Friday 28th August

Talking to hubby today, I said I was only getting about 100 hits a day on the blog, and really we both decided that it was a good thing. The fact that at the moment the Cancer is being held at bay, and I don't require any treatment is a real Godsend, and the reason the whole 'blog' idea was ever muted in the first place was because it was a two fold way of a) getting information out to family and friends, and b) it was my way of dealing with it.

Talking of dealing with it... when I was originally diagnosed way back in February 2012, I contacted Macmillan Jersey, and was given an address of an online forum called Ovacome. Its based in the UK and is not a very big charity, but I joined up straight away. In the early days I asked a few questions myself and found it a comfort to know there were similar ladies going through the same sort of treatments. I still use it today and that is why I now feel in a position to start some fund raising for them.

Not being very adventurous however I have opted for an Afternoon Tea Party at my house! I have invited a few people so far (open to men and women!), and as and when I see folk I mention it. If you fancy/are able to come just contact me, or if you would like to donate please follow the link below..

https://www.justgiving.com/Jill-Luce

Now onto last weeks events!!


Grainville Closed Tennis tournament - My partner and I won the ladies doubles ( ok so there were only three other pairs, but still .....)

 A lovely walk along St Ouen beach with  Steve and Jessie...

 Just throw the ball....!!!!!

 Tea party for small children and Dan led the colouring table....

 Bex with her God-daughter...

 SC and Steve watching people bail water out of their boats in St Catherine.

(Camouflaged dog)

Lastly, I have beetroot simmering on the aga, and the smell transports me back to my childhood with mum doing exactly the same, (usually late in the evening!) ... It seems as if that's about the only crop that's doing really well in the veg garden...Anyone for beetroot cake?? ( I'm not joking)!!!!

Friday 21st August

Think tonight's blog will contain quite a lot of CAPITAL LETTERS and !!!!!!!

Tuesday with consultant went very well, she tells me I look good (!) and I do feel well. She did an examination and said she was pleased with scar/stomach/liver/kidneys etc. I probably do have a lot of internal scarring and that plus a sensitive bowel , is more than likely the reason behind the excruciating stomach aches I've had bouts of over the last few months.

If they get unbearable they can bring me into hospital and put me on a drip and take out some fluid from the gut (apparently) , but that's pretty drastic. Hopefully the tablets for relaxing the spasms should do the trick. I don't have to go back to hospital until October , when I'm due another blood test... and whatever should follow on from that... BUT here and now I feel GREAT so long may it last!!

I had an excellent game of Netball on Tuesday evening and EVEN got a chance to play attack as well as defence, fair to say I was on a HIGH for the rest of the night, LOVED it!!

Wednesday morning I had a good hour of racquetball, learnt loads and hit a small ball VERY hard!!

Followed that with a meeting at Macmillan, the new centre has been open a year in September, and they are updating website and aiming to get testimonials from people/groups who are using it. Our newly named group RISE (Recover, Inform,Support and Empower) is for ANY ladies affected by Cancer and their partners/friends/family. We meet the first Thursday of every month at 6pm until 7:30pm and alternate months we have a 'speaker'. However next Month I have managed to secure a Blue Badge guide to give us a walk and talk around St Helier, before refreshments at the centre.

https://www.macmillanjersey.com/about-us/latest-news/r-i-s-e-a-new-support-group-for-women/

The puppy Margot and Jessie have kept us very busy in between all the other activities, she has become so much braver and more active as the week has gone on, copying everything Jess does, (not always a good thing!)
Wednesday evening played badminton, using a mixture of different shots (a lot of them racquetball based?) Had some cracking games and thoroughly enjoyed myself!

Yesterday I walked the dogs to Archirondel and then had a swim... hubby met me to 'dog sit' while i swam, the idea being we would sit in the sun and have a cup of tea after, but the dogs were wet and cold, and no sun either, so it was back home.
Lunch and the opening of Gorey fete took up most of the afternoon, but managed to get back and walk the dogs down into the woods/beach/fields before racing off to tennis at 6:30pm. Do i need to tell you I had some excellent games ( and even won a few!) I've got a tournament tomorrow so needed the practice!

Margot went back home last night, we miss her already, not sure how Jess feels, I think she wonders where she's hiding and expects her to leap out from behind the sofa and chew her ears off!

So today Jess and I walked to Bel Val and had a lovely swim before 9:30am, walked back through the woods and then hubby and I  packed up more beach stuff and headed off to Portelet (ALL the way out west!). I suggested we sample the new Pizza restaurant on the beach, well, I had to use some incentive to get him to walk  down (and up!) all those steps.

I forgot my phone so no photos to post, but it was pretty and the Pizzas were very good too! I managed two swims and Steve had his very FIRST swim of the year! Mind you by the time we had climbed back up the hill we needed another swim.
Walked Jess (again) for an hour at 4:4pm (down to Rozel to book the Tea rooms for supper at 7:30!) and then rushed off to Fort Regent as some of the Netball girls had organised a boxing session ( to help get us pre season fit) yes, BOXING!!

IT WAS HARD!

I shant be able to walk tomorrow (squats, lunges etc) or use my arms, (boxing, weights, more boxing.....) Thank goodness it was only an hour.

And so here we are  at 11pm at night blog writing... loving the positive comments and the smiling faces...

Gorey fete.... far too hot for suit and tie...! Not sure what final total was raised, but all money goes to local charities..

Sunday 16th August

Its so good that my life is so busy and such fun (even the boring jobs like ironing!!) as 90% of the time I forget about this wretched disease and just LIVE!

We have had an amazing wedding weekend with good friends of ours and one of their beautiful daughters. The weather was good, the setting was incredible (in the castle), and even though she wasn't my daughter, I had to hold it together during the ceremony  and try not to cry!

The party has just gone on all weekend, and being able to catch up with dear friends was a real bonus.

On top of all this we have been puppy sitting.... Margot arrived on Friday morning at 7:30am, oh my she is a little pocket rocket full of mischief, but simply adorable. Jessie has gone from tolerating her as a pesky little sister to playing rough and tumble outside for half an hour tonight, .....


This weeks photo gallery....

Met a friend for lunch, and had a photo taken outside Hammons... that just sums up two old girls!

 Looking good Kim....;-)

 Had a brilliant little jaunt out from St Catherine's to Gorey on a friends boat....

 And had a swim....

 Picnic on board....

 Scabbed afternoon tea and ice-creams from Pops afterwards!!

Meet Margot.... looking sweetly innocent...

 Dan has  perfected the 'Secure headlock manoeuvre"!!

Finally ... I am due to see my consultant at the hospital on Tuesday afternoon..... don't worry I have a netball match in the evening, that'll sort things out!!!

Friday 7th August

How time flies when you're having fun... and I am enjoying life. My birthday week was a very positive and uplifting one, how could you possibly dwell on sad, bad thoughts when everyone around you were being so nice!!

The sea swimming is continuing despite the brief encounter with a jelly-fish, which I didn't see as it must have been hiding in the seaweed. The sting had gone by the next day, and although I was flinching at every small bit of floating detritus on the water with the following days swim, I am now 'manning up' and venturing a little further out than I was before.

We have been having playdates with a puppy called Margot, she is coming next week to stay for a whole week, and so I need to 'puppy proof' the house again. We have become very slack with Jessie, who even though we leave doors open doesn't wander very far. Margot is about 10 weeks old and a liver and white springer, just adorable. I love her already, and so it appears does Jess.
No doubt there will be regular dog updates, and please dont ask me what we are going to do when she has to go back to her owners, because I just don't know!!

 A few rubbish rough and tumble shots...

On the subject of dogs....

Mum to Dan "Could you feed Jessie her tea tonight please?"
Son goes into utility room (sound of cupboards opening and biscuits tipped out)...
Dan to Mum  (calling from the other room) "Mum, Is it wrong to want to eat the dog food?"
Words fail me with that boy sometimes....