Widowhood.

It would indeed be amazing if we were near enough to each other to meet and have a gang. Non- widowed friends are wonderful too but I find they don't really understand. Biker, I hope you're soon feeling better and Fallconbird I know exactly what you mean about having nobody to talk when you're not well. Last night walking back down a dark lane after a lovely supper at a friends house I caught my finger in a gate. I don't think it's broken although it's three times its normal size this morning and the nail is very badly damaged ,it's excruciating. I know DH couldn't have done anything about it I just wanted him to be here to be sympathetic.
I've realised I don't have any record of DH his voice and he had a wonderful voice.
Falconbird, I would really recommend a tablet it does almost anything you want it to and in a strange way I find it assuages loneliness sometimes and it feels like company, albeit the virtual kind.

Bikergran - I didn't know you'd been ill - nothing serious I hope? That's one of the worst things about being a widow. I've had a few nasty colds and a couple of bad backs since DH passed away and it's so miserable not having someone to chat to about it, I mean someone really close like your bloke.

I did have a tape of my DH but it was when he was very young and playing with the kids. I looked and looked for it when I moved house last year but no luck. I've got a feeling I still have it somewhere so will keep looking.

I think I will buy a Tablet. Not sure what they do - can you take photos, make phone calls, etc.,

ahah I didn't realise that about different strengths...

No, you have bows of different strengths. I only pull 22-24lbs on mine at the moment. And yes you wear a forearm guard.
Lots of clubs will have taster sessions. We take people from 5-90+years young. Clubs will normally lend you equipment

thanks nannieroz111 think I might just creep in for the "pensioners special" !

Hope you have a nice day out tomorrow with your neighbour friends. It will do you good to relax a little. I've been in harry ramsdens in guiseley, many, many years ago. I enjoyed it.

I've often fancied a go at Archery, but keep thinking what if that string hits my arm! ouch! although I presume you have some protection against that, I would imagine you need a pretty powerful pull, and upper body strength, which obviously you have Galen bet you felt good scoring the gold!

Do you remember "The Golden Shot" "Bernie ! the bolt" !

(Oh and I didn't bother taking a photo of where I went today! I didn't think anyone would want to see "under my stairs") .

Amen? Taken up!

I've amen up archery. I have to sit to shoot and someone has to retrieve my arrows for me. I'm no good but I enjoy it.
Today they'd put up the wrong targets, tiny ones at 20yds distance. I could barely see them them let alone hit them, hence I was delighted when I actually got a couple of gold in the target I was aiming at.(they're so small there's 9 in the space of the one I usually use)

oh well I got bike out went to home bargain,didn't buy a thing, then come back home, I wasn't in mood, couldn't concentrate on anything, seem to have been like this last few days, think since being ill, once I started feeling better I felt on a bit of a high if that makes sense, but think I'm dropping back down to earth again now.
So I came home and ended up tidying understairs (again) not a very exciting day ehhh

My next door but one neighbour has invited me to go out with them tomorrow, I put some trellis fencing up for them on Tuesday, and as repayment (which I really didn't want anything)I didn't do it for that, they are taking me to Skipton and then we are going for fish n chips at "The Weatherby Whaler" (it used to be Harry Ramsdens at Guisely) if I'm right. So that's my day planned tomorrow.

Ah! falconbird what a lovely thought. Having all you ladies to chat to.

I hope you know you have made me very hungry with your talk of latte and chocolate cookies.

Don't worry too much about your laptop packing up. I have one of those tablets, cost £100 when I got it last year, (the new version is on sale now about £79) and it does everything I want. It just depends on what you use your laptop for. I still have my desktop PC, but rarely use it nowadays.

I will nannie

Falcon yes please do keep backing up, even more than once, I back up (especially photos) on DVDs, also on usb sticks I also make DVDs for each person then If I do! loose them then I know other members of the family have them. You will probably come across your tape at some time, I doubt if you will have thrown it out, I upset DD yesterday as she came in whilst I was messing with the tapes, I said hey! watch this (it was GS when he was a toddler in garden) but then of course a snippet of DH came on and she heard his voice so was a bit of a shock to her, it is a bit of a comfort in one way to see him walking about and playing with GS but also upsetting as you just want that time back. but....!

Ohh I can taste the cookie melting in my mouth as we speak
I will try and take a photo of where I go today, if I do go. bfn everyone.

I don't have any record of my husband's voice. I did have a tape somewhere, but I've moved house twice quite recently and I can't find it. I do have lots of photos though, and luckily proper old fashioned photos not just on the computer.

I do worry that I may lose them on my lap top although I do back them up. Gosh the things I have learnt to do now I'm a widow.

It would be great if we all lived nearer. We could go to a nice coffee shop and have a good old chat. Mine would be a Latte and a cookie preferably chocolate.

I also worry about my lap top packing up - but a friend has told me that PC world is very good - and it's only a few bus stops away.

Have fun and take care bikergran

tut just read my post back and some words have got jumbled up! hope you can make sense of it.!

Hi everyone I wonder if any of you have any plans today, ohh after reading the last few posts, wouldn't it be wonderful if we all lived a bit nearer to each other, even an hours journey we may all be able to do and meet up and then together we would support each other, we could for a "gang" I am just getting dressed trying to have a talk to myself as I have done my party piece earlier on! I just so want o talk to DH show him my hard work in the garden, ask if he wants a cup of tea, sit in the conservatory with him this morning with the sun streaming through, I don't tend to sit in there much at the moment, it's just not the same.I was going through some of my little camcorder tapea dn trying o find I little snatches of DH on them (he hates being filmed) but how I wish I had filmed him a little more as I don't have much footage of him, plenty of photos but not movies. So I only have little snippets of him, and I am frightened of my tapes deteriating and once that happens I can never replace them so I need to get them on to DVDs. SO I think that took me a few steps back last nigh and this morning.

So I have had a talk to myself and going to get my bike out and hopefully if my friend Eileen is free we will have a ride out somewhere. I have to be in the right frame of mind if I am going out on my bike as need 101% concentration, cant afford any lapses. Oh I do wish we were nearer!

Whatever your up to today I hope the sun is out and you all have some fresh air and keep occupied, take care everyone and chat soon

oops! falconbird

*falconbird *

I do so hope you are right galen. My DH would hate to see me like this!

Thanks Anya - I''ll take a look.

Nannieroz - I think we were both lucky enough to find our soul mate. It doesn't make being a widow any easier.

I agree with Anya -try a day trip first.

My mum was like me for years and then - after quite a few years of being a widow she went to stay with her niece in Lancashire! It was a long journey by train. Then she went on holiday to Ireland with her sister-in-law! by plane, her first ever flight.(I was very proud of her.)

I know she was apprehensive but she did enjoy it. It took time though and I think the trick is to know when you're ready and what you can manage.

Thanks anya. Will have a proper look at your link later.

Once you've tried travelling you'll probably become like me , addicted to it!

I found this group for those widowed in their 50s and 60s could this help?

Good luck to you all, I hope you find the courage to go on a trip. Just a day trip is enough to start with. You may well find someone in just the same position as yourselves.

I'm told, by someone who knows, that there are many loo stops and lots of cake stops too!

I believe my nervousness is all about being alone. I never had the need to be independent. DH looked after me and I looked after him.

When my courage returns I will have another look at coach trips.