Hi Syl

Sorry for late replybut spent a long weekend away enjoying the company of my grandsonsand seem to have been playing catch up ever since! Visited Mum yesterday and then had my gym programme review and also got some shopping and now it is back to work(leave in around 30 minutes).

Hope with George back you have been enjoying the lovely weather with your walks with him.

The boys and I spent much of last weekend out walking and visiting several of their local parks and enjoyed a spot of bird watching and bug hunting as well as usual rough and tumble of the playgrounds of course (I still enjoy the swings and seesaw much to the 4yr old's delight!!).  We also had a meet and greet with their neighbour's african grey parrot.  They were full of stories from their Disneyland holiday and all had a fantastic time.  My daughter and son in law also enjoyed their 'couple' spa weekend and were much relaxed when they got home.  They treated me to an indian meal before I returned home.

Had a call from my daughter in law last night inviting me over for this weekend so will be great spending some quality time with them and little Darcey before I go away a week later.  Need to fill in the in between time with getting housework/garden tidy. Good to be keeping busy.

Take care and have a good week ahead.  Jules x

Hi Jules, glad you enjoyed playing all the games with your grandchildren they must keep you young  it must be nice as well as keeping you fit running  after them. ,glad your  family enjoyed Disneyland  I know a few people that have  been and they all had a good time. went my daughters Sunday for dinner then we had a run to  a garden centre near Liverpool Airport, it's a lovely  centre my daughter's partner wanted to buy his mum a  Bird table  for her birthday which he did as well as a few more things  he just managed to  fit it in his car which was  lucky otherwise we couldn't have got it home lol. the weather has changed a bit here have  had some rain it's quite windy here  at the moment ,but hope to take George out later ,going out with  the family Fathers Day 7 of us all together it's a steak house haven't been before it's supposed to  be very nice but  it's not cheap .I will!! go to the cream in the morning  to but flowers on my dads plot as we are not  eating  till  12 30 . hope you enjoy your weekend  with family  regards  Syl x

Hi Jules, glad everything went well  Fathers day it's nice to reminisce about   memories  of   dad's my dad died  over 30 years ago  but I still think of him  after all these years.it will be nice to see your  sisters in law and your brother in law as well  will be nice to go out and about  with them as well as  catching up  on things . I am having company this weekend  my brother-in-law and sister-in-law are coming Saturday and staying  over night, I'm a bit apprehensive as I haven't seen them since hubby died  I always  associate them  with the four of us it's going to feel  strange just  the three of us , I hope  I can  handle  it as I don't won't spoil  the weekend  by being upset ,we are going out for a meal Saturday tea time my daughter is coming  as well  so there will be the four of us. any way Jules will close now have a lovely holiday  you can tell me all about it  when you get back regards Syl x 

Hi Syl

Got back from my holiday last night having had a lovely time.  Great weather, plenty of lovely walks/scenery/ food and caught up with my in-laws too.  Felt very refreshed on my return and will spent the next few days dead-heading in the garden and getting back to the usual routines again.  Return to work on Wednesday.

Hope you enjoyed the time with your brother in law and sister in law; those first get together's are often time for apprehension and am sure they probably felt the same.  Hope you were able to remember the good times too and suspect even if you were all a bit emotional it would be understood. It would have been nice having your daughter there too for the meal on Saturday. Did you go somewhere local?

Hope you are keeping okay and coping with the warmer weather.  I will venture into the garden later as there is a nice breeze today and fancy reading my book in the shade.  Take care. Jules xx

Hi Jules, glad you had a nice holiday and had a catch up with your in laws and the lovely weather as well it's been hot here as well ,I enjoyed my weekend with my brother in law and sister-in-law  on the Sunday we went in a pub.called the stag  it's where we had hubbies  wake it's also the first time i've been in since hubby died but I felt ok. I will admit I had a cry on Sunday night after they left it felt funny just 3 of us instead of 4 ,I've been at the hospital this morning for a. chest x Ray   and on tablets for the Fleming in my throat ,will see what happens this time ,have had George out in this lovely sunshine ,hope work wasn't to bad for you especially this weather  I still don't know what you do for a living ,just going to make my self a coffee  and relax now regards Syl x

Hi Sylvia

I lost my husband in March so I knowo what you are going through.  Unfortunately I have no children so I'm all alone at night and its so depressing.  I was trying to move near to my family and due to a terrible survey on my property thats all fallen through.  I really didn't want to be here in the Winter. 

I begged my husband to give me a sign yesterday but nothing! I wish he could just let me know he's ok.

Keep thinking about all your good times, talk to him, I talk to Dave all the time.  I even tell him to get into bed at night and turn the pillow lengthways. When you wake it looks like he's in bed with me.

Be strong we will all get there.  We will never forget them but I'm told it will get easier as the months/years pass

Hi Syl

Glad you were able to enjoy the visit with your brother in law and sister in law andI amsure you were all able to remember the good times. Whilst emotional thoughts take hold as well it just goes to prove that we were privileged to have those years and must do our best to  manage our own lives (not always easy).  I hope our respective hubbies would be proud of us as think they would want us to honour their lives by continuing our way forward however difficult that can be at times. 

Not been too busy this week apart from usual gym visits and work shifts.  Only managed an hour in the garden (cutting back Spring shrubs) the other day before I felt as though I was melting so was soon back in the cool of my lounge and have been enjoying watching Wimbledon without rain delays ha ha.

My daughter and family are camping this weekend and also celebrating their 11th wedding anniversary and my son and family are getting excited as we await the new arrival sometime this month.  My daughter in law has begun maternity leave (she is now 38 weeks) and not enjoying the hot weather too much.

My Mum had problems breathing and became unresponsive yesterday and they had to get emergency doctor out.  He has prescribed antibiotics for a possible urine infection though we are not sure whether she will agree to take the medication.  The care staff were amazed when she responded to his 'authoritve voice' but  she is quietly angry that her body will not let her be at peace.  Sad times though am grateful for all the care she is getting especially as she prefers not to have visitors outside of 'normal routine'. Unless things change I will go down as usual on Tuesday.

20% off at the garden centre this weekend so may walk there today after my gym visit.  Have my water packed ready and see how I get on.  Will take it easy and probably get the bus back as need to be sensible when it comes to the middle of the day.  No doubt George needs to be walked very early or late in this weather.  My son usually takes their dog out around 8pm but the walks are shorter at the moment.

By the way I work in a shop now which happily is air conditioned (pre children I was a bank secretary and then whilst they grew up I worked from home as a proof-reader) and only a few hours a week so pretty manageable though if I could draw my pension I would not need to keep on working.   Sadly they moved the  age  for State Pension and so these few hours top up hubby's private pension until such time that I can draw my own or I win the lottery (I am not holding my breath on the latter!!).

Take care of yourself.  Jules x

Hi Jules,glad everything ok at your end ,must be exciting waiting for the new arrival  to enter the world as long as everything  is ok  that's all that. matters,not much happening at my end as well  the weather  hasn't changed its still hot we haven't had any rain all the lawns  round where I live  have gone brown my back garden  looks like straw don't know wether it will come back  when it starts raining. it wasn't much good before we had all this hot weather.I'm taking George out in the morning when it's a bit cooler,it's sad for your mum especially this hot  weather I think we all suffer in this heat as were not used to it,I'm away in a couple of week I'm going to Devon with my friend on  shearings coaches, the weather will have broke by then and we will have nothing  but rain lol I'm not that bothered really it will be nice to feel cool for a change. my daughter and her partner are off to Amsterdam for a long weekend on Sunday till Wednesday. it's to celebrate her partners 40 birthday ,I am out Saturday with my friend and her grandson to our local carnival it's held on the park where we live it's usually a good day there is all sorts there including a dog show as well as a fair  music and loads of stalls selling cakes and  drinks,just hope the weather doesn't brake before then, I am out with the friendship group Monday for a meal before we finish till September  have a nice weekend  regards  Syl x

Hi Syl

As the beaitiful weather continues my garden still seems to be able to grow weeds!!  Hada good go at it yesterday morning and feel a lot happier now that the Spring shrubs have had their pruning too.  Am due to have some new fence panels put in (in a queue with the company whose quotationI accepted) so have also cleared the area where these will go in  though it could be a while yet at they are busy). Also added an extra  water bath/drinking container for the birds and they have been using it regularly as wel as taking dust baths in my dried up beds!!  Fun to watch.

Had a meal out with a friend on Thursday and  lovely chatty catch up. Today will go to the gym once it is open and then on to the Artisand/Farmers'market which is always nice for a wander round and an iced coffee.  Then I will settle my self down for the last day at Wimbledon and the Mens Final.  The two weeks have gone so quickly.

Mum seems to have responded to the antibiotics and her breathing was much improved when I last popped in(though she still rarely talks) so at the moment back tousual routine. There is one of the regular residents/relatives meetings in a couple of weeks so will try and get along to that.

Waiting for it to get a bit later before contacting my daughter.  She was on a 10 mile sponsored walk at midnight last night for their local hospice and her Facebook page shows that she completed it (picture of her with medal in the early hours)  so hope her boys let her have a lie in!!

Hope the weather holds and it is a good trip for you and  your friend when you go to Devon.  My parents used to go with Shearings quite a bit (neither drove).  It is nice to get a break away from the household chores and usual routine.

Hope your daughter and partner enjoy their Amsterdam break; it is a lovely place to go and plenty to enjoy and always busy.

Take care of yourself and have a good week. Jules x