The Cybergarden - Late Summer Edition

[madmouse]

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

In weird mood today, so won't try to post properly. (V selfish, given everyone else's heroic posting... Sorry.)

But have fingers crossed your laptop probs aren't serious, shodatin. hob so sorry you're having a health dip (tho glad it's painless). Hope you get enough rest and recover soon. And brrrr at coatless Upward! Sure you're tucked up warm now, and hope you get some good sleep tonight.

Night all. Hope we all have good tomorrows.

Aaaah , thanks ,Tianc < revives>- and you are so far from selfish !!! Agree other people are posting through thick and thin , and feel very guilty to be so irregular . Hope shodatin's machine is salvageable , but fear we won't hear from her today - such a lot of trouble from a pretty new laptop , and I bet the warranty is only one year , or else there will or some other getout for the manufacturer which leaves shodatin without a PC

Hope upward finally got a breakthrough in her sleep , that Tianc will have cause to feel more like herself and that we all feel calm today
< soothing vibes to shodatin >

My unfinished tasks actually nagged at me in my sleep < pinaccle of slovenliness > so must restart the Battle

Sorry for typos as usual - should be "or else there will be some other getout for "

Morning all - your good wishes seem to have helped with machine (which is of course out of guarantee period). I did what I should probably have been doing on a regular basis, ie turned laptop upside down to shake, then vaccuumed everywhere which looked relevant. So far it's quiet, so am hopeful. DB does understand something about insides, so will get him to check over, but at least you'll understand if
problems continue and shodatin just stops.

Hope upward had decent sleep and feels OK today, in fact, same wishes all round, plus quick s as must dash to town asap. Sunny here, so washing might dry...

I turned off machine while shopping etc. this a.m., so not yet had usual long run to check fan/heat, but so far, so good in latest round of The Battle of the Objects (?is it)

Hope everyone else is doing OK today, and enjoying at least part of the necessary preparations. I see our local shop (Co-op) is only closed on Christmas Day, so if deliveries continue - big if- we won't have the usual closedown and lack of supplies which make Christmas so stressful when extended for a week or so (and such a good idea to escape abroad).

Glad you're winning in the battle of the objcts, shodatin That's very useful re: Co-op, must check my local. i hope the dust busting helps the laptop.

Good luck with the objects hob - tell the tasks to stop nagging, you'll get it done when you can...

I am sleepy, but need to stay awake for carer.

You're doing well upward, hope you can have small nap before too long, I'm off for few mintes now.

Hope you're both having a good rest now , upward and shodatin-, and particularly that your carer arrived promptly , upward

Brilliant to see laptop showing willing after your vacuuming & turning it over , shodatin , and hope overheating was due to aa minor cause though I'm sure you'll keep a very close eye in case of further overheating , frets >

Making good headway in the Battle here , too , since following upward's , idea of telling tasks to stop nagging at me < empowered >

Off to post office etc - agree with relief at longer opening hours , especially evening time when much quieter . Oh yes , by far the least expensive chestnuts I've found are - ahem - the Aunt Bessie's sprouts with chestnuts
, which are packed with chestnuts & taste quite good in spite of the freezing - seen them in frozen veg cabinet in Asda & (I think) Sainsburys & Iceland

< HF purrs contentedly in twilight summerhouse as stove is replenished >
s all round

Thanks for the sprouts tip, hob - added it to my post Christmas shop. Hope you get a rest shodatiin Hope the post office is quick and smooth, hob

Trying to decide if I should go to MH support group tomorrow.

Lovely nap thankyou, but so difficult to leave bed, as usual. Hope you get a rest too upward, but carers do need priority, of course. You may regret not going to the group tomorrow, upward- might be special for Christmas-but why not make up your mind tomorrow, after you've (hopefully) had a decent sleep?

Agreeing with thanks to hob for news of Aunt Bessie's chestnuts, been inspecting various foodstuffs today apart from Yorks Puds but didn't see any locally.

Such a relief that I feel up-to-date with chores/programme so far, and hope other gardeners feel same, rather than rushed off feet which can happen.
Glad to hear that HF appreciates summerhouse fire, and will check for her presence when next dropping-in.

I bought some chestnuts today (raw in the shell). They were nice, but glad I made holes in them, as carer said her DH had tried doing them and they started exploding out of the oven - he hadn't made holes.

You're right, shodatin, people may be festive tomorrow, but the only people there will be those who haven't gone to stay with anyone, and last week people in general seemed less than keen on Christmas/bad time of the year etc. I'm looking forward to it. All other services in the building seemed to do Christmas last week - we couldn't get in our usual space because everything was laid out.

However, it does look like it will warm up tomorrow, which is a plus.

I am trying to distract myself, but it feels as if someone is in the flat.

I'm going to try bed I think, night all.

Upward, I could kick myself for not looking in earlier, and hope you're not yet in bed for the night. Such a shame you felt there was someone in the flat (think you would have found anyone by posting time), and maybe it's been a bit windy in your location, as it is here, with odd noises. Please drop a line if you're not yet asleep, although I remember you mentioned being tired earlier.
Hope you're more relaxed now.

Been sitting up in bed and idly watching TV, not enough energy to get up again so looking at Jaimie Oliver while crosswording. He's just demonstrated making a chocolate Christmas pudding, very similar to my own!
Most unfair I think, although as mine's lacking popcorn and dried fruit it's not exactly the same inside (mine's for serious chocolate eaters, after all). Had forgotten that DSis sent me a huge box from Thorntons, although I've not eaten that brand since being sold some rather expensive stale ones while travelling, years ago.

Am about to make some as a nightcap, having had a quick look round the summerhouse in case HF was curled up quietly, away from festive preparations at home. Such a shame I missed upward earlier.

So sorry you've had the "watched" feeling again, Upward. Do hope it's faded by the time you wake tomorrow. I wonder if anyone in your support group might have techniques for dealing with it - I think it's an extremely common feeling?

Meanwhile you're all still making me drool!

Am most admiring of your shell-on chestnuts, Upward. We just have failure after failure. Slitting and microwaving for a few seconds, then peeling, seems to produce little rocks. But any longer and they burn - though we haven't yet managed explosions. hob I may have to send DP looking for Aunt Bessie's, thanks for that. But raw ones lurk in the veggie box...

shodatin you sound well on top of your Christmas preparation! I'm going to join hob in taking Upward's advice about not letting the tasks nag me, and am going to congratulate myself on the ones I have done rather than fretting about the ones I haven't.

So glad to hear weather may be warmer tomorrow. Hurray!

Night all.

Just a quick wave, having forgotten about chestnuts earlier, I just slit them across flat part before cooking, breaking skin with sharp knife, then there are never explosions. Have forgotten how long to microwave, would try ten for one minute to start, probably safer to simmer on stove in small amount of water. My problem is cooking then forgetting to eat them... They don't seem to last long in fridge, either raw or cooked, unfortunately.

Many thanks tianc for managing housekeeping in summerhouse, I tend to leave it for the fairies. Night all.

It doesn't matter, I've felt it since last week. I'll see how it goes, doesn't feel awfully safe to talk to group because it's different HCPs today (time of year).

Morning all, a misty morning, and relieved I don't have to travel far. Glad you're OK upward, it must be unnerving to think there's someone in your home, and I'm glad tianc knew it's quite a common feeling on occasion. Shame there's no-one near enough to ask to come in and look round, which might be quickest way to calm self, but have not experienced this - again, tianc seems to have good idea about enquiring at today's group - maybe there will be someone attending you could talk to, and if not, I'd phone for advice when/if it happens again - must be upsetting. Only three days left before your visiting day?

Just plodding through chores today, not exciting but can feel pleased I've no dramas to deal with, and have even arranged some insurance " in case".

PS Thanks for upward, and I feel certain that it would be safe to talk to anyone at the group, maybe one of the attendees you feel comfortable with?

Ahhhh ! Thank you!

That's what I'm holding on to, shodatin - 3.5 more days.

I've just turn my thermostat down as low as possible - hairline crack in boiler pipe...plumber has put a bucket under it and says it only leaks when the boiler is on. Maybe go group as they have heating. [hmmm]

One Day At a Time works well, upward, and when life's really difficult, it even works to take one hour at a time. ( Voice of experience here). You'll be OK, I'm sure, but it's such a shame you can't feel more relaxed at home. Have you given more thought/decided to go to today's meeting? I realise you're not feeling A1, but I'm guessing there will be others present who would appreciate your company, and I know you post helpful stuff here for those worse off, but most of all, it could well make the time go quicker if there's nothing special happening at home.