Tuesday 31st July

Tuesday 31^st July

A leisurely walk down to St Catherine’s this morning to meet the Zumba ladies for coffee and a doughnut was a nice start to my day. 

My daughter picked me up and we went into town to change my bike seat to one with slightly more padding, I can’t be sitting on a pencil seat!

From there we did the tedious but necessary food shopping (is it just me but by the time I’ve got three quarters of the way round the shop I’ve had enough and the last two isles are usually traversed at break neck speed, swinging the trolley around the corners before skidding up to check out!) …Ahhh, so it is just me then…

A very late lunch by the time we arrived home and then a much needed snooze in the garden, which sufficiently charged my batteries enabling me to go for a sea swim! 

The sun really was shining by then and perfect for an evening on the tennis court, which was an opportunity not to be missed!

“Most of us, swimming against the tides of trouble the world knows nothing about, need only a bit of praise or encouragement - and we will make the goal.”
- Jerome Fleishman

Monday 30th July

Monday 30^th July

I really think that with the amount of blood tests they have given me over the last few weeks, all of the ‘transfusion’ benefits have been cancelled out!

An hour in hospital this morning having ANOTHER test showed a slight increase in my clotting platelets (69) and I’m just above the border line in the white cell department, however neither is sufficiently respectable enough to receive any chemo this week!

So that means…………..more time for tennis and swimming, and resting of course! 

I met my friend LW in town and got treated to a birthday lunch at the Art Centre, (and very nice it was too), before I came home for a bit of R& R (and Olympic watching).

With great excitement I drove to AdeF’s house and played tennis at 4pm, truly enjoyable and some very funny ‘moments’ with SC and FP, the tennis wasn’t bad either…

Feeling so lucky to be receiving yet more birthday gifts throughout the day, and my cards now number 37!! All very proudly displayed in my kitchen, thank you.

“Ladies, here’s a hint. If you’re up against a girl with big boobs, bring her to the net and make her hit backhand volleys. That’s the hardest shot for the well-endowed”.
Billie Jean King

Sunday 29th July

Sunday 29^th July

My birthday! 29 AGAIN! I had two visitors before 7.45am!  At 7.15am two of the children came in with my NEW BIKE, whoop! Whoop! I love it!

Watched the Olympic badminton this morning but sadly GB lost in third set. Rode my new bike to 'keep fit' (about a mile), did my class and rode back! (I am the female Bradley Wiggins of St Martin!)

I am SO lucky, I have had so many lovely cards with very special sentiments written inside, plus gifts of flowers, cake, vouchers, champagne, etc. etc, I really do feel quite spoilt!

After lunch hubby and I went out for a walk around Archirondel and St Catherine’s, bumping into lots of people we knew on the way! It was really busy down at the café, and many fishermen/women were out on the breakwater.

A joint effort to cook a roast pork dinner with lots of lovely vegetables from the garden, washed down with Champagne and cake, a perfect end to a perfect day, many thanks to everyone…

“Every year on your birthday, you get a chance to start new.”
Sammy Hagar

Saturday 28th July

Saturday 28^th July

A late night watching the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics meant a little lie in until 8 this morning! I then had to watch some of the badminton on TV; it was such a fast game, did you know on a smash the shuttle can travel up to 200 mph!!

Daughter and I visited the puppy this morning, she is so GORGEOUS (aren’t all puppies?)Three weeks before she ‘comes home’!

Hubby and I went up to Pentanque this afternoon; Unfortunately It didn’t seem quite warm enough for me to brave the sea, so beach was not on agenda.

 

We got back home to a surprise visit from an aunty and a cousin who stayed for a cup of tea, before another visitor, this one from Grouville JR ( aka ww)  also bearing good tidings and gifts!!

"Dogs laugh, but they laugh with their tails." 
Max Eastman

Yesterday’s photos of playtime in Gorey!

Friday 27th July

Friday 27^th July

Early this morning the ‘little people’ came over from St Ouen, and we spent the morning at the park and on the beach at Gorey, great fun! Sandy sandwiches, endless swing pushing, and happy children pottering in and out of the sea. 

Mrs Gorey (SC) came down to join us for a swim and a chat, and we all had those mad disjointed conversations that had many ‘started’ stories but none that got ‘finished’, partly due to children needing attention and partly due to our own concentration span!

NEVER EVER mention to SC that you have a pile of ironing that needs doing- I had just had my lunch at home and received a text forewarning me of her intention to ‘come and do my ironing’ and the next thing I know she is ensconced at the ironing board wielding the hot iron like some weapon, daring me not to get too close!! The audacity of that woman,(she tells me she loves ironing!) not entirely sure I believe her….Anyhow, such a lovely gesture and actually very welcomed as ironing is my least favourite job.

This time last year five of us had just set up camp in Herm for a long weekend, the weather was glorious and we were like something out of an Enid Blyton novel,( slight exaggeration!) except we substituted the ‘lashings of ginger beer’ for something stronger!!

“A true friend never gets in your way unless you happen to be going down”
Arnold H. Glasow

Thursday 26th July

Thursday 26^th July

The vegetable garden required my attention this morning, lots of veg to pick, and as we were going to Macmillan coffee morning decided to take some to them. (Daughter thinks I’m trying to ‘charm’ them!) Certainly the sweet peas did look and smell lovely on their desk, so maybe I did earn some brownie points!

Packed a picnic and went to the beach at 1ish, It was lovely and the tide was high, so perfect for a swim. Stayed there until 5pm, reading, resting and chatting to sister-in-law!

I am feeling well; I have nearly finished my antibiotics (supposed to ‘pick up’ my white blood cells I think) and still on my suppressant ulcer tablets, but otherwise all good. I checked with Macmillan to see if they knew of anything that could boost up clotting platelets, they didn’t think so but are being kind enough to check it out.

I went on my own to Pentanque this evening just for an hour, had a very exciting game (yes, really) and won it 13-12! Ok, so to all those who don’t play Pentanque it was very close!

“Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine for the soul.”
Luther Burbank