ONCE AGAIN

Good day Bloggets. Gosh, what a weird time I’m having in my head. I so badly need to get out there and do some shopping as it’s been too long again since I left the house on my own. Waggatail has to work. It’s this dam weather. Again so windy. Something is banging against the house probably a loose wire from where? Not sure. A cable perhaps. So will I risk going out in that deafening sound? Where I can’t tell the difference between the trees swishing and the cars on the road? Oh I don’t know how you all do it. My friends will be thinking come on Fi, for Goodness sake? I’m such a chicken. I must go before the school come out. Otherwise it’s impossible. Little boddies running everywhere. Monkeys at the zoo.

 

Apparently a bird of prey was sitting on the gate to our dog run yesterday. Our teen saw it. I wonder what it was doing there. Oh, I wish it would help me to clean it? Something else I have to do today. Or, will I leave it one day for Hub to do tomorrow as he has a day off and I’m out with a friend for coffee. Hmm. Well, he will be bored when I’m not here, won’t he, so it will give him something to do? Hehehe. Most guys play golf on their day off, my Hub? Well, how many doodles can one get in one bag, so a whole load in one? Hahahahaha.

 

Gross, mega gross.

 

Well, teen got something planned I will tell you tomorrow. All I can say is God help us? And him…

Thank Goodness some good news for teen. He has been kept on at work. So he is a full time employee now, full time as in they can’t sack him without warning of weeks rather than minutes. So he has passed his test. Bad news for him, I can now tell you, he failed his driving test. One stupid mistake. A part of the road he wasn’t shown during lessons. He hesitated. I’m kind of pleased regular Bloggets may know why. I know he can drive well, but I also know he needs more practice, so he will try again next month. Oh he was so sad though and really flat. I just didn’t know what to say to him. Apart from he didn’t fail, he just didn’t pass this time. And it’s better for him to have more practice.

 

So he has five more lessons before his next test. As for his college? Not sure what’s cooking there, but something is on the boil.

 

Saturday, I’m off to my home town to visit my family and someone else I will tell you more in another blog. The someone else, oh, if he says “Hello, he will have me dancing on the ceiling.

 

Hubs healthy tea last night? Hahahaha. Oh my imagination, you are just going to love it… He’s on a diet and asked for food that is callory free, well, apart from a lettace leave, I couldn’t think. I’m rubbish at diet food. So he got a baked potato with cottage cheese. Yack for the latter? Anyway, I’m not sure he enjoyed it. Put it this way, he hasn’t put a menu in for tonight? Hahahahaha.

 

OK, how about these?

 

A taxi driver, drives away customers.

 TEENAGERS----Persons who try to be different by dressing alike.

ASTRONOMER ---- A night watchman.

ACTOR--The only ham that can't be cured.

BABY QUADRUPLETS -----Four crying out loud.

 SPECIALIST-----A doctor who has trained hi patients to be sick only during office hours.

PARATROOPER--A person who has to pull strings to keep his job.

 

 

 

CRAZY GRASS

God & Lawn Care

 

GOD TO ST. FRANCIS:
  Frank, ... You know all about gardens and nature. What in
  the world is going on down there on the planet? What
  happened to the dandelions, violets, milkweeds and stuff
  I started eons ago? I had a perfect no-maintenance garden
  plan. Those plants grow in any type of soil, withstand
  drought and multiply with abandon. The nectar from the
  long-lasting blossoms attracts butterflies, honey bees and
  flocks of songbirds. I expected to see a vast garden of
  colors by now. But, all I see are these green rectangles.

  St. FRANCIS:
  It's the tribes that settled there, Lord. The Suburbanites.
  They started calling your flowers 'weeds' and went to
  great lengths to kill them and replace them with grass.

  GOD:
  Grass? But, it's so boring. It's not colorful. It doesn't
  attract butterflies, birds and bees; only grubs and sod
  worms. It's sensitive to temperatures. Do these
 Suburbanites really want all that grass growing there?

  ST. FRANCIS:
  Apparently so, Lord. They go to great pains to grow it
  and keep it green. They begin each spring by fertilizing
  grass and poisoning any other plant that crops up in the lawn.

  GOD:
  The spring rains and warm weather probably make
  grass grow really fast. That must make the Suburbanites happy.
  ST. FRANCIS:
  Apparently not, Lord. As soon as it grows a little, they
  cut it-sometimes twice a week.

  GOD:
  They cut it? Do they then bale it like hay?
  ST. FRANCIS:
  Not exactly, Lord. Most of them rake it up and put it in bags.

  GOD:
  They bag it? Why? Is it a cash crop? Do they sell it?

  ST. FRANCIS:
  No, Sir, just the opposite. They pay to throw it away.

  GOD:
  Now, let me get this straight. They fertilize grass so
  it will grow. And, when it does grow, they cut it off
  and pay to throw it away?

  ST. FRANCIS:
  Yes, Sir.

  GOD:
  These Suburbanites must be relieved in the summer
  when we cut back on the rain and turn up the heat.
  That surely slows the growth and saves them a lot of work.
  ST. FRANCIS:
  You aren't going to believe this, Lord. When the grass
  stops growing so fast, they drag out hoses and pay
  more money to water it, so they can continue to mow
  it and pay to get rid of it.

  GOD:
  What nonsense. At least they kept some of the trees.
  That was a sheer stroke of genius, if I do say so myself.
  The trees grow leaves in the spring to provide beauty
  and shade in the summer. In the autumn, they fall to
  the ground and form a natural blanket to keep moisture
  in the soil and protect the trees and bushes. It's a
  natural cycle of life.
  ST. FRANCIS:
  You better sit down, Lord. The Suburbanites have
  drawn a new circle. As soon as the leaves fall, they
  rake them into great piles and pay to have them
  hauled away.

  GOD:
  No!? What do they do to protect the shrub and
  tree roots in the winter to keep the soil moist and loose?

  ST. FRANCIS:
  After throwing away the leaves, they go out and buy
  something which they call mulch. They haul it home
  and spread it around in place of the leaves.

  GOD:
  And where do they get this mulch?

  ST. FRANCIS:
  They cut down trees and grind them up to make the mulch.

  GOD:
  Enough! I don't want to think about this anymore.
  St. Catherine, you're in charge of the arts. What movie
  have you scheduled for us tonight?
  ST. CATHERINE:
  'Dumb and Dumber', Lord. It's a story about....

  GOD:
  Never mind, I think I just heard the whole story
  from St. Francis.

SMILE GO ON I DARE YOU

There are so many reasons the person who sent me these jokes is my friend, but this for sure is one of them. Thank you DD.

Two women were sitting next to each other in a bar. After a while, one looks at the other and says, 'I can't help but think, from listening to you, that you're from Ireland .'    The other woman responds proudly, 'Yes, I sure am!'     The first one says, 'So am I!  And whereabouts in Ireland are ya from?'    The other woman answers, 'I'm from Dublin , I am.'     The first one responds, 'So, am I!!   And what street did you live on in Dublin ?'     The other woman says, 'A lovely little area.  It was in the west end.  I lived on Warbury Street in the old central part of town.'     The first one says, 'Faith, and it's a small world.  So did I!  So did I!  And what school did ya go to?'    The other woman answers, 'Well now, I went to Holy Heart of Mary, of course..'    The first one gets really excited and says, 'And so did I!  Tell me, what year did you graduate?'The other woman answers, 'Well, now, let's see.  I graduated in 1964.'    The first woman exclaims, 'The Good Lord must be smiling down upon us!  I can hardly believe our good luck at winding up in the same pub tonight!  Can you believe it?  I graduated from Holy Heart of Mary in 1964 meself!'     About this time, Michael walks into the bar, sits down, and orders a beer.    Brian, the bartender, walks over to Michael shaking his head and mutters, 'It's going to be a long night tonight.'    Michael asks, 'Why do you say that, Brian?'     Brian answers, 'The Murphy twins are drunk again'.

 

Now this can only happen in America, I love it…

A  man suffered a serious heart attack while shopping in a  store.

The  store clerk called 911 when they saw him collapse to the  floor.

The paramedics rushed the man to the nearest  hospital where he had emergency
open heart bypass  surgery.

He awakened  from the surgery to find himself in the care of nuns at  the Catholic  Hospital. 

A nun was seated next to his bed holding a clipboard loaded with  several forms, and a pen. She asked him how he was going to pay for his  treatment.
"Do you have health insurance?" she  asked.
He replied in  a raspy voice, "No health insurance."
The nun asked, "Do you have money in the  bank?"
He replied,  "No money in the bank."
Do you have a relative who could help you with  the payments?" asked the irritated nun.
He said, "I only have a spinster sister, and she  is a nun."

The nun  became agitated and announced loudly, "Nuns are not spinsters! Nuns are  married to God."

The  patient replied, "Perfect. Send the bill to my  brother-in-law."
,_

Oh this is great, from Australia.

A small boy named Bruce lived in a suburb of Sydney, Australia.

None of his classmates liked him cause of his stupidity, especially his teacher, who was always yelling at him, "You’re driving me mad, Bruce".

 

One day Bruce's mum came to school to check on how he was doing.  The teacher told his mum honestly, that her son was simply a disaster,

getting very low marks, and never had she seen such a dumb boy in her entire teaching career. The mum was shocked at the feedback and

withdrew her son from school and moved out of Sydney, relocating to Newcastle.

 

25 years later, the teacher was diagnosed with an incurable cardio disease.  All the doctors strongly advised her to have heart surgery,

which only one surgeon could perform. Left with no other options, the teacher decided to have the operation, which was successful.

When she opened her eyes after the surgery she saw a handsome doctor smiling down at her. She wanted to thank him, but could not talk. 

Her face started to turn blue, she raised her hand, trying to tell him something but eventually died.

 

The doctor was shocked and was trying to work out what went wrong, when he  turned around he saw our friend Bruce, working as a cleaner in the clinic, 

who had unplugged the oxygen equipment in order to connect his vacuum cleaner!    

   Hmmm.  Don't tell me you thought Bruce became a heart-surgeon ?

 

 

 

research for TREATMENTS FOR RP 2015

I haven’t looked for so long for cures or treatments for my eye condition. Why? As for so many years I did and was constantly reminded just how far away we were from any help. It left me shattered depressed and exhausted with constant searching through troubled torturing words hoping for a thread of something positive. Fast forward a couple or three years and bring time to now day, gosh there is so much on the horizon you know? This was one bit of information I was reading today.

A radical form of gene therapy that remodels eye cells into light receptors holds out the promise of restoring sight to people who are completely blind. The new approach is able to create replacement photoreceptors from cells that do not normally react to light.

In early tests on blind rescue dogs with an inherited disease similar to the human condition retinitis pigmentosa, scientists were able to restore sufficient light sensitivity for the animals to distinguish between flashing and non-flashing lights.
Blind mice given the same treatment became as good at navigating a water maze as normal mice. The research, reported in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, sets the stage for future clinical trials in humans with degenerative eye diseases. Two components of the "hybrid" treatment involve a gene that alters non-light sensitive cells and an injected chemical "photoswitch".

US lead scientist Professor Ehud Isacoff, from the University of California at Berkeley, said: "The dog has a retina very similar to ours, much more so than mice, so when you want to bring a visual therapy to the clinic, you want to first show that it works in a large animal model of the disease.

"We've now showed that we can deliver the photoswitch and restore light response to the blind retina in the dog as well as in the mouse, and that the treatment has the same sensitivity and speed of response. We can reanimate the dog retina."

The therapy is one of a number of potential treatments for blindness at early stages of development, two of which yielded exciting trial results this year. In October scientists from the US company Ocata Therapeutics, formerly known as Advanced Cell Technology, showed that stem cell-derived retinal cells could safely be implanted into patients and improve vision in some cases.

Earlier this year scientists at Oxford University hailed trial results from a genetic therapy for choroideremia, a rare inherited cause of blindness that affects one in 50,000 people. Inserting a missing gene called REP1 prevented progression towards blindness and led to dramatic improvements in sight for two men at an advanced stage of vision loss.

The new treatment employs a virus to insert a gene into normally non-light sensitive cells in the retina that gives them the potential to "see". The gene makes a protein that acts like a lock. When the right molecular key from the photoreceptor switch is slotted into the lock, light sensitivity is turned on. At present a new injection of the photoswitch has to be made every week to maintain its effect, since the molecule is naturally removed after a period of time.

Several of the dogs have been treated and are currently undergoing tests to determine what level of light sensitivity they now have. The dogs already had the genetic disease when they were rescued from breeders and recruited for the study.
Co-author Dr William Beltran, from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in the US, said: "Use of such a clinically relevant large animal model allows us to begin tackling the next challenges on the road to translating this novel therapeutic strategy to human patients."

The therapy is said to show promise because although diseases such as RP destroy the eye's photosensitive cells, other cells in the retina are often left intact and unharmed. They include bipolar and ganglion cells, which both transmit visual nerve signals but do not contain photoreceptors.

In tests on mice, the gene was successfully inserted into almost every one of the rodent's million or so retinal ganglion cells. According to the researchers, this should be enough to restore useful vision.

"So far we can say that the treated mice can distinguish between steady light and flashing light," said Prof Isacoff. "Our next step is to figure out how good they are at telling images apart."

The scientists are also looking to see if the photoswitch can be used to activate other receptor types, including some that might allow perception of fainter light.
One of the leading scientists involved in the quest to find a treatment for RP in the UK said the research was "exciting". Professor Paul Bishop, a consultant ophthalmologist at the Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, said: "Converting non-light sensitive cells in the retina into light-sensitive cells is an exciting new approach that has potential to restore sight in people who are blind from hereditary retinal degenerations"

Prof Bishop chairs the medical advisory board of RP Fighting Blindness, a charity dedicated to funding research into a cure or treatment for the condition and providing support to those with it.
The charity's chief executive David Head said: "This is highly-credible work which has been emerging in very recent years.” The principles behind so-called 'optogenetics' are fascinating and as ever we are amazed by the research that is being carried out around the world. "We will watch developments very closely and we will certainly be making our members and patients aware of this work.”It is important to recognize that it is still at the stage of animal testing, but exciting nevertheless."

 

I also read about drops that were being looked into for eye conditions too and so much more is on the net now than two years ago. There was a time when about five six or more times per day I would surf the net for information. Then I had different things and new priorities in my life to content with as I was also disillusioned with lack of progress in the field of restoration for sight loss. So I decided to leave it for some time. Something I never would have thought I could do before, as I was obsessed by finding a cure.

 

So now, if you look there is so much hope. I am not going to drain myself again and shall wait a little longer to check again, but I feel that two three years won’t be needed before it’s actually on our TV/news. I reccon within eighteen months we will be hearing of significant improvements in our findings.

 

RP CURES?

A radical form of gene therapy that remodels eye cells into light receptors holds out the promise of restoring sight to people who are completely blind. The new approach is able to create replacement photoreceptors from cells that do not normally react to light.

In early tests on blind rescue dogs with an inherited disease similar to the human condition retinitis pigmentosa, scientists were able to restore sufficient light sensitivity for the animals to distinguish between flashing and non-flashing lights.
Blind mice given the same treatment became as good at navigating a water maze as normal mice. The research, reported in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, sets the stage for future clinical trials in humans with degenerative eye diseases. Two components of the "hybrid" treatment involve a gene that alters non-light sensitive cells and an injected chemical "photoswitch".

US lead scientist Professor Ehud Isacoff, from the University of California at Berkeley, said: "The dog has a retina very similar to ours, much more so than mice, so when you want to bring a visual therapy to the clinic, you want to first show that it works in a large animal model of the disease.

"We've now showed that we can deliver the photoswitch and restore light response to the blind retina in the dog as well as in the mouse, and that the treatment has the same sensitivity and speed of response. We can reanimate the dog retina."

The therapy is one of a number of potential treatments for blindness at early stages of development, two of which yielded exciting trial results this year. In October scientists from the US company Ocata Therapeutics, formerly known as Advanced Cell Technology, showed that stem cell-derived retinal cells could safely be implanted into patients and improve vision in some cases.

Earlier this year scientists at Oxford University hailed trial results from a genetic therapy for choroideremia, a rare inherited cause of blindness that affects one in 50,000 people. Inserting a missing gene called REP1 prevented progression towards blindness and led to dramatic improvements in sight for two men at an advanced stage of vision loss.

The new treatment employs a virus to insert a gene into normally non-light sensitive cells in the retina that gives them the potential to "see". The gene makes a protein that acts like a lock. When the right molecular key from the photoreceptor switch is slotted into the lock, light sensitivity is turned on. At present a new injection of the photoswitch has to be made every week to maintain its effect, since the molecule is naturally removed after a period of time.

Several of the dogs have been treated and are currently undergoing tests to determine what level of light sensitivity they now have. The dogs already had the genetic disease when they were rescued from breeders and recruited for the study.
Co-author Dr William Beltran, from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in the US, said: "Use of such a clinically relevant large animal model allows us to begin tackling the next challenges on the road to translating this novel therapeutic strategy to human patients."

The therapy is said to show promise because although diseases such as RP destroy the eye's photosensitive cells, other cells in the retina are often left intact and unharmed. They include bipolar and ganglion cells, which both transmit visual nerve signals but do not contain photoreceptors.

In tests on mice, the gene was successfully inserted into almost every one of the rodent's million or so retinal ganglion cells. According to the researchers, this should be enough to restore useful vision.

"So far we can say that the treated mice can distinguish between steady light and flashing light," said Prof Isacoff. "Our next step is to figure out how good they are at telling images apart."

The scientists are also looking to see if the photoswitch can be used to activate other receptor types, including some that might allow perception of fainter light.
One of the leading scientists involved in the quest to find a treatment for RP in the UK said the research was "exciting". Professor Paul Bishop, a consultant ophthalmologist at the Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, said: "Converting non-light sensitive cells in the retina into light-sensitive cells is an exciting new approach that has potential to restore sight in people who are blind from hereditary retinal degenerations"

Prof Bishop chairs the medical advisory board of RP Fighting Blindness, a charity dedicated to funding research into a cure or treatment for the condition and providing support to those with it.
The charity's chief executive David Head said: "This is highly-credible work which has been emerging in very recent years.” The principles behind so-called 'optogenetics' are fascinating and as ever we are amazed by the research that is being carried out around the world. "We will watch developments very closely and we will certainly be making our members and patients aware of this work. "It is important to recognise that it is still at the stage of animal testing, but exciting Nnevertheless."

WOW WEASEL WOODPECKER AND WEIRD

 Good day Bloggets, today was the day I was to go out to the shops, but just going to the dog run I blooming struggled. Really the wind is dreadful. I can’t hear and my balance is all over the place.

 

As I always say, wind is a blind person’s fog. And boy, it’s foggy today. Sunny too and though temperature was cold this morning when I checked with HIVE, it doesn’t feel too cold out there.

 

Last night was lovely. Teen got in from work and we opened a bottle of Champagne. We ordered his favourite Pizza from his favourite delivery shop and ate birthday cake. I bought two candles with the number one and the number eight on. I kind of hoped that they were obvious what numbers they were? And thankfully they were in the shape of the numbers rather than a candle just with print. So I quickly lit them before they fell, and we sang happy birthday to him. It was a lovely relaxed supper where we laughed till teens belly ached. It’s been ages since I saw that in him. It was a good memory that I wished would last.

 

Again, nothing from it. Not even a card. Yeah, she will buy or more likely make him something, but when? It can never be on his birthday. Even though it saw him two days before. Really, that coffee pot is boiling over.

 

He is on his way home now from college he will have an hour before work. He won’t be back till quarter past eight tonight. He has just asked me to start him some lunch. So what to do? Hmm. I will have to go and look what we have. I can tell you he is great normally breakfast and lunch he makes himself but today he is in a hurry.

 

I have a busy weekend planned. Will tell you more later. Friday getting together with a friend too for a long overdue chat.

 

Oh I was reading some really interesting news about amen in the UK who was walking through some grounds of a beauty spot here in England and happened to take a photograph of guess what?

A woodpecker with a weasel flying through the air. The weasel was on the peckers back. Now weasels are the kind of creatures who bite the necks of their predators. But I guess he would be thinking at forty foot in the air, perhaps that won’t be a good idea just now?

 

I heard that the pecker and weasel are both doing fine, so no creature was eaten. But how did that occur? I mean, did the weasel say to the pecker

“Excuse me mate, can I hitch a ride?”

Pecker,

“Sure, hop on!”

 

 

Architects design a dog kennel with a doggy treadmill in it and a TV as well as a food dispenser. It’s cost? 20k

I have to ask why?

I mean is it for those who live in the world where dogs are for show, when they need to be? So if a food dispenser is required, when does the dog get out going to the toilet? A dog can wait longer for food than the loo!

 

I also heard of new treatments for arthritis going to be available in five years. I got excited about this as the news sounded so very promising. Not that I have this, but I know of people who do and it can be so painful and life changing. Now, come on news please for sight?

 

Oh I was also reading about a convicted killer in the US who’s crocheted underwear have gone up for sale. Really, why? And who would buy?

 

OK, going to cook lunch. For tea/dinner tonight Hub wants diet food. Now, then what can I make without any taste? Hmm. Thinking cap required.

 

A happy day to you all. Remember if today is bad tomorrow will be better and if today is good, tomorrow can be fantastic.

 

  

BIRTHDAY BALLOONS BY FIONA CUMMINGS

BIRTHDAY BALLOONS

BY FIONA CUMMINGS

Beautiful colours in the sky

Where had they come from

I asked myself why?

Orange, greens, blues and reds

With ribbons floating behind like threads

Against the turquoise and pure white clouds

Passing by the buildings and crowds

Just missing the treetops

Look at them like lollypops

Round and colourful

Absolutely beautiful

Being chased by ribbons

Like a party for sparrows and robins

Where had they come from who’s house had they escaped

Where would they land?

On a fence will they be draped?

I wanted to follow them to try to catch up

But the faster I ran the more they flew away

I wished they could hear me I would shout stop

 Who did they belong to?

Who had a birthday?

If they could smile

They would with pride

How far had they travelled

Perhaps a mile?

Or even more

Were they tied to a post or a door?

Did the person see them before they took off?

Flying higher and higher

The sun they did desire

Out of sight now

To find them how?

Over fields of green pastures

And cold rivers

But they will have to descend

Their escape will come to an end

It was just a pretty sight

As the balloons took their flight

Colours so amazing

Against the sun a blazing  

Put a smile upon my face

But they came and left without a trace

Like a bouquet of flowers

Or candy showers

To brighten up my day

Well whoever they belonged to

I wish them a happy birthday

 

My Sons birthday balloons

Copyright Fiona Cummings 2015

HAPPY 18TH SON

Good day Bloggets.

Really bad eye pains today. Both eyes. But I can cope with it, I have to. What choice do I have? I was up all night sorting out things for Teens birthday. I blew up the balloons, all twelve of them, put them on a ribbon and hid them until seven this morning then went out to hang them up as it was raining hard last night so I didn’t want them to deflate with bad weather as it was also windy.

 

I wrote his card, hoping not to write over the writing. It had been a difficult day. So much going on that my hands were trembling. So I really hoped the writing could be understood, as I need to do more of hand writing as I’m getting out of it and I am starting to forget how letters should be as I also write in cursive handwriting.

 

Then time to wrap his gifts. So much I wished that I could make his day more special. But at the same time, he respects everything he’s not a brat, though hangs around a big, no, giant brat who was starting to influence him. Thankfully he is still feet on ground.

 

I printed off some poems I had written for him too.

 

He appreciates such things, when people actually think enough to do little things.

 

I got up this morning and started to cook him a big breakfast. I can tell you the last time I did this was for his last birthday, oh and Hubs of course. So I made him hash browns tomatoes, sausages bacon, mushrooms eggs and toast. He loved it and we opened his gifts together. My brother and sister in law kindly gave him a cheque as well as my friend Vivi and money from Julie and from my friend Trix, a voucher for a clothes shop, and he always needs those. My wonderful mad aunt got him a mug with great words on about being eighteen and it reads Nephew. Also a cheque. So he did very well.

 

Now bless him he is getting ready for work again. Six hours. Then at eight tonight, he will I hope enjoy the birthday supper we have planned for him.

 

As we were chatting he watched his blooming balloons disappear across the rooftops over the road. Oh I said, go and chase them? He laughed and said Mum no way, I would never find them. So in someone’s garden, there are a dozen balloons reading 18 on them. Knowing me with a happy Christmas ribbon tied to them.

 

He was able to read the card I wrote too so that was good news.

 

I’m excited for tonight to see his reaction to his supper and then another year has passed. I hope for next year, so much more happiness for him than he has had for the past couple of years. Oh and one more nice thing for him, his friends have kindly organised a get together. Bless them.

 

I only wish now I had put a message in the balloons, hehehe or a note tied to the ribbon. Imagine that? Oh Already in my head is a story.

 

My little dog Waggatail wasn’t enjoying the fact that she was not getting the attention as Teen was opening his gifts so she decided to drag her bed in the living room to show off and it worked, as she was so cute. I just felt compelled to pick her up on my knee and cuddle her. She is such a baby.

 

 I will be back later but before I go

"A birthday is a time to reflect on the year gone by, but to also set your goals for the upcoming year."
Catherine Pulsifer

"Why is a birthday cake the only food you can blow on and spit on and everybody rushes to get a piece?"
Bobby Kelton

If we had one wish for you on this special day it would be: May the best of your past be the worst of your future.

"A birthday is just the first day of another 365-day journey around the sun. Enjoy the trip!"  

MOVIES WITH MAGDA

It’s that day again, Monday. It’s snowing here a little and cold a lot. Very windy too. Oh, and did I mention sunny? Yep, we have it all, all but heat. Oh I guess we could have thunder and lightning, but the day is young.

 

Magda came to stay on Saturday. A long journey from Scotland to here. Over three hours. I guess in total with taxi’s four hours. We had a rest then went off to our town. She loved it, said it was so beautiful. So I’m told by many. Beauty to me is peace and quiet. Hearing the songs from birds and smelling beautiful blooms, hearing the odd sheep in the distance, odd as in frequent, not odd as in with two heads?

 

I guess if I could see, beauty would be our town of historical buildings and grand cathedral with churches dating back centuries. Quaint shops with original polls holding up the roofs and windows that have had many generations of viewing.

 

We found the so called Shambles. The oldest part of our town. With the original roads of small bricklike stones to grip the horses feet back then. Though as for way back and horses, as Magda and I were in a shop, Hub went off to the bank and he was warned by a passer-by to be careful as the local Shire horse was on its way. Tugging through the narrow streets a cart full of tourists. LC was as professional as ever and just regarded it as a large dog that she could deal with closing her eyes.

 

The students in our city are lovely, so helpful. I have high regard for them.

 

We took Magda to buy souvenirs and then went for a coffee and I had to have a large slice of carrot cake. Well, it would be rude not to? I mean, I could have sworn it was shouting my name?

 

Back home and ate tea. Or dinner I should say. Then we went to our lovely neighbours Rob and Mel’s. They had a champagne and strawberry night. The house was full as ever and friendly faces spoke to us.

 

We left early; Magda had been up since six that morning. So came home to the peace and quiet of our house and chilled.

 

Magda went for a good sleep. I was so happy to know she would as her life at home is full of busy. She has two brothers who are disabled and a younger sister she looks out for. Her Mum too she helps out so much. She is a perfect daughter.

 

Next morning she told us that was the first sleep she had  for years. We had breakfast then off to the movies. Oh we saw a great film. Well, the funny thing was, I was sure we were about to view the naughty fifty shades of grey? I said to Hub and Magda, oh here goes? I really expected we were in the wrong viewing.

 

But all was fine and we watched a great film that we wouldn’t be able to see if not for Magda, as though it’s only, a seven eight minute walk from us, it’s a nightmare to get to, the cinema that is. Which is such a shame, because I love the cinema? That is the first time we have been since we moved here. It’s such a great place to live if only it were a little easier to get to. We passed so much outdoor music. A pub which has speakers outside and two other restaurants. So what did we see?

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

It was so funny and the music was great. The very best of English actors. Oh there are so many films I would love to see. With great English actors right now. I just love the quintessential English accent and acting.

 

Then we went to our local Italian restaurant and then in the rain walked home. The ice cut through us it was free’ee’eezing

We chilled again and then took tea and cake then it was time for Magda to once again hit the rails and head for home.

 

I hope we gave her a lovely time, she said she enjoyed it. She brought me lovely necklace and bracelet she made and some hair perfume. Bless her.

 

OK, I think I will put on the kettle now and wait for my Son. Later gators.

STATS RESULTS US, CATCHING UP TO UK. FEBRUARY 2015

Here are the monthly stats followed by total stats/views. Thank you Bloggets.

United States	695
United Kingdom	656
Ukraine	96
Germany	86
Canada	29
Russia	26
Australia	17
France	17
Netherlands	10
Ireland	6

 

Total?

United Kingdom	32219
United States	19144
Ukraine	7038
Russia	2328
Germany	1609
Mexico	643
Japan	597
France	561
Canada	479
Poland	268

 another huge thank you to the other fifty plus countries who come back but again, this only shows the top ten. Xx

A TEENAGERS DRIVING TEST

Good day Bloggets. Right now I feel decidedly sick, proud, excited, hopeful and grateful.

Why?

My Son is now on his driving test. First one. Will he pass or fail? Well, sick because he has spent so much money on his lessons, his own money. As I have said before, money we and Olga, his God Mother, gave him, he has already spent on another. Not himself but another.

I feel sick because I know how important it is to him. All of his friends have passed, well, they had Fathers and other relatives who spent time giving lessons and experience to the young lads. He has had the disability of a blind Mum and Dad.

I feel sick because this is me. In another lifetime. If I could see, I would be doing my test at eighteen, this is why I am proud because he is doing what I can’t and never have been able to do. Excited because every kid wants this, and because it is a day I never thought would happen for him.  

 

Hopeful because without hope, what do we have? And grateful because when I was planning a child, I was in fear. In fear of cursing my child with the agony of facing blindness, the hell of reality as I thought of it at that time. I still don’t know for sure if he has RP, but right now, he is in denial and after only opticians tests and my constant asking him how he is seeing in the dark and after listening to him reading, I can only think and hope, his eyes are Okay.  Grateful that he has got this far in life without sight being an issue. Grateful that as two blind parents, we have managed to push him through doing what other sighted parents put their kids through. We do all we can not to pass our disability onto him. He is not our carer. It’s neither his fault nor ours we can’t see. It has to be up to him if he helps us or not and because he is kind, he did until two years ago then a devil stole his heart and turned it to ice. But now it’s thawing again and I hope the poison in his life will be cured by the medication of success.

 

I can’t drive with him I can’t smile proudly as I watch him pull away from the house in the driving instructors car, but in my heart I feel his own heartbeat and pray to all who hear me he will be OK.

 

I am almost sure he won’t pass, as he in my opinion hasn’t had enough lessons or experience. It’s back to feeling sick again and hoping I can deal with the reaction he will be bringing home.

 

It’s his eighteenth tomorrow too so what a lovely surprise it would be to know all the hard work he has done over the past year has been worth it.

 

Talking of his birthday I really hope I get the right card for him, as there are stupidly two in the same box. One for a girlfriend and one for my Sons eighteenth….

So teddies and keys, or shoes and handbags? Haha.

 

I have a poster too to hang now will it be the right way up or not? And going back to his card, I hope not to write over the words.

 

Remember last year when I couldn’t understand why the candles didn’t light? I had the blooming things in the wrong way. Bless him; he was so sweet about it.

 

I just hate it when things like that go wrong though. I feel such a failure as a mother.

 

Okay, I wish right now I had some calms. To relax me? Oh Gosh, end this day?