General Chat 2009

[jill]

Happy New Year Everyone. New Year - New Thread.

I went out for a lovely meal last night. Had phoned before hand to make sure they knew I needed a dairy free meal, which they were happy to accomodate. Bit dubious though when the waiter brought out the "Special Gluten Free Meal" - I said its supposed to be dairy free, to which he replied oh yes thats it. It was only lamb and vegetables in a sauce but I popped in one of my lactase tablets just in case.

Hope everyone else had a lovely new year what ever they did and this year will be a good one for us all. Cheers:cheers:

[Copper]

Happy New Year everybody

We had a great time as both daughters came home for 10 days.

PA has tested the soya intolerance theory out and she is very upset, as she is intolerant to soya now. :mad:

She was convinced that she did not have much soya in her diet. She has just been to Tesco for wheat and gluten free lasagne sheets and spaghetti and realised that they were made with soya. Luckily, for once, Tesco have changed their recipe and they are both now made from rice :)

I did make her some lovely chocolate fairy cakes, chocolate sorbet, chocolate mousse, coconut biscuits and mince pies. She did not starve. :D

My next experiment will be an attempt to make ice cream using Oatly cream, watch this space.

[rebecca c]

I am sorry PA has another intolerence Copper. I might look out for that pasta in tesco if it is soya free. Sounds like you did some champion baking. my dad made a gluten free xmas cake but no good to me as cant eat dried fruit.

Back to work yesterday felt a bit wierd yesterday but enjoyed it today.

[jill]

Poor PA that is all she needs. I am beginning to realise how lucky I am with only having lactose intolerance. Fingers crossed it stops that way.

Back to reality with work - this week is going fine so far.

We have been busy ringing builders and window people for quotes on our house renovation. The 4 builders have already been so I am getting rather excited at the prospect of having some work done on the house. Just need to win the lottery now:lol2:.

[Copper]

At least your dad tried Rebecca. Shame about the fruit.

The building work sounds very exciting Jill. I hope you don't get cold when it gets under way.

My youngest bought me lots of chocolate from Hotel Chocolat. One box is full of little slabs of 6 types of chocolate. They are dairy free but contain soya so a slab a day is all I dare try. So far the orange and the ginger slabs have been sampled and are very nice. Last night it was the chilli which I was not looking forward to as I am not a lover of spice. First of all you get the taste of the lovely dark chocolate and then a slight burning sensation on the sides of the tongue. The whole experience was very odd. I am not sure that I would buy a bar of chilli chocolate. I have 5 more to eat so who knows I might change my mind :lol2:

[jill]

I hope you don't get cold when it gets under way.



I'm sure my mum will put me up if it gets too bad. Hopefully the weather will be alot better before the roof comes off.

I've tried some Hotel Chocolat goodies before Copper can't remember having the chilli one but I know i've tried one type of chilli chocolate before - what a combination - Why?

[rebecca c]

I should of said my dad mainly made the cake for my sister and I didnt expect it so it didnt matter. I made myself some meringues, in the past these have upset my tummy but they didnt this time - excellent progress.

I dont like chilli chocolate.

When we had the loft done everyone said it would be awful - but it really was perfectly bearable and the builders where amazing - I missed them when the went!
That is one of the reasons we would like to get the loft here done but cant risk it at the moment!!

[rebecca c]

Got the blessed viral symptoms again, for the third time in a row since 2 weeks before christmas. Not as bad as first time but need day off as unable to sleep and had the sweats. Not gone to my chest this time(fingers crossed). Also waiting to see if my face comes up to investigate gluten link, it did come up a fraction last night however all complicated by eating out 3 times this month and illness too. As well as DH taking 2 years to clear completely and my accident with gluten in November.

Eldest has similar symptoms but seems to be improving slightly - this is his second bout.

Youngest has mummy is at home and I can get some attentionitus.

hot bath breakfast and back to bed methinks.

[Steve]

I'm currently very bored and sitting in a hotel in Baltimore.

It's very cold here at the moment and it's getting colder towards the end of the week. It's currently -4 degrees and is going to be down to -12 by friday. Never thought i would miss the weather in the UK :)

[Copper]

Oh Steve you poor thing.

If this is a holiday rather than work I hope you manage to enjoy yourself. We have autumnal weather here in blighty. So we are looking forward to wind and lots of rain. I have to say that the south seems to be getting off lightly today but Cornwall, Devon and Wales will be wet - no surprise there :D

[cnc]

Sounds interesting Steve. What are you doing out there?
Things are still quite difficult here, my care hasn't been reinstated, and I've broken my bath lift. It was the funeral of a family friend today as well so not been the best start to the year, but things can only get better.

I've just had the builders in for the last few days knocking down some of the wall to put in the new door meaning I had a plywood door last night, backed up by, a mop, a broom, a wheelchair and a stool!!
On the plus side I bought a new phone, and I'm actually benefiting from the cold weather as it has been cold enough for a cold weather payment from the government for me this week, so that's a 1/3 of my electricity and gas bills paid this month:D

How are things going with everyone else?

[Copper]

It is not good to hear that social services are dragging their feet again. It should be obvious that you need a care package.

Breaking the bath lift, oops not good.

The words might and snow were used by the weatherman for the weather here Monday.

I am busy with family history. I am doing some for two friends too :lol2:

I have been drooling over gardening catalogues. I need some plants for tubs.

A pair of blackbirds are courting this morning! I know that they nest early but this is really early. The very plump female is queen of our garden. I hope she doesn't want to nest here as the cat is sure to find it. He is currently lazing around indoors most of the time. In the spring he will be out and will be interested in anything that moves, even beetles :)

[Steve]

I'm out here for a work trip. Doing some work at The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. Last day here now.

Very very cold weather. It's currently -10 degrees out.

[rebecca c]

I think I have heard of the John Hopkins University,, must be interesting stuff and a nice change to work away from home. Not sure about that weather though.

Mind you we could do with some freeze in the classrooms at the moment to kill off the viruses.

I had my OU interview yesterday and it went really well, they said some nice positive things about me, said I gave the best answer they had ever had for one question and I was refreshing. All in all I am glad I went as it has boosted my confidence, given me more interview and presentation experience and I have more knowledge about the course now so I will give it a lot of consideration if I get offered it after a school interview. I did a presentation on the Northern lights and gave them each glow sticks which they liked.

I am concerned my strange new symptoms may be peri menopause but I will only know if they happen a few times more and even then it may be difficult to tell. My sister is getting the same symptoms. Oh well I shall have to wait and see if they keep happening and bear in mind the best way to deal with them will be to work with them. It means I may often have to go to work after a sleepless night so I am not looking forward to that experience.

On the plus side the gluten free/coeliac diet has now got my tummy almost completely better and my face hasnt come up again for awhile (touch wood). Eldest is better and youngest and Mike are off to watch rugby at Twickenham tomorrow.

[Dianne]

Hi everyone

just reading all your interesting stories.... The furthest I get to travel for work is London (from West Yorkshire) and that doesnt happen much - although at the moment the government is placing much more emphasis on Restorative Justice which raises the profile of my work so its all good stuff.

Glad that on the whole everyone either enjoyed or survived the new year, I went out with some friends to a Greek resturant and they made me feel very special. they catered for my Veggi'ness and my Dairy'ness very well, it was a great meal.

Copper - the family history thing sounds great. My grandad was a far eastern prisoner of war in WWII and ive been trying to find out things about him but there are very few left alive and as he was captured very early in the war the war office dont have any service history regarding him. he survived 4 years as a POW then was being transfered by the Japanese at the end of the war in fleet of ships with many thousands of other POW's from England and Austriala when they were torpedoed by the Americans and almost all lost their lifes. ;o(

Claire I hope things are on the up for you. Life is so unfair when you have to fight everyone and anyone just to get the things that you need.

will keep reading and enjoying your stories

[Copper]

I am concerned about John as we have not heard from him since he went for his lactose intolerance test. I hope that he is ok.

[rebecca c]

It is a frustrating thing about chat rooms that when people are not in touch you can not find out if they are ok or why they are not posting.

I remember feeling like that in the past about various people including Claire when she has had difficulties and Matt.

The normal friendship response in these circumstances would be to phone someone or pop round to see them.

[jill]

Heck, i haven't had this many posts to read for a long time. Yes it is concerning when somebody doesn't leave a message when they have been doing so on a regular basis. Hopefully John may have found a new confidence and is out enjoying himself somewhere, rather than his absence being due to the lactose test. John if you are out there let us know you are ok.

[rebecca c]

Had a minor flare up last night. I think I damped it down by drinking loads of water. I am hoping and praying that my face does not swell up badly as that would feel like a set back. Trying to remember that apart from the new symptoms the coeliac diet has really made a big difference to me, my face has been a lot better this year and my tummy has been almost completely better.

[Copper]

It sounds like you have really cracked your diet now. I hope your face is ok today.

Menopause - yes been through that although I am still getting the hot flushes. I did survive without the need for HRT which would contain lactose no doubt. The hardest thing for me was going to work and looking intelligent with a lack of sleep. You do get used to it eventually.

[jill]

I know we are hear to discuss Dairy but thanks for mentioning peri- menopause Rebecca. Because of you mentioning it on your recent post i read up about it at a time when I was feeling rather weepy, reading other peoples experiences made me realise that is what I may also be going through. I know i've had a lot of stress and grief in the past couple of years but at times I feel a complete wreck then after a day or so I'm back to thinking straight again. (Takes me back to being a tearful teenager.) Men don't realise what we have to put up with - but then again they have to put up with us:lol2:.

[rebecca c]

Good point about what our partners put up with - I know I have never been much fun the few days before my period and there is always one day when I seriously doubt I should drive!

I have always had some degree of pre menstrual mood problems. they were actually at their worst (so far) when the boys were small. Is it possible Jill that instead of these changes being caused by the menopause the stresses you have been under are choosing this weak point to come out. I know most of my problems always cluster around my premenstrual and menstrual times.

[Copper]

ooo I have discovered tennis on my "red button" or channel 301 in my case. I am not sure how I can fit in housework and baking. Work faster perhaps :lol2:

[rebecca c]

No Copper do less - it is called retirement.

[Copper]

I admit that some of the housework might not get done. Sadly PA is coming home this weekend and I need to make cakes and flapjacks which are dairy, egg, gluten, wheat and soya free. I don't think she will be happy if she has nothing to eat :)

One or two of the plants in my garden have not survived the very cold weather. I did cover most of them with some garden fleece. I can always take cuttings of those which have survived.

I really hate the cold.

[rebecca c]

Well I think PA will enjoy her treats more than all the housework being done. Our house feels like a tip this week but I suspect it is not that bad really.

I have another interview for a different training place tomorrow at my school. It goes on from 10 til 2.30 with various bits and bobs.

Still having a whole load of wierd symptoms but dont feel ill so I am not going to worry about it for a while.

[Copper]

Good luck with the interview tomorrow. I hope your symptoms go away soon.

[rebecca c]

Feeling rubbish this evening as I didnt get the training place at school. The interview included a task leading the students in a team exercise and I did not do this as well as the other candidates and didnt do myself justice. However I feel I did the best job I could with the minimal help the school have offered me in developing any teaching skills. (They have now offered me help in the future which is making me feel pretty fed up)

I am also pretty angry with them because they have had a huge amount from me above and beyond what they pay me for. In a couple of weeks if I still feel like this I may withdraw the offer of these services.

However I feel I need to work through the anger and upset and then I will come out of it feeling more determined to make the best of the place I have been offered and continue to pursue my other options. One thing is for sure it is clearly not the right place for me to train. Other people want me and have been very positive about me.

[Copper]

I know how you feel as the college which I used to work for used people. Those who worked above and beyond their contract were never thanked or really appreciated.

I don't miss work.

If others want you it looks like a change of employer is called for Rebecca.

[rebecca c]

The more I think about it the more I realise it was a stitch up. They said there would not be a teaching task but in effect there was (I had to take half a class for a team competition building bridges) and they said I must not use any examples from my work in the school over the last 3 years in my answers to most of the questions!!!!!

Do I want to train somewhere with such strange ideas anyway.

[Copper]

I am sure that the other candidates would have used examples from their current school, if they were in that situation.

Your current place sounds unhelpful. They don't deserve you.

[Copper]

Well we have all been very quiet this weekend. I hope this means everybody has been having a good time.

I did my hour of bird watching for the RSPB and unlike previous years I saw a number of birds in my garden. The mistle thrush popped into the garden for about 3 minutes.

PA and I watched Murray lose his tennis match this morning :(

I have a busy week ahead. I have the dentist and a mammogram to look forward to.

[rebecca c]

Yes I hope everyone is Ok.

I had a reasonable weekend. Got an earful of rain yesterday and I think it is now infected- have ordered pescription for drops from doctor just in case.

Have first aid course this weekend. then youngests birthday with all that entails. Have just booked in for another interview day in a fortnight with a presentation the day before that.

It is a busy time for me at the moment. Need to book in some R and R too.

[jill]

I don't think it is just schools or colleges that treat people like that. In most situations the more you put in the more they walk all over you. I think you have maybe realised yourself Rebecca it may be time to move on where you are more appreciated. They certainly do not deserve the amount of effort you put in with little in return. Hope you sort it out soon.

I have been busy on the housey front, packing things away. Started to get a couple of quotes in, concentrating on electricains this week. One was supposed to come yesterday morning but didn't show. He has phoned tonight and apologised so will have to see if he shows on Wednesday.

There have been some big announcements at work today, fortunately we seem ok at the moment but others in the company at different plants are loosing there jobs so it has not been a good day for some.

[Dianne]

Hi ive been working in London. Rebecca you will get to where your meant to be. I did the same job as I do now but in a different area and felt very undervalued. Now im in Leeds and am considered an expert in Restorative Justice and victim work!! Its great to work where your appreciated and although it took a while it happened for me and im sure it will happen for you too.......... I have my fingers crossed.

im taking my dog to fat class in a mo! I have two cocker spaniels, one lithe and athletic - one food stealing pudding :o) if I dont get to the milk we have delivered n a morning he can open the bottles and drink almost half a pint without spilling a drop. Ive never known a dog find food like he can........ im hoping hes lost more as he put on plently over Christmas with the titbits

[rebecca c]

We use to have a Springer spaniel when I was a girl who could eat a whole packet of butter in 30 seconds. She once ate one pound of brie and half a pound of chocolate sweets in one sitting too (she was left in the car and we had forgotten about the provisions!!)

I was never very fond of her as she had a penchant for underwear too!!

[jill]

Rebecca your last sentence reminded me of a dog I was once aquainted with. It chewed right threw the gusset of a pair of my best knickers, that it had pinched out of a bag, and they had been worn! The cat belonging to the same people used to feed itself with its paw from a tin of cat food.

I have recently started going to a belly dancing class on a Monday night, I think i was doing a bit too much last night cos I can't half feel it today. It certainly is a laugh.

[rebecca c]

Yes it was the gussets she went for. Used to drive me crazy.

Belly dancing sounds great fun. Good excuse for a nice outfit too.

[jill]

Don't think i'll be getting a nice outfit just yet, just a jingly hip belt to start with, nothing revealing - it would make me laugh too much.

[Dianne]

I went to a resturant on new years eve and they had a belly dancer. Im sure I couldnt move my middle like that in a hundred years..... is it really something you can learn jill..... I just thought it was one of those things some people can do

[Helen01]

Are you training to be a teacher Rebecca - I used to teach but couldn't stand all the bullying and back-stabbing that went on (among the teachers that is) I hope you find a better place soon.

[rebecca c]

I am a Teaching Assistant and I am going to do my training next year.

[jill]

I've only been to 4 belly dance classes up to now and so far it has been more hip swaying sort of stuff rather than your actual belly moving around - now that would be a laugh. I go mainly as it has started in the village and i'll get to meet a few people. To be honest before I started I had to look on youtube to see what it involved. All the other exercise classes in the village are in a day time so it was either this or line dancing and i've done that before.

With living out of town now, it has made me realise that townies can't be bothered to travel to see you, so guess I need to meet more people in my local community, and after i've been at work in town I can't be bothered to drive back in again either.

[cnc]

Just a quick message to let you know I was taken into hospital with severe leg weakness and a virus last Friday and haven't managed to get back out yet. I am okay, rather bored though!! Hope you're all okay.

[jill]

I was getting a bit concerned as we haven't heard from you for a few days Claire. Big hugs:hug:and hope you are able to go home again soon. Look on it as a rest. Take Care xx

[rebecca c]

I have been thinking of you Claire - hoping you are OK. I hope you get better quickly and back home.

I am sure you would have found you had better resistance to the virus if you had had some help with you care. If the doctors agree maybe they could write a letter to that effect for you and speed up the reinstatement of your care.

It must be really boring but that means you are resting which will speed your recovery.

[Dianne]

Hi Claire - i hope things improve for you soon - take care.. group hugs :icon_grou

[Copper]

Oh Claire you poor thing :hug:I had missed you. I hope that you get well soon.

Perhaps somebody will realise that you do need care at home.

[cnc]

Thanks guys much appreciated. Hoping to be home end of next week with a bit of luck. I'm sure the 'coincidence' that they found me a suitable care package on the same day I told them I was in hospital won't go unappreciated by you guys. I'll be home as soon as I can move my legs a bit more. Still smiling though and going to put in an official complaint about what has happened. I hope you are all having a nice weekend.

[Dianne]

Glad your improving Claire

[rebecca c]

Good Claire I am very glad you are on the mend and your care is reinstated. continue to rest and take care of yourself as you have been. As ever I will be thinking of you.

It is my son's birthday today so things are jolly here. He has an electric guitar to play with and yesterday he got a trophy for some amazing skills at his football coaching in the park.

[Copper]

Keep resting Claire and then you will get home quicker. I am pleased to hear that you have been given a care package. It is a pity that you had to get worse for it to be reinstated. Good luck with your complaint.

Oooo an electric guitar, I hope you have ear plugs Rebecca :lol2:

I have just watched an epic Australian Open final. I have had lunch and now I really must get dressed. :D

[jill]

Hopefully you being in hospital will make a few people realise how much care you do need Claire. Can't be much fun in there, a couple of more days rest i'm sure will do you good.

I spent yesterday dismantling some wardrobes. I have decided that when the house is renovated I will re-use them in my new craft room. They were fitted and are rather strong so it would be a shame just to get rid of them. Just hope all of the numbered sticky labels are still in position when I come to put them together again. Forward thinking - don't want to be stood there in months to come wondering now where did that bit go.

Had a builder visit for the third sunday afternoon in a row. Think he must be keen. Very helpful. Just need to get quotes in from all the other tradespeople before we make any decisions.

Ordered a coin belt from ebay for my belly dancing class. If it comes in the post tomorrow i'll be able to jingle tomorrow night.

Had a little bit of snow this afternoon - just hope we don't get any more in the night.

Sounds like your son has had a nice weekend Rebecca. Hopefully he knows how to play the guitar so it will be a nice noise that comes out of it.

[Copper]

Well I got up this morning to find a layer of snow everywhere! That just does not happen in Dorset.

I hope that everybody is ok. I see you are on Rebecca so I guess you have much more snow, as you are east of me. PA got to work ok on the bus but more snow is predicted for her area later. My youngest lives and works around Reading so I don't know if she has managed to get to work. I will try and find out as she has to drive.

[rebecca c]

6 inches of snow, no buses, no school for any of us. Mike is working from home. Some people are driving but I've had reports of lots of minor crashes. Wouldn't risk it myself.

Boys are having a lovely time and the dog is reliving her youth.

My nose is so bad I am going to book in for another operation, dont want to and polyps normally grow back in months but I cant carry on like this either and I have kept it going for about 8 years.

It is really busy with people in the park up the road and on the golf course - many people enjoying it immensly.

[rebecca c]

apparantly police are going around offices in central london telling people to go home. May be worth letting your daughter in Reading know that Copper.

[Copper]

My youngest daughter and her boyfriend are working from home today. I don't have to worry about them.

I have told PA to keep an eye on the weather as more snow is predicted. She needs the buses to keep running so she can get home. She is in south Oxfordshire so hopefully she will be ok.

I am not sure that the cat was impressed with the snow. Most of it has melted from the front garden as it was sunny earlier. I think it will freeze tonight so our road will be dangerous. I am staying in tomorrow.

It has just started snowing again here. As a country we are not good at coping with snow.

[jill]

We only had about 1 inch at the most on Sunday night and during monday morning and that didn't last long. Lots more was forecast for last night so I took my car into the garage for its service last night instead of this morning, stayed at my mum and dads last night, so that I didn't have to travel far and so that I could walk to work in the snow this morning. Opened the curtains this morning and ---- absolutely nothing. It missed us completely.

I think this was down to a conversation I had with an elderly gentleman in the newsagents on Saturday when we jokingly said we would put a diversion up so it missed us:lol2:. It obviously came true. No why doesn't it work with the lottery numbers?- which we were both putting on at the time - (maybe this Saturday)

Hope it hasn't affected you all too much.

[Copper]

Well we have had more snow, sunshine and thawing snow. This afternoon we had a flash of lightening, roll of thunder and several sleet showers. Then it went quiet. Then about half an hour ago we had a hail storm. The road is very wet again and if that freezes we will not be rushing out to Tesco tomorrow.

[rebecca c]

Our snow started to melt today, really hoping things will be back to normal tomorrow. The dog has had a nice time and loads of walks. boys are happy too.

[jill]

Guess I spoke too soon, the diversion must have only been a temporary one as I woke up this morning to discover lots of snow. Managed to get into work where they hadn't had half as much. Still lots more to come by the looks of it.

[Copper]

It has poured with rain here tonight. I think that we will miss the snow tomorrow.

[Dianne]

:catchase:Has anyone tried lactase??? I was talking in the health food shop the other day and the guy at the counter said if I took Lactase it would cure my lactose intollorance. Has anyone tried this and if so what happened. after years of feeling rubbish I now would be reluctant to try things that could send me backwards

[Copper]

I have tried lactase and it is not a cure as such. We lactose intolerance sufferers do not make or make enough of the enzyme lactase, which breaks down the lactose sugar into something our bodies can absorb.

The lactase capsules I tried worked but then I only used them when trying a small amount of dairy. The difficulty is trying to work out how much of the enzyme is needed for the amount of dairy you are planning to eat.

I decided that it was not worth the risk. I keep some capsules in the cupboard, so I can take them with me if I eat out and don't trust the food to be dairy free.

I used them a few years ago when I stupidly spread my rolls with the wrong margarine. When I used Flora margarine on my roll I felt ill but could not believe that such a small amount would affect me. When I made the mistake again with the same consequences I had to admit that I was totally lactose intolerant :angry:.

[Dianne]

Thank you Copper - that makes a lot of sense :). I wanted somone to say that its a mirical cure and one tablet sorts everone for ever............ but then I live in marshmellow land with rainbows and butterflys . It might be worth getting some in for the same reason you have it but it obviously doesnt mean I can have one tablet then stuff my face with dairy. thanks for the reply :lol2:

[jill]

I always have a bottle of Lactase tablets in my bag. They are manufactured by Quest and I get them from a health food store in town. 30 Tablets costs around £6. I generally take one or two if I am eating out and can't guarantee that there will be no dairy in the product.

I took a couple whilst i was eating a christmas pudding with brandy sauce and can't remember being ill so I think they must work but I haven't dared try eating icecream or a cream cake.

Did have a couple of pieces of fudge once and some tablets when I was having a weak moment and I did suffer so I think it must depend on the dosage and the concentration of "dairyness" in the food.

[rebecca c]

Claire if your out there I hope you are still on the mend - I look forward to hearing you news.

[Helen01]

Good luck with your teacher training Rebecca - I see you are in Brighton, I did my training at Brighton Uni about 7-8 years ago. There seems to be a lot of building work going on there at the mo - I notice when I drive past! I taught for 3 years in Worthing, then that was enough! I still do some tutoring and mark GCSE papers.

[Copper]

I hope that Claire is making progress and will be allowed home soon.

With all the snow here I managed to run out of Oatly cream :eek: I have just taken my mother shopping to the Tesco store which sells said cream so I stocked up.

My mother buys the packs of 3 Strawberry soya milkshakes and lo and behold today the shelf had a discontinued label on it. When I explained to my mother that this indicates that Tesco are going to stop stocking it, she was not happy.

[rebecca c]

I did a presentation at the university today on how to go about making materials for students with learning difficulties. It went well so I am back on a positive vibe.

Had a weekend of sleepovers for the boys and took Robins friends to the blues brothers party on Friday night. It was good fun and they loved in dancing and singing away even though Robin insisted before hand that neither he or his friends would be caught dancing and singing - so when they couldnt help themselves I thought it was funny and lovely too.

I noticed you where in Worthing Helen, some of my colleagues at the school I work as a TA live there. I guess it is good that even though you dont teach you can still earn some money from the qualification - I think I would like to do tutoring it must be rewarding, I really enjoy helping my boys with their homework and my eldest is now quite open to accepting my help.

[rebecca c]

Just had my hair cut and asked for it shorter - its a bit shorter than I asked for though - Might take a bit of getting used to!!!

[Copper]

My friend of many years cuts my hair (I pay her) and we always talk about how much hair I would like cut off. The answer is always half an inch - we are not going metric :lol2:

I always think that my hair looks really good about a week after it has been cut. Maybe I am just used to it by then.

[Steve]

I'm posting this because i just wanted to say i've got myself a new tiny little laptop or netbook to use the correct term. More importantly i've now got a mobile broadband dongle so i can get internet access anywhere.

Sorry it's just the geek in me speaking now :)

[Copper]

I have a netbook too :lol2: I can watch the TV and still do my family history using my netbook.

I don't have a dongle though as I don't go anywhere :)

So you wanted us to know that we can reach you 24/7 now :D

[rebecca c]

I am hoping to get a laptop for my birthday to use in my studies. It will also be good as i wont have to compete with the boys for the computer. May get a dongle but most likely just wireless card for use in the house.

Trying to get used to the idea of being a student again, may take a while to get my head round that one. Increasingly getting the sense of being patronised by teachers, pehaps I am just paranoid. No-one in my department even noticed I had my hair cut!!! It is exhausting trying to start your career all over again when you are a bit older. The first time around I only had myself to worry about now I have so much to do. I feel like I have constantly had to reprove myself.

Had a busy day yesterday. Still not used to this hair, It was cut like this for many years before and I grew not to like it, also it gets really dry and frizzy (because of my health and I cant use many products or colour it) and when it is long that actually shows up less. Well I only have 2 choices - wait for it to grow or get it cut shorter. I think I will do the former.

Sorry that turned into a bit of a moan. Looks like it is going to be a lovely sunny day.

[jill]

Not where I am - snow is falling again, looks like we are getting the bad stuff now that the rest of the country got last week.

I have a lap top, so nice to sit in the room with a coal fire going, tv on, and surfing away. If it wasn't for the lap top i'd be asleep.

[Dianne]

Well we're very sad in my house we ended up with two laptops. sometimes my daughter sends me messages when shes sitting in the same room :o but then again she texts me from upstairs too. we all sit like saddo's on Facebook checking out what everyone's up to :cool:

the great part about the internet is armchair shopping ...... now that I love

[Copper]

Shopping is excellent online providing you know what you want.

I have been spending money on ebay lately.

[jill]

Guess we must be sad aswell Dianne, we've actually got 2 aswell. Second one came about as the first one broke down and we couldn't manage without it so we bought another whilst it was being repaired.

Can get some good bargains on ebay - that is where i got my shimy coin belt for belly dancing from.

[rebecca c]

Hope everyone has got through friday 13th.

Mike is having a nightmare train journey home but we are reasonable apart from that.

Still concerned Claire hasnt posted so if she is reading posts Claire I am thinking of you still let us know when things are settled for you.

[Copper]

I won't tell you how many computers we have as you would be shocked.

I am concerned about Claire too. I really hope that she is getting better.

[rebecca c]

I had to pick Mike up from Haywards Heath. He had been sitting next to Frank Skinner on the journey home and was glad to get away from him as he had been moaning and negative.

All those poor people stuck on trains and buses after working in London all day - not fun.

[Copper]

Was there a problem with the trains and buses or is that normal these days?

I don't miss the drive to work. It was taking longer to get to work as each year went by.

[Helen01]

Problems with trains and buses seem to be normal any time of year. Last 2 times I was going up to London someone jumped on the track at East Worthing so I had to drive to 3 Bridges - so much for using the car less!

[rebecca c]

There was a problem but nobody knew what was going on. One of the drivers didnt even know there were buses waiting outside. Mike always hates the lack of communication more than the problems themselves.

I am glad I picked him up as it did not look like there were enough buses for everyone, we didnt get back til 10.40pm and he had caught the train at 6.

We had some lovely sunshine this morning. I have spent some time this afternoon talking to a neighbour who did her teaching degree with 4 young children. She has given me some good advice.

[jill]

It is years since I went on a bus, i'm not very good at all the stopping and starting to pick other passengers up and I prefer to be the driver even in a car.

Claire hope you are ok.

Still busy packing things away for when we get the builders in. Think i'll be stripping some wallpaper off tomorrow.

Has the snow finished? I hope so.

We actually have got 4 computers - 1 in the loft that isn't used. 1 rather large one that needs getting rid of and our 2 laptops, and there are only 2 of us.

[Copper]

Taking that long to get home is hideous. Will these firms never learn that customers would be more understanding if they were kept informed.

When do the builders start Jill?

I really want to be out in the garden tending to the plants and the odd weed but it is too early yet. I have to content myself with planning my hanging baskets.

[rebecca c]

I meant to mulch the garden this weekend but housework took priority. House has just not felt tidy or clean all year.

We have arranged a house swap to the south of France to a house which has access to a shared outdoor pool!!! feel so lucky.

Went for a nice long walk today and out to the cinema tonight, if I can wake up -all that fresh air has knocked me out. My chest was really clear on the walk and I had no struggles up hill - it was better than it has been for years. My face is threatening to swell up but I hope I can stop it.

[jill]

We haven't got a date set yet for the builders, though we have made a decision on who we would like to do the work. We are waiting until we get permission through from the planning department at the local council, which should have been today!!! before we set a date. It also has to go to building control so it could be a good 6+ weeks yet. I've come in from work tonight and dismantled a bathroom cupboard. The previous owners sure did like silicon sealer! Feeling rather grubby now so i'm going for a nice soak in the bath with some goodies I got for Xmas. (Not in the bathroom with the missing cupboard - that is too disgusting).

Rebecca - the state that my house is going to be in I can see me not cleaning properly for the next year - what a shame. Your house swap sounds nice. Enjoy the pictures.

All this talk of holidays and hanging baskets - is the nice weather coming then? It was 10.5 degrees in my car at lunch time - nearly tropical in comparison to what we have had lately.

[jill]

Council cock up - planning application hasn't been sorted. Our case officer isn't at work till next Monday - can see this is going to be rather interesting and not at all straight forward. Count to 10 and chill.

Ok about it really, not worth stressing. Just annoying when they fix a date for something then bodge it up. Mini rant over.

[Copper]

It is amazing just how many people don't do their jobs properly grrrr.

I am sure that your house will be lovely when it is done Jill.

I gave up on the gardening idea as it drizzled for most of the day. I spent some time transcribing some parish records for FreeREG.

I have organised a man to come here next week with some carpet samples. We need a new carpet on the landing and in a small downstairs room. We will have no inherited carpets left in the house once they have been done. We have only been here 30 years.

I met up with a friend yesterday. We did Hobbycraft and then Haskins garden centre. I bought a new bird feeder. My friend had bought me a birthday present in her local garden centre. She felt sure that I would have guessed what it was as she mentioned it was in bud. I had no idea so I was pleasantly surprised to find it was a camellia. It should have double pink flowers. My friend bought herself one too but with cream flowers. We are going to compare notes and see who can kill theirs first :lol2:

[jill]

Sounds like you had a nice day Copper, I know what you mean about killing plants. I was bought an orchid for Christmas and i'm afraid it is not looking good, didn't realise that there was so much water sitting in the plant pot holder so now it has no leaves on it at as they have rotted off.

Doing our house up was always going to be a long term project, when we bought next door 4 years ago we said it would take about 10 years. It makes us laugh when people ask if we have got it finished yet. As you say it will be lovely when it is done - it better be after all of the housey magazines and tv programmes i've looked at for inspiration. :lol2:

[Copper]

My mother in law gave me a very small orchid for my birthday. She told me that she had been given an orchid in December and that she had killed it by over watering it. She then told me that she had watered mine but that I should water it there and then. I ignored her :D and spent a few days trying to dry the orchid out. In the end I had to remove it from the pot and so discovered the problem. It had been planted in a tight ball of moss. I replanted it in a mixture of wood chips and orchid compost. It looks happier now. I water all my orchids once a week with a very small amount of water.

I went out in the garden today and tidied a small section of the flower border. It rained (not in the forecast) and I had to give up eventually.

I have just eaten some chocolate and I might have overdosed on the soya :o I will know when I get up tomorrow. The chocolate was very nice though :p

[rebecca c]

I hope you dont get poorly Copper.

Jill I am sorry about the planning hold ups - hopefully they will speed things through now they have realised.

I have had a few days at my parents. A nice relaxing break. Stopped at IKEA for a book case on the way home.

Picked up a copy of Ellen McArthur's book at my parents and couldnt put it down until I finished it. Amazing. I have never sailed but my BIL is a keen sailor as well as yacht designer, I feel it is a different world and have never really been drawn to the sea myself.

The uni say that because of my health complications I can have a parking space which will make life considerably easier next year.

I havent had any chocolate for a long time but may be I might have a piece now.

I feel OK my face has been swollen this week and my new eczema is flaring up but my tummy is improving finally after the meal out a few weeks ago and my nose is quite comfortable. Nevertheless I am going to book in for a polyp removal tomorrow as I want to give myself the best chance possible. Mind you I hate the thought of an operation and have horrors thinking about worst outcomes and leaving my lovely boys or getting the dreadful MRSA.

[Dianne]

Imight be coming to you for advice copper... I have this year made a veg plot in my garden............ never been what you call a keen gardener before but decided to grow my own........... im getting a bit nervous cause ill be starting to plant next month. my hubby thinks im turning into Tom Good from the good life............. better than margo though ha ha


hope it all goes ok rebecca - I like to read autobiographies too - Im a great adventurer (in theory) in my head Im going to do alsorts of dangerous and heroic things ......................... ooohhh have to go............ there are white coats everywhere.... there here to take me :nutter:

[Copper]

Rebecca, I hope that things go well for you. As I get older I tend to think about what can go wrong in hospitals. I think we need to get in and out as soon as possible.

Good news about the parking space at uni as that is one less thing to stress about.

I am fine this morning :). I can eat 35g of chocolate which contains soya lecithin.

Dianne, my mother used to grow vegetables. I tried to grow them here but our garden was heathland once upon a time, so nothing grows here. I also had rather a lot of stones in the garden. I did have a redcurrant bush in the sunny border but I could not keep the pigeons away. One year they stripped all the currants in a day when the currants were all green :mad: I dug the bush up. I don't like redcurrants and hated picking them for him indoors to eat. They are so fiddly to prepare for eating.

[jill]

I spent half an hour in the garden this afternoon, pruning my roses and cutting the dead bits off the fuschias, sure I should have done it before now. With all the snowdrops and crocus starting to come through it has tided it up abit. Had today off work, we visited a sawmill to look at the flooring and wooden doors that they make. Alot better than diy stores. Ripped abit more wall paper off aswell.

Hope everyone is ok - where is Claire. We are missing you.

Good news about the parking place Rebecca and that you can tolerate the chocolate Copper. Dianne your comment about Tom Good made me smile. As we were passing some pigs and goats today I mentioned that we should jack in work and become self sufficient like on the Good Life.

Have a good weekend.

[cnc]

Just to let you know I finally came home on Wednesday. I still can't stand or walk, but I can move my legs again now, which is good news. The care is just about sorted, and this agency seem much nicer.
I hope everything goes okay for your Rebecca, I've been thinking of you all, but the internet at the hospital was so slow, I wasn't able to keep up with everything.

Will try to catch up properly with all the posts as soon as I can, but I've got to seriously limit what I'm doing at the moment to try and get my legs back again.

Hope you've all had a nice weekend.

[Copper]

Welcome home Claire :hug: I hope that your legs improve soon.

I hope that your carers are nice and do what they should for you. You clearly need care now.

I have spent hours in the garden. I didn't realise quite so much needed doing. It looks neat and tidy now.

[jill]

Good to hear from you Claire, I was very surprised that you emailed from the hospital in the first place, I didn't realise there were such facilities for patients, typical that it was too slow. You just take your time and get better little by little.

I cut one of my grasses (bit like pampas) right back with the shears yesterday so that is a little tidier now. I'm sure it will come back. My neighbour who hasn't spoken to me for a couple of years since I attempted to spray his cat with water came over for a chat whilst I was doing it. Realised afterwards that he must be trying to weedle himself back in because he wants to be nosey and find out what we are doing building wise. I'm not daft but at least it is better that we speak than ignoring each other - i don't like that sort of thing.

Yesterday was busy with demolition stuff so I decided to have a bit of a chill day today.

[rebecca c]

Claire it is so good to have you back, I have been thinking of you often, as Jill says take your time and get better slowly.

I wont have my operation yet, last year they told me I could do an SOS and they would push me through quickly but when I rang in for it they said I cant have my initial appointment until the end of April but could see them quicker with my GP. So I have booked it in through my GP who also made a note it is SOS but didnt think it would make any difference. As I say I am frightened by it but my quality of life is now such that I know I would be silly to carry on like this and it will affect my daily life very adversely to do so.

I have very tired this holiday and think my negative interview treatment has knocked me back and used up some of my resources. I know it will pass and I will be back on top of things soon. feel like I have had a couple of months on go slow but really I have acheived alot.

The warmer weather and sunshine is really helping and it feels like I am coming out of hibernation.

My eldest is performing in a play in a couple of weeks so that is our main focus at the moment. His drama teacher rang me to tell me how amazing he is on friday which was just so great, made me really weapy.

[Copper]

I hope that you get an appointment very soon.

My baby orchid has rotted away. Mother in law is good at over watering plants especially orchids it seems.

I have just stated eating the rum truffles for Aldi. Mmmm they are very nice.

When I took the packaging off my fresh chicken at the weekend I discovered it was off :angry: We went to Tesco today and complained. We showed them the label and till receipt. After a lot of fuss they paid up. In future we have to take the putrid chicken in to the shop.

Customer service has gone downhill in the last few months. A very efficient young girl left and it has never been the same since. Now they just all want to chat and not deal with customers. I waited ages to be served and I was first in the queue. Other people left in disgust.

Tesco are getting on my nerves again.

[rebecca c]

Makes a bit of a mockery of the concept of customer service.

I think the recession is having an affect - the silly thing is it should have the opposite effect.

I am feeling a bit brighter, lovely afternoon here today. Work is okay.

Just bought myself some very pretty pink roses from asda for 2 quid which definitely cheer things up.

[Dianne]

For some reason I cant work out how to start a new thread otherwise I would have done but heres what I found out today and then researched on the internet - turns out to be true - guess who's been and bought a bread maker

Does your daily bread contain human hair, or duck and chicken feathers
Bread has been referred to as the staff of life, but that was before the advent of modern production techniques. In the early days of milling, flour was produced by crushing the whole grain between stone rollers. Not so today. Flour is milled by discarding the germ and the cellulose outer layer and crushing the grain between high speed steel rollers. Unlike the course ground whole grain flour produced by stone grinding, the flour we eat today is an extremely fine white powder. There are approximately 60 approved chemicals used in the making of flour and bread.
The possibility that hair may be used in bread relates to the existence of an animal-based flour additive called L-Cysteine. It is an amino acid which is used as a flour improver. It is known as E920 and is permitted for use in all biscuits, breads and cakes except those that claim to be wholemeal.
E920 is produced from feathers, pig bristles and sometimes even human hair.
How commonly is L-Cysteine used in bread and biscuitis?
The problem with E920 is that even when it is used it doesn’t have to be listed in the ingredients that’s because it is broken down in the baking process so the manufacturers argue that doesn’t constitute an ingredient.
The Food Standards Agency denies this, It says that L-Cysteine must always be labelled. Indeed, the industry says the reason you so rarely see E920 on labels is that these days it is very rarely used (apparently it was much more common fifteen years ago).and that the only L-Cysteine their members would use is the synthetic variety. If British bakers are using synthetic L-Cysteine are they breaking EU guidelines? It is hard to get a straight answer because if L-Cysteine is added when the flour
is milled and the millers say it something the bakers would add.

[Copper]

Hmm the bread does not actually contain feathers, hair etc. It might contain an amino acid extracted from feathers, hair etc. Interesting though.

I have made my own bread for at least three years now. I have found that Doves Organic white flour works best in my bread maker. I really must make some brown bread of some description. Sadly, him indoors refuses to eat brown bread. It takes 4 hours to make the white and 5 for wholemeal.

[rebecca c]

Dont eat bread myself, but I made some with some marks and spencers strong white flour a little while ago and it was incredibly soft and easy to work.

Just been to see a band which was pretty good.

Been helping the eldest with his art today making giant sunglasses that was fun and also doing some cutting back in the garden to prepare the garden for a new fence. This is the main household improvement planned for this year. It is to go above the wall and someone who worked on my Hampton court garden is doing me a contempary trellis style which should be cool.

Have the heating turned off as it has got so much warmer which in turn should help my nose.

[cnc]

There's always these type of stories around, there is always some food or other we shouldn't eat, I've given up listening to most of them.

Sounds like you've all been having busy times.

Well I discovered that I'm still allergic to milk.... Carer accidentally gave me some milk (which was hiding at the back for my parents impending visit), been a rather unpleasant couple of days, but other than my chest being a bit thick, I seem to have got over the rest of it.
I did have a lovely time with my parents and they brought down my other wheelchair which is bright purple so I swapped it for my black one. They've also booked a holiday for the three of us in the Summer :D

[Copper]

It is good to hear that you had a nice time with your parents. Now you have a summer holiday to look forward to as well.

I hope the carer will be careful in the future and not give you milk.

[rebecca c]

Well you certainly deserve a nice summer holiday Claire. Are you going somewhere nice?

I have had a reasonable day at work - didnt get out in the sunshine though. I have washed the kitchen floor and I am doing a bit of calligraphy (something I havent done for years) which I find very relaxing. (the calligraphy not washing the floor). I am trying to make some birthday cards with quotes on. 1 success so far.

[jill]

I woke up to a frost this morning, the roads hadn't been gritted so I unfortuantely I saw 4 vehicles on the way to work which had been in accidents. Not very nice at all.

I've been busy packing some of my kitchen things away, and came home tonight and started dismantling the kitchen - we have two so i've got one left to work in whilst the building work is going on. Discovered 10 minutes ago that our plans have been passed - yippee. Now Building Regs approval to get.

Copper - do you think there will be anything left to grow on my orchid once all the leaves have gone. I'm just left with a stalk so don't know whether I should just dump it or keep it in the hope it will do something.

Oh Clare, you do seem to get some carers who don't appreciate all of your problems. Nice that you have a holiday to look forward to.

[rebecca c]

Jill well done great news. When we had the loft done our builders new the building inspectors well so they handled all the inspections and we had no hassles with it at all.

[Copper]

Good news on the building front Jill. How exciting.

I have an orchid which lost its leaves and stayed like that for a few months. It now has three small healthy leaves. I did look at the state of the roots and some were green and healthy. I just watered it sparingly along with my other orchids once a week. Can you see the roots of your orchid?

I now know that if the orchid has been over watered it is pretty hopeless. The roots rot and the whole thing dies :(

[cnc]

Oh it was a geniune accident, I don't normally have any milk in the house and had some picked up as my parents were visiting, and she managed to dig it out from the back of the fridge.

Good news about the building Jill.

We're not going far just to Center Parcs, but I really like it as it's peaceful and get plenty of fresh air and you don't have to do much. Am hoping to be able to get in the water a little bit as well. It was the only place we could think of that would easily have wheelchair facilities and generally be quite wheelchair accessible. Really looking forwards to it.

[jill]

I've just had a good look at my orchid and it does appear to have greenish roots - not what I was expecting they would look like. The label says once flowered cut the stalk down and it should flower again in 6 months - don't know if I can stick a manky looking thing like this on my window sill for that long - i'll see how it goes.

Center Parcs looks good Claire, never been myself but I've often looked at it. Definitely looks posher than the good old days of Butlins.

[rebecca c]

I couldnt bear having a manky one around that long and thought I would buy another one but have never got round to it. They are beautiful though.

Center parcs will be great.

[cnc]

Going to see the allergy and ENT combined clinic tomorrow morning, please wish me luck, the ENT guy was rather unpleasant last time I went.

I love Center Parcs and can't wait to go back:D Will be strange not being able to go on all the slides etc... but this will be my first holiday in several years, so I'm very excited.

[Copper]

Good luck tomorrow. Perhaps you will see a different person.

[rebecca c]

Good luck Claire.

Its going to be hard to be assertive when you are recovering from such a hit but I find it helpful to realise I can only be as assertive and clear as I can beyond that if he has problems they are his problems not yours. I am not in a position to change my combination of who I am what health problems I have or how I react to things to make the doctors life easier. The flexibility needs to come in the other direction.

I have had a good day but a busy one so I face a mountain of tasks now never mind I will get there.

[cnc]

It was a pretty pointless waste of time to be honest. They're beyond useless, and decided I can't have stronger drugs because I'm in a wheelchair....his precise words. He claimed it was something to do with side effects but made a lot of assumptions about me to justify his claims.
They did pinprick tests whilst I was taking an antihistamine so decided therefore that it was a non-allergic reaction to milk, not quite sure what to make of that.
Oh well, we shall see what happens at the next appointment.

Hope you're all having a lovely weekend.

[Copper]

I am sorry to hear that the hospital appointment was yet another waste of your time.

My eldest daughter has been suffering from labyrinthtis which is not nice. She is getting better but it is a slow process. My youngest daughter has an infection under a wisdom tooth which is very painful. The antibiotics are making her drowsy so she is not happy.

I have been spring cleaning a room full of books and assorted junk. We had a new carpet fitted in the room yesterday, so it made sense to give the room a good clean. I am now very tired. I need a quiet day today. I think that I will do some more family history.

[jill]

I have had both of those Copper so I can sympathise with both of your daughters. Hope they are feeling better soon. Washing your mouth out with warm salt water is supposed to do wonders for tooth infections, if I feel a slight twinge of pain this is what I always do.

Typical Claire that you didn't get a good response. Are these people human?

I have been packing more things away and have just finished removing the tiles from the kitchen wall, they came off very easily. They were alternate green and terrocota, looked quite nice but they had to come off so that we can get the worktop out, silicon sealer strikes again! Paul has removed the sink and bath tonight - fortunately we have another one.

[Copper]

I hope that you are taking before and after photos. It is a good job that you have two of everything :lol2:

My youngest is not happy as her boyfriend has passed on the bad throat bug. Note it is his fault she is ill now :)

[rebecca c]

Claire my experience of ENT is they are very limited in what they can do and achieve a good prognosis for. It must be frustrating for them!!!! I have been known to tell them I am doing something for which I receive an agressive negative response only to be told to try that self same thing by them 4 years down the line. The only people worse (apart from unnecessary breast exams by a chest consultant and a being told not to make a fuss and take paracetamol when I had severe pleuresy and a young baby to nurse) are the dermatologists who were rude, agressive and negative. Or discounting. Or patronising........

Copper I hope you daughters are soon feeling better but I know labarynthitus can take a while to recover from.

Jill it is going to be worth it all in the end. I hope the weather is dry and settled for you.

Tiring week this week as I am dealing with some wider and complex family issues.

It is funny how people can say it is not right to burden you whilst doing that very same thing!!!!!

A few difficulties at work within one team I work in, which I cant really write about. I have concerns that it may get difficult but it is alright at the moment and I am confident I have done the right things. the other team I work with dont feel too far away from organisational meltdown.

My course next year seems more inviting as time progresses.

My tummy is still fighting to get back to normal after a meal out 6 weeks ago, but it is fighting and that feels positive. Several phonecalls away from getting my ENT appointment sorted.

My eldest was in his play on Friday and he was amazing. They played to a packed house and all his friends from school came to support him which makes me quite tearful, whoever goes on about young people today needs to be introduced to the teenagers I know.

[rebecca c]

I hope it wasnt me that stopped the posting.

We have had some lovely sunshine today and I have a new fence. I have started getting the garden straightened out and it looks lovely but need to do a bit more.

Health isnt too great but I am sure it will pick up soon.

Things sorted themselves out at work with regard to the problems I was worried about and it should be fine.

[jill]

I have been so busy with housey stuff that I haven't been on to post so it is nothing to do with you Rebecca. Glad that things are more settled at work. I have stressed so much in the past about work issues that in the end you come to realise it just isn't worth it. I mostly work on my own now, just the radio for company most of the time and it is great, i don't have to listen to people moaning about trivia and bitching. Does get a bit lonely at times but it is worth it not being bogged down with everyone elses c**p.

Got the date for the builders sorted - 30th March so it is very busy here at the moment.

[cnc]

Of course it wasn't you Rebecca :)

I hope things start to pick up for you soon. I've managed to add an infected ingrown toenail to my list of fun at the moment. Always good fun in my world:) Got a week off from seeing specialists, just physio this week, and then physio and plastic surgeon next week. People seem to have an obsession with trying to cut me open!!

Slowly getting back to uni work, and finalising my letter to social services regarding my treatment. Trying to get hold of a lawyer as swell but it's quite a complex case so it may take a while.

New care agency are much better though, I'm actually getting some proper care, oh and my bath lift is finally fixed, which deserves a celebration in itself.

Hope you're all having a lovely weekend, I'm watching 'Lets dance for comic relief'.

[Copper]

I hope that you feel better soon Rebecca. Perhaps some decent spring weather will help.

Oh Claire how do you manage to attract these problems. An ingrown toenail is painful enough so I am told, never mind infected.

I have been busy spring cleaning. I have been reminded about the number of things stored away such as cross stitch kits, balls of wool and material. I must try harder to do something with all of these things. I have just started knitting again in an effort to clear the wool stash :)

[rebecca c]

Claire when my sons had infected ingrown toenails (from biting them - yuck) a hot salt water plunge really helped (very hot though as hot as you can bear) I dont know if your carers can help with that.

Lovely sunshine here today.

I feel like I havent stopped cleaning since christmas and the house is still a mess.
cut my finger badly due to PMT and getting in a fug.
My garden is now sorted and about to put on a show of spring colour so I am pleased with that.

I have just tried a new hair treatment which is very good and I am just now waiting to be sure I dont react.

Have a bit of a viral infection but since I became fully gluten free the homeopathic remedies seem to have some effect so although my chest is uncomfortable it is not diabolical.

Mike is busy at work which adds to my work load so really I must congratulate myself on managing as well as I have.

I took the youngest and his friend to watch Brighton yesterday and I must say I was expecting to zone out and get through it but it was a lovely sunny afternoon and Brighton did us proud.

[rebecca c]

I have realised I am having a repeat of monthly symptoms I have had before and so I went and got blood tests done today.

I found the GP good she agreed with what I asked for and said it made good sense and said she had nothing to add.

I am hoping it is some kind of detox process and didnt happen last month because I believe I was glutened by a restaurant.

I made it to work and my boys have been giving me lots of cuddles - hot water bottle helps loads.

[rebecca c]

I have had 3 days off work - youngest has been ill too for 2 of these days. tried to go in yesterday but couldnt do it. came home and slept like a log.

feeling pretty ill and now steroids are giving me tummy pain -they never used to do this.

Think my asthma/immune responses have got worse since I have been on coeliac diet.

Oh well I know it will pass and it has stabilised a bit. Sometimes wonder how I manage I was crying in pain when I was cooking tea one night - Mike was at the football!

Really hoping blood test results will move me forward with this - I have written an action plan on how I will respond to different test result. May be biting the bullet and trying the singulair asthma tablet but it is difficult to express just how terrified I am about doing this.

[jill]

Sorry to hear you are feeling unwell Rebecca. Cuddles certainly help in these circumstances. You are not alone in suffering with pain and being in tears because of it. I had to leave work early yesterday, I think I keep getting a nerve trapped in my back and it is causing intense pain down my legs that it is difficult to walk. I thought it was something hormonal as I have been expereincing it since last June on and off and there seemed to be a pattern to it. Now I think it could be as I am standing up a lot at work, tried to get into the dr today but no luck. The pain goes if I am able to rest and get off my legs for a couple of hours or so. Bit difficult at work though. It is getting worse so it needs looking into, I drove home with tears streaming down my face because the pain was so bad. Have been taking a bit of ibruprofen but as it contains lactose it has been having a not good effect on my belly. Tried deep heat rub on my back at work yesterday but all that did was stink the place out.

Hope everyone else is ok and has a good weekend.

[rebecca c]

Jill that sounds really bad. It sounds like sciatica which my husband used to get. He went to the osteopath on my advice and it really helped. Now he goes for an annual check up just to keep things ticking over.

It may take a few trips to the osteopath but in my experience it is the fastest route to recovery and generally better than chiropracters. (Just my opinion)

Cold packs may help or hot water bottles it is different for different people. Mike found pack of frozen peas helped.



I have only ever had mild problems with my back from carrying the boys and the dog but again I go straight to the osteopath and it gets me back up and running very quickly.

Now feeling worried about my son as he is in a lot of pain with his ear and some of his behaviour is similar to when he had the facial cellulitus and of course his cheeks are red as he fights off the infection so I am thinking I hope it doesnt turn into the cellulitus and I've got to watch him like a hawk. we only got him an ear spray but i am starting to worry i should of got oral antibiotics.

[Copper]

I hope that you feel better soon Rebecca. I also hope that your son improves too. I know how stressful a sick child is especially over a weekend.

Jill, I hope you manage to get your back sorted out soon. It all sounds very painful.

I am currently conducting an experiment. I am using a soapless hand wash from the Body Shop. I suffer from contact dermatitis if I use soap. It is a coconut wash so I should be ok providing I don't eat it :D

[jill]

Oo I used to use some coconut shampoo from Body Shop - I loved the smell.

My laptop power pack gave up on me whilst I was on this site last night. I was not happy - my computer went into hiberntion and would not start again. Went to currys today and they wanted £58 for a new one. So I said I wouldn't bother and have just done an intenet search. Lot cheaper so I will have to get another one ordered. On Pauls laptop at the moment. I need another supply for mine as I have got loads of housey stuff on it.

Back has been fine again - i've even done some gardening today as it was so nice. The chicken decided to keep me company by pecking at me as I was sat on the floor.

[rebecca c]

Cant believe the chicken is still on the scene. Would of been eaten by urban foxes here within hours.

It sets a very funny scene imagining you with your stray chicken Jill!

[Copper]

I was thinking about your chicken the other day. I was going to ask you if it was still around. It would have been eaten by a fox here too.

[jill]

The chicken has spent most of the day in our garden apart from when it decided to pop through the open patio doors which we have at the front of the house, whilst we weren't looking it ventured onto the bottom step of the stairs. It is a right character and has a good old chunter. The thing that makes me laugh the most about it is that at night time it always waddles off down the road to some people and spends the night their, how it hasn't got knocked down as it crosses the road I don't know. It will be 2 years in September since it first appeared so it is doing well.

We have been very busy today storing things in the garage for when the builder starts. One kitchen is completely stripped. Gas Meter was disconnected on Friday, we have flipped the switch so we can't use any more electric in that half of the house, just need all the plumbing to be drained and ripped out. Then it will be over to the builder to start gutting the place. Getting rather excited as it is 4 years today since we bought the place so it has been a long time coming. Just hope I can keep so excited and positive though the whole process.

[Copper]

I really hope you have a good builder ie one who gets on with job.

It all sounds very exciting.

[rebecca c]

I hope your builders are as good as the people who did our loft. I even missed them when they went and the work was of a very high standard with only one minor hassle.

[Copper]

Yesterday I discovered how crows collect twigs for their nests. They sit in trees and peck off twigs and drop most of them. They do not pick them up. I had two crows doing this to my lovely pruned silver birch tree grrr. There are plenty of other silver birch trees around so why attack mine?

I had to water some tubs today as the daffodils were starting to droop ooops.

[jill]

The builder wants to start on Wednesday doing a few jobs, so you could say he is keen. He came today with his scaffolder to measure up so it seems like he is on top of the job. He lives in the village and used to rent the half of the house that we are having done up whilst he was doing his own property up so I know where to find him if there are any problems. He has a good reputation and has always seemed fine to me when he has called round. He also talks to me aswell which I think is good - can't be doing with men who will only talk to other men.

[rebecca c]

My blood test showed pretty much normal except for some high bilirubin levels.

I decided to change my asthma medication to the singulair, when I went to the GP I got really upset and he was pretty fed up with me. He said he thought my main problem was anxiety and depression not my health.

Anyway I have been contending with worsening asthma and some degree of jaundice and trying not to miss too much work - all enough justify getting a bit upset if you ask me.

So I am changing my medication. He said the higher bilirubin was something called gilberts syndrome which 1 in 20 people have and is nothing to worry about. I am not really too worried about it but some sympathy with all that I am up against might have gone a long way this morning.

Never mind he is normally a pretty good GP and I think he was a bit overwhelmed by my upset.

[Copper]

Worsening asthma is not good or "fun" to live with.

Some doctors are not good with weepy women. Can you learn that I wonder.

I have never heard of Gilberts so I have just read about it. It should not affect you as it is harmless. The site also said that some people experience abdominal pain but nobody knows why.

I hope you feel better soon.

[jill]

Oh dear Rebecca, that didn't sound very pleasant for you. I've been in tears before in front of a GP and he said I was depressed. Why do they put it all down to anxiety and depression? Most of it is because they won't listen. Hope you are feeling better soon. I've sent you a PM.

[rebecca c]

Thanks for the support it means a lot.

I think I have a pretty reasonable perspective on things considering what I have been through in the last couple of weeks.

Always helps to know that it will pass.

I shall now try to carry out some positive thinking about the outcome of my medication change as I am sure that does have some influence.

[cnc]

Good luck with the singular and sorry to hear things didn't go so well with the GP. Unfortunately I believe there is nearly always an element of anxiety and depression with any chronic illness, the incessant nature of them wears everyone down eventually, but to say that all your problems stem from that is rubbish. Even if your problems were mainly anxiety and depression, these are genuine medical conditions that need treating the same as anything else.

Things are continuing to be a bit chaotic here, infections aren't responding to treatment, I've just had steroid injections in my hand and I've got to have a wrist arthoscopy and probably some surgery at the same time and possibly some more afterwards. Things are okay though, carrying on as usual and trying to ignore the health side of things. I can't do anything to change most of it, so why waste my time worrying about it?

Hope you all have a lovely weekend, take care.

[Copper]

It is good to hear from you Claire.

You appear to have a sensible attitude to your health. You are right and worrying about things outside your control won't help. It is hard to stop stressing about things though.

I can remember having bad asthma attacks in my teens and if I stressed about it I noticed that it got even worse. I learnt to calm down and the attack went away a lot faster. This was happening at night in the hay fever season and before the GP diagnosed that I did indeed have asthma. My asthma is still dormant :) I still have to carry an inhaler with me at all times in case I get a sudden attack.

[rebecca c]

Can you absolutely believe it somebody just drove into my car. He has accepted full liability and I have 3 witnesses - my son was really upset. insurance brokers are sorting it all out for me really well.

[jill]

Oh dear Rebecca, that is not good, at least you have witnesses and it is being sorted. Somebody ran in to Paul going into work last October, he gave a false name, turns out it wasn't his car and it all got rather messy. It was on company land and fortunatley was witnessed by the security guards, as we speak his car is being repaired some 6 months later. I believe the guy ended up getting sacked as he couldn't provide the correct documentation.

Trying to do the last bits of dismantling and putting stuff into storage before the builders start on Monday. Decided after the porch came down on Wednesday that I need to put more stuff away - less stuff about the less that will need cleaning during and afterwards. So why am I on here if i've got so much to do ....?

[Copper]

There are some nutters out there in cars. Good job you had three witnesses that wanted to get involved.

I have to spring clean the kitchen and I have a large pile of ironing to do :( I just need some energy. Maybe a piece of chocolate will help :lol2:

[cnc]

Hope you're getting things sorted out Rebecca.
I'm giving up on 2009, I've just been told that I've probably broken my foot- I dropped something on it 6 weeks ago....
Oh and my problems with carers appears to have started again today, I've just had a day with the most appalling carer, who actually had a go at me in the middle of my bathroom, am not amused and shall be complaining about her tomorrow.
I'm busy doing uni work and trying to find a lawyer for the previous care stuff as well.

Hope everyone else is doing okay.

[jill]

I would refuse to let her in again, she certainly isn't very caring if she has a go at you. Hope it doesn't cause you too much grief in getting it sorted. Has your foot been hurting all of this time Claire? That doesn't sound good either.

My GP is sending me for an X-Ray on my back next Tuesday so at least I wasn't dismissed. It is weird, sometimes it really hurts, other times it is fine.

Building work is going fine, they have certainly got stuck in well. I am missing all of the fun though as I am at work. After all of the planning I feel a bit lost as it is out of my control now.

[rebecca c]

It appears to be one of those times when we are all in the middle of things.

I am slowly on the mend and so is my son. He managed a morning at school today and has started to try it on - that must be a good sign but I didint let him get away with it. Its quite hard to look after someone in shock when you are in shock yourself but we have made it through the worst hopefully.

Singulair is going well so far, my sense of smell came back this morning first time in 26 years!!!! Wierd! Breathing much better - makes me feel almost super human. If this is what it is like what have I been missing.

[Copper]

Oh Claire what is it with carers!!! I can't believe that you have had to struggle for so long with a broken foot. It must be very painful.

I hope things improve soon.

Rebecca, good to hear that you and your son are improving. Your son will be on holiday soon anyway I guess.

Jill, good to hear that the building work is going ok so far. I hope the x-ray shows what is wrong with your back so you can avoid more pain.

PA is still suffering from labrynthitis! The GP gave her a prescription for another liquid medication to try. Boots say it is a special prescription as it must be lactose free. One week later and PA is still waiting for Boots to get the medication in!!!!

[rebecca c]

My friend has labyrinthitus, it is worse when she is stressed and tired. She found some useful advice when she first got it which was the medicine will help but will delay overall recovery so it is a balance between getting better now and doing what you need to do and a long term recovery.

[Copper]

PA has had this for 6 weeks now I think. She is getting fed up with only being able to cope with work and nothing else. She works with computers all day so that does not really help.

She does go out to her Rotoract meetings but pays for it the next day.

She wants her life back!

[rebecca c]

Send PA our love and I hope she gets better soon.

My dog is very sick now she is at the vets hopefully it is a tummy infection and she will respond to the antibiotics otherwise it will be operations and all sorts since you can never fully trust what a labrador has eaten. We have insurance but now shes older have to pay 15%.

I am sure it is a stress response to the accident as she was in the car too.

Vets are very good so we know she is in safe hands, distressing nevertheless.

[Copper]

Oh dear poor dog. Can you claim vet fees and distress suffered by you all, from the idiot who ran into you?

As some of you know I am very intolerant to coconut but lately coconut has come into my life again. I am using coconut hand wash, which my hands are still happy with thank goodness. Today I bought a Miracle cloth from Lakeland (the shop) and lo and behold it contains coconut.

My husband bought me some more chocolate from Somerfield this week. The allergy box states it contains milk but it doesn't. Somebody must have seen cocoa butter and thought ah dairy :) Even more exciting for me is that it contains rapeseed lecithin. No soya :lol2:

[rebecca c]

The dog is on the mend, I will tell the solicitor about it on Monday. We can pick her up later.

What a month, on Sunday my horoscope said it would be a struggle this week - I laughed and said I was hoping things were going to get better. Maybe I'll get better stars next week - not that I believe these things. I dont however think it is a coincidence that it is my 40th year, so many people have problems in this year of their lives it cant be a coincidence!

Went to see the new David Hare play last night and it was amazing. People told me my son wouldnt understand it but he followed every nuance and detail and loved the acting.

Copper I am so glad about the coconut - it is good to know your restrictions have paid off and it is going the other way for you again. I have started eating chocolate again (Montezumas and cocoa) and it is not making my face swell!!!!!

[Copper]

I am fine with coconut as long as I don't eat it :lol2:

Great to hear that your dog is better.

Perhaps this week will be better for you all Rebecca.

[cnc]

Am glad the singular is making a difference for you Rebecca, but sorry everything else is stressful.

Apparently my foot isn't broken but there is soft tissue damage, tendon damage and probable nerve inflammation- this was decided when I was sent to A&E when my foot started feeling very funny, was a lovely morning sat there!!

Hope you're all doing okay, and that you get some good times soon.

[rebecca c]

I am glad your foot is not broken Claire but sorry you had to sit in the hospital al morning.

Dog is home and on the mend. All connected to the accident as it made her arthritus flare up and it is probable that the medicine for that has aggravated her stomach.

Going car hunting tomorrow. Hopefully I can get something but we have next weekend to look too. A friend is looking after my youngest so we dont have to drag him along

[cnc]

Hope you managed to get a car Rebecca and glad the dog is on the mend :)

The downside of the injury is that it'll take longer to heal etc... than had it been broken.

[Copper]

I hope you have managed to find a car Rebecca.

Claire, I guessed that your injury would take longer to heal than a broken bone. I hope it doesn't hurt for much longer.

[rebecca c]

I have a car, it fits the bill some things slightly better some slightly worse but well in budget.

Now the insurance company computers are down and I cant get the thing insured - frustrating.

Oh well need to put some petrol in the hire car and its nicer to drive so I will take that out this morning and really hope I can get my new to me car insured this pm.

[Copper]

I get annoyed when I am told things can't be done because the computers are down.

I made an insurance firm give me a quote for my car using a calculator, pen and paper when I was getting a new car once. Their computers were down for days.

[rebecca c]

Trying to be relaxed about it - their computers are up and running now but they were snowed under this morning someone is meant to be ringing me now.

check this out amazing story about castaway dog http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7986816.stm

sun is out today even though forecast is for grey - drizzle etc - got to be happy with that!

Singulair is going well - finding I overbreath a fair bit so getting pins and needles and giddy head from so much oxygen. By my reckoning I was putting about 25% of my energy just into breathing.

[Copper]

What an amazing dog.

Clouding over here now after a sunny start. The garden needs some rain so shouldn't complain really.

I have just received a letter from my surgery asking me to make an appointment for the asthma clinic. I go once a year so I am in their system if my asthma starts up again. I have to carry an inhaler with me at all times in case I suddenly need it.

Rebecca I am sure that you will soon learn not to put so much effort into breathing. If you get too giddy I guess that breathing into a paper bag might help. I know that works for people who are hyperventilating (panic attacks usually).

[rebecca c]

I now have to decide whether to get the boys boostered for mumps as there is an epidemic at the moment and they have only had one jab.

It does worry me filling them full of vaccines but mumps is a nasty one too.

The nurse says she can not give it to them as a seperate jab.

[Copper]

I had a mild dose of mumps when I was 18 and that was quite painful. One gland in front of one ear never went down to normal size.

Mumps can be serious in boys/men.

I don't envy you having to make a decision.

[jill]

I had mumps when I was at infant school, can't remember anything about it though.

What a drizzly day, I managed to get my grass cut and the daffodills dead headed then the rain started - nothing heavy but it hasn't stopped since lunch time. Building work is going well, we currently are missing the gable end of one side of the house - the first night it had gone we had awful winds and i didn't sleep well at all. So pleased the weather has calmed down alot. Waiting for the roof trusses to be made and delivered then the gable end which was built in brick can then be rebuilt but in stone to match the rest of the house.

Hope all is well with everyone.

[rebecca c]

Off to Devon to visit in laws and then for a few days in a cottage in North Devon.

Lovely day today.

Had quite a lot of chocolate for first time in 7 years but now have new rash on my chin which is sore. also my face rash is trying to come up after I thought it was under control but I have some ideas about controling it again next month. As usual it is 2 steps forward one step back. list of possible causes is just as long as it ever is.

It doesnt help that I can never be sure i havent been accidently glutened.

Can only wait and see how things go over the next month. Difficult to try and relax about it all but that can be the only way to go.

[Katerina]

Hello, hope you don't mind an irregular visitor butting in. Hope everyone is well.

I'm just going to show off a bit :blush: I had an article published in the March 'Foods Matter' magazine about economising during the credit crunch if you have to have special foods. I don't know if anyone saw it, but I hoped it helped someone, somewhere.

Isn't life better now the weather has cleared up? Things don't seem so much of a problem when the sun is shining, do they?

[Copper]

I don't get the Foods Matter magazine so I have not seen your article.

I hope that you enjoy your stay in Devon Rebecca.

I went to the asthma clinic today just to prove that my asthma is still dormant :) My peak flow reading today was the same as last years so that can't be bad.

[cnc]

I don't get the magazine either I'm afraid, but I do know someone who gets it I think and their daughter is lactose and gluten intolerant so it may well have helped them.

I hope you have a lovely time away Rebecca, you deserve something nice for a change :) I hope you manage to get your health problems a bit more under control soon.

Things are going along as usual here, no real improvement in my health, and can't get to see my allergy specialist any sooner, as all his appointments are booked, but the nice receptionist is going to see if she can get him to work something out for me so that's hopeful.

[rebecca c]

Clare - I have always found consultants secretaries to be exceptionally helpful. I am sorry things are not improving much for you.

The singulair appears to be helping me a lot with a limited amount of side affect so far. I had the loveliest holiday, and I was strong enough to do a lot of walking. We had whole empty beautiful beaches to ourselves in the amazing sunshine. The boys walked quite long distances and enjoyed it. I may post a picture of the dog enjoying herself - she thought it was heaven rivers and sea!

Hi Katerina - yes the weather is a massive blessing. Sorry I didnt see your article. I eat brown rice for breakfast and dinner and cant have any number of the treats including alcohol I used to enjoy - that all saves loads of money!!!!

I have been so busy this week catching up on things but it is nice in a way to be strong enough to do all this. By my calculations I was using about 25% of my energy just breathing - how do i do it. I amaze myself! Have booked in for my nose operation too.

[cnc]

The day or so after I posted that message I got a new appointment through for what is now next week, despite the fact I'm not very impressed with him, at least I'm getting seen sooner:)

Am so glad the montelukast is helping, have you got the lovely chewable ones too?! I hope that the operation helps things improve further.

I just spent my morning having an infected ingrown toenail removed, so my poor toe is feeling a little tender at the moment as the local anaesthetic is slowly wearing off, but it'll be better in the long run:)

I hope you've all been enjoying the sunshine.

[Copper]

Good luck with the appointment Claire.

Good to hear you feel much better Rebecca.

I have been very dynamic clearing some rubbish out of the loft. I still have a lot of boxes in the loft but they are all numbered now. I just have to type a list of box contents now. I now have some space in the loft and in the future when somebody wants something I should be able to find it.

The bad news is that I have damaged my knee. It is getting better slowly. I am going to a barn dance on Saturday but I doubt my knee will be better by then.

[jill]

Hope your kneee is better soon so you can do lots of dancing. Your comment about clearing your loft out made me smile - our roof (well half of it) totally got ripped off by the builders today. The new roof trusses are coming tomorrow. All good fun, I laughed when I saw it from the inside with no roof. I've even made it up onto the scaffolding.

I got the results of my back X-Ray and it is fine, I have seen a physio therapist at work who says my problem is mechanical back pain due to posture- basically because I am stood up virtually all day it is giving me grief so I need to learn to stand better and keep mobile. Easier said than done.

What lovely weather we are having.

Your toe doesn't sound very nice Claire, hope it will be better soon.

My belly was bad last night, came on quite sudden, don't know if it was the lacto free cheese or because I have started eating more soya yoghurts. Time will tell.

[rebecca c]

Jill ideas for improving your posture include - alexander technique, pilates or yoga

I have done some very gentle scaravelli inspired yoga and my posture definitely got better I do find it hard to find a class which suits me and is a good time for me too so i am not doing it at the moment.

[cnc]

How is your knee doing Copper?
Jill my Mum is having a similar problem and is going through quite a lot of physio, and like Rebecca I'd recommend the same things, I think pilates is meant to be better than yoga for these kind of things, and usually cheaper than Alexander technique.
Well they've discovered why I've been having problems with sickness, I'm having a reaction to the montelukast, I have to appreciate the irony of not being able to tolerate an anti-allergy type medicine!!

I hope you're all having a lovely weekend, and enjoy the bank holiday.

[Copper]

My knee is almost better :)

Oh Claire how ironic that an anti-allergy medication makes you ill. It just proves that anybody can have an intolerance to anything!

PA is still ill :mad: She is waiting for an appointment with the ENT department in a hospital of her choice! She is trying to have a social life but it is difficult. As she says novbody can see that you are really dizzy. She is currently in Cardiff for the weekend at a Rotaract conference. She is coming home (ie to us) on Tuesday, her birthday. I will be able to give her TLC until Sunday.

I have made a very nice moist looking free from just about everything, chocolate birthday cake. I will let you know what it tastes like once we have sampled it on Tuesday :)

[rebecca c]

Claire sorry to hear you are reacting to the montelukast. I am getting on OK with it so far. It makes my tummy a little bit bad but I can live with that as it makes my breathing very good indeed and leaves me with more energy. I have found something which helps the tummy probs a bit anyway. I think it is ridiculous that they mix it with lactose or aspartame which has a shocking reputation. These are things asthmatics have problems with so why make an asthma medication with them in?

How is your masters going - have you had to take a break or are you able to keep on with it in between all your hospital admissions and appointments?

My friend says her layrinthitus is worse the more stressed she is. Unfortunately this seems to be the case for almost everything and we live in stressful times.

Trying to eat a bit of chocolate but still seem to have some reaction to it.

I am enjoying the lovely weather and being able to breathe - even if it doesnt last its a nice rest (even though it means I work even harder!!) I find it an eye opener to realise how tough things have been for me as I tend to just try to push myself onwards through things and people seem to expect the same of me as someone with normal health and reference things at that level. I have given up trying to explain things are not the same for me as people dont want to believe it.

Lovely walk up on to the downs today to see a mirror sculpture which is part of the festival.

[Copper]

PA is here for the rest of the week to celebrate a special birthday. It ends with a 0 and I feel old :o

We tasted the chocolate cake this afternoon and we all agreed it was yummy. It proves that you can make a very tasty wheat, gluten, dairy and egg free chocolate cake.

We have just watched The Duchess (on DVD). I read the book a few years ago and felt very sorry for The Duchess of Devonshire.

[Katerina]

Hi all :) Hope you are well and getting nice sun like we are here [S. England]. Amazing, I hope it lasts!

Oh, what a shame no one saw my article. It was my very very first article I've ever written and had published and I'm really proud of it and myself. I did hope that someone on here had seen it and had some opinion of it [even if it was: What nonsense, how dare you write such a thing ;) ]

[Copper]

We have been promised heavy rain and even possibly some thunder several times lately but we have escaped it all.

I have been busy finishing off some family history research for a friend. I posted the package first class last Wednesday and it was eventually delivered to my friend yesterday. They only live an hours drive away from me. Royal Mail :mad:

I am looking forward to the tennis coming up on the TV soon. I must do lots of baking and freezing this week :lol2:

I have arranged to meet a second cousin and her husband next month. We discovered each other through family history research. I am really looking forward to meeting her.

[Copper]

As the site was down I was forced to watch the tennis - French Open :lol2:

I had to get my winter coat out today to go to the shops.

I have bought some new bird feeders and the birds love them. I have bullfinches in my garden now. They are very pretty especially the male. The feeders were expensive as they have to be squirrel proof :angry:

[rebecca c]

Katerina - you should be proud of yourself for having written that article. I dont think my English would be up to it.

Having a busy half term - just taken kids swimming. Done some very thorough cleaning with the help of my trusty steam cleaner which I still love.

Have been getting alot of allergy type reactions but I am hoping it is only from the paint fumes as I did painting on Sunday. Keep hoping my husband will get the hint
and take over decorating duties but I dont think hints are going to work!

Dog has had an operation to remove a lump, so giving her some TLC. She has quite a big wound but the thing that is bothering her the most is wearing the lampshade thingy.

[Copper]

The lampshades always look silly on dogs. :) I hope that your dog is doing well now.

The wild birds are eating more seed than ever. I have two pairs of bullfinches that come to eat the sunflower seeds. Some goldfinches would be nice.

A hedgehog has taken to snoozing in the flower border some afternoons. The night before last it found a snail on the bottom of one of my tubs. I did enjoy hearing the hedgehog crunch it up :lol2:

Tennis fans were in shock yesterday as Nadal "king of clay" lost his match in France. As he said himself he played badly and Soderling played well all the time. Good job I didn't have money on Nadal to win the tournament for a 5th time :D I felt sorry for him as he clearly was having an off day.

I have been making the most of the weather and have washed some curtains. My other half has been sitting in the garden. I might get time to sit out there too one day.

[rebecca c]

I love bullfinches. We saw a flock of golfinches a few weeks ago when we went for a bike ride - they were so cheeky.

Poppy is on the mend the vet is very happy with her progress and she has been a very good dog - as ever.

Not a big tennis fan but was aware that Nadal had got knocked out. It all makes it more interesting and gives others some of the limelight. He is a real gentleman thought which is quite refreshing.

Out every day this week on field trips - it went quite well today. Lovely weather - bit too hot if anything, slightly burnt nose as I cant wear sun cream and have to use face powder and a hat.

[rebecca c]

After a honeymoon period with the singulair I am now starting to feel worse and worse. Really struggling after I get up from a sleep. Making me feel a bit upset. Must go off and get blood tests done tomorrow to rule out sinister side effects.

If it is not going to make me any better then the side effects of constipation probably not worth putting up with.

[Copper]

I am sorry to hear that you are feeling worse. :hug:

The hay fever season has started and for once in my life I started the nasal spray early, so I am not suffering anything more than the odd sneeze. Long may it last.

Still trying to watch tennis, keep up with all of the domestic chores and the garden. I guess that is why I am tired. The climbing rose looks stunning but does make a mess. The bottle brush will be flowering soon.

The cat has killed one of my goldfish. He does like fishing in the pond grrr.

[cnc]

Sorry to hear that you're not getting on with it Rebecca. It looks like I could actually tolerate it, but they think my sickness is related to something else, possibly gastroparesis.

Oh no poor goldfish Copper.

I've been snowed under with studying at the moment, hence my absence. Health continues to be difficult, but I'm making a little bit of progress which is exciting. Although feeling sorry for myself at the moment as I've got tonsillitis so am having trouble speaking!! I just got a newsletter from bluelotus who have got some reduced price cakes around at the moment so just treated myself to a couple of those to make it better:)

Hope you're all having a lovely weekend, and your plans haven't been spoiled too much by the rain.

[rebecca c]

I did have a week last week out on a fieldtrip all week with 70 kids and different staff every day. I was very pleased with how well I managed in spite of my asthma. It is as much of a challenge to adapt to all the different teachers and theirs styles as it is to manage the kids.

I did a fair bit of teaching too and I think the kids responded well to it. some thought I knew more than their teacher which I know to take with a pinch of salt but it is not a bad impression to make.

I have 3 field trips next week too but have started the steroids again now so that should help.

Also on the upside I can eat what I like and not put on any weight, my new bare minerals foundation also acted as a good sunscreen so I didnt get burnt.

On Wednesday I went out in the evening and had two appointments as well so I have learnt I cant manage all that and looking after the house and boys.

The dog is recovering very well and I have been to the library to start my precourse reading 2 Saturdays in a row. This has been very relaxing and enjoyable too. It is the one time when I have been able to completely forget my parental responsibility. (Now I know how Mike gets to feel most of the time)

[Copper]

Claire, it is good to hear that you are managing to study despite your problems. I am sure that the cakes will help your throat :lol2:

Rebecca, you seem to be coping well under pressure.

I went out last night and had dinner with friends. We went to The Greyhound Inn in Corfe Castle. The food was nice and they could cope with my no dairy and no egg request.

PA has been sent to the ENT department at the hospital. They have told her that her symptoms are not the classic ones for labryinthitis or anything else for that matter! She has been given some exercises to do to retrain her brain to ignore the signals it is receiving. She has to do the exercises slowly and stop when she gets dizzy. She has to go back to the hospital in 6 weeks time.

[rebecca c]

That sounds like a good kind of therapy for PA - I really hope it works.

I have worked out my breathing is 36% down on normal. Puts some perspective on it.

Claire keep up the with all that studying. I am glad you are making some progress. My son has had tonsilitus recently which was pretty nasty but the antibiotics got him better speedily.

[jill]

Hi everyone, still busy with the building work, roof is now complete, half of the house has been completely gutted inside, floors and rotten beams taken out. Looks very strange. Had two afternoons off last week to help out, I just so much wanted to be around when the demolition was going on. Still enjoying it. Not bothering much with the garden - too much building materials about to even cut the grass at the moment. It will all be woth it in the end. It is certainly a talking point, people who I have never even seen before are stopping for a chat to admire the work.

Take Care everyone.

[Copper]

I spotted a baby hedgehog in my garden at 2pm yesterday. If you see a hedgehog in daylight it is not a good sign. I picked it up carefully and it has a damaged back leg. I guess the poor thing was hungry. I walked up to the local shop and bought some yummy chicken in jelly cat food for it. I put the food out near the shed and it was tucking in at 8.30pm last night. I will do the same tonight.

The mother has been in the garden and I am pretty sure she had her nest under the shed. This is where junior appeared from yesterday.

Otherwise nothing exciting to report :lol2:

[cnc]

How is the hedgehog doing?

I've been busy having fun with my health as ever, (the tonsillitis caused a secondary infection) oh and dozy carers who cause fires in my kitchen that I have to deal with. My life is as sane as ever ;) Studying is going okay I think, just lots to do before mid August.

Hope you're all doing okay.

[Copper]

Oh Claire your life is never dull! How kind of the dozy carers leaving you to sort out the fire aftermath.

Spike junior is doing very well. I spotted Spike finishing of the dish of food at about 2pm yesterday. I was filling the bird feeders at the time which meant I was close to the ground and could see under the shed.

[Copper]

Spike junior has been eating the food the minute I put it under the shed (don't want my cat getting a taste for it). I have just put some food out and within two minutes Spike ran down from the far end to tuck in. I went out again two minutes later and had a surprise to see two Spikes tucking in :lol2:

That explains everything.


I just need to spot them roaming round the garden so I can check on Spike's back leg.

Meanwhile the cat is still on his dry food diet. He wasted so much of his other food that I refuse to buy him any more.

[rebecca c]

Feeling well at the moment and things going well generally. Just slight irritations with posted forms reaching people or knowing where they are.

Just came back from a session at the library and whilst it may seem like a waste of a lovely afternoon it is just so nice to spend some time for myself and get my brain working again.

Swine flu has arrived at the school where I work, one case anyway, it was only a matter of time before I was exposed to it.

We are going to take the boys to the banksy exhibition in Bristol in a couple of weekends time which we are very excited about.

Also taking them to Blur on Friday night.

[Copper]

Swine flu has arrived in Dorset. We will have to see what happens. I am not going to worry about it.

I am still enjoying the tennis and the weather.

[cnc]

I'm not worrying about swine flu, lots of people die every year from the normal flu, so I'm trying to be rational about it.
I'm not enjoying this weather in the slightest, I keep sticking to my chair, and I just find it a bit too much in general. I've never understood the love of the British summer.
I'm busy with coursework, and generally trying to keep on top of my health. Am waiting to see a gastroentrologist, to see why I keep being sick.
Am going to a leaving meal of a friend, it's rather sad though as she only came into my life when I was discharged from hospital and we get on really well, and she has to leave.

Rebecca I'm so envious of you going to see Blur, I keep considering attempting to win tickets but I know my health really isn't up to it, so I'm quite disappointed, but I did stay up and watch them at Glastonbury last night- not sure my neighbour was too impressed to hear me singing along ;)

Hope you're all having a lovely day and the tennis is keeping you entertained:)

[Copper]

What a shame that your friend has to leave.

I hope you get an answer to the sickness thing soon.

Ooooo we have just watched a 5 set epic on centre court with the roof closed. Murray won but only just. I need coffee and a biscuit now.

I met a second cousin yesterday. She is really nice and I am sure that we will see each other again. We found each other through our family history research.

I think that I might have just one baby hedgie under the shed now. It still enjoys the food I put out for it. It is nervous when I peer under the shed to see it eating but it does stay and eat. It must realise that nothing happens to it so I am not a threat.

[rebecca c]

I wish I had a hedgehog to eat my slugs and snails - but I would have to flea spray the dog more often.

Lots going on at the moment. Uni have loaned me a laptop so I am having fun getting that up and running - hubby has helped alot it is dead useful having a husband in IT.

I really enjoyed the programme on Hockney last night - I thought it was amazing TV.

Youngest is making the most of the weather and playing endless football.

Clare I will think of you when we are at Blur. Vampire Weekend are supporting and they are also favourites. Rain forecast which may be a challenge as we are taking the boys too.

There was an article in one of the papers at the weekend about how festivals accommodate people who have disabilities, If I get a minute I will dig it out and let you know which ones have a good track record. - If you like football bear in mind most football clubs have good seating areas and access for people who are in wheel chairs/or have limited mobility.

[jill]

I haven't seen any tennis at all, too busy with the house stuff. I did go to Wimbledon when I was at school, but I think that was more to have a day off than to see the tennis.

I'm currently sat in my front room on a deck chair, no carpet, channel cut through the concrete floor for the new heating system, all the furniture covered in blankets in one corner of the room. But worse still the dresser where I keep my chocoalate bars is where I can't get to it. I think I will have to have another trip to Aldi, one night without a bar of chocolate I think i can cope with but more than that I don't know.

Shame to hear you are loosing your friend Claire, are you not able to keep in touch. Yes i'm not too keen on this heat either, my steering wheel was so hot the other day it was difficult to touch.

Oh dear Copper only one hedgehog, I still have the chicken visiting, in fact the other day it got half way up the stairs, I was trying to get it to come down and it kept going up. I guess this is what happens when you dose off with the front door open.

Laptops are so useful Rebecca, I would be lost without mine. Enjoy the concert.

[rebecca c]

feeling really angry disabled allowance people have told me I dont qualify because asthma is controlled by medication. So angry not all asthma is fully controlled by medication and I have other problems too which are not controlled at all like my nose and others i have to control myself. Plus they now tell me exactly what info they need from my doctor, my consultant did the letter based on what they asked for and now they say it is not enough. They say I have to go to my GP and get a detailed letter when my consultant knows me better than all the various GPs I see and I dont want to go to a doctors surgery and expose myself unnecessarily to swine flu (but of course if medication controlled asthma then asthmatics would not die of the flu. If they know nothing about health problems why are they doing that job?

AHHHH - sorry just needed to let off steam, really annoyed

[Copper]

They are just paper pushers. Some of these people act as if it were their own money they were handing out :angry:

[cnc]

Rebecca, is it the DLA forms? I'm assuming it's the mobility you're trying to apply for? I've filled in that form a number of times now and have a fair idea of what they're trying to find out from you, which isn't necessarily what it says on their form, so if I can help you at all, please PM me and I'll see what I can do. I've helped quite a few people do theirs as well so it's really not a problem:)

So sorry they're messing you about, I believe they turn down nearly everyone at the first attempt and then see if you appeal or go to reconsideration to see how serious you are about claiming, and basically hope that people will not bother. A lot of it is about how you word it as much as anything.

[rebecca c]

Thanks Copper and Claire. It is not DLA - a friend is helping with that one and she has experience of what they are looking for. It is a student disability allowance and the student loans company are managing it (I think this is the first year they have dealt with it and it used to be the LA). I spoke to another person in the department. I got myself very upset and she was unnecessarily officous but in a way that is fair enough as I was upset. On the other hand my consultant wrote them a report based on what they had asked for and they are saying it is not precisely to their requirements. I think their requirements were hard to understand. Anyway she said some pretty crazy things to me. Is it worth all this stress for what can only be a few hundred pounds at the most? That is a decision I will make tomorrow. she said in their opinion allergies do not affect your ability to study as they and asthma are treatable with medication!!!!News to me if she has a cure for my nose she could let my consultant know!

[cnc]

Is it Disabled Students Allowance then? I'll do some information based on that assuming I've got the right one this time. Basically what they need to know is precisely how your problems affect your studies, and then an additional note to explain that they're not controlled properly with medication.
Ideally you should list what help you'd need as well. I'll do it based on mine, so I can't use public transport so they have to pay for taxis for me, as the travelling like that would be too much for me.
I have a scribe because it's too painful to write, these things are all documented. If you don't think there is anything they can help you with, then don't bother fighting it, because if it's what I'm thinking of then they don't actually give you money, but equipment and assistance.
That's what the rules were when I applied last year.

Edit: I'm sure I knew of someone who got it for asthma, because it limited the distances they could walk so needed to use taxis, so I think there probably is a precedent. I looked on the site and I think I'm talking about the right thing this time, so yes unless you can identify some equipment or the way an assistant can help you then it might not be worth fighting it, although I'd be tempted to fight it on principle. Good luck with it.

[rebecca c]

Claire I have sent you a PM. A GP at my surgery has said he can help. Have spent a few hours today putting some notes together for him to work from if he is happy to do so.

Leaving work next Wednesday so it is a funny time.

[rebecca c]

Feeling achey and stiff, did some rigorous cleaning on Sunday so it may just be that - otherwise I suppose I will get the flu out the way. Lots of people seem to be getting it midly. My friend said today she rang the doctor and he said she probably had it all last week and is just at the tail end.

[rebecca c]

Had sweats last night and my temperature is a bit up and down. Rang the doctor this morning and he said even though I sometimes get these symptoms anyway its sensible to treat as if I have flu.

Feeling slightly ridiculous and like I am making a fuss about nothing. Could be anything or just a summer cold. Then I may have to go through it all again. Got some studying done and slept the afternoon. My friend says she felt the same.

[Copper]

It is best to err on the side of caution I think. I hope that you feel better soon.

[jill]

Sorry to hear you are not feeling well Rebecca and are having difficulties claiming allowances. Hope it is all sorted soon.

Still busy with the house, electricians have started this week and the plumbers have popped in a couple of times aswell, so it has been a bit hectic.

[rebecca c]

Feeling fair bit better now. Think I have a chest infection so will get antibiotics tomorrow hopefully. Managing to get on with the cleaning so the house is sparkling which is good feeling. Kitchen today. think I will be better and ready for our house swap holiday next week.

Exciting news that the building work is moving on so fast Jill. Not long now I hope.

[cnc]

I hope that you get the antibiotics sorted soon, and you're feeling much better. I'm considering going back on to the Montelukast see if I can get this cough removed totally, and the facial pressure gone.
How were Blur? Unfortunately it's not just the access, the lights and noise can cause me to have things like fits and collapse, so it's a bit dangerous at the moment.

Things are as mad as ever here, waiting for a scope to see if they have the right explanation for my vomiting and then hopefully I can have treatment and solve one problem. Busy with coursework at the moment, and then I'm going away, have my operation and then it'll be nearly September, I can't believe how quickly this year is going.

Hope the building work gets sorted quickly and you're not living in a building site for too much longer.

Hope you're all okay.

[jill]

Couple more months I reckon before all of the tradespeople move out. Then it will be over to us to do all of the decorating - not all at once mind. It isn't bad at all, quite enjoying the experience, and having no carpets and lots of dust about is a good excuse to not bother cleaning up much, it will only be bad again tomorrow. After waiting 4 years, 6 months of upheavel will all be worth it in the end.

[rebecca c]

Jill - it will definitely be worth it. I am still looking forward to when we can get the loft done. I would like to have my own little space.

Blur was very good - I enjoyed it very much. There was a disabled platform. I had some problems with dust blowing up from the very dry ground which gave went on my chest and made me cough for a few days - but worth it. the sound rigs were well set up which meant we could stand further back and enjoy it with the boys.

Kitchen done - only bathroom on toilet left to go then it is packing stuff into loft and packing which I hate the most. Eldest has come down with viral symptoms now too he is away with friends at a festival. Better to get it over and done with before the holiday. Off to my parents for a few days where we can all rest and be looked after - luxury!

[Copper]

I hope you all enjoy the holiday Rebecca.

Claire, I hope that things improve for you. Next year has to be better.

Jill, I am sure it will all look lovely once it is finished.

I have be doing the usual things, housework and keeping on top of the garden. I have been doing some family history in the evenings.

My youngest daughter has been home this weekend and she took me to see the latest Harry potter film.

If the weather is fine we are going to Didcot next Sunday. We will see the eldest daughter and have a wander round Wallingford.

[Copper]

I have been ill since I sat in the cinema. On Monday I had a sore throat which hung around all week. It was not that bad but decided to get much worse on Saturday. On top of that I slept awkwardly and so did my neck in again, which gave me a thumping headache, which in turn upset my stomach :angry:

Today I woke up feeling much better apart from laryngitis. We still went to Didcot and had a nice time but now my voice has completely vanished. :eek:

Oh well the perfect excuse to do nothing for a couple of a days.

[cnc]

Sorry to hear that Copper, I hope you're feeling better now:)

My gastroscopy was deeply unpleasant (I had to have it without sedation) and showed nothing, but I'm currently investigating whether it is related to oats, as I stopped having breakfast and seemed to stop being quite so bad, it took a while, but things have generally settled. I had a hot chocolate with oat milk a few days ago and it just didn't go anywhere and I eventually threw up... I don't know much about oat intolerance/allergy, so thought I'd see if you guys knew much about it?

I won't be around for a while as I'm going away for a few days and then I'm going to have an operation, so I will be MIA for a bit. Try not to miss me too much ;)

Hope you're all doing okay.

[Copper]

I am still suffering but my voice is coming back slowly.

Claire, you have been through the mill again :hug:

I don't know anything about oat allergy/intolerance but as I have a number of intolerances, I have come to the conclusion that you can have an intolerance/allergy to almost anything.

I hope that you enjoy your few days away. Good luck with the op. We will all be thinking of you.

[Copper]

I am about 90% better.

Today it is cloudy, warm and we have had some drizzle now and again. A few miles up the road it is hot, sunny and humid. Weird weather.

On the agenda today is family history and some sewing.

[cnc]

Glad you're doing better. Where is everyone?!

My holiday was great the villa had a really well designed accessible bathroom that was great for me. It wasn't easy to get into the kitchen, but that wasn't really a problem a for me!! I went in the pool every night and they have a special chair to take you in on. I also went ten pin bowling and did crazy golf, I got some very strange looks, not sure many people are seen doing those things in chairs :D Was a lovely time away, I saw a peacock close up, (very special) a deer, a lot of rabbits, and some squirrels thoroughly exhausted now though, but it was well worth it.

My operation is tomorrow, and I'm just getting my coursework and things done so that I can pack this evening, and be prepared as much as I can.

Take care all.

[Copper]

Hi Claire. It is great to hear that your holiday was brilliant. Good luck with the op tomorrow.

I have been out in the fresh air today. We took my niece and nephew out to Monkey World. They looked the chimps best as they were playful, full of energy and loud. Tuan tha male orangutan made an impression too.

I need to find my cat so I can take him for his booster. He hates going in the car and hates the vets :eek:

[jill]

Hope your op went well Claire and that you recover from it well. Still busy with the house so not coming on here much. Not happy today, Morrisons "Improved Recipe" Stonebaked Tomato and Garlic Pizza Bread now has butter in it. Complained at Customer Services but don't expect they will alter the recipe back.

[rebecca c]

Back from a lovely holiday, our exchange went very well. Glad you had a good time too Clare - hope the operation has gone OK - I have mine next week.

Hope you are feeling better as I write Copper and that your house is nearly done Jill.

Busy today putting everything back in wardrobes etc but got up early and got well ahead with things. Will sleep well tonight especially as it is so cool and comfortable. I like my holidays but have always liked coming home too - double bonus.

[rebecca c]

Also Claire wrt oats. My son had a bad response to ready brek, but is fine with porridge. I have since found out this is not unusual and somebody suggested it is becuase they are so heavily processed. It did make him sick.

I agree with Copper that you could be made ill by anything but it may not even just be oats it may be a particular pesticide they use on oats or something to do with the processing.

[Copper]

Hi Rebecca, good to have you back as it saves me from talking to myself :D

Good to hear that you enjoyed your holiday.

We bought some lamb shanks in Iceland today. The allergy warning states it contains milk but I have read the ingredients list twice and can see no sign of any milk. I will take a lactase capsule before I eat one just to be on the safe side.

I am nearly fully fit. I get a bit croaky now and again. I am still tired but that is down to going to bed very late. I was woken up very early yesterday by large birds jumping up and down on the roof. This morning the meter reader woke me up.

[rebecca c]

I often catch myself talking to myself - first sign of madness dont you know. Less embarassing on line I think.

lamb sounds good - hope you dont react.

Just about ready and where I need to be to be organised for college.

Still waiting to hear about disabled allowance and find this frustrating as I need to by equipment so I can get it up and running and be familiar with it before college starts. Also waiting to get confirmation of car parking - without this life will be much more complex with childcare and time away from home.

Next jobs more studying, sewing clothes lables in boys uniform and taking up their trousers and getting through the operation.

Nice to be busy I suppose.

[Copper]

I hope that you hear about the disabled allowance and car park space soon.

I always found sewing name labels on uniforms a complete bore. I could only do a few a day so had to start early.

My sister has spent just over an hour in the shoe shop buying shoes for her three children. I always found the timing for that to be a bit tricky. You couldn't go too early as the children grew a lot in the summer holidays but then you couldn't go too late as the shop would be packed and likely to have run out of the sizes you needed. Ah happy days.

[rebecca c]

Yes the knack is to go about now but really early in the morning - the other trouble being they run out of the nicest styles.

I have assessed we will be OK for shoes until October. Of course the youngest wants new trendy ones!

Got one step closer to the car parking yesterday but have decided the whole disabled allowance shinnanigans has been one of the worst experiences to date and has left me much more unprepared than I would be out of choice and my own planning. Especially as the main family computer is completely overloaded with the kids games and is now on a complete go slow - which is also driving me crazy as it takes 30 minutes to do a 5 minute task.

Not in a good mood today, as you can tell, hardly surprising with operation tomorrow which I always find a completely dehumanising experience.

[Copper]

Good luck with the op tomorrow. I hope it sorts things out for you.

Slow computers drive me crazy too. Ban games!

[rebecca c]

Operation went fine, no pain and probably the best of all the experiences I have had. Staff were excellent.

I hope Claire is OK, be good to hear from her.

[Copper]

No pain - that is good.

It would be good to hear from Claire so we know she is ok. I guess she has no access to the internet.

Last week I took a niece and nephew to Monkey World. They enjoyed watching the chimps as they are never still. The orangutans were far too laid back to be interesting. I love them though :) We saw the male orangutan and my nephew, age 7, said he had a flat face. I had not thought of describing the male orangutan like that, so that made me smile.

Today we are taking their sister to a heavy horse centre. I am a sucker for shire horses :lol2:

[rebecca c]

Cant drive today but can tomorrow. Probably just potter down to the local shops and take the dog out.

I love shires but when I was a young girl I had a pony who reared up when he saw them. that wasnt much fun as they were normally a big part of all the local horse shows and events in the fens where I grew up.

[Copper]

I enjoyed stroking the heavy horses, my niece was a bit wary as she thought they were too big. I did get her to feed a docile one some hay on her flat hand. She was not impressed that it made her fingers wet :lol2: She liked the Shetland ponies that they had there.

She really loved the 7 week old puppies that we could cuddle. They were a breed similar to huskies so they were fluffy and very sweet.

We had a bit of a surprise on the way home as a mile outside Wimborne (a town) a deer rushed out through a hedge and was about to dart in front of our car. My husband only saw it out of the corner of his eye so he was not sure what it was. I was not driving but did see it long enough to realise it was a small deer. Luckily it did a swift turn and darted back through the hedge.

[rebecca c]

perhaps a monkjac deer they are getting very common now. dont taste good apparantly so no good as road kill!!

[cnc]

I'm back:) I was discharged Friday, had a lot of problems with pain relief as I use my hand a lot more than most people need to, and so of course trying to put body weight through a post-op hand hurts!!

The op itself went fine, but found what we were expecting it to, although I was really hoping it wouldn't, which means I'll be going through major surgery on at least one hand some point down the line, there are a number of options all with pros and cons, so it's something that we need to discuss and think about seriously. Not that happy about all of this, not really what I wanted to hear. It has a lot of implications for the immediate and long term, which I could have quite happily avoided, but I'll get on with it and try to keep smiling.

[Copper]

Claire, we missed you. It is good to have you back :hug:

I am sorry to hear that you will have to have more surgery.

[rebecca c]

Claire, it is good to have you back. I'm sorry it has been so painful for you and that you have to have more procedures hanging over your head.

I only have minor ops but when I first find out about them I get very upset so I can only imagine as an 100 fold escallation of that. It was also worse when I was younger (not that I am that old).

I managed a 5 mile walk today - not bad 5 days after a small op with a general.

Glorious sunshine, quite happy relaxed boys and very contended dog.

Eldest cooked a four course meal for us on Saturday night - got to be happy with that. His a good cook - a natural. even knows when its best to ignore his Dads advice so he didnt put the asparagrass in the oven to keep warm and cooked some rare steaks.

[cnc]

Thanks guys. I've just about got my head around it all and am enjoying having a couple of weeks away from university before I start back properly.
I got a lovely new wheelchair sent out on Monday, it's so much better for my height and general needs. I've been very lucky recently and have had lots of nice bits of post from friends especially when I was in hospital, and today I found out I'd been nominated by a charity to receive a quilt from Project Linus, who are run by a group of volunteers, and make quilts to be sent out to, mostly young people with chronic and serious illnesses. I feel very honoured and totally undeserving of it, but very glad to have it all the same. Had a lovely laze on the sofa huddled under it earlier today:)

Hope your recovery is continuing to go well Rebecca and you don't have to have another op for a long time.

[Copper]

I have been occupied with the tennis in America. I will have so much free time after Monday :)

My garden looks autumnal at the moment. I had to put the net over the pond a couple of weeks ago as leaves are already falling off the trees here.

The birds in the garden are eating me out of house and home. The finches make the most mess.

I was brave last night and ate a lamb shank from Iceland. The allergy warning on the box says it contains dairy. I read the ingredients list at least four times and couldn't find any dairy or lactose. I did take a lactase capsule and I was ok. Next test will be to eat one without taking a lactase capsule. I will write to Iceland and ask them about the confusing information on the box.

[rebecca c]

first week at college has gone well. Managed to get a bit of nice relaxation time this weekend and keep up with my work.

youngest has just started big school and is a massive handful at the moment.

Lots of challenges, but all going well.

Feels like autumn here too. Hope the lamb shank testing is succesful- had some nice lamb for tea tonight.

Claire - you definitely deserve the quilt.

[Copper]

I went to Sainsburys yesterday. I just had to have some Rakusens chocolate digestives :) These are dairy free and sold here as there is a Jewish community in Bournemouth.

I could not find any dairy free plain digestives so had to settle for rich tea.

My garden looks very colourful with the autumn flowering plants at their best. I have collected two bags of leaves from the garden already! I like autumn especially when the sun is shining.

[rebecca c]

Things are going pretty well for me, I am quite tired. Went along with my eldest today to the castings for extras for brighton rock, which was something a bit different. I hope he gets a place as it would be fun for him.

he didnt want me to sign up - it would apparantly just be too embarassing!!!!

tried the genius bread which is gluten free - it is very tasty but the corn in it has upset my tummy.

[Copper]

Good to hear that things are going well for you Rebecca.

I have been busy moving plants about in the border and adding some new ones. The border should look even better next year. The cat watched and sat on his cat mint to protect it :lol2:

I am in the process of ordering supplies ready to make my Xmas cards. I thought that I should start early. I will be trying a new technique so I hope it is as easy as it looks.