The Cybergarden - Late Summer Edition

[madmouse]

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

Lovely to be able to join in again, after a few hours out, collecting DB and having lunch etc, with last shop despite rain. Am glad you're getting in the mood, hob, and there's lots of time to do what you'd like for Christmas preps, and not what everyone else might be doing. ( definitely a laid-back version here).
Hope things improve for your MiL, hob, it must be so worrying for you both, particularly at this season.

Hope boilerman has been and done his stuff, upward, and that you're not suffering from cold. Only one more sleep!

DB having probs setting up his little old laptop at my house - he managed to connect sister's machine, but for some reason this one isn't working, although desktop looks right that's as far as it's getting, so short break here while he googles on this machine for assistance.

Problem now sorted, with little help from my computer-expert friend, just in time for him to connect with our niece, amazing communications when I remember how we used to book telephone calls on Christmas and birthdays, and even save up for same!

Thanks for "picture" of HF dancing in garden, hob, she must have felt happy for some reason - did the rain stop at all? Pretty sokid here all day, glad to be at home.

I just find my body clock completely goes if I sleep in the day. I've got a Christmas CD on, hob - sufficiently rousing.

If the rain with you is like that we've had, HF was being very dedicated.

No boilerman, good job I have a bucket.

I'm glad the technical issues got sorted shodatin - things have moved on so much!

I'm feeling grateful that I'm travelling tomorrow rather than today - should think about packing bits and bobs soon.

DB's train delays - with termination half-way when train did finally arrive - was not even mentioned on local news. He decided on today to avoid last-minute rush, so I do hope you have a comfortable and timely journey tomorrow, upward.

I think it's
sensible not to day-sleep for a long time, but short naps do work for me, these days. We're all different of course, and it's a great thing to understand what works best for oneself.
Shame boiler-man didn't show, upward. I think I'd have phoned H.O by now, but again, we all have different ideas, and I'm just relieved it's not too cold at present.

Anyone like to try my mince-pie alternatives with a ? Made tiny Ecclefechan Tarts this year, and have started on them already, but been strong-minded and not even opened huge box of chocs from DSis. (DB feeling jealous (another chocaholic) as he "only" got a garment from M&S in same post, but I know Thai friend got him chocolate something so won't be unhappy long)

Mince pie alternatives + sounds good, thanks shodatin :) Glad your DB has chocolate coming.

I'm feeling a little off still, but the important thing will be spending Christmas with family

Hope everyone has a good night and next few days (in case I don't get back on)

Sorry you're not feeling at your best, upward, and hope that another sleep will bring an improvement (as well as your travelling day), also hope you don't have too far to travel to the family home. Am assuming you'll have some help with luggage, presents etc and won't be too tired on the first day.
If we don't hear from you, will assume that all is well and that you're enjoying the break, and look forward to having news of you when you have time. Take care, and I hope you have a restful evening and a good sleep tonight.

< waves goodnight & an early Happy Christmas to upwardand all of us >
Thank you for scrumptious mincepie alternatives , shodatin - a great success here !

Sorry for very abrupt & prolonged disappearance - another errand that snowballed annoyingly & wore out poor dh . So pleased your computer problems are fixed , shodatin , and am empathising with chocoholic DB and most impressed with your strength in the face of the boxful of sweeties

HF is indeed a sweethearted cat, & thanks shhodatin for enjoying her frolicking . She does have very pronounced moods which are my great fascination , as others find their dc interesting

I so hope you feel better tomorrow upward and journey goes OK with no long delays ( I know what yopu mean about these events not being mentioned in local paper , shodatin )Good grief at days with no heating . Hope you have a lovely time with family

< Next door's b&w tomcat creeps into summerhouse after patrolling frosty cybergarden >
< lays head on tianc's feet and dreams of upward*'s lovely Christmas >

Thank you for managing to post again hob, much appreciated as I realise you have more than enough claims on your time (and energy), and likewise your DH who no doubt looks to you for some support while his mother's health is so worrying. I do hope things have improved a bit recently, but it's good that she will phone for help when required even if it's not too satisfactory; means you don't feel it's family only trying to help alone.

It's always fun to hear of pet antics, particularly pets of character, so thankyou for relevant posts, which are always cheering. Did you ever mention HF's age I wonder ? (really bad memory, partly own age) Hope her adventures continue, same for next-door's tom, hereinafter referred to as ndt as he seems to be a permanent part of the cast. No doubt tianc will appreciate his company while in the summerhouse, being more restful than HF with her constant travelling (and dancing). Hope you're warm enough there tianc; have found an extra blanket and left to warm near fire.

Better go to bed before I wake DB, who went ages ago, no doubt worn out by rail travel and extra food.
Wishing a good night to hob and anyone else who's around.

Good morning all , and I'd say it's properly Christmas now so Merry Christmas !
< waves to upward > Hope you feel up to travelling , and that you have
lots of time with dear ones , with plenty of the little traditions

I'm so touched that you make a fuss of my patchy postings whe you 've posted through all your preeparations a& visitors & first day of DB 's stay . please use our lovely warm summerhouse to relaax from RL and don't worry about posting if upwardis able to stay at her family's .

Dh thanks you & upward for further good wishes to MIL & him , as he was shaken by his parents' way of talking about the illness - they have an unusual way of looking at things - & having friendly non - related people around helps him snap back to the outside world !

Am sure DB is enjoying having time to really spend time with you - your regular visits sound very relaxed but I do find a few hours rush by too quickly & a proper stay is much more satisfactory < says hob po-faced > Am smiling at your Thai friend giving DB a chocolate gift.

< waving to upward> hoping you feel well enough to travel and that you have lots of time with dear ones , & plenty of festive silliness

Vet says HF 8 or 9 years old , shodatin , and though she is a sensible matron now , she still incredibly fast & brave with her dealings with other cats , & as playful as a kitten . Will inflict a photo on you whdn DH able to help me transfer them
< HF glares at pretty Christmas cat costume hob found in ultra bargain bin , abandoning all principles on animal rights >
< ndt happily dons his tiny little Santa hat >

Hope tianc has a good day , & enjoyed being wrapped up in shodatin's warm rug to peep at twinkling stars last night

Love to kizzie and madmouse and NanaNina families

Thanks for the good wishes re: travel and Christmas. I'm setting off in an hour or so.

I'm going to ignore the clinic letter I got this am as there are inaccuracies

Merry Christmas everyone!

PS the only reason I'm is because the letter makes it clear that there reason for seeing me wasn't what they'd told me - putting that behind me.

Very unprofessional indeed of them upward, am very unimpressed . So wise of you to put it behind you
Thank you for stopping to share festive greetings , and hope journey goes quickly . Your family will be so pleased to have you with them

Am trying to catch up with house stuff- dh & I really looking forward to hibernating away from people this yearbut there will be unavoidable visits < mean spirited >

Just think upward , when you get back there will surely only be a day or two more of the festive emoticons for me to brandish < lobbies for them to last till Epiphany >

Have a wonderful time !!
< raises s of shodatin's alcohol free champagne >

Morning all - hope you had a better sleep upward, and ignoring odd letter sounds like sensible action , how important is it, as we say. Main thing is that you feel well enough to enjoy time with family, and know how to contact right person if necessary (sincerely hope not). All best wishes for happy Christmas/safe journey.

Would love to see cat photos if at all possible hob, but not necessarily before Christmas of course. Have to go out to renew yoghurt supplies, then plan to stay home avoiding traffic etc, so will post later. Take care.

Hope upward got away safely and with all necessary luggage, presents, handbag etc necessary for visit. Had given up hope of boiler-man's visit, but maybe he'll be able to fix it while upward's away.

Am glad to be home again after last-minute yoghurt expedition, where I came across neighbours from across road (forgot to thank for their card, but never mind). Have never seen supermarket carpark so busy and so short of trolleys, but no parking problems in our small town. Miserable, drizzly rain stopped before lunch, which was home-made chicken and mushroom pies (wholewheat pastry of course) served with cream gravy and green beans as simple snack meal - DB managed three pies, so must have been OK, and uncomplainingly peeled huge amount of taties for tomorrow, so all going well and surprisingly stress-free.
Hope everyone else is managing a bit of relaxation, and that news is good about hob's MiL today.

Hi all just wanted to wish you all a merry Christmas and lots of lovely things for 2012 xxx

Hi Kizzie, Lovely to hear from you, and thank you for Christmas wishes, which are reciprocated. Hope all is well with you and family, and that things are improved for your DH and that you have a good year in 2012, including some better things happening in the garden.

Hope hobs doing well and that tianc's feeling better and that everyone's looking forward to Santa's visit.

Merry Christmas kizzie and all

< waves to kizzie > Brilliant to see you - we know you're often in the cybergarden with us , and hope you have a lovely Christmas with your family.
Good to see you , 8upward , and thank you so much shodatin for keeping thread going so cheerily today when your workload must be tripled , however helpful DB is and however much you've prepared .

Delighted to hear he managed 3 pies Am a big fan of wholemeal pastry , very nice with creamy / cheese sauces I think

Had teething difficulties with hand me down hard drive earlier but after being offline this afternoon dh has fixed things

I decided one of the presents for DM was all wrong so took advantage of a nearby clothes store being open till 6 , which is hypocritical as I wish the staff could have been relaxing by then . It was quite quiet & was nice to see all the groups of youing people who couldn't get home overseas for the break , out in groups having a giggle

Been lovely day , even pottering doing housework - we usually make a big deal of Christmas Eve here as it's more of a big day 25th in countries I came from - now in UK , it feels like 2 Christmas Days Usually try to have a meander into woods to get holly < trying too hard > , listen to carols from King's and have a meal before going to stand outside a local church to hear carols a Midnight Mass , where the churchyard cat usually joins us . This year the tree still isn't up but it 's traditional to put up late evening on the eve , isnt it < more hot chocolate , punch and alcohol free champagne on summerhouse table >

forgot to say Merry Christmas to you , upward ! Have a lovely , lovely time

Yes, Merry Christmas everyone, and am hoping upward is now settled in and relaxing with family.

I caught some of the Carols from Kings hob, which I do enjoy, particularly remembering that beautiful building, also caught the bit-on-bicycles from E.T., between chores and between meals. It is actually traditional to decorate tree this evening - we've just pushed our presents underneath this year, having got tree ready early for Thai friend to enjoy and photograph.

Am stunned to hear of tradition of standing outside church! (Suspect church cat's been surprised too). I've always enjoyed the midnight service, sometimes accompanying the vicar from the pub as he collected people en route to church, and can remember hovering in the doorway of a Spanish church, which was too full to find seating, but why does one stay outside here? Must be so cold, and frequently raining - please tell me why.

Have just realised this is not the time to ask anyone to post, so will contain curiosity until after holiday.

Just waving goodnight - happy sleeps everyone.

Sleep well , kind shodatin and DB , upward , tianc and all lovely cybergardeners

Thank you for a really special post there , shodatin , and I'm picturing you cheerily persuading everyone into church . Really enjoying your recollections & hope this Christmas brings you warm memories too

Hard to explain why don't want to go in , but not complicated - will bore you about it another time , patient fFriend
The church cat actually comes to sit outside main stained glass window for Hark the Herald Angels Sing!

< stripey cat looks forward to settliing in front of stove >

Happy Christmas one and all! Will be thinking of you all tomorrow!

Morning all, and a happy Christmas! Hope everyone gets lovely presents as I did, and that hob and family enjoyed time outside church, keeping cat company.

Beautiful red sunrise this morning probably means weather won't improve, but who cares? As long as I don't cook meal and forget taties peeled and stored in (containers in)bath...

Hope everyone has a good day, and thinking particularly of upward now safe in bosom of family and free from boring old crisis team - congratulations, you made it!