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.

Morning good gardeners
Sorry for premature dormousing last night . I can't seem to retrieve my message from Notepad atm so will set out tray of s and espressos and wish us all a good day < resumes search >
.
Hope you have a nice time with visiting friend , shodatin ,and that Nilgiri and upward have positive days wihout too much exhaausting effort

Will try to plant a few pots of tomato seed for porch - maybe even pea and runner bean , as FIL advises < whistles Spring tune > You were thinking of plhaving a few pots on windowsill, weren't you , upward - ages yet to think about it , & Of course can buy the ready pots of herbs most of the yearn

Sorry for yet more typos

Hello gardeners, been a busy morning so far, and off soon to nearby city with friend to return handbag,which has a
snapped-through handle, such a nuisance, but being on the 28day period, should be a simple transaction. Am so pleased I arranged this trip, as would be too fragile to manage it myself.
Sorry you're having Notepad problems hob, and thankyou for preparing tray of and goodies - this will be my third espresso today, which is a lot.
Hope you can soon sort laptop, (or that your brilliant DH can fix it again), and can also manage to have some rest-time today.
Thanks for reminder about tomato seeds, I think I have some Gardeners' Delights in the tin, always reliable.

Hope shop refunded the broken handbag without fuss ,shodatin , & that you & friIend enjoyed outing -I can well imagine you are feeling fragile , and hope you won't be feeling too horrible on your return

Ooh yes , glad you're almostready to start sowing - my favourite part of the process . Actually mine remain unsown today , as the primroses Dh carefully planted into borders aren't flourishing & needed to go into pots . HF came to help me

Bit too late for afternoon, sorry ,but will put _please look away now , shodatin , if tummy still delicate - wholemeal muffins & scones in tin ,& sweet prune spread or cashew butter to go in them < sneaks in a few of the unopened Polish Christmas biscuits have been hoarding, still well within their date >

Hope Nilgiri isn't neglecting her own emotional health in her round of duty / unpleasant tasks , ...oh yes , sorry Nilgiri's DP , but I got to know a kind-hearted poodle very well in later childhood , & I hate to seem mean , but have often been heard to opine to Dh that beagles are less intelligent than poodles ... bah , as if the raw capabilities are anything to be proud of , beagles having such unique qualities

Please take it very easy now for the week , shodatin

Thinking of you, upward, hoping you're feeling better x

How kind to provide us with more special snacks hob - am assuming they're home-made, apart from Polish delicacies? It just never occurs to me to do any baking, apart from Christmas and birthdays, probably because DH was never interested, and would just play about with smallest scone if ever provided - back soon

Sorry about that, DSis just Skyped, and we missed each other at weekend. She says has changed address books, and has my number missing last digit, which explains why my phone "was not working." It was good to talk, although a bit late for someone with a 7.30 a.m. meeting (and an hour ahead of our time).
I thought about poodles hob, and really love the big ones, so bright and beautiful, but DH's brother had a very spoilt small one, and he was really not interested (but it would have been an easier life, I think...)
I could just fancy a scone with cashew butter, mmm, definitely not enough for the animals. Would it be possible to have recipes please? I know you have lots of chores still, so no hurry at all.

Just waving "goodnight", and hope it's a good day tomorrow.

Sorry not to reply shodatin - & noNw have missed saying goodnight to you -but been a hurried evening ( nothing virtuous) . I know what you mean about your DH's take -it-or-leave -it attitde to baking - I'm not fussed about cake but do crave processed crepes & continental pastries . Afraid I haven't baked for ages as lack the energy , but more cooking from scratch is a top priority , & I do enjoy it . < fancied making the stollen recipe from newspaper but was daunted by the 57 ingredients >

Even so , you might like the Cranks recipes , and cashew butter is, as you know , available in health food shops- also , apple / pear spreads

www.cranks.co.uk/recipes/view/healthy-muffins( haven't tried yet - do have the old Cranks books though , so can look up the original recipes if this isn't inspiring)
This looks a good effort at the famous Homity Pies http ://www.permaculture.co.uk/readers-solutions/oca-homity-pie-recipe liked this site www.permaculture.co.uk/readers-solutions/oca-homity-pie-recipe, though you might prefer to make it with simple potato

This blog looks tasty too
allotment2kitchen.blogspot.com/2009/12/cranks-homity-pies-make-come-back.html
allotment2kitchen.blogspot.com/2011/01/welsh-dragon-soup.html

Sorry for taking up so much space
Wishing lovely Nilgiri & upward a very peaceful night < dozes off , dreamig of playful poodles >

Mmm, scones and cashew butter.... Yummy yum! You'll be keeping my DP busy, hob - he's already chained to the stove most weekends. Sorry you lost a post, how frustrating.

So glad you got your outing, shodatin. You know for someone as grotty as you sounded Sunday, you've managed to be incredibly busy today. Hope this means you're bouncing back and will be back to normal again in a day or two (whatever normal means for us dormice!).

Been taking a break from horrid stuff here, and been busy with nice stuff instead. So a tiny bit more DIY progress. Relieved to hear there's still plenty of time for sowing, as I'm no forrarder than Upward but without her excuse.

Hope you're holding up, U, and have fingers crossed for positive news tomorrow if the consultant comes.

Ah, poodles. Have to admit that even the breeder referred to MIL's miniatures as, "This one got the looks and that one got the brains." The smaller one was quite sensible but, ahem, dogged. Which I suppose dogs are allowed to be. The larger one was an airhead. Very pretty but daft as a brush and looked like one too. How wonderful that you knew such a kind poodle, hob. Was it full-size?

< beagle snores contentedly as cybergardeners slumber on >

< belatedly drapes a rug over Nilgiri >

Have to be brief just now, but thanks so much for recipes hob - and had no idea cashew butter was available ready-made, having once made apple butter in US (completely different, I imagine). A light, scone-ish wholemeal confection would be really good, (having small appetite), so thanks for pointers.
Lovely to hear about poodles Nilgiri, and glad there was some warning with aunt's animals. We were told "This one's the pick of the litter, and this is the runt; he'll be what you make of him", before quoting tiny price for poor little second pup - should have finished "and together they'll be almost impossible"- happy days. We didn't know any better, and no doubt your aunt is now something of an expert on the breed.
Very best wishes to upward, if today's the day for news.

at " .. and together they'll be almost impossible " , shodatin < sniffs soppily at tiny little runt >

Loved hearing about MIL's daft dogs , Nilgiri - a reminder to me that individual dogs vary greatly !

My dear poodle friend was , I thought at the time , medium -sized , but I now realise that was from a smaller person's point of view

You were perceptive to consider haviing lovely big poodle , shodatin , but I can see why your Dh wasn't feeling that pull towards them. . You sound exactly right for your beagles , able to give them a (wildly ) adventurous life with lots of outdoor time where their bark would hurt no neighbouring ears

Sorry forgot to send best wishes earlier upward if you see doctor today , or are waiting for further news

Am busy this week , partly because agents have demanded another inspection with much improved results - can't complain , they're right

Dh very pressured at work & with visits to MIL , who is still in nursing home as adequately - trained staff still not found . though as there's a bit of a tummy bug going round , daren't go in in for a few days , no matter how much FIL complains ( to be fair ,am not just being a coward - have caught tummy bug from care home before ) ,Fingers crossed ,MIL has only had mild symptoms . She has been enjoying the social interaction there, as hoped .

Hope we're all reasonably well- shodatin - really hope the abdominal ache left you a couple of days ago

Brilliant to hear you spent time on a project , Nilgiri
s and comforting soup all round

Sorry for further mistakes -I do check , I promise - and it should read " brilliant to hear you spent time on a project for you , Nilgiri " < can't think of right word so has to choose wrong >

< re -caffeinates silly self >

Thanks for good news about MiL's socialising hob, such a shame about tummy bugs, which must spread easily in such close quarters. An even bigger shame about further inspection of your home, which sounds really unreasonable, unless the place needed lots of attention when you moved in. I do hope it's soon acceptable.

Wish I'd had a childhood friend who was a poodle, although as we did have a gorgeous mixture who looked rather beaglish, I did know lots of other dogs, and think it's so sad that nowadays both children and dogs have to be restricted in outdoor freedom. A friend who was not allowed a dog while small made lots of friends while he was outdoors, as spending time on the local beach meant he learned to both make a fire and catch fish, and dog-friends would sit happily in a circle waiting for supper or snacks to both cook and cool down.

Am slowly feeling better hob, and have made non-urgent gp appointment, meanwhile trying to help myself in various boring ways, particularly with the "flushes".
Nilgiri, I've enjoyed hearing about the poodles in your extended family too; two are definitely where you notice the differences, apart from twice the work.
Beagles actually barked very little, (too busy? mouths too full too often?) and neighbour used to get up with his gun if they barked at night.

I'm going to be allowed home on extended leave for 1-2 weeks, going to day services and ward round.

I know I should feel :) , and I do...but the (stated) reason for leave rather than discharge is so they can readmit me if I need it, I wish they had more confidence in me

How's everyone else/family doing?

That's still really good news, upward, and I'm so pleased for you. Actually, it might be best to make the transition slowly, although I know you want to be back to normal life as soon as possible. It must be difficult for you, but I can see that you are being well-looked after, and won't have to wait if you do need any altered meds.
Thanks for letting us have the Tuesday news - some of us thought this might still be the important day for the con- sultant's views. I really think it's the best news yet(smile)

Sorry I didn't manage to post a smiley face, but I do feel happy for you upward, and wonder when the extended leave will start. Is tomorrow too soon? Will someone organise your helpers, get in food, etc? Must be so much to do before leaving for home.

Thanks, shodatin, it's nice to know people still think of me.

That's great news , upward < village bugler starts up >
< is requested to move away from our women's contemplative community >

I'm sorry it's a slightly qualified homecomingat first , but there are is more emphasis on risk avoidance , as you know - not a question of lacking trust in you . . They want to make sure you feel confident when back home & that you will keep in touch with services if you have any difficulty ..as shodatin says , still best news in a long while

Of course we think of you every single day , & your determination has inspired changes in each of us

Really sorry was unable to post earlier

Have our celebratory hot chocolate with 2 marshmallows brew]s all round

Back later , but very peaceful night to anyone about to go to bed

Not tomorrow because of sorting carers. I've done an online shop for thurs, what did we do before?

Thanks forthe lovely

Have a good night and pleasant dreams all.

Fantastic news!

Don't know what people did before, upward, as I remember, we just hoped someone would offer to help, and I think you're really organised and independant to have arranged shopping already. Hope the sorting of carers can be done as efficiently, as there's not much time left, even for Thursday. Hope someone's been going into apartment and opening windows, etc, as you've been away such a long time. And congratulations too - hob is quite right that we do think of/post for you daily, and think you've done amazingly well.
Goodnight all, sleep well.

also at "together they'll be almost impossible" and illicit bugling in the women's contemplative community.

Hope GP is helpful, shodatin, and you continue to improve.

Glad to hear hob's MIL is enjoying the social life - wonder if this could lead to more permanent arrangement she'd be happy with? Sorry you have another inspection due, and hope you won't wear yourself out too much preparing.

Upward you are soooo organised. Hope the flat doesn't need too much airing, and quickly becomes snug. Your own space again at last!

I'm a bit late with thanks for last night's celebratory hot chocolate (thrown by excessively exuberant bugling,) but it was much appreciated, and am happy to take turn making trayful of [brews] with plenty of espresso.

Can just imagine all the fuss around upward's bed as wheels grind into motion for her well-deserved escape.

Better get out trusty seed-tin, and thanks to hob for reminder, but most will be ok later, due to what my friend used to call "the catch-up effect", so plenty of time yet for upward and Nilgiri. Was disappointed lately to find Thai friend most unimpressed by Pak Choi seedlings, and have to agree there are not many and also a bit uneven, but a good first attempt I think.

Thank you for refreshing , 8shodatin at " thrown by excessively exuberant bugling "
< joins in scramble to help upward's escape - hope it can indeed be sorted in time >

< slowly catches up with yesterday >

Thanks shodatin for reassuring us you've made a GP appt , & hope hernia not usually a source of concern ( I mean of course it is , but in that you have to keep an eye on it , rather than it regularly causing discomfort )
Many sympathies on the flushes as surely they increase symptoms of tiredness / weakness

The dogs you & DSis and DB grew up with sound great fun... I feel guilty sometimes going on about animals here , when you can no loger be staff to one , & upward has none either , & Nilgiri I think is allergic to fur . Have had long bouts between animal companions, & rented accomodation ( & allergies ) mean we can't expect to have pets after this , so I do empathise .. wish smaller pets could be kept without feeling guilty at their captivity < off to build toad house >

Thank you & Nilgiri for support with further tidying & buffing efforts

< hands round the potting compost- months of sowing yet , Nilgiri and upward - this is for we greedier gardeners , or maybe a decoy crop for the SoD to get theeir teeth into
Awww shodsatin , I think it's normal for pak choi to be a bit patchy - please accept platinum cybergarden medal for all your gardening work this past year , & for innovations such as raised salad beds & brass boosting tomato yields

Mores and some springtime fruit juice too