Spins4me

Appalling. Hertfordshire is cutting library hours from 2236 to 1575 - cut by a third.

I was out with my friend, Joy, and we met someone she hadn't seen for sometime. This person looked Joy up and down and said, "I see you kept the weight off then."

I agree with other posts that so much depends on if the change is by choice or enforced. Changes I've had forced on me (mainly at work) have proved really difficult and caused me an enormous amount of stress. I've dealt with it by trying to find positives in the changes - not easy but helped a bit. Keeping my head down and focusing on the job itself rather than the wider picture has helped too. I think that there is no one solution to dealing with change. I'm a believer in "this too will pass" and "things will get better with time".

I've been for a swim (!!!!!)and to the big garden centre to get Spinoni supplies - lots of fish, tripe and heart. Now sitting by the fire trying to get warm - the garden centre was flippin' freezing. Re the hidden dog v*mit - it was definitely Flo. She stinks but is otherwise well. I don't want to bath her but she's not nice to know right now and is banned from the living room. Any suggestions of how to make her a little more fragrant will be gratefully received.

Murtle, I'm working on an answer to this as I'm one of the peole who mentioned facing changes in the next year. I didn't want you to think that your thread was being ignored so hopefully more tomorrow.

This is a lovely thread JulesB and I love the photo. I have loads of things to be thankful for because I am lucky to have a stable and happy home life and a lovely and expanding family - grandchild no 3 arrived safely in August. I also have good and supportive friends around me. Like JulesB, I very much appreciate the lovely, understanding and supportive people on here with all their freaky craziness, their sense of humour and their courage and spirit in the face of all kinds of adversity and most of all their love of animals.

I've found it!

I need to have a think too. There's a part of my life that need sorting out but it would mean such a major upheaval that I might just leave it as it is - change is just too scarey.

HAPPY AND HEALTHY NEW YEAR TO ALL FUGEES Had a really good night at my brother and sister in law's. It was a real laugh. Feeling ever so slightly fragile this morning AND I can smell dog sick in the kitchen but can't find it

You could keep your fingers crossed that it makes her throw up all night. RM moan - I have the headache from Hell.

I think that's worth a try.

I think all logic can go out of the window in a situation like this. My Mum was always very fastidious about personal hygiene and clean clothes etc but as she became more demented she seemed unaware of the need to be clean or to change her clothes. She would get really angry with me if I suggested that she might need a shower, or a change of clothes and she insisted that she was keeping up with her washing. After numerous rows when she told me that I was suffering from confusion (!!!!) I started to gather up her dirty clothes when she wasn't looking, I got my daughter to distract her, and leave clean clothes in their place. We had one carer she trusted and she usually allowed her to give her a shower. It was a very, very difficult time so have a couple of

Sorry to hear that your Mum is deteriorating. As your Mum has good carers you shouldn't need to go there every day. Hope you get the personal care issue resolved. I have every sympathy as my Mum had dementia and every day was a battle with her.

I didn't mention one of my all time favourites Margaret Atwood's The Blind Assassin. I also like Thomas Hardy very much - can be rather gloomy but ...so can I! I also like Anita Shreve, especially Fortunes Rocks and Where or when .

Following merledogs saying, "Oh to be twenty again". What would you do differently if you were twenty again? I wouldn't dump boyfriend I had then. I only dumped him because he was a couple of years younger than me and at that time I thought that my ideal man had to be older than me. DUH! I have realised since that it was a stupid decision, which hurt a very lovely person. Such is life.

Are you starting it or shall I?

If you could be 20 again what would you do differently?

We had Secret Santa today - I got a Craghoppers fleece.

What did you get for Christmas? OH bought me three (yes, three) pairs of gloves. They're all for wearing when out with the dogs because I have arthritic hands and fingers. Pair one - thin knitted ones. Pair two - neoprene fingerless to wear either alone or over the thin ones. Pair three - thin fingerless ones to wear when it's warmer.

Oooh! I lurve garlic sprouts - haven't had them for ages. The recipe I have has parmesan on them too - v yummy. The Spins opened all their own presents while we were at the pub and ate ALL the treats that were in them. Poo picking will be interesting tomorrow.

This is what we're doing: Tomorrow: Smoked salmon and cream cheese bagels and Bucks Fizz for brekkie (a long held tradition) Take dogs for a long walk with OH Christmas lunch at the pub Sleep To daughter's to see over-excited and exhausted Munchkins. Boxing Day All the family at our house to celebrate Boxing Day and our son's 31st birthday - much eating and drinking and quizzes and exchanging presents etc Merry Christmas to all Fugees, young and old, large and small, animal and human.

Yes, it has a door to the garden. I did want to have the little bit of wall next to it tiled but we got the tiles in a sale and there weren't enough. Then OH discovered there's some special coating that can be applied to the wall which can be easily washed down. (I thought it was called paint but it seems I'm wrong ) He has a friend in the "trade" who is going to get some for us and that will help keep the filth to a minimum. Always amazes me how far mud can go when it's shaken off a wet and muddy dog. BTW having this room finished is also my Christmas present from 2 years ago. I think I'm getting some gloves this year!!

Can't wait!!