Tuesday 29th December Betty and M.E

Yet another whirlwind week, doesn't time fly when you're having fun? It has certainly helped to take my mind off the recent hospital trip.

The Christmas festivities  were lovely, walking the dogs and spending time with the family, it's been busy but I do count my blessings every day.

 Long shadows on 'Long Beach"

I gave Betty the job of icing the Christmas Cake.....

 We had some very special small visitors....

Yet another blowy walk at 'White Rock'

 Working our way along the cliff paths of St Catherine.

 



Christmas day afternoon and the start of present opening!

 Some of us weren't that interested, preferring to sleep

The carving of the Turkey.... one to carve, one to 'taste'?

Everybody helped....

 AA's chocolate cheesecake....

 Dan took this photo, not wanting to be included in my usual 'selfie' shots!

As I type this latest post, I notice that AB has just nodded off on the sofa, I'm not surprised. I have been trying to wear her out all week, and not succeeded until 10:15pm on her last night. Contrary to popular belief I have tried to make her have 'rest periods' actively encouraging her to "get on with her crossword", and read the paper, but every five minutes all I hear is "What's the next job?" Its exhausting.....
Mind you I've always said, give her one job and she makes five. Like when we had the small visitors over and AB being AB actively encouraged skipping (with a skipping rope) INSIDE my conservatory. Fortunately no one was hurt when the chandelier glass light shade smashed into a hundred pieces on the tiled floor.

In desperation I set her to task on taking down the Christmas tree decorations, a job she says she has never EVER done. Easy enough you would think, nothing could possibly go wrong. Initially tangled up in the removing of the lights, I suggested that she 'unplug' them first..... Decorations off it was just a simple manoeuvre of the tree  from the conservatory to outside. As I opened the door I looked back to see her stricken face peering at me through the pine needles and the light tinkle of the chandelier as  the top of the tree bumped yet another glass lamp shade, which once again smashed to smithereens!


They were many other minor incidents  like when we've struggled to finish our 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzle to find she has put pieces in upside down...(she claims she was looking at it upside down.....don't ask why). The sprouting broccoli that boiled dry and burnt the saucepan (my fault apparently). The list goes on, but despite ALL of this I will miss her terribly, she has become quite a celebratory figure amongst my friends, and gets invited to play tennis ( and she's a good player!).

Finally, I'm guessing you thought this blog was about ME, but it's the new 'title' of Mr P & E , he will now be known as Minister of the Environment, or M.E ....Now, that really is the last word.

Tuesday 22nd December

I really wanted a 'perfect' 6, a marker level to show that I really was cancer free, and there is no way I should be disappointed in the reading of 12, but somehow I am. As we know anything under 35 is good, but that little nagging doubt, that maggoty worm of supposition is back.

KG the consultant was as brilliant as ever, and was very pleased with the rest of my blood count (as hubby said it could have been 30 or 40 and then I would have been rightly concerned.

My haemoglobin was up to 12 the highest its been since I became ill way back in 2012, and the kidney function, etc is all really good. My white cell count is still low ( surprise surprise!) and sits at 2.6, should be 3.5 in "normal" people.

So, 'we' have decided NOT to  go ahead with a CT scan, (what would I do if stuff did show up, I don't want to go down the chemo route again so soon), and as long as I'm asymptomatic and feel well, then It's better for me if I just go out and ENJOY my life.

Every time I have appointments, or the next bit of treatment, I have to process what it all means and mull things over until I feel that I can deal with the new information. This is where this blogging comes into it's own. It's all part of the analysis and saves my family being bored to tears with my constant "what if's" and "Why"theoretical questions!

Peace of mind I am going to have another blood test in February.


Lets move on now shall we?

AB has arrived! Her flight was delayed at Gatwick, so by the time she had retrieved her broomstick from the baggage hold she was late for supper, so we ate without her and left the washing up.

Already she has been demanding and bossy, never satisfied, moaning there was no fresh beetroot for lunch I sent her out to pick her own. She wanted to know why there were no homemade flap-jacks in the cake cupboard. I should have known she eats one a day without fail, how remiss of me.

The list goes on , but I shan't bore you with all the minor details, I did however make her come to my yoga class this morning and made sure she had enough jobs to occupy her this afternoon.

Two friends have had baby boys in the last few days, I've seen photos and they look gorgeous, pleased for their mums and families that they can enjoy Christmas day now without worrying they may be in labour!

Once again wishing you all a Happy Christmas.

PS, If you fancy a little 'light reading', click on the link......


http://www.examiner.com/article/ucla-study-finds-why-ovarian-recurs-and-how-to-prevent-it

Saturday 19th December

No wonder I have been getting ticked off about the lack of new blog posts... It's been weeks!

I think I'll start with the most recent events and work backwards, pretty much my style anyway!

I had a blood test yesterday morning, couldn't believe there was no-one waiting, unlike previous visits when it's been rammed. On top of which It all went very smoothly, now there's just the waiting. I have an appointment at the hospital on Tuesday afternoon. I don't think I need to add anything to that last sentence that you can't imagine.

I had a lovely catch up with some 'old' friends today, we did try a group selfie... and failed!!

Now there's an idea for a Christmas present, a selfie stick!!!!


Last week was another catch up 'coffee' with ex(?) work colleagues, only managed to get half of them in this time, the others were being far too silly!

 Christmas Meal with friends, kindly organised by MP and RP, party games included!

 ladies team against the men, and I do believe we won ... although some would beg to differ....

 Then there was the last aerobic, keep fit "Shape Up To Music" class of 2015, and the obligatory photo, we may have looked slightly better had we had the picture taken before we did the class!!

 You didn't think I could possibly write a blog post and not put a few 'dog pictures' in there!

 This was as close as I could get to a selfie with the girls!

 We had a lovely dog walk (march?!) around the cliff paths and woods of Trinity with 'Mojo' and her mum, It was so fast and furious we never even had time for a photo shoot!

I must say that Jessie is so good with Beanie, even when she hangs off her ears and tail! She also has this despairing look  (while she sits patiently waiting) that she gives me when Beanie desperate to get into the car for walks, hurls herself onto the locked boot, while I'm trying to open it.  

 We bumped into another of Beanie's sisters Lola, (She's the one on the left!)

 Enjoyed spending time with my BF, and even ventured out west!!

Days have been spent walking and trying to train dogs, playing a bit of tennis (was in a tournament last week, a memorial to another lovely tennis player) . Played some racquet ball last week, and still doing Pilates and Yoga with some Zumba thrown in for good measure. Had some cracking games of badminton as they are training for the Vets match in January, and no I'm not going for the trials!!


This evening hubby and I sang with Rising Voices at Grouville Church, they had a display of 100 nativity scenes, and the Church looked lovely. I couldn't resist taking a few photos...

Ending tonight's post with prayers to all my dear friends and their families who are unwell, this can be such a difficult time of year for so many, and wishing you all health and happiness for 2016.

Sunday December the 6th....

This day will go down in history, I don't think I have EVER, EVER had our Christmas tree up and decorated this early, and that's in thirty years of marriage!!!! It's always well after the 10th before I can even begin to get "into the Christmas spirit".... some folks might say I'm still 'bah humbug' even then. Although I don't like all the commercialism that surrounds Christmas, I have reviewed my stance, I just think it means so much more work, for some of us anyway.

Now to the events of last week, firstly we had some lovely birthday celebration for Pops, a very enjoyable lunch at the Moorings, followed by a small surprise tea party at the farm in the afternoon.

 A rose between two thorns.....

 A motley crew if ever there was.....

I had a surprise delivery from Portugal, this beautiful 'chicken' tea towel arrived in the post from our friends who have moved out there, thanks TH and MH... we are still following that chicken theme!

 My little bro just thought he'd remind me that he had a lovely holiday....I can't remember where.......

 We had our sons 27th birthday this week, my, he has grown.....

 So has Beanie, she's about four and a half months and is seemingly coping with being part of our crazy family.

 We had our Cancer support group last Thursday,  RISE, and welcomed a new 'member' who enjoyed our Christmas card making activity. Thanks to JH who provided all the materials and then demonstrated, it was a bit like a Blue Peter activity!

I had a couple of good sets of tennis on Friday, the weather was so mild it was a real pleasure to be able to play outside. (I said we hadn't done a Selfie in ages...!)

Friday night I had a 'ladies night' at the Merton Hotel, lots of laughing, food and dancing!!

Curly hair is the only way to go!!

Saturday morning in Greve de lecq woods, trying to get us all in a selfie was nigh impossible. 

This morning we had a smashing walk along the coast and woods, and (saw the lifeboat launch! )

I'm sure there were plenty of other events that happened last week, but its all I've got time to type tonight, there is a very large ironing basket full of clothes looking at me!! (Hurry up AB and get over here!!!)