Hi Greeneyes

Lovely to see your name  in my inbox this morning.  As you have probably read from my thread we are plodding along and hubby pretty stable at present though not at all happy at not being able to work now (job was too physical and journey too tiring so it was the only thing to do) and as work has really been his life it is like looking at a lost soul.  Still we have been blessed with the arrival of a new grandson and am so thankful that hubby is around to have cuddles and even still has the magic he had with ours in being able to get them to sleep. He was also able to help my son in law with a few fireworks at the weekend.

Reading between the few lines you wrote and the fact that the weekend was hard for you with lots of tears, my heart goes out to you as you must be having a very difficult time.  You do not post often and I hope you have family supporting you.  I am happy to chat whenever you like (check my e-mails most days though yesterday morning was weird as we had power cut to lunchtime and you suddenly realise how much we have come to rely on technology).   I do still have private messaging set up if you fancy a chat.  In the  meantime do take care and am sending virtual hugs. Jules x

Hi Jules, How was your first day back at work after your hols?  I was back after half-term today, if I'm honest I could do with a few months off just to try and get back on track completely, but no chance so I just have to count the days till the next half-term!  Glad to hear your daughter and baby doing well, and great news about your son's new job.  You do sound very organised writing Christmas cards already, I'm always one of those people doing everything in December, this year I will be more laid back than usual as I said I'm not really "doing Christmas" this year, it would be too sad for me.  I will buy presents for the family of course but will keep it all low key.  I hope you got on OK at the doctors, I sympathise with water infections, had one myself last year and it took 2 lots of antibiotics to get rid of.  Take care.  Hope x

Hi Jules,

Sorry to hear about your waterworks probems. The cranberry juice does seem to work for some reason but cranberry tablets work just as well and overall is probably a cheaper way of doing it. Also if you are going away the tabs are takeable with you.

all the best

Annabel. xx.

Hi Annabel

Thanks for the tip re the cranberry tablets (never seen them so will pop into chemist/health food shop to check it out).  Thankfully no problems at work on Monday so hope have nipped the problem in the bud so to speak.  I like the cranberry juice too so it can be my treat at the supermarket - how sad is that!!

Hope the Visit England appointment went well.  How many cottages do you have to look after and am assuming its a year round availability seeing how busy you are with looking after them.

Hope you and the family are keeping well.  Take care  Jules x

Hi Jules,

The Visit England visit is next Monday. We have 3 cottages in one large barn. We converted the barn almost as soon as we came here in 2006.Finished it in 2008.  So have been running for between 5 and 6 years.

We have people in continually until next Monday. As they need to see all 3 units they have to be empty for them to inspect. ( Although last year Visit England decided they could inspect whilst the cottages wee occupied!!!!!!!!! This is where we put our foot down and said no way. So we don't let them come until we know they are empty.) We have a large group of 14 taking over the barn tomorrow and they leave on Sunday, hence the visit on Monday. So have been v busy recently and a bit knackered when it comes to posting on here, I do read on here at least once a day though.

Glad you like the cranberry juice, I am afraid I didn't like it hence why I found out about the tabs. I needed them a few weeks after the surgery. I don't think I actually had an infection but the tablets still helped with whatever discomfort I had. I keep a supply in now just incase.

The family are all fine thanks however both son and son in law have both been made redundant in the last month. He ho life having its ups and downs as ususal.!!!!!

All I can think is to keep on pedelling. LOL.

How was your Mum this week when you went to visit her.? I hope all your family are well and your taking good care of yourself. Unlike you I will be starting some Christmas shopping next week when I go to see the consultant, a full days shopping with lunch at Bettys and my appointment at 4pm. Will be back home in the evening sometime.!!!. I used to be organised, but I am alright now. LOl. eeeck, our next busy period coming up , Christmas and New Year. What fun if you don't give up.

Take care,

Annabelxx.

Hi Jules,

Glad to hear you are feeling better and hope you're not working too hard now the busy season has started and without extra staff.  I expect Christmas will be a lovely time for you with your 2 grandsons, the eldest must be at the age where he is getting excited already what with all the decorations etc already in the shops.  No doubt Father Christmas will visit his class at school too!  My eldest very busy, has exams already in a couple of weeks and will continue that way throughout his course. This week he is learning about cancer, very poignant, I so hope he will make a difference to peoples lives in the future. I'm just sad that my Mum and Dad aren't here to see his achievements they were so proud of both my boys.  Youngest also busy with tests coming up, he is also doing some voluntary work in a local hospice charity shop, it is nice to give something back to the hospice as they help so many people.  Well lots of fireworks going off around here tonight, I'm not too keen on them myself but there is an OAP home close to us and they have a great display which we can see out of the window.  Hope x

Hi Jules,

Have been absent for a couple of days as I have had to write out a new wood club directory and as we have 110 member and I am the typical one finger Joe when it comes to using the keyboard, it has taken me a while to get this completed and sent out to our wood club committee members. Quite pleased it is done now. Our last one was about four years out of date and some members had passed away while others had moved, so it badly needed updating. This time I have done it on M/S Word so it can be changed quite easily in future and have sent it out via e-mail so no printing it out like the last version.

Have now just at last got rid of this bug that has been with me for at least three weeks so will be able to have the two older grandchildren here for a meal later this afternoon. Have so missed seeing them. Just bought my wife a set of owl salt and pepper pots at our local garden centre, although knowing her she may decide they are too nice to use and will probably just use them as ornaments. (She just loves Owls and me I hope although she doesn't use me as an ornament  I might add; Who'd want to anyway????)

I need to get out into my garage and turn some more light cord pulls as we have our wood club saleof work, competition and exhibition at the end of the month. It always amazes me the skills that our member have and the differnt things they make.

Hope your daughter and new arrival are keeping well.

Well as usual I have rambled on yet again (my wife tells me I would be a good candidate for The Ramblers Association)

Do take care Jules, best wishes to you and your family, Brian

Hi Annabel

Really sorry to read about the redundancies in the family. Not an easy time for you all. Went through this with both son and hubby a few years back but they were lucky and back in employment within a month so hope things work out quickly  fior your son and son in law.  As you are so busy with the cottages/guests hope you are finding a bit of time for yourself and not overdoing it and am sure with such good work ethics all will go well next Monday.

Well, felt lousy at work today and bladde problem resurfaced so have been to see the doc tonight and have had infection confirmed.  She has given me three day course of antibiotics and sent sample away for analysis.  Results should be back by Monday so have to ring surgery and find out if I need more appropriate meds (though I am hoping the ones I have sort me out!!).  Thankfully no real pain but a nuisance having to nip off the shop floor rather too frequently.

My daughter is very tired with a very grumpy baby  and I had hoped to pop round after work but just not up to it at present.  Have chatted to her and offered moral support and hope to soon be able to help out again.  Baby has been seen by paediatrician and they are treating him for 'reflux' (her eldest also suffered with this so she recognised the symptoms) so hope the meds will help ease his discomfort.  He has also developed infantile acne (no treatment but can take some weeks or months to disappear).  My son in law is sending her to bed early and will do the evening feed in the hope she can get a few decent hours sleep as she was up a lot last night.  Its early days and she just wants to be a good mum.  I told her she is doing everything right but needs to let her own body recover and must take what help is around.

By the way got the cranberry tablets but need to wait until the antibiotics are finished before starting them (they may cause false reading for samples taken!!).

Mum was on a good day and had nice chat for a change.  Stayed longer than normal and it was nice to have her smiling.  Have to m ake the  most of these times.

Hope all goes well with your consultant appointment and make sure you enjoy your lunch and retail therapy( will you have time to see your daughter and Ava again soon or are you Skyping?.  What busy lives we are leading.  Hope to catch up again soon but in the meantime take care of yourself. Jules

Hi Hope

Spoke too soon about my waterworks. Felt like a wrung out dishrag at work today and so been to the GP this evening.  There is an infection and I have a course of antibiotics to take whilst they send sample off for analysis - results should be back  by Monday and they will let me know if I need specific medication or whether what I am on will do the trick - deep joy!!

Yes, the eldest grandson has been going through the catalogues and ticking what he fancies re Christmas but as his birthday (5th) is at the end of this  month he is more excited about that at the moment.  We usually wait and see what he gets birthdaywise and then decide on his Christmas gift but this year we are doing clothes as he has had a growing spurt .  He is currently really enjoying drawing and colouring so expect this will feature too.  There are some great bargains to be had at The Works locally so I try and get a couple of things each week (he also has a playbox at our house).

Sounds like your eldest will have his head to the grindstone with exams but if all goes well what a wonderful profession to be entering into.  Your younger son obviously also has his mum's caring nature with his voluntary work.

My hubby is having physio tomorrow which is offered by volunteers at the local hospice day care treatment centre.  He has been told he can drop in between 9.30 and 3.00.  Really hope this will help with his upper arm movement though expect it will take a few sessions to see a difference.  At least his consultant does not think its linked to his cancer which was a relief.

Take care Hope and no doubt the school is getting ready for the festive season.  Chat again soon. Jules x