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 George,

So pleased you had a good time on Angelsey but sorry to hear about your daughter. Bet your four legged friend made sure you went for plenty of walks. One thing is for sure George, you can count on help, advice and support on here with all the great people who are members of this great forum.

Take care, best wishes to you and your daughter, Brian.

I Brian many thanks for your reply we are taking Bev out for lunch monday to a pub near her in Bramhall first time we will have seen her for a month but we are there for her now.

As for that picture I have found it and will try to post  now .[[]]

Morning George

Just wanted to say hope you have a lovely 'catch up' with your daughter and enjoy the pub outing. Interesting piece of woodwork in your picture to Brian (I still have not managed to upload any pics as am rubbish at 'reducing size'. Am hoping to solve this issue by the time I get to my birthday next month as have to produce a digital photo (enough to break the camera!!) to get an 'oldies' pass for London travel.

Look after yourself too but know  your thoughts (and those of your forum buddies) will be for your daughter just now.  Sending you all virtual hugs. Jules x

Hi George,

Thanks for the picture. Hope you all enjoy your pub lunch, Take care Brian.

Now come on Brian what is the art called is it a needle saw .Had a good lunch with Bev it wasw at the garden centre woodford stockport dear but OK had a good chat it was great she looked well ,It was one flat lump of wood ???

lost a few pounds but all OK Friday a big day for her but we are all there for her now .regards all many thanks for your thoughts for Bev .[[]]

Hi George,

With regard to your question, I know it as Scroll saw art. But like many things, I believe its has different names in other parts of the country. In days gone by it used to cut by fretsaws but these days it is scroll saws that are used. Yes it is cut from a flat piece of timber. I have seen it used to make a collapsible bowl. The blade is set at about a 15 degree angle and when the timber drops down it forms a tapered bowl. Never tried it myself but did use my scroll saw to do some Intasia, in other words making a picture or in my case a dolphin out of wood framed in a circular frame. Picture attached

Pleased you had a good day with Bev, Regards to you and your family, Brian.

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Hi Jules,

Just a quick post to say I hope everything went well with the plumbing on Sunday and all is now finished. Don't envy you having to travel to work on the buses in this hot weather.Take care, Brian

Morning Brian

The plumbing is sorted.  Had gang of four in the end and they were brilliant (did not have to lift a finger as they moved furniture to  access floorboards).  Overall they were here 5 hrs with most of that time trying to weave the new pipework through the length of the house but we were only without water for around half hour.  Bill was horrendous but we are now 'lead free' which seemed to make hubby pleased.

Needless to say the knock on effect hit him yesterday and he was barely able to keep his eyes open nor is he bothered with eating so once again the weight is dropping.  All encouragement/suggestions met with blank stare/silence and he has not bothered to follow the GP's advice so not sure what will happen at his next appointment with her  in two weeks.  I know its the cancer causing the problems but its hard sitting in the same room and being unable to 'break through' if that makes sense. Hoping dinner at our son's this coming weekend will lift his spirits.

Can't believe its Tuesday already and I will pop down to visit Mum later and do some food shopping on the way back.  Then hoping to do some more cutting back in the garden (overgrown honeysuckle needs taming).  All being well by then our green waste will have been collected and I will have empty bags to fill!!

Going to work by bus is time consuming (10mins by tube turned into an hour by bus) but plenty of room as they have laid on extra buses.  Just means I do not have time to do th housework before I go out as I need to leave home much earlier (extra 15min walk to the bus station),  Maybe when the children start their holidays on Wednesday there will be a little less traffic but I think a lot of people who normally go by tube have taken to their cars (town centre car park was apparently overflowing earlier than usual).  Sadly with the trains not running into town for nearly 4 weeks the shops will also be suffering I think.

Al lthe best to you and Mrs B and hope you are 'managing' the warm weather okay.I now have to find a new book to start as have just finished a thriller and must look through my 'waiting to read' stock to see what I fancy next. Take care  Jules xx

Hi Gill

If you have read the post to Brian you will see that thankfully the plumbing all sorted.  We were very lucky as no rain at all since a heavy show early Saturday  and in the end only without running water for half hour when the actual new connections were made. They did have fun and games getting the pipework threaded through under the full length of the house so were here many hours but, apart from the cost, its good to be done before the winter sets in.  It has left hubby weary but we have dinner at our sons to look forward to this coming Saturday so hoping that will lift his spirits.

My 10min tube trip has turned into an hour in traffic so quite pleased I only work three days!!  Think maybe it will get a little quicker come Wednesday when the children start the school hols but we will see.  It has already had a knock on effect in the town centre so can see 'targets'going out of the window for the next few weeks.

Hope you are keeping well and enjoying Alice's cooking.  Take care and chat soon. Jules x

Hi Jules,

Sorry to hear about the extra time it is taking you to get to work, not what you need in this warm weather. I hope hubby has recovered from the weekends trauma and is eating better. Saying that, both me and Mrs B are not feeling so hungry due the the warm weather. I can appreciate how hard it must be for you when hubby doesn't want to talk or follow your advice.

For some time I have been wanting to buy a knurling tool for making my acorns It what give the acorn cup the texture. But at £65 pounds for the cheapest, thought no way. However, I have now bought some spare knurling wheels and made up my own wooden handle rather than the metal one on the others. Have only paid £11 pounds for six wheels although I only needed one. I have spent the early part of the morning making my own tool up and very pleased with the results. (photos attached of the test piece) May see if other club member want some ot the other wheels.

My house is nut free (apart from me that is) as due to the hot weather and eating less, my weight has at last started dropping so haven't bought any this week. I will make you laugh now. When we went into the supermarket this morning, the guy on the veg area said, "seeing you in your shorts with your legs exposed, has reminded me I have to feed my budgerigar", cheeky devil. Even my older grandson said "I see your in training for the Olympics, Granddad" last night.  I now have a seroius complex about my legs. Mrs B has said she is glad as usually it's me winding people up.

Hope work is not too bad today. Take care Jules, best wishes to you, hubby and family, Brian.

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Hi Jules,

Sorry to hear about the extra time it is taking you to get to work, not what you need in this warm weather. I hope hubby has recovered from the weekends trauma and is eating better. Saying that, both me and Mrs B are not feeling so hungry due the the warm weather. I can appreciate how hard it must be for you when hubby doesn't want to talk or follow your advice.

For some time I have been wanting to buy a knurling tool for making my acorns It what give the acorn cup the texture. But at £65 pounds for the cheapest, thought no way. However, I have now bought some spare knurling wheels and made up my own wooden handle rather than the metal one on the others. Have only paid £11 pounds for six wheels although I only needed one. I have spent the early part of the morning making my own tool up and very pleased with the results. (photos attached of the test piece) May see if other club member want some ot the other wheels.

My house is nut free (apart from me that is) as due to the hot weather and eating less, my weight has at last started dropping so haven't bought any this week. I will make you laugh now. When we went into the supermarket this morning, the guy on the veg area said, "seeing you in your shorts with your legs exposed, has reminded me I have to feed my budgerigar", cheeky devil. Even my older grandson said "I see your in training for the Olympics, Granddad" last night.  I now have a seroius complex about my legs. Mrs B has said she is glad as usually it's me winding people up.

Hope work is not too bad today. Take care Jules, best wishes to you, hubby and family, Brian.

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Morning Brian

What a bargain you got with your special tooling and the pictures show you wasted no time in putting it to good use.  There will be no stopping you now.  You will soon need a storage facility for all your new products.  When does the Wood Club have its next show/sale?  I suppose with no supply of edible nuts you will just have to keep 'turning'out artificial ones.

Wish my appetite had been affected by the weather but with the extra walking to the bus station I am eating more!! Not good for the wasteline as its not always the healthy food I fancy so will give myself a talking to over this weekend (after dinner at our sons) and get back on track otherwise my next cholesterol check will not be a happy one.

Hubby had visit from the community nurses yesterday (unscheduled so saw the 'unprepared look') and though he told me nothing more, he has notes in his folder which says he reported feeling well with pain still under control though struggling to be bothered with eating nor enjoying lack of enthusiam for anything. At least he is being honest with someone.  I have told him I do not want to be a 'nag' but feel its the only thing I can do to help encourage his eating/drinking by offering little and often and lo and  behold thats what the nurse wrote in his files (he will think it's a conspiracy).  As I am writing he is at least having breakfast (seems to be the best meal of the day for him) and we are having our daughter and grandchildren pop in later on so have set up the garden.  Managed to 'tame'the honeysuckle earlier in the week and mowed the lawn last night. So no excuse for Granny not to pay swingball and quoits later.

Hope you and MrsB are coping ok as I know this hot weather can play havoc.  Luckily the windows remain fully open on the buses and I now have a good routine by leaving the house 10mins earlier than I had been I get the rail replacement service  which has been amazing so far (double deckers running every 5/10 mins visiting just the three stations and ITS FREE!!! (to compensate for the inconvenience)).  So really should not complain and have in fact complimented the staff as they have been really on the ball with helping everyone.

Wishing  you both and the family a lovely weekend. Take care and I do hope that your elderly neighbour is feeling better too. Jules x

Hi Jules,

Have just come in from the garage; have turned 17 key rings all out of off cuts and in the fastest time ever and nearly all done with one tool. I have hardly had to use sand paper at all. New Knurling tool works a treat on the acorn cups and is not only much faster but a lot more even, so well pleased. Next show is not until late November so have plenty of time. Yesterday I had a 100 metal key rings turn up in the post from a new supplier and instead of costing 15p each these only cost £2.30 for the 100 and free postage. Another bargain.

My weight has dropped a little this week so the hot weather has helped in this respect. Two great minds think alike from what the nurse wrote. Hope hubby is able to eat a little more for it must be a concern for you. It's so true that cancer doesn't just affect the patient, It affects the whole family in in way or another. Hope you enjoyed your time in the garden and didn't strain yourself with the swingball. Glad you have not experienced any problems with the buses. You are like me in that when you get good service, you compliment people and I think that's a nice thing to do.

Hope you enjoyed you Bingo evening last night and are now sitting in the garden relaxing and reading your new book. I wish you, hubby and family a great weekend, Best wishes, Brian.

Morning Brian

A pleasant couple of hours spent in the garden already and popped in to fix breakfast for hubby (but he's dropped off again!!).  I have deadheaded the roses and done some weeding as well as topping up bird feeders and have been watching the goldfinches feeding the youngsters (noisy tweeters!!).

You had a very production session in your workshop and are doing well with your bargains and putting all to good use.

Enjoyed the company of family on Friday and my social night out (no win but plenty of chat!!) and last night had a lovely meal with our son and partner and her parents who were kind enough to give us a lift over and back (they live about five minutes down the road from us ).  Hubby still able to drive but to be honest rarely leaves the house now other than his Friday social and visiting family/appointments.  We were able to eat outside and it was lovely to catch up with them all.  We are returning the favour next Saturday but have opted for Fish and Chip supper (so I still get a night off cooking) as this will be a treat for us all (I will think of something light to follow as dessert though hubby and I will find one course enough!!

Definitely more pleasant outside today and able to do a bit of work outside rather than just sitting.  Have big fan on indoors to help though  did manage about four hours sleep last night which is an improvement.  Hope you both enjoy your day.  Jules x

Hi Brian

Am pleased and surprised you have managed to do so much wood turning in this heat. That is the one good thing about working in an office Air Conditioning, to be honest most of us would have melted without it.

I will be along the coast from you next weekend and again two weeks later visting family in Chichester.  First visit is because my niece (a hairdresser) is dyeing and restyling daughter's hair completely.  We booked the appointment weeks ago as Nicole gets very booked up.  Will down again two weeks later to see my cousin (also called Brian) who is visiting family on his way home to Canada.  He has been teaching in Africa for the past year and wanted to catch up with both sides of family.  I have not seen him for about ten years and do not want to miss this visit. 

You must let me know the date in November and the location fro your next show/sale as I will certainly pay you a visit.

I note you have lost a bit of weight with the heat.  Am not suprised as no-one feels like eating much when it is so hot.  Cooling drinks and ice cream sound good.  Hope Mrs bs diabetes is now behaivng itself although I know it can be tricky to manage in the heat.

Best wishes for a great (if slightly cooler) week.

Gill

Hi Gill,

I have a large fan which I stand on the bench and which not only keeps me cool but also blows the dust out the doorway. Everything in my garage has to have a dual purpose. What a small world this is as my English sister and my niece both live in Chichester. My next show is not until 15th November in Henfield village hall. There is a free car cark alongside the hall. If you look up Sussex Woodcraft Society in the Internet, (www.sussexwoodcraft.co.uk) we have our own web site and I would love to see you. Let me know nearer the time and I will send a map. There are a load of photos on there so iat will show you the sort of exhibition/ sale of work we put on.

What part of Canada does your Brian live? All my Canadian family live in various parts of Alberta and wish I could get to see them again but Mrs B cant travel the distance and I couldn't and wouldn't leave her behind not with all the health problems she has for if anything went wrong I would never forgive myself. Have been nut free all week and Mrs B cant believe I didn't buy any. Now my weight is going down I want to keep it going down as I do feel better for losing a few pounds. Trouble is when the Chestnut season starts, will probably put it all back on.

I hope you have had a good weekend, Take care and best wishes to you and your family, Brian.

Hi Jules,

Woodturning has continued over the past few days and stock is increasing quite rapidly. Mrs B has bent my ear and now has several samples to add to her collection. I am really enjoying trying out new ideas and shapes. Mrs B has informed me I have to clear the new stock away before she (and I) do the housework tomorow or I will be in big trouble Nothing new there, trouble is my middle name.

I have another committee meeting tonight for my local cancer charity and have donated some of my turnings to them to help raise funds. Did sucome to temptation on Tuesday and bought some nuts but weight is still dropping and feeling better for it. Have lost over half a stone so far and want to continue it.

Hope your still coping with your journey to work. Is Hubby still sleeping so much? Hope things improve. Our next door neighbour had this problem early this year until her family bought her some jigsaw puzzles and this has given her some interest apart from the telly.

It's my youngest grandsons birthday on Saturday, a fact he lost no time in reminding me of last night.

Take care Jules, best wishes to you and your family, Brian

Hi Brian

Glad the woodturning going well and that you have been rewarded with a few 'nut treats'.  Well done with the weight reduction as its never easy and will power is not always an easy companion (just eaten a toasted teacake which was not such a healthy lunch (addition)).  Seems the less hubby wants the more I eat so must take myself in hand .  He is still sleeping a fair amount but managing to eat two reasonably sized meals the last couple of days and have stocked up his sweetie jar in the hope he dips into it. To be frank though it is obviously worrying me I don'tthink he is bothered by it as only gets grumpy if I 'go on' so am now trying 'reverse psycology' and see what that brings.  He has GP check up early next week and  so will see how that goes.  Talking of jigsaws, my Dad loved doing them and I bought both puzzle and porta-puzzle board back in April for hubby's birthday and despite big hints from other members of the family , it remains untouched - it all comes back to that saying 'you can lead a horse to water but you cannot make it drink'.

Hope you have good weekend and that you grandson has a lovely birthday (has he got a new story from  you?).  We have my son and other half coming for Fish and Chips on Saturday evening and she has just let me know she has been blackberrying so am getting a share of her supplies - yummy.  Think a large tub of ice cream will be in order if anyone can manage dessert!!  Best regards to you and MrsB.

Hi All I had a TXT from bev to day the MRI scan she had is good no more operations but starts chemo monday in tablet form so not to bad but she is talking to us all and we are there for her .

had some good sunsets in timperley over the last few nights . but they will not load

Hi George,

So pleased to hear MRI scan was good, you must be so relieved. I wish her all the best. Take care and have a good weekend, Brian.

Hi George

Great to get your update regarding Bev and send you all best wishes and the hope that her treatment continues smoothly,  Hope you keeping okay yourself too. Regards Jules x