**TAMOXIFEN** 4th thread

[MaryAnnSingleton]

here we go !

Well the new freezer, camping trip, fountain pen and all round summer activities sound great. Am of new freezer as mine isn't v. good and although supposedly self -defrosting I do have to defrost it and its designed so that there are bits at the back imposs to defrost so a man has to come and take it to bits!

Anyway, I did indeed walk the 5k - thanks for all the good wishes. There were 12 colleagues running or walking (for me!) and a number of related partners and children all there too so it was great. For the first time since I've been doing this it stayed fair long enough for us to have a group picnic too! Don't know how much I've raised yet but hope my sponsors will go on my site as I e-mailed lots of friends/family late yesterday when I decided I would really do it.

DD has phoned today and sounds fine - we're making arrangements for DH to go and pick her up at the end of August and then she'll be here for a couple of weeks which will be a big treat as doesn't happen much now.

I do feel slightly odd now - a little shaky so think I'll relax - pity we have to empty a few things out of kitchen and utility for new floor arriving tomorrow but with luck my DH will do most of the work! DS was bored yesterday and made a beautifuls trawberry cheesecake so we'll be able to reward ourselves again

Very well done SR - you deserve a rest now - strawberry cheesecake sounds just the thing

excellent SR ! and strawberry cheesecake too - well done
Hope ds is feeling calmer after his heroics KK
Inset day tomorrow but ds has extra double singing lesson (exam on Wednesday) so dh working from home and we'll all go out in the afternoon - Wagamama possibly for supper too

Hi all

Sorry for the delay but WOW! way to go KK's ds. You must be so proud!!

Good to hear of fab things happening all round over the weekend - nice holidays, Race for Life, new freezers, haircuts, new floors. All positive stuff. Excellent.

The highlight of my weekend (which was fab if tiring) - was watching an act at a festival, he was a sort of clown I suppose. His act culminated in doing a one-handed handstand on top of a wheelie bin, while wearing a pink leotard, and with a lit firework up his bum. God, how I laughed (dd was aghast).

Look, I never said I was sophisticated, did I? Happy Days.

Sounds like a fun weekend Cakes - at the idea of your DD looking on disapprovingly while you roll about laughing at clown with firework!

Had a great evening with DS last night, he'd had a v. nice letter from the girl's mum thanking him. We walked along the promenade with the dog, - it's a real Victorian, 'going to the coast for the air' atmosphere.

He seemed really happy and relaxed (he says its not having to commute to work any more), his flatmate is a lovely lad, and they seem to have friends popping round constantly. All good

Hope everyone else had a good weekend, good wishes and love to anyone on treatment this week, and hoping for a brighter week if anyone has been feeling a bit low. xx

Good morning! I'm feeling only slightly tired after yesterday's walk and mainly feel very uplifted about the whole Race for Life event. With a contribution from my DH which he's pronised I'll easily reach my target of £250.

Guys doing kitchen floor are in oh dear mode, this is bigger job than we were told, previous flooring v. difficulty to get off, will take hours, won't look even etc etc.

I'm sure it will look a lot better than the old stuff so am not too worried. Seems to me its really their problem to deal with but of course I'm being very sympathetic.

Cakes - your w/e sounds fun. Have I mentioned my DD is into circus skills? She goes to festival to learn them. I won't tell her about this firework trick though...better not...

KK I really think ds deserves a medal of some sort. That must have been so scary. Brave, brave him.

SR - flipping well done with Race for Life. I think I mentioned I blew it out and went partying instead. A friend persuaded me to give large donation to her to do it instead, so I went with that and feel slightly less bad.

Workmen always do that. Try to pay no heed. It's a way of preparing you for a larger than anticipated bill so don't sound too sympathetic -try a steely gaze instead.

I don't think I did know that about your dd - definitely don't mention the firework trick. It looked very unwise, and also more than a little undignified.

eek at firework up bottom !
Well done for yesterday SR - yay ! Hope workmen aren't doing too much sucking of teeth and grumbling and are getting on with the job.
RWU (via facebook) says she's had bloods and treatment today, but Petunia is behaving herself (hope she won't mind my reporting on her )

and yes, KK's ds should be nominated for some kind of award for extreme bravery - I wonder how that's done ? or would he be very embarrassed ?

I think he'd be very embarrassed MAS and Cakes - but how nice of you to say so. Also he said he's playing it all very low key for the sake of the girl involved. (Can't say much, but she is rather vulnerable).

Kitchen floor will be great when finished I'm sure SR, - any idea when it will be done? Your DD sounds very talented, circus skills must be good fun.

Good to hear Petunia is behaving, lots of love RWU for treatment today.

DD just phoned me from Belgium - to ask what kind of chocs are Grandma's favourite

Floor should be done today but I notice the 'gov' has turned up for a conference outside - I'm staying out of it!

KK - I do understand about the need for low key. Not trying to boast (or compete!) but my DD also saved someone's life a couple of years ago but we had to stay quiet as the person's parents were not to know the circumstances or even what had happened. It felt very odd really, though I was (still am) also very proud of DD for dealing with the situation.

I've just provided a lunch from local bakery to my DS and myself as we can't get into the kitchen. Can't do anything much really today but perhaps that's a good enforced rest.

Also just worked out that I should be through all treatment by the end of September - not so long now really. Just hope the chemo deosn't get worse each time on the CMF but suspect it might!

RWU - thinking of you and sending hugs (but not hugging Petunia as I've noticed friends tend to squeeze Lenny when they hug me and don't know that Lenny is there hiding in my sleeve!)

Kitchen floor is a big improvemnt. Now we have a leaking tap to sort out. Good thing I'm at home - waiting for District Nurse again...hope everyone is OK.

SR- glad to hear that floor is an improvement but sorry about pesky tap - i just panic when anything goes wrong in the house.
Had a nice afternoon walking at The Vyne - walled garden with hens, and a wild walk with a bird hide. Very hot day,but lovely.
Went to shops in Basingstoke afterwards and got ds new socks (M&S ones again -even though his relatively new ones are getting holey) and some nice linen mix shorts from Zara boys - there's a Superdry shop there which I know his classmates like but he wasn't interested - suppose it saves me some money though as i expect their clothes are horribly expensive.
Had an nice supper at Wagamama (yaki soba,duck gyoza,chilli squid and some mango & lychee sorbet -yum)
Am updating my blog and folksy shop etc and must go to the shops and then do some drawing.

Yay for the floor, SR. Hope it didn't come in any more expensive owing to unforeseen difficulties.

Hope everyone is well and happy,or coping at the very least.

Busy day from hell here, followed by a playdate for dd, which is just another form of torture, really.

Hi all - bet the new floor's lovely SR.
Sounds like a good day out MAS, and nice meal.

Just popped in to wave tiredly at everyone. Been up since 3 a.m. Have driven to Dover and back.
Got my gorgeous girl home again.

hooray KK !
hope you are bearing up Cakes

Nearly time for her to go. Phew

Hooray for KK getting daughter back

Cake's you're a hero. I hurl playdates out at 5.30.

KK, glad you've got your DD back. How lovely. All sounds a bit exhausting though.

SR glad the floor's done and dusted.

MAS all that shopping. Made me exhausted just thinking of it. Am not the best at shopping though.

Waving to all others, especially RWU. Hope the latest round hasn't sent you too horizontal..

Here have nothing useful to say. Got a friend staying tonight and completely forgot about it, so am trying to clear space for him to sleep!

I find shopping for ds a bit of a pain as he refuses to try anything on, so i have to hold things up to him and guess and buy trousers etc with adjustable waist things - and if I shop with anyone else I feel I can't take too long..on my own I spend ages trying to decide and going back and forth getting more and more stressed !
Hope everyone has had a good day...

Hooray for KK's DD back safely. Bet you've got lots to talk about.

I have also been shopping today. Went with DS to Cheshire Oaks (I think you might hae been there Cakes when you had your w/e in Ellesmere Port?) Bit of a mistake as the shop I wanted wasn't there any more! We were shopping for DS's trip to S. Africa in August. Anyway, then had coffee and we went to Warrington and got nearly everything required so that felt successful. Fortunately DS is a very decisive shopper so these outings are usually mercifully short - I think I used to like shopping but went off it a few years ago!

Hope all OK despite early mornings and treatments. Am making the most of these few days before my next CMF. Must get leak fixed by then too - have chased builder.

MAS - have you had a chance to try out our new pen and colour yet? They sounded nice.

Smee, RWU and all - I hope you're Ok with treatment. I notice I'm getting rather blotchy in an area affected by rads but not bad. Under-arm area is definitiely a bit tight but I'm still doing the exercises which help. I find it weird as I don't really understand how rads work at all.

Hose pipe ban here - just when we'd started to use one! My courgettes ahve white marks on the leaves - any ideas?

Cakes - hope you're having a quieter day. I'm waiting around for builder to fix taps. he came and looked and went to order new stop cocks and taps and said he's reduced the leak for now, but I have no water at all now! Don't know if he realised this or when he's coming back. If stuck in house I might be obliged to do some tidying up.

no idea about courgettes i'm afraid - and do hope your water is back on again soon.
I have used the new colours - the lime ink is wonderful, just right for grass and leaves ! Am saving the pens but have several jobs to do so no doubt will not be able to resist trying them.
Ds doing his singing exam at 2.15 ! he seemed calm anyway when he left for school.
Hope the blotchiness doesn't turn into peeliness - keep it all nice and dry if it does begin to break up.

Hi SR - yes, I went to Cheshire Oaks, - well remembered! - but only briefly as the cards started to beg for mercy.

Courgette leaves do that, I think,from memory. As long as it looks like someone put a bit of chalk in the watering can, and it doesn't build up into actual furry stuff i don't think I'd worry.

Keep more of an eye on the radiated skin. I am sure it will be fine, buit if it does start to break up, see the GP straight away: the bcn recommended me some great dry dressings (Mepilex??) but they are apparently mahoosively expensive and the Trust couldn't afford them so I had to ask the GP. Who gave me box after box after box. Come to think of it, let me know if you want them, I could send, I have loads left. Just shout if required and we'll formulate a plan.

Sending positive thoughts to MAS's ds for exam. It'll be fine, he'll do great, just relax!

Smee - definitely right about sending friends home early. Three hours is just too much. She wanted a sleepover as well, but I have kicked that into the long grass for the foreseeable. They are only 7 (friend is actually still 6) and she only lives two minutes walk away FGS!

Enjoy your time with dd, KK.

Love to all I haven't mentioned - RWU, haggis, Pennies, everyone, including lurkers.

SR, my mum got the courgette problem last year. It's fungal - I think mildew from memory. Sounds bizarre, but dilute milk to 1/10 with water and spray on. Mum said it worked, so worth a try. They use it on grape vines in Australia apparently too.

Sorry to hear you're a bit sore. Hope it soothes soon.

Cakes, we've vetoed sleepovers too. DS is secretly quite relieved.

MAS, hope DS's exam goes well. Fingers crossed for him at 2.15. Am sure he'll be fine.

I imagine dd is relieved as well. I certainly am: I need my sleep, and I could do without a little kid startling me on the loo first thing in the morning (I think we will have to fit a bolt)

interesting about the courgette leaves: must try that....