Oh Jules forgive my post on my site to you .....I am so sorry not to have known of your hubbies departure.  You know from the support you have given me how well I understand your current situation and my heart goes out to you.  My site tells of my joirney through this uncharted place you find yourself in.  It is difficult but you will come through.

All my thoughts and a big virtual hug

Ian x

Hi Ian

Just lovely to see your name appear on my thread and suspect its just as hard for you to post but I really appreciate the message.  It was a long three years for hubby and I take much comfort in the fact that he is now free from the clutches of his disease which took his happiness away.  I am surrounded by the love of my family and friends (and the ongoing support of virtuality buddies) and now, like you, my life must be lived to the best of my ability. Early days still but so many memories to cherish and share with others - a few late nights of 'story-telling' along the way.

Sending hugs and best wishes and hope all is well with you and Julie in your new life.  Jules x

Hi Sue,

Sorry to read you have had to spend time in "The Throne Room" lately and hope you are soon fully recovered as it does take it out of us. Hope you have a peacefull weekend with Mrs Yappy being away.

You have no need to apologise for your absence but I was going to post to you today to see if you were okay. Shows you have been missed. Am having a quite day today and Mrs B's diabetes seems to be leveling out now she is not so stressed.

Take care and take things easy, best wishes, Brian

Hi Jules, how lovely to get fly bys from red kites, lucky you. I also have several cats around but like yours my tweeters still manage to come & go as they please which is nice. Must get going with the chores today as I spent most of yesterday asleep! My boss is away this coming week so there'll be extra duties and I will also need to leave things nice & tidy for the following week, it will keep me out of mischief I suppose?! 

Hope you find your voucher gem and don't get too wet in the process.

Have just broken up a fight outside my back door between 7 or 8 magpies, goodness knows what that was about but they've left a few feathers behind, silly things!

Take care and enjoy the rest of your day   Sue x

Thank you Brian, yes, starting to feel a bit brighter now although energy levels still pretty much zero. The peaceful weekend will certainly help.

Glad to hear Mrs.B is leveling out and also that you are thinking of new wood designs ready to try when you can. Good luck tomorrow at the doctors.  Take care  Sue x 

Hi Sue

Hope you are feeling a little less fragile and did not war yourself out with those chores. 

I was totally lucky yesterday as no rain and was out for nearly four hours in the end. Once my gym session ended I walked through our local high street and joined the crowd which had gathered for a remembrance service at the war memorial. Remembrance Day was always an important time for my Dad (Second World War veteran) when he was alive and it is always time for refection of memories made.

I then walked to the garden centre (round trip about 3+ miles) so earned my coffee and cake!!  Also  spent my voucher (and more ha ha) on a couple of indoor plants plus a few Xmas decorations.  Am lucky this year as Boxing Day falls on my normal day off so will get a four day break. Though not expecting it to be too easy emotionally for me and the family as first without hubby, I know he would want us to enjoy it as he loved this family time of year and we have the grandchildren who should be our focus, with new memories to make.

A lovely sunrise when I opened the curtains this morning so very much wish it was not Monday!!! Hope things not too hectic for you with the boss away but suppose at least it keeps the mind occupied. What date is your op?  Right I had better get 'into gear' myself and face the new working week.  Have tomorrow's day off to enjoy as after visit to Mum and gym I am meeting up with one of John's old workmates (co driver from his 750cc car racing club days too) for a chat and cuppa.  He is in his 70's and full time carer for his wife (she has had MS since age 21) who now has dementia.

Take care of yourself and hope the magpies are behaving themselves>  Jules x

Hi Jules,

Good news at the Doctors. My vitamin B12 level is now okay and my iron levels were reasonable but I need to keep taking the tablets. Made my doc laugh when he asked am I vegetarian and I explained my diet to him. I told him you've never met anyone like me before and probably never will again. He laughed even more when I told him if they did away with potatoes and nuts I would just waste away. He said that explains why you have both of these problems. It's Mrs B's birthday today so on my way back I bought her two bunches of flowers which pleased her. I had allready bought her two skirts. Like that advert says, "Because she's worth it".

Still very mild for the time of year and when I got back, the two collerd doves, a pidgeon  and three magpies flew out of the small back garden, one of them so low I instinctivly ducked. Luckily his aim was not on target ha ha. Where I used to work one of the guys was boasting about this new shirt he'd just bought when this pidgen decided it was too good a target to resist. It's aim was spot on and hit his back and spread and spread. We all fell about laughing and the poor guy had to go home to change. Whenever he was about after that, he alway kept a eye out for any dive bombers ha ha.

Hope today is not too manic. Sending best wishes and kind thoughts to you and your family, Brian

Hi Brian

Sent a long reply only for intenet to 'fail' grr.  Please pass my best wishes on to Mrs B for her birthday.  I can understand that she would  be very pleased with her flowers (and skirts).  I love to receive flowers and am still 'treating'myself every couple of weeks with a bunch or a plant to bright the inside space.  Not too much to bring in from the garden now and what colour there is would rather leave in situ.

Very pleased that you visit to the doctor went well.  Whilst you prefer a fairly restrictive choice of diet, you do seem to be bucking the trend and managing it well.  Saves Mrs B having to work out menus for you too.  Does it mean that you have to take extra vitamins in addition to the tablets you already have?

Monday did not get off to a great start. When I reached the underground station was informed no trains due to power/signal failure.  Legged it to the bus station and squeezed onto a bus but with so much traffic was about ten minutes late for work grr.  We are, of course, busy and I spent much of my shift finishing off jobs started last week as the weekend staff do not have the time to do the admin side of the job.  A bit of a case of could not see the wood for the trees!!! Will have a relaxing evening (dinner in the oven cooking slowly) and visit Mum and gym tomorrow a.m. and then visiting an old friend of hubby's. As he cares for his wife (who has MS and now suffering with dementia) I will take him some shortbread and enjoy a cuppa whilst he offloads as it will do  him good to talk it out. 

Have a pleasant evening and all the  best to you both and the family.  Take care. Jules

Hi Brian, just butting in to wish Mrs.B Happy Birthday. I know I am a bit late but I hope you both had a good day and that the flowers are enjoyed for a good few days to come.

Good news about your doctors visit and although my diet is a tad more varied than yours (!), I too am partial to the odd nut, particularly Brazil Nuts, yumm!

Take care  Sue x

Hi Jules,

Glad you liked the Monday cartoon, I could have done with another Sunday! Things are calming down, especially the backache so that's that sorted out. Will call for my sample results in a couple of days but am happy that the antibiotics are doing the trick. My op is next Monday afternoon (the 16th). I've to be there at 12.00 but as usual won't know where I am on the list til I get there. My only concern is that it is done early enough to ensure I can go back to my Mum's that same evening. Really don't fancy a night courtesy of the NHS! Should be ok though as they will give me a 24 hour pain block at the end of the op so my whole shoulder,arm & hand will be completely numb, and therefore painfree, for the first day at least.

Busy busy today with four more days to go but, with only four more days to go, at least it's only a short spurt of really hectic stuff and I actually quite like the hustle & bustle of it. Although we have deadlines and timetables to stick to, unlike you, we don't have endless queues of real people to placate which makes things a lot easier. Ours are at the other end of the phone or email.

Nice to hear you will be having a "longer" break over Christmas although of course it will not be at all easy for any of you. The little ones will always find a way to make you laugh and smile though and hubby will no doubt be joining in the fun as you raise a glass or two.

So gad you didn't have to do a drowned rat impression yesterday and managed such a lovely long time out and about.

Hope your Mum's visit goes ok tomorrow and that you have a good chat with John's workmate too. Am sorry to hear his wife has such troubles, it must be very difficult for both of them. Hope you get to relax a bit yourself in between all that ready for the next workday.?

Magpies all quiet tonight, probably still sticking their lost feathers back on!

Take care  Sue xx

  Sue !

Hi Jules,

Day started off very well for after getting back from shopping, our nextdoor neighbour was just taking her children off to school and her youngest daughter who is about three wanted to show me her small teddy bear. As I was saying goodby she smiled and waved and then blew me a kiss. Made me smile I can tell you. Thanks for wishing Mrs B a happy birthday.

No I dont need to take any extra tablets thank goodness but one good thing; on the leaflet the doc gave me it says nuts are a good source of iron, Yippee, I now have an added excuse to take them, not that I really needed one ha ha. I used to eat virtually anything when quite young but it all changed when my father went back to Canada. Doctor arranged for Mum to take me to see this psycologist but he had never seen anything like me before and I think the poor guy ended up having a nervous breakdown ha ha. He gave up on me very quick.

Sister in law came to visit us this morning and she seems outwardly to be coping but she did admit it's when she is on her own, particulary at night when she feels it most. We are going to pop down to see her in a few days time.

Hope your weekly visit to see your mum went okay and that you have a good meeting later with your friend. Also hope your visit to the gym went off okay. One of our younger woodclub member often goes to a gym and he says he needs it not just for the excercise but also for the social side as he lives on his own and doesnt meet very many people.

Just remembered I have got to send the usual reminder e-mails to all our club member about our meeting tommorow evening. Enjoy your day off today and sending kind thoughts your way, Brian.

Hi Jules,

Day started off very well for after getting back from shopping, our nextdoor neighbour was just taking her children off to school and her youngest daughter who is about three wanted to show me her small teddy bear. As I was saying goodby she smiled and waved and then blew me a kiss. Made me smile I can tell you. Thanks for wishing Mrs B a happy birthday.

No I dont need to take any extra tablets thank goodness but one good thing; on the leaflet the doc gave me it says nuts are a good source of iron, Yippee, I now have an added excuse to take them, not that I really needed one ha ha. I used to eat virtually anything when quite young but it all changed when my father went back to Canada. Doctor arranged for Mum to take me to see this psycologist but he had never seen anything like me before and I think the poor guy ended up having a nervous breakdown ha ha. He gave up on me very quick.

Sister in law came to visit us this morning and she seems outwardly to be coping but she did admit it's when she is on her own, particulary at night when she feels it most. We are going to pop down to see her in a few days time.

Hope your weekly visit to see your mum went okay and that you have a good meeting later with your friend. Also hope your visit to the gym went off okay. One of our younger woodclub member often goes to a gym and he says he needs it not just for the excercise but also for the social side as he lives on his own and doesnt meet very many people.

Just remembered I have got to send the usual reminder e-mails to all our club member about our meeting tommorow evening. Enjoy your day off today and sending kind thoughts your way, Brian.

One for you Brian!

Hi Sue,

Thanks for that, especially as I have just bought a load more chestnuts this morning so thats spot on. Everyday is a nutty day with me ha ha.

Many thanks , Brian.

Hi Brian

Am pleased you had such a nice experience with your  neighbour's little girl- would leave a nice warm glow on the inside and, as you say, a good start to your day.

Good news too that you now have an extra reason for all those nutty moments as they are iron rich. Get my iron mainly from liver but I am the only member of the family who likes it!!! Thankfully dark green veg also on my likes list so doubt I would ever be deficient in iron (though they still insisted that I had supplements when  was expecting way back when - played havoc with the bowel which then led to more pills to counteract the side effects ha  ha).

Mum was her usual downbeat self but did agree to have her hair done in the afternoon after a little gentle persuasion by me and the hairdresser. Gym visit was fine and then I spent a few hours in the afternoon with hubby's own buddy and his wife.  Difficult days ahead for both of them as they are both in poorer health these days but were happy to see me carrying  chocolate tea cakes and some mint chocs.  They have carers for his wife three times a day and lots of gadgets to help her move around but he is now undergoing test himself and can see how worried he is so will be keeping an eye on how things go for them both in the coming days.  Their daughter works full time but always pops in at the weekend and they have a very good GP so hopefully the various appointments he now has (heart and neurology) now set up will throw some light on things.

Am busy delivering goodies from last week's at home party and will enjoy seeing daughter and grandchildren tomorrow when I do a short stint of babysitting whilst they are at a parents evening.  Busy social life Fri- Sun but need to get through work tomorrow first.

All the best to your, Mrs B and the family.  Jules x