Another year almost over

As planned, we have had a fairly quiet couple of days.  The time between Christmas and New Year is always a grey area I find, especially living out here in a caravan in the middle of what seems, like nowhere sometimes.  On Thursday I had a mega workout and rather overdone it but I have managed to shift two pounds.  The afternoon was paperwork and a few domestics, some phone calls and a fairly early evening.  Or at least we tried to have an early night but we were disturbed by a phone call on the landline.  Phil did a 1471 and it turned out to be Jim, a close friend of Phil’s Aunt Daphne who was letting us know that Daphne had been admitted to hospital.  Apparently she couldn’t get herself out of bed because of pain in her leg and on Thursday had been in bed all day.  At teatime she managed to get a light on her mobile to phone Jim who immediately called the doctor.  The doctor went round and called an ambulance.  Daphne has no other relatives apart from Phil and his mum and obviously she is not in any position to help.  We are still waiting to hear from Jim as to how she is before making the drive to Lowestoft to visit her.  One feels so hopeless and so very far away.

On Friday morning we were up and showered and dressed and on the road to Melton Mowbray at half eight.  About an hour later than we had planned but the roads were fairly empty and we were at Phil’s mum and dads by half nine.   Dad, as usual was asleep in the chair and still isn’t any better.  If anything he is getting worse and is seems to me, he is deteriorating before our eyes.  Dad’s best friend’s wife Fran died in hospital last week and we drove down yesterday so we could take Bet to the funeral.  George wasn’t in any fit state to attend so we had turkey curry for lunch and then we took mum to the chapel of rest for the service.  Phil had known Fran all of his life but I had never met Fran but I went along for support.  Funerals are never easy but one needs to say goodbye properly.  We didn’t go to the wake and we were all in a bit of a sombre mood when we got back to Phil’s mum and dads house.

The journey back to Overstone wasn’t very nice either, grey dark skies and it poured with rain the whole way back.  We were staying in MK and the original plan was to go back on the M1 direct to MK but Phil had forgotten his mobile so we had to detour via Overstone.  Phil’s mobile is always with him but it was particularly important yesterday that he have it because we were awaiting a call from Jim.   Anyway, with mobile safely tucked into his top pocket we eventually got to Sue’s house just before 4pm.  Just time to have a quick of tea and a catch-up and a change of clothes for me.   We were in MK as we had been invited to Jim & Shirley’s family party to celebrate Tom & Younga’s visit from Malaysia.  Harriet kindly drove over and picked us up and the party was in full swing by the time we got there at 5 o’clock.

I can’t say that I was in party mode and it was bitter sweet without Jim’s dad Tom not being there but the Robb’s were very welcoming and boy do they know how to throw a party.  The food was fornominal, Goan chicken curry, spicy chilli and a variety of Korean dishes cooked by Younga which Phil managed to spill down his clean shirt within about 5 minutes from arriving! Later on in the evening, Shirley brought out a huge chunk of beef which she served sliced in a tiger baguette with horseradish sauce. It was good to see all the family and especially Ton & Younga.  

Jim’s mum was in fine form too despite being ill before Christmas.  Everyone seemed to have had a good Christmas and it was a good chance for them all to be together.   I vowed that I wouldn’t overdue the wine but Jim was there at every turn topping up my glass with red wine. I could have said no but that’s just not in my nature!  And then the music was switched up high and so the dancing began.  And of course I was up there at every opportunity! It was half one by the time we got to bed, a little worse for wear. It was a great night so thanks Jim & Shirley for inviting us.

I didn’t feel too bad this morning but Phil is really suffering.  We had cups of tea and toast and left Sue’s just before 10am.  I think Phil was just about legal to drive.  I can already tell that today is going to be a write off. Phil is slumped out on the sofa in his pyjamas with his telly viewing mapped out for the entire day and shows no sign of moving.  I have domestics to do before settling down to watch the telly.  For us women, there is always stuff to do.

And so we are come to the end of 2011.   Another year over.   I can’t say that’s it’s been a brilliant one for me.  It kicked off with Phil’s diagnosis followed by the agonizing decision of what treatment path to take.  This followed with 2 months of hormones and then 2 months of daily radiotherapy.  We spent the whole summer waiting on the house sale; weeks of waiting for the survey then for contracts to be exchanged and finally the completion.  The caravan purchase wasn’t without its problems and as you all know, I had a few downers when we moved to Overstone.  I for one could never have predicted that I would be living in a static caravan at the start of 2011 but hey it’s not so bad and hopefully it’s not forever.

This will be my last posting on The Naked Bloggers 2011. Despite Phil’s protestations (and Harriet’s) I will be writing a new blog for 2012 and here is the link should you wish to follow me.
http://www.thenakedbloggers2012.blogspot.com/

And so all that leaves me to do is to wish all our family and friends and any one that follows my sad life, a happy and healthy 2012. Not sure what the new year will bring for us Krause’s (one can never predict with Phil) but let’s hope it’s a good one for all of us.

H A P P Y   N E W   Y E A R!