Well I just got back from a wonderful weekend with my old school friend Kate.  She and he husband, the lovely Gareth are the best hosts in the world.  They have moved to a new home which is truly charming, if a little wheelchair challenging, but we recognised that was a problem before and accepted that the world is not a perfect one for those of us who lead a wheeled life!  We went to an apple pressing (hopefully we will return for cider tasting in the early spring) and to their lovely village church to look at the millenium tapestry which was beautiful.  Their neighbour kindly rushing into the church to get the ramps for the steps to make my life a bit easier.  Truly awsome tapestry, brilliant workmanship and colours which I undrestand caused such controversy in the village that the designer and the coordinator both moved away from a village that can only be described as a little bit of heaven in the south of England.

We went home and although it was october we sat on the terrace eating Kate's special recipe flapjack/bonfire toffee dentist's friend and playing scrabble.  AFter the awful summer it seemed like the gods were smiling on us.

Sunday was the village conker match.  I decided that at only 3ft 6ins that I was more likely toget clonked on the bonce or knock someones natural conkers off so restrained myself, however as I so deprived of visits to retail outlets I took full advantage of the shopping opportunities offered by the stall holders and bought some pictures for my hall and some christmas pressies for my neices and nephews.

Thanks to Kate and Gareth for a great weekend.  I am looking forward to the next one when we will be together, maybe here in Lincolnshire.

Only blot on the enjoyment of the weekend is that I have done something to my hip which is very painful.  Had it Xrayed and nothing appears broken but boy oh boy it hurts badly so I am going back to my doc tomorrow for another opinion.

Well what a disappointment that was. Summer has left me feeling like I am suffering from the winter blues! I know I should not make comparisons with the weather in France and this year was "bad" every where but really is this what global warming has in store for us. Damp, dull and depressing. I can hardly wait for winter to arrive, to see what the change in the weather is going to be like. I am expecting, dull damp and cold. We have had to put on the heating and light the fire to keep warm. Well to keep me warm cos I do feel the cold so badly. I had sort of forgotten that one of the reasons for going to France was "never to feel cold again".

Thursday sees me off again for a further fitting of my new calliper. The decision last time to start again will hopefully have made the difference and we will be somewhere near an orthotic that fits in more than one place!! Here is hoping anyway I just love that three hours of travelling through the mad traffic that seems to have invaded middle England. For those of you who live in other countries, don't be fooled into thinking England is all cute cottages and thatch with quiet winding lanes, it is mayhem and madness on the roads with houses that have been designed by architects out for a quick buck by building horrid boxes with a pastiche fascades generally too small to swing even a Manx cat!! But I digress to my favourate subject of the ruination of our country by politicians and planners on which I could rant for hours.

Still waiting for completion of my wet room and bedroom therefore balancing on a board over the bath for showering purposes. I think I need to kick the workman (husband) into action. Any suggestions (nothing too rude please) on how I can get the work done more quickly??

Fifi