Hot Chocolate Anyone ?

[Former-Member]

Thanks @Faith-and-Hope, thought you'd forgotten me & worried I'd upset you too somehow (as i so easily seem to do 😕) but know its more likely blackdog talking, not truth. I hope. Please just say if I do put my foot in it as you're important to me here.

What do I do? the dishes & garden but sadly mostly dvds. Do enjoy photo editing & bible study lately. Not much of a reader but push myself to. When I'm not so down & can get organised enough to find things, i crochet, sew, mend, do cross stitch or tapestry, but mostly sew & crochet. Working on a patchwork memory quilt at the moment for mum & dad.

Play piano or guitar. Today i even broke into song twice 🎶🎶🎵 "though he fall he shall not be cast down..." 🎶🎵🎶"what can wash away... oh precious is the flow, that makes me white as snow... 😄, so although i don't know what i feel right now, something good is happening for that to come out today.

Sounds better than it is, lack motivation but always hope to do more.
Have my old dog distracting me. Haven't had a family member here since Dec. gets too quiet - thus the. dvd's (company).

[Faith-and-Hope]

@Former-Member 😊

Firstly, I am actually quite hard to offend ..... so trust that its blackdog talking and push him to one side ..... out of the way .......

I will always ask if I would like some clarification about something that has been written, don't worry.  And you have said that your emotions deregulate sometimes, so if I sense that you are feeling a bit troubled or unclear, I am likely to ask about that too, hoping I don't tread on your toes in the process, but trusting that you will tell me if I do ❣

Soooooo glad you were up and singing again.  You mentioned to one of the other muso's here (was it @Appleblossom ?) that you were struggling to find the mojo with that for some time.  That's really great, and I hope it's healing something there for you ❣

I'm a crafty girl too, although we have had an awful lot of drama to contend with in life, including our home flooding twice, with all the damage, and move out, and move back in - try doing that with a large household and lots of stuff cos everyone is arty and musical and you-name-it - on second thoughts, don't try it ....... 😊 ....... I am feeling too burnt out to try to put a craft corner back together and get myself into quilting, knitting, crocheting, sewing etc very much again.  I just can't find my get-up-and-go with any of it at the moment.  I will be pleased to think of you doing it, and that will be my promise-to-self to return to it all again later ..... when our current storm have passed through and I feel recovered.

I have painted though.  A couple of months ago I did a big oil painting that I am entering into a competition, hoping that it will be accepted into the gallery exhibition.  I don't expect to win, but being in the exhibition itself would achieve one of my life goals.  I can't tell you more about it than that, because if it is accepted, it would be something that identifies me, and anonymity is one of the requirements of the forum .....

We love DVDs in our house.  Very favourite thing to do ❣  Enjoy .......

May I ask what sort of dog you have, and what it's name is ?  There is a thread on LE, if you want to look for it, called All Creatures Great and Small (I think that's right) where some have been introducing their pets.  See what you think .....

[artee]

@Former-Member @Faith-and-Hope I was following your conversation and hope you don't mind me chiming in - I've rediscovered some crafts too. I was always crafty, but then developed osteo-arthritis in my neck which curtailed most of the things I enjoy, but I can still knit, so I've taken it up again. I find it very meditative too. Currently working on a lacy lavender cotton summer top for myself. I figure it will take a month or two to make, so it will be ready for summer (rather than start a winter top and miss winter). Living in a caravan, there's not much craft I can do. I love to sew too, and sometimes take my machine to the housesits we do. Haven't done much there either though, except fix the curtains in the van and make covers for the benches. It's much harder to motivate myself to do that when I must pull the bench apart to get the machine, then a box from under the bed for the cotton & other needs, then find a space to work in someone else's house for the few days they're away.

[Former-Member]

Oh @Faith-and-Hope, sounds like things are also disorganised at your place, with good reason though. At least you do the music & painting. You should post a photo of your exhibit here, love to see it. I always get a boost in energy in spring so hope to catch up on things then but My primary focus for winter is to de-clutter, prune trees & bushes, garden, gutters... (tired just typing it). Not getting anywhere in a hurry atm. Anyway, you have so much else on with your children & hubby, how do you do it!!

My dog is a 14yr Tenterfield Terrier (like a foxy) with clay brown patches. My daughter chose him at the pet shop for her 5th B'day. His name is 'Claypan' (the breeders called him that & it stuck). Thinks his human especially since his mate died last winter & i let him sleep on my bed 😞. He has his winter jacket on, bit spoiled. When i had 2days away last week re minor op the neighbour forgot to feed him 😕 so he's suckin up & somewhat more behaved since..

Hi @artee, (apt name re crafty side). How difficult it sounds to get into your sewing in a caravan. Think I'd allocate 2days a week when its out the whole time to get into & away the next. I have clutter & keep misplacing stuff (a real turn-off). But these hobbies / talents that feed our soul (energise us), I think we really need to make it happen for our own sanity & calm. Love the sound of your lavender top, love wearing heavy cottons.

Just talking has inspired me to get my machine out tomorrow.

[Faith-and-Hope]

Hi @artee

Lovely that you have joined us 😊

Living in a caravan must be both a challenge and a delight !  I love small, well thought out and organised spaces, which is the essence of caravans ....... and my grandad had a tiny one !  

He had a house too, but my grandma had a mental illness, I would guess schizo-effective by family descriptions of her behaviour, and in those days there really wasn't enough awareness, medication, health services or community support to do anything other than survive ....... so my grandad kept a roof over everyone's head, food on the table, and education happening around her, but came and went in his caravan to stay on other farmland they owned.  I didn't know when I was growing up that they were living a separated life, and my childhood memories of his caravan were very sweet.  He cooked fish we caught in the creeks for us, with chips, on an open fire outside the van .....

I am glad you can still sew and knit @artee.  I think @Former-Member is right - it feeds the soul somehow ❣

Thanks for sharing about your dog @Former-Member.  I am glad you still have him as a special memory of your daughter.  It must be bitter-sweet.  Does him being better behaved mean you have to "forget" to feed him occasionally too 😉.  Is he any help with the mice ?

Yes, we have a lot of disorganisation around here.  You know how it is, being crafty, having a lot of gear in support of those hobbies ....... well when you have a large family and we are all like that in terms of hobbies and interest ...... well, clutter is pretty standard, despite my best efforts to keep it ordered and organised.  If there is one cleaning, and another five messing up, it doesn't take being a maths wiz to work out that I am on the losing side of things ......

We manage to scrub up doe special occasions by hiding a lot of stuff 😊

Keep singing ❣  That's what I do ❣

[Faith-and-Hope]

@Mumsworry1 @Wordsmatter @Tasoula @Megan

 @Former-Member @artee @Shaz51

Good morning 😊

I have tagged some of our newer members in here, just to offer you a virtual cup of something hot and comforting to see if you would like a bit of chat company ........

We know how hard it is to be carers for others under a variety of different circumstances, and whether we are a carer, or someone who needs some care, the best thing we can drop into a cup of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate is a few good teaspoons of compassion and empathy ❣

When I first came to the forum a few months ago, apart from writing out my story on "my" thread, I was reluctant to speak out very much about my personal situation.  I would usually prefer to maintain a higher level of privacy, but across this time as I have acclimatised to the sense of anonymity the forum provides, I have revealed more and more in increments across many of the threads.  

The effect has been to lessen the burden I am carrying, to find comrades on this journey, and sometimes just to have a vent or a whinge or a laugh - probably more of the latter - which is helping to nourish my need to be heard, understood, appreciated.

Whether you choose to share a lot, a little, or not at all, other than to stop by for a quick "hi" occasionally, I just wanted to let you know that this quiet corner of the forum is available to drop in to 24/7 and leave a post.  There may or may not be anyone around in that moment, but someone will respond at some point with a chat to acknowledge and cheer you.

Some of the mods drop in occasionally too - "hi" @NikNik @Former-Member 😊

Hope you have a good day everyone, or at least an okay day ....... 🌷💜🌷

[Wordsmatter]

Thank you for the inclusion ....and kind words of support. After 3 days away to breathe....although there were many phone calls from my daughter number 2....the one with borderline personality disorder.....we got home to a burst pipe in one bathroom....2 rooms flooded! It could have been worse and at least it is fixable. Those kind of problems whilst annoying are so much easier......also got me out of washing dishes and cooking tonight...ha ha. Even as I try to type this, daughter number 2 has arrived with a surprise visit.....lucky me! She seems to be in a good mood so I shall go and make the most of it. Goodnight....love & light to all. Tomorrow is a new day 😄

[Faith-and-Hope]

Oh @Wordsmatter I can soooo relate !!

We came home from a holiday interstate one year, and waded ankle deep in epwater in our front hall as we walked in.  The lights blew, so it was by torchlight that we first saw the paint running from the walls and the devestation to the wooden floors ..... a trickle from a broken pipe had caused it all across a two week absence.

Yes, it's just "stuff" at the end of the day ..... a reminder that it's the relationships that count for the most.

Perhaps as people for whom relationships, or recovery from relationships, is hard work, these things come into sharper focus.

I hope you have had a good evening with your D2.

🍓

[NikNik]

Morning @Faith-and-Hope and @Wordsmatter

I hope there isn't too much flood damange Wordsmatter! Glad you're making the most of a bad situation though 🙂

Faith-and-Hope, I think I need to step it up from a hot chocolate today, to a strong latte 🙂

[Faith-and-Hope]

Hi @NikNik

I am about to relocate this virtual cafe to our local river's edge, in search of exactly that - a strong latte - hopefully in the company of a pod of dolphins that pass by there regularly .....

Latte with dolphins anyone ??

☕️ 🐬 ☕️ 🐬 ☕️ 🐬 ❣