i will be deprived of the wonder that is champdogs for at least a week! gah! going in for an operation on the 29th to remove the strictured (very narrowed) part of my bowel that is effected by my Cronh's disease. I will not be allowed out of my bed for several days after as i'm getting quite the chunk out so i shall be deprived of champdogs. i shall demand morphine just for the pain of it!!

anyway, i'm going to be holed up at my mum and dads in the middle of nowhere for at least a month and for a large chunk of that won;t be feeling very active for a while so need things to do. I will be taking up knitting again and when i'm feeling more able will be baking this years christmas cakes, i've also got a pile of books to read, but can anyone reccommend any more for me? and any films or tv box sets? or other things i can do on a couch?

just to reassure everyone i am not in the least distressed about this, i am delighted as i will be better, hopefully for a long time, after i get it done. i've also been very lucky and got the best surgeon in the department :)

If you like knitting How about Cross stitch??? you could make a cushion for your bed or sofa that will remind you of something good :)
Make sure you stock up on DVD's so you dont have to watch day time TV!!!!!! Tesco's has them for £2 upwards. I bought Love actually today for £5!!
Here is an old thread of DVD's people like :) :) :)
http://www.champdogsforum.co.uk/board/topic/107035.html

And most of all, GOOD LUCK :) :)
Lea :)

ta!

lol, i am very much a beginner knitter- started knitting my bf and his mum christmas stockings lol then will be a hat for my nephew. cross stich sounds pretty good though, will see if i can find any i'm keen on (i fear they may be twee?)

Best wishes for your operation.  Will be sending lots of prayers and thoughts for you!!!!

I do hope you feel better, once the affected part of your bowel is removed. 

(((((((((((((((((hugs))))))))))))))))))))

BTW:  I got some black pudding, and will be eating it for lunch today!!!!!!  (lovely british store down the road from me, that sells all kinds of nice things)

Hi Astarte

You can get cross stitch kits of your breed of dog :) 

Hi Astarte, Just want to wish you the very best, take it easy :) you have a great attitude towards it all :). Hopefully you will be back in no time :)

Only fools and horses box sets, what about making your Christmas cards.

Take care
Hayley x

Just a quick search in google under cross stitch :- http://www.cross-stitch-centre.co.uk/acatalog/animal.html  I personally dont think they look Twee ;) I would love to be able to say I had made one of them :D (and I am only 31 and HATE Twee things LOL but know what you mean :) :) )
Lea :) :)

Hope your op goes well Astarte. If, like me you hate knitting big things, how about knitting for Bonnie Babies, they do kiiting for premature babies at various hospitals and have patterns on their website you can use. You can always do a little blanket if ou are not up to trying the cardies etc. Its my project for winter I've decided :-D
There is also Greyhounds in need you can knit dog coats for them.

If I had a long time off I would get the box sets of House and CSI to watch :-D + a library of novels to read. Or you could do a short OU course (10 point one) if you are really bored !!

> cross stich sounds pretty good though, will see if i can find any i'm keen on (i fear they may be twee?)

lol, I am most definately not a twee woman, not even 'girlie' - hence all my friends & familys amusement at my cross-stitch addiction :) My OH is used to me curled up on the sofa wathcing a grizzly horror film, so is always amused when he finds me stitching.

Cross stitch is very theraputic & the hours just fly by. Any design you can think of you can find, from simple little pics to really deatailed ones, floral, teddies (I love tatty ted :) ), dogs, landscapes, the list is endless.....you can even get companies to turn your own pics into a cross stitch pattern for you - great idea for christams pressies with a personal touch, a family pet, lovingly stitched :) Ebay is good for a bargain.

Other time-passers - puzzle books,  books on a subject you've always wanted to learn more about.

Godd luck with the op & a speedy recovery.

lol, well you shoudl know dexter but was thinking of avoiding funny things as i imagine a giggling fit would be very painful!

actually lea they are quite nice, might give them a go as they look ok to do while in bed or on couch :)

> If, like me you hate knitting big things, how about knitting for [url=http://www.bonniebabies.co.uk/" rel=nofollow]Bonnie Babies[/url], they do kiiting for premature babies at various hospitals and have patterns on their website you can use. You can always do a little blanket if ou are not up to trying the cardies etc. Its my project for winter I've decided :-D
> There is also [url=http://www.greyhoundsinneed.co.uk/howyoucanhelp/howyoucanhelpframe.htm?http&&&www.greyhoundsinneed.co.uk/howyoucanhelp/coat2.htm" rel=nofollow]Greyhounds in need[/url] you can knit dog coats for them.
>

they are lovely ideas but i would not wish my poor attempts at knitting on wee ones and dogs already suffering! poor things might feel obliged to wear them lol :) good idea for when i'm a bit better at it though...i suppose after 2 months i might be :)

> BTW:  I got some black pudding

YAY!!! its so good, really! hope you enjoy it :) (and happy birthday)

> was thinking of avoiding funny things as i imagine a giggling fit would be very painful!

LOL, Yes sorry probably not a good idea then :):)

What about making cross-stitch christmas cards? Or how about combining the cross-stitch and your knitting by making simple blankets with small cross-stitch motifs or initials on.

You can write your xmas pressie wish list and your list of what to buy for others too. How about popping in the charity shops near you before your op and buying lots of novels cheaply and when you've finished, donate them back again :-D

Good luck with your op Astarte and I hope you feel tons better after. xxx

well according to my docs and dexter i will lol.

the cross stich christmas cards might be a good plan- all the patterns seems really expensive though! can anyone suggest somewhere cheap to get them? shall have a shifty at ebay...

novels a plenty coming from my best pal (english graduate lol) and my sister (compulsive geek lol). i believe i am not invited, i am infact required, to read the twilight trilogy. also 'Brisingr' which i've been looking forward to for a bit is out this month and a new conn iggulden one- excellent timing authors!!

Buy some graph paper and draw your own - candles, xmas trees, simple robins, holly etc. The graph paper comes in diff. sizes so buy one with the squares roughly the same as your x stitch material.

Or buy one or two x stitch mags that are doing xmas themes already :) should be plenty of motifs in them

I've just treated myself to a couple of bad girls and a footballers wives box set. Highly enjoyable, forgot home much i used to like these shows, the bad girl dvd sets i have have 16 eps on each box set. Thats 16 hours plus extra's! I also love fat friends and treated myself to the three dvds last month. Some very good deals to be had on ebay!! Best wishes Lois :-)

would that work with tracing paper...none to artistic lol :)

Good Luck for the surgery, come back and let us know how you are as soon as you can!!

Good luck with your surgery and wishing you a speedy recovery :-)

how about a jigsaw? ive just watched cutting it series 1,2,3,4 what a bargain they where and lloved every minute. do you like the lord of the rings trilogy? they go on for hours and the more you watch them the better they are. wishing you lots of luck with your op, you sound positive and thats part of the healing process, take care xx

good luck with your op.
Hope you heal fast.
Enjoy your time on the sofa.
i will be thinking of you.

The '24' boxsets are fab & will keep you entertained for hours on end.

I haven't got any great ideas I'm afraid but just wanted to wish you all the best for your op and recovery.

Take extra special care of your self, pamper your self excessively and rest when told to. xx

Good luck, Kim.  Hope you are back here with us in fine fettle soon :-)

Sorry haven't got any ideas for things to do ;)

Just wishing you Luck with the op and a speedy recovery.  

Follow the Doc's instructions and you'll soon be up and around like new :)

I found Lavender Original Source smellies  lovely after an op :-D and putting lavender essential oil on a lightbulb ring very helpful too :)

Another idea. What about simple salt dough items as stocking fillers. Really cheap - just salt and plain flour mixed to a dough with water - and use like plasticine! cooked in oven, painted and varnished, you could make lots of fridge magnets etc ( flowers, initials, piggies, sheep etc) anything thats relevant to the person really. Just glue a magnet to the back after the varnish is dry.

Kills 2 birds with 1 stone :-D Keeps you occupied and plenty of pressies for Christmas!!

Like this

Just wanted to wish you well and say I hope the op goes well - and have a speedy recovery.
Take care xx :-)

Best of luck with your surgery and a quick recovery.  

Thinking of projects is a great idea. Ages ago I had a big op and took up needlework and it helped me to pass the time doing something new and different.

How about handmaking all of your Christmas cards this year?  You can buy the blank cards and envelopes and then stamp, stencil or paint them as you like.  People will be *so* impressed they have something unique.

Hope all goes well for you Kim :)
No help on what to do on a couch without causing serious injury or offence

All the best,
Teri

i used to love doing them actually so thats a good plan as well. your full of ideas lol!

so many replies so diong the one response sorry! thank you all very much, i'm sure it will go well and i will be back on champdogs straight away :) thank you all for the support :)

I'm very 'crafty' Astarte :-D

24, lost and prison break are highly recommended, oh and the whole lot of sex and the city!

Hi
I just wanted to wish you the best of luck for the op and hope you have a speedy recovery.
You could always take up puzzles as in magazine puzzles I often wish I had the time to do them my daughter spends a fortune on magazines and there are some fantastic prizes to be won.
Take care of yourself and please let us know as soon as you are able how you are doing.

thank you very much i will do

Best of luck Astarte
Heres wishing you a speedy recovery
Philly xx

thank you!

best of luck, hope you recover quickly :)

Good luck and I hope you feel much better soon.

thanks everyone!