Look at everything as though you were seeing it either for the first or last time. Then your time on earth will be filled with glory.

Betty Smith

This week I have heard news of a birth and a death. One of my friends has become a Grandmother with the safe and joyous birth of her Granddaughter. Other friends are mourning the loss of their young daughter-in-law.  How precious is our life and how must we make our days count because we don't know what lies around the corner. These act as reminders that we must grasp each day and make the most of it. Hold tight to our loved ones and make sure we tell them that we love them. Keep short accounts with people - don't allow quarrels to damage or hurt our relationships - say sorry often. Both these families know and trust God with their lives - sometimes it is so very hard to understand his plans. Sometimes we have to cling on by our finger tips trusting that he is in charge even though we can't see the whys. My prayers are with both families. 

I am starting to feel better - hurrah! My visit to the GP has left lots of questions. So now I have to be in touch with the renal team to find answers.Hopefully soon we will have a fully working plan! 

Today another quiet day recovering, some more knitting and watching DVDs and reading. Hopefully tomorrow I will be  well on the road to recovery. 

Chloe and Ed are spending the weekend in the New Forest cycling. Thankfully it is dry for them. 

Today - I am poorly. I have got some sort of throat bug with high temperature. Everything aches! I know that it is normal at this time of year to get colds, coughs etc... But for me I don't have the physical resources to cope very well and my kidneys take a battering when I am ill. I can feel them aching , combined with my high blood pressure I am feeling quite sorry for myself. Not a good place to be! I have a Drs appointment this afternoon so hopefully we will sort out my blood pressure tablets - although my guess is we will have to start again and re -jiggle everything. 

So today a day in bed and hopefully should feel a bit better tomorrow. We were going to Windsor Castle tomorrow but I guess that will not happen. Ho Hum! At least I have plenty of knitting to be getting on with! 

I am missing my phone - it is hard when you are used to something and then it breaks. I have one which I am using for now but it doesn't have all my phone numbers. However it is my same number so if you text me I receive it and I then have your phone number (as long as you tell me who you are!!!!!) 

2 more days until I see the Dr and hopefully sort out my tablets. I am fed up with having headaches every day. 

What a beautiful day yesterday - I sat outside in a summer house to have coffee with a friend which was delightful. It is good to make the most of these beautiful Autumn days. 

"Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are.  Let me learn from you, love you, bless you before you depart.  Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow.  Let me hold you while I may, for it may not always be so. One day I shall dig my nails into the earth, or bury my face in the pillow, or stretch myself taut, or raise my hands to the sky and want, more than all the world, your return."
Mary Jean Iron

Next week it will be 1 year since I stopped dialysis. 1 year of living my life to the full. Of taking every opportunity and saying yes. Here is a look at my year

My non-dialysis year

October –

v    Meal out with Joy, Matt and Paul to celebrate

v    Windsor shopping with Chloe on first  Saturday without dialysis

November –

v    Ballet – Manon with Paul

v    Weekend in Southampton

December –

v    School concert

v    School nativity

v    Ladies lunch

v    Paul’s concert

v    Strictly party

v    Christmas!

January –

v    Winchester Cathedral

v    Stroud to see Kitty

v    South pacific in Southampton with Chloe

v    South Hill Park to see Blake

February –

v    Snow days!

v    Anton and Erin at the Hexagon

v    Savill Garden

March –

v    Calendar Girls – Southampton with Chloe

v    Lunchtime Flute concert

v    Henley

v    Holiday at home including, Hockney exhibition, ballet in London, Kew Gardens, Windsor Castle and Evensong, Bournemouth,

April –

v    Katya and Pasha

v    Ballet – Alice in Wonderland with Chloe, Ed and Paul

v    Savill Garden

v    Quilt show with Ed and Chloe

v    Stroud to see Kittys new house

v    Ballet - Chloe, Ed and Paul

v    Twelfth Night in Stratford with Paul

May –

v    Stratford – Shakespeare exhibition

v    Lake District holiday with Paul and Chloe

v    Chelsea Flower show

v    Ballet in London

v    Joy and Adams birthday party

v    Les Mis with Chloe 

June –

v    Madam Butterfly with Paul

v    Summer art exhibition at RA

v    Ballet with Josh and Debs and Paul

v    Vincent and Flavia in Southampton with Chloe, Talia, Joy and Kit,

v    Jubilee – in my bed!

v    Saxaphone concert

v    Savill gardens

v    Women’s breakfast

v    Picnic in Virginia Water and Savill gardens with Chloe and Paul

July –

v    Guildford Cathedral

v    Slimbridge with Kit, Sally and Dougal

v    Torch Relay

v    Flower festival

v    Meal out to celebrate Paul keeping job

v    Ladies who breakfast

v    Ben’s concert

v    House-group meal

v    Olympic road race with Chloe and Ed

August –

v    Olympic rowing with Josh, Debs, Chloe, Ed and Paul

v    Olympic triathlon

v    End of Olympic party with Kit, Joy, Matt, Chloe,

v    Quilt show at NEC with Chloe

v    London to see Josh and Debs flat

September –

v    Paralympics with Josh and Paul

v    London meet with friends I trained with

v    Tour of Britain cycle ride with Chloe and Ed 

October –

v    Buckingham palace with Paul

v    Bronze exhibition at RA

v    Kitting and stitching show with Chloe

There are so many other things I haven’t mentioned; the coffee with friends, the shopping trips, the meals out, the visits from friends at home, all the bible studies, prayer meetings, house groups, church services, garden centre visits, book clubs, school visits and many more things.

My life is full and I am so grateful for it all. Thankful to have so many lovely people involved in my life and a wonderful family to share life with. 

Monday morning after a busy weekend so I am on a go slow! Chloe and I had a wonderful day at the Knitting and Stitching show and have come back with SO many new projects and very inspired to try lots of other new things. It was quite a trek to Alexandra Palace in London and involved walking up a steep hill when we couldn't find the free shuttle bus ( for anyone going it is on the other side of the station) It was a great mix of inspiring creations and stalls full of threads and wools. We met and chatted to some very interesting sewers and knitters and some very helpful ladies. I am really missing my phone so I don't have any wonderful photos to show you. It has also made me sort out my craft box where I put all my unfinished projects and I am determined that I will finish all those projects and my new ones before I go again next year! Autumn and Winter are just the time for new projects and warm, cosy evenings knitting and sewing. I have decided that I am a hand sewer and will leave the machine sewing to Chloe and Ed (both had sewing projects this weekend). 

On Friday we arranged our flowers in church for an Autumn/harvest themed display. They look lovely - photos are on my phone which hopefully I will be able to show you if they mend my phone. The colours of Autumn are so wonderful to work with and look especially beautiful with the sunlight streaming in through the windows. 

This week - coffee with friends, sorting with another friend, tutoring, hopefully sorting my blood pressure tablets, bible study and quite a lot of tidying after weekend. 

My phone has died so if you need to contact me either use my home phone or text Paul.

I am feeling a little better although my blood pressure remains high. Going to see how it is over the weekend and hope it settles down. Taking tablets for the sickness which is helping.

Tomorrow - Knitting and Stitching show with Chloe - going to be tricky to sort out without a mobile - Chloe is meeting me in London! I am a bit lost without my phone!

Oh dear so much for getting on with it! Last night I was very sick again, horrible headache  and my blood pressure was very high even though I have doubled my dose of new tablets. This is becoming a real pain! I will hold out a bit longer as I know that it takes time for your body to adjust to changes but high blood pressure is scary.

Today hoping to get flowers for our harvest themed flower arranging tomorrow.