Hi Angie and Deborah
I cant reply messages for some reason. It says there is a problem so I dont know if its my computer or a site fault. At least I can leave a message this way! We have been having problems using the internet over the past few days too.
If you read this before you leave for your holiday Angie have a good one! I hope you manage to find someone to look after the kittens and the garden. Are you taking your mother? Ludlow sounds lovely and im sure it will be a great place to unwind. I expect you will come back laden with interesting plants for your garden. Have the kittens been innoculated yet? Thank you for suggesting Petunias for the flower bed, and I will be planting those along the back of the flower bed.
Deborah, Im glad to hear you enjoyed the Isle of Wight. It is lovely there. We went to Bembridge years ago and visited the various resorts around the island. That was a great holiday and the sun shone all week. In July we are going to the Cardigan area of Wales. I love it there and the scenery and beaches are fantastic. Its also very peaceful, which suits me because I really need to relax for a week.
Will you be using your caravan this year for a holiday Deborah? I expect it looks really nice with the new curtains that you made.
Once again, have a lovely holiday Angie,
bye for now, Jacqui D

Hi Jacqui, thank goodness it isnt my computer. I tried to get on yesterday but to no avail. It must have been the site. Anyway, lovely to hear from you. Angie if you see this have a lovely holiday and I hope the sun shines.
Wales sounds lovely for your holiday Jacqui. We went to Wales only once years ago, I think it was somewhere called tally bont but I dont think I have spelt it right. Marks cousin had a sheep farm there but he doesnt live there anymore.
We are actually going away with the caravan next weekend, Friday to the Sunday just to a place called Whaplode not far from Holbeach and Spalding. It is only about 45 mins drive if that but for the first time we dont want to go too far. We joined the caravan club and they have sites which only have 5 caravans at a time which is ideal for us as we like it quiet! It costs £7 a night which includes electric hook up, toilets, showers and they told me a nice view. This will make you laugh! Tomorrow night we are going to spend the night in it on the drive! Robert cant wait. I have told a few people we are doing this so I hope we dont get any unexplained activity around it when we are tucked up!
Robert has a school trip coming up in a couple of weeks time. He is going to a butterfly park not far from where we are taking the caravan. They have asked if I will go along to help along with some other parents so it should be good. Not a very good thing happened yesterday in the playgroup at Roberts school. The playgroup is held in a mobile just alongside Roberts classroom which is in the main school. When I was helping yesterday afternoon there was a lot of activity outside the mobile and parents of the playgroup children looking very angry and upset. I managed to find out and you wont believe it. Apparently a 3 year old had managed to get out of the school grounds and went a couple of yards down the road into a shop. The woman in the shop wondered what he was doing, she looked out of the door to see if he was with anybody and realised he was alone! His mother than walked past the shop, and the shop lady told her that he was in the shop. She said he couldnt be because he was in playgroup and she was going to fetch him, but it was her son! You can imagine how she felt. In the playgroup there are 4 adults and not one of them missed him! I am astonished that this could have happened. Thank God he didnt go into the road or was taken by somebody.
Anyway how is your mum? Hope everything is going well with her. My Dad is on a downer again and driving my mum mad. What can I say to her I just have to listen I suppose. Never mind things will sort out.
How is your garden? I have harvested my potatoes which I grew in a compost bag and they are lovely. They are the size of new potatoes and quite tasty. I have some tomato plants on the go now, I feel like Tom and Barbara from the Good Life! All I need now is a pig and some chickens! I dont think the neighbours woould appreciate that!!!
Well, Robert is playing with his Thomas the Tank Engine train set which he has a fad to play with every now and then. The play station hasnt been touched for ages. He has already given me his orders for Xmas. He wants a gameboy but the games are so expensive for them arent they? He'll perhaps change his mind by then.
Well, must go and drink my tea Mark has just made. Off to the chemist tomorrow to pick up Marks hayfever tablets. He reallly is suffering at the moment. Its a pity we couldnt get a bit of rain
just to take the pollen count down a bit.
It really was lovely to hear from you and I hope you have a lovely weekend and I shall try to come on here Monday. The days go so quick dont they and you realise you havent been on here for a while.
Take care, speak to you soon,
Deborah

Hi Jacqui, just a quick message to say hello if you manage to get on here. Hope you are well and look forward to hearing from you soon.
Deborah

Hi Deborah
Great to hear from you! Sorry to have taken so long to reply, ive been so busy organising space for Emily stuff, as she is moving out of her present flat and is storing her things here until she moves into her next one. On top of that my job and visiting my mother etc. Anyway! how did the night in the caravan go? Did you last until the morning ok or did you sneak back indoors for a cup of tea at 2 in the morning. I can imagine you all tip-toeing into the house and into your cosy beds under cover of darkness. It must have seemed quite strange to be sleeping on your driveway. At least you have had a practice, and know what to expect. I like the sound of the caravan park that you are going to. As it only holds a few caravans it wont be too noisy. I feel quite envious actually, you can escape for weekends whenever you want to.
That was awful about that little boy running out of the playgroup. His mother must have been in shock. It was lucky that the lady in the shop recognised him wasnt it. Surely the school gate should have been shut, but maybe he managed to reach up to undo it. It reminded me of a time when I took my daughter to her playgroup (which she hated) and as I was walking home I looked round and she was running after me in tears. I hardly ever took her after that. She loved school though, which was a relief. What annoyed me about this playgroup was that nobody took Emily from me to help her settle in or to make her feel welcome. She was used to lots of attention and cuddles and it didnt happen there. Still we had lots of fun and story books at home, plus the neighbours children to play with. She did so well at school and is now at university, so it didnt do her any harm.
Is Robert still happy at school? Is he looking forward to the summer holidays? Yes, Gameboys and computer games are expensive. They all seem to have them though and when their friends have things like that they have to have them too, or they feel left out. Children are really expensive these days arnt they.
I hope your father is better now. It sounds as though he gets depressed and it must be difficult for your mother. Maybe the medication has something to do with it. I noticed that one of my mother's heart pills was on the dining room table when I went round this evening. She sometimes drops them on the floor too. I organise them into little plastic compartments for her but she still manages to miss the odd one now and then. The hospital asked me to let her organise them but I know she wouldnt manage as she gets confused and also they are very fiddly and fly about everywhere.
Im off to check my lottery ticket now. I ask for lucky dips rather than have the same numbers as its easier. Have you won anything yet, I have won £10 on three occasions so far and i'm waiting for my big win.
Take care, and hope to hear from you soon with all your news. Give Robert a hug from Auntie Jacqui on the message boards! bye for now,
Jacqui D

Good morning Jacqui, lovely to hear from you. Sounds like you are keeping nice and busy! Your Emily sounds like a lovely daughter. What is she studying at university?
Well, our night in the caravan went well. Mark gave up though at about 2.00am as he had a headache and it was very warm and I think his hayfever was playing him up. Other than that myself and Robert slept quite well. Some cats were messing about on the drive but other than that it wasnt too bad. We went to Holbeach over the weekend and had a lovely time. It was so peaceful and relaxing.

Sorry I am always pushing the wrong button. As I was saying, myself and Robert was playing badminton. He started to get the hang of it and we had a really good time. We went to Holbeach to look at the shops and visited a fete on at the local school and Robert won a coconut on the coconut shy. You should have seen his face he couldnt believe it! All in all a nice break. We may be going away again the first week in the holidays to where we visit the Lancaster aeroplane and nearby Mablethorpe just for a few nights. The caravan is nice and comfy and I got on quite well with the cooking in it.
Robert is still liking school especially as they have been swimming in their outdoor pool. He is supposed to do swimming today but it is pouring with rain so I guess it will be called off. It is the schoool sports evening tomorrow so I hope the weather has cleared up by then. He wants to go in some of the races they just pick what they want to do on the night. They have hot dogs, a tombola and a raffle etc... It all helps the school funds.
You know its funny you saying about Emily following you out of play school. It probably sounds silly and Robert has never done it but when I leave him at school in the mornings. I always look back just in case he has come out. I dont think he would and as he is 6 he isnt a toddler, but

I've pressed the wrong button again!!!! I think I am trying to type to quick and pressing something on my keyboard! Anyway, I always look back to see if he is there, I guess just a mothers instinct!
Glad to hear your mum is doing OK. My Dad had a blood transfusion on Friday, the third one he has had and it seems to have perked him up for now. A bit of peace for my Mum for a while!
I used to do the lottery but havent done it for a while as I just never seemed to get anywhere. Had a few £10 but that was it. I hope you have some good luck with it someone has to win dont they?
Yes, Robert is looking forward to the summer holidays as I am, to spend some time with him. The children get so tired towards the end of term and I can get some more time in bed in the mornings! Even Robert likes to sleep in sometimes.
I have had some windows delivered today. One for the bathroom and one for Roberts room. Mark will fit them at the weekend hopefully without too much trouble! They have cost us £300 so we have saved that amount again by buying and fitting them ourselves.
Well, I suppose I must get some lunch now. It is still raining. Wish me luck as I am going to bingo on Wednesday night, you never know. My Mum won £325 last Saturday on the table games at bingo, I wish I had her winning luck!
I will give Robert the big hug you have sent him, take care for now and I hope to hear from you soon,
Deborah

Hi Deborah
Hope you are well? Thanks for the lovely newsy message. It just seems to be you and me now doesnt it. As you say, we all seem to be so busy at the moment. I wonder how Linda is getting on with the cafe. Maybe we will hear when she is less busy. Anyway, I hope your father is still feeling better after his transfusion. It must be a relief for your mother when he cheers up. Its not surprising that he gets depressed, anyone would in that situation. My mother is still a lot more cheerful than she used to be. Maybe one of her pills is designed to make her happy!
I hope Mark manages to fit the windows ok. He is very clever to tackle that. When we had our double glazing done they were very quick. They took 3 days to do the whole house including a sliding patio doors. Mind you our old window frames were rotting so pushing the old windows out was a doddle!
Did you win anything at Bingo this week. I bet that is fun, is it one of those big Bingo halls with all the technology. When we lived in Thanet we used to play bingo but it was one of those seafront ones where anyone who happens to be passing can walk in and join in. Hope you all enjoyed the sports evening, its nice that they can join any races they like as there is less pressure. Did you do the parents races? I remember doing the mums race and came second to last, much to my children's embarrassment.
Yes, Emily is lovely. She has always been artistic and used to draw pictures of fairies and rainbows from a very young age so its nice that she is using her talents to get a degree. She has always enjoyed studying too. She hardly ever slept as a baby and it was a nightmare at the time but by the time Ben came along she decided she quite liked her bed and would look at books if she couldnt sleep. She had a very active brain.
When is your holiday? We are off to Wales on the 12th July with Ben, who is 18 and his friend. He is really looking forward to it. We are quite lucky because our two 'children' still like doing things as a family as well as with their friends. We always have a lot of fun.
Right, i'm off to cook the evening meal now, something easy with chips I think!
Take care and hope to hear from you soon about your caravaning adventures!
Jacqui D

Hi Jacqui D and Deborah,

I am back from my holidays. I stayed in a 3 bedroomed converted barn (think cow barn rather than one of those large gallered places) miles off the beaten track about 15 miles south of Ludlow.

It was very tranquille with just my Mum and Aunt (no children around) (but the owner had lots of dogs - about 6), but I did come back feeling as if I had been a chauffer for the last two weeks.

I am finding it hard to settle - Saturday night I could not get off to sleep and when I did I woke up wondering just where I was - didn't realise I was in my own bed. Last night I slept a bit better until 4.00 am when Daisy tried to get me up to feed her and let her in with the kittens. I told her no way and went back to sleep until 7.00.

It is going to be difficult to get into a routine until the kittens have gone but that should be by the end of this week - so I have to make the most of them while I can. They have grown so whilst I was away. My neighbour has taken hers - as they are ready, and brought him around to show me how much he has changed in just two weeks. Certainly, the people who take the kittens on are going to have their hands full as they are full of fun and mischief.

The remaining kittens seem to take great delight in shimmying up the wall of the living room by the garden door. They even give Daisy a fright as when they get above shoulder height (oh yes) she has to go and try and get them down. Good job I was going to redecorate in any case.

They are all eating well, drinking cat milk and using the litter trays. Trouble is they are still trying to nurse from Daisy - and bless her they do eventually wear her down - I dont think she has any milk to feed them as she has been seperated from them for over a week now. So, I have to keep an eye on them - especially when it all goes quiet, to make sure they dont nurse from her - as she is booked into be spayed on Friday.

The weather was really quite good where we were and only Friday 27th June was really wet, but I drove over the mountains into Wales on the off chance - and it was lovely and sunny there. All in all it was a lovely break and I would recommend the Staffordshire/Worcester areas for a holiday. We sampled the local cider on a couple of occasions, watched cheese and butter being made and even sampled the local wine - and very good it all was too.

Well I had better get on

Take care and I will speak to you both soon

Angie

Hi Angie
Welcome Back! Glad to hear that you enjoyed your holiday, even though you were the chauffeur (have I spelt that right?). It really does you good to get away from the old routine now and then doesnt it. I love the sound of the converted barn.
Also glad to hear the kittens are all thriving. Things will be much easier when they have all gone. More time to concentrate on the garden. Its amazing how quickly the weeds take over when you turn your back.
We are off to the Cardigan area of Wales for a week on Saturday and I cant wait. It is walking distance to the sea too. I really miss the sea air after 20 years of being 'inland'. I was brought up by the sea and I never really got used to being away from it.
Ive just sold my old piano, which was rarely played and took up such a lot of room in the dining room. My daughter learnt on it but it got ignored for years. She was quite upset when we sold it but has cheered up now as the room looks so much better.We can now actually sit comfortably around the dining table. We might get a keyboard to replace it, something that can be moved from room to room!
Im off to have a tooth repaired this afternoon as a large piece has dropped off. I want to get it sorted before the holiday in case it falls to bits! That happened to another tooth and I had to have it extracted. Unfortunately, I am a bit chlaustrophobic
and dread being in the dentist's chair. I am not a happy bunny.
Hope you manage to sort out the garden when you have time! Right, the sun is shining and I'm off to hang the washing out -
bye for now Jacqui D

Hi Jacquie D,

I am glad you are going away for a break. We seem to have a lot in common as I too used to live near to the sea - I lived about 5 minutes from the sea near Emsworth in Hampshire for about 30 years. Now I live just about as far away from the sea as it is possible to do in this island country... Aylesbury in Bucks.

Dont get me wrong, it is a lovely area in which to live, with the Chilterns on my doorstep - as well as only being a short drive to the Cotswolds... but I do miss the sound and smell of the sea.

It sounds as if the weather is improving for you so I hope you have a good time.

I dont have claustrophobia but I do not like the dentists very much - and I have the same problem - my teeth seem to crack, so I have to be very careful when I eat. What I dont like is someone rooting about in my mouth. It got so bad that I had to take tranquillisers before - to chill me out. I have broken a tooth eating a buscuit and also a lump of chocolate.

The kittens are coming along lovely - but are going to their new homes on Sunday. One is already in his new home and doing well. I think I shall be glad for the peace and quiet when they go as they are such a handful.

I let them out in the morning (I have to keep them seperated from Daisy - to stop her from feeding them) and also Daisy (to stop her from trying to mate with Harry - and attacking him when he isn't that interested). They then all get fed downstairs - that way I have more room to feed them all and there is no squabling over the food.

I then have about 30 minutes to play with them before I have to get ready for work - at which point I then have to catch them all and put them back in their room. This is proving to be more and more difficult as they have caught on to what is happening. They are okay in their room but they do prefer to be out and about playing all over the house.

I had friends over last night to see the kittens before they go - and they wouldn't sit still for a minute for a hug or cuddle - no they had to be off. When they race around upstairs it sounds like a heard of elephants racing across the ceiling, not three kittens.

Oh, I should add that usually Daisy is chasing them to give anyone of them she catches a good wash - she is not much more than a kitten herself but she is playing the mother role well and keeping an eye on them all the time - so she doesn't settle if the kittens are out.

Well I had better go. Have a great holiday

Angela

Hi Jacqui and Angie, lovely to hear that you are both keeping busy! Glad you had a nice holiday Angie it really does you good to have a rest doesnt it? I hope you have a wonderful holiday too Jacqui and I hope you have your tooth all sorted out! I dont like the dentist but Robert loves it and cant wait to lay in the chair with his mouth open! Mind you he has never had to have anything done so he doesnt realise how horrible it can be!!
Well sports evening was a real let down. They only had 4 stalls selling a few books, a lucky dip, a raffle and a tombola which was nothing but tins of food to win. There didnt seem to be much enthusiasm behind any of it and the races were just got through as quick as possible. The teachers looked throughly bored. We actually left after an hour as Robert didnt want to go in anything and he seemed very tired but that day at school they had had swimming in the morning and PE all afternoon so they were all worn out!
I still havent won at bingo but my friend brought a friend with her when we went and her friend won £20! I just havent got the lucky touch! I am biding my time for the big one (thats my excuse!) The club we go to is a Gala club but it all seems very serious but I suppose with the big money at stake they have to get it right. I love the seaside bingo and Robert loves them phrases they have to go with the numbers.
Well, not long now before the summer holidays start. I shall have to think of things to keep Robert amused. I have a few ideas up my sleeve so I shall let you know about all the exciting things I come up with! As to wether Robert will find them so exciting remains to be seen. So long as I include swimming he will be happy. He is really coming along with his swimming and goes under water but when he does it I feel like pulling him out and shouting breathe! I dont know sometimes I am so daft!
There is a classic car show on on Sunday so we might be going to that with Marks Morris Minor although I find it a bit boring but Robert likes to see all the old cars.
Well, once again Jacqui enjoy your holiday and I hope the sun shines for you and its nice to have you back Angie. I bet your garden is looking nice now, I have a lot of lovely flowers now.
Speak to you both soon, take care
Deborah

Hi Jacqui and Deborah,

No my garden is not looking good at all. It looks like a jungle. It's because I went away for two weeks - so I missed the stars of the gardens - the poppies and the roses... So I have to get in with the secutures and dead head the roses, if I want a second flush.

I bought a super poppy (very expensive) from a specialist grower how imports them from the States... you are supposed to take off the seed heads and water and feed them to get a second flush of flowers - trouble is I dont know which one is which, and the seed heads are such a feature that I dont like to cut them down.

I suppose I will have to spend most of the weekend out there. The trouble is that the forecast is for really hot weather - and it is not pleasant gardening in such heat. I do think the garden will look better when I have cut the grass - that always seems to do the trick.

At the moment, the geranium Ann Folkard is flowering all over the border. It is a bright purple with a black centre. It has even scrambled up the bright yellow verbascum and climbing the trellis - so the contrast is very striking. It seems to have a long flowering season, which is good.

I do have one problem - which is a species clemetis has fallen off the fence onto the border - the trouble is that it is very vigerous, I cut it down hard each year in the spring, and it has put on about 2 metres of growth and is now coming into flower. It has small greyish white flowers - but it looks stunning as there are so many of them, then it is followed by seed heads - which look a bit like old mans beard - so it is what is called a good doer... trouble is I dont think I need two of them in the garden, so I think I will replace one of them with another type of clemetis or maybe a rose.

When we were on holiday we visited David Austin roses at Albrighton, near Wolverhampton. It was well worth the visit as the roses were in full bloom, and I have decided on which ones I want - it is now a case of tracking a particular one down. I fell in love with a rose called Jude the Obscure - because its buds are just like a Peonia but has the most wonderful scent when the blooms finally open...

So the incentive for getting the garden done is to go down the garden centre to see what they have got in stock. Obviously, if I cannot find it, then I will just have to order one for delivery in the autumn.

It is a shame that the school did not bother more. Usually they are very keen on raising school funds - but maybe it was just not well organised. It usually takes someone special to get the school sorted out for functions like this and you usually find it is the same people or person all the time, who the school rely on - then when they go they get stuck.

Well I had better get on and see if anyone needs my help.

Angie

Hi Angie, hope you are well. I think Jacqui must be away on holiday now she certainly picked some good weather so far. How did you cope with the hot weather? I found it a bit too much but today has been so much better. Did you get your garden sorted out? it just seems to go mad when you are away on holiday. I tidied up the front garden yesterday and clipped a conifer hedge which runs along our drive but I was so hot I dont know how I managed it. The best thing was though last night there was a disco at Roberts school but on the way home the heavens opened and we both got soaked and I mean soaked! Our clothes could be wrung out but it might sound daft but I really enjoyed it. After being so hot all week it was so cool and refreshing even Robert saw the funny side. The shirt Robert had on was a new one and a dark blue colour and I was afraid he was going to end up with a blue body but luckily it didnt run!
I agree with what you said about the school and its fund raising, it does seem to be the same people organising everything, its such a shame. Talking of school Robert broke up today for 6 weeks and 3 days. It seems such a long time but hopefully I can keep him amused.
Next week we are taking the caravan near to Sutton on Sea and Mablethorpe, Monday to the Friday. We are going on another 5 van site and its only £7 a night so it wont cost us much. We shall also visit the place where they have the Lancaster aeroplane which is only about 5 minutes from the site. I hope the weather will be alright but not too hot!
At least I dont have to water the garden tonight as it is raining again now. My sweet peas dont seem to be doing very well. They are growing well but dont seem to be flowering in great amounts. I keep dead heading them which should promote more flowers but it doesnt seem to be making much difference. The trial sweet peas from Gardeners World called Mrs Jacqui Davis have only just started flowering but they dont look anything special. In fact they are not very tall but that may be how they are suppposed to be. Everything else seems to be thriving especially the marigolds I grew from seed if you remember. Will they last the whole season do you think?
Anyway I hope you have a lovely weekend and the weather holds for you to enjoy your garden. Hope you get the Roses you want. Take care, speak too you soon
Deborah

Hi Deborah,

I think she must as well. I didn't do very well with the hot weather - especially as the re-cycled air (we dont have air conditioning here) broke down and I had to rely on a fan to move the hot air around. But I had real trouble staying awake.

At home it was even worse - as I have to keep the windows almost closed to keep the kittens and Daisy in - as I think she would be off if she could. So the house was almost unbearable - in the end I kept the curtains closed during the day to keep the sun out whilst I was at work. Luckily, Daisy will be able to go out in just a few days and she seems to have recovered very well from being spayed.

I have one kitten remaining - and I think he is going to be with me for another month yet as his new family are shortly going on holiday. Splodge has turned into a really sweet little kitten without his brothers to egg him on. He loves to come and play and also to snuggle up against you. Mind you he still races around after Mum to try and nurse but she stops him now as she hasn't got anything left to give him.

Wednesday night I tried letting him sleep on the bed - as he had snuggled down with me - however, he might have slept but I didn't as I was so afraid that I would roll over and squash him. I dont know why I put up with it for so long but in the end I had to oust him from the room to get some sleep - but by then I had disturbed myself so much that I only ended up getting 4 hours. Strangely I wasn't that tired yesterday - but it has caught up with me today.

I am sure that you will have a great time on holiday and that Robert will enjoy himself. I dont know that part of the world at all. I think the furthest up that part of the coast I have been is Colchester - as my brother used to be in the army there.

I have friends who lives in Essex - near Chelmsford - on a vineyard. I used to love going but it is difficult now as they have split up - and they are both my friends - I have know Debbie since the early 1980's and Piers (her ex) for just a couple of years less - so it is very difficult, especially as he has married again already.

I have managed to make the garden look respectable by strimming the lawn, it was too long to mow, and by tidying the edges, some of the plants I have supported and all in all it is looking a lot better.

I went to Bloms of Bicester last Sunday to buy a blue flowered Agapanthus - to go with the white one which is just opening up now. I also ended up buying a yellow and red flowered Canna (I love Canna's as they look so exotic with their banana type leaves). I also bought a few other plants to just bring a bit of colour into the garden.

I have got about 30 half hardy salvia's (seascape mixture) in shades of blue, silver and white to put around the edges. I have grown them on from little plug plants which I got on special offer. I think I have just enough room to get them in.

Well I had better finish now before this becomes a book.

Angie

Hi Deborah and Angie
Hope you are both well!? We have had a lovely relxing holiday in Wales. I really did need to get away for a while, and it really did me good. We stayed in an ancient little house right next to the sea at Parrog near Cardigan. We took Ben and his friend and left Emily at home. I wasnt too worried because my brother lives nearby. She was busy putting on a display of her art work at her old school. The theme was colour. I gather from the neighbour that she entertained a lot in the evenings. They must have been very relieved when we returned.
I really laughed at the sports day story Deborah. What a shame, obviously none of the teachers are interested in sport or it would have been more organized. I think these days they do rely a lot on the parents too. Just as well Robert wasnt too bothered wasnt it! Are you going on holiday soon?
Right next to where we stayed was a field for caravans and tents. It really was a lovely setting. There were a lot of rabbits about, It was like a scene from Watership Down first thing in the morning before people were up. I'm an early riser and every morning I watched them from the bathroom window. A few of them would feed while three or four of them sat around the edges of the field to keep watch. Very interesting to watch.
Angie, have all the kittens been collected yet. If so, I expect you are really appeciating being able to concentrate on other things, like gardening.
The past couple of days I have been busy with my mother, as the meals on wheels people found her on the kitchen floor and she couldnt get up. She really shouldnt be on her own, she is much too frail now. She wont hear of leaving the house. She has been extremely bad tempered too, and I cant seem to do anything right. She complains constantly about everyone in the family and it has all been really depressing. Still, ive been there before and things have improved. Keeping calm and sane are my priorities at the moment. How is your mother these days Angie? Luckily my energetic sister is coming tomorrow to help, so I am very relieved about that as you can imagine.
Hope you managed to get your garden looking nice again Angie. My bedding plants have finished now and its time to look for something else to put in, if you have any suggestions. Are Petunias past their time for planting now? I want something colourful if possible.
Hope to hear from you both with all your news!
take care and bye for now,
Jacqui D

Hi JacquiD and Deborah,

Glad you had a good holiday Jacqui. I certainly did - but it seems a distant memory already. :(

I have one kitten left with me as his new family aren't ready for him yet. He has just had his first injections - he protested all the way there and back - very loudly, so I think he is going to be a very vocal cat - not like his Mum.

So at the moment my house looks like a bomb has hit it - I tidy up every day when I get in but when I come home at night there will be paper everywhere as he loves hunting them out and then sliding around the room on them. It is heart breaking to spend so much time cleaning, hoovering and polishing for it to look just like it did within a very short time. So I think I will contact his future owners and see if they can take him before their holidays - and then bring him back for the two weeks he is away... at least that way I can get my house back together again.

Daisy is entranced now with going out - as I hadn't let her until she had had her innoculations... now that is done she can enjoy her freedom.

Yes, I have got the garden looking a lot better. I have some Salvia seascape to get in for some late colour - I got them as plug plangs and have been growing them on. They are great for adding colour and come in a range of shades of blue, blue and white, white and silver... and they will flower their heads off until the first frosts.

Yes, you could put petunia's in now and provided you kept up with watering them and also deadheading them they will do well... try mixing in some Salvia's for added effect.

With the little bit of rain we have had the lawn is starting to grow again - so I will have to have a go at that again soon. I tried spot treating some weeds in the lawn - with the right product but all the grass seems to have died back as well. I am seriously considering just digging that part of the lawn up - but if I did that I dont think there would be enough left to worry about - which I dont really want and I think a lawn is a good foil for the borders.

Jacqui - next year why not have a go at growing some Scabious - there is a cutting mixture from Dobies available which give a wide range of colours and they flower for weeks on end. You could grow a range of plants which you can cut to bring into the house. Sarah Raven does a really good book on "The Cutting Garden" which you should be able to get from the Library.

Well I suppose I had better get on.

Angie

Good morning Jacqui and Angie, hope you are both well. Glad to hear you had a lovely holiday Jacqui it sounds a beautiful place.
You have certainly had your hands full, Angie, with those kittens! I love the paper tearing bit and sliding across the floor on it! Daisy sounds like she was a good mother.
Sorry to hear your Mum is not very good, Jacqui. It is a worry I know. My Dad is also not too good again at the moment, I think when he goes to the hospital today that they will have to organise another blood transfusion, which seems to be something he has to have about every 4 or 5 weeks. We just have to plod along dont we?
Your gardens sound lovely and I like the sound of the Canna, Angie. I like tropical looking plants. I also love Petunias which I havent got this year but aim to have next year. I have planted some lettuces and some late cropping cabbage so it will be interesting to see how I get on with them.
Wel, we had a lovely holiday. The camp site was really nice and on site was a wartime museum although it wasnt open, only on Sundays. We visited lots of museums mainly with a 2nd world war theme and we were only a mile from Coningsby which houses the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, although at the moment it isnt there as they are building a new runway. We also visited Woodhall Spa which is a beautiful Victorian spa town. It was so olde worlde and like stepping back in time. We went to Mablethorpe and whilst there Robert lost his second milk tooth at the bottom at the front. He talks a bit funny now and he looks so strange! He couldnt wait to get his pound off the tooth fairy!! All in all we had a really relaxing holiday apart from the fact that I had a touch of cystitis part of the week and was drinking cranberry juice like it was going out of fashion which did the trick. I really should drink a glass every day as it really seems to do some good.
Today we are going to clean out Roberts room and try to throw away some of his junk, which will be easier said than done! He will turn round and say he needs anything I suggest should be got rid of!
Anyway, I hope you both have a lovely day, sppeak to you both soon, take care,
Deborah

Hi Deborah and JacquiD,

I am glad you had a good holiday Deborah and that things are going well for you.

I hope things are alright with your Mum Jacqui - it is so difficult when they get like this. You could have a stern talk with her but if she is anything like my Mum then it will just wash over her head. Trouble is you cannot leave her to stew as something might happen which you would regret - so you really cannot win. I hope your Sister has better luck.

I went and visited my Mum yesterday (Sunday). I took her carrots, beetroot and new potatoes from my garden and a pot plant. I chatted away to her about things, my garden and how the vegetables were coming on... then about 1/2 hour later she asked me how the garden was and how the vegetables were coming on... that gets me so annoyed but she hates it when I raise my voice... I cannot win.

I will admit that I was so tired on Sunday that all I really wanted to do was sleep. Not drive 75 miles to see her - take her to lunch then go for a nice drive - watch some telly before the drive home again... never mind, I have done my daughterly bit for a couple of weeks at least.

But I dont have my younger brother now to take the slack up and to give me a break as I used too - and my elder brother is useless where that is concerned. However, I must speak to him, as I cannot do it all on my own. I must have my own space - otherwise she will drive me crazy.

Its not too bad during the summer - as I have cricket on Saturdays but once that is over my Mum will expect me to be over nearly every weekend - and I just cannot do it. But she seems to expect it of me - and even when she says she is happy about me not coming over - she then just says how lonely it has been over the weekend - that she hasn't seen a sole etc etc...

At least everyone is now back at work - so then team is up to full strength - so maybe I can get a day or two off work - which will be good so I can catch up on myself and more particularily the house - which looks like a bomb has hit it.

I am not very happy with my garden at the moment as it doesn't seem to have much colour in it - but I am asking a lot of it really. I need to think about getting some plants to jazz it up a bit.

Angela

Hi Angie and Deborah
So glad to hear you enjoyed your holiday Deborah. It sounds like you kept yourselves very busy visiting all those museums etc. I bet Robert enjoyed every minute. And the excitement of losing a tooth too. Did the tooth fairy visit?! I have heard that Cranberry juice is good for cystitis, its useful to know that it works too.
I do hope your father is feeling better by now. It must be awful for all of you. Having an ill parent is so stressful I know.
Angie, I hope you managed to persuade those people to have the kitten for a while to give you a break. You go through exactly the same as me with your mother. You are told its not necessary to go and then are made to feel guilty afterwards. Yes, it is very difficult not to raise your voice! It is so good of you to drive so far and give her those lovely fresh vegetables. It would be nice if your brother could share the responsibility. I have the problem of persuading the rest of the family to help too. Unfortunately, things went from bad to worse on Sunday. We found my mother in bed on Sunday unable to move because of back pain. She had fallen over earlier in the week and the meals on wheels ladies had helped her up. She appeared to be ok for a couple of days after that. I called an ambulance and it took the ambulance men an hour to get her out as she screamed every time she was moved an inch. She was eventually strapped to a special metal stretcher. We had to cut her nighty off to change her as she couldnt sit up. You can imagine the state she was in, not having been able to get to the bathroom for several hours. Apparently she has a fractured vertibrae, and low oxygen levels in her blood, apart from a few other ailments. She is still in hospital and doesnt want to eat or take her medication at the moment. She thinks the hospital are trying to poison her. My older brother is keen for her to go home again, but he forgets that means I would have to be on call several times a day, while he only visits once in a blue moon.
Thank you for the advice for the garden Angie, when I have the chance I will look out for the plants you suggest, they sound lovely. These wild forget-me-nots are still springing up all over the place, they have great big hairy leaves and are driving me mad.
Anyway take care and hope to hear from you both again soon.
bye for now, Jacqui D

Hi JaquiD and Deborah,

I am sorry to hear about your Mum. My Mum did something similar but didn't end up in hospital - we managed to get an emergency appointment at the local doctors and he gave her some extremely strong pain killers - trouble was they took her out of reality completely and really disagreed with her other tablets - so she couldn't take them for long.

It does seem as though your mother can no longer cope on her own - and I know that it is not a nice thing to think about or even to plan but it seems like the stage has come where you really have to think about her future and yours. She obviously cannot live with your or your brother - so you have to look at the alternatives.

Now this may not mean putting her into a home. There are some sheltered accomodation units out there which provide high levels of care - geared to the individuals needs... I know of one where there are one-bed houses attached to the care home - so that the residents can join in the facilities when then want them or close their doors if they dont.

The trouble is that someone is going to have to make the decision to start looking to see what is available - and sooner rather than later as for the most part these facilities prefer their clients to have their mind intact etc. However, it is better to find her somewhere that is comfortable now or have to find her an emergency place later, if something worse happens to her.

My Mum has already told me she is not going into a home. I have told her that there is no way she can come and live with me as I just do not have the time, working full time as I do - which she says she understands. She also knows that there is no way she could live with my elder brother.

She is currently needs another operation to repair a hernia which has broken through again - but wont have it done. I can understand her reluctance as she has had so many operations in the last 2 years but it is coming to the stage where it is threatening her quality of life - it interfers with her ability to eat and her breathing - so she cannot do what little she previously could. This came to the fore on our recent holiday when she got breathless taking little walks.

The hernia is as a result of the MRSA infection she picked up after her heart operation a couple of christmas's ago. It took 3 months to beat and left her without a breast bone - which they repaired by simply wiring her together. However, this quickly broke down and they had to do a repair using double thickness hernia material. But it looks like even this has not worked. This means that everything ends up in the wrong place and by the end of the day her stomach is pressing on her lungs and heart... by the next morning it has gone down again back where it belongs but she has to eat.

So she does not want to be operated on again because even her surgeon admits he does not really know what to do next and at her age (70) is himself reluctant to put her through it all again and risk stirring up the MRSA infection again. So its a case of wait and see how bad it gets and then deciding if its worth doing.

My Mum is very fatalistic as a result and lives from day to day, as it could be her last. She tends not to plan for the future in case things go wrong - as they often have in the past. So, I suspect her attitude is down to the fact that she does not believe that she is going to be around for anyone to look after.

I must say that I understand her reluctance to consider going into a home at some stage in the future. I think it is down to having seen one of her friends in what was supposed to have been one of the best available and seeing her left in a chair uncared for and alone in stained, grubby clothes.

Onto a happier note... the family who are having the last kitten are coming on Thursday to see him and I am hoping that they will be able to take him. I just cannot give him the time and handling he needs to grow up into a lap cat - although he does love to come and sleep on my lap he does not like being picked up and cuddled. However, some cats are like that and he has learned his independance from his Mum and especially his Uncle Harry.

Don't get me wrong, he is a lovely little thing, full of love and life but he needs to be played with all the time to keep him amused not left alone all day with Mum to keep him company. It is not socialising him enough... so we will see what she has to say. I think it would be good for her little girl to get to play with him at this stage.

Harry is being a real grump at the moment. He cut his tongue scavaging a couple of weeks ago and stopped grooming himself - which leaves it to me. Although, I am lucky that he doesn't mine being groomed he is not so keen on having his rear end done. So I have had to scruff him with one hand and try to brush with the other - which doesn't really work because I cannot hold the hair to stop it from hurting. I really am going to have to get another pair of hands to help before he gets in such a mess that there is no alternative but to take him to the vets to be shaved.

The garden is begining to recover again from that hot weather and is starting to have a bit more colour in it. It should look a lot better when the hardy phlox start to flower. It is strange but there seem to be really late coming out this year - just like the fushia's.

I suspect that my garden is really better than I think it looks, as I have a picture in my minds eye of what I think it should look like and am disappointed that we aren't quite there yet. I do think I need to go to a garden centre to find some Croscosmia as their late colour would add some zing to my garden. It is certainly green enough and the lawn is starting to grow again.

I must admit that last night I went out on a slug hunt. As I had found 4 large slugs eating their way through my lily longdeflorum. Goodness knows how many slugs I killed by sprinkling salt on them. I am amazed at how effective it is - provided you are not squeemish... but it is very effective.

I also must have disposed of 30 or so snails... Then this morning I found one stuck to the garden door - must have been trying to get in to take its revenge. Trouble is that you have to keep on top of them to keep them in check - otherwise I would have no garden left at all. Which would be :(

The vegetable plot is coming along well. The beans show the promise of a good harvest later next month - I was late getting them in. I still have lots of potatoes to dig, carrots and beetroot to pull but have not seen much evidence of all the spring onions I sowed. I might even get around to sewing a few more rows of each as they have done so well this year.

My friend has given me some purple sprouting plants to put in - which I must get around to soon as I clear some space. I might get my neighbours children onto that as they love pottering in my garden and are always begging me to let them dig and water - which keeps them busy. I also want to orde some a berrasica starter plant collection from Marshalls.

I grew their Kale "Hungry Gap" last year and it kept going until I had to pull it up to put the beans in. The cabages didn't do so well but I did put one lot in a slug/snail hot spot so I wasn't surprised. That area has now been converted into a flower bed - which is doing a lot better but does cut down on the space I have available to plant.

But the cabages etc will go in where the potatoes are now - so that I do not have any bare ground over the winter - which is all well and good.

Well I had better go as this is turning into a book.

Take care and I will speak to you both soon

Angela

Hi Angie
Thank you so much for your support and you are absolutely right, my mother should be somewhere else where she can be looked after. Ive got information and brochures about various places but she gets hysterical about it and I had to stop bringing up the subject. I will have to get the rest of the family onto this. The only person she trusts is the older of my two brothers, but he rarely visits and he is happy to have me do all the running around for her. He has just come back from a 3 week holiday in Turkey and all I get is one week a year! As you can imagine, i'm not at all happy about the situation. When she comes home I will get someone from social services in and make sure another mumber of the family is there, as it can be quite embarrassing when she goes bananas. I received a phone call from the hospital at midnight two nights ago, because my mother had been shouting that they were trying to kill her and she wouldnt take her medication. She will only happily take it when someone from the family is there. She is convinced that they are trying to finish her off!
Your poor mother has been through it hasnt she. What a shame she has that awful medical condition. (what do those letters stand for?)Its a real worry for you too. You find yourself feeling guilty dont you. I suppose we just have to plough on and hope for the best and try not to lose too much sleep over it. I know that i'm doing as much as I physically can at the moment. At least your mother accepts help and visits a centre where she can meet other people.
I know what you mean about your garden, and how you always want to improve on it. I'm sure it looks beautiful. You have a picture in your mind of how it should look and every time you look at it you think you can improve on it in some way. I'm sure you dont need to though.
Right, i'm working today and had better get moving,
have a good day and 'bye for now,
Jacqui D

Thanks JacquiD,

I really value your support. It is no good speaking to others about this as they just do not understand. You will have to stand up to your brother and make him realise what is going on. He cannot bury his head in the sand any longer. He has responsibilities he has to live up to.

I used to visit an old folks home (in the days they were called that) once a week just to help out for the afternoon - and they were so pleased to see me as they had one lady - like your mother who they almost had to force feed during the week as she thought they were trying to kill her. I used to spend my afternoon sorting her out, listening to her woes and then patiently helping her to eat.

I think a lot of the problems had been caused by them trying to make her eat quickly like the others - and if she hadn't finished by the time they were ready to wash up - that was it, they just took it away from her. But they couldn't do that to her with me around... however, all they seemed to dish up on a Saturday for her was two fish fingers, a little spoonful of mash, a few baked beans and a slice of bread - not necessarily very fresh at that - so no wonder she took her time to eat as it took an effort to get it down.

When I queried the menu and the lack of variety - I should add I was quite forward for a 17 year old but then I was a Police Cadet which made me feel empowed even if I wasn't... I was told that the old dears liked to know what it was they were having and didn't like change. So it was a roast on a Sunday (when the families visited), cold left overs on a Monday, Cottage Pie on Tuesday, Sausages on Wednesday etc... etc... all very bland and boring - and nearly always served with either beans or frozen peas... no fresh vegetables - all very easy.

So I can understand that finding a home for your mother is a tough step but I think you realise in your heart of hearts that its got to be done - despite your mothers hysterics. It is good that she minds as that shows that she realises what is happening - but bad in another way as it puts more pressure on you and you should not have to bear this alone.

I have the same problem with my brother. He is exactly the same as yours - and he has always been the same. He will go and see my Mum if and when it suits him. Now, having just lost a brother, you would have thought that he would try and see her just a little bit more - maybe once a month or so - but no, Mum thought it would have changed him and it hasn't. I dont think it is that he doesn't care - I think he just cannot cope with family and never has been able to.

But now my younger brother is sadly no longer with us, it leaves me with even greater pressure. This is not helped by the fact that my Aunt who used to also visit once a month or so, had her husband's nervous breakdown to cope with.

My Mum says that she realises I have my own life to live but then questions if I spend a weekend away with friends and not with her. I feel as if she is trying to batter me into submission. She is cleaver with it though, as she is careful to ensure that she is never demanding when friends and family are around - oh no... and also to tell people what a lovely reliable daughter I am - but not to my face...

So it is great to be able to chat to someone in the same boat and to know that I am not alone.

Angie

Good morning Angie and Jacqui, hope you are both well.
Sorry to read about your Mums. It must be a terrible strain on you both to know what to do for the best. Where I live are quite a lot of sheltered housing and they seem to be quite nice but you never know until you are in there seeing what is happening. We live in a bungalow and have a lot of bungalows around us so we have a lot of elderly people in the area, which I like as it is quiet. I have noticed, however, as some people have passed away younger people have bought the bungalows, like we did I suppose, so the face of the area will probably gradually change. I have a friend who works in a home and she comes home black and bruised and bitten but she seems to enjoy her job.
Are there places you can go to find out reputable homes and get advice on about it? I might have to face the same problem one day with my mum or dad although my mum has said she doesnt want to be a burden on me but at the end of the day you have to do what you can for them dont you?
Anyway, on a lighter note, what a scorcher it has been this week and its not over yet! I like it warm but its getting a bit much for me. Robert even finds it too hot and I think a lot of children are getting ratty in this heat.
Robert has finally learned to ride his bike on 2 wheels. After a lot of tears, bruises, "I cant do its!", he has finally mastered it. His poor little shins though are black and blue where he was banging the pedals on them, but it has been worth it. We have bikes also and we went for a nice bike ride at our local country park last Sunday evening. I am not a great bike rider and my backside was quite sore afterwards but none the less I enjoyed it!
I have to order a repeat pres****tion today for Mark as he stil needs his Clarityn hayfever tablets. He is so bunged up and I have a had a sore throat and a funny nose for over a week which feels like a mild cold and I hate summer colds.
Havent been watching much TV lately, I have given up on the soaps but I dont watch much TV in the summer anyway. I prefer to potter about in the garden and having Robert at home we find things to do. Tomorrow we may go for a ride on a steam train to Wansford, the Nene Valley Railway, it costs about £10 for the both of us return and is about a half hour journey. That is only if I can stand the heat as it talks of 100 degrees tomorrow!!!
Well, Bob Hope died and Don Estelle. I remember seeing Don Estelle in Woolworths years ago promoting his records. Bob Hope had a good run didnt he? I cant imagine being 100!
Our fish were spawning yesterday so Mark has took some of the weed out with the eggs on it and put it in an old bath as the fish will only eat it and we should have some nice baby fish.
My garden is starting to look very tired now. My Lobelia has started to finish and my Marigolds although still flowering look very jaded! I suppose it wont be long now and Autumn will be upon us although it is a pretty time of year I think. I have been pleased with my garden this year but I shall try for more colour next year, like you Angie, I could have done with a little more. I have kept some Marigold seeds from my plants, will they be OK next year Angie?
We had a nice surprise on Sunday evening after our bike ride. We went to get a pizza and we ordered a 10" with cheese and tomato and pepperoni and whilst in the shop somebody had phoned for 4 large family pizzas, about £12 each, and lots of desserts. When they delivered them it turned out to be a little old lady who most definetely didnt order them so it was probably someone messing about. The chap in the shop gave us one of the family pizzas as he didnt know what else to do with it, so we had 2 pizzas for about £7! They were delicious!
Anyway, I supppose Robert will be waking up soon and I think we are going to the library today and do our best to keep cool!
Hope you both have a nice week and I shall be thinking of you both with regards to your mums. Take care and speak to you both soon
Deborah

Hi Deborah and Jacqui,

After watching that programme (might have just been a local London one) on care homes closing down and elderly patients dying, it was a sobering thought. I will probably try and press to get Mum into some form of sheltered housing locally - so that I can keep an eye on her. There does seem to be one locally - as I often see the people playing bingo and other games in the common room. But I have no idea how difficult it would be to get her into.

I know that they now have to have their own room and own private facilities - where in the past they could get away with sharing... and that is the real reason behind a lot of homes closing - the fact that they say they cannot afford to upgrade their facilities because it reduces the number of people they can take and therefore their profit margins.

There must be money to be made in this sector because I have just done a legal agreement to provide an elderly sheltered housing scheme and we are always getting applications to build new ones to replace some of the larger houses in our district. There is obviously a need to provide this sort of care but who is going to pick up the costs?.

It certainly would be easier having Mum living closer to home. I could then visit her some evenings and free up weekends - plus if I did unexpectedly have a free weekend I could sort something out - but as things stand the four hour round trip puts casual calling out of the question... I suspect you are right and I should make some enquiries into this.

I still have got some plants to get into the garden. I will try to get around to it but the weather is far too hot for planting and not light enough when it finally cools down. I suspect that my clay soil will have dried out to the point where I will need a sledge hammer to make a hole and that wont help.

I have been keeping a pot grown wisteria alive as the spot I want it to go in is currently occupied by a winter flowering Jasmine - which is just too rampent for its location. I am hoping that pruning will keep the wisteria in check... But I am going to attach the Jasmine in stages (it really is that big) in an attempt to reduce it in size - so that by the time September comes, I will only have the roots left to dig out.

I am also hoping that this will free up a further piece of garden so that I can underplant it with spring flowering bulbs, to increase the spring border.

I have noticed that the garden hasn't really finished flowering but that the pinks and blues look very washed out when the weather is so hot. But if I had beds with reds and yellows in - then the garden would have zing but would not be restful - so I cannot have it both ways, my garden is not big enough.

But what I do have has grown so much that it is trying to outdo each other and ending up as one tangled mess. But that is clay soil for you - once plants become established they love it - otherwise they tend to sulk.

Cricket again on Saturday - Hemel Hempsted - not sure where I am going yet, but I am sure I will find my way. We need to win as we were well ahead in the league (Thames Valley Premiership) - the league which is just below County standard... and we want to retain our title - as we won last year. I finally got my trophy on Saturday - when the Captain gave it to me saying "here you are". I suppose it was old hat for him... he got his at the end of last season at the all male awards evening. I have made my views well known on the subject, i.e. that this is not acceptable in this day and age of equality.

Well must go

Take care and I will speak soon

Angie