These birthdays are a real nuisance aren't they? Just think, if we didn't have birthdays we wouldn't need to get any older - not that the numbers really matter though, how old you feel is just all inside your head, isn't it? Today I'm having what is very aptly described in our house as a dopey day, I've spent an entire weekend with my ancient mother, who is fast losing her mental capabilities and I think maybe she has leached mine as well and despatched them off to Fairyland with her own. So I'm feeling a bit oldish today, although thankfully still nowhere near to feeling as old as the number of candles which will be appearing on my birthday cake (should I be lucky enough to have one!) fairly soon. Given that the number of years I've been on the planet ends with a nine (yes, you've guessed it, I'm nearly nippety nine), next year's birthday will be a biggy.
With this in mind I've decided to spend the next twelve months completing a bucket list of things I'd like to do before I'm nippety ten, so here is that list, and my reasons for it. (To be completed in no particular order, but just over the coming twelve months)
No. 1. Many years ago when the younger two sons were little more than toddlers we spent a week in South Devon, and one of the places we visited was Budleigh Salterton. I liked it there. In fact, I loved it there, and I always vowed to myself that one day I would return without a pair of toddlers in tow. So, now the time has come, sometime during the next twelve months we'll return to Budleigh Salterton for a childfree break.
No. 2. Back in 1970 GM graduated from Newcastle University, and ever since we've been together he has wanted to go back to see how much (if anything) has changed. So I've promised him that this is the year he'll return to Newcastle, with me, so I can see it for the first time, AND what's more, we'll fly there.
No. 3. I'm a Fulham Football Club supporter through and through, but I also like to support a Premier League team, and with my historical connections to the area I've chosen to support Southampton while Fulham are in the lower division. The last time we went to a Premier League match in 2012 it was Southampton v. Fulham, and now there is distinct possibility that Fulham will be promoted back to the top flight league so this fixture might well happen again during the 2017/18 season. I very much want to attend another Premier League football match, obviously if this could be at Craven Cottage to watch Fulham then no-one would be happier than me, but if they miss out on promotion this year then instead I should like to make another trip to St. Mary's to cheer on the Saints.
No. 4. I'm a very lucky lady, in that while I have four sons I actually have five lovely ladies that I call my daughters-in-law, four of whom are current partners and one of whom is an ex partner (the mum of my grandson and one of my very dearest friends). I would love to have a DiLs day, a day when the six of us would all meet up and have a great day together. This might take a bit of planning, so be warned girls.
No. 5. I love drawing and painting but have had no formal training, so I think it's time I did. I'll see what I can find.
No. 6. GM and I have always loved walking, and whenever we've had the chance we've climbed the highest hill available at the time. Recently moved to Hampshire, I find that the highest hill in Hampshire (Pilot Hill) is less than ten miles away from where we live, so it is on the list.
No. 7. A hot stone massage, a real treat, just for me (and, in fact, already booked for 12th May - watch this space).
No. 8. Despite living in the London area for more than 85% of my lifetime, I'm ashamed to admit that I've never attended a promenade concert. This will be remedied before the summer of 2017 is out.
No. 9. I would very much like to try either pole dancing or line dancing, just the once. I have two left feet so dancing doesn't come easy to me.
No. 10. I have a friend who lives in Sussex who calls is a Mentor to Passionate World Changers, she's also known as a Happiness Experimenter, and I belong to a group that she runs called Dancing in Your Soul Shoes, so you get the general idea of the sort of person she is. I'm so looking forward to attending a weekend retreat that she intends to hold later in the year. She lives in the middle of a forest and will hold the retreat and activities in her recently acquired yurt. Sounds wonderful.
No. 11. My dad came from a large family, so I have lots of cousins, mostly girls, and all within a 15 year age range. We don't get together nearly as often as we should, it's so much fun when we do, so I'm hoping we can get something organised for this year - maybe I have to arrange this myself to make sure it happens.
No. 12. I intend to spend this coming year eating well and healthily - plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, enjoying the odd glass of wine or two now and again, drinking lots of water and a good dose of kefir on a daily basis, and also to increase my daily step count quite significantly - these measure will, I hope, lead to my body becoming more shapely and slender than its current condition and will incentivise it to stick around with me for many more years to come.
So, my twelve month bucket list, please come back next May to see how well I've done. If this catches on I might possibly do it every year.
Tuesday, 25 April 2017
Saturday, 15 April 2017
Bucket list
My next big birthday (one with a zero at the end of it) is getting scarily close, in fact less than 13 months away, so I decided to create myself a bucket list of things to do before I reach the beginning of the end of middle age. My list will have 12 objectives, giving me one for each month. I already have a couple of ideas, but when I have a full list of 12 I'll publish it, so . . . .
watch this space.
watch this space.
Monday, 12 December 2016
Advent Calendar 2016 Day 12
Annual family winterfeast get-together - 4 sons, 4 D-i-Ls, 1 grandson and 5 granddaughters (only 4 of the granddaughters are visible, the fifth is due in late march) - sadly one D-i-L couldn't make it (yes I know it's greedy to have 5 D-i-Ls with only 4 sons, but I love them all).
Sorry the photo is a bit wobbly, GM was behind the camera, and had been enjoying himself lagerwise.
Linking with Julie's Scrapbook
Sunday, 27 November 2016
It started with a cough . . .
. . . back in the spring of 2008, which long outlasted the flu-type illness that I had suffered from over the late December/early January period. 2008 was a very busy year for us, firstly I celebrated my 60th birthday with a big family party, and then almost immediately we sold our house, then prepared for and executed our relocation to Wiltshire, so I hardly noticed that I was still coughing, there was just too much else to think about! Although my memory of this period is mostly now a blur, I do vaguely recall that at some time during the move I effected an awkward manoeuvre which gave me a strange sensation in the muscles around the stomach area.
It wasn't really until the spring of 2009, after the usual coughs and colds of the winter months had been and gone that I realized I was still coughing, and had been on and off for the entire year and more, so I decided it was time for some medical intervention. A visit to the doctor resulted in a prescription for some antibiotics for a (non-existent, so it turns out) chest infection and an appointment for a chest xray - which showed that my lungs were all clear. The antibiotics didn't clear the cough, so after a couple of months or so another visit to the doctor resulted in a trip to Salisbury hospital for an internal inspection of my nasal passages. Slight inflammation of the throat and lower bronchial areas led to a diagnosis of acid reflux from a hiatus hernia. Nasal sprays and stomach acid neutralizing capsules were prescribed. By this time we were well into 2010, and GM had his own health problems, which obviously overshadowed my own, so I just kept on taking the capsules, as although I was still coughing, it was nowhere near as bad as it had been. Certain things seemed to trigger a fit, so I avoided lager, cheese and wholegrain bread, which also helped a bit. At about the same time I started having the odd bout of cystitis now and again, which was treated with antibiotics.
Fast forward to 2011, GM's stroke and subsequent early retirement package, together with a problematic neighbour and a distinct disillusionment with the amount of traffic and new building in the area, we made the decision to move again, and so (to cut an 11 month story very short) 2012 found us where we are now, in Warminster. Still taking the capsules and still coughing, I made another trip to the doctor, a hospital xray showed up that, yes, I did have a hiatus hernia and that was the end of it, as treatment required major surgery - which is no longer advisable, according to NHS.
Over the following three years I just continued to take the capsules to neutralize the stomach acid, cough mixture whenever the cough was too uncomfortable, and continued to suffer the occasional bouts of cystitis followed by yet more antibiotics. Roughly 18 months ago a family situation occurred over which GM and I had different reactions and opinions, and I'm sad to say that consequently our relationship suffered a bit of a hit. Not only that but the health of my elderly mother deteriorated and I think I was probably extremely run down. At about the same time the cystitis was occurring on a monthly basis, which was also making me feel unwell. My doctor decided that it would be a good idea for me to see a urologist, who suggested that an internal examination of my bladder was the next move - this happened in January of this year, followed by a three month course of prophylactic antibiotics.
What a relief, three whole months free of urine infection, and what a difference it made to my overall outlook on life. GM and I worked hard on our relationship and things seemed to be going well. Fast forward to late spring/early summer, the three month course complete and then, out of the blue, an unwelcome return of monthly bouts of cystitis, the last of which, in late summer, turned out to be the one when the antibiotics were no longer strong enough to clear it. My GP suggested that the next step would be an inspection of my kidneys.
Back down to a very low ebb, I made the decision to change my diet in order to build my strength to fight off the infections on my own. I didn't turn completely vegetarian or completely organic, but got as close as I could within the confines of our family budget. I also had a few sessions in the hyperbaric oxygen tank at the MS Therapy Centre where I help out once a week, and treated myself to a rather expensive kinesiology session - this was, at long last, a turning point for me. The kinesiologist told me that I was overwhelmed (which I sort of knew anyway) and also that my body was reacting against wheat and rye, and therefore I should avoid these food items as best I could - they have now all but been eliminated from my diet. After a chat - about having my kidneys investigated - with the oxygen administrator at the therapy centre, she suggested that I should also have a session of reflexology, as that might help show up any internal problem, so I took her advice and booked a session. The reflexology session was not only wonderfully relaxing, but also suggested that if I had a problem it was more likely in my stomach than my kidneys, and the reflexologist asked if I was interested in finding out about food fermenting and probiotics to redress the balance of acidity in my system.
LIGHTBULB MOMENT!!!!!!! All this time I have been taking capsules to neutralize stomach acid. What my system needs to help evacuate waste and toxins is stomach acid - so all this time I have been taking medication that has helped marginally to relieve one symptom, but has had devastating side effects on the balance of my body overall.
Without further ado I stopped taking the capsules completely. For the first week or so, as my body adjusted, I was very weak and teary, but my strength has gradually grown, I have been taking probiotics, my system has gradually built up its own immunity, and for the past month not only have I had no cystitis symptoms but I am feeling better in myself than I have done for years!
Except that I still seem to have a bit of a cough, so I think I'll just have to top up on the old cough mixture and avoid lager, cheese and wholegrain bread!
p.s. Just for the record, the family situation has sorted itself, GM and I have made our peace, my mum's health has stabilised and everything seems, at the moment, to be on an even keel.
2017? Bring it on.
It wasn't really until the spring of 2009, after the usual coughs and colds of the winter months had been and gone that I realized I was still coughing, and had been on and off for the entire year and more, so I decided it was time for some medical intervention. A visit to the doctor resulted in a prescription for some antibiotics for a (non-existent, so it turns out) chest infection and an appointment for a chest xray - which showed that my lungs were all clear. The antibiotics didn't clear the cough, so after a couple of months or so another visit to the doctor resulted in a trip to Salisbury hospital for an internal inspection of my nasal passages. Slight inflammation of the throat and lower bronchial areas led to a diagnosis of acid reflux from a hiatus hernia. Nasal sprays and stomach acid neutralizing capsules were prescribed. By this time we were well into 2010, and GM had his own health problems, which obviously overshadowed my own, so I just kept on taking the capsules, as although I was still coughing, it was nowhere near as bad as it had been. Certain things seemed to trigger a fit, so I avoided lager, cheese and wholegrain bread, which also helped a bit. At about the same time I started having the odd bout of cystitis now and again, which was treated with antibiotics.
Fast forward to 2011, GM's stroke and subsequent early retirement package, together with a problematic neighbour and a distinct disillusionment with the amount of traffic and new building in the area, we made the decision to move again, and so (to cut an 11 month story very short) 2012 found us where we are now, in Warminster. Still taking the capsules and still coughing, I made another trip to the doctor, a hospital xray showed up that, yes, I did have a hiatus hernia and that was the end of it, as treatment required major surgery - which is no longer advisable, according to NHS.
Over the following three years I just continued to take the capsules to neutralize the stomach acid, cough mixture whenever the cough was too uncomfortable, and continued to suffer the occasional bouts of cystitis followed by yet more antibiotics. Roughly 18 months ago a family situation occurred over which GM and I had different reactions and opinions, and I'm sad to say that consequently our relationship suffered a bit of a hit. Not only that but the health of my elderly mother deteriorated and I think I was probably extremely run down. At about the same time the cystitis was occurring on a monthly basis, which was also making me feel unwell. My doctor decided that it would be a good idea for me to see a urologist, who suggested that an internal examination of my bladder was the next move - this happened in January of this year, followed by a three month course of prophylactic antibiotics.
What a relief, three whole months free of urine infection, and what a difference it made to my overall outlook on life. GM and I worked hard on our relationship and things seemed to be going well. Fast forward to late spring/early summer, the three month course complete and then, out of the blue, an unwelcome return of monthly bouts of cystitis, the last of which, in late summer, turned out to be the one when the antibiotics were no longer strong enough to clear it. My GP suggested that the next step would be an inspection of my kidneys.
Back down to a very low ebb, I made the decision to change my diet in order to build my strength to fight off the infections on my own. I didn't turn completely vegetarian or completely organic, but got as close as I could within the confines of our family budget. I also had a few sessions in the hyperbaric oxygen tank at the MS Therapy Centre where I help out once a week, and treated myself to a rather expensive kinesiology session - this was, at long last, a turning point for me. The kinesiologist told me that I was overwhelmed (which I sort of knew anyway) and also that my body was reacting against wheat and rye, and therefore I should avoid these food items as best I could - they have now all but been eliminated from my diet. After a chat - about having my kidneys investigated - with the oxygen administrator at the therapy centre, she suggested that I should also have a session of reflexology, as that might help show up any internal problem, so I took her advice and booked a session. The reflexology session was not only wonderfully relaxing, but also suggested that if I had a problem it was more likely in my stomach than my kidneys, and the reflexologist asked if I was interested in finding out about food fermenting and probiotics to redress the balance of acidity in my system.
LIGHTBULB MOMENT!!!!!!! All this time I have been taking capsules to neutralize stomach acid. What my system needs to help evacuate waste and toxins is stomach acid - so all this time I have been taking medication that has helped marginally to relieve one symptom, but has had devastating side effects on the balance of my body overall.
Without further ado I stopped taking the capsules completely. For the first week or so, as my body adjusted, I was very weak and teary, but my strength has gradually grown, I have been taking probiotics, my system has gradually built up its own immunity, and for the past month not only have I had no cystitis symptoms but I am feeling better in myself than I have done for years!
Except that I still seem to have a bit of a cough, so I think I'll just have to top up on the old cough mixture and avoid lager, cheese and wholegrain bread!
p.s. Just for the record, the family situation has sorted itself, GM and I have made our peace, my mum's health has stabilised and everything seems, at the moment, to be on an even keel.
2017? Bring it on.
Tuesday, 22 November 2016
A conversation with myself
So, Mrs. S. now that you are just about ready to sign the purchase contract, please can you tell us the attraction of the house you're buying.
Is it the spaciousness? Well, actually no, it's quite a lot smaller than the one we have, it will be a struggle to fit everything in.
Is it the wonderfully modern kitchen? Well, actually no, the kitchen is mediocre and in poor condition so would need a total replan and refit.
How about the other internal features then? Well, no actually, the bathroom is small and quite grubby, the downstairs loo likewise, and it lacks a utility room.
Well then, maybe it's the garden? The garden is OK, but it's on a slope and is a bit of a mess.
The house must be attractive to the eye, or be in a good position? It is a very ordinary 70s built semi, and it is exactly where we want to live - midway between the Surrey families and the Wiltshire families - but that's not it.
Must be the price? No, it's probably overpriced for what it is.
Alright then, what is the attraction? It's the location, right on the edge of town, overlooking open countryside for miles.
So, what if I were to tell you that, although the vendor's agent and the vendor's mother-in-law denied all knowledge of such a thing, there is an outline planning application to build 202 houses in the field adjoining the back fence?
OH SH*T!!!!!
Is it the spaciousness? Well, actually no, it's quite a lot smaller than the one we have, it will be a struggle to fit everything in.
Is it the wonderfully modern kitchen? Well, actually no, the kitchen is mediocre and in poor condition so would need a total replan and refit.
How about the other internal features then? Well, no actually, the bathroom is small and quite grubby, the downstairs loo likewise, and it lacks a utility room.
Well then, maybe it's the garden? The garden is OK, but it's on a slope and is a bit of a mess.
The house must be attractive to the eye, or be in a good position? It is a very ordinary 70s built semi, and it is exactly where we want to live - midway between the Surrey families and the Wiltshire families - but that's not it.
Must be the price? No, it's probably overpriced for what it is.
Alright then, what is the attraction? It's the location, right on the edge of town, overlooking open countryside for miles.
So, what if I were to tell you that, although the vendor's agent and the vendor's mother-in-law denied all knowledge of such a thing, there is an outline planning application to build 202 houses in the field adjoining the back fence?
OH SH*T!!!!!
Saturday, 19 November 2016
Top notch or stopped watch?
I came across an article in today's The Times Magazine (Chav Chic, p.46) about the current celeb fashion fad, i.e. the sporty look, comprised of joggers, trackies, hoodies and trainers, which are apparently now the height of style. This is fabulous news for me, as it means that my current, ongoing wardrobe has suddenly come back into fashion - I've been wearing these clothes for years, in fact the same ones for years in some cases (probably since the last time they were the "in thing" to be wearing).
I don't exactly live in these clothes all the time, I do wear my dress for special occasions and during the summer you might just catch me wearing cropped trousers on a very hot day, but for the most part I admit to being very lazy, I love to just slop about at home in my "comfort zone" clothes.
Does this mean that I have unwittingly become highly fashion conscious? Or am I just like the very old watch that I keep in my bedside cabinet for sentimental reasons, which, although not working, shows the right time twice a day?
I don't exactly live in these clothes all the time, I do wear my dress for special occasions and during the summer you might just catch me wearing cropped trousers on a very hot day, but for the most part I admit to being very lazy, I love to just slop about at home in my "comfort zone" clothes.
Does this mean that I have unwittingly become highly fashion conscious? Or am I just like the very old watch that I keep in my bedside cabinet for sentimental reasons, which, although not working, shows the right time twice a day?
Saturday, 25 June 2016
My personal EU vote story
I personally voted to remain in Europe, because, to my (I admit limited)
knowledge I thought it would be best for everyone, for all of the UK
citizens and for the citizens of all the other EU countries as well. I
naively assumed that the majority of others in this country would feel
the same. What I hadn't realized until only last Monday was the personal
impact that a leave vote would have on me and my family.
My lovely daughter-in-law is Japanese, she and my son have been together for 10 years, married for 7 and they have two gorgeous daughters. My daughter-in-law is the main breadwinner as her job with a Japanese Investment bank provides a deal more income than my tree-surgeon son could hope to earn.
The work that she does is quite complicated, but I hope she won't mind me telling you that basically she sells European shares to Japanese investors. In order to do this, the company that she works for (and incidentally any other UK or international company that does the same thing) needs to be situated inside the EU, which means that at some not too distant point in the future the company and all its employees will need to be relocated to an EU country. If I remember rightly, the options available to them are Dublin, Paris or Frankfurt. So, instead of them being an hour's drive away, they will be heaven knows how far away. And, worst of all, my daughter-in-law, being a foreign national, had no say in the process, despite having lived in this country for many years, being married to an English man, having two half-English children, and having a mortgage on a house in England.
To say that I am sad is an understatement, but I guess that now I'll at least have the opportunity to travel to wherever they end up, as long as my pension holds out!
This is not a complaint or a whinge, just an individual viewpoint of how suddenly several lives can be impacted so severely. These two brothers, who have always been close, will now be separated, as will the four cousins who all get on so well together.
My lovely daughter-in-law is Japanese, she and my son have been together for 10 years, married for 7 and they have two gorgeous daughters. My daughter-in-law is the main breadwinner as her job with a Japanese Investment bank provides a deal more income than my tree-surgeon son could hope to earn.
The work that she does is quite complicated, but I hope she won't mind me telling you that basically she sells European shares to Japanese investors. In order to do this, the company that she works for (and incidentally any other UK or international company that does the same thing) needs to be situated inside the EU, which means that at some not too distant point in the future the company and all its employees will need to be relocated to an EU country. If I remember rightly, the options available to them are Dublin, Paris or Frankfurt. So, instead of them being an hour's drive away, they will be heaven knows how far away. And, worst of all, my daughter-in-law, being a foreign national, had no say in the process, despite having lived in this country for many years, being married to an English man, having two half-English children, and having a mortgage on a house in England.
To say that I am sad is an understatement, but I guess that now I'll at least have the opportunity to travel to wherever they end up, as long as my pension holds out!
This is not a complaint or a whinge, just an individual viewpoint of how suddenly several lives can be impacted so severely. These two brothers, who have always been close, will now be separated, as will the four cousins who all get on so well together.
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