Hi Ladies,

Carol, I hope you are feeling better after the camera.  The home assessment for Dorothy was good news at least, hope the scan results are also good.  Your weather still doesn't sound too good although at least the snow has gone.  Violas are gorgeous, I love them, they are such cheerful flowers, and I guess it won't be too long before you have spring, and I'll have the miserable weather.  Today isn't too bad as far as temperature goes, but it is very humid and we are expecting an storm to come through, have just been listening to warnings about it, hence I'm posting now as may not be able to later.
There are a lot of Doctors who need more training with giving patients bad newsYhey could be brilliant with the medical but not when dealing with the patient..  We were fortunate as all Neil's were very caring when giving us any bad news.
I've had a sort of busy week, Eli yesterday, today he was supposed to be in care, but as he has a virus, I had him, although after having him he was fine today, his usual happy self, yesterday was a different story though, he was miserable and his temp rose whenever his paracetamol wore off.  I had aqua balance (hydrotherapy) on Monday, another class tonight but I don't think I'll go with the weather as it is.  Then Saturday evening I'm going to Melbourne again as there is a dinner for one of Neil's old workmates that is retiring.

Hope you are all doing well.
Take care, lots of love  Sue xx

I have the first hope of spring in my garden too; the spring flowers are determinedly making their way to the surface.  Shame nobody has told the weather though.  Also it is lovely watching the birds.  I have a bird feeder in the back garden (I hasten to add that my garden is small, back and front, but enough to attract the wildlife)  I put food out for the foxes each night; they need it in the cold weather.  I got up about 3pm last night because Muffin was making a fuss to go out for a wee and I saw a fox looking around where I leave the food but it had already been eaten.  So I took pity on him and found something more for him to eat.  It ran off as I opened the door but I could see it watching me from a distance and came back as soon as I went back inside.  They are all so lovely to watch.  The small birds hang onto the feeder to eat and the bigger ones bash the feeder about so food falls on to the ground where they can eat it more easily.    When my mum was terminally ill with her cancer (long time ago now) one day when at the hospital my dad pointed out the doctor who had broken the bad news.  He said he had sympathy for the man because when he had been a young police constable he had  sometimes to knock on people's doors to tell them their loved ones had died (not everyone had phones - this was not long after WW2).  He said he could still recall the feeling of standing on someone's doorstep knowing you were about to tear their world apart; awful.  Glad Eli is okay now, Sue.  When I was helping my sister care for her grandchildren a few days ago Fin - the four year old - was bashing tunelessly on one of his musical toys.  Dance, Anne, dance (he said) so I started a graceless dance, boogeying on down to get somewhere near his level.  My wicked sister was filming it all and the next day I had the embarrassment of it being on Facebook; a most graceless performance.  Annie

Hi Ladies,

Have a break in the storm, more still expected.  But all calm for the moment.  I love storms, the lightning the trees blowing, the thunder.  I often stand at the front door watching, or I sit in darkness waiting for the room to light up.  I don't think I could ever have done a job that involved giving people that kind of news.  Just too heartbreaking.  I'm heartbroken for friends of my daughters,  She went to hospital yeterday, only had 2 weeks before her baby was due.  Tonight or tomorrow she;ll have a stillborn baby girl. They have 2 boys, 4 and 2 years old.  I can't imagine how difficult and heartbreaking this is for them. It was only a couple of weeks ago I ran into Rach and the boys at the supermarket, she said she was getting tired (understandable with 2 active boys) but looking forward to the coming birth.  Now this.  Deana was asking me what she can do to help them.  To be honest I have no idea apart from taking meals, but it really doesn't seem enough.

That's how it is now Annie, everybody has mobile phones with camera and video, anything happens and someone always gets theirs out to video it, and of course then it ends up on social media somewhere.  Luckily there isn't too much of me on social media that I know of, I think the worst of me is a picture of me wearing a toilet paper wedding dress (from Bree's bridal shower).

Hope you are all having a better day.

Take care.lot of love Sue xx

I also love storms its nature at its most frightening and shows us how small we all are in the scheme of things.  Right Annie I want that face book post, at least we get to see what you look like, seeing you already know what We look like!  Did zumba with Mary, worked hard and enjoyed it then came home and ate the birthday cake she gave me, oh well swings and roundabouts.  We're off to the Metro Centre tomorrow for a little shopping, Mary has an apartment in Teneriff so she wants lighter clothes, I don't want anything but you never know, shopping is in my blood and I'm pleased to say that my girls have inherited that gene.  Hubby went off in his repaired car to check his buggy and is now tucking into M&S Yorkshire pud with beef and bread and butter pudding, obviously not on the same plate.  I hope Eli is better, children are so up and down it's never the same each day.  I hope Julie is OK and Gloria, they both seemed to be coping well last time, so let's hope all is going to plan.  Love to all of you. Xx 

A good shop with Mary, I know what suits her and choose expensive things as despite having money she buys T shirts I'd do my housework in!  So I turn into her Personal Shopper and everything looks lovely on her.  I buy a leopard print chiffon dress from Mango for the princely sum of seventeen pounds, it won't do up over my boobs but I'm going to wear it as a coat over trousers and a black camisole.  I get home and show hubby, urrgh I don't like that he says, pulling a face, good job I won't be with you then when I wear I tell him, he shuts up!!  So I dry my washing, carry it upstairs and the tie belt of my pyjama bottoms gets caught in the workings of the stair lift and catapulted me backwards Down the stairs, I hit my hip off the downstairs toilet door which flies open as a certain person hadn't shut it fully, meaning I end up upside down on the loo floor twisting my wrist, hubby had just nodded off in the conservatory but hears me groaning, are you OK he shouts, I'm alright I think so he goes back to sleep. Men! !  So Annie says I'm like the Perils of Carol and I've just realised the original was The Perils of Penelope Pittstop  the things you remember.  I'm not cooking tonight he's getting an M&S ready MEAL!  Love to you all. Xx

Hi girls, I slept until 9.30am today and hubby nearly had a fit as he was having bloods done at 10.45!  I did ache but I stuck voltarol on my bruise after a hot shower and then went to Tesco.  Faye faced timed us with Ella in the bath she tells me her best friend Erin has had her hair cut into a Bob, just like yours Grandma she says.  She then tells us that she's Never getting her hair cut and is growing down to her bum and to prove her point sticks her naked bum in the air!  We've gone out in the very windy weather and I've bought a new bedside cabinet for the kids room. Then I ordered a new wooden shed as our garage is a mess.  This is the problem when one of you has cancer because trying to do other jobs  on top of normal jobs just doesn't happen.  I've just had a phone call from Pauline, she's back from her two month travels, daughter lives in America and then she met friends in Venice, what a life she has but without her beloved David as he died of brain cancer.  Anyway it's her birthday so she's having a prosecco and nibbles  ladies day Monday afternoon, I'll have to beg a lift off he who isn't going.  Getting days muddled up is funny because once you have it in your head that it's that day then it's that day all day!  I've shopped today instead of Saturday so here's the betting that tomorrow I will think it's Sunday.  Love to you all. Xx

Hello all

Well we are all fine!  This round of chemo has been much easier than the last, next to no diarrhoea , just very tired.  The hernia is playing up however, which is frustrating, but today has been a good day and tomorrow Matilda is coming to visit.  Can't wait to see her - it' s been a few weeks.  

Dave is still in good spirits and if it wasn't for the hernia he'd be fine.  Next round is Wednesday, then he's halfway through.  We have managed to get up to Kendal for short periods but can't do any serious walking which frustrates him.

I hope you are all ok. I do think about you all.  

Be in touch soon.

Julie xx

How great to hear from Julie and enjoy your short stay in Kendal.  Cancer is frustrating as it stops so many normalities of every day life.  It's good that Dave is in good spirits as it certainly bouys you along.  I've been really busy today, I've changed all the bedside cabinets around and thrown out all sorts, the girls had a drawer each which haven't been touched for years so everything has gone in the bin.  There was even baby soap and. Powder from when Alfie was a baby and he's now eleven!  Hubby as usual tries to get me to sort through it but I stand my ground and it goes in the bin regardless.  Off to the tip. Back home we decided to tidy up the garage and he's hoovered up for me as well.  So a good day's work done and he feels happy that he's contributing to it. When my neighbour came in to carry the cabinet upstairs I said make us a cup of tea and he said that was all he was good for nowadays!  I must admit I do ache from the stair episode but I should be fine by Monday and I'm sure the prosecco will be good for me.  Sue I hope you had a smashing time in Melbourne and actually turned up on the right day!!  Xx

Hi Ladies,

It's wonderful news that Dave is nearly halfway through his chemo and feeling good.  Enjoy your visit from Matilda, and your trips to Kendal, it's a shame you haven't been able to manage any walks.  Hoprfully it won't be too long before you are able to enjoy your walks again.

You have been busy Carol.  I'd be more surprised if you weren't sore from your fall yesterday, the prosecco will help ease any lingering effects.  Enjoy a glass for me while your at it.  I thoroughly enjoyed my evening out.  Paul has retired and when he gets all his affairs in order and houses sold he along with his wife and mother are moving back to England.  He came out here after his divorce from his first wife.  He has 2 daughters still in England, so moving back there,  Cheaper all round, he used to pay for his daughters to visit every year.  They are all looking forward to going although will miss friends they have here.  Most of them have said they'll have accomodation if they visit.  Today was the right day.  Still can't figure out how I lost a day, just thankful Deana rang me.  It was good I was able to thank a few for the day they came down here and took Neil in the truck, wasn't sure a couple of them knew just how much that day meant to Neil  He had a ball, and loved driving the truck that last time, and it was just the guys.

I'm off to bed. have a great day.
Take care and love to all.  Sue xx