Morning Beryl

I am sure your garden birds will return (ours always seem to show up when the spring breeding season begins and they need extra fuel!!)  Also it has not been so cold this winter so think other food sources have not been so scarce (well round here anyway).

Hubby is managing okay though not enjoying the visits by community nurses which are affecting him more emotionally at present.  Because he has been prescribed 'standby low dose morphine tablets' they are keeping track of how his pain levels are every two weeks or so.  Perhaps he will cope better if Iam not here (will be off to work soon and they come later this morning). He is still doing everything for himself and able to get about okay but on the whole just chooses to sit indoors (not that I can blame him with the kind of weather we are having). He has finished the course of steroids which certainly lifted his appetite a little but the  cough (following on from the cold) is troublesome though thankfully not a chest infection. Still trying to take it a day at a time (the small steps you always recommend firmly in place).

Mum had a good day when I visited last week and was chatty and interested.Again its just a case of taking each visit the best way I can.  Of course there is still the underlying concern as to what will happen when her money is gone and once again we will face turmoil in trying to do the best we can for her but will face that scenario as and when as for the moment I have no choice other than to put hubby first.

Hope you have a peaceful week and are enjoying your new 'fuschia room' which sound vibrant and just the tonic for dreary days.  Take care  Jules xx

Good morning Beryl,

Hope you have not been getting to wet in this awful weather. I bough Mrs B some primrose plant over a week ago but cant get to plant them in the garden it's so wet so we still have then in the porch. My wife wants to plant them near our two fuscia plant in the back garden but I told her she will need a course on scuba diving first Last year we found we had one primrose plant growing in the garden that must have grown as a result of the birds dropping the seed. It's a really health plant and is doing well this year with a lot of new leaves. Bet you are pleased to get your decoration finished. Something I am not keen on doing as Mrs B knows all to well. I don't mind if I have a big blank wall with no windows/ doorways but I hate painting round the fiddley bits. We have a new shop just opened up in town that specializes in nuts and dried fruit. I can see me being a regular customer. Have already made my first purchases, one of which was a big bag of salted peanut which was half price.

Anyway, take care Beryl will talk again soon I hope, Best wishes, Brian.

Hi Jules

Well you have cheered me up to  think my birds will return, it has been so windy here in Southampton no wonder they have left so I am looking forward to the spring when hopefully they will return.

I am so glad that hubby is coping and I remember the visits by community nurses did not go down well at all with my lovely David,  and the steroids gave him a huge appetite, but I am so pleased that hubby is doing everything for himself is he still getting to work for the few days that you have mentioned earlier in your posts.  Just keep taking those small baby steps Jules.

I am very pleased to see that mum has had a good day, but as you say hubby must come first I think it is terrible to think that you get her settled and when her money runs out you have to think again what is this country coming to.

My fuchsia room is gorgeous, fuchsias and roses where my lovely David's flowers so it is so nice to be able to call it the fuchsia room instead of the cancer room and I never ever went in there after he died I used to look round at his chair and picture him in it, so now it is a complete change and I can use the room.

Well Jules it is very windy and raining here I was going to go into Southampton today but shan't bother I will get blown off the road.

Have a lovely day

Take care

Hugs

Beryl xxxx

Hello Brian

The weather here is awful wet and windy I was going to go into Southampton today but I am afraid I will get blown off the road in my car.  I love primroses Brian I do hop mine come up this year but who knows after all this horrible weather.

My fuschia room is gorgeous Brian I am so glad all my decorating is finished as it seemed to affect every room in the bungalow, anyway I have completed all the cleaning of every room (pulling out furniture) etc., and I now have it back to my usual standards I do like everywhere spick and span Brian.  Davis used to scold me for being so fussy, but always told people he was very proud of the way I kept our bungalow.

What a disaster a nut shop by you, you will be getting a bushy tail,soon and beginning to look my Brian here in the garden have you tried Liddles Chili nuts they are gorgeous the only thing is my Brianitis returns when I buy them.

Brian it is lovely to hear from you please keep in touch

Beryl xxxxx

Hi Beryl,

You sound very much like Mrs B for she also like things spick and span and I am often scolded for making the place look untidy. But I am not complaining for the house is always neat and tidy and my meals are always on time. In all the years we have been married, I dint think she has ever cooked a bad meal yet. Mind, I am easy to cook for as all I eat is potatoes, baked beans and peas. I do help out with the housework these days as Mrs B has a lot of health problems and tires very easily. But Beryl, I definately do not put on any Mrs Mops attire !!!!!!!!!!!

I don't blame you for not going out today; It is raining quite hard here and the wind is getting quite strong. We went out early and got our shopping done. Brianitus is still here as some crisps found their way into our trolley  but Mrs B didn't complain as she like them too. I get craftier each week Beryl.

Glad you are pleased with you newly decorated room.

Do take care Beryl, will talk again soon, best wishes Brian.

Hi Beryl

So pleased that you can now use your new room and roll on summer when you can fill it with roses!!  My favourite flowers are freesia and roses (had them both in my wedding bouquet and the scent was wonderful' they have remained favourites ever since).

Well got blown all the way to see my Mum today (umbrella was waste of time so looked like a drowned rat when I arrived!!).  Today was a 'low' day for her but I stayed and joined in 'crossword' half hour and gave them a helping hand. The staff are great and so supportive of all the family/visitors and so cheerful - no way could I manage their jobs.

Hubby took early retirement towards the latter part of last year. He was unable to fulfil his roll physically and the driving distance to work (over an hours drive each way) became too much.  He has  been back for occasional 'training help' and they call him up to pick  his brains from time to time (its when he's at his happiest).  It is not easy for him being stuck at home all the time and he still does not like having conversations much (always the quiet one!!) so we live in companiable silence for the most part - its a 'new normal' and I am adjusting though often feel guilty when I go into work as I know he is hurting that he cannot do the same -hey ho!!  I am sure he won't envy me tomorrow when I battle the transport system (if the tube strike goes ahead it takes me over an hour by bus (instead of 10mins on the tube) - needs must.

Stay warm my virtual friend. Am soon off to sort my lunch (hubby is snacking already!!).  kind thoughts and hugs  Jules xx

Hello my dear Friend Beryl

I bet you are pleased that your Fuschia room look gorgeous, it should hopefully help you to remember all the lovely memories with your David without all the negative thoughts it was bringing you before it had it's 'facelift'. I hope you manage to get your gas fire fixed soon, the weather feels like it's getting colder so you will need as much heat on as you can.

Oh those naughty cats! What a shame you had to go out in the horrible weather to try to get them their favourite food. I know Poppy would be like that if I ran out of her favourite pate food. My sister has to get it for me so I have to make sure I'm well stocked up, she's going away for a few days next week so she said she'll get me double this week!

I've got another bit of excitement coming up in April as one of my friends, who left here to work in Australia in 2012, is coming for a little holiday. She has been back since but the months in between her visits are very long. She will have so many people to catch up with we will probably just get an afternoon out together, but it'll be worth the wait.

I'm still trying to resolve the issues with the tax office where they have my income incorrect for the previous tax year. It's proving so difficult as the pension company say they have not given incorrect information, but the tax office say they have. The unfairness of it though, is that the tax office tell me I have to sort it out. I feel like just telling them to take me to court where I can prove my figures are correct and theirs are not! It might still come to that because this has been going on since before Christmas and to be honest Beryl, I'm tired of trying to prove my innocence. Did you manage to sort out anything about the tax you were told you owed?

Yes Beryl, I really can't wait to get some nice gardening weather, there's so much needs doing but it seems as if spring might still be a little way off. The snow is supposed to be coming....

I will let you know how my little day trip to York goes, I really hope I get my dress for niece's wedding.

Take care, love and hugs as always

Joan

xxxx

Hi Jules

I am so sorry mum had a low day it must be very difficult for you and also for her, and you are quite right the staff do a marvellous job, but still very  hard for you at present with hubby as well.

I can understand him hurting whilst you go off to work I have been through all this with David, and I can understand the difficulties you both have this illness can rip the heart out of you at times.   You still have him though Jules so make the most of every day I would give anything just to see David for one minute, but never mind I have precious memories.

The weather here is horrible windy and raining again so I am staying indoors today.

Take care Jules don't work too hard

Hugs to you

Beryl xxx

Hello my lovely friend Beryl

Your fuschia room sounds so wonderful, I'm sure you will spend many happy hours in there, and the lovely new rug will add the finishing touch. Oh how well I know that feeling of going somewhere and getting overwhelmed by the memories that those places hold. No way are you stupid for having to go back home and have a good weep, if you're anything like me you probably didn't even make it home before the tears arrived. I've seen me sitting in a bus before and seeing some place, or just having a memory of something and big fat tears are rolling down my cheeks before I can stop them. We will always have our special feelings for our wonderful husbands Beryl. Tomorrow, Valentine's Day, is the anniversary of Doug's and my engagement so it will always hold a special memory for me. We always bought each other a gorgeous Valentine's card and some little special present, I still miss that of course and always will.

Today Poppy found one of her toy mice that she got in a Christmas cracker, but I'd put it to one side as she has other new toys to play with. Well she jumped up on the little bench where I had it hidden, grabbed it in her mouth, and was down on the floor, stamping her back legs on it and biting it and throwing it in the air. She was loving it. Mind you she doesn't like going out much in this weather, too cold, wet and windy for madame!

Well I've been out today for lunch with my friend that I always visit on a Thursday. We do a few things on the computer, like ordering on-line, sorting out the lottery, bank accounts, energy accounts etc. Then it's off into town for our lunch and a cheeky drink. Beryl, how lovely it would be if you lived near us so you could come too.

As I'm off to York this Saturday I won't get to that lovely little club I've been telling you about, but will definitely be back there next Saturday.

Much love and huge hugs, Joan

xxxx