Happy 2009

Hi I am back in the land of the living - have to be its back to the coal face tomorrow! I am dreading it - time away from work always fills me with dread. Does it you?

We have had a quiet Xmas here - spent time with the family and especially Mam and Dad. He goes for an appointment on Wednesday at the hospital they want him to see the Renal specialist as there is apparently some damage to his kidneys and they need to be careful with the medication they are going to prescribe as part of his new treatment plan in order not to cause any more damage. They are increasing his hormpone treatment and starting with radiotherapy. My brother is going with them in order to ensure we know as much as possible about what is going to happen. Dad isn't driving at the moment so Mam is very cut off- they live in quite a big village but it has no real facilities and she is 80 and doesn't drive. So we will see what Wednesday brings.

I am pleased to say that I am now in aroutine with the tablets (Metformin) for the diabetes. I lost a stone over the time I was ill and am not pleased ot report that 2pound of it has returned!! Still its given me a kick start on what is going to be a very long journey ahead. I have to ring tomorrow to see how the blood sugar is coming along since starting the tabs, so fingers crossed for that.

I have become an ebay addict again over the Xmas break I am sad to say though I spend a lot of time watching instead of bidding! I have just sold my daughter my car though I didn't get any money for it just a standing order to the bank for £100 per month! She now has her own insurance and is no longer on mine. She reversed into some one in the summer - it was a touch by her and hardly a mark on the car but sh thought she had damaged the other car above the wheel arch. To cut a long story short - my husband took pictures of the cars amd measurements of the areas and they simply did not tally ie she could not have caused the scratch along the top of his back wheel arch unless she had gone along side his car with the side of hers. However the insurance would not accept our dispute with the damage and myself and Kate now have to report the incident for five years for insurance purposes. It was a complete farce and now because I only have on more chance before I lose my protected no claims we decided it was time Kate was on her own insurance!

I appealed some time ago at work after my job was evaluated and I lost £2k per year and just before Xmas I found I was successful so I am due a lump of back pay at the end of Jan hence the car change!

Some of it has to go on my son a new bed. He has the little bedroom at the front of the house and we have built a cupboard on the wall that faces you as you go down the stairs but accessed from his bedroom. Its about 25 inches from the florr but gives him a good sized wardrobe and room for a chest of drawers for his undies. It has been really worth it for the difference in his room. We had a chat and agreed that he would like a bigger bed and use the room only for sleeping in ( he and Kate have the front room to themselves for tele etc) so I need a four foot divan now and the decorating begins again!

We now have a beautiful, gorgeous classy shower installed at the cost of an arm and a leg I might add! It is wonderful and we were so pleased with the workmanship we have booked them for end of March to do the rest. This is my extension money I am dipping into but I would guess that by the time we are finished the kids will have left and I wont need one!

I will post pics later - we had some but they got deleted by me in error. I have been reading all the blogs since I posted my previous one and you have all kept my spirits up.

I have been lucky as a person and a family not to have had any illnesses or loss so what happened came as a shock but I am well aware of how lucky we are and I am approching this year in a much more positive frame of mind now. We would cope with what happens with Dad and will just increase our love to him. I am also adjusted to the dreaded Diabetes and the doc was sure that once the sugars ar a bit more controlled I should be able to decrease the dose (it is giving me a terrible tummy!!! I cannot be fair from a loo at the moment - it is one of the side effects!!

So heres to a good 2009 for all of you out there - back to normal tomorrow - but I have had a good break - right off to Ireland to my new Maeve Binchy book - bliss. Was it just me or was the tele pretty diabolical over Xmas??