Living in a very small community, we do all tend to look out for each other. I was wondering how Josiane would cope on her own for the first time this year, as Bernard refused to leave home, so family would gather here for Christmas and the New Year. Very typically for the French, family is so important, so she has told us that she will be away staying with them for the next eight weeks. I am not sure if the cat is going with her.
Good luck BB. And will see y'all in 2025 as off to the Sierra for Xmas and probably NYE too. Have a good 1 all!
Half and half thanks ofh. My sister is out awaiting the results of a tumour biopsy - the tumour had knocked her for six. Her son has moved home from Vienna to care for her. My brother, on the other hand, is still in a bad way. He has been diagnosed as having a particularly aggressive form of skin cancer, and has responded badly to the radiotherapy. His wife, who worked as a nurse for around 50 years, is normally a bright & chatty person, but she's remaining tight-lipped at the moment - a rather worrying sign really.
I am glad you are able to stay in contact with them. There are some things in this modern age we should be thankful for. I guess that Australia must be very experienced at dealing with skin cancer, seeing as the country sees a lot of sun. Let us hope that other treatments can be used that do not have such bad effects. And fingers crossed that the tumour is benign and can be dealt with effectively.
Well some things don't go to plan as I have just found out. My youngest granddaughter took home from school a very unpleasant lurgy, which she shared with her mother. Her two sisters returned from university Friday, so they were given it as well. Dad is on his way home for a week, that will include his birthday. Christmas day with them all has become the routine over the past years, but we felt we did not require this additional present. So presents and mince pies will be delivered and handed over without going in. A bit like days when smallpox was rife. So Thursday's dinner is brought forward a day, the wood burner can be lit, and I will be able to have more of the red stuff than I could when driving.
A belated Merry Christmas everyone. Yes, that Lurgy... Hopefully I'll make the game on Sunday, I've missed quite a few games I intended to go to. Had a couple of weeks off work and the Xmas pay packet has taken quite the hit. Mrs Fez is still struggling as she has asthma underscoring her woes. Not the worst we've had but this has been relentless. We're a month into this and nowhere near right. Apart from anything else, I've missed two funerals before Xmas. One a good friend who impaled his foot on a three pin plug a decade ago and had since faced a battle to keep various bits of his anatomy on. At least five partial amputations later and a raft of associated problems later, he finally succumbed to pneumonia in his sleep (apparently he was a bit wheezy) but alas he wasn't found for a couple of weeks. All rather undignified, it's bit me quite hard. The other was an Aunt and I missed the opportunity to pay my respects and meet up with cousins I've not seen in years. On the plus side, Mrs Fez (lurgy aside) has been feeling well and she goes back to the oncologist in April. Enjoy the rest of the festive season!
I have received Hornet Jelly Beans from my daughter, who must have shares in the club shop. Jackets, gloves, hats, gilet have all arrived over the past years, but jelly beans is something new to try.
That's all sorted, I think. Collected some nice fresh bread, cleaned the wood burner out, relaid it, and it is now creating a glow and heat. Currently, 4°C outside, so a tad on the chilly side, but at least the fog that cut visibility down to about 30 metres yesterday has rolled away. So find the slippers and prepare for a football match I hope we can win.
While it isn't foggy, it is misty, and blooming cold, with the temperature hovering only just above freezing. The family here are still suffering from the bug that struck the week before Christmas, so we are staying well clear of them. In the past, I have been able to do some gardening at this time of year, but the ground is too wet to go on it currently. It just starts to get workable, and we get another two or three days of rain. I will just have to hope it turns out better than the past twelve months.
Yesterday we had a clear blue sky, the sun was warming things up a bit, and life felt better until the Watford game. Today it is heavily overcast, raining once more, and any thoughts of being outside can be forgotten. The weather forecast for the next week shows little sign of improvement. So I am becoming frustrated because the green lane leading to my fields will be overgrown with long grass and brambles once more. It took a whole week to clear it last time we had these conditions, and I could be back to square one again. Not much I can do about it.
Today was the day for my already thrice rescheduled COVID booster jab - given that there was some overnight snow, I set off early for the ten mile trip to the vaccination centre just in case... I hadn't even driven fifty yards when my mobile rang - appointment cancelled, centre closed as access roads blocked by snow. The jabs are only available until the end of this month, and every appointment between now and then has already been booked. As I don't fancy walking in and waiting on the off chance that someone might not turn up for theirs, it looks like no booster for me.
Oh dear, you have reminded me that I haven't had mine yet. Probably a good thing that you didn't get far and ended up in a drift or a ditch. Still pleased that you are alright after your unwanted visit to A&E. Also hoping that you have had some better news on your brother and sister. Keep warm, the UK forecast looks grim.
It is grim unfortunately - it was -14C here the other night. I updated my power meter readings on Tuesday and, to my horror, found that we had spent £298 on gas/electricity in December. The fact that we have snow predicted for every day next week doubtless means January will be just as expensive.
Ours doesn't even work properly. Our supplier had to fit a new gas meter last March as the old one gave up the ghost - and it has steadfastly refused to talk to the smart meter ever since. Three visits by engineers, countless phone calls/emails trying to talk me through the process all failed - and I haven't heard a peep from them since September. So I just submit gas meter readings at the end of each month... You're spot on about the power costs - but the worst thing about them is that our own government are allowing us to be robbed blind.
