Black Dog 11

Thank you Anniebach. Do you find that the black dog is never far away at Christmas?
I hope he keeps his distance for everyone who is affected by him. A long distance......

Hi Annie I came looking for you and found we’d moved on to yet another thread.

I was reading the newspaper and came across something I wondered if you might be interested in.
On BBC radio 3 at 4pm this afternoon is a broadcast called Four Peaks Sound Walk and it is supposed to be the sounds of birds, snow crunching and other sounds which the walker recorded climbing 4 peaks in the UK one of which is Snowdon. It’s on today at 4pm today and every day until next Tuesday.
Not sure if you would be interested but I thought I might give it a go one day. It sounds peaceful.

As we now have a new thread I will repeat my mornings greetings to all.
Merry Christmas all and a peaceful relaxing day. Love to all x

Have a Merry Christmas, and a peaceful day.

Yes, this thread is headed Black Dog 11 but it is the 12th, the first was Black Dog.

The winter months causes troubles for many and Christmas
heightens them.

SAD is recognised as a medical condition and all that Christmas brings adds to stress, anxiety,depression for some ,
we have passed the shortest day so that’s a positive x

I went for a walk around our village this morning and was surprised to see only a small number of houses had wreaths or outside lights this year. Pre covid a lot of people had outside decorations. Probably not a lot to celebrate this year. On the plus side my tulip bulbs in pots are coming up. x

Morning merry Christmas
My enstranged son is 40 tomorrow and it's been a struggle for years now this time of year
My other two children are great however it's the underlying sadness and despair no one sees
Reading your posts has helped as it makes me realize m not alone
Have a good one

To Dear Annie and All
Have a Happy and Peaceful Christmas xx

Dodle thank you, I will listen to it. I didn’t do Snowdon in the
snow x

Rafichagran have a joyful day x

Lavendermine hello, thank you, Happy Christmas to you x

Mandymoo how painful for you, you are grieving, I hope you will find some joy today. We are here for you x

lavender lovely to hear from you hope you are doing well now.
rafichagran you too. Hope things are going well.
To all those with sadness and troubles today. Don’t give up hope.

Evening all.
Back from DS2 where we had a lovely day. For all those who are struggling, take heart. Two years ago the day had moments of tears, sadness anxiety and worry for the future. A lot has changed over the last two years. Things can get better.
It doesn’t mean the future is rosy just that there can be better times.
Annie and all the gang. Sleep well all.x
P.S. I’ve eaten too much pudding ?

I love pudding Doodle I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did mine.

Hi all x

I would like to speak of Doddles post re her fears two years ago. Much hope for all.

I have posted on 12 Black Dog threads, so many have posted and many have , like Doodle , found things can better ,

Let us hold onto this , it’s a positive,

How is everyone?

Morning all.
I’m still full after yesterday but going to other son for Boxing Day. Haven’t seen our DGC for months and so looking forward to seeing them again.
Annie I watched the Archbishop of Canterbury on YouTube yesterday giving a sermon at Canterbury Cathedral. He mentioned all the headlines in papers recently about ‘Can Christmas be saved’. It was quite a good sermon (although I think the Dean of Canterbury gives much better ones)
And ended up with the answer no, Christmas saves us . Made me think again more about the true meaning of Christmas for Christians.
Hope all the BDG are coping or plodding on. Take care x

Hi all x

Hope you all enjoyed Christmas, I expected a very quiet day but ! My Mini Tornado did a test every day last week, she had secretly planned to come to see me, Christmas Eve a positive test. My three grandchildren had to change their plans, my grandson couldn’t go to his elder sister and enjoy lunch cooked by her partner, a Rick Stein Chef !, he joined Mini Tornado and her partner, Mini Tornado is vegan, need I say more.

She doesn’t feel ill, I was very concerned though.

How is everyone?

Morning all, I'm glad this page is here. Years ago I used to go on Ivillage, unfortunately the site was taken down and reopened elsewhere but I lost the details.

I'm just back from a foggy dog walk. My poor elderly dog has a sore paw, so we weren't out for long. I'll be back to the vets when they reopen.

Some of you may know I lost my roof in Storm Arwen, and I'm confined to the front bedroom of my bungalow. I am lucky to still have electricity and heating. The insurance company did accept a quote last week and the money should be in on the 29th, so I have been able to instruct the builder, he can come mid/end January. It's been raining all weekend and water is dripping into the lounge/kitchen constantly, but only in two places now.

I've also recently found out all the bedroom floors are rotten, this one is floorboards, the other two are chipboard. I'm feeling overwhelmed today with the thought of all the upheaval. I have a sixteen year old cat and I can't quite work out how to manage it all, the noise and disruption is going to be huge. I'm sure I will work it out when I've managed to think more clearly.

Hello all
Doodle- so glad you had a lovely day with your family. You are right so much has changed but for a few hours Christmas Day worked it’s magic didn’t it. Although the anxiety was under the surface just seeing my family and the GGD hopping about with excitement was wonderful. Hope you had another happy day yesterday. We spent it with family again and had another day full of laughter and love.
Eating too much pudding is compulsory !!
Annie- how lovely of MT to plan a secret visit so sorry she wasn’t able to make it. Am I right in remembering she had Covid earlier this year? Hopefully she should be ok this time. Poor Grandson - no Turkey for him then!!!
I thought about you Annie these last 2 days and when I felt anxious I jut reminded myself how lucky I was to be with the people I love. I hope you get to see MT soon. Xxxx
Henetha,Rafichagran,Not too old,Mandymoo,lavender and Shandy sending Christmas Wishes to you all.
Nonnie,Joce,Blue Sky ,Ellie Anne and all BDG take care and love to,allxxx

Annie I thought MT would want to be with you at Christmas. What a shame her test came back positive. Oh I wonder what her brother will think of a vegan Christmas ?
I hope MT is fine. I have heard of several who have tested positive but haven’t had anything more than a slight cold.
Shame her plan to visit didn’t work out.
We went to DS1 and had a lovely day. Haven’t seen them all for ages so nice to catch up.
Home day today and just resting, hoping to catch up on some reading and Christmas TV.
Shandy welcome. I’m so sorry you have so much to cope with.
It doesn’t sound much fun being cooped up in one room.
My son had a burst pipe when they came back from holiday one year and the ceiling fell down in the hall and bedrooms and the lounge and kitchen ceiling were damaged. Try not to think of all that has to be done. I hope it will be dealt with expertly and quickly. Your poor dog. His paw sounds painful. Hope the vet can help soon.
Cats are difficult to look after as they roam so much. Perhaps when you find out how long the work will take you can decide how best to cope with it all.
Please take care and keep posting here if it helps. Always someone ready to listen.
Scaredycat glad you had a good visit with your family and we’re able to enjoy yourself. Hang on to the memory of the fun and laughter. Precious moments.
Take care all. X

Hi all x

Scaredycat so happy Christmas magic was with you, it’s wonderful isn’t it. Thank you for thinking of me, I cope ok being alone over Christmas because I was blessed with so many
Christmas’s filled with so much love.
Mini Tornado isn’t feeling ill, yes she did have the virus quite sometime ago. She will come to see me when she gets the all
clear. x

Doodle I received loads of photographs of my grandson eating his vegan lunch , I told him to behave and be grateful,
Mini Tornado sent me a photograph of him and her partner at the dinner table and she giving me the ✌️. Your so right, hang onto happy memories x

henetha hope the winter gloom didn’t affect your weekend, do you have SAD ? I do, do talk here my love x

Shandy a lot to cope with, try to take it one stage at a time, when work in being carried out in the other rooms keep yourself and your cat in that one room. You can share here x

How is everyone?

Annie I hope you did manage over Christmas with happy memories. You were obviously in your DGC thoughts with them sharing photos with you. I bet you were pleased to see Mt and her brother and partner getting on together with their vegan lunch. Did you hear how your other GD got on with all the food she was cooking?
Glad MT isn’t feeling too bad. Hopefully hers will be a mild version and she’ll be able to visit you soon.
Went for a walk this afternoon and it was quite mild. I was surprised because I had wrapped up well thinking it would be windy.
One of the trees opposite my lounge window seemed to be moving a lot in the wind today. I hope it doesn’t fall down. It’s a very tall Poplar and I could (and do) spend hours watching it.
Put on a load of washing today which is a step back to normality. This time next week it will all be over and done with for another year.
Sleep well all x

hello all. I hope you are all well. I was lucky enough to spend xmas with my DD SIL and 2 x GD. I do love my girls so much. I have an appt with a MH nurse on 4th feb good night all x

Nanny how lovely to be with your daughter and family. I hope you were able to relax a little and enjoy yourself,
I hope your appointment goes well and you get whatever help you need. Take care x

Hi all x

Doodle am sure elder daughter managed fine with the cooking, she FaceTimed me , was sitting in living room having a glass of pre lunch wine, went into kitchen , her partner was preparing lunch and her partner’s mother was at the kitchen sink !
It’s good you keep walking, yes I do have ‘a thing’ about walking to help depression and anxiety as well as physical problems. x

nanny your appointment with MH nurse 4th February, don’t
keep anything back , tell all please x

henetha how are you? did Black Dog stay away over Christmas? x

To all, for some , after the hustle and bustle of Christmas we can feel down , do share if you want too x

How is everyone?

Annie it must make you happy to see your DGD1 in a good relationship. I’m glad she found her oven was big enough after all and she had time to relax ?.
I keep praying for good news for MT and her job appeal. Hope your doors get fitted soon too.
I agree about walking. I find now that I am older and don’t have the time pressures of work or looking after children that I get more enjoyment from walking. Yesterday I saw some tiny white flowers and a beautiful shrub white red leaves and orange berries. Nature is always exciting.
I have included a photograph of the Dean of Canterbury in the study at Canterbury Cathedral reading morning service recently. It looks a lovely cosy room and so beautifully decorated. Glad he got to sit in the warmth for once. Mostly his services are outside, sitting on upturned buckets, on the compost heap (yes I do mean on it) on stone steps bits of wood. I think he has done a wonderful job of giving morning service every day since lockdown started and not missed one single day. I far prefer listening to him than the Archbishop. I part like that at end of every morning service he blesses all the viewers and all who we love and all who we pray for.
Hope everyone is managing to keep plodding on. x

With red leaves not white red leaves ?