Wainhouse Tower
Izzy has always been fascinated by this, living just a few hundred metres away from it and has asked time and time again to be taken up it. Of course the answer has always been that she should wait until she is older. Well now she has decided the time is now here and she must go up it. This folly is open every Bank holiday and as Chris is taking care of her today as her mommy is working they have decided now is the time! Grandad has said if he is available to help at the time they try to ascend it he will happily join them, I wish we could take bets on just how many steps Izzy manages to climb. I know my granddaughter well and I do not believe it will be many. I shall add on an update at the end of this blog today and we shall see.
Searching and searching
For a good while now we have been house hunting but not really in earnest as I was always too concerned about the welfare of a good friend that I saw and helped to take care of daily. Even when he was in hospital I told him we were looking and that we would ensure that it would have a bedroom on the downstairs and that he could come and spend weeks with us and sit in the garden. (sort of like a holiday for him away from his own 4 walls) Anyway through circumstances that you will have read about this is no longer my concern and now it is has changed our search as the needs of this gentleman are no longer a part of our criteria. So it is that we are now looking with new vigour and can now eliminate some of the things we need in a house. (I must add here that he is not gone from my mind, oh no of course not. When given gooseberries by a neighbour the other day I added an apple and sugar and stewed them for him. I was halfway through the process when I remembered that of course I could not give them ) and so we began to look again for suitable properties.
Yesterday we ringed around five houses and bungalows that were of interest to us. Our search is a difficult one as we do not want to move very far from my daughter and grandaughter and also we love the area we live in. Overlooking moors and parks and five minutes away from lovely walks along our oh so flat canal paths yet just a 20 minute walk into town we want to remain close to where we are now. As we were driving to just take a look at the outside of two of these properties we were seen by the sellers. We were invited in and immediately shown around them No appointments had to be made and this made our search so much easier as we hit two nails on the head in a few minutes. Property number one was in an ideal spot, having only four houses in its avenue and we were excited to see that the garden was private and not overlooked. Alas it was not to be the house for us. It needed much work once we looked behind the lovely neat and tidy top show. Were we younger and I was not so poorly it would have been a great project but the thought of all that entailed ruled this one out.
Property number two. Oh what a choice spot and once again as we were driving slowly and looking at the exterior the lady of the house came over and asked us if we were looking at her house. When I said yes we were and that we always wished to see the exterior of properties we were interested in before we made appointments to view the insides she was happy to allow us to go in and see the rest. Oh the garden was so lovely. I could see myself sitting here with a glass of water resting on the table beside me and enjoying all the flora. The house itself was ok but again though she didn't seem able to see it there was quite a lot of work needed to be done to it. Kept in the 1920's style when it was first built for a very prominent person Wilfred Pickles there were many interesting features . Wilfred rarely used this house spending most of his time in London. On looking around I liked a lot of it, though not all. However my partner sees things I don't, looking at it with a more professional eye and so we have (maybe) discounted this one. I truly don't even think she saw that the front door had around half an inch of light shining through it.
Two others we drove past and decided they were not for us and so on we went to one we kept looking at online but somehow never getting around to view. On driving by this one however and discounting it immediately we saw a board just erected outside a bungalow. Magnificent gardens to this one and the most amazing grounds at the back taken over to veg and fruit patches. It just went on and on! We both immediately decided we must make a viewing for this bungalow so I shall try for one as soon as possible. As it will be down to me to make the first viewing cos I will be on my own for a few days Wednesday onwards I shall see if I can make the appointment for when my daughter can join me, two sets of eyes are better than one .
Of course gardens alone would never sway us to buy a bungalow. However I was so excited about this property that I googled to see if there was any possibility that we could get somebody to continue with the allotment type area at the back of the house. I was pleased to see that due to a shortage of allotments in the UK we could actually let somebody use and tend our back plot and we could take a share of the produce they grow! We would not pay any money out and nor would they pay any rent, just a mutual agreement. This would so work as there is way too much land for us. More than likely though the bungalow, looking picture perfect from the outside, will be hideous inside. Interesting viewing coming up.
Who could resist this
I just loved this picture sent in by a ph patient Being a grandma myself to our adorable Izzy this is so true. When Izzy and I were looking through her memory boxes she took out a pad and pen and began to write. I had no idea of what she was writing and she asked me how to spell grandma. I told her and carried on with what I was doing and after a short while she asked me how to spell grandad. Once again I told her and she completed her task and then showed it to me. It read Grandma I will never forget you or grandad. Wow, my heart swelled as it is for this very reason I write her journals, so she is always aware of my love for her. Believe me this piece of paper is now in with her box of memories for the two of us to take out and read whenever we like. Such special memories, though small mean everything to me.
PH world
I try to always include something of the ph world, new therapies, new breathing techniques etc but this week I have not seen anything to post that hasn't already been posted. However as I am over at Sheffield next week for my study review and infusion I shall ask about the new therapy they believe they have found in their research side of the hospital. If I get a glimmer of anything new coming up I shall give you all the heads up on this.
Steven Baker - hickman line
Steven has had his hickman line fitted for a few weeks now. Initially he was not too pleased to be told he needed this line but knew he had to go for it. We talked at length about the line and the benefits of it, plus the adverse reactions. Just a few weeks on from him having his life fitted I was talking to him about insurance for our holidays. He CASUALLY mentioned that he walks 11 MILES daily since he got to grips with the line!!!!!! His one gripe, and it isn't really a gripe is that he gets the purple ph face when he ups the dose and people come up to him and asks if he needs help. He is so thrilled at the difference the line has made to his life. Take heart anyone heading down this road. This was a guy who couldn't walk hardly at all before he go his line fitted. 11 miles daily is an amazing result.
Must go, new dryer is coming today and once in situ I need to go over to Leeds to a shop to get my watch fitted with a new battery and a new strap. I tried my local jeweller who said he could not do it, it needs to go to the specific dealer so hope to get it sorted today. I bought it on one of our cruises and it was lovely, a really slim watch but when the battery went it was put back in its original packaging and sat for two years doing nothing in my jewellery box. I found it again when looking through this box with Izzy and decided to resurrect it. I hope they can do it in a day, otherwise I shall entrust the collection of it to my son who lives in Leeds city centre so not far for him to walk at all.
Enjoy your bank holiday, Stacie Pridden enjoy your holiday coming up and your one year post transplant, what a great anniversary that one is!
Kath Graham, good for you getting your book on sale in the very hospital that you had the transplant. Always a good read even if you are not a recipient or hoping to be the recipient of an organ. Life Is For The Living can also be found on Amazon. Kath has already raised so much awareness about organ donation and through the sales of her book has made lots of money for the ph world. Well done.
Thank you for the likes and the shares, where would I be without you all.
Warm love teach and every one of you.
Carole xx
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