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 read you had a lovely day out with your friend recently. Dare say things are getting a bit exciting for your eldest grandson as his birthday approaches. Hope hubby is feeling a bit better and that the new tablets are beginning to kick in. Have a great birthday party at the weekend. Hope xx

Thanks Hope. I am still in awe at all the support we all recieved on the forum.  We are getting busier at work which comes with its own stress but on the other hand I get to talk to people and it makes the time pass.  Have a few busy days ahead as am out on Friday (bingo - hubby to pub with his mate), Saturday (haircut - really be happy to get this done as its driving me mad and have now been paid so that will help), after lunch we are visiting our friends' daughter and son in laws to see their  new bungalow and catch up with their news  (being a bone cancer sufferer in remission the son in law is very supportive of us both and we are looking forward to seeing them.  Then Sunday we will be at the 5th birthday party (his birthday is actually tomorrow but he will be at school and then out for tea with the family).  I have just got to remember to get the helium balloon so sit by his cake and then enjoy being a babysitter, with all the other grandparents, as up to 30 children have a whale of a time!!! Think Monday at work may well feel like a rest.

Hubby is so so at present, no real change other than getting more indigestion so we are trying smaller meals. The doc has told him to get walking as this will help rather than spending all day sitting down - no sign of this when I am about but he is doing the physio for his arms on a daily basis.  I know it takes a while for anti depressants to kick in so we will be monitoring things.  He is back at the GP 23rd Dec for check up on his medication but hopefully s he will be able to see some improvement. Its just so hard for him to accept he cannot work and he does not seem to be able to get past this yet.

Enough of me, how are you doing? Hope all the family are well and no doubt  your sons are studying hard too.  Take care  and sending virtual hugs and best wishes for a peaceful weekend.  Jules xx

Good afternoon Jules,

Hope you have a good evening out and a win at the bingo tonight. I now have a vision of all your family standing in a row try to judge which one has the silliest socks of all, it's just my silly sense of of humour. I am all set for tomorrows show now and have even loaded the car as we all setup tonight so that we can open to the public earlier tomorow.  I cleared Tesco's out of chestnuts the other day, the tray was empty, not even one left for the squirrels. 

I will be taking my camera with me tomorow as we have a couple of new members exhibiting for the first time and I usually take lots of photos anyway.

Hope the 5th birtday goes well, take care, Brian

Morning Brian,

Have just popped into the forum before heading out to my hair appointment  (half hour walk but looks a bit nippy!!).  No luck at the bingo but good to be out socialising with my friend and catch up with all our family news of the last week.   Just to further your vision of the 'silly socks' contest (mostly animal orientated I might add) at least two of us have 'jumpers' to match so fear no one will be taking us seriously when Christmas morning comes around.  Hubby also enjoyed his evening in the pub and am beginning to hope that this is where he talks things through (just hate thinking he is bottling it all inside).

Hope your 'wood club' show goes well today and that the new members exhibiting, enjoy the experience of 'belonging'.  I am now thinging the club has its own member of the paparazzi!!  Have a happy and peaceful weekend. Jules x

Good morning Jules,

Glad both you and your  husband enjoyed your Friday night out, you both deserve it. Our show went very well and it was good to meet up with my wood club friends and exchange banter with them, even if it was me giving out most of the banter. I do enjoy these shows but do find them very tiring. Once again I was amazed at the quality of work and the amount of talented people we have in out 110 wood club membership. I have put a couple of photos on the Amazing Quotes thread. I also enjoy meeting people and talking to them about our club. I didn't have as much wood turning done as normal so I put my books on display and had a lot of interest regarding them.

I bet you will enjoy your grandsons party today and he will be one happy little boy. You will end up like me, tired but very happy.

Now our show is finished, I had better get on with my oldest grandson's story for I want to give it to him for Christmas. I only have 7 pages written and want to end up with about forty or near to it so will have to get cracking.

Take care Jules and have no doubt we will talk again soon, Brian.

Hi Jules,

Hope your grandson enjoyed his birthday, and hope he managed to lift your hubby's spirits.  Expect you are now recovering from the party - these 5 year olds know how to have a good time!  Hope xx

Hi Brian,

I love this bowl?? with Santa and his reindeers.It so striking. I love the other work you displayed as well. Well done to all your members. I told you I have always liked the ida of working with wood. A couple of years ago my dear husband bought us a second hand lathe with the idea that I should have a go, well I can tell you I haven't had one moment since to go out and have a go with it. He even gave me a few books to read up on all the safety aspects of it. Maybe over Christmas this year if the weather is not too cold I'll go out with him and have an hour of practice. There's just never enough hours in a day sometimes. LOL.

Just got to get the dear man up in the loft in the next hour to get down any Christmas decorations/cards/wrapping paper before he starts another job. !!!!!

Hope you and your wife are well. All the best

Annabel. xx

Hi Jules,

I hope you and all your family had a really great time especially at your grandson party.

I am trying to get all Christmas presents for Daughter, Son and partners and grandaughter, and mother in law bought and wrapped by next Monday, then we are off down to Daughters to stay, and a day trip down to Hove to Mother in law and back home on the Friday. In between time hopefully will get to see son and his girlfriend as well.

Zack sounds like he's doing really well with his weight. I don't know what Ava weighs but she is still in 0-3 months clothes. I sent some down this week which I had bought for Christmas and then thought OMG she might have already grown out of them, but they are still on the big side for her, Charlotte sent me a photo of her in some of them. So she is still petite but very lively looking now.

Other half wanting me to do a job now so will come back and chat later.

Annabel. xx

Hi Brian

Glad the 'wood club' show went well and its great that you got some interest in your books as well.  Now its head down and getting the writing done to complete your grandson's new story.  You must have a head buzzing with ideas to achieve so much.

We had a lovely time at the birthday party, as did the children.  One of the parents is a professional magician/balloonist so after the fun the bouncy castle/play tunnel/slide (indoors and huge!!) they had their party food and he performed magic tricks and made them all balloon animals/swords etc before they wearily went home.  My daughter finished feeding the baby and then we all made it home for around 6.30.  Glad it all went so well as had a message today to say the birthday boy has a double ear infection and had to go to the doctors rather than to school. Not nice at all but expect a few of the new toys he received will come in handy to help take his mind of the pain.  He has to go back in a couple of weeks to see if he needs treatment for glue ear and possibly grommets.  All part of childhood I guess!

Hope you having a peaceful day after all the build up to the wood club event (and yes I did see the  beautiful pictures on the other thread and left a suitable comment. I hope!!).  Take care and kind thoughts are sent your way.  Jules x

Hi Hope

Wehad a lovely time 'watching' all the children making the most of the party play area (all indoors as outlined in my response to Brian) and also enjoyed the magician (he entertained both the adults and children with amazing slight of hand) and his balloon art (every child that wanted a balloon figure of their choice went home happy!!  My grandson came over to all the grandparents/step grandparents afterwards and thanked us all for coming and said he had had a lovely birthday party and was a very lucky little boy (also thanked his Mum and Dad) - so sweet!!  Sadly today he is not quite so cheerful having develped a double ear infection and could not go into school (very disappointed) as need to go to the docs. Now has antibiotics so hopefully will clear up soon but has to go  back for a check up in a couple of weeks as may have glue ear and need grommets fitting (he suffered a lot as a baby with repetitive ear infections so this does not really come as a surprise but I do feel for him as it can be so painful).

Hope you had a good and peaceful weekend.  When is it that you get to go on holiday? - hope this will be a more relaxing period for you.  I have just been told I do not need to work Boxing day so its lovely that I will have a 5 day break (or maybe 6 if he decides not to have me in on my official day off - Christmas Eve).  We go away for 3 days and then will be back home (usually arrange to have an open house so that friends can pop in and out when convenient).  I will probably work New Years Day but really dont mind that as we do not do anything then.

Hubby coped quite well with a very social weekend (out Fri Eve, Sat p.m. and Sun p.m,.)  He is also visiting an old work buddy from may years ago this Wednesday for lunch which hopefully will lift his spirits too as it seems when he is out and engaged with others he has a better frame of mind than when just sitting indoors - understandable (too much thinking time when at home I think and its harder to switch off when you are doing nothing).

Well next drink is called for so had best finish my mail and get to it. Sending kind thoughts and virtual hugs.Jules x

Hi Hope

Wehad a lovely time 'watching' all the children making the most of the party play area (all indoors as outlined in my response to Brian) and also enjoyed the magician (he entertained both the adults and children with amazing slight of hand) and his balloon art (every child that wanted a balloon figure of their choice went home happy!!  My grandson came over to all the grandparents/step grandparents afterwards and thanked us all for coming and said he had had a lovely birthday party and was a very lucky little boy (also thanked his Mum and Dad) - so sweet!!  Sadly today he is not quite so cheerful having develped a double ear infection and could not go into school (very disappointed) as need to go to the docs. Now has antibiotics so hopefully will clear up soon but has to go  back for a check up in a couple of weeks as may have glue ear and need grommets fitting (he suffered a lot as a baby with repetitive ear infections so this does not really come as a surprise but I do feel for him as it can be so painful).

Hope you had a good and peaceful weekend.  When is it that you get to go on holiday? - hope this will be a more relaxing period for you.  I have just been told I do not need to work Boxing day so its lovely that I will have a 5 day break (or maybe 6 if he decides not to have me in on my official day off - Christmas Eve).  We go away for 3 days and then will be back home (usually arrange to have an open house so that friends can pop in and out when convenient).  I will probably work New Years Day but really dont mind that as we do not do anything then.

Hubby coped quite well with a very social weekend (out Fri Eve, Sat p.m. and Sun p.m,.)  He is also visiting an old work buddy from may years ago this Wednesday for lunch which hopefully will lift his spirits too as it seems when he is out and engaged with others he has a better frame of mind than when just sitting indoors - understandable (too much thinking time when at home I think and its harder to switch off when you are doing nothing).

Well next drink is called for so had best finish my mail and get to it. Sending kind thoughts and virtual hugs.Jules x