Hey Cindi, 

     I’m so glad you liked it.  I hope you have a great weekend too! 

Yes I went on the bike ride and I may go again today depending on how windy it gets. I hate riding in the wind. With all this lockdown stuff it’s the only way that I feel some kind of freedom at the moment. And who knows when this will end and it’s important to take care of our brain health as well as physical health

How are you coping with all these restrictions?

As for the plants, I’m not good with the names but I just wandered around and took cutting of plants that seemed to be thriving and one I liked. I hope they all develop roots and become new free plants for the garden. Plants at the nursery have become so expensive . 

Have a great, well as best you can weekend

caz

Hello, lovely people - and you, Marilyn, in particular.   I am so sorry to have popped up again and then disappeared, but I have had a truly horrible infection.  If anyone wants to Google Bartholin's abscess - which I don't recommend, especially if you're about to have dinner (or cake, or anything at all) - you will understand.  Without any exaggeration at all, it was the worst week of my entire life, but I am much better now.  Mike's trauma (he had to take photographs and email them to my doctor) may take a little longer to resolve

Anyway, this is all very weird, isn't it?   How are you all doing during lockdown?  Do you have any tips for staying sane - or even being productive?   I seem to have turned into a slob, but I'm trying to be kind to myself and recognise that this is a shocking and horrible situation, and that I've been ill too.  Even so, there was a day last week - I'm not even sure if it was Wednesday or Thursday; it might even have been Tuesday - when I didn't get up till noon and spent the day in my dressing gown, watching rubbish on Netflix and eating crisps and ice-cream for breakfast. 

But I didn't smoke, and I am so very, very grateful for that.  And even though it's a while since I've been on here, most of you were around two years ago and in some way you helped me to realise, even in the midst of slobbitude (not sure if that's even a word, but if it's not it should be), that I don't need those poisonous things to make me happy.  Cake will do.  And Marilyn, your authentic Carolinian spice and vinegar ribs recipe wouldn't go amiss either.   I did our usual smokey paprika/tomato version the other night, but we could do with a change.   Well, as I'm sure could we all.

Lots of love to all my fellow quitters.  I am truly sorry to have been so absent, and hope to be here more regularly in future.

Suzy

Ford Suuuuuzzzy!!!!!!

    Every time I hear  you posted (denim is great at finding them and notifying me immediately).   I cannot wait to read your news and hear how you are doing. I will be honest, I am not looking up this infection until I wake up in the AM!    

First of all, I need to let you know that I am in VA now, no longer in the Carolinas.  I could not fret a good slab of Carolina ribs now even if the restaurants are open.  They are slabbed with sauce (with a red sauce and spices).  disgusting....... If you have a round top charcoal Weber grill. I know you could do a great week of ribs.   Shredded pork, ribs, dried pork all delicious with the spice rub and the vinegar.   The longer the cook the better. 

Well I have been home 6 weeks now from work.  Schools are colored. Teachers are teaching virtual.  Nor my thing.  My kids who are autistic, LD, ID, And traumatic Brain Injury kids don’t do well learning on The computers.  The want to play games.  This is all a work in progress.   At least I have a job and I can wear my pajamas on most of the day.  I’m not complaining.  I am depressed and anxious BUT I have nothing to complain about.  I have gained 35 lbs and cannot Blair that on not smoking.  The eating started as soon as I stopped seeing other people, got board being on a computer all day and not interacting with others.  I am scared to death to pick up smoking again.  The virus is everywhere and I know I’f I was smoking I would die immediately if I for it.  Yes I do have hand to moth disease but hoping that I will get to see my grandkids one oe more times before I die.  I still have not heard from my son.  I think he continues to live on the street.  I wish I had the desire to help him and find him but I am still angry about how this all started. Sent money, provided what I could as far as support money for therapy , a place to live etc.   it all got thrown in my face .......it hurts terribly but feel like fighting the wife  will never help.   I need to protect myself for now.....   I am so happy to see you.  Eat all you want. Just don’t smoke.  I’m going  to go research your infection.  I always love to hear from you.  You got this. For goodness sake. Don’t smoke. I hope your son is doing better. Stay in we’ll 

hugs. 

Reply post below,,,,

I googled your reason for going AWOL,!!  How awful.. Nobody deserves that.  I’m sure Mike will need some therapy.    :))).  All I can say I’d bless you and hope to high heaven that you never need to deal with that agin. !! 

Sending double hugs to heal your physical stuff. Sending regular hugs for returning to say hello.  It means the works to me.  Stay in touch.  

Good evening missuz suzy

i can concur on the jama thing.  I am currently flopped into a recliner chair and it 7.30 pm and I am stilll,  I said still in my Jammies.  Yes that’s right, soon I can go back to bed and I don’t even have to change!  But I think that I will imbibe a little more wine and some more chocolate smarties before the bed thingy happens.  bTW I am officially 2 months and 1 week quit.  Oh and I am officially sick of being isolated.

so nice to see you here missus perfect princess suzy

caz

Hi Marilyn

its Caz clad in Jammies waving madly in your direction.

Hi Denim

just checking upon you.  I just made the most amazing sour dough bread.  How’s your baking going.  The plant cuttings haven’t died yet, but I must say they are not exactly booming yet.  It’s starting to feel like winter here and I don’t like it much.  The big worry here is that once we move into the flue season that everything might turn to crap here.  I am already sick of being locked down.

Caz

Hi Marilyn,

Lovely to hear from you too, and glad I'm not the only one spending all day in pyjamas and eating!  But the most important thing is staying well and not smoking, and we're at least doing that.  I really sympathise about the online teaching - you've got the challenges of the kids you teach AND the technology; it must be hard. 

We've had a couple of goes talking to friends on Zoom, and although it's nice to see their faces I'm definitely not up to speed with the tech yet.   They all seem to be able to superimpose themselves on pretty backgrounds, whereas all they see behind me is clutter and mess.  Still, maybe that'll inspire me to tidy it all up (after another little raid on the fridge, obviously - got to get my priorities right ).

I'm sure you'll get to see your grandkids again!  I know these are anxious times, but statistically speaking, even 80 year olds with underlying health conditions are more likely to survive than not.  It's easy to feel panicky when watching the news, though - I try to limit it to once a day only, otherwise I start to feel fretful.

I'm so sorry to hear about your son, and of course it makes you sad, and angry at the same time - I very often feel the same way about mine, and it's been a long old struggle for me to realise that there are some things that we just don't have the power to change - and that unless we look after ourselves, we won't be in a fit state to help anyone anyway.  I also know that you will have been kind and giving, way beyond the point where most people would have given up, so try not to worry.   I'm not a religious person myself, but my sister is, and she has a sign on her wall which she finds very helpful - it says:  "Let go, let God" 

Thankfully mine is doing ok again now - he's doing care work, so I'm worried about that as it's quite high-risk (especially as he's only got a paper mask!), but mentally I think it's doing him good to feel useful, and to have something to focus on outside of himself.

Take care, lovely Marilyn, and talk soon. x

P.S.  thank you for the kind words about my illness!  I am so glad that's over - honestly, there were points where I wished I had the virus instead.

Hiya Missis Caz,

Oh, it's just like old times, isn't it?  Wine, chocolate, and not smoking - it feels like home!

Congratulations on 2 months and 1 week without the stupid stinky sticks, and congratulations too on beating my record for hours spent in jammies!  I'd thought my lead was unassailable, but seems I was wrong 

Yes, I'm sick of being isolated too.  Maybe we should all have a Zoom chat?

Suzy x