Great news George and very pleased all is well. I am sure you will still be enjoying life with the family and faithful Ria.  My garden birds are eating there way through  my supplies and this morning had a fox wander through so camera has been busy. Best regards. Jules

Hi Jules,

have had a busy week. I took Mrs B out for a ride last Sunday  and my cars low oil pressur light came on so we had to come back home slowly. ]So Monday I had to take my car to the garage. Luckily it was just the oil pressure switch but with an oil change and new filter cost me £122.00 Och. Wednesday we had our club meeting and had two new people turn up, one from our last show and one from my stint at the library. Membership is at last going up.  Everyone seemed to like the new items I took along to show them. Its something we encorouge and we even take along some of our failures as we can all learn from mistakes.

Am getting ready as I am due to give a talk/slide show about beautuful and unusual trees of the world to my sisters gardening club in Chichester next Thursday. Still not completly got the hand of my new projector so still working on that.

Have also been busy in my workshop, working on new lines. Have got a good idea how to turn a meercat now. Its head and ears has been the problem but thing I have an idea how to do it now.

Mrs B has been picking strawberries from out garden and has said so much tastier than the shop bought ones.

Hope you have had a reasonable couple of days at work and bet you have been looking forward to the weekend. Glad you had a good visit with family. I send kind thoughts to you and your family, Brian

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Hi Brian

Ouch indeed as far as your car bill was concerned. Often the case that the labouring involved in repair represents the major part of the cost. I do not drive but luckily hubby, being an engineer, sorted most of his car repairs himself (and friends and family over many years).  It certainly saved a few bob over the  years!

Am pleased to hear that your Wood Club is seeing new interest and that your numbers will be boosted, in no small part due to all the work you have been putting in to raise awareness.  How satisfying that you can inform, encourage and all learn from each other.  I look forward to seeing the meerkat in wood as I amsure you will conquer any issues  - trial and error brings satisfaction eventually (I have no such skills Imight add ha ha).

  Our monthly Artisan and Craft Market is on tomorrow and if I get back from my son's in time (as planned)  hope to pop in for a browse.  Will not be purchasing my usual cheeses as due to be away soon. However I will find it hard to walk past without a little taster session!!

Hope your tree talk goes well (of course it will) and that more practice with the projector sees smooth running.  Your passion for the subject will help.

I m still finding it hard seeing Mum 'fading' but think she has amazed everyone with the strength her body is showing these past months (doctors pretty baffled too!!).  She continues to refuse treatment of any kind but eats her meals when offered them and the morphine patch keeps her pain free. At my visit this week she was awake and able to look at recent pictures of her great grandchldren though there is little other response.For the first time in three weeks she did ask me if it was 'Tuesday again already'.  I think her need for routine prevents me from going on different days as this would completely throw her though she would only need to ask.

Off to the gym shortly and then spending quality time with my son and family so really looking forward to that. Hopefully the weather will be on our side and there will be walks aplenty with both grand-daughter and their dog. New edition is due towards the end of next month so in about three weeks my daughter inlaw will begin maternity leave. i think she plans to take a little longer before returning to work this time round and also my son will take allowable paternity leave.Her Dad retires at the end of this month so she will have both her parents able to pitch in (her Mum already childminds one day a week to help keep nursery costs down) and once baby is here I will be helping where I can too of course.

Iknow tomorrow is an emotional day for many but wish you a pleasant weekend and hope you get to catch up with your son and grandchildren at some point.Jules

Good morning Jules,

Hope you are well. My talk about trees went off okay but there was a big problem with the slide show. The screen that comes down from the ceiling was right under a large skylight and allthough it had a built in roller blind, no one knew how to close it so my poor projecter looked like a gloworm in a jam pot. It got better as the evening went on but was nothing like I had hoped for. But everyone was very kind and said it was not my fault. I had several nice comments about the talk however and one woman asked me how I remembered everything as I didnt refer to my notes once. I told her I still have a very good memory but its a selective one.She asked me what I meant so I told her I can remember anything to do with my hobbies or wood, but utterley fail to remember what my dear wife has asked me to do ha ha. I also had some very nice comments about the small wooden items I had on display and people found it hard to believe the timber all came from palletts. 

My sister was over the moon with the wooden elephant I gave her and insited on showing it to all her friends. My car passed its MOT on Monday and they were able to sort out my reversing lights which broke two years ago. Instead of haveing to buy a new wiring loom which is very expensive, they were able to mend the broken wire by putting in a connector and only took 1/2 hrs work so well pleased 

My son is doing very well and has set another new sales record and the month isnt even finnished yet. I knew he would do well and I am very proud of him. He is selling products they didnt expect him to sell and has even sold more then one of the other depots that specializes in these items. They have a big display while he doesnt have anything much. My grandson is getting cheekier than ever and just loves winding me and his dad up. My grandaughter has been going through her exams at the moment so is feeling a bit stressed. She hope to go to Warwick University to do creative writing amongst other things.

Am having a break from wood turning today as it is allready quite warm in my workshop. I Have ordered some more miniture sanding belts and drums to go with my small dremell type tool as it will help speed things up. I can use them to further shape my turnings like grinding in the elephants legs. They remove wood very quickly and with very little effort.

I can truley understand what you say about it being hard watching your mother slowly fading as I felt exactly the same with my mother. The worst part is the knowing there is nothing much you can do to help. 

I hope you have a great time on your holiday. Sending kind thoughts to you and your family, Brian.

Hi Brian,

Lovely to read that your son and the family are doing well. Congratulations on his results (hard work pays!!) on his sales and I amsure your grand-daughter will have been very relieved when the exams were over.Have several friends whose children been feeling much the same.

Such a shame about the screen problems when you gave your talk but so pleased that your knowledge was appreciated and your wood ware admired.  

I had a lovely break away and am now trying to get out of holiday mode and back to the usual routine. Was back to the gym this morning and have done some shopping so meals planned for the week ahead.

My daughter in law has been feeling the heat (now 37 weeks pregnant) but had her final day at work yesterday and during the week  my son surprised and delighted her by arriving home with a portable air conditioning unit so her final weeks should be more comfortable (think the whole family are appreciating it!!!).My lounge only gets the sun at the end of the afternoon so I came home to a lovely cool room and  today there is a slight breeze which is very pleasant so hopefully will sit in the shade with my book in the coming days.  Back to work Wednesday but trying not to think about it!!

Best wishes to you and the family. Jules

Hi Jules, 

Glad you had a good holiday and thanks for the photos on the other thread. After coming home from being away, I have always found it seems strange for a day or two until we get back into our daily routine. Just bet you have been for your usual Sunday walk.

I have just finished writing two more stories and now have the job of transfering them to my book printing program which is reasonably easy. I have two more almost finished. One of them gave me a quandry as I had two differnt endings in my head, but decided in the end to leave the original ending as it give me the oppotunity to make a sequal to explain the parts I had left open. We have lost another club member to cancer he was a regular exhibiter and will be missed. It all happened very quickly.  

Its been far to hot to work in my garage. I tried it one day and started sweating even though I was just labeling up some boxes. But it now looks a whole lot tidier. This hot weather just doesnt suit Mrs B so she will be pleased when our weather returns to normal!!!!!!. Twice this week I have had to take her for r appointments, once to the vampires den for a blood test and once to see the diabetic nurse who was very pleased with her results.

Garden badley needs some rain but at least I havent had to mow the front lawn.

That was nice of your son to bring home that surprise for your daughter in law. Take care and sending kind thoughts to you and your family, Brian

Hi Brian

Well already a week since I returned from my holiday and the weather has certainly helped make me feel that I am still on it!!  Have managed to do a little bit of gardening as some of the spring shrubs definitely needed a 'haircut'.  I am hoping to have a section of fencing replaced so hae been clearing the area immediately in front of it to make it look tidier.  Once installed will have a think as to what to plant up against it as it will have full sun (when its out) for most of the day. So another little project to give me something to think about.

Glad Mrs B's results were pleasing though I do feel sorry for those who struggle in this spell of hot weather. I am lucky that my lounge is  cool place to be but my loft bedroom reached 31degs lst night so did switch on the fan for a bit.  If nothing else I have cut down my food intake and upped the water so, along with visits to the gym, hoping to see a reward by the end of the month ha ha. My daughter in law is now 38 eight weeks pregnant so will definitely be glad to see the back of the extreme heat or for baby to come a bit early now.  Just this week our butterfly emblem for hubby (small toitoiseshell) paid a visit to the proposed nursery so it appears we are being kept an eye on which gae us much pleasure as a family and of course the moment was captured on her phone.

Difficult days for my Mum and they had the emergency doctor out yesterday as she become completely unresponsive with erratic breathing.  Low and behold when the doctor examined her she responded and he has prescribed antibiotics for a possible urine infection.  We now have to see whether she will agree to taking her medicine.  She is 'quietly angry' but polite that her body continues to disobey her wishes to be at peace.

Well done with all your writings and those still to be finalised.  I really do not know where you find the time to fit everything into your day.

Sad to read that yet another member of the Club has succumbed to cancer. My mum always told me that as you aged yourself you attended more funerals that weddings/births but losing friends/relatives does, in mymind, remind us of how precious our own lives are.

Well another hot day in store so am going to the gym soon and then visiting the garden centre as they have their 20%off weekend and I am sure I can find a few gifts for upcoming birthdays (plus a visit to the coffee shop!).

Take care of yourself and Mrs B and hope the rest of your family are keeping ok.  Jules

Good morning Jules

Glad to hear you feel You are still on holiday ha ha. 

Mrs B was sorting out her china display cabinet this morning when she lost her ballance and has broken a lot of her treasured items. I manager to glue a couple of bit back together but most were to far gone to do anythinh with.She is feeling very very annoyed with herself but its all down to her hearing loss in one ear. I have tried telling her this and that its not her fault but it isnt making any differnce. 

Have finnished another two of my stories and am now almost up to date until I start some more. I have done the odd bit in my workshop but its too darned hot for most of the day so writing is all I can do for now. But I have found a use for our old oil spray bottles. I have thined some of my celliulose laquer down and with the pump action button, it makes a good spray gun. I used to buy my spray laquer from Wilco but it was water based and took a long time to dry where as the celluilose one dries very very quickly. So pleased about this. I have experimented with a new idea (see photo below) Using my dremel type mini drill I have doen a dolphin. It not as good as I want but it was only an experiment so know I can do better next time as I will do things a differnt way. Have another club meeting on Wednesday so will have to send out a reminder e-mail to our members as soon as I finnish this. 

My son has his club archery championships today so hope its not to hot for him and that he does well. Garden is very dry and needs some rain but at least the grass doesnt need mowing. Grand daughter now has a part time job working two days a week for a publishing company but is having problems with the trains at times. 

Sorry to read about your mother. She seems very resiliant as she always seem to recovery quickly so she must have a hidden strength somewhere Jules. I dont envy your daughter in law as it cant be nice with this hot weather. 

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

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A couple more engravings Ive done. Still have a lot to learn regarding this.

Oh Brian, poor Mrs B, so sad thaat she has lost precious treasures and hope she did not hurt herself when she lost balance.  It is human nature to blame ourselves even when we know that sometimes our bodies let us down (I think we all do it!!). Hopefully Mrs B will savour the memories that the items brought her. Tell her I send virtual hugs.

Your new projects are pretty good for first attempts but know you will continue to strive for that perfection and enjoy the process too.  Much cooler start to the day but a beautiful sunrise (I was awake early as usua) so perhaps you will be out in your garage/workshop soon.

Hope your son enjoyed his archery and did well and no doubt needed plenty of sunscreen!  Lovely to hear that your grand-daughter has a part time position at a publishing house and bet she now understands more about 'dodgy commuting' than she would like!!

I saw a couple of different friends during the days yesterday so caught up with the tennis on the highlights show and pleased to see Federer march onwards.

Yes the gardens are looking a bit parched but enjoying the bonus of not mowing and they always recover eventually.  Some colour from everlasting sweet peas/fushcia/roses and the buddleia which seem pretty resilient so far.

Will go and visit Mum this morning having been staying in touch by phone. Her body's inner strength is amazing us all but sadly she no longer resembles the Mum I knew and her mental torment at being 'resilient' is deeply sad;  I am and will be forever grateful to the care home staff who treat her like precious cargo and are wonderful and keeping me informed (as it is her wish that I only attend on my (her) routine days).

World cup fever has hit the area and shops/homes so no doubt not much will get done tomorrow evening (other than more garden BBQs)..........remains to be seen whether I switch it on or listen to everyone elses ha ha.

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