General Chat

Debbie, can you tell the hotel that Ann would like her room painted in fluorescent purple with fluo. pink spots and fluo. green stars and......well, you get the picture, neat but not gawdy.

Huia.

Mo that is good value for any area so well done him.
Huia Lol Lol!!! I don't think so!!!! restful colours please debbie.

Nice restful colours Anne, as I am sure the seagulls will wake you early enough for being on holiday.

Huia, maybe your choice of colour combinations are what is causing your headaches!!!! Perhaps you should paint over all those Bright Patterns in your house. LOL LOL

Actually, I shouldn't make fun of such a serious matter for you - I do hope that you are feeling a bit better. What is your weather at the moment - do your headaches get worse with changes in the air pressure. I can't be doing with too much heat these days, I used to love it but ever since I was pregnant with Daniel through a heatwave, I suffer terrible headaches with hot weather and always have to wear a hat.

Warm & Sunny here today though clouding over now and drizzle forecast overnight. Sophies Brownie afternoon went well and she is exhausted. Tea then bed for her. Luke has been out playing in the garden all day with children from our road, and Matthew is out on his bike with about 5 other boys - they will reappear when the sun starts to set. Daniel not due back til 9pm, so I may even manage a glass of wine thisevening, as I don't have to go out and get Daniel.

Tea in our household is salad and cheese and biscuits - anyone fancy popping in, please do so.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend.

Debbie xx

Debbie I will be over for my salad,is it ham or cheese. Cheese and biscuits are good,but not stilton or danish blue,they dont agree with me.
Ah bless Sophie,I am so pleased she enjoyed her day. They had lovely weather for it didn't they. I bet she is shattered now.
I wonder how Daniel got on today. It's a really long day for him isn't it.
Not to many glasses off wine,coz the children no doubt will have you up early.
Have they got any sports planned for tommorrow.
Ann,my son was so lucky with this house off his. He had been to all the estate agents in the area,and the properties he was shown,were disgusting. In poor states off repair,and were tiny and damp.
It was just by chance, that I bought the local paper,and lo and behold there were two properties in our area. We looked at the first through the window,as he could not get to view the house till the following monday. And the neighbour next door was hanging out off the bedroom window,and was shouting to others in the road. That was a no no,it put him off straight away.
We went round to peep through the windows off the second one,and he fell in love with it without even seeing it. And when he viewed it on the monday,he took it straight away.
He has finished all the decorating upstairs now,including the wallpapering
Thank goodness we don't need to go there tommorrow. I can try to catch
up with all my own work then.
But we will be back there on monday,oh boy what excitement,NOT.
I hope everyone is well. I will be back tommorrow to speak to you all.
Love and best wishes Mo xxx ((((((((HUGS FOR JEAN)))))))))

Hello alll , this is a very short piece as it is ANZAC Day & I wish to watch the parade . I wanted to let you know there is a lovely prose written by Tony from OZ on the General Topic's Page.
PLEASE read it as it is beautiful.I havent time to read the posts .Will look at them later.
The parade will have started must Go ,Love to all.
Marie.

I visited Phil this morning and when I sat down I said 'Hello, Phil. Are you going to look at me?' He shook his head from side to side as he said 'Oooooh' as if to say what a horrible sight. I guess he still is aware who I am, and he still has his sense of humour!

The carers brought a wheelchair and put him in it to take him out to the front carpark and some of the residents who were in armchairs with wheels were also taken out the front. The vintage vehicle club drove into the carpark from 11 am, paused a couple of minutes and then drove out again. There were 20 or 30 cars. A couple of the men had their eyes shut and wouldnt open them so they missed the cars but Phil saw them. I am not sure what he thought of them, but at least it was a change of scenery for them, and out in the fresh air. After we had wheeled them back inside I headed for home, but as I got to our driveway I decided to keep going over to the valley where we used to live. (Mo and Liz, that is the one with the deep blue lake in, on my calendar, also the picnic site). I picked a hatful of mushrooms on the dam. Another family had picked a lot from the camping paddock. I am thinking of taking some of the cooked mushrooms to Phil next time I visit, see if he enjoys them.

Huia.

haven't had time to read back fully, so I hope I haven't missed anyhting. I will read back tomorrow morning (Sunday) ........ but wanted you to know I was back in town!!!!


We got back this (Saturday) morning after a great trip home by train ........ 6 days and 5 nights, and great convivial congenial company for the last 4 days on The Canadian from Toronto to Vancouver.


MJ is fine, now weighs about 11 lbs and .................................... he began to focus his eyes 2 or 3 days after we arrived, so he was really watching and studying your face by last weekend. He also began to smile ............ I got one of the first tentative ones, and then he gave a full bodied grin to his aunt last Sunday ........... just before the Baby Shower began.


That is another story ....... and an experience I would be quite happy not to repeat!


He did cry a lot as he has a gastric problem of some sort .......... not colic ............................ but I turned out to have the ability to a) soothe him, thus calming him down, b) putting him to sleep, sometimes in less than 5 minutes!, and c) keeping him asleep. This of course necessitated me sitting in the armchair for long periods with him in my arms, rocking him (in a non-rocking chair). They are now going to accept a rocking chair from J's sis-i-l.

J was happy for me to do this as she got a lot of things done, and didn't have to worry if he started to cry as she knew I was taking care of him.


He did throw up on me once ..................... all down my front and into my lap!!




I really had not intended to wash that skirt while I was away!!!!!




Unfortunately, he began to cry every time OH tried to hold him, so OH didn't get much cuddle time!





Meanwhile, OH was working in the garden. A very large amount of clay had been removed from under the basement last November/December, and piled all over the lawn in the back garden. The pile then slipped and fell over the beds all around the edges of the garden .......... they hadn't realised that wet damp clay would do that.

Many plants were buried ..................... so "dad" was asked if he could please try to find at least some of them, including a coral bark maple that we gave them 5 years ago in the "old" house, and which had been very carefully transplanted to this one. OH succeeded ................................ after 2+ days of searching!

But the poor wee tree may not survive. One branch had been removed in the fall by a landscaper who chopped it off by mistake (!!!), then another obviously broke under the weight of the clay ............. OH transplanted it to the front garden, and J will provide some TLC in the hope that it will recover. OH did the transplanting and planting of new shrubs and perennials last Saturday.



It snowed on Sunday






sylvia
xxx

Hello girls.
Huia it is good to hear that Phil still has his warped sense off humour.
Did you enjoy the vintage vehicles. I bet they were a spectacular sight. I think that owners off older cars,take more care off them,than an every day car. It's different if it's a new car,that is also looked after properly.
I had a look at my calender,at the deep blue lake,and visualised you sitting there enjoying the scenery.
I hope that Phil enjoys the mushrooms. That is off course if he is in an eating mood.
It's good to have you back Sylvia,we missed you.
Sure sounds like you had a good train journey. I think it makes a big difference,if you have good travelling companions,to break up the monotony.
My goodness Matthew is certainly gaining weight. What colour are his eyes now. Only a babies eye colour does tend to change as it gets older.
It's lovely when they begin to notice things,and start to focus properly.
But when they smile,it melts your heart doesn't it.
Oh poor little mite having gastric problems. Have they said what is causing him the problems yet.
Good ol nanny,nursing him like that. You do realise that you have probably made a rod for their backs don't you. He will now expect nanny to rock him to sleep all the time. You crafty thing,you got out whilst the going was good. lol
But then you won't be able to see him that often will you,so you had to get all the cuddles whilst you could.
You will certainly notice the difference in him the next time you see him.
You will have to tell us the story off the baby shower next time you are here.
What a shame that he left grandad out off the cuddle stakes.
And you have not been christened till your grandchild either,sicks or pee's on you.
Can you put your OH on a plane,and send him over here to sort my garden out for me.
I hope Jean and Sallie are o.k,as we have not heard much from them lately. (((((((((HUGS FOR YOU BOTH)))))))))
A big hello to Ann,Debbie, Liz as well.
Love to you all. Mo xxx

Hi Mo


and everyone


The doc did think MJ had some form of acid reflux ................. so prescribed a very mild form of liquid Ranitidine for him. He hated it and spat most of it out (he loved his Vit D and gripe water though!!). J tried it for 3 or 4 days, and things didn't seem to improve at all, so she stopped giving it to him by the end of the week. She had similar problems while she was pregnant and was also prescribed Ranitidine but it made her feel worse, so she was thinking that MJ might be responding the same way.




hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm ......... the shower



Imagine if you will, one small house, living room and dining room separated by a double door (but the doors have been removed). Imagine about 15 women between the ages of 16 and 84, with the majority over 55. Imagine that at least 6 of them are sisters-in-law, with the same surname. Imagine the loooooong back history that implies


The men were banned from the house for the period of the party (OH went into Halifax, to the Maritime Museum with its permanent Titanic exhibit)

J's m-i-l was IN CHARGE (in capital letters) ............... only she didn't tell anyone that she had put her back out the day before, so was being somewhat the "martyr" by the end.

She was insistent that the dining table be reduced to its smallest size (square), and that it be pushed against the window wall ............. ignoring the fact that there was an iron chandelier in the middle of the room that hung to about 5' above ground AND that this was now exposed. I made my one and only comment at this point "that's about eye level for me". One rather dirty look, and she picked up the end of the table and moved it (yep, with a bad back!).


Balloons, streamers etc etc all around. Food in great profusion on the table. J's sis-i-l arrived later than expected ............... the store had forgotten to prepare the veggie plate she had ordered. They did give her plates of cut and chopped veggies, and didn't charge her ............. but she had to arrange them all on arrival.

Then the guests arrive ............. these 2 over here aren't really friendly, but it's better to sit together than over there with that one. Repeat a couple more times

I notice that everyone arrives with a gift bag, usually a LARGE one, tissue paper sticking out the top, all being placed near the fireplace. I had sent OH out to buy gift paper, wrapped our gifts, then realised I had forgotten to mention gift card, so had to make one (very amateurishly) out of the wrap paper.

Games are played, prizes given out ..... and the woman who won the first prize said it was her 82nd shower ... she won every succeeding game, but kindly suggested that the prize should be given to the runner-up.

Gifts to be opened. J placed in chair of honour where she can be seen by everyone in both rooms. Her niece sits beside her to take notes of who's given what.

This is when Sylvia realises that she should have given a gift bag NOT a wrapped present!

Each bag is taken, name on gift tag read out, card inside bag opened, tissue paper removed, and every gift inside taken out and displayed. Then the gifts are put back in the bag, and the bag passed around so that everyone can examine the gifts. Some rummage around in the bag, others take the items out again and display them.

Every bag contains as many as 6 gifts .................. 3 or 4 outfits, a toy, baby items such as talc, lotion, even a bottle of Baby Tylenol (we don't use Baby Aspirin over here).

Everyone looks at the gift tag to see who's given this bag ......... and I am quite sure that mental notes were taken of the gifts given.

Time to eat ............... sandwichs, crackers and dip, cakes, etc etc


Meanwhile, baby is being passed around from one to the other ...................... and eventually begins to cry and cry. Only 2 hours after a very good feed

................ so J gives him to me, who hadn't intended to touch him at all, with the instruction to calm him and keep him asleep as long as possible.

I ended up holding him for the rest of the party, because no-one else was willing to take him and keep him asleep.

I know that J's niece, at least, was very unhappy about that ............ and presumably some others as well!


The gifts J was given, all for M, were welcomed ............... but it was all so over the top. Sizes of clothes ranged from newborn (!!) to 12 months, with the majority being 3-6 month ....................... and she must have had 40-50 different items


THEN, about 20 minutes after everyone had left, m-i-l's sister arrived, with another 5 bags, 4 very small, containing only one outfit and from her children


M-i-l and sis-i-l start clearing up. The niece sits by me, and starts playing with MJ's toes. Guess what happens??





Please, please, never again!!!!




sylvia
xxxx

Huia, I am glad Phil seemed to recognise you even if he was a bit saucy lol
Glad too that he was able to go out and see the vehicles, they didn't hang about long but I suppose with that many it would have been too difficult, at least it was a nice thought and must have sparked a few memories in some of the residents perhaps? It's great that you were able to go out somewhere else, and presumably chat with the other mushroom pickers too. Hope you enjoy them and Phil does too if you take some. I too looked at the calender again to find the relevant places. Every is so beautiful and makes me envious of such scenery. I know Britain has some lovely views and scenery but in a different way and I love watching the programmes on tv showing all the countries in their glory. The programme about bears yesterday was lovely, in Canada, I told o.h. I am coming back next time as a traveller and explorer to see all these places but I think I will have to be rich to do it all lol

Sylvia, it must have been lovely to spend so much time with MJ and to have the magic touch, despite it upsetting other family members. If your daughter wanted you to do the honours, then blow everyone else, it was for little ones benefit. How over the top the shower gifts sound, useful I know but probably most people trying to outdo each other. Does MJ vomit much after feeds? I helped out a neighbour when she had her second baby, and he was always projectile vomiting, and not doing well at all. Altho she had been to the doctor's with him they weren't helpful till I suggested she go back and ask about pyloric stenosis as he was vomiting so much after each feed. She came back and asked me to look after her little girl as the baby had to go to hospital straightaway. Her husband was away on business so he was sent for and the baby was operated on and thrived, he is now a lively lad of around 11. As far as I recall it was a fairly routine sort of op and all was well, but I hope it isn't anything as much as that with MJ, doesn't sound like it if he is not vomiting often and is putting on weight. It's so lovely when they smile at you and when you know they are following your movements and begin to recognise more than just Mum and Dad.

Shame about the plants but hopefully things will recover now they aren't weighed down by the clay.

Anyway glad you enjoyed the trip home too and hope you get a chance to spend time with MJ as often as poss.

take care,

love to everyone, time for bed now

Lizxx

Morning all, Sylvia you write a wonderful picture of the shower party, I was there in the room with you...lol...what a to- do... good job you were there fo the littleones sake, I hate it when folk make the baby be like parcel to pass round, at least he seems to be so relaxed with you. which is lovely..
I was telling J about your long train journey he was amazed that you stayed on the train for so long, but I would love to do something like that...the swiss railways would be good....
I have been busy doing cards , but havent forgot you, who could forget That woman,,,whatshername.... ah Mo,.....and shortly I am doing a memory friendship album so I will be missing again, but will look in well I need to otherwise she will get a bit above herself.....lol....so bye for now. loveand hugs for everyone.

love Jean xx

Hi Everyone,

Sylvia, good to see you home, we've missed you on this thread. I enjoyed reading your account of the baby shower party, as Jean said, ' I felt as though I was there in the room with you all' . Like you, I would also have used wrapping paper instead of a gift bag for MJ's presents. Glad to hear that you enjoyed your 'working holiday', I'm sure you are missing all those cuddles with MJ now.

Huia, glad that Phil was able to go outside and watch the
vehicles drive by. I hope you enjoy the mushrooms you picked, and are able to take some into Phil.

Jean, I thought that you were busy with your cards, I couldn't get much done over the weekend, with having Richard here, and of course Jennie and Michael also came for lunch yesterday. I haven't received any post yet , but I'll let you know when I do.

Mo, hope your son and his girlfriend are nearly sorted in the new house. If I can remember rightly, I think that both you and Roly are helping there today, too. You both sound like us, always there when they need us. I think i was born to be char lady! Ha! Ha!

I must go now, have a few things to do. Speak to you all later on.

Love and best wishes. Sallie xxx

Hi all,
Huia, I am sure that the vintage cars will have made some impression on Phil, at least it was something to watch and maybe stimulate.

Sylvia, welcome back, the baby shower sounds like all I thought it would be sounded horrendous, for the people attending's benefit, one upmanship and not really for the baby who an only wear so many outfits. Sorry to hear that he has a gastric problem. I am sure my friend's granddaughter has the same problem with acid reflux, her Mum had to be very careful what she ate as she was feeding her. I think they said she would grow out of it.

Mo, Sally Jean, Hi all busy, especially Jean who is putting me to shame with her card making these days.

Oh my word Sylvia,what a shower,in more ways than one. The segregation between families,happens at weddings as well. At the reception,it ends up as us and them. And it appears that someone has built a brickwall,that neither can cross.
I hate it when you have one upmanship. It's like saying "we can afford to spend more than you " when at the end off the day,it's the thought that counts,not the price off a thing.
And as for wrapping presents,over here it is the done thing to get paper. But the younger folk now seem to be going over to bags,for their gifts.
Liz, we watched the programme about the bears as well. It was very interesting,but I would not have liked to have been in their shoes,when that bear was so close to them. Ooooh I would have had to change my undies in a hurry.
Ahem Mrs Jean you saucy minx,how the heck could you have forgotten my name,especially as I am so close to your heart.......I give you indigestion don't I. Lol Hope you are o.k my love. Dont work to hard on that friendship album,take a little you time,and relax.
Sallie, yes it was both off us at our sons house,but Roly did most off the lifting and lugging,with my son. But as far as we are concerned,we have finished our bit,it's now down to them to get things sorted.
Ann don't worry about Jean's card making,what she has not told you is that she has a manufacturing company in her shed,and gets them to print them out for her,whilst she is having a nice cup off tea.LOL Only joking Jean,I know you work like a trojan at doing them,and get great satisfaction
in doing so.
Hi Huia and Debbie not forgotton you both.
Well I must go,I have got darts tonight.
Love to all Mo xxx

Mo, are things almost finished in the new house? At least they have some nice weather to get sorted, much nicer than moving in the winter time.

I found out from Jennie this evening that she's low in vitamin D, she received a letter from the hospital this morning.She also suffers with aching joints and fatigue, have done so for a long while, so it was decided at her last appointment with the IBD nurse that they are going to try and find out the cause. It's now been decded that she has to go and see a Rheumatologist, and in the meantime she has to have a prescription for some vitamin D tablets. She told Alun all about it after she had seen the nurse, but decided not to tell me until she knew a bit more, so that I wouldn't panic and start thinking all sorts of things wrong with her.

Ann, hope the shingles have more or less gone by now, and that you are feeling much better, especially as you are going on holiday on Sunday.

Liz, I've been reading your thread, sorry to hear that you are slightly asthmatic, I hope you get on okay with the inhalers.

Huia, just wondering if you've cooked the mushrooms yet?

I hope all is well with Marie, Julia, and Debbie. We haven't heard anything from Marilyn for a while, hope all is okay with her too.

Thinking of Jean and Sylvia.

Love to everyone. Sallie xxx

Hi all

Sallie, I had to have a vit d jab last November which has helped with my hair growing back but not with the fatigue which is disappointing as I really need more energy. I am also taking vit d and calcium tablets - it's all a bit new, this vit d deficiency tack, so it's trial and error to some extent but my gp spoke to a consultant she knows and he explained all about it. I have to go for more blood tests later in May and see if things have improved.
I did have a thread up about the vit d but it's easy to google and find out more.

I wonder if Jennie has fibromyalgia as aches and fatigue are all part of that miserable illness.
Hope she gets on ok. and that she doesn't have fm, it's not easy to treat with anything much only usually painkillers and maybe amitriptyline to help you relax so you are supposed to sleep better. Fm causes poor sleep so that you never wake up feeling refreshed. I have had it for years.

Off to bed now, it's light and there is a lovely pink haze on the horizon.

Lizxxx

Hi Liz,
Thanks for the information on vitamin D. I did mention to Jennie that she might be suffering from fibromyalgia, it's difficult to know because aches and pains in the joints and fatigue are sometimes symptoms of Crohn's. The IBD nurse she sees, has told Jennie that with the new medication she's now on, she shouldn't be feeling any of the symptoms, so decided to do some blood tests to try and find out what else it might be.

There always seems to be a problem, just when things are going okay-- oh well, all these things are meant to try us, I suppose.

Going to cook our tea now, so I'll speak to you all later.

Love, Sallie xxxx

Hi All,

Where is everyone? It's very quiet on here tonight, hope all
is okay with you all.

Mo, did you go to play darts last night? If you did, I hope your team won. Also hope that your son and his girlfriend have managed to get everything straight in their new home.

Jean, I sent you a PM earlier on.

Thinking of you all.

Love, Sallie xxx

Hello girls.
I agree with you Sallie it is very quiet tonight. Even I am late looking in.
Just to let you know Sallie re-darts last night. I was entered into the pairs,
with my friend Eve,we did exceptionally well,but we lost in the semi-finals,to the eventual winners.
To get this stage we had to get through four rounds,and won each game 2-0.
We were up against real trophy hunters,for most off the night,who were so shocked that Eve and I were playing so well.( Mind you,we were surprised as well )
But we enjoyed ourselves. But by the semi-final's, I was a bag off nerves,
and so was Eve,and we went to pieces,and could not get anything we were aiming for. But hey ho,thats how it goes.
We have got our next round off the sixes,on the monday after the bank holiday. So a nice peaceful bank holiday for me.
Our son and his fiance,are now fully in their house. But we keep getting phone calls that go like, "Mum,have you still got so+ so at home " I don't know why he does not understand the word,thats it ,all your gear is now at your house.
He phoned me this evening,and they can't find their iron.
I will be happy when they are completely unpacked,and everything is put away.
I am sorry to hear that Jennie is still having a few problems. So lets pray that if she has the vit d, that it does help her.
I know we mums do worry,over our kids. But thats us mums for you. Keep your chin up love,and stay strong.
Well I hope everyone is well.
Love to you all. Mo xxx

Hi Mo and everyone


it was a physio day today, and that always seems to mean that I am out for most of the day!! Hence why this is my first visit to GR!!




sylvia