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

Many thanks Jo. Have replied on your own thread too. Your school kids must love your sense of humour which I am sure is what keeps you going even when you are flagging.  Jules xx

Ah Jules what a tough week you have had. Hope things settle down again enough for you to enjoy a relaxing weekend.

Sending you lots of love

Lisa xX

HI JULES Brian as said it all we are all thinking of you GOD BLESS   george XXXXX

Am so sorry to see all that you have endured over the past few weeks Jules. My love and thoughts are with you x

Lisa, George and Max

Just to say many thanks for your kind words.  The support of my virtual buddies means so much and it always feels better to have 'got it out'.

  It's really now trying to prioritise and hubby has and will always be my first concern. Though I still find it distressing that I have to second guess his feelings about so much these days I have accepted that this is the 'fault' of the illness/drugs and not of my man.  He spends his days sitting watching tv or sleeping and when he is awake just looks so miserable it could break your heart but, and its a big but, he wants me to carry on as normal and this I  must try to do as I do not want to fail him. Am really hoping that his visit to our sons workplace on Friday gives him a lift (just like his days fishing a few weeks ago).  When he goes out and does 'normal' (like his Friday night beer with his friend) I still see a glimpse of my real hubby so long may these times continue.

As you can imagine the death of my friend had emotions at boiling point which had a knock on effect when trying to take in the added concerns regarding Mum but hoping that my one day at a time logic will kick in and  with my kids' support (and giving the forum the occassional ear bashing) I can draw enough strength to see us all through the problems that are part of life.

Hope you are all doing okay at present and wish you all a good weekend ahead.  Hugs  to all  Jules x

Hi Jules,

So sorry I have not responded sooner. I spent most of yesterday woodturning and last night was my usual visit to see my grandchildren. When I got home, I feel asleep on the settee. I can tell I am still tired from the amount of typos I am having to correct.

But enough about me. I am really feeling for you at the moment, what with the loss of your dear friend, your mother and the constant worry about your husband all combining to cause you distress. Your husband is a lucky man to have you looking after him Jules, and I feel absolutely sure you will never fail him. I am pleased that you have a very supportive family who understand the many problems you have. Please feel free to come on here and offload anytime Jules and we will be happy to respond. You have been so supportive of so many people including me since you have joined, it's our turn to support you now.

Take care Jules, Just take it one day at a time as you say.

sending best wishes and kind thoughts your way, Brian.

Hi Jules,

How are you today?  Just to reiterate Brian's words, "you will always support your husband and will never fail him".  I hope his visit tomorrow lifts his spirits and perhaps he will share his day with you when he returns.  It must be difficult to talk when every day is the same and I know he doesn't want to talk about his illness.  That said it is equally difficult for you to "carry on as normal"; however it sounds like you are doing a very good job - you are a star.  Take care.  Hope x

Hi Jules

So pleased to hear that your daughter will be with you when you meet your Mum's team.  I am sure just having her there will be a help.  It is also nice to know that your Son in Law will help with the paperwork if you need it.  I know having gone through the same for my mother it is not a quick and easy process and only takes effect once it is registered with the Public Guardianship Office which can take some weeks.

I really hope hubby has a good day tomorrow at your son's work.  He must really be looking forward to it and as you say hopefully it will give him a lift before the next big appointment.

Big Hugs to you.

Gill

Hello Jules ,I am so sorry you have so many worries ,of course hubby must be your priority,and glad he has the visit with sons boss to look forward to things like that can be a great benefit to him and with your familys  support will help too .I would like to say hope all goes well on Tuesday  too .I can remember when Tony was first diagnosed I had to say to my children dad is my priorty now as i was taking one of my daughters to and from work picking grandchildren from school busy all the time with one thing or another , so with chemo lasting most of the day hospital visits and things something had to give ,so I know how you feel being torn from pillar to post .Hard I know but you need some me time and hope you have a relaxing weekend , and that the weather is good ,its awful here in Cornwall today rain rain rain so fingers crossed for more sunshine  , take care Jules  and a big hug  x Susananne

Morning Brian

Just a quick line to thank you for your kind words. Like everyone here says its a relief to have the forum for an outlet.

Hope the woodturning has gone well and your 'wood family' is growing.  Hope you enjoyed the time with the grandchildren (even though it leaves us grandparents weary their young outlook and generally happy outlooks bring so much into our lives) and those visits are so precious and rewarding.  Hope too that you and Mrs B are keeping okay and that you will manage that call (if not done so already) with your Dad.

Am pleased to report that today my hubby has managed very well to get himself out of the house and off to enjoy visit to our son's place of work.  He left with a smile on his face and you all know how much that can mean. (I am, for a little while, in charge of the remote  and the tv is OFF!!!).

Wishing you a very pleasant weekend though think we may be dodging the showers.  Sending hugs.  Jules x

Morning Brian

Just a quick line to thank you for your kind words. Like everyone here says its a relief to have the forum for an outlet.

Hope the woodturning has gone well and your 'wood family' is growing.  Hope you enjoyed the time with the grandchildren (even though it leaves us grandparents weary their young outlook and generally happy outlooks bring so much into our lives) and those visits are so precious and rewarding.  Hope too that you and Mrs B are keeping okay and that you will manage that call (if not done so already) with your Dad.

Am pleased to report that today my hubby has managed very well to get himself out of the house and off to enjoy visit to our son's place of work.  He left with a smile on his face and you all know how much that can mean. (I am, for a little while, in charge of the remote  and the tv is OFF!!!).

Wishing you a very pleasant weekend though think we may be dodging the showers.  Sending hugs.  Jules x

Hi Jules

So pleased hubby left smiling and looking forward to hiis day.  Can't say I blame you for turning the tv off.  Having seen quite a lot of daytime tv over the past few months I can attest to the fact that whilst it has improved from years ago it still has a long way to go.

Make the most of today.

Gill

Morning Gill,

There's me just catching up with my posts and you already on the ball this morning.  Am having a lazy morning now (have done washing ironing and daughter has borrowed my 'Henry' so have good excuse not to hoover.  Have made myself a huge bowl of mixed fresh fruit and got my feet up - what a change a day makes!!   At least I can give the old  bones a rest (still trying to compartmentalise my thoughts but not complaining!!).

Hope you are feeling okay and taking things slowly yourself.  Bet you are now beginning the countdown to your phased return to work and no doubt your daughter will soon be home from uni for the summer break.  My son works at a research facility at Brunel and always says that campus suddenly seems like a ghost town when the students leave for home (but parking is easier!!).

Hope you have a good weekend and that we all manage to see some good weather. Got caught in hail/thunder storm on my way home from work yesterday and was greeted by the man of the house saying 'did you get wet?'  with me dripping all over the carpet despite a brolly.

Thanks for your continued support - the forum community is amazing place to be part of.  Sending hugs  Jules xx

Hi Jules

Love the comment of your hubby as you stand there dripping wet!  I was really lucky as I was about to head out when the thunder started.  I thought I would wait a bit to see what happened.  Needless to say I did not bother to go out at all as it was not absolutely necessary.

Alice is coming home this weekend and then back for summer on 14 June and starting work on 16 June.  As she has to be out of her flat on campus by 10am we are going up the weekend before to pack most of her stuff and bring it back then so there is only the minimum to bring back on 14.  Apparently if they do not hand their keys in by 10am they are fined.

Make the most of your day of rest.  You deserve it.

Gill

Hi Jules,

Sorry to read you got wet yesterday. The comment your hubby made is pretty much what I would have said to Mrs B had she got wet. You are spot on about the grandchildren. One of my owls didn't turn out 100 % so I gave it to my youngest grandson. Straight away, he named it Ollie the Owl and wanted a story about it. I couldn't say no could I???????????? Suspect this is going to become a regular thing for a few weeks. The owl family is growing rapidly as per picture below.

Glad Hubby had a big smile on his face today and lets hope it stays there too. Do you have to have a licence to be in control of the remote Jules?  Have not done any turning today as it's my day to help/ hinder Mrs B with the housework. Bet you have a mental picture of me now as Mrs Mops.!!!!!!!!!!!

Have still not been able to talk to dad so have sent a letter to him which at least he can keep.

Hope you both enjoy you usual Friday night out tonight. You certainly deserve some ME time.

We only had one clap of thunder yesterday and a couple of showers. Today it is overcast and keeps looking like rain but nothing so far.  Will be taking Mrs B for a ride out next week as I need to visit a timber yard to get some more melamine lacquer as no one stocks it locally. I am nearly out of it at present.

Anyway, take care Jules, hope you have a relaxing weekend and I will be thinking of you, big hugs, Brian   

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Click on picture to enlarge it.

Hi Brian

Sorry for hijacking your post to Jules.

Love the owls.  I think you are right in that you will have to ask for  a raise.  Not sure who you would ask though.  Think Mrs B might turn you down.

You were lucky with the weather yesterday.  We had thunder, lightening, torrential rain and hail.  At one point during the hail the cat was sat by the french doors watching the hail when there was a very large clap of thunder.  Cat shot almost straight in the air and I do not think her feet touch the ground until she had reached the hall.

I did not realise that we women need a licence to operate the remote control.  I have had control of the remote since mid January except occassionally when husband wants to watch something specific.  Mind you since he works nights and sleeps most of the day perhaps there is a reason I have had control of the remote.

Hope you have a good day.

Gill

Hi Brian

Am loving the 'Family Owls' and  not sure Mrs B will want to part with them when your next 'wood club event' happens so suspect you will have to keep on producing. With the book request for your youngest grandson now that he has 'Ollie' in residence you may have to think about what you make and give him in the future (dinosaur perhaps!!) and plan the story as you are 'woodturning' as if you are not busy enough ha ha.

Love the idea of a licence for the remote (or pehaps 'shared right of passage' between chairs!!).  I am certainly learning a lot about 'total fishing' and various 'kit builds' on Quest though have never been much of a fan of daytime tv but 'open plan living' means I tend to treat the tv like a radio (listening because its in the same room but not necessarily watching).  Well despite thinking I might have a really lazy morning yesterday I decided (when looking at the weather forecast for today) to go and do the weekly shop.  Looking outside now at sheeting rain so pleased I did!!

When I got home hubby was back from his 'guided tour' and seemed to have appreciated his visit and was also treated to coffee by the 'top man'.  Quiet pride of  our son's involvement was pretty obvious and certainly gave him something different to do.  He also managed his evening out though very weary on his return and despite 'tuning in to Bond' when we got home (I won a tenner at Bingo so that will pay for next week) was soon sleeping but so good to know that he had been able to go.

Seems like a restful day will be on the cards today with the weather looking miserable though possibly visitors popping in for a bit later.  Tomorrow we are having dinner with friends which we are really looking forward to.  I am not back to work now until Wednesday and we have hospital check up for hubby on Tuesday (he is experiencing a little more pain so suspect we will be looking at changes to medication again and maybe repeat scans to check on progress/spread).

Such a shame that the time difference (and no doubt a 'turned off  mobile') has meant you have not been able to talk to Dad but great that he will now have a lovely letter to read from you and you were probably able to put far more down on paper that you would have been able to say on the phone.  Am sure your sister will let you know how well received it was in due time.  Wishing you and Mrs B a happy weekend now that you have had your day being a 'Mr Mop' sidekick - am sure you have now earned a visit to the nut shop.  Sending warm wishes and hugs Jules xx

Good morning Jules,

I bet you are pleased you did the shopping yesterday as the rain is so bad. We had some heavy downpours before six o clock but at the moment the sun is trying to put in an appearance.  Pleased to hear hubby enjoyed his day out and as you say must be proud of his son although can understand him feeling a bit tired.. Nice to have a small win on the bingo as well. I feel you needed a night out after the week you have had. Hope you have a lazy morning today for it doesn't sound like you will get out into your garden much today.

Our next door neighbours moved out yesterday so wont be getting the daily visit from their cat which we will both miss. Think I may give the woodturning a miss today, otherwise it gets to feeling like a full time job rather than a therapeutic pastime. As you can see, I have learnt how to put speech balloons on my photos, something I have been trying to do for months, I just wasn't saving them in the right format, silly devil. So I can now do my own quotes.

Glad you like the owl family so here is Mrs Owls reply, see below.

Take care Jules and will be thinking of you and hubby next Tuesday. Best wishes and big hugs, Brian

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Hi Gill,

Hope you are okay as I haven't seen your name crop up on here which is unusual for you respond to so many people.  You made me and Mrs B laugh about your cat and the thunder. Poor thing. Did you see the bit on the telly a few days ago about the cat that went to the rescue of that young boy who was being attacked by a dog.I have even seen a video on you tube where a cat chased a bear of of the garden. Incredible.

I am not one for watching TV so Mrs B has full control of the remote, only handing it over to me when she goes to bed. Not that ther's much on there i want to watch these day. We have more channels than ever with Freeview but to me there is less I want to watch than when we only had a couple of channels. Is it just me or do other people feel the same.

Anyway take care, best wishes, Brian.

Hi Brian

Not been on-line for a couple of days as ALice was back from Uni.  Asked if she could "bring back a little bit of washing".  One and a half machine loads and a dress that needed handwashing!  The dress I did not mind about so much as she has no way of drying this at all but I seem to have spent the weekend washing and ironing.  Was busy all day yesterday and was suprised that I managed to keep going.  Have been quite tired today but that is hardly surprising.  Alice is now back an Uni and husband on his way home.

I too saw the news item about the cat saving the young boy.  It is certainly surprising what some of them can do.  I remember that when I was a  teenager a friends cat caught a rabbit that was about twice its size.  Brought it back to my friend with a look of "what I am supposed to do with this now?"  June took the rabbit very carefully from the cats mouth and let it go close to where it was caught.  Needless to say after taht cat stuck to mice and other very small ceatures.

Have to agree with you about tv.  When I was in hospital I was asked a number of times if I wanted a card for the tv service. At something like £6 per day I said no.  It is one thing to have the tv on at home for background noise but I am certainly not paying as there is very little I actually want to watch.

Best wishes for the week ahead.

Gill