General Chat

Hi Ladies,

Huia, did you manage to speak to Phil? I hope he has settled down a little bit. Sorry you've had a problem with the car--it's amazing how it always gives us trouble when we need it most. At least when you pick the car up you'll know that it will be okay.I hope your eyes are alright after missing your drops.

Liz, hope you have recovered from your escapade--you certainly made me laugh-- sometimes the men think they know it all, and drive us poor ladies round the bend. Hope you are keeping well!

Jean, I've got a photo ready to send to you---the only problem is, waiting for Alun to send it for me--must admit he has shown me a few times how to send things, but I keep forgetting how. So much for my brains. At the moment he is 'playing' with his train, 'boys and their toys', everything else comes second or third.
I'm having a bit of trouble with one of my scrap pages, trying to get the colours right.

Mo, you made me laugh too, when you were telling us about Roly driving. I don't have any problems like that because I can't drive. So Alun has to do all the driving. But when Richard or Jennie are driving he tends to tell them both how to drive--never mind that Richard passed his test nearly nine years ago and Jennie passed her test almost five years ago.
It would be nice if you could pluck up the courage to fly Mo--it's so different travelling on a Jumbo or an Airbus, I'm sure you would be fine. If I can do it, I'm sure you can. After flying to New York I realised how much I had missed out over the years.
Lets hope that your granddaughter has had her results and that everything is clear. Keeping my fingers croosed for her!

Thinking about Sue, Grace, Marie, Marilyn and Debbie, and hoping you are all alright.

Sending special wishes to Huia and Phil.xx

Best wishes to everyone!

Love, Sallie.xx

Hi Mo,
Just seen your message. I think it's the younger generation Mo, they are so laid back at times, it's a wonder they don't fall over. But I know what you mean, sometimes their attitude gives the impression that they are not bothered about anyone but themselves. I have had the same thing in the past with both mine, they are a lot better now , thank goodness.

Anyway Mo, I hope your daughter will feel better soon. Please give her my good wishes when you speak to her. Both you and Roly take care!

Love, Sallie.xx

Hello all ~~~~

I cant remember what I told you yesterday. I phoned the hospital and they said it would be good if I could visit. Phil had been very angry, trying to break down doors and windows to get out but when he said he wanted to go for a walk somebody took him for a walk in the garden. Probably not enough for his liking, he likes long hikes, but at least he would have realised that he didnt have to stay cooped up indoors all the time.

It was suggested that I should visit him. No way could I have done that yesterday but I will get a taxi back to our nearest town today and then the train to the hospital. I am taking the last of my homemade biscuits and a few sweets in a small plastic jar. Also his harmonica, and last night I printed a lot of mostly older photos onto ordinary A4 paper, 2 to a page, and have put them in a clearfile so he can show people and talk about them. There are several photos about tramps we have done (more than just hikes) in the past, plus climbing Ruapehu and flying over it when it was erupting, so the hospital will see how keen he is on walking and being outdoors.

Slept in late this morning so better get moving and phone for a taxi. It is now 9.30am.

Huia.

Hope the trip has gone ok Huia - have mailed you etc.


I am still giving o.h. the cold shoulder so when he got home at 12.30am, yes he did have to stay on lol, and said he wanted the car again today as his knee is sore, I said well I need it too, and said no more. He tried to start conversation but I was very short with him and soon he gave up and went to bed, all nice clean linen and if he has rumpled my side of the bed, he is dead!

night folks lol

Lizxxx

AARRGGHH!!! You just wouldnt read about it. The good part first. Just after closing the computer down the phone went, our firefighter friend wanting to know how Phil was. I told him I was planning to visit but had to phone for a taxi to take me to Papakura as our ute was in for fixing. He insisted on taking me, even though I am sure he hadnt had any intention of going to town. He dropped me off at the r/way station and I got the train through. It stops right beside the hospital. But trying to find Ward 22 ...... following the signs, I am sure I went in half a dozen circles, wondered when I would get to the middle of the spiral. The visit went better than I expected. When I said I had better be going he had the idea he was coming too but I managed to persuade him to stay. Big relief.

Back in Papakura I picked up the ute (over $1100) and drove to Papatoetoe to pay our insurance as I dont like posting big (over $1400) cheques. As I slowed to come off the motorway there I noticed that I had a mini tap dancer under the bonnet. Uh oh. Back in Papakura I went back to the place that had fixed it. It was just the exhaust under the bonnet had taken to rattling and needs welding so I will get that done one day when I am going to visit Phil but it is not an urgent thing that might leave me stranded, whew.

I went to the printers and my calendars were in a box waiting. I was going to pay and just take them but they said I should look at them first. Just as well, as when I turned to January my jaw dropped and I hated having to tell them that the photo was upside down! It is a photo of a lake and they insisted that it was the right way, trees framing the top (weeds growing in the foreground!). They pointed out that they had showed me a sample last week. I said I would surely have noticed an error like that, so the woman went and got the sample and her face was a picture when she turned to the page as the picture was the right way up! She said Xerox would have to answer to that (would the machine have inverted it?) Anyway I shouldnt have to pay extra for them to remove all the staples and reprint the cover, I would imagine, but another day to wait for my baby!! Waahhh. They had suggested that nobody else would notice the error but there is no way I would want to sell it with such an error.

Anyway as I was heading out of Papakura to come home some idiot stepped onto the road in front of me without looking and he wasnt even on a very nearby crossing. Luckily I was going fairly slowly and slowed and honked, but our horn is useless. He was totally oblivious. There was a police car coming the other way and when I noticed they were stopping I thought they had seen him and were stopping to tell him off so I stopped round the corner and walked back, but they were tackling a couple of young people and putting them in the car. I am not sure what they had done but when they had finished I commented to the policeman about what had happened and how I had thought that was why they had stopped. I arrived home safely but now I am wondering how I will fare at the docs tomorrow. Will he find something terrible wrong with me? Things arent going in 3s for me, I think I am jinxed. Please send all your good-things-happening thoughts my way, I need them.

Hi All ,I have just read the posts and I did have a good laugh, especially at Liz and her cold shoulder comment , I dont get any of that now and havent for the last 16 yrs.
I dont really have anything to tell you so I will wish you all a peacefull sleep and a bright sunny day tomorrow.
God Bless you all Marie (((((((((hugs to all )))))))))))
Marie XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Oh our Huia,what are we to do with you.
I am so glad the visit to your O.H went well. At least now your mind can rest knowing that he is being well cared for. Ah bless him,he probably thought you had come to take him home. But,as long as they him for his nice long walks,he will be more contented.
Did you take the photo's in,of him tramping,so that the staff could see what his enjoyment is.?
How the heck did they not notice that they had your pic,upside down.
Why the goodness should you have to pay for their mistake anyway.
Pray to god they get it right next time. Did you check all the other pics as well,to make sure they had not made any other errors.
It seems like the police must have been on a call out,when you had your near miss,with the imbecile who had a death wish.
You will be in my thoughts and prayers,for your doctors appointment.
Hello Our Marie. It doesn't matter if you have no news to relate,as long as we hear from you we know you are o.k.
How is your weather now?. Has it warmed up yet? I am trying to remember when your summer starts again.
If my cousin out there had phoned me I would know,but I have been a bit remiss and I owe her a call really. But she tells me that it hardly costs her
very much at all,to phone England. So I don't know if you get special rates out there on certain calls.
BIG BIG Waves to Jean,Marilyn,Grace,Sue,Liz,and Debbie.
Take care all. Love Mo xxx

Hi everyone, here I am, back in the land of the mundane!!! I have read all the threads that have been posted on here since I have been away, far too many to comment on individually, but I am sure you all won't mind me sending Huia a message through here.

Huia, you are a very caring and loving person to someone with whom you have shared so many ups and downs (I can tell that by the tone of your messages). However, you have done the best thing at the moment and I hope that you are now catching up on sleep and social time, which you so deserve.

My F-In-L has got alzheimers and it is a terrible illness. He was widowed a few years back so there was nobody to look after him when he started wandering, so the family had to make the difficult decision to have his illness assessed. He was in a psychiatric Unit for 2 weeks whilst they tested him and we eventually had him moved to a secure Dementia Unit. My Hubby was in pieces about it at the time, but that was back in April and we now appreciate that his life has actually improved for him in his condition.

He is safe, well looked after with 24 hour care and the Care Home take them all out daily, so he gets exercise and fresh air. As he has settled in, we have been able to take him out and spend time with our family, which has pleased him immensley. He cannot remember we have taken him anywhere and we have to sometimes talk to him about things of no consequence or significance, but he is happy.

I am sure that after a while your OH will settle, and the aggression and anger will slip away to become a realisation (unfortunately, this often happens as the illness progresses), but you are in my thoughts and prayers, and and I know that in time you will know that you have made the right decision.

LOVE DEBBIE xxx

Hi there again, thought I'd better separate my threads, and leave the one for Huia as a different one.

Well, whilst you lot have had various things going on in your lives for the past 2 weeks, I have been having a fantastic holiday. Wall to wall sunshine for 2 weeks, which is unheard of for us, as it usually rains for at least 50% of our hols.

We camped through France and ended up in the Pyrenees, which were absolutely beautiful. We have been to the Alps before but the scenery and landscape around us at every turn this year far outclassed that of the Alps.

The camping went well, only 4 different sites so we stayed longer at each one than we would do normally, and we made the most of our surroundings. Loads of walking, visits to National Parks, Mountains, Waterfalls, Beaches and just generally chilling out. We made it to Andorra one day, and would not re-visit in a hurry. It was a long drive there and even though the mountains were spectacular, the towns were just filled with duty free shops and bumper to bumper traffic. Not a very pleasant experience for us, but at least we can say we have been there.

One place we visited that fascinated me was Lourdes. I have heard so much about the place, and the area around where the "Holy Water" can be found and by the Cathedral is really moving and I felt quite emotional being there. I am not a hugely religious person but I did appreciate the fact that some people there had such a strong belief that the waters and prayers would heal them or help them in their suffering, but I found it difficult to see so many people in such a small area putting so much hope into something like that. It certainly moved me to more than a few tears at times.

Unfortunately, the place is also very commercialised and you do wonder who is benefitting most from there, whether it is the people who visit with a genuine need, or if it is all the merchants selling their Souvenirs. Anyway, it was an emotionally fascinating place to visit and I'm very pleased I have been. If you ever want to visit some amazing mosiacs in a fantastic setting, then Lourdes Cathedral is the place to be..

The full 16 days we were away were filled with adventure and happiness and a fantastice family time, which has been lacking recently due to various things going on in the family. We have all come back refreshed and looking forward rather than backwards. Just what the doctor ordered.

I wish you all well, and will pop back on here during the week, when I am not being kept occupied by the children.

Best wishes to one and all.

DEBBIE

Welcome back Debbie.
It sounds like you had a really good time.
A friend of mine went to lourdes,she is of the catholic faith,and she said she thought it wonderful. But,she was with a community of people who had actually gone there for healing purposes.
As you say,it has now become to commercial,and where people used to go,just for the waters,that has been over ridden,by greed.
Did the children enjoy themselves?. Camping can be such fun for the young.
I used to feel let down if we went caravaning,but these days,the vans are
so modern,and have every facililty.
I presume you used tents,and not a van. I just thought,crikey it would have to be big for all of you.
Have you been catching up on the washing,or did you manage to do some whilst you were away?
I will let you get on with your relaxation now. Speak to you soon. Mo xxx

Mo, I took in a variety of photos. There was one at a Christmas party at Wembley when he used to work in the kennels there as a teenager.

As all the photos were 2 to an A4 page I was able to write in the borders who, what, where, when.

The next was taken in the war dogs training school with the dogs running to their handlers as called. Phil did his nat. service there just before he came to NZ.

Photos of me, the children and grandchildren, his parents and sister, our current cat and the last cat and dog.

Lots of photos of some of the tramps we have done up Ruapehu and Tongariro and the Kepler track in the South Island. Also one of our flight over Ruapehu when it was erupting. A couple of photos of the nearby dam and the 108 steps on a track near it. Our case manager said she had been there.

I am hoping the staff will look through the photos and realise how much he loves walking and the outdoors. I did tell one of them that he just lives for walking. Phil didnt have much to say while I was there until I said goodbye and then he said he thought he was coming home with me.

Debbie, I know Phil is in the best place, although that will probably not be permanent, but I will have to ask if I should book him in for the permanent place I like or if I should wait or let them do it. The trouble is that there are often shortages of vacancies. I just dont want him home here permanently, it is not safe for him and it is not good for my health which doesnt help him at all. I am looking forward to the time when I feel I have caught up on all the sleep I have missed this year, and I am enjoying not having a Siamese twin when I go to town, and am looking forward to possibly rejoining the choir I was in and doing so more genealogy.

Better go and have a shower soon, I havent had one since son was here on Saturday! It is now Wed. morning.

My love to all you beautiful caring people.

Huia.

Hi Everyone,

Huia, I'm so pleased that your visit to Phil went well and that you didn't have too much trouble persuading him to stay at the hospital. Sorry that you have another problem with the car--lets hope that they can fix it very soon. You must have been disappointed when you seen the calendars -- they had a nerve suggesting that you take the calendars as they are, and that nobody would notice. Just because they didn't notice, it doesn't mean that no one else will. You know that the calendars are not right and couldn't sell them as they are. You shouldn't get charged for their mistake.
Hope all will go well at the doctors tomorrow, I'll be thinking about you.

Debbie, so glad you all had a lovely holiday and that you had good weather the whole of the time. It's nice to have you back .

Marie, it's nice to hear from you and to know that all is well with you and your family.

Liz, you made me laugh when you told us about the nice clean linen on the bed. I hope he didn't crumple your side of the bed.

Mo, hope you, Roly and the family are alright. I've been out quite a bit today.
Went to Nottingham this morning, had to go to one of the art shops there, they also sell craft things, although they are a bit expensive so only go as a last resort. Anyway I managed to get what I wanted, so it wasn't a wasted journey.

Love to Jean, Grace, Sue and Marilyn.

Best wishes to you all.

Love, Sallie.xx

Next episode: I knew it was a mistake to go to docs! My bp was up but that wasnt surprising, but I asked him to check out an itch you-know-where. He said while it isnt cancerous he would write to the super clinic and they would probably want to do a biopsy in case it is precancerous. I wasnt upset by that. A friend was waiting to have lunch with me and I quite cheerfully told her, but when I went to visit Phil I decided to tell the Charge Nurse and I burst into tears telling her. Then not too long after I got home, before I had unlocked the deadbolts a woman from down the road knocked. When I saw her I burst into tears again and hugged her as I told her. It has been one d****** thing after another lately and this possibility is the last straw, although I will beat it if it is precancerous. It never pays to be too embarrassed to mention these things to a (male) doc. A former neighbour would never go for a smear test because she would be too embarrassed. I said I preferred a little embarrassment to finding I had cancer.

BTW am I spellling embar(r?)assed correctly? It is one word I can never be sure about. Too lazy to check it out.

Huia, wondering what tomorrow will bring. (But my baby is home at last!)

AFTERNOON EVERYONE !!

Its hot and humid here in Devon , but cant complain because its not raining !

My gosh everyone writes a chapter of a book on here ..LOL

I cant keep pace with you all, but I do read all your messages even though I don't always respond back to you individually.
Huia,
Please don't worry about your thoughts of cancer ,as I'm a survivor of Cervical cancer, it is treatable, so that's one worry off of your list.
So you have to like you say take one day at a time as we all have to now.

Take care everyone love seeing all your posts.

Marilyn xx

Huia I a sure that you are emotional because you have been through such a tough time lately and I am equally sure that the tears did you good. Of course the thought of cancer is scary (I have a hospital appointment looming to check out what I and the Dr think is a rodent ulcer, but any lump is a lump and could be anything so i am sort of scaredish too) But the Dr has said your is probably pre cancer whcih means they have caught it before it turns cancerous which is good. Good luck with it anyway.

Marilyn, hot and very windy here in Gloucester but not humid, make the most of it because the forecasters are warning it is a one day wonder.... The joys of an English summer!! But then without the rain our trees would not be so green so we should not complain really, just wish it could be a bit more equal, less rain and more sun!!!!

Ann
Glos

Hi all.
It's a very very hot day here in Kent. I was in the garden at eight a.m,filling in between the paving slabs. Roly did half of it yesterday,and I finished the rest before it got to hot.
Roly has finished painting the front of the house,so we are now up to date with most of things that have to be done before winter sets in.
Huia,god willing it will not be as you are thinking. Have they said when you have to go to the clinic? BIG BIG HUGS for you,we are here for you love.
I am glad you took the photo's in for Phil,they will be his life line to normality,and for all his good memories.
Phil has had such a full,and exciting life bless him.
If I could find a four leaf clover,I would send it to you,to change your luck for
better,rather than bad.
It seems unfair Sallie,that they charge so much for crafting bits.
When I was at work,my boss was really good at card making. But she said how dear everything was,and had to charge people more for her cards than she really wanted to.
Marilyn,have you got those plants put in yet? and hows the curtain making going. You must be sweating buckets,doing it in this weather.
I think I will make tea for everyone.
(_)?(_)?(_)?(_)?(_)?(_)?(_)?(_)? and coffee{_}?{_}?{_}?{_}?{_}?{_}?
xxxxxxto Jean,Marie,Debbie,Graceand Liz,and Ann in glos
Best wishes Mo xxx

Mo, P.M. sent

Huia, same for you...

Jean xx

Thank you every body. Here is a poem I have just thought up:

How much more, oh Lord.
My back might be broad
But how much more must I take?
Please give me a break.

I think he must be really trying me to make sure I am fit for heaven when I go.

I am not scared about the biopsy, as has been said it isnt cancer yet and MIGHT just be precancerous. But with my father dying of Leukaemia and my younger sister of bowel cancer I have to get things checked out.

I must have sounded like a real drama queen lately, but I havent invented any of it. I try to put a funny side on my postings but like the clown inside I am often in tears. And saying that has started me again. Better go and find the master turncock to stop the flow.

I love you all, going out soon so better get changed.

Huia.

Hi all,
been hot here in Norwich on Weds and more today I think, wish I could just sit outside and read and enjoy the sun,but no, had to drive into the city and do errands and because my lovely Red Arrows flew over after being at Cromer Carnival, at around midday on Weds I was woken up abruptly and earlier than I had wanted, I did dash to the bathroom, climbed into the (empty) bath to be able to look out the window at them zooming over the field at the end of the garden to go to the local airport not far from here. There are spectacular and give me goosebumps whenever I see them. No aerobatics just flying in but I recognise their sound and love to see them, just not when I am trying to sleep lol
I dozed off again and woke up late, had to use car to go in as o.h. had gone to work on the bus, his knee is still too sore to cycle, but it meant I had to turn out at 10pm to go and pick him up from work! Still have more errands to do so will use my bus pass and go out this afternoon to do the things I missed yesterday. i say 'had' as if I hadn't gone after all and he had bussed in for nothing, I wouldn't have heard the end of it lol

Huia, you have taken so much lately, no wonder you weep, let it out and hope the apptmt comes through soon so that you can have whatever the problem is, dealt with and done with! Will be one less worry off your mind then. Hope Phil is happier with his pictures to look at and his harmonica etc and you won't get called too many times. I am glad you seem to have some very supportive neighbours, also it is good that summer is coming for you? so that the days will be longer and brighter as ours get darker and gloomier. It would be awful if you now hard dark days to cope with, summer will help you adjust better I expect to the changes in your life and give you the opportunity to get out and about more easily.

Sallie, the bed was ok and is still looking surprisingly fresh, I think with his knee hurting, he is staying still so not crumpling up the bedsheets lol He is not allowed over on my side at all!!!! Woe betide him if he shuffles a bit, a sharp accidental dig with my elbow works very well lol

Marilyn, hi there, hope you aren't suffering too much in this heat lol You should be used to it by now. Are you coming this way soon, please don't say it will be end Sept, when I probably won't be around.

love to all, sorry if I have missed something/someone, am really tired now

Lizxx

Hi Everyone,

LIZ,

I will be up in NORWICH in October, but unlikely that I'll have any coffee time as I have to look after the grandchildren during the day as DIL is attending a teachers course .

But I will be up in January , with time to play..... LOL So I'll see you then.

Hope you are OK...we have the red Arrows coming to PLYMOUTH in the next few weeks !! Yippeeee !!

Hows everyone else ?

I'm still making curtains and its driving me mad ,niece had to buy a Hugh pattern fabric that I have to match ...much harder than plain fabric.
Awaiting on the lining now.
Got to go out and get some fresh air his afternoon.

Speak soon,
Marilyn x