I'm still here - just

Well blimey moses where has the flippin time gone?  The last month has passed in a blur of plaster dust and muck from the new kitchen. ( All units fitted, appliances in and just painting and tiling left. I said it would be Christmas before it would be finished)  And not one but two doses of flu.  I never did do things by halves.  One dose started about 3 weeks ago.  Sore throat, hacking cough, well you know how it is, but this particular strain is not satisfied with just one visitation, oh no.  Feeling on the mend for a few days and back to normal - well normalish when wallop the ruddy thing turns up for an encore.

On a brighter note Mother's recovery continues apace.  When we went up to Colchester for BIL's funeral we left her up with my sister for a bit of R and R.  She's been back down in Devon for a fortnight and she is really doing well.  So well in fact that this morning she took herself off in a taxi and did her own shopping.  I'm well impreseed and hope that I'll bounce back as well when I hit 87!!

I'm currently struggling with paint charts and tiles.  I do love duck egg blue especially in a kitchen but the room faces due north and gets very little sun. It's a largish room with two big windows but it's never sunny.  So do I go for duck egg walls and cream tiles and woodwork, or the other way round to inject a bit of warmth.  Watch this space.

Bad Moon Rising

Some people seem to be energised by the moon's phases and others report disturbed sleep and restlessness during the full moon.  And see here even Blogger appears to be having and odd time.

It has not been a good few weeks.  Mother was eventually kept in hospital for three weeks.  The shock of the fall took it's toll and she was very shakey for the first two and then, in her usual manner rallied quickly and was sent home after the third.  She continues to improve and is now seeing to most things for herself  except for her cooking and cleaning.

During her stay I had to conceal from her the seriousness of my BIL's  illness so as not to jeopardise her recovery. Sadly  he didn't make it and died last Friday.  Bloody cancer.

I also had a birthday in the midst of all this chaos - just seemed to pass by.

I sometime wish  that I could explain away all these bad things that seem to be engulfing  not only my family but also lots of friends.  The gods, moon, spirits, whatever, are not happy.

Why Jam in the Sandwich?

I have found myself sandwiched between the generations. I am the reliable Nanny to a two year old and the dutiful daughter of and 87 year old. In many ways their needs are similar and equally disimilar. I find myself 'on duty' 3-4 days a week for the former and 24/7 for the latter. Where did the luxury of a lie in or an uninterrrupted viewing of a whole TV programme go? This is by no means meant to sound whingeing or bitter. I love them both to bits. But I find myself fulfilling the duties of the youngest daughter which smacks far more of the situation of the early 1900's than the go getting 21st century.

Then of course there's my other charge. Blue eyed and blonde, totally scrumptious and into everything. That's not so bad if I was half my age , but getting down to change nappies and play on the floor poses problems about getting up again.

Mother had a total shoulder replacement last week and was sent home from hospital after 2 days! We were struggling through famously with washing, dressing and catering until this morning. I had nipped downstairs to put a wash on when - thump. Ma had tripped over and come down with a real bump. I did the usual checking on wiggling toes and fingers and signs of concussion, but I just couldn't lift her so called an ambulance. Well they wanted to know everything over the phone before they deemed that an ambulance was necessary but the frustration of this was negated when 5 minutes later a tall and dishy ambulance man turns up. I joked that it was a long time since she'd had a handsome young man in her bedroom while he checked her over. It was decided to get her up to the cottage hospital and there she shall stay for 3 or 4 days to recuperate and convalesce. Which of course it what whould have happened after the surgery.

So it's been quite a day. Now just to decide what flavour jam I shall be.