Hi Syl

Do hope the recovery from your nasty cold was quick.  Always think the cough is worse especially at night. You did well to still go swimming and to enjoy your first friendship group.  What  a lovely idea to re-cycle any unwanted gifts and make a little money too.

I really did enjoy my curry (medium spicy) and was a lovely evening out for a change.  Quite a busy week with visit to Mum, three times at gym (they are only 30min sessions!!) plus work days.  Today as it was so nice I packed my camera and after the gym went into London for the day.  Got home around 6.45 a little foot weary (over 23,000 steps!!) but according to the weather forecast I chose the right day.  No plans for the weekend as it looks 'wet'  but will still need to do my weekly shop.

Take care of yourself.  Jules xx

Hi Jules, thought I would e mail you before I go to my friends at 12 0 clock my cold has almost cleared up now I suffer with tinnitus I wear earing aids to mask it but every time I have a cold it goes worse so I can hear the buzzing even my hearing aid dosnt  mask it so it drives me mad.sounds as if your  really fit with all the gym work outs and walking your doing ,glad you enjoyed your curry night ,I like a nice curry like you I don't like it to hot.having done much this week only had George out twice this week as we have had quite a lot of rain again,went out with my daughter Sunday for dinner it was very nice,she has fallen out with her partner ,I don't think they will stay together as there always falling out they were supposed to be going LAS Vegas for her 40th birthday in March I'm not sure if that will happen now. just going to make a sandwich before I go to my friends  have a nice weekend regards syl x

Hi Syl,

Glad your cold is clearing up and know from my Mum's experience with tinnitus how annoying it must be when aggrevated by cold symptons.

Weather has been really up and down this past week and whilst today started dry and bright it soon clouded over. I did manage a 2mile walk to the garden centre this morning to stock up on bird food but caught the bus back as it began to rain and too windy to hold up a brolly.

I had a meal out with friends on Thursday evening which was lovely. 

My gym work is not high impact; just a 30 minute circuit at a ladies only gym and  I am lucky it is within 15mins walk.Helps keep me toned and something I only took up after hubby died to increase some social contact but I do enjoy it and apart from walking do not really do a lot of other excercise, though there is a fair amount of 'sensible' lifting when I am at work.  It helps with the arthritis if I keep active but will be much happier when the weather improves.

No real plans for the rest of the weekend other than taking part in the RSPB Big birdwatch count and going to the supermarket at some point.  Hoping to have some work done on the house in the Spring so trying to use the intervening weeks to have another 'paperwork' clearout which will lead to me being able to finally get rid of an old filing cabinet which has lived in the hall for very many years.

Hope you had a nice time with your friend.   I am now going to catch up with the final of the Austrailian Open Tennis highlights as looks as though the rain has settled in here.

Take care.  Jules xx

Hi Syl,

How annoying that tinnitus can be and I do hope that tweaking your hearing aids on Monday can help a bit. Glad the cold has gone though.

So your daughter and partner have settled their differences again and it's now a wait and see as to whether they go to Vegas for her birthday.  I am sure you will probably do something as a family for her big 40 in any event.  We usually opt for a meal out for birthdays these days as all enjoy not having to cook ha ha.  Both my children's birthdays this month a week apart and will be 36 and 33 so no special celebrations required!!

My son came with me yesterday to choose some tiles for my next project (had felt jittery about going on my own) and then I spent the rest of the day with the family so  playing with my little grand-daughter was a big bonus.  Today was just the gym and a walk to the farmers' market and am now back home and cosy in front of the tennis.

I fully understand what you say about the time passed since the loss of our hubby as feel much the same way (though we were only married 37, years at the time of his death).  So fortunate to have good memories to keep me going and in April when I go away I will remember how we visited the same place about 15 years ago (albeit that there were 12 of us (all friends) at that time).

If you went to your daughter's for dinner bet you enjoyed it.  My daughter and family are down next Saturday so will enjoy catching up with all the family news then.

Take care and have a good week.  Jules 

Hi Jules, just got back from my friends  went back to spec savers nothing wrong with my earing aids  just have to  live with it luckily when I go to bed it seems to lesson,so it dosnt affect my sleep.Glad you had time to enjoy playing with your granddaughter,something  I wish I could do think it's a bit  late now.enjoyed dinner with my daughter and her partner they have booked Las Vegas for March I will be bunny  sitting no doubt lol, the sun is out at the moment took George out early just in case the weather changed glad it didn't.went shopping today  has I had a appointment to see the nurse  tomorrow just to check  my  COPD but they have cancelled it will text me in the near future typical  when I had tomorrow planned,never mind I can always  think of something else to do,haven't got anything planned for the weekend up to now hope you have a nice weekend regards syl x

Hi Syl

Not very nice here this morning; very wet.  Still, I am stuck indoors awaiting a delivery so hopefully it will be clearer later when I hopefully get to the gym and pick up some shopping ready for family visit tomorrow. We will be going out to lunch to a lovely pub by the canal so looking forward to that.  I will just do a light tea.  Will be great to catch up with my two grandsons as have not seen them since New Year.  I do feel lucky to have extended family as have no brothers or sisters and therefore no neices/nephews to enjoy and hubby's siblings had no kiddies either.  Think you could call my family 'compact' and manageable ha ha.

Nice that you were able to get George out.  It looks as though the best day of the weekend for my walking will be Sunday so hope the sun shows up!

A bit annoying for you that your COPD appointment has been postponed and I hope you hear soon when it has been re-scheduled for. I suppose it was a relief that your hearing aids are working okay but disappointing that it means the tinnitus level remains a nuisance.  I currently have a 'blocked' ear so do sympathise as at the moment it feels as though I have the sea permanently whooshing.  I have a week's ear drops treatment so hopefully that works and I will not need to arrange syringing

So, your daughter and partner have made up again and the holiday is booked.  Hope she has a lovely birthday and all remains well with them.  Bunny sitting will be fun.  We had a pet rabbit (bought back from our honeymoon!!) and then two guinea pigs to keep it comany for a few years and when the children came along we had a variety of hamsters/gerbils over the years as well as a cat. Now I am pet free which makes it easier when I want to be out and about as no ties.  The garden birds bring a lot of pleasure as I watch their antics at the various feeders.

Have a peaceful weekend and take care.  Jules xx

Hi Jules, hope you had a nice time with your family  and had fun seeing your grandsons must be nice when you all get together,my ear is still causing problems I have got to go back in to week if it's no  better she will refer me to the hospital to be honest  I might have to live with it will wait and see what happens. the weather not good here but have managed to take George out a few times this week today included as the sun was out which makes a change ,my swimming aerobics finished now till 1st of March as it's half term here my mum's birthday so will go to the cream after aerobics with my sister , don't think I am doing much at the weekend even though the weather supposed to be  sunny and  dry.it's my sister's birthday Monday I am going for a Chinese meal in our  local town with her think my.niece and her daughter are joining us as well so that should be nice as I don't get to see them much. Hope you have a nice weekend  regards  Syl x

Hi Syl

It must be very frustrating still having to cope with your ear problem.  As my Mum had tinnitus for many years I have some understanding of it'slong term effects.  Unfortunately no cure for it but they only ever offered 'masking noise' as a solution.  Like you she just used to say 'will have to learn to live with it' and there was always background noise (usually the radio) whever she was  (she used ear phones a lot to listen to music too).  Nowadays she does not mention it but then she rarely talks and in old age became a little deaf too.

Yes, it was lovely catching up with my daughter and family and we enjoyed a nice pub meal out too.  I will see them again in mid March as they have invited me to visit for Mothers' Day.  My son and family are also going so will give me a lift so looking forward to having a date in the diary.  Today is full of the lovely memories ofmy son and daughter in law's wedding (their 1st anniversary today though they have  been together  9 years!!).

Lovely sunny weather this morning so am trying to decide where to go later. A nearby town centre is having Chinese New Year displays this afternoon so may go take a wander.  As I am having some work done in the house over the coming weeks I need to find things to keep me occupied  and then I can escape from the noise ha ha.  Will be relieved when it is finished (as no doubt will my neighbours!!).

Enjoy the celebratory Chinese Meal with your sister on Monday. Take care. Jules  x

Hi Jules, glad you enjoyed time with the family ,and spending  mothers day with them as well, I am going out with my son his partner and children mothers day as my daughter is in Law Vegas will  have to give her her birthday card so she can open it on her 40th which happens to be mothers day as well.I am at spec savers Monday with my ear she wants to know how my ear is no better I'm afraid think she is going to let my doctor know so will see what happens next,also at the doctors Tuesday  to have a check up  on.my COPD.which isn't to bad at the moment touch wood , I enjoyed my meal with my sister niece and her daughter I can't believe she is 16  in May time flies dosnt it ?. The weather hasn't been to bad this week supposed to be going very cold again next week have took George out every day  up to now which is good  for we both get a bit of exercise lol. I am going to the cream tomorrow to put some flowers in a vase as hubby been dead 2 yrs  I also but a verse in the remembrance book  so will have a look at that as well,I'm sure it will be a sad day remembering what might have been,having got any plans for the weekend it's supposed to be dry hopefully might do something with my daughter have a nice  weekend regards Syl x