this page was last updated on 17 April 2018
 

New Year's Eve party
at Belinda's for our NYE celebrations

Archie's 8th birthday - 31st December
helping my great-nephew celebrate his birthday

Boxing Day
at Bev's for day 3 of Christmas. Sadly mum didn't feel well enough to come

Christmas Eve
the traditional family gathering for C/Eve, held at Barrie & Jane's

VIH Christmas Concert - 16th December
at Voices in Harmony's annual Christmas Charity Concert

Festival of Remembrance - 11th November
VIH's annual concert and the now traditional photo of Belinda and me with local MP James Morris and his wife

blood transfusion - 8th November
at Russells Hall Hospital for a 5 hour blood transfusion to boost my blood cell count, following chemo

Blenheim Palace - 6th November
a day's visit with Judith & George for a lovely day in glorious sunshine

at Abigail's - 25th October
en route to the John Radcliffe hospital in Oxford (for various tests at their Eye Dept) we called in on my neice Abigal - seen here with my great-neices Kiki & Ysella and my great-nephew Archie. I am blessed to have such a lovely and wide family.

Paignton - 8th October
a few days away staying with Lynne & Ian in Torquay to celebrate Ian's 70th birthday. Seen here after a meal and using here the hotel's selfie-mirror. The sun shone on us!!

me and the Registrar! - 9th September
My lifelong Deb, now a Registra, had agreed to travel to Essex to perform my nephew Alexander & Tig's wedding. It was a lovely 'service' and Deb made sure it all went off well and memorableere after a meal and using here the hotel's selfie-mirror. The sun shone on us!!

Alexander & Tig's wedding - 9th September
My nephew Ali marries Tig, both doctors, at their wedding in Essex. A lovely day and in lovely warm sunshine.the hotel's selfie-mirror. The sun shone on us!!

mum's 95th birthday - 26th August
at Belinda's with family and friends to celebrate mother's birthday - seen here with my brother and sisters

flowers for mum - 16th August
Brian from the Women's Fellowship at Short Cross (where mum has been going most Wednesdays for over 50 years) handing mum flowers for her 95th birthday

@ High Dependency Unit - 16 July
sadly, after my chemotherapy I came down with a severe infection which resulted in me being admitted to the HDU at Russells Hall Hospital for a week.

the post is delivered! - 4th July
sat outside in glorious sunshine at my sister Bev's where I was staying a few days as cousins from California were staying for a few days before they moved on to Scotland to meet other members of the family. Good to see Royal Mail delivering the daily post almost to the door!

Meeting the cousins - 20th May
at a Choir concrt Belinda & I were singing in we met up with cousins Olive and Rebecca

My birthday - 24th April
part of my birthday celebrations, seen here at mum's for tea & cake

a 'Grand National' party - 8th April
at Paul & Deb's to watch the Grand National - and I came home with a profit, so that can't be bad!

@ Mothering Sunday - 26th March
My brother Barrie with my nieces Bethany & Katie, seen here at mum's for Mothering Sunday

Mothering Sunday - 26th March
Mum didn't feel up to going out so we had lunch at hers - and other family members coming round later on. I thinks she had a good time but went back to bed when we'd left!! Well, she is only a few months shy of 95 so its allowed ... !! More photos here

Torquay - 12th/15th March
Away with Joy & staying with friends Lynne & Ian for a few days of visits, good food, plenty of gin and loads and loads of good fun and laughter! More photos here

Billy Elliot the Musical - 9th March
7 of us had a night out at Birmingham Hippodrome to see this musical. It was superb and well worth a visit. A pre-theatre meal at the Hippodrome was an added bonus.

out for a meal - 6th March
a good meal out at the Granary for the Choir's 20th year celebration - see here with Nicki Bainbridge, Judith Tyler and my little sis Belinda McBain

chain makers' 1910 strike - 1st March
at a talk about the Cradley Heath women chain makers strike of 1910. It achieved world-wide notoriety and resulted in a minimum wage being agreed.

pancakes and film - 28th February
For Shrove Tuesday I went out with friends for a special showing of 'The Railway Man' preceded by lovely pancakes - oh I do like pancakes!! The film was harrowing and though I'm glad I've seen it falls, for me, in the category of 'Schindler's List' i.e. it needs to be watched, but once. The moral of the film we saw was that of reconciliation.

@ WBAFC v Bournemouth - 25th February
I never mind paying for my ticket when we win ... at the Hawthorns today, Baggies 2 Bournemouth 1

lunch @ Bev's - 19th February
Mum’s second only foray outside home this year, (Sunday 19th February) following on from her prolonged illness in January – seen here at Bev’s after lunch having come to see visitors James and Jodie with the youngest members to the family, twins Lily Mae & Jack, and of course 7 year old Archie

no mobile - 5th/8th February
I left my iPhone in my sister's car on Sunday 5th and won't be getting in back till tomorrow afternoon - nearly 4 days without my mobile. Almost gone stir-crazy. I didn't realise how much I used it and reply on it!!

Back to Backs talk - 1st February
now that mum's feeling much, much better I'm able to get out and about again. Now I know going to a talk on the National Trust's Back to Back buildings in Birmingham may not feature in most people's top social events to attend but hey don't knock it - it's a start!!!

Archie's selfie - 21st January
following my 24 hours shift at mum's, my great-nephew Archie & co came to take over mum's care. This is his attempt at a selfie with me

are we become Luddites? - 17th January
My mum's washing machine stopped working even though its control panel lights were still on. My brother, my two sisters and I all prodded, pressed buttons and twiddled dials all to no effect. So a service engineers was called - he came, he saw, he said "you have the child lock on" ... !!

Josh's presentation - 17th January

my nephew Josh seen here giving his presentation in London to various opinion formers

Katie's birthday get-together - 7th January

at my niece's family gathering to celebrate her birthday. There's always a cake - we like cake!!

mum's illness

my mum's not been well since 4th January which has needed family members needed 24 hour care, meaning normal lifr has somewhat been put on hold. It continues 2 weeks plus

after a very poor first half, Albion came back in the second half to beat Hull FC 3-1. We now have 29 points, remarkable for this stage of the season.