The OS Doorstep - a helpful and supportive thread in these tough times

ArthriticOldThing

Thanks Lynn and pops.
We've known each other for 23 years but it was only in the last 18 months since her illness that we were really close. I think it was us both being widowed around the same time that brought us closer. She had been a very independent person and really struggled with the fact that she was too frail to do much for herself and was virtually housebound.:(:(
I'm trying to focus on the good things, the chats we had and the giggles and just let myself 'go with the flow'.
I had better myself into gear now as have to get ready to go out and I'm not quick at that.
Hope you got your bus pops.

nuttyp

Morning everyone, it is definatley cooler here today. Just as I pegged out the quilt cover I got from @rgos yesterday - 11.99 used nectar points so paid 1.99 real money. bargain!! It started to drizzle with rain, typical.

OH is working this morning, and will arrive home approx. 30 mins before I leave for work. That is unfortunately how our life is. He popped into work last night to check I was ok as we often don't see each other awake for days. After today I have got 8 days off work - I had planned to paint the lounge but as its hot I think we will leave it a bit longer.

Pops im glad your getting out and about well, as lynn has said grief effects everyone differently and there is no set time limit to it.

Fuddle I hope you managed to get the number plate sorted and that the pen for alfie isn't too expensive. My friend used mesh panels that were avery panels as that was cheaper. Her dog isn't nasty at all, but she too childminds and some are frightened of dogs.

I hope everyone has a nice afternoon/evening. take care x

Rosanna79

What decadence! I'm still sitting here in my dressing gown at 12.20! It's cooler and pleasantly peaceful as I look out onto the garden through the French doors. It's been great to have several days' rest after our trip down south.

Reading posters' comments regarding accents reminds me of my early days as a student nurse in a West London teaching hospital.

Born in the north of Lincolnshire and the daughter of a makkam mother from Sunderland I had a local accent but was not allowed to use Lincolnshire slang! Interestingly I grew up knowing more North-eastern slang than Lincolnshire.. My English teacher at the local grammar school maintained that accents were a noble form of English although there was no reason NOT to speak the language in a grammatically correct form.

So when I escaped from my home town the day before my 18th birthday to train as a nurse I found myself among a variety of young women from all over the world. My best mates were either Irish or West Indian. They were great fun to spend time with.

On my 3rd ward - male orthopaedic - I was suddenly hauled into Sister's Office and told in no uncertain terms that I had to lose my regional accent or I would NOT get on in the profession!! I was 18. It was the late 1960s and in those days the ward sisters could get away with what would nowadays be totally unacceptable.

My saving grace was that my brother, a blind man, lived nearby. Like many blind people he had superb hearing and could imitate ANYONE. BY following his example I listened very carefully and started imitating the southern 'home counties' lot! I shared my brother's capacity to imitate and in fact later on in life studied middle Eastern languages to degree level. It caused great puzzlement among the Israelis when I lived out there that I spoke Hebrew with an Arabic accent!!

Decades later when OH & I came to live in my hometown he had no accent and was considered posh. The locals would ask me how I liked living up here. When I replied that I'd been born & brought up in the region they'd express surprise as 'You don't sound like a local'!!

So I guess that what had been an episode of 'regionalism' by that senior nurse actually worked out to my advantage. I ended up being rather like a chameleon able to adapt to whatever situation I was in. Undoubtedly being able to address the Dustmen or the Duke equally acceptably was an advantage in a profession that brought me into contact with people fron all walks of life.
Hopefully nowadays such obvious discrimination is much less evident?

Margaret54

Lyn you always speak with such kindness and compassion and wisdom too. I love to read your posts.
I really do love this place so very much, and feel a part of the family on here. Unlike some other threads there can be coldness and ripping into people and that is why our wee community here is such a nice peaceful place to be. I might not post often but I always read what you have all written, and it is a part of my daily routine when I can do so.
It is a forum where we all respect each others point of view, as we are all different and that is what I enjoy. If we were all the same it would be boring:) We can learn from each other and be there for each other, be kind understanding and supportive too. The way the "real world "should be but sadly isn't.
My dear Granny should to say if you can't say something nice to someone then shut your bake:) She must have had a connection to Ulster Scots as there were quite a lot of words she would use which I didn't hear from other people and we lived in Belfast N/Ireland when much younger.
Sadly she is no longer here but she sure was oldstyle make do and mend and I remember lots of here ways and sayings and that is still something which I keep.
Mardatha thank you for the link and I enjoyed listening to it. I love to hear different accents, makes us all more interesting I think .

shegar

The sun is in and out , which as cooled temps down to 24 degrees........We live pretty near the Southwold coast , and thats where " The Lattitude festival " is at this weekend , seen pics on tv of people jumping in the lakes to cool down.......................:eek:

Ive been dead heading loads a plants in the garden this morning, hoping to get a second flush............My garden is so full of colour now, hollyhocks, verbena boneriensis, calendulas, roses , lillies, yarrows, laveteras, honeysuckles, thats to name a few, every where you walk it just smells so sweet.......................

I love to hear peoples different accents, I do love a london accent though, even though im a country gel...........Love to hear all your accent stories , keep them coming........:D....

Posters on sea kelp please keep us updated of how things are with you........Im doing great , the energy surge is amazing , god I was a dead slug before sea kelp.....:eek:.....Hope you all have a peaceful healthy week end........Sheila

grandmasam

Have my aunt's 91st birthday tomorrow, and taking banana and banana and white chocolate chip muffins for the party, and a jar of strawberry conserve and raspberry conserve [home grown and made ] for her present. But.. woken up with a stinking catarrhy cold and feel yuk!so dosing myself up and hoping to feel better tomorrow.
shegar will kelp help the catarrh?
Thanks
Caz

Possession

Sorry to hear your sad news AOT.
It's very pleasant here with even a slight breeze, shame we're just doing chore-y stuff. Still, it needs to be done.
Had a lovely party last night for all DS's Year 6 class. The boys were fine but the girls were sobbing their little hearts out at the end, as some of them are going to different schools whereas all but 1 of the boys will be at the same school. Bless 'em.

GreyQueen

I'm back!

Ohmigosh, it's good to be home and I am so looking forward to sleeping in my own bed tonight.

Dunno if I can catch up on two whole weeks of the forum, or if I should even try, but just wanted to say "hi" to everyone and send hugs to those who are in need of them.

Right, better update my antivirus and check out the rest of the world. Good job I have the day and date on my watch or I wouldn't know which way is up atm.

Love GQ xx

Popperwell

grandmasam, lots of sites on the internet suggest that kelp does work for catarrh amongst other things. Nothing to lose...I take it myself in a low dose.

Well, as you see...I'm back from the 1940's themed weekend in Sedgefield. Those who organised it tried their best but I decided not to drag the visit out. I'd seen most of it within an hour(I stayed for two)

As I climbed on the bus home the main female singer was struggling with a PA system that had continually failed and ruined her performance and was doing so again. She battled on regardless.

Quite a few made the effort to dress in clothes/uniforms of the time...my photo's make it look better than it was if I am honest. If I'd had a meal(in a pub)or a drink I could have stayed longer.

It was a pleasant way to spend a few hours and happy I went. Its over 40 years since I last was there and I may not have a reason to visit again.

Thanks for the good wishes...Its cooler, breezier and there is cloud cover...relief.

Back to seaweed, this site sells products but has a lot of information about seaweed in general. Its a little bit homeopathic and though that is getting some stick again I don't see why it is getting the stick again in the media.

If it works for someone, that's good isn't it?

maryb

Yayy Grey Queen's back!