February Already!

So much has happened since my last post so where do I start?

Firstly, I got my 2 year clear from the surgeons, my mammogram was all good which is such a relief. Having the mammo isn't very pleasant on my scarred breast because of the scar tissue which can be painful at times. Talking of painful breasts though, I took the boys swimming on Monday and got kicked directly in the scar so its been sore all week. I am seeing the oncologist in March so I will discuss this injury with him, I do worry about such things, what they might start etc.

At the end of January we were at Pontins in Prestatyn for the Gathering. Oh what a fantastic weekend that was I can tell you! Rock and Roll and good friends, the picture above was taken on the first night and is just a fantastic illustration of the weekend. Killing for Company were totally amazing as always and such a lovely bunch of lads and Mike Peters.....well...... what an awesome man he is. I presented the last cheque to him for Love Hope Strength Foundation, I raised almost £800 with my run in December.

Joe is doing well on his keyboard, I am amazed at how he can pick up tunes so easily and then teach himself to play them. He has just purchased his first harmonica, the one he taught himself to play on was a kiddies one from a toy shop but this one is a Hohner. It came this morning and he has already taught himself to play Star Wars.

Pickles had a small operation a couple of weeks ago to remove a lump from her chest. It turned out to be a fatty tissue and she is fine. Strangely enough her lump was in the same place as my lump was!!!

My hair is almost grown into a bob which I am really pleased about. I can't wait until I can actually tie it up and fiddle with it. You never appreciate things until they are gone and losing my hair was one of the worst parts of cancer treatment.

So tonight I am having a Virgin Vie party as a favour to a friend who has just started out with this venture. It is just and excuse for a get together and a giggle. I have been busy cleaning the house but its hard with 2 kids and 2 mucky pups in tow.

I will try to keep up to date with my blogging from now on.....

Knitting and Stones

Picture courtesy of Amazon UK

Simple Knitting by Erika Knight was supplied to me by Amazon Vine but can be purchased from www.amazonuk.com It is a brilliant book for those interested in knitting but are beginners like me. The layout is simple, well illustrated and there are some good projects in there. My mother in law suggested knitting as a way of working my hands to heal them and I am going to give it a go so guess what everyone is going to get for Christmas this year!

I still love painting my stones. I recently picked some slate from the welsh hillside for painting on with really good results. I still keep my prayer stones for those I think of in their struggles with illnesss. You can see Barry's stone there.....

This morning I am off to the doctors with my eldest son as he has had constant tummy ache for 2 months now. I am then taking my youngest swimming with his friend (oh the joys!)

Happy Days

Well, I have lost another 1 and a half pounds at Weight Watchers this week and achieved two goals..... 10% loss and a stone. Dawn (my leader) picked a really pretty stone for me and I am going to keep it in my car to remind me of my achievement. I did quite fancy getting a silver ring for my little finger as a token reminder but I couldnt find anything that was quite right. I don't think I will ever find anything as nice as the wooden ring my son Joe gave me with a painted flower. Sadly that ring broke but it is forever engraved in my memory.

My husband and I spent a lovely afternoon in Chester www.visitchester.com . We went to Picollinos www.picillinoresteraunts.co.uk/chster.html for lunch, a swanky Italian resteraunt. The atmosphere was comfortable, the service was second to none and the food was very good. I resisted the temptation to eat my way through a whole load of cheese and pasta and chose the chicken caesar salad instead. The waiter raised his eyebrows when I asked him to hold on the dressing!!

My son Joe did really well at swimming club this week. It was badge night and he got his 2000 metre certificate and badge, the first ever in the 26 year history of the club. Joe is only a little fella and I am amazed at how well he performed. So many parents have made a point of coming up to me and singing his praises, I am so proud of him.

Our family was selected to take part in a health survey and the lady conducting it commented on how she loved visiting my house because of my beautiful painted stones. My stones are a reminder to everyone to keep smiling, be happy and positive and of course, my special stone garden lists the names of those who I pray for every day. You know who you are!

Chester is such a beautiful city with an amazing array of resteraunts, shops and street artists. Today, the sun was out and it was so relaxing being able to walk around, watch tourists, locals etc. I bought myself some Bobby Brown mascara from debenhams http://www.debenhams.com/ so hopefully it will be smudgeproof. At £17.50 I jolly well hope it is! I also bought myself some crystals, some for healing and some for re-aligning my chakras and a rose quartz dowsing crystal. Luckily there is a full moon tonight so I will cleanse my crystals and energise them in the light of the full moon.