Dear Carol, 

None of us like being ill.  You haven't missed my birthday, mine is this week (20th).  We are having a combined birthday dinner on Saturday for Bree and myself.  Bree's is the 22nd.  It's such a shame you  your grandchildren's school plays.  It's wonderful to watch them and see the progression each year as they get older.   You do what you can though with what you've been dealth.  It does get busier this time of year with everything, I'll be fine though, just need to get a bit more sleep. Uluru is the new name for Ayers Rock, although I still call it Ayers Rocks.  Mary will have a ball, so much to see and do and up North where she is at present would be so different to the UK.
Good knitwear is expensive,  I bought Neil a beautiful jumper a few years ago, cost me $200.  Good to hear Norman is feeling well enough to go for a pint.  Hope he continues feeling better.  Hopefully the same can be said for you.  I'm guessing you have improved a bit if you made it into town today.  I hate getting seeds caught in my teeth, the only thing that gets them out usually is a toothpick or actually brushing your teeth.  I checked what a turkey crown was (didn't think we had them here, we do though) It's a turkey breast on the bone.  We usually get a rolled turkey breast, so easy to slice, and no bones.  

Billy, that is annoying especially since you rang them beforehand to check.  Not sure we have mobile mri scanner here, if we have I've no seen one.  Hope you don't have to wait too long before you get/have the appointment.

Friday I went to Bree's and stayed the night.  The kids weren't aware I was staying so it was a nice surprise for them.  Colby actually asked me if I would stay again, which was really sweet.  UP early Saturday morning though 7am which is really early for me, I'm rarely up that early.  It seemed a long before Stevies concert started at 10am.  Stevie had to be there at 8.30.  It was really good.  Stevies groupd performed really well as they all did, but my favourite was a father/daughter ballet.  Young girls maybe 5/6 and their fathers did a routine to Tchaikovsky's Dance of  the Sugar Plum Fairy.  The Dad's came out wearing white singlets, white net skirts, and sneakers.  It was lovely, despite the hairy legs and a few beards.  Not usually what you see at the ballet.  After that back to Bree's so the kids could get changed and then we go to Bacchas Marsh for the Strawberry/Cherry festival.  On the outskirts of Bacchas Marsh you drive through the Avenue of Honour (I hadn't been there in years) there are 281 Canadian Elm trees planted each bearing a plaque with the name of someone who served in WW1.  It's lovely and similar to driving through an archway.  The market was huge, we didn't stay for the fireworks though we were all exhausted by 7.00 so came home earlier than planned, not before we all had our fill of cherries and raspberries.  It was a great day, and the kids behaved really well even though they had to be so tired.  I came home last night but by the time I unpacked I was ready for bed.  This morning I was up early for the market and by the time I got home at 2.30 I was ready for a nana nap, which I really needed.  Then we had a girlfriend of mine to tea.  A lovely roast lamb.  And I'm now ready to head to bed.  A really good but very busy weekend.

Hope youa re all doing as well as you can.  Take care, and love to all.  Sue xx

Hi Sue, happy birthday for the 20th, how old will you be!!  Just been watching Strictly again, it's the Blackpool one so very good.  My turkey crown has no bones either, so easy to slice, then turkey curry.  I've booked the pantomime for Harry, Lisa and me to see Boxing day, Jack in the beanstalk, really looking forward to seeing it.  Today has been quiet but it suits me fine, I need to be careful.  Margaret is in Sydney now and has just sent a picture from her hotel room. It looks stunning, so jealous.  It's never got light here today so quite depressing weather, roll on Spring.  So I spotted Annie on here yesterday, not sure whether she has moved, I hope so.  Take care Sue,  love Carol x 

Hi Carol and all the lovely" ladies "on here, just got some good news haven't got to pay for the carers,. Bren got new scan appointment Thurs morning in the hospital i checked, hope every one is as good as can be or keep fighting, God bless you all... Billy xxx 

Hi Sue and Billy, yes finally seem to be on the mend, can actually get out of bed without summoning the strength to do so! Hubby is getting better, it's a sunny fresh day so he's fine to have some fresh air..  Sarah has been so I have a nice clean house.  Billy, such good news about the carers, we paid for Mum and they did very little as she wouldn't let them!!  Let's hope Thursday goes better for you both.  Finally got some ideas for presents for Faye's lot so a step nearer to getting it all.  Sue their is thirty years between me and Lisa, how Faye does it at 46 years old is beyond me.  I probably won't post tomorrow as going out early.  If I manage the night I'll let you know how it goes.  Love to you all,  Carol xx 

Hi everyone. Not been on as I’ve not been too well. Had tummy troubles then neuralgia up one side of my face and got dreadful backache since the Chemo. I’m having bloods done and a scan to see what’s going on with my back. Also got more of the cancer sores appeared. Got special dressings for them but they take weeks to heal sometimes. At least they do heal and I’m still here to tell the tale as they say. I’m grateful to be here. I’m hoping to go to Liverpool on Thursday for my granddaughters graduation. We stay until Saturday . She graduates on the Friday morning in the Cathedral. Supposed to freeze tonight so I dragged my water feature in the garden into a sheltered spot and covered it. Pleased with myself today. I hoovered through downstairs, did a load of washing and wrote some Christmas cards. Going to do Sausage and mash for tea. Carol good to hear you feeling bit better today and Norman of course. Sounds as if you had a right bout of it. Happy belated birthday wishes. Sue Happy birthday to you. Billy. Good to heR you getting some help. Lots of hugs and love to you all. xxx

Dear Gloria, I do hope you manage to go to the graduation, I was born in Everton in Liverpool and all my Mum's relatives lived there, only one cousin left now!  You are so brave with everything you are going through, it must get you down, but well done on a productive day.  Just been doing a little on line Xmas shop for Faye and picking a friend up on Friday to go and see the display at Stockton.  Still have a niggly cough so I'll have to get some sweets to suck so I don't cough in the theatre tomorrow night!!  Have a lovely time and tell us the details.  Love Carol x 

Well last night turned into a nightmare.  We all found a Italian restaurant to eat in. Sat down, ordered wine, looked at the menu and Flo suddenly went as white as a sheet and became really unwell, she's had vertigo and we think the car journey set it off, so we had to get a bucket as she was being violently sick and couldn't stand up.  We rang her husband but it took him ages to arrive as it was rush hour but we all managed to get her in the car, it was now 6pm.so an hour and a half later.  We breathed a sigh of relief and ate our food and had a drink, then I said to Mary, I don't feel well I'm going to faint, which I promptly did!  So apparently I was out of it for so long someone in the restaurant called an ambulance.  So I ended up in Sunderland in a corridor, no beds so transferred to triage where we sat until 10pm, another ECG, more blood tests, blood pressure tests etc. and then sent out to wait again, how long will it be I ask in trepidation, about five hours!!  Oh my God it was like armageddon, people coughing their guts up, people bleeding all over the place, an old lady with dementia who wouldn't sit down and kept making a beeline for me and Mary and all the time batting her son away aggressively, I looked at Mary and said I'm not staying here until 4am, I can't get home, I'm going to be more ill than I am, so I went to reception and asked to discharge myself.  Lo and behold I'm taken into a private room to see a doctor and sign a discharge form.  A lovely doctor who I explained my concerns to about waiting, leaving hubby home alone and not getting home, he said I was lucid and let me go but I must dial 999 if I was ill as I maybe having a heart attack!!  If I was I think I may well have expired after 9 hours of waiting!!  So a good night's sleep and some food this morning and I'M a lot better but I feel awful for destroying all Christine's bi plans.  She's been to see me today and is going to try and get our money back, £210 is a lot to lose.  Anyway I hope all is well in your world.  Love Carol x 

Hi Carol. Oh my goodness what a time you’ve had. Hope you are feeling better now. Must have scared you to bits. Perhaps you have been overdoing it. You are always busy and looking after your Norman too. Try to take more care of yourself. Our A&E s are dreadful. Wants more money pumped in and more docs and nurses. Every time I go to my oncologist there are about 90 to 100 people waiting and usually only three consultants so you are sitting there for a couple of hours and then you only see him 5 mins or so. Take it easy for a while if you can. I know that’s easy said and not easy to do at this time of year. I’m going to Charlottes graduation. We are going tomorrow lunch time staying the night and it’s in the Cathedral Friday morning. We will probably stay another night if we all have a drink or two and come home Sat morning. Hope I will be ok. Sending love to you Carol and to everyone. Xxx

Omg how scary that must have been for you carol. As Gloria said, maybe you've been doing too much. Hope you are feeling much better today. Also you too Gloria, I hope you are feeling better today. Everything here is much the same, tomorrow hubby will get the start date for the new chemo. We have been told that it's really brutal and that there is a chance he won't be able to tolerate it. They think he's fit enough to give it a try though so that's what he's doing. Work has been hectic, too few staff and too many patients needing medication and each one thinking they are more important than anyone else! If we didn't laugh about it we'd most certainly cry! I had a bad time after the latest news and I get upset really easily. I told my boss that I am only one wrong comment away from a breakdown! Feeling a little better now. You all take good care of yourselves xx