BLACK DOG 8

Evening all x Doodle thank goodness your DH didn’t have anything worse, even though it must be agonising, horrible to see them in pain, at least he’s home, thinking of you.
Scaredy same here, the grocery deliveries follow week after week so quickly it’s unbelievable and the bins definitely go out more than we do!
Looks as if a lot of us will be on our own for Christmas but I think for this year, it is what it is. A waste of a year!
Hope you’ll all have a peaceful night x

DH has gone to hospital. His pain was so bad he couldn’t take a deep breath. They are going to x ray him and see what’s going on. He has been given some morphine so I hope the pain will ease soon. Thanks for the good wishes.x
Bluesky lots of us will be apart from our families at Christmas but our little online BDG can share our Christmas together. No social distancing here ? x

Doodle under the circumstances it’s for the best, at least he’ll be made comfortable. Hoping for some good news soon. Take care x

Doodle so worrying for you but the x rays can allay any fears
of injury you may have x

Scardycat yes, all the delivery people do seem to have been chosen for their cheerfulness. Our Amazon ones seem to come from one person who rings the bell, goes back to his van and waits for me to give him a wave. Postman is lovely too. Supermarket ones always seem to want to stop and chat, perhaps they have been taught to be kind to old codgers!

Nanny so happy for you that you will see your GD, please give her an extra hug from me as mine will be hundreds of miles away. I have come to terms with that.

Doodle praying for DH and also for the additional stress it causes you. That does sound just like when I broke 3 ribs in my back, I couldn't even call for help. It is very painful and there is nothing to do but rest while it heals. It sounds pretty similar in that the paramedics thought there was not much wrong with me, as did A&E, until DS pushed them into giving me an x-ray and then everything changed dramatically. I had only slipped on the last 3 steps so it must have been the way I landed. I hope the x-ray proves there is nothing worse because broken ribs are bad enough.

I'm off to the small local greengrocer to buy a wreath, one of the ones with bird seed on, to put in our garden to remember DS. We will look out the windows and think of him smiling at the birds.


Baking was not entirely successful but still edible. Perhaps I should revert to adapting other people's recipes instead of creating my own.

Chrissy toffee, good description, very chewy and no evidence of the marshmallows at all!

Hi all x

How is everyone coping ?

I have appointment with occupational therapist this morning ,
I have my questions ready, want the truth .

I am an ageing hippie , didn’t know this until yesterday, my granddaughters and my younger daughter discussing presents
for me, granddaughters said ‘not something to wear, she doesn’t wear what other grannies wear’ .

Surely I am not the only grandmother who wears nightclothes
and t shirts with Tigger, Piglet and Pooh on them ?

Hi Anniebach. Good luck with your questions with the o.t today. I hope they tell you the truth.
I'm ok. Feel strange, not sure why.
You are not alone with your choice of nightwear etc.
I love my mickey mouse t-shirt, and my Heisenberg t-shirt
(from Breaking Bad), etc. My nightwear is a strange collection of various long-t-shirts, bright red plaid p.j.'s.
Here's to hippie grannies everywhere.

P.S And lots of things with flamingos on.

Morning all x
Annie no you are not the only granny who wears teenage nightwear and T shirts! Do our grandchildren really believe we all wear long flannelette nightdresses?
Nonnie thinking of you too remembering your DS, especially at Christmas.
Nice to get to know you Henetha
Have a nice day everybody even if the weather is anything but!

DH has broken 6 ribs. No wonder he was in such pain. They are keeping him in for a couple of days to get his pain under control and try and improve his breathing which is shallow because of the pain.
Annie I am sure your are as special and unique as your DGDs think you are. ?.
Hope the OT visit goes well.
Thank you all for the good wishes. I am half asleep at the moment so be back later.
Have a good day all x

henetha you feel strange , do you mean ‘not quite with it ‘ ?

This can happen after a visit from Black Dog, it drains us mentally and you are under stress too. Love your t shirts x

Doodle thank heaven your husband went to hospital, 6 broken ribs ! poor man must be in so much pain,

You need rest my love x

BlueSky my three grandchildren are coming home for Christmas as usual, I have explained to then they can’t visit me
Christmas Day, this will be the first Christmas without them in
28 years , they will only be a mile away , has to be accepted.

Hello everyone, not had time to read all the posts,
Doodle you poor husband do hope he feels better soon..
I have been with my daughter and little man.
I’m struggling but they are taking my mind of things.
Would really love to feel normal for a little while.
Do hope you are all doing ok and staying safe..
You are all in my thoughts and prayers Sending you all a hug, hope it help a little ?

Good afternoon everybody.
Doodle- Oh your poor DH . He must have felt dreadful. It will do him good to receive proper pain relief and I hope he will soon be able to breathe easier. You need to take some rest while he is being seen after. Take carex
Joce - good to hear from you and hope your daughter and the new baby are doing well.Enjoy your time together it is so precious.
Bluesky- you made me laugh about the bins going out more than you- mine too!
Nanny- glad you will see your GD at Xmas - have a wonderful time wi

Oops ! Don’t know what happened there!,
Nanny- as I said have a wonderful time with her x
Nonnie- next year I will look for a bird seed wreath to take to the church. I love the idea of the birds being there too.
Annie- I hope the OT will be good for you and answers all your questions in a constructive kind way.
I don’t wear Granny clothes either and neither does my sister! I,ve asked my daughter and her 3 girls to tell me if I am veering that way!!!
Would your GC be able to pay you a through the window visit? That’s what my sister has been doing since well before lockdown as she was shielding since last Xmas!!!
Thank you for your kind words we have much in common I think. Sending a hug.

Feeling a bit tired now as had another AF this morning but at least it didn,t last as long as some do. Wishing everyone a nice evening and hope you sleep wellxx

Annie I expect you will be comforted to think of your three DGC together even if you can’t be with them. I hope you can FaceTime or Skype or zoom or whatever.
Did the OT turn up? How did you get on?
Joce life isn’t normal at the moment. Just try and go with the flow till things improve. The new little one must be a joy.
scaredycat I’m hoping DH has got his morphine now and is sleeping. Poor man is very stoic and very seldom complains so when he says it hurts it must be agonising.
So sorry to hear you had AFib again today. It must be so wearing.
I am going to try an early night tonight, I haven’t had more than a short nap for the last two nights and am feeling tired.
Sleep well all x

Evening everyone
nanny I’m so glad that you’re going to see your GD
Doodle I’m so sorry to hear that your DH had to go to hospital but probably for the best as he was in so much pain and struggling to breathe properly. Oh my goodness 6 ribs broken, no wonder he was in so much pain. I don’t blame you for having an early night, I hope you manage a good sleep x
Annie How did the appointment with the OT go? I love the fact that you’re an ageing hippie I don’t wear granny clothes either. It’s sad that your 3 DGC can’t visit you at Christmas
Joce I’m sorry to hear that you’re struggling but your DD and DGS are helping to take your mind off things
Nonnie How lovely that you’re getting a wreath with bird seed on to remember your DS by, I didn’t know such a thing existed. Glad that your own recipes turned out well
henetha Sorry you’re feeling strange today. Do you mean it feels like you’re dreaming and not really there? If so, I’ve had that a few times in the past, turned out to be depersonalisation, a very strange feeling
Scaredycat Sorry to hear that you had another episode of AF
I’ve had a bit of a wobble the last few days, have been tearful and stupid things set me off like a piece of music, especially a carol or a film on the tv. I’m sure it will pass soon
BlueSky lavender rafichagran and anyone else I’ve forgotten, I hope you’re all doing ok
Enjoy the rest of your evening and sleep well everyone x

Doodle I hope you’ll manage some much needed sleep.
Good night all x

nonnie I love the sound of this wreath what a beautiful way to cherish memories i am going to see if I can find one. I love my birds
doodle your poor husband i do hope they can help his pain.
Annie i live in jeans and t shirts. Covered in cat hair dog hair and mud! And if I pop to the field to give ginger and Jessica fletcher ( my chickens) a cuddle..chicken poop! I am so unglamorous its funny. Yet I love having my nails done.

And thank you for your words regarding GD. Im afraid there will not be time for me to fit your cuddles in as I have far too many to give her

Hi all x

The next 10 days can be a stressful time for many, and this year the virus and the ‘do this, don’t do that’ from the governments pile on the stress.

Add to all this is the mixture of joy, happiness and sadness
Christmas brings.

Take time out to relax, there is no law that everything must be
perfect, as I found out many years ago when I forgot to steam
the Christmas pudding, didn’t have a microwave so drove 5
miles to stick it in sister’s microwave !

Annie you sound determined, sock it to 'em! It is great that they don't see you as others, keep on surprising them, keeps them on their toes

Yes 'has to be accepted' but it is so hard!!!!!!

henetha not surprising you feel strange, life is very odd at the moment.

Joce good to hear from you, so glad you are able to help them at such a hard time.

Thanks BleSky, hard day today but masses of support.

Doodle so glad they diagnosed it, I only broke 3 but will never forget the pain. Family gave me a bell to ring because I couldn't call them. It is frustrating that the paramedics didn't do something at the time, I don't think they understand that people with broken ribs cannot cry out and yell with pain because it they can't inflate the chest. It is going to be a difficult time for you both until he heals.

Scaredycat you've reminded me that some years ago I told my oldest friend that beige aged her and she should stop buying it, she has now gone the other way and is sometimes quite outrageous, especially with her earrings. She told me off for wearing too much black and white. We all need friends lie that.

Chrissy you are not alone, I think I am OK and then suddenly I am weeping. Be kind to yourself.

I have done all the practical things for Christmas but can't seem to feel it. Probably doesn't make sense and not a good explanation but I seem to have lost the ability to anticipate, feel like a robot. It is only a week away.

Morning all x
I don’t think anybody feels like Christmas this year, I usually love the anticipation and the preparation, even after my DSs moved far away, in a way this time doesn’t make any difference to me, while other grannies struggle with not being able to spend quality time with their DGC.
We just go through the motions and wait and hope for better times and return to ‘normality’. I think a lot of us also feel robbed as time is so precious now.
So like most feeling grey at the moment, not black but not white either.
I wish you all a peaceful day x

Hello all.
Chrissy Christmas is an emotional and sentimental time of year. Not surprising it can make us a bit weepy.
Bluesky it will certainly be a strange Christmas. A year ago none of us would have dreamt we would end up like this.
I hope when it actually comes to it people enjoy themselves and manage to face time or zoom or something. Not much fun but if it keeps us safe it will be worth it.
Nanny I didn’t know you kept chickens too. You must be busy looking after all your animals (and birds)
Annie I once cooked my Christmas pudding in the microwave for 30 minutes because I misread the instructions for heating it in the oven. It was like a lump of concrete when it came out.
I think we have all been through a lot this year and I think now more than ever the sentiment peace on Earth and goodwill to all should be the way we get through the rest of this year.
Thanks Nonnie yes it is painful.
I hope by the time Christmas actually arrives we all feel a bit more like it. Are you cooking Christmas dinner?
I went to visit DH today and apart from having a really bad night last night, he seems much better. The pain is under more control and his temperature and BP have come down.
I am not allowed to go again until Sunday ?
Hope you all sleep well tonight.x

Good evening all.
Annie- you are right. This Xmas will be like no other so we just need to chill out and relax. I hope the Xmas pud was worth the journey to heat it up!! It’s my favourite part of Xmas dinner so think I might have done the same!!
Nonnie- I think anticipation has gone out of the window for the moment closely followed by spontaneity!!! I guess we must just be glad we are able to have a Xmas even though it’s not the one we would like.
Doodle- glad your DH is improving. It’s never easy sleeping in Hospital but at least his pain is being controlled well. He will be very happy to get back to his own bed. In the meantime I hope you have managed to rest and get some decent sleep.
Chrissy- hope the wobbles are subsiding today.
Today was lovely and sunny so went for a nice walk . The sun had brought people out which still makes me very on edge if they seem too close. It will be wonderful when we can do ordinary things without worrying all the time.
Lavender,Bluesky,Joce,Rafichagran,Nanny and those I may have forgotten have a peaceful nightxx

Good evening all xx the chickens belong to my son. There is about 80. He gave me two hens for all the help I have given him hope you have all had a good evening xx