Today I shall be Mainly...

[EileenDavid]

went to Southport yesterday it was lovely. Today we have taken the car into the garage for bits and bobs prior to our next trip to France Eileen

[Tizer]

went to Southport yesterday it was lovely.

Have they discovered the sea yet, Eileen. Whenever I went there they assured me it was out there somewhere but it never put in an appearance.

Just another comment to add to my diatribe about house sales above...solicitors and conveyancers have taken to asking long lists of questions of the seller, some of them silly or plain irrelevant. We've recently been asked if the loft has been insulated (fair enough question) and, if so, please provide evidence of building regulation approval (silly, it isn't subject to building regs). I think these lists are just the legal beagles trying to justify their fees when they can't find anything more serious to raise.

[Sue]

That is true. My daughter has just sold and bought. She had a new kitchen in her house some 8 years ago. They wanted all sorts of certificates which she has never had. She asked the kitchen company for them and they said it was silly as anything would be out of date now.

[Sue]

Off to Dinard airport to pick up friends who are staying a week with us. We have managed to do a quick tidy of the garden and all seems presentable for our first visitors of the season...lol.

Hope all is Ok Colin. It sounds like appendicitis

[Stanley]

Comrade, Give Cath my love and tell her I have done a get-well-quickly dance! Only good thing is that it sounds as though she is in the right place. Post regular bulletins please.
Can't cross fingers for Cath as I'll be doing more on the LTP. I'll cross legs instead.

[Nolic]

Cath had an operation last night for a perforated bowel. Ward Sr told me at 2.00am that she was fine and recovering well from anaesthetic. Not sure yet what cause was but hopeful that they caught it early enough. Nolic

[Stanley]

That sounds like a close Call Colin. Thank God you both had the sense to get in there in time. Give her my best.....

[Sue]

Goodness that sounds nasty. I had a perforated appendix once which took part of the intestine with it as it was wrapped round it. Very painful so I really can sympathise. Do hope all is ok.

[Sue]

Friends, Wendy and Keith arrived to a beautiful evening but dull and damp this morning. All due to clear up by mid afternoon and then good weather all week

[EileenDavid]

Have they discovered the sea yet, Tiz

Hello Tiz I have seen the sea at Southport about half a dozen times and we go about twice a month when we are not in France. One sight I will never forget was 100's of peoplesitting on the wall waiting for the sea to go out. But who needs sea when there are Lord Street shops. Eileen

[Tizer]

I can remember when I was a child and we sometimes drove in the old banger to Southport via Preston for a day out. Somewhere after Preston we used to stop and join several other cars parked on the grass to have a cup of tea from our flask...on the central verge of the dual carriageway! Those were the days!

Nolic, please pass on my best wishes to your wife, it must have been a frightening and painful experience for her, especially away from home. I wonder if the stress of her parents' problems has caused or amplified inflammation of the bowel. I get bowel trouble from any kind of stress, mental or physical, even high or low ambient temperatures can set if off. Aspirin or ibuprofen type drugs can cause it too, and stress plus the drugs together create even more risk. All that and then a meal of spicy food and you're heading for trouble...and you can hardly avoid spicy food these days if `eating out'. The inflammation is itself unpleasant but if it goes on for too long or is exacerbated by other factors then the chance of perforation rises. And perforation of the gut is often regarded as a greater medical emergency than heart failure or stroke...but she should be OK now Nolic, the danger is right at the beginning when bacteria can get into the bloodstream. Once they've given antibiotics and operated then all should be well.

[Cathy]

Colin, i have just learnt of Cath"s problem, hope all is OK now. All my best to you Cath and all.

[Nolic]

Thanks all for your kind thoughts. Tiz, I think that stress may well have played a part as since taking the decision that her mum had to move for her own and dad's safety she has not been able to relax and we had both built this holiday up as a real break from all the hassle.
At least she's complaining 'cos they still won't let her eat and she is only getting sips of water. Nolic

[Marilyn]

Our thoughts to Nolic and Cath.
( some of us have really been through the mill this year)
Tell her the highlight of recovery will be a clear broth...sounds awful and looks awful but is just bliss after prolonged deprivation. I think they just take some hot water and 'wave' an oxo cube over it, but it is so much nicer than water.
D thought I was a goddess for bringing him in a carton of chilled Orange Juice when he was in Intensive Care. I had to hold the straw for him, but the pleasure on his face was worth a million bucks. He kept putting so much effort into gasping "more, please".

[Cathy]

My best memory after having an operation was when I told the nurse that I felt a bit chilly, she came back with a heated blanket, pulled back the top sheet and tucked the heated blanket in around me, and then the other bedding. It was pure bliss and I drifted off to sleep immediatley.

Did I say that it was 'pure bliss', mmm.....

[PanBiker]

Just picked up on the prognosis Nolic, best wishes to Cath for a speedy recovery. Complaining is usually a good sign of moving in the right direction.

[Nolic]

Big op with long term implications that I don't want to go into but she is going to need a lot of convalescence and support. Told her today that her mum and dad are safe and she must forget about them for a while and put herself first......for the first time ever. Nolic

[Whyperion]

some of them silly or plain irrelevant. We've recently been asked if the loft has been insulated (fair enough question) and, if so, please provide evidence of building regulation approval (silly, it isn't subject to building regs). I think these lists are just the legal beagles trying to justify their fees when they can't find anything more serious to raise.

Isn't there supposed to be ( 4in?) gap at the eaves to allow for ventilation when insulating with mineral/wool between the joists and/or rafters ?

[Wendyf]

Thinking of you Nolic.

[Stanley]

Legs still crossed but as Ian says, the complaining is a good sign! I think Tiz is right, stress can have some surprising results.
I shall be boring as usual and crack on with the LTP....

[Wendyf]

Going to Leeds again to see Mum.

[Sue]

Best wishes for a speedy trouble free recovery Nolic. I hope everything goes ok in the next few weeks. Mum and dad are looked after so she must concentrate on her own health.

[PanBiker]

Sorting the code for my car radio/CD. Having the clutch replaced in the car with the battery disconnected has dumped the code in the radio so nothing works. I have checked all my paperwork and I don't have the code so I will have to pull out the CD unit to get at the Model and Serial Number. Various sites on the internet will get you the code for £10- £15.00 a go but a bit deeper search finds a free code generator which uses the same algorithm that the manufacturers use to generate the code from the mode / serial number on the equipment. I know how to enter it via the remote unit on the steering column so hopefully I can get it sorted.

[Nolic]

I spoke to Cath earlier. Less pain today and was sat up looking forward to a cup of tea that the Dr said she could have. She later texted me to say she wished she had'nt bothered. I want to take her some treats in but she can't have anything. Flowers would be nice but she has that many machines, cylinders etc there's no room for them. Charlotte had a good idea. Found a little wash bag with small bottles that she's filled with soap, hand cream, lip balm etc which will hopefully brighten Cath up a bit. Nolic

[Cathy]

Well done Charlotte, nice toiletries are always appreciated, they are a link to her normal world, and in the circumstances that Cath is going thru she will appreciate feeling normal again. Scents, memories, pampering, tastes, are all very healing.