Hi Jules, thanks very much for the bicarb of soda tip. I will give it a go as just finished the last of the chemists offering. Have already been guzzling Cranberry juice so will add the magic ingredient in with it.

Oh dear, so you now have display shelves in your kitchen in place of a cupboard. I'm sure it looks great filled with pretty things since your sort out.

Have received the paperwork from my nurse to complete re the oedema treatment and a card for the private therapist so will see how that all works out. Have started doing it myself too after watching a couple of videos on the internet. Can't do any harm can it.

Your "locked in the bathroom" tale reminded me of the Andrex puppy adverts, how cute were they. I'm sure it wasn't the only time you embarrased your parent either, we all have a knack for that don't we?!

Lovely afternoon sleep and am now planning some  tv viewing before dinner. Hoping to have some gentle garden time tomorrow then off to my Mum's in the evening which will round off the weekend nicely.

Take care  Sue xx

Hi Sue

Hope you are feeling a little better (water infections I found very tiring) and the bicarb tip can help.  If not then it may be that antibiotics (and not diahrea powders!) will be necessary.  The chemist  treatment only worked occasionally for me!!

Remember the Andrex ads well but am afraid I was not/am not that cute!!

Spent a day out with daughter and grandsons yesterday and was very successful with the retail therapy. Daughter found an outfit for Zack's christening and another party next month, we had lunch out and then both found a couple of other small items and also managed to solve some Christmas gifts.  Got home in time to give the boys tea at mine before their Dad came and picked them up. Thankfully their family car has now been repaired (been off the road for over a week) and so a few more smiles to be had (the courtesy car was okay but an expense they could do without all round).

Hope you were able to do  your garden pottering and enjoyed dinner with your Mum.  Take care. Jules x

Hi Jules, sounds as if you had a fun day yesterday and so organised in getting some Christmas gifts sorted too. How efficient are you?! Mind you, it's not that far away now I suppose. Every year I vow to be done by November and yet I still end up running around like a headless chicken on Christmas Eve!

Much better now, thanks so much for your handy tip. Still in the loo a lot but think that's because I have been drinking much more than usual to try and flush out the infection so all is well.

Have bitten the bullet and made my first appointment to see the recommended private Lymphoedema therapist on Saturday. Had a long chat with her over the phone earlier this evening and although she stressed that there is no cure or indeed any quick fix I am hoping for at least some kind of improvement over the course of the sessions. Fingers crossed eh?

Didn't make it out in the garden yesterday but did get an unexpected visitor. I have a stable style back door and had left the top half of it open while sitting in another room. Heard a few strange noises so went to investigate only to find a Magpie nosing about in the kitchen. I don't know who was more surprised but luckily he decided that he'd seen enough and flew out again!

Am now waiting for an estimate for my roof repair having finally (2 months later) got them to come back for another look so all being well it shouldn't be toooo long before I can put the towels back to the cupboard again. In the meantime I am growing some pretty specatular mushroom on the kitchen ceiling!

Hope today's stint at work wasn't too busy for you and that you enjoy your day tomorrow whatever you get up to.  Take care  Sue x

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Hi Sue

Old habits die hard as when the children were small I used to use the Autumn half term to get the Christmas ball rolling!!  Once I started working in retail  (late 90's) I really did not fancy 'shopping' once I had done my 6hr shift on my feet!!(will be working Christmas Eve so my daughter may well have to pick up my turkey (I am having family on Boxing Day so will cook it and it will be in the middle of the cold buffet table)  To  be fair I have only a few to buy for which makes a huge difference and I do tend to pick up things during the year if I see something appropriate. To help with all the family budgets we long ago agreed to a £15 max spend for adults which helps considerably.

Glad my tip has helped. The bicarb sits in my medical box!!

Hope your first session with the private therapist goes well and at least you will be able to see first hand what you can be doing yourself too.  She may also have some ideas as to which painkillers would be the best to use for the condition.  Just extremely annoying that the only way for you to find some relief could be long term and has to be self funded grrrr.  Hope it does not cause you any problems with your upcoming op (date yet?).

What a cheeky magpie!  We used to have a robin that would come in during the summer and sit on the chair by the dining table (patio doors always open when the weather warm enough) and he loved 'cheese'. Love the sound of the stable door feature too.  I currently have 6 goldfinches on the feeders but with two local cats lurking  they will not hand around long!!!

Today I will visit Mum but also have relatives meeting at the Residential Home at 11am so will work round that and then go to the gym as is the normal routine for my days when not working or otherwise busy.

Chilly start here but sun already shining and as there is a good breeze am now off to get my washing out. Have a good day and take care. Jules x

Good morning Jules,

Bright and sunny here but not that warm yet. Mrs B has a large strawberry from the garden yesterday and she said it was very nice. Mr Tesco has let me down today; they still havent got my Chestnuts in stock so I bough a packet of cashew s and one of pistachios. So at least I have something to munch on.

It should be a nice morning for your walk to see you mother and I hope you are able to hold a decent conversation with her. Will have to try later to mow the back garden as the grass has got quite long. Front one is not so bad luckily. Good luck at the gym; you are far braver than me. Have got our monthly wood club meeting on Wednesday so have sent the usual e-mail reminder to our members. We have a talk from one of our own member who is going to tell us about stick making, he produces some wonderful walking sticks.

My friend from the wood club will be cremeted on the 23rd and brother in law on the 26th of this month. Mrs B is feeling a little easier knowing her brother is no longer suffering  but at the same time  very upset for she is now the only one left from her side of the family. She tends to keep her feelings close to her chest and doesnt like talking about them too much even to me, and as a consequence often ends up having a diabteic turn. So I am having to keep a close eye on her so no going out in the garage for me.

Take care Jules, I hope the workout does not tire you too much, Hugs from Brian

Hi Brian, with you looking after Mrs.B so well I truly hope she doesn't have any of her turns to add to the already stressful time you both are having. Don't forget to look after yourself too, will you,  even without a supply of chestnuts to keep you going. Take care of yourselves. x

Hi Jules, Hope the residents meeting went well today and that you were reassured by what they had to tell you?

Your little robin visitor sounded lovely, they are such friendly & inquisitive little birds aren't they, and so tame. Someone told me it was good luck to salute when you see a magpie but in all the kerfuffle I forgot to do it on Sunday!

Am strangely nervous about the first therapy session as I have never had a massage before, let alone such a personal one, but I am sure I'll cope once it's under way. I mentioned my shoulder op was on 16 Nov and she thought it would almost certainly make the current situation worse so I am thinking of arranging most of the sessions for afterwards, to maximise any possible benefits. I'll know much more about everything once I've seen her at the weekend.

Jusr remembered it's bin day tomorrow so better go and do that before I forget again!

Take care and good luck with the next couple of work days, fingers crossed that you are not too rushed off your feet.  Sue xx

Hi Brian

No strawberries in my garden but did buy a large punnet of British grown strawberries yesterday and am enjoying them very much.  Sorry your supermarket has let  you down with your favourite choice of nuts but I see you are being kept happy temporarily with alternative types.  My wild birds are currently enjoying a treat of peanut nibbles!!

Enjoyed the sunny walk to see Mum and a reasonable visit as she found something to talk about - the furniture had been moved around (there are three different lounges) and she was wondering where the sofa had gone (she never sat on it mind you).  I asked if she had spoken to the staff about it and she looked at me as though I had lost my marbles ha ha and said it disappeared whilst she went for breakfast. On investigation it has been moved to the larger lounge so a couple of 'friends' can sit together.  After my visit I then moved onto the relatives meeting and spent an hour or so hearing all the forthcoming plans/discussed ideas and raised a few queries.  

I finally got to the gym about 12.45 and whilst chatting with another member found out she had gone to the same secondary school as me (had some of the same teachers too) though she started as I was leaving.  Considering I moved out of that area when I married what a small world!!  It was a very social circuit (and it only takes 30 mins!!).

By the time I got home decided against mowing the lawn and relaxed after lunch instead.  Now I wish I had, as it has been showery here today and so I will have to watch the grass grow for a  bit longer.

It will  be sad saying goodbye to a member of the family and  your wood club friend within a few days of each other later this month.  Like Mrs B I understand that feeling of finding comfort in that the suffering is at an end but for those left behind  the grieving process  is another journey to travel through. My thoughts are with you both.  Jules xx

Hi Sue

This will be second time lucky with replying (my internet signal keeps dropping out and I lost the last attempt).

I am sure you will find the massage fine but can understand your nervousness as you have not ad it before, I had nevery tried massage and then when hubby was ill I was offered head/neck massage for stress relief (by local hospice day therapy unit) and found it very relaxing.  Hopefully once you understand what is happening, and although its a form of treatment for you, you will feel the benefits. Sounds like a good idea to keep appointments for for after your next op too. Do let me know how you get on.

Yes, love the robins (have two fairly regularly) and though the magpies fly overhead quite regularly do not often land in the garden (cannot land on the feeders!!!)..  Today I have had several goldfinches and the great and blue *** have found the peanut ring so a pleasure to watch.

All went well on my visit to Mum and the meeting afterwards was informative.  They hold both resident and relative meeting pretty regularly and I go when I can as it is good to know how things are moving forward month on month.  They are about to start re-decoration of the lounges, dining room and the bedrooms which should keep the maintennce team employed for a good while!!

Pretty chilly and showery here today so will have to sort out my heavier jacket - a bit breezy around the nether regions waiting for the tube this morning brr. Bit annoyed with myself putting off mowing the lawn yesterday as will now have to watch the grass grow longer!!

Youngest grandson turns 2 tomorrow - how quickly that time has gone.  Unfortunately he has developed a grotty cold so not sure he will enjoy that so much, still hopefully will be cleared up before his christening  a week on Sunday.

Right, off to make a hot drink and pop the fire on for the evening.  Take care and chat soon.  Jules xx

Hi Jules, Happy Birthday to your little grandson for tomorrow, what a shame about the cold as he may understandably be a bit tetchy, poor mite, but fingers crossed he's all better on his big day at the christening.

Glad the relatives meeting went well and good to hear the redecorating is due to start, as long as it's not too niosy and disruptive for your Mum and the other residents.

You're lucky having your tribe of goldfinches and the various *** as well as the robins, they obviously know a great restaurant when they see one! I much prefer the smaller one too but also have regular visits from two pairs of collard doves. All lovely to watch.

Showers all day here as well. Received my quote for doing the roof but could not access my personal email from work and then came home to find I couldn't open the pdf file from home so have had to forward it to my work email address which I will access in a minute, hopefully (all this modern technology and I can't see how much they want to charge me). On second thoughts I should probably wait until morning just in case when I finally get to see it it causes nightmares !

Hope you enjoyed your fireside drink and all the best for tomorrow's onslaught.

Take care  Sue xx

Hi Jules,

Hooray, went to the outdoor greencrocery stand on Wednesday and lo and be hold, they had loads of chestnuts. I am not joking Jules, I have never seen quite such big nuts; they are more like small cannonballs ha ha. Very tasty they are too. I mentioned to our next door neighbour they also had big packs of Cox's apples for a £1 and Mrs B had bought a pack and she mentioned she had been trying to get hold of some. So a bit later on, I went back up and bought her a pack. Now just before you think what a nice guy, just let me tell you, It was really so I could buy some more nuts ha ha. No good getting older if you dont get craftier. 

I will have to go and see the nurse at the doctors shortly to get my shingles jab. Ouch. Our club meeting last night was an excelent evening and the speaker who is a member of our club gave a very informative, entertaining and humorous talk about how he makes walking sticks. Looks like several of our member will attend my friends cremation and a couple of the wives are going to kindly phone his wife which I an sure she will appreciate.

He had a lot of timber which his wife want to clear but I thought it wasnt right to talk about that at the club last night so will annonce that next month. She has asked that any money raised be donated to Chestnut Tree Childrens Hospice where my youngest grandson used to go for a while. I have started to write some mini short stories; about two to three A5 pages which I am going to send off to some Of Mrs B's womens magazines. Nothing to lose allthough not expecting any response.

At least you now have the weekend to enjoy allthough I expect you will busying yourself with something. Take care, sending kind thoughts and best wishes to you and your family, Brian,