New Year - New Hope

In the last blog I said the next scan etc was in January 20015 well I delayed that a bit so we could have our birthdays away in the warm and saw the man on Monday (9-2-15).  All is well and he doesn't want to see me for a YEAR, how good is that!

7 years on!

The blog is just over seven years old now (18-9-09)  There is no way we could have predicted what has transpired in this time! 

I could not have predicted spending the best (worst) part of a year in hospital (Oct 09-Feb-10, Aug 11 - Feb 12) or flirt with death so closely or so often!  I didn't expect to test the current stock of ambulances so often or play 'secret shopper' to various wards at the Royal Berkshire Hospital of which all but one were brilliant.

On the other hand the good stuff includes -

1) Two wonderful grandsons who exhaust us more than Ben and Rob did!! but they are so worth it!

2) Moving to Caversham, it's great being in town, having a flat that doesn't demand you have a screw driver in one hand and a paint brush in the other all the time! that's an 8 minute walk to the station and 10 minutes to the town centre, less when they finish the new bridge (Dec '14). Not to mention a choice of buses, seemingly every few minutes.  

3) And last but not least - the last cancer check was clear (next one Jan '15) and I'm feeling well.

We'll keep you posted, hopefully not so often as when we were in crisis mode!

August 2014

As before little action is good! Happy to say the half-yearly review in July was all clear. Long may it last!

Christmas 2013

Christmas 2013 already!  I can't believe how quickly this year has gone and how trouble free!  

In July I had my routine checkup and the specialist
said he doesn't want to see me for another year.

Mitchell Jarvis Singer arrived in September, fit and well, and as you can see Connor is delighted, he's also coping well with not being the centre of everyone's attention, but wishes Mitchell could kick a ball - it won't be long!

When things are well, there isn't much to say on the Blog - long may that continue!

Happy Christmas to all and a Peaceful New Year.

Germany

We had a great holiday in Germany (17-28 July '13).  We drove via Euro-tunnel and stopped over in Gent for the night, a lovely city with a number of canals before continuing to Troisdorf (see link below) to stay with friends - what hospitality - we were spoiled rotten!  Both Cologne and Bonn had too much to do and see in 4-5 days.  

One impressive thing was the custom of having a small padlock engraved with you and your partner's name, locking it to the bridge over the Rhine and in a demonstration of your undying love you both cast a key into the river, thereby locking your love together for always.

Us with Alli and Andrea on the bridge

Another thing we liked was the way far greater importance is placed on cycles and pedestrians, particularly children, in their town planning - the car was noticeably demoted with many 'child streets' where cars must give way.

Then we moved on to Schwarzburg (see link below) a little village near Erfurt in the old East - good to see more old (young) friends.  This area is completely missed by UK travelers - hence no one speaks English.  Under communist rule Russian was the second language taught in schools, though it is now English - so, if you get stuck, ask a youngster.

This was our B+B.  The first floor, right-hand window was our bedroom with the balcony overlooking the river - out of which we had our lunch on a couple of occasions - brown trout - No, not caught by us!  Another local dish is Wild Boar with Thuringian Dumplins - potatoes - excellent! 

We spent one day by the pool, a community run project everyone uses, at 2 euros for all day who wouldn't. It has a kiosk for beers, ices and the biggest Thuringian sausages you've ever seen.

the pool before it got busy

We borrowed Sabine and Tino's bikes one day, rode 20km to Bad Blankenburg (Bad means Spa) along the river - all on bike paths! and on the way back stopped for lunch.  Within 2 km of home it started to rain, now when it rains here it really means it - no UK drizzle, in 2 minutes we were wetter than if we had been in the bath! it wasn't worth stopping - we couldn't get wetter! so we just peddled on home.  At least it was warm rain!

Troisdorf -  https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=schwarzburg-rudolstadt&ie=UTF-8&ei=nfb3UYfBLcmX0QXlzoDIAQ&ved=0CAoQ_AUoAg

Schwarzburg - https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=schwarzburg-rudolstadt&ie=UTF-8&ei=nfb3UYfBLcmX0QXlzoDIAQ&ved=0CAoQ_AUoAg

We reluctantly left Schwarzburg on Saturday morning after another of Anna-Rosa's breakfasts and with a stopover in Aalst, we got home on Sunday afternoon. 1400 miles in all - well done Carina - never missed a beat!

Clear for a Year!!

We saw the consultant today and he said the recent scan (Dec 12) was all clear and he doesn't want to see me for a YEAR.

We're off to Germany on Wednesday to see friends in both the West and the old East - wish the Carina well she's over 20 years old now but going strong.

I can drive!

I can drive again! Hurrah!

I sent off my D1 form plus medical form to the DVLA 3 months ago. They wrote to my specialist, who replied weeks ago but the latest letter from the DVLA says they haven't 'completed their investigations' - 'but will advise me within the next 12 weeks'.

Thankfully I don't have to wait for them to get their act together for me to drive - it is a full year since my last fit and I have proof of applying (their letter) for the reinstatement of my licence.

There are many trips I will still make by train and bus - I am entitled to a Disabled Rail Card (1/3 off for me and my 'carer' - whoever is with me!) and being so near the station (8min) it would be daft not to use it.

Reading Council are about to build a new pedestrian/cycle bridge from Christchurch Meadows over the river through Norman Place to the new station, so it will be even nearer.

http://www.reading.gov.uk/council/Consultations/proposal-new-pedestrian-cycle-bridge-across-thames/