What an head ache

I'm still feeling weak legged after my sudden head pain on Tuesday, it just came out of the blue. I was talking to Andy when a sudden pain stuck the back of my head, followed a split second later at the front. I couldn't focus my eyes and they seemed to go in different directions. The Arnold Chiari strikes again. I was supposed to go to be going to the pain clinic, but ironically my head pain was to bad to go.
Later on Tuesday I found out my studio has been broken into, Andy's waiting for the council to get back to him, so he can check on the damage. As far as we know the youths who kicked my door down haven't damaged any of the paintings, but have redesigned my walls. We have yet to see if any of my tools have gone missing, we know they have squeezed out my oil paint tubes. I think we need to find some were safe to store my art work for the time being.

Jane & Andy 1st Wedding Anniversary

Jane and Andy A have been married one year today.
Jane (our daughter) looks so beautiful there, especially on the photo to the right where Ruth our youngest daughter is giving her a kiss.
Its raining out side today, just like on her wedding day. On the run up to Jane and Andy getting married the weather was gorgeous, sunny and warm. on their wedding day the heavens opened. Jane had to be rushed out of the car umbrellas up, to try and protect her from the the sideways on rain. This didn't spoil the day it was magical. Lots of lovely family and friends, good food, and plenty to drink. In fact I remember her saying the other day, that there is still wine and beer left over from the wedding in the celler. Happy anniversary Jane and Andy.

Whats that caterwauling!

Andy and my self were talking tonight about how we in general were discouraged from singing from a early age. Both of us would love to sing with out feeling to self conscious.
I know when I was a child I used to love singing and make up songs. then you get to an age where all of a sudden your family stop thinking how cute. they start saying stop singing you'll make it rain, what a racket and whats that caterwauling?
Ive done it myself no matter how good the singer if its one of your family our a friend a derogatory fraze is bandied about. With out thinking you crush the pure joy of singing out of that person.
I was in the church choir when I was eleven and enjoyed the power of the collective voice, even though at home I could no longer sing for fear of been ridiculed.
I remember singing a hymn in my bed room, one I was to practice ready for early morning song, the following Sunday. I sang thinking no one could hear. I heard my sister say "just listen to her". It might not have been said in the wrong way, but I heard it as, who does she think she is what a rotten voice. I slowly lost confidence and stopped singing in the choir.
Now at the age of 53 its very rare you will hear me sing. But if the house is empty or when I used to drive the car I can still belt out the odd song or two.

Every cloud has a silver lining?

Its ten to four I've been awake since two thirty. I feel really down in the dumps, stressed and I'm aching. They say every black cloud has a silver lining, If that's so, where's mine?

Ignorance is Bliss

This is a photograph of my little girl Ruth, out climbing in the peak district.
She's the one nearly at the top. I find it terrifying, I wished she hadn't sent it.
Ignorance is Bliss, as they say. I know Ruth goes climbing and she enjoys it and that enough for me.

Its got Brakes!

I was talking to my Mum about the trouble I've been having getting my wheelchair. The social services where sending me a chair, little did I know the chair was to be one with little wheels. This is no good for walks in the country side, plus it wouldn't give me any Independence. Yes I know I can't wheel my self round with a self propelling chair, but at leased I can maneuver my self out of the way of people when needed, if I was left for a short time. So Andy's taking me to a mobility shop to look at some chairs as soon as the cars fixed.
Mum was telling me about her friends chair she said it was fantastic, and she will ask her friend where she bought it from. Yesterday she came in all excited with the news, Oh that chairs fantastic its got brakes and every thing. What a relief! bless.

Harry the Theoretical Vegetarian

I've been surfing the net for images for a family blog site, when I came upon this cartoon. As soon as I saw this, it immediately took me back to when Angie (Andy's sister) first brought Harry (her husband then boyfriend) to meet us. Angie met Harry in Germany where she was working as a nurse in Ragensburge.
Harry is very lovable character and a caring person, who we all used to tease terribly.
Angie and Harry were coming for dinner, Harry said he was a vegetarian.
No problem, a veggie alternative was prepared. We sat down to eat, Harry started to fill his plate with meat, I said “I thought you were vegetarian”? Harry's reply in a strong German accent “yes I am, the only meat I eat is of animals that eat vegetables”. We do love him.
Harry was taught English at school and speaks it well, although he had some strange ideas of British life styles and especially how British home were decorated. From the books in his school, he was under the impression we had carpets or some kind of rugs on the walls of our houses. Strange what kind of things get taught in schools some times, it makes me wonder what I was taught about other cultures.
I'm sorry Harry, if you happen to read this just one more from our first meeting.
Harry and Angie had stayed over and were washing the breakfast pots. Harry noticed a pot in the window with tea bags in. (we compost our tea bags) Harry "why have you old tea bags in the window"? Angie " Oh that's because we use them again in England" Harry "Oh" with a look of bewilderment. Andy and Harry then went out to the shops, for what I can't remember. On their return Angie and my self had pegged up all the old tea bags on the washing line out side. Harry puzzled glanced at the tea bags, Andy looked at us with a 'you wicked sod's kinda look'. Back indoors, Me,"Harry would you like a cup of tea"? Harry very hesitant "Yees please, Can I have a new tea bag please" he said very politly. I'm not sure when he cottoned on to our little antic, but it was after they left.
Poor Harry, he now gives nearly as much as he receives.

A moment in the mouth

I started a diet last Monday. I weighed in at 12st 6lbs, and over the last week have lost the fantastic amount of 0 lbs, not being able to exercise or doing any thing much doesn't help, you can't call making the odd cup of coffee exercise. At least I haven't put any weight on which is a blessing.
I found a wonderful photo on the web, when I look at it, it reminds me of a saying. A moment pleasure in the mouth and a life time on the hips! I don't think that lady had heard of the saying, but she seems happy and that's all that matters really. I might put the photo up on the goodies cupboard door with the saying as a caption!
I need to lose around 20lbs to feel and look better, all the extra weight I'm caring can't be helping my stamina not to mention my back and knees.

Storm in a teacup!

Things don't half seem to pile up at once. Things are tight with me being ill for so long. But luckily we don't need much to keep me and Andy happy. They re does seems to be a lot of family challengers going on as well. One of my daughters seems to be taking things bad, but really she's just going through normal stuff with a young family. she needs to take a deep breath and look at all the good stuff, they both do. My Sister is very up set. Her daughter has lost her business. All this and so much more.
One thing though we paid off the car this month it's now ours! It's just had a service last month a MOT and a new and expensive clutch. At least we don't have to worry about that for a while, we might keep it for another year, save the money from the monthly payments for other stuff. Great! Fantastic! Breath a sigh of relief!
WRONG! the bloody thing cut out on Andy last Thursday. It just stopped, Andy called out the recovery people who spent 3/4 hour on it, to be told I think its the fuel pump? The ******* car is in the car park waiting to be picked up by the local garage. God know how much this is going to cost. We had one estimate quote; " If its the fuel pump ssss its going to cost you. sssss the pumps around £500 and the if the cylinders need doing, sssssss well that a couple of hundred each then there's labour. sssss its going to cost ya!". Some how we didn't trust him I don't know why!
So it any one guess how much!
As the saying goes at least we got our health.
It will all turn out well I'm sure, it usually does. After all in the sceem of things, its just a little storm in a teacup.

Birthday Girl

Monday the 12th of May my 53rd Birthday!
It started off with the opening of Birthday cards and presents. Ruth was here and she had brought me a gorgeous bunch of flowers and a box of chocs yum yum! Vivyan and John sent a bottle of very very nice smelly, which I put on immediately.
After a quick slice of toast, it was straight to Auntie Irene's to drop Sylvia off (Sylvia Andy's Mum). Auntie Irene is lovely but you can't stay long because she is a heavy smoker and the house takes your breath away if you aren't used to it.
Next a trip to see Professor Venibles (neurologist) at the hospital, I know how to have a good time on my birthday!
What a waste of time! When we saw the proff he said "why have you come I said I didn't need to see you again in hospital". my replay was "I know I came because your secretary sent a letter telling me to". So not to wast our time we asked him for a prognosis, he told me he couldn't give me one. He did say that the up and downs I have been having will continue and the lack of energy is a part of it. So nothing new except I know what to expect with the Arnold Chiari.
Again the conversation and energy used to get to see the proff made my legs like jelly, yes a wheelchair was needed yet again.
We lunched on mardy food, good old fish and chips! Nothing better.
After a good rest my birthday was back on track. Andy took me to a local garden centre to buy me some tropical fish for my birthday. The garden centre has wheelchairs so Andy wheeled me from the car around the centre, were we bought fish, a hat each and some gardening hand tools that my Uncle David was buying me. Then extremely tired but happy back home.
Andy helped me from the car to the house, when we arrived there was a very big bunch of flowers waiting from Andy's Sister (Angie), her husband Harry, and the girls Hannah, Colette, Leonie and Kitty. It of course caused a tear or two, it was so nice of them. I do miss them all, can't wait until I'm a little better and can be visited, or better still visit all our brothers and sisters. I spent the rest of the day in bed as my eyes were going in different directions, wobbly legs that was having trouble holding me up and a rotten head ache. There I had to stay for a couple of days, the only exception a trip to the doctors.
All worth it I had a lovely birthday, shame about the trip to the hospital though, but never mind.