These woods really are returning to ‘nature’ it seems as the last of the Sages, Cackles and Sivam, venture forth towards the Land of NED, visit Benchland or pause in St Raphael’s chapel over here: gratefulness.org/candles/candles.cfm?l=eng&gi=ddw
Woodies origninal and subsequent, I salute you all, and God-speed wherever your journey leads. (And I may pop back now and then just to remind myself of laughter and love shared on a journey unchosen)
Just popping back from Rads rushes to see how things are here. Oh it’s so quiet and peaceful!! The snowdrops are looking lovely and all the buds on the trees promise a good showing of leaves. Everything seems to be returning to nature. I have tied a purple ribbon onto one of the branches of the yew tree. With a message that reads “THIS TOO WILL PASS” for anyone to read who wanders in.
Looks like Benchland is the place to be now.
I have wandered in the woods today from the Land of NED. The peace and quiet is lovely and I can hear the birds singing. I can see the rooftop of the JM where many a virtual drink was enjoyed with true friends. The space where tents were pitched has become overgrown now with just a few remaining. If I close my eyes I can still smell the delicious aroma from the bakery yurt and hear the distant sound of SCACO (Our Founder and Leader) clearing the paths with her chain saw.
Bitter sweet memories. Although we felt cr** alot of the time, we had the comfort of feeling cr** together. For the few still wandering in these woods, your time here will pass. Soon you will wander back and appreciate the beauty of nature, and remember you laughed a little through the hardest of times.:)x
Back to collect my black dog Buggerit - he’s been chasing the gremlins away and collecting newts. I’ve got all the jam jars full of slimy newts and will take them back to “bench land”.
Looks like all the tents are empty and the woods are beginning to claim back this land. All the paths are overgrown and the JM bars lights have been turned off.
I’ve left a red rose on the floor beside the old Yew Tree with a note that says “thank you”
Skipping off to benchland now …wait for me Buggerit!!!
ps…SCACO - thank you xx this thread kept me going.
You put Buggerit in BLEACH??? (photo!) I too want to say thank you for this Woodland Walk we took - some days (many days) the madness (aka humour) was the highlight of the day - a smile and often a deep laugh, when the gremlins seemed overpowering… Funny how nature takes over again, and the wood looks fab with the snowdrips (er…drops) wonder what the boys are doing with themselves these days? All the spiders not wanted in Benchland seem to have found their way to the JM… There are candles flickering in the chapel though, so someone else has been here too… Oh look, a rabbit! Soddit HEAL!
Ha ha. The dog in my photo is Ruby. We looked after her for a few days last month and that is the most recent photo that I have of me. I am wearing my wig in the photo but I am now getting ready to ditch it soon as my hair is returning.
I’ve just taken Buggerit for a walk round the woods and the snowdrops are stunning! When I walked past the JM bar I could swear I heard PB singing…
The woods are very quiet, where have all the woodies gone ??
Sarahbev.xx
They are all in benchland 021210. Lol
X Sarah
'tis true… the madness, humour & support are swirling round Benchland. Come and join us…
Address for Benchland, near the Dark Dark Woods, adjacent to Land of NED… or here:
share.breastcancercare.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=33147&p=642953#p642953
A quick trip back in time to look for spring flowers appearing early. I could do with a Danish Pastry from the bakery Yurt but my diet is doing so much better without them. Lymphoedema clinic tomorrow so I am off to find Bringiton and Positivethinking to encourage me into thinking the swelling will go away one day. It is so good , as janipi commented, to appreciate the beauty of nature. It is strange to think of the gifts these Forums have given us in the face of adversity.
Benchland now to sit on Contemplating Bench.
Bumping for CM
I am back to camp for the weekend. OH and youngest son have gone off to some music festival in Wales and left me on my own. Which I am quite happy about!! So am thought I would return to the woods and sleep in my old tent. It smelt a bit musty and the grass outside was knee high but I managed to find PB and NE and made them cut the grass and clear the JM bar of all the spiders.
So - here I am. Log fire burning nicely and cocktail in hand. It feels nice to be back. I can see the path to benchland so don’t be afraid to cross over. Just follow the light.
Can I join you ST? I miss the Patisserie Yurt (though my hips don’t!)… the bluebells are poking up… and OOOPS! Soddit! Come BACK!!! Put that DOWN!!! Jane
Greeeeeetings!
Well, haven’t been round this neck of the Woods for a while and all is well and hunky-dory. (Who is Dory and why is he Hunky?).
Back at work and the last 12 months feel like some kind of terrifying dream, or perhaps I should say nightmare. Generally, it doesn’t feel like it happened, which is peculiar. But then I might get a headache, or a cough and I’m right back there in the ‘zone’.
Babs is getting more settled and is looking forward to her holidays, as is the rest of me. Hair? Well as you can see from my pic, it’s there. It’s much darker than it was BBC (before BC) but no greyer. Everyone luuurves it! “Oooh! It’s lurverly! I’d luuurve my hair to be like that!”. I,on the other hand,hate it! But who cares!! It’s only on MY head, why should my opinion count!!
Physically I’m great (if you ignore my fat a£e, which is quite a feat I can tell you). I’m slowly shifting the weight I gained and have noticed that my tummy isn’t trying to eat my tops so much - you know that roll thing that goes on. I’m not tired, no more than (what used to be) normal and not too sad. I say ‘not too’ because sometimes, just sometimes, I have a little weep. This is not a bad thing, it’s a recognition thing and being as I can go weeks and then only be sad for, say, 10 mins I think it’s ok.
Hope all of the Woodies are tickity-boo.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
hi,
i would like to come into the woods, i have just been dx in feb with lung mets and local reccurance, i am back on chemo plus herceptin oringinal dx sept 2010 with ibc.
best wishes to you all x
Hi Lollipop,
I’m so sorry about your bad news.
The Woods these days are very quiet but they gave me so much comfort whilst I was going through treatment. They evolved a lot from the one, lone tent in a field and can become what ever you need them to be. Maybe The Woods can become full again - wish they weren’t, wish they were left in peace, but I guess whilst we need them they’re still here.
Best wishes
The woods kept me going through active treatment. I love the calm feeling when I come back, the bird song, the way the sunlight trickles through the trees. I can see the spikes of the bluebell leaves pushing their way through the grass. Snowdrops are asleep for another year. Buggerit is very excited about being back - he’s been chasing rabbits and found quite a few newts which I have put in the jam jars by my tent.
I am going to come back here every day, everyone who is reading this is more than welcome to join us - there are empty tents just waiting for someone to move into them. The JM bar is now spider free and open all hours and always has your favourite tipple - and it will taste how it should do!
I spotted NE again today - I think he has gone a bit feral whilst the woods have been empty - I am sure all he was wearing was a grubby pair of y-fronts.
Going for a wander now my my scythe - lots of over grown paths that need clearing.
Come on Buggerit - Time for a walk!!
Only way to help out ST 
woods were a lifeline to me. Xxx
NE in Y-Fronts - I’ve just been put off my supper!
Dx