What A Few Days!

Well, we have certainly had a hectic week.  It all started last Saturday.  We decided that the pond really had to be emptied out completely.  There were far too many fish, so many that, had disease broken out, we would have lost all of them.  That was a huge job.  Dean very kindly came over and helped Mike catch all the fish.  The Koi were put in an inflatable pool.  All the others were placed in various containers.  Luckily our neighbour is very into fish and has many friends who are as well, so over 100 fish have gone to new homes.  We kept a very few goldfish, just ones we particularly like the colours of.  It was a long and dirty job but it was all completed by the time dusk fell.

It took until midnight to completely refill the pond but Dean had gone home hours before that.

Little did we know that on Sunday Daniel would be taken into hospital.  We were happy to step in and look after Nathan and, to be honest, he was a joy and gave us no trouble at all.  You have to have eyes in the back of your head of course.  He came up to me and said "pocket" and patted his pocket.  I asked if he had something in there and he smiled so I felt it and yes, he had something in there, most of Grandy's loose change! Grandy had no idea.

He was always a bit nervous of Jack because Jack is very big and being young himself, quite boisterous.  However, they soon became firm friends.  Nathan now tells Jack to sit or to lie down and Jack does.  He also now pets him.   Nathan went to the local supermarket with Grandy and picked for himself what he wanted to eat for his meals.  He spent lots of time on my computer.  He has his own little mouse which we plugged in.  He loves to use "paint."  After a couple of days he had learned how to do circles, squares and oblongs and also learned how to colour them in. I only had to show him a couple of times and then he could do it unaided.  I wish I had saved one of those.  I did save one of his early efforts and here it is

Daniel seems very happy to be home. He goes back to the outpatients' clinic next week.  We are keeping our fingers crossed that his infection soon goes completely.

Mike and I both have very sore throats at the moment, no colds, just sore throats that feel uncomfortable when we swallow, headaches and generally feeling "not right".  We are hoping we have not passed it on to any of the family.  We are also tired because this has been a week like no other for us, well not for many years have we been quite so busy.  Our lives tend to be very quiet.

Very sadly, Dean's Grandmother passed away last night, she was the last of his Grandparents so it has been a very traumatic week for Dean in particular. Such a shame this had to happen now.  Our thoughts are with Dean and his family at this sad time.

We have just watched the memorial service for Princess Diana.  It seems incredible that it is ten years since her death.  Prince Harry gave a wonderful speech that he wrote himself.  Mike and I both found it very moving.  She would have been so proud of her two fine sons. She remains a great loss to this country. She was one of the finest assets we ever had. Truly the Peoples' Princess and with a genuine feel for the ordinary person in the street and for the sick, the disabled, the suffering. God rest her soul.

 

Well, I started this entry by telling you that we had cleared out the pond.  We can now see the Koi in all their glory.  We have taken some photos which really do not do justice to their size.  To think that only two years ago they were all lessthan four inches long.  We have only got names for two, the pale gold one is Sundance and the huge fat one is Big Blue.  It took both Mike and Dean to hold the net with Big Blue in it because he/she is so heavy.

We all want to thank you again for all your many messages of support regarding Daniel.  Becky and Dean were very touched by all your kindness.

Now I am going to take something for my throat and then have a lie down for a couple of hours.  Wishing you all a happy and peaceful weekend my dear friends and readers.

***P.S.  It is NOT my birthday.  People seem to think it is and I am receiving Birthday wishes, very nice but too soon.  My birthday is not until the 9th September.