Hi Brian,

Must feel very pleasing to have come to the end of sorting all your stories and hope you soon make that difficult choice as to which to put in front of publishers in the hope of getting into the book market.  Wishing you lots of luck.

Spent some time with my daughter,son in law and family over the weekend, the first time since New Year so lovely to catch up.  My daughter somewhat restricted at the moment as has managed to put her back out so having to take things very carefully and she returns to the chiropractor today for more 'manipulation'. Both my grandsons have been helping as much as they can with household tasks and have also just received very good school reports so very proud of them both.

Back home to some difficult news in that my aunt's best friend went in for a supposedly straightforward 'polyp removal' (he will be 90 this year) and they found cancererous cells.  He is still in hospital whilst they conduct further biopsies and decide the way forward (they think it may mean more surgery/treatment but apparently need to confirm which cancer it is).

My next visit to Mum tomorrow. Last week she slept through my time with her so will wait and see what tomorrow brings.  It is very sad watching the decline but as usual am so very grateful to her residential care staff.  It is a testament to their care that after nearly a year bedbound she is still with us despite her illnesses.

The mild weather has brought out the daffodils in my garden but the lawn is still not ready for the mower though I am tempted to give it a go anyway as it is looking very 'clumpy' in parts. Think the weather forecast is saying showers so may not be lucky today.

Hope you and Mrs B are keeping well.  Jules

Hi Jules,

Not the best sort of weather for your Sunday walk today. If you venture out in this wind, may I suggest you put a couple of bricks in your pockets to stop your self being blown away ha ha. 

Have been busy editing my mini 30 odd short stoies that run from 600 word to about 2000 words. This is all done now and I have two stories selected of about 12000 words and just have to select one more then I will be sending them off. 

I had one of my friends from the woodclub arrive last Sunday as he is starting wood turning so I was able to give him some help and advice.  He is one of our new members who I recruited from our local library.

It must be hard for you to see your mother like she is but at least you have the knowledge she doesnt appear to be in pain. You certainly picked a good care home for her. I remember the last few times I saw my mother she didnt appear to know I was there. But when I held her hand she responded by sqeezing my hand so I think she may somehow have known it was me. At least I like to think so.

Take care, sending kind thoughts your way, Brian

Hi Brian,

Well I did get out for a walk (somewhat quicker with the wind behind me) but did not go quite so far and had a 'rest' at the garden centre (bird feed on offer so could not resist of course). 

Sending best wishes and good luck for a positive result from the book publishers.  It must me wonderful to have reached this point after so much writing/editing and sorting.  How lovely too that you can pass on your woodturning knowledge to new members and am sure if brought much pleasure to your both.

A couple of days out for me during this week as am using up holiday due from 2018.  Now all done and  have to submit more dates for 2019/20.  Luckily my main holiday has been booked since last November to make sure I could go!!  I have my daughter and the boys coming down for a few days in April so have two days off to enjoy quality time with them.

Just got back from an eye check up and all healthy and good but need new prescription so bank balance will take a hit ha ha.  Two weeks to wait for my 'new look'.

Visited Mum yesterday as usual and the district nurses were in to keep an eye on her condition. She is on morphine patches and as you say am somewhat relieved that she appears unpeturbed by anything that is going on.  At times she had her eyes open and so I speak and hope she hears my words.As you rightly say we can but hope there is some awareness.  I popped home for a quick lunch and then met up with a friend for a trip to the cinema.  

Wishing you and Mrs B a pleasant week/weekend ahead.  Jules

Good morning Jules, 

I have had to tidy up my download folder where I keep all my photos for posting as I had downloaded some maps and info while researching my last few books. Plus I had a lot of wood club info on there as well, I have to print out my woodclub newsletters now plus our membership cards which I print on thick card. We used to buy pre printed plastic cards which would cost us about £50 a year now and I can do it for a few pounds. I also print peoples name and the expirey date on them whereas before we used to have to write it all out in the evening resulting in a long line of member waiting to pay. Makes it much esier for me.

Glad I mowed our lawns when we had that spell of nice weather. Mrs B British bluebells I bought her are all growing well but are not yet showing any buds and the second batch are struggling to catch up with the last years purchase. But her primroses are looking good and her forsythia is just starting to bloom. Have just spent 5 minutes digging over the little bit of garden we have just inside our gate where I will shortly be planting some of my China Rose radishes. There was one e-mail site where I could buy 50 seeds for £2.99 plus postage but later after ordering them  I found another site where I could but 2,000 for 99p and free postage. They were in a plain self seal poly bag  while the others were in a printed envelope so I bought them as well. Just shows how it pays to shop around. They have surprisingly so far had a much better germination rate than the more expensive ones. I think virtually every seed i planted germinated last year.

I am glad I am indoors now as it is raining very hard and so dark I have had to put the light on to see what buttons I'm pressing on my keyboard. The wind is very cold too. I am writing another crime story at the moment.

Your grandchildren are growing up so fast. Enjoy them while they are at this wonderful age for I am convinced children see things through differnt eyes.

Sending Kind thoughts to you and your family, Brian

Hi Jules

Hope you have had a good week work wise but as you say its a question of dodging the showers. 

Yesterday I sent my first thrre stories off to see what the publishers think of them . I now have fingers and even toes crossed. If I dont suceed with these I have plenty more. I at present have 15 stories on the go as I keep coming up with new ideas quicker than I can finnish existing ones. The publishers promise to let people know within a two week period so will not have too long to wait. 

We had our first wood club meeting of the year on Wednesday evening and had another person who used to be a member years ago re-join and next month we will have another one re-join plus another new member, So all looking good. Our meeting was a reprise of our December show and I will be posting some pictures of the work over the next few days. 

Garden is starting to look good with plenty of primrose's out as well as the forsthea. Have also just planted my first lot of China Rose radishes seeds.  As soon as we get another dry period????? I will need to mow both lawns again. .Its funny I bought one lot of those radish seeds 75 No for £2.99 plus 55p postage and I then found someone else selling 2,000 seeds for just 99p and free postage. Nearly every one of the cheap seeds germinated last year while less than a third of the expensive ones grew. Just goes to show. Lots of buds showing on our new bushes we bought last year and our cherry tree in the front garden is just opening its flower buds. 

I wasnt able to post much this week as I had quite a bit of work to do for our meting on wood club meeting on Wednesday

The weather doesnt sound to good for the weekend so it looks like you may have to walk those short walks yet againJules.  

Sending best wishes to you and yours, Brian

Hi Brian,

Quite a busy week but enjoyable despite the weather ha ha.  First of all an apology as I seem to have missed replying to an earlier post from you; certainly not intentional.

Really excited for you now that you are 'in the hands' of a publisher so to speak and hope the news is good when  you hear back.  With so many stories already written and more under way I am sure you will be able to please them.Good luck.

It is also good news that the wood club is welcoming past as well as new members into the fold and you will all be sharing your interests and taking in forward in the coming months.

Sounds as though you will be looking forward to another crop of radishes in the coming months.  Despite the weather I have managed to keep up the mowing and the lawn has had three trims in as many weeks now and is not looking too bad (provided you discount the weeds!!). Sadly my forsythia has not bloomed so well this year (it is over 40 years old) so will prune it hard at the end of flowering and see what happens next year.  Was looking at new ones at the nursery this morning and not exactly cheap to replace!  I did however buy five new plants to pop into the flower border in front of my new fencing but apparently they are forecasting a frost tonight so will keep them indoors till it warms up a bit.  My daffodils are nearly finished and the tulips are growing nicely so hopefully more colour to come.

No long walk on Saturday as far too windy even though I still went out to the shops and the gym so got some exercise in.  Today managed an hour's walk  as well as the visit to the nursery and thankfully less windy and lovely sunshine to enjoy.

Meeting a friend for shopping and a coffee tomorrow and then will be Mum visiting day again on Tuesday.  She definitely has a stronger physical constitution that we could have possibly imagined when she refused to leave her bed a year ago this month (when the doctor advised end of life care/preparations be put in place).  I can only continue to be grateful that she is being kept pain free and appears comfortable though spends most of the time sleeping between her meals which  she is fed at regular intervals when she agrees to co-operate. Just find it very sad for her as she is not interested in anything at all.

On a brighter note I will be seeing my daughter and family this coming weekend and then staying with my son for the one after that so some quality catch up time with them all.

Hope you, Mrs B and the family and all keeping well and that you have a peaceful week ahead. Jules

Good morning Jules,

Hope you are well and getting ready for your usual Sunday walk. 

I have just found out  there ia a lovely garden complete with lakes openeing up on the 6th of April. It is one I went round a few years ago with my sister just before it closed as some rich arab had bought it. He owned it for several years and let the gardens go to rack and ruin. New owners have bought it and it has become the biggest garden restoration in this country for over 30 years. So I am looking forward to going round it again.as is my sister. They have spent loads of money on it. Its called Leonards Lee Gardens

I have just bought two plastic garden cloches and have installed the first one today. I have planted some more of my China Rose radishes and some ordinary ones. So will see if this helps bring them on a bit quicker. My first plantings have only just broken the surface today. You aught to try taking some cuttings from your forsythea. Ours is loaded with bloom this year but it is a young plant. See photos attached Several of the cutting I took last year despite only being six inches long are also now in bloom. 

My grandaughter came home from uni yesterday for the Easter holiday so we look forward to seeing her shortly. Have been able to mow both lawns again but must sharpen the blades again. I do it myself as it is quite easy to do with the tools I have. 

It cant be very nice for you to see your mother like she is but she must be a very strong person . Hope you enjoyed your time with your friends. I have nearly finished another story . I finnished two this week that I had been working on for a few days, I am trying to get the list of stories under construction down  as I had 15 at one stage, now I think its down to 10 or 11. 

Sending kind thoughts to you and your family, Brian

Hi Brian,

Will try and take a couple of cuttings from the forsythia as have about three sprigs in flower ha ha.  By the way the  picture of your lovely variety failed to 'show up' on the thread. Gremins!! Still am slowly getting more colour around the garden as shrubs break bud and my tulips are starting to 'colour up'.  Managing to mow regularly again now too so looks better.

My Sunday walk last weekend involved walking three circular walks round different lakes as well as a short stroll along the Grand Union which ran alongside the 'Aquadrome' I was visiting.  Only 40mins away by underground and beautiful in the Spring sunshine with no need to wear a coat.  Have to make the most of it at this time ofyear.

I am sure you and  your sister will enjoy visiting the gardens when they re-open and lovely to have to chance to see the rejuvenation of a neglected area.  Hope you had a lovely time catching up with your granddaughter and that she is enjoying Uni life and her chosen course.

I have had a busy week both socially and workwise but a relaxing weekend ahead as spending it with my son and my two youngest grandchildren. My daughter in law is going away for her sister's hen do so we are taking the kiddies to Whipsnade tomorrow.  I will come home early on Sunday to go and visit Mum.  The staff, her doctor/community nurses and myself have been astounded at her physical resilience but so sad that she must bear the indiginity of a bedridden life and have no interests.  It has been over a month now since she last spoke and apart from meals taken (mainly liquid variety now) she spends much of the time sleeping which must be her body's way of coping.  No one could have anticipated that when she refused to get out of bed over a year ago she would face such times ahead. As I have said before I am in awe and so grateful to her care home.

Hope you and Mrs B are keeping well and that your new protective cloches will help with your veggie growing.  My daughter has been at her allotment several times this past week and the family have been busy planting potatoes, carrots, radishes, onions.  She has three miniature fruit trees (pot grown variety) in their conservatory as well as plenty of seed trays on the go.  Who knows what I shall be sampling in due course.

Regards to you and all the family.  Jules

Hi Jules,

Here are the photos I promised you.

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Its only a two year old plant and we did cut it back hard last year as it had grown so tall

Hope you are having a great weekend, Brian