Today I have been mainly Vol. 6

Good to hear number

We did have a lovely meal and it didn't rain! Our village has plethora of pubs that serve food but none of them does anything nicer than pub grub. We had a lovely bar/restaurant some years ago which fell victim to the economic down-turn combined with a brewery that charged huge rents but, since then, we have had a few new estates built on [most] edges of the village so, hopefully, this one will succeed. One of the owners has a 'fine dining' restaurant in the next village and the food seemed to reflect his input. They have a really good GF menu and it only took 5 minutes to walk there and slightly longer to crawl walk back.

Waiting for carphone warehouse and Orange to make a phone work

number I empathised over your sciatica,which I hope has improved and now send best wishes for your DH's recovery .You sound as if you are in for "the long haul". Keep well yourself you will need it.

Oh, my goodness number - a poorly husband AND sciatica. - and too - if you can accept with your painkillers.

Today I have at last got my new washing machine working and tomorrow will be my last ever day at CAB after which I will do a huge amount of ironing. Also today, after having a pedicure and leg wax, I went out with friends for afternoon tea at a fairly new tearoom in Stockport, owned by a maker of specialist cakes. The cakes were fabulous, but I only had one (yes, really). I can still taste it! The Ash Tearoom - to anyone in the vicinity of Stockport, I thoroughly recommend it. I didn't need an evening meal, though I did have a small bit of cake at the book group meeting.

I spent the entire day with GD at a farm, she wanted to pet animals but kept asking me to take them off her. She flitted from one activity to another and only stood still long enough to watch the sheep race, her choice won and it made her day. I am exhausted and spent up, the price of food and drinks are silly.

AnnSixty and NikDumpling, it turned out that I don`t have sciatica after all, just very bad arthritis, and after x-rays, my right knee joint was found to be non-existent anymore, so I`m now on the waiting list for a replacerment op. Hubby had an aneurysm on his aorta which was quite large and potentially dangerous, hence the op, plus, if he hadn`t had it, he couldn`t have had his bowel cancer treated (in time, after he recovers), so it was Hobson`s Choice really. He was fine this afternoon, but in pain again tonight.

annodid you happen to be having tea when a rather elderly lady was presented with a Birthday cupcake? If so that was me!!!

Crumbs number that's a lot to cope with (((hugs)))

Number* That is one serious op to get over, I hope you both feel better soon.

Lots of good wishes to you both number. Hope hubby soon feels better and you are not too long on the waiting list.

Number surgery doesn't come much bigger than repair of an AA! I'm glad to hear that your husband is recovering.

You and your husband are certainly in the wars number (as my mum might have said).

Best wishes to you both for speedy treatment and better times to come

Wishing you and you husband all the best, number. You have been dealing with tough times. I hope the worst is behind you x

Anno the Ash Tearooms are lovely, but it looks like everyone has found them now. We couldn't get a booking a couple of weeks ago, as they were so busy!

If you like the Ash, you'd love Slattery's Chocolatierre and Patisserie, where they have a lovely dining room (we took the children yesterday). It's in Whitefield, 1/2 a mile from the M60. Their individual cakes and artisan breads are to die for, especially the Sacher Torte. You need to book there, too, and the car park is tiny, but there's room nearby.

annsixty - no, I didn't see that happening. Wish I had! Happy birthday as of yesterday. I'm sure the cupcake was delicious. Two g'netters in the same place and not knowing each other! What a shame.

No problem getting in yesterday afternoon, when. Some people were sitting outside but we compromised and sat by the door. Perhaps depends on the time of day.

number glad to hear that your DHs op went well and he is making a good recovery. I hope you don't have to wait too long for your knee replacement. Take care xx

anno When I said a rather elderly lady I should have said a very elderly lady as it was Tuesday and not Wednesday when I went. A very "senior" moment. I brought the cupcake home and it was delicious.

number what a lot you have to cope with! And it can't help being in pain and having to keep going - I have an arthritic knee so I have some idea of how much you're suffering. I do hope you get an appointment soon, and that Mr Number is OK.

I've been out for lunch with a few friends before one of our number has her next chemo and goes into seclusion for a while. A great time was had by all.

Identifying mosses in my garden. Eight so far. Lots more to go. (And lichens! only done two of those so far).

I also found a new wildflower, just one, very small. It's a Centaurium pulchellum (Lesser Centaury). It is near my also very small Alpine Enchanter's Nightshade. Never seen one before. Excited!

So hot here we did nothing much - this afternoon we put the portable air con on and I managed to do some much needed ironing. Then I had a sit outside with my feet in the little paddling pool- bliss - then we topped it off by going in the pool about seven for best part of an hour. The water is 27 deg - it was so lovely. Had very simple food today. Storm forecast later so we have battened down the hatches and hopefully we will have an I telnet connection in the morning!

Working! A day of alcoholics, drug addicts and people who don't understand ESA!

I'm depressed!