A week of housesitting, socialising, medical tests and hall renovation

Sunday Tea Club: Crystal, Corinne, Ruben, Pete, Hillary, Jackie, Brian, Helen & Ian

We got back from Tim and Jill to Sooty, who hasn’t been enjoying the hot weather and had stopped eating, as it cooled down though, she has fortunately started again, she is however on medication for her thyroid which goes in her ear... easier than administering any other way but the first time we’ve come across it.

Ruby dog at Tim & Jills before we left

Out for a curry with Helen and Ian, Manu and Crystal, Pete and Hilary and Reuben, the full Sunday tea club gang, but it was Saturday and curry.... anyway, lovely evening but if Brian had eaten what I did he probably wouldn’t have had to take the magic powder in preparation for his colonoscopy! However he did, so I went to a Cross family turkey dinner without him. Had a lovely time, he did join the party for a bit on FaceTime, to allow for cake, candles and singing. Monday passed in a bit of a blur, neither of us feeling good for much, though his procedure all went without a hitch. Tuesday back to the hospital, again, for a study he is taking part in, then to Redditch for eye tests, via mum to collect tools, then onto Malvern to a solicitor where I had to prove my identity so I can be a witness for Abi. Fill the day, no time to waste.

Jackie may have mentioned in the last blog about the jigsaw of a map of Birmingham we did at Tim and Jills. Alex gave it to us as a present and we thought it would be easy. Not so, it was hard! At least we could refer to Google Maps to find out where obscure places were

Sooty cat looking alert...

Wednesday, chill and coffee, for me, with Alex, first time this year! And then Thursday, Abi arrived bright and early and we got down to work, the hall this time. Laminate floor, improvements to the newly plastered walls, a rubbish job, we were not impressed with, buying, cutting, waxing and fitting architrave, skirting and picture rail all done. Filler applied, all she has to do is paint the walls and replace the mirror. The radiator and alarm are back up and Brian has had a good clean round. Quick bite of lunch and off to meet Gypsy and Peter in Loughborough. Another old cat, we seem to be meeting a few of them at the moment.

Sooty cat chilling out

Just to add my little bit and say I'm now 80% of the way through my medical MOT, so far with a clean bill of health, so if anyone wants to know the finer details of a cystoscopy (its not as bad as it sounds, but always causes most men to go 'ooooh', sit up straight and look in pain), a colonoscopy (also not as bad as it sounds, the prep beforehand is the worst), prostate test and skin cancer check, then do let me know, I can go into lots of detail if required! Only a CT scan to go and that'll do me for a couple of years (waiting for an appointment for that one and that will determine when we can head off to Europe in 'Big Ted'). Its what happens when you get older, but its routine for me now and, on our National Health Service, it costs us nothing! I hope I haven't put you off your dinner, lunch or breakfast or whenever you're reading this!

Facetime chat at Fionas house. All the family are there except Brian (bottom half of the phone) and granddaughter Abbie (top half of the phone)

Ivy very interested in Jackies shoes

Three days work, laminate floor, skirting, architrave, picture rail and all the prep associated with it

Meanwhile, Sooty kept out of the way. Believe it or not, there is a cat hiding in those bushes....

And there she is, grumpy at having been woken