A very busy five days as I managed to escape as hubby is doing well.  Faye was in such a mood when I arrived, despite it being her birthday as the garden office was ten days behind and the house was a mess, the skip still in the drive, the electrician working until 5.30pm, washing machine in the middle of the floor and stuff stacked all over, she was uoset that everywhere was a mess and as I hadn't been for over two years she wanted it to look nice.  But we all know life throws curve balls at you and after a few mojitos and some pizza we had a better time.  Alfie is such a teenager, hood up despite the weather, monosyllabic and not interested in adults, my gorgeous little Grandson has grown up!  So Friday flew by, Ella was so happy to see me and we had lots of cuddles.  Saturday off to see Lisa, lunch out with her and Harry was very nice, the house looks stunning and Zippy is now one.  He was very pleased to see me but is such a little monkey as he steals anything not locked down.  Sunday morning he came down and hid under the dining room table, he had stolen my tooth guard and when we prised it out of his Jaws his baby teeth had shredded it beyond recognition.  Lisa tried not to laugh but he looked so innocent it's hard to be annoyed.  So guess where I'm going Friday, yes the dentist to get a new mould, so another £70 to pay, he ate. Liisas new one, £150 and they kindly did another one for eighty, he's a very expensive puppy!. Harry and I had a fabulous evening together as Mummy and Daddy went out, so we had a meal and played a board game.  So I'm home, Norman is very happy to have me back and is now asleep in the conservatory.  Off to see Sue Thursday as its her birthday and she will let me know how Enid is, she apparently looks like frankenstein due to her face being peeled open and sewn back up, yuk.  Tug's Dad's third wife died suddenly last Friday, an ovarian cyst removed and then aggressive cancer diagnosed, a year they said at the most, she lasted three days, so traumatic as she was just retiring after years working for the NHS, life is so cruel.  See you soon, love Carol x 

Dear carol.    . really glad you're getting out still despite a few expensive  hiccups you are having a good time.

I've got to keep it short head all over the place.

Brenda had a couple of bad days.nasty again was cleaning bedroom found tablets under bed, didn't notice her not take them she's very crafty, being extra careful now.

Bella is still being typically female goes in huff if told off for anything.

Hope things keep well with you both, take care.

Love Billy xxxx

Hi Billy, had a great time with family and wish today I was where I was last week.  Norman is in his usual mood after his treatment, moan, moan, moan, he is putting my blood pressure up and asked me what was wrong so I told him, he's now being more pleasant!!  It's hard looking after these spouses of ours, sometimes I just want to move and leave it all behind.  It's been a chaotic day as the decorator rang me to say he can come Monday 8am to do hall, downstairs loo and landing, so I've had to choose paint and have no idea if it's alright and what I want as normally I'd paint four different colours on the wall to make sure so I've gone for Sable, pretty neutral I hope.  Aus Sue and I keep in touch with each other and last time she wrote they were in afuve day  lockdown again.  I was hoping to see a few fr4next week but will be here for painter, I can at least go swimming, I hope.  Take care Billy and anyone else out there, love Carol x 

Hi Carol and Billy,

I feel really guilty now, after begging you to keep up your blog, I haven't looked at it until today. I can't say I was too busy - busy doing nothing, I think.  I have caught up with you both, now.  Billy, I am amazed at how Bren is improving so much, physically, after she was so bed bound.  It must be all the loving care you give her.

I had to laugh at the story of your puppy eating your dental things, Carol. Archie cost me a fortune in hearing aids. Apparently they make a noise, not that I would know, and they have my scent on them and he couldn't resist climbing up to wherever I had left them. In the end my daughter bought me some tiny lidded pots to keep them in. She bought me one for every room so I have no excuse for not putting them away when I am not using them. I can't, daren't, count how much he cost me as a puppy from his chewing.  Everything from radiator covers to the wiring on my recliner via wallpaper and carpets, and the things he would steal from the laundry basket, bras, pants, socks, slippers, you name it and he's eaten it.  I thought he had got over it, as he is four now, but last week I found the lacy straps on my newest mastectomy bra had been chewed through. I still don't know where or when he found it. I keep telling him it's a good job he is good at night, sleeping all night and only waking me up at getting up time, or he might not be here!!!

I haven't been anywhere to speak of since the last lockdown.  Medical appointments as necessary and I do a grocery shop once a fortnight and that's it.  Having said that, I live in a tiny community on the edge of a village, with beautiful walks all around and I meet lots of my fellow dog walkers to chat to all the time.  During lockdowns I meet my four best friends on FaceTime every Tuesday at Two, but I'm delighted to say we are meeting at our local country park with the dogs this coming Tuesday, if it is fine, and later in the month we are actually having a day out as a birthday present for the youngest in the group who will be 65 early next month.

Hearing the tales of your outings with friends, Carol, sounds like a glimpse of my future! Up to now two of us have had cancer, one has broken her hip and the other two must feel like our carers!  We have been going out together and have been on holiday together for nearly twenty years and we are beginning to show our age, too! 
No noticeable dementia yet, unless they are too kind to tell me! :)

I shall pop in to see how you are all getting on a bit more regularly from now on, as I have thoroughly enjoyed the last couple of hours catching up with you.  Take care,

Christine xxx

Dear all and welcome back sheltie lady!!  It's been such a busy week but all been worth it.  Hubby was not in a good place after his treatment and was driving me bonkers with his constant whinge, everything he said was negative so I told him he could take me toB &  for paint pots as we were hoping to get the guy in soon to do it.  Well whilst choosing the paint he rang me and said don't but Valspar as it's not good and to go to Wear side decorators.  So the colour I'd chosen was awful so misery guts got annoyed and said something like, I might just live here but I don't have a choice, except it was more rude!  So we drove to Counden, spent five minutes choosing a colour(Sable) and had it mixed up.  It's the fastest ever choice and it looks so classy.  So Sunday I took everything out of the hall, stairs and downstairs cloakroom, cleaned all the paint work, Ian came 8am Monday so hubby got dragged out of bed at 7am, by 9.30am he'd had three cups of tea, read the paper and done his crossword!   Fortunately Ian was a chatterbox so he cheered him up a lot, football, politics all the subjects I hate, so that left me to go shopping for new photos, towels for the cloakroom, new ornaments and a new blind for upstairs.  I do love making things look nice and by this morning it's all done as Sarah has been and done my cleaning.  So I'd aimed to go swimming but it's torrential rain and I may drown as I'm very tired!    The immunotherapy is affecting Norman more and more so it's getting hard to take.  Billy and Christine it's lovely to hear from you both please keep posting as your news is important to me.  It's getting hard isn't it to have friends so unwell in many ways, Flo is not good and her vertigo is causing problems for her, Christine's eye op has gone well and if it stops raining we can all have drinks in the garden, Dorothy is incognito  as she can't use her phone too well and talking on the phone is not easy for her.  Margaret is at the consultants today and her eye op is August.  Now Mary my long standing best friend doesn't really bother with anyone, unless I call her she doesn't think to call me, so a little annoying as I have so many others interested in seeing me that I'm letting the friendship with Mary lapse.  Still friends but not as important as it was.  So take care, Carol x 

Dear carol .  Brenda still improving she uses exercise putty with her hands every night without me saying anything,. she can use TV remote properly put radio on take herself out to garden she uses walky talky if she wants anything,goes on commode herself,dress and undress herself.  Her mind is all over the place, talking about things from young then changes to completely different subject without stopping alot is just what her mind can think up . but she's happy in her own world.

My mind is getting usless last few days iv missed two appointments for hormone jab and blood test before I get next monthly dose of meds luckily managed to get done next Day on both got no energy although I take Bella walkies early morning I've had it rest of day, could just sleep.

Glad you can still clean up paint ready for re painting and getting out all over .

Sorry about your friend.

Take care keep positive and safe.

Love Billy xxxx

Dear Billy, it's funny with dementia, Mum could recall being 13 years old in the war but didn't know what day it was. Yes you just let them talk and agree with them. It's this lockdown that's caused memory loss, we've had too much downtime and things get missed.  My house looks so much better as we were originally having it done last March and we all know what happened in 2020.    Kitchen next and he's coming back September so all done for Christmas!!  Girls coming home this month and hope weather picks up so we can go out.  Take care, love Carol x 

Dear all, finally have a tidy house and feel very happy with all the new photos and new accessories.  Hubby is pleased as well, so a bonus.  We had a ride out yesterday to see if one of our favourite pubs had re opened and it has!  So the plan is to go and have some lunch and a drink as its the Aldborough feast week.  Usually the kids are here and we take them but it's all gone awry this year so just us two oldies.  Christine has invited me for drinks in the garden tomorrow but it's going to be a spritzer as I don't want to be done for drink driving on top of my speeding!  The screw fell out of Norman's leg yesterday so another trip out to get it fixed but he's gone alone this time and there were no huge arguments about me trailing along.  Margaret dropped by yesterday as she's a little down, the house is not selling and Paul is now talking about knocking walls down and spending more money on it, so it's all a bit much for her.  We did Darlington Saturday and it was Gay pride weekend so lots of dancing and men dressed as women like Ru Paul in drag.  I sat on a massive gold throne (For Queens!) and had my photo taken it was so funny.  Well off to mow my lawn, hopefully you're all still there and keeping well.  Carol x 

Poor Flo has Covid!  Fortunately she's not been too ill but has had a sore throat and sore chest but as of yesterday her results were clear.  Our afternoon tea at Christine's was a wash out so we've had to delay it she'd baked a cake and as she said, even with her Leo the Cross eyed lion situation it looked good, pity I never got to eat it!  Finally Mary and I went out for coffee and scones, she has put weight on and is not happy with herself.  But we had a good catch up and it was nice to see each other again.  I drove her home and Joe was mowing the lawn, he came and said hello, asked what we'd eaten, then told Mary she would have to spend more time on the bike this afternoon.  I was so mad as its extremely rude to belittle her in this way, Norman would never do that to me.  He's feeling "iffy" today but went to see Luke, he's also had a frozen shoulder, things are beginning to go wrong but treatment is keeping him alive, so catch 22 situation.  Take care, love Carol x