Professer 
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Hey Lesley i to am in need of some Hugs (((( ))))
Reply #2261. Jan 13 11, 9:55 AM
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| lesley153
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"Just grateful to actually be here."
Oh yes. With knobs on! Especially when everyone from your new GP's practice nurse to your surgeon says how lucky you've been!
Thank you both. I'm not so much stressed as slightly irritated by my reduced memory, and the fact that Jonathan is worried because he equates it with depression. (Mr Exercise and my GP don't.)
Gary, when is anyone ever not in need of hugs? (((((()))))) |
Reply #2262. Jan 13 11, 4:16 PM
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| lesley153
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| Jonathan arrived this afternoon. We went home, had a cup of tea, and went to see The King's Speech. Gosh what a brilliant film it is, with a ton of talent packed into a couple of hours. Wonderful. |
Reply #2263. Jan 13 11, 4:35 PM
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Jazmee27
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So glad you enjoyed yourself.
Reply #2264. Jan 13 11, 8:09 PM
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| lesley153
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Jonathan's been and gone, taking with him his nice new sheepskin gloves, his Berocca, his ceramic coffee grinder and some beans: and his keys!
Last October, he was low on contact lenses, so I sent him some in a tiny little Jiffy bag with my address on the back, and they never arrived. They arrived here this morning: "Not known at this address." My fault: I put the wrong flat number on it. :( I have no idea why I put 22 instead of 82, or why he remains determined to have everything sent here, rather than to where he actually lives, or why it took the Post Office four months to send it back (it may be the occupier at No.22 who spent three and a half months staring at it), but they're £20 a month and it's nice to know that I haven't lost £20. He's taken the lenses back too.
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I've just got my car back. It was going perfectly well one day last week, and the next day it was making alarming clonky noises. It was at its least clonky on straight runs without potholes. I now know that it was an upper shock something that had snapped, and that it's common (the mechanic said) for the metal to become brittle and give up in freezing weather.
He said it was safe to drive a bit, because the weight of the car is holding the shock thingy springs in place, but don't go over 30 or outside Bedford. That was a relief, because I've made at least a dozen journeys in it this week, but even more of a relief to get it back and mended.
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Jonathan and I have spent the last 24 hours eating, sleeping, seeing a film and lighting candles - a rose one and a lemon one - but he had to get back for a rehearsal. I may follow him back to London one day, get rid of the car, which wants money like baby birds want food, and buy a motorised scooter so I can terrorise small children on pavements and in shops.
I was a lot more cheerful, probably because I've been out of the house so much. We both noticed it, and I think he's less worried because of it. |
Reply #2265. Jan 14 11, 12:09 PM
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| lesley153
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I was shopping the other day, and picked up a packet of crumpets made by Red Lion Foods. It says on the wrapper that they will give all their after-tax profits to six military causes. I hadn't heard of them so I looked them up and found that the brand was launched around Remembrance Day 2010, and is endorsed by Joanna Lumley, Michael Owen and Sir Ranulph Fiennes.
The managing director of Red Lion Foods has said: “If households buy just one of their everyday food products from us in their weekly shop we can donate more than £30 million to armed forces charities every year. This is equal to the amount raised by Children in Need each year and an amazing amount to help our armed forces.”
Sounds good. Next time, I'll see what else I can find, besides crumpets.
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Bedtime. I set all the alarms I could think of for 8.30-ish this morning, to hand the car keys to the garage man, who was picking the car up at 9-ish. I made tea for Jonathan and me. He drank half of his and fell asleep again.
The garage man came at ten o'clock. I gave him the key and staggered back to bed and don't remember my head hitting pillow. I slept like a log till Jonathan woke me up an hour or two later. (I'm trying to find the words to express how grateful I was.)
Night all! :) |
Reply #2266. Jan 14 11, 7:40 PM
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| veronikkamarrz
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So...You're imagining the day that you give up the Jag? OH NO! You promised that would not happen!:)
I'm happy to hear how good your visit with Jonathan went. It's almost like he lives home again!
See you on FB! ;)
Reply #2267. Jan 14 11, 8:35 PM
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| lesley153
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Unfortunately, he only came back because he'd scooted off in a hurry, and left things behind. It was still nice though.
He needed to leave this time to go to rehearsals for a Mahler concert he's playing in, in central London - tomorrow! Yes, I'm going. :)
I was only without the car from ten till five on Friday but it felt like a lot longer. Funny - I'd forgotten - but someone asked me this morning how much I wanted for it. He said he liked the colour. It's a sort of silvery-sky-blue, and most of the cars around now are silver, white, black and red.
I told him I doubled the value of the car when I filled the tank, that it was only light blue where it wasn't rusty, and that the colour makes it easier for people to crash into it because they think it's the sky. I guess I don't really want to let it go.
See you on FB! :) |
Reply #2268. Jan 15 11, 6:14 PM
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| lesley153
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Lovely day yesterday. This year is the centenary of Gustav Mahler's death, and Jonathan joined this year's Mahler Orchestra to play his 9th Symphony, in a church in Gloucester Road. Nice surroundings - and astonishing music. The girl behind me said something about being transported, then crashing back to earth when it finished.
Got home and spotted my nephew on facebook, probably the same day that he joined. He's my friend now! And he called me his "cool" auntie. Took me a while to stop laughing - but
there's always been something about him I've liked. :) |
Reply #2269. Jan 17 11, 9:10 AM
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Professer
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You are Cool Lesley am sorry not been about much am struggling hope i will see the year out but not sure if i will, but it will not be for the lack of fighting.
Reply #2270. Jan 17 11, 10:33 AM
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| lesley153
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It goes without saying that I hope you will!
Post an answer in your blog, because that's where people will look for your news. They aren't going to think: "I wonder how Gary is - I'll see what he's written in Lesley's blog," are they? :) |
Reply #2271. Jan 17 11, 1:01 PM
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Jazmee27
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Maybe.
Reply #2272. Jan 19 11, 9:20 AM
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| lesley153
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I've been very quiet and extra boring recently.
Jonathan was here for a week before his lectures started again, which was nice, and he came back a few days later to pick up some things he'd left behind. Little things, like his new gloves, his coffee grinder, his keys... He still left a tin of coffee beans and a new tie. I'm sure I'll find more.
The last time I can remember going to the cinema was when he was five and I took him to see the Flintstones film. Last week, we saw The King's Speech. It's one of the most compelling films I've seen: by turns interesting, moving, and very funny.
I was talking to him on the phone at lunchtime, and he left the conversation to say No thanks - I'm playing in it. He said he was playing in a concert tomorrow evening, and "You're not invited. It's £1,000 a table."
He rang again this evening, we chatted a bit, mostly about food, and then he explained "simulated annealing" to me. Whoever thought of that must be very clever!
Nothing much else - cardiac exercise sessions, otherwise I probably wouldn't do any exercise at all: Alexander lessons: concerts: shopping and eating and sleeping.
The car works and the weather's getting milder. Life is good. |
Reply #2273. Jan 25 11, 7:20 PM
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Professer
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nice to read things getting better Lesley. :)
Reply #2274. Jan 27 11, 6:17 AM
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Jazmee27
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Ditto.
Reply #2275. Jan 27 11, 8:55 AM
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| lesley153
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Thank you both.
Nothing to add... except I planned to go to Bedford Music Club this evening, and I forgot. Oh dear. It was a soprano with piano, so I'm not too unhappy I missed it. I just need to apologise to the people I told I was going.
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More irritation for my cousin. His stepdaughter still isn't in touch, having been advised to avoid anything and anyone that reminds of her mother. His son-in-law is in touch, to tell him how to spend his money. So is his wife's sister. They're both bursting with ideas. If they want thousands of words engraved on her headstone, they can pay for it.
He was expecting it, though. If your spouse dies, it's only a matter of time before the vultures arrive and tell you what you have to do next, what you need, and what you don't need but they'll be happy to do you a favour and take it off your hands. If you're a woman, you'll also be lectured about getting a smaller house, a smaller car, and a new husband.
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A friend whose husband died five or six years ago told me about a visit from her sister, brother-in-law, nieces and nieces' husbands.
"You don't need this." (Says who?)
"This slow cooker is much too big for only one of you." (Have these people never heard of entertaining?)
The most stunning conversation she told me about was with a niece's husband. He'd spotted some electronic (piano) keyboards, and she couldn't possibly need more than one, right? You can only play one at a time, right? She's a piano teacher, and she has a proper piano and an electronic one in her music room, and another one she plays, for fun, in another room. He didn't want it for himself, though.
Him: I think my friend would really like that.
Her: It hasn't got a lead.
Him: Do you know where it is?
Her: Upstairs somewhere.
Him: I'll pop upstairs and have a look for it.
Her: Oh no you won't.
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I listened as politely as I could to the lectures about getting a smaller house, a smaller car, and a new husband, and ignored all of them. I let myself be conned out of a satellite TV system, but that's another story, for another day.
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Reply #2276. Jan 27 11, 6:49 PM
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Professer
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Damn Lesley theres my hopes dashed :) {{{{{}}}}}
Reply #2277. Jan 28 11, 1:17 PM
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| lesley153
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| Gary, I'm so sorry that you had to find out like that. {{{{{{}}}}}} |
Reply #2278. Jan 28 11, 4:57 PM
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| lesley153
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I can't remember the last time I got rid of a garment that was still wearable, with the result that I have two wardrobes crammed with clothes, and more clothes festooning every door in the house. Time to admit that there are some in there I really shan't wear again, however much I'd like to. Some of them are, and always will be, too small, and some of them just scream 70s and 80s at you.
I found a couple of men's polo shirts in the best possible fabrics and the worst possible colours. The finest Sea Island cotton jersey, chocolate brown, anyone? Fred Perry, cotton piqué, bright apricot?
Some of them are clothes I made and it's not easy to throw out something you made yourself. I spent loads of money in Fine Dress Fabrics near Baker Street. I don't think it exists any more.
Some of them I bought while I was working in Arlington Street or Saint James's Street, just off Piccadilly, and frighteningly close to Burlington Arcade. There are some very smart (then) shirts in cotton, linen, silk and Viyella, including a beautifully made Daks cotton shirt, from Simpsons of Piccadilly, in a size 10. Was I ever that thin? I could get another one like it now for £60 in the sales, normal price £125. Did I really have that sort of money to spend on clothes?
Last time Jonathan was here, he got chatting to a woman in an empty shop where Pizza Hut used to be. She said it was opening soon as a YMCA shop, and all donations would be gratefully accepted. YMCA or British Heart Foundation? Hmmm...
I've spent the weekend going through both wardrobes, deciding what I'm going to keep and what's going to charity shops, and washing them all to get the dust off, it's so long since they've even been moved. I've done seven or eight washloads this weekend, all dry or drying but I draw the line at ironing, and I'm ready for bed.
Just thought - I have a load of knee-high leather boots I shan't wear again, including the sheepskin ones which are actually too small. I don't think I've still got the purple ones I bought in 1966. |
Reply #2279. Jan 30 11, 8:34 PM
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| veronikkamarrz
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What color are the boots...Oh, and what size?:) I'm a boot freak, and I too, have several pair that, well you know!
Still, it's hard to get rid of anything until you are REALLY ready.
You're getting there, I guess...With J's help...:)
Let me know about the boots!:)
Reply #2280. Jan 30 11, 9:59 PM
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