Any diagnosed germophobes or hoarders on this forum?

It's good you do what you can to protect yourself @scruffypuffball .

I'm waiting to get another booster, but my dr has run out. They don't have a date when they will get the next supply in because the new booster is coming out.

I recognise some people don't want to get the booster or even the shot, and I absolutely respect that. Getting the booster is my choice, for me I guess.

@NatureLover I agree with @scruffypuffball re empathy... I knew two people with Aspergers (OK, old diagnostic term but it was years ago) who were very caring. And there's more recognition that people living with ASD are all individuals, many high functioning or gifted, and can't be stereotyped.

Today I got some chores done and spent nearly 2 hours on the phone to an old friend - a real treat as I speak to people so rarely.

I've booked to see the osteopath in the new year - I could have seen her again this week but chose to ration my care plan appts and see how the daily exercises pan out. I'll go for a walk before dark. There's still some sunshine.

Best wishes for tomorrow - are you working?

Well done with the gardening @scruffypuffball . Bamboo can be a menace. I have blackberries to contend with. 12 months ago I got help with them from someone I found on Airtasker but they're persistent.

I can understand your wanting to be masked. I still mask up occasionally. It can be hard to interpret people's reactions - but I've never encountered pushback. I hope you can stay in touch with your friends as this time of year can be challenging for those of us living alone.

@scruffypuffball and @Dimity Thanks for your thoughts on empathy and ASD. I researched autism but I still don't know enough about it. I think I will specifically investigate empathy and autism together.

@scruffypuffball I can relate about the masking and the worry about Covid. 🫂 I'm sorry the result is isolating for you 😢

Happy to hear you had a satisfying long conversation with a friend, @Dimity . And well done on the chores.

I'm meant to go to work today but feel a bit depressed, so I hope I feel a bit better in a few hours' time.

Good luck with your painful exercises 🤞 and your tasks.

Hope your depression lifted @NatureLover .

I'm in pain physically and mentally. The trauma therapy has started, I'm pushing myself to exercise and I've hurt my ankle. The backlog of chores in house and garden seems depressing although it's probably no worse than usual.

So we need to reassure ourselves that things aren't as bad as we fear, and with an ounce or two of fortitude we'll get by.

Hi @Dimity , sorry to hear you're in so much pain and that you've hurt your ankle 😢

Also concerned you might have a break now in seeing your psych due to the holidays, having started the trauma therapy?

Do you have self-soothing or comfort activities to help your physical and mental pain?

I didn't make it to work yesterday, but intend to go in today to make up the work. I'm feeling a bit stronger this morning.

---

@Dimity wrote:

So we need to reassure ourselves that things aren't as bad as we fear, and with an ounce or two of fortitude we'll get by.

---

This is very positive 🙂

I'm glad you felt up to working today @NatureLover .

Yes it's quite stressful to have just started the therapy and exercises but now have the festive season break just as things have been stirred up. I'm not good on self-soothing which is one reason why I lose myself in current affairs and social media.

I looked at some papers today, a small step towards decluttering again.

Thanks @Dimity , I had a good day at work yesterday and feel over my slump, thank goodness.

When do you next see your psychologist? In January sometime, I hope?

I understand losing yourself in current affairs and social media. Well done for looking at the papers - papers can be daunting and time consuming.

Are you able to walk, with your sore ankle?

I'm not sure what to tackle yet today. I'm at home which is good, although I might walk to the bakery. The bakery round the corner is open every day of the year including public holidays, but then shuts for a month just before Christmas. They deserve the break!

I really just want to be outside, as it's gorgeous out there. However I've already filled my bin with prunings this week and am up to date with the watering. I could do pruning for next week's bin I guess 🙂

Good luck with your day today...I hope your pain eases 🤞

The bakery sounds good - quite handy.

Thanks @NatureLover my ankle has eased, now it's part of the background.

Well done with the pruning I filled 2 green bins today with leaves and thinnings.

My mood/activity tracker has come up with my annual report - not final, it's still updating. I only achieved my goal of at least an hour cleaning/decluttering/gardening 1/5 of the time, and I was usually depressed. So there's room for improvement. I'm proud of walking nearly every day, and so far I've kept up with my physio exercises.

I couldn't face the fortnightly library meetup yesterday. Maybe I'll try again in the new year. I feel a bit apprehensive about the 3 celebrations I'll have in the next week but grateful for the chance.

Tomorrow I'll try to meet my goal and make it 3 days in a row. 1 in 5 is pretty disappointing, but confirms my feeling I didn't do well this year.

Good luck for tomorrow @NatureLover - I hope work goes well.