My Journey Continues

Hi all my forum buddies.  Just wanted to post on a new thread as it is more relevant than where my journey began.  Hope to see you here. Jules

  • Hi Jules,

    Thank you for sharing your thoughts/ ramble with me.  Thats what I am here for. You have helped me pleany and listened to loads of my rambles in the past. 

    I know its not quite the same but every year I still miss my mother. Like you husband, she absolutely loved Christmas and always had the family with her until the last few years when she came to us. I still enjoy Christmas still but its not quite the same when a loved one is not there so I am totally agree with you there.  So I agree it is an emotional time of the year. 

    I am sure you will cope with the cooking just fine and knowing you lovely family, I expect they will all pitch in and help. I agree we miss our loved ones throughout the year but as Christmas is a special family time, we always seem to miss them more at this special time of the year.  . 

    I feel we shouldnt forget our loved ones and should like you still talk about them but I am sure they would want us to enjoy Christmas while still remebering them and the good times we have enjoyed in the past.  This is not as easy as it sounds but I feel sure its what they would want.

    You have done so well and have coped so well, going on holiday on your own this year. You have ticked so many boxes as you travel Your Journey and I feel sure you will make this a Christmas to remember for all your family not just your grandchildren.  Your husband will I feel sure be very proud of youas you continue Your Journey,  Brian

     

  • Hi Jules,

    Sorry I have not been posting much but the time seems to have flown by so quickly the past few days. Yesterday I had my eyes checked as I have noticed differnces since my op. It was comfirmed my eyesight has improved slightly and for the better I might add. I can read print on my computer without my glasses which I could not read before.

     

    Will talk more later as I have to go to the tip to get rid od some rubbish.

    Take care, Brian

     

  • Hi Brian,

    Thanks so much for taking time out to reply so swiftly.  Much appreciate your kind comments/thoughts. Am possibly guilty of over-thinking how I will manage the festivities as appreciate am lucky to have supportive close family and they will not be adding to the stress but helping to relieve it!  I am so conscious of how it must be for them too. Just hoping to be able to have the Boxing Day as a day off as my daughter and family will be staying for a couple of days. I suspect you are right in that I will get through it as I have done the past years.  There are just some times when I really do not like the vulnerability I find myself feeling which gets highlighted at certain times of the year.

    On the plus side I have once again booked something to look forward to next Summer plus hope I will at last be in a position to get out of retail/retire in the middle of next year which will get rid of some of the stress too. Not someone who likes feeling sorry for myself when so many are in a more difficult position. Am meeting a mate for coffee later and have done the usual gym visit this morning - still find Tuesday a day that needs to be filled.  Seven years of care home visiting Mum was a routine which obviously is not there any more.

    Like you I have been 'sorting' out drawers and off-loading things I no longer use and/or need but am lucky enough to have regular charity pick ups as well as weekly recycling which means I do not have to physically transport it (getting on a bus with it all would raise an eyebrow or two I am sure!!).

    Good news that your eyesight has improved.  I have worn glasses since 12 years of age and the reading has improved over the years but as I have had varifocals for many years just have the cost of lens changes when and if necessary.

    Thanks again and best regards to you, Mrs B and the family. Hope your grandson has recovered well from his op too.  Jules 

  • Hi Jules

    Had a whole lot written and I hadnt noticed speech recognition had turned itself on and deleted all I had written so have had to start again.

    I have just got a new laptop as the old one was much like me. (Getting slower and slower ha ha) This one is so much faster and the speech recognition seem to be much more accurate which should speed up writting my stories when I can find the time to do them that is. It was Mrs B's idea to get a new laptop for as she says, I do spend a lot of my time on it. I have re-organized my folders to make it easier to find them as over time they have become jumbled up and hard to find. I am really organized now

    Mrs B and I have just ordered a couple of riser / recliner chairs plus a matching safa as our present seating is not that comfortable. After our recent health scares, it has persueded us we need to make life as comfortable as possible for our future. Looking forward to taking delivery of them which should be in about 7 weeks. You will probably have to prise me out of mine with a crowbar when it arrives ha ha.

    The district nurse came today and told Mrs B her wound has now healed nicely and is no longer weeping so no need for me to put any more dressings on it. She is very pleased about that and so am I. Just goes to show you just cant keep a good woman down, at least not for long anyway.

    I have to give a talk and slideshow about beautiful and unusual trees to a local womans institute group on bonfire night. should go with a bang ha ha. I am working on another one which will be about the derivitives we get from trees and when doing researching for this, I was amazed how many things we get from this source.  Then there will be other talks/slideshows to follow.

    On Wednesday I managed to mow our back lawn as the grass was getting so long. It wasnt easy as it was so wet, but it might be the last chance to do it this year  and didnt want to leave it untill next year. Glad I did as like in your area, its raining here today Also like you we still have roses flowering. 

    I apologise I had forgotten to ask how are you getting on with your new manager? Lets hope you can afford to retire properly this next year as I can really recommend it. 

    Take care my good friend and I am sending kind thoughts to you and your family, Brian

     

  • Hi Brian,

    Sounds as though you have been busy and nice that you can now work fully organised on your new laptop. Voice recognition must make getting your books written down a lot quicker,  Are you in print yet?

    Fantastic news regarding Mrs B's would healing up and hopefully taking it a little easier (frustrating though it must be) hs done the trick and now her recovery will be better too.  The new seating on order could be just what the doctor ordered ha ha and maybe just in time for Christmas.............I can see you now reclined and eating chestnuts!  They are in our local store alongside the other nut offerings now but as I think I have said before not my cup of tea.

    Had a mixed weekend as the weather was awful on Saturday (I stayed indoors which I am not a fan of).  On Sunday so much better in the morning so after my usual gym visit I managed a 3+ miles walk before settling down to a late lunch.  Gave the Farmers' market a miss as too tempting ha ha.  Am on a 10 week challenge at the gym which is going quite well so should be a slimmer me by Christmas if I can keep on track...........can only be good for my hip and general health too.

    Hope you and Mrs B have a peaceful week ahead and that the rest of the family and doing okay too.  Take care. Jules

  • Hi Jules,

    Just a quick post with some really good news. Just to say Mrs B has been disharged and doesnt have to go back again. She is over the moon about this. Mind you, I had to park about a mile away and as we left the heavens opened. When we got home we had to change our clothes as we were both soaking wet. My car seats weralso wet from our coats. At least I dont need a wash today ha ha

    Take care, Brian

  • Hi Brian

    Just wonderful news to sign into this morning. I am sure both you, Mrs B and the extended family are very happy and relieved.  So very pleased for you all.  Best regards for a peaceful week ahead.  Jules

  • Hi Jules,

    Dry but very cold here this morning with a sharp frost.

    I gave a talk and slideshow on Tuesday evening and it all went very well. I had a lot of them come up and say how much they enjoyed it. I ended up with a 15 mminute question and answer session. It was to a local womens intitute group. I was asked by two other people if I would give a talk to their group. My new projector worked really well and am very very pleased with it. 

    The strong wind a few days ago blew a window out of my garage. Luckily it was a piece of clear plastic so it didnt break. Yesterday has been the first day I have had the time to put it back in so now weatherproof once again.

    Still havent yet found time to try my new printer out yet or to even set it up. Must get it done today or tommorow. Have just been so busy the past few days and the time has gone nowhere.

    Hope you are keeping well and havent got wet with all the rain we have had lately. I wish you a good weekend and am sending kind thoughts to you and your family, Brian

  • Hi Brian,

    How lovely that all your hard work was so appreciated when you gave your talk/slideshow.  It must make you glow inside to know how much enjoyment you are giving to others and looks as though Mrs B may have to set up a 'social diary' for your upcoming events!  Well done.

    We too had a frosty start both yesterday and today but a bit misty too which is not so pleasant to be out and about in.  Just waiting for it to clear a bit and then will head off out for my exercise. Finally had to succumb to putting the fire on first thing whilst I had breakfast but once on the move it can go off again!

    Son and daughter in law just about recovering from a sickness bug so both having to have a couple of days of work this week but thankfully his pet snake appears to be recovering after an operation on it's tail.  Now has a course of antibiotics and they need to try to increase his food intake to build his body weight up (had been off his food so hoping this will improve now).  It is 20 years old and perhaps showing some signs of old age ha ha.   My daughter's dog also seems to be slowly recovering from his bout of gastroenteritis so, in in all, they have been through the mill a bit. Just as well they have pet insurance!

    No plans for this weekend other than preparing my weekly food planner/shopping and housework...........not very exciting but necessary but really miss not being able to get into the garden other than to top up the fat balls.  This morning had a flock of starlings that soon demolished what was out and now the sparrows and blue/great *** are making the most of the daily seed feed.  Pleasant to watch.  I even had to break the ice on their bathing areas so obviously a rather chilly night!!

    Wishing you and Mrs B a peaceful and pleasant weekend and week ahead.  Take care.  Jules

  • Hi Jules,

    Yesterday morning my son picked me up and took me to Sheffield Park Garden which is not that far from me so I could try out my new camera. I have attached 4 photos I took. Not up to your high standard I'm afaraid

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    Hope you like them , Brian