About Me

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Worcester, Worcestershire, United Kingdom
Born in the year of the Coronation, I'm a Baby Boomer. In April of this year I decided I too would have a Diamond Jubilee celebration and completely change my life and that of my Husband's in the process

Saturday 12 January 2008

2008!

Life seems to be settling back to the usual routine, after a rather odd month, which started in mid December with the manic rush to complete everything for the school Carol Concert in Worcester Cathedral.

Worcester Cathedral is amongst the oldest in the country and to me, has a very special feel, it’s soaring arches defy gravity and to hear it’s colossal organ being played, is to be mentally transported to a higher plane, the bass notes reverberate through your entire body, making you feel part of the music.

The Carol Concert was just over an hour in length and Carols and Readings were punctuated by a four minute ‘performance’ by each year group, even the Nursery Class, how cute were they!

There were over a thousand people there including the Mayor of Worcester and other local dignitaries and celebrities , Mike being one, LOL!

It was a wonderful success, enjoyed by everyone. While she was getting everything set up, The Head was approached by a visitor to the Cathedral and on hearing what was about to happen, he decided to stay and watch. We had a lovely letter from him saying how much he’d enjoyed it. Praise indeed, as he was formerly the Head of Drama at a large University.

Once the Concert was over, my time was taken with completing end of term tasks and wrapping 60 small presents for all the children in my year group.

My last entry covers the time from when we broke up until after Christmas.

New Year’s Eve we had a small, late Christmas, with Catherine, Flo and Isabella. We had dinner, with crackers and opened all our presents to each other. Catherine had wanted to wait until I was well and we could make an occasion of it and Isabella had already been overwhelmed with presents.

 

Isabella was so funny as she came here a few times between Christmas and New Year, she would look at all the presents under the tree, point to them and then look at me with a questioning smile on her face and said “More?” I’m sure she thought I hadn’t noticed there were still some lying there and she obviously found present unwrapping a fun thing to do.

New Year over I then had to start thinking about returning to school but mainly I had a quiet time, trying to get my strength back after being ill. I have to say, I still don’t feel 100% but I’m getting there.

I’ve spent a lot of time at home and it has been a period of reflection, there are certain areas of my life I’m not happy with, either due to my own inaction, or from pressures caused by other people. I often think I will make changes but this time I know I will. I’m getting too old to spend my life making compromises. I’m going to start doing what I want and people can like it, or, do the other thing.

We are seriously looking into getting another dog, I know it will be a tie but we do miss having the company of a doggie person and walking is something I need to do, to help keep me fit. I find Mike is usually booked for work for most of my school holidays and now Sundays will be a lonely day, as Mike has just been given a contract to do a Breakfast programme in Shropshire, then he returns to do an Afternoon programme in Worcester. I’m not going to be inclined to go walking on my own but a doggie companion will give me the incentive to go out.

Catherine, myself and a dear friend will be starting on our allotment soon and I’m really looking forward to that. We decided to wait until the New Year to get started, as over wintering vegetables doesn’t seem to have any great advantage.

I won’t name the friend, but I would like to say, she had an awful shock before Christmas. Without warning, her husband had a Stroke. Luckily, he appears to be making a good recovery but he was typical of so many men, he never felt it necessary to get himself checked out at the Doctor’s. He felt fit, so what could possibly be wrong? As it turned out, quite a bit. Hypertension, known as the silent killer, doesn’t usually show any symptoms until it’s too late. So if your husband is of a ‘certain age’ and is being stubborn about going to the Doctor’s, you can buy an excellent, easy to use monitor from Lloyd’s Chemist for £9.99. I’ve bought one myself as I suffer from ‘White Coat Syndrome’, which means whenever I have mine checked, it’s an artificially high reading. So with my Doctor’s agreement, we checked I was using it properly and I am taking it daily and keeping a dairy. Veryinteresting, it’s actually quite low when I take it here. What was really interesting is that I started drinking decaff coffee about two years ago. If I go out and have a Latte with Catherine in town, I feel really queer afterwards. This never used to happen but I started thinking I must be reacting to the caffeine.

I’ve found that if I test my blood pressure after a real coffee, the reading will be really high and that lasts for a few hours. So, you real coffee drinkers, let that be a warning to you. (Dawn, this means you. LOL!)

My father suffered a devastating stroke in his mid sixties, so this a problem I feel very strongly about.

We should be going out to lunch today with Mum, Wilf, Catherine Flo and Isabella, only after the torrential rain yesterday, I’m not sure if the roads are passable, last night it was flooded just before the pub we are going to. Hopefully things have cleared now and fingers crossed, I think we’ve escaped a visit from the brook, it’s just managed to remain in its banks this time, although the flood barriers have been erected alongside the river. Worcester can be a very wet place sometimes.

I’d better go and let the chickens out now, they had to stay in their Ark all day yesterday due to the weather and they are clucking their displeasure, loudly, which might annoy the neighbours.

It’s a bit late but Happy New Year!

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

You're so right about hypertension being the silent killer.  I, and most of my family, take regular medication for high blood pressure.  If I don't go and get it checked I get a phone call from the doctor's surgery!!  I'm glad you're feeling better and the doggie companion will be really good for you I feel, as well as giving you the much needed exercise (she says, sitting at a desk for most of the day!).
Love the photos of Isabella too, my grand-daughter Isabella started school last September, yours will be too before you know it!  Love, Pat    http://journals.aol.co.uk/pm71blackfen/ramblings-from-pat/

Anonymous said...

LOL  I hear your warning!  Luckily my blood pressure is low, usually 115/70, even after a few coffees!  LOL  I am glad you are feeling better!  If you decide to get a new pup, I do hope you share pics!  Little Isabella is just gorgeous and getting so big!!!  Hugs and love to you all!

be well,
Dawn
http://journals.aol.com/princesssaurora/CarpeDiem/

Anonymous said...

At this rate you'll be trading those chickens for ducks: We are awash here in Buckingham, the river's well over, kiddies playground has disappeared under a lake. Am praying for the unfortunate poeple in this little town, who got flooded out last year (some of whom are still living in the local hotel), that we don't get any more rain.
Take care
Sylvia
http://journals.aol.co.uk/sylviam4000/YeOldeEnglishPosy/

Anonymous said...

Happy new year Linda.  Glad to see you posting again.  The pictures of Isabella and your daughter are so lovely, thanks for sharing them.  It must be smashing to have them living nearby now.  I'm sorry to hear you have been ill but as you say you had time to think about things and get them into perspective.  I think that getting a new dog would be great for you, I wouldn't be without my little Bill even though I have to go out in all weathers to walk him.  No-one can ever love you as much as your dog does!  Always so excited to see you, even if you have only gone out to put the rubbish out.  I lost one of my best friends to a stroke, she had one and seemed to get over it and then she had a massive one and bang that was it.  This was over a period of 5 months.  Yet, I have known others to have massive strokes and recover and live for many years.  Its a lottery I suppose.  Hope your friend's husband recovers and is one of the lucky ones.  Hope your blimming brook contains itself, I think you have had quite enough of it visiting!  Hugs, Tells x

Anonymous said...

So pleased to heasr you are rid of that awful bug ,but yes theyy leave you very down ,and prompt you to think about stuff that needs attention in your life ,Iam pleased the brook didnt break its banks this time ,The carol concert souunded wonderful well done to you all ,Hard work Im sure ,Lovely pictures how Isabelle has grown ..love Jan xx

Anonymous said...

Oh Linda, I am so very glad to read an entry to your blog, and such a lovely entry too!  I can't help but feel that sometimes when we don't take the time to take stock of our life, Spirit brings along and illness that FORCES us to sit and think because we are just too darned ill to do little else!  Your Christmas pictures are just beautiful and there's nothing wrong with having a toned down Christmas.  I'm very proud of you for deciding to live your life for yourself for a change.  We were never meant to be door mats, but we often choose to live our lives as one.  Goodness knows, I lived as one for over fifty years and finally just had enough!  The transistion was hell (sort of like giving birth) but it was all worth it.  I'm right here to help you along!  So glad to see this entry!
Love,
Susie
http://journals.aol.co.uk/susanebunn/ItAllStartsAfter50/

Anonymous said...

Happy New Year to you guys:) love the pictures Isabella is sure growing up fast what a cutie:) have a good week

Deb

Anonymous said...

loved the pics..you are very right about the BP's..good for you taking action...belated Happy New Year to you too!
Lyn

Anonymous said...

I get all light headed when i drink coffee out too, and a splitting headache later, i thought it was because i dehdrate myself all day.Scarey.Isabella is beautiful, Ty is a real flirt with the girls, sometimes when im a little early to collect Jordan from school i let him run round the playground and he goes up to the girls with his big blue eyes and cheeky smile, grinning like a cheshire cat.Probaly got that from his dad!.Beckie x