Hi Jules

So sorry to hear that the Social Workers do not seem to be helping.  I know you have been a regular visitor to your Mum and it will be so hard not to be able to do this as often if they do decide to move her.  I know she has to agree but it does seem as though she does not have much choice.

You have no reason to feel guilty you have absolutely done your best and it is not your fault that the system and social workers have let your mum down.  I only wish there was more I could say that will help.

Very best wishes.

Gill

Thanks for your post Gill.  Sadly the social workers are nice enough and just following the 'system'.  Who knows what the future holds for any of us. It just a shame that my parents never had their own property as at least that could have been sold to fund her living expenses.  We will see what the next few months brings.  At least for now she is just half an hour's walk away (or the bus if I ever feel the need) and in safe hands which is the important thing.

Had a fairly quiet day at work today and then came home to take over my babysitting role.  Our 6mth old grandson went to bed at 6.30 and all is quiet.  Should, in theory require no more than checking on until 6 tomorrow morning.(As I am an early riser anyway this is not problem).  Have a roast in the oven (late dinner tonight)and had a short visit from sister in law who has now left me with an Easter Egg to demolish!  Will pace myself. 

Hubby is due to go fishing with our son tomorrow so it will be a  'baby and me' day.  Quite looking forward to a nice walk out with a pushchair (can put my shopping under it too!!).

Hope you are doing okay and had a good Easter weekend.  Hugs  Jules x

Hi Jules

I know the social workers are only doing thier job and probably their best but it really does not help you or your mum much does it.  I only hope that she will be happy in the new place if she does accept it.

Glad to hear all is quite on the Zac front.  No doubt he is probably up and about now after his early morning nap and keeping you busy.

I do hope hubby enjoys his fishing trip.  Would not be my choice sitting on a wet riverbank or lake side even with a tent to protect me!

Daughter has just called.  She went back to Uni on Saturday as she needed access to the library (they do not allow books to leave the library once they have broken up for Easter as when they get back it is straight in to exams.  Unfortunately the heating is not working across large parts of the Uni and it is likely to be a good few days before it is sorted.  Therefore wants collecting later on today.  Will give husband good news when I wake him at 2pm (he was working all night).  She will go back on Sunday and we can only hope it will have been fixed by then although on past performance this is not particularly likely.  One block of campus flats was without properly working heating for two weeks when the first went to Uni at the end of September.  Luckily it was not Alice's block but does not bode well.

So far have had a fairly productive morning - far more productive than usual and long may it continue.

Best wishes.

Gill.

P.S.  Definetly pace yourself with the egg.  They were saying on tv this morning it can take four hours of exercise to get rid of the calories from junst one standard size easter egg.  Ouch to that.

Hi Jules,

Sorry for the late reply but have been working hard to restore one of my stories and now nearly complete. Just one more to go but will have to leave that as our wood club has a big exhibition 3rd 4th and 5th of next month so will have to leave the book to get my woodturning done. Both grandson have loved the book I gave them and have told me I made a speeeeling mistake on page 5. Naughty granddad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hope Hubby had a great time with regards to the fishing trip. One year, my late grandfather spent most of his holiday week fishing on the river bank at Littlehampton and all he managed to catch was a few  crabs. My mothers small dog was walking along the beach when he suddenly dived into a pool of water that was left when the tide went out and caught quite a big fish. My poor grandfather had his leg pulled unmercifully over this. I told him the dog was a better fisherman than he was

Glad work was not too bad on Monday, I did think of you having to go in on a bank holiday. Bet in one sense you didnt want to hand baby Zac back.

We had a lovely black and white woodpecker in our front garden this morning but by the time I had got my camera, he was just flying off. Not surprising when he saw me, I'm enough to frighten anyone off.

Take care Jules, best wishes to you and family as usual, Brian.

Hi Gill

Have replied on the amazing quotes thread but just wanted to say thanks for pointing me in the right direction(I don't always browse the site and probably would have missed the opportunity to help if I can).

I really paced myself with the Easter Egg (replace a meal with it) and then spent yesterday working it off with the help of my baby grandson (arm lifts with a 18+lb baby just got to help!!)

Hope your daughter appreciated the warmth of home (and your husband enjoyed the extra drive).  Luckily we had no such problems when our son was at uni (few years back now) as he was in modern halls the first year and then moved into shared house - still keeps in touch with most the lads he shared with too.  Have to say we have not had our heating on much the last couple of weeks (we do not have central heating so just pop the gas fire on as and when).  Bet you will enjoy having her company too though and maybe the home cooking/washing service runs better too. As my son had a part time job during his first two years at uni he did not come home much and by the time he returned he had taught himself to cook  and now he and his girlfriend take it in turns (cooking is my pet hate!!).

Good luck with your last chemo session. Jules x

Hi Brian

Glad you have almost caught back up with the problems your computer caused you.  Its amazing how a 'little spelling  error' can get you into trouble but great that you dont mind having your leg pulled over it.

24hrs with baby Zack was a lovely change but to be honest not sure I could manage for much longer than that. My back and arms bare witness to 'all that playing' but the smiles were certainly worth it.  It was great that I could help out so that my daughter and son in law could get their bedroom painted whilst he was off from work.  I have promised the older boy a sleepover during his next holidays as like to treat them the same (just could not manage both at the same time at present!!).

Will now imagine you beavering away getting some goodies ready for your Wood Club event.  Its lovely that you have so much to keep your amused (and out of trouble).  Loved the 'fishie tale' and most fisherman have one or two they can tell.  Hubby's main fishing hobby was sea fishing for many years but as he cannot managed that now, going out for the day and being in the company of our son was pretty special (for them both).  Today he has been catching up on naps and for me normal routine is restored.

Sending best wishes to you and Mrs B.  Jules x

Hi Jules,

Hope you enjoyed your time with your grandsons, albeit a little exhausting.  I'm back to work now and back to the usual routine, which seems a long way away from lovely Italy!  I'm trying hard to be positive, still have my bad days and to be truthful I think I will always feel some pain when I think about my parents because I miss them so much, but I'm trying to make the best of things.  I hope hubby is doing OK and that he enjoyed his eggs.  Take care.  Hope x

Hi Hope

Nice to hear from you and do have to agree that 'normal' routine is what keeps me pretty levelled (most of the time).  Really glad you managed the holiday trip to Italy though because its important for you and the family to recharge those batteries. When you have had such a close relationship with your parents(sadly not the case once I reached adulthood as my Mum took exception to me 'breeding like a rabbit' when I had a second child)   there will always be days when you feel a little down (some memories cause a fall out when you least expect it) but in time you do move on to make good memories for your own family into the future.  I expect like most of us affected in some way by cancer (or any life shortening illness) your outlook has changed forever but do hold on to the fact that you are a good mother yourself (just because of how you were cherished yourself).  Happy to chat whenever you like (sad to say I chat more here than indoors but where would I be without the help of my buddies).  Take care, sending hugs  Jules x

Hi Jules

I say your posts on the other thread.  I knew you would be able to help them.

I am sure all the lifting with Zac worked off the egg very quickly.  When it is your baby and you do it al the time you do not notice the weight gain so much but you certainly do when it is not yours.

Daughter is moaning about revising for exams as some of the info supplied by a couple of tutors is incomplete or out of date!  Apart from thar she is fine.  She is already quite a good cook and cooked a couple of times before easter which was nice.  She is lucky in that last summer she had a job for three months as a receptionist at a solicitors firm.  They took her back for three weeks at Easter and have already told her they want her for as long as she can do in the summer.  She is getting paid quite a bit above the minimum wage and is very happy.

She has already arranged a house share for September with three of her flat mates.  They are all looking forward to this as even though their current campus accommodation is only a few years old the heating seems to be a problem for all the blocks.

Hope hubby is ok and not so tired.

Best wishes.

Gill