of items on the net.
At the moment trying to get dh a novelty chess set < ahem >but won't saycan't say which type as a lurker might nab it before I get my postal order sent off

Your optimism is a joy on our thread , shodatin < optimists' bench creaks under hob's extra weight >
Thank you for answering my questions about Skype , as you have saved me from suffering panic at the same horrors . A few of those problems sound familiar - we have Skype free too , set up by a colleague of DH's with me added in comforting HF just "called" me to the garden ... a really distinct feeling < HF curls up in front of stove >

I've tried having the heating on more recently, hob - in 10 days I'll find how much a month has cost. Glad you had a good sleep, hob - definitely worth it even though it can be frustrating

Optimism sounds like a good plan of action!

night all

Goodnight upward, think I just missed you, but many thanks for the . Hope the heating calculations look good, and that you are warm enough in new apartment. It's a boring way to spend money, but makes such a difference to be comfortable. It's wearing-a-hat-indoors weather for me now, and am pleased I got all curtains lined (as well as DB's of course) Sleep well (& warm) everyone, am about to go back to bed again now.

Skype "run by monkeys as an experiment"! Darn! You sussed it!

upward, wow, that's an incredible achievement to lose so much. Good luck on maintaining that and then dropping even further. And fingers crossed for your first heating bill as well. I hate the thought that you and shodatin are having to wear gloves and hats indoors, tho twas the same here until recently so I know it makes sense.

I hope you're tucked up warm now, shodatin. It's so so true what you say about being warm enough to be comfortable.

More frivolously, you are all tempting me about the trebuchet oh evil ones, and it's true we have a study now...

And I clearly need revenge because, talking of xkcd, I'm ashamed to admit that DP's previous present to me was a printout of this frame. Oops.

Museum shop sites! Brilliant, hob. Taking notes here. Sorry you're sleepier than you'd like to be, but glad you're feeling the benefit of it.

Another wish here that we should all sleep well and keep warm. And the same to madmouse, kizzie, and NanaNina.

Aaargh , just missed you , Tianc Thank you upward for introducing me to this magazine < gawps >
Agree with monkey - Skype Goodnight , upward & shodatin , sorry to have missed you .

I was half asleep writing this evening's post , Tianc , as had meant to start with to you for unmerited kind words , very helpful to me , & concern for dh . He was very sad yesterday to see his DM shocked that a certain symptom isn't predicted to get any better , but is allowing himself to relax more & come to local Christmas events , which we look forward to all year - on of the things DM s going to try to come to .

Wish we all were up to comng out to something like that . Could we have our own festivities in the cybergarden , please ? < eager wagging >

< stirs pud >

Hope you're feeling no physical aftereffects from last night , & that house stuff is going all right .
Hope we all have a clear , starry night ... hmm , am in warm hat here too , shodatin , so ought to be wishing us all clouds and drizzle

Peaceful night all

Aha , in my nestbox mode I missed your DP's printout of yourself , Tianc . How DH laughed at seeing that cartoon < comforts neglected spouse > Am going to enjoy the site , thank you , upward .

Hope we're all rested - are you still extra tired , shodatin ? Some health problems are made so much more tiring by colder weather . I was about to urge you to take a break from your chores , but if you're at all like me you prefer to try & get on so you won't fall behind [cussed emoticon ] < hob prescribes a digital radio so you can enjoy seasonal stories on bbc 7 whilst doing chores > < hopes bbc 7 isn't axed if shodatin takes this advice >

Agree that upward & shodatin should be warmer , though I believe shodatin when she assures us her home is very cosy , especially with curtains . Not fair that upward should have to be anything other than really warm , & I hope shodatin wraps soft rugs round self & has a really warm area to rest in .
The previous tenant warned us that this house is very cold upstairs - no CH - & no insulation , etc [fshocck]but we hankered after wild garden & nature close by so felt we are fit enough to shiver a little while longer - very fortunate to have the choice. New porch has ade downstairs much less draughty .

Your house sounds very special , Tianc , & I admire the months / years of discomfort you've invested in improving it . Is it an atmospheric place ? You & DP sound like people who would choose a charismatic home , even if it's understated & it took imagination to reveal the character . I know you can't say much about it , but I hope your study soon resounds to the sound of flinging

Would be so good if you could give yourself some little treats this winter , upward . Do you mainly reward yourself with favourite websites & chats with friends & family ? . Am much less prone to want to do frivolous things after dutiful stuff now thatit's possible to chat with people & follow constructive pastimes by computer . Hope you found some delicious lower calorie festive dishes - rich mushroom stuffings , finely sliced meats , salmon ? or breads stuffed with cranberries, dried peel rum flavouring

PS belated thanks to Tianc for mentioning that thread - agree waving is very cliquey , & sorry if I made you uncomfortable but had to cheer on that post . Very hard not to bump into each other when have some of the same obsessions - very good to see posters grouping together around health benefits etc < stops mentioning Tianc's efforts on cybergarden >

< ducks as trebuchet twangs for past offences >

Wonder if mouseling would like a go on that if we set it up in the garden ? < paints a target >

Thanks for the tianc , I hope you're nice and snug.

I do have a nice blue fleecy snuggle sac to sit in in the sitting room to keep warm :) (and a lovely oversize fleece nightshirt to go over my pjs).

Websites/chats are good self-rewards hob, need to think of ones for when I'm tired/not concentrating awfully.

Mushroom stuffing sounds good - I'm currently using weightwatchers malt loaf as a treat - it's only a little less kcal than soreen, but the important differences is it's ready sliced! (I just seem to squash soreen if I try).

I hope everyone's had a good day - can't believe how short they are getting.

Have enjoyed reading today's postings, particularly looking up tianc's cartoon from yesterday. I do have knowledge of trebuchet, but unable to find word again to click on this specific type, so left wondering how big your DP's new office is (and why you think he might want one).
Been out/busy today so resting more than usual, also wasted lots of time trying to print out TV listings because have now twice bought the wrong date in shop/s (brain deteriorating under woollie hat).
You're right about the websites for tired days onward, and am glad I have StumbledUpon and Cool (Gadgets? wrong word), plus a few timewastingly entertaining webcams.
Thanks for radio suggestion hob, but I do have problems concentrating with ancient braincells and can imagine chaos doing chores while listening to voice.
Many thanks to people for providing [brews], please accept some cyber hyacinth-bowls all round.

Cool Tools! Sorry about that.

Have now found the trebuchet link, why didn't I think it would be a scaled-down version? I remember architect tutor demonstrating action with a cardboard box to show us parabolic arch, and the yells as it hit top of window on way down, which could have been avoided with the miniature version. apologies, rambling again