Hi Syl

Glad you enjoyed your garden centre trip.  I find it very hard not to buy something when I pop into one!! Have actually managed to do a bit of tidying in the back garden in the past few days and also completely sorted out front garden so all old deadwood on the fuschia and last year's growth cut back.  Managed to fill 3 green waste bags which was collected this morning ready for the next go!  Hope you are feeling better and that the eye appointment went ok.  Fingers crossed for your check ups and hopefully nothing too serious.  I have had floaters in my eyes for some years (age related I am told) but they do keep an eye on them when I go to the optician.  A shame that you cannot chat to Cruse as you find the course/session too long. Still they are there should you change your mind.  Had a lovely lunch out with my friend and then a pretty quiet weekend though I did my usual long walks and the gym.  Monday was beautiful so went to Kew Gardens and spent over 5hrs there.  This included going into the Orchid Festival which was beautiful- so many varieties and colours.  Had lunch sitting on a bench in the sun and it felt wonderful.  Beautiful displays of crocus and snowdrops. Completely different today with frost and fog early on but blue sky again now.  Finally I have taken the new laptop out of the box so have set it up and quite happy so far. I am seeing different friends morning and afternoon tomorrow so looking forward to that and then a planned walk with another friend on Saturday.  Hope you have a better week and take care of yourself and hope George was able to go for walks with you too.  Best regards. Jules xx

Hi Jules haven't heard anything yet about my appointments at the hospital waiting for 2 one for my ears and one too see if I have a heart murmur, not been bad this week weather wise no rain for a change so been out every day with George ,glad you have been doing things in the garden my back one could do with new grass as most of it has disappeared might leave it and see if any grows back in spring.glad you enjoyed going to Kew gardens I do see it on the telly sometimes it looks massive and so lovely especially when all the flowers and shrubs are out,glad your new laptop is up and running now I'm not very good with stuff like that I'm fortunate that my son is in IT so he sorts things out for me if they go wrong , hope you enjoyed the weekend with your friends it's nice to go out and do something different for a change,I have been into town this morning Friday only wanted a few things but it's nice to get out of the house for a couple of hours going into my neighbours later for a coffee it has forecast a nice weekend I'm going out with my daughter Sunday for dinner at a local pub they do a nice Sunday roast so I'm looking forward to that have a lovely week regards Syl x

Hi Syl

Has been a quiet week with just my usual daily walks and a few gym visits. Caught up with a couple of friends (who come for a walk occasionally too) and have been enjoying the local lake and birdlife with my camera,  It is half term holidays so tomorrow will see my son and the grandchildren and we are going to a small zoo a few miles away and then will treat them to lunch out.  Today have woken to frost and fog so it was a gloomy walk before breakfast.  At the gym for 9 but no other plans today.  It is my daughter's birthday today so already spoken with her and will see her and all the family on Friday.  We have a day out planned on Saturday so shall look forward to catching up with them all and hearing about my eldest grandson's school trip to Spain last week.  Cannot believe it is only 7 weeks till I go away with my son and family to Feueteventura - never been there before but they know it well as it is where they often went scuba diving before the kiddies came along. They are looking forward to showing me around and their first holiday abroad as a family.  Hope you hear something soon re your hospital appointments but it is lovely that you have been able to get out with George.  Have a good week. Jules x

Hi Jules , hope you enjoyed your quiet week as your usual busy  with different things I have been the Dr this morning Friday there testing for different things got to ring them next week ,got a ENT appointment at the end of the month I haven't heard anything yet about my other appointment for my heart . it's very windy here at the moment but the sun is shining so I have just had George out going in my friends later for a coffee, hope you enjoyed your time with your daughter , and seeing family on Saturday I'm at marks Saturday with my daughter then there is a out door market at our local pub so weather permitting we will have a walk round . hope you. grandson enjoyed his trip to Spain I have spent some lovely holidays in Spain especially when the kids were young,and just me and hubby when the kids were grown up.im sure you will enjoy your holiday it's a place we never visited my son is going to Iceland in a couple of weeks with his mate in march my daughter is going to Mexico in march she is away for her birthday so they have both got something to look forward to .I'm at the crem Sunday as it would have been my sister's 70 birthday so sad that she isn't here to celebrate with her family I'm sure I would have bought her something nice when I was 70 she bought me a lovely ornament of to sister's side by side , not sure what I'm doing Sunday for dinner might be doing my own this week have a lovely week regards Syl X 

Hi Syl

Hope your various appointment and check ups are providing some answers for you and your medical teams.  It is hard with all the waiting to know what is going on and whether any treatment will be necessary. Hope the weekend went ok as always emotional when birthdays and anniversary dates come round.  I never had siblings but know you will have wonderful memories to recall from your life experiences.  Hope your son and daughter have lovely breaks to their chosen places. It will feel strange doing a family beach holiday after so many years especially as early as April but am sure we will enjoy ourselves watching the youngest grandchildren playing/swimming etc.  Meals at local restaurants to enjoy.  Did not ever visit mainland Spain with my parents (we did Italy, Greek Islands, Portugal and what was Yugoslavia for most of our overseas holidays which began in 1967 - seems such a long time ago now lol).  My parents did a lot more places once I was old enough to be left 'home alone' and I could not afford to go with them.  I love Portugal (last there in 2016 with all the family) but my current favourite is definitely the Italian lakes as such an easy going culture and friendly too for the solo traveller.  Maybe I will go there again later in the year!   I had a lovely weekend with my daughter and the family.  We set off early Sat morning  and our Meet the Meerkat experience was booked for 9.30 so once that was over (we got to see and hold reptiles too which was just great) we went to Ely Country Park just a few minutes away for a wander and then headed bac to Ely and had lunch in a restaurant overlooking the Great Ouse River - a beautiful sunny day so really enjoyed it.  We then popped in to see my elderly aunt (93 in June) who was delighted to see me (been a while and she did not know I was coming as we had kept it a secret).  Afternoon tea and cake and lots of memories re-visited. She is doing so well and apart from having a gardener does everything herself even catching the bus into Newmarket to do her shopping.  She must have healthy genes lol. This week I have done a couple of long walks one on my own and the other with a friend so we stopped and had a cuppa at about the 3mile mark.  Today have got up to pouring rain, first in a long time so garden will appreciate it even if I dont.  Crocus, snowdrops and daffs all coming out now and I have some new plants to go in but not today!!  Tomorrow getting hair cut and meeting friend for local walk and coffee.  Child sitting for my son on Saturday evening as his mother in law is unable to do it as planned and they are out with friends for celebrate his birthday which was yesterday.  Not much going on at the moment but have a visit to the theatre booked for next week so something to look forward to. One bit of lovely news was that I had a hedgehog wandering in my garden night before last and I have not seen one for a few years here. Hope it stays around.  Take care and hope you have a good week. Jules x

Hi Jules ,had my blood results back my cholesterol a bit high but nothing to worry about just Tuesday now at the hospital to look at my right ear ,glad you enjoyed your time with your family I can't remember if we ever went to mainland Spain most of our holidays were in Majorca we also had a couple of holidays in Portugal Croatia but we never went to Italy even though it is a lovely place I'm told . must have been a lovely surprise for your aunt to see you all one of my neighbours was 90 a couple of weeks ago she invited all the neighbours in for tea and cake it was a lovely afternoon she never had children but she has a couple of nieces that she is close to,we haven't had any rain this week managed to cut my front lawn on Monday it was getting quite long if I had left it much longer think it would have been hard for me to cut it .I'm sure you will enjoy child sitting at the weekend unfortunately I don't have that pleasure it does make me sad sometimes I will never know what it's like to have grandchildren.hope you enjoy the theatre with your friend I'm going to a garden centre on Saturday with my daughter then Saturday teatime I'm dog sitting for my son he is out with friends don't think he will be late back then Monday morning he is going to Iceland with his friend my daughter is working from home all week so she can look after his dog  I haven't seen any hedgehogs in my garden yet but my daffodils are out and primrose's as well it's forecast a dry week here but I've heard were in for another cold spell shortly thought we had got rid of the worst weather will wait and see if it happens ,I'm at the crem again on Wednesday as it's my mum's birthday will take some bird food and feed the birds while I'm there I'm at my dementia group Wednesday as well so will go the crem early have a lovely week regards Syl X 

Hi Syl,

Hope your ear appointment today goes well and the slight raised cholesterol level can be easily managed with diet changes so stop it going up further. Dad and Mum both had raised levels and it led to some problems for my Dad but was eventually brought under control with tablets.  I get regular checks and so far so good thankfully.  Childminding was okay on Saturday.  Really just being in the house whilst the kiddies slept.  The bonus was getting a roast dinner cooked for me instead of having to do it myself (not that I mind cooking for one!) on Sunday.  We then had a stroll over to their local play park before my son drove me home mid-afternoon.  Happy to help out if needed.  Have been for a walk and then the gym this morning and just grabbing a cuppa before going to the cinema.  A busy week as have the theatre on Thursday and meeting friends at Kew for the day on Friday. Next long walk planned for Saturday then gym  followed by local farmers' market on Sunday and that will be another week seen off.  I do sometimes wonder where the time goes.  Frosty start today but has been dry and lovely to see the Sprinng bulbs flowering both in my garden and whilst out and about.  Hope  you have managed to have George out for walks.  My next visit to the Garden of Remembrance will be for hubbys birthday in April but not on the actual day as will be away for that.    Just had a couple of parakeets on my nut feeder and my regular robin has started to hand feed again (always seems keen at this time of year so must be 'pairing up' and getting ready for the nesting season.  He is not too happy that I have not begun live food feeding yet but did not want to start it until I am back from the holiday as they do come to expect it!!  Take care and have a good week however you plan spending your time.  Jules xx

Hi Jules, had my ear appointment couldn't find anything wrong so is going to send me for a scan to ma sure I haven't got a blocked vein in my neck,had a phone call Friday about my heart he asked me loads of questions going to have a scan on my heart he doesn't think anything is wrong but my doctor thinks I might have a heart murmur,then to cap it all off my heating broke no hot water and my heating coming on on its own luckily I have a friend who is a plumber only trouble is he isn't very reliable after a few phone calls and texts he came one of the valves was stuck together touch wood it's alright now .glad you enjoyed your child sitting and had a nice Sunday dinner cooked for you,hope you enjoyed the cenema and theatre,it's a long time since I went to the cenema it was to see Downton abbey a few years ago now .the weather has been dry all week cold but no rain so have enjoyed my walks with George listening to the forecast it's going to be cold next week and we might get some snow  thought we had finished with winter lol .how lovely to have parakeets on your feeders I've seen them on the telly in people's gardens,how lovely to have a robin feeding off your hand I do get a robin coming on my bird table but he isn't has friendly has yours.my son is back from Iceland tomorrow Saturday sent me some lovely photos very rugged and beautiful landscapes then my daughter goes to Mexico she is away for her birthday can't believe she will be 45 time does fly will buy her present or give her money when she gets back have a lovely week regards Syl X 

Hi Syl,

Sitting watching the sleet fall after a light covering of snow(now gone) in the early hours. Currently 2degs but does not feel that cold as no wind. Just come back from having a cuppa with my nextdoor neighbour who is confined to the house due to a foot operation.

Glad the doc could not find anything wrong but it is good that further scan check will be made and hope this helps sort things out. Sounds as though you have a lot to check up on at the moment but hopefully the scans/conversations will all turn out ok.  Sorry that you had problems with your heating system but glad it was soon fixed.  I do not have central heating and thankfully the gas fires in the lounge are doing ok.  Loved our visits to the cinema and theatre and we keep an eye out for local showings as easy to pop along when retired.    Spent a full day at Kew Gardens on Friday but due to unforeseen circumstances my two friends were unable to join me.  Visited the Orchid Festival for a second time anyway and then sat in the wild bird feeding area and was handfeeding the great ***. So special.  Had lunch in one of the cafes there  before another couple of miles walking in the afternoon before heading home.   

Glad  you got to see photos of where your son had been on holiday and hope your daughter has a lovely Mexican holiday and celebrates her birthday in style.

I was due to go on a local  led wildlife walk  tomorrow but think the weather may be against them looking at the forecast.  If it's cancelled will just do the walk on my own after the gym session already booked.  Having hair highlights done  Friday as going to an 80th birthday lunch on Saturday for a good friend and then hopefully hair will still be okay for my holiday; not long now and some sunshine will be welome by then!!    Hope you have a good week. Take care.  Jules xx