Best Friends Club

[ArraDreaming]

Yeah, a little cloudy with a little wind but its not too bad @rav3n the air is warm
it’s been ok, quiet. my son got his cast off and pins out on Friday late, he had to have surgery, and was a couple little things that came up from that but came home from hospital yesterday, my mother in law came down as well just to be around for some support because Mrs arradreaming was in the hospital with him, so we just chilled yesterday and said goodbye to her in the arvo. The little bug is feeling a lot better today and is out playing in the yard with the other two kids, he was a bit dosed up yesterday
Our plans today are just probably do the same… house jobs and take the kids for a walk and things

[rav3n]

ah that's nice! i just looked out my window and there's already a lot more blue in the sky, i can feel it warming up a bit more @ArraDreaming 

i know that hospitals can be a nerve-wracking and sometimes an uncomfortable place to be, it must be a relief to finally be finished with your son's cast and surgery! did your son like the hospital food? i remember when i was a kid i took advantage of the ice cream and jelly they offered. 
it's really lovely of your mother-in-law to come to support you all! so happy to hear that your kiddo is doing a lot better today. already bouncing back to running around seems like a great sign! 

[ArraDreaming]

Weird that just happened here too haha are you at my house??

Yeah he has to wear a sling for 2 weeks still but really glad to have that cast off, @rav3n all of us are! that was a hectic 6 weeks now we just have to try and keep him from doing too much for a couple more weeks…
in saying that though he has been loving the royal treatment, the past 6 weeks he has been getting pushed around in the double pram with his sister everywhere like a king, getting presents from everyone, in public people would say oh you poor little thing and he would just smirk,
Absolutely lapping it up! sorry dude, times up 😂😂
@rav3n what are your plans for the rest of the weekend

[rav3n]

‌‌😂 @ArraDreaming 

good news is that the hardest parts are over for everyone, phew! oh yep sling is defs better than a cast, probably not as fun to graffiti though. hahaha love that he's taking advantage of that royal treatment, he's too good 😂 

did lots of walking in the city yesterday so i'm planning to have a relaxing Sunday night, might go for a quick walk in the evening though. there's a river near my house and the sunsets in that area is usually really nice so might go see it if i have the energy. 

oh also are you still doing the garden club at your work?

[ArraDreaming]

oh that will be nice!! you have just given me the idea that we might do the same tonight but sunsets are a bit late for us right now so we might just do dinner in the evening
just looking around there so many little birds everywhere it’s amazing @rav3n I like this time of year they are just everywhere

I am still doing the garden club, it is going well so far, we missed this week because we a b
holiday in our area for our local horse race/cup day and I got the day off but it is usually weekly, the residents in the garden club know more then I do…. my boss reminded me one day that they will be my biggest teachers because a lot of them had employment in gardening and landscaping for longer then I have been alive, which is a good point, but then I mention things some times and they are amazed a new ideas, for example, did you know when you plant your tomato seedlings… you should plant the root system horizontal and prop the stem of the plant up with the soil, it grows a stronger root system, a lot of people were surprised by this


Today I would like to get my tomato seedlings into the garden but I am wondering if I should hold off for one last little cold snap then do it, I’m not sure @rav3n

[MJG017]

 ahh yep gym memberships are such an expense sometimes 😪

how did the hospital visit go? hope your mother is feeling okay 💙

@rav3n It was just over$800 for each of us!  I see it as if nothing else gets me to the gym, the desire to get my monies worth will.  Each visit brings that cost per visit down! 😁

I didn't get to the hospital yesterday, so planning to go today.  I know it makes me sound horrible but I have mixed feelings of going.  My own family consistes of my mother, brother and sister in law.  None of them have done snything to support me during my own serious health battle over the past couple of years.   When I had surgery in Dec 2022 to have my prostate removed, they visited me in hospital, spent 5 minutes there, said i looked like I was going okay, and left me to it.  To this day, they rarely ask me how im doing, and even then its only at the end of a coversation where they've asked me for a favour.  So im trying to do the right thing but it brings up a lot of issues for me.  But it doesnt stop me doing what I know is right.  Its just not always easy.

[rav3n]

i just checked what the approximate sunset timing is in my area, and it's near 8pm... i don't know why i assumed it would be like 6pm. 😅 @ArraDreaming love the lil birdies as well!! there's so many near the river, they fly too high near the trees for me to get a proper glimpse (plus the lil ones are so fast) but the chirps are so satisfying to hear. 

yayy great to hear garden club is going well! honestly the fact that you all get to learn from each other makes it even better! you're practically getting decades worth of gardening/landscaping tips & tricks for free, pretty cool 😉

oo i didn't know about the tomato seedling! if i'm absolutely honest... i barely know anything about gardening. my mum's a big garden lover, she handles all the plants. we do grow some tomatoes in the backyard so i'll defs pass on this tip to her... i reckon it'll give her shock hearing gardening advice come out of my mouth 😂
is there any must-know things about gardening? how'd you get into gardening?

[rav3n]

@MJG017 haha i use the same membership price logic as you! i was quite lucky to get a super cheap membership near me though, they had a '14 year gym anniversary' promotion when i got mine... however the gym is a 30 min drive (almost 1hr journey back and forth) from me so I do end up spending a lot on fuel... in my head, the fuel costs + cheap gym membership sort of cancel each other out and makes it worth it 😅

it doesn't make you sound horrible at all! family can be complicated, and it's totally fair to have those thoughts and conflicting feelings about visiting. it really sucks they didn't stay longer and check-in more often when you needed them, you definitely deserved better. i think you show a lot of strength, especially in even considering the visit and encouraging yourself to visit, i can imagine it's really difficult giving someone the support you wish you'd received from them. whatever you chose, we're here right behind you on it.

[ArraDreaming]

It depends on what you would like to know, I have a few tips… just ask 🙂 you. Can also ask on the garden thread here cause then other people can see the answer too https://saneforums.org/t5/Social-space/Garden-Club/m-p/1565160#M409146

I did an apprenticeship in landscaping @rav3n it took me a little longer than the standard person because I am not academic and there was a trade school component, I originally wanted to be a sparky but I think the idea of earning some money (as they earn a bit when qualified ) was the driver, not necessarily a love for it or interest and it turns out you haVE to be REALLY smart and know maths, so it was not for me
Got into landscaping, did apprenticeship, worked for myself for a bit, didn’t last long… COVID, $, babies, a serious accident,
then I have had a couple jobs in local plant nurseries and now I am here, gardens and maintenance at a retirement village @rav3n
great job

[rav3n]

thanks for sharing that thread! having a look through now & i actually have 2 lil questions for you @ArraDreaming -
1. if my indoor plant is dying, what's some tips on reviving it besides just watering it 😅 and
2. do you know which floral plants require the least amount of care (in terms of it not needing to be watered as much). i'm trying to start easy hehe

that's a really cool background of experience and learning you have there! yeah sounds like you made a great choice with landscaping, from all my friends who chose jobs based on money over interest, they tend to burn out faster which sucks. really glad you're loving your job, and it really does sound like a great role! does Mrs ArraDreaming work too?