BLACK DOG 25

Phew what a scorcher it been. It actually helps me - I have to slow down.

Today’s big triumph was to finish my grand dyeing plans. The sad looking cream dress is now a bright red, and 4 nighties too, all good as new. Pottered - did quite a bit of unintended gardening after I posted - I even did some yoga at home.

Yes HVDY I’m cautiously back. I just pray that the next depression is not as bad. But you all stood by me. One of the great helps. I think when I’m well I have “that sort of face too. Sometimes people tell me more than they really felt comfortable about as I can get intense and they avoid me, not much, as I am more cautions these days. I can imagine you are more “grounded”.

Nice day there - the pub and treat ice creams (I’ve just had a mini magnum)

Yes, Sweetpeasue, it’s in that area. I know it well - I’ve cycled or walked the cliff top trails many times. I only gardened until it got hot, overdid it there, but got done more than intended. I got dizzy and realised I’m not 30 anymore to bear heat.

That was a good wake up call, and time with DGS. I expect he loves Fluff too. Mmmmm bacon baps, ice cream, and fun on the tyre swing.

The singer was Polynesian. A huge huge and much loved man by his peoples. Sadly, his weigh meant he didnt do so well heath wise eventually.
If you take a look at the visuals you will smile at the end.

It’s too hot to really function properly, Doodle kind thoughts for your sad morning and busy afternoon - and it’s fine not to write.

Oh my - that is lovely, Ellie Anne. You do take a good photo.

See posters tomorrow, meanwhile I hope people can sleep in the heat.

Was driving home tonight and had to stop to take a photo.

Dear all forgive the brief message tonight I am exhausted.
This morning was very emotional. This afternoon better and I went to my art class exhibition then out for a meal. I am so hot and tired I don’t have the energy to write. Hope all are ok. Xx

Wyllow3 I've been surprised by some things strangers have told me. I must have "that kind of a face".

SweetpeaSue Your time with your GS and Fluff sounds such fun. Glad you had a nice time. I saw my SIL - we used to work together when I was 18/19. I fixed her up on a blind date with my brother, and of course, they went on to marry and have a daughter. We chatted lots. My car was 42 when I got in it to go home (I'd had the windows down) and was 35 when I was driving. Horrible. Must get the aircon sorted out.

Hope everyone has been ok. DH and I had dinner at the pub we like, then bought ice creams from the shop. Just changed the beds, had a shower and got pyjamas on x

Wyllow Thanks for the Israeli singer - was a real cheerful rendition of Somewhere over the Rainbow and not the usually sad renditions. Everyone in the water at the end ' perfect for the heat today!

Nadateturbe I looked up the book by Bernhard and it looks good. The sort you could just open up any time and read something reassuring and supportive. She herself had ME so she knows first hand . Glad you're finding it so helpful. You must get really fed up and very low at times and you care so much for others- so kind of you to include us in your prayers, thankyou.
Wow what an amazing GP surgery you have there- so many won't do F2F appt now. It must be good to see your paintings framed and displayed at home. All that work and I wonder if you are reminded of your feelings at the time you painted them. Hope you've had a reasonable day.
HVDY Oh its been a scorcher today up to 25 n half here but I know it'll be even hotter where you are. That minced thing with cheese sounded disgusting- what a disappointment. Glad you didn't have to drive further today and hope you had a good chat with SIL and meal.
Wyllow Dovedale looks beautiful , I've never been in that side of England. Info said the stepping stones were put in place in the 1800s --all looks gorgeous.
The coastal place I meant was Runswick Bay and Robin Hoods Bay is lovely too.
Hope you've been in a shady part of your garden today , and not worked too hard. So true about incidental meetings and chats with strangers. We never know if that person hardly gets to talk to anyone. We've had many interesting conversations with some walkers who have stopped and a chat has started up.
* Scaredycat*Doodle**EllieAnne
Allsorts Elveral* and all others who read hoping you are all OK.

Took DGS and Fluff to a local forest walkway thats designed for country walkers and nature lovers. There's a great play area and DGS loved it. He climbed part of a tree and in one part there were these tyres hung from tall bars that bounced. They were connected so he had great fun and I actually climbed onto one and his side went high and he loved it. Afterwards bacon baps in the very good cafe and ice cream for DGS. Oh my, it was so hot but we coped and it was so lovely to see him. Took him home then supermarket and took Fluff back. Nice day though just too warm . Phew.
Love to all.

"I chat with anyone who looks approachable"

Me too, HVDY, me too. what treasures I have uncovered. 😊

SweetpeaSue This SIL lives 8 miles away, and has chosen a nice village pub to go to for lunch, so it'll be ok. DH doesn't want to join us. It's boiling hot outside aready. Hope you and your DH keep cool today.

Doodle Two pictures in an exhibition! Well done. Will you be able to keep in touch with any of the art class people?

Wyllow3 he change in you recently is remarkable. Glad the old Wyllow is back. You're right about those occasional, accidental chats. I chat with anyone who looks approachable.

nadateturbe It wasn't Tofu, it was some minced vegetable thing with a cheese sauce inside, and breadcrumbs on the outside. Nasty. Good idea to wear a satin nightie. Keep cool.

Hope ALL BDers manage to have a decent day. Just off out now, back later x

I'm u early, the finish the watering and to pot out a plant that jumped into my basket at Sainsbugs yesterday. Its going to be a real scorcher of I'm planning a home and computer tidy up day with some gardening in the shade.

I went out to the car to get something from the boot, and a young mum with 3 children stopped for a chat, the children enjoying too.

How good these accidental things are - make the world go round.

It's enjoying the process most isnt it? working out, "when its finished" and so on. nadateturbe

Wyllow* I don't know this person at all. A very interesting video, happy and cheerful. Thank you.
I hope you are feeling ok tonight. Its good you got speaking to your psychologist.
And good thinking of how to get your painting back. 😁.
I do have a lot of mine framed and on the wall. I'm not a great artist but I enjoy painting.

Goodnight everyone. Sleep well.

What an excellent book, nadateturbe.

I've sold paintings too, and then regretted it.

(I was sly once. I gave my sister the best watercolour I'd ever done, and asked her to send me it to copy. I had an absolutely top copy made which looks better than the original, has it framed nicely, and sent it back. Now I have the original)

But I did sell a charcoal pic to my sister, and this time I kept the perfect copy....

So you can always consider this option if you want to make a bob or two...

Night night all BD's, present in here today or reading xx

You are right not to sell - as after all, they are our sort of babies and why give them away? I expect you have them in the room you have to spend so much time in.

Sweetpeasue, thank you. The counselling helped but it used up too much energy to go regularly. But I bought a little book recommended on an M.E. forum called How to be Sick by Toni Bernhard, and it gave me some ideas on how to cope with a chronic condition.
I do hope you manage to write and get a satisfactory result from your surgery. I'm so frustrated for you at how long it's taking to get to the bottom of your DHs ill health. It was good you were able to talk to your husband about it. But I think he's right and it would be more helpful after the tests. I still pray for you each night.
We're very lucky in that we usually get F2F appointments on the same day we ring. I've only ever had one day when they were fully booked before I got through. I can't believe how difficult it is for so many of you.
It sounds like the book club is really enjoyable and good for you. I'm glad.
I love your description of your stroll by the stream. I could visualise it. and well done on your jacket. It's great to get a bargain.
I have been ok today thank you. but like everyone, suffering from the heat. I have been upstairs in the cool side of the house since late afternoon in a short satin nightie! don't like this heat at all. It just drains your energy.
HVDY glad you had an easy day. Pity about the dinner. I wonder was your escalope tofu. I hate substitute meat.
I hope you get your aircon fixed soon, we really need it at the minute. Mine isn't working either. I have to get mine serviced every year. It's such a nuisance, my husband has never had to fix his.
I can understand how you feel about seeing your SiL. It's hard to watch people changing. I remember how difficult it was with my mum. And having to smile when I wanted to cry.
Scaredycat, that was nice of your DD and SiL, sounds like a lovely family evening. I hope your visit went ok. As I said to HVDY it's not easy watching someone you love change with this horrible illness. It's so very sad for your friend and her husband.
Doodle, I hope you are ok today, and have had something to do. Will you meet up with some of the art group during the break? I don't like the way groups break up for summer. I wish I could see your exhibition. Sounds exciting. I've had paintings on show too, but never sold any. 😀.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1bFr2SWP1I&list=RDMUB1O2cT2gM&index=5

By the incredible Israel "IZ" Kamakawiwoʻole of Polynesia. - the visuals are stunning and so is his voice. Light and happy, for families..

Scaredycat - re someone being "fantastic"

- its only what everyone can do if they are fortunate -

that is to learn from suffering, not let it make one bitter or scared -

all of us are here on that journey, are we not? And you know that, as much as I do.

when I was depressed I never dreamed I could get to this place-

So it comes to people at different times. xx

Very, very tired - have been on the go all day, BUT -I have, remarkably, paced myself.

One extraordinary thing was starting talking to a very large lady smoking next to me on a bench outside Sainsbugs. Teeth missing, et al. Clearly poorly.

Until I listened carefully (lack of teeth made it hard) I detected an actually very educated Edinburgh accent.

Long story short -she is the way she is as she had an amazing but OTT “alternative” anarchist youth in every way in the 70’s and all that entailed, very left wing, I’ll leave the free lifestyle to your imagination.

I also followed that path, but I didn’t need to rebel as much as she did, so my “70’s were more moderate - the Womens Movement, community but not communal living, politics and so on

(I was vice president go the Students Union et al) (and often chosen as the "token woman" as at that time the uni had 1 woman to 10 men - no it wasn't fun lot of the time due to misogyny)

When her sis came out, she was a modified version, more like me.

Anyway, I’ve had to keep going becuase it’s the last day before the hose ban. I won’t make it, I’ve needed and wanted to so some sorting out, so will finish tomorrow.

But what yesterday has given me - yes I did get a phone call from Psychologist, and I thanked the crisis man for his help

It has enabled me to pace myself by using yoga and breathing as constantly as I could possibly do, and by and large, it worked, but still avoiding grief - tomorrow I have a day off from commitments to deliberately choose for music and yoga

(a vvv long Specsavers appointment as we found out it was my cataracts getting worse not just the wrong lenses, so have been reading up on slowing them down and of course dark glasses)....

..nice call to arrange to see Quaker fro an evening meal, booked in top Italian place, now time to eat.

*Sweetpeasue” as I have nearly all my life lived far from the sea, my experience is that there are so many wild places where you gaze over ridge after ridge of moorland - walk beside the most beautiful of rivers (Look up “Dovedale”.......

.......from the bleak and dramatic High Peak to the softer and most beautiful Derbyshre Dales magic hidden valleys where no cars go and the public have not yet caught on..no its not confining.

But I am going somewhere on the coast that is very dramatic.

🙂

I’ll be in later, forgive the “me” tale, but its has been such a big change in 2 days.

And yes - I do love choosing the right words and being playful or creative or appropriate.

I have of course read all your days, back in later to say goodnight.xxx

Last day of art this term for me, I will miss the company.
Art exhibition tomorrow night. Who’d have thought I’d have two paintings in an exhibition 🤣🤣. It’s only the art class groups.
Take care all

Wyllow glad you’re in touch with the Quakers again. Hope the meet up goes well.
Also the holiday. Something to look forward to is a good idea.
nadateturbe I’ve only recently got into jigsaws. I quite enjoy it now. Yes church is my mainstay. Lovely people.
So glad you had a good time with your art friends. Nice to meet up and chat.
HVDY that adventure land sound the perfect place for little girl, what a fantastic day she must have had.
Scaredycat glad you managed to have your hair cut before the really hot weather comes. Mine is in a Bob and when it gets hot the underside becomes quite damp and frizzy.
I get on well with my hairdresser too. Been going to him for over 30 years.
Sweetpeasue glad y.ouve had a better day today and had a nice walk. The jacket sounds a bargain

HVDY 30 degrees and your car air - con not working !😫 That's really and truly grim. I know because my car air- con isn't working either . The garage that did it last time said they didn't have the machine working at present. We took it to another a couple of weeks ago who did it for only £30 and now it's stopped working again. Could need a whole new system in I think.
Oh your day- centre dinner a big disappointment.
32 deg tomorrow? Phew, far too hot. Hope you're not going to your SILs tomorrow in car with air- con problem , you'll be baked if it's far.

ScaredyCat I haven't seen my SIL recently. To be brutally honest, I don't like seeing her - she doesn't even look like the SIL I loved. People with any type of dementia change so much. It's awful, really.

How's everyone else been? Tomorrow is meant to be 32 degrees here, and I'm seeing my other SIL (widow of brother2), going for a pub lunch near to where she lives. Hope everyone has a decent rest (as much as anyone can when it's so hot) x

Nadateturbe A much easier day today - day centre (gammon, which I don't like, so I had a vegetarian escalope thing - horrible) Hope you're managing ok with this heat.

Wyllow3 I'm "Mammar" (it's a Midlands/Nottingham term). I hope you had the 'phone call this morning and got some good advice.

SweetpeaSue It's been 30 degrees here. The aircon in the car isn't working - it needs re-gassing but 3 of the local garages don't stock that particular type of gas. I'll have to ring around tomorrow. Your walk with Fluffball sounds so nice. You got a bargain jacket!

Nadateturbe Ah I see - I've never heard of the consent forms. Yes, we do this whenever we get F2F appts. Far easier if one doesn't quite remember what's been said. Even before Covid our surgery has always made it extremely difficult to get F2F and we can't even pre- book one. Have to wait for a call- back from GP ( any time during day) and unless there's something they need to see they will only do a phone assessment. Apart from our present young GP who * only* does F2F appts.
Oh for the F2F appts that were always done , back in the day!
Hope you haven't been too bad today. Lovely to see you in again.

Excuse typo!

Sweetpeasue what I meant was, if one of us has an appointment the other can sit in and contribute. There's no secrecy. We have done this for years, before we signed consent forms. Sorry, it sounds very complicated. I thinkbits nice to have support when you're seeing the GP.

Sorry Scaredycat I addressed your post( after Nadateturbe* to Wyllow by mistake.🫣