So, how was your day?

[Doolhof]

I've had a busy kind of day that went very well. I have managed to work, go for a swim, had lunch in a park, enjoyed a coffee and biscuits with a client and looked at the second hand tent we have just bought ourselves.

I went down to the chook house to check on my "ladies" and had a chat with them while they clucked away waiting for me to feed them. I also had a look to see where we can set the tent up in the garden this weekend to try it out. I'm already thinking of places nearby where we can go camping. I will also ask my sister and nieces if they would like to join me sometime.

Please feel free to contribute and share how you have spent your day.

Cheers for now from Mrs. Dools

[Doolhof]

Dear Indra,

Hi and thanks for all of your news. You certainly do have so many things going on at present.

It is great you have been able to connect with your sister so you can all get together during the holidays. Like I mentioned earlier, I quite often see events listed in different places for school holidays.

Sometimes our local paper has information, or you could ask the kindy, the council, other parents at Kindy, they may come up with suggestions for you. 

I hope events will not bee too stressful with your ex partner regarding your younger son. Sometimes it really does pay to have a lawyer for different issues.

My husband actually has a friend who is a Lawyer in Sydney and he has quite often given us free advice which has been very beneficial.

I liked your story about singing. I like to sing as well but do sound a bit like someone treading on the cat's tail. Ha. Ha. I was asked at church once if I would sing in their little choir, and I said I would only do that if everyone turned their hearing aids off first! Ha. Ha.

When I worked in a playgroup/crèche one of the kids told me to stop singing because I sounded terrible! Ha. Ha. I think they actually said I hurt their ears.

If you have read my reply to Anne, you will notice I am going to  be away for a couple of days from Sunday. I am so looking forward to my time at the beach. It is only expected to be about 15 degrees for the next few days, but hey, it is winter!

We are catching up with some family members on Saturday for dinner in a hotel restaurant where they allow you to take in a cake and don't charge you a plate fee!

A girlfriend has organised a Birthday lunch for me on Sunday which will be lovely. So I will attend Church in the morning, drive an hour to my Birthday lunch then an hour from there to my two night stay away!

I will take my camera as well to capture the sunsets.

Thinking of you and hoping you manage to find different things to do with your boys during the holidays.

A thought just came to my mind. Did your boys have much interaction with your partner's family? If so, could you catch up with them in the holidays? Sometimes when relationships break up, the more distant members of the family miss out on connecting.

Cheers for now from Lauren

[Indra]

Hi Lauren,

Firstly - a very Happy Birthday to you!!! Hope you have had a wonderful day. Well aren't you a little spoilt - 2 days away beachside!! Fantastic - I really love the beach at any time of the year. I always find it very soothing and can sit and watch the ocean for hours, even when it is winter. This weekend is supposed to be sunny in SA, as you know the mornings will be chilly lol Glad you indulged in a hedgehog slice too - why not! Lovely that your friend has organised a birthday lunch too. I really hope that you enjoy yourself - you deserve it.

Today was a little chaotic - with all of the plus from yesterday - today I got harrassed to the point that I went to the local police station to see what I could do. Not a great deal apparently - as he is interstate. I had my phone on silent for most of the day, which is not ideal as I need to be on call for my older son. He was ok - he enjoyed himself at school as the whole senior unit had spent the last day and a half preparing for a Lemon Herb roast chicken lunch - he enjoyed it and still had room for pizza tonight lol

It will be a quiet weekend for us - nothing much planned - on a tight budget now too. A play outside and alot of Spongebob and Shaun the sheep. I think I might do housework and read lol

The youngest was spending a little time with his grandparents, who live in the city and saw his step-sisters occasionally. The grandparents have also burned their bridges as well. Disappointing, but I am tired of the bullying from them and my ex and finally took a stand.

Well enjoy your time away - half your luck!!! Make sure you relax and take in the sights.

Singing a Happy Birthday to you (safer on here - no critics lol)

Cheers for now,

Indra

[Hopefullseeking]

Hi Lauren,

My current GP is really good and up-to-date with all the latest medical stuff, feel confident with her.

Good that your vertigo is easing, but those back spasms are the pits, that was what my back was like a few weeks ago and they would render me immobile.

Men who can figure them out certainly not me, but he sounds a little bit controlling.  I suppose doing them at 7 keeps him happy and you get some help.  And no we don't need another night of football, my ex was a sports fanatic so it wasn't just football but cricket and any other sport as well.

Sorry I missed your birthday, Happy Belated Birthday, I am  big on birthdays, I hope yours was an excellent one.  Good on Michael for giving your a weekend away, a very thoughtful present as you love the beach like me.  I wish I was with you we would have so much fun together.

It is my son's birthday tomorrow, tough for me. I sent him a card but unfortunately I found out last night he was moved so he won't get it before his birthday, I hope they forward it to him.  He wrote to mum as she wrote him a couple of weeks ago, has shaken me up a bit.

I had a great day yesterday, met two friends for coffee then another friend and I went OP shopping at a Salvos store.  I brought a tea light candle holder, a butter dish and a table for my revamped lounge room.  It is square and small which is ideal, it has two cane basket draws which is wonderful as I can put all my bits and pieces in it and hide them away. I have box of tissues remotes etc. all tucked away and not cluttering up the lounge, it was only $25.  It was filthy and had cobwebs on it which was probably why it was so cheap, it cleaned up really well.

When are you going for your weekend away or is it this weekend, can't wait to hear all about it.

I'm off now, washing to do and even though I life in Brisbane it still takes all day to dry.

Hugs for now

Anne

[Doolhof]

Dear Anne and Indra,

Hello there my friends. Hope you don't mind the joint message! I am about to head off to Church, then to my friend's for my Birthday lunch and from there to the beach for my little mini holiday which I am hoping will not turn into a mini breakdown!

I'm really struggling emotionally at present and feel like I am about to go bang. My husband just does not get it sometimes and has no idea how to help in a way that I need.

He doesn't want me to go to hospital again as I would be away for a couple of weeks, hence the two nights accommodation down near the beach which will "fix" everything...hopefully he thinks!

I do so appreciate his gesture and I will thoroughly enjoy my time and make the most of it and try to work out strategies and ways to make life better when I return home again.

I'll certainly enjoy my time at the beach. This morning it was 2 degrees when I woke up and yesterday it was only 1 degree. It might be a little warmer at the beach! I just won't go out for a walk too early unless I have my whole suitcase full of clothes on at the same time! Ha. Ha.

Dear ladies, I will be away Sunday and Monday, home late Tuesday and Wednesday I actually have to work the morning (of my week off for a private client) and then I am catching up with a friend in the city. Then I have a massage booked with a local lady here in town.

Thursday Michael and I are going for a drive in the hills. There are a lot of little second hand and craft shops I want to stop at. Michael likes to drive so I can enjoy all of the scenery!

Hope you both keep well and Indra I hope you find plenty of activities for you and the children.

Cheers for now and I will catch up again later.

From Lauren

[Doolhof]

Hi Indra,

Hope you and the boys are doing okay and you have managed to find things to do to fill in the days.

How has the weather been in your region? We have had cool days here in our part of S.A. and could really do with some rain.

The weather was mostly very overcast on the weekend while I was down at the beach. Some times the sky was almost black, but there was no rain. I so love the calmness of the beach.

I picked up a bag full of fairly plain cockle shells and have now washed them and will see how they look when they are dry. I am thinking about varnishing them or painting them to add some colour and maybe turn them into a wall hanging.

I'd love more time to be creative! Do you like doing anything arty?

Today we went for a drive in the country and I saw some beautiful huge leaves, they were the size of large dinner plates! I'm not sure what type of tree they came from. They would look great if they held their shape and colour when they dried out.

How did it get to be Thursday already! I have a couple of clients I need to assist tomorrow as they are private clients and I don't have anyone else to help them. My week off is disappearing too quickly!

Some people have too much time on their hands and I always feel like I just don't have enough! Maybe I am just never satisfied! Ha. Ha.

Hope all is well with you, from Lauren

[Indra]

Hi Lauren,

Welcome back! Must have had ESP as I had seen one of your other posts and I was just about to leave you a note to say hi.

Hope you enjoyed your time at Glenelg - it is a nice, busy beach area there. When I lived in the city I was down south and Moana beach is a great spot as well. Glad you had success in shell collecting and now are thinking of making it in to a wallhanging/artwork. Um no, unfortunately the art and craft gene skipped a generation here lol I like artwork and craft, but lack the skill and patience for it. Call me craft challenged haha My mum is the artist of the family and sells her paintings and craftwork in the local cottage industry shop of the town. My brother and sister did well at art in school - I got marks for creativity but putting it all together I failed miserably lol

It has been a little hard of late for myself and the boys. My eldest heads off for a week tomorrow and he wasn't happy about it. I let him choose his own dinner and we have had lots of cuddles. It never gets any easier. Miniman will start missing him after a couple of days as well. We have the Minion movie planned for Saturday at the local cinema - I want to see it as well. Appointments tomorrow for him so it should fill in the day.

I had a health scare today when I went for my blood level checks - an ultrasound later and everything came back clear. I cried in the hospital car park - not sure if it was from relief or just a feeling of being a bit overwhelmed at the moment.

I was sad to read you have been having a hard time of late - I do hope everything moves towards the positive for you and I know that you have friends - but there will always be a friend on here as well.

The weather here has been freezing - very frosty in the mornings - some of the comes from being close to the water! Did get a little bit of rain this morning - not enough to do much though!

The week has gone too quickly - but the weekend will probably drag for me - can't win either way lol

Hope you enjoy yours and get some down time in there somewhere!

Take care my friend and hope to hear from you soon,

Bye for now,

Indra

[Doolhof]

Dear Indra,

Hi. Thanks for your reply and encouragement. I have been feeling rather flat, so hearing from you and others here at BB is lovely.

I'm sorry to read that life is tough with the boys and with them having to leave home for access. It must be really tough on everyone, especially the boys.

Years ago I had a girlfriend who went through a very messy separation from her husband. Their children were so mixed up for a while, but I think in the end they were able to make their own decisions and ideas about what had happened.

Hopefully your boys will come to a stage where they can do the same. I don't really know where they are as far as their understanding and cognition in relation to their autism. Just for any body separation and change can be difficult.

I'm hoping you enjoy your weekend despite all that is happening. The appointment at the hospital sounds like it was very concerning until you were given the all clear. I hope what ever it was does not happen again.

Tears can be very healing can't they! Even the ones we cry on the inside so no one can see!

Many summers ago, I spent a lot of time at Aldinga Beach! I loved that you could drive onto the beach. We also had friends at Aldinga and would stay in the park that had those yurt style huts! Memories.

You mentioned about going to the movies. My husband and I used to borrow other people's children and would take them to see the kid's movies. We'd have lunch out with the kids at Maccas or somewhere and then see the movie.

One girlfriend would allow us to have their two girls for the whole weekend. They were only about 3 and 5 when they started sleeping over at our place. We loved it. My nieces came and stayed a lot as well. Strangely enough my husband's sister never allowed or encouraged their children to sleep over or even visit without being present themselves.

Then she stopped inviting us to her children's parties. We rarely see them now. It is sad. She also stopped her parents from seeing the kids for a while. Families and relationships can be hard work at times!

I'm looking forward to some quiet time on the weekend and hope to get the creative juices flowing, read and answer some snail mail from friends overseas.

I've been friends with a lady in Holland for over 30 years now, Thank goodness we both have email! Makes our communication so much quicker as do phone calls. I have never used Skype. Have you?

Cheers dear friend, from Lauren

[Hopefullseeking]

Hi

Lauren and Indra,

Sounds like you are both familiar with the same places, that's nice you can reminisce.

Sorry to hear you are not doing to well Lauren, everything becomes harder when you are not coping well.  It's a pity you didn't pick some of those beautiful leaves, never mind. 

I'm glad you managed to still get away for your weekend and on top of that picked up some shells.  I didn't paint mine they are in a large glass bowl but still look lovely. I find doing crafty things does help as it is a distraction and gives my mind a rest.

I brought up my children mainly on my own and always felt lonely when they went on access visits, they became my whole world and the place was never the same with out them.

I have a fairly stressful week coming up that I have spoken about in another forum post.  Pity life wasn't meant to be easy.

Keep your chins up ladies, I think of you often.

Hugs

Anne

[Indra]

Hi Lauren,

Hope you are doing better, I am the same as you - hearing from wonderful people on BB certainly helps me keep going in life.

Separation is never easy on anyone - I have let go of what was recently, as I find out more and reflect, I was being taken for a fool. It's hard to let your trust wall down and I think mine never will be the same. I am sorry to hear about your sister in-law and the way she has acted. Families are difficult - but she sounds like she needed to have a certain control over everything, which in turn is disappointing for your nieces. You are welcome to have mine lol I think they would wear you out though haha

I am very familiar with Aldinga and Aldinga Beach - a really nice area that has slowly succumbed to ever growing suburbia. I used to laugh though - I used to live about 20 mins from there but to call someone in that area it was charged as a long distance call - how do you figure that one out??

That's fantastic you have had a penfriend for 30 years - that is great dedication! I totally agree with email, facebook and the like - makes it much quicker, but there was something great in waiting to receive a hand written letter as well. I have had a penfriend in the US for the last 3 years - we call ourselves evil twins - as we are very much alike lol

Good luck with your creating too - miniman and I went and saw the Minion movie today, which was a lot of fun! The local cinema here is not too bad, certainly cheaper than the bigger ones and no travel! We are off to see another one on Monday called Inside Out. At least I have an excuse to see kid's movies haha

Have been feeling fairly low, but that is a culmination of everything that is happening with life at the moment. Hanging in there.

Hi Anne as well - thanks for extending a hello to me as well. I hope you go ok with the week ahead. Thinking of you!

Stay warm everyone!

Cheers,

Indra

[Doolhof]

Dear Anne,

Hi. I will wander over to the other post shortly and see how things are going for you!

Today I am planning to do something with those shells. The ones I picked up are all cockle shells of various sizes, so they are not really anything too spectacular.

I'm going to add some splashes of colour to them and hope to varnish them as well. I do have glass jars and containers filled with other pretty shells I have collected over the years from various beaches.

I found some great glass carafe style containers with a swirl type effect. I collected some sand once from the beach where I used to live and it looks great in the glass carafes.

My work place is having a lot of changes at the moment too and I am not coping so well with all of that either.

One problem I've had my whole life is speaking about my issues and asking other people for help! I just suck it all up and eventually I go BANG! Sometimes quite spectacularly! Ha. Ha.

It is "weird" to me that connected with people in this way here at Beyond Blue can be so helpful and beneficial.

My depression really does suck big time right now! But I am trying to work through it and learn new ways to make life more enjoyable and easy to deal with!

I'm going to contact a counselling service on Monday and see if I can have some appointments there while I am waiting for the psychiatrist appointments to begin that my Dr. is trying to organise.

So later on, it will be craft therapy time for me! The messier the better! Yah.

Hope you find some lovely ways to distract yourself as well Anne, and that you have people there supporting you!

Cheers for now, here's sending you hugs of compassion, from Lauren