Airtex blouses, navy shorts and long white socks, playing hockey in the winter, with red face, runny nose, shivering! On that red pitch with the little stones so when you fell you had crucial grazing ouch ouch ouch hated every minute of it!
Spiders would like to be their friend but just can’t, so when they come into see me they are always shown the door. As quickly as they come in, I make sure they are quicker out!
Beach bench sounds wonderful, would be great to feel warm again xx
Just love Benchland- always something to make me smile. I’m on the Learning and Laughing Bench. I had to google spurtle, guttie and dreicht. Enjoyed the vision of short shorts and airtex/artex tops.
I went to school in NZ and we had Phys Ed 4 times a week and during that time we wore -sandshoes and rompers! Yes green rompers - guaranteed to make fat girls look even fatter. Top part pleated, wide band around waist and bottom part like enormous bloomers, with a side opening which fastened with buttons. Worn over the top of a white short sleeved blouse. Generally hated by everyone.
Katytc and Twinky don’t visit Australia you won’t like the spiders there! Love the Bunnie stories Twinky.
ragamuffin, I did live in Australia when I was young and still vividly remember the beasties AAAAAAAAAAAAAAArgh.
The size of the centipedes and worms so big and fat, yugh!
Cochroaches, massive my cousin stood on one and I remember green stuff coming out of it as I ran away screaming.
Stick insects yugh.
And one of the worst memories is sitting on a banking with my feet in the water and as I looked down a HUGE water beetle went over my foot Noooooooooooo!
So not just spiders but allsorts of creepy crawlies!
Love your gym kit, I think we just wore shorts & tshirts, must have been a NZ thing!! but I did wear these bloomer sort of things, you wore them under your school skirt, they were quite tight and came down to your knees, I loved mine, were they in NZ too? This was 60’s Australia xx
The New Zealand Wetter (Or Whetter?) is a new word ive learnt this week, some kind of grasshopper, i think?
And cockroaches, yeah, i used to have a pet one
I was fascinated by all kinds of creepies when i was a girl, especially the fly larvae in the water butt, they were just brill!
Dont worry though, no such creepies on my bench any more, I’ve got a melee of fish, a hamster and a tortoise instead 
I bet there are a few people STANDING on a bench looking at the creepie crawlies!!! Funny isn’t it? I used to be scared of spiders till I had kids and decided I needed to be brave to that THEY didn’t end up scared of spiders! My mother in law once saw a mouse in her kitchen, and jumped up on a stool. There was no-one else in the house at the time, so she stayed on the stool till someone came home! Reminded me of Tom & Jerry!
I was quietly sitting on the Comfy Bench until I read today’s postings from the Antipodes ET al. . Somebody put my head between my legs or lie me flat. I feel faint. COCKROACHES…ugh. Green stuff. Eeeh Centipedes, etc. What is Benchland coming to. I think I will go back to the Wild Wild Wood. All we had there were Gremlins to bother us and flame throwers knocked them out. I think I need a drink. The sun must be under the Yard Arm somewhere.
Cackles
Cackles I think the expression is Sun is over the yardarm - and that is any time after 5pm - and it’s always after 5pm somewhere in the world!
I am sitting on the comfy bench feeling very pleased with myself. Been out shopping with my daughter and for the first time in ages treated myself to a new handbag and leather bound filofax. I have all my info stored in my iphone and computer but worry about what would happen if everything crashed. Well that was my justification for buying it!
Can we please all stop talking about creepy crawlies. I don’t mind spiders but cockroaches are a different matter!
Well done Supertrouper , the chemo brain block occurred . I knew it was something to do with Yard Arms !!! Over/ under. I need a drink. The thoughts of yucky squashed bugs ugh.
We had an hour’s fantastic walk this morning around the lake at Wooton House a lovely Soame building built for the Grenville Family ( the Blairs live in one of the pavilions). The ice was increadably thick and the poor swans and ducks no doubt hungrey. However the bright sun on a snowy landscape is so pretty.
I am now on the " self satisfied" bench because I found the walking easy, which it wouldn’t have been a few weeks ago. The only good thing about wearing a wig is you don’t need a hat.
Cackles x
On the miserable wretch bench. How can I feel this bl**dy ill & have not even started chemo yet. This is really getting to me now. Was in bed until 3 today. Went out for a curry at 7 back in bed by 9:15. This is the weirdest chest problem I’ve ever had I think. Nasty cough ( but not bringing up anything unpleasant), temp comes & goes, joints ache, subdued appetite & no energy whatsoever. Been like this since Tuesday night. Hard to catch my breath
When the coughing fit starts. Don’t usually have chest problems. Need to seek out a doc I think. See my Onc Monday as chemo supposed to start a week after that with a quick portacath Op squeezed in Thursday.
Groan…this is not how it’s supposed to be!
Twinky.
Oh Twinky. You are having such a nasty time. I am going to prise you off the miserable wretch bench and gently guide you onto the comfy bench where I shall magically dispel your lurgy. I will threaten it by singing in it’s general direction. Obviously OH s cold got you at a time when your defended were down. Perhaps Revcat can give you one of her hankies.
I am on the comfy bench I have just been to a wedding reception and felt almost normal. Met lots of old friends and nattered away like anything. My rads burn is better and no chemo for a few weeks. Yipee!
X Sarah
Twinky if you have the cough cum temp that is doing the rounds this winter you will find it lasts for several weeks and comes and goes. It is a nasty exhausting little virus. I am wondering if it is a strain of swine flu that is still going around. The temp peaks are so odd you think you feel better and then up it goes again. You needed the isolation bench when your husband had that man flu. To late now you’ve got it . So we will put you outside in the sun and snow on your bed bench just like they used to in Sanatoriums. Nice hot toddy’s will be served with your calfs foot jelly. Hopefully the icy air will kill the rotten thing. Your Onc may run blood tests to see if you have a problem that needs sorting pre chemo.
I had a Hickman and really got fond of it, I hope your portacath insertion goes well. It is so much easier just to flash a tube rather than poke a vein!!
Sleep tight
Cackles
Morning
Thanks Cackles & Cromercrab. It really is a nasty virus. Even if the cough wasn’t there I feel so drained & worried about what the chemo will do to me if I’m this bad before I start. Got to go to the inlaws today & I really don’t want to go but they wouldn’t be very understanding if I didn’t go plus it’s hubby’s birthday tomorrow so can’t really say no. I did warn him though I shall need a lie down between lunch & tea. Feel so frustrated. Normally shake things off do easily & this has floored me at a very inconvenient time…lol…but hey that’s life.
Just catching up on the early BBC news & Whitney Houston has died (only 48).
Twinky x
I’ve got a friend with this virus Twinky, and she feels ghastly on and off (and coughs away) and she’s got no other health conditions! Doc… and take care… and, my chorus for the morning BE GENTLE with yourself!!!
We were out last night (“undressed for dinner”) and driving back the temperature was -12… should kill off unwanted creepie crawlies in Benchland!!! Jane
Hi Jane
Thanks for telling me about your friend. Reassuring to hear that I’m not the only one. Really is a nasty virus. Antibiotics won’t be the answer then. Just lots of fluids & rest! I am now hoping (after not wanting a delay) that they will postpone chemo until I improve as I don’t think my body would cope very well with a double assault at this stage! I see my Oncologist tomorrow. Will see what he says.
Hugs to everyone in benchland this frosty morning
Twinky x
Hope all goes well for you tomorrow Twinky and you feel better soon.
I am now on the “maybe tamoxifen related joint pain” bench though maybe I will allow myself a comfy chair, bit of a struggle today, so painkillers, hot water bottle and trying to keep active so I don’t stiffen up too much.
Thank goodness for the cold weather as the beasties are all hiding, don’t think I would be able to jump up today xx
Hi Katie, I am wearing my "may be Tamoxifen related pain funky, so not, wrist splints’… only just over a week now til I see my peeps, so can ask about it then.
Cackles, I had a glorious walk yesterday and thought of you all when I was at the top of a climb up something like 80-100 steps and reached a bench with a lovely view over a river.
Busy, busy, busy in real world, so posting less but still lurking!
Managed to stay off the crazy sobbing lady bench mostly, but that was by squishing the “sobbing” bit flat most of the time. Unfortunately it’s a pesky so-and-so and so pops up like a dodgy spring in the mattress, just where your bum normally goes (I had a mattress just like that several years ago and swear I’ve been mentally scarred by the experience!) Very grateful to the other benchland ladies who have helped my fingernails hold onto sanity.
And now to prove myself wrong (about the sanity) someone asked how the most recent spiffing adventure finished off, so let me fill you in. PC Flatfoot (who was really Detective Chief Inspector Arch of the undercover division) arrested Mme P and her husband, and both Gwendoline and Trixie were made wards of the court. And as they happened to then be rather rich, they stayed at the school (fees being very expensive they needed to be rich!) and joined in with the very next midnight feast, providing their own supply of sesame crisp breads topped with cream cheese and smoked salmon - no peanut butter for them!
I gather Gwendoline has managed to get herself elected onto the school council and has proposed that the school bans artex as a clothing material for sports activities, seeing as it cracks dreadfully once it’s dried. Airtex is a different thing, and she’s still working on that one.
Night all.
CM
x
The Artex/Airtex mix up reminds me of when I embarrassed myself as a teenager. I was reminiscing with my parents about a turquoise, sparkly pair of trousers and matching bolero I had when I was 7 - ‘Oh the one in the blue durex material?’ I exclaimed. Then, as my parents fell about laughing, I realised what I’d said!
Dx
I think I have the same virus as you Twinky, cough all I may but nothing shifts, hoping to go to the 'cough it up for all your worth bench’Is there one??? It would be so much nicer if I didn’t have the constant rattle…perhaps its a grass snake, come to eat the cockroaches…ummmm now there’s a thought!! It could be an Adder as I know they like it round here as I’ve seen 2 while I live here, one in Blenhem Palace, anf the other on my snowdrop walk…i LIFTED THE SNOW OFF THEM TODAY AND THEY ALL POPPED UP LIKE BEAUTIES :O) opppppppps cap lock!!
I hope your all fast asleep
Luv to all on whichever bench your on, come on CM, find a nicer bench tomorrow and chillax…
Clare xxx
Morning Clare
Yes still coughing away but getting nowhere. Must be a virus as I still feel so drained & have to keep going to bed during the day. So frustrating as I don’t want my chemo start delayed & also need a portacath fitted before then. Not sure my body can cope with anything else at the moment.
I do hope the steroids help you shift your cold quickly. I’m fed up of the rattling chest too. Don’t normally get chest problems as I sing a lot ( and have good lung volume according to the physio who checked my lung function after my MX).
It’s hubby’s birthday today. Luckily I ordered his present online although I would have liked to buy some extra bits & pieces. I had no idea I would be so unwell over the last week. Seeing my Onc later to confirm accepting chemo. He’s going to think I’m a right case blubbing at our first meeting & now me feeling too unwell to start treatment. I hope he’s sympathetic as I don’t want to delay it but I’m really not well.
Here’s hoping most of you are tucked up snoring gently…
Twinky x