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

Hi Brian

Well life is never easy!!  Got up this morning to a hissing noise in our kitchen and emergency plumber has found bust pipe just under kitchen floorboards.  Because its below the indoor stopcock we now have buckets catching the flow of water (since 9.30!!) as the outside stopcock has filled with earth (broken piping!!) and he is currently digging for all he is worth to try and reach the 'off point' as I am currently having to empty bowl every five minutes. (too low to the floor to get bucket under it so towels draped all over the place soaking up spray!!.  He can fix it once he gets the water turned off though as its old piping looks like a major waterworks repair is just around the corner.

Hope all goes well with your results on Tuesday and as its cooler today no doubt you will  be finishing your woodwork project. Best wishes to you both.  Jules x

Oh Jules,

Just catching up with your thread, only to see news of two unwelcome episodes!

Summer colds seem to be doing the rounds at the moment! I really hope you're soon feeling better and able to enjoy the rest of your leave!

It's often the way that you 'relax' into your time off from work and then go down with a lurgy of some sort!

And on top of that, your plumbing problems! Oh I hope your plumber manages to dig his way down to the stopcock and get you sorted in super quick time!

Presumably all this mopping up activity has meant that you're not relaxing in front of the TV with the tennis or the motor racing!

Good to read about your hubby's blood pressure / blood tests being stable. I must admit, over the past few days, I've been with him on the exercise front, far preferring to sit on the sofa with the cat! But I know that being sedentary for too long leaves me stiff and sore, so I have made myself go for a wee saunter with the dog (partner holding the lead as Paddy is a bit exhuberant for me at the moment!)

Wishing you a better week next week!

Take care, hugs to you, Jo xx

Brian, wishing you well for Tuesday's appointment. I'm still loving the quotes and especially the personal photos of your ever growing, wooden animal families!

What talent! Hugs to you and Mrs B and hope the Brianitus isn't causing you too much discomfort xx

Hi Jo

Well looks like 'running water' for a while yet!!!  Outside stopcock not operating correctly so cannot fully turn water off to enable repair.  We have been waiting for 'emergency water service' for nearly 3 hrs now to come and fix outside and then our plumber can return to fix leak(managing to catch most of the water in bowl but the lino will be lovely and clean by the time its fixed (typical that it's happened on a Sunday though) but ultimately we are going to have to have new pipework right under the house.  As gas cooker in way of leak I do have an excuse not to cook today  as this will have to be 're-installed' by professional!!  Currently watching TV and eating sandwiches for lunch and if all else fails daughter has promised us an takeaway for dinner.  Sound of constant running water really affecting trips to the loo  ha ha.

Hope you get to enjoy a stroll with Paddy and your other half - sunny here at present so will be able to enjoy the mens' final soon on the laptop (hubby waiting for re-start of the GP following crash bringing about red flag.  Look after yourself and enjoy whats left of the weekend. Jules x

Oh Jules,

I can see this is one holiday you wont forget in a hurry.  First the cold, now this. Regarding the outside stopcock, reminded me of when just after we had first got married and were living in a ground floor flat. We had a water leak and the outside stopcock was out in the garden. Just like your it was covered in mud. I could only just reach it but had to clear some of the mud to get at it. I had nearly got my second handful of mud up when suddenly it started squirming. I threw it on the garden and the was this frog or toad, I couldn't tell which for like my hand it was covered in mud. It did give me a fright.

Have nearly got my saw bench finished. The clamp that hold the fence in place was damaged when the saw was hit by the forklift but after a bit of head scratching and a bit of brute force and ignorance have sorted it out. Will finis it tomorrow. Brianitus is not good as I didn't get to the nut shop the other day and now I am nutless, not a single one left in the house

Hope you get things sorted soon, thinking of you, Brian.

Hi Jules

Sorry  to hear about the summer cold.  They always seem worse than a winter cold becuase you expect them.    It seems such a shame to have to dose youself up when the sun is shining.

Glad to hear hubby's results were ok but sorry to hear he is still resistant to exercise.  As Brian says even a gentle stroll would help.  All you can do is try and encourage him - you certianly can't force him even if you want to.

Hope the second week of your holiday does not go by as quickly as the first as it will be back to wrok in no time.  At least you have had the chance to watch some very good tennis.  Would have preferred Federer to win today but then so would he!

Best wishes for the week ahead.

Gill

Hi Jules

It never rains but it pours.  First the cold and now this.  Hope they get it fixed before too long and hope the kitchen floorboards do not have to be replaced.  Perhaps some ear defenders would help so you are not running to the loo every five minutes.

We all take things like water for granted until there is a problem.

Do hope things improve quickly.

Best wishes.

Gill

Hi Brian

Will be thinking of you on Tuesday and am sure all will be good.  I am back at hopsital on Tuesday for my four week check and result of PET Scan.  Hopefully it will be all celar.  Will let you know.

Extremely sad to read you are out of nuts.  Am sure you will get to the nut shop soon to rectify this.

Best wishes.

Gill

Hi Brian and Gill

Its been a long day (and hubby stayed awake throughout bless him).  Water finally sorted by  around 4.30 (both inside and out so big hole in front garden (they will be back by appointment to replace our lead piping but for now the leak is sorted.  The next visitor was the gasman to reconnect the cooker which had to be moved so they could fix the water leak.  Gas Engineer not happy with reading at meter so has serviced all our appliances and we are now waiting for Transco to sort their side of the Gas meter (they say should be here within 4hrs so  alate night I fear.  Thank goodness I am not in work till Wednesday and hopefully my cold will be gone by then too.  Daughter and son in law bought us an Indian takeaway as I could not cook ( so there was an up side!!)  She has also taken home all the towels we had to use to soak up the water and they will be returned duly washed - what a girl.  To think they have their 7th wedding anniversary tomorrow and shared their meal with us.  Our eldest grandson was asking the gas engineer lots of questions and little Zack seems to like the taste of the naan bread so it wont be long before he is into curry like the rest of us!!

Well thanks for all your support and hope all your tests have good outcomes. Think we both need a lay down as its been once very expensive Sunday but, if nothing else, there has been plenty of conversation.  Chat again soon - all the best for Tuesday - will be thinking of you both.  Jules x

P.S

Another day but more hassle ahead!!

Transco finished by 11.30 p.m. but reported that though their side of things now OK   they would  not put gas back on as they were still picking up a problem 'our side' so am sitting here waiting for gasman again  grr  (told hubby to stay in bed as he was quite frail by end of yesterday's stress and I hope to be able to enjoy some of the beautiful sunshine later.  'Amazing quotes' thread gave me something to smile about early and having got the gas fitter out of the shower to take my call he is on his way!!  At least he had hot water!!

Hope everyone doing okay and all appointments go well this week.  Jules x

Update

Three more hours with the gas fitter and finally we are  safely restored to the gas supply (tiny leak finally tracked to a small joint in our boiler (fully serviced just over a month ago!!)).

Hubby bit fed up with paying so many big bills (really dont blame him as they have all come at once and to add insult to injury the gas bill has arrived) but at the end of the day these things cannot be left and the gas engineer was 'very entertaining' and jolly which helped.  Was rewarded with coffee and 'flake' from hubby's hoard and on the positive side the meter cupboard under our stairs has now had a long awaited clear out - embarrassed to admit some of the paperwork/rubbish was over 10yrs old

Hubby slightly less fatigued now (slept through most of the pallaver today) and had just polished off a x huge bowl of raspberries and hot custard.  Tomorrow I will try and enjoy my last day's leave (having to miss visiting Mum as cold and now inevitable cough would not be welcome!!)

Hope you all doing okay and that planned appointments go well tomorrow.  Jules

Oh Jules,

What a day you had yesterday with a late finish as well. Pleased to hear things now sorted but how right you are about everything happening at once especially the bills At least this has caused the gas leak to be found so at least it's safer now. Don't envy you with all the bills though.

Have been up to my nut shop this morning so am now making up for lost time Didn't finish saw bench but instead turned 12 key rings as stock very low and have found a different method to turn them quicker. Mrs B has been and inspected the garage and remarked how clean and tidy it was. She has told me I have to keep it like it now.

Hope you cold soon get's better and you enjoy your last days holiday. Best wishes to you and your family, Brian.

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Oh Jules,

What a day you had yesterday with a late finish as well. Pleased to hear things now sorted but how right you are about everything happening at once especially the bills At least this has caused the gas leak to be found so at least it's safer now. Don't envy you with all the bills though.

Have been up to my nut shop this morning so am now making up for lost time Didn't finish saw bench but instead turned 12 key rings as stock very low and have found a different method to turn them quicker. Mrs B has been and inspected the garage and remarked how clean and tidy it was. She has told me I have to keep it like it now.

Hope you cold soon get's better and you enjoy your last days holiday. Best wishes to you and your family, Brian.

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