Hi Brian,

A lovely time of year to take your new camera on an outing and the pictures are lovely; such good colours and composition. Must have been great to be able to spend some quality time with your son too.  No doubting the fact that you love your trees!

I was also out and about as it was a beautifully sunny day. After a visit to the gym I caught the tube into London and did my usual three parks walk, Holland Park, Kensington Palace Gardens and ended with Hyde Park (used to take my lunch there during my last years at work, many moons ago).  Actually do not think the camera can fully capture the wonderful variation of colours. Need to reduce the size of those taken so I can perhaps share a couple here next time.  In the meantime here is a heron that was perched high on his look out post over the Kyoto Garden within Holland Park.

Sunny start here again today but rain forecast so my supermarket shop will hopefully be done in the dry. Enjoy your day with Mrs B.  Jules

[[]]

Hi Jules,

Yesterday I got talked into doing a small craft fair and allthough I sold reasonably well (I only took a selection of small items) I was so tired and My back was so paonfull I had to take some pain killers before I could get to sleep last night. So I am glad I have reluctantly decided not to take part in our own annual show in a fortnights time. Mrs B said she thinks my health scare has taken more out of me than I thought and I think she is right.

Last week I found the chap who used to have a market stall in town hreluctantlyas one in another nearby town and have bought some chestnuts from him. They are huge and very nice so am enjoying them. Still as nutty as ever as Mrs B says.

Still cant seem to get back into my usual routine as I always seem to have so much to do. at the moment. Last Wednesday I was asked to give a talk and slide show to our club members as the speaker we had booked couldnt make it. I was very embarassed as just as I was about to start, my laptop decided it was time to do an update so I was about ten minutes late in starting.Didnt even know the hall had wi-fi.  But I'm told everyone enjoyed it and several people came up and thanked me, saying they had really enjoyed it. It was one about woodwork from all round the world, from small items right up to large timber framed buildings. I have been booked to give another one to our members in June next year. 

It is a nice day for your usual Sunday walk and at least you should be ab;le to do it in the dry for once. Take care and am sending kind thoughts to you and your family, Brian

Hi Brian,

You have certainly been  busy and in demand (how lovely) but would seem Mrs B might be right that it was a little too much for you.  A shame that you will miss your annual show but sensible nonetheless to take care of yourself more, however frustrating I know that will be.

I was not out walking last Sunday as staying with elderly friends for the weekend.  It was however lovely to be with them and we enjoyed a social evening (at a Masonic Ladies evening) of good food, raffle and dancing on Saturday.  Bless him he is in his eightieth year and had to take a couple of painkillers before getting up the following morning so breakfast became brunch and then I caught the train back home in the afternoon.

Yesterday was cool but sunny so I made up for the lack of walking at the weekend by taking a stroll at Kew Gardens and enjoying the wildlife and lovely autumn colours for a few hours. 5 miles covered in all but wonderfully relaxing.

I saw my son and the grandchildren on Friday for a few hours and was good to catch up with all their family news and will soon be spending a couple of days with them......just need to find a weekend to suit us all but hopefully in a couple of weeks.

Do take care of yourself and no overdoing it now...............I know Mrs B will be keeping an eye on you just as much as you keep watch over her.  Good team work!  Best regards to you both and the family.  Jules 

Hi Jules,

Sorry to have been absent for so long, I did reply the other day but it looks like I musy have pressed the wrong button Silly devil. The last few days have been pretty manic. We had our clubs annual shaow last Saturday and for the first time in 33 years I didnt have a stall. Instead I looked after our club stand trying to recruit new members and had six people very intersted in joining our club, We will have to man the stand in future. Even so I came home absolutely dead tired and fell fast asleep in my chair. Just proved my point that I made thr right decision not to have a stall for I would have had to bring all my boxes downstairs and out to the car and then back again at the end of the day. I did miss not having the stall though but my energy levels have still not returned to normal as yet. 

I will shortly be posting potos of our show. We had three new members exhibiting at out show two of them for the first time. One make wooden pen and he nearly sold out. I was very rpleased for him and it is nice to have new exhibitors.

We are supposed to be getting our recliner chairs delivered tommorow and we cant wait to get them. Mrs B has allready brought my crowbar in from the garage as I have told her thats the only way she is going to get me out of my chair in future ha ha. We are giving our old sofas which were in good condition to a furniture charity but they cant collect untill next Thursday so my car is having to stay outside the garage for now. 

Wet and windy here this morning and also very dark; I have had to put the light on so I can see what I am doing.  Bet your granchildren are looking forward to Christmas. I know mine are. 

I have six slide show/talks sorted and another four under way. I am try to get them to last about 45 minutes as with the talk I can make it up to the hour if nessecary. 

I have stocked up on my chestnuts. There just isnt enough hours in the day at the moment to do all that I want to do.

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

Hi Brian,

Like you have been pretty busy. Must be the time of year  ha ha.  Hope you have recovered from the Show and now have the pleasure of enjoying your new recliners with Mrs B.

Work has been busy so am very happy I do limited hours now.  Just next week to get through and then I am off until 1st January.  I have various social get-togethers next week and also going out to see some of the local light displays (weather permitting) next Friday before I start my own festive preparations.  As you say definitely not enough hours in the day but we are all looking forward to some quality family time.  Just have to hope that my 6yr old grandson recovers (and does not pass it round his family) from his tummy bug.  He has been off school the past two days and under the GP who thinks it is viral but unfortunately as some blood noticed he may require more tests if it does not clear up soon.  My daughter should have begun extra hours (after school club and cleaning job) this week but of course has had to be at home.

Glad you have plenty of chestnuts though by now you will probably be ready to shop for more!!

I have spent the early evening decorating the Christmas tree which they delivered for me this morning and now settling down to a bit of peace and relaxation.  Take care and best wishes to you, Mrs B and the family.  Jules

Hi Brian,

Lovely to see your e-mail pop into my laptop. Firstly I would wish you, Mrs B and the family a peaceful and enjoyable Christmas.  I am sure having your new comfy recliners will be an added bonus.

I am sure you are finding it very frustrating having to deal with your knee problems and the atrocious weather does play havoc with various aches and pains. Somehow always seems more annoying during the run up to festive season when there are things to be done. Happily you are a whizz on the computer and the paperwork will certainly be keeping you focussed.

Really pleased that Mrs B is keeping very well and hope that the year 2020 will be good for you both. I am sure you are more than used to doing as you are told ha ha and wonder if the crow bar has yet had to be used to get you out of the new chair!!

I got a little into the festive spirit yesterday as a friend and I decided to brave (yes, I know I'm a little crazy!!) to go to the Winterfest festival of light at Wembley.  Saw some of it in the dry and the rest will hoods up and camera 'shielded' as best I could.  We then enjoyed a festive brew (coffee/tea) before catching the tube home (for me, via the fish and chippy!!).

An early start this morning and as the rain had stopped I went straight to the supermarket and am now all set for my visitors who begin to arrive on Christmas Eve (just the meat order to collect on Monday).  Was delighted when the bill came as, after they deducted my points,  it was less than £15!!!!!  Lovely and sunny here now so after catching up with my mail I am off for a walk as I think the wet stuff is due to return.

Take care, enjoy having your feet up and once again all the very best for Christmas and 2020.  Your forum friendship is so much appreciated.  Jules

A photo from my outing yesterday and I would like to wish all my friends on the forum the very best of season's greetings and all the very best for 2020.  Thank you all for your continued support as I continue to travel my own journey.

A mention to all the hard-working Moderators, staff, volunteers that make this forum and cancer research in general, a community I am so grateful to have walking beside me.  Jules[[]]

Hi Jules, 

I have finnished writting my first space type story the other day and am over half way through another one about a man who is not happy with what he is doing with his life. On his way into work after a heavy snowstorm, He finds an old mans body on a bench in the local park. It deeply effects him that the old man died all alone and seeming without a freind in the world. He vows to research the old mans life and finds out he was a war hero.  I do enjoy writing these short stories The last one was 42 pages long at A5 and this one will probably end up about the same.  I now have over a million words written in 68 short stories and another 33,000 in what I call my mini shorts. After Christmas I must try and put sime of my stories onto Kindle. 

Wishing you and your family a very happy Christmas, Brian

P.S. Here is a picture I took of a vistor we had through the window of our front garden Yesterday.

[[]]

Wow Brian, that was an unusual visitor and glad you got such a good photo of it.

Your writing ability shows what a great imagination you have being able to turn thoughts into the written word. Would love to read them when you get them onto kindle one day.  Best regards. Jules