Good morning Sue

I hope you are now a little less sore. Using muscles that have been 'at rest' for some while no doubt but bet you felt a sense of achievement too. Be gentle on yourself now and sit back to await that blaze of colour the bulbs will hopefully bring.  I now have a long handled bulb planter which should help the back ready for the next  set of bulbs (tulips) which I am planning to get next week when I go to garden centre with my son (daughter and grandson also coming along for a trip out).  Yes, I have booked a coach trip to the RHS Malvern Autumn Show on Sunday week. I have neve been before but hope the weather will be kind so I do not need wellies!!

I learn't a lot about myself last Friday and also that emotions have no timescales! I am lucky in that our children are close by and we can chat though that in itself can be emotional.  Still hurdles are there to be jumped and so we pick ourselves up and move forward. Spent a couple of hours with my daughter and youngest grandson yesterday after I had made my usual weekly visit to see Mum. and then popped to the gym for my half hour circuit on the way home (find it helps to switch off fo a bit as well as giving me toning exercise). Over the next few months we have several family events and these will bring with them emotional moments I am sure but also new memories in the making.

The ongoing support of each other, family, friends and my 'virtual ears' here on the forum are an important part of the healing process. Unbelievably I have been a forum member for two years next week and the whole experience of being among those who show such understanding even despite their own situations is often inspirational. I am truly grateful.

Do you have a date for your op? Hope you have help available close  by should you need it and that recovery will be as quick as possible for you.

Well, have blue skies to go to work in but going by the weather warning seems we are in for a lot of the wet stuff on its way so one job I wont have to do is water the plants!! Hope you have a good day and thanks for chatting.  Jules x

Hi Jules,

Just want to correct one thing you wrote to Sue; You will have been a member of this forum for three years next week, not two. With regard to the understanding and support you say you have recieved from people on here, you have repaid this many times over.

I have just had an e-mail from my sister in Canada to say dad has been in hospital for 2 1/2 weeks and the hospital have said he has only weeks left. He had prostate cancer many years ago and it has returned and has also gone onto his bones which he finds very painful despite the medication. My sister said she hopes he goes quickly as she doesnt want him to suffer for a long time which I can understand. He has put up such a fight over the past few years and I cant see him giving up even now. It's not easy being so far away and even though we only met each other for just a month 23 years ago and therefore dont know him like my Candian brothers and sisters do, I found we were so alike im so many ways. I am proud to call him my father and wish we could have got to know each other better.

Mrs B was in the back garden yesterday when three Spitfires flew overhead so she was very pleased about that. Last week I saw three of them plus the bomber which I cant remember the name of, fly over the house so we both a part of the flights. My son had given me some money to buy an inexpensive tablet which cost under thirty pounds. I have managed to get it to connect to my router but cant seem to get it to accept any e-mail as yet. Obviously something I am not doing right but I wont be beaten and will keep on trying until I do succeed. It will be handy as I can take it with me when I go to craft fairs as it can do most of the things my laptop can do and it even has voice recognition software so I can do my stories on it. Plus it has camera both front and back facing. I can also transfer info to it from my laptop and also the other way round. 

Have packed all my turnings ready for Saturday. Will be setting up on the Friday night so that we can open early on the Saturday. We have two people coming to see us who I hope will join our club. One of the guys who I have a lot of banter with unfortunately wont be there so I will have to find someone else to wind up in a good natured way of course.

So far we havent seen much of this wet and windy weather they promised allthough we have had a little drizzel and its been overcast most of the morning. Bet you are looking forward to your 12 days off and also your day out to Malvern. I want to visit Sheffield Park Garden which are quite near us when the leaves start changing colour so I can take some up to date photos. I love looking at the wonderful colours of the leave in autum. Hope The weather will be kind to you. On Sunday, I am going to Bentley woodfair. For thirteen years our club hired a big marquee but they got greedy and put the admission cost up to £14 and our sales plummeted. I have managed to get a ticket for £7 so will go as a visiter and may but a few bit of Labernum and Yew as small section branchwood.

Take care Jules sending best wishes to you and your family, Brian.

Hi Jules, almost there now for your break and I will keep everything crossed that the weather perks up again for you. It has been chucking it down for most of the day with a little thunder added in for good measure so no watering needed here that's for sure!

As you say, grief doesn't have any rules and can hit hard at any time, but particulaly on memorable dates or at already incredibly difficult occasions, such as you had last week. You are very fortunate to have such close family and friends around you, both geographically and emotionally, and the support you give to each other is clearly a great source of comfort for you all.

My soreness didn't actually come from muscle ache, as I really didn't do very much to be honest! It was more from the bending and stretching which aggravated my already swollen & painful boobs, a delightful and seemingly never ending side effect from the radiotherapy! Sorry, probably too much information for you (!) but three and a half months after I finished the treatment it is just so frustrating how little I can do still, but it's good to try at least. No op date yet but I have the pre-assessment a week tomorrow so hopefully it shouldn't be too far off. My parents live a few minutes away so I will be staying with them for certainly the first night and then will see how it goes after that. This will be my third procedure in nine months so we are all getting used to the routine!

Have a lovely break and enjoy all your outings and family time, as well as a bit of rest before the Christmas meyhem descends on you at work. Take care  Sue x

Hi Brian, sorry to hear that your Dad is not doing so well, I hope they manage to sort out his pain relief quickly for him. Good luck with this weekend's fair (looking forward to seeing a photo of your display before it all gets snapped up!) and also for your battle with the new tablet. I'm sure you'll get it working soon. Sue

Morning Brian

Ooops, the secret's out, I cannot count; thank you for your kind words though I am just one among many .

Sad to read that your Dad is frail now and know that despite the fact that he was not physically in your life for very long, this has been and will still be an emotinal journey for you and the family. Thankfully, with e-mail your Canadian relatives are able to keep you informed (certainly  helps with the time difference which can make phoning awkward at the best of times). He has shown great strength for his long jouney and my thoughts are with you all.

Sounds as though you are all geared up for your show and hope you will have plenty of interest in your wonderful work and that of the other members.  I know you welcome new members with open arms and I am sure your boxes will be a little less heavy when you return home. Look forward to hearing how it all goes.  Having also picked up a reduced ticket for the Bentley wood fair hope you get some bargains and new 'turnings' will follow.  Keep up the good work.

I know you will get to the bottom of your new tablet in no time.  I keep telling myself I will 'update'/add to my laptop 'one day' (even my mobile phone is ancient!!!!) but while it works....................

Last shift at work today before my 'break' from routine. Am popping to my daughter's afterwards and hope to be in time to go on the school run with her and surprise eldest grandson. Will stay a little longer than first planned as my daughter is off to see a film and needs to leave about 20 mins before son in law due home so I will 'fill the space' until he returns from work.

Managed to miss the worst of the rain during my commutes yesterday but was glad to be indoors when the cloudbursts reached here in the middle of the afternoon.  At least now the ground has had a good soaking and will be easier to dig over - downside is that it has brought a lot to slugs/snails out - yuk!

Well time runs on and I had best get a move on. Need to leave within next ten minutes!  Hope  you and Mrs B have a peaceful day and that your son and family and are keeping ok.  Kind thoughts send your way.Jules x

Hi Jules,

Had struggled with my tablet on and off all day and then suddenly just before tea, my e-mail suddenly started working. Dont know what I did different but I dont care as long as it's working. I have also bought a strong leather case complete with a keyboard for under £4 so very pleased with both overall. Its so much faster than my laptop; it makes my laptop look like a snail. I have accessed this forum on it as well.

I bought a bag of Kent cobb nuts this morning and am enjoying eating them. Last Wednesday at our woodclub meeting, one of our past chairmen was invited for the evening, and it was nice to see him again. I have also updated our clubs leaflets which contain info on our club and a form regarding joining the club. 

I have also printed out a couple of photos for our show organiser. He has carved a bat in the process of cacthing a moth and a spiders web. He does so much work for the club and has given me lots of timber in the past so it will be nice to return the favour.

Thanks for your kind words regarding dad. My sister has said she will phone me soon so she can tell me more about dad. Glad you have finished work and hope the weather stays good. Wishing you and your family a peaceful weekend, hugs from Brian.

Hi Sue,

Thanks for your kind words about dad. Just wish we could have had more time to get to know each other.

I am pleased to report after trying on and off all day, my e-mail suddenly started working. I dont know what I did differnt but I am not worried, my tablets fine working thats the main thing.

Take care, best wishes to you, Brian.

Hi Brian, glad to see the tablet is up & running, even if you don't know how you did it! All the best for the weekend, I hope all goes well and that the weather is kind to you.  Sue

Hi Sue

Well my break is finally here and it looks as though I will have 'mix and match' weather. It certainly won't stop the plans already in place  - good waterproofs and wellies at the ready!!! Gardening may have to take a back seat on those miserable days but weekend looking good anyway. Am currently being bemused by the starlings having a bath in what should be a large ceramic poppy seed feeder (I do not put seed on it if weather dodgy!).  The goldfinches (8 at the last count) are making the most of a sunny interval to goge on the sunflower seeds (not to self - by a larger bag next time!!!). Am also being treated to some 'low flying' practice of small aircraft (have a RAF base about 15 mins walk away!) - love the sound of their engines.

I am sure it must be pretty frustrating at times that you are restricted by all your ongoing treatments but wow you are doing well and never worry about sharing your thoughts here - the old adage its good to talk ticks all the boxes for me but then my hubby always said I had a continuous attack of the 'verbals' (we were chalk and cheese in that respect - a reflection on our own parents perhaps (in the good old days before technology!!)).

In the past couple of days I have received invites to two celebrations (30th birthday in November and Ruby Wedding Anniversary in December) and so after the gym this morning I am popping to local town centre to see if I can find something to wear that will suit both occasions.  I know I have back up in wardrobe if I do not find anything but will treat myself to lunch anyway!!

Take care of yourself - you deserve some tlc and its great that you are local to your parents for loving support as and when requried. Hope the weekend is good where you are. Jules xx