Morning Jules,

Was just wondering how you got on when you visited your Mum this week, and also how your daughter got on at hospital?  I do hope things are not too stressful for you and that you can try and have a relaxing weekend.

I'm waiting for my eldest to come home, he has spent somewhat of Freshers sleeping on fellow pupils floors after social events - latest was a toga party last night!  I'm off to my counsellor this morning, had originally been thinking I wouldn't need to see her for too much longer but have been so emotional this week so will talk things over with her.

The weather is forecast to be nice this weekend but is looking a bit gloomy at present.  Here's hoping it brightens up and the sun shines on us all.  Take care  Hope x

Hi Hope

Hope you visit to the counsellor was helpful and its good for you to be able to talk things through and this should last as long as you need it.

I have just returned from visiting Mum and she was ok though I am sure a little concerned at how long she will be able to stay where she.  She has amazed the staff at how forthright she was when social worker 'interviewed' her and they are left in no doubt as to what she wants. All the care staff came to see me whilst I was visiting to make sure I was okay too - very sweet.  I stayed until she was due to go into lunch and we even managed a bit of a laugh when I showed her latest photos of her great grandson.  He has really enjoyed his first week in Reception and keeps telling his mum that his teacher is the most beautiful one in the school!!

Hubby and I picked him up from school on Friday as my daughter had to return to hospital for a second day of tests and monitoring.  Specialist blood tests with regard to her liver function have been sent off and unless she hears otherwise she returns to clinic next Friday.  The last set of bloods were borderline but all readings for the baby were good.  If the new blood tests show certain 'rises' she may have to be taken in and possibly induced (she is now 37 weeks and would probably welcome is being over and done with!!).  Anyway so far so good.  I have an overnight bag ready and waiting and she has several friends on standby to get her to the hospital if her hubby is at work.  Mind you she is still driving herself at present!!

When we met our grandson at school (its only 10mins to his home) he told Grandad that he could meet us there as it was healthier to walk!!!  My hubby's face was a picture as he drove off and I walked the little tyke home!!

Life's stresses seem to come and go but having the forum to offload certainly helped me to see things in perspective this week though I think my mood swings are more due to hormones than current circumstances.

Sounds like your eldest having a great time during Freshers but will no doubt be looking forward to some home cooking.  Have a great weekend with the family and will catch up again soon.  All the best and look after yourself. Jules xx

Hi Jules

Sorry to intrude in your reply to Hope.  Typical men always keeping their feelings to themselves.  My father-in-law was exactly the same and anytime you asked if he was OK he would say I'm OK love even though you knew yourself he was in pain but wouldn't admit it.  I think it was a fear of being taken into hospital again.

I agree with your budgets for family at Christmas.  I think we have to draw the line somewhere.  I love your idea of the board games once the kids are all in bed.  I remember when we were younger my mum's brother used to call every Christmas Eve around 10.00pm to have a few pints with my father and his daughter would have a rummage through what Santa was leaving us.  The things you remember.

I like the traditional Christmas get-togethers.  My mother-in-law isn't one for these and never was never described as being a social person.  We go over to her house on Boxing Day.  She tells us to be there at a certain time and nothing gets done for another hour or so.   She isn't one to rush things.  We go to my mum's on Christmas Day and she usually has the dinner partly prepared from the night before.  Me and my husband buy the dinner and this has been the done thing since we got married over 15 years ago.

I hope you weren't affected too much with the storms.  It was a bit blowy here but nothing else.  Apparently Friday here isn't going to be too cold.

Glad to hear daughter and baby are signed off now by midwife.  It is such a relief to hear that there is no need for me to call out to see you.  I remember with my first nearly 13 years ago they called out to see me for almost 2 months.  They had told me to arrange for someone to get my Christmas shopping in as I was in no fit state to go about the shops but little did they know I was planning to go out that day to buy a new tree for our new arrival.

Take care Jules and chat soon

Mickied

Hi Brian

Just saw your reply to Jules about your father's operation being cancelled.  The only thing is Brian he will have to put up with having the hip pain much longer but God only knows what complications he may have faced during the operation.  Hopefully they will get the bladder infection sorted soon and he can be referred back for the operation to take place.

Hope the storms didn't affect you either.  Any more bouts of Brianitus and hope Mrs B is keeping well too in this weather.

Take care and chat soon

Mickied

Hi Jules,

Thanks once again for your kind words regarding my dad. I must apologise for not sending congratulations for the good news regarding your husband. That is great news the cancer is stable and the pain medication is still okay, you both must have been so relieved. It's always a time of concern when we go for tests etc so it's great when we get good results.

With regard to your husband not buying clothes, I have to put my hand up and admit I am just the same. My wife is like you and always buys clothes for me at Christmas and birthdays. I have never liked shopping for clothes, in fact I'd go so far as to say I hate it.

I have just spent most of the morning and part of the afternoon painting our porch and putting back the shelf and skirting's. Just realized how much this bug has affected me for I felt quite kn*****d when I'd finished it. I still have to buy some lacquer to treat the new floor with and then I'm finished or rather the porch is.

Take care and hope the meal for Saturdat goes well, Brian.

No apologies needed Mickied. Always good when someone wants to chat.  Have had today to myself (with hubby indoors) as my daughter had a friend coming round this afternoon and I have spent the morning at the local town centre and managed to get most of my Christmas shopping sorted. Such a relief that I wont have to do it after work in the coming weeks.  Spent the first hour out visiting my friend.  She has been fighting different cancers for over 20 years (she is 59 next week) but has now been told it has travelled to her  brain and unless the current chemo helps (previous treatment failed) she probably only has 3 months. Its heartbreaking but she is so positive and has already compiled her short bucket list and begun ticking things off.  She says she will only stop fighting it when they cart her off. Don't know where she finds her strength but her and her husband know where I can be reached anytime.  Life can be so cruel.

To cheerier thoughts, have just had a text from my son's other half and she wanted to know if hubby and I would like to  be guinea pigs for her latest cooking endeavours!!  She makes wonderful cakes but has now decided to try savory pastries and is planning on a quiche and sausage roll bake day and would we be up to trying them for lunch on Friday.  How could we say no!!  Just as well I have had my blood tests (awaiting results) as I am not sure the doc would be happy with that on my diet but sure a little treat wont do any permanent harm.

Nice that you can share Christmas with your Mum (sounds just like me when I do it, preparations done Christmas Eve, so that I can enjoy myself too!!!)  Am sure  your children love going there too and its the youngsters who make it all worthwhile.

Hope you hear something on the workfront soon - can't be easy at this time of year.  Take care and have a good weekend.  Jules xx

Thanks Brian, I am sure you have enough on your mind to be going on with and now you have physically cream-crackered yourself  too.  Must need to revitalise with a big bag of energy boosting NUTS!!!  Hope you can take some time to relax after the laquering is done and take time to admire your handiwork.  Did you get your results on Tuesday? Hope all is well with you and Mrs B.

Managed to get most of our Christmas present shopping completed today and like you now feel rather shattered but fingers crossed unless we have to help our daughter later (now unlikely as her hubby due home in a couple of hours) I have a quiet evening once dinner is out of the way - huge jacket potatoes so think just a topping will be enough.

Take care and chat again soon.  Kind thoughts   Jules xx

Hi Jules

You are well prepared for Christmas.  Was in my local B & M today at lunchtime and noticed people buying tonnes of Christmas decorations.  Too early for me.

Sorry to hear about your friend Jules she must be one amazing person and I hope she does live her life to the full.  In spite of all you have to contend with yourself you are always there for others including your friend.  You are right about life being so cruel for some people but you will always find those type of people always make time for others.  They never resort to being self-pitied.

I recall my husband's niece decided to make some scones one day so we noticed there were green bits in them and asked her what it is was.  She said it was spring onions.  My husband spat his out and refused to eat another bite hence she never made them again.  Hope you enjoy your son's other half cooking.  At least that will be lunch sorted for you on Friday.

Hope the blood test results go well.  When will you get the results.

My father used to spend all of Christmas Eve in the kitchen preparing the turkey and now my mum has taken over.  I used to tease her about her cooking not being up to the same standards as my fathers and she said well you will just have to put up with it then.

The youngest one is already counting the day until Santa arrives.  She thinks it is just after Halloween.  She asked for a Play Doh Icecream Shoppe last year but I ended up getting her a different version.  The other day she said I hope Santa brings me the right icecream shoppe this year because he didn't last year.  She forgets nothing.  I have tried to order it online but it is currently out of stock in most of the stores.  Smyths Toys had a great deal last week but when we called to the store there were none available.  Can't have Santa not being able to get it this year too can we.

Take care Jules and chat soon

Mickied

Hi Jules,

I think that plate of egg and bacon that your hubby ate spoke volumes.  Sounds like you are sorted for your Christmas arrangements,  I agree a budget is a great idea, it is so easy to overspend and that's not what Christmas is about.  It should be about family and friends getting together and it sounds like you are doing all of that.  We are going away this year, I couldn't bear to stay here.  I have spent every year with Mum and Dad and mostly at my house, I had worried how it would be when Dad died but never expected them both to be gone.  So this year I am looking at the season as being more of a holiday than Christmas celebrations.  We weren't really affected much by the storm, we were in London Sunday night as we took eldest back to Uni.  Kept expected something to be brewing so came home early just is case but it didn't get windy here until early hours of Monday and no damage done thankfully.  Take care and speak soon.  Hope x

BRIAN,  I'm so sorry to read that your Dad's operation has been cancelled.  I expect they don't want to take any unnecessary risks with elderly patients having to undergo anaesthetic, I hope they can give him something to relieve the pain though.  Take care.  Hope x

Morning Mickied

Can well imagine you looking frantically around for the 'proper' present for Santa to bring.  My eldest grandson is 5 at the end of Nov. so at the  moment when he asks for something from Santa we have the excuse that he needs to wait and see what birthday gifts he may get and then he will 'write to santa' for his special gift.  Last year it was a specific toy car (and my daughter found it for £1 so that was wonderful).  This year he asked for a new drinks bottle(having chewed the top off the current one!!) but of course all the ads on tv tend to draw their attention to other things along the way.  Baby's present this year (lets face it he wont have any idea of what is going on at just 3months) will be money in the bank and NAPPIES.

Am just awaiting the call to say that eldest grandson has gone with his aunt and uncle for their day out (visiting small annimal sanctuary and having a 'spoiling' day for being so good and helpful since baby Zack arrived).  Once the coast is clear we will nip over and take our daughter out for lunch.  Nothing fancy (she chose a Wimpy because its walkable and has easy pushchair access and baby friendly staff and they dont often get the chance to eat out!!).

I am also shopping for lactose free options as my son's partner has been diagnosed dairy intolerant (so pleased to find out the cause of her stomach pains!! which has taken a while to narrow down) and as I have all the family for dinner on Saturday I want her to be able to eat what I have rather than her arriving with her own meal.  Just the dessert really plus the cheese board (boys prefer this to the sweet stuff!).  Thankfully a lot more available these days than there used to be so can make a trifle using soya milk custard (even I liked this when I tried it and probably better for my cholesterol levels too!!).

Take care of yourself, sending virtual hugs. Jules xx

Morning Hope

Can understand why you  are treating Christmas as a general holiday and think its lovely that you can manage to get away.  No doubt you will have mixed emotions wherever you are but you will be in the hearts of your own family for support and will certainly be ready for some relaxation.  Do take care Hope. You are so good at offering support to others on this forum (I think like me you find this helps you in some way too) but give yourself some TLC too.

Had just been telling others that my daughter had chosen to go to a Wimpy for her lunch treat today!!  Now I have had a text to say change of plans as she has to register baby with doctors and open his bank account so could we do that first and then lunch in the town centre.  Since it saves me a 20min walk in the rain who am I to argue!!  Her eldest woke this morning with a nosebleed (has them from time to time but does not seem to bother him!!) but it soon stopped as he deals with it very well and is very eagerly awaiting his day out with his aunt and uncle (special treat for being such a good big brother).  My son also suffered with nosebleeds as a youngster so he knows what its like!!  One thing for sure life is never routine with young children.

Well my holiday will soon be over and I cant say that I am feeling eager about returning to work!!  Think I have enjoyed not having that added stress in my life for the last couple of weeks and this time of year is always so manic.  No doubt I will be 'glum' on Monday morning but once there it will be 'back to the grind'.  Normally only have 1 day off for Christmas but all being well this year I will not have to work Boxing Day and that will mean a 5 day break (as I do not work Fridays) so keeping my fingers crossed as I would have to travel in from Hertfordshire where we are spending Christmas (leaving everyone else to enjoy themselves).

Well enough of  my wittering for now.  Take care and sending virtual hugs and wishing you and the family a peaceful weekend ahead.  Jules xx

Brian - I hope this message finds you well (and thanks Jules for letting me use your thread to send it...). but I just saw your message about your father.  So sorry to hear about this setback, but try to tell yourself that as much as it will extend some of his difficulties, going ahead with the surgery might have been much more difficutl for him, so as hard as it it, this is for the best.

Hope you are keeping well yourself, as always, I try to keep up to date with your news on other threads.

All the best to you, your Father and you family,

Catherine

Brian - I hope this message finds you well (and thanks Jules for letting me use your thread to send it...). but I just saw your message about your father.  So sorry to hear about this setback, but try to tell yourself that as much as it will extend some of his difficulties, going ahead with the surgery might have been much more difficutl for him, so as hard as it it, this is for the best.

Hope you are keeping well yourself, as always, I try to keep up to date with your news on other threads.

All the best to you, your Father and you family,

Catherine