swilkinson

Kelli, my daughter-in-law is a shift worker (police assistance line) mostly nights and she has that problem too. Even on her days off she sleeps odd hours. But she does craft work when she can't sleep, something soothing rather than stimulating. We all have life patterns, eat, work,  eat, sleep, the trick is keeping control. Good luck with that. (((hugs)))

I'd love some asparagus, mine is the house with the elephant. Seriously so happy to know you are improving. Now Spring is warming up you are noticing the difference. Ray always seemed better in Spring, the warmth loosened his muscles I suspect. Take it easy with the heavy lifting, that's my downfall too thinking I am stronger than I am.

Sounds to be a very suitable tribute Janelle.

Janelle, just joined Zoom and Kids Messenger so some new ways to connect. Helped my grand daughter in Broken Hill to do her spelling today - so good!

I am glad you were invited. There will be a lot of memorial services and other forms of remembrance after this is over but to be asked to the funeral is special.  51 is certainly young to reach the end of your life. I hope his memory will be kept alive by those who love him. My condolences to you and your extended family.

Love the look of your home grown  greens, I grow a few in plastic troughs and it is so good to go out and snip some off and include the handful in salads. I do envy your hoop house, once I would have tried to erect something similar but scaled down on my small residential plot. But that is a pipe dream now. So enjoy your healthy meals and your horse riding and other activities.

I set off up the back this morning with my mobile phone in a small pack so IF I encountered difficulties I could alert my next door neighbour who I know is home this morning. I think if I am sensible I will be okay. I discussed the situation with Trevor last night and he felt guilty because he would have done the jobs I need doing. Blaming the C-19 for the fact he wasn't allowed to come down to me last week. ASHA, what will be in your future none of us know. Do your "going with the flow",  enjoy the present and let future take care of itself.

Asha, this isolation has given us a lot of time to think, for some people this has meant new revelation for others it just makes them troubled. It is a real opportunity for us to change and reassess our thinking and apply that to our lives. This is what you are doing in this blog. Good job!!!

Pam, we are living in a strange time when the younger generation thinks the Covid-19 is just another old people's disease. And some of them think it is okay for old people to die and the future they want is just being delayed by this virus for no reason. I guess they don't know the history of pandemics and their ignorance will produce a lot of problems that will come back to bite them later on.

We who are older are also much wiser. Sorry to hear you are unwell again. For now keep  as well as you can, as safe as you can and as mentally active as you can.  I want to know you will still be here when C-19 is just an unpleasantness in 2020, a glitch in the system better forgotten.

Heather I am okay most of the time however I did have a couple of down days. I was complaining that I have no family close as family members are allowed to call in to check up on " elderly relatives". Of course my children all live a distance away so that rules them out. So I called my ex daughter in law who lives a couple of suburbs away and she came around for a short visit ( couldn't stay longer as she is currently on night shift). She says of course we are still related I am the grandmother of her children! Of course I am. Pam has been very kind to me the last few years and I appreciate that. It was nice to talk to someone in the same room at least.

Just beautiful Janelle. You are very creative.

Cookies are treats not regular food... naughty, naughty! The tomatoes are coming on really well. Keep up the exercise  as much as you can. Really enjoying your updates.

George, change is coming and maybe it was time. The world seemed to be going in all kinds of wrong directions to me. Went on my first cruise and even though I enjoyed it bigger isn't always better and with 3000 plus passengers way bigger than a couple of towns I have lived in.

I have been self isolating and apart from the hospital visits home alone. I find something to do each day but it does seem like marking time. Without my regular activities there is nothing to distinguish one day from another. I have to look on my phone to find out what day it Is!

Keep safe and well. (((Hugs)) to Lesley and her mum. 

I think everyone is bored but there is a lot to do here. I could clean outside for years but the spiders would still be one web ahead of me. We have had rain so that was a hard few days to fill in. But there is reading, crocheting etc.

Nancy, you have taken on a big job. Enjoy Dan being home while you can still find enough energy to cope. Eventually we will be the other side of this and no-one has a clue what life will be like then so now is the time to rebuild our inner strength then we will be ready for whatever happens.

Kev, what an active life you live, good for you, and it is paying off with weight loss and fresh farm picked vegetables. Hard in this time of isolation not to be grumpy, I am definitely grumpy at times but I live alone so no-one suffers. Keep up the good work, exercising, horse riding, whatever you can find to do that increases your heart rate. Love your herb pictures, I grow a few pots of herbs and just love that fresh taste adding to meals.

Sarah, as a long time widow I am used to being alone. I miss my usual routine but find plenty of activities to fill in time. It is a bit like walking through a desert though - no landmarks. I find it hard to remember what day it is and what I did yesterday as sometimes the days go by in a blur. I am glad you have some contact with your neighbors as that is important to me too. I feel the same about lunches out as you do going out to your breakfasts. Keep well my friend.

Pam, what a pleasant surprise your posting on here was. The clipping of the aneurysm last July was a traumatic operation in a way and yet it gave me a new freedom, a freedom to live. I had a fall recently and split my scalp and had six stitches to close it up The doctor ordered me to have a CT scan and there was the clip doing what it was designed to do and working fine. I know that we are all here on earth in a temporary capacity so Angel Time  will always apply. God bless you dear friend.

Asha,  Bonnie used to say to me the pity pot is okay to sit on but you have to get up and go on again. I think we are all finding the isolation a problem. I just read Pam's blog and know she is more isolated than I am, at least I can get out to the shops once a week. In the meantime I can find plenty to do around the house and still have time to keep in touch with friends by phone, email and computer chat. It is not the same as being person-to-person but it pays to sacrifice that and stay safe.

Pam what a wonderful blog. I have been in different kinds of isolation since I was widowed. Because of deep grief and a kind of shyness, a realisation that being alone was different to being a member of a couple -scarier somehow, I stayed at home a lot after Ray died. In some periods of my life I have had weeks when I saw no-one because my life had changed so much.That eventually changed and I got back out into the world again. Also after operations I was unable to get out because of no driving for six or eight weeks on doctors orders. So for me this is just an extension of that.

Since the shut down because of the Covid-19 virus I just go shopping once a week but apart from that stay home. I have food enough, a verandah to sit on on sunny days,  I have books to read, craft to do and a computer to spend time on catching up with friends. I know self isolation is different  to having it imposed on you but somehow I know we are both strong enough to get through this.

Glad to hear Nancy. Remember to pace yourself and take time out for the sake of good mental health. We will be thinking of you and Dan and cheering you on. This is a wonderful thing you are doing for Dan. (((hugs)))

Water is the gift of life. Kev good neighbors like you are hard to find. That was a mighty good deed mate.

It is sad to see the Ruby Princess is sitting off the local beaches with her crews on board, some of whom are sick now. The ship is waiting for orders to go back to their home port or wherever the company sends them. It must be a very frustrating time for them all. I am so sorry this is happening to people who were so kind to me and my travelling companions.

There isn't much we can do apart from self isolating. I am doing that because of a recent operation with following complications so I am on antibiotics. I have enough food etc for probably the next two weeks and will then have to go,out seeking more. Being 70+ I am in the endangered group but having faith in myself think if I wash my hands etc I will be fine. You take care of yourself and we'll both survive till the next Big Thing.

Tracy, hang in there, that is all any of us can do. I find my emotions are up and down at present and know that is because my social life is non-existent and while I seem outwardly a strong and independent person I rely on friends to keep me engaged with life. It seems like that is not going to happen for the next few weeks. I guess it is time for me to slip on the cheerleader dress and remember that others are in the same situation and go into my cheer up routine, even if it is just to cheer ME up . We have better days ahead of us.

Tracy, this virus is a scary one and I can see with all you are going through right now you feel you are not able to control your life which is also scary. Each of us probably have some of the feelings you do. I have just had the partial thyroid operation, developed a leaky blood vessel where the half removed used to be and had four days in hospital. I went to see the surgeon yesterday and he said it is nothing new and will resolve itself in 4-6 weeks. I am - whatever- rolling my eyes and shrugging my shoulders. I know you need a hug so am sending you one from the recommended social exclusion zone plus a few thousand sea miles. (((         Hug.      ))).