Brencoot Xx I was listening to radio 2 yesterday and sufferers of anxiety and depression have found meditation working really well with the CBT. A listener said he makes sure he meditates for at least 5 mins a day. I was complaining to a friend I don’t do enough fitness and she said you must make time, the man on the radio says he makes time. So for my new years I am going to make time for the important stuff and lose the unimportant stuff in my life. I am going to make time Xx any ideas for the recipe brencoot, how does your routine evolve any tips Xx 2009 you have been a great inspiration to me all of us Xx Thank you for your inspiration Xxx

Hello Chloe, how are you? I hope you aren’t being too badly affected by this weather. I can’t believe how long it’s lasting. It just goes to show you what a good climate we have got, cos something like this is so unusual, yet in many countries it is the norm for this time of year. It is playing havoc with my exercise though. I can do exercise at home, but I like to keep my exercise balanced with things like running and cycling too. going out on my road bike is definitely out the question, but I decided to stuff this weather and got up early to go for a run this morning, which wasn’t too bad. I’m sure people thought I was an idiot, especially cos I had shorts on, but hey-ho!

Funny you should mention about your routine cos me and my wife have been talking about that. We both want to change our routine. 1 thing we want to do is make more time to read. She has more time to read at the moment cos her hours at work have been cut back, but that wasn’t quite what we had in mind! I guess the saying be careful what you wish for applies here!!! It’s really hard to change your routine isn’t it? I guess just deciding what you enjoy doing and what you don’t, and wherever possible cut out the things you don’t enjoy. Problem is, in my experience, you only do the things you don’t enjoy cos you have to, so you can’t just decide to just NOT do them.

This is just my opinion, but I think meditation can actually come in different forms. People think of it as sitting cross legged in quiet, but for me, I think exercise is almost like meditation cos it’s something that takes my mind off other things/problems.

I’m hoping that the bad luck is going to change now I’m in 2010, so trying to positive, but I also realise that you have to act yourself to make things good, cos things rarely just change of their own accord. I think that thinking positively is the first step, as you mentioned, but then it’s really important to also act on those positive thoughts, and that’s sometimes tricky but important. However, like you said, health is THE most important thing, so we should make it our resolution to do all we can to protect our good health.

Well, I’m off to try to sort out one of my problems now!

I hope you are OK

I hope your problem sorts itself out for the better, lifes a bitch yet as I get older I realise she had my interests at heart Xx One of our post ladies wears shorts all year round and she does get looks yet she does have wonderful legs bless her Xx Do you find you legs go red with the cold. The nuns used to make us girls wear short skirts to play hockey at school, our legs went red. They use to open all the windows at night whatever the weather and us girls never got ill. We have tried it here to get fresh air and given up with the cold and closed it. Did you legs sting and tingle when you got in the shower or bath. One of my relatives used to have freezing cold showers in the morning to get his circulation going. One of the people I use to work with was a sports scientist and he told me to run swim and cycle instead of sticking to one exercise it stops my knees getting bad. Wayne Dyer says he meditates while he runs. Another one who agrees with you. We had friends around today to go sledging and chatting at tea time my friend said to my husband to sign up for a cycle ride so he trains and becomes committed like the Brighton to London. My husband said Oh I’ll drive it and have a look, my friend said dont it’ll put you off and laughed. I used to buy a monthly ticket for swim fit and that made me get out of bed in the morning to swim. I used to lodge with friends years ago and they would bang on my bedroom door 5:30 am to make me get up to go for a swim or a run. Your very, extremely good to be motivated to go every day. The friend that was here does triathlon and marathons and she is amazing after recovery from breast cancer. I agree with you, yes I can become so engrossed in something for me it is meditative, when I used to swim every morning on my own having my head under the water was serene and I would chant positive affirmations in my head to create a rhymn or tune. My husband bought me a DVD on meditation for christmas which I haven’t watched yet. I usually like to sit quietly and concentrate on a third eye on my forehead. A friend from India said to look at a candle and remove all other thoughts from my mind and concentrate on the candle. The lady on the radio 2 said to concentrate on your breathing, I guess I really concentrate on my breathing when I used to run. I used to run with a girlfriend at work, collegues would laugh how I the chatter box talked all the way around the circuit. One friend took me scuba diving in a swimming pool and said to my friends she can even talk under water and I did ha ha well to get a laugh gurgling with bubbles teee heee and ran out of air for all my showing off. Ummm yes our friends were discussing their future tonight and her husband isn’t happy with his job, we all agreed in his absence we should encourage him to do horticulture, he loves it and knows all his plants even in latin. He is amazing and we agreed we all must help him and encourage him to follow his dream. When I am doing something I am passionate about I forget to eat and when I am bored I pick at food. I feel for me it is the just do it, I need somebody to push me hold my hand ...why? I used to exercise so much that if I missed a day I felt guilty now I feel guilty if I do exercise because I am having time for me. Yet I need that time for me. My husband repeats one of my saying back to me, you need to look after the host so us parasites can survive ha ha. My friends put their exercise first and everything else follows, I need to think positively be more concerned for my health and my needs. Just do it Xx Thanks because you are a great reminder to do that. I also encourage my friends to believe a problem is a challenge its their time to show people what they are made of giving them the opportunity to show to themselves and others what they are capable of. Thomas Edison Marie Curie had lots of setbacks, I bet the guys from Dragons Den never have it run smooth. I have always found when things haven’t gone my way there was room for improvement and I was glad I gave it another go, I guess it takes time trial and error to evolve change focus change direction. Mind you I find that changing fashions and trends can destroy some things like it destroyed things like the Beattles Fleetwood mac and Fat Face fashion I used to love it now I am not so keen ha ha. I guess its the old cliche I need a bad time to see the good in a good year. So I hope your 2010 is your year. I have found I can’t change the way people are so for me its loving what is or moving on if it makes me unhappy. Actually its good for you to mention that about meditation because when I think its about sitting cross legged around my family in the house I get self conscious and wait till I am on my own. yet I can do it in my head just thinking of the sound ah! I think of ah! and do it quietly to myself so all I concentrate on is the ah ha ha. I can do this in the shower ironing and where ever I am stops the negatives slipping in. I realise I can tell them to go away. The lasy on radio 2 called it mindful meditation. Yet I find my mind empties and becomes serene. So its not a mind full ha ha. I found watching the squirels and birds in the garden makes me shut of and get that yummy feeling. I have putting the hair drier on the goats they come to the back door to have a little blast they are so cute and I have been giving them warm water to drink. I hope they survive this bad spell thats when I worry Xx Remember Elvis sang in King Creole the man who can sing when he hasn’t got a thing is the king of the whole wide world Xxx

Sorry I rattled on for so long Xx was worried about you Xx How was your challenge yesterday bet it wasn’t boring mundane bet it makes you wiser stronger and full of character building stuff Xx bet it makes you see what your made of time to prove your wonderful, because without those challenges who would know your achievements would never exist Xx bet you wished you hadn’t mentioned it to me now Xx My husband got really angry he forgot to pay his credit card bill and they fined him gosh he was cross, I turned around and said to him you forgot to pay that when you were busy saving yourself a £1000 on the other quote you had the other day (price he needed at work) xx he just smiled and said yeah and gave me a hug Xx Hope your ok Xx

Hows it going? Much planned for the weekend?

When I’m running in shorts, my legs don’t really get that cold and don’t really go that red. I ften find that my legs don’t get cold.

Interesting you said that the girls at your school never got itt even though the windows were left open cos I heard recently that getting ill is all about germs etc., nothing to do with temperature, and I often thought that colder places are probably healthier cos germs can’t breed/multiply so quickly.

Unfortunately, the problem I wanted to get sorted out yesterday, actually got worse. I was trying to sort out my heating cos my heating and hot water packed up about 4 weeks ago (good timing with this weather! I was a bit annoyed cos it sounds like the previous owners, we only moved in about 5 months ago, knew about this problem, but didn’t tell us), but no! Another British Gas (I wanted British Gas to do it cos apparently my house is on their “black list”, I didn’t know they had a “black list”!) bloke came out yesterday to have a chat about what kind of boiler I need. Right from the start he was confusing the hell out of me cos everything he was saying contradicted the previous guy from British Gas. Then right at the end it all became irrelevant anyway cos what I’d been told was gonna cost me £5,000-5,500 (ridiculous anyway I thought, but wanted to get off the so-called “black list”), they are now trying to say would probably cost £8,000!!! They’ve gotta be having a laugh! The guy himself admitted it seemed steep and said he thought there might be a mistake and would look into it, but today said it seemed like it might be right. He’s checking something else, but I told him that if it’s right, I’m gonna cancel the job and get someone else in. That’s crazy! They are supposed to be starting work next week. One of many bad things to be happening at the moment! Oh well!

Anyway, I’ll stop going on about my issues. Hope you have a good weekend

Brencoot Xx that is horrible ahhhhhhh!!! how rotten. British Gas Bloke wanted to condem my boiler in my last house 1990’s and put a new one in for £1000 I said are you having a laugh on my service contract you have replaced every part apart from the case which yes is 20 years old yet all the contents are brand new. Your looking at a brand new boiler with an old case. I bet they stung the next person who bought my house. Why they are being so daft and greedy when there are 101 companys who need the work and willing to travel miles in this recession. We can’t have gas being so far out in the country sorry I got the wrong end of the stick I thought it was work, teach me to assume with all my ‘gasing’ I should haven’t have guesed ! Oh gosh I hope you discover a really nice bob the boiler and give him a job at a decent price. Awkward b’s at the gas company rotten old greedy need. We are all oil around here and calor gas bottles outside. Wish I knew somebody they would be happy to travel 100’s of miles for the work around here. There is no work around. I can hear trigger on only fools and horses saying his broom has lasted 20 years its had 14 handles and 17 heads, that reminds me of my old boiler is there any chance are you sure thats not the same with your old boiler Xx there are only a couple of parts a heat exchanger and a jet thing if I remember rightly same as inside a bit like a washing machine they only have a few things inside, is the new boiler made of gold !!! or just arthritic and need a gold injection. Can they replace the parts ? I hope you discover a wonderful company out there that needs your cash and support Xx Good Luck Xx hug Xx

Hello, how are you? Did you have a good weekend? Any good happening in your life at the moment?

My boiler is completely wrecked! It’s only 2 years old, but the whole system is so bad that it has ruined the boiler (a cheap boiler I must say) in a short time. My house is only 10 years and has been through at least 2 boilers now, so I need to change all the pipes as well to prevent it happening again. That’s life!

Yeah, I remember that Only Fools and Horses moment too!

I see that people like Kayfer and Hope haven’t been on here much recently, which I’m hoping is a good sign for them.

Well, I hope all is well with you. Take it easy.

Oh dear Thats a shame Xx I know your clever enough to know about the parts I just like to remind you myself and others not to be bullied by one service when you can go elsewhere and make somebody else day by getting the job, martin lweis reminds people constantly how changing providers people can change money Xx wanted to inspire you my wonderful friend Xx yes Xx both beautiful woman are well and happy now Xx no news is good news they know where to come to find us Xx I saw in friends house whereby they had plastic pipes, screw together joints and push fittings for their plumbing no expensive welding anymore. Hope this adventure draws a happy conclusion Xx

Hello Chloe, how are you? Weather any better with you yet? How are your animals coping? Must make taking care of them difficult. The snow has started to thaw a bit here, but that created some amazingly bad black ice on the roads around our estate this morning. Cars were sliding everywhere. I saw 5 cars spin in about 5 mins on my way to work and numerous people slipping over. I’ve never known anything like it.

Well, I hope you are OK and that your animals are fine in this weather.

Brencoot XxIt snowed again last night the road was blocked with cars, a lorry jack knifed a bus hit a car and blocked the road and there was another accident the other side of town. My daughters school was open yet only 2 teachers turned up and the village children anybody outside walking distance did not come in. My husband said they said on the radio that schools have children within a mile radius so they can walk to school. I said to him have you tried walking on the pavement ???? it is hell I walk along the road when I have been going anywhere, and the road was just as slippery too. I pulled into the cashpoint in the car last night and drove into a massive pile of snow. There were these lads in the pub all stood looking out the window at me the idiot, why did I do something so stupid. Anyway with my pint in each hand audience watching me I sat in the car did a little quick prayer said God please get me out of this pile of snow, my heart pounding, the lads watching, please GOD I put the car in 2nd gear and smiled at god, I pulled away, he he I was feeling sooooo relieved I had not made an iodiot of myself infront of the lads ha ha ha what am I like ? Have you made progress with your boiler Xx I made coats for the goats it was Jean who suggested it. They are as warm as toast I put my hand under the coat and they are beautiful warm with warm ears I am so happy. I have been finding branches and leaves for them to eat too Xx I am being nudged off the computer now by hubbie catch you later xx

Hello Chloe, how are you? You mentioned in your other post about laughter being important, so if you had given those lads in the pub a laugh, would that really have been so bad!?! You would’ve been halping them!! The ice was an absolute nightmare for walking and driving for a couple of days wasn’t it. I havebn’t said this very often, but I’m glad it’s rained for the last day or so to wash the ice away.

Well, I hope you have a good weekend. Any plans?

Hello Brencoot Xx I thought it was a hilarious Bridgette Jones moment at the pub, yes I gave them a laugh Xx I am guessing if I had got stuck they all would have come out and pushed me better than them not being bothered or even noticing. I did feel self conscious at the time and wanted curl up like a hedgehog Xx This weekend I am hynotising a smoker Xx Its my friends sister so she is giving my friend (her sister) the money and if she gives up her sister shall give the money back to her. Its worked before. My husband hates it and get really frustrated when I offer free therapy. I understand where he is coming from yet when I charge friends they start charging me ! and keeping score and I hate all that. We ‘ll all be even when we’re six foot under. A elderly accquaitaince said to me after he attended several friends funerals how all the squabbling arguing and who has owed who money was all a big waste of time and he wished he could take it all back. Colin Fry the clairvoyant discusses the same in his book. I think of my old dear friend who has since gone to heaven at a very ripe old age, and I learnt a valuable lesson from him. So I let it be yet it makes my husband mad. He likes to make money and I fail him when I behave like this. Yet I recall the man on radio 2 striving and working really hard to make lots of money and he burnt himself out. We have what we need and I am happy and comfortable and gain more from the loving relationship of my friends than the money. I have a friend who has stolen from me on several occassions and my husband and I are aware she has done this. She has stolen from my other friends too yet we continue to be her friend because it would cause so much pain upset and hurt for the sake of several hundred pounds worth of stuff there would all out war and the children get upset. It was a decision we constantly make xx Yet we are not giving our permission for friends to steal from us either, we are more cautious and aware, it is such a great shame. What do we do chose peace or choose confrontation ? Sorry I rattled on I best go and prepare my notes Xx Have you got any plans ? I hope you have a wonderful weekend. We are hoping to take the puppy dog training, I shall let you know how it all goes Xx

Hello Chloe, how are you?

I like the comment about being even when we are 6 feet under. That is very true, and maybe a good way to look at it. The whole issue of doing things for free for friends has come up at work a few times cos it seems that more and more people charge friends the same as they’d charge anyone else for jobs, which a few of my colleagues have not been happy with recently, especially as they say they usually do stuff for free or at least at a massively discounted rate. Tricky one though cos I guess you never know what kind of financial situation other people are in. I sometimes think it’s just better not to mix friends and any kind of business/money thing, full stop! I hope you can help your friend’s sister though.

By the way, those acronyms you were thinking of, well, it’s not easy is it? I’ve been trying to give it some thought, but really struggling. Actually struggling to narrow it down to just a few key things that are important in conquering depression. I’ll keep thinking.

Well, hope you are OK.

Brencoot Xx My husband would agree with you whole hearted Xx However now he has been with me some time we have made a pact never to charge a friend. My husband and I have learnt from past mistakes asking for money off friends, long story !!! Its not easy thinking of the acronyms I have to be in the mood Xx I made another one for Blue Monday. Today is meant to be the most depressing day of the year. I copied and pasted it from the web. My friend heard about it on the breakfast television, yet I didn’t hear anything on radio 2. I like to listen and potter at the same time. I would love to make a depression can be fun one. D - Discuss E- express your feelings P- professional help R - read about other people and find your not alone E - enjoy meeting new people S - start making friends S - share your problems with others I - ? I need to go now my daughter is being a pickle and I am needed Xx chloe

I - Identify your strong and wonderful O - open up and get it out N- never underestimate how wonderful it is to be heard and have somebody listen to you C - come to terms with the fact your going to get better A - ask your friends on the forum for comfort and support B - be around other like minded people E - exercise your power of speech F - Fun chatting away to other people U - understand your illness better N - nutrition hear all about the latest herbs and vitamins to help beat the blues HUG XX Chloe Xx