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,

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

Hi Brian

Glad to read that your bug is almost gone now (they really seem to be hanging around this year) and that you may now be suffering from 'keyboard finger syndrome' after completing the new directory for your Wood  Club.

It too have had to visit to the GP as waterworks problems left me feeling like a washed out dishrag at work today and knew I could put it off no longer.  Have antibiotics for the infection and await results from sample analysis which should be back byMonday.  Typical to get this when I really need to be helping with my daughter (very tired trying to cope with new baby which is not settling so well at the moment).  Tonight my son in law has sent her to bed early and is doing the late evening feed so she can get some proper sleep.  She is such a good Mum but trying to do too much too soon!!!

Hubby has his first appointment for physio at the local hospice day treatment centre tomorrow and hopefully this will aid his restricted arm movement.  His consultant does not think its linked to his cancer and could be due to muscle wastage.  Fingers crossed physio session will eventually prove useful.  He is also having blood tests repeated so they can monitor any changes prior to his next scheduled appointment in January.  Did you have yours repeated yet?  If so hope all is well foryou.

Take care and best wishes to  you and the family.  Jules xx

Morning Jules,  I do hope your antibiotics are kicking in, water infections are a nightmare.  I know when I had a bad one last year my GP said I'd been battling on with the over-counter medicines for too long and the infection had got a good hold.  I had to have 2 courses of antibiotics to get rid of it, but once she hit on the 2nd antibiotic it worked almost instantly.  Like you I had sample sent to the hospital but all was OK thankfully.  Hope the same happens for you, nothing worse than having to stay near to the toilet for the never ending trips!

I've just returned from the gym which always makes me feel better, I'm desperately trying to regain some control over my life again, somedays are harder than others.  Hubby tells me I am beginning to look more like my usual self (that's a relief as this year I feel like I've aged about 20 years!).  To be honest I don't know if I'll ever be my "usual" self, I'm someone different now.  My youngest summed it up really well, he said it was harder for me being an only child because if I had had a sibling there would still be another part of my parents alive and our childhood memories would still be together. I think he is so right as it feels like my past has been swept away in one fail swoop.  People tell me I'm doing really well and I suppose I'm doing OK, but nobody knows how I often feel inwardly. Still one day at a time, as I'm always advising others, and the better days are a little more frequent now.

How sweet your grandson looking through the catalogues, I remember mine doing the same thing.  My youngest's birthday is 1 Dec so like you we always wait until after his birthday to really think about his Christmas pressies. Mind you gone are the days when they were little and you could get a big sack of toys relatively cheap - plastic toy soliders were always a big feature in our house!  Nowadays it is one technology present which usually costs a small fortune!

Really hope your hubby gets on OK with his physio today, the hospice provide so many wonderful treatments don't they?  Ours even offered me complimentary stress relief treatments but unfortunately I didn't have time to take up their offer.  I expect hubby will probably need a few sessions to improve but I'm sure it will help. Anyway have a good weekend.  Take care.  Hope x

Hi Hope

Sorry for the delayed reply. Have felt rather weary (night-time was bad enough but getting up more frequently has taken its toll).  Managed to complete my shift at work yesterday but was shattered by time I got in.  Happily my hubby spent a few hours at my daughters and she and the baby were having a better day but think it did him good to be there rather than sitting alone indoors!!  He did go to his appointment but it turned out just to be an 'introducation to what was on offer at the Hospice day centre'. He did get a massage but was not particualy bothered about staying. Says its not what he needs at the moment.  Think he just finds going there is another reminder of his illness.  He did bring the leaflets home for me to read!!  Whilst he was there, another physio left a message on our house phone for him to arrange an appointment and he tried getting in touch but so far just an answerphone so have to wait and try and sort it out next week.

Glad you enjoyed getting back to the gym and good that your husband thinks its helping you get back to 'being you' if that makes sense.  Its all a case of making the most of the better days isn't it and I see you are also responding to Ian and can understand his anguish at the ever-changing emotional pain.  Thats what I love about this forum - so many (unfortunately) can relate to what others are feeling and the mutual support is wonderful.

Hope your boys' exams/tests go well and that  you all have a peaceful weekend.  Virtual hugs  Jules x

Hi Jules,

I hope you are feeling better and that the antibiotics have meant that you have to get up less frequently during the night.  A decent sleep always makes us more able to cope with anything life throws at us, so I hope you can get one soon.  Can understand that the hospice visit was to your hubby a reminder of his illness; I guess the time needs to be right to embark on what's on offer there but good to know that there is a lot of support together with therapies available.  Hopefully he will be able to get in touch with the other physio soon and start to make some progress.

I'm having a fairly quiet time this weekend, eldest home but studying and youngest will be doing football - have to go to a match on Sunday so fingers crossed for dry weather!  Hope you have a good weekend.  Hope x

Morning Hope

Well, feeling somewhat amazed was out for the evening (had one glass of wine) and did  not go to bed till 1 a.m. Got disturbed for loo break just once and then it was 8.10. Cannot believe I was in bed that late in the  morning!!!  Now I am running behind with my chores before we do the weekly shop (postponed from yesterday as had family here).  Never mind seems the body needed the lay in even if it messed up my routine (only because I like to get things done before hubby surfaces). 

Our local High Street has a fun day today ending with the switching on of the Christmas Lights so after shopping and then lunch we are hoping to go with daughter and grandchildren as all the shops put stalls outside and its usually a lot of fun (and a few bargains to be had).  Unfortunately once again the weather is likely to spoil our comfort but it would not stop us going. 

Enjoy your peaceful weekend, you certainly due for a quiet one.  Think tomorrow is supposed to  be the best day weatherwise so hope you can watch the football in the dry.  Take care, sending virtual  hugs and hope to chat again. Jules x

Morning(just) Jules,

There you are saying you have got up late at 8am and there's me still in bed (albeit reading) until 10am.!!!!

I have to say I am geneally tired and sometimes it's good to go with the flow and listen to what your body is telling you.

It sounds to me like you need to look after yourself as well as everybody else Jules.

You've had an infection and it will be a little while after you have finished the antibiotics that you'll get back to normal.

What fun for you all this afternoon, I am sure you'll have a lovely time.

The weather up here is sunny but threatening rain.!!

Back to my upholstery to be finished for Mondays inspection.

Have a lovely weekend

Annabel.xx

Morning(just) Jules,

There you are saying you have got up late at 8am and there's me still in bed (albeit reading) until 10am.!!!!

I have to say I am geneally tired and sometimes it's good to go with the flow and listen to what your body is telling you.

It sounds to me like you need to look after yourself as well as everybody else Jules.

You've had an infection and it will be a little while after you have finished the antibiotics that you'll get back to normal.

What fun for you all this afternoon, I am sure you'll have a lovely time.

The weather up here is sunny but threatening rain.!!

Back to my upholstery to be finished for Mondays inspection.

Have a lovely weekend

Annabel.xx

Hi Annabel

Glad I  made the most of my unusual lie in. Last night was back to usual disturbances through hot flushes but antibiotics seem to be helping (though all the extra liquids needs to flush the system so to speak still resulting in frequent visits!!).  We thoroughly enjoyed our afternoon (despite dampness the rain held off for the Mayor to switch on the lights in our local High Street.  Baby slept snugly in his pushchair and our eldest grandson got to say hello to the Mayor as he popped into the fish and chip restaurant whilst we were having our tea - yay no cooking or washing up!!!  Hubby in good form as he tucked into a HUGE skate and chips and then we all popped back to ours so baby could have his next feed before they returned home.  Thankfully my daughter is continuing to recover her strength daily and is slowly getting back into the normality of school runs/after school activities for the eldest though is happy enough to continue to share the housework with her hubby. Despite him having to get up early to go to work he has been sharing the night feeds on the days when baby has been fractious thus allowing my daughter to get some extra zzzzzzzz's.  Now that the hospital has prescribed meds for baby's reflux (GP refused!! even though the eldest also suffered and my daughter was quick to spot the symptoms!!) and she has also changed brands of baby milk, the last few days he has been  more settled between feeds and that in turn makes life a lot easier.  Fingers crossed my test come back okay and I am sorted, I hope to be able to get round and help after work at least once a week.  Hubby has also been giving support by keeping her company occasionally.

Next thing to look foward to is 5th birthday party at end of the month for eldest grandson who is understandably rather excited!  Then the round of pre-Christmas get togethers with friends begin.

Hope your meeting with Visit England is a piece of cake tomorrow. You work so hard you deserve good outcome. Must be very difficult to get breaks when you are running this type of business so hope you looking after yourself.

Well just about to get our evening meal so had best go and check there is no burnt offering in the oven and then need to get work clothes sorted for tomorrow before settling down to Strictly Results Show.  Chat soon. virtual hugs Jules x