30/06/2007 by PeterJohnson.

I MAY HAVE MADE AN ERROR RE. RUTH’S FUNERAL. IT WILL TAKE PLACE ON WEDNESDAY JULY 11TH AT 2PM AT SPRING MOUNT CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP. THIS IS TO ACCOMODATE SOME OF THE FAMILY WHO LIVE QUITE A DISTANCE AWAY.

LOVE TO EVERYONE AS ALWAYS. BARBARA  XXXXXXXXXXX

Posted in Family Chat | No Comments »

29/06/2007 by Richard.

Sorry to hear the news about Ruth. Our thoughts are with you all  at this very sad time.

love from Linda & Richard

Posted in Family Chat | No Comments »

29/06/2007 by Ted.

Further to my earlier post about Barbara’s mother, Ruth, having an operation today, it is with sadness that I have to report that she passed away this morning, before the operation, as a result of a heart attack.

We send our condolences to Peter and Barbara, Philip, Ali and William.

Ruth was thankfully a Christian, and for Christians - to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.  We know that we shall meet her again in His presence.

Ted.

Posted in Family Chat | No Comments »

29/06/2007 by Ted.

Hi everyone.  Up early is morning to catch up with the blog. Time flies by so quickly.

Barbara’s mum Ruth is having an operation on her bladder today - not much fun when you’re 90, so please keep her and Barbara and Peter in your thoughts and prayers.

Mum Pru continues as before - eating well and taking an interest in everything.  After increasing her potassium intake a further blood sample was taken to check if her potassium levels were now OK.  There has been no change on her medication since so they must be.

Of late she was feeling short of news about the outside world.  Because of her failed eyesight she couldn’t watch the news on TV, so she now has a radio beside her chair tuned into Radio 4 on which she just has one button to push to listen in. She sends love to the family.

I had a couple of days in Chester and Wales last weekend - my summer holiday.  I have some photos which I will put on the blog when I get chance.  The weather was beautiful - warm and sunny with just the occasional shower. On my return to this wet and windswept place one of my neighbours remarked that I was brown. I usually explain that it is not a sun tan but rust from all the rain we have here in Cumbria, but this time I was able to tell her that it was a real suntan from sunny Wales.

Are any of you SODUKU fans? I have succeeded with occasional solutions in newspapers from time to time but whilst in Rhyl I bought a book explaining the principles behind solving the puzzles and - wow- how addictive it has become.  That is one of the reasons why the blog has been neglected this week. But I will try to do better in future.

I also hope to try out my new fishing rod when the weather ameliorates.  I lost the cloth cover off my old one whilst out fishing and went to the tackle shop to replace this.  However the unprotected rod somehow lost it’s tip and I had to buy a whole rod.  It is a better one that the broken one and I am impatient to see how it handles - but continuous rain and winds have not made this practicable.  But - fingers crossed - some time soon!!!!!

Well, that’s it for now. Remember Barbara’s mum, and, Barbara and Peter, when you see her give her our love and tell her we are rooting for her.

Bye for now,

Ted.

Posted in Family Chat | No Comments »

24/06/2007 by PeterJohnson.

JUNE 24TH 2007. 

I HATE TO THINK OF TED ON HIS OWN, STARING AT THE SCREEN, JUST LONGING FOR A BLOG.  AW.  SO I WILL WRITE THIS ONE, BRIEFLY, TO SAY WE ARE ALL FINE (EXCEPT FOR RUTH, BARBARAS MUM). WE HAVE HAD WILLIAM TO STAY THIS WEEKEND, AND PHIL AND ALI ARRIVED TODAY TO TAKE HIM HOME. ANYWAY AFTER A RATHER POSH WEDDING NEAR CARLISLE YESTERDAY, THEY OPTED TO STAY THE NIGHT!

PETER WENT TO SEE MUM YESTERDAY  - NOTHING NEW TO REPORT, BUT THEY BOTH SHARED A FRESH TROPICAL FRUIT SALAD COURTESY OF MORRISONS.

TIME FOR BED, SO WILL SAY GOOD NIGHT AND SEND LOTS OF LOVE TO YOU ALL.

BARBARA AND PETER     XXXXXXXXXXXX

Posted in Family Chat | No Comments »

21/06/2007 by Ted.

Posted in Family Chat | 1 Comment »

21/06/2007 by Ted.

Hi family,

What a deafening silence from all of you since my last post of 16th.  As I started this thing - when I was told what a good idea it was by so many family members - I guess it must be up to me to keep it going.  So here we go!

Today is the twenty-first day of June - the longest day.  Happy longest day to everyone. Now we can all start counting the days until 21st December when it is the shortest day.  And so on ‘ad nauseum’.  That means until we are all pig sick. 

We don’t seem to have had much of a summer yet - well not in Cumbria anyway. We are, as usual, busy storing up rainwater for all you thirsty folks further south to drink to quench your thirst in your hot sunny weather.

We shall be down in the southern parts to drink some of that water over the weekend - a couple of nights in glorious Rhyl in Wales and a visit to Chester and Port Meirion (I think I spelled that right). Then hey-ho, back to Cumbria, Millom and St. George’s.  One of the carers laughed the other day and said that I seem like one of the residents.  I’m not sure whether she meant because I look eighty-or-ninety-odd or because I am there so often. She wouldn’t explain!

Hey anyone, do you remember this? “He said to me can you swim, I said swim?, he said, yes, I said no, he said oh!”  It popped into my memory a day or so ago - something from my childhood no doubt. I suspect I was taught it by my dad, bless him.  He left some lovely memories as his legacy - unlike Tony Blair. (Heavy hand on shoulder,”Come ‘ere me lad and be punished, You’re not allowed to say things like that - there’s a law against it now!”) Sorry Tony - no I’m not! I have come to the formal conclusion that this country now is a certified lunatic asylum.  And the sad thing is that it is run by some of the inmates! I try not to read the newspapers these days because of the things that are portrayed there. Some are absolutely unbelievable for their idiocy.  It is just not good for the blood pressure.

Even writing about it has just given me a hot flush and cold shivers so I will have to go and have a lie down.  It is nearly lunch-time anyway so that is another excuse for discontinuing.  Next time I will probably have some photos of Rhyl - whoopee!!!!! - to put on the blog, and I’m going to keep it going even if I am the only contributor.

So all my invisible and silent kith and kin I bid you farewell for now. (I assume that you are all still out there - or did I miss the Talbot family rapture?)

Seriously, my love to you all.

Ted.

Posted in Family Chat | No Comments »

16/06/2007 by Ted.

Hi everyone, and especially Richard, Linda and family and Paul, Alison and family.  Lovely to hear from you.  Fair made me jealous reading of your adventures, Alison.  It reminded me of memories of many years ago when our family times were spent on the shore at Silecroft. It is truly a place filled with memories - and you created some more for your and Paul and Tracy and Darren’s little ones while you were there.  Mum told me you had called and some of your activities, especially little Jack’s first-time paddle at Silecroft.  She was so pleased to see you.

And, Linda and Richard,  how about baby Nathan.  Isn’t he beautiful.  Mike and Lucy are rightly proud of their little lad - not to mention his gran and grandad! Thanks for the photograph.  Good to speak to you the other evening and look forward to doing the same again soon.

Sorry about all the rain recently.  I think it was all my fault.  My lawn was looking very dry so I went to Wilkinsons and bought something called an ”Oscillating Spray Bar” to sprinkle water on to it.  As I walked out of the store with the thing under my arm it started raining and hasn’t stopped since.  I noticed yesterday that it calls itself “Aqua Storm 15″ - it certainly seems to have lived up to its name!

I hope the rest of the family will follow our examples and contribute a post from time to time.  It is good to have a “living” blog instead of just a formal one.

Mum is keeping OK.  The doctor called the other day to say that she was reducing her dosage of ferusamide because it was depleting her potassium resources, but when she listened to mum’s chest she changed her mind and has instead prescribed another pill which will supplement her potassium. And the care plan seems to be working except that little mum is now trying to do everything for herself again instead of calling for the carers to assist.  She even changed her own night pad the other evening.  What can you do with her????

Anyway, enough from me.  Keep contributing everyone.  It is lovely to hear from you.

God bless you all,

Ted. 

Posted in Family Chat | No Comments »

15/06/2007 by Paul and Alison.

Hi All

Thought I’d take heed and contribute to the blog - Paul and I decided to continue to the Talbot tradition by camping last weekend at Silecroft with Ysabelle,Phoebe and our dog Lola. We had a fabulous time, the weather was scorching (we left mist and murk back at home !) Tracy, Darren,Jack,Harry and Darren’s brother Chris joined us as well.

Tracy and I took the kids down the beach which was so beautiful, the tide was partially out,the sun glistening on the sea .Jack stripped off and took his first paddle at Silecroft beach,whilst Phoebe took Lola for her first swim in the sea. For me and Tracy ,our thoughts were very much about Mum, thinking how much she would have loved to have watched her grand children playing in the sea much like she did as a child and as our mum. Though we both felt whilst we were sat there on the beach she was very close to us watching all the activities.

I also gave Ysabelle the tour of Silecroft village,visited the shop and walked through Commerce Terrace, telling Ysabelle tales of our adventures in Silecroft.Gran’s baking,blackberry picking and the wonderful garden they had.

We also visited Gran and Alan, Dad no longer lives in Millom as he flitted in February to live in Spain. We had a wonderful weekend and especially spendng it at Silecroft beach which is and always will be a very special place.

lots of love

Alison,Paul,Ysabelle and Phoebe xx 

Posted in Family Chat | No Comments »

14/06/2007 by Richard.

Posted in Family Chat | No Comments »

14/06/2007 by Richard.

Hi to all the Family,

just to let you all know That everything is going great down this part of the world.Nothing much to report as we are all keeping well .The one good thing is that our newest addition has now discarded the  boots and bar during the daytime but still has to wear it at night.This will continue until He starts school.He is a little treasure and already so aware of the world around him.I have uploaded one of his latest photographs to let you see how he has come on.

 Best wishes to your Mum Barbara we hope she gets well soon.

 Loads of “luv”

from all down here.

Posted in Family Chat | No Comments »

14/06/2007 by Ted.

HI GUYS AND THANKS FOR YOUR REPORT.  PLEASE GIVE MUM RUTH A HUG FROM ME AND MY BEST WISHES. ITS A WHILE SINCE I LAST SAW HER - I THINK THE LAST TIME WAS WHEN SHE WAS ON HOLIDAY IN ST. GEORGE’S.

I DONT POST EVERY DAY NOW BECAUSE MUM PRU’S LIFE IS PRETTY MUCH THE SAME DAY BY DAY.  IF ANYTHING OF NOTE OR OF INTEREST HAPPENS I DO OF COURSE LET EVERYONE KNOW, BUT OTHERWISE EVERYTHING IS TO BE UNDERSTOOD AS CONTINUING OK.

IT IS OF INTEREST THAT DURING MAY WE HAD 1620 VISITORS TO THE BLOG FROM AFAR AFIELD AS SWEDEN, JAPAN,GERMANY,RUSSIA, BRAZIL AND URUGUAY - AND I GUESS SOME FROM THE FAMILY TOO.  INCIDENTALLY, I THINK IT WOULD BE NICE IF FAMILY MEMBERS OTHER THAN WE THREE COULD LEAVE A COMMENT OR TWO TO SHOW THAT THEY HAVE VISITED THE BLOG INSTEAD OF BEING THE BASHFUL LOT WHICH THEY ARE.

ON A PERSONAL NOTE, I MANAGED A COUPLE OF HOURS FLY-FISHING AT BAYSTONE BANK THE OTHER EVENING AND LANDED A 1LB RAINBOW TROUT WHICH WAS DELICIOUS FOR DINNER THE NEXT DAY.  I FISHED FROM 8PM (AFTER MY EVENING SESSION AT ST. GEORGE’S) UNTIL ABOUT 9.30PM.  IT WAS A LOVELY SUNNY EVENING AND A SONG THRUSH PERCHED IN A TREE BEHIND ME AND SERENADED ME ALL THE TIME I WAS THERE.  A MEMORABLE EVENING. I HAVE ALSO BEEN BUSY CONSTRUCTING A MOBILE GARDEN. MY HOUSE IS IN A VERY WINDY LOCATION AND PLANTS ARE ALMOST BLOWN OUT OF THE GROUND, SO THIS YEAR I HAVE PLANTED EVERYTHING IN TUBS WHICH I CAN MOVE INTO A MORE SHELTERED LOCATION WHEN THE WIND IS STRONG. IT SEEMS TO BE WORKING SO FAR - PLENTY OF FLOWERS AND EVEN A TUB OF STRAWBERRY PLANTS WHICH ARE BEARING FRUIT.

BOB WAS PLANNING TO COME OVER FOR A VISIT - ARE YOU THERE BOB? ANY NEWS OF WHEN YOU WILL BE COMING YET?

MUST STOP NOW AS IT IS NEARLY LUNCH TIME.  THEN I WILL BE POPPING IN TO SEE MUM THIS AFTERNOON.

FINALLY, HOW ABOUT SOME POSTS FROM OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS?

LOVE TO ALL,

TED.

Posted in Family Chat | No Comments »

13/06/2007 by PeterJohnson.

EVENING OF JUNE 13TH

PETER VISITED MUM TODAY AND FOUND HER IN GOOD SPIRITS. CHRISTINE AND HER HUSBAND JOHN WERE VISITING ALSO. PETER DIDN’T STAY FOR VERY LONG, AS I WAS OUT AND ABOUT, AND MY MOTHER IS EXTREMELY UNWELL. CHRISTINE VERY KINDLY OFFERED TO COMPLETE THE AFTERNOON REGIME.

MUM SENDS HER LOVE TO YOU ALL, AND SO DO WE.

PETER AND BARBARA. XXXXX

Posted in Family Chat | No Comments »

09/06/2007 by PeterJohnson.

EVENING OF JUNE 9TH

PETER VISITED MUM TODAY AND FOUND HER COMFORTABLE ALTHOUGH A LITTLE WARM BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER. SHE ATE A GOOD TEA WHICH SHE APPEARED TO ENJOY.  SHE LISTENED TO ALL THE FAMILY NEWS ATTENTIVELY AND QUIETLY WITH HER FINGER ON THE PULSE SHE IS ABLE TO OFFER HER SUPPORT AND VALUED ADVICE. THIS SHOWS THE SHARPNESS OF HER MIND, AND SHE MUST SPEND HOURS JUST THINKING OF US ALL.  SHE SENDS HER LOVE TO YOU, AND SO DO WE.

PETER AND BARBARA XXXX

Posted in Family Chat | No Comments »

07/06/2007 by Ted.

EVENING OF 7TH JUNE 2007.  MUM HAD ANOTHER BROKEN NIGHT AND WAS VERY TIRED TODAY AND RATHER BREATHLESS.  THE BROKEN NIGHT WAS MAINLY DUE TO THE WARM WEATHER - THE ROOM TEMPERATURE WAS QUITE HIGH EVEN WITH THE WINDOWS OPEN.  THIS AFTERNOON SHE WAS TOO WEARY TO GO OUT OF DOORS BUT SPENT SOME TIME IN THE “SHRUBBERY” WITH THE DOOR OPEN TO THE FRESH AIR BEFORE RETURNING TO HER ROOM FOR TEA.

SHE SPENT A QUIET DAY YESTERDAY AS HER USUAL VISITORS WERE PREVENTED FROM COMING, BUT SHE IS LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THEM NEXT TIME.

LOVE TO ALL FROM MUM AND ME,

TED.  

Posted in Family Chat | No Comments »

05/06/2007 by Ted.

MY APOLOGIES FOR THE LATE SUBMISSION OF THIS POST.  LIFE IS RATHER BUSY.

3RD JUNE        PAUL THACKRAY’S 45TH BIRTHDAY

4TH JUNE        RACHEL TALBOT’S 33RD BIRTHDAY

                      BRYAN AND SUE REDSHAW’S 30TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

25TH JUNE       CAITLYN TALBOT’S 6TH BIRTHDAY

28TH JUNE       PETER AND BARBARA TALBOT’S 38TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

30TH JUNE       PHILIP TALBOT’S 36TH BIRTHDAY

                      JACK CHEATER’S 3RD BIRTHDAY

PLEASE LET ME KNOW OF ANY ERRORS OR OMISSIONS, AND TO EVERYONE I WISH A HAPPY EVERYTHING.

Posted in Family Anniversaries | No Comments »

05/06/2007 by Ted.

EVENING OF 4TH JUNE 2007. ALL CONTINUES WELL AT ST. GEORGE’S. THE NEW CARE PLAN SEEMS TO BE WORKING OK AND MOST OF THE PROBLEM AREAS HAVE DISAPPEARED.  THE ONE OR TWO WHICH REMAIN ARE CAUSED BY THE CARERS HAVING TO GET USED TO THE NEW REGIME AND WILL BE RESOLVED WITH PRACTICE.

YESTERDAY WE WERE TOLD THAT THE NHS BED WHICH MUM IS USING HAD BEEN REQUESTED TO BE RETURNED, BUT IN THE EVENT IT WAS ONLY THE AIR MATTRESS WHICH WAS REQUIRED.  THIS WAS A RELIEF TO MUM AS IT HAD RIDGES ON ITS SURFACE WHICH SHE SOMETIMES FOUND UNCOMFORTABLE. THE REPLACEMENT STANDARD MATTRESS IS MUCH BETTER ALTHOUGH HER SLEEP PATTERN IS STILL ERRATIC.

SHE CONTINUES TO EAT WELL NOW THAT SHE IS RECEIVING ASSISTANCE WITH GETTING THE FOOD TO HER MOUTH AND YESTERDAY EVENING WAS PLANNING TO SORT OUT HER DRESSES AND SKIRTS WITH A VIEW TO WEARING THEM AGAIN INSTEAD OF THE NIGHTDRESSES SHE NOW WEARS. SHE WAS EVEN CONTEMPLATING SITTING IN THE LOUNGE DURING THE DAYTIME AGAIN, ALTHOUGH THIS IS ONLY AT A VERY TENTATIVE STAGE OF CONSIDERATION.

THE GOOD WEATHER CONTINUES AND SHE HAS REGULARLY SPENT PART OF THE AFTERNOON OUT OF DOORS IN THE GARDEN. SHE REALLY ENJOYS THIS CHANGE.  THE GARDENS ARE VERY ATTRACTIVE WITH MASSES OF FLOWERS (COURTESY OF PETER THE GARDENER) AND TORRENTS OF BIRDSONG TO ENJOY.

AMIDST ALL THE PLANS AND ENJOYMENTS MUM IS STILL  AN ELDERLY, FRAIL AND POORLY LADY WHO IS ANXIOUS TO BE OFF TO THE WONDERFUL LIFE WHICH AWAITS HER TOGETHER WITH HER ALREADY-DEPARTED LOVED ONES IN THE PRESENCE OF OUR SAVIOUR, THE LORD JESUS.

HER LOVE COMES TO YOU ALL,

MINE TOO,

TED.

Posted in NEWS ABOUT MUM | No Comments »

02/06/2007 by PeterJohnson.

EVENING OF 2ND JUNE. PETER VISITED MUM TODAY AND FOUND HER A LITTLE DESPONDENT ABOUT HER SLEEP PATTERNS, BUT HOPEFUL THAT THE NEW CARE PLANS WOULD BE HELPFUL. SHE FELT TIRED, BUT FOUND THAT SHE WAS UNABLE TO DOSE. SHE BRIGHTENED UP TOWARDS TEA TIME, AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH HER CARE PLAN, SHE ASKED PETER TO HELP FEED HER. SHE WAS VERY CHEERFUL AFTER TRIFLE, AND FINISHED A GOOD MEAL.

SHE HAS NOT SLEPT AT ALL TODAY AND SHE IS HOPING THAT THIS WILL GIVE HER A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP.

SHE SENDS HER LOVE TO YOU ALL, AND SO DO WE.

PETER, BARBARA AND POPPY.     XXXXXXXX

Posted in Family Chat | No Comments »

01/06/2007 by Ted.

EVENING OF 1ST JUNE 2007. BECAUSE OF HER ADVANCED YEARS AND FRAILTY MUM HAS BEEN GRADUALLY FINDING LIFE MORE AND MORE OF A STRUGGLE - EVEN IN THE SUPPORTIVE ATMOSPHERE AT ST. GEORGE’S.  LAST EVENING SHE SAID DESPONDENTLY, “I AM TIRED OF STRUGGLING”.

AS A CONSEQUENCE DISCUSSIONS WERE HELD WITH THE SENIOR CARERS AND MANAGERESS OF THE HOME IN AN ATTEMPT TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEMS WHICH CAUSE MUM TO HAVE TO STRUGGLE. TODAY A NEW CARE PLAN WAS PRESENTED FOR APPROVAL WHICH ASSIGNS MORE PERSONAL HELP FROM CARERS FOR BASIC TASKS OF WASHING, DRESSING, TOILETING, EATING ETC AND IT IS HOPED THAT THIS WILL MAKE LIFE MORE MANAGEABLE FOR HER.  MUM WAS ALSO ONCE AGAIN INSTRUCTED TO RING HER BELL WHEN SHE HAS A NEED INSTEAD OF ASSUMING THAT ALL THE CARERS ARE BUSY AND SHE SHOULD NOT DISTRACT THEM FROM WHATEVER THEY ARE DOING.

WITH THE WARMER WEATHER SHE HAS BEEN HOT AND PERSPIRING IN BED AT NIGHT AND THIS HAS CAUSED HER SLEEP TO BE EVEN MORE INTERRUPTED LEAVING HER WEARY DURING THE DAY. AGAIN, STEPS HAVE NOW BEEN TAKEN TO TRY TO HELP HER TO SLEEP ALTHOUGH, AS SHE HERSELF POINTED OUT, SHE IS IN BED FROM AROUND 6.30PM UNTIL 7AM - TWELVE AND A HALF HOURS. AS SHE DOES NOT NEED TO SLEEP FOR TWELVE AND A HALF HOURS SHE IS BOUND TO BE AWAKE FOR SEVERAL OF THE HOURS IN THE NIGHT-TIME. TONIGHT AS SHE WAS PREPARING FOR BED SHE CONFESSED THAT BECAUSE OF THE SLEEPLESS HOURS SHE DREADS GOING TO BED. WE CONSIDERED HER PERHAPS GOING TO BED AT 9PM, BUT THIS WOULD MEAN THE ADDITIONAL HOURS WOULD BE SPENT SITTING IN HER CHAIR WAITING FOR BED-TIME TO COME INSTEAD OF IN BED WAITING FOR SLEEP TO COME.

TODAY WAS A LOVELY DAY WEATHERWISE AND SHE SPENT TIME IN THE GARDEN BY THE DUCKS AND DUCKPOND.  IT PROVED TOO WARM TO BE THERE FOR LONG SO SHE EVENTUALLY SETTLED FOR A SEAT IN  THE SHADE OUTSIDE THE LIBRARY WHERE SHE REMAINED UNTIL TEA-TIME.

SHE CONTINUES TO EAT WELL AND TO HAVE HER EXERCISE SESSIONS, AND ONCE THE NEW CARE PLAN IS IN OPERATION TOMORROW LIFE SHOULD - WEATHER PERMITTING - BE HAPPIER FOR HER.

TONIGHT SHE SENDS HER LOVE TO YOU ALL,

ME TOO,

TED.

Posted in NEWS ABOUT MUM | No Comments »