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 should sort out dinner. DP left a pie and some mushrooms, so anyone who doesn't like garlic-breath - You Have Been Warned.

Am very impressed with that graveel product , Nilgiri and good to see the wheelie-drome thread again . Hope you enjoy a good & garlicky dinner

There's a poster in Disabled Parents a while back needing advice on wheelchairs whom you good people might have ideas for , sometime -Apologies , I know you 're both very busy www.mumsnet.com/Talk/disabled_parents/1383993-Ok-so-things-arent-getting-better-so-I-now-need-a-wheelchair-I-know-very-little-about-them-can-you-help?addwatch=1)

Sorry you're in need of distraction , upward - am not surprised you'd have some symptoms under at end of such a busy & stressful day . Will try to find a link or two for you

It must have been such a difficult day for you upward, and you've done really well to cope. Voices are probably result of stress and tiredness, so please try not to worry, as I'm sure they will be temporary, and am assuming you won't have time to think of anything in the morning apart from working on "automatic pilot" until it's time for the pre-op stuff. Sorry you've had such a bad day - wish I could think of some distraction. "This too will pass" seems a useful mantra, and maybe counting names of all your friends who would over-shout the voices so you don't hear them anymore.

The names idea seems good , shodatin ..I've been rubbish at finding anything upward could actually manage to concentrate on
www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2011/sep/28/hampton-court-palace-roundels-restored

This site has lots of rural photos/ Bath buildings
www.photographersdirect.com/buyers/stockphoto.asp?imageid=3084307
this is an amazing place to have a virtual tour of
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lacock/things-to-see-and-do/

Thanks for suggestions hob, will look tomorrow.

Am sure you'll have visited most of the locations , shodatin| ! But they may be soothing - am hoping you'll be able to drop off eventually , upward , but if you don't , there will probably be one or two of us around for a couple of hours yet
herbal

Sorry but have to go, otherwise I'd be around but not conscious, so will wish you a good night upward, and hope tomorrow makes up for this stressful day. 'Night to anyone else around, including any hopeful animals.

at beagle habits! Don't think there were crumbs or cats in bed, tho DP has beagle-like habits in this respect - doubtless from being raised younger sibling to one.

Glad yesterday's dormousing paid off, shodatin, and you had a better day today. And thank you for noticing that I'm so much better: it's too tempting to take the present for granted and deliberately forget how things were - and then be horribly disappointed at small dips. Occasional reminders of how far I've actually come make me count my blessings - as of course I should do anyway.

Hope you got some sunshine today, though I fear it's been rather sparse.

hob you're so very good with all these amazing links. My mind goes blank. And thank you for that link to a wheelie thread - I think I noticed it and immediately forgot, so it's really good to have that again. A bit tired to plunge in today.

Not at all surprised that you're studying social sciences. You have so much insight into and such a broad knowledge of the human condition, it's an area made for you! Of course, it may be the other way round and I'm mistaking your book-learning for natural aptitude - but I don't think so. One can't fake that level of human empathy. I'm sure you'll thrive on the course - but also enrich yourself far beyond paper qualifications.

Early night here! Hope we all sleep well and wake refreshed for whatever comes.

Virtual breakfast must be allowed, thanks!
Thanks for all the good wishes :)

Here's some fresh

I'm on the bus now, just awake ;)

Have a good day all.

! Mmm!

Hope you're safely admitted and all is on track. But eeek! at small hours posting!

Oh upward, you poor lamb! Only virtual breakfast at 3.45 then on the bus to hospital at 7a,m, what a way to treat someone who's ill. I suppose if you can survive these conditions and a day like yesterday, you've a good chance of doing well with the op, but it seems very unfair. Can remember refusing a test because I did not feel well enough, and am wondering how many people are not well enough to get to OR, particularly when living alone.
One more medal due to upward, and more strengthening thoughts for this morning. And big thanks for the , beats me how you could remember any-thing for anyone else.

Just to say am in total agreement with Nilgiri's view of hob's suitability for career with people who need help/information, and think you should be paid rather than volunteering. Hope health improves enough to go forward with this ambition, meanwhile, am glad we have you on-thread.

Good grief upward , wish we could have booked you a chauffeur-driven limousine - you are amazing to manage all this after a horrible evening & long wait for bed

I woke at 3AM on sofaand attempted to get to PC to wave to upward before she needed to set off ,but was asleep again too quickly- wish I'd made it and enjoyed some of Nilgi's lovely hot chocolate

Sorry to arrive so late , but ama still having a few struggles with PC memory (am learning more computer stuff , finally)

Yes I can relate to having to postpone / refuse tests due to feeling too unwell for tests ,shodatin - having to "starve" is really arduous , isn't it , then waiting around in stuffy rooms - disastrous .Really hope upward isn't feeling too jelly - ish and the op will be over soon . < doing the mountain-goatty thing too >

Am so moved by your kindness & encouragement , Nilgiri & shodatin , incredible boost to me , they have changed my mood from deflated hob whose confidence had plummetted & was about to feel a complete failure in the eyes of the hordes of scary people I need to face soon , to one determined to gain voluntary work she can actually be capable of- & she will remember your vote of confidence if she ever get a bit of pay in years to come < showers cybergardeners with golden coins for all practical wants & frivolous treats they could ever desire >

< sniffles so helplessly the beagle brings me a smelly sock to cheer me up >

Good grief upward , wish we could have booked you a chauffeur-driven limousine - you are amazing to manage all this after a horrible evening & long wait for bed

I woke at 3AM on sofaand attempted to get to PC to wave to upward before she needed to set off ,but was asleep again too quickly- wish I'd made it and enjoyed some of Nilgi's lovely hot chocolate

Sorry to arrive so late , but ama still having a few struggles with PC memory (am learning more computer stuff , finally)

Yes I can relate to having to postpone / refuse tests due to feeling too unwell for tests ,shodatin - having to "starve" is really arduous , isn't it , then waiting around in stuffy rooms - disastrous .Really hope upward isn't feeling too jelly - ish and the op will be over soon . < doing the mountain-goatty thing too >

Am so moved by your kindness & encouragement , Nilgiri & shodatin , incredible boost to me , they have changed my mood from deflated hob whose confidence had plummetted & was about to feel a complete failure in the eyes of the hordes of scary people I need to face soon , to one determined to gain voluntary work she can actually be capable of- & she will remember your vote of confidence if she ever get a bit of pay in years to come < showers cybergardeners with golden coins for all practical wants & frivolous treats they could ever desire >

< sniffles so helplessly the beagle brings me a smelly sock to cheer me up >

oops , forgot the s < sniff sniff> , and put a line through things I hadn't meant to

still not proficient on the PC , then

Just laughed out loud at beagle's gift of smelly sock - I never got one, but he was happy to "hand over" any stolen food to share, particularly a large piece of (raw) gammon (not fond of raw meat, but Irefused to co-operate and cook stolen goods, no doubt baffling him as there was probably enough for all three of us.

Can't help with computer stuff I'm afraid, and am assuming your DH is absent at present or he'd no doubt have it fixed using mainly ingenuity.

I don't think you've had problems facing previous hordes of people, so maybe the lack of confidence has something to do with lack of proper sleep? Hope it helps to remember all the times you've been successful, or even to ponder on who you know who might be better at it than you? See? Nothing to worry about. (Not having to face anybody at present of course).
Being accepted and trained as a volunteer is good for confidence, and fine until one realises that some of the paid people are taking advantage, but good luck if it's what you'd like to do.

Must get on today, sun is shining and garden's neglected, so must have a few minutes outside while it's possible.

How sweet of hound to bring you entire joint of gammon , shodatin - he must have been very pleased with himself . I was assuming he pinched it from your kitchen , but had he actually made off with your neighbours' Sunday lunch ?

Sending good vibes to you, upward, hoping you will be able to have the procedure today & a smooth recovery can commence . Hope you were able to stay fairly calm , but please be kind to yourself -not many people are calm waiting around to see if an op can be performed , plus the added pressure of needing to be calm for other health reasons < careful hugs >

Hope you were able to do a couple of garden jobs , shodatin
Dh will have another go at freeing up memory when not at work , thank you & I will try to learn the steps

Re facing the scary people , vol work etc - thank you , love the thought of whether anyone I know could do it better - yes in many ways , but they would do it very differently to me ! Just means need to pay careful attention to finding suitable role & colleagues
... your points are brilliant for me to repeat to myself ... however , am feeling nervous precisely because of spectacular failures when facing scary HCPs / bureaucrats etc, so I hope I can be open with people about my strengths and weaknesses ( & indeed more confident if paid staff should try to take advantage )

s for lovely people , with remains of delicious breakfast Nilgii BROUGHT in for upward , which I'll go & replenish for when she is up to eatng again >e

It was actually a butcher's parcel with two of the biggest gammon steaks ever, and awfully embarrassing because we could hardly ask around and let everyone on the boatyard know we had a thief, but asked owners to try and find out - must have got it from another yard, or maybe one of those expeditions where he walked behind female with wicker basket - exactly right height and time to pick and chose as so silent. I actually saw this happening in front of me, so called to him, which surprised him into greeting me and abandoning basket.
(People holidaying on boats tended to walk to local shops for (expensive) supplies, thinking crime was something that only happened in cities.)
Didn't mean to ramble again, but thankyou for the which reminded me I was thirsty. Have done one tiny garden job which much improves the view, plus sowed more seeds, bought yesterday with friend.
Hope you're not worrying too much about forthcoming talk hob, as am sure it will be alright, most people are not actually unreasonable, particularly to patients, and can't help feeling you've been unlucky.

You absolutely were not rambling , shodatin ! Love the picture of cheeky beagle raiding shopping baskket n front of you Poor you & Dh trying to trace victim of crime without attracting a mob with pitchforks

Thank you so much for encouragement & advice . Agree have had some polarised experiences- met positively sadistic official types , and others whose efforts changed the course of my life - latter more common than the former ! I'm tying to improve my strategies for dealing with the less constructive type

< still laughing at Nilgiri's DP being brought up younger sibling to a beagle >

s for those able to

Glad you managed a task and some sowing - may I be nosey as to your crop ? Thank you for reminding us about cut-and-come-again salad leaves ,
Have fallen behind with sowing as have been dormousy this week , but hope eventually to have various veggie crops another bash at sweetcorn , & morebeans , & spiky gherkin cucumbers , which are funny , sweet & slugproof . Hmm , need something salady , & more exotic tastes - mustardy leaves ? herbs ? oriental veg , yum

Thinking of you , upward xx

Been hoping we might have heard from upward, and really hope all is well (Remembering own day-surgery & similar, tea and toast fiveish).
Nothing special sown this season hob, and am admiring all the veg you're planning. Did some autumn sowing earlier, having only one usable window-sill, and did toms, lettuce, various flowers, broccolli and spinach beet
(had this years ago but can't remember; will be growing it like c&cagain lettuce in raised tubs. Not found any of those tough little cucumbers we used to like, name forgotten and would have to be in growbag anyway as still have leeks in border taking up space and growing very slowly. Have rocket and chard and something salady/herby (not keen) from last year, which would be happy to post if you'd like to try. Ffriend has promised one of her donated cardoons in return for recipe, as mine got frozen last winter, altho I warned they're barely edible and best left to provide birdseed..

I'll read tomorrow, but for now I'm back home safe etc

Brilliant , upward -< thank you for posting and very , very well done ! Hope you are comfortable enough to sleep OK , and less stressed - you must be ehausted

Hope Nilgiri having good day ( oh yes , i wasn't meaning to urge you to reply on that thread - I should perhaps put a link to the wheelie-drome on the thjread ? )

Thank you for kind info & offer lovely shodatin - sorry can't post properly till bedtime
s &, hot choc

Hurray! Marvellous to hear you're safely home again, Upward. Wishing you sound and recuperative sleep, and swift recovery from any side-effects of the op.