Glad your blood tests were normal, Katy. I hope the GC slept in this morning for you. I hope you managed to get an appointment at the dentist jcj, these days it can be so difficult.
Can’t believe it’s nearly the end of the holidays, where does the time go, I’m sure that time is faster in the holidays! I haven’t done half as much as I wanted to. Still have cough, though not as bad. That’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it 
.
Actually sunny here today!! Intermittently. Also 16°C so considerably warmer than recently. I’m in garden with my coffee, (now that I’ve finally showered and dressed - was having breakfast, virtually, courtesy of WhatsApp, with YD: thats my excuse!) to make the most of it, while it lasts.
Hopefully the grass will dry enough to mow this afto, when I get back from fetching his prescription.
Got first available dentist appointment for Monday morning but they rang me, this morning to say there is a cancellation for 12:20 tomorrow so I’ll get it over with before the weekend. It’s only a 10 minute appointment, though, so he probably won’t fix it there and then. I sort of hope he doesn’t: a K&N friend has invited me for a cuppa because I had to miss K&N last week. She lives near the dentist so I can use her parking space and not have to use the pay carpark. Might not feel up to that cuppa with a numb face? 
Glad your bloods were “normal” (only bit that is? 
). 3 weeks seems a long time to wait to check BP? Do you have one of those self testing kits? We got one from the chemist (now gone: same name as a bank, but other chemists sell them). Not very expensive and It’s very useful and the Drs accept the readings from it - as long as you get an NHS approved one.
YD is hatching plans to visit with GD for a few days, in May half term and/or summer hols, so I can entertain GD while Mamma works from “home” so we get to see each other whilst also solving childcare problems. Obviously, this depends on how OH is so I won’t hold my breath 
I love the idea and it’ll help DIL as she starts to train for her new job as a care assistant at the beginning of May.
Time to feed the beast. Again. Must get lunch.
Do have one but have left it at YDs haha. Am not left high and dry because was taking 2 blood pressure tabs so it will be somewhat still controlled with the one I still take.
Where does the time go Ali?? You always think you can do so much and end up probably doing less than you do when you are working haha.
No GC did not sleep late, what are they like? We faffed around morning then went to park because it wasn’t raining woo hoo. So fed up of the rain…
Glad you have an appointment and good you have no pain, then out for a cuppa hurrah.
Into town later sitting on my favourite bench at the moment with my muggatea x
Enjoy the last few moments of your holiday, Ali. Then it won’t be too long before May half term. If it’s any consolation, the schools around here have already been back a week!
Glad you could get out with the GC without getting rained on, Katy.
Dentist filled my tooth straight away. So I struggled to sup my tea and eat lemon cake with a numb face - fortunately at friend’s flat, not in public!! 
Tooth was really ouchy when the anaesthetic wore off. I took paracetamol when I could bear it no longer. Bit better today but still sore.
Don’t know who lost the plot but when I picked up OH’s prescription, on Thursday, they’d completely mangled it. I ordered 4 boxes of Ropinirole and put a note to direct Dr to letter from PDN increasing back to 4. In the bag there were SIX boxes. WHAT?!! Then I realised that there were 2 months worth of eveything I’d ordered - except for one item, which just had one month’s. I haven’t contacted either chemist or surgery, but I’ve no idea who messed up. Not denying it could be me - after the last few weeks I’ve had! -but, as they won’t let me order 2 weeks erarly, I can’t imagine them letting me order double!! Next month will be fun as we’ll only need that one meds and the stuff I didn’t order this time. Think I’ll have to go up in person Plonkers!
Talking of plonkers: just had to unravel 2 evenings worth of knitting because I realised my 10 stitch blanket had become 12 stitches! Oops! Stupidly, I’d noticed a mistake, previously, but CBA to take out 4 rows to rectify it - decided it wouldn’t be obvious. Didn’t bother to count the stitches. 100+ rows later it is glaringly obvious! Doh! Luckily, unknitting is very quick. Reknitting not so much. 
Weather has been dry enough, at last, to get the grass cut and start some of the spring tidying in the garden. Now I’m going to assemble the chocolate cake (which nearly didn’t have any sugar in it! 
Numpty?!) and make a mugatea for consumption on the K bench. You’re welcome to join me…
Ooooh chocolate and lemon cakes woo hoo!!!
How is OH doing now?
Glad tooth was fixed, nothing worse, no pain before and pain afterwards ouch.
Back is still playing up arrgh so annoying it’s not excruciating but niggly, paracetamol keeping it at bay.
Def feel different in a good way not taking tab not as dizzy woo hoo.
Sunshine at the moment here, going into town later fingers crossed it stays that way.
YD has her appointment today (mark on foot) am trying to keep calm, not working though.
ED has been taking tabs for 4 months now, made a huge difference they think she may have to stay on them forever but there are a lot of side effects and she has to be monitored monthly so feel a bit uneasy about that too.
You are going to scream at me but have bought nearly all X presents obviously have time on my hands haha.
Couple of small toys to buy and sweets whew it’s all over cause know exactly what still has to be purchased. Am sitting on the CBA bench, near the twirly tummy bench xx
Katy I’m in awe! I don’t think I could ever be that organised! Hope your yd’s appointment goes well.
Hope your blanket is sorted out jcj. The only time I did any knitting was at college for my nneb course, my mum is a prolific knitter, she’s made clothes for our class bears before. How’s your tooth?
So tired just after 1 day back at school. Out of my 3 days I will be teaching 2 1/2 days. Tiring but I love it. At least I don’t have to do the planning! X
I enjoyed the teaching-but-no-planning as well, Ali. For a few years, right across the school, Y1 to Y6, sometimes at literally a moment’s notice. Challenging but never a dull moment! It was good until the “New Management” came in (paragraphs of ranting deleted 
) and the pressure to “perform” became too much.
Hope your back is better, Katy, and your Ds medical situations are resolved.
OH is coping OK. He’s a lot better than he has been recently but is still anxious and the PD symptoms are worse, especially first thing in the morning, than before the meds change. PD nurse is coming, mid May, to visit and assess him and I suspect there may be more drugs available. He has officially resigned (by text) from his library volunteering. He says it’s because of his health but I’m pretty sure it’s because he dislikes one of the women there. I was hoping he’d wait and see if he feels more positive about it in a few weeks but he’s burnt his bridges now: the woman who runs it arrived at our door, on Monday, with a potted rose plant, large box of chocolates and a “Thank you” card, signed by all the volunteers/regulars, for both of us (I helped out a few times). No going back now. 
I’m on the FPO (Feeling P***** Off) bench. It’s quite close to the FF and CSL benches so I can move to either one of them easily if necessary. I keep telling myself I’ve got a lot to be grateful for but just can’t help feeling a bit trapped and regretting that I’m not doing as much as I wanted in my retirement. Although, let’s face it, realistically, I probably wouldn’t have BA to do much anyway? 
It’s the lack of choice that’s depressing.
On the upside: OH has been talking, positively, about our summer holiday so it looks like I won’t be cancelling it. However, he’s up and down, both physically and mentally, so I’ve not got high expectations about it.
My tooth is still niggling. Google (I know…) says it could take up to a week to settle, after a filling, so I’m going to keep talking the pain killers and contact the dentist if it’s not better by Friday. It did seem slightly improved, yesterday, because I forgot to take the paracetamol a couple of times and my face didn’t remind me! So, hopefully, it’s on the mend. Dread to think what the dentist can/will do about it if I have to go back?!
Opticians appointment this afternoon. Can’t believe it’s been two years!! I’m only going to check up on that Tapoxyfen damage; hoping I won’t need new glasses as I like the frameless ones and they’re eye-wateringly expensive!! I’ve been trying to persuade OH to book an appointment too because he’s not had his eyes tested for years and is struggling to see (but of course, it’s always “bad light” ) The lenses on his glasses are so scratched they are virtually opaque and his reading ones have glue all over them where he’s bodged them back together. But he’s as stubborn as a ****** ox and refuses to go. See also hearing issues (“tinnitus”). Grrrrrrrrrr 
I’m also just about to contact a couple of handymen to come and quote to properly fix the handrail up the stairs: the top bracket is still loose despite several applications of glue and other unsightly bodgery. (I know I should not be sexist: I would be happy for a handywoman to do the job but as it’s fixing OH’s bodge job, let’s be diplomatic: another man coming is bad enough but a woman?? Oh dear me, no! )
Beautiful sunshine the last couple of days but it’s showery as well and colder again.
Meant to say, earlier, Katy: don’t know how you do the C-word shopping so early. If I was that organised, I can guarantee that everyone would have changed their minds or bought whatever I’d got for themselves already.
Whoop whoop. Virtually no change to eyes in 2 years. Free test apart from £5 upgrade for the full works. All healthy. Hurrah!
Sunny but cold so I wore a fleece jacket to town. Been in the house half an hour and the heavens have opened. Lucky escape!!
Woo hoo delighted to say YD’s mole is healthy, so pleased so is YD, she was pretending she wasn’t concerned…
My goodness JCJ, was reading your posts and forgot about garlic bread in oven, it was burnt to a crisp arrgh haha.
Ali hope you are enjoying your teaching time, nice to do something different, have lots of fun.
Back has been good today am hoping that’s it done.
Managed to purchase the small toys yesterday which means only sweets and a bottle of wine to go. Think kids are hardest so asked them when they were here, had them look at toy store online to give me ideas. GS asked me for same thing he asked for last year (his Mum didn’t think he would really like) so this year he WILL have it haha.
Lots going on with you JCJ, hope tooth is better today, good news about glasses and also about your summer holiday, fingers crossed OH’s meds are tailored to his need.
Think it’s hard because at the moment your choice to do what you want to do is limited. Perhaps after meds are altered or added to things will get so much better. Big hugs flying your way xx
Katy, are you trying to say I talk too much? Or are my posts SO entertaining? 
Sorry about your garlic charcoal.
Handyman has just been. My heart stopped when he pulled up in his van because he looks a lot like estranged ES (also a self employed property maintenance person/handyman!!). He was born in 1984, too, so he’s the same age. 
The job ended up costing a lot more than expected but well worth it because he’s done a fabulous job and the handrail is now firmly secured, including an extra bracket: no more stress that either of us will end up at the bottom of the stairs rather too promptly! He’s also tidied up the mess OH made - apart from some glue splashes further down the wall. I just need to find a matchpot of paint as close as possible to the existing wall colour (hall, stairwell and landing so there is no way it’s being redecorated!!) Or I might just leave the white filler as it is.
So glad that’s done. That’s a weight off my mind and OH wasn’t too sulky about it; he’s even agreed that, next time, we’ll get a professional in straight away! Hurrah
Tooth seems to be OK now too. No pain killers required today (of course: I bought extra yesterday!) and it only niggles occasionally. What a relief!
Lemon sponge cake with blackcurrant jam filling in the shed. Help yourselves.
No…not saying that at all…
Hurrah for the handyman, brilliant everything is sorted and it’s agreed no more self handy work forever, whew.
Lunch out yesterday, we went to new place for us anyway, food was lovely huge panini and salad, cakes looked beautiful but didn’t manage to have one far too full. We have decided to try another place next time, we are getting adventurous haha.
Went around town then up to supermarket later, arrived home and just sat for a while then went along to ED’s. She was ok, a bit teary but ok. Her mouth has all broken out which is normal for the meds, work is crazy.
Eldest GD has a appointment with her favourite university next week, been accepted by the 2 others and another one that was far away she has declined place offered. She won’t know until July about her favourite one. Fingers crossed. Really can’t believe she will be off somewhere later this year…
It’s not rained here for 1 day and today is grey so will wait and see, managed to do everything yesterday so don’t really care.
Just remembered about painting over little marks and paint was a completely different colour even though it was supposedly the same, don’t make my mistake JCJ.
Were you able to fix blanket?
Have decided to stay in hotel the day before YD leaves, it had better be more restful than last time hahaha xx
When is YD off on her travels? Hope your hotel stay is a bit more restful this time!
Everything crossed for EGD’s favourite University place -but at least she has 2 back ups.
Had lunch out, yesterday, with one friend/ex-colleague and coffee with another today. Then no plans for the rest of this week or next. Didn’t organise that very well?
Talked to OH and he sees no reason why I should cancel our summer holiday. He thinks he’ll be fine as he won’t be changing meds then. Hmmmm. I’m partly excited/relieved but don’t want to get my hopes up as he might think differently another day. He’s still up and down and not coping as well as he was before the meds change but maybe PDN will have more options when she visits on 13th May. 
We also talked about YD and GD coming in May and/or August so YD can work from “home” at our house while I entertain GD. Not the freedom of our usual camping trip but at least we’ll have the evenings together when GD is in bed (and OH hopefully entertaining himself!!) It’ll help the girls a bit with the school holidays child care problem anyway. OH is actually quite excited by the idea…at the moment!
Gorgeous weekend, although still rather chilly. We went to a nearby country park where vast swathes of bluebells are easily accessible from the carpark. Beautiful! 
Grey, drizzly and cold again today with the odd bursts of 
.
Really need a few consecutive days if decent weather!!
“OF decent weather” grrrr! So annoying typing on my phone and editing in the app is a pain in the **** 
At the end of next week, she is excited but very apprehensive about leaving GS, am reassuring her constantly haha. Know all the routines he is in so will just keep everything the same.
GD had her interview and thought it went well, fingers crossed.
That’s great about holiday, where are you going? Is it nearby too? Good OH is feeling positive.
That will be lovely having your 2 girls with you, hurrah.
Have had a really quiet day, just doing what I wanted to do, been great…so went to chippie tonight, just completely spoiled myself haha.
It’s been warm today can’t believe it, people are walking around in t shirts!! xx
T shirts??? Goodness me! Mind you, you lot up there are much tougher than we lily-livered southerners? 
We’ve had some sunshine but it’s still cold. Temperature has barely reached double figures in ages.
Our July/August holiday is only about half an hour away. It’s near to places we have visited but we’ve never been there. As a friend pointed out, if he has a bad day or two, we could always come home until he’s settled again and then go back!
We went into our little local town yesterday (mostly vacant shop premises now ) and even managed tea and cake (pain au raisin 
) in our favourite cafe. First time in ages. However, it brought it home to me just how slow he is now.
Shouted awake at 8am because he had another panic attack, this morning. It didn’t last long but it’s not a great way to start the day! I’m hoping to go for a swim later but we’ll see…
There is no way I would be wearing a t shirt brrr haha, still wearing a big coat…
As soon as the sun shines here, t shirts and shorts are the name of the day!!
Nice you were out and about with OH and managed some cafe time.
Not too long till nurse comes now, might be a great help regarding panic attacks.
Hope you managed your swim.
Blood pressure check tomorrow, have been a bit headachy so we will see.
Super over tiredness has disappeared, couldn’t understand why I was so tired, now I know haha.
Going out next week with vegan friend so searching for a restaurant locally, found one but dogs are allowed???
Read a book, started really well, read over half in one sitting, then it started to get ridiculous, finished last night, would I recommend, prob not xx
So cold here today. Where is spring?
How was your blood pressure Katy? I have white coat syndrome, my blood pressure is always high at the drs and much lower at home.
I hope you manage to have your holiday jcj, and the PDN’s visit will help you both.
Been filling in my appraisal form all morning, I find it so hard to say what I’m good at. It always sounds like boasting. Not at all comfortable.
Now to rest and relax the rest of the weekend hopefully!
Oh, Ali, how I hated those appraisal forms! Always made me angry. Always wanted to write: “YOU tell ME what I’m doing well/need to do better and I’ll do my best to oblige”. Hope your appraisal goes well and they appreciate you. Have you stated your 5-year plan? How I enjoyed writing “Retired”, on my last one, to the Q: “Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years?” That shut them up!
Hope your BP situation is under control, Katy.
I didn’t go for that swim. Although it had far more to do with the magnetic attraction of the CBA bench than anything he did - or didn’t do!! There’s always Monday; I can go then.
Special annual birthday treat pizza tonight (spotty pub game), wedges and ice cream. I’m just preparing the necessary limbs ready for amputation. Lol.
I put several cross stitch and embroidery kits on my Wishlist, specifying just one of each, because I wanted to be surprised by which one he chose. He bought all the ones that were in stock! I now have 3 kits: 2 cross stitch, 1 embroidery, each of which is likely to take me a couple of years, and I’ve only just started the one he bought me last year!! Probably just as well he couldn’t get the other three?!
Cold and drizzly here. I was going to suggest we went somewhere for lunch but I think I’ll just cobble something together here. As usual.
Got THAT age-related Beatles song as an ear worm today! 
Belated Happy Birthday JCJ, woo hoo blowing out those candles, may take a while hahaha…bad moi
Hope you had a wonderful day, you deserve it xx
Ali just write you are great at everything and there is nothing at all you can improve on, you are perfect haha.
Having a nightmare have to take blood pressure 4 times and day for a week am pretty annoyed because it was high in the surgery but doc wants a weeks worth of results mmmmmmmm. Don’t have white coat syndrome never have but am assuming that’s what they are thinking. I need to know that I am safe and have had several phone calls with them to make sure that I am/will be arrgh. so they have conceded a little and have to send in BP results in on Wed. Head has been thumping for a week…nervous because of past history. xx
Thank you for the birthday wishes. I had a nice, quiet day including a walk - between the showers - up to the woods to visit the bluebells and a yummy pizza and wedges dinner followed by Magnum double salted caramel ice cream. Oh. My. Days! Delicious. And we only ate half the tub so there’s still some calling to me from the freezer.
Lol to Ali proclaiming her perfection!
I understand your worry, but if your BP was dangerously high, they wouldn’t have asked you to go home and record it for a week. 2 readings, morning and evening, for 7 days is standard practice to establish any patterns and get an average measurement. I hope it all gets sorted out soon. 
Remember, anxiety… and pain… increase BP so try not to stress (easy for me to say?! 
)
OH birthday today. He requested a sherry cake so I made one. I put 3 candles on his slice at cake o’clock, this afto, and told him the other 70 wouldn’t fit (not to mention the fact that I don’t have another 70?!) We went to his favourite chippy café for tea, which he enjoyed. He announced that he wanted to go to the pub, afterwards, for a couple of hours and get a taxi home. Silent whoops from me but I suspected he might be being over ambitious so I walked with him to the pub, before driving home. Just as well I did because 50 yards from the door, he decided he couldn’t do it. Home for a mugatea instead. I tried to console him that the chippy tea was more than he’s attempted for MONTHS!!
At his request, I got him some fancy headphones for his birthday, so he now has some upstairs and downstairs and doesn’t need to keep fetching them. I’m not sure who benefits most from this present. 
Lovely, warm, sunny day today. After mowing the grass, I made the most of it by sitting in the garden with my library ebook and knitting. Might be the only summer we get?!