The Cybergarden - Midwinter Edition

[shodatin]

Hope this is Post No. 1001 equivalent, having just used up the thousandth space and feel I shouldn't ask Madmouse to organise the next one again.

Have just looked into summerhouse to check fire is burning gently, tray of [brew} organised by upward to turn into one's favourite hot drink of the moment is standing ready for visitors, along with a few pounds of chocolates from huge box sent by DSis. (Before DB eats any more today)

It's usually tianc, upward and hob who remember to be hospitable and also remember to send good wishes to previous visitors, including said madmouse and mouselet, kizzie and family, NanaNina, Butterpie and another name which eludes me just now, but am hoping you'll find your way to this new part of the Cybergarden
and continue visiting in the New Year, along with hob's time-travelling cat Her Felinity and her welcome associate ndt (next-door's-tom), who visit us quite often, bringing gifts of when they remember, instead of the usual dead rodents which they know are unwelcome in the cybergarden.

Have just had lovely large lunch, plus Skype visit from rest of relatives, so will have a little potter round RL garden, hoping all is well and welcoming now in cybergarden's summerhouse.

Hugs nilgiri - dealing with the DWP is very stressful and horrible. :( Readin is good, thanks for the

I hope everyone had an ok night, and wakes feeling refreshed

If anything illustrates the hell of the DWP it's that you stoutest - hearted of people can be so stressed by it all < says she who twice gave up on dla claim last year from exhaustion & humiliation > < comes back fighting , inspired by cybergardeners >

But this has all been put most firmly in proportion by your pereverance over the past year , upward , and this morning we're all sending the most positive of thoughts with you

That programme and the photographer sound very good , shodatin - will have a look

Refreshed by sleep , thank you upward and hope you will soon have good nights yourself

You have no idea how much you boosted my confidence there , Nilgiri < prescribes treats and even a dose of frivolity , when you have the energy >

Ooooh , lots of spring blodssom starting up ... best of both worlds if it stays mild but we keep the atmospheric bare trees and odd touch of mist for a while longer

< HF brings each cybergardener a snowdrop bud >

Thanks for kind thoughts everyone, as today looks like a spoon-counter.
Thanks also to Nilgiri, dealing with officialdom and the fire chores. Sending positive thoughts for former and suggesting request to Head Fairy for help with latter - HF might know someone who'd like a little job.
Best wishes upward for hospital visit, suggest making and taking notes and try not to worry.

< puts out alert to HF >

Hope your day brings pleasant surprises in spite of extra tiredness, shodatin

Am quite sure your perspective will help your friend's daughter and SIL towards some undrestanding , but it's still far too early , as you say

Ooh, hope DSis enjoys her yoga . Have you ever tried it ? You sound knowedgeable . Friends have had incredible results with it , and I need to find out if there are any poses or whatever that I might still manage .. I know how lucky I am to have the option . ( shodatin ,I was surprised to find how many Friends tend to be fell walking , camp - leading types , rather endearing - have you found that ? )

Hoe you have an uneventful time at the hospital , upward < as simply being there is challenge enough atm . I know though that staff may be extra watchful , and you're exhausted , plus other attendees might be tiring

< HF and friend try to carry extra spoons to the summehouse > .

Big thanks to hob, as am indeed tired, no real reason.
Did yoga classes for years but ages ago; pain without diagnosis made me stop, which is just as well, but had great mental and physical benefits, and would urge everyone to find right instructor or good (non-celebrity) book and just give it a try. Even gym-going fitness freak DB admitted being impressed after hospital trial.

PS to hob - Yes, think you're right about large proportion of outdoor types, maybe something to do with simple living = camping, but have to admit it's now too late for self to try, having grown into real wimp with age.

Would be interested to know if HF comes up with any ideas for our domestic comfort, while realising she's in habit of just leaving it to you, while you can be trusted to get it right every time, of course. Friends' beagle has it sorted, ie sleep in someone elses bed and eat whatever comes along, but am aware it's not fair to rely on Nilgiri, who's probably no fitter than we are.

I have the meds increase now, will try that tonight.

I hope you have enough spoons, shodatin, and evryone else for that matter.

Glad you have the meds upward, and hope all went well at the hospital. It will make such a big difference when you can have a proper sleep.
Thanks for wishing me enough spoons, as am using stick indoors, v. slow and no idea why. Hope you're feeling ok.

Hope increase goes smoothly , upward . Am feeling grateful for more spoons than usual today , myself , and wish I could share them out more fairly . Have really enjoyed the mild weather whilst clearing piles of leaves/ collapsed pampass etc from little front garden. ... now for Displacement List B ...

That's an even stronger recommendation for yoga than the others I've heard , shodatin . Sorry you had to give up ... I'd hope it made you stronger for the physical & mental challenges you've faced . Am oddly glad to hear your DB is a gym fanatic as it 's such a good way of supporting one's mh

< HF applies clever feline brain to our domestic dilemmas > ... well , being highly telepathic , HF recommends we simple humans try to develop our related abilities , so we can use our brainpower to summon willing helpers , move objects via brainwaves , intimidate prey (she's fed up with trying to teach me how to hunt) . She also advocates engaging a feline tutor for learning how to throw a look at least vaguey reminiscent of feline displeasure - again , very useful in improving standards of care & even earn lavish meals

Fortifying all round

Oh sorry missed you there, shodatin . So sorry for your unexpected slowness- perhaps a GP appt would be in order ? Is it fatigue and an all over weak feeling , or something more specific affecting the muscles ? I'm sure you're thinking through any recent symptoms to spot any patterns .

Just an unlikely suggestion - my health condition is one of those thought to be caused by an overactive immune system , so when exposed to colds & viruses I tend to be affected with extra fatigue & weakness in limbs rather than the conventional symptoms - could it be a virus ? Probably none of this applies if none of your health difficulties are neurological . ( Oh yes , you used to suffer migraines , if I recall correctly ? Those give me the jelly limbs even when there are no other symptoms ) ....me me me

< HF settles at shodatin's for a friendly nap>

Thanks for and visit from HF who is welcome to nap, but I might not open eyes again today - spoonless.

Oh poor you ,shodatin, hope you''ll find it was caused by a relatively harmless bug - if you do feel very odd though and should need to be checked up , we'll hold your hand < pollyannaish grin> The loss of your friend might well be laying you low , too , of course Thank you for making the effort to post that you might not be back today .

HF is most appreciative of your hospitality , but wants only your cosy room and to keep a discreet eye on you

Hope upward has found something nice for tea , and that Nilgiri has the energy for some good web surfing , or whatever the cool young people call it these days

Thanks for good wishes re: the hospital, it wasn't too bad, just about made 2 hours of it. Talk about things to try other than meds.

I'm sorry oyu're not feeling great, shodatin, hope it's 'just' a short virus or something.

I'm gla you're having aproductiev time and more spoons, hob

Nilgiri, I hope you're surviving.

I'm feeling fairly rubbish this eve. Just took the increased meds. I want to spend the next week curled up at home, think that would help in some ways, but maybe not others. No day services tomorrow, cmht person instead.

Nilgiri's DP here: Nilgiri says to tell you she's surviving but her computer isn't :( I'll be getting her back online at the weekend, but until then she'll be thinking of you all.

Sounds like a good meeting today upward, if you can try something other than meds . They do seem to be making an effort to help, and it's probably difficult on both sides just now, while still trying to get the right drug combination/dosage. Hope your sleep improves.

I don't feel GP could help me just now and it's not as bad as a virus; probably need more sleep myself as never have enough energy to turn off alarm until at least ten minutes after ringing starts. Lovely to have HF's company, and the snowdrop! Thankyou.

Never thought I'd envy someone leaf-clearing chore hob, remembering all the hours I've spent in various gardens, but weather was really lovely and spring-like today. Got windows cleaned too, and it was still light here at 4p.m.

Thanks to Nilgiri's DP, and sorry I've crossed here.
We'll be thinking of Nilgiri too (and some of us wishing we had someone who could fix computers).

Sorry you're not feeling too good either upward, and I have about the same ambition for rest of week. Hope you get some interesting conversation from visit tomorrow.

Night all.

I'm glad to here nilgiri is surviving.

Morning all - Hope you had better sleep on new dose upward, and have a decent day today. Big thanks for - today I need double dose of caffeine.

Morning all , and sorry with apologies for premature falling asleep on sofa after all that outdoor time - good heavens at managing all the windows ,shodatin . Am relieved you're able to be up and about today , but sorry if extra rest / sleep may indeed be in order

< HF pounces about balmy garden >

Another one who's hoping the medication will at least have helped you sleep , upward . The listed side effects of those drugs look horrible , and friends who've taken them have really struggled with same , so I think you've been very brave to bite the bullet , and hope the helpful effects will compensate
Who could blame you for wanting to hibernate (and you , shodatin) and hope cmht person will empathise with your discomfort . I think attending services might be good for helping you keep your confidence in socialising , which can falter when feeling unwell

Many thanks to Nilgiri's DP . We're missing her already and am upset at the thought of her not having the net for several days ( as is her DP, clearly)

Am relieved MIL got home without further palaver from FIL , and hope to visit today to see how things are . They've never had carers in before and will find it disruptive at first ( short visits morn and bedtime ) but will hopefully find what suits them

Right , back to undone chores - I know what you mean about the oddness of enjoying these , shodatin( I was the type to begrudge any active effort till health condition crept up on me , and of course now relish whatever I can manage

upward's lovely all round

Thanka hob I really want an increased dose to work, cmht person thinks that if they have to try something else, I should be inpatient to do so :( (not taking them is not an option because of that). I did share some of my misgivings around that...wish I had a review date or something so it's not hanging over my head.

I think they acknowledge that I am feeling uncomfortable around services, but they still think I should be going.

I hope your FiL and MiL adjust to finding the carers helpful rather than intrusive.

Thanks for the

I hope the double caffeine helps, shodatin

Thank you for good wishes, and am OK so far today, despite shopping trip with 20-min drive (comfort limit), so may need nap later. I was not the one washing windows hob! Must be more careful with phrasing.

It's good news that MiL is back at home, and hope she's pleased too and that helper/s are welcome all round. Am still trying to convince couple of friends that their lives will be improved with cleaner/s, so it might take a few days before they get used to it, but should mean a new lease of life for MiL (if she can ignore husband muttering).

Remember mentioning Christmas presents for self, having bought one at half price, and today I bought a second one, also half price, so am feeling spoilt. (Boots have set of five different (small)perfumes, all new to me, so may buy a couple more for presents if I like them).

Upward, I really hope the increased dosage helps, and you manage any side-effects, but am glad they're understanding about your reservations and hope they're not pushing you too much at this time. Do they have anything interesting going on at daycare?
Am thinking about OT, crafts etc.

potatoes soap diet caffeine tissue daffs

I knew that couldn't be right about your window cleaning , shodatin , sorry
Thanks for filling us in , upward Sorry to hear the suggestion of a stay if you were to try a med change , which hopefully won't be necessary .. Did cmht person say this would to support you with the psychological adjustment , or is it also to do with any physical issues such as interactions other medication you may take ?

A review date or similar would be an excellent idea - sounds as if you're doing magnificently with maintaining a dialogue , despite feeling unwell and the side effects of med increase .

Now , unlesss you want to raise the topic , I will shut about this stressful business and speak only of frivolity < upward's magic > I don't expect you feel up to jigsaw etc , but can you not be persuaded to a bit of TV / youtube ? Perhaps it's just too tiring atm , ditto seeing friends . Any diversions we could help with ?

Thank you both for good wishes for MIL- I will get round there eventually today ! FIL doesn't tut , shodatin , he rants ....you'd give him short shrift

I've been meaning to remind you to get the rest of your present to self , excellent . A great pleasure to have an evocative scent trailing you . What type of fragrance do you like ? I like very old fashioned ones , heavy Christmassy scents which I imagine could be made at home with essential oils - good job for all in my vicinity that I don't have a set !

Good programme last night on monastic books , should be on the i-player
( I sound very mannered today )

Scents are one of few remaining pleasures hob, and agree with you about heavy ones, eg still love Chanel 5, but actually most florals depending on time of day.

Short break here while I answered skype call from DSis, asking me why I was phoning her, as she was just cooling off in the pool after work! We've said many times that Skype is unreliable, so maybe this time she'll believe me that I was actually writing to someone and not skyping her.
Back to scents - we probably could get good perfumes from a home mix, but would need a proper fixative and probably minute amounts of very expensive oils, which could well go "off" if not done properly, so quite a risk.
Will look for the book programme. Spent time being baffled by Higgs Bosun programme last night, and something on Great Barrier Reef - or maybe the evening before? I still enjoy "Eggheads" at 6p.m., although don't always stay awake for it, and tonight I think it's Desperate Housewives again - not nearly as funny as it used to be, but I still enjoy it and get nostalgic while watching suburbia.