Old style as an escape from the world?

Uncluttered_unicorn

pigpen wrote: »

I store my tins upside down.. the contents slop out so much more easily when the juice is at the top.. no more scratting around for that last spaghetti hoop or bean!

I do this too - it drives my DH batty

Good luck Angel-Jenny. It's a horrible feeling when nowhere feels like a haven. I had a period when work was horrible and home didn't feel particularly comforting either - I used to string out the drive home just to give myself a bit of peace and quiet .

Grumpysally

GreyQueen wrote: »

I stole it out of Terry Pratchett's Discworld.

The ladies of negotiable affection were members of the Seamstresses Guild in the ancient city of Ankh-Morpork. The Guild was known to have 800+ members. And three needles.:p

Some of you may never have read Discworld novels. In which case, you have missed many a PMSL moment.

I knew I recognised that line. Brilliant TP. There are not many books I want to re-read but I can never get enough Terry Pratchett. I'm currently on a mission to re- read all his books in order. I'm allowing myself the luxury of buying the ones I do not yet own. So am clearing out other books to make space. (There are some books I consider a sin to buy in digital format.)
I never see his books in charity shops these days. I reckon they never make it on to the shelves.

pollyanna_26

I know my posts on OS have been spasmodic and tend to come as a batch of catch up attempts but Why haven't I noticed this thread ?

Just my kind of thread but I come with advance notice my posts will come dependent on what's going on in real life at the time .

Over on the Discworld Emporium there used to be quite a few related items to the ahem Seamstresses Guild or as GQ describes them Ladies of negotiable affection . At present there is only a keyring with the words in caps ONE TUPPENCE UPRIGHT ( make of that what you will .

For Lyn and those who like the Inna Bun quote there's a sticker " I survived a sausage inna bun .

As a moneysaver I'm not encouraging spending but I solved all present dilemmas for youngest dd many times .

The first gift was the silver I ATENT DEAD necklace which still makes our GP laugh whenever she wears it .

She has the Assassins Guild College Scarf which is made by a long established company who make pure wool scarves for the major universities , Very warm and top quality .

Her beloved Tiffany Aching Silver Ring and limited edition pin badge and a beautiful print of Nanny Oggs cottage also limited edition have all been gifts over the years among others .

It's a fact dear sorely missed Terry kept her with us in the world during difficult times in her young life .
She was in contact with Rhianna some time after he died and told her of the effect her beloved dad had on her life . It transpired that many others had told how he gave them a reason to go on .
It brought comfort to his family and friends .

Discworld still goes on for new generations of readers and the ripples continue . I doubt he will ever fade into obscurity .

For those who don't know there is a DW closed community full of lovely supportive good people who played their part in supporting each other and my daughter through difficult times .

She met some of them face to face last year at a performance in Bolton of an adaptation of The Witches . It was a long journey and a difficult one for someone with severe social anxiety and poor physical health but it marked another step forward from picking up the first book many years ago .

The odds of finding a Pratchett in a charity shop are pretty low I'm afraid .
polly

Sea_Shell

I read through most of this thread yesterday, and it made me LOL, especially the "skivers Charter". Luckily our house is our haven....just the way we like it.

What I find hardest is saying "No" to Family. That feeling of obligation to do something, that you really don't want to do, because of the time, effort (and sometimes money) involved in doing so. DH is always telling me off (nicely) when I agree to something, as I just then moan about it!!

I don't want to be the "miserable" one in the family, but whenever the phone rings...they always seem to want something, it's never just a "no strings" invitation to Sunday Lunch!!!

Maybe we should retire somewhere, far, far away....that'll do it!!! (But that just makes things even worse once "serious" stuff needs doing.)

Anyway, have subscribed to this thread too.

Puddleglum

I gave my entire collection of TP DW books to the Book BarnnearBath last autumn. Not because they weren't still appreciated but for other reasons. If anyone is close to said barn there should still be some there.

pollyanna_26

I'm going to catch up on the previous posts properly .

Thank you to Angel-Jenny for starting it .

Sea Shell a couple of years ago I started to drip feed the idea that going to all sorts of things whether near or far wasn't working well for me . Both nice things and not so nice were at times draining me either physically or mentally or sometimes both .

I have both Arthrits and Fibro and have a daughter now in her early thirties with complex physical and mental illness . A week away was becoming a waste of time for us both as we'd come home shattered . It took time for the penny to drop but we now have the freedom to choose our challenges wisely .

I would write a little list of pros and cons for certain situations . I love a good list . Consider you and yours husband views as each thing comes along and ask yourself do you feel positive or negative about doing the thing . Then rely on your gut instinct , it's there for a reason .
polly

Sea_Shell

If only family relationships were that simple!!

We feel like we're invisible most of the time, until someone wants something doing.

Anyway... we've been decluttering over the last couple of years and trying really hard not to buy unnecessary stuff.

I'm quite a minimalist at heart.

pollyanna_26

Sea Shell not many of us on the threads know the background to some of the posts we respond to . My advice was based on my adult offspring and various friends not realising that I was no longer able to do all the things I used to .
I used to run for miles and climb mountains like my two older daughters do but that ship has sailed . Holidays where eldest dd would announce every up at out at 5am to make the most of the day were a nightmare . Attempts to point out it was no longer easy for myself or their sister to keep up with all the plans just weren't understood . I doubt I'd have understood in the past while I was fit and active .

I began to dread plans and in the end it became something that occupied my head in a negative way between the plans . I finally took one condition my younger dd and I have and printed off copies of " My name is Fibromyalgia " which explains the reality of what is often an invisible illness to the untrained eye . Understanding began to happen . We all love and care for each other but pressure has been lifted .

Your situation is different . It sounds abusive in a way . Many people have a hidden agenda underlying sudden contact . Personally if the situation makes you both feel invisible or only there to be taken advantage of when it suits I would leave them to get on with things . One life you both would be better living it your way .

polly x

Sea_Shell

Thanks Polly, I think Abusive is a little strong a word....more like being Eroded.

I feel like I am being eroded, like an exposed coastline.
With every gift given, and no thanks received,
With every favour done, and no appreciation shown,
With every assumption made of me, and every obligation placed on me,
A little bit of the soft, sandy top-soil that is my Kindness and Generosity, is being washed away,
Gradually exposing the hard, cold Granite beneath.

[Deleted User]

wort wrote: »

After kondo I was throwing storage away.

oh I like that, I can relate to it too.

Hobbies fill my house and beyond, that and bedspace for my visiting children and grandchildren. I love my many varied hobbies, seasonal, indoor, outdoor and workshop. They give me very many satisfying moments. I make, I do, nowadays for me and for presents. No longer the tail wagging the dog. I do what I want when I want. It is the prize that came when when the children grew up and I retired and hobbies enable companionship, like minded people

I breathe a big sigh of relief, no more having to do, or go to, dinner parties, posh invites as the `wife` to formal dinners and race days. Weekends that flew by in a whirl, shopping, cooking, cleaning, taking children hither and dither. I please me now, it came with older age but so be it, can`t have everything and better late than never and I like my wrinkles, they are me