2024 Week 4 One Daily Positive and Project 365

January 

22  Monday Peter drove me into work and I walked into town afterwards to meet him for a coffee. Afternoon spent taking up the hem of the lounge curtains and fixing a pair of trousers that had been falling down all day. Evening spent on video calls with child 2 and his wife, mum and MIL, blogging and reading.

23  Tuesday Took the car to work today, took some TOIL and left work at lunch time. Met Peter at the retail park for coffee. I'd been sick in the morning and at lunch time I'd had pins and needles and total numbness in my hands as well as chest pains. The afternoon and most of the evening was spent in front of the TV, I did take up the hem of one more curtain while watching TV, I did some blogging, reading and letter writing. Last lot of blood tests came back normal.

24  Wednesday Into work for 2 lessons then Peter collected me to go to Hereford to the skin clinic to get a growth on my leg checked out. We had a coffee afterwards and wandered around the city. Home for tea and watch the TV.

The diagnosis for the growth on my leg is Bowens disease, a form of skin cancer from sun damage, it rarely spreads and is easily treated at home with a chemotherapy cream over the next 4-6 weeks. I feel so much better knowing this and the stress has lifted.

25  Thursday Took the car to work, left an hour early for a Chest X-ray at Malvern hospital.

26  Friday Peter's turn to cook for me and my friend tonight, we had a curry and put the world to rights over a bottle of wine for her and baileys for me.

27  Saturday A lie in then packed the car and drove to Stonehenge, it was now a long walk to the stones after a new visitors centre has been built in 2013 so we caught the courtesy bus, walked round the stones and bus back as it was freezing. We then drove into Salisbury for the afternoon for a walk round, then onto our hotel back in Amesbury for the night. 

28  Sunday A leisurely morning and a drive into Wilton for a walk round, then home via a stop over in Bath. Van unpacked, washing machine on, football watched, and blog updated.

Books read this week: 

Better Off Dead - Lee Child and Andrew Child.                                                                                         My not so Perfect Life - Sophie Kinsella.

Words written towards book: 1371

Clothes bought: 0

On the blog this week: My childhood Teddy

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26th - 28th January 2024 Post Comment Love

Welcome back to #PoCoLo with Stephanie from Bosworth.Life and I.

Welcome back to Post Comment Love #PoCoLo is a friendly weekly linky where you can link up any blog post you've written this week. If you're new or a regular visitor we're sure you'll find something of interest.

I've had a week of medical appointments and I've been extremely stressed out by it all. Just waiting now for results, which is all out of my control. As there is nothing I can do about it, I'm trying my best to switch off from it all and do some fun stuff and try to relax a bit more by doing some of my favourite things. Starting with a visit to the nail bar tomorrow.

I've also been making cards and writing letters as well as just reading and watching TV.

We'd also appreciate your help spreading the #PoCoLo word on Twitter, tag us and we'll RT. You can find us on twitter here: Stephanie - @BosworthLife and Suzanne - @ChickenRuby 

I'll be catching up with reading your posts, sharing and commenting over the next few days. 

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My childhood teddy - Snowy.

June from FancyingFrance linked up to #pocolo a link I co host with Stephanie from BosworthLife with Describe an item you were incredibly attached to as a youth. What became of it?

Meet Snowy.

I was given Snowy by my Aunt in America in 1972 for my 1st birthday. 

I can't remember a time that Snowy wasn't part of my life.

Snowy currently lives in our grandchildren's bedroom.

Snowy has lived with me in Wales, the Midlands, Yorkshire, back in the Midlands, he went to live in South Africa, then Dubai and is back now in the Midlands.

Do you still have any toys from your childhood?

2024 Week 3 One Daily Positive and Project 365

January

15  Monday I woke during the night with a migraine. Meds resolved it, but I spent the rest of the night on the sofa, sleeping on and off. Home from work at 4pm, absolutley shattered, had tea, watched TV, video call with grandson, did some blogging, bath and bed by 10pm.

16  Tuesday Into work for 8am as per norm, then down the retail park for coffee and GP appointment at 5pm. Another blood test ordered, a chest X-ray ordered and a dermatology referral made. My stress levels with all the medical appointments and tests are causing me a lot of stress, which is impacting on my physical health. So dark at 7.40am going to work. 

17  Wednesday Home from work at 4pm to do the washing, then back in for 5.30pm till 7pm for GCSE options to support a couple of students and their parents. Home again to watch TV and an early night to read.

18  Thursday Into work then back out for a blood test, rest of the day was quiet, late leaving and met Peter for a coffee, did a food shop and home to watch TV and blog. Video call with grandchildren and long chat with my mate from uni days.

19  Friday Left for work at 8.10am, can't believe the difference in the light with 30 minutes. Cooked a roast dinner after work instead of chips with my friend for the evening.

20  Saturday Met mum in Gloucester, collected child 1 and went for coffee and a wander around the Range and B&M. Took mum to hospital for her 2nd cataract operation, dropped child 1 home then brought mum home with us for a couple of days while she recovers. Evening spent in front of the TV and reading.

21  Sunday Peter took mum home and on to visit grandchild and I spent the day making cards, writing letters, wrapping and packing gifts to post, catching up with the shops and reading my book. I went for a walk in the afternoon. Evening spent watching TV, having a bath, reading and blogging.

Books read this week: The Missing - C.L. Taylor. A missing 15 year old boy and family secrets unravelling. Is the mother's instinct right that her family aren't involved in his disappearance?

Words written towards book: 1605

Clothes bought: Socks £2 Fatface

On the blog this week: Me and my migraines 

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19th - 21st January 2024 Post Comment Love

Welcome back to #PoCoLo with Stephanie from Bosworth.Life and I.

Post Comment Love #PoCoLo is a friendly weekly linky where you can link up any blog post you've written this week. If you're new or a regular visitor we're sure you'll find something of interest.

I've been struggling with my health again, more migraines and unexpected blood tests and I've not been sleeping very well. I don't make appointments with the doctors, they keep calling me back, it's all blood led and quite frankly causing me a lot of stress and anxiety which I spoke to the Doctor about and said I'd had enough. She agreed with me then promptly ordered more blood tests, a chest X-ray and made another referral. 

It does get me down, but I try not to focus too much on it and it doesn't stop me and Peter getting out and about, when work and weather permits.

We'd also appreciate your help spreading the #PoCoLo word on Twitter, tag us and we'll RT. You can find us on twitter here: Stephanie - @BosworthLife and Suzanne - @ChickenRuby 

I'll be catching up with reading your posts, sharing and commenting over the next few days. 

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Me and my migraines

I've had migraines since I was small. Until a few years ago, there was nothing I could do to minimise them. I am a regular visitor to hospital with migraines lasting up to 9 days. I've tried all types of medications and had all types of treatments from acupuncture to botox.

4 years ago I was diagnosed with a wheat intolerance and my migraine episodes have almost halved, but the intensity of the ones I do get are no better and aren't any easier to treat.

Lack of sleep, dehydration, long journeys, sitting too long, not eating regularly, over indulging with food/drink can all trigger a migraine. Cheese, chocolate, alcohol, caffeine aren't triggers. In fact the last time I was admitted to hospital in November 2023, I was given a can of coke and a coffee by the nurse whilst waiting for the consultant to see me. 

I keep a food diary, I used to keep a menstrual diary, there has never been a link with hormones/periods, I exercise regularly, but not excessively. I also keep a diary of my migraines, symptoms, been doing it for years. Finally I've been referred to a Neurologist so maybe they'll want to see it all, maybe they won't.

I'm 52. I've learnt to live with migraines, I've learnt to not let them spoil family days out, interfere with my work, activities, holidays. I've heard many times that if they don't interfere with the above then they can't be that severe. 

Let me try and explain what a migraine is for me.

It starts with one or several of the following:

The smell of burning toast

Amplified sounds

Lights hurt

Sensitive to touch

Slurred words

Inability to identify every day objects

Inability to answer simple questions

Nausea

These can last for 2-3 days and continue throughout the migraine and for 2-3 days afterwards. This is the point where I MUST take my medication. Triptans, anti sickness tablets, paracetamol. 3 times a day. If by the end of day 1 the pain has kicked in I then take 900mg of aspirin 3 times a day with the above, for up to 3 days, then seek medical assistance. The GP at this point usually sends me to hospital, but  sit for 7+ hours in A&E in pain with bright lights, loud noises, I'm put on a drip, the pain goes away. At this point I go off work sick and I'm literally smacking my head against the wall in desperation. It takes a further 2-3 days for me to recover fully.

I also take regular preventative medication, previously beta blockers, then pizotifin. After a while these meds stopped working and the dose had to be increased, side effects were increased appetite and inevitable weight gain.

I'm currently on topimate, side effects weight loss (which has settled now) but I'm still getting break through migraines, but without the pain. I still have to take the additional meds. I'm not sleeping on these meds, on the previous ones I was getting up to 10 hours a night.

In between migraines I get weird electric stabbing pains around my body that last for a couple of seconds and patches of skin that feel like it's on fire. I get dizzy, have pins and needles and numbness in my hands, but don't have a reduction in strength, I have a tightness around my chest, that squeezes me, I get breathless, especially walking up stairs, I have bad fatigue, but don't sleep and my eyes hurt and are tired (Ophthalmology and Retina Clinic involved for past 2 years) That could be the B12 or the ferritin deficiency or the cause of the migraines, no one seems to be linking everything together, or it might not be linked in anyway.

The pain of the migraines is one sided, usually right sided and forces my eye closed, the back of neck is painful and my shoulders hunch. Pressing on the site relieves the pain as does heat and strangely enough so does sleep, but when I wake up, the pain returns. The pain takes over everything, it is the only thing that is happening in my body. It is so intense that I often feel that the only way to relieve it is to hit my head against the wall. It makes me shout, swear, angry, it isolates me from people, it causes rows because I look ok, I'm functioning, I'm going to work, if it was that bad, I would go to bed. 

But if I went to bed, I would spend half the month in bed, half the month not going to work, not going out, not doing anything and I won't let the migraines control my life.

2024 Week 2 One Daily Positive and Project 365. A selfie a day.

January 

It's been getting harder to persuade Peter to take a selfie a day, especially as we rarely go out together during the week.

8  Monday Back to school for me. It was almost dark when I left at 3.30pm and some snow in the air, very tired. Blood results back and platelets higher, but white blood cell count back in normal range. Watched quiz shows, had dinner. I finished putting Christmas decorations away, Peter watched Man U, bath and early bed to read.

9  Tuesday In work for a couple of hours and took some TOIL to meet mum in Gloucester to take her to a hospital appointment, I did some shopping and brought mum home for the rest of the week, until her eye appointment on Sunday. Afternoon and evening spent in front of the TV, blogging, reading and just chilling out.

10  Wednesday Work for the day, then Peter collected me with the two mums and we all went for coffee. Home for dinner, TV and just chilling out.

11  Thursday I'm exhausted and we're not even at the end of the first week back to school, thankfully it's a short term. Home by 4pm, cooked dinner, had a nap and watched TV. Peter took the 2 mums out shopping during the day.

12  Friday It's been a long week and I feel exhausted. Home by 4pm, late afternoon spent resting. Friend came round at 6pm with chips and we caught up from since before Christmas with a bottle of wine till 10pm.

13  Saturday I woke at 5am and finished reading a book. Peter took MIL home and mum and I went to Worcester on the train for coffee and some shopping. Home to do washing, ironing, catch up with the soaps, start a new book and just relax.

14  Sunday Took Mum to the opticians, for a food shop and home via a visit to Gloucester and a Starbucks. Afternoon and evening spent getting ready for work in the morning, watching TV and blogging. I had a dizzy spell where I felt like I was falling over even when I was lying down, it lasted 15 minutes.

Books read this week: The Long Forgotten - David Whitehouse.                                                                   A long lost black box from an aeroplane found in the body of a dead whale, a crime scene cleaner on an adventure around the world to find the rarest flowers, leads to a young man named Dove discovering his identity. 

Words written towards book: 1308

Clothes bought: Black bobble hat £3.75 in the sale Accessorise. Curling iron £9.99 from Asda using a voucher. 

On the blog this week: Living in the moment

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12th - 14th January 2024 Post Comment Love

Welcome back to #PoCoLo with Stephanie from Bosworth.Life and I.

Post Comment Love #PoCoLo is a friendly weekly linky where you can link up any blog post you've written this week. If you're new or a regular visitor we're sure you'll find something of interest.

We've got both our mums staying with us this week. One is poorly and needs some TLC, the other was a planned visit with a follow up appointment on Sunday at the opticians after a cataract removal prior to Christmas. I also returned to work this week, so Peter has done the bulk of the tea/coffee making, running around and entertaining, so I took over the cooking to give him a break. 

Normally I like to come home from work and just chill out on the sofa and do nothing in the evenings, but as they've all been stuck indoors during the day, we've met for coffees and shopping, started a jigsaw puzzle and played a few games, rather than just sitting in front of the TV all evening, which is my preferred choice.

We'd also appreciate your help spreading the #PoCoLo word on Twitter, tag us and we'll RT. You can find us on twitter here: Stephanie - @BosworthLife and Suzanne - @ChickenRuby 

I'll be catching up with reading your posts, sharing and commenting over the next few days. 

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Living in the moment and not putting pressure on myself.

Whenever I ask either of the mums what they're doing a week on Saturday as we're planning to visit, they give us a list of their appointments for the days leading up to the Saturday, Doctors, library visits etc then say they'd rather wait till that is out the way then think about it.

I've been guilty of that over the years, thinking I'll just get certain things out the way before I focus on a, b and/or c, then realised time has passed by and little has been achieved. 

I've been living in the moment over the Christmas holidays. I've had 2 weeks off work and we had nothing planned other than Son, DIL and grandchild joining us from Christmas Eve till Boxing Day. My husband likes to have things planned, not the details, but a rough idea if we're visiting people or going away and does like to get things booked, where as I'm more of a 'I'll think about New Year, when we get to New Year' then on New Years day I booked us 2 nights in a Travelodge, told Peter to pack his bags and we went to Glastonbury, Wells and Cheddar Gorge in the wind and the rain to just do nothing in away from home, then MIL came to stay. I randomly started painting a dolls house and decided to have a clear out of the attic and the grandchildren's bedroom/toys. 

I'd informed the household on Friday that I wasn't going anywhere over the weekend as I had a migraine, that way there would be no pressure on me to go out or to take any responsibility for timings, locations, advise on what to wear in case of bad weather, meal and coffee options etc, but then on Saturday morning around 11am I asked if anyone fancied a visit to Laycocks Garden Centre for a coffee and a mooch and off we went. 

I was putting off reading as there were too many books to choose from, too much to watch on the TV, too much blogging to do. I was making excuses. So I selected 4 books, put them in the back room and started reading one over the weekend, just a few pages at a time, it didn't have to be read all at once. I was putting too much pressure on myself.

There's only me and Peter in the house (plus the cat) it takes 5 mins to pack things away if grandchild comes to visit. It took 5 mins to change the beds when MIL came to stay, it took 5 mins to move the dolls house off the table so we could use it to eat dinner, then just put back what I wanted to paint next.

I watched Eastenders on my iPhone while I had a bath, I blogged whilst having a cup of tea and as soon as I've finished this, I'm off to bed to read some of my book.

The only time constraints I have on me are going to work between the hours of 8am - 3.30pm Mon -Fri term time only, some house work, dinner and washing/ironing. The only pressure on me to do things is what I put on myself.

We have no plans for the weekend other than taking my mum home on Sunday. I might go on my own and call in at a friends, we might take MIL home to Bristol, we might all go and see grandchild, we'll see how we all feel on Sunday when we get up, we'll wait and see what happens on Saturday, if we go somewhere. We will do something, but we won't put the pressure on ourselves to do something, staying a home and watching TV is just as good an option.

Of course some things have to be planned and booked in advance, such as mums 80th birthday in June, making sure the family keep the weekend free. I haven't planned anything yet, that will wait till nearer the time. Holidays have to be discussed, but if I had my way, I'd leave those last minute to book and the destination also, but with cat sitters required I do need to at least have dates (it'll be during the school holidays) There's a visit to Northern Ireland booked for Easter and Ferry will need booking soon (we're baby sitting while the in-laws are away on a cruise).

Some may say it's not living in the moment, it's leaving things till the last minute and procrastinating. I say not. I just find things much less stressful to not have a strict schedule and I like the flexibility of being able to change my mind and do something different if the mood takes me.

2024 Week 1 One Daily Positive and Project 365. A Selfie a day.

Welcome to my 10th year of a Photo a Day and my One Daily Positive for Project 365. I can't believe I've kept it going for this long. It sure is some diary for future generations to look back on, documenting our move from the UK to South Africa to Dubai, then back to the UK. During our time as expats and since most of the generation above us have passed away with only our mums and a handful of aunts and uncles still with us. We've gained 2 Daughter in laws as we've moved from parents of teens through empty nest, into retirement for Peter and for both of us as Grandparents. 

It's been 14 years since we left the UK and we've been back full time for 2 and a half years. Almost everything in our house now has travelled with us and along the way we picked up a cat and a dog from South Africa, sadly the dog passed away late last year. We have trinkets and ornaments, cushions and pictures bought in various markets and stores and from places we never even dreamed of visiting let alone living in and our travels continue with a child over in Northern Ireland and another settled in Australia.

I've been setting myself a yearly challenge. In 2022 it was only buying clothes that I absolutely needed and checking out charity shops/2nd hand first. In 2023 it was to read a book a week ( I read 57) and for 2024 I've challenged myself to write 150 words a day towards a book and several short children's stories I've planned. 

I've kept up the buy only what I need challenge and my only purchases for 2023 were 4 pairs of thick woollen socks £18, 2 pairs of corded trousers £34 (I've lost weight, a clothes size) Jeans £2 (to replace a pair of jeans that split in the crotch) jumper £6 trousers £5 blouse £4 and a jacket £6 from a charity shop, a zip up fleece without a hood for work £18, Fleece PJ's £12, a replacement white bra £22. I also bought me a new long sleeve t-shirt and a jumper in the sales in Fat Face last week £48 and Peter bought me a storm proof long padded coat in the sales last January, that I was refusing to buy for myself because I didn't need it, but I've worn more than than anything else.

I will also carry on reading as much as I can, at least a book a fortnight.

This years photo a day will be a selfie of Peter and I, he's so looking forward to it #not

January

1 Monday We saw the New Year in with a colleague of mine, their family and friends, then again at 3am when a police van and car pulled up in front of our house and knocked on our door looking for our former tenant. We decided to pack our bags and spend a couple of nights in Glastonbury, arriving in Street at 3pm for a couple of hours, before checking into our hotel and walking into town to a pub for dinner.

2 Tuesday A lie in and off to Cheddar Gorge to visit the caves and walk to the top of Jacobs Ladder. it was very muddy so we didn't walk the whole route. One of the caves was closed due to flooding. We bought cheese and picnicked in the Bobster. In the afternoon we visited Wells cathedral, had dinner then back to the hotel for an early night.

3  Wednesday Down to Keynsham to visit MIL She's come home with us for a couple of weeks.

4  Thursday Blood test and nail bar visit and a coffee, then a food shop and home to take the Christmas decorations down. We also popped the roof on the Bobster and charged the auxiliary battery.

5  Friday A lazy ish day with a trip to the retail park for a coffee, then home for a clear up in the attic, some more pictures hung and stuff gathered for the tip. Afternoon and early evening spent in bed with a migraine. An early night.

6  Saturday Took MIL to a garden centre for coffee and for her to get out the house. I popped into town and bumped into a school mum friend I hadn't seen for 13 years, was lovely to catch up. Home to paint more of the dolls house and have a sort out of the grandchildren's room, donating toys they've outgrown.

7  Sunday A lazy morning and a lie in, followed by a coffee shop trip, then rest of the day spent decluttering drawers and cupboards for the charity shop and tip, migraine kicked back in, more meds taken.

Video call with Grandson.

Books read this week: 0

Words written towards book: 1539

Clothes bought: 0

On the blog this week: Dealing with disappointment 

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5th - 7th January 2024 Post Comment Love - Happy New Year

Welcome back to #PoCoLo with Stephanie from Bosworth.Life and I.

Post Comment Love #PoCoLo is a friendly weekly linky where you can link up any blog post you've written this week. If you're new or a regular visitor we're sure you'll find something of interest.

I hope you've all had a good Christmas and New Year. We've had a lovely relaxing time with family and friends and finally time to catch up with all the little things we've been putting off. We've also been reminiscing about our time abroad and talking about our future plans and deciding as to whether I should quit work at the end of this school year so we could have more opportunities for travel as we are feeling slightly tied and it led us to think about how we've dealt with disappointment in the past and truly believe that as one door closes another opens. I've linked up this week with a post exploring this further.

We don't have to travel far to explore. The Malvern Hills on Christmas Eve, looking down on our house.

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Dealing with disappointment

I'm disappointed I don't get to travel anymore and am restricted to school holidays with my job as a Teaching Assistant.

I'm disappointed I don't get to work on the major golf events in Dubai and Abu Dhabi since we moved back to the UK.

I'm disappointed I can't go on safari for the day or pop to a local nature reserve for a cup of tea since we left South Africa.

But.....I was disappointed for all those years that I didn't have the freedom to work or to visit see my family as and when I chose.

So is it disappointment I've been dealing with or just a set of circumstances that led me down a path of new experiences and opportunities and adventures?

Did I make the most of our time as expats living abroad? Or did I spend the whole time feeling disappointed that I'd lost my career working for The Football Association, that I gave up my degree just as I was coming towards the end of it, that I couldn't see my family, that my life had changed beyond all recognition?

At the time, part of the above was true. I felt cheated, but I also threw myself into every opportunity I was offered. 

I got to meet some of the most amazing people when I lived in South Africa, now life long friends and yes I am disappointed that I don't get to see them as often as I'd like (It's been 4 years, blame covid) I had some of the most amazing experiences whilst living in South Africa, experiences one could never have from a holiday there. From charity work in townships, to seeing the Big 5,  meeting Witch Doctors, Whale watching, catching a train from Jo'burg to Cape Town, seeing the Namaqua flowers. 

Then moving to Dubai where I had the opportunity to solo travel to Canada, Australia (where child 3 moved to) Germany, regular visits to South Africa and frequent visits to the UK where we purchased a flat for me to stay in to spend more time with the family as we welcomed our first grandchild. We had holidays to Greece, Egypt, Hong Kong, Northern Ireland (where child 4 moved to) as well as luxury hotel stays in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and staying in many places around the UK. We were present at weddings, funerals, last day of school, passing out parades, births. I made it back to spend precious time with my father before he died.

I've returned to work now as a Teaching Assistant, I love my job. Some days I'm disappointed that I no longer have a career, some days I feel bored that I have nothing to challenge me, then I remember how much time I have now for us, for the family, for friends and the long holidays for us to go away, to spend the summers in Australia with child 3, the half terms in Northern Ireland with our Grandson and the weekends with child 1 and child 2 and our grandchild. We can have our mums to stay, be around to help them as they get older with hospital appointments, take them shopping, help them with jobs around their homes, just go for coffee, just spend precious time with them.

I still get to work on the golf, The British Masters and the PGA Championships, just in the UK. I also volunteered in the athletes village at The Commonwealth Games in Birmingham 2022

We've got holidays planned for the year, days out in the camper van we bought the end of last year.

Is it disappointment or just never being satisfied with what we've got now? Is it about always looking back to the past?

I remember when we first moved to South Africa we met a couple at the golf club that everyone referred to as the 'when we's' 'When we lived in........' 'When we .........' 

Maybe we're now the 'when we's'

I hope I'm not dealing with disappointment, I think it's just life. It's natural to look back at what we've achieved, where we've been and how we've grown and to build on it for the future. I'm sure there will be more disappointments in the form of missed opportunities, turning left instead of right and only natural to wonder what would have happened if we'd turned the other way.