Afternoon Brian

Its amazing to think I have posted that often and I had not noticed the milestone reached!!! You yourself lead by a fine example and am sure we have all learned so much on the respective journeys we have taken or are taking.

Sadly so many families are caught up in the cancer rollercoaster but with so much research one can only hope that one day even more good stories will be read about.

When I got back from visiting Mum it was to the news that our landline was completely dead so being unable to get the robot on the end of the fault reporting line to acknowledge me as a customer (despite account number and phone details!!). I took to their online live chat option and was very impressed and finally sorted an engineers'visit for Thursday.  Imagine my surprise then when an hour ago a ring on the doorbell hailed the arrival of a troubleshooting engineer and we are now all fixed (overhead break in cable was cause even though a 'fault test' this morning had not shown it!!). Hubby said he wished I had dealt with it from the beginning as I was far more confident on the phone (and there was I trying to make him feel useful -hey ho).  Hopefully now all will be well as felt very vulnerable without the landline (hubby's old mobile just packed up too) and have really come to rely on the forum for sanctuary.

Glad Mrs B's check up went okay and that she can adjust her diabetes medication a little.  Like you my Mum's diabetes is controlled by tablets and she has just had checkup to make sure all is as it should be. When I left her today she was having a manicure (she had refused to have her hair done!!) and just said she was glad Christmas was over. Wished her and all the staff Happy New Year.  We are spending it quietly indoors (just as well with the awful weather).  Looking forward to continuing all my forum friendships in 2014 when time allows and hope you internet problems can soon be ironed out.  Hope Brianitus continues to reign in 2014 (within reason). Myself - well I am still aiming to finish the 'naughty but nice treats' up  and then take myself in hand so that I can still get into the clothes I have bought for our social weekend away at end of January.

Take care of yourselves.  Peace and hugs.Jules xx

Hi Annabel

Hope your Dad will soon know what is going on. Sometimes think men just can't handle these 'blips' or perhaps just unable to express themselves but as you say life is full of ironies.  As far as hubby's siblings are concerned their timing could have been better but nothing was going to stop us all making the most of being together for Christmas (and I felt like I was on holiday to be fair; we were spoilt rotten).  I kept my real thoughts to myself (nothing to be gained by causing more upset) and hubby and I discussed it when we got home. In some ways I think it has bought him some relief that his older sister will not be alone when something happens and he has always been generous in spriit and that has not changed. I am not sure how it will all work out but for now we are living in the present which is to be cherished. No one knows what life is going to throw at them along the way and this forum has given me such support, I feel very lucky to have virtual friends who in so many ways are making our journey easier to bear.

You note about the picture on Ava 'on the champagne' really made me smile as our eldest grandson also has a 'drink' photo fromChristmas.  He was asked to take an empty beer bottle to the kitchen (by his uncle) and the first think he did was put it to his lips so you can imagine what the photo looks like!!!  It was wonderful tohave him and baby Zack with us this year and we have also just had news that they hope to pick up a replacement family car at the weekend so it looks like their New Year will bring the some cheer.

As to our phone line, we had an engineer booked for the 2nd but low and behold one called earlier this afternoon and we are all sorted.  Was a break in the overhead cable (even though they had done a fault test which did not show it there end!!) and a nice young engineer fixed it really quickly. Am very relieved.

Hope you have time to catch your breath after all that cleaning and wish you and the family peace and happiness for the New Year ahead.  Hope we can continue to enjoy our virtual chat in the months to come.   

Take care and virtual hugs  Jules xx

Hi Jules,

Well done for getting your connection problems sorted. We don't want to be Jules'less do we. I had almost the same problem about three years ago where I kept losing my Internet connection and just like in your case the land line went as well in the end. Our cables are all underground and I had to wait nearly two weeks for them to lay a new cable for which they had to dig up the neighbours front lawn, and then another two days before they came to connect it up. I was very frustrated. So well done for getting it sorted so quickly Jules.

I feel sure my wife is more concerned about her brother than she will admit to me as she seem quite stressed at the moment. She always finds difficulty in talking about her feelings even to me. Her parents never ever showed her any affection, and when she was about 11 years old her younger brother was killed in a road accident. They never told her about it, with the result she found out about it at school from one of the other pupils. They then overreacted by not letting her go out much at all, making her very much a loner. They never hugged her or told her they loved her even though I know they did in their own way. As I had a non existent relationship with my stepfather, I think this is why we get on so well together. If she continues with this stressful mood, I may have to have strong words with her as I have found although this sounds so unkind, I have found by forcing matter to a head, it is the only way to get her to open up and talk freely. I hate doing this but I only do it after I have tried all the usual routes and failed. Otherwise she tends to let her emotions build and build and then it's even more difficult.

It must have come as quite a shock to you to hear your husbands relative are planning to move. Especially as they had told their friends months before telling you and your husband. Like you we will have a quiet evening in tonight and wonder if we will get many fireworks goinf off as it is still very wet here.

I hope that 2014 will be a good year for you and your family and that your two grandsons bring love and laughter to you all. My son gave us a calendar with lovely photos of our three grandchildren which were taken during their holiday in Scotland earlier this year.

With regard to Brianitus, Mr Tesco didn't have any chestnuts left at all so will have to try Waitrose on Thursday. So am rationing those I have left out to make them last as long as possible just in case they have sold out too.

Hope you enjoy those naughty but nice treats Jules. Have a peaceful but enjoyable evening, take care, best wishes to you and your family, Brian.

Morning Brian

Well, I took your advice and had a peaceful NewYears Eve -we both fell asleep in front of the tv and it was approaching 1 a.m.when we wished each other Happy New Year!!  Will have to save my 'tipple'until after work today!!

Am sure you are right about your wife's worries regarding her brother.Thankfully you know her too well to let her bottle it for too long and it would of course be  best for her to share the emotional rollercoaster the family once again finds itself on.   She would have been your great support during your own fight and perhaps its having seen what you had to go through that in some ways 'she knows only too well' what her brother now faces. Hopefully she can also be reminded of the good recovery you have made and I wish you all well.Do keep us up to date on how he is doing.  Have been meaning to ask how your Dad and your Canadian spur of the family are doing too?

Hope the weather lets up a bit today; the roads round our way are littered with small branches and lots of our neighbours fences will need repairing/replacing.  It was a clear night and there were a few fireworks (before I fell asleep) but on the whole it seemed pretty low key.

Happy New Year - Wishing you good health and happiness in 2014.  Jules xx

To all my virtual friends I would like to wish you and your loved ones all the very best for the New Year and onwards through 2014.  Jules xxx

Morning Jules,

Thanks for your kind words. I spoke to my dad over Christmas and he seems quite perky. Hes has been told by his doctor that he has got over his bladder infection and is hopeful they will soon re-sheshedual his hip operation as he is only able to walk with the aid of a cane these days and is in constant pain while doing so. I spoke to my sister in Canada and she is keeping very busy as she has been doing a lot of home improvements.

I am back on to my story writing now and have five stories on the go at the moment. My computer seems to have sorted itself out, touch wood. As I write this the rain is still falling quite heavily and it's almost at the point of having to put the lights on.

I saw a question someone asked on facebook:- What do pickled onions, sprouts and New Years eve all have in common, the asnwer was fireworks.

Take care Jules, and I hope this year is a better one for you, your husband and family. Hope you dont get to wet on your way home from work.

Thanks again for all the support you have give me, Brian

Hello Brian,

Just want to take a quick oppotunity here to say Happy New Year to you and Mrs B.

I also hope unlike our red squirrels that your nuts are not frozen. !!!!!!!!!! LOL.

Hugs

Annabel.xx

Hi Annabel,

Thank your as I wish the same to you and your family. I have got some nuts which are frozen but I bought them from Waitrose as frozen chestnuts!!!!!!!!

Do take care and thanks for the friendship you have extended to me and others during the pasy year, Brian.

Hi Jules, Happy New Year. Have just returned from Spain where the weather was a lot better than here! Hope you havent been hit too hard by the wind and floods. Thanks so much for your kind words, I'm sure in time the pain of my grief will gradually ease, just difficult when it does jump up at me. Going away was good, the day before I went I didnt think I would even be able to go out New Year, but in fact had a relaxing day in sunshine and a drink in the evening. Hope your New Years eve went well and that you didnt work too hard New Years day. How was your Mum when you visited? Its good that the home make a big effort for the residents to enjoy the festivities. I hope 2014 will bring you some special times, some happiness and much love. I know everybody on here has difficult times one way and I just hope that we can all continue to support each other through 2014 .Hope xx