And a Happy New Year to you too

Driven out by my noisy neighbours we are spending the next two nights in an hotel. After 4 nights running last weekend WH had just about had enough of being kept awake until 4am by shouting, dogs barking and general carousing and un-neighbourly behaviour. Last New Year was worse, they didn't go to bed at all and the party was still going strong at 7am. Accordingly on Boxing Day WH booked two nights in the nearest hotel to our middle daughter's house in the midlands. Even if they were not going to be at home (they work over all the holidays normally) he reasoned that we would at least get a good couple of night's sleep.

The last laugh however is with those next door. It has all gone very quiet, the brother is in residence and the recycle bins are already out in the street for next Tuesday's collection. It seems our neighbours have also gone away so we could have stayed at home as normal.

Happy New Year.

Twelve gifts I received this Christmas

1. A dogwood bush
2. A pair of thermal gloves
3. A pair of thermal slippers
4. A HUGE box of chocolates
5. Women and Ghosts by Alison Lurie
6. Tamarind and Saffron by Claudia Roden
7. The Collins Bird Guide
8. Collins Wild Guide to Birds
9. Apples for Jam by Tessa Kiros
10. A Wild Life on Exmoor by Johnny Kingdom
11. Ta Dah by Scissor Sisters
12. Stainless steel cheese knives in the shape of mice.

Now, do my friends and relatives know me well or what??

Christmas night in the shed

"I have to hold your hand because it's scarey outside in the dark and you won't be frightened," In truth it was more likely to be my 5 year old grandson who would be frightened but anyway we held hands.

"You have to go on the stepping stones because it's very muddy out there," We gingerly picked our way across a path of chip-board paving slabs laid across the lawn which curved round to the little wooden door. The key to the door was retrieved from a little pocket and pushed into the lock. "You open it, it sticks, but I'm having a padlock next week," I duly opened the door.

Beyond the door was a little wooden room, walls painted in camouflage shades. Across the far one was a worktop with cupboards underneath, above it was a list of rules, no drawing on the walls, no being messy and no playing with electric. "That's my rules, so anyone knows. You have to take your shoes off really but you needn't, you'll get too cold"

"I can do anything in this shed, painting, reading, building, sawing. It's all mine, Daddy and Grandad made it and Father Christmas brought me the key." The earnest little face looked into mine to see that I understood.

"This is my own real shed-house and I can do painting whenever I want, look." I was treated to a master class, each paint was shown to me, a brush stuck in and thoughtful lines in various colours streaked across the page. It was the Stable where the Christmas donkey lived apparently and had a star over the top, very seasonal. After that I was shown all the miniature tools, had a demonstration of how to saw wood like Grandad and even offered a drink from the diminutive water cooler. A cloth was on the worktop and was used for keeping the windows clean, "Just so I can see outside, and I've even got a mirror so I can spy who's behind me."

"I can even read in here." A quick rummage in the cupboard produced 'The Owl who was Afraid of the Dark'. He sat back in the chair and open it at random, "Hmm let's see, a, up, me. Yeah, well I can only do more easier ones yet." He jumped down and returned the book.

A big smile beamed out of the normally serious little face, "I love this shed-house and it's all mine. I could kiss it all over and I could even marry it sometime. Hmm, might be a bit big though".

A bonus: Christmas MeMe

A Christmas Meme from Di

1. Egg nog or hot chocolate? I’m allergic to eggs so it has to be chocolate but I can do without the cream, flake and sprinkles, au naturel for me.
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Definitely wrapped and definitely under the tree.
3. Coloured lights on tree/house or white? Coloured on the tree, white in the window. None on the house.
4. Do you hang mistletoe? Of course being as we are in one of the places it grows really well
5. When do you put your decorations up ? Round about the 10th then they’re up for 3 weeks.
7. Favorite holiday memory as a child: It must be snow.
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? My Mother told me when I was about 7 but swore me to secrecy as I was NOT to tell my younger sister.
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Not usually unless someone particularly asks me to open a present they have given me.
10.How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? 200 lights, lots of sparkle and a theme, this year pinks, pastels and lilacs.
11. Snow! love it or dread it? I adore it.
12. Can you ice skate? Ever seen a whale ice skate??
13. Do you remember your favourite gift? An amesthyst necklace, last year.
14. What’s the most important thing about the holidays for you? Family, doing nothing and cold, sliced turkey
15. What is your favorite holiday dessert? It has to be Chrsitmas Cake, followed by Christmas pudding and mince pies. Love them all!
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Not sure really, we don’t have many here.
17. What tops your tree? A fairy or 3.
18. Which do you prefer: giving or receiving? Well I love choosing things then seeing the person’s face when they open it.
19. What is your favorite christmas song? O Little Town of Bethlehem including the verse that rarely gets sung that says ’the dark nights waits, the glory breaks and Christmas comes once more’ Just reminds me of waking up in the morning and everyones lights are on really early!
20. Candy canes! yuck or yum? Yuck, say no more.

This is not a tag but if anyone wants to do theirs post your link here or on Di’s blog.

We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Well it's finally upon us and I thought I'd never be ready, having lurched from one crisis to another this last week.

I'll have some really big news early in 2007 and hopefully some answers to my continued illness.

Until then watch this space and have a great Christmas.

Another tough week

I started on Methotrexate 2 weeks ago. This meant I have had to stop all other anti-inflammatories and vitamin supplements. The rationale behind this being that Methotrexate can affect your kidneys as do the anti-is and it also works against Folic acid in the vitamins. No worries I thought. By the time those wear off the meth will be almost ready to kick in. A few days discomfort will be worth it.

In reality it is not like this. Today I have had borrow a wheelchair for my visit to my Mother next week as I can't walk more than a few yards. It's like my legs have switched off and I can't find the switch to put them back on. Add one masively inflamed left wrist, fingers where red angry, painful lumps are popping out all over and the remnants of the costochondritis and I'm not a happy bunny. The best bit is that I get my ESR and rheumatoid factor amongst other things tested weekly right now. It will be interesting to see how those change.

All this means that I am doing very little and but it is taking me all day to do it. Sorry I haven't been here more. I would have loved to be able to.

Birthdays, Danish - style

Well Ms A's party went ahead on Saturday and although I wasn't there to take part, WH was and has phoned me every few hours since to give me all the gen so that I didn't feel that I had missed out!

It seems that 'big' birthdays are even bigger in Denmark. I mean usually we don't always want to publicise the fact that we're getting older but really, putting the national flag in your front yard is hardly being discrete.

They also have a birthday cake for breakfast which could be seen as sensible, you can't say you don't have room to eat any! The cake is what we know as a Danish pastry but this one is person shaped, male or female, and is huge. Then everyone sings a song thay have made up about you. Well fine, I hope it's only friends who take part or you could be in trouble.

The main celebration takes place in the evening. This do was catered, no things on sticks and finger food here, Pork Stew or Venison was the order of the day, along with lashings of mashed potatoes and veggies. Filling or what?? Sounds like the assembled throng needed it though to wash down the several gallons of chili vodka and champagne on offer.

And you know the really amazing thing? No one got drunk and no one misbeheaved. A perfect recipe for a birthday party. Think I'll have my next one in Denmark too.

PS WH is due back tonight bringing me a slice of left-over birthday cake!!!

This week, mostly.....

I'm reading.....

Brick Lane by Monica Ali. I just love this book. Having spent part of my life working with a lot of Asians and having Asian friends the dialogue is just so right. I'm only half way through but savouring every moment. The story of the 19 year old Nazneen sent to London to marry the revolting, older man, Chanu, is so typical of the culture and gives a great insight into the life of Muslim girls who follow the same path.

I'm eating.....

Not a lot. I started methotrexate on Monday for the RA so everything tastes strange and I have sore lips which I gather is quite common with this drug. All I want is drinks with strong flavours. Water just doesn't do it. As one who drinks water 99% of the time I'm strugggling to find anything else I like. Meanwhile I am eating blue cheese on toast, marmite and curry!!

I'm watching.....

the leaves on the old oaks opposite my house finally drop. Those treees are always late, late to leaf and late to drop but I can't remember a year when they have lasted quite so long. After yesterday's gales there are few leaves left now so I can see the tree creepers which love their big trunks and all the other flocks of little tits which use them as a meeting point.

Denmark, here (one of us) goes

Sadly not me.

Having been struck down with a nasty bout of costochondritis such that I can barely move, my only move today has been to stay at home whilst WH set off on the journey to Ms A's and the forthcoming party.

Yet again I am living my life vicariously through 'he who likes travelling'. Looks like the most exciting thing for the next few days will be watching TV and answering the phone when WH calls to tell me what he's doing.

Meanwhile it's gone very cold here. Looks like Denmark sent me their weather.

Out Clicked by OneClick

Yesterday I posted about Greg Crowhurst's new video regarding the Gibson report to the OneClick Protest Board. His wise words counseled moderation and to use the report as a gift which the ME community could use a base for further bringing the subject into the public domain. All posts are moderated, nevertheless I was rather surprised to receive a curt note from the moderator and self-styled censor that my post was not welcome. Other remarks in her email I found deeply offensive. I countered with the copy of a comment to Greg from another member of OneClick which was very supportive.

The reply I next received was even more offensive and I was really shocked at the words used. I won't begin to reproduce them here as they are not the sort of thing I would expect to read in polite conversation not were they the sort of terminology conducive to productive dialogue. I was then hastily removed from their membership list and locked out of the site.

My point is this: We all know that the Gibson Report is less than ideal by a long stretch but surely as sufferers trying to get some sort of public recognition we use the opportunity to bring this to the public's attention and highlight the way that the Psychiatric Lobby has hi-jacked this disease for it's own. A point which Gibson actually makes very well.

As Greg Crowhurst so eloquently puts in his video surely by infighting and divisive action amongst the patient groups we are playing straight into the hands of the Psychiatric Lobby at a time when we should all be joining together to further our cause. This is surely a case for moderation in all things and I am equally sure that we will not win the fight by rude, overly aggressive dialogue. We want to get all the medics and researchers on our side not wondering if perhaps we are all crazy after all.

Neither here not there

Sorry I have not been around recently. Looking after my Mother has taken it's toll and I am in the biggest flare I have had for 10 years at least.

The good news is that I started on the methotrxate last night so should hopefully be gaining some relief from the RA pretty soon. The bad news is that this involves weekly blood tests - again - so I will be looking even more like a pincushion.

Our planned trip to visit Ms A in Denmark is under threat now, we have decide tonight if we go ahead or if we stay. I suggested WH went alone so as not to disappoint our hosts. The jury is still out on that one.

Watch this space.