Just checking in.

Just dropping off some early morning cheer before I try for sleep again.

@Bimby2, @Shaz51, @Mazarita, @CheerBear, @outlander and all passing through.

Hi @Teej, nice to bump into you in this late night. I've woken after less than a hour's sleep since going to bed a bit earlier. Here if you feel like a little chat before we both attempt sleep again.

Hi @Mazarita. Nice bumping into you too.

How are you this morning?

Leaving this for @CheerBear, whom I hope appreciates a good bit of shrek.

Ive gone from

to this....

💜🤗

I am tired, @Teej, but somehow, for some reason (perhaps some kind of compulsiveness), I am here on the computer. I have a sore nose on the inside of one nostril, the other nostril is blocked up. And I've been coughing a lot lately (smoking). I've been afraid I have lung cancer over recent days. It's not that unlikely, though no real indicators of it either. Just feeling a bit paranoid by my dodgy health in general. My list of minor complaints could go on, but I'll spare you.

Aside from this physical stuff, I'm okay and not in a bad mood at all really.

How are you just now?

oh no with the sore and congestion @Mazarita. I remember the hacking smokers cough. It’s not much fun.

I have been thinking about you as I’ve been so uncontrollably tired and sleeping lots (although much was self inflicted). I’ve just come through three days of full on si which really rattled me lots. It’s always so hard when you are in it to see that it will pass. I’m hoping it has now for a bit.

My concentration is not good and trying to plan for Christmas has been impossible. I have no clue how I’ll pull it together yet. Well that’s my whinge so I guess we are one all 😜.

Have you had wild weather?

That's awful with the bad three days, @Teej. I hear you about being unable to see things in any balanced way while in the grip of full on feelings. I think you do well with that, given how overwhelming those experiences seem to be. Really good to hear the worst of it may be past now.

Thanks for thinking of me and my times of being unable to stay awake and out of bed for huge chunks of days, weeks, sometimes months. I hope you come through this experience of that much quicker than me. I think most people do.

I've done surprisingly well so far with xmas by mainly ignoring it, except for three gifts I bought and arranged delivery for, to mum and a friend, both interstate. I picked up C's present on a random visit to a local shopping mall, found it within about two minutes of walking through the door. Wondering if I'll get to sending out any cards. That's one thing I often intend to do, but never make it to completion. Usually send out an xmas message by email to various people though, so that will be something.

That’s fabulous that you’ve finished your Xmas shopping @Mazarita. Christmas cards are a thing of the past for me these days. I was hoping to not put my head in the sand this year and go to a couple of Christmas gatherings but I’m not going to either. I couldn’t justify the costs.

I have bought two out of 12 presents so far. I wanted to buy most of it online but I haven’t been able to concentrate or decide even doing that. I’m running out of time for delivery now. This is the first year that all the boys (and girls) have earned more than me which has bought up a few mixed feelings - pride and shame, it’s an odd combination.

Will c have holidays coming up?

@Teej, no holidays for C, except the main public holiday days. It's hard to get him to take any holidays even when he's owed them, even when he's jaded and over the job, and I suggest it could be a good time for it. But he usually ends up reluctantly taking a few weeks off at some time in the year, when he visits his mother and other family down south.

I've had many years where I completely failed xmas. I understand feelings of embarrassment and even shame about that. 12 presents seems a lot to have to buy. I hope your pride in the earning power of your kids takes over the major role in the ambivalent mix of feelings. You deserve some credit for helping them get to that place.