Hi Hope

Thanks for your message and yes the car sailed through the MOT (and I got an hour with the remote control).  I have 'stand by' food if hubby too tired to go out but will leave the decision up to him.  He is sitting with a milkshake and has got his breath back from walking up the garden path (frightening how quick walking effects him now). Weather has been so good and am spending time in the garden which I could not do if I was working - the robins have been down as I have turned the soil in the beds and they are happy with their finds. We also had a fox visiting this morning but as soon as it saw me watching through the window he was off so no time to whip out the camera!  Hope you doing okay and sending a virtual hug. Jules x

Hi Jules,

Just wanted to wish and your hubby a very happy anniversary. Sorry it's a bit late in the day!

Must say, your 'stand by' meal sounds delicious - prawns and BBQ ribs mmm! Think I'd be content to stay in with that on offer!

Whatever you decide to do, enjoy!

Sending you a hug, Jo xx

Hi Jules,

At last I have a bit of time and have found you and your old thread.

Firstly congratulations on your Wedding anniversary. I hope you are planning a favourite take away to celebrate especially if you get out to see the Tall ships.

I can understand your reticence about going out twice without your husband. It's so easy  to worry about them when your not there.

We managed to get quite a bit of gardening done this week and get the swing seat that my parents have given me( I bought it for their 50th anniversay ) in place, after all the hard work it's time to sit and use it so I am really glad we are now having a bit of an Indian summer.

I came out on Monday and thought whats wrong.? It's really quiet and then realised the swallows had gone. They had all been liing up on the electricity wires the day before. It was so sad to know they had gone, anyway, just have to look forward to their return in the spring.

Her's hoping you have a lovely week off work.

Loads of hugs

Annabel. xx

Hi again Susananne,   No apologies needed for rambling on this site, it is what sometimes helps us. I can understand how hard it must be to accept the loss of your lovely hubby, as when we have had our loved ones in our lives for so long it is so very difficult to be without them.  Time makes the pain a little less raw but if we have loved so deeply it is only natural that we grieve deeply too.  I really hope time helps you to adjust and find some happiness again.  Hope xx

Hi Jules,  Glad your anniversary is going well - an hour with the remote can't be bad.; always good for the car to have its yearly thumbs up too.  Hope you enjoy your evening whatever you & hubby decide to do.  Hope xx

Hi Annabel

Thanks for your congrats.  Interesting day and quite relaxed about it all (just glad we can share it).

All the hard work in your garden has paid off and you are rewarded with late summer sun (have enjoyed some of it this week too).  Can't believe we are sitting with our patio doors open and its still very pleasant.  Have promised myself some 'reading in the garden' tomorrow as like to think can make the most of my time off though must go and do mundane stuff like washing/shopping (thats when you realise its a different type of holiday than we have been used to).  Will treat myself to a manicure before return to work next week.

Hope you keeping well and that all the family doing okay.  Jules x

Thanks Hope,

We stayed in and have polished off our starter.  Hubby now back watching River Monsters and I have done the clearing up.  Will wait an see if he can manage anything else (maybe the ribs for supper).

Hope work going okay and no doubt your boys will soon be back in their routines.  Take care of  yourself.  Jules x

Hi Jules,

I hope you and hubby both enjoyed your evening out last night. Pleased to read your car passed it's MOT. The last three or four days I have been busy giving my stand a makeover. Haven't changed it for several years so to go with all the new lines I have turned, thought it about time I changed my stand. I have got to dye the cloth I use on my table to black as at present its a dark navy blue but will have to do this on a day when Mrs B isn't washing. Today however I have been back turning salt and pepper pots (picture attached)  including the first owl one.Tomorrow I have to do the second one and then glue up timber for another pair.

Do you have any more days holiday or is it back to work next week? This week has gone by so quickly.

The small timber company where I used to work has closed down and everything has been sold. Sad to see another small company close but there is just too many larger companies competing for customers locally.

Got to make another trip to out local tip as have two swing bins full of sawdust and shavings and as most of it is hardwood it's no good for pets.

Brianitus is still under control although I did buy some Kent Cobb nuts last Thursday. I feel much better for my weight loss but want to lose a few more pounds as It wont be long before the chestnuts are in the shops. There was an interesting article in the paper which I have kept about how sales of nut are increasing nationally. It included a fact sheet stating the health benefit's of eating most popular nuts.

Wishing you, hubby and family a great weekend, hugs Brian.

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Morning Brian

Loving 'woodie owl' and am sure it will not be long before you have its partner.  Your new stand will certainly need to be strong with all the lovely things you will have to display ready for your next Event.  I can see lots of people  being very pleased to have something so special to put on the table.

My holiday ends on Tuesday (I have a day out in Oxford with my friend tomorrow to still look forward to).  Its been a bit strange being at home for so long and not going anywhere but you do adjust.  Not as much sun as I had hoped for but the dry weather means that the garden looks ready for the Autumn and the garden waste is going out week by week (thank goodness for local council recycling!).  All but one of my roses are pruned to within an inch of their lives and lawn is the shortest it can be without be 'muddy field'.  I usually keep mowing for as long as possible but with our weather you never know how long that might be (some years I have mowed in November!!).

Hubby had GP check  up on Thursday and once gain returned home with bags of nutitional drinks (she was not happy with his weight nor, I think, with his attitude to eating/drinking as he still says the painkillers are working and she cannot understand why he wont accept help to be out and about) and he is now even more 'down' as she told him that instead of once a month visit she wants to see him in a fortnight.  They have also arranged for the community nurse to call on Thursday (I think they are looking to change his medication around again, not because its failing on the pain front but because he is sleeping far too much for his current wellbeing!).  I am hoping that because I will be at work, he will try and talk things through but not sure he can face it bless him.  Everytime he has an appointment he seems to sink further into himself and I am at a loss as to the best way to help him.  He has not really enjoyed me being at home as I think me moving around doings annoys him (we live in open plan so I cannot really hide myself away!) and when he was working he was away from home for weeks sometimes and he still hates that the cancer has taken this away and yet never utters a word in anger.

It is not going to help that I now have Power of Attorney for Mum through (a good thing) so once again need to take up the issues of her care with social services as we need to having something in place by the end of the year.  She was on a good day when I visited on Tuesday which was good to see and a bit of a 'lift' for my spirits but know now to make the most of those moments in time.  As much as I would have loved to go to the Tall Ships Regatta I made the decision to stay home and spent time in the garden whilst hubby slept most of the day away - heart rules head in the end.

Its sad when you see the old 'individual' companies lose their battles in these hard times.  My hubby's old company (small anyway) is only hanging on becuase the boss has no money worries and I think he now treats it like a hobby but its not much fun for the workforce that is left.  We get a call once in a while but its one way traffic as hubby rarely makes 'first contact' with anyone.

Well best stop rambling and make myself useful. Look after yourself and kind thoughts to you and MrsB. (Glad you still allowed a few bouts of Brianitus to keep up your strength - healthy eating in style!).  Jules x

Hi Jules,

I just wanted to wish you a very good day out with your friend. Sunday morning I had what I think was my first diabetic turn. Just before I was going to get up, the sweat started pouring out of me, just like I'd sprung a leak. Wasn't sure at first if it was just another hot flush due to the old hormone therapy which I finished three years ago. But this was so bad I thought I had better check my blood sugar levels and found it was very low so had to eat some chocolate biscuits and a couple of Mrs B's jelly's she keeps for when she goes low. Mrs B has got her owl cruet set now and have today glued up the timber for another two sets. I have also give a set to our neighbour as she liked them so much. She was delighted with them.

Your hubby's reluctance to go out reminds me of my late father in law. He slight had heart problems but completely lost confidence in himself. He hadn't stepped outside his upstairs flat for over five years when one day he got a bad nose bleed and I had to take him to Brighton hospital, about ten miles away. I remember helping him down the stairs and he was so nervous about leaving the security of his flat, he was shaking like a leaf.

Have just done what you beat me to and that is mowing the lawns. Only did it last Wednesday but the grass has grown like crazy.

I bet you will be tired when you get back from your day out but i hope you have has a great day out.

Take care, best wishes to you and hubby Brian.