General Chat

Hello Ann

well it looks as if we are the onlu two who are around at the moment..I expect that some people are on holiday, others are busy and some are just taking time out. It is always the same in the Summer.
My news today is that my grandaughter is improving so I am now not nearly so worried.both her Mum and her are very strong characters,

It is unbelievely hot today, the temp on my verandah is 45c abur at least today we have a very slight breeze otherwise it would be feeling even hotter.
We are living on salads and bits and pieces as and when we want them.

OH did go to road level, you may recall that our roof is at road level, and he sorted out the parking area. It is infacte very large with 3/4 covered above and with sliding doors right across. During the last couple of years it has become a bit untidy too say the least. For example, the part which is the furthest away from the house is covered in cobbles and at the side there is the boundary between us and the house next door. The evergreens have grown very well so they were trimed and shaped and then all the spare tiles, and the trailer were moved there. We do not use the trailer very often. the rest of the area was brushed and washed, and all the wood for the winter was asl put on the gravel and covered over.
Then our car was moved to the newly swept area and this is where we shall park in future. the reason for this is that the gradient here allows as to park our car much easier. Then the Bougenvillia was cut right back as far as possible and the rubish removed.
Now we have a clean looking parking area with plenty of room for another car, the area we had been using, and it now really shows just how wide our peice of land is.
All locked up and safely away, I think OH did very well. He said it was cooler doing all that than walking into the garden....and he is right.

When i was a child we used to have budgies as pets and when my children were old enogh the also had some...they are delightful birds....
Well time for a drink now, I am not cooking tonight as we have been with friends, the men watched football and we ladies chatted... we had some fresh bread, a variety of salads etc and nibbled through most of it, a couple of glasses of wine went down well. OH now fast asleep with the Cricket watching India play except HE IS ASLLEEP!

Bye, bye for now, I will be back tommorrow

Bridget in Spain where it is soooooo Hot!!

:-D :-D

It is a lovely day here to-day.
Hope your granddaughter is feeling more comfortable to-day Bridget.

Went for a Bone Density Scan this morning, will see my doctor some time to discuss it. Last time I had one which was about 5 years ago it seemed to take forever, but to-day I was in and out in 15 minutes.

We are really enjoying having the budgie, it always sounds so cheerful and I think we will miss him when he goes home. While I was hanging up washing the other way I heard what sounded like a cuckoo calling, I didn't actually see the bird unfortunately.

Nothing more for now.


Val.

2.00p.m.

The sun is shining, Jet and Joe are being very good today.Yesterday somehow I managed to have 16 people here for our friends 60th birthday and the last gust left at 10.30pm!!
Maybe it did me good to have to concentrat on othre things. Tried call my daughter several times but no reply, called the ward twice today, no reply. I understand that they must be very very busy, but the not knowing is getting difficult....

Very hot and sunny today, the Birtday boy of (60) is coming back with his wife, daughter, son and wife to help eat the remains of the Party. Keeping busy is helping at times.

Well that is about all for now, so will signe off for themoment

Enjoy your day

bridget

Thank you for your kind messages.there are details on my Sad and In Shock thread.
Apologises for such a short message.

Bridget in Spain.

Oh Bridget

it never rains but it pours.....why is it things in families go in cycles..w.e are all thinking of all of you and all the family....let us know on progress


Love Jan

Oh Bridget

it never rains but it pours.....why is it things in families go in cycles..w.e are all thinking of all of you and all the family....let us know on progress


Love Jan

Keep us informed, Bridget. I'm sure the others are like me. Once we know about something like this, it worries us if we don't know how things are going. Yes, we will all be saying one for you and your grand-daughter. God bless.

Oh Bridget I am truly sorry to hear about your granddaughter and hope her surgery goes well. I will be praying for her and the family.



Val.

5.23 p.m.

Sending my thoughts for your granddaughter. Bless her she is in the right place but what a horrible accident to have. Poor lass.

Please let us know how she is Bridget when you hear anything.

Nudge

I am sorry to say that I have had very bad news today. My only grandughter has been severly burnt, she will be 12 in December. She is in a very famous and well repected hospital where she is undergoing surgery as I write this. It was a sheer accident, no injury to her face as I understand but she is severely burnt on her body and if she survives will have to undergo manny ops.
What else can I say except please please pray for her.
I may not write on her for the next few days but will look in.
What other news will I get next???

Bridget in Spain

Good afternoon from a freezing cold JBay, I think there must be snow around somewhere.

Bridget the way your stepson is being treated sounds very harsh, I hope it will all be sorted soon for all your sakes. He must be devastated by the situation.

Despite the icy wind which is blowing we went to a Farmers Country Market a 35 minute drive from here, enjoyed the outing.

I have always lived in SA Bridget, I grew up in a town which is about a two hour drive from here, got married there and ten years later moved to East London(SA) where we lived for about 17 years, were transferred back to Grahamstown where we lived until retiring about 16 years ago when we came to JBay. I have been following the thread you mention with great interest and find it quite fascinating.

I am going to have a cup of nice hot tea now.

Enjoy what's left of the day.


Val.

3.24 p.m.

Thank you everyone for your kind thoughts about my stepsons difficult time. I have decide that I will not write any more on this subject until the court hearing in a few weeks, I am sure thatbyou will all understand my decision. You are all wonderful cyber friends.

I got up early this morning, even though we had gone to bed late
. I wanted to see the full moon but the sky was completflow clouded over, and then I found it difficult to go back to sleep. OH thought I was mad when I told him this morning. The clouds have now dissapeared and the sun is beginning to shine and the sea is a beautiful blue and calm. Despite the fact that we have lived here for so long the view still catches my breath everyday. And I feel privileged to live here.

We have The Men's Group here this afternoon to watch football and cricket, so I think that I will pick up my embroidery and try to finish it. I found it in the spare room in one of the draws and it is a table cloth which is about 3\4 finished. I used to do a lot of embroidery but not for the last few years. Does anyone else on her do embroidery?

Val, have you always lived in SA or did you emigrate there? I have been wondering if you would add something about the area you live in on the Now None As thread. We have had some really good responses but would still like to hear from anyone living abroad.

Indeed if anyone on here would like to add to the above mentioned thread please do so

I will be back later but now going to have breakfast.

Bridget in Spain :-D

Bridget - my heart goes out to you on this. You must feel like you are on the outside, looking in and can do nothing about it except be there to give your support when your stepson needs it. All too often, spite becomes more important than children's feelings and with grandparents also involved - there is possessiveness. Perhaps if he could consult a solicitor? I know it can be very expensive, but an initial visit might be all he needs to steer him on how to approach SS. Sometimes attitudes can change if it looks like court action might be involved. I feel for you all and wish you all the very best for the outcome.

Thanks again for everyone who has posted such kind thoughts about my stepson and his difficult time.

We had a call from him today very distressed but having lots of support from his Mum.
He is NOT allowed to see the children despite the senior lady at Social Services speaking to the chldrens Grandfather, where they have lived for nearly 4 months now. He refused to allow the father any contact until the next court hearing nor would he allow the Grandmother to see them to give the eldest his birthday cards. Social Services cannot change the order as apparently the grandfather (paternal) had this as a condition when he said he would have the children. I accept that he is in his 60s and that his partner is considerably younger so they need to keep their own relationship on an even keel bu realy this is so sad.
He also stated that he will NOT give them any toys, clothes etc if any are sent nor will they be given any birthday cards etc from thi side of the family....This is so very sad, I do appreciate that he is lookig after the children, that they are still at the same school and seeing their friends but will the eldest one, who will be twelve just remember that his dad and family never came to see them and he did not get a card or present from any of us.
Next meeting in three weeks...
Social services will not say where the mother is and she was not fined as we thought when found drunk driving twice in one day with the children in the care becuase she was so stressed and she told the police that her husband was harrassingher...they never contacted him...what is happening.....who is in charge/ I feel bewldered.

OK thatis all for now about this sad episode.

OH and I have had a pleasant day on our own, no unexpected visitors, not much noise from the house below us, They seem to have calmed down over the last few days. Jet and Joe are well, OH is watching the cricket, the washing has been done, dried outside, ironed and put away.
Oh has made a Chicken Curry for tonight, n
so as you can see a very normal day

I am now gong to make acoffee and sit on the verandah for a while and my eys may just close for a few minutes

Bridget in Spain
:-D

I hope nobody has poisoned the children's minds against either parent. But that is what often happens when SS get involved. I hope your stepson can soon see his children.

Bother, I just deleted my own message instead of sending it. Goingbto have a cup of tea and then come back!

Bridgeg

I should think the children are confused, feel abandoned...and what has anyone said to them as to why their parents havent seen them UGH.............

We had this with our new son in law that he didn't see his children ...all down to the ex wife who needs her brains testing....He is seeing his son now but the daughter will not see him...thats what happens

Jan

Good evening Ann,

I do understand about dammed if you do and damned if you don't , but this means in my stepsons situation the neither parents have seen the children for 3 months! I wonder how they are feeling, their ages are from 12 to 5.
He called us this evening and sounded much better, so I hope that tjhi is resolved quickly.

Bridget in Spain

Sorry Bridget, not been on a lot today/yesterday so missed the news re your step son. I do hope that he can sort something out with Social services. Sometimes they really do take too much on themselves. Although I suppose we are all the first to criticize them wehn things go wrong. Damned if they do, damned if they don't.