Anyone had to spend days alone without anyone to talk to?

[Hanna3]

Hi all, apart from here and a brief visit to church last night (to make it feel Christmassy and to just be with people) I've had day after day for weeks now with nobody at all to talk to. This time of year especially it's really depressing. Old friends that live far away are gradually losing contact with me - I ring them but they don't ring me. I understand they're busy with their live elsewhere but still it's hard when you're lonely. I'm going to a Christmas Eve service at the local church tomorrow night to at least be with people for a little while... but otherwise all day I'm alone, just me and the dog. Sometimes I strike up a conversation on BB but then the other person disappears and that's the end of that...

How are people meant to cope with prolonged periods of social isolation? I read, I watch DVDs, normally I'd go for long walks with the dog but thick smoke from bushfires and intense hot weather have stopped that. I go to a café alone sometimes. Any ideas/help?

[Ggrand]

Hello Hanna, Paws and everyone...🤗.

Its raining here today, for me or us in the central west it’s really very much needed..I’m sorry for all those in the heavy rain and the new terminology of rain bomb areas..

My husband used to love playing his guitar..(electric) and had a few in his collection, a couple from the 1960’s .a fender Stratocaster 1964...a Burns of London..( the ones used by Hank Marvin from the Shadows...They were his favourites....It’s good to hear that your strumming and picking along, Bob Dylan was a favourite of mine and we actually studied him and his style of music in my high school music class...I don’t think I know any “modern music/players or bands...My favourite guitar players are, Eric Johnston..he is amazing...(you can you tube him)..also Eric Clapton and Mark Knoflerr from Dire Straights...

Your doggie’s playgroup sounds very nice and relaxing...I think it would be very calming watching them all play together.,,while you all chat about your precious fur babies...

I like rainy days...no one around and it’s so peaceful..

I hope you enjoy your day today Dear Hanna, Paws and everyone....

My love, with hugs and care

Grandy..

[Hanna3]

Hi Paws and Grandy,

I wrote a reply but it wouldn't post - I have trouble getting a signal for the BB website sometimes, a nuisance as I wrote a lot and now it's gone. It's chilly and drizzling here, not our usual sunny mild Autumn weather at all... Little Sam has a tummy upset, we have some probiotic from the vet this morning and he's on nil by mouth until tomorrow, but he isn't terribly ill... music yesterday, now a break for three weeks, I have been watching some amazing young woman Russian harpists on utube..

Grandy you know your guitars!! I have a cheap model for beginners like me! My brother loves Mark Knopfler and I love Dire Straits too - do you ever watch them on Utube? What a fabulous band they were!

Sam used his heat pad once, but so far prefers not to sit or lie on it, he prefers my heated throw rug on the couch... but he will get used to it slowly I'm sure - it's very effective but he doesn't like the feel of it...

I am not decluttering as much as organising as I don't want a huge job when I eventually move... I culled my books ages ago, but I'm going to do it again... I enjoy seeing things neat and tidy and ordered.. my friend inspired me and put me onto utube channels.. I've only had the odd hour or half hour so far, but my linen closet looks marvellous now... and I've taken clothes to the op shop.. I enjoy it, and I am being very practical as I dont want a lot of stuff as I get older...

Little Sam disappeared when I was opening the door today, when I checked he had gone into Rosemary's yard looking for Molly - Rosemary had gone out and left the gate open.. gosh he's quick!

I'm ducking out to the library now... it's very chilly in the wind.. no people at the dog park when we went by yesterday... I hope the weather isn't too bad where you are Paws.. Grandy I think I read that the supervisor wasn't at the store or was too busy to be annoying for you - hooray! That must have been a relief!

I broke my beloved cute egg cup but the local op shop had several... and I left my umbrella at the cafe, so I bought two this morning, one spare to keep in the car - the kmart ones are nicer than the big w ones.. and I got a lovely warm throw rug for Sam for the car, and the best one was the cheapest at the reject shop!

I hope everyone is keeping warm and snug and dry. Hugs oxoxoxo

[mmMekitty]

Hi there, Hanna,

Just a thought about Sam. Wondering if he likes the heated throw rug because it has your scent on it, (& on the couch too)?

I give some thought to reducing how many things I have, but I know I struggle with actually get rid of anything which, just might be of any possible use, no matter how remote, to anyone...I did some in preparation to getting my Mekitty (not even born when I began to prepare), but not much since. I need to be able to find the useful things amongst lots of other stuff I'm not using, when I want to find them.

Of-course, my overall frustration is that no matter how much I declutter, sort & organise what's left, I still live in a small unit with no spare floor space. So, it's like, 'why bother?'

I think this is a major problem with government housing or the smaller privately rented/owned units/apartments.

*

About the guitar: keep practising what you've already learned, when the lessons(?) resume, you'll be better, & impress everyone. May I ask, what instruments have you been asked to choose between? & if you don't, why does that mean you would have stop entirely for a while? I guess, I don't understand the situation with this.

Stretchy, long arm, warm hugs from here! Given weather elsewhere, I am not complaining.

mmMekitty

[Hanna3]

Hi mmMekittty,

I have no doubt little Sam prefers to be near me on the couch ... as long as he's warm, that's the main thing. The heat pad is mostly for mornings when he goes to his bed after breakfast, as the mornings are so cold here (it snows in winter).

Yes I know those units with no floor space - I got talking recently to a woman who worked in public housing and she said they don't take into account people's needs for space to do hobbies, or interests like painting or music etc etc - they just assume everyone will sit on a couch and watch television all the time.

I learn acoustic guitar and celtic (lever) harp - I played harp twenty years ago... the difficulty is the cost of the lesson time which is expensive, so I can't afford to study both instruments in the same term (there are four semesters here). There is also the difficulty that I have to borrow a harp, as they cost thousands and are very heavy - the guitar is easier.. The instruments basically work in a similar way - right hand plays the tune, left hand plays chords - like piano. I love both instruments. I am a better harpist than guitarist!

I have learned to throw things out unless I am absolutely sure I need them - I think the problem is partly the cost of replacing things.. but I don't need an extra throw rug, or more than three pairs of sheets for a bed... I am being much more ruthless this time around - I don't want to lug stuff around with me - and I like a serene home without clutter. I understand your feelings though! Stuff still comes in - like the rug for Sam in the car today - but I make myself throw something out at the same time!

oxoxoxoxo

[Hanna3]

Hi Grandy Paws everyone

Sorry I can't contribute much at the moment, I've had Sam very sick with diarrhoea for days with neither of us getting any sleep at night as he's had to go outside to relieve himself pretty much every half hour he's eating a little today but we're both exhausted.

I got up from a seat in the library today and I don't know what I did to my leg/knee but it's agonising and I can't weight bear on it much, it's agony, so I'm going around using a mop as a cane and can't do much.

So Sam and I are a good pair..

Grandy do you know if an op shop can use a donation of coat hangers, I have heaps spare!?

Visiting your brother in the city sounds like a great idea.

Paws I hope you are OK

🐕🐾🌹🌼🌸

[mmMekitty]

Oh, I hope you & Sam will be okay again, soon.

Hanna, you are going to get the whatever happened in your knee/leg checked out, I hope. Seems strange to have to use a mop for a walking aid after standing up from a chair.

I have noticed shops decide to use some types of hangers & not others. It can vary from one shop to another. It's a matter of finding the shops which would use the type of hangers you have.

& some op shops will bundle up & sell the hangers they don't use themselves, too.

mmMekitty 😺

[Ggrand]

Hello Dear Hanna, mmMeKitty, Paws, Deebi and everyone..🤗..

Oh no....Hanna, I’m really so sorry that you and Sam are not well....Sounds like you’re both going through a lot right now...

Im wondering if there is anyway that you could leave your door slightly open so Sam could go outside on his own when he needs to, so you’re not put pressure on your sore knee....just until whatever you’ve done to it settles down a bit....

Maybe if you can..wrap a warm heat pad over it every few hours to help ease the pain a bit...or if it feels warm to touch...something cool to reduce the swelling...Dear lovely Hanna...please try not to walk on it too much....and be careful with your broom crutch, that you don’t slip and hurt yourself any further...

Yes Hanna...our charity shop, does take donations of clothes hangers....We bundle them up into 12 and resell for a dollar....The wooden ones are sometimes given to the library, school for craft work...

The few times my fur babies have had gastric/diarrhoea I have given them a small piece of cheese...it does help mine...not sure if it will help poor Sam...maybe worth a try if he doesn’t stop soon...just a gentle reminder... that with diarrhoea, he might dehydrate...so try to keep the fluids in him....

I hope throughout the day..things improve for you both...

My kindest thoughts lovely lady...with my care and some gentle hugs to you and Sam...

Grandy..

[Hanna3]

Thanks Grandy and mmMekitty,

Poor Sam was very sick this morning, I took him to a park for a while to lie on the grass, which he seemed to enjoy - I'll have to leave him at the vet's tomorrow... I don't know if I will have to fast him again tonight, he had a small brekkie and dinner last night as he had improved and he'd fasted for 24 hours as the vet nurse advised, now today after eating 2 small meals yesterday he is sick again...

So off to the vet tomorrow...

I have had knee surgery both legs in the past, I have either done a ligament or muscle I think... it's better when it's warm... I can't get up without leaning on something as it hurst.. I can walk with a heavy limp... GP is booked our for 3 weeks with easter coming up... I think just rest it with small exercise amounts, hopefully it will heal itself slowly... I must have wrenched something,the house is so cold my muscles have been stiff the last few wet cold days, I wouldn't be surprised if that adds to the muscle problem...

Thanks for the info about coat hangers, a shame to just throw them out when people can use them!

Grandy, Sam has to have low fat, he'd love cheese but can't eat it... he has a special diet from the vet... he was doing so well with all his vegetables and has been so well - but it's a chronic illness and keeps coming back with a bang.. don't ask me how I will afford the vet, I have the gas bill to pay too.... eeek.

I think it's a good idea to travel to the city to see your son Grandy.

It's a lovely day here... I tried to talk with Rosemary, she was in the garden next door, she is deaf and doesn't wear her hearing aids - I called and called but she was hosing and didn't see or hear me...!!!

I miss going to the dog park and talking with all the people there, but Sam isn't up to it... so we will have coffee (or I will) out the front in the afternoon sunshine... he's so tired... I think he is soaking up the warm weather...

Paws, I hope you are OK.. and Woofa.

Hugs all round oxoxoxoxo thanks for kind words everyone oxoxo

[Paw Prints]

Hello Hanna, wave to all,

Oh you poor thing... your knee sounds so painful... I'm going to repeat dear Grandy's caution... please be very careful using the mop as a walking stick... we don't want you to take a fall if it slips...

Definitely not what you needed on top of being worried about your little furry friend... he does seem to be having a bad run of tummy upsets lately... I know that having no fat the vege's you have been giving him shouldn't set his tummy off... but I wonder if with him having such a sensitive tummy they may have irritated it enough to make him unwell... you are so very careful with what you feed him I can't think what else may have triggered it... I hope the little chap is back to his usual self soon for you both.

Hugs

Paws

[Hanna3]

Hi Paws and everyone,

Yep I was worried I'd torn the knee meniscus again, but I think it's muscle or tendon/ligament - yep sure is painful but better with rest and some gentle exercise - gets worse as night comes on and it gets colder, so I have the heated throw rug... I sure did a good job when I stood up from a chair in the library... ouch.

Sam is drinking well but just sleeping... it's been warm here today about 25 degrees... so I've been sleepy too... I'll have to pay the vet off slowly.. and drop Sam off tomorrow and wait until the vet can see him as they won't have any appointments available. I'm not sure how I'm going to do grocery shopping with this leg, but I don't need enough to order online..

It may well have been the veggies, it's not long since his last attack... he's certainly got gastric problems this time, but I need the vet to take a look at him, he can't stay not eating like this..

Grandy, can you go by train to visit your son? It might be good if you can talk with him. Are you comfortable travelling alone to visit them? I was thinking about my friend as I read your post (on your thread sorry) about my friend here with the abusive partner... she has now moved right out of the house to allow him to have complete use of it - first he took over her spare room, then the 2nd bedroom, and now the master bedroom and the whole house- and she travels between three towns to live, in her seventies... I often wonder what to say to her, but then it's not my business - but it's a shame she used to be two minutes' walk away and we had a cuppa together every week and Sam loves her. Her partner is so abusive.. she just does everything to placate him.

Good to see you here Paws. Thanks for coming by.

I am off to have some veggie soup.. hugs to all oxoxoxo