Monday

Subject: Monday Mon Jul 14, 2008 8:57 am

I had a lovely sleep, the best in a long time so I feel more refreshed today. Our friend was supposed to be getting his operation today, but his wife phoned us early this morning and told us he is not getting operated on as the doctors said he is too well! Can you believe it, he was riving the bed in agony, crying with the pain, is really down with been in hospital and just wanted this op so everything would be over and done with and he could start getting better, but no, the doc's said he is too well, ridiculous, that hospital is terrible. They told him that he will have to stay in hospital for about a week under observation, so he is really down, poor bloke, and we are all fuming with the doctors at that stupid hospital.

We are waiting on a delivery, so it all depends on what time our stuff gets delivered if and when we go out. If it gets delivered within the next few hours, John and I will take a walk to his parents, stay for a cuppa then go to the hospital to visit our friend, then my dad is calling in. If not, then we will have to stay in.

Hope you all have a great day, take care all.

Subject: Re: Monday Mon Jul 14, 2008 8:58 am

Oh, and happy birthday to Ali, hope you have a great day.

Subject: Re: Monday Mon Jul 14, 2008 10:35 am

My planned Perfect Evening went well last night... bed made up with my wonderful bedlinen, roses at my bedside, a jug of flowers on the other side and a bowl of cherries and raspberries with tiny British wild strawberries... heavenly!

I went bonkers and bought essential oil of Rose Otto which is incredibly expensive (the most expensive is Rosa Absolute which takes two TONS of rose petals to make one litre!).

I went to my wonderful friend's for a top-to-toe massage at 6,30. Home to eat the meal I left ready of petit-pois with pancetta, baby onions and herb butter (actually a Waitrose ready-meal but gorgeous); made the fruit salad. I plaited my hair back all round my head and put my nightshirt on and then washed my face and then just five precious drops of Rosa Otto massaged in and my skin felt like softest velvet.

I slept wonderfully and today I am really enthusiastic about life, the universe and restarting my PhD!

It's amazing what benefits oen can reap from clawing a room back under control, and treating oneself to really good things like the perfect bed and beautiful roses and good healthy food...

http://s76.photobucket.com/albums/j12/lnsbones/Housekeeping/

laura

Subject: Re: Monday Mon Jul 14, 2008 11:20 am

Wow you have been busy, although I knew that just from the posts, I was exhausted just reading your to do list.
The platter of fruit looks wonderful and better than I envisioned, especially the baby strawberries. yum.
BTW great job!

Subject: Re: Monday Mon Jul 14, 2008 11:39 am

That fruit plate looks wonderful, nice bed aswell Laura. I want a patchwork quilt but they are all so expensive.

Subject: Re: Monday Mon Jul 14, 2008 11:39 am

Thanks Mel.
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Subject: Re: Monday Mon Jul 14, 2008 11:50 am

Ah you're the birthday girl, Housebug! I get easily confused with names and board-names... ;-)
The sun is thinking of coming out here - hope it does for you where you are!

Mel, I wanted a Durham quilt originally but they were really expensive too - but I found this one on French eBay for £19 plus the same postage, so £38! It's deep soft muted red on the other side - I call it my rhubarb-and-custard quilt!

So don't give up hope, jsut keep your eyes open for unexpected possibilities... or make your own!

Oh, you are so close to all your family that you would really make a beautiful piece, I'm sure... you could ask ALL your family for something to contribute, and I bet you'd get enough for a really big quilt in no time... often people keep something they'll never wear again because they can't bear jsut to throw it away - their granny's wedding-dress, or the skirt they wore when they met their husband first, or your first little dress and so on!

I can't remember whether or not you sew, but a patchwork quilt is an ideal thing as a novice - it will take time, but I can picture you on a winter's evening, sitting with your feet tucked up under you on the sofa, with John beside you and the animals at your feet, and a really good film on, stitching one more piece of your family's history into your quilt!

laura

Subject: Re: Monday Mon Jul 14, 2008 11:59 am

Thanks Laura.

These look very good quality and are, imo, very reasonable;

Country Quilts
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Subject: Re: Monday Mon Jul 14, 2008 12:27 pm

Ali Happy Birthday and the website is nice... also nice to find cotton sheets that are pretty too.
Laura, I forgot to comment on your quilt love the color and I do remember the other side..but I think I like this one better...

Have a wondeful day ladies....

Subject: Re: Monday Mon Jul 14, 2008 12:41 pm

They are lovely quilts but over £100 is more than I would have to spend on a quilt, sadly!

I think that's why I've ended up so able with a needle - my preferences are waaaay beyond my means! ;-)

laura

Subject: Re: Monday Mon Jul 14, 2008 2:12 pm

Good idea Laura, I may just do that.
I have done all the housework, done 2 loads of washing, the 3rd load is washing now and I have a fourth to put in and I am ironing, 30 tops and 4 trousers and a jacket! Im going to be on all day, can you tell I hate ironing, I just let it build up and up and am left with a mountain to do. Cant wait to be able to sit down and read my book, 'Mayhew's London Underworld', which is excellent then watch a film with my hubby.

Subject: Re: Monday Mon Jul 14, 2008 3:34 pm

I do no envy you at all..the best way to do ironing is in front of the tv or some kind of entertainment.
Or to let someone else do it....Luck to you Melanie...

Subject: Re: Monday Mon Jul 14, 2008 8:35 pm

Just read your post about your friend in the hospital Melanie--what?!!! I don't understand the doc's logic here---he's too well yet they want to keep him there a week?! I don't get it. I'd be livid and get a second opinion fast. So sorry your friend is going thru this.

Subject: Re: Monday Tue Jul 15, 2008 6:46 am

I managed to get all the ironing done and I was shattered by the end of it.
Joan, it is so annoying the way the hospital are treating him, this has been going on since the beginning of the year and he is still not better, infact he seems to be getting worse, the doctors are idiots.

Subject: Re: Monday Tue Jul 15, 2008 7:57 am

I don't know your friend's medical condition, obviously, but there are some conditions where surgery is possible but is a majro risk made worthwile by how serious the disease is. It could be that if his condition is borderline then they are hoping they don't have to operate. He may be in pain but that may be preferable to the amount of pain if he reacts badly to surgery, or else the surgery may cause bigger problems down the line.

Years ago a friend had terrible period pains so in her 20s they did what was considered 'good', ie removed her womb and ovaries - in her 30s she wanted children but of course couldn't, and now in her late 40s she has problems due to very early menopause, tons of tablets to take every day, osteoporosis, HRT, the lot... but the surgery did help what she was in for.

They don't do that oen any more, but it might be that the surgery is only for untreatable cases, because its effects are so serious, so if he's not getting the surgery then that's good, surely?

It really sounds like a communication breakdown, though - he should ask for a proper meeting with hsi consultant and I think he can ask that a friend or relative be present too, so you or John could attend, and then find out exactly what's going on.

One thing - with hospital beds as rare as they are, they won't be keeping him in for a week's observation just for the fun of it! His staying longer means other people's operations are postponed, so there has to be good medical reasons for keeping him in without operating!

Good luck with getting more information about it - it's good he's not on his own

By a weird coincidence, last night I had to go to a formal evening thing at the University in one of their oldest buildings, and one of the speakers talked about Burke and Hare in his speech! I thought immediately of Melanie!!! Isn't it funny how things come up over and again?!

Today is a day of steady work-type work - I really must find a way of describing that. I can't use "work" because it makes it sound like everything else we do isn't work! Oh well, a day of steady work-work, interspersed with getting the last of the carpet-tiles down in my nieces' new room. Then we can order the bed - it's from Ikea and it's a pretty, white single bed with a truckle bed that slides underneath but is a proper bed, too. We'll pay for delivery because between the high blood pressure, bad backs and newly-recovered arms, we don't fancy getitng it all up two flights of stairs, along with two mattresses!!!

They are coming over on Sunday and they don't know they will have their own room!!!!! ;-)

laura