Hi and welcome to the forum which I hope you will find supportive.  My story is more that of my late husband as I joined when he was diagnosed and the support of the forum for nearly three years during his illness helped me considerably.  Since he passed away in January 2015  the virtual friends I made here continue to chat and show me kindness just by listening to me rabbit on!!

You are more than welcome to post on my thread but it may also be worth starting a thread of your own and perhaps mentioning the kind of cancer you have in the title.  This way others who may relate to your own personal journey can respond and I am sure there are many who will definitely understand the sleepless nights along with all the emotions you go through as you undergo treatment and wish you all the best with your treatment plan and hope you have family and friends who can also be there for a support network. Jules

Hi Brian,

As they say you are only as young as you feel and that varies day to day ha ha.  I think I have more of my late Dad's character in me.  He was disabled in WWII but always said that his life was precious because a soldier from the other side helped him stay still in the truck that took him to the field hospital. I grew up on his war tales and despite losing a limb at the age of 21 he was a very happy chappy!  Like your grandfather taught you, my Dad taught me so much and, for the most part, was always supportive of my decisions.  He was always amazing in how he supported my Mum through her bi polar meltdowns and to this day do not know how he managed that.  I think it was a case of love conquering all as they were very much a couple. My daughter was very close to her granddad too

The trip up The Shard was amazing perhaps the more so because I had no idea when I left the house that morning that I would be going there.  A couple of shots below. To think I had only grabbed my camera at the last minute as was going to rely on my phone for our get-together!!

Hope the new lighting for the steps proved a success and makes things easier to navigate.

Your series of up coming talks will certainly keep you busy.  Are you sure that MrsB is not spurring you on to give her a break from making cheese straws etc ha ha.  Seriously it is wonderful that you can put together such talks as well as present them to interested clubs.  I am sure they pick up on your own enthusiasm for the subject. Good luck with all your planned projects in 2018.

I did read my mail once my work shifts were done and dusted.  A busy couple of days but they do help give my week some structure as well as the inevitable help with the bills.  Had a nice surprise this week in that I have managed to cut my electric consumption in the past year so my direct debit has nearly halved woohoo.  Now just need to win more than a tenner on the lottery...........keep on dreaming....Jules.

Kind regards to you Mrs B and the family.Jules

Great shots from the Shard, thanks Jules - a nice little bonus for you on your day out. 

Hazel xx

Thanks Hazel, it will be a wonderful memory of a few hours spent with a friend I made in my late teens when we both worked at the same place.  She emigrated in late 80's and this was the first get together for 10years so a lot to catch up on! We were so lucky when the sun came out just half an hour before our 'ride' up.

Have a good weekend.  Jules x 

Hi Jules, 

Can just picture you and your brolly this morning auditioning for Mary Poppins ha ha. Hope you dont get too wet. 

Had to take Mrs B for a check up this morningand we were both glad to get back home. The rain is rattling on the window pains as I write this and it looks like the backgarden will soon be under water.  Bonus is I wont have to water the plants ha ha.

The light works perfectly thank you and I am very pleased with it. Have just realized we are allready halfway through the month so will have to get busy on my next newsletter.For this months wood quiz I have found it talkes 50 gallons of sap from a maple tree to make one gallon of maple syrup.We trid to book the hal where we have our Christmas sale and exhibition but the only date we could get is very late, bieng the 21 and 22 of Decmber. So we have allready booked the hall for 2019. Now thats forward planning. 

Have worked out the timber sizes I need to cut for my owl salt and pepper pots I am going to turn this year. I have just set a meeting up for our club with the organisers of our three day show at the May Bank holiday weekend.

Thanks for the photos from the Shard. Bet it was good to catch up with your friend. We have primroses out in our back garden but with all the rain they look a bit sorry for theirselves. 

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

Hope Mrs B's check up was all good, Brian.

Hazel xx

Hi Brian,

Took my brolly but no Mary Poppins as too windy to bother putting it up!!  Managed to dodge most of the showers by going out a little later too.  No standing water here though I do have a 15ft soakaway under my lawn (a requirement when we had a mini extension done over 30 years ago!).  Lawn could do with a mow but will probably have to wait a bit for that!!

Hope Mrs B's check up went well and you were nice a cosy indoors afterwards with a cuppa.So it's heads down for the newsletter and quiz setting and before you know it the wood club will be back after it's winter break and Spring will be under way.  Snowdrops are out in my neighbours front garden and my daffodils are in bud...........crazy. A tiny bit of colour in my back garden from the winter jasmine and even a lone anenome still in flower.  With the bare branches of the larger shrubs I am seeing a big increase in sparrows visiting but you can probably take bets that when the RSPB birdwatch weekend happens they will disappear!!

Will look forward to seeing the results of your timber labours as soon as the weather warms up enough for you to get into your man shed.

Visited Mum today and good to see she is still comfortable with her pain well under control. Sad to see a once robust lady now so delicate but think she knew I was there as there was a flicker of recognition when I went into her room.  As always I chatted about family for a while before just sitting reading whilst she dozed. Went to the gym afterwards as provides a good social outlet as well as trying to help with my fitness levels.

Take care and best wishes returned to you and the family.  Jules

Hi Jules, 

Mrs B's check up was okay thank you. 

I had my old intenet supplier phone me up again the other day so I told them I packed them up many months ago as they were absolutely useless. They wanted to know who I was with now and I replied "A reliable company who have two call centres in this country and all the staff speak Emglish I can understand". That took the wind out of them.anf they quickly hung up. 

I am now helping to organise two 3 day wood shows for our club one at the end of May and one at the end of August. Me and another committee member are meeting with the ladies who arrange the marquee for us to discuss things. It could be done over the phone but much prefer to do things like this face to face.

I have worked out how to attach the four LED lamps to my stand and wont have to buy anything to do it so thats good.

My granddaughter is very pleased as she has been told she has passed tests to go either to Cambridge or Warick Universities. So pleased for her as she has worked so hard for this over the past few years and is very dedicated. Very proud of her as well..She wants to be a writer and I wish her all the luck for this. 

Just found a new site and ordered some small glass eyes for my owls/birds as they look so much better than the plastic ones I have. 

I hope you are able to take your usual Sunday walk as I know you dont like stay indoors for too long. I dont do much walking for pleasure these days unfortunately as Mrs B cant walk that far and I do miss this. I like walking especially new places I havent been to before

What you said about your mother was just how I felt about my mother. To see her in that bed in the hospital was so painful as my mother had always been a very keen gardener. She knew all the names of the plants and had always been very active and independant. So I do understand how it makes you feel. 

Take care and I am sending kind thoughts to you and your family, Brian.

Hi Brian,

Thanks for your kind thoughts. This forum still so supporting and helps a great deal to talk though feelings (sometimes more than others).

Absolutely prefer to be out and about but today was another rainy start.  Have been to the gym but came straight back home as it is now throwing down wet snow and no pleasure to walk in it even thoughI had my wellington boots on.  Another afternoon spent in front of the fire me thinks. Just as well I made the most of the Friday sunshine.

I am sure your event planning will go well and I do agree that it is much nicer to talk things through face to face when possible. It gives you more of a feel for what is needed and a personal contact to help too.

Iam spending some time going down memory lane just now as clearing out an old filing unit in readiness for it having to be moved when some electrical work is done in the hall, hopefully next month. The shredder is very busy and my recycling collection will definitely be larger than the usual bag this week ha ha.  Some of the things I have come across go back to the kid's school years so fun to re-read.

Wonderful news for your grand-daughter and hope she gets the place she prefers.  Exciting times for the family.

Kind regards to you and the family. Jules

Hi Jules,

Had a phone call from my son telling me one of our localgarden centres was selling off some mini led lights for £1. (Reduced from £8.99) So I took Mrs B after lunch and have bought two sets of 36 battery powered chasing lights, (red and green) and two sets of 18 lights in white and am very pleased. I will find a way to fit them permanatly on my stand. Might just buy a few more next week as I pay more for the battery holders which take 3 No 1.5 volt AA batteries with switches. 

It has been raining here all day but at least we dont have the snow like you've had. You were brave to go out in that weather. 

Take care Kind thoughts being sent to you and your family, Brian.

Many congrats to your granddaughter, Brian - I'm sure she'll make it as a writer if she is anything like you!

Glad to hear that Mrs B's check up was okay, too. 

Full steam ahead now for all your new woodwork projects - once it's warm enough to get out to your workshop!  Look forward to seeing the results of your efforts in due course Brian.

Hazel xx

Many congrats to your granddaughter, Brian - I'm sure she'll make it as a writer if she is anything like you!

Glad to hear that Mrs B's check up was okay, too. 

Full steam ahead now for all your new woodwork projects - once it's warm enough to get out to your workshop!  Look forward to seeing the results of your efforts in due course Brian.

Hazel xx