What have you got planned?

I find it very reassuring that lovely things still go on in the real world - like weddings and Saturday cuddles with a nice man! Gracesmum let's just remind ourselves that right now it's 'our turn' for the treadmills, but those lovely things await us when it's 'our turn' for them!! I just find it hard to grasp that my beautiful 35 yearold DD is going through all this when compared to her I'm really quite fit and healthy - just seems the wrong way round somehow!
BTW any opinions on little people visiting mum in hospital. She has opted not to see the wee ones meantime as she thinks they'll be too upset when leaving (and she will too). We've told them that Mummy has to stay in bed in the hospital so that the doctor can make her sore tummy better - and they are accepting it - so is it ok not to rock the boat by taking them to visit?

em I would leave the boat floating at the moment,if the little ones accept the reason why mummy is in hospital best to leave it be,aren't little one's lovely in accepting the changes and understanding when someone is poorly.I hope all works out next week and that their little holidays at everyones house makes for enjoyment all round. And don't forget to be kind to yourself

Thanks everyone for the hugs.. Em I think taking the littlies to see their Mum would probably upset Mum a lot, and that won't help her much. It's hard to do what's best sometimes isn't it?
Look after yourself too.xx

Such wise and compassionate comments on here - it certainly does feel like sometimes it is our turn for the hard knocks, but we also celebrate our turn for the joy and elation that life surprises us with. It does help to keep that in mind when the going gets tough.

I have a funeral to go to on Tuesday - a dear young relative whose life we will celebrate, and being with all my family will bring such comfort. I will say more about him further down the line - a truly wonderful person who has left his happy footprint in the world.

Tonight, I am going to dinner with some great friends that I used to work with, then tomorrow I'm doing Sunday dinner for some of my chicks. So good for the soul to be with the people you love.

Have a lovely day, everyone

Meeting up with EVERYONE on Sunday . 80th Birthday-mine! Lunch party at stately home with tour of the house. 6 people to stay tonight ,evening meal at the local carvery. I think I'll stay in bed for the rest of the week. Oh no, chiropodist Tuesday, hospital appointment Thursday. ce la vie!

Hunt which day is your actual birthday? Have a wonderful time

Why is everyone else's life so much more interesting and rewarding? Mine – this weekend will go something like this:

Saturday
Feed cats, ironing, shower and dress, make bed, put towels in washing machine, put clean towels in the bathrooms, change cat litter trays, check e-mails, have a quick look at Gransnet, carry on editing book A (running late), get bored, have a look at Gransnet, carry on editing book A, get bored, etc, until the afternoon. Go shopping for meat, fish and veg in market so we have something to eat this weekend, have a pint or two of late lunch, get home, remember towels in washing machine and hang them on a rack to dry, write shopping list for recipe testing Book B (running late), cook supper, watch tripe on television, go to bed with a nice murder.

Sunday
Feed cats, shower and dress, strip bed linen and put it into washing machine, put clean sheets etc on bed, scoop cat litter trays, check e-mails, have a quick look at Gransnet, carry on writing recipes for book B, get bored, have a look at Gransnet, carry on writing recipes for book B, get bored etc. until the afternoon. Trail off to the supermarket to buy vast quantities of ingredients for recipe testing on Monday, dragging Mr absent with me to help carry shopping bags, have a pint or two of late lunch, get home, remember bed linen in washing machine and hang on racks to dry, peel and salt a large number of vegetables of varying types in preparation for making chutneys and preserves for recipe testing on Monday, cook supper, watch tripe on television, go to bed with a nice murder.

The rest of the week is even more boring.

In the middle of all this I've just heard that an ex teaching colleague had her twins yesterday - a boy and a girl. So have changed my plan and will include a shopping trip for gifts and cards!

Sat read files, try and motivate to cook something, have only snacked since fall
Sun read more files and ditto.
Mon back to work.

Angel next door popped in last night, maintains oh did not hear alarm in garage. Rubbish

Drove down to Devon yesterday, and am spending today and a bit of tomorrow with DD and family - lovely! Been shopping with 15 year old DGD, bit of a toes up this afternoon, dinner with DD and friends...Sussed out a few more areas where we might buy..home sometime tomorrow.

Haven't thought about next week yet, apart from vaccinations on Monday for SA trip, and a couple of Rotary things.

I do like it here!

Absent sounds strangely familiar. If we were leading exotic lives we would not be on gransnet all the time!
My mood yesterday not really enhanced by someone close to me having one of the most wonderful days of their life last week! (pleased for them but mild envy emoticon)
Now I have been to walsall gallery and sat admiring the video thing there called Yellow Patch. I might review later. It made me feel better.
Then a fantastic bit of retail therapy in TKMAX. Apart from a lovely comic relief bag I have never bought anything there before. I bought:
4 lovely warm merino tops (2 of them for DS birthday)
a towelling poncho with a shark on for GS
some wrist weights to tone arms while exercising (ok they are pink but hey...)
4 cheap yoga mats (time i got on with my plan to teach yoga for the unflexible)
But anyone who has the stamina to wade through the racks of adult clothes there has my respect!

Tonight, the people of our village are gathering in the hall for a supper/ceilidh in honour a special couple that have retired after running the post office/petrol station/shop for the last 15 years. It's going to be a fun-night. All proceeds to go to the Heart Foundation.

em,nanachrissy gracesmum(((more hugs))), absent when are you going to NZ? I have got the most manic week ahead and don't want to sound smug because usually 50 weeks of the year are pretty mundane!
Mon. get car back from garage after being dented by silly old man
Tues./Wed. wash, iron, pack, change mind/unpack, pack again
Thurs. Train from Devon to Cumbria to check Mum is ok in care home
Fri. Train Cumbria to Manchester to stay with DS
Sat. Family party for GS's first birthday
Sun, Leave Manchester 5.30 am for 8am flight for NZ.. then a month of bliss....... sorry can't resist it

grannylin

Oh you have a great time Grannylin. Apparently it is hot and windy in the Wellington region, a kind of weather they do so well...

Thanks Jess...first time I've been. I'm heading first to Napier on North Island to see my brother and family, then my friend(female!) from the UK is joining me and we are travelling to South Island. Its all a bit haphazard so I would welcome any info but will migrate to the travel topic to list my questions for the NZ cognescenti!!

Grannylin have a fantastic holiday, dont worry about your manic week it will all be worth it

Thanks glass. Did you have a nice break? We missed youx

Grannylin have a fantastic time and enjoy your family nice too see you back glass hope you enjoyed your break and have come back nice and refreshed (as if )

Grannylin I think there is a thread there to get you started

Thanks grannylin & glamma I enjoyed my little break but now need a rest.

All my days are the same - i.e. I decide in the morning where I want to explore, and if it is nice enough for a walk. If I don't go out, I read, watch TV, listen to Radio 4 or CD's, do sudoku, crosswords, or jigsaws, surf, plan my travels, telephone New Zealand and sister in Manchester , exchange pm's with friends, here or on Facebook, make myself tasty meals, have a long, hot bath, have a nap.
I might clean the flat - that takes about 20 minutes, and I shop when I am out. Every two weeks I take my bedding and towels to the laundrette - otherwise I wash my clothes in the bath, wring out by hand and dry them on lines over the bath.
I regularly visit my friend in Switzerland where we do more exploring and walking.
Yes, it is an utterly selfish, hedonistic life and I love it!

Grannylin have a wonderful time. This sort of post confirms what I said earlier. For some of us there are lovely things in store at the moment while for others the going is a bit difficult right now. It encourages me to know that good things are generally well distributed and we'll all have our lovely times too. (Bring it on!!)

Totally agree em - it's swings and roundabouts really isn't it.

Happy thoughts for people who are doing lovely things in the coming week, whether it be going on holiday, visiting friends/family etc We should enjoy them while it's our turn.

Loving thoughts for those of us facing more difficult times

I'm having a mixed week:

Yesterday - elder granddaughter (aged 3 AND A HALF) was dropped off for the day, middle daughter, fiance and their daughter (aged 9 months) arrived to stay. I cooked variations of sausage, bacon eggs etc before one of daughter's best friends and her mother arrived to watch baby granddaughter crawl Youngest daughter, fiance and baby came for the afternoon. Elder granddaughter's nana came to collect her for the night. In the evening babysat (with horrid takeaway)so eldest son, middle daughter and fiance could go out for meal.

Today - provide lunch for 7 adults and assorted children. Wave middle daughter etc off. Strip beds, wash bedding ready for next lot of visitors.

Monday - meet with management of mum's care home to see if we can resolve further issues! Have lunch with my brothers to discuss why further issues are still not being resolved! Grrr!

Tuesday - out for lunch with 2 of husband's university friends and their wives.

Wednesday - off to look after eldest daughter's two children. Come home trying not to drive in to ditch this time!!

Thursday - coffee with a friend I have not see for 15 years but who contacted to congratulate eldest son on his book. Sainsbury's

Friday - visit Mum, get angry about something else the care home have not resolved. Make sure spare room is ready for brother in law and his lovely wife who are coming on Saturday. Make puds for Saturday evening.

Saturday - make curry for visitors, last minute shopping.

Sunday - lunch near Rutland Water.

Plus, everyday, all the usual things mentioned including cat litter trays, washing, ironing, answering husband's business phone etc, etc.

I could have sworn someone told me I was retired!!