Some of the gremlins look a bit different. I think a flame thrower is called for - does anyone know where they are? Hyper-Con-Dria wasn’t around before but seems to be lurking under every bush and pain.
Is it too early to look for sticky-bottomed lemon cake do you think?
Evening all, If Alto is anywhere around there is bound to be sticky bottomed lemon cakes and many more.
I agree the gremlins do look different, or may I just see different ones lurking in the shadows now that I am beyond active treatment.
Welcome Lollipop. I wish these woods didn’t have such well worn tracks and people didn’t have to trudge through their darkness to reach the beautiful meadows beyond, but sadly they do. These woods and the woodies helped to make it bearable and bought fun and laughter - strange as it might seem - along the way. Maybe a new generation of woodies will chance along. There are plenty of vacant tents, the camp fire would be easy to stoke up and we had all kinds of amenities - from various types of catering to the pub (the Jingling Merkin or JM) which serves virtual alcohol and of course all cakes are calorie free in the woods.
Seems strange to be back here, I can see the Whatisthatache gremlin and the Scansarescary gremlin too. Load up that flamethrower, now where is Margaret with her bagpipes, she could always chase them off! xx
Hi Lollipop and everyone else
I think I’m going to be stumbling around in the dark, dark woods. (Primary dx Jan, then lung mets in Feb - had first chemo 2 wks ago). Did you say there are some unused tents? In that case I think I’ll just chuck my sleeping bag in one and head straight for the Jingling Merkin.
Dx
Wow,passing by to the chapel in the woods,and some of the tents are occupied,lots of spring flowers peeping through,and even some laughter from the jingling merkin.Must light a candle of thanksgiving.
Love and Light xxMavis
PS need the sleep terrible attack of post Rads Fatigue.
The dark dark woods are awake again!
How lovely to see full tents again!
I made it through Rads Rushes …no major scars (yet …a little tender under the armpit where my wle scar is)!! Trying to make my way to Tam Towers but keep seeing the twinkling lights of NED …Supertrouper can you see them any clearer than me??
Still having disturbed sleep patterns so think I’ll pop in the JM tonight (as long as PB isn’t doing kareoke!)
Have a good day everyone
Axx
It IS good to hear the snores comingi from tents… the sleep fairies must have found some of you! Watch out for two dogs - a black one called Buggerit and a white one called Soddit. Soddit is mine, and he’s just very cuddly and loving. Buggerit is extremely good at catching newts (to keep you healthy during chemo). There were lots of brilliant things in the woods (bonfires, calorie-free cakes, great company and help to fight the gremlins, a lake, a chapel) but you must create what YOU need to help you through these dark dark woods… I found some flame-throwers in the shed behind the JM… you’ll need those… And, of course, you can be waited on… (by Piers Brosnan or Noel Edmunds - you may want to invite others!!!)
or, maybe, we were the only “generation” that’s barking? Hope not! Jane
Walking through the waking woods and seeing signs of Spring and new life. The newcomers will find comfort here. I have aired and removed cobwebs from the recovery tent and am fluffing up the cushions for the new occupants. I think there should be a laundry tent so N E can wash his smalls! It’s not hygienic if he’s shuffling about near the pattiserie yurt. Loads of spare tents in the campsite so please don’t wander around the woods alone. The path to the Jingling Merkin could do with clearing a bit. The brambles need cutting back for ease of access. There is a new doormat by the open door saying WELCOME. 
Brambles across the path to the Jingling Merkin? That’s dreadful. I’ll be sure to bring a machete with me tonight, which will also be handy if NE comes anywhere near me! (Sorry NE fans, each to her own).
Does anyone else wish we could draw pictures on here? I’d love a map that showed the geography of the Dark Dark Woods, the path that sometimes leads to the Land of NED (for the lucky ones among us), the gate that opens into Benchland, the border with Surreal Place… I kind of have images in my head of it all but my sense of ditrection is rubbish, so it’s probably wrong!
I suggest a party in the JM again, think we may need to call in the merkin makers as more required, now where is that pattern ???
See you all later for a reunion of the woodies & a welcome to the newbies, Jane get you baking hat back on, we have people needing us to show them the path, woodies get your torches & flame throwers at the ready.
Sarahbev.xx
Rev Cat, Exactly, I have always been able to imagine the Dark Woods as a map, a bit like the treasure maps they find in Enid Blyton or if anyone is as loopy as me and read Malcolm Saville Lone Pine, they used to have maps inside the front cover showing clumps of trees, roads, rivers, where the major incidents happened. We will have to create one. I can maybe post it on a weblink somewhere… and provide the link… hmmm a challenge…
Hi Sarahbev, definitely reunion is on. Party in the JM later for all woodies new and old who did, can or maybe will in the future find comfort, companions and courage to tackle treatment, post treatment challenges.
Shall we resurrect our Girl Band, the Twisted Nipple?
I think Alto is singing for real tonight in her husband’s fantastic Nicholas Nickleby performance so is probably a bit busy to be baking today so we might need a new volunteer to provide luscious cakes, some volunteers to clear the paths and others to stock up the JM with whatever “tipple” you may be requiring for the jollities? xx
Take no notice of me. Just tottering about out side. Never sure if I should come in.
Oh do, please do…
When I first saw the woods thread I didn’t dare come in because I had WLE, re ex and rads but no chemo and many of the woodies were talking about chemo, also it seemed to be a cohesive bunch of ladies who had got to know each other so it was scary thinking would I be imposing.
As soon as I ventured in though as stopped lurking just as in Benchland or in the Surreal thread, everyone was so welcoming.
The woods are for all, they are whatever anyone wants them to be. It isn’t about what form of treatment, what stage, whether primary, secondary or whatever. It was just about mutual support, waving two fingers to bc and having somewhere to lighten the mood on days which were “dark” for whatever reason.
Come on and pull up a stool by the fire, the kettles on xx
I must have missed the girl band! The name made me laugh out loud! Right, I’m making scrummy carrot cake (with cream cheese topping) and a hearty, warming casserolel for later when it’s cold.
There ar eno rules in these Woods - just a safe place to be… the Woods are for everyone, and there are various sections that we trod paths to (like Rads Rushes and Mx Marsh) but we haven’t found all there is to find - you can wander around and see what you stumble over! We look forward to it.
Reunion tonight is DEFINITELY ON! Yay!
Anyone else we should invite in from Benchland or the Surreal place/
love Jane & Soddit
I’m in! A Woods knees-up is just what I need to take my mind off the horrid cold I’ve got. I’ll be snivelling in a corner nursing a hot toddy.
I first entered the woods when they were fully populated and there was always a queue at the patisserie yurt and found myself made very welcome. Hello ‘old’ Woodies, welcome new.
Can anyone aim a flamethower at my I’mnotaswellasIlook imp? - he’s been prodding me this week.
Twisted Nipple! love it! Can you join if you’ve only got one (perfectly formed)? Mind you, my singing is worse than PB’s - maybe I’ll just be one of the backing dancers.
Dx
Hi D and Jane,
Being able to sing or play instruments was positively discouraged in members of Twisted Nipple and, as you might guess on this site, number of nipples, twisted or not, was not something we were concerned about. I believe the name came from a discussion of methods of recreating nipples and which parts of the anatomy might be used to do this. I still don’t know - still being in possession of two of the aforementioned, albeit one pointing forwards and the other picking up alien messages from space, whether this intelligence was true. Suffice it to say, the anatomy was not a hundred miles from where a merkin might be required and a technique similar to origami seemed to be involved.
Ouch!
I think we had names, will find them before tonight. I seem to recall we played on the night of William and Kate’s wedding too.
Elder son is playing hockey so off to holler from touchline for a while now.
See all woodies old and new later. Choose your instrument, band member name and we can have a quick rehearsal before the festivities xx
I was the very proud lead singer of Twisted Nipple, we didnt get too many gigs though xxx
So funny, isn’t it strange to think, in the middle of such horror, that we could genuinely have had so many laugh out loud moments. I seem to recall playing some instrument or other… let me check up… xx
Found it
Lyndsay Lobular (scaco) on drums
Dexie Methasone (Alto) & Ali Pecia (Cheryl) on backing vocals with Mamma Ree (CM) for the high twiddly bits
Debbie Dumbell (Wandy) on lead guitar
Cari Cenoma (Mazbaz) on sax
Totty Tubular (MG) on bass & pastie twirling (or catering, perhaps?)
Tram Flap Tina (SB) as choreographer, or keyboard despite complete lack of ability as ability is not a requirement for band membership
Margaret on bagpipes and Jane Birkin-esque heavy breathing
Lena Grastim (Troy) on any slightly off the wall instrument that takes her fancy, and accompanying CM in the wind section
Mamma Ree (CM) on keyboard and wind as well as high twiddly bits, because she’s all woman and very capable of multitasking
Beverley Hills (90210) as lead singer, as “reward” for going away for the weekend
Trip as resident mosher and pogo teacher (need to coordinate this with SB)
Peachez as roadie/stagehand and on beer duty accompanied by alimbutt as second-under-chief roadie
TSR as Manager and out-of-time background swayer, just to give Tram Flap Tina (SB) a choreographical challenge
Dexie Methasone (Alto) also provider of instruments, not bothered whether of music or of torture, but the way some of us play there wouldn’t be much difference between the two
Catering by Totty (MG) seeing as she’s in charge of pasties