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 Jules, made it back from the little job !!!! Getting stuff down from the loft for Christmas, cards wrapping paper etc.

Sorry to hear your grandson now has ear trouble , but it's better to get it sorted whilst their young.

My daughter went through many operations as she was just about the consultants worse case ever, even now when she gets a cold she has trouble shaking it off.

She still goes a bit deaf when she gets a cold.

I am sure his new toys will help him through the day.

Bet you are really busy at work these days, you'll be glad to get a rest at christmas.

All the best for now

Annabel. xx

Hi Annabel

We all  had a lovely time at the party and my grandson was over the moon with all his friends coming to play and thoroughly enjoyed himself.  Just as well as today he has developed a double ear infection and poor mite is not enjoying himself at all.  Doc has given him medicine and he has to go back in two weeks for a check up as he may have glue ear and will need grommets fitted.  He was 'seriously annoyed' that he could not go into school and tell  his 'beautiful teacher' how he celebrated birthday but all being well will go back in tomorrow.  Zack has had a change of milk/teat size to see if this helps with the reflux problems.  His older brother also suffered with it and its trial and error to see what actions help.  As to his clothes size its mainly the all in one suits that he has grown out off (he is  just very long!!) so as he likes his feet out anyway my daughter is going to chop the feet off most of them to make them last a little longer (she also had to do this for his brother as a small baby!!).  I bet you are really looking forward to spending some quality time with your daughter and family and hope you get to see your son and his girlfriend too - how is the job hunting going?  Will be nice for you all to see each other prior to Christmas.  I have all the present buying done but now need to get down to the wrapping up. Thankfully I can hand deliver most of them as we are all together over the Christmas but its still nice to have it all ready so that you can rest in the knowledge  that its all sorted.

Tomorrow I am visiting Mum and taking the things I have bought on her behalf to show her (before I wrap those up as well!!). Also managed to get her a lovely pair of plum velvet trousers (she wanted to dress up a bit for Christmas Day). Fingers crossed I get the 'thumbs up' as I have no wish to take it back to London!!!

Take care of yourself and sending you virtual hugs. Jules x

Hi Annabel,

Thanks for your reply. It was a picture frame in a timber called Afromosia which is very hard. When I used to go up to The Woodworker Show It was nice to see how many ladies had taken up woodwork, until political correctness got in the way. I wouldn't say they were better at woodwork than men but they were much more adventurous in the subject matter they undertook and it paid off for several of them won awards and rightly so.

I only live about twelve miles from Hove so when you go past Burgess Hill give us a toot.  I have just done what you have got your other half to do, and brought Christmas stuff down from the loft.

We have a lovely lady in our wood club who is a master carver and also is brilliant at pyrograpy. She is 87 years young and still runs two carving classes per week. I have teased her about her pyrography??? in the past and she has a great sense of humour.

I do find woodturning very relaxing and love to see something made from timber which was due to be thrown away. Most of the things I turn were bearers on the bottoms of pallets that came from Malaysia/Indonesia/Brazil. I haven't bought any timber for years, for I don't need to as friends and relatives have given me odds and ends over the years. I hope you do get a chance to have a go on your lath sometime for I feel you would get a lot of enjoyment out of it.

Just a word of warning, despite trying differnt clothingover the years, woodshaving have a habit of getting in places which you cant scratch in public, if you take my meaning

Anyway, I have rambled on too long again, do take care and hope you enjoy your trip. Best wishes to you and your family, Brian.

Hi Jules,

So pleased the party went well and you all had a good time. I do feel for your grandson as an ear infection is very painful. 

The carvings were done by our club secretary and he like me is one of the founder members of the wood club. That Octopus won an award at a big woodwork show at Wembley and thanks for the kind comments

Now I have to get my head down and get my grandsons book completed. Hope you didnt have too hard a day at work today after the party.

Take care, talk soon Brian.

Morning Brian

I am in a slight state of shock this morning - I fell asleep watching tv at around 10 p.m. woke at midnight!! dragged myself off to bed and woke up at 7.30.  Does that mean I need to go to more childrens' parties?  Have I actually found the cure for insomnia?  It really feels strange to get up so late (just as well its a non-working day!!).  Am off visiting Mum later and then may have little visitor if he has been unable to go back to school (he does not like having to stay at home - feels he  is missing out!!). Am just waiting to hear back from my daughter and if they are coming over I can get some foodie treats for them on my way back as I pass the supermarket.

Hope your writing is flowing and am imagining one very happy little boy with a huge smile once grandad hands over the new book.  Its a wonderful gift in so many respects.

Hope  you and Mrs B have a good day and hope your supply of nuts is plentiful to keep your energy going.  Take care and chat soon Jules x

Hi Jules,

Well sounds like you've found the cure for insomina - perhaps you could write about it and make a fortune now!  Glad the party went well and hope your grandson is feeling better after being poorly - luckily it happened to him after the party.  Hope your Mum was OK when you visited today.  I'm just plodding on with the usual things at the moment and looking forward to having a break over the holidays.  Hope xx

Hi Jules,

So pleased to hear you had a decent nights sleep, we all need a decent nights sleep. I feel sure your grandson wouldn't mind a party everyday. The other night I stayed up to watch a film I had missed once before. I saw the first half hour then the next I remember was my wife shaking me and asking if I was going to go to bed.

Did you have your little visitor? Still have not done any writing today as we had shopping first thing then I had to go to two local bank as I keep getting e-mails supposedly from them saying my bank account has been suspended and I don't even have an account with them. The e-mail address made it look like it came from them so I wanted them to be aware of it. But they confirmed what I already knew, it is a scam for on each e-mail there is a link they invite me to click on, which is the last thing I would do. They have now been consigned to the dustbin. Then as I had to take my wife to the doctors, we went a bit earlier a popped in our local garden centre. I bought my wife an A3 sheet with a lot of festive Owl stickers so she now has to decide where she wants to put them.

I hope your visit with your mother went well and you recieved the seal of approval of your recent shopping purchases and that she was chatty mood again.

I topped up on my supply of chestnuts today so wont run out for a while. I forgot to cut a couple of the them other night and both of them went BANG in the oven and did I get my ear bent by Mrs B. It did make a mess.

Take care, best wishes for another good nights sleep, Brian.

Afternoon Hope,

Not sure I would want to cope with a classful of kids as a way to regularly beat my sleep problems (it was a one night only cure) though must say they all were very good with only a few tears when some of them came a cropper on the bouncy castle!!  Our grandson has medicine for double ear infection but only  needed one day off school (he badgered his Mum to go back so they have just been made aware they his hearing is a little down and all was fine yesterday).  He also went to his after school club (tennis) so obviously felt a bit better!  They soon bounce back at that age and he does not like missing school (long may that last!!).  We are going to dinner with them tomorrow so that he can show us all his new  birthday presents (suspecting I will still be playing with old favourites).  We are also bringing back our rocking chair as they need the room for the Xmas tree!!

Mum was on good form yesterday (it would be lovely if this continued - often her bi-polar condition comes and goes in waves). The shopping I had done on her behalf was well recieved and I had had my hair cut (she said I needed one!!).  Her carer was writing birthday cards on her behalf when I arrived so I took over and next visit will do some Xmas cards with her.  She has also got a book from the visiting mobile library - all good improvements.  The new velvet trousers were also a hit and I have now been sent away with a request to get a top to go with it - so was back to the shops today and hope I have again chosen well.  Will take it to her next week.

Hubby has gone to visit an old work friend (from about 30yrs ago) today so hopefully he will enjoy this .  I am not sure that the extra medication is making any difference but he has a check up re the anti depressants in two weeks plus physio next week so at least he is being kept an eye on.  We are also having our grandson for the day on Sunday (I will take him out part of the time so hubby can have his nap should he so wish or he can join us if he chooses though even before he was ill he used to let me do that side of things!!). as my daughter and son in law want to go and get his Christmas gift and I will probably suggest they join us for dinner afterwards as this will save them having to sort it out when they get back.

Do hope you and your family are all ok - I expect the lads will be looking foward to the holidays.  Do take care and look forward to chatting again soon. Virtual hugs  Jules x