Spring Is Sprung

Hi everyone, Happy Spring. Hope you all had a good Easter, we did. On Sunday we went and found some Bluebells to photograph, (see pic)!

Since I was here last, a lot has been happening, we have put our house on the market, and found our dream home so please keep your fingers crossed that we can sell this and buy the ideal home for us. Half of our possessions have ended up being put into storage in a garage we have rented until such time as we move LOL. The only trouble is that now I can't find anything ha ha!!!

We've been really lucky with some beautiful weather lately, so I hope we have a good summer.

We went to Hospital for Pauls regular check up on the 5th April, and were told that his condition has deteriorated since December, and he now only has 16% kidney function. He has told me that he definitely doesn't want me to donate one of my kidneys to him and he would rather me be fit and well to carry on with our work and be his carer, so he will now be put on the transplant list, and go onto CAPD as and when needed. I have mixed feelings really, I wanted to prevent him having to suffer, but I also feel relieved not to have to go through a major operation in the near future. I have, however promised that if he becomes unwell, I will step in to donate if I'm a suitable match. We shall wait and see! We had to go to the hospital today (26/4/11) to see the chief staff nurse of the Renal Unit at the N&N to discuss treatment etc. and we asked him lots of questions. We've now got to ring the Transplant Co-ordinator and ask to have a meeting with the transplant team from Addenbrooks to see what happens next in case Paul needs to have a kidney removed.

I've been losing weight (intentionally) but the last 2 months I've been quite down and blown it all. To cap it all Paul bought me 3 easter eggs - and I've been eating chocolate like never before. I think I'll be sick of the stuff by the time they've all gone. Once that has happened, I'm getting back to losing the last few lbs to get to my target weight.

Well, that's about all the news I have this time around, and I will be back with more news in a few weeks.

Bye for now, Sheila

Sorry I've been away soooo Long

Hi to all my friends who follow this blog. I really owe you an apology for having been absent for such a long time. We went to Lancaster for the second time in September, after which we were inundated with work. From Sept. - Christmas is our busiest time and we were extremely busy. Paul wasn't very well on and off for a couple of months during this time and he was unable to work on his own, so I took on a lot of the legwork to give him some much needed rest. We were quite worried about him, so moved his January hospital check up forward to December, which we were told to do if he wasn't well. He had his usual blood test beforehand and when we went to see consultant, he said Pauls condition has remained stable since september, so he has no need for concern and could remain stable for some time. We asked him why Paul had been feeling so bad but they couldn't say why, only suggesting we buy a blood pressure monitor and when he has a bad day to take his BP and keep a record of it for his next appointment. We've got one now, but he has been fine. I'm still helping him a lot so I think he is not getting so tired, and has been ok.

Hope you all had a fantastic Christmas, as we did - it all seems such a long time ago now, and it takes months of preparation, just for two days, LOL! Happy New Year to each and every person who reads this xx

Well, since Christmas I have done a lot of soul searching, and decided that 2011 is going to by MY YEAR! What does that mean? Let me tell you:---

I have been losing weight steadily thanks to the help and support of Tesco e-diets. When I joined in June I was 10 stone, and when you're only 5ft tall, that is not pretty!! I now weigh 9stone 1 lb. I have a goal weight of 8st 10lbs, so that just leaves 5lbs to go!

I am going to get the house de-cluttered, once and for all. I started about 10 days ago, thanks to a brilliant US website Flylady.net and it is already looking a bit better. It is a long term job, as the website makes you do it very gradually, but that suits me just fine, I know I'm doing it, which is a big thing for me.

I'm going to get myself fit as well as lose all this excess weight.

I'm going to do my utmost not to keep getting stressed out about Paul's health, as that only makes me feel unwell, which is no good to Paul, so we are going to face the challenges it throws at us WHEN it happens and not a day before. We are going to enjoy ourselves every day in the meantime!!!

We've booked a holiday for the summer in Blighty. We are off to Cornwall for a week and will be there for my Birthday. Really looking forward to that, we went there years ago and I've always wanted to go back, so this is the year we do it. Just hope the weather will be ok.

Last week we had an email from Kleeneze to say Congratulations - before I realised it was from them, I thought oh no - more junk mail. Anyway - the upshot is that we are one of only 5 distributorships to have won a 7 day holiday, with hire car, to Cyprus. It says in the email that somebody will be in touch soon with more details - we are sooooo excited!! I'll let you know more when we hear from them.

That's really all the news I have a the moment, but I PROMISE, I will post more news very soon! I've decided to come back once a month, regularly to update this blog!!!

Bye for now,

Sheila x

Long time not blogged

Hi, sorry I haven't been on here for a while. Been very very busy. On my birthday Paul took me to Wells Next The Sea, where we had lunch then we went off to Hunstanton, which was really lovely. I love the north Norfolk coast. We had a game of crazy golf, and I actually beat him - a very rare thing indeed. It was a genuine win - he didn't lose just because of it being my birthday. We had such a giggle. It was altogether a really lovely day.

After that, we were very busy with our work because we had a weeks holiday planned for the end of July, so had a lot of work to do so we could afford the time for the break away.

We are now back from that holiday which was really lovely. We stayed in a place called Thurnham Hall, near Lancaster. When we arrived and went up the driveway to the Hall, we both said WOW. It was beautiful. Our studio apartment was on the first floor of the Hall and was in the oldest part of the building, dating back to the 12th century. As you can see from the pictures, it was pretty amazing - definitely had the wow factor.
They had a programme of activities all week with a daily quiz just for fun, but then on Friday there was a quiz which had to be submitted for a prize, which Paul & I won - a bottle of wine!! They laid on walks, trips in to Lancaster and much more. One Wednesday evening in the chapel (on right of picture) they had a talk all about the history of the Hall and he took us on a short tour. We really had a lovely holiday and would like to go back there some time in the near future. We couldn't go on the walks they did because you needed walking boots, and we didn't think to take ours with us, but if we go back we will definitely take them and join in.

I promise I won't leave it so long before I post again, and hope you like the photos.

Sheila

During the week we explored all over the place, having one day in Morecambe, another in Blackpool, we went up to the Lake District another day, and on Friday we popped across to Yorkshire. It was a lovely week and at the end of the week there was a quiz, and we won 1st prize of a bottle of wine. Yeahhhhh!!!!!!!

Since we came back, we have been just as busy as before we went, so this is the first chance I've had to come on and really concentrate on doing a new post. Hope you like the photos.

Another good thing that has happened: I joined an online diet at the beginning of July, and I've finally started to lose some of this blubber I've been carrying around with me for too long. I've alread shed 6lb, and on track to be able to wear some of my lovely clothes I've not been able to get into for a long time. I'm feeling much better in myself already, and can already wear some of my size 12's. I'm very pleased this one is working and I'm also making some new friends on the site's forums and circles of friends.

Hi again, I've not been on since the Norfolk show because I've had such a busy busy week. On Friday I took a friend shopping followed by sorting our deliveries out, then delivering to all our customers. Saturday we went to Skegness - a 6 hour round trip, then on Sunday we went to our friends in Cambridge for a BBQ for Liz's birthday which was on Wednesday. A fun time was had by us all and we were so lucky with the weather. On Monday I had my WI in the morning, came home & did some housework then went to another WI in the evening. Today I picked a couple of friends up to take them to bead group and they gave me some beautiful flowers for my birthday which is tomorrow. They are gorgeous - as you can see from the photo. Thanks girls, I really appreciate it. See you both Friday. Tomorrow, as it's my birthday Paul is taking me out for the day to the coast. Really looking forward to it. I will put some more news and photos on in a couple of days. Just want to get this week out of the way!

See you

Sheila xx

Here are some of the photos I took at the Norfolk Show yesterday. It was a lovely day and the weather behaved itself. There was so much to see and do and we must have walked miles which - in the heat was very tiring. But despite that I thoroughly enjoyed myself. There were a lot of animals - here are just a few, a flower show and lots of craft marquees, which I especially enjoyed.

The owl on the left was huge and as you can see has the most beautiful striking orange eyes. I'm pleased with this photo as she kept moving - but I caught her right in the end.

We got the bus at arount 9.20 am and the return bus at 4.20 pm so it was quite a long day. We watched some horse carriage trials (hope I've got that right), and 2 military bands in the main arena and some gun dogs put through their paces around an assault course, which was a lot of fun.

I will add some more photos over the next couple of days, so keep watching this space.

Hi - Firstly let me apologise for my spelling mistakes on my last post. I must have been having a senior moment he he! This time I will promise to use the spell-check.

This photo is of a page I did recently of my Grandmother on my mum's side. She died when my mum was only 8 years old leaving Granddad with 5 daughters. I love this picture of her and I think the paper goes so well with it all. We had a very social weekend this week. On Saturday Paul's sister Yvonne and her hubby Doug came round for a meal, then on Sunday we went to our friends Angie & Roy for tea and had a lovely evening. Silly me - I left my handbag round there and didn't have my mobile on me so we got all the way home to find a message from Angie on the answerphone. Roy very kindly brought it round tonight when he finished work - thanks Roy! Got a very busy few weeks coming up and loads of photo oportunities so look out for the results on her in the weeks to come!

Over the last few days I've been listening to a cd in my car to try to motivate me and get my life back on track and be positive. This cd really surprised me what I heard today and I already feel different. I've decided NOT to play any more silly games of Facebook as they keep me up till 2 - 3am because I can't switch off. I have followed my Tesco Diet meal plan to the letter and feel really pleased with myself. Maybe this butterfly is going to emerge - slimmer and more focused.

The above picture is of a page I did a couple of weeks ago. It is of my mum who sadly died in 1980 at the tender age of 51. These photo's were taken on mum & dad's Honeymoon in Clacton, Essex in 1951. I'm creating an album of my life and family. I love this page - it had to be done in pink cos that was mums favourite colour.

I will put some more pictures on in a few days, have a good weekend.

Sheila xx