**TAMOXIFEN**the 6th

[MaryAnnSingleton]

here we go !

KK - your dd sounds just like mine then, and i shall take comfort as yours is so fab now she is older: sometimes I wonder if there is something wrong with dd: she is lovely but bloody RELENTLESS. I know there isn't really, but it is just unbelievable the amount she can rattle on. I have been known to shout 'Bloody shut up, just for five minutes' not my finest parenting moment, I know.

How odd that we are all teary. I'll try to hold it together if you will. I could have written that paragraph about so much to do, so little energy.

I hope Celeste's tummy will get more robust as she gets older. It probably will.

But my lovely old dog had tummy problems from the day we had him until the day he died. I can remember when we first got him he used to get so excited when he saw our food coming to the table that he used to throw up, typically over our feet. It used to put us off our food pretty thoroughly

I had to cook fresh food for him daily, it was the only way to keep things in check. But I put that down to him having been starved and brutalised as a pup, Celeste has known no such nastiness, fortunately.

oh poor dog Cakes Am sure Celeste will be sorted by the probiotics -she seems so lively and well and not in any discomfort. Must ring and see how my ma is (bad daughter not to have done so already)
Will miss Strictly -- bah !

cough cough.
Shameless attention seeking

you beat me to it kk! just read, although once in normal mode and once in festive!

get you KK !!
Report from dad - mum sitting up on the little sofa thing in her room - so that's good. Off to be festive soon !
btw - am thinking of doing a pink ribbon walk in June - is that madness ? I don't feel I can repeat a strawberry tea with the same degree of success so maybe this might be good

I thank you

How are you RWU? How is the horse riding going - what do horses think of the snow?

Good that your mum is sitting up on the sofa MAS, I hope she's feeling better soon.

What does the pink ribbon walk involve? is it a bit less demanding in terms of time - I know you did an awful lot of work for the strawberry tea.

Good news from mum - Dad is getting a wheelchair next Wednesday - hooray - it will make things a lot easier for them.

They have had their great grand daughter (my great niece) over today, much to mum's delight. She is nearly two and they live in Norway (dad is Norwegian) so little girl speaks Norwegian and English. My mum said it was very sweet - she came in babbling in Norwegian, and her mum said 'speak English to Grandma' and she just switched straight away. (she's the little character who messed up the bathroom a while ago)

Hello everyone - just me butting in again.

Sorry to read a few are feeling teary. I haven't felt teary this week , just rather stressed at times. I've been sayiong to myslef out loud in the car ; 'I am choosing not to be stressed. I can choose not to be stressed. If I can manage cancer I am not going to get stressed by work'! So perhaps I'm not teary only because I have tto many distractions at present. Normally - even pre-BC ican be teary at the drop of a hat. This is partly why I keep thinking that I will fall down an emotional hole at some point, as I'm sure I haven't dealt with stuff proprerly. Oops, lets me just rub this sand out of eyes - shouldn't keep my head down here really

Sorry - that prob sounds too flippant when you're all needing a good cry. Crying definitely releases tensions doesn't it.

So we have the following options so far;

1. Have a good cry and then preferably find a friend to go out with/have a glass of wine with;
2. Keep eating the choc buttons;
3. Divert yourself with a stressful job involving disciplinary cases in social care and TUPE transfers of large numbers of staff at a week's notice
4. Do things properly like MAS and deal with stuff.

Well we're all coping as best we can and should be proud of how far we have come.

Loved the cat video.

Congrats KK on your mentions in despatches - one day I'll actually find these on this site. You know what a tech-ignoramus I am.

Hope dressings, and Celeste, and elderly parents are all OK for the w/e.

My DS's class made over £200 today with a cake sale, for Cancer Research. Yep, he made about 35 angle cakes (or cupcakes as we have to call them now) last night and I decorated them with him. also licked out the icing bowl also helped to clear up

Did I tell you (just trying to keep up with Cakes here) that I'm going to see Penguin Cafe Orchestra in February? YAY!

What a load of typo's from me - sorry - angel cakes not angle cakes

I love the idea of angle cakes- bit pointy and sharp !
Penguin Cafe Orchestra will be ace - haven't heard of them for ages.
KK dual language must just be so much easier for little ones- how brilliant that she can switch just like that ! Am very glad to hear about your dad's wheelchair too - that should be very helpful.
The pink ribbon walk is 10 or 20 miles around Petworth park in Sussex-beautiful place - 2 of my friends seem interested in joining me which would be great. Dh says i must train a bit,proper walks,hills etc
i had to ask for lots of things for the strawberry tea- prizes etc and feel that people have been so generous and kind that i'd be uncomfortable asking again - plus it was such a success I'd be afraid of not doing it as well this time
Had a brilliant evening with bookgroup ladies- lovely food and drinks and fab company- one of them kindly drove us there and back,which was amazingly kind.

Pink Ribbon walk sounds good MAS - nice way to keep fit as well with al that hill training

Well here I am in my new Rimmel lippy - thanks Cakes! Couldn't find your racy number but Heather shimmer suits me. I like it as its not gooey - I hate having sticky lips

Busy day for bye for now.

Hi - I have lost no weight this week, but not gained any. Considering the facts that;
a) I haven't walked anywhere much due to icy conditions and
b)I've stuffed my face with mince pies and honey-roasted cahews that my husband opened and left round the kitcvhen (and it was a hige packet)

is not surprising. Felt depressed when on the scales but have been for a lovely swim this am which has made me feel wonderful (if fat).

Hope the other weighing-in ladies are doing better than me!

This Arimiidex-stiffness of joints does get me down a bit too. I see from a BCC thread that is a common side-effect. Swimming is so lovely as it takes weight off the joints.

SR - you are not alone, I have lost nothing this week (not gained either which surprises me, because I've had a bad week snackwise!)

The joint stiffness is a pain isn't it? - I also have it (well a sort of combination of joint and muscle ache), mainly in my left leg, its a side effect of Tamox. too. - I've just started taking omega oil capsules to see if that helps at all. (one of the BC nurses suggested it.) I also use massage oil I got from Holland and Barrett which helps a bit I think - I've got one which is comfrey oil and one which is Weleda Massage Balm with Arnica. - in case you want to try.

Hope everyone is having a good weekend. I am 51 tomorrow , - so more cake eating may occur

KK you must eat cake on your birthday !!
Have just made up 2 bunches of holly,one for our front door and one for mum's- from the bottom of our garden- and dh has taken over some fruit cake he made on a whim last night ! He also made toad in the hole,but the hole failed,so we ate toad alone- v nice though.

MAS - sorry about the hole!

KK - thanks for those tips. I have used various oils in the past for (much slighter) stiffness but haven't dared take anything over the past year. Yes I might try something now. It makes me feel so old!!

Happy Birthday for tomorrow and yes, cake will be a requirement, of course.

I've just made 2 batches of ice cream for Christmas, one Creme fraiche and cognac which was a big hit last year, and also vanilla - very easy recipe with condensed milk.

Am fed up with my fridge which seems to freeze things at the moment....

Going out for a little walk now, if OI can hobble round to deliver a few cars..

Kurri, am bowing to your new found status. You absolutely must eat cake on your birthday - am shocked that you're even questioning it; definitely good for aches.

Sorry to hear you're in need of chocolate buttons too. Really wish so many of us weren't feeling like this, but SR from your list, I will definitely do 1&2, will aspire to do 4, but 3's is most definitely all yours. Oh and you're shamelessly showing off with the ice cream. I haven't even made a Christmas cake yet..

MAS, I think a Pink Ribbon walk sounds fun and probably far less stressful than hosting a tea party. Glad your mum sounds okay. Is she very bruised? Your DH sounds rather productive, even if he can't do reliable holes.

Not a lot to tell here - we mooched as far as Brick Lane for bagels and the market. Managed to get a present for my lovely friend who's been through so much of this year with me. Am mighty pleased as I wanted to get her something special and was completely out of ideas.

Hope Sparkles is okay, and RWU, Pennies and Cupcaked and anybody else I've missed too. Come and be festive sometime soon.

Am liking the sound of Angle cakes.

mum is still confined to her roomreallky- very painful to move- we all went over and had a drink up there this evening. Might have to miss funeral as she prob. wont be able to go and will need minding- dad would go.
Dh is the main cook here- tonight he made a fab lamb and broccoli stir fry..he is planning his christmas menu !
I do the shopping and will make trifle and stem ginger cake with clementine frosting (If i can discover where the recipe is)

Love angle cakes

Hi everyone, sorry I have been away for a few days. Virus season has descended on the sparkle household. Currently have three make shift beds on sitting room floor for three poorly children. Littlest one won't stay in hers (wonders of calpol) she keeps getting out and telling me that "the guys" (dd1 and ds) are poorly, temperatures vomiting, rashes.......aka fun day for mum!

MAS I am gald that your mum is getting a wheelchair, hopefully that should help your dad a lot. I am sending lots of get well soon vibes for her. When is the funeral, is it this week?

Happy birthday to you KK
I bow to royalty KK...... I always knew I was in priviledged company but now.......

SR congrats to your ds and his class, what a fantastic amount to raise. I am sorry you are feeling so down. Chocolate buttons always help. Mind you I put weight on this week, so don't listen to me! Seriously, I think you are all amazing women, who are dealing with a huge amount, and still have the time and compassion to help each other and newbies like me. How you deal with it and still reach out to others shows true strength to me.

Have a good day everyone.

Hi Sparkle - so sorry about your porrly DCS. Sounds like an army hospital you've got there! Don't worry, I'm not down. I keep my head firmly in this gritty stuff to avoid being down Just pop up now and again to remind myself that I have had cancer, it might or might not come back and that I have to put up with these achey joints. (Well the last bit is a constant remionder so Isuppose that's useful in its own way

KK Many Happy Returns again! Have a lovely day. (I think its today

MAS - really hope your mum improves soon.

Hello to everyone - RWU you must be very busy making sure your horses don't get frozen?

I am glad you are ok SR. Yep we have an episode of M.A.S.H. going on in the sitting room....less gore though

Booming out xmas songs in the kitchen to keep my spirits up, and get in the festive spirit. (Ooo many spirits, but none involving alcohol promise) Was going to go xmas shopping for the dc presents today only got a few bits.......not happening now though! How many shopping days do I have left!?

Happy Birthday KK. Cake is a MUST!

Glad about your dad's wheelchair - and also that MAS's Mum is feeling better.

Totally done in here - too jolly a weekend. But if ever you get a chance to see Diversity, just clear your diary and go. They were jaw droppingly brilliant. Never missed a step or a beat. Awesome.

Chins up, everyone. (I am in awe of SR dealing with a proper serious grown-up job. I've never had one of those)

SR - heather shimmer should be in everyone's make-up bag. It is a legend.

I am supposed to be have my nerve decompression surgery tomorrow, but I am sneezing and have a cough. The cold was last week and I thought it was getting better, but not so sure now. I wonder if they'll just send me home

What is nerve decompression surgery? Sorry very ignorant here!

Hiya sparkles

How are the littlies today? Better i hope. The thought of three all unwell together is quite daunting....

No reason why you should know at all - it's a long standing problem arising from a broken elbow 10 years ago. The nerve that runs from my shoulder to my hand does not move freely always as I bend my arm, which results in numb fingers sometimes. It needs to be corrected before the muscles waste. It's not a big op, or urgent, but I'd like to get it out of the way now I have finally got it in my sights (it was scheduled 18 months ago, and then parked when my BC was diagnosed - it's starting to look like it isn't meant to be )

poor Sparkles babies bering so poorly
hope they improve v soon.
Happy Birthday dear KK ! have a wonderful day and eat cake !!
Cakes- do hope you'll be up to your op tomorrow,it'd be nice to have it sorted.
Funeral is on Thursday Sparkle (KK's dad is getting a wheelchair -ma is hopefully getting a stairlift - dad is upset by the patronising tone of the Stannah brochure)
Am sending off my final picture before Christmas -I expect the post office will be horrendous.

So can you relax and enjoy Christmas after that, MAS?

I do hope so.

I wonder why so many services for elderly people are so patronisingly worded? It's such a shame. But I hope your Mum gets her stairlift, what a godsend for both of them.

that's the idea,though I might scribble around with a few ideas ! Will report back on stairlift