Today I shall be Mainly...

[Stanley]

Thanks for that Sue. I hope you enjoy the walk!
Today I shall attempt again to start writing......

[Marilyn]

A pleasant day sewing in between taking the car in for a service and later collecting it. Also popped out for my flu jab.
My sewing project is an over-sized shirt, in a slightly kimono type style. I got all the major seams done, but still have sleeves, neckline and hems to go. I hope to complete it on the weekend, but our weekends can be a bit unpredictable.

[PanBiker]

Getting my aorta scanned, lunch and then going to the election count.

[Marilyn]

I had all my arteries scanned when I first herniated my disc, because every time the pain got severe it felt ( to me) that my leg went cold. The nurses kept telling me my leg was warm to their touch.
Upshot was I was scanned from the heart down - they said I had perfectly normal vessels with absolutely no plaque anywhere. They said it was unusual to find such perfect tubes!

[Tizer]

..they said I had perfectly normal vessels with absolutely no plaque anywhere. They said it was unusual to find such perfect tubes!

That's what I'd call a `Stanley result'.

[Stanley]

That's what I'd call a `Stanley result'.
True Tiz, every diagnostic test they did on me, excepting the tumour itself, surprised them (and me!). I seem to be a 16 year old trapped in a very old body!
That's a good thing to know Maz and I'm pleased to hear it. When I had my first audio check of blood circulation in my feet it nearly deafened the nurse, she had to turn the volume down. She said she wished her own were as strong.
I shall be getting my jigsaw back, doing a bit of essential shopping and prescription collecting and fretting because I have yet to start on the writing I have to do.
Sue, do you take orders for shirts? I'd happily pay folding money for a good thick working shirt!

[Marilyn]

We went for a bike ride this morning. Thoroughly enjoyed it ( love my new bike).

[Stanley]

That's good to hear Maz. But don't do too much, give yourself time to heal up!

[Sue]

Packing up and starting our return journey. We are going as far as Stirling today with a bit of sight seeing on the way. Its jolly cold this morning. We had sleet and snow fleetingly yesterday evening and there has been a frost overnight, with ice on my wind screen. More snow expected imminently but only a brief shower.

[Stanley]

It'll keep the midges at Bay Sue..... I'll be thinking about you.
I cracked the log jam and wrote two articles yesterday, they are flowing freely and there will be more today once I have cooked veggies!

[Marilyn]

After a bike ride yesterday and a 5km hike today, I am ready to declare myself cured...

[Stanley]

[Wendyf]

Excellent news Maz, you must be so relieved.

[Marilyn]

Extremely relieved, Wendy (and grateful)
I still wake up a bit stiff and sore about 5 am every morning. I need to embrace the new me. Gone are the days when I could put my legs over my shoulders and lock my ankles behind my neck ( sorry for the "visual" on that folks)
I am now 11 kilos down, but I think the weight loss has now stopped.
I need to buy new clothes! I am starting to look like I have borrowed someone else's!

[Tizer]

Wonderful news, Maz!
But it seems a rather extreme way of slimming down!

[Marilyn]

I'm not TRYING to slim down, Tizzy.
It's a combination of living in chronic pain and being diagnosed as Diabetic in the process and being put on Metformin.
We still aren't 100% convinced I am actually Diabetic...but the GP will sort that out now I am recovered from the severe chronic pain. He said we will challenge the Diabetes diagnosis next month when I see him again. ( I had a blood sugar over 22, so they had to presume I was Diabetic, though severe pain states can give high sugar readings).
My blood sugars returned to normal very quickly, but pasta/pastry/rice certainly put it up.
Yeah...it's a helluva way to lose weight...!!!!

[Wendyf]

Cutting out those starchy carbs will definitely have helped you to lose weight!

[Sue]

Back home, to find an overgrown greenhouse and a garden po d that has leaked away again . However it was a great trip. We saw the bridge Stanley but did not walk. It was 3 degrees and intermittent hail sleet and snow as seen on another of these photos.

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[Stanley]

I mailed the Highland Family History Soc and asked if they recognised it.... got a reply this morning saying no.... Perhaps they should get out more. Give Bob my commiserations on the pond!
Wrote the first article of a new series yesterday after sorting all the evidence out. More to come today.....
Used the last of my £30 worth of Co-op divi vouchers yesterday within the time limit. It meant stocking up on long lasting stuff like dog biscuit and tea but a useful saving....

[Sue]

Today I am putting my thick winter jumpers and christmas clothes in the loft. I am keeping the thinner jumpers in my wardrobe. I really need my T-shirt's that have been stashed away and my cotton tops as we we will be off to France in a week or so AND you never know we may get warm weather soon. I am not sure how I have accumulated so many clothes. I would send them to the hospice shop but for some reason the one I help at won’t accept home made stuff. These clothes are too good to throw away. The trouble is I love making things!

[Stanley]

That's my excuse for all the engines littered around the house!
I wrote one complicated article yesterday, lots of back-checking! It took me twice as long. More today.

[Tizer]

Sometimes you have to pass on stuff just to make space for whatever comes next. I've dismantled my OO model railway ready for collection by Mrs Tiz's nephew (the geologist) to give him a head start on his much bigger layout which is in it's early stages and is just a lot of plywood baseboard at the moment. The buildings have been lifted ready for packing, together with the locos, wagons and road vehicles. Most of those buildings I made from the cardboard kits sold by Metcalfe (based in Skipton) and others are scratchbuilt. I enjoyed making them, laying and ballasting the track and making the scenery but I don't have any interest in playing trains. It's the making bit that satisfies! Now I'm pleased it's going to the next generation and their children.

[Stanley]

Impressive Tiz. I understand exactly why you are giving it away. I have done that with my workshop and am in the throes of doing the same thing with all my research. One slight difference is that in my case it happens when I die but I am putting the mechanisms in place now. Coincidentally one of my jobs today is to write letters finalising the fate of the research.I seem to have spent a lot of time and money over the last three years making arrangements for my death! Good stuff though as it means I know I have done my best to make things as easy as possible for those who have to sweep up after me.....
I wrote one more article yesterday and like the previous one it was dense and took longer than usual. My research is too good, I have too many facts to include and when you only have 500 words it is harder. By the way, I think now that the fact I have been put on the 500 word limit has made me a better writer, I have to get to the point quickly and clearly! I shall write another today......

[Sue]

I too cleared out some stuff, I gave my daughter some almost unworn clothes. She is slightly bigger than me, and I have lost weight since I last wore these clothes.

Today is the U3A monthly lunch, but I am taking an extra guest. I have a visitor, a cousin from New Zealand who is visiting over here for the Great Northern Ukulele Festival in Huddersfield so is coming to see me for the day. We met through genealogy research and she contributed some photos to my Maylard Genealogy book. We have never physically met or even spoken before so it is quite exciting. After lunch we ate taking her to some of the Maylard family sites in Bingley and Cottingley before taking her back to Huddersfield. She is coming down by train but I was amazed to find there is no direct route, she has to go to Manchester Victoria and change for Rochdale

Stanley agree with you about research and writing. I tend to delve and delve and then have too much to write about. A word limit is a very good tool to sticking to the key facts. I am struggling with my Widdup book for this very reason, too much researched information to transform into logical readable material.

[Stanley]

You have to be ruthless Sue! I've had one or two matters to deal with this morning and have decided it's no good starting to write as I haven't got my brain in gear. I'm sure you will know what I mean. Hopefully tomorrow I can start fresh and get in the groove. I shall do some reading this morning that will help....
Actually, as I wrote that it dawned on me that the key is absolute command of your materials and that's the bit that's really hard work!