Hi Jules, glad your back thought it was a problem with your new laptop  hope its sorted now ,glad you enjoyed your  day with your son and managed to take his dog out as well,will be nice when you all get together for your grandsons birthday next week. the weather here hasn't been that good either didn't take him out much last week because of the weather,hope it's a bit better this week,so I can take him out more, I have been to my local high school today with my friendship group,for  afternoon tea it was very nice I ended up scoffing sandwiches sausage rolls and I had 2 small cream scones and chocolate cake I was stuffed after ,at least I didn't need anything to eat when I got home. my swimming aerobics has finished now till November my teacher is away on holiday and the kids are off on holiday, not much on this week apart from my dementia group Wednesday ,also out with my two friends Thursday for a bite to eat at our local community centre enjoy your week regards syl x

Hi Syl,

Well, I made up to see my daughter's for her youngest's birthday celebrations but unfortunately my son and family were not able to join us in the end as the little one had sickness so that get together will have to wait for another time (probably Christmas!!).  After a very wet Friday we had a lovely day on Saturday and were able to go to a local forest park for a long walk and it was good catching up with all their news.

This morning my daughter took their new puppy off to training class whilst my son in law and eldest grandson were spending the day together at their  remote control car racing club.  I spent the  morning playing with their youngest and then  had lunch with them before catching the train/buses home.  

I have this coming week off work as annual leave to use up and am looking forward to the freedom that gives me to be out and about. Have catch ups planned with two different friends as well as having gas smart meter fitted on one morning.  With a bit of luck I will also get time for the gym a few times and also want to continue with Christmas shopping as I now been given a few ideas to work from.

Your afternoon see sounded scrummy (I am a big fan of  these!!) and hope the coming week will be dryer to allow more walks.  I feel so much better when I can get out and about.  I am currently doing a challenge for charity through our local gym (to drop a dress size in 10 weeks) so any thoughts of cakes will have to go on hold ha ha.

Take care of yourself.  Jules x

Hi Jules, not read your e mail just a quick e mail having problems with my tablet if you don't hear off me it because my tablet isn't working  hopefully will hear off me later in the week regards Syl x

Hi Jules ,if you've read my little e mail you will know my tablet is ok now my son fixed it ,hope there is no more gremlins  in it now lol,glad you made it to your daughter's  pity your son couldn't make it but these things happen.sounds as if you had a busy week with family and friends ,it is nice to get out when the weather is ok, went to my friendship  group Monday we had a social for a change we had a game of bingo  and a trivia game it was fun considering there was only eleven of us there. must be nice for you to have time of work I know I enjoyed time off when I did work,I can't. believe it's 5 years since I retired, time flies .been to the dementia group this afternoon had a game of dominoes and adult colouring great fun and all the group enjoyed the afternoon.tomorrow shopping then coffee with my neighbor hopefully will take George out but it has forecast rain so will have to wait and see what happens.dont know what I'm doing at the weekend thing I will be seeing  my son at some point as him and his partner have split up have a nice weekend regards Syl x

Hi s Syl,

Glad your son able to sort the gremlins out.  Like you I am at a loss when something goes wrong with technology and my frustrations increase as we do depend on it so much these days to do day to day tasks as well as staying in touch with friends and family. I am still trying to get used to the new laptop as different software than before and everything is in different places grr.  Add to that my wifi is slow at present so not always able to do what I want as fast as I want (think they call this impatience ha ha).  Hey ho life rumbles on whatever!!

My youngest grandson has been diagnosed with a virus and they have been given an inhaler to help him and been told to keep an eye in case it develops into croup.  Hopefully that will not be the case as such a distressing thing to go through watching little ones suffering as he is usually such a happy and cheeky little soul.  I am sure we will find time as a family to meet up when all is well again.

I am having a varied week off as had made no definite plans as a lot depends on the weather.  I have managed to go walking, do some Christmas shopping and spend a day in London visiting an exhibition at the Museum of London Docklands in Canary Wharf with a friend.  We also visited a roof garden as well as strolling the lovely gardens in the area and having lunch in a small cafe.  Sunshine would have been nice but you cannot have everything ha ha.  Also extra gym visits which is very social and good for me!!  This evening I am out for a meal with another friend and weather allowing will go walking later too.  Hoping to be able to fully retire (I only work two days a week now) when the State Pension comes along in the middle of next year......already counting down eagerly as been working far longer than expected!

Hope you are having a pleasant week and that your weekend goes the way you want it to.  Take good care of yourself.  Regards Jules x

Hi Jules ,hope your grandson is better now it's awful croup  ,I remember it being quite common when my 2 were babies.    havnt even thought of Christmas yet I don't even know  what is happening with dinner we were going to go out ,then the kids decided one of them is going to cook so not sure what is going to happen yet .glad you have been out and about with your friends,must be nice to be able to visit London I'm assuming you don't live far from the capital?, the weather here not bad at the moment went to kirby beach on Sunday with my son and his dog he was looking after it while his x partner was away for the weekend  it was windy but dry lovely walk there was loads of people there walking there dogs after we came back we went in a dog friendly pub for dinner even the dog had a Sunday dinner lol, my swimming aerobics starts back next week I'm quite used to not going now ,so I hope I can get back into it when  next week  comes,at my community this afternoon with my friends for something to eat and a chat not sure what is happening at the weekend  I'm at spec savers Saturday for a eye check  not sure about Sunday yet enjoy your weekend  regards syl x

Hi Syl,

Time seems to be running away with me this past week and am popping this off just before I leave for work.

Hope you had a good weekend.  Weather here was decidedly wet on Saturday so a day spent pottering indoors and then a beautiful start to Sunday so after my gym visit I managed a three plus mile walk and felt much better for that!  

Thankfully my youngest grandson, now 16 months, is much better and back at Nursery so a little easier on the family (lack of sleep over a couple of weeks taking it's toll as they also both work!!).  

Hope your return to aqua aerobics was not too much trouble and no doubt you will soon be back into the routine.

Looks as though my garden will have to be left now to its own devices as far too wet to do anything much. Miss being out there but still upkeeping the bird feeding stations as the weather has turned a little nippier and more are visiting.  Lovely to watch their antics.  Not so happy that a squirrel seems to have taken a liking to burying numerous things in the flower beds so will have to watch out for rogue growth ha ha.

I am lucky that London is about 45 mins on the tube from where I live and with free travel makes it very accessible indeed.

Have a good week and take care.  Jules x

Hi Jules, glad your grandson is feeling much better now it's not nice when there not well ,the weather not good here as well all the gardens are sodden so can't do much out side at the moment,apart from dodge the rain to feed the  birds lol , havnt had George out much this week as well ,went to the optician last Saturday as I had a small blood. clot behind my left eye 3 month ago so had to go back to see if it had disappeared luckily it's gone now. I wish I could walk like you Jules,I've been struggling to take George out just lately with.my breathing,so went the doctors this week  have got to go the hospital for a chest  x ray  bit scared really considering I've all ready got COPD I'm a born pessimist so I'm thinking all sorts at the moment. must be lovely to live that near London with everything there is to see and do there.started back swimming aerobics really enjoyed it and the water was nice and warm ( which makes a change) as well,not got anything planned for the weekend up to now my son is in Birmingham at the weekend catching up with friends he used to work with,not back with his partner but they are texting one another will have to see what happens next . have a nice weekend  regards syl x

Hi Syl,

The weather certainly has been pretty awful especially in the north of the country from the pictures on the tv I have seen.  We have had plenty of rain in the past week and it does curtail what and how far I go. Thankfully yesterday had a beautiful day and once again I got out and managed to stroll three parks in London and really enjoyed the relaxation that brings.  I do consider myself very lucky to still be able to do this and if hubby's death taught me anything it was not to take anything (or anyone) for granted so it means a lot that I have this choice just now.

Hope the chest x ray is sorted for you quickly and whilst I can imagine your anxiety with a bit of luck it will just show them how to treat your breathing problems with perhaps alternative medication.  Wish you all the very best as must be frustrating that you cannot enjoy those walks with George even when the weather allows.

Today has started bright again but rain due later so once my mail is up to date and the washing up down I will try and do my weekly shop in the dry.  Other than that just next weekend to look forward to when out with friends.  Just need to get through my two work days in the middle of the week (lift is out of order so lots of moving goods by hand up and down stairs...........exercise I could do without haha) and then having my hair cut on Friday.  Still not sure how I manage to fit everything done but am also hoping to catch up with son and the grandchildren on Friday afternoon now that their bugs seem to have cleared up.

Hope you had a pleasant weekend.  Take care  Jules x