Finally Debt Free After 34 Years, But Still Need to Live Frugally

beanielou

Happy birthday to Mr HHD   

beanielou

So sorry to read the update on your mum tea.
Take care xx

HairyHandofDartmoor

teafor2 said:

Mum isn't in the best of health either and the cancer is stage 4. Chemo is to literally try and give her an extra few months. We're just going to make the most of the time she has, it's all we can do really. xx

I'm very sorry to hear that. I hope the chemo gives her as long as possible so that you can spend precious moments with her.

Sun_Addict

I hope you make some precious memories and enjoy the time you have left with your dear mum teafor2, so very sad.

milann

So very sad to hear how cancer has affected people on here. I hope your BIL is comfortable and not in too much discomfort. Sad times for so many with this terrible disease ❤️

Your garden is just what you need atm Hairy. 

elizabethhull

Sending you hugs at this difficult time, HH xx

Bubblesmum

Sending all those supporting loved ones with cancer... my mum was 60, 21 years ago this month and the memories are still vivid... Time to cherish good times.

Hugs to all... 

Willowtree222

Hope you're ok Hairy x

foxgloves

Hello HHoD, 
Just caught up with your diary & like other readers, feeling sorry that your B-i-L has become so much more poorly. It's a dreadful disease & takes so many people far too early. It's bound to bring up memories of losing your sister too, so really I just want to encourage you to treat yourself gently. Keep busy if that's what you need to do - it's certainly how I deal with stress & sadness - but it is also always ok just to sit & be quiet to process all the thoughts going on in your head.
Do take care, 
F x

HairyHandofDartmoor

Thank you everyone. BIL passed away on Wednesday morning holding my sister's hand. His quality of life was so poor at that point that even my sister felt it was time for him to go. She is devastated of course. Her daughter was with her when he passed and her other children are going to take it in turns to make sure she is not on her own. BIL's family are there too supporting her. The funeral is next week. I don't feel that I can go to the funeral because it's a twelve hour drive, DH is in a very high risk group for the virus and if I went alone I'd have to use public transport and I don't know where I'd sleep. I'd have to take unpaid leave from school too. My sister's children all live nearer and are young so they are all going, so she will have support. I'd like to go and see her when everyone else has gone home and she is alone, or persuade her to come to us. I feel so sad for her as he was only diagnosed two months ago and was only sixty.

In more cheerful news I finished my course this week and just need to wait for the paperwork to be completed by my tutor and then for my certificate to come. I'm proud of myself for getting the two qualifications I need for the job I want to do. It's been hard work studying and working, so I'm glad I can stop studying now.

I find our newly private garden very soothing and peaceful, so DH and I decided to go to a garden centre this morning and buy some plant pots to celebrate me finishing my course and to help our garden to be a little sanctuary. I also had a garden voucher from my birthday in March to spend. We bought two lovely dark blue Woodlodge Heritage pots, which I've always loved but never owned any. We also got some lavender and marigolds to go in them. It's the first time we've been to a garden centre since lockdown, but there were hardly any people there and it felt quite safe even for DH as most of the things were outdoors, they had a one way system, perspex panels at the till, hand sanitiser at the entrance, etc. It may have been empty because it was only 10am and a misty, drizzly day. We stopped at Mr M for compost though as it was half the price there.

Unfortunately because of the continuing drizzle I can't plant the flowers in the new pots, but hopefully the weather will be dry tomorrow. I did go out and deadhead a few flowers and weed a few pots, but was driven indoors by the drizzle and damp after quite a short while. It's frustrating that the past two Saturdays have been rainy so I couldn't garden, and dry and sunny most of the time I was at work!

I'm doing washing now which will have to hang indoors but hopefully I can put it outside to finish off tomorrow it it's drier. I've been feeling tired and a bit distracted all week due to the sad news disturbing my thoughts and my sleep. I'm glad I have work as a distraction though, and thinking about the garden is soothing. 

I hope everyone is having a good Saturday with better weather than me.