Hi Jules, glad your son and his new bride enjoyed there  time in Scotland i have never been  but i have heard it is very nice.not doon much at the week end went out for Sunday lunch with the kids , the weather  not to bad at the moment managed to take george out today, havnt been to well again, with my ears this time  at the doctors later on  there seems to be   nothing right with me at the moment , i am also waiting for a scan on my back as well , sorry to sound a bit   miserable  but nothing seems to be going  right  at the moment. enjoy  your week regards Syl x

Hi Syl

I have visited Scotland on a few occasions and many years ago toured for two weeks which was lovely. The scenery in the Highlands is magnificent and we found the hospitality of the people really welcoming.  During our two weeks we suffered car problems(the little local garage opened on a Sunday especially so we could continue our journey) and my hubby even decided to give blood whilst we were visiting Glasgow (there was a mobile unit in town that day!).  Good memories.

I am sorry that you are under the weather and hope the doctor was able to give you something to help with your ears.  Very painful when you have ear infections.  Hope the appointment comes through for your back scan.  Is this a new problem for you or something you suffer with?    Fingers crossed with the better weather on the way (I live in hope here as it is raining at present) we can all start to feel a little brighter too).

I had a pretty quiet weekend and as the weather on Sunday was  not nice for walking I decided to take myself to the cinema (spur of the moment idea).  Never been on my own before but really enjoyed the film and will probably do it again when I see something showing that I like.  When the new cinema opens just 15mins walk away this will make it very handy.

I am due to be going away this Friday with friends which Iam looking forward to though with my Mum being increasingly frail I am a little on tenterhooks each time the phone rings.  With Mum being in a residential home at least I am sure she is in good hands and the palliative care term are now on board to monitor her pain levels which so far have been controllable with a couple of paracetamol.  After Mum's life of mental issues I am finding it more emotional seeing her physical decline and think this is due to the reminders associated with hubby's journey through cancer.  Am off to work shortly which hopefully will help the mind keep busy.

Take care of yourself and hope the doctor can help.  Jules xx

Hi Jules, my problem with my ears has been sorted, you  wont believe it  something had  crawled into my ear in the night, i had to go to A & E while they flushed it out ,i still dont know what it was as far as i could see  it was only wax that came out but it seems ok now.the problem with my back started a couple of week ago i have a scan at the end of the month,  it doesnt seem as bad  since i went the doctors typical isnt it.? I have just had george out for his walk the sun is out here at the moment, getting ready to go over my friends for coffee. Hope you enjoy your break with your friends it does you good  to get away its a nice change away from the normal every day chores  that we do.hope your mum is ok at least she is in good hands let me know  where  your going regards Syl x

Hi Syl,

So pleased that the issue with your ear has been sorted and hope there is no recurrence of an univited guest 'popping in'.  Hopefully the back scan will just confirm that everything has returned to normal by the time your appointment comes around.  A few years ago I had a trapped nerve in my back which was agony and I found it very tiring being on long term painkillers but no other treatment was necessary.

My weekend away was lovely and was spent in Stratford upon Avon.  Got to the hotel by lunchtime and had a pretty lazy afternoon before joining the rest of the guests for a carvery evening meal followed by disco.  On Saturday my friends and I headed out after a hearty breakfast.  It remained dry and we walked around town and visited the butterfly farm as planned.  Afterwards we stopped for a coffee and cake (lunch) before they headed off to visit Ann Hathaway's Cottage.  I had been there before on a previous visit to the area so went walking by the river as well as taking a mini cruise down it.  Lovely. Popped in for a cuppa at the Royal Shakespeare Company's riverside cafe and then strolled around town before heading back to change for the evening do.  Drinks reception was at 6pm and then banquet and cabaret followed by music/dancing till midnight.  The event raised over £1500 for Prostate Cancer which was brilliant.   We left after another big breakfast this morning and after a cuppa at my friends house I caught the train home. Very enjoyable.  Now catching up with my mail before settling down for a quiet evening.

Hopefully catching up with my daughter tomorrow.  She has a really nasty inflamation in her eye and has to have drops for 8 weeks with the first week being every 2hrs so will keep her company when she takes her youngest for his jabs in the morning.

Hope you have had a pleasant weekend. Take care.  Jules xx   

Hi Jules, glad you enjoyed your  break me and hubby loved stratford upon avon, we have done all the things  you did  while you were there, it fetched back so many  memories. Hope your daughter is ok with her eyes, my sister has a  few problems with her eyes as well  she goes to the hospital every 3 month for check ups . have felt quite  up set  for a couple of days spent a lot of  time crying been on my own  as well  i dont think that helps, went out for a meal  Sunday  with a few of  the girls i used to work  with i had to force  my self to go but it was nice to catch up with them and i was glad i went  in the end . Not took george out for a few days as his family are away for a few days he has gone to stay  with there dad till they come back,but i have got a bunny rabbit  staying with me at the moment,its a indoor  rabbit its in my living room in a cage  so i am talking to him at the moment lol, he his going back to my daughters  thursday morning there have been to Prague for a few days.i will be going swimming aerobics  later hope i can cheer my self up a bit  and not feel as sad as i have been just  lately  enjoy your week regards Syl x

Hi Syl

Hope you are feeling a little better now.  I do go out whatever the weather  as find this helps a great deal. I have never been one for staying indoors so suppose it's in my nature to have this bit of routine in my life.  I perhaps had the added advantage of spending quite a bit of time on my own even when hubby was alive as he travelled on business sometimes for up to a month at a time over many years.  I do definitely miss the spontineity of conversation though and my friends must think I chat an awful lot when we get together... hope they understand though.  Have also had some inner struggles with my emotions as my Mum is not doing so well and it is hard watching another family member struggling with illness.Just keeping busy to try and cope the best I can.

Things pretty busy within the family just now as my daughter's house move grows closer.  Should be on the 31st and I will have Zack for the day to keep him out of mischief during the moving day bedlam.  My eldest grandson is going to help!!  At the moment it is a case of trying to keep them as calm as possible.

Yesterday I took the tube and buses over to spend some time with my daughter in law and Darcey. My son took half days annual leave and after  going out with his camera for a bit then joined us for a lovely walk over the country park (2mins walk from their house).  A couple of hours later and we were enjoying time together. After they settled baby down for the night  we had a home made curry for dinner before  my daughter in law dropped me home (buses stop running early evening where they are and they wont let me get a taxi). This was our first catch up since the wedding so plenty to talk about. Will see them again in a couple of weeks when I have invited them over for lunch.

Today I have done my weekly shopping and now as the sun has broken through may well head out into the garden for a bit. Tomorrow I have daughter and family for a quick lunch so will catch up on all their news then.

On Monday I am going into London to visit some museums/galleries and have lunch with a friend.  This replaces our planned trip to Cambridge which was cancelled by the operator a week or two back due to lack of numbers.  Hopefully will do it in the future but may go by train now that we both have Rail Saver cards.

Well have rambled on long enough so hope you are enjoying your weekend. Take care. Jules xx

Hi Syl

Been another busy and emotional week. Mum is frail and now more or less confined to bed (refusing the hoist to move her to a chair for a change).She is sleeping a lot but still eating three meals a day.Pain meds seem to be keeping her comfortable and the care home staff are wonderful.  My daughter came to visit with me on Tuesday though Mum is not talking to anyone now. We got the occasional nod but very sad really.

My daughter andfamily should have been moving  next week but unfortunately they have come across a problem and this needs to be sorted for the purchase to continue.  We are all keeping our fingers crossed that it willbe sorted before the seller decides to put it back on the market again especially as my grandson has already been on a visit to the propsosed new school.  There have been many tears over the last few days but now allwe can do is wait and see if the solicitors can iron out the issues. Why cannot life be good for our youngsters for a change.

Hopefully the improving weather means that George has had your company for walks.  Getting through anniversary dates is always an emotional time and the tears do bring temporary relief.  Had my hubby still be here, he would have been 66 on 2nd April. I will take flowers to his resting place.

Well just waiting for a quote to come through to see if Ican manage to up date the bathroom on a budget!!  This will hopefully give me focus in the summer in between getting back intothe garden.  Lovely out there today and mowed the lawn and did a bit of tidying up. My son and family are coming tolunch tomorrow so off to make apple crumble and prepare the veg now as will pop to see Mum tomorrow morning after my gym visit and before the family arrive. Keeping busy is the best way I know of getting on  with life; it is certainly what hubby would expect of me.

My trip into London went well (it only takes about 45mins on the tube) and my friend and I went to visit the Chelsea Pensioners Hospital, Museum and Gardens as well as having lunch at their cafe.  We had morning coffee on the Kings Road and managed to dodge a couple of little showers.  We now have a list of other places to visit when we go next.  My next planned visit to London is when the Tall Ships are at Greenwich in April  (Easter Weekend) so am looking forward to that.

Take care and enjoy the sunshine.  Jules xx

Hi Jules,  i must have just followed you on to the forum glad you enjoyed your trip to London  its a goog job you wasnt there on that  awful day  on wednesday my son only just missed it ,he was there tuesday, i dispair of humans thats why i love animals so much, cant understand the awful things  we do to one another. Sorry your mum isnt to good at the moment, its all part and parcel of growing old we all have to face it eventually,im sure your daughter  will get things sorted with the house ,these little nigles seem to happen a lot  when  you buy  a property but most things get sorted in the end.you still havnt said  if you live not far from London,have been out for a cream tea today with my friend to a local community centre it was very nice, i had 4 cakes and  sandwiches i cant believe i eaten 4 cakes they were yummy, but they didnt do much for my waist line lol.the kids are taking me out for dinner tomorrow for mothers day to a country pub called the Stretton fox its very nice have been a few times before.  Enjoy your lunch  with your son regards Syl x

Hi Syl

Hope u enjoy your dinner treat. I love country pubs as you can also have a good walk to enjoy the surroundings.

As to where I  live in relation to central London, I am in Middlesex

which is classed as greater London and about 30 mins drive outside the capital. Before I married I lived in NW London and worked in the west end, a Londoner born and bred.Hubby was also born in London though moved to Middlesex as a 3 yr old and we met on a blind date. Those were the days!

Just waiting for the gym to open so will be out walking soon in the sunshine. Hopefully a day  in the garden tomorrow as weather  looks promising and want to get the borders weeded. Take care. Jules xx