Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Its been Five days since my last post and a hectic five days at that. Friday found us at the tailors collecting the wedding suit, the wife having had her nails manicured etc. Getting the car cleaned, vacuumed and polished, then returning home for haircuts and finally playing host to the groom for his last visit home as a single man, before venturing off into the married world, new wife, new house, new baby. My word life is changing apace.
Saturday 11 o'clock, and I stand resplendent, like an overstuffed peacock in a dark suit and tie, feeling fat, round and ridiculous, a modern day Mr Pickwick. straight from the pages of the Dickens novel. the things you do for kids.The wedding service went well, words spoken loudly and proudly by both participants, register signed and then out into the gardens for photo's as Mr and Mrs.
Then on to the Marriott hotel for the reception, champagne and loads more photos. F The wedding breakfast, quickly consumed by hungry guests,was followed by emotive and moving speeches, first by the brides father, who despite having had a heart and lung transplant, had walked his daughter down the aisle, and now stood to wish the the couple well, recount some anecdotes and toast the bride, a brave and impressive performance.
The Groom polished and confident, moving a number of his guest's to tears. His bride too looked radiant and happy long may it continue.
The best man, the grooms elder brother, great friends these two, then proceeded to skillfully take the mickey, recounting tales of boyhood years and producing numerous objects of an embarrassing nature before proposing the final toast to the happy couple,
A disco provided the music for us to party till late, with a delicious barbecued buffet being served, to refuel the guests through the evening, finally the day ended at midnight.
Sunday and the immediate families gathered at the brides parents house, to reminisce, browse photos and tuck into another delicious buffet, provided by her mum a superb cook, a splendid end to a lovely weekend.
Monday a day to regroup tidy up and prepare for Thursdays operation of which more at a later date
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2006.
Been to the hospital today, saw the specialist, had numerous tests, My Cataracts do indeed need attention, so will be back next Thursday for an operation on my right eye, the lens will be removed it is clouded over and useless, and replaced with lens manufactured to the specification dictated by today's test, hopefully my eye will be returned to pre-cataract condition. We shall see.Interesting how paying for this treatment has suddenly opened doors.
posted by Dandan
10:52 AM 0 comments
Friday, October 20, 2006
Total chaos here, living in the fens with its damp environment means that roofs get covered with large clumps of moss. Even as I type I can hear a man clomping all over my roof with a pressure cleaner removing the debris of some thirty years from the tiles, a mist of dirty water and fungi has now rendered the windows unusable, so the next job is to clean all the woodwork, glass, gutters downpipes and doors, from the muck newly plastered all over them.. Having done that there is only the same muck to be removed from the patio and drive. good fun this maintenance.
Surprise, surprise the appointment that couldn't be done until after Christmas through the NHS. has been booked for next Thursday now I am paying for it, well I never< I am gobsmacked.
posted by Dandan
6:39 AM 0 comments
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Today is a landmark day, Anne's daughter is packing ready to return to her own home and start her new life, pain and drug free, resplendent with her new leg, eating again and ready for the fresh challenges that life will present.Tonight she meets her husband and will explore the possibilities on that front, whatever, with or without him, her determination to succeed I am sure will prevail.
Tomorrow that means a trip to Blackpool with a girlfriend and kids for a weekend seeing the lights and generally chilling out. Physio has been reduced to one day a week, so good is the progress she has made.
We too are looking forward to having our lives back ,content that another family crises has been resolved, and we can also press on.
The wedding is only 10 days away and excitement mounts among the females of the tribe, the bride, close relatives and friends are having a pamper day on Saturday with all kinds of treatments on offer, god knows what Anne will look like when she returns, must remember to keep out of the way.
In the midst of all this the groom seems remarkably cool and unfazed, coming round last evening to watch with me, his team Liverpool, play football, live on TV , whilst fielding a constant barrage of texts as he did so. Whether this cool will survive his stag night tomorrow remains to be seen. Though no doubt his big brother will look after him, having been all through it himself.
Went to the Doctors today re the Cataracts, as expected nothing could be done on the NHS before the new year, so the Doctor has written to the consultant, requesting an urgent private meeting, it seems paying for it is the only way it will get done in a sensible time scale, we await developments
posted by Dandan
2:08 AM 0 comments
Friday, October 13, 2006
Not had a good day been to the opticians, my cataracts have worsened, am now struggling to read unless the light is perfect, it is also frustrating that I cannot see my photographs as well as I would like. Colour recognition has also been impaired.So to the Dr's next week to get a letter to arrange an appointment with the specialist, expect NHS will have a huge waiting list, no doubt going private will be the only sensible option, we will see.
posted by Dandan
12:25 PM 0 comments
Worldwide Journey, Click on images
Originally uploaded by 6dandan3.
Changing times
12/10/06Today marks the beginning of another stage in an eventful year. It started easy and relaxed on a cruise ship in the Pacific as we toasted in another new year,Aged 63 I am retired from the commercial world and determined to enjoy whatever the remaining years have in store, So spoiling ourselves with a world cruise seemed to fit sensibly into this philosophy.We are a second marriage and as such have an extended grown up family, three of mine and two of my wife Anne's, all married except my youngest, so where to spend Christmas can be a constant problem, as they would all be pleased to have us, the answer go abroad, problem solved.
Returning home to the Lincolnshire Fens in mid Feb. Anne hated the cold, they say there isn't a hill between our house and Siberia and the wind does blow cold and damp, not good news for an arthritic lady.So onto the Internet to book a Villa for three months.
First of March found us on another ship, the ferry bound for Spain and then on by car to Polaris World and its golf courses. Three months of sun, visits from the kids, markets for Delicious fruit and salad, and plenty of cheap restaurants if you didn't feel like feeding yourself,My brother has relocated to Murcia full time and loves it, as did Anne, so visiting with them. looking in on the insular world of the expat, a life though enjoyable to many, would not be for me.
We returned home early June, relaxed, happy and contented, ready for an English summer of Cricket, Fishing and family, we have five grandchildren and intended some quality time with them, so much for plans.
My youngest
Our state of calm was due to be short lived. We had enjoyed the company of my youngest son and his fiance in Spain when they visited, and smiled at the thought of him down on one knee, at the top of the Eiffel tower, whipping out a ring and proposing marriage, where did this romantic spring from.
The marriage was arranged for October 07, now here he was calmly and proudly announcing that they were going to be parents in the new year, plans were changing, the wedding would still be in October but 06 not 07 and was that OK.
So we have two weeks to the happy day, they meantime have sold the house and will move to a bigger home around the same time as the wedding and somehow still fit a honeymoon in, oh to be young, that energy is priceless. Meanwhile I, who have worn a suit and tie, just once, (at my mothers funeral), since I retired six years ago, after a working lifetime of daily suit wearing, ( they are my equivalent of the boiler suit) will now hire a lounge suit, to help launch them on there way and then gladly hand it back, after the wedding, content that my job is now done.
Anne's youngest
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Anne' daughter had also visited us in Spain, she came for a break knowing she was going into hospital at the end of June.Four years ago she had passed her motorbike test unbeknown to us, and with the encouragement of her biker husband and despite the plea's and tears of her mother, had purchased a 600 cc motorbike, Six weeks later we got the call we dreaded, she had hit a lorry head on overtaking on a bend, was lucky to survive but had smashed her leg horribly.So despite almost 50 operations and the daily intake of 600mg of morphine, prescribed by her surgeons. She still had to endure, constant and debilitating pain. this pain and the zombie like state the drugs had reduced her to0, finally decided her, to ask for the leg to be removed .The surgeons agreed and at the end of June, amputated her leg, two days later her husband informed her by text that he could not deal with a one legged wife and was leaving her, he left that day.So with no support at home she and her 16 year old daughter moved in with us, and now three months later, helped by constant physiotherapy, she is walking on her new high tech leg, has beaten cold turkey and is now completely drug free.In two weeks time, when physio ends, she will go home and hopefully after Christmas return to work and get on with her life, husband or not.Her courage and bloody mindedness has earned the the respect of professionals and friends alike. Indeed she has since been asked to be a mentor and role model to prospective amputees.
My little girl
My two eldest despite the mayhem, go quietly on there way, My daughter and her husband are in the nicest possible way workaholics, in there thirties and with two super boys, both at senior school.There house normally pristine, is a tip, as workmen knock down build and extend, but again come Christmas, all will be done and peace return.Despite the hard work she somehow finds the time, to go to the gym, run, walk the dog and keeps herself lithe and trim, chauffeurs the boys as and when, and has even been known to give me some verbal
My Eldest
My eldest and his wife are enjoying the best times of there lives, after years of trauma they have at last adopted a little daughter from America.Both in there late thirties they too look after themselves with lots of exercise, walking the baby, running, golf and badminton.There daughter is brought up knowing she is American, in fact she has dual passports and regular progress reports are sent to the brave lady, who let two desperate people in a strange land have her two day old baby. Part of the deal is that American holidays are celebrated and this they also do
Changing Times
I started this Blog at sea, toasting in the New Year, strange then that whilst I am doing this an offer should come in for a new cruise. Such was the offer and given the hectic six months I have outlined on here, we decided to accept.Therefor the blog will map the run up to departure on 2nd December and our journey to Singapore via South Africa and numerous other ports of call, over Christmas and the New Year.Hopefully you will find this of interest and maybe, who knows catch a little of the flavour of the cruise
posted by Dandan
11:26 AM 0 comments
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