Dear Carol,
Poor Norman, he can't win at the moment, hope it will pass soon and he'll be feeling better.  Keep him hydrated.  I'm with you I would rather stay home with a drink that go to the pub with wall to wall footbal.  Your jacket sounds nice nice.  It's always nice to hear from either Gloria or Annie.  I'm not surprised Gloria still has some ongoing effects either.  I saw what treatments did to Neil, and you hear so many stories of lasting effects, even once the cancer has gone.  I really wish there was something else they could use that wasn't so harsh on the body.  Maybe one day.  Not long to go till you see Lisa.  We will both be seeing our daughters the same day.  I'm going to a dinner with Neil's old workmates and their partners but will go earlier and catch up with Bree before the dinner.  I hate elections, will be glad when it's all over.  Sick of their campaigning.  Hardly worth voting anyway, of late they don't stay in long enough.  Infighting within the parties and they get rid of whoever was voted in and we end up with someone else.

I've got to ring the vet's in the morning and try to get an appointment for Cookie, not that she seems ill at all, but she has a bald patch I've just noticed.  Everything I've read says it's most likely either ringworm or an allergy.  Doesn't fit the description of ringworm but would hope it's not an allergy either, but best get it checked.  She won't like me at all when I take her.  Apart from that just aqua balance tomorrow night.

Getting late so heading to bed.  Take care, love Sue xxx

Dear Sue, hope all went well at the vets.  A beautiful day here so lawn mowed, hanging baskets planted and all the washing is dry.  Hubby decided that my new 8 ball bird feeder was costing us money, I called him a scrooge!  So whilst I was out he tried to take it down, got hooked on my large rose Bush and ripped his jumper too bits, so for the sake of a few pounds a wool jumper costing forty pounds is now a right off, he said he thought  he would be stuck there until I came home, it would have served him right if he had been!!  I'm having a pedicure tomorrow then I can get my toe nails done, my boot worn feet need some pampering.  We've had tea, a nice chilled glass of wine and then feet up, I had a horrible night's sleep, nightmares about death, my hair falling out and other meaningless horrors.  So a little tired and hoping for a better night's sleep.  Love Carol x 

Hi girls. Beautiful day here.Dida bit of gardening, two lines of washing and changed my bed. Most I’ve done for a while. Tired and back ache now but so pleased with myself. Keep keeping cobwebs. Must sort them. These days as long as the kitchen and bathroom are clean and the bed changed I have to ignore the dust and cobwebs cause I run out of steam. These sunny days really help though and give you energy I find. Yes Sue I had my blonde put back in and it’s growing really well thank goodness. It’s a bit of me back. Just need these aches and pains to go away. Need some energy too. I see my GP on the 23 rd May and my oncologist on the 4 th May so hoping they can help. Hope Norman is feeling better now Carol. I need to make appointment for my feet too also at the opticians. Keep putting things off till I feel stronger. Lots of love and hugs to you all . Gloria xxx

Dear Carol.
I rang the vets this morning and after explaining why I was bringing her the receptionist asked if I would mind coming tomorrow. So my appointment is tomorrow.  Neither of us thought it was urgent, they are down one of the vets (on holidays).  If there is a chance of Neil visiting, he is here tonight.  Cookie is convinced there is something here.  She was sitting on my lap and all of a sudden she sits up and is trying to see around the wall, she has big, terrified eyes.  I get up and have a look, nothing there, but she is just sitting and staring at the same spot.  Really bizarre for her.  I've had a chat to Neil, just in case.  I like to think it's possible.  Tiddles did a similar thing after we had poopy put down.  

Have just finished cleaning up, I prepped a beef stroganoff casserole,which I'll have cooking tomorrow while I'm at Rotary tomorrow night.  A busy day tomorrow, appointment at the vets at 12.30, then Eli at 1.00 till 5.00, then home for a change and Rotary at 6.00.  Wednesday I think will be quieter.  

What a horrid night you had, hope you don't have a repeat of that.  No wonder you are a little tired.  Enjoy your pedicure tomorrow, feet do need a little pampering after winter when they've been hidden away for months.  I have a nail appointment on Thursday.  I doubt very much you'd spend £40 on bird seed,  Maybe now he'll leave it alone.  

My floors should be dry now, so best get to bed, busy day best get some sleep.

Take care, love to all.  Sue xxx

Hi Sue, I missed my appointment as I thought it was today, it was 4pm yesterday!  So now Monday next week, I'll do them myself until then.  Hubby has gone to play golf, he says he's not giving in, I decided to pick Mary up and we went to the garden centre to buy some hanging baskets, the weather is gorgeous but it's so hot I've come indoors.  How scary that the cat is behaving like that, like you I believe in them being around, when we had our dog Bonnie put to sleep I could have sworn she still sat on our bed waiting for me to come home, weird but true.  I bet you're exhausted after your long day, so busy.  I must tell you that I was asked for ID at the garden centre as over sixties get 10% off on a Tuesday, the face cream is obviously doing its job!! Mary and Joe are going to retire this year, they have their own business so it's going to cost thousands in redundancy payments and they own the shop, where it is has practically lost nearly all its shops so not much chance of selling it.  Speak soon, love Carol x

Dear Carol,
What a shame you missed your appointment, although Monday isn't too long to wait.  Hopefully Norman going to the golf club means he feels a little better even though he says he's not giving in.  We are well and truly heading towards winter, although no rain today and we did get some sun, but the wind was icy, so still cold, and I am tired after my busy day.  A busy week it looks like.  I will have Eli again tomorrow from midday, as the lady that usually has him on Wed and Thurs has a sinus infection, so has asked the mum's if they have someone else who can have their children for this week.  Thursday though Deana knew I had a nail appointment so asked his other nan if she could have him, so instead she will work in the shop, Deana will stay home with Eli until I get back after having my nails done., then I'll have him till Nick gets home.  Friday at this stage is quiet, then Saturday I'll go to Melbourne, and Sunday I'll be working at the market (Rotary run it), I did say they could put me down to do something.  So I've got 3 hours on the Sausage Sizzle.  It will be good and I'll have no excuse not to have a wander through the market after my shift.  So I'll be looking forward to a quiet Monday.
Cookie is fine nothing to really worry about, she has been overgrooming, which really isn't a surprise, she is so timid and skittish, frightened of noises and all sorts of things.  She wouldn't come near me for hours.  I actually picked her up to bring her out into the study where she does like to sit, she was trembling, I think she thought I was going to put her in the cat carrier again and take her out.  She ran straight back to my wardrobe and hid.  Came out at 10pm but wouldn't come near me, it's only been the last 2 hours that she has come near me, and only been sitting on my knee the last 1/2 hour.
Cookie's reaction last night did give me the creeps for a little while, until I checked and found no-one there, then I thought, it's Neil so I had a chat.  It was nice to think he is still here.
You should tell me the brand of your face cream.  I'd keep using it though if I were you, that was a compliment and a half.  When Neil and I went to Perth, I would have been mid 50's and Neil was a couple of years younger than me, we went to one of the tourist attractions and the person on the gate said to us "You're over 60, don't worry about ID' and charged us the pensioner rate.  Kept thinking maybe they needed to get their eyes checked.
Best head to bed get some sleep so I can look after Eli.

Take care, love to all.  Sue xx

Dear Sue, my day in London is looking like not happening as Lisa is not well, both girls have asthma and Lisa has gone down with a sore throat, wheezy chest and generally unwell. She said Harry came into bed yesterday morning and said, Mummy you look old!  Poor Lisa as she normally looks about thirty, but out the mouths of babes.  I'm off to Richmond with Margaret, she had seen a top she wanted but another customer had picked it up. She stalked her around the shop but they bought it, anyway the lady has ordered her one, so off to pick it up, have coffee and then home, sorry its so cold, it's glorious  here.  Wow you've got a busy week ahead of you, if Norman wasn't my main concern I would have carried on doing my voluntary work.  He seems aa lot better and the fresh air has helped.  Cats are so suspicious when you have them to the vets, ours were the same, we would have to drag them from under the bed.  My friend Fiona texted last night. She had a nervous breakdown and didn't want to see me, so we're now meeting up on Tuesday. I hope her divorce is going smoothly, she never picks the right man and has suffered badly for it.  So signing off as now going out.  Take care, Carol x

Dear Carol,
What a shame if your trip to London is cancelled, understandable though if they are unwell.  Harry saying to Lisa that she looked old wouldn't have made her feel any better.  Kids usually say exactly what they are thinking though. Hopefully they will improve quickly.  How was your day in Richmond?  The weather is warming up for the weekend but then turns cold and wet again on Monday.  At least it will be pleasant driving to and from Melbourne with no rain.  Glad to hear Norman seems a lot better.  Cookie is pretty much back to her normal behaviour, although still a little wary if I go to pick her up, but quite happy to jump on my knee of her own accord and make herself comfy.  Mr Higgins is making it difficult to type, he has got on my desk and gone to sleep, but I have his four paws on the keyboard.  
Have a lovely get-together with Fiona on Tuesday.  It's nice that she wants to reconnect again.  .

Closing now as it really is difficult to type.

Take care, love to all.  Sue xx

Once again I am apologising for going AWOL.  Beginning to feel like an ongoing train wreck!  When part the cement surround on the chimney stack crashed down and caught my arm (my right arm again) I thought some rude words and ended up with my arm in a sling.  Typing was difficult - had to take my arm out of the sling but  it was still difficult to type - worse than that I was obviously feeling sorry for myself and worried that my posts reflected that.  And I felt so ashamed of myself!  ANYWAY,  I was midway in a house clear-out, have got rid of some pieces of furniture no longer required courtesy of some of Paul's friends from the pub and have spent my time walking Muffin (have had to get used to holding the lead in my left hand) and also watching the birds at the feeder and eating the food on the ground.  We have loads of small birds and they spilla  lot of food from the feeder; on the ground there about a dozen pigeons that come by regularly to feast and early each morning a lone squirrel comes to eat the little black seeds in the food mix and I love to watch him holding a seed in his paws and nibbling it open to get the nut inside.  Paul says that what with feeding our lone fox friend (only one comes regularly now) every night they will be feeding Springwatch from our garden soon!  I am gradually reading some of the posts that are coming in and hope to get back in the swing soon; I will do a few every day.  Oh, and my neighbour and I have arranged with the local roofer (he does everyone's roofs around here - has done for over thirty years) to recement the chimney stack when we get a bit of fine weather.  The chimney stack straddles the two properties so we are sharing the cost.  Much love to all and apologies again. xx