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.

I am literally tucked up under a warm blanket watching snow fall, as psychic hob described, although about to go to bed.

Hope you're good and warm. How tedious to not have activities, though. Is there anything we can send you?

Past my bedtime - sorry have to go, if I was in a warm blanket Nilgiri, couldn't stay awake - night all.

Thanks for all the good wishes, not at a therapeutic med dose yet. Hope all are well.

Hope you get safely to bed, shodatin. Don't want anyone freezing on the sofa after dropping off.

Morning all - lovely sunny morning and snow has definitely stopped, about 2" thick it seems from the house, but have decided not to venture out. My two old phones are in a cupboard and should go to charity shop or similar, since it's years since I used either. Am currently trying to get info about simple computer/netbook/superphone for a friend now in a nursing-home who'd like to Skype and email, so am hoping I might find something I'd like to use too, just for any emergencies/down the garden etc.
Had a quick look at ailments of 1660s, but think I'd better spend time on today's communication gadgets, having little "spare" time available these days.

Hope everyone's warm and well, and that upward's
finding something to avert boredom in hospital.

Hope your research on behalf of friend bears fruit, shodatin - I don't know which is the most economical & uUser-friendly gadget , but you might find ideas on "Geeky stuff" if you're not already a frequent poster there!

I ought to have long since been somewhere , & yesterday didn't make another thing I meant to be at , but we all know that feeling !

Yes , really really hoping some pasttime is accessible to you , upward ... do you feel able only to keep to your bed area , and is there no library type trolley ? Sorry for my ignorance , esoecially if you don't feel like reading etc

Love the thought of your delicate snoring scaring the ladybirds, , Nilgiri < faints at dying of the "teeth" - our poor ancestors >

< giggles as next -door's -tom dt braves deep cybrgarden snow & looks very proud of himself >

Have already spent time on Geeky Stuff thanks hob, and have details of 3/4 newish items, planning to find perhaps another few and send off details hoping to get more info before getting further with anything, But today, for unknown reasons, there was a postal delivery, which brought letter from friend with news of plans to have first computer lesson "tomorrow" (letter undated).
Letter was considerably more cheerful than most, and news of proposed tuition was right at the end, when I was wondering why sudden improvement in friend's manner! Am now expecting email or Skype this coming week, with details of chosen equipment, which would be wonderful after a year or so without phone calls, and even better for friend who is now struggling to write notes after strokes.
Hope you're feeling OK after being unable to get to various functions hob. I think you do marvellously well to get out and about as often as you do, having to contend with our dormouse tendencies which take up prime time so often.

I thought you'd like that forum , shodatin {grin]- very useful . Excellent work to have come up with a some possibliies already among dazzling variety of choice .

Am so pleasd to hear of your friend's unexpectedly cheery letter & news of nw horizons , & hope technology brings enjoyment after a very difficult year for yyou too

You are very kind about my attempts at activity ( am feeling fine now , thank you ) , buta m very annoyed with myself because I could have made it to a pro - NHS "action" , if I'd have made a bit more effort - argh
Hope you aren't finding the colder weather brings worsening of existing discomfort ?.

< waves to upward, dearly wishing you the cheering events you so deserve , and little treats in the meantime - really hope you have something nice in your day

Hope Nilgiri , kizzie , madmouse and families have been enjoying the snow
< spots bird tracks in cybergarden snow >

< places warm rug over shodatin's exhausted postie >

Know the feeling hob, but it's not always a good idea to push oneself when not A1 fit, and it's still a problem sometimes to admit to lack of energy, which is why I think the spoon analogy is so useful - wish I'd known about it years ago.

You are so right of course shodatin , thank you . Agree spoons is an evocative analogy for people innocently bewildered by less visible aspects of disability

Sorry to hear your health problems go back years - I presumed they did , but having barged rudely onto thread after its introductions , I know I missed some of the basics .
Hope you had some nice Skyping today & that DB is 0K atm .

Hope your sleep is gradually improving , upward - I forgot to thank you for explaining about dosage

soothings all round

< postie now rattling windows of summerhouse with his snores >

Don't remember you barging rudely at any time hob, but definitely remember my postie is athletic-looking blonde female who'd never ever snore, so think you must have an imposter snoring in the summerhouse. Are you sure it's not someone's beagle who found his way in?

No family skyping today hob, but DB was fine when he called yesterday, thankyou. Hope things are going well for your MiL, and all carers.

< puts out food for hound > Does this mean we can keep him ( or her )? < pleeeeease ? >
< knows how unreasonable this is >
Thank you so much for kindness about my pushiness , for which I've never apologised properly
Excellent that DB is better and i, I hope , soon able to receive his Playboy bunnies

Thank you for asking - MIL having visual problems & another difficulty which seems serious , she & FIL don't seem to communicate effectively with HCPs despite their best efforts ( but won't let me help them email consultants etc ) ...and one of the carers was "sharp" with MIL yesterday... I think employer should be told , but won't wade in until more certain of the facts.

FIL doing better with her , I think , & consultant appt tomorrow might help
Sorry to end on stressful note - am sure she will get good care , and GP falling over himself to be supportive

I knew you'd have seen a lot of upsetting facts doing your genealogy research , Nilgiri , so will mention an ancestor of Dh's who lived into his eighties , being still so active at the tme of his passing that the sad event was caused by falling from a hay cart at harvest time

Peaceful nght to all
< beagle whines appealingly >

You saw him too, Nilgiri < fever of excitement >

Ooh, sunshine on snow, shodatin! Fab!

What great news that your friend is going to have computer lessons! Is this the friend whose glasses were "moved" by another resident? Sounds like getting online could be really life-enhancing for her - how lovely of you to spend your spoons researching for her.

I'm a tad worried about your postie working Sundays, tho, given what we hear about working pressures. Perhaps the letter was been misdelivered to a neighbour, who has now popped it round?

Heavens, hob, you do so much for everyone else, both political and for family - including planning and cajoling and supporting. Sorry if you're frustrated by dormousing, but you obviously need it. for everything you do.

Upward, hope your day has been OK. I'm guessing you had the snow too, as it seems to have blanketed the country. I ventured out with fat-soaked bread for the birds, sparking a starling riot, but have been watching through a window otherwise, warm rug blanket up to my chin!

X-post - knew you'd be busy with family! Sorry to hear about difficulties - it's fortunate the doctor appts are imminent, so PIL won't just try to "struggle on" ignoring your sound advice.

Thank you for that amazing account of DH's haymaking ancestor. It must have been very sad for the family to lose him like that - but a blessed life and death compared to many others.

And surely you can keep the hound as long as you look after him/her?

Sorry have to go now but thanks for laugh about animals.
Don't worry hob, beagle will come back. Night.

Morning all, and apologies for sudden departure last night - don't always get much warning.
Hope all managed good sleep, despite temperature drop, but have renewed fire, tidied blankets etc ready for next visitor who might require nap - and closed door in case beagle returns and takes over, as am certain it will be back now it knows where to find warm bed.
Espressos and tray of assorted all ready.

DB phoned after lunch to check I was managing in snow, while taking a break from shovelling it for his neighbours, which was a kind thought and much appreciated as evidence of improved mental health.

We've come a long way this last year, and just wanted to share it.

Hope hob's MiL had a useful appointment with consultant, and that all is going well again - can be difficult if helper's attitude less than positive of course.

That's lovely news of your brother, shodatin. What a difference! And thank heaven for nice folk like him wielding the shovel for us weedy types.

< creeps in shamefacedly > Afternoon lovely people , with apologies for non appearance - snowed under ( with tasks plus snooziness , rather than fluffy white stuff , bah)

Thank you all for kind support and 100% undeserved praise re MIl - I am very embarrassed at how self congratulatory that post came out - most of my interfering is done via phone
Thank you also for reassuring me that our tan -and-white friend will return soon < HF contemplates amount of training hound will require >

Lovely , lovely DB , shodatin - thank you for sharing the news with us < pops extra - vintage alcohol free champagne > Am swotting for my assistant -to -healer exams , so would suggest this for DB lilithsapothecary.wordpress.com/2010/11/17/the-healing-power-of-herbs-liniments/
Have lost my post from Notepad & need to do a task before sunset -s all round , hoping upward has had a bit of a chat with staff / patients to while away the time
< adds monstrous pile of logs to fire for Nilgiriand all resting cybergardeners watching sun set over our snowy garden>

PS shodatin , I hope DB made each of his neighbours a snow g* after clearing their path

Many thanks for liniment recipe hob - might try this myself. DB is more likely to expect g* for pathclearing than to make them, am not expecting miracles...

Am off to bed now as aching a bit. Night all.

Oh that liniment recipe's fascinating, hob. May contemplate for DP's de-snowing efforts, too... So sorry you lost a post, how frustrating. Hope MIL's appointment went well.

Hope your aches have subsided by morn, shodatin. I bet DB's will be impressive, though!

Night all.

Morning all, a sunny morning here and no further snow. Hope all is well with other gardeners in different parts of country, and that everyone managed decent sleep.

Badly need espresso, kettle on for assorted other s and delighted flump supply for upward has been renewed, can always rely on Nilgirito ensure comforts at cybergarden (when fairies don't turn up or hob doesn't arrive first).