Cybergarden: Spring into Summer

[Upwardandonward]

Here's a new thread for us.

Have only now got back to laptop, Merivel, and have to admit to forgetting about holly seedling, and now it's raining hard (another bit of age-related amnesia), but will certainly get out when rain stops. I don't have your address, or even a neighbour/friend nearby, but will use and destroy if you'd like to PM me some time.

Apologies for sudden end there, but laptop made odd noise, almost Skype-noise, and considering it's prime-time for connections, thought I'd better check, but must have been just some damp in the system as no-one seems to be calling.
Very odd that church door opened as you were thinking of leaving, Merivel, but must be coincidence! Maybe you could find out about the nearby house, if your DH had relatives in the village at one time?
There's been an even more worrying noise since today's rain started:- water is flowing back into the toilet. At present level seems static, but can remember being woken by this noise a couple of years ago, and having to empty it out before using it. Glad you mentioned gales, as I see garage door has blown open (must have slept through noise) so will go and get the "bailer" I used last time loo flooded - I'd hate it on the floor, although it does look clear...

Oh noooo at loo part- flooding , shodatin - I don't know that that should
be happening , but we too have occasionally had problems with the toilet seemeing to block in heavy rain (sorry). Hope it will stop rising now & go down eventually , & that you won't have any more Skype false alarms

Very relieved you haven't ventured out in cold wind & slippery conditions - please leave till weather settles ! Will PM with address, thank you so much

Oooh goo point about house behind church - Dh's ancestor might well

have worked there , I will try to research the house

More problems here, as last posting disappeared as it went off-line for some reason. It would be interesting to know if your DH's family have any connection with the Elizabethan house. My DB has all the family papers etc. and no interest in finding out about the ancestors at present, so it would be difficult for me to start, but it does seem like an interesting occupation for everyone.
.
Hope all is well with your DH's present family, and with upward's domestic plumbing, while I think of it.

No further problems here, but leaving emergency equipment in place overnight, just in case.

Oh I'm so fed up for you , shodatin - Mn just keeps on crashing . Do you know how to write in Notepad so you can copy & paste in Mn box ? I expect you already do that

I recall you said DB has the family info but doesn't fancy toiling through the research ..if you do get the energy / time/ family papers , my Dh & Nilgiri really know their stuff & can probably advise if you do get a chance to research even just a couple of people - leads can be looked up in small sessions , & so much is available online nowadays , though ancestry.com requires a modest susbscription , & any other costs depend of location of documents- online, or in libraries in UK or abroad - but there's always another person to begin researching if you encounter a temporary obstacle !

Thank you as ever for asking about family- haven't been to see ILs since last week & need to be in more frequent contact , but it's DNephew's 18th birthday next week so they're looking forward to the family party . All 3 granchildren doing public exams/university finals atm , poor things- have you had any news of your DNiece lately , I wonder ?

You are always inspiring in your disaster preparations < goaty toes they won't be needed >

Hope we all sleep peacefully , especially upward.

Will say goodnight in case drop off in front of Young Frankenstein -apologies for not having caught up properly since with yesterday . Hope you haven't had further problems with Mn crashes or plumbing , shodatin (so stressful ), & that Nilgiri has had a good day & her garden is not too waterlogged - should be a bit drier & warmer next week

< puts out hot choc for Nilgiri & maybe upward >

< warms rugs >

Thanks for good advice on relatives Merivel, but am not up to persuading DB to sort papers yet, and know he doesn't want to do this, so am a bit stuck for now. Am pleased that DNiece got through next stage of degree so can stay another year (I think), anyway, she's relieved as had crisis of confidence, poor girl.
Mn has certainly had a lot of down-time for last two nights, and I unfortunately forget to keep checking.
I did look up the Notebook when you mentioned it last time, but have not yet remembered to use it .

You're so lucky having a proper family of relatives who can have proper celebrations. I remember the grandparents and one aunt, but never had even one cousin (violins here), which is probably why I try to keep in touch with niece.

Hot choc and warm rugs much appreciated - beagle just stuck head out to check visitor, then wagged tail hopefully at company - and wish I could stay up myself.
Wishing a peaceful night all round.

Upward, hope you're doing OK, and just suffering technical probs or spoon shortage.

Eek at possible loo-flooding, shodatin. Nooooo! Earnestly hope you don't need to use emergency equipment.

What a clever suggestion about the manor house and Merivel's DH's family. Good luck with finding out more, M. And how very spooky about the church door!

Seems that everyone slept through the gales! For some weather, dormousing is the only reasonable response. DP's been outdoing me today, completely flattened by some lurgy, so we closed the curtains and went back to bed all morning. Hope all cybergardeners were comfortable in their slumbers, and woke well rested.

Sleep well all, and hope there are no floods or disasters overnight.

Morning all, Hope no weather-related disasters overnight, and that Nilgiri's DP has completely recovered from lurgy, and without passing it on, of course.
Also hope "our" upward is in a good place, and just too busy to keep in touch at present - we worry about you, being so ill for so long must mean a huge job getting life back in order again, plus whatever the hospital want you to do in recovery, and it all takes time.

P.S. More problems with Mumsnet being unresponsive, just a warning in case anyone's getting frustrated.

Morning (just) s Ah , you did better than I did by finding Notepad & working out how to use it ! I find it slightly awkward to click ctrl C, then Ctrl A without wiping post from notepad during absent minded moment - would
recommend saving it in the file column on top left ( sorry , grandmothers & eggs )

Hmmm, pc sorting out overloaded memory again here ( am doing better ,
I promise ) then Mn went down again...

Very sorry to hear DP been so poorly , Nilgiri- hope much improved today,
& that as shodatin says , wasn't something contagious .

What a beautiful message to upward , shodatin - we're all thinking of you, upward , and sending possitive vibes

Thank you for update on your DN , shodatin - oh bless her at crisis of confidence. Very hard seeing sensitive souls negotiating these obstacles , and DN has had such a series of battles - glad she has such a fond Auntie .

I know , it is quite amazing to have a family of ILs who've really welcomed
me over the years (was young & very, very immature when met Dh) but I can't
pretend I feel quite at home ... you know , some people feel the same
with their own relatives Dh's sister in particular is amazingly kind , & am very happy that Dh loves my DM & her sister (she of the rescued bird )

Feel guilty for the beautiful sunshine which we currently have here - hope we all get some of it before next showers

Right , am off to search for 3 important items I put in incredibly Safe Places in recent months and have been searching for just as long

< throws balls for beagle , who has suspiciously tassel-red chops >
s and [biscuits]

It's good news that you have such a great lot of inlaws, Merivel, but expect there's been understanding on both sides over the years. Even better that both sides can appreciate each other - the get-togethers must be great fun.
You're lucky to have blue sky too (grim and grey here) but have at last dug up a few seedlings, which I always thought were holly... today, on closer inspection, I think they may just be Berberis, the shrub which has orange flowers about now, always admired but not holly.
Will ask Thai friend, who's due here soon, before sending anything to you, unless you'd like berberis, if they are.
Just off to check one of my gardening books.

Oh bah at grey skies where you are, shodati - we need one of those incantations copyright of Nilgiri

I like that way of looking at IL relationship , thank you so much ! Can't pretend to find parties great fun though , however much I appreciate hosts' niceness - I do of course store them up as precious memories . wish I could teleport you to the next one , especially to meet DN's beagle ...I hear he likes a go on the trampoline , but have never seen this delight

You are very kind to have dug up seedlings - orange flowing shrub sounds very interesting - told you I am very greedy !

[brews and wholemeal buns / rice cakes

< hopes Nilgiri & DP not unwell with tummy bug >

Hope your visiting friend is well , shodatin- she's an honorary cybergardener now , surely , with her regular appearances

< stokes fire >
< hopes we can all hear some birdsong >

I hope nobody has had flooding, your loo doesn't sound good shodatin. It's been a mix of 'only just got out of hospital' issues and computer issues, feels like I've been 'out' for ages, but lots of logistics to sort out etc. Definite BoOs.

I hope everyone's surviving with the weather, it's kept me in most days.

Wonderful to hear from you again upward, and thanks for finding time to post and let us know you're OK, which must have been difficult in itself with computer problems. Hope everything's improving now, and that you're winning the present BoO, without pulling hair out, etc. Also hope you can get outdoors as soon as blue skies return, which is really great for mental health.
Thanks for your kind concern over loo, but seem to have got it sorted since last year's problem, with only air returning nowadays (big relief).
Merivel, Thai friend confirms i've dug up and carefully washed roots of orange Berberis, and that none of them are holly. Am so sorry about this, but if you can use (or swap) 3-4 Berberis, they will certainly survive posting and I would be happy to take to P.O. Sorry I don't have holly, but Berberis would provide hedge almost as good as hawthorn (and probably as prickly).
Trampolining beagle sounds amazing and just wish I could see it! (and they are eccentric little souls)

rilliant to see you , upward !!!!!Sorry computer issues have added

to the tasks of homecoming ., but lovely to hear you feel as if you've

been home ages
Argh at your having been marooned by shocking weather - has been truly unsafe round this way but not flooded here , thank you . Hope you'll be able to get out this week

< all raisea cup of warming to shodatin's loo not protesting
at rain levels

Would absoluely love Berberis , shdodatin - thank you so much !

Would like to swap for some seeds I've put in a Safe Place - I know you have to ration yourself due to space / energy , but there are a couple of things you could put in a little pot even this late in the season , & of course you lke to share seeds with friends . Will package up little violet & hope I hdon't botch it up < off to search >

PS whilst waiting for pc to unfreeze so I could post , I restarted my search & found somethng I would never have unearthed otherwise , the object I've been desperate to find- an unopened letter from a fFriend that I really needed to read !!! Thank you shodatin !

Ooooh yes-we were wondering which pieces/s of music you might t like to hear at our cybergarden gala celebration of your homecomng , upward - we have had a symphony orchestra rehearsing < no pressure >

I cam't think as far as music goes, hmmm... Thanks shodatin and Merivel

Sorry for pressure , upward ! Take a few days to think about it- depends whether you want your party soon or to save it till the weekend or both , heh heh Thank you for your patience !

< curses saying no floods- roads now rather quite floody despite being v high ground ! Won't reach houses , though

ndt's wound healing well , touch wood ,and cats finally able to frolic during sry spell
s - thinking of you & DP , Nilgiri , & hoping feeling better

Night all - eyes closing, Sleep well upward.

Goodnight , shodatin - sleep well all

< warms rugs , plumps up cushions and lets beagle in in case Nilgiri needs comforting companion >

< dozes in steamer chair dreaming of inflatable ski shoes >

So brilliant to see you Upward!

Sorry you've been trapped inside, but glad you haven't been washed away completely.

Hope we can continue to say the same of Merivel! Touching wood for you as I type: flooding sounds rather scary. But hurray for search turning up your fFriendly letter at last. Now you need to look for a different object, in order to find the three currently sought...

Ooh, berberis is beautiful. Hope they travel safely and thrive at Merivel's. shodatin you are so lovely to share the joys of your garden with us all. Relieved to hear your plumbing has survived the downpour.

DP very touched at you all asking after him, and much improved - appetite happily unaffected throughout. In fact he was cooking shepherd's pie this evening, when he shot out of the kitchen and with rare fury yelled, "It's NOT Elizabethan! Arrgh!" Apparently a ClassicFM announcer had just used this description for... Greensleeves. He was still annoyed at bedtime, and would like your unswerving agreement validation!

So pleased to hear your DP is recovering well,Nilgiri, one can relax once there's an interest in food, and as for yelling at TV/radio, I'd say definitely back to normal, but must remember to take it easy for couple of weeks, according to GP. Hope you can avoid it Nilgiri, you do so much (along with Merivel) to keep the cybergarden and it's buildings safe and warm and welcoming, it would be difficult for us if you went down with virus.

As for Greensleeves, I don't honestly know, but given that amount of conviction, I'd agree he's probably right...

Glad ndt's wounds are healing well, Merivel, it's good that he feels well enough to play again. Can't wait to open violet envelope - do PM me with your address/neighbour's etc. for Berberis.

I think the "amount of conviction" is indeed the test of the thing , shodatin Thank you for [brrew]s

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SHODATIN !!!!!!!!!!! < HFconverts time machine into mobile disco and materialises in shodatin's living room > < Puss decides to shut off the music but jump up for lots of fuss, with mouthful of blooms >

Now ,good cybergardener , have you any frivolity to be getting on with ? Any browsing of little thing you might treat yorself to ? Above all , are you ready to celebrate ? < bustles >
This is my one of my plans for us -
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Brueghel_dance_1566_detroit.jpg
but I happened to find this one next to it

www.allposters.com/-sp/Animals-Entering-Noah-s-Ark-Posters_i1366993_.htm

Happy birthday shodatin!

< grabs upward for a jig >