Thank you for that video; there are tears streaming down my cheeks, and my Significant Other (currently down in the basement, loading the washer) must think I have completely lost my mind!
Golden’s got the carpe diem exercise nailed! Those other dogs blew it!
ridanasays
I’m confused -- what video? Who’s Golden? All I see is the comments, but what you’re commenting on is a mystery. I found TNET 30, and there was a video and a blog entry (not sure what TNET is), but here it’s just comments. There’s not even a TNET 31 title.
voyagersays
ridana,
TNET is the never ending thread. Its always linked in the left sidebar just underneath the colourful head under submissions. It’s an always open space for any of us to talk about things. When one thread gets too full of comments it’s closed and a new one opened. TNET 31 is the latest. I posted it yesterday and it’s a funny video about dog training. It all seems to work well here. I wonder if the video won’t play in your area. I’ll do some investigating. Thanks for letting us know.
ridanasays
I see. I got here via the link in Recent Posts in the sidebar, but clicking on the TNET link brings me here as well.
Usually if a video won’t play, I just see a big white space, or a black rectangle, depending on the issue. This is the first time I’ve ever seen just Comments with no headers or anything. If I hadn’t linked to TNET 31, I would have no way to even tell what posting y’all were commenting on. :)
cherbearsays
That it’s a golden retriever surprises me not at all. So cute, but so doofusy.
rqsays
The sad face at the end, looking back at all the treats he missed…
voyagersays
ridana,
I wonder why the video didn’t link with recent posts? Very strange.
Ice Swimmersays
Koiramestari means dog champion or champion dog. Kennelliittto is the Finnish Kennel Club (a member organization of FCI and so, quite a serious organization).
The golden retriever really knows what’s important. The last thing they were eating was lenkkimakkara (lenkki = loop, makkara = sausage), which is a very popular type of (cheap) sausage here, that is stereotypically loved by Finnish men (and dogs).
So no, not region blocked. Again it’s not just the video missing. This is what the top of the page looks like to me: http://oi67.tinypic.com/2r3j8sw.jpg
Cute video though. Nomnoms always take priority! :D
ridanasays
I’ll leave this here so I won’t derail any other threads, but I’m having the exact same issue with the Spring Cleaning thread -- no post, just comments. Basically, for me the last normal looking post from voyager was Apr 10 Jack’s Walk. Did you tweak a parameter during the Spring Clean?
@ridana, could you please post what OS and what internet viewer are you using when accesing the site? I have tried to look into it, but to me is shows properly on both PC with Windows 7 and a smartphone with Android. Both of those posts that give you trouble have the same settings as any other post on affinity, there are no special tweaks that I could find.
ridanasays
I solved the problem, but not why it only occurs on those two posts (TNET31 and Spring Cleaning). I still had AdBlock active since the ads were often offensive and they slowed down my computer, but it has never affected the pages like this before (and I can see the latest Book Design post normally, even with it on). For whatever reason AdBlock was seeing the entirety of those two posts as ads.
When I couldn’t see just a video, I’ve tried turning it off, but that’s never fixed the issue, so it took awhile for me to think of trying that. But since I don’t need it anymore here, I’ll just keep it off. Thanks for looking into it!
voyagersays
ridana,
Thanks for letting us know.
voyagersays
Thanks, Ice Swimmer,
I wondered what language they were speaking.
I agree that the golden retriever has his priorities in order. Lenkimakkara would probably make Jack break training, too.
I seriously want to cry. I have been teetering on the edge of high temperature for last few days -- exactly on the edge, 37°C.
Today at noon I took the last antibiotic.
Now I feel like shit again and I have 37,4°C. I suspect some much deeper problem than simple tonsilitis or sinus infection is at play here.
I cannot work outside. I have maybe two weeks to put myself together, then my bonsai trees begin to die.
voyagersays
Oh Charly,
I’m so sorry to hear that. I wonder how long it will take to see a specialist? Not long I hope.
I know nothing about bonsai except that it’s a delicate art. Is there someone you trust who can help?
Jazzletsays
Oh Charly I am so sorry, there must be something more going on, I hope your doctor can get to the real cause or refer you to an infectious disease specialist quickly.
rqsays
Charly
*sterilehugs*
For what it’s worth, I’m still not well, too -- a constant 37 degrees (with brief spikes to 37,5), which ordinarily I wouldn’t consider too much of an issue except I feel like crap all the time and it won’t go away. Still have a funny cough, too.
I took antibiotics and the sinus infection went away, but the cough hasn’t changed much, so I sympathize with you completely: I’m sick and tired of feeling sick and tired all the time.
Nightjarsays
Charly and rq, so sorry to hear you still aren’t feeling well :(
Damn those bugs, I hope you can get rid of them really soon.
lumipunasays
With Finnish parliament election result now nearly complete, the prime minister position is tied (with mere 20 % of seats) between Social Democrats and the Finns Party (anti-immigration cranks). Turnout was 72 %, the highest since 1991.
I should go to sleep, but no.
lumipunasays
Finnish national broadcaster’s news site has a live update series for the election coverage -- mixed with some updates from women’s ice hockey championship. The final game is apparently now played between USA and Finland.
(In these circumstances, the only thing more important than women’s hockey, and possibly the election, would be men’s hockey.)
voyagersays
lumipuna,
It’s the same in Canada. In 1972 when the Russians were playing the Canadians we watched the game in school. No lessons that day!
What will this election mean in Finland? Will the Finns party have any real power?
lumipunasays
And USA wins women’s ice hockey championship in a tight game.
Now, the parliament is a complicated game I hardly understand any better than ice hockey. There’s no “winner takes all” situation especially now, since the winner isn’t very popular (Social Democrats just won by one seat, with three other parties close behind).
In any case, forming the new cabinet will be difficult, just like it was recently in Sweden, and for similar reasons. Most parties will feel more or less obligated to not cooperate with the anti-immigration cranks, though that may be unavoidable.
chigau (違う)says
hugs for all (esp. Charly)
but, about that very sweet doggie in the video uptop
do you all really want that one going for help when you’ve fallen down the well?
rqsays
chigau
So long as no one’s left plates full of snacks along the way and the doggie knows all available snacks are at home, maybe…?
Heya
Sorry for having mostly disappeared for the last days, but with work and the cold and everything I just didn’t manage to turn on the computer.
We got the new car on Friday (shiny!). On Saturday morning Mr took it to go to the bank, shopping and the gas station. He called me from the bank that he couldn’t get it started…
He had to call the car dealer. Well, they did tell us to push the shift pedal or it won’t start…
rqsays
Giliell
Hope at least the cold has gone and left you in peace. ;) Congrats on the new wheels, it’ll take some adjusting.
Jazzletsays
Giliell and Charly I hope you are both feeling better today.
Sniggering a bit at Mr G. Mr J once got himself into a right tizz when he couldn’t get his first SLR camera, that we had mail ordered, to work, and it was going to be such a pain to send it back, and would they deal with us fairly and … I quietly read the instructions, then leaned over and turned it on.
We had a mostly good holiday last week, only mostly because Jake behaved appallingly one day. He really is hard work sometimes and sadly this was one of those times. The other bitter sweet thing was seeing our best friend from university who has MS, lovely to see him, awful to see how much he’s declined since we last saw him, it’s a nasty nasty disease.
Hi hi, sorry I haven’t talked much but things have been frantic. Anyone want a cup of tea? I hope all of you who have been sick are feeling better.
So, my Aged Mum’s house has been sold, to the person we were hoping could buy it -- the son and family of mum’s nice neighbor. They want to fix the house up (mostly the kitchen and bathroom) but keep the quirky architecture.
I have to share this: Elder Daughter is working with a group of starling researchers. She’s designing video games for starlings. Sorry, I just love saying “video games for starlings”. It’s actually an intelligence test of pattern matching; strings of starling sounds are played and the birds are rewarded for tapping keys to repeat the sounds in the right order. I think I’ve got that right.
chigau (違う)says
Pigs are no longer flying. Hell is hot.
Back to normal.
rqsays
I got my bloodwork back.
I have pertussis.
You know how I got it?
From some fucking unvaccinated kid, who passed it on to my vaccinated kids at school or kindergarten, who acted as carriers and gave it to me (because they don’t do pertussis boosters because it’s supposed to be so rare among adults due to childhood vaccinations it’s considered practically a dead disease for adults and yeah).
I’m not just a little bit angry right now.
rq, I’m glad you finally have a diagnosis. I hope that means proper treatment and feeling better. But that is awful -- who knows how many other people were exposed?
voyagersays
rq
OMG. I haven’t heard about whooping cough in years. At least now you can properly treat it and start to get well. Please take it easy and try to drink a bit more. Some yogurt might be a good idea, too, because the antibiotics can be hard on your system. Down the road, when you’re feeling up to it, I’d like to see you write a piece about ‘herd immunity’ and anti-vaxxers. There’s nothing like a first hand account.
voyagersays
chigau,
Normal is good. Mostly.
Anne,
Glad to hear about your mum’s house. It must be nice to have it settled in a good way.
Your daughter’s work sounds fascinating. I’d like to know more about the intelligence of birds. I think their little dinosaur brains are smarter than we give them credit for.
Jazzlet,
MS has a difficult progression. I’m sorry that your friend isn’t doing well.
I’m also sorry that Jake mucked up one of your holiday days. Naughty boy.
Everything around here is muddy and I wish I could share our weather with you. Draught, especially early in the season is difficult to overcome. Hopefully you’ll get rain soon.
Jazzletsays
rq
I’m fucking furious for you, anti-vaxers are out and out killers, I’m not sure hate is good for us, but I hate them, I really do. I hope now that it’s been identified treatment will be quick and effective.
Anne
Good news about the house. Fascinating news about the starling research. Seeing murmurations of starlings on my way home from classes or from my tower block bedroom window when I lived on campus are among my most vivid memories of university.
Voyager
My friend starting off relapsing and remitting, now he’s just progressive. He has a specially adapted car with all hand controls so they do get out, but he can’t walk long enough to do a supermarket shop, he has to go round in a wheel chair. On the other had he’s building another computer (he built our first and second computers, along with his own), but this time not using parallel processing chips but building his own from scratch (I may have that wrong, I know he could buy chips to do ‘it’, but is instead building them), and the greatest difficulty talking with him is his stammer, but he’s had that from way before I met him.
I tried to do some watering, but Mr J has not put any markers in and it’s not obvious where anything is planted. There’s no point in watering the whole bed, it’ll just help lots of weeds to germinate, so I’ll have to get him to put markers in if he really wants me to help.
Thank y’allI’m mostly back to normal again, and the holidays have started, so there’s that. Aaaaaand, remember that certificate I told you about? I finally got it with “exceeds expectations”. Given that about exactly one year ago I was about to fail my exams and was as miserable as I could possibly be, this is such a change.
rq
Oh those fuckers. Hope you get better soon.
I had whooping cough as a kid*. I hopefully still have some immunity because the combined polio/diphteria/tetanus/pertusis shot only was introduced a year after I had my last booster and there’s no single vaccine.
*For some reason back then in Western Germany you only got polio/diphteria/tetanus and the girls got rubella at 10. You were supposed to suffer through the rest. the East was much more sensible in that respect, having mandatory vaccinations for all that shit.
Anne
Good news on the house and I really like the idea of starling computer games.
voyagersays
Giliell,
I’m glad you’ve got a holiday break to help you get your strength back. What is this school break for? Our kids get this Friday and next Monday off for Easter, but only the 2 days.
rqsays
Giliell Congratulations!! “Exceeds expectations”? *thumbs way up*
Enjoy your school break!
Ice Swimmersays
I think that there is a country (probably many countries) that should improve the prevalence of vaccinations. Also, fuck the anti-vaxxers.
rq,
I hope that you’ll get antibiotics that will work with on the pertussis and not on your gut flora.
Congratulations, Giliell!
Anne,
Good to hear some better news. I’m glad you got the house thing in order.
voyagersays
Giliell,
Gosh, I almost forgot to say congratulations! I’m not surprised that you have ‘exceeded expectations.’ You’ve worked very hard for this and it must be nice to have that recognized.
Special needs teaching must be just about as difficult as teaching gets. I’m very proud of you, my friend.
Jazzletsays
Giliell
I am so pleased for you!! Congratulations, well deserved!
Nightjarsays
Pertussis?? Oh, fuck those anti-vaxxers. As if dealing with diseases we can’t prevent wasn’t bad enough. I hope you get better soon, rq.
***
*sigh* So, the truck drivers that transport dangerous goods are on strike since Monday and as of today all filling stations in the city have run out of fuel. Public transportation is also being affected so if I take the bus to work tomorrow I really can’t be sure there will be one to take me back home. So I’m taking the car and hoping the strike will be over before I run out of fuel. I’m eyeing the bike, but 10 km with a hill in the middle is way too much for me. Fuck this fuel dependency, we aren’t even close to being able to even dream of a carbon-neutral future and it’s going to kill us all.
@rq pertussis? That I did not expect. Fuck antivaxers. But also fuck politicians who think that because illnes X has become rare in a region/country/state Y, it is OK to stop vaccinating in Y to save money. As proven time and time again, in today’s interconnected world there is no such thing as being safe from an illness unless it has been completely eradicated worldwide.
@Giliell, congratulations! That must feel real good after the grief you got with your basic training.
Yes, the vaccinations were compulsory and extensive in eastern bloc, the only option to refuse or delay them was for objective medical reasons. I got into an argument with a few of my friends lately about this. They are not anti-vaxers, but they did say some incredibly stupid things about why those vaccines have to be given to such tiny babies and not wspread them over a few months. I told them that my mother would probably slap them for saying stupid shit like that. She is from the generation that still remembers those tiny babies dying at an alarming rate before the vaccines existed. And when the vaccines were introduced, there were no antivaxers, because everyone still knew first hand how awful were things before.
On the other hand, Big Pharma here in CZ gave fodder to antivaxers recently. They lobbied for a simplified pertussis vaccine, and got it through the approvals despite warnings from scientific community that this simplified (acelular) vaccine does not in fact work, or at the very least not as well as the last one (I got this information first hand from one of the scientists involved). The result is an outbreak of pertussis among vaccinated children and anti-vaxers are seizing this opportunity to clam that vaccines are evil. Some things just should not be owned by and/or be decided about by bean counters.
Funny thing about that conversation was that a friend of whome I did not expect it got my back and helped to argue the point that it is still better and safer to vaccinate the kids, even if there is a lot of immoral lobbying involved.
_____________
I felt well enough to drive, so I requested a recommendation from my GP and I visited ORL yesterday. I had my sinuses x-rayed and I spare you the details of the rest. My sinuses are clean, I have no inflammation in there or in the ears apart from allergy, which for me is normal at any time of the year. I have only slight inflammation in the throat, but that gets better every day. This was actually third recurrence of this effing illness -- on sunday I was feeling well, on monday I suddenly could not eat properly for the pain in the throat (but no high temp this time, strangely). So I am on third course ofn antibiotics now, and I have been finaly tree-days in a row without temp above 37°C and this morning the sore throat is OK too. So hopefully next week I am finally really cured. I will not get out of bed for prolonged time just yet.
But so far this illness was like a boomerang -- anytime I felt better for a day or two, it got real bad all of a sudden again. I am not getting my hopes up for what it actually is that was trying to kill me. Probably a mix of virusses and bacteria -- my blood tests were inconclusive either way, some markers were for bacterial infection, some were against it and for a long time I had no other symptoms than headache and temperature.
Charly
I hope that this time the antibiotics kick ass. I had a similar “cold” this winter, though not as bad as yours. Just at that level where I could still go to work (whom am I kidding, I go to work unless I literally can’t get out of bed…). It always got better and then worse and every time I thought I’d made it it came back with a vengeance.
They are not anti-vaxers, but they did say some incredibly stupid things about why those vaccines have to be given to such tiny babies and not wspread them over a few months. I told them that my mother would probably slap them for saying stupid shit like that. She is from the generation that still remembers those tiny babies dying at an alarming rate before the vaccines existed.
For one thing this, for the other: injections hurt. And tiny babies don’t understand the why and that it won’t last, they just feel pain. Even if for no other reason, why would I subject my baby to 20+ injections instead of three?
Also, i had the freedom to get all those nice childhood diseases.
Whooping cough? I think there are still parts of my lungs on the pavement somewhere…
Measles? My mum recently found a picture of me curled up in the cupboard because I was so light sensitive that even the darkened room hurt…
Chicken pox? On my 21st birthday. I locked myself in the bathroom and swore I’d never leave…
I just hope that if the time comes, my children who were spared all this won’t make the mistake many people seem to make nowadays and think that shit was harmless.
Jazzletsays
Have I talked about why I am pro-vaccine on here? I can’t remember, if I have do skip this comment.
One of the things many people do not realise is that it wasn’t only children who caught polio, when my mother was in her thirties with three small boys she was unlucky enough to catch it during one of the early 50s epidemics. For her that meant going to hospital for months, her children couldn’t visit, the nearest they got to her during that time was to wave at a window they were told she was behind (and I’m not going to get into the damage I think that did to the three of them). During that time she also had a miscarriage, which she attributed to the polio and which she never forgot. Once the infection was cleared came the hard work, the poliio had destroyed the myelin of the nerves to her balance muscles so she had to learn to walk without using them and that was hard, really hard but she did it, not needing crutches round the house, but needing one or two if going into the garden or beyond. She couldn’t squat down any more or run after or pick up those young boys. She had intestinal problems for the rest of her life, which was very common in people who had survived poli, and finally she couldn’t cry without great physical pain. She went on to have three more of us, but allof us were vaccinated for anything there was a vaccine for, and she made clear how very important vaccinations are, that they not only save lives, but that they stop people being permanently damaged. Even before that happened to her she was keen to have any vaccinations going, Big Bro got pertussis as a baby and the only help our GP could offer was that she try and cut the phlegm with whiskey, which horrified my Methodist mother who certainly didn’t drink spirits.
I did get quite a lot of the childhood diseases because there were no vaccinations for them when I was little and I wouldn’t inflict them on any child, though I admit to wishing the anti-vaxxers could have the kind of terrifying fever hallucinations I had inflicted on them every day until they saw sense.
rqsays
I just hope that if the time comes, my children who were spared all this won’t make the mistake many people seem to make nowadays and think that shit was harmless.
On the plus side, whooping cough has provided me with the wonderful opportunity to talk to my kids about the importance of vaccines, for regular accidental infections like me, and also for immuno-compromised people (like the pregnant person and person with organ transplant and person with leukemia we were supposed to visit this weekend…).
Every time I have a full-out coughing fit (which is… unpredictable, sometimes it feels like it will just be your ordinary polite clearing of the throat, but once you start, you just can’t stop until you’re red in the face and there’s three little faces with giant eyes staring at you as you finally inhale), they ask me if I’m okay, and the worry in their voices just hurts. I’m lucky because I’m healthy, I have no permanent lung damage (yet… today’s x-ray came back with some minor inflammation but nothing that won’t pass), and chances are I will spend the summer coughing heavily but will be fine. I still wouldn’t wish this on any sensible people. I am also cooking up a post about vaccines and herd immunity and the like. With all the unplanned free time this weekend, it might just go up before Monday.
Charly, I hope the antibiotics do the job this time.
Elder Daughter and bird studies -- she’s interested in the parallels between human and bird speech development. She did a study for her own interest back when she was working nest boxes with the Bluebird Club, and found that baby bluebirds learn to talk/sing just like human babies -- basic noises, then baby babble imitating the adults, gradually evolving to songs. Birds are complicated!
Yesterday I brought home the spirit doll I made Aged Mum, thinking I’d pack it away and use the display dome for something else -- Younger Daughter loves it and asked if she could have it. So that was nice.
rq, I hope you are feeling better. It’s bad enough being sick without having to reassure the kids too.
Oggie: Mathomsays
Boy’s Wife has been seeing doctors three times a week. Stress tests on the twins. The difficult pregnancy specialists. Her ob/gyn.
MFH (the problem pregnancy specialists) have said c-section in two weeks. Her ob/gyn, with the same information, says four weeks.
They have scheduled a c-section on May 15 (about 1 month before full term).
One baby will definitely be spending time in the NICU. The larger twin, maybe.
Feels weird. I already know their names. I already know which is which. And now I know the day they will be born (assuming nothing new comes up).
Grandfatherhood approaches.
Wife and I have already agreed on our grandparent names. I will be Grumpy.
rqsays
I admit to wishing the anti-vaxxers could have the kind of terrifying fever hallucinations I had inflicted on them every day until they saw sense
This will be a part of my post -- I wouldn’t wish any disease on any children, but I certainly wish them upon all adult anti-vaxxers, as many as it takes for them to admit that vaccines are THE greatest discovery of civilisation.
chigau (違う)says
Oggie
All the best wishes for Mom and babbies.
voyagersays
Jazzlet,
I’m sorry your mother endured so much. Polio is merciless. I often think the anti-vaxxers have never seen a child suffer.
rq,
I’m sorry you’re having such a rough go of it. It must be awful to see your children worry.
voyagersays
Charly,
It’s good to know your test results are negative for serious pathology, although still not knowing what it is must be frustrating.
voyagersays
Oggie,
You must be full of nervous excitement. I think Grumpy is an excellent choice as a grandfatherly name. It’s very endearing and won’t be true at all. What has your wife chosen as her grandmother name?
Anne,
It’s wonderful when the people we love the most value the things we make. Thanks for sending in the bookcover.
rqsays
Best wishes for the incoming grand-offspring, Oggie! I hope everything goes as well as can and that any stays in hospital are as long as they need to be for everyone’s best health.
Anne
I meant to say earlier I also love the idea of computer games for starlings, your Elder Daughter certainly has an extremely fascinating subject to study. And I hope for many great successes!
Also *hugs* and *tea* for you.
Charly
*holding thumbs* I hope this final round of antibiotics finally takes care of whatever it is that is trying to sabotage your physiological functions.
Heya
I’m still very alive but very busy. The next two days we’ll be at the Lego resort, hopefully having a great time.
Nightjarsays
I’m still very alive but very busy.
^This. Me too.
I hope everyone that has been feeling ill is doing better. I’ll be lurking but probably not saying much for a few more weeks, but I’m also preparing a few things to share soon.
chigau (違う)says
There were four deer.
They are not cooperating with my efforts to get a camera focusssssed.
rqsays
They are not cooperating with my efforts to get a camera focusssssed.
It’s a wild animal conspiracy: they all take special tactical anti-photography training courses.
Hello all.
The third course of antibiotics has done something. I did not have temp above 37 for a week now so yesterday I have asked the doc to quit my inability to work. And today I was first day at work after almost 6 weeks.
I do not feel completely well -- mainly I feel a little chafing in my throat and I have hot flushes. But after return home I have completely normal temperature. So hopefully these are just after-effects of the complete antibiotic wipe-out of my microflora.
I am sorry to say that I am not able to write on the blog however, I am way too tired now and for next few days all strenght that I have will simply have to go towards tending to my bonsai trees trying to avoid more lasting damage than has already been done previous year, when a third them died.
Charly, take it slow. In Germany we have something called “reintroduction”, Wiedereingliederung, meaning that after prolonged illness you get eased into work. Do that with the blog.
Jazzletsays
Charly I am pleased that you are nearly better! Take it easy and get properly well.
My mother used to insist that after we had been ill we spent a whole day well at home before we went back to school. Sometimes she tok the opportunnity to take us to buy shoes or clothes when all the other children would be in school, and the shops quieter, which we found mortifying -- what if someone saw us and told out school? -- though why anyone would have bothered I don’t know. My Little Bro refused to do this at one point in his teens and went down with one bug after anoother for about six months, when he finally gave up and stayed home well for a day. It’s not always practical as an adult, but something like the German ‘reintroduction’ sounds eminently sensible.
We finally had rain today, just enough to soak the top half inch of soil, so not nearly enough to support the spring growth that ought to be happening.
rqsays
Charly
Glad to hear your health is slowly returning -- take care of your bonsai, don’t worry about the blog, I agree that a ‘reintroduction’ is the best method.
(I’m sort of practicing that myself, as of yesterday I am also back at work but I’m making sure not to work extended hours like I usually do and keeping away from the heavy stuff, just paperwork this week -- but there’s definitely enough of that to go ’round!)
Jazzlet
That sounds a little bit like what I try to do if the kids are home after illness or ‘sick’, run errands that require their presence and are otherwise impossible. They’re not old enough to feel embarrassed yet, though -- for them it’s just a day at home with mum! Last week we all went to get our chest x-rays and blood tests done, but usually it’s shoes, clothes, school supplies…
voyagersays
Charly,
I’m glad that things are finally starting to get better and that you’re able to work again. I’m more glad that you’re able to look after your bonsai trees. Don’t worry about things around here. Get lots and lots of rest and just take good care of yourself. You’ve had a long, terrible time with this virus and it may take a few weeks before you feel back to normal.Giliell is right about getting back into things slowly. I miss your voice, but good things are worth waiting for and that includes you.
voyagersays
Jazzlet,
I’m glad you’ve finally had a bit of rain. I’ll keep my fingers crossed that you get even more… enough to soak the garden and feed the trees.
Jazzletsays
So far today it has just spit enough rain to dampen hard surfaces, it keeps threatening to pour down, doing a few big drops, then stopping. However it is dark enough at coming up to 4pm that I need to put the light on, so it may come through …
Jazzletsays
And ten minutes after I posted that it poured down, then hailed! Still not that much, but very welocme all the same.
Heya
We’re back. Uff, driving to Bavaria and back is hell. It’s not even a long distance, just 300km, but traffic is heavy, roads are bad, and then there’s the “inevitable” accident caused ba someone who thinks that they can make it 5 min faster which results in the traffic jams from hell.
I’m going to do a series of posts on all the wonderful Lego decorations, so stay tuned.
chigau (違う)says
So. We’re having a blizzard.
And the electricity was off for about 25 minutes.
First World Problems.
voyagersays
Chigau
That really sucks.
Sorry about your luck.
First World Response.
Oggie: Mathomsays
My grandtwins will be delivered by C-section on 14 May. I have only two weeks left of adulthood before I become a grandfather.
Hope chigau still has electricity.
All the best for the Oggie-family. What a wonderful birthday.
chigau (違う)says
Electric is just fine but it’s snowing again.
Not so much GlobalWarming™ as
OMGOMG
Auntie Em!!! Auntie Em! !!
Jazzletsays
chigau
I hope it stops snowing jolly soon!
We have had some pretty decent rain, and it looks like we might get more today. No where near the amount of rain we shoud have had in April, but far better than I feared. Potato watering averted for now.
I have tooth pain, it will probably mean the tooth comes out as it’s a wisdom tooth with no partner to bite against. I am cheating the pain and takng Tramadol, so I’m mostly fine, except when I think about a tooth extraction -- urgh. My own fault of course.
Just nipping in to say hello before going to bed. Replanting trees is a nightmare this year. Hopefully I will be done this weekend and then it will be business as usual.
voyagersays
Charly,
I hope all the replanting means that you’re feeling better. Are you talking about the bonsai or regular sized trees? If it is the bonsai, could I request that when you’re up to it you fill us in the process of why and how you do this.
Oggie,
Wishing all the best to mom and sprogs. Enjoy these last few days as a mere adult.
Chigau,
Hugs. I figure you need all the help you can get to stay warm.
Jazzlet,
I’m sorry to hear that. Wisdom teeth are big.
I was told last week that I have to have my remaining 7 teeth out all at once and will now need full dentures. Ugh! I’m only 58, but I’ve had trouble with jaw clenching and teeth grinding all my life and as a result cracked every molar I had and set the rest of them off kilter. Dentures will be about $2500.00 and there isn’t coverage for that in Ontario. And if I want an implant that’s an extra $2000.00 each. They’re recommending 2 for the bottom and none for the top because my sinuses are too large and the implants would stick right through. Its just as well, because the 2 implants will come out of our new car budget and that’s at least a year trying to keep the old one going.
Jazzletsays
Voyager
Ouch. Physically and financially.
My painful wisdom tooth is indeed coming out, a week on Tuesday. The dentist said upper wisdom teeth are quite easy, but she was comparing them to lower widom teeth that can require removal under anaesthetic, so it wasn’t that reassuring.
I have voted in the local elections. There was a UKIP candidate, they haven’t a chance of getting in, but I hate that they are standing at all. Nasty nasty nasty people.
@Voyager, fingers crossed for the teeth going smoothly. That sounds unpleasant just reading about it. And it shows that the canadian healthcare system has something to be desired if dentures are not covered.
I was talking about my bonsai trees. I will write something about it, but sometime next week. Tomorrow I have to finish the works and on Tuesday I am leaving for holiday trip until Sunday.
I do feel better, but all the exercise I was doing in winter so I am fit for spring work in the garden was for naught. The six weeks illness took it all away. I manage six hours work a day tops and I have always recovered very slowly. tldr -- it sucks.
I got nothing much else, the house sale is trundling along very slowly, I’m tired and depressed but still holding everything together. I’ll just leave a pot of tea and a pile of hugs over here.
Jazzletsays
Awww little dinosaurs in a straw bag!
Have some hugs yourself, I’m adding cosy throws to the mix as it is cold here.
voyagersays
Anne,
Orioles are such beautiful birds. I’d love to have a nest nearby that I could peek into and watch the babies grow.
I’ll throw in a few hugs, as well.
Emily will be checking in on the nest as she has time. She’s also found two raven pairs nesting on campus -- on the buildings, and one nest on the coastal cliffs. Spring has sprung, baby dinosaurs are everywhere.
voyagersays
Oggie
I’m away for a couple of days, but I’ll be thinking about you tomorrow. All the best. I’ll hold only good thoughts.
Emily says the baby orioles appear to have fledged. She’s hoping for owlets soon, there are great horned owls on campus, and she’s watching the raven nests.
All my thoughts are with the Oggie family and Ogglets tomorrow.
++
I just had a really good sex talk with #1. It was absolutely not awkward (no sarcasm here) as she initiated it, asked a few things like “What contraception do you use” and then we had a nice five minutes chat about contraception, me checking that she knows about the morning after pill (do you think I’m stupid, mum?) and also me mentioning that in case everything fails, abortion is totally an option.
Finally we talked about not sleeping with boys who refuse condoms because they’re selfish idiots not worth your attention.
I can’t have done everything wrong if she feels comfortable to ask these things.
Jazzletsays
Hoping everything has gone smoothly for the Oggie family and that the Ogglets are safey delivered.
Giliell
Well done, that is just how it should be.
I have one less tooth as of today. Why is it that forbidden fruit has such appeal? I am supposed to eat soft foods for the next couple of days so I don’t dislodge the clot, so what do I want? Toast. *sigh*
Jazzletsays
Bollocks. I’m blaming the novacaine/adrenaline hangover for that mark up bork.
Sorry for ranting, but why do normally sensible people become such fucking idiots when the subject is video games, violence and consumption?
Suddenly nobody is ever influenced by the media they consume and we all know that Gamers are such well adjusted adults after all…
Oggie: Mathomsays
Ivy and Shelby are now here.
Ivy weighed in at 3lbs, 6oz; Shelby (her younger sister by one minute) at 5lbs, 1oz. No complications. Lungs are working well, eyes look good. No special care other than incubators because the surface area/mass ratio is too low and they would lose heat too fast.
@Oggie, congratulations on your gradchildren! May the prosper. Fingers crossed for “no complications” for the future.
@Giliell, It all rather hinges on how you define “gamer”. Am I a gamer? I like some computer games, mostly RPG. I do play some computer games occasionaly, but not too many and too often. I estimate it at about 100 hours a year, so on average 2 hours per week. So do many of my friends and those who play games do not seem any different from those who do play them.
Games of course do influence us. So do books, movies and the general culture around us. But just like movies and books, the games are in a feedback loop with said general culture around and as they shape it, they alsp are shaped by it. From what little I see, Anita Sarkeesian has made a good job at moving the gaming culture forward with regard to how women are represented for example. She managed to start a process that is stopping the self-reinforcing feedback loop of sexism ans misogyny, despite some dipsits not being able to cope with it.
And like with books and movies and literally everything, there is a difference if the consumer of the product is a child/teen in formative years, or an adult.
Thank you for that video; there are tears streaming down my cheeks, and my Significant Other (currently down in the basement, loading the washer) must think I have completely lost my mind!
jejejeje
“the”
Golden’s got the carpe diem exercise nailed! Those other dogs blew it!
I’m confused -- what video? Who’s Golden? All I see is the comments, but what you’re commenting on is a mystery. I found TNET 30, and there was a video and a blog entry (not sure what TNET is), but here it’s just comments. There’s not even a TNET 31 title.
ridana,
TNET is the never ending thread. Its always linked in the left sidebar just underneath the colourful head under submissions. It’s an always open space for any of us to talk about things. When one thread gets too full of comments it’s closed and a new one opened. TNET 31 is the latest. I posted it yesterday and it’s a funny video about dog training. It all seems to work well here. I wonder if the video won’t play in your area. I’ll do some investigating. Thanks for letting us know.
I see. I got here via the link in Recent Posts in the sidebar, but clicking on the TNET link brings me here as well.
Usually if a video won’t play, I just see a big white space, or a black rectangle, depending on the issue. This is the first time I’ve ever seen just Comments with no headers or anything. If I hadn’t linked to TNET 31, I would have no way to even tell what posting y’all were commenting on. :)
That it’s a golden retriever surprises me not at all. So cute, but so doofusy.
The sad face at the end, looking back at all the treats he missed…
ridana,
I wonder why the video didn’t link with recent posts? Very strange.
Koiramestari means dog champion or champion dog. Kennelliittto is the Finnish Kennel Club (a member organization of FCI and so, quite a serious organization).
The golden retriever really knows what’s important. The last thing they were eating was lenkkimakkara (lenkki = loop, makkara = sausage), which is a very popular type of (cheap) sausage here, that is stereotypically loved by Finnish men (and dogs).
I take it this is the video in question:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iTTNRE-njM
So no, not region blocked. Again it’s not just the video missing. This is what the top of the page looks like to me:
http://oi67.tinypic.com/2r3j8sw.jpg
Cute video though. Nomnoms always take priority! :D
I’ll leave this here so I won’t derail any other threads, but I’m having the exact same issue with the Spring Cleaning thread -- no post, just comments. Basically, for me the last normal looking post from voyager was Apr 10 Jack’s Walk. Did you tweak a parameter during the Spring Clean?
@ridana, could you please post what OS and what internet viewer are you using when accesing the site? I have tried to look into it, but to me is shows properly on both PC with Windows 7 and a smartphone with Android. Both of those posts that give you trouble have the same settings as any other post on affinity, there are no special tweaks that I could find.
I solved the problem, but not why it only occurs on those two posts (TNET31 and Spring Cleaning). I still had AdBlock active since the ads were often offensive and they slowed down my computer, but it has never affected the pages like this before (and I can see the latest Book Design post normally, even with it on). For whatever reason AdBlock was seeing the entirety of those two posts as ads.
When I couldn’t see just a video, I’ve tried turning it off, but that’s never fixed the issue, so it took awhile for me to think of trying that. But since I don’t need it anymore here, I’ll just keep it off. Thanks for looking into it!
ridana,
Thanks for letting us know.
Thanks, Ice Swimmer,
I wondered what language they were speaking.
I agree that the golden retriever has his priorities in order. Lenkimakkara would probably make Jack break training, too.
I seriously want to cry. I have been teetering on the edge of high temperature for last few days -- exactly on the edge, 37°C.
Today at noon I took the last antibiotic.
Now I feel like shit again and I have 37,4°C. I suspect some much deeper problem than simple tonsilitis or sinus infection is at play here.
I cannot work outside. I have maybe two weeks to put myself together, then my bonsai trees begin to die.
Oh Charly,
I’m so sorry to hear that. I wonder how long it will take to see a specialist? Not long I hope.
I know nothing about bonsai except that it’s a delicate art. Is there someone you trust who can help?
Oh Charly I am so sorry, there must be something more going on, I hope your doctor can get to the real cause or refer you to an infectious disease specialist quickly.
Charly
*sterilehugs*
For what it’s worth, I’m still not well, too -- a constant 37 degrees (with brief spikes to 37,5), which ordinarily I wouldn’t consider too much of an issue except I feel like crap all the time and it won’t go away. Still have a funny cough, too.
I took antibiotics and the sinus infection went away, but the cough hasn’t changed much, so I sympathize with you completely: I’m sick and tired of feeling sick and tired all the time.
Charly and rq, so sorry to hear you still aren’t feeling well :(
Damn those bugs, I hope you can get rid of them really soon.
With Finnish parliament election result now nearly complete, the prime minister position is tied (with mere 20 % of seats) between Social Democrats and the Finns Party (anti-immigration cranks). Turnout was 72 %, the highest since 1991.
I should go to sleep, but no.
Finnish national broadcaster’s news site has a live update series for the election coverage -- mixed with some updates from women’s ice hockey championship. The final game is apparently now played between USA and Finland.
(In these circumstances, the only thing more important than women’s hockey, and possibly the election, would be men’s hockey.)
lumipuna,
It’s the same in Canada. In 1972 when the Russians were playing the Canadians we watched the game in school. No lessons that day!
What will this election mean in Finland? Will the Finns party have any real power?
And USA wins women’s ice hockey championship in a tight game.
Now, the parliament is a complicated game I hardly understand any better than ice hockey. There’s no “winner takes all” situation especially now, since the winner isn’t very popular (Social Democrats just won by one seat, with three other parties close behind).
In any case, forming the new cabinet will be difficult, just like it was recently in Sweden, and for similar reasons. Most parties will feel more or less obligated to not cooperate with the anti-immigration cranks, though that may be unavoidable.
hugs for all (esp. Charly)
but, about that very sweet doggie in the video uptop
do you all really want that one going for help when you’ve fallen down the well?
chigau
So long as no one’s left plates full of snacks along the way and the doggie knows all available snacks are at home, maybe…?
Heya
Sorry for having mostly disappeared for the last days, but with work and the cold and everything I just didn’t manage to turn on the computer.
We got the new car on Friday (shiny!). On Saturday morning Mr took it to go to the bank, shopping and the gas station. He called me from the bank that he couldn’t get it started…
He had to call the car dealer. Well, they did tell us to push the shift pedal or it won’t start…
Giliell
Hope at least the cold has gone and left you in peace. ;) Congrats on the new wheels, it’ll take some adjusting.
Giliell and Charly I hope you are both feeling better today.
Sniggering a bit at Mr G. Mr J once got himself into a right tizz when he couldn’t get his first SLR camera, that we had mail ordered, to work, and it was going to be such a pain to send it back, and would they deal with us fairly and … I quietly read the instructions, then leaned over and turned it on.
We had a mostly good holiday last week, only mostly because Jake behaved appallingly one day. He really is hard work sometimes and sadly this was one of those times. The other bitter sweet thing was seeing our best friend from university who has MS, lovely to see him, awful to see how much he’s declined since we last saw him, it’s a nasty nasty disease.
Hi hi, sorry I haven’t talked much but things have been frantic. Anyone want a cup of tea? I hope all of you who have been sick are feeling better.
So, my Aged Mum’s house has been sold, to the person we were hoping could buy it -- the son and family of mum’s nice neighbor. They want to fix the house up (mostly the kitchen and bathroom) but keep the quirky architecture.
I have to share this: Elder Daughter is working with a group of starling researchers. She’s designing video games for starlings. Sorry, I just love saying “video games for starlings”. It’s actually an intelligence test of pattern matching; strings of starling sounds are played and the birds are rewarded for tapping keys to repeat the sounds in the right order. I think I’ve got that right.
Pigs are no longer flying. Hell is hot.
Back to normal.
I got my bloodwork back.
I have pertussis.
You know how I got it?
From some fucking unvaccinated kid, who passed it on to my vaccinated kids at school or kindergarten, who acted as carriers and gave it to me (because they don’t do pertussis boosters because it’s supposed to be so rare among adults due to childhood vaccinations it’s considered practically a dead disease for adults and yeah).
I’m not just a little bit angry right now.
rq, I’m glad you finally have a diagnosis. I hope that means proper treatment and feeling better. But that is awful -- who knows how many other people were exposed?
rq
OMG. I haven’t heard about whooping cough in years. At least now you can properly treat it and start to get well. Please take it easy and try to drink a bit more. Some yogurt might be a good idea, too, because the antibiotics can be hard on your system. Down the road, when you’re feeling up to it, I’d like to see you write a piece about ‘herd immunity’ and anti-vaxxers. There’s nothing like a first hand account.
chigau,
Normal is good. Mostly.
Anne,
Glad to hear about your mum’s house. It must be nice to have it settled in a good way.
Your daughter’s work sounds fascinating. I’d like to know more about the intelligence of birds. I think their little dinosaur brains are smarter than we give them credit for.
Jazzlet,
MS has a difficult progression. I’m sorry that your friend isn’t doing well.
I’m also sorry that Jake mucked up one of your holiday days. Naughty boy.
Everything around here is muddy and I wish I could share our weather with you. Draught, especially early in the season is difficult to overcome. Hopefully you’ll get rain soon.
rq
I’m fucking furious for you, anti-vaxers are out and out killers, I’m not sure hate is good for us, but I hate them, I really do. I hope now that it’s been identified treatment will be quick and effective.
Anne
Good news about the house. Fascinating news about the starling research. Seeing murmurations of starlings on my way home from classes or from my tower block bedroom window when I lived on campus are among my most vivid memories of university.
Voyager
My friend starting off relapsing and remitting, now he’s just progressive. He has a specially adapted car with all hand controls so they do get out, but he can’t walk long enough to do a supermarket shop, he has to go round in a wheel chair. On the other had he’s building another computer (he built our first and second computers, along with his own), but this time not using parallel processing chips but building his own from scratch (I may have that wrong, I know he could buy chips to do ‘it’, but is instead building them), and the greatest difficulty talking with him is his stammer, but he’s had that from way before I met him.
I tried to do some watering, but Mr J has not put any markers in and it’s not obvious where anything is planted. There’s no point in watering the whole bed, it’ll just help lots of weeds to germinate, so I’ll have to get him to put markers in if he really wants me to help.
Thank y’allI’m mostly back to normal again, and the holidays have started, so there’s that. Aaaaaand, remember that certificate I told you about? I finally got it with “exceeds expectations”. Given that about exactly one year ago I was about to fail my exams and was as miserable as I could possibly be, this is such a change.
rq
Oh those fuckers. Hope you get better soon.
I had whooping cough as a kid*. I hopefully still have some immunity because the combined polio/diphteria/tetanus/pertusis shot only was introduced a year after I had my last booster and there’s no single vaccine.
*For some reason back then in Western Germany you only got polio/diphteria/tetanus and the girls got rubella at 10. You were supposed to suffer through the rest. the East was much more sensible in that respect, having mandatory vaccinations for all that shit.
Anne
Good news on the house and I really like the idea of starling computer games.
Giliell,
I’m glad you’ve got a holiday break to help you get your strength back. What is this school break for? Our kids get this Friday and next Monday off for Easter, but only the 2 days.
Giliell
Congratulations!! “Exceeds expectations”? *thumbs way up*
Enjoy your school break!
I think that there is a country (probably many countries) that should improve the prevalence of vaccinations. Also, fuck the anti-vaxxers.
rq,
I hope that you’ll get antibiotics that will work with on the pertussis and not on your gut flora.
Congratulations, Giliell!
Anne,
Good to hear some better news. I’m glad you got the house thing in order.
Giliell,
Gosh, I almost forgot to say congratulations! I’m not surprised that you have ‘exceeded expectations.’ You’ve worked very hard for this and it must be nice to have that recognized.
Special needs teaching must be just about as difficult as teaching gets. I’m very proud of you, my friend.
Giliell
I am so pleased for you!! Congratulations, well deserved!
Pertussis?? Oh, fuck those anti-vaxxers. As if dealing with diseases we can’t prevent wasn’t bad enough. I hope you get better soon, rq.
***
*sigh* So, the truck drivers that transport dangerous goods are on strike since Monday and as of today all filling stations in the city have run out of fuel. Public transportation is also being affected so if I take the bus to work tomorrow I really can’t be sure there will be one to take me back home. So I’m taking the car and hoping the strike will be over before I run out of fuel. I’m eyeing the bike, but 10 km with a hill in the middle is way too much for me. Fuck this fuel dependency, we aren’t even close to being able to even dream of a carbon-neutral future and it’s going to kill us all.
@rq pertussis? That I did not expect. Fuck antivaxers. But also fuck politicians who think that because illnes X has become rare in a region/country/state Y, it is OK to stop vaccinating in Y to save money. As proven time and time again, in today’s interconnected world there is no such thing as being safe from an illness unless it has been completely eradicated worldwide.
@Giliell, congratulations! That must feel real good after the grief you got with your basic training.
Yes, the vaccinations were compulsory and extensive in eastern bloc, the only option to refuse or delay them was for objective medical reasons. I got into an argument with a few of my friends lately about this. They are not anti-vaxers, but they did say some incredibly stupid things about why those vaccines have to be given to such tiny babies and not wspread them over a few months. I told them that my mother would probably slap them for saying stupid shit like that. She is from the generation that still remembers those tiny babies dying at an alarming rate before the vaccines existed. And when the vaccines were introduced, there were no antivaxers, because everyone still knew first hand how awful were things before.
On the other hand, Big Pharma here in CZ gave fodder to antivaxers recently. They lobbied for a simplified pertussis vaccine, and got it through the approvals despite warnings from scientific community that this simplified (acelular) vaccine does not in fact work, or at the very least not as well as the last one (I got this information first hand from one of the scientists involved). The result is an outbreak of pertussis among vaccinated children and anti-vaxers are seizing this opportunity to clam that vaccines are evil. Some things just should not be owned by and/or be decided about by bean counters.
Funny thing about that conversation was that a friend of whome I did not expect it got my back and helped to argue the point that it is still better and safer to vaccinate the kids, even if there is a lot of immoral lobbying involved.
_____________
I felt well enough to drive, so I requested a recommendation from my GP and I visited ORL yesterday. I had my sinuses x-rayed and I spare you the details of the rest. My sinuses are clean, I have no inflammation in there or in the ears apart from allergy, which for me is normal at any time of the year. I have only slight inflammation in the throat, but that gets better every day. This was actually third recurrence of this effing illness -- on sunday I was feeling well, on monday I suddenly could not eat properly for the pain in the throat (but no high temp this time, strangely). So I am on third course ofn antibiotics now, and I have been finaly tree-days in a row without temp above 37°C and this morning the sore throat is OK too. So hopefully next week I am finally really cured. I will not get out of bed for prolonged time just yet.
But so far this illness was like a boomerang -- anytime I felt better for a day or two, it got real bad all of a sudden again. I am not getting my hopes up for what it actually is that was trying to kill me. Probably a mix of virusses and bacteria -- my blood tests were inconclusive either way, some markers were for bacterial infection, some were against it and for a long time I had no other symptoms than headache and temperature.
Charly
I hope that this time the antibiotics kick ass. I had a similar “cold” this winter, though not as bad as yours. Just at that level where I could still go to work (whom am I kidding, I go to work unless I literally can’t get out of bed…). It always got better and then worse and every time I thought I’d made it it came back with a vengeance.
For one thing this, for the other: injections hurt. And tiny babies don’t understand the why and that it won’t last, they just feel pain. Even if for no other reason, why would I subject my baby to 20+ injections instead of three?
Also, i had the freedom to get all those nice childhood diseases.
Whooping cough? I think there are still parts of my lungs on the pavement somewhere…
Measles? My mum recently found a picture of me curled up in the cupboard because I was so light sensitive that even the darkened room hurt…
Chicken pox? On my 21st birthday. I locked myself in the bathroom and swore I’d never leave…
I just hope that if the time comes, my children who were spared all this won’t make the mistake many people seem to make nowadays and think that shit was harmless.
Have I talked about why I am pro-vaccine on here? I can’t remember, if I have do skip this comment.
One of the things many people do not realise is that it wasn’t only children who caught polio, when my mother was in her thirties with three small boys she was unlucky enough to catch it during one of the early 50s epidemics. For her that meant going to hospital for months, her children couldn’t visit, the nearest they got to her during that time was to wave at a window they were told she was behind (and I’m not going to get into the damage I think that did to the three of them). During that time she also had a miscarriage, which she attributed to the polio and which she never forgot. Once the infection was cleared came the hard work, the poliio had destroyed the myelin of the nerves to her balance muscles so she had to learn to walk without using them and that was hard, really hard but she did it, not needing crutches round the house, but needing one or two if going into the garden or beyond. She couldn’t squat down any more or run after or pick up those young boys. She had intestinal problems for the rest of her life, which was very common in people who had survived poli, and finally she couldn’t cry without great physical pain. She went on to have three more of us, but allof us were vaccinated for anything there was a vaccine for, and she made clear how very important vaccinations are, that they not only save lives, but that they stop people being permanently damaged. Even before that happened to her she was keen to have any vaccinations going, Big Bro got pertussis as a baby and the only help our GP could offer was that she try and cut the phlegm with whiskey, which horrified my Methodist mother who certainly didn’t drink spirits.
I did get quite a lot of the childhood diseases because there were no vaccinations for them when I was little and I wouldn’t inflict them on any child, though I admit to wishing the anti-vaxxers could have the kind of terrifying fever hallucinations I had inflicted on them every day until they saw sense.
On the plus side, whooping cough has provided me with the wonderful opportunity to talk to my kids about the importance of vaccines, for regular accidental infections like me, and also for immuno-compromised people (like the pregnant person and person with organ transplant and person with leukemia we were supposed to visit this weekend…).
Every time I have a full-out coughing fit (which is… unpredictable, sometimes it feels like it will just be your ordinary polite clearing of the throat, but once you start, you just can’t stop until you’re red in the face and there’s three little faces with giant eyes staring at you as you finally inhale), they ask me if I’m okay, and the worry in their voices just hurts. I’m lucky because I’m healthy, I have no permanent lung damage (yet… today’s x-ray came back with some minor inflammation but nothing that won’t pass), and chances are I will spend the summer coughing heavily but will be fine. I still wouldn’t wish this on any sensible people. I am also cooking up a post about vaccines and herd immunity and the like. With all the unplanned free time this weekend, it might just go up before Monday.
Giliell, congratulations!
Charly, I hope the antibiotics do the job this time.
Elder Daughter and bird studies -- she’s interested in the parallels between human and bird speech development. She did a study for her own interest back when she was working nest boxes with the Bluebird Club, and found that baby bluebirds learn to talk/sing just like human babies -- basic noises, then baby babble imitating the adults, gradually evolving to songs. Birds are complicated!
Yesterday I brought home the spirit doll I made Aged Mum, thinking I’d pack it away and use the display dome for something else -- Younger Daughter loves it and asked if she could have it. So that was nice.
rq, I hope you are feeling better. It’s bad enough being sick without having to reassure the kids too.
Boy’s Wife has been seeing doctors three times a week. Stress tests on the twins. The difficult pregnancy specialists. Her ob/gyn.
MFH (the problem pregnancy specialists) have said c-section in two weeks. Her ob/gyn, with the same information, says four weeks.
They have scheduled a c-section on May 15 (about 1 month before full term).
One baby will definitely be spending time in the NICU. The larger twin, maybe.
Feels weird. I already know their names. I already know which is which. And now I know the day they will be born (assuming nothing new comes up).
Grandfatherhood approaches.
Wife and I have already agreed on our grandparent names. I will be Grumpy.
This will be a part of my post -- I wouldn’t wish any disease on any children, but I certainly wish them upon all adult anti-vaxxers, as many as it takes for them to admit that vaccines are THE greatest discovery of civilisation.
Oggie
All the best wishes for Mom and babbies.
Jazzlet,
I’m sorry your mother endured so much. Polio is merciless. I often think the anti-vaxxers have never seen a child suffer.
rq,
I’m sorry you’re having such a rough go of it. It must be awful to see your children worry.
Charly,
It’s good to know your test results are negative for serious pathology, although still not knowing what it is must be frustrating.
Oggie,
You must be full of nervous excitement. I think Grumpy is an excellent choice as a grandfatherly name. It’s very endearing and won’t be true at all. What has your wife chosen as her grandmother name?
Anne,
It’s wonderful when the people we love the most value the things we make. Thanks for sending in the bookcover.
Best wishes for the incoming grand-offspring, Oggie! I hope everything goes as well as can and that any stays in hospital are as long as they need to be for everyone’s best health.
Anne
I meant to say earlier I also love the idea of computer games for starlings, your Elder Daughter certainly has an extremely fascinating subject to study. And I hope for many great successes!
Also *hugs* and *tea* for you.
Charly
*holding thumbs* I hope this final round of antibiotics finally takes care of whatever it is that is trying to sabotage your physiological functions.
Read this patheos blog story here just now :
https://www.patheos.com/blogs/excommunications/2019/04/my-pilgrimage-mecca-made-me-agnostic-exmuslim/
I’m certainly not quialidfied or able to help but thought that just maybe someone else chere could be interested in doing so?
-StevoR (odly logged in a sAnonymous for some unknown reason?)
PS. Okay working now.
Heya
I’m still very alive but very busy. The next two days we’ll be at the Lego resort, hopefully having a great time.
^This. Me too.
I hope everyone that has been feeling ill is doing better. I’ll be lurking but probably not saying much for a few more weeks, but I’m also preparing a few things to share soon.
There were four deer.
They are not cooperating with my efforts to get a camera focusssssed.
It’s a wild animal conspiracy: they all take special tactical anti-photography training courses.
Hello all.
The third course of antibiotics has done something. I did not have temp above 37 for a week now so yesterday I have asked the doc to quit my inability to work. And today I was first day at work after almost 6 weeks.
I do not feel completely well -- mainly I feel a little chafing in my throat and I have hot flushes. But after return home I have completely normal temperature. So hopefully these are just after-effects of the complete antibiotic wipe-out of my microflora.
I am sorry to say that I am not able to write on the blog however, I am way too tired now and for next few days all strenght that I have will simply have to go towards tending to my bonsai trees trying to avoid more lasting damage than has already been done previous year, when a third them died.
Charly, take it slow. In Germany we have something called “reintroduction”, Wiedereingliederung, meaning that after prolonged illness you get eased into work. Do that with the blog.
Charly I am pleased that you are nearly better! Take it easy and get properly well.
My mother used to insist that after we had been ill we spent a whole day well at home before we went back to school. Sometimes she tok the opportunnity to take us to buy shoes or clothes when all the other children would be in school, and the shops quieter, which we found mortifying -- what if someone saw us and told out school? -- though why anyone would have bothered I don’t know. My Little Bro refused to do this at one point in his teens and went down with one bug after anoother for about six months, when he finally gave up and stayed home well for a day. It’s not always practical as an adult, but something like the German ‘reintroduction’ sounds eminently sensible.
We finally had rain today, just enough to soak the top half inch of soil, so not nearly enough to support the spring growth that ought to be happening.
Charly
Glad to hear your health is slowly returning -- take care of your bonsai, don’t worry about the blog, I agree that a ‘reintroduction’ is the best method.
(I’m sort of practicing that myself, as of yesterday I am also back at work but I’m making sure not to work extended hours like I usually do and keeping away from the heavy stuff, just paperwork this week -- but there’s definitely enough of that to go ’round!)
Jazzlet
That sounds a little bit like what I try to do if the kids are home after illness or ‘sick’, run errands that require their presence and are otherwise impossible. They’re not old enough to feel embarrassed yet, though -- for them it’s just a day at home with mum! Last week we all went to get our chest x-rays and blood tests done, but usually it’s shoes, clothes, school supplies…
Charly,
I’m glad that things are finally starting to get better and that you’re able to work again. I’m more glad that you’re able to look after your bonsai trees. Don’t worry about things around here. Get lots and lots of rest and just take good care of yourself. You’ve had a long, terrible time with this virus and it may take a few weeks before you feel back to normal.Giliell is right about getting back into things slowly. I miss your voice, but good things are worth waiting for and that includes you.
Jazzlet,
I’m glad you’ve finally had a bit of rain. I’ll keep my fingers crossed that you get even more… enough to soak the garden and feed the trees.
So far today it has just spit enough rain to dampen hard surfaces, it keeps threatening to pour down, doing a few big drops, then stopping. However it is dark enough at coming up to 4pm that I need to put the light on, so it may come through …
And ten minutes after I posted that it poured down, then hailed! Still not that much, but very welocme all the same.
Heya
We’re back. Uff, driving to Bavaria and back is hell. It’s not even a long distance, just 300km, but traffic is heavy, roads are bad, and then there’s the “inevitable” accident caused ba someone who thinks that they can make it 5 min faster which results in the traffic jams from hell.
I’m going to do a series of posts on all the wonderful Lego decorations, so stay tuned.
So. We’re having a blizzard.
And the electricity was off for about 25 minutes.
First World Problems.
Chigau
That really sucks.
Sorry about your luck.
First World Response.
My grandtwins will be delivered by C-section on 14 May. I have only two weeks left of adulthood before I become a grandfather.
All the best to the three of them!
Hope chigau still has electricity.
All the best for the Oggie-family. What a wonderful birthday.
Electric is just fine but it’s snowing again.
Not so much GlobalWarming™ as
OMGOMG
Auntie Em!!! Auntie Em! !!
chigau
I hope it stops snowing jolly soon!
We have had some pretty decent rain, and it looks like we might get more today. No where near the amount of rain we shoud have had in April, but far better than I feared. Potato watering averted for now.
I have tooth pain, it will probably mean the tooth comes out as it’s a wisdom tooth with no partner to bite against. I am cheating the pain and takng Tramadol, so I’m mostly fine, except when I think about a tooth extraction -- urgh. My own fault of course.
Just nipping in to say hello before going to bed. Replanting trees is a nightmare this year. Hopefully I will be done this weekend and then it will be business as usual.
Charly,
I hope all the replanting means that you’re feeling better. Are you talking about the bonsai or regular sized trees? If it is the bonsai, could I request that when you’re up to it you fill us in the process of why and how you do this.
Oggie,
Wishing all the best to mom and sprogs. Enjoy these last few days as a mere adult.
Chigau,
Hugs. I figure you need all the help you can get to stay warm.
Jazzlet,
I’m sorry to hear that. Wisdom teeth are big.
I was told last week that I have to have my remaining 7 teeth out all at once and will now need full dentures. Ugh! I’m only 58, but I’ve had trouble with jaw clenching and teeth grinding all my life and as a result cracked every molar I had and set the rest of them off kilter. Dentures will be about $2500.00 and there isn’t coverage for that in Ontario. And if I want an implant that’s an extra $2000.00 each. They’re recommending 2 for the bottom and none for the top because my sinuses are too large and the implants would stick right through. Its just as well, because the 2 implants will come out of our new car budget and that’s at least a year trying to keep the old one going.
Voyager
Ouch. Physically and financially.
My painful wisdom tooth is indeed coming out, a week on Tuesday. The dentist said upper wisdom teeth are quite easy, but she was comparing them to lower widom teeth that can require removal under anaesthetic, so it wasn’t that reassuring.
I have voted in the local elections. There was a UKIP candidate, they haven’t a chance of getting in, but I hate that they are standing at all. Nasty nasty nasty people.
@Voyager, fingers crossed for the teeth going smoothly. That sounds unpleasant just reading about it. And it shows that the canadian healthcare system has something to be desired if dentures are not covered.
I was talking about my bonsai trees. I will write something about it, but sometime next week. Tomorrow I have to finish the works and on Tuesday I am leaving for holiday trip until Sunday.
I do feel better, but all the exercise I was doing in winter so I am fit for spring work in the garden was for naught. The six weeks illness took it all away. I manage six hours work a day tops and I have always recovered very slowly. tldr -- it sucks.
Emily’s updated her blog with a nest of orioles.
http://emilyd47.blogspot.com/2019/05/oriole-nest.html
I got nothing much else, the house sale is trundling along very slowly, I’m tired and depressed but still holding everything together. I’ll just leave a pot of tea and a pile of hugs over here.
Awww little dinosaurs in a straw bag!
Have some hugs yourself, I’m adding cosy throws to the mix as it is cold here.
Anne,
Orioles are such beautiful birds. I’d love to have a nest nearby that I could peek into and watch the babies grow.
I’ll throw in a few hugs, as well.
Thanks, all.
Emily will be checking in on the nest as she has time. She’s also found two raven pairs nesting on campus -- on the buildings, and one nest on the coastal cliffs. Spring has sprung, baby dinosaurs are everywhere.
Oggie
I’m away for a couple of days, but I’ll be thinking about you tomorrow. All the best. I’ll hold only good thoughts.
Emily says the baby orioles appear to have fledged. She’s hoping for owlets soon, there are great horned owls on campus, and she’s watching the raven nests.
All my thoughts are with the Oggie family and Ogglets tomorrow.
++
I just had a really good sex talk with #1. It was absolutely not awkward (no sarcasm here) as she initiated it, asked a few things like “What contraception do you use” and then we had a nice five minutes chat about contraception, me checking that she knows about the morning after pill (do you think I’m stupid, mum?) and also me mentioning that in case everything fails, abortion is totally an option.
Finally we talked about not sleeping with boys who refuse condoms because they’re selfish idiots not worth your attention.
I can’t have done everything wrong if she feels comfortable to ask these things.
Hoping everything has gone smoothly for the Oggie family and that the Ogglets are safey delivered.
Giliell
Well done, that is just how it should be.
I have one less tooth as of today. Why is it that forbidden fruit has such appeal? I am supposed to eat soft foods for the next couple of days so I don’t dislodge the clot, so what do I want? Toast. *sigh*
Bollocks. I’m blaming the novacaine/adrenaline hangover for that mark up bork.
Jazzlet
Well, because. I have no better answer.
+++
Sorry for being a bit absent, work is a lot right now because end of school year means a fuckton of appointments.
Sorry for ranting, but why do normally sensible people become such fucking idiots when the subject is video games, violence and consumption?
Suddenly nobody is ever influenced by the media they consume and we all know that Gamers are such well adjusted adults after all…
Ivy and Shelby are now here.
Ivy weighed in at 3lbs, 6oz; Shelby (her younger sister by one minute) at 5lbs, 1oz. No complications. Lungs are working well, eyes look good. No special care other than incubators because the surface area/mass ratio is too low and they would lose heat too fast.
They are beautiful. Perfect.
@Oggie, congratulations on your gradchildren! May the prosper. Fingers crossed for “no complications” for the future.
@Giliell, It all rather hinges on how you define “gamer”. Am I a gamer? I like some computer games, mostly RPG. I do play some computer games occasionaly, but not too many and too often. I estimate it at about 100 hours a year, so on average 2 hours per week. So do many of my friends and those who play games do not seem any different from those who do play them.
Games of course do influence us. So do books, movies and the general culture around us. But just like movies and books, the games are in a feedback loop with said general culture around and as they shape it, they alsp are shaped by it. From what little I see, Anita Sarkeesian has made a good job at moving the gaming culture forward with regard to how women are represented for example. She managed to start a process that is stopping the self-reinforcing feedback loop of sexism ans misogyny, despite some dipsits not being able to cope with it.
And like with books and movies and literally everything, there is a difference if the consumer of the product is a child/teen in formative years, or an adult.
New Thread.