How are we all doing ?

Hi Denby,It sounds like you have a lot going on.How difficult for you being so far from your sister.I hope she can get some help.The support is sadly lacking in some areas.I hope Mr D is not kept waiting too long for his TURBT.
Campaigning does take up time and energy.My mother could think of nothing else when she was battling to save the Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution.I am so proud that she was successful along with her small group of friends.It took them 10 years.
The development is continuing here,all the heavy machinery is out today and the noise is bad.It was so lovely and peaceful when we moved here and it’s not now.I miss the sheep and the cows.I hope you are getting some time to yourself ? Love Jane xx

Hi Denby, well done for not panicking about the thickened bladder wall, a TURBT will hopefully clarify issue, provide a biopsy and enable some trimming if necessary. Brilliant consultant you have. I think I might have had 6 TURBTs, the last one in 2021 was totally all clear, I nearly fainted when the surgeon told me there was no reoccurence! But I know the dreaded might reappear and if a TURBT deals with it, at 77 I'm happy. Keep trucking on Mr D! Hope you win your planning battles. Sorry to hear about your sister 's woes but at least you can connect by phone. I've lived alone here for past 20 years and maybe because I'm used to it I never feel lonely. I do have animals though, and anyone listening to my conversations about grass growing with my sheep, or nettle patches with my goats might think I am bonkers. Love to you and Mr D Hx

Maybe you should look more into rural Somerset for your new house Jane? It is marvellous to listen to birds, or even just silence without human hustle and bustle. xx

Hi H,The problem is that I can’t drive and as they have slashed most of the bus services I might be stuck.I don’t have the balance for a bicycle,last time I tried to ride one I fell off.I had a lot of neurological problems in the past and my co ordination got even worse after that.I do enjoy the countryside though.As long as I have a peaceful garden it will be ok.It was a shock moving here as I was used to living in big cities.I don’t mind living on my own the majority of the time.Just occasionally I get a bit lonely.I miss mum a lot we had great conversations and many laughs.John is suggesting we go out for a little walk in the country this afternoon so we may do that.Love Jane xx

Some Autumn colour from this afternoon’s walk near Longleat.

Beautiful

Just read your post Denby, sorry to hear about your sister especially as you lost your other sister, a lot for you to bear. You gave sound advice when I needed it, will never forget that. Hope Mr D will be OK with his forthcoming Turbt. I know how you feel, could do with 25 hours a day, with work, 94 year old mum and three grandchildren under 4, one of which just had nasty accident and damaged her eye. We have to get the strength from somewhere don't we. 

Sending you best wishes though and keep marching on. Sounds like you could do with a weekend of respite, away for a break. 

If you're under pension age, have you thought of applying for PIP? If you qualified for max mobility you could get an electric scooter from Motability in exchange for part of the benefit. Even standard could be spent towards getting one.

As long as you pick somewhere with decent pavements, I know there aren't so many in the countryside, this could be the answer to lack of balance and lack of buses. Incidentally I think a three wheel one may feel safer that a four wheel one [like a three legged stool never wobbles...]

Hope by now you've had that little walk. It was glorious here and has been dry for 3 days, so I felt most virtuous; I cut as much of the back grass as daylight and weary legs allowed, most of it. Green bin almost full for Thursday morning. I've left the tall weed seed heads in the hope of once again seeing a charm of goldfinches feeding in the winter. Oh and I startled a frog in the long grass, same place I saw a thumbnail sized one after the tadpoles disappeared, presumably having after many weeks longer than it should have been finally morphed and moved from the pond.

Thank you so much all for your kind wishes, Yes it's tough but as you say, just keep on trucking. What we have done is book a modern bungalow near Lincoln for Christmas away. The plan is to have a monster everything-from-the meat-to-the- paper-napkins-via- ready-prepped-veg supermarket order delivered there the morning after we arrive, just hope we can arrange it, so we don't have any work to do  beyond heating stuff up. We'll be hosting younger daughter, son-in law and their two canine family members [it is a dog-friendly let], his health permitting.

I've spotted a beautiful retreat in the Scottish borders, a long but possible drive in a day from home, that I want to flee to just the two of us sometime.

Praying granddaughter's eye will be OK,

Denby