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4 Letter Words
1. krayker16 July 2010, 13:45 GMT +02:00
You can only change ONE letter, AND/OR rearrange the letters currently available. The first word is:
WINS
8210. Ayla8710 April 2013, 13:14 GMT +02:00
The carnation in your hair is a nice idea, and this way I keep you busy in that happy place
most
of the time looking for fresh carnations all the time. I think it may take quite a while till I've found you there. It's also a question of when we decide to beam up...
The problem with Mia still is that she seems to have been separated very early by her mum an has obviously missed some education. This makes her somewhat shy and much less interactive than Dani, she doesn't seem to understand what we want sometimes. Maybe she will learn it in time someday, she is still appearing unexperienced and more introvert. Perhaps we expect a bit much from her. It's not her fault that we have given away our favourite cat because she was longing for freedom and now are still comparing a lot...
Your washing machine sounds like a real nuisance. 12 or 13 years are an age where little aches and pains show up more and more, I think we must understand that. With that age I would suppose that even if you repair it chances are good that the next faulty part might show up soon. If you get an estimate of costs for a repair and compare it to what a new machine will cost you the decision won't be that difficult. But beware - repair services often sell new machines, too, so they aren't always interested in calculating cheap estimates of costs.
I hope you had your good news from the doctor by now. After all that trouble it's time for some good news...
8211. xymonau10 April 2013, 14:53 GMT +02:00
I don't think we beam. Someone comes to get us.
With Mia, I guess you have to watch her for her own cues and try to understand her more than a socialised cat. I had to do that with my blind cat - although I suspect he had been around other cats, but of course, he had no visual cues like other cats. Lots of gentle handling and patience will pay off. It took nearly two years for my cat to get over his past, so expect progress to be slow. What exactly is she doing/not doing or not understanding that is a problem? The "shyness" could be because of past abuse.
Yes, I might have to bite the bullet and buy a new one. I need to decide whether I'm staying in this unit first. If I decided to leave and had a machine that was too big for the next place, that could be awkward. I'm obsessed with motorhomes right now, and I think I'm going to look a bit more closely at purchasing one. Definitely not decided. I have to work out if I could actually live in one that I could afford, how to empty the toilet (vital!), whether I could fit in the shower, and most of everything else about them. Also, where I could park the thing without paying exorbitant site fees. But it's my latest interest. I'm sure it will pass.
I phoned the surgery today but the blood results aren't back yet. By tomorrow afternoon I'll be in Brisbane, so if I don't find out tomorrow morning, it will be at least Monday before I know anything. I absolutely
must
get back to work on Monday, pain or no pain. It will be with pain, as my hand is getting more sore again. The injection was a bit of a waste of time. I might ask to go on a course of cortisone tablets for a week or so to see if that helps.
8212. Ayla8711 April 2013, 10:57 GMT +02:00
Mias current shyness may well be a result of how she has been treated by Dani in those four months, that's true. When she came here she jumped around happily and very vivid in the first days (before she was desexed). What we miss most is a larger portion of curiosity for the things going on around her. It's a bit hard to catch her attention sometimes. When you try to communicate with her she seems to ask "what do you want?" She looks quite irritated then and doesn't know what to do. It is as you say, only with patience this will
just
gradually get better. It's a learning process certainly.
Before you buy a motorhome, isn't it possible to test it first? A test run for a car is taken for granted as well, and the decision for a motorhome is even more momentous. Can you show me some photos in which directions you are thinking? There are so many different variations on the market.
As I write this I suppose you will be on your way to Brisbane again. I have no idea if Motels offer internet access or if you will have to stay offline till you are back home again. I have learned in the cloister that it is not too hard for me to spend some days offline, but of course it feels unfamiliar...
Have your exercises for your hands and wrists begun already, and are they of any help?
8213. Groningen13 April 2013, 20:04 GMT +02:00
Tomorrow (Sunday) promises to bring fine weather! I
lust
for sunshine!!!
8214. Ayla8714 April 2013, 8:16 GMT +02:00
Yes, the sunshine is somewhat overdue this year. We have
lost
some weeks already in the vegetation period. We'll wait another week for the frosty nights to finally dissapear and then we will start to sow our plant mixture for the bees in front of our window, because we are beegood people.
http://www.mellifera.de/mellifera/mellifera.en.root/index.html
We take the "Bienenschmaus Saatgut"
http://www.alnatura.de/de/zukunft-saeen-das-vielfalterleben-saatgut
it consists of a mixture of 8 pretty flowers:
http://www.alnatura.de/de/produkt/33563
8215. xymonau14 April 2013, 8:17 GMT +02:00
My trip home was, at
last,
in sunshine. It rained on the way down, so heavily that I couldn't see the road at times. Really dangerous. But after an incredibly miserable day yesterday with heavy rain all day, this morning the sun burst forth, and only scudding flat bottomed cumulo nimbus and cirrus clouds decked the sky.
I have been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, but because the test that indicated an infection wasn't back, I can't be started on immune-suppressant drugs. I am a bit nervous about them, but they stop further damage to the joints. She said I would have to take them forever. Not what I want, so I have to look around first. If I have an infection, that may be the cause, so treatment would be different. Or I might have both, and treatment would still be different. She wanted me back in two weeks, but no appointments. So I'm on a cancellation list, but am likely to have to wait a month. In the meantime she put me on cortisone tablets. Had my first dose today and I noticed a mild improvement already. Again, not my idea of fun, but right now I need some relief, and I think this will help.
My mother had osteo and rheumatoid arthritis in her hands, at about my age, so I guess that's where it came from.
I had two exhausting nights with the girls, but last night on my own. I slept like a log last night. They decided they wanted to come to the doctor's with me. They were very good and quiet, so it was okay.
So I'm back, exhausted, and I have to clean out my car. It's unloaded, but lots of rubbish in there from the girls and the trip. Their two week school holidays ended on Friday and they're back to school on Monday. And I'm going to work tomorrow, no matter how I feel. I'll have no money left if this continues.
As for the splinting, I think that will happen anyway, but I have no appointment yet. I will probably have to go out of town for that as well. Possibly the Sunshine Coast - an hour north of Brisbane.
Have you checked Mia for deafness or short sight? Some cats are just not as reactive, particularly after desexing. And she could have pain from that. Unless its severe, cats don't look sick and can just want to be left alone.
8216. Ayla8715 April 2013, 13:05 GMT +02:00
We have sunny weather, so all signs are on go for the "Bienenschmaus" I mentioned above. I still have observed that I like a little bit clouded sky more than purely clear blue sky. It is more interesting to look at...
Rheumatoid arthritis is no nice diagnose. Christas mum had id, too. This means that Christa will have to deal with it one day sooner or later as well probably. And how will you be tested about the status of the infection in two weeks? I hope you don't always have to let them play with your veins again?
I suppose your colleagues were happy to have you back at work today.
I'm astonished to hear that you expect to drive even farther than Brisbane for the splinting. I'd have thought Brisbane would be the largest city in your area and you would find the greatest variety of medical offers there and not farther away?
We have no indications for deafness (she usually comes when I call for her) or shortsightedness as far as Mia is concerned. But she is ill right now and we don't now as yet what it is. She has high fever about 40 °C, the vet has given her an antibiotic to get it down in the first place. We are afraid that it might be leucosis. Tests are to follow wednesday, we won't get the results before next monday. This illness often develops in batches. Maybe she was infected already before she came to us and the stress with Dani didn't do her any good of course... We are quite devastated. One catastrophe after another... After all this should mean that Mia won't get very old if the tests confirm our fears. Things might go very
fast
then because we wouldn't want her to suffer for a long time. Poor thing! Didn't have much of a wonderful life until now...
8217. Groningen15 April 2013, 18:48 GMT +02:00
had a miserable day today
the vet had to put down both of my gerbils; Oscar and Alfred.
They had tumors, Alfred on his belly and Oscar in his head, poor things!
I do want a new couple of gerbils
but not right now.
(photo's of O&A on my Facebook)
8219. Ayla8716 April 2013, 7:11 GMT +02:00
Oh, I'm very sorry to read that, Christine. How long have they been with you? It's always so hard to
part.
Will look up the photos of O&A later, I don't go to Facebook while I'm here at work. And what a coincidence that you lost both at the same time, I find this really hard. But perhaps it is better for both of them, they can wander along the rainbow together now and won't get separated...
I can well understand that you need some time to calm down a little bit, but I could imagine you won't keep alone very long. Tell us if you have new comrades and show us some new photos. I think O&A would like to see you happier as soon as possible, too.
Mia didn't jump out of her bed this morning as usual, she appeared quite weak and I was afraid we'd have to put her down today. A bit later she got up and then she even begun to eat and drink a bit, so obviously the antibiotic is helping. That was close. We still suspect that she has leucosis, which tells us that she may have only some short time to live. I think while she is still so weak we better won't stress her with those blood tests, that might only increase the batches of that illness.
8220. xymonau16 April 2013, 12:15 GMT +02:00
Oh, this is all very sad. Christine, I am so sorry. I know what it's like to put pets down, and the last time was so bad for me that I can't bear to get another cat. I have my birds, and I worry about them all the time. I hope you feel okay soon. I'm really sorry.
Michael, I am sorry your poor little cat is so sick. I hope the antibiotics work. I'm not sure we have that disease here, but I looked it up online. Is it something they can give a blood transfusion for? I once had a cat with cat 'flu saved via that. I just hope she can rally her strength. Poor little thing.
8222. Ayla8717 April 2013, 6:53 GMT +02:00
pets which have to suffer are very hard to bear, I wonder who invented this challenge. In my eyes it is
crap
there comes very little joy and good experiences for the rest of our lifes we can learn out of these situations (only hope not to have to suffer again).
Mia is slowly getting better, she drinks from time to time, but her appetite is still not very good. She is still on antibiotics, the vet will see her again today. I think we all have to be patient and have to be thankful for every bit of progress.
How does it feel to be back at work now?
Christine, the photos of O&A look so cute... I'm sure they will be happily playing in heaven together now...
8223. Groningen17 April 2013, 17:36 GMT +02:00
thanks Ayla and Dez!
I found a peaceful place for them under a rododendron-shrub in the
park.
I hope Mia will recover.
8224. xymonau18 April 2013, 15:45 GMT +02:00
That's a lovely resting place.
How is Mia today?
I've had a challenging week, with an incident on Monday just to remind me of where I work. I managed to put the fear in a few people, which I hate having to do, but if you back down in my environment, you're asking for trouble. I was never assertive naturally.
Fortunately, my hands have been good. They seem to be getting a bit sore again, but the cortisone is really helping. However, it's making me a bit crazy - anger and tears. I hope it can all settle down eventually so I can stop taking it. I don't think I can have the other immune suppressant drugs until they decide whether I have an infection or not. They can't make a decision for another several months. I am definitely feeling a bit hyper, and slightly crazy. It might be easier to have the pain if this gets too bad. It's a great drug for helping, but the side effects are really nasty.
It's all a
part
of life on this planet, I guess.
8225. Ayla8719 April 2013, 7:05 GMT +02:00
I like the rhododendon resting place, too.
Mia is still on antibiotics, the vet will see her again today to give her the next injection (she smells pills we try to give her miles against the wind...). She is still very thin, but she eats and drinks quite regularly so we hope things will get better and better. As it is basically a deadly disease there is always the danger of setbacks, we can't get a reliable prognosis. The development mainly depends on the individual constitution of the cat, so only time can tell. We have no idea how long that
path
is which we are allowed to walk together. Mia smooches a lot, so we all make the best of it.
I don't like conflicts either and look for harmony wherever possible at work and in my private life, but of course it doesn't always work out that way. Sometimes you just have to enforce your opinion. It's as you said, if you back down there trouble would be immanent.
Months of cortisone wouldn't be a good idea when it has so strong side effects. I still can't understand why the doctors take months to decide about your further treatment. What are they waiting for? The blood tests are there, the results can't possibly take that long. An infection, if you have one, as far as I understand it, is something quite acute, so it should be gone after a week or two and should not be a matter of months. Perhaps the doctors want to keep you busy wondering what all this is about so that the months are passing by faster?
8226. xymonau19 April 2013, 7:53 GMT +02:00
I think because it may be a long term viral thing, and the results are inconclusive each time, it will take that long to develop fully, or go away. If the result is the same - inconclusive - then they will assume something else is causing the result. They say I may have come in contact with an infection rather than actually developed one, and that may have caused the weak response. But if I happen to be in the early stages of something and they suppress my immune system, it can be fatal. Therefore, my GP said it would be my decision to make. And I don't want to take even the smallest risk unless someone can give me a definitive answer. I'm sure I'm fine (judging by the way I feel), but caution is warranted in my mind. I'll discuss it further with the rheumatologist next time.
I am likely to be on cortisone for a few months anyway, and while I really want to have the minimum, it has bee a real relief to lose the pain. Today my hands are much more sore, and I am worried that I might have to increase the dose. I'm a bit unemotional about it, though. I have decided to accept the treatment as is, unless I find I'm worse off with it. I know it can sneak up to bite me, but I don't know what else to do. Still, I have been at work all week, functioning well enough, and comparatively pain-free, so I feel really happy about that. And it's Friday! I'll savour this weekend more
than
some others, now I'm back at work.
On Sunday I'm going to look at a horrible little house for sale. I doubt that I'll buy it, but it is in my range for being able to pay the deposit. If it has any structural issues, then I can't. I don't have the ability or money for major repairs. However, I can paint and scrub, and afford small incremental changes. We'll see. It will be interesting to see inside the place. It's not too far from where I currently live. I have seen photos of the interior, and it's more than ugly. I just think it might be worth the risk to buy, and I'm very tired of renting from a landlord that won't do repairs.
8227. Groningen19 April 2013, 18:20 GMT +02:00
Yes it is going to happen!
I'm getting new gerbils!
Two brothers, they are 6 weeks old now, one is black the other nutmeg colored.
But I will have to wait two more weeks before I can collect them.
Fourteen days and
then
gerbils! Yes yes yes
8228. xymonau19 April 2013, 22:53 GMT +02:00
That's wonderful, Christine! I've never seen anything but a photo of a gerbil, but they're super cute. You'll have to put some photos of them on here. Have you decided on names for them yet? How do you keep them? In a cage or a tank? And do they get smelly like rats and mice? I'm sure
they
will have a loving home with you.
8229. Ayla8720 April 2013, 10:09 GMT +02:00
Great news, Christine, and now it's only 13 days left before we can get to see
them
There is a shoe shop near the place where we lived before which has a large tank with gerbils in his shop window for years now. They are very cute to watch. Christa and I have very frequently stopped by there to watch them. They are good at climbing around and playing with each other, sandbathing is also a great hobby of them.
8230. Groningen20 April 2013, 19:47 GMT +02:00
I keep them in a large glass tank and some people don't like the smell of male gerbils but I don't mind, just clean up regular.
I have decided to name them "Ed" and "Willem". Now this is a bit of a Dutch joke.
Ed and Willem were two beaver-puppets in an old childrens tv-programme "Fabeltjeskrant". They were a cross between a construction-worker and a handy-man. Gerbils are always demolishing or moving around objects in their home (redecorating) so I think it is an apt name.
Since gerbils hate water but do like to keep their coats clean they take baths in sand! They also love gnawing on carton rolls or boxes; nibbling pumpkin-pits and sleeping on top of each other!
I don't give them
meat.
For protein I give them something called egg-food. That is made for nesting birds but is really useful for rodents too. It smells delicious like freshly baked cake mmmmm.
8231. xymonau21 April 2013, 10:15 GMT +02:00
I love their names. Do some people feed them meat? In the wild, would they eat it? Egg is pretty good protein for a lot of animals. I give my cockatiels egg sometimes. They'd eat all people food if they could. They sound so cute. I had mice when I was a teenager. They were super cute. But not
tame
enough to handle all the time.
Michael, how is Mia?
Oh, and I signed a contract for a house today.
8232. Ayla8721 April 2013, 12:17 GMT +02:00
That's great to sign a contract before somebody else could come along and
take
away that house. I hope it's going to be a place to make you and your birdies happy for a very very long time. How large are the house and the premises - much work there in the garden ahead of you? Now I'm curious to see some photos...
Mia is improving from day to day. She has eaten canned food today for the first time in several days now, which is another progress showing growing appetite.
Christine, which one is going to be Ed and which one will be Willem, so that we don't confuse them?
8233. xymonau21 April 2013, 13:20 GMT +02:00
Oh, dear - no photos. It's possibly the worst house in town, but the price was what I could afford. The kitchen is just dreadful - old rotten cupboards and awful sink, etc. The toilet was unspeakable, and I hope they clean that properly before they go. It's going to need some restumping, and a lot of handyman work. The shed (carport) is made of fibrolite, which is full of asbestos, and it doesn't have a concrete floor - just dirt - so it will be a real challenge to paint it to keep the fibres from detaching. Unfortunately, there are so many old houses that used asbestos in the past. The yard is tiny. There is a little porch out front, with no roof, and a little porch out back with a roof, but in the open. I can put the birds there sometimes. A big dog wandered in and the agent said it's the neighbour's. That might pose a problem for the birds, but I'll have to see what happens. At least I can let them fly inside if it's my house they're chewing up. No, there is nothing nice about it at all, but it sdidn't smell funny, and I just felt I could cope with living there. And I got it for a lot less than they were asking. I owned a home before - I built it - lots of years ago, and I thought I'd never find another one. I still have to go begging for finance, but I think I'll get it. And if I don't, I'm no worse off than I was. It should all be finalised within 35 days. EEK! I have no idea how I'm going to get the work done. Just have to
make
myself do it.
That is such good news about Mia. Do you ever feed her fresh meat? I know some cats don't like it.
