Dear Carol and Billy,

Billy, needles have never really worried me, I have more of an issue taking a tablet.  I dread getting sick where I need antibiotics or any other tablets and will put up with most ailments until they either go or get to the point where I can't put off going too the Dr's any longer.

Power cuts generally don't bother me a great deal,  we have a gas cooktop, and gas hot water, the wood fire will keep us warm.  At least yesterday we stayed warm despite the freezing day.  The electric fan for it wasn't working but you can run it without the fan without an issue.  We had an explosion at the gas plant maybe 25 years ago, again we had gas oven and cook top and gas hot water and the heating was gas too.  In the middle of winter also, that was an issue, it was a couple of weeks before they got it fixed and we had gas again.  Everything we ate was cooked in the slow cooker, or two electric frypans, water for a bath was heated in an urn, the urn took over 1/2 an hour to boil, and we had to buy an electric heater, just to keep sort of warm.

Would have been lovely in Richmond, despite the drive home.
Your brother is in Queensland isn't he, sorry to hear he's having marriage trouble.  Hoping they can sort out whatever their problems are, would be such a shame if his wife takes the boys back to the UK, and not fair to either the boy or your brother.  Your weather has turned nasty and ours today wasn't too bad, we actually had sunshine and no rain, and have that for the next couple of days.  It should start getting nicer shortly as it's almost spring.  We have blossoms on the apricot and plum trees. it's looking very pretty.

What's wrong with the Lake District, it sounds very pretty.

I ventured out today, had to fill my script at the pharmacy and get a card for Nick, just added some money to it, he wants a hard drive which is $300. 

Our dinner was lovely again, dessert was left though, we were all full, we'll have that tomorrow.  Our meal tonight was Beef stuffed mushrooms, then French onion soup with a bacon, cheese and chive crostini, Main was a herb crusted chicken breast with creamy garlic sauce, caramelised Jerusalen artichoke and potato mash, blood orange, fennel and ribboned carrot salad and minted sugarsnap and green peas.  Dessert is a cinnamon glazed choc hazelnut brioche scroll served with compote of berries and cream.  Think you'll understand why dessert hasn't been eaten yet.  We all loved the meal except Eli, he wouldn't even try it, he decided he wanted an orange and a carrot, where he usually eats the same as we do.  Previously he has always eaten the banquets we ordered.

Hope you have a lovely weekend and the weather isn't too bad.  Love to all, Sue xx

Dear All, I have caved in and despite my hatred of masks and my belief that they do very little I spotted a leopard print one and bought it, three pounds for 20p worth of cloth, someone is making a killing out of this virus.  So I ventured into TK Max and bought two jumpers as I have a feeling that winter is now here, the fire is on and the weather is chilly and damp.  My phone rang at 8.45 last night, who is that I thought as I had just got a G and tonic, put a film on and settled down.  Anyway it was my one and only nephew, Luke, he and Hannah had travelled to Scotland on Friday to meet friends and he had proposed to Hannah on St Andrews golf course at the famous Bridge that crosses the course, a beautiful solitaire ring had been chosen by him and left with Sue until yesterday.  We were thrilled for them, I hope they get married soon or we will all be too old for the knees.Up!!  So we have stayed home, the grand prix is on, I am going to make spaghetti and meatballs for tea.  I'm hoping Lisa gets home from the Lakes as the M25 has been a nightmare.  See you soon, love Carol x 

The day is beautiful but we have no plans.  Sarah still came and we got the house clean and tidy, it amazes me where all the dust comes from, it must be hubby as he's bigger than me.  He says he doesn't feel too well today, which worried me as when he had his nap yesterday i thought he was breathing weird, so obviously I have put two and two together and got 5.  Lisa rang, she is home and the big climb they did was pretty bad she said, Harry got blown over at the top and Tugs had to help them both down like mountain goats.  He starts school on Wednesday and is very excited.  Dentist again tomorrow, yippee.  Xx

So I'm officially fed up!  The dentist did not go well, I hobbled up the stairs as I now have a bad knee, are you OK he asks, no I'm exhausted I tell him from having swam the channel last night in a raging storm, he looks bewildered and I explained it was my dream (or nightmare as the case may be!).  So I either have to have root canal treatment or failing that it comes out, that's depressing I say, can I have a bridge fitted, no, can't have a denture only an implant, how much is that, between one and two thousand pounds, Christmas is cancelled!  I've given myself a blister wearing proper shoes instead of sandals, so I called at Margaret's and she put me a plaster on, it promptly came off and fell in my shoe.  Hubby has gone to Richmond again, it must be open as he's not home.  I've just cut some of my enormous hydrangeas for Debbie, a belated birthday gift.  He's having steak, I'm having a fish cake, it's too hard to chew for me!!  So take care, Carol x 

Dear all, the oral surgeon telephoned and in a nutshell I will probably lose another tooth, I will be like one of those old toothless crones cackling away whilst I knit!  Lots happened in the last two days, Harry started school and rang to say how lovely it had been, he looked so smart in his uniform and Lisa was pleased to have him out the house!  Faye starts her induction day to start her new job at school, Ella goes for an induction day and Alfie tomorrow, very excited.  My fitness class has not had enough replies to start again so I give up, today I have joined  Redworth Hall private gym, had an induction trial and it was so nice to go and do some exercise.  It's a beautiful place, 14 metre pool, beauty salon, hair, sauna, jacuzzi and a full gym, plus classes that they hold all for ten pounds per week.  As usual I bumped into someone I have known for years, Graham my instructor had said to take my mask off so I had, along comes Lesley, put your mask on she instructs me, don't tell me what to do I tell her, have you joined, yes, how much have you paid, what a cheek I think, I don't tell her, she then decides that she is paying peak prices and asks Graham if she can downgrade, poor bloke looks terrified as she's now berating him with how long she's been going, excuse me I interrupted can I finish my induction and pay, he looks relieved and abandons her, Lesley was a policewoman in the sex offenders department and is still very bossy!!  So I came home and regaled all this to hubby who listens intently, he even muted the TV, you did right pet he says, she still thinks she's in charge of everyone.  So I went back this afternoon and had half  an hour, the sweat was pouring off me.  Hubby has gone to Richmond for some air.  I'm meeting Dorothy and Flo for coffee in the morning, it will be nice to see them.  Take care all, love Carol x 

Dear all, Flo, Dorothy and I have finally met for coffee but oh my what a carry on it all was!!  Ray walked Dorothy down as she is definitely getting worse, we stand and wait for Flo but it's so cold we go in, we try to move a chair to make a table of three but they are all tied together with cable ties so a lady in a mask comes over and helps us but then I have to wipe our table down as it's been left covered in coffee and sugar, Dorothy is now ringing Flo as she hasn't come but its only been a few minutes so I ask her to wait, she ignores me as its one of the things she can still do, use her phone.  Flo arrives and Dorothy says she will treat us but can't remember what we want, I put my mask on and join her, just us two but the jobsworth tells me it's one way and makes me walk the whole one way system so I end up back where I was!!  What happened to common sense?  Flo then decides she will have cake so I send her, back she comes Dorothy told her we weren't having cake, we are as I've ordered it!!  So nice as the treat was it was not easy.  The noise in Costa coffee is horrendous what with the coffee grinders the milk frother and the noisy chat of everyone shouting through masks I make a mental note not to go again, both Flo and Dorothy are hard of hearing so we have to shout.  Regardless of this we have a lovely long chat and are thrilled to see each other.  I then pop for hubby's prescription which he ordered last week, no it's not there as they haven't received the prescription, check with the surgery which is in the same building as the chemist, mask still on I ask the receptionist, so it turns out you Can't Just Walk In without an appointment, so back to the chemist where I complained, they forgot she says so off she goes, long story short no one has done it!!  Back home hubby is trying to book his car in for a service, what a nightmare he says, I've been hanging on for twenty minutes, welcome to my world I tell him.  So I'm now off to my posh health club to walk off the stress.  See you soon, love Carol x 

Hi Carol.. 

I definitely like the bit about the jobsworth, 

Someone I've seen i think heel like to talk you about things he's [@Cormac68]‍ hasn't been on forum very long. Still think you should write a book.

Love Billy xxx

Had new tablets nearly three weeks now, got hot flushes back with a vengeance. 

Dear Billy, hot flushes, what a mare, I had these when I worked at the Court as an usher, Fred my ex Royal Marine who I trained as an usher used to warm his hand off my chest, not by touching me but like you would with a fire, crikey Carol he'd say I can feel the heat emanating off you, my poor legal advisers would freeze to death as I had control of the air con!!  I'll have a look at the mention but will do it later as am still in my PJs.  Such a busy day yesterday, food shopping, new gym gear and two hours of mowing the lawn and chopping hedges back, our garden bin goes out tomorrow so as we pay for it I filled it up.  You always know when summer is at and end when you cut roses back, mind we've had very little summer this year in the North, more rain and wind, it must be the global warming.  Talking of which my papers didn't arrive yesterday due to extinction rebellion nutters blocking London, this lot need a proper job and something to do instead of disrupting normal people's lives, we have enough to cope with.  So rant over and it's Sunday so I'm driving to the garage for my papers.  Have a good day Billy.  Love Carol x 

I've booked a swim at my new health club, so as you ladies out there know we have to get ourselves beach ready.  The only problem being that I had run out of veet, so hubby had bought me a new lady shave with safety razors, I am going to sue them under the trade description act as I have ended up with the bloodiest nether regions ever to the point I thought I was going to faint, as I've said before I don't like needles and blood comes second to them, I've actually had to lay on my bed to stop my heart pounding.  I'm now watching call the Midwife and hubby is watching the grand prix, it's bloods tomorrow so I've forced water down him, he pulls a face but my flashing eyes stop him moaning, he daren't complain.  So our diary this week is, bloods, dentist, put old freezer out (spare Norman will help me) haircut then immunotherapy, talk about an exciting life.  Take care all if you.  Love Carol x