Hello…returning from hibernation!

[ariella]

Hi everyone, 
I'm sorry I disappeared from the forum for the past few months. I think I almost literally went into hibernation mode and hunkered down for the winter and for varying reasons I fell out the habit of using the forum. 
I have been incredibly busy with a multitude of things including assisting my daughter and her boyfriend buying their first home (they have exchanged contracts and move in at the end of the month) and I have been struggling with my bulging disc and resulting sciatica on and off since the beginning of December. 

Marianne checked up on me last month and I fully intended to get on and post a hello then but the days run into weeks and well, here we are…

I have a lot of catching up to do and really want to check on all the buds and any new ones who may have joined our forum flock.
My guys and girl are all really well. We had a game of musical cages when it became apparent Jasper had had enough of Luca sharing with her and Luca started to learn some of her henny bossiness and reciprocated. 🙄
He couldn’t return to the Hamberley because of the ongoing obsession with Ivo; Ivo is everyone’s favourite and any squabbles have been over him each and every time. So after trying a few different combinations, I splashed out on a new large vision and Ivo moved in with Luca, cue a bromance without any stress! Phew.
The boys in the Hamberley are back to living harmoniously and Jasper has been thrilled to have her own cage back all to herself. She continues to boss the boys about but refuses to go near them. 

The boys are all fine when out but the constant scuffling to be the one to sit with, play with, chat to or feed beside Ivo in the Hamberley was madness. Problem all solved.

I shall stop my wittering and begin to have a read through threads. It may take a few days for me to catch up. 

Oh and don’t worry, I fully intend to be creating the 2024 forum calendar if everyone wants one again, so I hope lots of landscape photography has been going on! 😉

[Loz]

Welcome back, ariella!
Thank you for the budgie update, the goings-on are fascinating

Hope you get some relief from your back issue asap.

[ffiscool]

Welcome back. I hope your pain eases and glad the buds are ok

[ariella]

Thank you ffiscool and loz. The back is an ongoing issue that isn’t likely to be fully sorted anytime soon but I have a management plan of sorts, meds for the bad days, better meds for the worst days and so I am just about getting through my days with my trusty hot water bottles to hand too.

[tweetiepiesmom]

Great to hear from you and also reassuring to know that Marianne Marlow reaches out to those we haven't from in awhile. Hope your daughter's new home is everything she desires. Those of us with back issues feel for you and hope you continue to get relief for it. Sounds like the budgies have been 'entertaining' you in their own style.

[ariella]

Thanks tweetiepiesmom, it feels good to be back.
Yes, there’s never a quiet moment here and the buds have definitely been keeping me from getting bored!

Regarding my back, as it stands until I need surgery, I have to more or less cope with my medication and I have to suffer from 6-8 weeks of continuous sciatica ( not one day off or else the count returns to day 1) to be able to get another MRI. Any loss of sensation waist down and I must go straight to A&E with the expectation of surgery by the end of that day. It feels a bit all or nothing and the specialist definitely confirmed the stress on the NHS was a defining factor as to why it’s tricky to get the MRI. I have some exercises from my back specialist physio but they just make my sciatica flare every single time. It’s just very frustrating as some days I wake and can barely sit myself up in bed to stand and others I don’t have much more than a niggle I can handle without pain relief other than using heat to relax the muscles.
I empathise with anyone with back pain as it can be so debilitating. But on we plod.

[Marianne Marlow]

Great to hear from you. I'm so sorry about the back pain, I know when Paul's back gets bad he can barely move it's awful. So can't imagine what it's like to have it all the time.

[tweetiepiesmom]

ariella have you tried the 'seated figure 4' hip stretch? It has helped my sciatica but maybe yours is beyond help with stretches.

[ariella]

Apr 10, 2023 21:13:39 GMT Marianne Marlow said:

Great to hear from you. I'm so sorry about the back pain, I know when Paul's back gets bad he can barely move it's awful. So can't imagine what it's like to have it all the time.

Thanks Marianne Marlow. I am sorry Paul has such pain too. 
How are you doing? The bad chest infection continuance sounds horrific and with Eve now at school, it must be nigh-impossible to stay infection-free especially as she also seems to pick things up so easily. 
I only just realised I never responded to your second email so apologise. I really hope you are able to get rebooked in for the ablations soon. 

[ariella]

Apr 10, 2023 21:35:49 GMT tweetiepiesmom said:

ariella have you tried the 'seated figure 4' hip stretch? It has helped my sciatica but maybe yours is beyond help with stretches.

I have indeed tweetiepiesmom. I have tried forms of Pilates and yoga as advised by the specialist physiotherapist but to no avail. Now I can do very basic core exercises but never when I’m in pain and to stop immediately if they start to hurt per his instructions. 
Thank you for the suggestion though.

[Hezz]

Nice to hear from you, ariella, but so sorry to hear of the on-going health issues. I can only imagine what that must be like to live with. Chronic pain of any sort is the pits; back pain even more so. I hope you are able to get some relief soonest.

[ariella]

Apr 11, 2023 0:52:14 GMT Hezz said:

Nice to hear from you, ariella , but so sorry to hear of the on-going health issues. I can only imagine what that must be like to live with. Chronic pain of any sort is the pits; back pain even more so. I hope you are able to get some relief soonest.

Thanks Hezz. Yes, it’s not fun but I always remind myself it could always be worse, and that keeps me from letting it become all-consuming. I also find the odd swear word helps. 😂

[criswell]

It's lovely to have you back ariella. I'm sorry to hear about your back trouble. I'm glad all your birds are happy with their new living quarters and that they are all doing well. And congratulations to your daugher and her boyfriend on buying their first home. They must be really excited about moving in.

[ariella]

Thanks criswell.
Yes, they’re very excited…and so am I! 😄
It’s a really lovely first home and they’re going to make it look beautiful. There’s work to do but nothing immediate and she’s had a great time buying kitchen essentials and so on. When hubby and I started out 30 years ago we had mainly hand-me-downs from family and friends. We certainly couldn’t afford to be proud but I think it has made it all the sweeter to see where we’ve got to 3 decades on.
We’ve bought them a Dyson cordless hoover, airer, laundry basket and other such essentials and I have bought everything to make up a lovely moving day hamper full of a few essentials and some lovely treats such as Yankee candles and matching 2023 new home keyrings.
I’m so proud of her. She’s saved so hard and kept all the childhood savings my husband and I saved for her towards her deposit. She’s only bought a car from them and so they have had the benefit of a large deposit, making all the difference to affordable mortgage payments.
So that’s 2 down and 1 to go as I’m not sure our youngest will live independently for a long time or maybe not at all. Our future plans include him living at home.

[ffiscool]

How lovely, the hamper etc and the gifts. Good on her for keeping the savings too.

Is it near you?