General Chat

Marie, make up your mind, is your birthday on Wednesday or on the 11th? On my calendars the 11th is a Tuesday.

I think we have the commercial Mothers day next Sunday in NZ. Mum always said she had a perfectly good day of her own in Sept. (her birthday). She didnt want the family loving her to order of the business people. I have never gone for it either.

Must wash Phils new pyjamas and put labels on them. Then do some mending on the new sewing machine I bought last Jan. and havent used yet! And try to do a bit of spring cleaning, even though it is autumn now. I do it when I feel in the mood or feel horribly guilty about how filthy the place has become or am expecting posh visitors (visitors are not very common here and posh ones even less so.)

Huia.

Debbie, nice to hear from you and to know that you are all alright. You are certainly a very busy lady.

Sylvia, thank you for your thoughts for Alun's niece. I'm sure that over here we don't get a routine smear after the age of 70 either, but I may be wrong.

Marie, it's not too warm here, considering that we are now into May. It isn't warm enough to sit without the gas fire on at the moment, and here we are hoping to save on heating bills. Thank you for your condolences on the death of my cousin. We now know that her funeral is on the 13th May.
So Alun will have a day off so that we can go to it. Oh you do make me feel guilty about not exercising, I know I should do something to try and keep fit, but I've never been into that sort of thing. I had to giggle when you said you were not going to make a cuppa, as you know Mo and I love our cup of tea, so much so, I think we are both addicted to it. Ha! Ha!

Jean , like Debbie, you are also one busy lady. I can't seem to concentrate since the weekend, but I'm sure once I can get going I'll be fine. Hope D got on okay at the MS clinic. It's good that both her and Jennie just get on with things the way they do.

Mo, my teapot friend, hope everything is alright with you and yours.
Been and done the weekly shop, thank goodness that's out of the way. We won't be going next week, because the A--a we go to, is closing for four days, they are extending it. I don't know why because it is one of the
A--a W-lm--T stores so was big to start with. Over the last few weeks they have been moving a lot of things around, so we have taken longer to do the shopping trying to find where things are. I don't know what it will be like when we go in two weeks time. I go to see the Counsellor tomorrow, I haven't seen her for four weeks, so I'll see how I get on.

Huia, hope you are okay. Did you manage to find out why Phil was scratching such a lot when you last visited him? I hope they will sort it out for him.

Liz, how are things with you and OH. I hope you are feeling better than you've been lately.

Hope Ann and T are enjoying their holiday, and that the weather is a lot better than ours.

Love and best wishes to everyone. Sallie. xxx

Hi all

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY
xxxxxx


It is on Sunday for us in Canada and the US



....................... we've never gone for it in great detail either.

I usually get a card from J, and that is it!


I've been having the smear test since 1969, when I was 29 and had just arrived in Canada.

At first it was every year, that seemed to be the standard. Then after about 10 or 15 years, they dropped it back to every 2 years.

I've had one call back to have it re-done, that was about 30 years ago.

And about 8 years ago I got a letter to say I had missed having it done. But I thought I wasn't due to have it for another 6 months.

I checked with my doctor's office, and it turned out that the previous report said that I should have it done again after 12 months ........ only no-one at the doc's passed that on to me!!

There was a little committee meeting of the docs in the office, and they decided that there was actually nothing in the report that indicated any urgency, if there had been pre-cancerous or supsicious cells I would have been called back immediately, I had had no strange results in over 30 years .......... so it would be OK to wait the 6 months and go at my regular time.

Everything was fine! And no-one had any idea why the "return in 1 year" had been written.

I really don't like the test, and it really did hurt last time ......... but I would still go and have it done if it was deemed necessary.


I can't understand people who bury their heads in the sand!


Now mammograms (the squish test as I call it!) ................. I've already been told that the diagnostic clinic will not sign me off. They'll still want me to go when I'm 80+

It's hard to realise that 15 years ago I had just had a screening mammogram and had just been phoned by my doctor to be given the news that "something" had shown up so I had to go for a diagnostic mammogram.

May 22 was a Bank Holiday here (Victoria Day), and the next day, May 23, I had a lumpectomy, and was told that the initial examination shown that I did have cancer

One week later I was told that they had not got all the cancer. I could have another lumpectomy but it still may not get it all and would be followed by radiation and chemotherapy. OR I could opt for a mastectomy, and would probably be lucky enough to not have to have chemo and/or radiation.

Didn't have to think twice!


On June 6 I had a mastectomy ........ and the cancer had not moved out of the ducts, so I did not have to have any further treatment.


On June 28, we left for an already planned trip to England and Scotland. And had a wonderful time!


A total of 6 weeks had passed from the screening mammogram to the mastectomy!


I had no pain or discomfort and no lumps that could be felt by anyone ...... not even the surgeon could feel anything when holding the xray to see where she shoudl be feeling.

It was only the screening mammogram that found it because it was so deep.


I get so mad when I hear reports that governments think that mammograms should be cut back



off my soap box!!




sylvia
xxxx

Hi, everyone, thanks for asking about D, she has to try some new tabs, she gets very tired, although she sleeps all night and in the afternoon if she is not working, she only tells us dribs and drabs, so when she says something new about what is begining to affect her, it comes as a shock, J gets so upset for her, she doesnt have a lot of feeling in her right hand, and she now tells us she finds she has trouble swallowing at nightime, the M/S nurse said to put her head on her chest which will make her swallow, but its a bit of a worry....if she does that she gets pins and needles down her back and shoulders, so that was a new bit of news....I think because she just gets on with it all that we get lullled into a false sense that all is well. when perhaps its not.....
J tackled our neighbourgh about the noise she said it wasnt her it was outside, so I wonder if whoever was outside managed to throw something at our bedroom wall....lol.... she wanted to borrow a bucket, but J said no which she wasnt to amused about....
I am so pleased I can get lost in my crafting, takes your mind off everything....
Sallie best of luck with the house sale, I am sure there is a lovely bungalow just waiting for you and Alun....also with the counsellor tomorrow....
I think I will have a nice cup of....horlicks....lol....and a biccie. then off to bed see you all tomorrow..
Love Jean xx

Hello all, what a lovely lot of posts for me to read this morning, I just popped in to say hello to you all ..
HUIA yes you are right I didn't take a look at the calander.
Silly me Tuesday the 11th is my Birthday.
Hi Jean I am pleased to hear you are doing something about your noisy neighbour, young people are so thoughtless unfortunetly they care very little for anyone but themselves I lay most of the blame on their parents , not enough supervision and not enough time spent with their children steering them into sporting activities,Like Debbie and her husband do they have a large family and yet their time is spent with their children Good on you Debbie ,I did the same thing and I never had any problems with any of my teenages I kept them too busy to get into trouble..I realize not all children are sporty but there are other ways to keep them occupied.

Back to Jean I am sorry to hear that D is not that good I guess she try's not to let you know as she knows that you will worry , perhaps this is her way of coping with this terrible desease.
Liz I hope you are well , talking about everything going up' the local council has just doubled the cost of our water rates,I mentioned before about the Electricity going up also, 60% over the next 3 years, now the Federal Govt. is going to tax the coal industry on some of their profit's which means the power will almost certainly rise again.
Hello Mo I hope you are well and the weather is inproving,
Hi Sylvia is your grandson over the colic, and that you yourself are wel, yes the dreaded mamogram, but how many lives has it saved , I must be due for one soon, here we equate it to having the refriderator door slammed on the boob.
Well friends I have to go and get into my swimming costume as I am off to the Gym for the water erobics.
Love to you all Marie xxxxxx

hI all, I put quite a long post on the Friendly thread so if you could just go and read that, to update you.

I am feeling a bit sad about the news as it seems everything falls into place for his kids and yet mine struggles, I still feel the girl is deluding herself but just hope all goes ok, however knowing my o.h. and his father and the family, I wouldn't be surprised to see her on her own in a few years time. Does that sound awful?

I am way overdue a smear test and should make an effort to get one done, I had a cone biopsy years ago and had to go every few months and gradually they lengthened the time between smears. I go to the local Family Planning clinic as they are better at doing them, my doctor can't do them properly for toffee and then I have to go back for a repeat so now I go to the fp clinic and they are over in a flash. I think you can ask for tests after you reach the age of 70 and I think it is worth it, I will certainly continue as well as with the mammograms, mine came back ok the other week thank goodness. The moment of pain is worth it - just think of the indignity and pain etc if you don't have a smear and the worst case scenario happens.

I am off to bed in a little while, I got up yesterday mornng and tidied up and vacuumed then went to bed again so the place looked ok for the son to call round, so brownie points for me, but after the visit o.h. was really tired, he usually has a doze when he gets home after working from 6am but instead he tried to print off a load of photos for his son, as if it couldn't wait, and made himself exhausted so when the son was gone I still had to cook dinner and o.h. was too tired to eat much. He had got his son snacks from the shop as he had a train journey home, 40 miles, so didn't want dinner with us. When o.h. is tired, he is as if drunk and you can't get any sense out of him, but instead of going to bed he sprawls out in his recliner chair and snores, I hate it and wish he would just beggar off upstairs lol Then I can watch my choice of tv programmes in peace without him waking up and asking what rubbish is on etc He is no company at all, but of course, all we will have to hear about now is the wedding which he was looking forward to and now November when the baby is due. She will be 28 weeks at the wedding on August Bank Holiday Saturday.

Can I just say Happy Mother's Day for Sunday to those of you it applies to and Happy Birthday to Marie on Tuesday. The father to be will be 29 on Monday 10th so I was surprised to see you say Wednesday Marie, lol

Jean, hope D will be ok, try not to get stressed when you learn more news as she might clam up if she thinks it is worrying you altho I know it's in your nature to worry, as it is with many of us over our loved ones and friends.

Must go, he will be down soon for work

have a nice day folks,
love
Lizxxxx

Huia, have fun with the sewing machine and hope the pyjamas get labelled ok.

Well,well,well. Looks like our Liz is going to be a step grandmother.
Liz you not only get to keep the future step D.I.L,but a baby as well.
Get your needles out now mate,and start on the cardigans,booties,mittens,and hats. You know the ex wife won't do nothing nice and home made for the little one. That would be beneath her.
And do stop worrying yourself about the girl,nobody told you at the beginning off your relationship,how things would end up. And would you have listened,off course you wouldn't. We were all the same,and thought we knew best. It didn't matter what our parents may have said to us,when we were young,we always thought they were wrong. And we have had to learn our lessons the hard way. It's true what they say "youv'e made your bed,now lie in it. "
Thank god for the mammograms Sylvia, or you may not have been here now.
I am due for my booby squashing on Maries birthday,the 11th off may.
It's not a very pleasant proceedure,but very neccessary.
It's not easy for women,if you are off large proportion,it hurts,if you are very lean,then it also hurts coz theres not much to grab hold off,and they seem to pinch the skin around the rib cage.
You can stand on your soap box for as long as you like on the subjects off,
smears and mammogrames. It is an important subject,that should not be ignored by the young or old. And you are prime example,for the need to talk,and not ignore.
Jean,D's MS is a very debilatating disease,my very good friend Debbie was diagnosed with it when she was in her early twenties. And she to tires very easily. She has great difficulty with her mobility,and can only work part time,in the office where she works.
Like D,she takes all her medication,but refuses to have a wheelchair,and manages to hobble round on her sticks as best she can.
Like your D,she is very independant woman.
And it sounds like D is trying to protect you and J,but forgetting that you do worry if she does not keep you updated.
Marie, are you out off the pool yet. You are a little water baby. If our pool here was a heated one,and I had someone to go with,I might be tempted to go myself.
Mind you,I would probably sink to the bottom now,as it has been years since I last swam. But I suppose it's like learning to ride a bike,you never
forget. I would need to buy myself a new swimsuit,as the one I have got
would not fit me now. I would need to go to camping international to get one I think. A bell tent would do the job. LOL
Where are you Huia,have you sown yourself into the name tapes in Phils pyjamas. How is Phil doing. Did you get in to visit him as you said you would be doing.
Sallie next time you go to A*D*'s,take your mobile phone,in case you lose Alun in one off the aisles.
I hate it when the supermarkets move things around. We get so used to going to certain aisles,for the things we need. And it completely throws me,when I get there to find things have been moved to a different place.
Plus it makes the shopping time longer. I know it's a sales tactic,but oh it's so frustrating.
Well guess what Sallie,teapot time. Hi Ann,if you are looking in. Hello Debbie and family.
See you all later. Love to you all. Mo xxx

Hello all. I thought I was too intelligent to be caught by a scam, but yesterday afternoon I was. I had an email purportedly from Microsoft customer center, saying they were closing some hot mail accounts and I needed to verify my account by filling in my username, password, d.o.b., and country. I had a senior moment and took it for real and filled in the details and just as I clicked on 'send' I realised that they would not have needed all that info, and the password was actually showing! which it shouldnt have been. I was too late to stop it and by the time I thought of changing my password the scumball had changed it, unless I changed it a few months ago and forgot. I can still read my emails and send them, but I have been trying to find a way of getting control back of my account. I went to my account details and clicked on 'forgot password' and asked for the details to be sent to my alternative email account, but the message has not turned up in that.

I tried to set up an email account with gmail but every time I copied the letters that you have to copy it said 'wrong, try again'. I dont know what I am doing wrong. I had intended to do a lot of stuff today but have now spent almost 4 hours on my computer. Grrrrr.

Huia.

BTW, for those of you who have my hot mail addy, if you receive an email from scumballhasmyaccount (or some such name, I forget what I changed it to) or from my old name just delete. I wont be using the account to send emails for at least 2 weeks. My IT savvy nephew was looking into the matter to see if he can help me regain control of the account. I can still use my KiwiOnLine address.

Oh Huia it's so easily done. I hope you have got it sorted out now.
I delete any e.mails from people I don't know. I have had quite a lot off spam lately,that's stopped by Virgin Media,as soon as it arrives in my inbox. I just hope it continues that way.
I hope everyone is well.
I hope to hear from you all soon. Love Mo xxx

Mo, the trouble is it looked like an official MSN notice, and it caught me at a time when I was flagging. Last year they closed down the MSN groups so when I saw that they were going to close Hotmail accounts I was angry, although I should have realised that they would give more than 48 hours notice. I should also have noticed an apostrophe in the wrong place, and one or two other things. In fact, as soon as I clicked on Send I suddenly realised that things didnt stack up but it was too late. I have set up an account with Gmail and another with Yahoo but not sure yet if I like them as much as Hotmail.

I didnt use the same username that I have used on hotmail and kol, just in case scumball can follow me by googling, so dont be surprised if you receive an email from some other name. I will send an email soon when I have finished retrieving some of my mail from hotmail.

Huia.

Good evening everyone.
Where has everyone got to.
I hope you are all well.
Just an update on my nephew. He had got the results off his MRI scan,and thank the lord,he did not have a brain bleed.
They say it's a reaction that can happen after the brain surgery.
His steroids have been upped,and they have given him a medication to control the fits.
It had to rain today didn't it. I washed a pair off bedroom curtains this morning,as it was quite sunny when I got up. I had them on the line for about an hour when it poured down. So they are drying on the clothes horse now.
I hope to hear from you all soon.
Love and best wishes Mo xxx

Hi Mo
xxx

and everyone
xxx


It's Mothers Day today over here ....... and also in the US, NZ, Australia, Switzerland, and a number of other countries.

We won't be doing anything special ...... J after all is in NS! She will try to phone this afternoon.


It is a lovely sunny day here ..... with blue skies, and temps in the high teens. It's been like this for the last 3 or 4 days.


s
xxx

*********A HAPPY MOTHERS DAY TO SYLVIA,MARIE,HUIA************
I hope you have all had a good day. Love Mo xxx

Hi Everyone,

Can I just say a belated Happy Mothers Day to Marie, Sylvia and Huia. I haven't been feeling too good over the last few days, with a cold, coughing and aching, feel a bit better today, but if doesn't clear in the next day or two I'll have to try and see the doctor.

Sylvia, thank you for your condolences. My cousin's funeral is on Thursday, so Alun has booked a day off so that we can go to it. With it being in Bristol, it means we'll be out most of the day. I didn't realise that you had had a mastectomy, it was a good thing that you had the mammogram when you did. I was amazed that within six weeks of you finding out, you had a mastectomy and were able to come to the UK, as you had planned. Had I been in your position, I too would have had a mastectomy. Hope MJ's tummy troubles are better, bless him.


Mo, it's so annoying that it came to rain after washing your curtains--- I bet it would have stayed dry if you hadn't washed them. That's happened several times to me in the past, so I know how you feel. Pleased to hear that your nephew didn't have a brain bleed, lets hope that he will now get better and that the cancer will never come back. Hope both you and Roly are okay.


Jean, I'm really sorry to hear the news about D. Let's hope that these new tablets will work for her. D is like Jennie, don't say anything not to worry us, but as you say we then get lulled into a sense that all is well with them. Alun is like J, he get's very upset when Jennie tells us when things are not going well-- he wishes he could have it instead of her. Jennie is still waiting to hear about an appointment with the Rheumatologist, goodness knows when that will be.

Liz, so you are going to be a stepgrandmother. As Mo said, you'll have to get out the wool and knitting pins or crochet hooks. Is your OH pleased about the news?

Huia, I hope you have been able to sort out the scam problem you had. It's good that you know quite a bit about, on how to sort it out---I wouldn't have a clue what to do, it's good that Alun does. I hope that Phil was alright when you last visited him, and that he was also alert enough to know that you were there.

Marie, hope you are alright. You were saying about the rising cost of electricity and fuel, it seems as though it's the same in Oz as it is here. My friend Janet and I just can't get over how the prices have gone up, it seems as though they go up every week, and some things just don't go up by a few pence, but by 50-60 pence a time.

Thinking of Debbie, Ann, and all our absent friends.

Love and best wishes. Sallie.xxx

Hi all. Yesterday was our mothers day. We are a day ahead of America and Canada. I have never gone in for mothers day. My mum always said she had a perfectly good day of her own (her birthday) and if we couldnt remember her then, then she didnt want us loving her to order of businesses. I did buy a rechargable shaver yesterday - for Phil, though. But I bought a couple of pots of daffs in flower for myself as I love them and mine wont start flowering for a couple of months yet.

Off to visit my sister and her OH this morning, he is one of those people who forwards jokes which have been forwarded to him, with lots of addresses showing. I think he now realises why he should use BCC and delete any addies that are showing before forwarding ones he has received.

Huia.

Hi all,

I won't be step gran as we are not married and o.h. told me that I shouldn't interfere and try to take over, so sod him, sod them and they can get their own stuff. When I spoke to the girl as her partner was on the way home after telling us the news, and o.h. had rung her to say congratulations, I told her if she needed a crib she could borrow my pine one which is in the loft. They won't have lots of money to spare as they have a big mortgage and the wedding to pay for and she said she would have to go back to work, hopefully she can do parttime so they can afford things. She said she was going to go round boot sales etc.
Anyway, she said thanks, she would bear it in mind, and said she would like some little knitted jackets as it's going to be a winter baby, Nov 4th) and her Mum, his Mum and her sister don't knit, I had said I do.
The next day o.h. rang his son to ask him something and I thought I would just say to them not to get a secondhand car seat unless it is from someone they know as you don't know if they have been dropped or been in a bump already. When o.h. asked his son when he had finished the conversation, if I could talk to S. he asked his dad why? but did pass me over, I said what I had to say and that was it. Then o.h. said I should butt out as his son didn't was worried when I wanted to talk to the girl, why I don't know? He doesn't know she poured her heart out to me less than a year ago about the way he treats her etc etc and I didn't say anything to anyone about it, but did warn her at the time they were a funny lot.
So as I say, I will wait and see what reception I get when we go to the meet the inlaws barbeque in 5 weeks time and if the son is snotty with me, and the girl ok, I will just leave it to her to call me if she wants the crib, or I will say I have changed my mind. She said she was planning to get a new car seat but I think she hasn't looked at things yet to see the costs as she is still so tied up with the wedding arrangements etc.
It's going to be hard on her, the father to be works here in Norwich so has to leave early in the morning to cycle to the station and get a train here and cycle to his office, then the reverse in the evenings, getting home around 7 when he will probably expect his dinner ready and the house clean which happens at the mo. I am not sure he will understand a small baby needs bathing and feeding etc and if she is working part time too, she will be exhausted. He is already complaining, she told me, cos she is tired and goes to bed at 9pm!
A chip off the old block there I think, self, self, self, but not my problem, I am staying out of it now.
Son also complained that his father and grandfather didn't seem very excited at the news, he said they were nondescript about it, he is not the most articulate person himself. Grandfather said What did he expect, cartwheels? lol
Oh life is going to be such fun, not!

Lizxx

Back with my counsellor today so hope I can start getting somewhere, have to miss a week when there is a bank holiday as she only does Mondays.
Lizx

Hello Girls,

Liz, I feel sorry for the mum-to-be, as you say she's going to find it hard when the baby arrives. I hope that for both the baby and her sake, OH's son will take his responsibilities seriously. It sounds as though she would be glad of some knitted coats and maybe some hats, as you say it will be a winter baby so will need some warm clothes.

I hope all is well with Jean and her family. We haven't heard from her for a few days. Maybe she still can't stop doing her crafting, as we know she's got lots to do.

Mo, have you got a darts match tonight? If you have, hope your team will win. Good luck!

Got to go now ,as Alun needs to use the computer to order his repeat prescription online from our doctors.

Speak to you all later.

Love, Sallie xxx

Hi girls.
Liz,sorry I forgot you and IM INDOORS,are not wed. But you could still be a step grandma if you wanted,thats if you are allowed to be.
I can't believe that your OH can be soooo horrid to you. Nasty piece off work.
If only you could win the lottery,you would be better on your own,not having to wait on him hand and foot,with no appreciation forthcoming.
Hi Sallie, yes I have got darts tonight. But I am not looking forward to it.
We have got a very hard game in front off us. It's the sixes knockouts,and we are up against a very strong team. Still if we do lose,I will have a few weeks break from it,as our league season does not start till september.
I will have to send Jean a p.m if we don't hear anything from her by tommorrow. It's a worry when we don't hear. I just hope that both off them are o.k.
Love to all. Mo xxx

Hold your horses Mo, Sallie got it right I am very busy getting the album done only 12 pages to go....lol....and trying to top up cards, I had a no craft day yesterday, her next door had a few mates in sat night, not too bad but still woke me up. and couldnt get back to sleep.... so I was shattered all day. I am off to the docs 10 tomorrow, to have a chat . and see if he has any miracle pills,....lol....S should have been flying to Portugal now, but the flights have been cancelled, until wednesday. he is gutted, he has worked non stop for ages, even if they get there they may not get back..... deep joy......at least we will be better off....lol...well everyone must get on, so be good and love to you all, dont be such a whimp Mo about the darts were is your fighting spirit girl.....
.

love Jean xx

Good luck at the docs tommorrow Jean.
I know I know,I am a wimp,but the team we are playing are really strong,and our team do not even meet during the off season to practise.
They have got one woman who was a county player,and by golly,she could play on her own and still beat us.
I think I will try and trip her up when she comes in,oooops sorry I didn't mean to sprain your wrist lady,will be my plea.
Have you got your ear plugs yet,for when she next door starts playing up.
If not I will send you some. Inconsiderate mare that she is. Have you and the other neigbours complained to her landlord yet.
Got to go now,got to get ready. Love Moxxx