Hi Jo

Hope  you enjoyed walking the partner and the dog and bet it was lovely for them to have your company too.

Lovely sunny day for our trip to Bath Christmas Market (wrapped up in layers as only 2.5 deg when I left home!!).  We had local coach pick up (enjoyed a cuppa in the cafe opposite the pick up point whilst we waited).  We then spent the morning in Bradford on Avon (having picked up a local guide en route) with very good coffee break plus plentiful pub lunch before heading to Bath (each coach has an allotted two and a half parking slot - run like a military operation - only problem for our guide/coach was e-mail confirmation 'got lost' and so our coach could not 'stay'.  In the end we were dropped within a five minute walk to the market which was closer than coach park and our poor driver had to go 12 miles to park up. He managed somehow to keep his sense of humour.  There were over 150 'chalets' to wander through and the atmosphere really set us up for the Christmas period.  In all is was a 12hr day out and fantastic value for  money.  Hubby was fine (said he had a very peaceful day) and I bought in fish and chip supper.  Think the change of scene has recharged my batteries and this morning having done the usual mundance housework I have now set up our new fibre optic tree and am planning to get on with card writing.  Not sure where the time is going at the moment.

Hope you having a relaxing weekend. Sending hugs Jules x

Hi Garf

All eating with hubby is becoming trial and error but at least he is willing to try small amouts.  Neither of us want to see him hospitalised of course but I suspect it will depend on his next round of blood test results (goes to see the 'vampires' this week in readiness for GP appointmnet on 18th).  We have community nurse for dressings on Monday and Palliative care nurse for routine 14 day visit on Tuesday (never had so many dates in the diary especially with social events looming for the festive season too).  If you read my reply to Jo you will see I did get to Bath for my day out and really enjoyed it.  Hubby was fine and enjoyed a day without my tongue wagging and ate and drank at intervals.  Also managed fish and chip supper (well most of it) which I bought in with me.  Unfortunately he cannot manage enough to boost the weight but prefers to eat proper food rather than the shakes whilst he can and who can blame him. He is currently laying on the sofa (nurse would prefer he had a bed downstairs but he has refused twice as he still walks upstairs to bed and does not want to be in bed all day until he cannot manage - good on him I say).

Hope you having a good weekend.  I have spent a couple of hours decorating the lounge with our new fibre optic tree and Christmas decorations and am shortly off to unearth our cards so I can get 'writing'.

Back to work tomorrow and no doubt everyone is going to be busy now.  By the way I did not manage a win at the bingo but my friend had a little one so all was not lost  and hubby also went out to the local with his mate so obviously felt a little better this week.

Sending good wishes to you and Mrs G for the week ahead.  Take care of yourself  Jules x

Hi Kathy

Pleased that you having goodtimes with the children/grandchildren.  They always manage to keep us smiling.  My visit to Bath was a lovely day out and hopefully has recharged the batteries.  Me and my friend felt like a couple of tourists as we also had a small guided tour in Bradford on Avon during the morning which was very interesting (kiddies would have enjoyed it as we saw where the author of Thomas the Tank had once resided!).  Christmas market was full of atmosphere - lots of mulled wine and cheeses for sale and the aroma was wonderful.  Would definitely do something similar again.

Enjoy the rest of your stay and perhaps on your return the good fairies will have left  you a map as to where to find what you need to prepare meals. On that point my man managed to find his way to the kitchen and sort out his food/drink during my time out and think he enjoyed a few hours without the 'chattering wife' keeping an eye on him!!  Chat soon,sending hugs  Jules x

Morning Jo

Yes, really enjoyed the day's break and think it did us both good!  Fish and chips is about the only takeaway hubby still enjoys so am trying to work it in to the menu once a week at some point. The most annoying thing for him is the discomfort from his coccyx but more lying down and less sitting is proving helpful so he now swaps between chair and sofa (as do I lol).  His sore area was re-dressed yesterday and is no worse which is good news. Today we have palliative care nurse (two weekly event to keep an eye on us) butnot sure on timing so may not get to visit my Mum today (have spoken to the home who will explain I will pop in asap).

Last year I saw our grandson in the Nativity but this year they have asked that no younger siblings be brought along; I will be babysitting so that our daughter can go and they always produce a video for purchase (around a fiver) so will have a copy for the archives.  Last year he was a shepherd but not sure on his part this time - no doubt he will tell me all about it.  He has had a really good term with both reading (jumped three levels) and maths and has now chosen to join after-school science club (using his birthday money) starting next term. Will you visit your School before the end of term?  Little Zack has now dropped his morning nap so our daughter is in full swing with toddler club a couple of times a week.  Not sure where 'babyhood' has gone. 

Christmas cards written and posted and I always use second class when mailing these days, first class just too expensive (postage works out more expensive than the cards - crazy!). Depending on the timing of 'care' visit today I am hoping to wrap presents and then relax knowing its all sorted (we are a small family on both sides which helps along with the fact that for the adults we have a nominal £10/£15 budget to make it easier for everyone).

Take care of yourself and hope you are having a peaceful week.  Hugs  Jules x

Hi Jules,

Time has absolutely flown by the past few days. On top of my cancer meetings which both went very well thank you, Mrs B has a lot of appointments the next two wekks, a mixture of doctors and hospital visits plus my woodclub meeting on Wednesday evening. Have just come back from chemists with Mrs B's, mine, and our next door neighbours prescriptions and I looked like a mobile chemist shop.

We have only has a small showere of rain since garage roof was done and so far so good. Dont like the sound of the weather they tell us is coming. Think I shall take my stock of nuts and hibernate lol. Mrs B is complaining both fridge and freezer are at full capacity. Our youngest grandsaon doesnt like out three foot tree as he said it's to small. When asked why he said it's because there's no room to put any presents under it. No flys on him. Now have another idea for turning next year; that make three new ideas allready in the pot.

I forgot to tell you when I had one of my craft fairs, I bought some chips while out from a differnt shop. I only eat a few for they were the most horrible chips I have ever bought and for me to leave food is extremly rare for I hate waste. Our woodclub is being featured in The Sussex Living magazing in January so this may bring us new members. 

Well I have rambled enough for today. Take care Jules, sending best wishes to you and hubby, Brian 

I was so pleased to hear you enjoyed your day out. I know you had mixed feelings about going but with all the stress you have been under, you needed a little Me time for yourself. Really frosty here this morning so am pleased I keep my car in the garage. Everyone else was busy scrapping their cars and I drove mine out from the garage frost free. Hope visit from nurse is okay and no need to change anything and you dont have to wait too long..

Morning Brian

Hope all theappointments go well for Mrs B. Seems that everyone is 'managing appointments' as we approach the Christmas season and try keeping up to date with everything.  Had a very frustrating day yesterday as spent all day indoors waiting for palliative care nurse who was a 'no show'.  Tried his phone only to have a recorded message say if we left a message after 2 pm it would be following day before he caught up.  It was an appointment made by him as a routine follow up before he 'moved on' to pastures new so am not impressed.  Will see if he rings hubby today or we will have to contact his hospital support worker to see if there is someone taking over hubby's case notes.  Luckily we have appointment with GPnext week and before then district nurse for dressings and he also has to go for blood tests, hopefully today if he is up to it.  Yesterday he slept a fair bit again and this seems to come in waves.  He also did not fancy dinner so snacked on cake, shake and chocolate coins (I always buy too many!!!). 

The plus side to being at home all day was that I finished Christmas gift wrapping  so no time wasted!

Good news that its so far so good for the garage roof - long may it continue.  No rain here or frost this morning though a bit breezy when I popped outside to fill bird feeders.  Hubby's siblings are due to move next Tuesday so they will be hoping the wind drops otherwise they could be stuck as the ferry would not  be able to run (they had a couple cancelled during the summer months due to bad weather so must be on tenterhooks).

Had a phone call from Mum's care home yesterday as she has eye appointment today and they were checking we were ok for them to send her by cab with a carer.  This worked well the last time and its only just down the road from the home so that will be fine. She also had  examination from GP yesterday as had a few bowel issues but nothing untoward found so they will monitor. Still no response from Soc. Serv. despite written letter over 10 days ago and though I like to think the best of people am beginning to think they could do with brushing up their manners.  With Christmas season fast approaching I will 'build a case' and take it to our local MP in the New Year but really wish I did not have the added stress at the moment (I also know that hubby is 'worried for me' having to deal with this too as he told his GP about it).

Well had best turn my thoughts to housework before leaving and putting on my 'work head'.  Hope you and Mrs B have a peaceful day and 'carry on rambling' - it keeps my thread 'chatty' and I welcome your imput and kind words.  Sending hugs  Jules x

Good morning Jules,

Sorry to hear about "No Show" nurse. Very frustrating when they dont turn up. They should at least let you know. Same applies to the S/S brigade for you have enough to deal with without having to keep chasing them up. Brother in law and sister in law came to visit us last Saturday. He only has two more chemo sessions and then he is finnished and he has to wait to find out what if any difference it has made. Mrs B is feeling a little more at ease concerning him so pleased about this as she does understandably get stressed.

Hope appointmant with GP goes well and that hubby's sore heals up soon. Sorry to hear the home had to call doctor for your mother but glad nothing bad to worry about.

Yesterday we had five sparrows all sitting on our nieghbours fence. I managed to take a photo of them through the window but could only get three of them (Photo attached)

Well had better get on with my story writting as havent done any for the past few days.

Take care Jules, Hugs returned, Brian[[]]

Hi Brian

Love the 'birdies' photo. We have seen an increase in visitors to the feeders with the colder mornings (despite stalking cats!).

It was good to read that your brother in law is coming to the end of his treatment, coping well and it will be everything crossed to some improvement to his condition. Despite what my hubby went through during his short stint on chemo I will be forever grateful for the extra time it has given us all and I can really relate to how Mrs B must  be feeling right now.

Hubby's palliative nurse phoned yesterday (in response to my answerphone message) and said he had been too busy to come but has rearranged for next Tuesday so hopefully I will be  back from visiting Mum.  Hoping hubby can get to do 'bloods' today but has to wait in for dressings nurse first.  Never a dull moment!! Its definitely the 'sore place' that is causing him the  most discomfort at the moment only really relieved when he is horizontal though it has not got any worse.  His skin is so thin  that its proving harder to heal but they are doing their best for him and call regularly and are trying different dressings too.

Well my chatting has once again moved time along and I must get ready for work (breakfast prepared for hubby so hope he manages it when he finishes dozing (he was up earlier than me today probably because he slept a lot yesterday).

Sending peaceful thoughts.  Jules x