Daydream thread... without the rose-tinted specs

moneyistooshorttomention

lostinrates wrote: »

I knew I didn't want to go too far north, even within this southern region as I feel the cold due to one of my heal conditions. Stow on the wold where the the wind blows cold....southerly but pockets of cold in it still.

We have ended up in a cold pocket, but we get less rain in the wettest side of the island due to local topography,

Even which valley side of a hill you buy can make a difference. Our last home was on top of a hill, very windy, but also, warm.

I think remembering that there is only so much we can control is vital for sanity!

Very true LIR.

Micro-climates even within an area. Have had it explained to me from several directions that "where I am now" is actually a favourable micro-climate in this area:rotfl:

Very true also about there only being so much we can control. It is the case that we need to remind ourselves that "It is Planet Earth and Earth doesn't DO the perfect life for anyone. We've all got something or other wrong with our lives on this planet and cant manage to put it right." We just have to do the best we can to get our lives as near as we can manage in that direction and then try and "gloss over" the rest that we cant control. I know you're right on that..

Davesnave

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

Very true LIR.

Micro-climates even within an area. Have had it explained to me from several directions that "where I am now" is actually a favourable micro-climate in this area:rotfl:.

The 'favourable, early-growing coastal belt,' as the agents there like to put it.

I've explained before that there's a world of difference being inland 10 miles or so from the South Coast and being on the Atlantic seaboard.

There's also a huge difference between being at 60m in a river valley, like my friend Pete, and being a few miles up the road at 260m.

My Mum hated it where you used to live. Went there after the War from Perth, (Scotland, not Australia!:rotfl:) and couldn't cope with the dreamy air. Forced Dad to sell up after he'd just built the house!

Davesnave

COOLTRIKERCHICK wrote: »

I have an appointment on Monday so they can 'wire me up' to a blood pressure monitor for 24 hours..( go back on Tuesday to have it taken off) I even got to take my own AA batteries lol.

That sounds like a good idea. Blood pressure can vary enormously over the day, and even between readings on the same machine in the same hour.

It was a huge shock to me to find mine was high, but I've adjusted to not being 'invincible'.:o My readings are now down to a sensible level, so I'm no longer so worried.

Warning....they may ask you to cut down on the biscwits! That's what happened to me. :eek:

lostinrates

Re blood pressure....

They might also ask you to cut down on the stress.


I was almost kept in hospital on Friday because my normally low pressure was through the roof.

Long term stress apcan have physical impacts, not just on heart health. I think particularly as women ( sorry dave) we should all be better educated on the importance of calcium, particularly at times of stress. Something to read about on a quiet day off work?

moneyistooshorttomention

Davesnave wrote: »

The 'favourable, early-growing coastal belt,' as the agents there like to put it.


My Mum hated it where you used to live. Went there after the War from Perth, (Scotland, not Australia!:rotfl:) and couldn't cope with the dreamy air. Forced Dad to sell up after he'd just built the house!

"Dreamy air" back when...I know one of my relatives commented on how they virtually fell asleep half the time when visiting from elsewhere in the country. That sort of "dreamy" or local temperament....hmmm. Where I am now has laid-back down to a fine art...if you have the word "manana" in your vocabulary. You don't want to know the meaning of the word "temporary" in the vocabulary here:rotfl:

Thankfully, the sun has been out again for some of the day...and another new friend has been made (we're bonding over the gardening). So things are looking a bit more hopeful...

Anyways, leastways you'll be better able to cope with your own version of manana that you sometimes experience, from what you've said, with those two halves to your house come the time work on that begins in earnest.

Rummer

CTC You are far too important to us (and your family) to be risking your health! Glad to hear you are going to the docs for a BP MOT. In relation to the business can your son and hubby not take a bit of the pressure off you for a while? I appreciate that sometimes handing over the reins can result in more stress however even a break now and then would help.

When we received bad news a few years ago it forced us to really reassess our lives and resulted in us cutting back on our commitments and each dropping a day at work which has been wonderful. Yes we had to give up some things to make it happen but both of us have really benefitted from the extra personal time.

ferretkeeper

So this morning I [STRIKE]remembered[/STRIKE] was reminded why I'm doing this...



:beer::jMy girl Jenny farrowed this morning, yet again I missed it but only by minutes this time, how early do pigs get up?!

She has 8 piglets, all doing well this evening, she's a very good mum, feeding them and talking to them. One piglet was very cold when I first found them so he spent the day with me - first hour stuffed down my jumper while I sorted out all the other animals, next few hours on a hot water bottle. Here he is:



I had a specially arranged appointment at a vets quite far from me today, it was for one of the ferrets and I couldn't cancel so I took piglet with me. He was quiet in the van on the journey, although warm, I had him next to me on the front seat in a towel. I decided it was worth a vet checking him over so I put him in the cat box with the ferret and we all went in together.:D

He is a bit wobbly on his back legs, the vet said I could try splints etc if he doesn't get up on his own soon, so we'll have to see, but he had opened his eyes by then and I got him to take a bit of colostrum out of a bottle.

What I didn't expect was that the nurses loved the piglet! While the ferret was being examined he was escorted away for cuddles and photo opportunities! He was much brighter this afternoon so I've put him in with his family but I'll keep a close eye to make sure he's feeding etc. Mum was pleased to see him, snuffled him into the pile of piglets she was making in the corner of her pen!

Ok news for the ferret too - she had suddenly lost a lot of fur and it became apparent that she has lost weight too, plus she's had a cough over the last week or so...

turns out it's an overactive adrenal gland, diagnosed with a scan, it's quite common in spayed females apparently, and so she has had an implant put in today to counteract the effects. I have to syringe feed her several times a day on special food to boost her up, I really hope it works. The vets were brilliant, like the ones you see on TV and wish you had on your doorstep.

At least my own vet had the good sense to refer us straight away, and I have to say they are really good with my farm animals. In fact they reassured me that the awful disease I think my goats have does not require them to be culled, it does them no harm, is mainly cosmetic and doesn't affect meat or milk so we get to keep our herd! I'm on the lookout for a billy now, so we can get back on track with the plans!

Anyway the reason I posted all this was to give everyone lurking a glimpse of the real highs (and lows) you experience being at the coal face.

CTC I hope you are getting some respite at the ranch, I know you'll feel as elated as I do when your boglet babies arrive...nothing else mattered this morning when I had to keep the little one going, I could never get excited doing dull desk jobs, working for other people, where all they care about are sales and targets. I know your gilt obviously hasn't farrowed before but have you bred from your sows, I can't remember, are you a first time mum too?! If you need anything at all let me know, I may have it, it's so important to be 100% prepared with first time mums, don't I know it!

Rozee, so good to have you back, I know how it feels to be absorbed and overwhelmed, sounds like you're on the home stretch. Oh, might be worth gathering the goose eggs and popping in an incubator, they should still hatch well - hint I'd love to have some sebasopols!!;)

COOLTRIKERCHICK

FK, yep first time mum and dad lol...


we are all set up, heat lamps ready, rubber gloves ready, and vet on speed dial if needed...


you piggies look lovely.. I thought you had a load of tamworths to breed???


thanks for all help... LIR what do I need to read??


The thing is I also feel stressed by putting the pressure on hubby... the business can tick over, but not for long without me...


this is one of the reasons I am putting a hold on work on the house, and putting the spare money to paying off credit cards etc.. so that will ease the stress a bit, if SHTF in work...


Today. I spent hours just leaning on the gate watching the pregnant boglet... not thinking about anything... just watching for the difference to what she was like last week... did notice the boglet movements were really strong, and she started grinding her teeth..lol..

lostinrates

rozeepozee wrote: »

Hehe, we are living in a parallel universe now, LIR!

We have the same quandary. We've decided definately to leave the loft space for when we need it and stick to downstairs. But do we finish the new work, which would mean the extension would be a living and eating space which we could enjoy in the warm months almost immediately, or do we decorate the bedrooms and start sleeping in the house.... But second fix electrics and plumbing must come before that in any case! And painting the walls before that!!

I sometimes think that if we could have afforded to do it in one hit, we probably would have been able to buy an entirely different house with an entirely differnt budget! We do, however, have a house that is pretty perfect for our family's needs this way though. You could never buy the perfect house off-the-shelf for you, I suspect, whatever the budget. Some adaptations are always going to be needed or desired.

Rozee, are you decoration your selves?

Tbh, most people live in a place they are decorating, so if decorating is all that's left I'd get in there tbh.

At that stage the time you spend deciding could be a room or two painted!

Personally I think I'd do kids rooms first, just because gives paint / decor most time to 'air'.

To decorate empty, newly finished rooms isn't such a nightmare is it? You can do the watery first coat in all the rooms in one go for example?

rozeepozee

ferretkeeper wrote: »

Rozee, so good to have you back, I know how it feels to be absorbed and overwhelmed, sounds like you're on the home stretch. Oh, might be worth gathering the goose eggs and popping in an incubator, they should still hatch well - hint I'd love to have some sebasopols!!;)

I have, FK! When I last candled them, one was clear, so i cracked it open and there was just a normal egg there. I am hopeful that the others are fertile, or at least four of them. I was decidely pessimistic about managing to hatch any of them, because hatching geese eggs seems so much more complicated than other types of eggs and I've never hatched anything before, but I have now successfully hatched three of my own homebred chooks so I know I can do it - somewhat! She just keeps poopping them out (about twelve in the nest now). Then she sort of sits for a bit.... She's only a yearling, so I don't expect much.

What breed is your pig? I'd love some and our neighbour has talked about a joint enterprise with us, but farrowing seems way more involved and a commitment than raising weaners.

I'm off to England this arvo with the kids for a few days to see The 'Rents and In-Laws, soI may be offline for a bit again.

Meantime, here are pics of the Sebbie parents to be (hopefully) https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/98410421/2014-04-09%2015.51.36.jpg