The Transcendent Rainbow Cafe - social space for LGBTI members

[Paul]

It would be so great to have a thread here where we can chat about almost anything. We can have fun, tell jokes, share stories, you name it!

There's a "BB Cafe" thread in the general area where lots of people chat daily and have established some nice light hearted conversations, it's treated as if it's a real cafe, there's even virtual baked goods and coffee!

Let's create a chat here for anyone to join, in particular the GLBTIQ community to let their collective hair down and chill out. It's a safe space to be yourself.

We just need a name 🙂

[Jo8049]

0440, Clear cold sky , Calm , -0.4° , 41% . WFTNN x .

Here we are again , still dark and getting more wintery . Another happiest day , warm one to for everyone ! xxx

Hot coffee tea , chai for S . LD has gone nesting now ? Porridge for me but whatever we have for whoever drops by . xx

Just went back to check when brunch would be , seems I miss remembered ? Next month , that might be accurate ? Had it in mind that this weekend was happening ? Stay warm in your new paradise , and rug up outside ! Got the stinging cold we get here this morning .

Did some writing yesterday , and I am very grateful for input as it helps me see the bits I am not seeing ( due to being in the middle of it perhaps ). Sometimes the enormity of it slaps me in the face . That reminds me sometimes of Sandra Pankhurst's rocky road . You talk of brave , she was and hope still is brave !!!

The journey does ruffle quite a few feathers at times . Such is life ! Despite that it is very exciting and awesome .

I talked about knowing but not knowing ( trans , the female spirit , Jo ) , I said a long time ago in conversation that if reincarnation is real that this is my first male journey and I am not liking it very much ? That conversation was on my 32 foot yacht when in Adelaide the year I turned 40 ? Am still good friends with that person . He lived on a Suncat 30 which he built in the Adelaide Hills near Crafters . "Trippy Taka" a truly magic boat .

He like me is landlocked now , we talk quite often on the phone still . Both of us have vivid imaginations so we understand each other and our conversations most of the time . I would go out some times on race day and we could tack into the wind up the Port River not saying a word . Him on helm me on headsail and every tack was a symphony . We used to have huge grins on our faces those days !!!

Lots of love Sarah for you and those you love ( thank you ). Stay cuddly warm today , it is penetrating cold here ! Hugs xxxx chocolate and chai ❤🐾💃☕🍫🍩⛄😉

Warm cheerful safe day to all from the never never, lol xxx Jo&LD xxx ❤🐾💃

[Jo8049]

0355, Clear solstice morning stars shivering , Calm very , 1.2 , 41% . WFTNN x .

Good morning everyone on the shortest day of the year . Warm safe enjoyable solstice day for all !

Hot kettle , coffee chai tea ? LD is in nest again . Porridge for me when exercise is done ? Ask LD to show you whats here ?

Sunday was unremarkable here . Sun came out but not much heat in it . Max was 17° . Stayed rugged up and did a fair bit of reading . Had a road train pulled up across the road on Saturday night and when he went to leave it pulled away and started missing and died . Luckily it was still outside the fog line ! ( just ) I went over at first light and gave the fellow a hand . We tried a few things to start it but we had no joy . Another prime mover arrived just after dark and they pulled the dead one out and hooked up and were gone by 1900 on way to Darwin .

Sarah , how did your weekend go ? I am thinking there are still many jobs to do unpacking and setting up ? Finding just the right spot and angle etc to ? 1,2&3 lost any weight yet (if they need to , running up and down stairs )( They will need more fuel to if to active )

How was the weather down there ? Ours is in penetrating cold mode now till sometime in August or early September. You know that weather that tells you which joints are worn out ! Happily I made sure when I came out here that I have good winter gear for the motorbike . It has hand guards to that keep wind off hands + heated grips . Very handy when 1° . Have a Scottish tartan scarf that goes around neck and tucks into top of jacket . That seals the bottom of helmet so no icy air gets in from bottom .

Went out to turn on water this morning in a black silk dressing gown to welcome the solstice . Stopped and absorbed the morning , thanked the solstice spirit and back to reality ?

Normally only go outside here dressed as deadname mainly to avoid discovery . That is getting harder as time goes by . To be honest feel a bit offended by society that this has to be ? It is what it is ! I can't change that out here ?

Happy safe warm Solstice day at the beginning of new week dear friend . Happiness every day ( its catching to as am sure you know ) . As always , thank you xxxx hugs when wanted or required ❤🐾💃☕

May the dawn mist come earlier day by day now , stay warm and love peace and tranquillity for all from the never never xxx Jo&LD ❤🐾💃

[Aaronsis]

Hello Jo and happiest of Winter Solstice's to you both, the shortest day but also time to cleanse.

You melt my heart with your gratitude and while you say you are not good with words, that is all we have here on this page and I hear you, I see you and I feel what you expressing here, sharing here and to me, that must mean you are not too bad with words at all. It is my absolute pleasure to be on this journey with you and I will continue to do so.

I also whole heartedly feel the very same about the community here, I think the healing and the sharing and the learning that we go and get from others here really has no words to describe it's power. I had no idea how good this place was going to be when I first wrote my purge and my scream out for answers, and I can totally credit so much of my healing and my growth to the conversations on this forum. GOLD..pure gold.

Well I can say that the naughty food I treated myself too was one of your faves too and that was some KFC chicken..it really made me feel so good..hahaha and was able to sit and watch the football and have a nail biting game and it was just awesome. I am so in love with my new place, the morning sun comes pouring in through the glass doors to the patio and just feels amazing, the cats also have found how delightful this is as they lay there like the queens they are..lol, and yes running up and down the stairs and sliding on floorboards..and at 3am and times like that..sigh!

Brunch was so good. I was totally naughty again and ordered the salted caramel pancakes. They came with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, some smashed up honeycomb, smashed cookies, fresh strawberries, fresh blueberries and some slices of banana, then drizzled with a caramel sauce....need I say anymore about that..lol. But it was awesome to just be yapping for three hours with my dearest girls.

Never ever discount the enormity of the journey you are on, it is huge Jo. I agree, it is not until we sit down and really notice that we see the true size of things. Your strength and your courage though is just as enormous and that is maybe why you don't see how huge this is, as you are riding this wave of growth, of change but at the same time no change at all, as Jo has always been there, she is not new and you know EXACTLY who she is. Your core being I feel has always been her??

Black silk dressing gown, wow, sounds gorgeous! I am very jealous and might like one too.

Huge hugs and much love to you my amazing friend xx

Sarah xx

[Jo8049]

0330, Winter clear faint stars ( nearly full moon setting low in the west ! Beautiful!!) , calm , 6.5° , 48% . WFTNN x .

Beautiful kind happy day for everyone xxx . Stay warm x .

Hot drink and porridge today . Come and see what we have ?

Hello dear Sarah , stuck for words again ! Thank you ,your last post was so touching in so many ways . Soothing thoughts , entertaining cats , joy of new home and made my mouth water with the food . Wow !

So happy for you , face time with closest friends . Soul food I think x . Perhaps the 3am catrobatics are the girls cleaning up a suspected mouse , or just fun ? Or both ?KFC now have $8 Tuesday bucket . Mmmm going to big town east of here today and might try a bucket ? Pan cakes , wow I put on half a kg just reading all food xxxx . Yum .

Might just be realising about how big this all is for and around me ? When we first met on littlemissalice' post or my first thread we talked about fluidity and change . I talked of the core piece or soul . You taught me about grey and fluidity about then . Jo is my core and that is why I instantly accepted her on 9/12/20 and not once doubted her . How could I doubt myself ? No wonder either, that there was electrical storm inside me when reaching out to " little boy from childhood " in the middle of last year . Guess Jo cracked one that day ? ( better than fiction in places ) Thank you for love acceptance guidance and support . Words ? ❤hugs &xxxx

Sleep is the before and after full moon sleep for me so a bit tired in mornings , should only be another week and will settle again ?

Black silk gown is cool , 2sided , pink & black . Japanese . Has Japanese art embroidered on both sides . Black side has pink trim and visa versa .

New pic up top is LD ( Taffy ) in nest with dolly on cold morning xxx from LD

LD getting haircut today and me eyebrow trim , then at 11 meeting with Headspace . Both exciting and scary ? Then maybe KFC ?

Happy safe warm day wonderful friend , enjoy new home , sounds exciting and wonderful . xxxx hugs ❤🐾💃☕🍫🌈

Welcome to a soft gentle warming sunrise bringing another peaceful loving day your way to all , lol from the never never xxx Jo&LD ❤🐾💃

[Aaronsis]

Hey Jo and hello to you too LD you gorgeous floof xx

It was so wonderful to see that some of my friends were doing cleansing things like swimming in the winter's ocean and lighting candles on the beach to celebrate the Winter Solstice and to welcome what is meant for them and to be rid of what is not.

I was so happy to have some face to face time with the girls, we were supposed to go away last weekend but COVID had other plans, it was just perfect and even though we were not away we got to hang out, talk rubbish and eat yummy food..lol Our trip is scheduled now for the last weekend of July so I have everything crossed that it will happen next month, everything crossed as we have rescheduled this trip 7 times now!

How are the brows and how was the salon experience? I hope that the day is not too far away when you are thrilled to be taking these appointments and not so much of the scary. Jo has every right to be there just like anyone else. How is the choice of hair style coming along too? Are you still sticking with the short look or do you think you may try to get some length to it?

The love and the acceptance of Jo is, well natural for want of a better word. To me I don't know any different. I have only known Jo here. Just as sometimes you may feel this to be true too? That while you looked like a man, the whole core and internal dialogue was Jo. I think that maybe others in your life are so very accepting of Jo too as maybe they have seen her before she "arrived" too. It would be so very interesting to hear some of your friends first reactions when you have mentioned Jo. I wonder if any of them ever suggested that they may have had a inkling? It is huge though Jo, this whole transition, but I am just so happy too that it has come at a time when we as a society have more understanding. I have no idea how hard this could have been say 20 years ago!! I guess that is why you do hear so many stories of cross dressing in private, of men wanting to wear underwear designed for women and that the term "coming out of the closet" even exists. It was so taboo and just not something that was openly talked about, let alone accepted. I am just so happy we are no longer in that space and that people are free to be whom they choose and who they feel they are, it is so refreshing.

I love that LD has a dolly, that just melted my heart. If I have read your post correctly then LD is taffy and it is so wonderful to know your name xx

Hugs to you both xx

Sarah xx

[Jo8049]

0340 , High light wind cloud partial overcast 3/4 , Calm , 5.5° , 41% . WFTNN x .

Good morning beautiful people xx . Happiest warm productive day that you can have for you all xx .

Chai for S ( and anyone else to ?) and coffee or tea . Porridge again for me I think , we share whatever we have . ☕🍵🍜🎂🍩🍫

LD is a shorthaired ratweiller now after J gave her a winter haircut and did her nails . She is seriously buried in warm sleeping bag on the bed . Looks like a mountain range and she is snuggled in the deepest valley with her knitted body suit on . ( sausage suit . She fronts up in morning and stands in front of me and I put it over head then she holds a hand up one at a time for me to thread through the arm holes then waits while I straighten it , I say shake and she does . Then straight to breaky service . So cute !)

I read with much happiness Sarah of your weekend with special friends , it warmed my heart , so glad you had that and have such good friends .xx Everything crossed for end of July .

Job is put of ( today to Friday or Saturday ) by wet ground and more coming . That's good as I can feel anxiety creeping in. I am unavailable for work from Sunday to following weekend as doing T & Brisbane trip . Gender Clinic and Transcendents then specialist ( going to try to steer him to do orchidectomy . Doctor has written it up that she thinks I need this for medical reasons which are in referral ) in Roma on the Friday .

I am so happy your here . Having your input and thoughts keeps my perception on her toes ! Whats been said over last few days makes much more sense to me . It has taken me back to my thoughts on the piece that never changes in us around which each one of us is built . Core , soul or whatever you wish to call it . The pure energy piece that for me is and always has been Jo !? . Holistically looking at the whole life makes more sense then ? ( to me anyway ).xxx

Spoke with headspace manager yesterday , good outcome and good contact . Early days .

Bumped into friends wife ( lady who I will be working with if we get something going ) just before that meeting , we had a chat about it . She is looking ok now . She was the sick one over last month , so glad she is ok Beautiful people

Growing hair , birds nest now . Eyebrows & light trim on hair . No colour yet .

Much love to you all Sarah , thanks , hugs and xxx , 🍩 3 mornings away ! ❤🐾💃🌠🌈

Compassion care and love from the never never , Jo&Her very Royal Smallness LD ( T ) xxx ❤🐾💃🌈

[Jo8049]

0320, Overcast , 5to8 knts NE , 13° , 40% . WFTNN x .

Good morning everyone , best day you can have to all xx.Rain coming!

Chai coffee tea ? Ask LD whats in the galley ? Not sure if or what for me today ?

Woke to confusion ( in head and heart ) ( anxiety ? Over it ) today . Major weather change and proximity to full moon time I hope ?

Hi Sarah xx . Only 1 more sleep to muffin day , then weekend . Are you planning anything this weekend ? Roller derby perhaps ? How is your son enjoying his space and daughter to ? How are driving lessons going ? Your weather will get a bit rough when that low skips past from the west . Maybe already gone or just about to . It seems to have plenty of energy . Another tailgating it also ? The job we should be doing is cancelled for now , wet ground . Quite a few km's on the dirt .

Have been dissecting the last while in journal . I was getting there but your affirmation of my thoughts ( which were just jelling ) about Jo always being me have answered and explained so much of my complete life . This is a slow process and visits many painful places ( which are buried and need to be dug up and seen and felt , for the last time perhaps ?) which makes the process slow and very exhausting . Think am quite low on emotional/spiritual energy right now . ( that moon doesn't help either )

LD and Jo are good . We are a solid team ! Will talk about all this later but it affirms my thoughts on setting up a support network/ service out here . It is hard work . Glad job cancelled as I have not been feeling like work since that ------ day .

Enough of me , happiest day and everyday for you and yours and friends Sarah . ☕🍩 ( virtual snack for you . low carb ). Thanks for company very dear friend , hugs xxxx . ❤🐾💃🌈☔

Love compassion companionship and peace to all from the never never xxx ❤🐾💃🌈☔

[Jo8049]

0350, Moist overcast , calm , 13° , 59% . WFTNN x .

Calming happiest day you can have for everyone , be warm and always safe xx .

LD ( she is now short haired ratweiller ) is already curled up on end of bed with warm air blowing , hatching some devious plot to annoy me or get more treats ? Ask her for food , she will show you whats there ? Coffee Chai and Tea as always .

Muffin 🍩 day Sarah , already ! My that was quick . Still a bit more rain to go here ! Anything planned for the weekend ?

Took winter quilt off bed and went back to 2 blankets bedspread and -12 sleeping bag ready on foot of bed . Have 2 quilts , 1 is feather and the other is Australian wool 1 . Wool one has a bit of weight in it ( rating is 550 grm ? .) . They come in 3 weights ( warmth corresponding ) + this 1 is middle weight . Both very good but not cold enough yet . Was same last year ? Need flexibility for big temp variance in 1 night . Had better sleep last night , 2nd block was 3.5 hrs . Good for me ?

Been trying to read councilling book . Slowly . Been dissecting whole life journey bit at a time . Am lucky to be able to do this , it is bumpy some of the time but so worthwhile and is becoming much clearer , who what why . Sometimes one of those 3 is not clear but is making so much more sense than ever before . Thank you Sarah for that perception , I was kind of there but your timing was perfect . It sort of validated if you will my thoughts that were traveling in the same direction . I have to test fly stuff to my own satisfaction before accepting them and as I said it makes so much sense . At this time in life dont want to invent something convenient to band aid and keep going so have to examine very carefully ( this can be both hard and joyous as sure you know ). Thanks again beautiful very close friend . There are no words for my gratitude . You have enhanced and aided this journey so much !

Safe warm happy muffin and chai filled day Sarah , lol and hugs xxx 🍩☕❤🐾💃🌈

As the humid rain band disappears to the east the antarctic winter winds will return , be warm and enjoy and care for our beautiful planet . The Oasis in Space !!! hugs and xxx from the never never , Jo&HRS/LD ❤🐾💃🌈

[Aaronsis]

Hello my friend, oh...seeing you LD in that jumper has made my day. I can imagine you putting your little arms up to get dressed and have it all adjusted....it just warms my heart.

I have been feeling pretty overwhelmed the past few days, I think the move and the clean up and getting all the lose ends tied really took a toll on me. The other night I was sitting having a coffee with my friend and she said "I don't know whether you are going to laugh or burst into tears!"..she was right, I didn't know either but all I knew is I felt ill and just wanted to fall in a heap. So I pretty much did that yesterday, and today feel so much better for it. To take the time to do nothing, absolutely nothing and just recharge, I forget how we need to do that from time to time and if we don't..our bodies choose for us.

I cannot wait to hear about the Brisbane trip Jo, the clinic, the outcome (if there is to be one so soon) of the ability for you to have the orchidectomy.

I am so happy I am here too Jo, not only to share with you the progress of your transition wholly to Jo but to just be your friend, to hear about LD and to hear about your experiences and things you have seen and done while out on the road..I love hearing about them. I love hearing about your beauty treatments, what you are thinking for your hair, how you are going with the clothes shopping and what you like to wear and what fashion Jo is interested in. Clothing designed for me really only come in a few choices I feel, shorts, pants, jeans, short sleeve top, long sleeve top...not really much too mention..but clothing designed for women has as many choices as we have days...goes on forever! Has Jo found her style yet? I must say I love my Dr Martin's..I have Cherry ones and just love love love them! Sigh..yes then there is the whole shoe thing..lol

It is my son's 17th birthday tomorrow so the celebrations start tonight and will be busy all weekend with different catch ups...of course he will be spoiled!

LD and Jo are a fierce team, unbreakable and I have no doubt at all..none...that you can get through mostly anything together, with love, with success and with each other right there!

I am glad you can consider that Jo has been you all along, that there really is nothing to change inside, or to consider how to do things differently as Jo has perhaps been your core. That while (deadname) ran the exterior, he no longer does. That Jo is wholly home. She is home!

Hugs to you my dear friends

Sarah xx

[Jo8049]

0500 , Clear small stars , Calm , 5° , 50% . WFTNN x .

Good morning everyone , warm and happy weekend with love and cuddles xx

Will be late breaky as still in bed , LD is cuddled up beside me sharing warmth . Always hot drinks and what ever we have we share . Door closed but not locked till we get up .

Sarah , take enough time to recharge as you have just powered through a huge ( both emotional + physical ) event , finding deciding packing + moving + unpacking ( again emotional + physical ) and settling into your new home xxxx . Rest now dear special friend . Luxuriate with your kids and 1,2&3 and your friends . Happiness always for you!❤

This covid thing is omnipresent now . We have to sign in to shops etc now , yet again . There are many many southerners sharing Qld with us now which is good as long as one of those selfish ones doesn't come will be fine . The Delta one would decimate the population out here . Just not enough medical infrastructure . Have to keep it all in perspective I guess ?? ( whatever that is )

The realisation has now set in and I think ( + very much hope ) are on the right track with Jo + ------'s relationship . It changes everything . Can still be me now with knowledge that me was always Jo . The identity struggle doesn't really exist anymore . Am exhausted but ecstatic that this alignment issue is in the open . The book will get a good workout today .

Sent email to the Aus contact ( publisher ) for Sarah Kranostein ( spelling ?) yesterday . Seeking advice as well as thanking them for Trauma Cleaner and the true insight of that book . She replied swiftly and was very kind . If she comes across someone who could help/advise me she has my number to forward on ?

Not at all ready to write a book but will vigorously record as I do anyway .

Woke but instead of getting up turned lights on and am in bed typing . Very lazy . Had oops moment , went out to turn water on and forgot only had long knitted jumper on ?

Not sure about style for Jo . Tight tops with high wasted long pants that flare a little . Earthy colours and soft pinks and purples . ( sunset colours ) . Hair? See what happens when it grows . I like its silver colour . Maroon is nice ? Eyes , earthy again . have a silver with gold sparkles in a pallet . like that . Lip gloss pale is good . xxxx

Rest extraordinary friend , hugs cuddles and xxxxxx love to you and family ❤🐾💃🌈🍳☕🍩😉

As always , peace love and tranquillity for everyone from the never never . Jo&LD ❤🐾💃🌈