Hi everybody, a busy but nice couple of days.  Hubby says he's feeling better and more energetic and thinks the Wellman tablets are helping so he's staying on them, he does look better and has more colour and has managed to get out in the fresh air.  Maggie and I went to Yarm for coffee and cake, it's very windy here so I drove to hers and said I hoped she wasn't putting the soft top down!!  Half the village was without electricity as they are building a new housing estate, everyone was stood in the streets seeing what was going on.  We had a gentle walk around and I bought a beautiful chain necklace, Lisa was going to get me one but I liked this one so think I will ask for gin glasses instead!  Sat with feet up now and settled for the night, hope you're all OK.  Love Carol x 

Well our feeling better lasted 3 days, he's now got chronic indigestion and chemo brain!  He got home at 7pm so I fed him, told him his new car was in but was being sent for the adaptation, couldn't be taxed until 9th September and he could go and see it, no point he says, I'll wait until its ready.  So this morning he asks, do you want to go and see the car?  You said you wanted to wait, I've changed my mind, can I have it soon, no I told you everything last night, a blank look, tell me again I've forgotten he says!! Now is it me or do men generally filter out everything we say?  I'm sick of having conversations then being told I'd never said it in the first place.  We're back home now, he's struggling again, annoying me and is reading stories out the newspapers that I'm obviously not interested in.  Tea was going to be a stir fry but with galloping indigestion that's gone out the window.  Hopefully you're all OK,  speak soon.  Love Carol x 

Today I have a thumping headache, self inflicted as I drank champagne all night in Debbie's garden, celebrating her birthday!  Maureen came over as well and we reminisced about her husband Trevor who tragically died aged 43 a few years ago.  She's off to Portugal today with her daughter and son in law and a very dear friend who has just been diagnosed with ovarian, bowel and peritoneum cancer and starts chemo when they return..  It wasn't very warm but we all huddled up on the outside furniture pretending it was still summer although autumn begins today, Norman managed as well to be involved as he didn't have too far to walk, just across our front lawn!  I think a quiet day is on the menu and a beef stir fry for tea.  Might give my Sunday glass of wine a miss today and give my liver time to recuperate.  Sue, where are you, six days since you wrote, I'm worried you're not well, or are you still in Geelong shopping!  Hubby has an awful hacking cough which is not doing my head much good, talk about selfish, only joking as he seems to have a permanent cold these days, we see the oncologist this month for an X Ray of the tumour, here's praying its stayed dormant.  Love to all of you, Carol x 

A cold, wet miserable day to match hubby's mood.  Fortunately Sarah was here so we just worked together and left him alone.  It got so cold I put boots and a cardigan on and debated whether to put the fire on!  He's been on his static bike as his mobility is getting worse, he's really not walking any more, just stumbling around.  Sue, I hope you are well, please let me know as we normally correspond regularly.  Just had a beef stir fry but apparently the meat was too tough, mine was fine though, another meal off the menu, its our first proper meal since Friday, we've lived on scrumptious ham and tomatoes in breadbuns, fruit and buttered crumpets.  So take care all, love Carol x 

Dear Gloria I have attached a picture of my oldest grandchild Alfie as he started senior school today.  I'll message you tomorrow when I have more time. Xx[[]]dear Gloria, just thought I'd send a photo of my oldest grandchild Alfie as he started senior school today.  I'll message you tomorrow when I have more time.  Xx

Hi Carol. Lovely precious photo. A handsome young man xxx

Xx

Hi girls,  I'm pleased you liked the photo, he is growing into such a lovely young man and honestly it's the grandchildren that keep us going.  I'm sorry to hear about your cousin, life can be so cruel at times.  We're doing OK and it's a life we have to love, restricted but still here and living life.  I'm out with five friends tonight for a meal and looking forward to seeing them all.  We have a new lady Jan joining us, another lady whose husband met a younger woman and then left her after years of marriage.  She's bought a dog and Christine said what time would we be finishing our meal as Jan had to walk the dog by 9pm, we're not going out until nearly 7pm so I said I wasn't organising my night around a bloody dog!  I once drove from Surrey to Southampton to pick my sister in law up from my Step mother's, we arranged to meet for lunch, she ate her lunch, paid her bill and said I'm off to pick the dog up!  I was dumbfounded as we'd done a three hour round trip with a five year old alll for the sake of a half our visit.  Anyway Jan's taking her own car so she can go whenever and I'm driving the rest home.  I've just picked my China up from TK Maxx, you should have seen the packaging, saving the planet was not considered at all, its taken me an hour to unpack, remove labels and the soak everything to remove the underneath stickers, I'm exhausted!!  I've just bought some new lipstick and foundation, wish me luck, it'll probably not suit me.  So Sue, where are you, I'm worried about you.  Take care all, love Carol x 

Dear all

I hope you are all as OK as you can be under the circumstances.  Carol, Alfie looks like a wonderful young man!  They grow up so quickly, I wish time would slow down sometimes.  I hope you have heard from Sue.  Gloria, how is your back?

Dave is still doing well. He has his ups and downs but things are generally going in the right direction.  He's driving and we're going out for a meal with friends on Friday, so we will see how things go.  He gets stomach cramps at times which can be quite painful. He was given painkillers for them, but typical man, has to be persuaded to take them.  It has crossed my mind that he is a bit depressed. He sometimes just sits and stares into space and won't talk to me and is not motivated to do anything.  I get a bit frustrated with him, but perhaps I'm being impatient.  He's been through a lot, is it inevitable that those experiences will change him?  I don't know.... We had Matilda for a few days and she cheered him up but she's gone back to school today.

Carol, how is Norman?  You seem to be keeping busy and seeing lots of your friends (and TKMaxx!).  Don't blame you, retail therapy cheers me up as well.  I went off to our big M & S this afternoon (Dave had some friends coming round from the rugby club so I escaped) but I was so disappointed!  Don't know if they'd cleared the decks for Christmas or what but they hardly had anything in.

Take care everyone, much love Julie xx