Re: Hi Dita and all

[vannin]

P.S. I have been overwhelmed to receive the letter from Pensions people to inform me of the imminent weekly rise of 25p to pension. Wow

[dita]

After reading the above Paul my postie went past, I immediately shot to my porch to see if I had also received an enormous pension rise------not on your nellie-----nuffink.
YET! Hope Trixie and yourself are both ok. Love and Hugs to you both from Dolly and me xxxxxx

[vannin]

Is there one for approaching 85 too? You probably had the 80 'increment' but it went unnoticed - maybe to Inland Rev, as soon as awarded!!
My eight-week blood test is due on Friday, will see how my mad thyroid is faring. Otherwise only being troubled by bad carpal tunnel stealing my beauty sleep. Can't get the the op or even injection, because of wrists-full of metalwork, but vary between wrist-braces and finger splints and the arthritis gloves. Exercises too - yesterday I could not even make fists but today I can and there's nobody to box with! I hope you are both OK too. xxx

[ciderman_nz]

25p! Wow! It'll be overseas trips, Guchi handbags and takeaways! :-)
We soon get our rise and winter add-on to pay for heating.

[vannin]

25p! Wow! It'll be overseas trips, Guchi handbags and takeaways! :-)
We soon get our rise and winter add-on to pay for heating.

How right you are Ciderman! Spend spend spend.

I think my days of overseas trips might be over. I last felt adventurous many years ago. Went away three times in 2009,beginning with a tour of Southern Spain where I enjoyed Granada best in spite of snowy conditions in the Sierra when we went to see the Alhambra - but it WAS January! Then there was Austria where again the mountains drew me. Not for ski-ing though - never tried that. A mini-break in Dublin followed, full of nostalgia.
Then I had a mini-break in 2012 to see the tulips in Holland and sprained an ankle in Amsterdam. So that was 12 years ago and I have not thirsted for travel ever since then.

[vannin]

Hello Dita and everyone, hope you are all well. I had a text this evening from the GP surgery, asking how I would rate them if someone was looking to register with a surgery!!! Could put 6 points for ' Don't know', which I gave. The thing is, there are lovely members of staff, as today I had a pleasant apptmt involving first the blood test, then a chat with an onsite physio who immediately referred me to a clinic re my nasty Carpal Tunnel.
I have built up a good friendship with most on reception, nurses, med secs and the I.T. dept. I have trust and respect for the two new doctors. But the four longstanding ones - forget it. Negligence all the way, so I would never recommend them - two have reached retirement age anyway. Good riddance.
On a better note, Matt the half-Danish blue-eyed tanned stylist-recent gardener- phoned today to give me Tuesday 4 p.m. to do my hair at last. But the family celebration will be postponed because s-i-l is still testing positive after 12 days though the other two are still negative. Too much uncertainty now.
But heigh ho, we just hope all will be well. I hope the same for you Dita and Dolly, and all our friends.xxxx I was told to expect delivery of a cherry tree in pot!!!

[dita]

Hi Vannin and everyone, I do hope you are all well. The Docs at my surgery seem to have dwindled to one, and is now in charge of me, she has rung me a couple of times over my blood tests etc and seems very pleasant, only talked with her twice but other staff have attended my needs instead because of her being very busy on her own. I do tend to keep as far away from the surgery as possible since my husband died because he always needed lots of their attention he was so ill.
Sorry to hear your news of the celebrations being postponed Vannin, this ruddy virus has much to answer for. My next door neighbour has it at the moment.
Not much more to chat about at either, my own health is still up and down and I very rarely go out anywhere, as you know where I live is very quiet and isolated.
Thinking about you as your big day arrives and Dolly and I sending lots of Love and hugs to yourself and Trixie xxxxxx xxxxx

[ciderman_nz]

Vannin I can empathise with you about the trips overseas. 2008 it was Ireland, England and Portugal always with a few days at stopovers like Hong Kong and Bangkok. Then 2009 it was Turkey then Cyprus the latter purely as a result of an internet contact in Larnaca. We so enjoyed the cultural experiences. Then their was a lot of genealogical stuff in Walkern, Hertfordshire.
I do miss it but I think, as you say, we might be a bit past it now and we live so far away from most of the world.

[vannin]

Ciderman, I am latching onto the genealogical stuff because, since my interest began re: finding out who shared my DNA; California and the Saskatchewan area of Canada produced many cousins. But, although the past few years have produced reams of emailing, I have not met any of them f-to-f.
In earlier years and with David, there would have been travelling. Together we met a great number of his folks in Utah.
In 2002, on our last holiday in Ireland, we just missed a group of 'my' Californians who had gone to find the old homesteads. If any of them felt like returning, that would be the incentive to my trying once more!
In Cyprus, did you meet up with Pat at all?
I knew Walkern and also Hitchen in my teens. My county (Bucks) for the past 55 years, is close to Herts!

[ciderman_nz]

Yes Pat arranged our apartment and took us to quite a few fascinating, historical places.
Walkern is where my grandfather was born and during the war he sometimes took me and my mother there to get away from sirens and bombs. On one of these trips 2 year old me fell in a weir and grandad had to jump in , fully clothed and up to his waist in the water. I went to look for this weir when we visited in 2009 and when I found it I was amazed at how alarmed I felt!
Here it is!

[vannin]

Alarming is what it looks like, especially considering your life was saved. All thanks to your Grandad we have your company on forums!

[ciderman_nz]

Yes 30 years a London Met policeman he took his responsibilities very seriously!

[vannin]

A good looking man. The Met police force was looked up to in those days. Currently it seems to be struggling and overwhelmed by complaints as to widespread 'dereliction of duty' and thousands of unsolved crimes. There are, of course, police officers who are real treasures but too many bad apples who are responsible for the dwindling reputation. The Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick has lost her job recently.

[vannin]

Hi Dita and all and I hope we are all feeling OK.
My new 'baby', the ornamental cherry tree, was safely delivered yesterday. I am not even attempting to stand it out in the path of icy-cold blasts but waiting for a calm day. It is in its pot in the side porch, watered and showing ten little buds.
Trixie was off her moist food for two days but still chomping on the dry. Vets tell us there is no need to worry about a couple of days, the tastes vary, like human preferences, and I vary her few different foods. This morning shows an empty dish so seems OK.
She is probably chuffed to have little Rosie among her friends now!
Dita and Dolly, hugs and love from both of us xxxx. Take care everyone.

[dita]

Pleased you have received and looking forward to enjoying your ornamental cherry tree, I am sure you will get lots and lots of pleasure from it.
Dolly sounds much the same as Trixie regarding eating habits, some days she is very reluctant to eat something I have specially prepared, then the following day she woofs it down but she does not like wet food at all, have tried to encourage her because she lacks most of her teeth but no chance.
I do hope you are feeling well Vannin, also little Trixie, Love and hugs to you both from Dolly and me xxxxxxx