Life outside Ambridge
The final squash haul. Hopefully none of the toxic squash syndrome Azra mentioned!
Lif in Ambridge
Archer Family tree up to 2000, (pre Helen, Pip & Tom’s off-spring)
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Life in Ambridge
An upcoming storyline methinks!
Life in Ambridge
This is how village cricket should be…
Lady RSeptember 26, 2025 at 10:31 AM
ReplyDeleteSARNIA & MIRIAM very belated Birthday 🎂 wishes to you both 🥰🥰
and Sarnia a special thank you for your thoughtful message of support on September 19th.
I am also seeing others following on thank you all - you are all the best support I could wish for ⭐️
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Sarnia September 26, 2025 at 11:26 AM
Lady R, many thanks, but you dear, dear thing, as if you don't have infinitely more important things on your mind.
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MiriamSeptember 26, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Ditto..
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Lady RSeptember 26, 2025 at 4:05 PM
We are all rooting for each other here Sarnia
ReplyDeleteLady RSeptember 26, 2025 at 4:05 PM
We are all rooting for each other here Sarnia and was so pleased to get my wishes to you and Miriam even though a little late!
PTBY very best wishes for your op on Monday and hooray to a future without that dreaded pain!
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MiriamSeptember 26, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Lady R 😍
MiriamSeptember 26, 2025 at 5:16 PM
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting about side effects of meds. I'm suffering from such at the moment, but this is not the actual drug but the make. As we all know pharmacies buy in the cheapest so every time I get a new supply, they are different brands.
I know that one brand of one med (beta blocker for blood pressure) always causes me problems.
Unfortunately when I picked up my last supply I didn't realise I had this one, until I started it and popped the 1st tablet out. I get 3 months supply so am now stuck with them.
I've already put an empty packet of the bad one in my handbag, so I can check before I leave the pharmacy next time and refuse them.
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AmbridgesMrsPSeptember 26, 2025 at 6:31 PM
Mmmmmm.
When I was first diagnosed with an under active thyroid sixty years ago, the medication I was put onto was derived from pigs.
It suited me well for a number of years, but when the pigs bladder - or whatever part of the pig it was from - was superseded by a manufactured drug, I had endless problems and continued to do so for the next thirty years.
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MiriamSeptember 26, 2025 at 7:33 PM
I'm now halving this tablet on alternative days, and so far it's OK as I'm now check my BP daily.
AmbridgesMrsPSeptember 26, 2025 at 8:18 PM
ReplyDeleteToday has been memorable.
I have finally finished digging over, adding my home made compost, and putting in the very first plant in a small flower bed.
My energy levels are still very diminished after such a long recovery period, ( and I’m nowhere near full recovery yet) so I am able to do very small amounts of gardening at each session. I also have to rest for a short time after any period of exertion including taking Lady for a short walk, as well as still needing to elevate my leg several times a day.
I’ve said goodbye to my lovely young physiotherapist this week too.
Then today I got a letter from Age UK Somerset telling me that as I haven’t been to Strength and Balance classes for months, they have taken me off the class list. Just as I’m ready to return and can get there in a short drive.
I wrote a long email in reply and then it wouldn’t send, so I will have to ring them on Monday.
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GiannaSeptember 27, 2025 at 6:33 AM
I send my thoughts and good wishes for a speedy recovery to all of you who are having health problems,
Yesterday my elder daughter spent the afternoon chopping apples and pears for jam while I nearly burned out the motor of our juicer extracting the juice from the numerous but very small apples that our trees have produced this year
ReplyDeleteThat's a very pretty colourful harvest KP. I have a few late ones growing at last but mainly green.
ReplyDeleteThere are a lot of fallers here that need something doing with before they go bad, and I shall probably start pureeing and freezing them today. I have been experimenting with using stevia as a sweetener recently. Only a tiny amount needs to be used compared to sugar and apparently it is actually good for tooth enamel. It does have a hint of bitterness among its intense sweetness though. Up until very recently Morrisons has been selling a Tate and Lyle demerara sugar with added stevia so you only need to use half the usual amount of sugar.
Hopefully all are OK and doing better today.
ReplyDeleteJust popped in to try + calm my nerves whilst watching the Women's rugby world cup final.
It's so tense.
To think a gt.neice is in the stands somewhere..
Juggly oven times + cooking so to get meal before Strictly starts.
What a sad person I am 🫣
Not sad at all, you are in good company 😀 Strictly, Bake off and on the 8th October Celebrity Traitors starts. Wonderful.
DeleteWhat a wonderful array of squashes KP.
ReplyDeleteSuch. Colourful display KP. Well done and pity you couldn’t get them to the Ambridge F & P show!
ReplyDelete🎃🎃🎃
Your great niece is going to be very happy Miriam!
ReplyDeleteThey look great KP
ReplyDeleteAn impressive display of squashes KP.
ReplyDeleteWe visited Dunham Massey this week where there were cooking apples free to take away. We collected a few and will be having baked apple for dessert today. The rest have been stewed with some of our foraged blackberries and frozen.
I've now brought in all the plants that I overwinter in the conservatory which I keep frost free. That makes me feel that autumn is well and truly here.
Squashes look very good KP. I do understand when your daughter said they were like her babies - you do feel very protective of them and are proud to watch their progress!! I’ve harvested half of mine - one side of the muck heap was frosted last week - but am keeping the others in the sun for a few more days. I’m using an Uri Kuri ( the smaller orange ones) to make some soup this afternoon but I enjoy growing them for their appearance as much as something to eat.
ReplyDeleteThe summer squashes are cute flying saucers and well worth growing. I’ve probably said before, delicious fried with feta cheese and lemon juice.
Masbate was hit by the worst typhoon since 2007. Mabel was worried because at first she wasn't able to get any news because of power outages and no signals. She knows now her family are okay, with some damage to their houses, but two of her friends houses made of plywood and corrugated roof have been completely flattened. There is no water or electricity, some roads are impassable and shops are closed and huge queues outside any remaining grocery stores, and there are trees down everywhere.
ReplyDeleteThe one good thing is that my son had a house built out there ( much less expensive than it would cost here) and it was finished by June. It is just outside the town in an expat area, has its own borehole for water, and solar power which is keeping the washing machine and oven etc going. He had it built of stone so apart from some cladding off the roof and the garden decimated it is in the main okay, and a number of Mabel's family are staying there, and others remaining in their homes are bringing out containers to fill with water from the borehole well, and bringing out lots of clothes and storm grubbied stuff to wash because the electricity in town will apparently be off for at least 6 weeks.
Apparently one of Mabel's sisters has made their bedroom and Dan's office out of bounds which Dan was rather glad about. The other two bedrooms and all the downstairs sofas and floor space are being slept on at present.The older nephews have been making themselves useful while there clearing up all the branches and debris in the garden, and putting the fencing back up. Mabel (out of Dan's allowance he gives her, and he knows most of it goes back to help the poorer members of her family, the four sisters made something of themselves via education, but two of the brothers did not) has sent money out to her friends families whose homes were totally destroyed so they can buy food and other necessities.
One sent some heartbreaking pictures of them sitting and trying to sleep amongst the debris. The youngest a little four year old girl was on the floor crouching down in a ball with her arms over her head, and obviously frightened. Mabel''s other friends living on a farmstead up on a hill were supposed to evacuate to a school, as the schools were being opened as shelters before the typhoon hit, but they waited for the father to come home from work and he wasn't able to get back before dark so it was too late to do go back down the hill then and they just had to try to batten things down but the house went anyway. The children are safe but where their chickens and goats are is anyone's guess.
Janice, thank you for that post. I had to search BBC news to find the details,, a stark reminder of how difficult life can be in some parts of the world. I am glad to hear that family members are safe.
DeleteWhat an awful experience for Mabel's family. She must be glad that she can offer some help for them during the time it will take for them to get back on their feet.
DeleteJanice, thank you for telling us. Your son with his family and your daughter are with you, not in danger and helping others from a distance, who have all survived, which must be reassuring. Whenever someone complains I always remind them - here in the west we are well provided for.
ReplyDeleteHope you're doing well Ptby - let us know when you are able to.
ReplyDeleteAlthough difficult to hear and read of such news from afar as Janice’s tale, it also shows us, in the west, the resilience of these peoples.
ReplyDeleteThey are paying the price for the excesses we in the west have perpetrated.
One day that price will be coming our way.
Will we be as resilient ?
Thank you Janice for bringing this news to us from such a personal view.
Have altered my picture to show the farmstead house in the aftermath of the typhoon. And yes Mrs P apparently the typhoons in the Philippines are getting more frequent and more violent so something is causing it.
ReplyDeleteThe 14yr gt. neice has been picked for trials for the County U-16's rugby squad.
ReplyDeleteWhether anything comes of it or not, it's quite an accolade for her just to be asked.
🤞for her Miriam
DeleteCongratulations to her Miriam. Well done her.
DeleteSome 🍇 and 💐 for your convalescence 🛌 Ptby.
ReplyDeleteJanice, I've just seen that there was an earthquake last night, albeit in a different province. These disasters often come in pairs.
DeletePtby, get in touch when you're ready.
Yes you are right Basia. On the island of Cebu this time. Such a shame because it has, according to Dan and Mabel, beautiful Spanish colonial architecture and Chinese Taoist temples with ornately carved dragons. I watched online a church belltower come crashing down which set me thinking how peaceful it is here. We had visiting ringers from Somerset today, and because one of them was a friend originally from here and we learnt to ring together I cooked sausage rolls and biscuits to take up to the tower, so quite busy today. The more advanced of them rang a quarter peal and it was very nice listening to them out in the sunshine. They are having a ringers holiday in Cornwall travelling around ringing at different towers.
DeleteTo Jill in Staffordshire: thank you so much for your kind messages and heartfelt response to my book. The nurse has just brought me your card, which is always even more exciting than usual when I don't recognise the writing!
ReplyDeleteHello Sarnia - good to see that you have many admirers and followers.
DeleteHello everyone.
ReplyDeleteHome today. Fine apart from the trapped wind pain from when they pump you full of carbon dioxide. Had 2 nights in hospital. Lovely staff. Just annoyed I couldn’t make the most of the grub!!! Only seemed to manage bananas. Worst thing was the WiFi was rubbish, so couldn’t read paper, do wordle or log in to archers blog. Thank you all for your good wishes. xx
Lovely to hear and so pleased it's all over.
DeleteTake care + recover well, which I'm sure you will.
Glad to hear that you are home now PtbY.
DeleteI did a supermarket shop this morning and wow how prices have shot up recently.
ReplyDeleteI used up a 750g pack of lovely Irish beef from the freezer at the weekend - to replace it this was £9.50!! Needless to say I didn't buy it. I'll wait until there is a 50% offer on beef joints, as this will work out much more cost effective.
My cat's kibble had gone up in 4 weeks from £4.60 to £5.20 for a 800g bag, but I did buy this as she has to have what she loves. I have my priorities right 🐈⬛
My bargain was a pack of 3 whole chicken legs reduced to £1.49, what a lot I can do with these.
To add, I love lambs liver and was delighted to find it back on the shelves but I did not buy as it was NZ! Why no British? This just makes me so cross in that British farmers and suppliers are not being supported - Rant Over.
DeleteI try and buy british Miriam, but it isn't always easy.
DeleteUnfortunately the local traditional butcher I used is no more. It was lovely seeing the carcasses being delivered, he butchered them and would always do what was wanted on a traditional slab.
DeleteHe retired/died but his son couldn't make it work, sadly. Another skill gone.
Archerphile.
ReplyDeleteHow are you doing? 💛
Well, going back on the old drug (complete with all the horrid side effects) has started bringing my blood pressure down. So that is good. But my breathing is still very poor and walking is very difficult, only a few yards before having to stop for breath. So, some improvement and I have a follow up appointment next week to check progress.
DeleteThank you so much for asking Miriam.
May I wish Shana Tova to anyone celebrating Yom Kippur today. How dreadful that on the holiest day of the Jewish year, a car has driven into people and people have been stabbed and injured outside a Synagogue in north Manchester. Not many details yet but I am devastated that events like this are happening in Britain nowadays. In my younger days I had no fear of walking to synagogue on Yom Kippur (one must not use a car). Now I don’t think I should dare.
ReplyDeleteSuch is the world we live in. 😥
I thought of you Archerphile and now we do have more details. It is incomprehensible and is happening in many places all over the world against people of many religious beliefs. Concentrate on your recovery.
DeleteAP, this was my problem with walking even if the reasons were different. It's why I'm permanently on oxygen, and I'm surprised this hasn't been suggested for you. My average reading is now 95%, although I still can't walk very far.
DeleteI now have double vision, so am wearing a patch over the affected eye; otherwise I see more things than I can cope with which makes me ill and very tired.
Thank you Sarnia. I have asked about oxygen and have been told that this will come, but a bit further down the line. For the time being I just stop & rest for a few minutes until I can manage again. I am so sorry to hear about the double vision. It must be very disorientating for you. Hopefully the patch will give enough relief for you.
DeleteMy best wishes to all of you having health problems. I have just taken a walk with sticks after falling a year ago and bruising my thigh. I had some physio treatment but I am still not back to normal. I do manage to get around the house ok.
ReplyDeleteAfter an extremely hot summer the weather has cooled down cosiderably. Autumn and spring are my favourite seasons here in Italy.
My daughter will be coming next week for a visit. She lives in East London.
When trying to post regarding the earthquake last night, something was wrong and got worse. I eventually had to shut down all my apps.
ReplyDeleteThis morning as soon as I was up, it became evident that I had some form of sickness lurgy. Speaking with a doctor this afternoon there is something going around but he didn’t think I had the covid variety so has ordered up something for the vomiting.
My IPad Seems to have recovered now, but I seem to need to sign in for everything.
A friend has kindly walked Lady and collected my prescription too.
ARCHERPHILE
I have a very small pump action mister - under the tongue - for use if breathless when walking. Don’t know if this would be useful for you. Perhaps worth asking your pharmacist ?
With little activity since my surgery I’ve not needed it for months, but as my walking speed with one crutch improves I’ve started to need it again. It helps.
GIANNA
sorry to hear that after a year you are still having to use sticks.
Is it lost confidence ?
Do you have access to strength and balance classes ? I’m looking forward to getting back to mine.
And good to see PtbY home again.
SARNIA
It continues to astonish me how you seem to be collecting so many new friends as your last months unexpectedly increase in length.
Your indomitable spirit is wonderful to witness !
I've just seen that Dame Patricia Routledge has died. She was older than I thought - 96yrs.
ReplyDeleteI heard a wonderful performance from her recently when she was young, in an old radio recording of Steptoe + Son. She played a medium and oh so funny.
Definitely a staying in day today. Although, having seen the state of our local reservoirs, I'm not complaining about the much needed rain. Less wind would be appreciated though.
ReplyDeleteThe wind has just changed direction and it's getting very strong now.
DeleteAs per usual for me,sit's now coming straight in from N. Wales.
It'll be across the Cheshire gap to you CC ....
Yes you are right MrsP I am frightened of falling again without my sticks. Although I manage
ReplyDeleteperfectly well without around my flat. It is probably a question of time.
.
I've picked up my knitting again, the same jumper I was knitting last year.
ReplyDeleteThe problem is that 🐈⬛ jumps on my lap, plays with the needles + chews the yarn. It's no wonder it's taking so long to do.
I'll probably start a jigsaw tomorrow but again, this will be hampered my 🐈⬛ who insists on sitting on it + playing with the pieces!
She obviously likes your company and wants to participate in whatever you're doing.
DeleteShe's free to a good home as other things she does is, attacking the remote control so the TV channel changes, the volume goes to full blast and as for scrolling when on my 'phone like now - I'm batting her pawe away as I type! What a character she is. To add - she's now eating the regurgitated kibble she dumped on the kitchen floor earlier! 🙀
DeleteHad an interesting experience yesterday - a visit from the Stannah Stair Lifts man.
ReplyDeleteConsidering having one for our very narrow, very steep stairs which go up from the lounge.
I’m finding it more and more difficult to get to the top & Gerald is getting puffed too.
Nice man, took about 2 hours to do survey, loads of measurements, examination of walls, floors etc. And us, sitting on a chair, measured for height & how much our knees stick out.
Turns out Gerald cant use one - too tall, legs too long so his knees would scrape on the bannister and head would hit the bulkhead over the foot of the stairs.
I can use one but am uncertain about getting off at the top safely. It would stay parked at the top so we didn’t have to look at it all day when in lounge. So going to the Stannah factory in Andover next week to try going up & down in one & see what I think.
In a way, I’m a bit anti having one - silly I know, but it feels like a tangible admission that I’m past it!
My older cousin's husband eventually had a wheelchair lift put in. It went straight up from the living room to the bedroom. I think they were able to get a grant to help with the cost. It saved them carrying things up and down the stairs too.
DeleteI really feel for you with your final sentence ARCHERPHILE - I’ve been close to feeling the same over recent weeks, but then with another thought immediately tell myself that I WILL GET IT BACK.
DeleteI suppose one way to look at it is to say ‘ this will help me keep going, but I must find another way to continue using my legs ‘.
And there are other ways.
Could you find out about Strength and Balance classes that you could get to ?
I’m looking forward to getting back to my classes, in order to regain what I’ve lost during my recovery period.
Good luck with whatever decision you settle on.
AP. I have to be careful how I phrase this, but have you considered looking if your local council has any retirement bungalows in your area, where you can have independent living but there is a warden close by?
DeleteAnyway, wait until your next appointment + if it suggested a hospital stay, do it so meds. etc can be changed and monitored until the right ones are found to sort things out in a much better way.
Apologies if I've said too much, it's just do what's best for you both.
Miriam. Xx
Due to your current health issues have you decided not to move AP it would certainly be an upheaval. If Gerald would not be able to use the stairlift what would be the way forward for him when the stairs become a no no! Is there a downstairs room you could turn into a bedroom for you both?
ReplyDeleteOh dear we are all having ongoing dilemmas to face. Mr R has hopefully finally been given a medication to calm his awful distress. From September last year he has spent many weeks in hospital with delirium present since then. A home visit to discuss this took months so basically it is now ongoing combining with (the inevitable) dementia. Never envisaged a second visit to this after my mum. We have visited so many people over the years with same and with great pleasure to take them out etc but even so it has hit hard. His goddaughter is a godsend helping in so many ways manually and mentally. As Mrs P would rightly say we will survive - especially with all you special friends at hand to chat with sharing our problems alongside having laughs at silly things that will beset us all from time to time.. 🤗😊
No, AP, you are not 'past it's, you have just reached a point in your life at which customary ways no longer work; lateral thinking is required in order to find different ways of doing things!
ReplyDeleteTry sitting down with Gerald, a pot of your favourite tea or coffee and some extra nice biscuits and saying, 'OK, Gerald, now we know that A,B and C are not going to work, what do you think we should do about it?'
Look on it as a challenge to be overcome. Good luck.
Love
Sarnia
So …. To lighten the load a little bit, what are your favourite biscuits AP ?
ReplyDeleteAnd yours Sarnia ?
And everyone else ?
Mine are still digestives, though my last caring job - is it really four years since the end of that period ? - introduced me to Carrs Melts, and I do like them.
Feel free to shout me down if I’m being frivolous.
I’ve had a lovely chat with my granddaughter who is just settling back into her final year at Newcastle and working on her first proper and complete scientific paper. (should that be in caps ? ) as well as beginning her dissertation.
She has been over to Manchester to see that her ‘ little ‘ brother is settling in and her boyfriend came over from Liverpool as well. She was telling me about Mackie Mayer and I’ve looked it up. What a fantastic building.
Think I might go up to Manchester for a few days next spring and have a taste of the atmosphere myself.
The information said that the team that brought it to Manchester has a similar setup in Altrinam , have any of our Cheshire friends visited ?
It struck me that it was similar to the market at London Bridge but better. I miss my occasional outings there, where I would enjoy a foodie Saturday in a vibrant and busy market, then recover with a pot of tea in the refectory at Southwark Cathedral.
Mackie Mayer - The food market at Altrincham is the old market hall. It’s a sort of communal eating area, the customers buy food from the various hot and cold food stalls around the edge of the market hall and join together to eat their various dishes altogether at tables in the middle of the market.
DeleteIt’s very popular. I’ve visited a few times, Altrincham is one of the closest towns to where I live for shopping.
Apologies for misspelling - Altrincham
ReplyDeleteI too like digestives MrsP and our local supermarket here in Italy stock an English brand so I always have a supply for my afternoon PGtips tea which is also available.
ReplyDeleteI’m not a huge biscuit fan, MrNuts and elder daughter both consume large amounts, so I tend o pander to their tastes. I do like Viennese whirls and will hide them at the back of the cupboard to consume over a couple of weeks, I am also partial to a garibaldi.
ReplyDeleteRegarding lifts, my grandmother had one installed straight up from dining room to bedroom as the stairs were unsuitable for a lift.
ReplyDeleteI don’t really do biscuits. Mr PtbY would live on them. I don’t buy them but he gets some sultana biscuits from the ringtons tea man that comes every fortnight. If I’m not in he sneaks a triple chocolate cookie packet in too!
ReplyDeleteI do like a shortbread finger or a digestive though, hence I don’t buy them.
The mention of a foodie Saturday reminded me of years ago in Cardiff where just off the centre there was the Hayes Island open air cafe, and we knew if we went there on a Saturday morning we were bound to meet up with friends.
ReplyDeleteBiscuits, tea and biscuits very British and very soothing.
Now for me there are two different categories, home made ones and shop bought ones. My favourite home baked were the traditional thin Cornish sweet biscuit made by my grandmother and great aunts, and now my own variation on that recipe, thicker but with less sugar and a glace cherry on top. I tended not to bake very much once the children had gone off to university, but now there is my little grandson who likes the cherry on the top.
Shop ones : ginger biscuits and I too like a Garibaldi. Also plain oat biscuits, and sometimes digestives, for cheese. Son likes custard creams if there are no home made ones around, my mother liked fig biscuits, and daughter prefers savoury things.
Ginger nuts, Ritz crackers, TUC original and some kind of savoury thins that my daughter found at M&S.
ReplyDeleteOnce again, thank you all for your understanding, sympathy and good ideas. What would I do without you all bolstering me up?
ReplyDeleteEspecially Sarnia and Lady R and dear Mr R, who are in a much worse position to myself.
I shall smack myself on the wrists (as my piano teacher used to do) for being a complaining wimp.
One reason for finding this hard is that I never envisaged old age being so difficult!
However, I shall pull my metaphorical socks up and try to be more positive. Especially when the Dolphin man comes this week to see if he can fit a contraption to get me in & out of the bath!
If the stairs & bath problems are solved I shall feel happier about staying here if we have to.
New topic - favourite biscuit - either Garibaldi or Fig Rolls. Recently found the French Lu brand of Petit Buerre which are delicious, very thin & slightly salty. Highly recommended!
Re biscuits, I rarely buy them but have had the Rington's triple chocolate ones at a friend's and they are delicious. I occasionally make choc chip cookies, but not too often as I tend to scoff them!
ReplyDeleteMrsP, I haven't visited either the Altrincham or Manchester markets, I really dislike shopping so only do it when absolutely necessary.
CC - it appears to be an eating emporium and experience rather than a shopping destination.
DeleteI don’t like shopping either.
AP - I like the sound of the French biscuits, Lu Petit Buerre - are you able to buy them here or do you get them via your family in France ?
Oops !
DeleteI see Tesco do them.
I’m off there later so will look them out.
As advertised on TV (Yu can feeeel ze luv!)
ReplyDeleteDon’t have a television Sarnia.
DeleteI’ve bought two packets in Tesco this afternoon, they are on offer !
Yes I like them.
Thanks for the recommendation ARCHERPHILE
I also liked how simply but yet well packaged they are.
DeleteSo pleased you like them Mrs P. They also do a version with chocolate on one side, but I darent buy those - I’d eat the whole pack in one go!
DeleteThey are made in Nantes, which coincidentally is where my daughter-in-law was born and her family still live.
Is anyone watching Strictly?
ReplyDeleteI noticed that two of the competitors are called Amber and George. I wonder what prompted the change from having a head judge to them taking turns at deciding which contestant leaves if there's a split vote and viewers having 5 votes instead of 3.
Yes I’m on with strictly.
DeleteDon’t know hardly any of them. Tom was the entertainment contestant this year I reckon followed by the rugby player.
Don’t know who George is but thought he was really good. Alex Kingston is doing her bit for the oldies, quite well I think. That Ross King, omg, is all his face plastic? He looks dreadful. Wants to get his money back off whichever surgeon he’s used.
Can’t actually remember any of the others off hand. I’m sure they’ll grow on me.
It’s the judges that ruin the show now. Just come down the stairs and sit at the desk for goodness sake instead of all the gyrating about. I get sick of everyone screaming at the end of a dance and some of the professional dancers , I’m sure, they think they are the celebrities. AND don’t get me on about that ginger wazark dancer Neil, he has to be in the camera spot every time someone goes up to speak to Claudia. Fair pushes others out of the way to get in the spot light. AND….his ex-wife, Russian with a gob full of teeth, aargh….cant stand her. 🤮
Why I watch it I don’t know. lol.🤦♀️😆
Oh, I love your post about Strictly PtbY!
DeleteFor the very first year since it started, we are not watching this year.
Got so fed up last year with the screaming from the audience and also the contestants when they went up to see Claudia; the very predictable behaviour of Katya (who I can’t stand) and her ex, Neil. The over complicated sets which made it difficult to actually see the dancers; the ridiculous hair dos of the judge who is Oti Mabuse’s sister; the fact that everything has gone so over-the-top. And the fact that this year, they are now scraping the bottom of the barrel to find “celebrities” who are willing to risk their careers appearing on the show.
Bah Humbug! 😵💫 😬 🥴 😵
Well said Archerphile. But, and it’s a big but, it does mark the run up to Christmas for me and I prefer the run up to the actual day itself. Lamps are on, fire is lit, cup of tea and backside firmly glued to the sofa. It’s just tradition now.
DeleteI hate its wokeness and quite frankly I want the drag Queen and the short Down’s syndrome girl out asap. (I know this won’t happen).
I read an interesting item on the BBC news site the other day. It said Agents used to encourage their stars to go on Strictly as it would be a great boost for their careers. Now, Strictly has had such a bad year for scandal and mishaps, people dropping out and bad behaviour that Agents try to discourage their stars go do the show in case it damages their future career moves!
DeleteMiriam can I ask a question please? After being sent an email reminding me to come for a flu jab, and having got fed up this morning waiting on the phone, now 15th in the queue, I am wondering about going to our local chemist where it says it does them on a walk in basis. Does the pharmacist give these injections, does a nurse do it, and are they as competent to give them as the surgery nurses? What do you think?
ReplyDeleteHave only ever had the flu jab at the surgery before.
We've had our flu and Covid injections at our local pharmacy for years and never had a problem. It's much more convenient for us.
DeleteDue to having missed the timings last year, I had to travel to Dulverton to a pharmacist by appointment.
DeleteThe pharmacist did the injection.
No problems except the distance, but that was my own fault for failing to get it done at the proper time.
This year I’ve asked to combine it when I have my next B12 dose at my surgery, which is next week.
Just got back from driving into the surgery ( gave up on trying to phone) to make an appointment for the flu jab and found the next available one wasn't until 25th November, so on an impulse went into the Boots there and was lucky because their day for the visiting pharmacist was today and I had one straight away. Apparently it is put into the muscle and the pharmacist said my muscles were still in good shape so I was pleased about that. Must be the gardening I do.
DeleteThe reasons given in recent posts about Strictly, seem to be an increase in what I find so unpleasant in these kinds of competitive programmes.
ReplyDeleteI am an extremely competitive person, but strictly with myself, not with others. ( I believe ! ). Or at least I was, less so now, more patient with myself in old age.
However I am also not an observer.
Can’t bear to be watching others ‘ doing things ‘.
I’ve been a restorer, mostly antiques, for many decades, but even watching the repair shop, a good programme, irritates me. So I don’t watch it as a rule.
And the way over the top aspects of such programmes as Strictly drive me to apoplexy. How it could have become even worse is beyond belief.
While I’m in a complaining mood…….. why has a nation, generally known for fairness and honesty so taken up with what sounds to me the nastiness of Traitors ?
Please enlighten me.
I do like the Traitors and am trying to think why. There are collaborative team challenges where they do generally all pull together and help each other, although admittedly a traitor may on occasion seek to sabotage the outcome for their own benefit.
ReplyDeleteI think the programme is very revealing of human nature, how people react differently to the same stresses; and how once someone has come to believe that someone is a traitor how entrenched they then become in their belief even if the facts don't bear out their suspicions.
Some people are so trusting and nice that they are easy prey for the traitors, and I haven't forgotten the last episode of a past series where a girl cried her eyes out when the man she trusted utterly and who she persuaded others to trust, and regarded as a close friend, revealed himself as a traitor and took the whole prize. Some of the traitors would have given Machiavelli a run for his money.
Strategy very much plays a part too, and the setting is lovely.
A bit like reading a murder mystery but you already know the murderer just not who he is going to murder next.
Having said all that, and much as I like it, if I had to choose between Bake Off and Traitors it would be Bake Off.
In reply to flu vaccine, which I see you've now had. I never go to my surgery, even though I had a message with a link to book. My surgery only does them on a Saturday morning + no way will I venture into town!
DeleteI always have mine done at a pharmacy.
The staff who do these are highly trained + qualified to do so, and know what to do in an emergency + have the necessary expertise to give any other meds for immediate reactions.
Mine is booked at beginning of Nov. and I chose a Boots Pharmacy by a massive M+S and an outlet village. It's a quick car drive and I will just have to go shopping afterwards!
I'm still miffed that I don't get a covid vaccine this year.
Thank you Miriam and the others who commented about having vaccines at the pharmacy.
DeleteI'm a Strictly addict + love it.
ReplyDeleteThis year is looking good and thoroughly enjoying my Saturday evening viewing.
There are the usual "duffers" but on the whole the participants are looking good.
One thing I've learnt is not to pre-judge when the new cast is revealed, as some of my first thoughts have been proven wrong already.
Quick extra:- my favourite biscuit is a garibaldi, but perhaps that is now was, since hearing on TA it's George Grundy's favourite!
ReplyDeleteMy other favourite is a Hobnob, or as I buy, the supermarkets own brand equivalent of Oaty biscuits, which are just as good and half the price.
I can’t wait for the celebrity traitors to start on Wednesday. Looking forward to seeing celebs being useless in the challenges. A bit of light entertainment for a change in this mad world.
ReplyDeleteOh well !
DeleteThanks for the answers.
Perhaps there is more in the content than I suspect from the information in the advertisements.
Thank you Janice for a thoughtful and comprehensive answer.
I’ve never liked garibaldis - G. Grundy or not.
I did like hobnobs at first but then went off them.
Since the equinox my getting to sleep time has been 6am.
My waking time today was 11.50 am
I’ve had a rotten day, dragging myself through every small task, and getting
Lady for a beach walk was excruciating.
I’ve been having to resort to my spray puffer thing again, although I’m not at all sure it’s helping much, if at all.
Sorry to moan - others are having a far worse time of it.
Ooh Mrs P. you're going to sleep as I wake up.
DeleteMind you, I stay snuggled down with the radio on and never get up until at least 7.30..
I'm sleeping so much better as I've not long bought a new pillow. The one I was replacing (a Sealy one) was no longer available I finally find one, again a Sealy which looked almost the same in Argos of all places.
It's great + suits me perfectly
My quality of sleep is so much improved, as I get the support for my neck that I need.
A class in the US were studying the Salem witch trials. The teacher said she was going round to each child to whisper 'witch' or not a witch
ReplyDeletegrrr! How did that happen????
ReplyDeleteShar then divided the class into groups to grill each other and work out who the witches were. When the groups had delivered their verdicts she asked them to put up their hands if they had been told they were a witch.
Nobody did.
I thought it was a brilliant illustration of how seeds of doubt and suspicion are sown and people set against each other. It worries me deeply that against the backdrop of Trump's America, a programme like this can be produced for entertainment.
ReplyDeleteNow I really have finished.
Sarnia ?
DeleteWas this a response to the discussion about The Traitors ?
If so, I agree with you.
The very fact that a programme about deceit and suspicion is even designed to be entertaining, is a damning illustration of the nastiness of society today.
Whatever insights into psychology it might bring - and this I can see may well be so - to use the subject as entertainment is wrong IMO, and I have no desire to watch such content.
On the other hand, if this was a semi educational documentary about the same subject I would be interested in watching it.
Context is all !
I've watched a couple of episodes Traitors when visiting family and decided that it wasn't my cup of tea.
DeleteNo traitors for me either. I've seen the list of the participants and some I just can't get on with.
ReplyDeleteI'm giving it a wide berth.
Given a push on Wato today, I discovered that one of the motivations for the contestants is avarice.
ReplyDeleteAdding to an already greedy society makes it even more distasteful IMO.
Well we watched traitors and loved it tonight. Alan Carr was so funny. Can’t wait for tomorrow’s episode. 😊
ReplyDeleteAll the prize money won in Celebrity Traitors goes to a charity of the winner/s choice.
ReplyDeleteI don't know what WATO is but hope they have actually watched the programme. It has never seemed to me the participants in the normal Traitors are avaricious. They are hoping for things like enough money to put a deposit down on a house, impossible for many young people in this present day economy; or to start up their own little business. Others do donate part of their winnings to a favourite charity, often having witnessed the suffering of relatives through ill health. I remember one man wanting to be able to pay for a honeymoon for his wife of many years because they had never been able to afford one. Even the winner I mentioned before who so upset the young woman who thought he was her friend paid for a really nice holiday for her out of his winnings.
ReplyDeleteMost of their wants are simple ones that wealthier people would think nothing of being able to afford. Many people work hard and still only just manage to keep their heads above water, and the attraction of a programme like that is that the winnings might lift them above that level, and people watching can share in that hope. I think in a more equal society the attraction of programmes like this would be less.
Janice - The World at One - I don't listen nor watch The Traitors. I like what you mentioned how the money is spent. The thing is our society is based on money and very few say they have enough and I don't mean the very rich.
DeleteAlso, people seem to have re-discovered nature and its benefits. Before they had to go out in all weathers in order to eat, now it's some kind of long lost luxury - I despair.
Janice, you’ve summed up why I like the Traitors, so thank you.
DeleteWe watched our very first edition of Traitors last night, have never been interested before, especially all the hype.
ReplyDeleteBut as this one was having my favourite Stephen Fry and other well known people in it we de idea to give it a try.
Hmm. Never been able to stand Alan Carr and he had a huge part to play, so that put me off a bit. Also Clare Balding is a no-no for me. Most of the rest, apart from Mark Bonner (Shetland) andCelia Imrie were unknowns to us. Found it complicated, overlong and frankly, very silly in places.
Might record rest and dip in now & then to see who’s still in it - apart from that shan’t bother.
Oh Archerphile give it another go. I didn’t know quite a few of them but it’s interesting to see how they interact and how they perform in the challenges. Well impressed with Tom Daly running back to get the picture code they’d missed. He’s a hell of a team player. I found Alan Carr funny cos how he’ll manage to keep being a traitor a secret I’ll never know.
DeletePtby I’m with you 🤣 (if nothing else it is something to take my mind off of the big change that will be happening in my/our life before too long 😕
DeleteAlan Carr! I thought OMG no! but he is hilarious and alongside Stephen Fry and Johnathon Ross, another I wanted to say oh gawd to I think the show will be quite entertaining and Claudia is just the person to host without a doubt.
Exactly Lady R. I loved last nights episode. Now I’m wishing my life away till next Wednesday.
DeleteI never liked Claudia before but she is great on the traitors. I find the addition of the black fringe on the mounted deer head most amusing. 🤭
It’s light relief and I’m all for that!
DeleteIn Our Time - I'm not a regular listener and neither a Melvyn Bragg fan, but since he's leaving a number of presenters were suggested by the listeners on Feedback: Amol Rajan, John Wilson and Natalie Haynes, and by a critic: Helen Lewis, Ben Ansell and David Olusoga who is the only one I don't know, but because he's on Traitors he wouldn't get my vote or anyone who takes part in such programmes. I don't think Melvyn Bragg would participate.
ReplyDeleteHelen Lewis would get my vote, followed by John Wilson.
Traitors were also covered on All in the Mind.
I remember from the past BASIA that you and I liked the same programmes.
DeleteI d didn’t listen to feedback last week, and havnt listened to all in the mind recently, so will need to catch up with them.
And again like you, John Wilson would be my choice. Amol Rajan would have too much to say, and Natalie Haynes would be too likely to be frivolous.
When R4 last re scheduled I was so discombobulated that I lost touch with all my favourite programmes, and have not caught up again. In the last three years I’ve gone from having five wireless’s dotted around the home to my IPad only, and frequently just silence.
As for the financial gains of being a contestant in Traitors, thank you Janice for re educating me.
BASIA - David Olusoga is one presenter I cannot stand, and I think he would ruin ‘ in Our Time ‘, mostly because i believe he would always have his own agenda.
I'm with AP re Traitors. I'm not going to sit and watch people who just annoy me intensely and I prefer not to be on my TV screen.
ReplyDeleteIt's all a matter of personal preference for whatever reasons.
All those who love it, enjoy - in the same way I do with Strictly every week, which I know is not to others taste.
Oh these dark nights, how I'm hating them already. I've realised today, that it's only two weeks until the clocks go back - now that is depressing!
At least there's no CH on yet.
The garden needs a good tidy + the lawns need their last mow, so I need to get this done ASAP plus plant up my winter tubs, hanging basket + window box.
Tomorrow's trip out is to buy the plants + bulbs I need.
This has been postponed as my route is via a lane which has been closed. Some idiot, probably over the limit + using the back lanes (a common occurence) hit a small parapet over a stream causing it to collapse. The repairs have taken ages but now done.
There was another route but it was long and like doing 3 sides of a square, which I wasn't going to do, the difference 20+miles instead of the usual 6.
We found a dreadful case of fly- tipping close to our home yesterday.
ReplyDeleteThere is a narrow, twisty lane from opposite our cottage down to the village. It is used a lot as a short cut to the village by traffic coming off the A303 and vice versa. It is also full of deep potholes.
Yesterday two old caravans had been abandoned in the lane, one on each side, opposite each other. Half on and half off the grass verge. They Just about completely block the lane unless you maouevre very carefully between them.
Each van has had its wheels removed and both are full to the roof with rubbish, old scaffolding poles, planks, sanitary equipment, what looks like builders equipment!
We have been informed our Council and hopefully they will be removed soon (difficult with no wheels!)
I just cannot understand anyone deliberately towing these caravans to a narrow lane in the country and abandoning them, full of rubbish. I just hope there is some evidence inside then that might lead to a prosecution. They should be put into stocks so I could pelt them with rotten vegetables!!
That sounds very well planned, to do all that in a night. Hopefully, as you say, there is something to identify the culprits. 🫰
DeleteI guess that they do it to avoid paying to dispose of the rubbish legally. The councils miss out twice, they get no payment for the disposal and have to fork out to remove the rubbish from where it has been tipped if it's not on private property. There's a problem round here with fly tipping on farms, landing farmers with the cost of removing it. It's a despicable practice.
DeleteIt is just so thoughtless because plastic and old rusty metal and broken glass doesn't do animals any good. My own particular bugbear is people who throw empty plastic bottles and drinks cans out of cars. Often when walking along our lane I pick them up and bring them back to put in the recycling bin. The hedges and verges have recently been cut back and revealed a lot more.
DeleteWell, I like the Traitors and I think I’m going to enjoy the celebrity one. After only one episode I know who most of them are and Alan Carr is hilarious but I don’t think he will last long.
ReplyDeleteIt’s light relief and raises money for charity. Just the sort of programme to send me to bed with a smile on my face.
👍😊
DeleteI do like Stephen Fry. The Jeeves and Wooster series, daft that it was, could always make me chuckle. I loved the way he headed straight to explore the library. Just what I would have done, and it amused me that after the challenge he was there saying there must be a complete works of Shakespeare here somewhere trying to find the answer to a clue they hadn't been sure of ( how many people altogether got murdered in Hamlet and Romeo and Juliot ).
DeleteI am wondering, in a programme that depends a lot on observation of people's expressions, how he will he compensate for his face blindness ( my own daughter has this ). And I think the producers have deliberately balanced two very intelligent men on opposite sides, Stephen Fry, a Faithful, and Jonathon Ross, a Traitor, ( and no I don't like some of the controversies he has been involved in ) and the outcome of this should make for interesting viewing.
DeleteI can understand though the point of view that it is a sad reflection on our society that a programme full of deceit and treachery should be made and attract such viewing numbers. I suppose it is to do with that age old battle between good and evil, light and dark, and humanity being flawed. In an earlier age people would have been watching the same things playing out on stage in Shakespeare's time.
I am just pondering again, but how the heck do we change the world so it becomes a better more peaceful place? Christianity, and other ( non fanatical ) religions, teach peace and caring for each other but nowadays the focus seems to be on a secular and very materialistic ethos.
ReplyDeleteI don’t think we can, or will change the world Janice.
DeleteI live my life as a pretty optimistic person, but I’m very pessimistic about the human race.
Whoever made us…. Be it God, of whatever faith, or the Universe, has IMO give us enough rope to hang ourselves with, and we are, collectively, making a damn good job of it.
We don’t deserve to inherit the earth, we’ve done our best to destroy it.
And these thoughts are not new. I’ve felt this way since my thirties, and the world has steadily got worse in the intervening decades.
MrsP - I agree and I remember you held some hope for humanity after covid, but as you said, we'd have to start from scratch. The trouble is we'd have to be selfless and as a human race we tend to be selfish.
DeleteAll the same there two very different women on WH this morning: first a high tech AI all hype entrepreneur introduced as someone whose wealth has surpassed T Swift's - so blooming well what!! I don't like TS but would choose her anytime as at least I still know what she does and could bounce along.
Next someone completely different: Bebe Jackson, a 19 year-old paralympian who works night shifts as children's carer and trains in the day with hardly any sleep. I suppose her own disability drives her on, but if there are people like that, then there is hope.
I admire you BASIA for hanging on in there and still listening to WH.
DeleteI haven’t listened for some years now, certainly not seriously since Emma Barnet went to Today. I didn’t like her much, but at least I felt some affinity with the programme.
Now the female voices, if not too loud or adenoidal, are espousing upon subjects meaningless or unknown to me.
I seem to be growing into a grump…… apologies !
MrsP - WH is a habit I can't shake off and it coincides with my daily routine. There's a lot in there that annoys me and I send angry emails! I didn't like Emma Barnett but don't mind Nuala McGovern. Anita Rani is there for diversity, I used to find it ironic that before there were two white women going on about it, so they've corrected that.
DeleteI was talking with Lanjan yesterday. She says to tell everyone she’s fine. She wishes Lady R happy birthday for this weekend. 🍾🎂
ReplyDeleteLanjan tried celeb traitors because she knows I watch it, and gave up after 10 mins! She thinks I watch a load of rubbish!
My son and daughter-in-law are flying back from their late honeymoon at the moment from usa. Hence I’ve woken up and can’t get back to sleep worrying about them till they land.
Think I’ll do wordle next.
It's good to hear that lanjan is fine. It's a shame that she's unable to post.
DeleteHello Lanjan and thank you Ptby for keeping in touch.
DeleteAs for Traitors and rubbish - "whatever gets you through the night" and if it does no harm.
I don't have TV and the trailers I hear on R4 scare the life out of me!
It’s the constant trailers I get fed up with. And the amount of time BBC News has spent advertising the event this week.
DeleteNot just BBC news AP - it’s all over R4 too.
DeleteIn fact …… here we go again….. I am sick to death with the amount of ‘advertising’ that goes on R4. A day or so ago I actually thought how similar it seemed to the early days of television advertising, now on the wireless.
Moan over !
Hello to you too LJ. We miss you, but we’ve learned to live with it.
I agree with you about watching rubbish.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY LADY R
Have the best day possible under present circumstances.
PtbY - I’m sure they arrived safely….. we would have heard about it by now if not.
The first time my daughters went to Australia to visit their father, I was annoyed that they didn’t let me know, immediately, that they had arrived.
In response my daughter told me…. “ Mum, if the plane had crashed, you would have heard about it by now “. Wise words from a teenager !
He told me the wrong date and they aren’t flying back till tonight! Flaming kids!!!
Delete🤦♀️
I was saddened to hear of the death of John Lodge of The Moody Blues, one of my favourite bands. Sky Arts broadcast a programme of them playing live at the Isle of Wight in 1971which I recorded and dip into every now and again, it takes me back to some happy times in my youth.
ReplyDeleteOne of the bands my husband was the photographer for CC.
DeleteI took two teenagers as mothers helps to the island in 1971, to aid me with my two, one eighteen months old, and three siblings of one of the teens.
The reward for the teens was being able to go to the festival.
We’re you there ?
Sadly I wasn't there MrsP
DeleteI think I have just had a similar experience to Miriam
ReplyDelete£82.50 swiped off my Nectar card!! Shopped yesterday morning. Came home with almost a hundred pounds worth of points on my card which I am saving up to spend at Christmas.
Fortunately Sainsburys sent me an email in the afternoon about offers for next week. I looked at it and decided to check that the mornings points had been added to the card. To my horror I saw thousands of points had been spent, apparently at Sainsburys…..but not by me!
So I phoned the helpline this morning & they said somebody had probably shopped with a made up card number, which just happened to be the same as mine!
They have put the points back in my account and will be sending a new card, with a new number in the next few days.
It does show how important it is to check Nectar (& presumably other loyalty cards) regularly to see what’s going on. I certainly shall! 🤬
I check mine on my phone app every week when I activate my Sainsbury's offers and Nectar prices before doing my shopping list.
DeleteAP Lock your nectar points but you need to have the Nectar App to do this. This means only you can use them, as you have to "unlock" them before going to the store, to be able to use them.
DeleteTo add. The Nectar App is very safe + secure. As CC mentioned, each week there are offers in 2 ways:- Extra points on things bought if use a nectar card, plus own personalised prices - though these prices are only applicable if use a self scanner.
DeleteAfter awhile these are always done to match your favourites and bought regularly.
Last week I just bought what I needed and got 260 extra points, ie £1.30, added on.
It's worth doing.
Lady R many happy returns for tomorrow the 12th. Hope you are able to celebrate the day somehow. 💐🍰🎉
ReplyDeleteMrs P- I’ve replied to your posting of 4/10/25 about Mackie Mayer.
ReplyDeleteAh !
DeleteGreat to know that someone enjoys it other than my G children.
Thanks Esscee
Happy Birthday Lady R. 💐 🍫 🩷
ReplyDeleteHAPPY BIRTHDAY LADY R
ReplyDeleteOur love and good wishes on your Birthday Lady R! I am sure your family will be rallying round to make sure you can enjoy your day. And love to Mr R too.
ReplyDelete💐 🍰 🎁
I've had to log out + reset my Facebook settings.
ReplyDeleteA long story short, if I can.
Awhile ago I had to book my car into the main agent for service + MOT. I rang the garage number but ended up with a central call centre.
All was well, and car went in on Sept. 30th. with no problem.
Last week I had a message from Renault, saying that due to a cyber attack on a 3rd party linked sitite, now quashed, my personal + vehicle but no financial ones (as have a service plan) were hacked.
At first thought it was a scam, but it seems I've been "cloned" on FB.
Hopefully the actions I've done will have stopped this.
What angers me is, that I have no control over such things but I have to try + sort to prevent problems.
I'm getting grumpy also...
We're hearing about these things with increasing frequency Miriam, it's so frustrating
DeleteWe've had an enjoyable afternoon at The Lowry theatre in Salford, watching the 25th anniversary tour show of Dead Ringers. Because it wasn't being recorded for broadcast it was more risqué than the radio version.
ReplyDeleteWhat struck me, never having seen it live before, was how they use their whole body and not just voices when doing the impersonations, also how quickly they can go from one to another. A very talented bunch of people.
Thank you all for your birthday wishes and kind thoughts 🤗🙏🏼
ReplyDeleteSpecial thanks to you dear LANJAN for your message, I often think of you and did not forget you on Oct 11th ❤️
My nearby sister came for a cuppa and birthday cake plus a neighbour and goddaughter. Mr R joined in for a while and then felt tired so went for a lie down. He was concerned he had not remembered the day but the day before he had chosen a card from past years that I had given him and I had sent for my perfume as his 🎁
The bottom line is that his mobility is now so precarious (alongside mine not being great) that we are having to progress from the early morning home carer to a permanent Nursing Care placement.
Within easy reach of course for visiting - and with a heavy heart. There have been some 🥲 on both sides but even with all his issues Mr R is in the main a friendly and happy man. How soon will this happen……? Could be very soon or maybe not !
LadyR - lovely to hear from you and that you had a pleasant day.
DeleteAs they say, live for today and in the moment and we're thinking of you and others.
It's good to hear from you Lady R even if it's not the news that you would want to be giving. I hope that your search for a suitable placement is successful and that it will be easy for you to visit.
DeleteLovely as always to hear from you LadyR.
DeleteDo not despair.
We always talked, my mother and I, of if and when she would or might need full time care, both of us knowing that she and I together would find it a challenge too far for me to be her sole carer.
When it came to it, I did my very best to find the ultimate solution.
It was the nearest, so I was able to walk daily to visit.
It was not the poshest, but it was homely and kindness was evident.
She had a nice room.
But the best was yet to come.
As she declined and sat in her chair placed in a prominent position she was able to see all around her the goings on, and like Mr R my mother was a friendly and interested soul, so that when I visited she was able to communicate with delight, if not with words, all the minutiae of the home as it bustled around her. This meant that as her body deteriorated her sharp mind was stimulated and she felt engaged.
I believe her last two years were a blessing because she was in a nursing home.
You have done your absolute best.
Now it is time for you to have some space to look after YOU as well as Lord R. You are blessed with kind support from many directions.
I wish you the very best in your search.
Lady R. so pleased to see you again, even if the news is not as you wanted and things will now be very different.
ReplyDeleteIt's a now a period of adjustment for you both which will take time.
Try to think positive and remember it's quality of life for you as well as Lord R.
Thinking of you with all good wishes.
It is a very sad time for you Lady R and I wish you both well. I can only speak fr my experience with my mother. After her bigger stroke at nearly 90 I couldn't manage any more and she went to a Home for the last 4 years of her life. We were very lucky, like Mrs P, because there was a place just a mile away, down in the village. After recovering from my utter exhaustion in the Home I had the time to be able to sit down and talk with her and developed the best relationship I had ever had with her. We looked through all her old photos, talked about her younger days, played scrabble and boggle, and a lovely man who dealt with aids fitted rough terrain wheels on her wheelchair so we were able to take her out to visit gardens and to the beach. On one occasion my son let her hold the control handle of his very big sandbuggy kite and with him running alongside it pulled the wheelchair along at quite a lick. She was always up for trying new things, and interested in the people around her.
ReplyDeleteI think what I am trying to say is that even though Mr R will no longer be at home your relationship will still continue, and when you are less exhausted you will be able to think of nice things you can do together in the Home.
Janice, thank you for that anecdote about your mother’s wheelchair being towed along the beach. The image it created in my mind made me smile!
DeleteI heard today that pumpkins, squashes and gourds have become very popular to make autumn decorations as well as the traditional Halloween lanterns and most of them are just thrown away. Farmers are using land to grow them as it's more profitable than food and the same applies to cut flowers. I think it's sad that people are prepared to spend their money on those but complain about paying the going rate when it's food. Also, don't get me started on agricultural land being used for solar panels!
ReplyDeleteTotally agree. They was a field near us last year that just was awash with rotting pumpkins after Halloween. What a waste. Can’t stand Halloween anyway. Ruddy American import!! Aargh.
DeleteThese colourful gourds are very attractive, I saw some today at the market, but was equally unimpressed when told that they were for decoration.
DeleteRemember me saying about my Gt. Neice and thecounty U-16 county rugby team - well she didn't get in but had 2 trial sessions.
ReplyDeleteShe's disappointed obviously but at 14.5yrs she would have been one of the youngest. Personally I think she would have find it all a bit intense.
She might be asked again next year, depending on how she plays between now + then.
She did well to get that far. She's young yet.
DeleteI was very interested to read in the news today about talcum powder. My cousin's husband did research years ago for one of the big companies and he realised then that it was carcinogenic. He stopped his wife from using it and the rest of us followed suit. He was totally disillusioned because his research was not acted on and basically buried. They didn't want to know, and he could not publish his findings because they were considered to be company property, He left them and took a job as a lecturer at Swansea, because then during the long holidays he could do his own research.
ReplyDeleteHas there not been rumours around this subject for yonks ?
DeleteI’m sure I’ve heard about it before.
Haven’t used the stuff for decades personally.
To my rhetorical question ?
DeleteYes.
Confirmed on the late news that the subject was first raised back in the sixties.
My two were born /66 & /69.
I’m off to see my surgeon today.
ReplyDeleteSix month checkup.
Let us know how you get on.
DeleteI can't believe it's 6months already. Where has that time gone.
I also had a hospital appointment this morning. This was a call-back from a visit 2 months ago at Eye clinic, to do with my glaucoma.
ReplyDeleteAll was fine and saw an actual registrar who I'd met before + a lovely person.
She talked to me in an intelligent way, explaining the call back was concern about my eye pressures shown slightly higher than normal range on last visit. I knew these were OK after an optician visit last week.
All was great, everything normal + this lovely person told me she'd gone back through my records and everything is stable + has been since 2021.
I feel so reassured + the outcome is 6 monthly appointments to check on things and prevent ant further deterioration.
Wonderful NHS care which I can't fault.
To add - I so thank my optician for immediatly referring me when pressures showed high and as such I'm still classed as very early stage and as said, prevention is now the object.
DeleteGood to hear that your levels seem to be stable now Miriam
DeleteLet’s hope for you that they stay that way for a long time.
And well done your optician.
I too saw a registrar ( there not called that now, but we all know what it means ). Introduced himself as Tom and shook my hand.
Very pleased with all that my foot has achieved in repair, though he did seem a little confused about my toes which are painful or uncomfortable much of the time. I’ve come to feel that it’s arthritis spreading into my toes, one in particular, and he felt the same.
However when I explained about the excruciating sensation of a broomstick up my heel - it’s not half as bad now as it was three months ago - he diagnosed planter fasciitis.
So I went straight to Boots and have bought some special socks.
I will have to return them for the next size up as I couldn’t get them on.
Anybody with this condition, please feel free to educate me !
As for monitoring, I will be called again at the anniversary of one year, two, five and nine years.
Impressed !
Aren't there special shoe insoles to help this?
DeleteYes Miriam- I think that’s the next step, next week.
DeleteAny opinions on strictly this week. ?
ReplyDelete