Wednesday 29th March 2023

Not sure how much I said over the last two days abaout Jools's sister. But, the similarities between how Mum and she have lived their lives and their respective healths have gone down, is too close to be ignored.

I spent 20 years trying to get Mum to change, without any effect. Jools has learned that over the last decide with her sister.

A friend once hated the sentiment behind "cruel to be kind", but in the end if you're not willing to take the first steps needed, then any amount of effort on the part of friends and family will not matter a jot.

Its because I have seen this before that maybe I'm so hard, but Jools sees it too.

The update on Wednesday was that she had had tests, though no results as yet.

Jools, Mike, Jen and Jo are taking it in turns to go each day. So, She gets a new visitor each day, and hopefully moving towards leaving hospital over the weekend.

But we shall see.

Otherwise it was a normal Wednesday. One on which Jools did not go swimming, as she feels a bit washed out still. So, we lay in bed until its getting light near six.

Not much to report, really.

Get up, get dressed, have coffee, and soon enough its time for work. Jools leaves and I get the computer out and log on.

And so on with the day.

It might be the last week in March, but it still feels cold, and in the garden there is precious little advance in the state of the garden plants I check each and every day. I also fill up the feeders, and in the trees around the neighbourhood, the birds squark their approval.

So, to work.

Not much to report. Just plans for the next few months to firm up. Flights and hotels to book. Although most is as yet to be confirmed, the trip to Dublin in May is ON. My Grandfather on Mum's side was of Irish descent, related to the Beamish brewers. I have never been to Ireland, bing in the RAF and being a viable target for the IRA meant we couldn't really go.

So, that's something to look forward to.

Anyway, once work was done, I decide to go for a walk, as this was supposed to be the sunniest it would be all week. Says a lot about the rest of the week.

With my back still giving me gip, I walk along the street, over the fields to Fleet House and check the lane beyond where is goes down beside the farm.

Muddy.

So, I turn round and come back along Collingwood and down the lane to home.

4,000 steps, but better than nothing.

Back home to prepare dinner which was the fine and ever dependable chorizo hash. And beer.

No football to listen to or watch this week, but things will ramp up from Friday with game on the tellybox almost every night between now and the end of May.