Moan, Moan, Moan - 2011

[Anthony Darby]

That's really quite tragic. A friend's daughter got engaged last Christmas. In April her fiancé felt poorly and had some tests. Signet ring colon cancer. They gave him two years at most. They get married in January and are putting on a brave face. As you say Martin, life sucks.

[Lesley Cox]

Not much of a moan in comparison but I'm not happy either so...

I've had a lot of dreams since Teddy died, some pretty awful and some "ordinary" if not especially happy. Last night's though was odd in that while there were various unidentified people and animals involved, I also dreamed that I had 4 seedlings of x Jancaeamonda, the Jancaea Ramonda hybrid. I went out this morning to look but it was bound to be a disappointment. Not only were there no seedlings, there wasn't even a pot and never had been. It was such a believable dream as it happened. Maybe I'm just losing it completely.

[Martin Baxendale]

Not much of a moan in comparison but I'm not happy either so...

I've had a lot of dreams since Teddy died, some pretty awful and some "ordinary" if not especially happy. Last night's though was odd in that while there were various unidentified people and animals involved, I also dreamed that I had 4 seedlings of x Jancaeamonda, the Jancaea Ramonda hybrid. I went out this morning to look but it was bound to be a disappointment. Not only were there no seedlings, there wasn't even a pot and never had been. It was such a believable dream as it happened. Maybe I'm just losing it completely.

I rather like the idea that your subconscious is trying to give you something nice to help make up for your loss. Quite considerate for a subconscious.

[Lesley Cox]

Well maybe, but it would have hit the mark better if I'd dreamed about a pot I really did have, and there had been seedlings in that.

[Martin Baxendale]

Well maybe, but it would have hit the mark better if I'd dreamed about a pot I really did have, and there had been seedlings in that.

The subconscious means well but unfortunately it's often not too clever. You have to give it points for at least trying. 

[Lesley Cox]

 

[chasw]

Similar situation here Martin,our son went through an awful time,His girlfriend got a job in Leicester and he offered to move with her ,but she wanted to wait untill she had settled into the job first, so they decided too have a break for a while,whilst there she was taken ill ,and she would text Chris daily two or three times,and laughing that her mother was having to push her around in wheelchair,finally she went home feeling slightly better and text Chris on this particular friday evening to say that when she was better they should get back together again,Tragically she collapsed ad died at 10 o'clock on the Saturday morning poor chap was absolutely distraught,she was only 27

Thankfully now a year and a half later he has met some one else

[Anthony Darby]

Just a minor irritation: Lucy is coming home from school (we think) with dozens of insect bites. Black fly, mosquito or what? We don't know. She's the only one in the family affected, so either it's where she is and we aren't, or she tastes good! She gets antihistamine to stop the itching, as the spots she's scratched will scar!

[Paul T]

Fresh Aloe Vera on the bite will help stop the itching as well.  It seals it off from the air I think, and the itching diminshes rapidly.  Works for mosquitoes and other things, well at least for me anyway.  I've also found that the bottled Aloe Vera for sunburn relief has similar effects, although not quite as itch-free as fresh from a leaf.

[Anthony Darby]

Thanks Paul. I'd forgotten about Aloe Vera. Must get a plant. It should grow outside here?

[Paul T]

Anthony,

It even grows outside in a protected spot for me.  Just near the back wall of the house, but sailed through winter despite at least -9^oC out in the open at one point this winter.

[Anthony Darby]

A friend ( I bought a couple of gecko cages off her via 'Trademe' and we got talking about wildlife - the four legged variety, not my youth), who is a nurse but keeps a frog (she also carves deer antler, bone and green stone http://www.bonewithattitude.net.nz/index.php - really neat stuff), called round to drop off some home-grown maggots, which will turn into flies for my geckos. She reckons it's sand flies. Lucy has no recollection of ever being bitten, but it must be most days, and I would suggest each fly has several attempts!

[Lesley Cox]

Sandflies are brutal little beasts. They bite unseen unless you're in an area like Manapouri or somewhere on the West Coast where the air is thick with them and you can't help but see them in clouds. But here in the garden a single one will bite and you only know it's there when the sharp end goes in and releases its poison. You can still smash it sometimes, but it's already done the damage. I'd endorse Paul's note about Aloe vera. It works well as a de-itcher.

[Anthony Darby]

This sign is above the Burger King in Pakuranga, East Auckland.

[Paul T]

Good Laud, what wonderful spelling.