Ouch Helena ! You must be sooo sick of it all but don't you go picking at it to 'help' it fall off!

It's warm here but the rain has started. I had to package up the Communion outfit and hope it doesn't get soaked on the way to school - or damaged at school. Poor Carys has to get that into school, plus her rucksack and lunch bag. Her dad is with her so he will help if they let him into the school.

It's chucking it down now.

Morning Mandy busy busy for you.
Oh dear Carys has a lot to contend with today.

Walked Dillon only did half the village his left hip seems little more swinging from the hip today than usual. That is the one that luxates. Not sure if he did something stupid in the garden while I was getting ready for a walk. He was happy to go out excited and walked without needing to rest so can't be painful he is laying down ok and sitting well not extending the leg out. Maybe its the damp weather today.
Will watch and see how it goes.

Good morning everyone. I think at last we may be in for a drop of rain here. Steve has been patching my grass again with more seed and top dressing. When it thickens now all the moss has gone it should look lovely.

Helena, I am glad you have finally got that contraption out but my what an operation. Patience and just another couple of weeks and hopefully you will be able to drive again. Dave will be patient with you and you do seem to have got the vans being done nearly to your liking and if you can get your garden done too you will be getting there. I hope Dave's workshop/garage sale is going ahead ok or is the chap still mucking him around. He may have to go with the other chap who has offered him a job yet. Do take care of yourself.

Lynn, do hope Dillons leg is ok would hate it to be anything serious.

Linda, hope Cary's 'do' goes off ok and she is happy about it all.

Haven't see Malka this morning though did check up on her thread about poor Pereg, hope they are both ok this morning.

Nippy Jen, I believe you are getting the rain we need here, although we should get some sometime today, not the weather for taking Tango out.

I am doing better with my Tramadol withdrawal. I am now down to 1 capsule every 8 hours which is about the time I start to feel bad. As for the painful joints in the meantime I am taking extra ibuprofen but I have to be careful because of my poor kidney condition.

Have a lovely day all, God bless.

Well I'm sorry Helena but even in these circumstances you manage to make me laugh. You are much nearer to being back to normal???? now! Dave will have to claim carers allowance
Yes Moyra, we are getting very heavy showers and I am NOT sharing it, our need is as great as yours

Now, my "experiment" was a great success I have made some sugar free cakes for Brian for his birthday. He is a total cake addict. I have made them with Splenda and put some sultanas in. They haven't browned like normal cakes so they look a bit anaemic but taste great.

Thanks Moyra. I'm so pleased to hear things are looking a bit better for you. You're doing really well!

Nippy - I had a sugar-free carrot cake receipe and I used it for Carys' first birthday. No artificial sweeteners, just apple sauce. I really liked it; it was a more delicate taste than a sugar version but it didn't rise very well and was a bit heavy.

I have a nice sugar-free banana bread (no sweeteners) receipe and a muffin one somewhere too.

Moyra - very pleased to hear that you are coping with the reduction in Tramadol and hope that you continue to cope well. As for extra ibuprofen and your kidneys - it is the Devil's alternative as you need something to help with the pain but have to be careful because of your kidneys.

As for not seeing me this morning, go back and have a look at message #2 on this thread! And thank you for thinking of Pereg and me! (((hugs)))

Afternoon Moyra glad the withdrawal is beginning to go in the right direction.
The sugar free cakes sound lovely.

Dillon and I had a visitor today one of the ladies we met at Brancaster who also belongs to one of the Bernese sites I belong too. She is dog sitting in March and got in touch to see if she could pop over. No dogs brought along but Dillon was very pleased to have a visitor and was quite well behaved. We're getting there.

LOL Jenny, I like to keep your spirits up along with my own

Well. they just came round and zena was as good as gold after her initial terrorist outburst at them through the big gate, I'm sure she must scare the pants off everyone as they stand the other side, but once I get her in a sit, she gets the ball, I get the "yip" bark instead of the deep bark and I know it's then safe. Oh I've got this dog well sussed out.

She played ball with zena whilst I took him further up in the top of the garden and he said it's a piece of cake for him. I didn't ask for a price, I said I know they won't rip me off and he's going to do it next week, but he wants to do more, so he's more than welcome, I'll let him spend the morning out there and hopefully he'll transform it for £50!

I'm doing wonders with this hand now, although the inbetween bit hurts more than the finger when exercising, and if I didn't have this flippin bandage on it I can almost bring it into a fist with the other fingers yayyy! I told her I would once that frame came off. Trouble is, I've got pains along the back of my hand which is probably tendons which need stretching but hopefully they'll be fine the more I do. Never had those pains before and I'm also worried about the open holes and whether I could make those bleed if I overdo it? Dunno really, maybe they won't?

Whatever I do I must keep this bandage clean and dry cos if it gets wet I think I've had it having to make it last 2 weeks!
Hi Lynn, no, I think it's too risky to risk driving just yet cos you just never know what you might have to do with the wheel in an emergency. Hope Dillon is ok now on that hip, very strange though.
Linda hope that dress stays fine for carys today.
Hi Mandy, so you know what I mean then about that cuff tightening - shouldn't be allowed to do that should it
Hi Moyra, hope you're feeling a lot better now and have sorted out your medication.

Well, off for a bit of JK and a nice nanny nap cos 2 days of getting up at 5 am has finally got to me, I feel shattered today.

Thanks LS but if I mentioned carrot cake or banana cake the reaction would be So sultana it was. What he would like is a Bakewell tart.....no way jose!

Been AWOL a lot of the day because We have been on a Mission, all completed now though. Came home sorted everyone out with bones and cleaned up, off out shopping and the heavens have opened. Good job there was nothing left to do in the way of painting at least, I do have the wall and the railings and gate to do yet, but can get that done over the weekend.
Breaking News is that I have a Honeysuckle and Jasmine being delivered to me early next week, 6ft tall as well.
Youngest son has been on t'interweb and found them for me, 2 for the price of what I was going to have to pay for just one of them, including delivery, so that is my birthday pressie sorted out. I've ordered some more nematodes for the slug and snail problem, not seen many slugs recently, but a few snails still here and there, going to keep letting these little divils loose on them till they get the hint and keep away from my plants. All my plants are in the back where Nigel cannot reach them, and if I haven't managed to get the wall, railings and gate painted by the time they are delivered thats where the honeysuckle and jasmine will be as well!!!
Glad to hear the hand is doing well Helena, and NO PICKING at your cast either yung lady. Good to hear you have a Man Wot Does and furthermore Knows Wot He Is Doing, I seem to have a Man Wot Duzn't Do or Duz It Wrong
Hope Dillon is OK Lynn, have you thought about getting Yu Move tablets for him, I've heard good reports about them, also heard that Rosehip Tablets are good as well.
A good nights sleep seems to have been had by you Malka, so thats all good isn't it and you won't feel quite so wrung out, hope there's several more in the offing for you.
Cakes sounds good Nippy, send that carrier pigeon over to me again please
Need to get myself organised now, loads I've not done as yet.