Hello my dear friend Beryl

How are you doing Beryl? I'm so glad that you have felt a little bit better in recent days. I hope you enjoyed your special day yesterday with your son and daughter and also when you stayed at your son's on Thursday night.

The hen party was ok and I'm pleased I went, it wasn't too late a night which I was glad about. This week it's back to the little club, we've been missing for 2 weeks now, they'll wonder what's happened to us. I think you're right Beryl, I'm sure Doug would have been very proud of me because, like you and David, we were a very close couple and I could never imagine my life without him. Well, we don't need to imagine do we, because we have to live that life without our lovely husbands. I would give all I owned if I could swap my current life with the one I used to love.

On Saturday I went to Durham with my friend who just lives outside of the city. We did a spot of shopping, then went for lunch and a glass or three of wine. Parts of the city had a power cut so we couldn't get into the lovely indoor market, and the Wetherspoons pub we had earmarked for lunch. We still had a lovely time and in 2 weeks we're off to York for the day to celebrate my friend's birthday.

A cat was in my garden when I let Poppy out this morning, I didn't know. It was only when I heard the blood-curdling screams and I ran out, to see a big black and white cat chasing after Poppy. I think it must have dug it's claws and teeth into Poppy as she seems wary and sad. They both ended up on the top of the garden fence but the strange cat must have been a bit scared of me as it leapt up onto the conservatory roof, then leapt over my head to get away. It landed on one of my solar light and broke it (the only one that was still working too, huh!) I've had to see the funny side though Beryl, all this was happening at 5.30 this morning and I was outside in my dressing gown. Good job it was still dark!! I don't think anyone saw me.....

Hope the weather gets a bit better soon, we had a thunder storm and hailstones on Thursday, and since then we've been under a shroud of fog and low cloud - it's realy cold.

Take care Beryl and hope to hear from you soon.

Love and hugs

Joan

xxxx

Hello my lovely Joan

I do hope you are well and I am so pleased you are going back to your little club I know you enjoy it so much.  I do hope Poppy is ok after that Nast cat attacking her. I can't wait for the summer to come as I have sewn  loads of seeds all  David's favourites of course, the only thing is  I have to *** them all out.

I am going home to see my sister in two weeks time and I shall be there for two weeks  I can't wait I haven't broken the news to the cats yet they are awful when I go away and when I arrive back they just ignore me.   I am being very lazy this morning I got up late and feel very guilty about it David used to have the whole house up at 7am and here I am at 10.20 still in pyjamas disgraceful.  I had a lovely time with my children a lovely dinner and pressies it was lovely.

Well Joan as I am so idle today I shall now go and laze in the bath I don't like being like this but don't feel like doing anything today and I do have all my seeds to *** out ugh.

Well I love hearing from you Joan you take care and I send you all my live and loads of hugs

Beryl xxxxx

Dear Beryl

I must say so sorry for being away for so long.I have been reading through a few messages and glad to hear you are doing ok.I just wanted to let you know my dad took an awful turn in November and he eventually lost his brave battle 1st February. It has been such a terrible time and I never imagined what such a dark place it is without him around us. I have been able to help mam a lot which I think is thanks to you in part Beryl. I learnt a lot about how you were feeling and i know my poor mam is in the exact same place now. I only hope that with time the tears will be once again replaced with the laughter we all once enjoyed. We have booked a week in Spain (myself, sister and partners) and are taking mam with us. I just wanted to tell you that I often think of you and I really hope that this year is a better year for you and that they continue to get easier. If there is one lesson that I learnt from dad it was to always love and look out for each other, and I am sure your family are the same.

I probably wont be back again Beryl for a while as I now need to concentrate on looking after my mam, but, I wish you all the love in the world and hope you continue to be strong and enjoy every day with all the happy memories you have as they never leave you.Thank you again for all the kind words and support you gave me.

All my love and thoughts

Connie    

My dearest Connnie

I am so sorry to hear that your dad lost his very brave battle  and I am so sorry for the pain that I know you are all feeling.  This is a horrendous time for you all especially your lovely mum who has liost the love of her life.  I know oh so well that awful dark place without him.  However as time goes on life becomes a little easier and each day becomes a little bit more bearable.  Please tell mum that he is still with her watching her and loving her  as he always did he is also with you too.  I do hope you have a lovely holiday and I know you will look after mum and always remember Con he is out of that awful pain and turmoil he is at peace which he thoroughly needs right now.

You and mum will have many  sad days ahead of you but remember what is always say, just take baby steps and hopefully  a day will come when you do see a little bit of light at the end of this very dark tunnel.

Please take care and look after yourselves and treasure mum always.

Love and big hugs

Beryl xxxx

Hello Beryl its lovely to see you giving good support and advice to another poor family who have lost a husband and father .you and I and many others know the terrible pain that it causes .I know you miss David and I miss Tony so much life is long and hard without the man we lovedand still do and always will .My family are such comfort as is my lovely Rusty and button .The weather is dry at the moment and warm but have been promised rain later .I have been in the garden a few times tidying and planting .I planted a dicentra or bleeding heart so pretty and is flowering  and comes back every year too ,and Tonys rose is looking healthy cant wait for it to flower Im sure you will have been in your garden ,how are the fuscias coming along .I hopeyou and well your family are well.Beryl I seem to be ok being busy during the day but evenings I feel so damn lonely with no one to talk to or sit with or cuddle its so horrible do you feel the same I hope not but just wondered .Well dear Beryl I hope ive not moaned to much ,although you are hurting you still mannage to cheer people up thankyou ..Take care and sending a huge hug to you ...Susananne

Hi Beryl and Susananne.

I have just found my ideal occupation. We have a local shop that sells loads of different type nut and as you would expect I have become a frequent visitor. Walking past the shop this morning I noticed a sign in the window saying they have a vacancy for a part time assistant. Wow. If I worked in there their sales would go through the roof and with the weight I would gain I would go through the floor. Maybe I should ask if they need an experienced nut taster, that way I might get paid for eating nuts all day. I would be in seventh heaven.

Seriously, I hope now the weather has improved both of you have been able to do things in the garden. We only have a small patch so not that much to do.

Take care ladies, keep well, Brian.

Hello Brian Fancy a nut shop some nuts are good for us but do tend to put on weight but if you share yours with the squirels you should be ok ha ha I can just picture you in that shop ..When I was young I worked in  pet shop and one of the other helpers let a hamster escape it was loose for weeks the owner decided to clean out the store cupboard and in the back was a pile neatly stacked with alsorts of dog biscuites paper hankies rabbit food then this thing ran it was as big as a guinea pig it had the run of the shop for ages and must have been so happy people came in the shop didnt believe it was a hamster it was so funny..I hope you and Mrs B are well and that you enjoy the weekend ...Susananne

Hello my dear friend Beryl

I hope you are keeping well and have had some nice weather recently so you can do your garden. I hope your seeds are growng nicely, I've got some seeds growing in my little greenhouse, but at the minute they're too tiny to do anything with. I'll put some more in soon when the weather improves - if it does.

We have had a horrible foggy cold week, only an hour ago did the fog lift and I can see a little bit of sunshine! I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we've seen the last of the fog, it's so depressing. I would love to go and do some work in the garden but everything is soaking wet from all the fog and a few heavy showers too.

Yes I will be off to the little club tomorrow with my friend, then next week it'll be my York trip - so hope the weather stays nice and dry for our shopping trip.

Poppy has been a bit nervous since the cat attacked her on Monday morning. She needs to toughen up and not let these cats terrorise her, I don't know if it's because she's so small that she gets picked on. She still likes to go out to play but she hides behind the bushes at the side of the garden.

It'll give you a nice break to go and see your sister in two weeks time, I can imagine you will miss the cats as much as they will miss you. Does your sister live in the North West? I remember you saying that you were originally from 'up north'. I'll pray that you get some nice weather, wherever you go.

Take care Beryl, and hope to hear from you soon.

Love and hugs

Joan

xxxx

Susananne well hello how are you

Like you I will always miss my much loved David and I can feel your pain so much.  My family are such a comfort to me like yours is to you, but it doesn't compensate for the loss of my lovely David and like you the pain is horrendous at times.  I keep telling myself that life will get better soon it can't always be like this.  My cats Maggie and Poppet are a great comfort to me I love them dearly as I know you love Rusty and Button.  I have sewn my own seeds this year, but what a job pricking them out.  The weather here is horrible today so I have been indoors all day, and like you I am ok during the day but the evenings are horrible I miss talking and laughing and cuddling my lovely husband so my love you are not alone and I do think of you and how you are coping I am sure you are doing well even if you don't think so.  Remember Tony is still with you, he is in your heart and his is watching you and loving you as he always did.

Take care sweetheart

Love and hugs

Beryl xxxxxx