Busy Weekend Ahead

Off to Brighton tomorrow morning. Staying with John on Saturday and Sunday nights. Off to London to meet up with my Aunt & Uncle on Monday and then Monday night off to the ENO to see a Phillip Glass opera about Ghandi (can't remember what it's called but I think the whole thing is in sanskrit so I'm hoping there are surtitles!). Back to jolly old Manchester on Tuesday (thereby missing the strike at work) and back to work Wednesday. Hopefully to the gym Wednesday night as haven't seen Denise in an aeon (she's in Ireland at the moment). Eagerly awaiting a phonecall from the migrating Ts. Was supposed to have received one tonight but they are obviously between houses at the moment... J x P.S Aged mother doing fine and being seen by the District Nurse every 2 days to have her dressing changed. Things looking good on the bottom of her foot.

Good News

Mother out of hospital and lording it over one and all from the sofa at home... Portugal still looking doubtful though. J x

P.S.

Mrs T has a new house. Yay. Apparently it only has one bedroom though so no-one can go to stay...

Back In The Land Of The Virtuous

Mum still in hospital but she's quite chirpy (now she's stopped feeling sick) and her foot is looking not too bad. I was there when the nurse changed her dressing this afternoon and I was really impressed (with a nurse, yes) by the quality of infection control she displayed - wearing gloves, no cross contamination , the works. Right up until the point she took a pair of dirty scissors from her pocket and proceeded to cut away part of the dressing. Honestly, I couldn't believe it. Why go to all the trouble in the first place just to let yourself down right at the end? Needless to say nurses are back in the dog house (where they've been ever since my stay in hospital).

Weekend was OK. Got some pots for my hostas (which dad insisted on paying for bless him) and I potted them up while I was down there. I'd sent for 4 from Parkers catalogue but when I got to open all the bags there were only 3 there. So I'll have to chase that up next week. As well as getting my car MOT'd. Which is going to be at least £250 apparently because its a 40,000 mile service. Joy of joys.

Took some books home with me to read but only managed to start one - The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli! How pretentious am I? Answers on a postcard... J x

Lots To Report

London was good. Got there on Thursday afternoon and met up with the Aged Ps. we didn't do much and had our evening meal in the hotel (which was nice). Friday morning was shopping - Harrods, Jaeger, Burberry & Orange! I didn't buy anything but my Dad bought a jumper and my Mum bought a wash bag. Met up with my Uncle and Aunt for an early dinner in Covent Garden and then off to the Savoy theatre for Porgy & Bess. Not my type of musical. But Mum and Dad enjoyed it which was the important thing. Saturday morning met up with my godmother who I haven't seen since she became my godmother. Needless to say we'd both changed quite a bit and wouldn't have recognised one another in the street! Went to the National Portrait Gallery (where I hadn't been before) which was impressive. Only had time to do the modern bit but I really liked it. Then down to Brighton to stay with John on Saturday night. Watched Conor play a bit of football on Sunday morning (they lost 4 - 0) and then back to Manchester Sunday afternoon.

To the theatre again Tuesday evening to see Blood Brothers, which is good for the most part although it only has about three songs which get repeated all through the show. Linda Nolan appeared to be digitally enhanced for her big numbers.

My Mum was also taken back into hospital on Tuesday afternoon with her foot. She had another operation Tuesday night and they're now monitoring her. Luckily it sounds as though the ward she is on is a lot better than the one she was on before so hopefully her stay will be a lot more comfortable this time. So I'm going home this weekend to help out my Dad and to do what I can for my Mum. It looks as though Portugal won't be going ahead now though which is a shame. Never mind, Mum's health comes first.

Saw Frances this morning and she was quite encouraging. She thinks it is worth perservering with trying to eat solid food even though it is difficult. Any improvements to be made will be smaller now than at first so I don't have to see her now for another 6 months. She'll pop in and see me from time to time when I see Sean at Christies though so I don't feel totally abandonned! Seeing the hospital dentist tomorrow at MRI. Not entirely sure why but I'll update you when I can.

My Uncle and Aunt have got me tickets to see a Phillip Glass opera at ENO a week Monday so I'll be off to Brighton again the weekend after next and then staying with them in London on Monday night. All depends on how things are with my Mum of course. This also means that I can't make the book group for The Devil Wears Prada (which I've actually read this time) but since Harvey Nicks isn't open on a Monday we'd have had to reschedule anyway...

Bumped into the Incredibly Reverend Roger Stone tonight as I was leaving work (he's now an Anti-Avoidance Manager and has staff all over). It was good to see him and we'll get together for a drink next time he's in town. He did make the sign of the cross over me though as he was being driven away so I think its all downhill from here on in!

Night. J x

Orf We Jolly Well Go

Off to London & Brighton for the weekend. Yippee. Aged Ps and John. Porgy & Bess. Sunshine. Shopping. What could be finer? Will post extensively when I get back. But while I'm away here's something to ponder - should this blog also become a discussion group for issues of the day e.g. should we all be regularly posting our thoughts on vital matters such as which of the aspiring apprentices (apprentici?) is the most annoying/attractive/stupid/clever? J x

Happy Easter

The sun is out. I went to the gym last night. I'm going to B & Q this morning. Denise is back. Are all these events connected? Who knows but I know I'm feeling good.

Got a packed long weekend of gardening, garden centres, DIY stores, gym, drinks, cinema. Who could ask for more?

Managed to make it to the Book Group on Monday (the first time for over a year). We met at Chez Gerard (phew, they do soup and ice cream). It was nice to see evryone after so long. The next meeting is down to me to arrange and since we're doing The Devil Wears Prada its fitting that the meal should be at Harvey Nicks! I enjoyed the film but we'll see what the book is like. Can't be worse than Penelope bloody Lively and Moon Tiger though.

Is everyone watching the Apprentice? Personally I can't stand Alan Sugar but its worth putting up with his over inflated ego just to see what a bunch of tossers there are on the programme. Honestly I have to hide behind a cushion at times because they are just so awful. I want to take a knife and stab each and every one of them. Repeatedly. And slowly. And as you all know I'm not a violent person...

Off to London next Thursday (with the Aged Ones - mother's foot not too bad at the moment - now she's remembered that painkillers actually help with pain - and father's broken rib is easing)and then to Brighton on Saturday to stay with John. Looking forward to it.

And that's all the news for now I think. Will post again over the hols if I think of anything else. J x