Conversations

Grateful to have wide range of conversations with friend on messenger. Great coffee with band leader  and clarinetist- only place that does a tea cake in Alnwick - grateful they give you butter not flora. Had great chat with youngest daughter about life and that she may be getting a boyfriend soon - no particular explanation on this one!! Took her to our favourite local restaurant near her and also had a Montepulciano. Managed  a two 30 minute and a 45 minute drive today with not too much back trouble. Super that a pile of postcards coming my way for charity from that lovely friend again

Beach

What a lovely walk on the beach (twice) with a friend after lunch, coffee and cake - graced by darting sanderlings darting next to us. Same friend gave me a dumortierite stone to help with sleep and anxiety and some more metal folder racky things - she is good to me. So pleased that daughter Sarah was so chuffed at telling me she had finished her 3000 word nursing essay - sharing on her joy and relief was a delight. Great to meet up with a work colleague in a pub tonight to catch up with health news but also to reminisce.

Virtual hugs

So glad I have a friend who knows how to give virtual hugs and encouragement at exactly the right time. Pleased I have band friends who have missed me and wanted me to join them in the pub for a catch up. Love a song by Casting Crowns “Just be held” given to me by a caring lovely friend - I cried which I think I have needed for a while. Good outcome at urology meeting - monitoring of cancer is agreed rather than any intervention - miraculous/ God is good. Nice to share the news with a church friend who gave me a lift - went out for late lunch/early tea.

Health

Good to know MRI results are classified as non-urgent even if I do have to wait until December 17th to discern a plan with consultant. I have three days of broccoli soup I can freeze - looking forward to next recipe. Glad to be part of an exciting church meeting thinking of plans for the future and how the church can be involved in helping our community. Love reading my friend’s blogs because they help me and I can also pray sensibly.

Soup

So glad I’m using my soup maker again - broccoli and cauliflower tonight. Starting using super foods to keep nasties away - walnuts, raspberries, blueberries, porridge, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower. Enjoyed visiting friends new council house - he was so pleased to show me round as I had lent him some money to pay deposit. Excited to be part of a group looking for new church premises - I may have to rein some of the keenies in but great to be part of an enthusiastic bunch.

Week away

So grateful that I’m free to go away for days at a time and spend time with close family. Family are so supportive and make no demands of me and I feel safe and secure and loved. Love my three adopted children more than they can ever know - hopefully I tell them and show them enough. So good to have friends who can show me other perspectives on life - met someone today who taught me sign language alphabet and how to lip read - great fun but really difficult - makes you more appreciative of how deaf people can struggle. Love social media - well the bits I can do - keeps me in touch with family and friends. Great to meet up with a university mate from decades ago and it’s as though we’ve never been apart - he was a mathematician (someone has to be) and now a mental health counsellor. Glad I can start doing a little more driving now that back starting to improve (all seemed to start after prayer from church leaders although very much aware of other folks good wishes and potential alternative “therapies”) - and anyway who needs a fancy car when you have a brother who will drive you anywhere lying flat in the back of his car. Grateful to have spent some quality time with my mum - love her. Love some (but not all) sayings on Facebook that can sometimes really help “focus and be thankful for the good things that you have rather than what you don’t have”. I have a good bunch of folk in local church - most of whom I don’t really know - one lady while I was away said she had been praying and a specific verse came to mind from John 13v7 which felt was for me “You don’t understand yet the meaning of what I’m doing, but soon it will be clear to you.” Friend of mine who has been homeless/wandering for nearly 10 years has now got a flat of his own - he is overjoyed and his excitement/enthusiasm is so infectious. What a lovely friend I have who has a bag of books ready for me - I am so grateful that she has helped me gain a joy of reading !!

Pubs

Great to have twin brother up for the weekend - dragged me out on several occasions to pubs I haven’t been in for a very long time. Folk in Alnwick are very chatty - met with owner of pub in Chinese restaurant (nice food!!) who offered us a free port if we turned up later on - well why wouldn’t you. Love my houseplants- dead headed them before brother arrived because I know he would do it otherwise!! Friend found out about a new job for husband and a move in the future - really really pleased but will miss her although most of our talking is virtual!!!!!