Hi Jules,

Lovely to read all about your well earned weekend away. Apart from the weather, it sounds as if you both had a superb time. So glad your hubby managed to eat well at the hotel (and no, it won't be down to the hotel chef, it will be the steroids! I'm sure your cooking is every bit as tempting as the hotel offered!)

Dancing till 1 eh? Good for you! I love a dance, but like your hubby, my man is not a keen mover and shaker!  He's not too bad when he does hit the floor, but we tend to look ridiculous dancing together as he's 6ft 1 and I'm 5ft nothing! Even in heels, it's still comical . . . I have begged him not to wear them!

Enjoy the rest of your time off before you head back to work on Weds. It was a shrewd move to book today off and get to grips with the household chores!

I hope your hubby's appetite continues to improve and that next week's appointment with the doctor shows that his new medication is suiting him.

Take care, hugs to you, Jo xxxx

Jo,

Another lady with a wicked sense of humour.

Will be answering your pm asap. xxxxx

Annabel. xx

Morning Jo

Hugs are returned and hope you are coping okay yourself.

When you are away in January you do not really worry about the weather especially when hotel is a good'un though it was good to be able to stretch our legs on the Saturday - even hubby enjoyed the stroll.  Our friends are in their seventies so the slow pace suited them too.  Think the strangest part of the day was sitting in the pub with no drinks as just as we went in there was a power cut (we stayed as it was chucking rain down outside!!).  They had security on the door to monitor the ins and outs but all was well within 20mins (emergency generator sorted it out!!) and then we ordered .....................coffee and carrot cake.

Hubby spent most of yesterday asleep and think perhaps its a kind of exhaustion having made a greater effort than usual to be sociable. He has not needed additional painkillers since we came back but he was straight  back into the routine of sitting in front of tv (the constant repeats are enough to keep anyone asleep!!!) .Of course by the time I went to bed (11ish) he was wide awake and did not come up till gone 3a.m.

Am off to visit Mum later this morning and then get some more food in (it was nice of you to say its not my cooking (a chore a would give up forever if I could.lol) but his comment to the consultant was one of the reasons he was put on a short spell of steroids (he said 'I eat because I know I must but there is no pleasure in it ').  It must be so hard to make yourself eat when you feel that way but if nothing else he has shown a determination to try and keep his weight level by snacking regularly between meals and suspect this is easier as its small amounts regularly (his main meals are kiddie-size which is probably why he is just coping).

Take care of yourself.Jules xx

Hi Jules,

How lovely that your fun weekend also meant that there was over £1,000 raised for charity.  I'd be voting for the weekend in Spain next time if I was you!  Hope your visit to your Mum was OK today.  I am feeling a little emotional today; a while back when I was clearing the house I found my Mum's original engagement ring (she had a later one), it had a diamond missing so have had it fixed and got it back just now so am wearing it with her orignal wedding ring.  It feels like part of my Mum and Dad (as he obviously bought them) which is nice but also a bit sad.  Speak soon.  Hope x

Hi Jules,

Hope you manage to get in to work okay today with all the disruption to the transport both with the weather and the tube strike. Yesterday Mrs B bought a couple of bunches of daffodils for our elderly neighbour and she was so pleased with them. This morning I walked along the road and back to get her prescription for her as she was running short and I needed the exercise.Have finished all my chestnuts now so will have to put up with the frozen ones now.

Will talk again soon take care Brian.

Hi Brian

Well made it into work (longer walk plus bus) with five minutes to spare having allowed an extra half hour.  Coming home was okay too- just had to get two buses as my back felt a bit sore so it cost me a bit more but otherwise no hassle.  Will repeat the process tomorrow.  Luckily I did not get too wet either (though now I have a very short hair cut it soon dries anyway).

I am sure the daffodils will look lovely and would brighten anyone up.  When we arrived at the hotel there were daffodils in bud on all the tables at breakfast time and by the time we left they were nearly all open (cental heating certainly helped them).  For the Saturday evening they had beautiful table decorations and I was lucky enough to get to bring ours home (my birthday being the closest to our hostess) so our dining table looks very pretty.

Hubby took our daughter for her blood tests today (so he could hold the baby!) and think he enjoyed being useful as he was quite a lot brighter when I got home (think the steroids are helping too as his appetite did improve whilst we were away - I only had to help him finish his dessert).  He has just put in a repeat prescription for his usual painkillers and so far he has not needed to top up since we came home but its good to know he has them on standby if he needs them.

Take care and peaceful thoughts to you both.  Jules x

Hi Hope

What a lovely way to keep Mum and Dad close to you by having the rings to wear and of course it would be tinged with sadness too, so not surprised that your emotions are raw.

Visit to see Mum went quite well as she was on a 'better day' so we were able to chat for over an hour and she wanted to know all about our weekend.  Finally had to come away when they whisked her off for lunch.  She had even visiited the mobile library so hope she still feels good today and is reading.  It really is a case of taking each visit as it comes and making the most of the up days.  The staff are very good as they react straight away if she is in good spirits and encourage her to join in whatever is going on activity wise.  They have an activity lady mon to fri from 10.30 - 4pm doing all sorts of things plus they also have been having local theatre groups coming in to put on mini performances for them.  One resident had her 102nd birthday last week and had a disco!!  Mum said it was noisy so she did not go but the 'birthday girl' thoroughly enjoyed herself!!

Take care my friend and chat again soon.  Hugs  Jules xx

Hi Jules,

Have just sent you a pm.

Annabel. xx

Thanks for pm - have responded.  Jules xx