Yesterday we went on the East Lancs Railway, with our friends, to The Trackside, which is a pub on Bury Station, where we enjoyed some real ale. Later we went to a new(ish) Chinese restaurant, called Flaming Dragon, where you pay a set price and can eat as much as you like. There were so many dishes to choose from I was spoilt for choice and ate far too much. After eating we went for a walk and called into another pub for a quick drink before catching the bus back to our home town to one of our local pubs for the Sunday night quiz. We were joint First on the quiz but lost it on the tie break - we was robbed! LOL
Yesterday was also the 5th anniversary for my new knee. I had a total knee replacement on my right knee on 26th February 2007 and that was the reason I started this blog, to keep a record of the progress I made, though I wasn't sure at the time if it would be the complete success it turned out to be. I thought at best I would be able to walk without pain, I didn't envisage that I would be going to the gym and Zumba classes, so you can imagine how ecstatic I am with the results of my surgery. You can read about it here if you're interested.
Every Tuesday for the last seven weeks we have been beautifying our house. We have painted every room in the house, except the smallest bedroom, which we don't actually use as a bedroom - it's full of books and MWM's paraphernalia and is a bit of a junk room so it will have to wait for it's beauty treatment until MWM tidies it up. This week is the last of the beautifying, we're cleaning the carpets, then next week we are decluttering the wardrobes, so the charity shops round here will be receiving a huge donation - I'm going to be ruthless and insist MWM does the same.
After all our work over the past weeks we're hoping to take a few day trips out before our first proper holiday of the year on 6th April, when we go on a coach trip for 4 days to the Severn Valley, which I'll tell you about when we get back.
We were all celebrating a couple of weeks ago when our youngest son secured a two year training contract with a firm of solicitors, which he will start in September when he finishes the last year of his University Degree Course in Law. Last year, at the end of the first three years of the course he gained a First Class Honours Degree and just has to finish this year to be able to have the letters LL.B (Hons) after his name, which makes him a Bachelor of Law. We're so proud of him because he started this degree when he was eighteen but dropped out after 12 months, then decided to go back to University at the age of 32 to obtain his Law degree. He has worked extremely hard and suffered financial hardship because they have had to rely on just his partner's income for the past four years. He really couldn't have done it without her support, she has worked all the hours God sends to keep them afloat and will still have to work hard for the next two years whilst he is completing his training with the solicitors, as although he will get paid during his training, it won't be very much. Hopefully in two years time they will both benefit from all their hard work when he has finally become a fully fledged solicitor. MWM and I are looking forward to July when we will go to his graduation ceremony to see him receive his First Class Honours Degree at last.
Last week I went out to lunch with four friends (should have been five but one couldn't make it) I haven't seen for at least 10 years. We spent our late teens and early twenties together dancing every night listening to the various pop groups that played at our local night spot. We do keep in touch, on Facebook and send Christmas cards but haven't actually got together for such a long time. It was great to meet up and talk about what we have all been doing the past years and talk about all times. We've made a solemn vow to meet up every couple of months at least and hopefully we will all be there next time. Here we are enjoying lunch.
Well that's about all my news, must go now it's nearly time to make lunch.
25 comments:
Well done to your son on the law degree. I was a 30-something student too (I graduated just after my 40th actually) and I know it can be tough.
And well done on the Zumba knee!
First of all so glad that your knee surgery was such a success...and we call what you were doing "bar hopping" and it was something we always enjoyed doing with friends way back when...I'd love to visit the pub in our village (Beaconsfield) The Royal Standard...Audrey Mason and I had such wonderful times there when we'd walk the dogs down and have a pasty and a pint.
hugs
Sandi
i love these posts about you!
smiles, bee
xxoxooxoxox
OMG, he got a first?? I'd explode in pride, if he were mine! I didn't know you had a knee replacement - wow, what a success story, you are so active, I would have never guessed it. My hubby is a great real ale fan, he's organinsing the Isle of Man Camera Real Ale Festival this year - you wouldn't believe all the places he has to sample this stuff at, the poor lad (rolling eyes), he's such a martyr to the cause.
As for your house, when you've finished there, will you please come over and lend a hand over here?
Congrats on your knee anniversary! Doing Zumba is very impressive!!!
I like your idea of setting aside one day a week to "beautify", I may steal that.
You've had alot of fun recently - hope it keeps going and going!
Poor Ake, she's been Ale-ling....
" I didn't envisage that I would be going to the gym and Zumba classes, so you can imagine how ecstatic I am with the results of my surgery."
Yaaaaaaaaaaay! I'm so happy that everything turned out so well for you and your knee surgery. A guy I work with had surgery on his knee last year and it was not successful because he's still having trouble.
A BIG congrats to your son and his wife. How wonderful! Yes, and I bet you are proud of him!
Lovely photograph of you and your girlfriends. Sounds like you ladies had a great time meeting up!
Have a wonderful week, m'dear!
X
Well done to you AJ. My son was the oldest in his class, he said he felt like their father! LOL
We call it 'a pub crawl' here Sandi and it's a great way to find really good pubs!
Glad you enjoyed it Bee x
Oh we are VERY proud of him Shrinky, especially doing it later in life. I'm pleased to say my new knee has really given me a new lease of life, you wouldn't believe how crippled I was before. Oh your poor hubby having to sample all those real ales, it must be purgatory for him. (LOL)
I even impress myself doing Zumba Nitebyrd LOL Just doing one day per week on the house made it a lot easier.
I knew you'd feel sorry for me G-man ;)
I know a couple of people whos knee surgery hasn't been as successful as mine Ron, I think the secret is you have to really work hard on getting the knee to bend and strengthening the muscles around it. My girlfriends and I had a great time catching up.
Lovely post, Pearl, and great photograph.
You must be incredibly proud of your son. I suspect landing himself a contract like that will be the footing he needs to mark his future pathway. A huge congratulations to him.
CJ x
Well done your son - you're rightly very proud of him. And you do keep busy!
Thanks CJ. He's hoping after the two years training there will be a permanent place for him there, fingers crossed.
Cheers Dumdad. I like keeping busy, when we're not travelling. ;)
Congrats to your son and to you . You both went through a lot and put in a lot to get to where you are today. It is never easy.
Sounds like congratulations are due all around!
And I'm glad you have continued to blog. Hard to believe we've "known" each other for five years. But I'm glad we "met"!
all this and a son's success too!
And don;t you deserve it-
Aloha from Honolulu
Comfort Spiral
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Congrats to your son, tried the going back to school thing myself and it is very hard.
Very glad your new knee is doing great. My granny had both of her knees done back in the late 1980's but she never really recovered
It's lovely for you to have a son doing so well. My you have been busy with all that decorating and stuff. My hip op was 11 years ago and, yes, it's great that we can have a ball with the rest of 'em. Something to be said for artificial parts...grins.
Next week 8th is Oxfam's International Women's Day - if you take any M&S clothes in you will receive a £5 voucher to use in M&S - handy eh if you are having a decluttering session!
Congrats to the son - agree with Shrinky - you must be bursting with pride. Dxx
Not easy Lady's Life but so worth it, thanks. :)
We met through Mimi and her Peace Globes if I'm not mistaken Trav and I'm glad we did. :)
Aw thanks Cloudia xx
Sorry to hear your granny's new knees weren't a success Beach. You're right, going back to school is not easy. x
YAY for artificial parts eh Valerie :)
Oh that's good to know about M&S Denise, thanks for that. I am bursting with pride. x
You painted your whole house in seven days? Wow!
How proud you must be of your son. DD1 went back to school to get her law degree, and we were bursting our buttons. Sounds like you have a good start on your vacations this year.
Well yes Sharon spent a day on each room. Actually it didn't take a full day and it didn't seem like a big job doing it over seven weeks. :)
You must be very proud of your DD1 too Bankerchick, it's no mean feat is it? Yes, you know how much we like our vacations. ;)
You must be so proud of your son!
Happy Knee Anniversary!
You've been busy! Glad you are getting the house fixed up and also having fun. And fantastic on the successful knee operation!
Congratulations to your son on achieving his degree and to you on the anniversary of your knee surgery!
Funny how fast time flies by though, huh? Seems like not that long ago I was reading about your knee surgery and now it's five years gone. Wow.
I'm glad your knee replacement has worked so well. Bet Reiki has helped it along!
Such wonderful news about your son! Bravo! It was good to hear that he did this later in life because my son is really struggling now at the tender age of 18 and leaving college. Someday, maybe he will go back.
Love the photo of you and friends. Looks like a fun time!
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