Hi Syl,

You are not being a burden at all; that is what this chat forum is all about. Sometimes just getting out how you feel can help.  I am sure having your daughter away, the grotty weather and most of all missing our husband's at these special times of year always brings more emotions with it.  Glad you have been sensible and been to the docs but you will probably need to take the prescribed medication if it is to do you any good and just because there can be side effects does not necessarily mean you will have them.  Having the hearing aid problem cannot have helped but hope you will soon be feeling better and take those tiny baby steps we all speak off when things get us down.

Has been raining heavily on and off all day here but still went out with a friend this afternoon/early evening to a festive lights installation at Wembley (trying to find some festive spirit!!). Am off work now until 1st January and family begins to arrive on Christmas Eve but I will be online (here and there) so do not hesitate to drop me a message if you feel like talking. Best regards. Jules xx

Hi Jules, thanks for your kind words it is nice to talk to someone even though it's on line it does help,I do think a lot of it is this time of year and the dark nights as well as the dark mornings ,as well as all my activities stopping now till January, I still haven't taken the tablets the dr gave me ,but I can take them if I need to ,also hubbies birthday today the 27 th so that didn't help,I bought some flowers put them next to his picture and wished him happy birthday.   I did have a lovely Christmas with my daughter and her partner ,there was 8 of us out boxing day which was very nice I met my daughter's partner's mum for the first time ,she is very nice.they enjoyed New York even though it was very cold, hope you had a nice Christmas with your family  and enjoyed the festivities have been to town today quite busy with the sales being on got a few bits I needed then home went my neighbours for coffee and a chat which is always nice. anyway have a lovely new year I will have a buffet and a couple of glasses of wine watch the fireworks on the TV then bed regards e mail you in 2020 syl x

Hi Syl,

Like you I appreciate the contact that the forum gives me even after all this time.  Mutual understanding despite different lives/journey's certainly helps.

Thought of you on the 27th and know it will have been emotional as the 3rd will be for me.  Somehow we go forward into another new year and hope the winter will not be too severe.  I do find being able to get out every day makes a difference to how I feel.

Really pleased you enjoyed your Christmas festivities.  Our's went pretty much to plan with my daughter and family staying three days (went home afternoon of 27th with some food goodies (to stop me eating them all!!) and my son (who had a heavy cold bless him) and family were all with us on Christmas Day before going to the in-laws for Boxing Day.  We all got out walking children and dog, them every day and me missing Christmas Day as they went out whilst I and my son in law cleared up and got the place ready for the afternoon of playtime and evening buffet.

Gym re-opened today so I was there before heading into town for a coffee break and a quick look in M&S. Tomorrow depending on the weather I will either go walking with my camera or go to the cinema which will break up the day.  Am back at work on 1st Jan so making the most of my time off.  At least I know this will have been my last time working retail in the build up to Christmas and can now hopefully look forward to complete retirement by mid-Summer.

Wishing you all the very best for the New Year and beyond. Take care,  Jules x

Hi Syl,

Weather has been dry for some days now but still rather overcast most of the time.  I did not see New Year in (very unusual for me) as I was working on New Years Day.  My normal working week so already back to routine really.  

Yestereday I laid flowers at hubby's resting place after going to the gym.  I then caught the bus to meet up with my son and after our usual wander/purchases at the garden centre we headed back to his and I spent the afternoon out walking with the family followed by a lovely roast dinner.  My daughter in law dropped me home around 9pm as she had some bits to drop of at her parents' place (they live about half a miles from me).  All in all a peaceful day whilst making new memories and cherishing the old ones.

Today I am doing some catching up with mail, housework and am awaiting a call so that I can organise my phone upgrade (no doubt more fun when it comes trying to get used to it!!). As it is dry though a little chilly I might try and do a little tidying in the garden and get the new feeder fixed up.

Hope you have a pleasant weekend.  Jules x

Hi Jules, glad everything back to normal now went my swimming aerobics class Tuesday for the first time it was nice to get back after the Christmas break,my friendship group back Monday 13th so am looking forward to seeing everyone after such a long break. the weather. not to bad this week took George out this afternoon even the sun was shining but it has forecast rain tomorrow, a few week ago my friend went out for a meal with a group of friends and won afternoon tea ,so I am going with her tomorrow  it's called the everglades it's a hotel and they have a restaurant as well so it should be nice.think I am out with my daughter and her partner Sunday for dinner she has got some  vouchers off a Sunday lunch in one of our local pubs and it runs out Sunday so we might as well use them up rather than waste them .have a nice weekend regards Syl x

Hi Syl,

Hope you enjoyed your return to the friendship group and also Sunday lumch with your daughter and her partner.  I do enjoy eating out and not having to clear up afterwards!

Weather good here last Friday so after my usual gym routine I got the underground to Kew and spent the day walking for pleasure.  So lovely to be out in the fresh air.  Saturday caught up with stuff around the house and then on Sunday went walking locally in the morning followed by shopping in the afternoon.  So mild for the time of year but expect we will get a cold spell eventually.  Have not even had the heating on for the last few days.

Have been chatting to a good friend who I often go out with and we have booked up a theatre trip in February and also tickets booked for the Chelsea Flower Show this year.  We have been looking at doing the latter for several years and although a bit pricey decided this year we would finally go along.  Work has been quite miserable recently with morale low all round (retail not what it used to be!!) so these things to look forward to are a great boost.

Also just been invited by my daughter and son in law to join them on a mini break to Lincolnshire during the boys' Easter school holidays so managed to get the time off work and really looking forward to spending quality time with them.  I must be doing something right as also seeing them during the February half term (also when both my children have birthdays). Definitely helps keeping busy and having things to do.

Some not so good news though as one of my very close friend's husband has spent the last week in hospital following being taken in by ambulance from his GP's surgery with what they are currently calling urinary sepsis.  They are a train ride away but the hospital is closed to visitors just now due to the novovirus being on various wards.  All I can do is stay in touch by phone and have sent thinking/get well cards too.  Sometimes you just feel helpless in these situations.

Hope the afternoon tea lived up to expectations and that you are keeping okay.  Take care and have a good week.  Jules

Hi Jules, enjoyed my friendship group we were discussing what we were going to do during the year, and what speakers to ask to do talks .glad you enjoyed your walk ,it is nice to get out especially this time of year when the weather isn't that good,I'm sure you will enjoy your theatre trip and the flower show it's nice to have things to look forward to.I know it's a miserable time of year everyone Sims to be down in the dumps in January.at least you have the weekend to enjoy with your daughter son in law and grandchildren at Easter ,I don't even know when it is this year,sorry to hear about you friends husband sepsis is so dangerous but it is easily cured if caught in time apparently they don't seem to test for it which to me seems wrong ,my afternoon tea was a bit of a disappointment tiny sandwiches and even tinier cakes but it was free so I suppose it was expected,not sure what I'm doing at the weekend, Saturday I am going the crematorium as its my dads birthday so will put flowers on the plot for him,it has forecast a dry weekend not sure what I'm doing Sunday regarding dinner will have to wait and see what happens enjoy your weekend regards syl x

Hi Syl,

A shame that the afternoon tea was not up to scratch but, as you say, it was a freebie so a bit of a bonus.

After a busy couple of days at work, I have enjoyed being off and the weather being dry and sunny for a change.  On Friday my son and two grandchildren visited for a few hours along with a friend who popped in for pre-arranged coffee/chat.  My friend's son went to school with my lad and she was delighted to catch up with him and the family whom she had only heard about over the years.  The children played happily building a 'new home' in my kitchen made out of all their toys followed by some 'organised clearing up' toddler style. A lot of fun.  

Over the weekend I managed two long walks and it is good being out and seeing other people rather than spending too much time in front of the tv/computer.  Also finished a book and have started a new one.  

We have two ladies leaving work this week and next week so have  got necessary cards and will be sorry to see them go.  They have both been there over 20 years and are disillusioned under the new management.  Sadly morale is at an all time low and it does affect everyone.  Had a director in but it was on a day I do not work but I think he got the message.  Fingers crossed I will be in a position to retire as planned in mid-Summer.

On Monday the weather though chilly was lovely and sunny so I decided to go walking in London and visited the Olympic Park at Stratford, walking the tow path by the river and then the circuit around the stadium now home to West Ham.  They had a beautiful display of daffodils on the  banks; so pretty and gives you a lift to know Spring is hopefully round the corner.  I have a few crocus out which is early but my daffs are no where near flowering so suspect those I say had been 'brought on' before planting out.

Today I have a gym session but no other plans.  Heavy frost at the moment but bright so may go for a short walk and save my food shop for another day.

Have a pleasant week  and take care. Jules  x[[]]

Hi Jules, lovely display of daffodils it does make you think of spring, we have a few dotted about but not as nice as those it is colder in the north so things take longer to come out .sorry your not enjoying work at the moment but at least you haven't got long to go now,I don't think shops are having a easy time at the moment with the internet and people buying on line ,it's a shame really as quite a lot of well known shops are closing down . I went to my daughter's last Sunday for dinner which is always. nice ,my son and his partner went to Wales for the weekend in a dog friendly hotel be sent me some photos of the hotel it was lovely the weather was. nice as well,I think the dog enjoyed more than they did lol .went to my aerobics class this morning she is on about retiring this year but hopefully she has got a friend who might do the class for her (fingers crossed)  she will do it for her she is a lovely person she will be sadly missed if she does decide to leave ,ha2 had George out all this week the weather hasn't been to bad it's been quite misty all week most days have been really miserable and dull but at least it's been dry think I'm out Sunday for dinner to a local restaurant they do a lovely Sunday lunch so am looking forward to going  I am at the hospital Wednesday so they can have a look at my right ear as I am having problems with it  enjoy. your weekend regards syl x