Life is a climb but the view is Great...got it from my best fren:-)

Hi there,

Yes there are big changes awaiting and it must be scary and exiting at the same time for you. But do it one thing at the time. Just concentrate on the studies and all the rest will fall in place. Distractions atre fine but you need to controle them. Make a study plan. Like study from that time to that time, then do something completely different to relax and clear the head and then study again from this time to that... If distractions come along during study time, ignore them completely, but do not study during distraction time either. ;)

Enough hot guys to pick from: Cullens, Quilleutes AND Volturi??? I must admit he's quite good looking. Haha

I'm really looking forward to the movie as well. Wonder if Jos will accompagny me again. He's not very into the Saga to put it mildly. But he is into me, so he might just go with me.

I hope you get to see the pic real soon too.

I suppose it isn't the right name for the procedure but that is what it's called over here. It is more like replacing the connection of the legbone to the hipbone. They put a steel pin in the fractured legbone and it has this ball at the end that fits into the hip. It is a very simple operation but ald people seldomn adjust to the operation the way mum seems to do. She is walking around again without help of the rollator and we even had a waltz together today. People are amazed to see her walking about as if nothing ever happened. I think a lot can be said for what memory does to people. Because mum doesn't realize she had an operation, she forgets to be cautious and just walks... I'm very proud of her.

Changing the house takes time. I want to do it properly and need to think things out before I go charging in. But I have time, it'll come.

The garden still needs a lot doing to it to get it all back in shape as well but it is getting there. Things have grown out of controle a bit but I'm putting them back in order slowly.

I have not read dad's letters yet. I'm kind of saving them for a special day.

I would not go looking for your parents love letters just yet. Better wait till they get special meaning like with my parent's letters. Just enjoy your parents whyle you have them around and do ask a lot of questions. If you find pictures ask them to write the dates and names on the back. I think it is a pity that there are pictures of people that I don't recognise and I have no one left that can tell me who they are.

The weekend with Jos was wonderfull again. Yesterday we worked in the garden and today we went for a long walk in a beautiful place near my home. The weather was cold but lovely and we had a lovely time. And this afternoon we visited mum and we left all the old folks singing old tunes and dancing together. It is lovely how mum seems to fit in allright.

Good luck with the studies. I know you will do just fine on the o'levels but just to help I'll keep you in my prayers.

Take care!

Love,

Patricia

Hi Natshane,

Don't worry about tardines, i fully understand schoolwork comes first. The results are great! You really studied well. Hope the O'levels will be as good.

Pity no boys were alone at the resort. Meeting Cullen there would have been perfect. Oh no, wait a minute... didn't he marry Bella? You would'nt want a bigamist as boyfriend now would you? Better ask Carlisle if he has any more relatives that are single... or maybe he can create you one. haha.

Have you seen the trailer yet? It looks magnificent. I'm really looking forward to the next movie in the franchise.

I saw Water for Elephants last and was happily surprised. I really liked the movie. I have great hopes for Lautner's Abduction as well. The trailer looks exciting.

I was very stressed while writing the last mail. It was a frightening experience when mum broke her hip. But things have worked out for the best. She was in hospital for a forthnight and got a hip replacement. The operation went well but now she has to learn and walk with the new hip. That takes longer ofcourse. From the hospital she was transferred to the home> She now has permanent residence there and is getting used to it. I visit often because it is only around the corner from where I live. She is doing well physically but has really had a shocking degeneration mentally. She was allready pretty dement before but with the anaesthesia her brain lost even more connections. But she is happy enough and I am coming to accept it, she will never be mum again. She still recognises me and that is enough. She is whisteling again and in a few months she will be able to walk again with a rollater to steady her. 

It was hard at first being totally alone in the house but I am getting used to it. I am also changing the place little by little. Getting rid of the ornaments mum loved and brightening the place up. Also I have to clear out cupboards and get rid of stuff we haven't used in donkey's years. I'll have a lot of work going to the skip with it.

Clearing out I came across some old letters by my dad and my grandmother. I am so pleased to have found them. It seems like a final chance to getting to know them. My dad died when I was 3 and my grandmother went 2 years later. 

So that was good but most stuff is junk. Hope I find another hidden treasure somewhere but I doubt it.

Anyway, I'm off now to visit mum and in a couple of hours Jos will be here. I do love him more and more each time. I hope we soon find a way for him to come live with me. If only we could win the lottery. (But I guess we need to buy a ticket then, haha)

Have a great time and sleep a lot while you can. Take care!

Love,

Patricia

Hello Natshane,

Sorry i didn't answer sooner but things have taken a turn for the worse. Mum broke her hip and is in hospital. I am really worried about what is to happen when she gets dismissed from there because I am not sure I can cope with her Alzheimers and the new hipreplacement. I hope there will be a possibility to get her into a revalidationcenter where they know how to treat it. I am waiting on an answer from the social servises but it is weekend so it will probably be for next week. Luckely Jos is back. I really missed having him near when all that stuff was going on. Poor mum, she really didn't deserve that, she is such a sweet person.

I don't know if that is a very good regime you are taking with studies. Sleep is really essential to have a clear head and a good memory. 3 hours sleep is not enough. I really think you should reconsider. Study, get a good night sleep and revise. That is the right way to do it.

But the free e-book is good news ofcourse. ;)

I doubt hot showers make you sick over here. Haha. We've had a rotten summer so far. Rain, storms, cold... luckely we had a lovely spring. Last week a freak storm hit a music festival here in Belgium. Tent flew away, people were kneedeep in mud and worse of all: a podium collapsed and 5 people were killed and 10 badly wounded and still critical. Mostly young people ofcourse, they go to the festivals. 

My village has escaped the worst so far and I hope it continues to do so.

For the moment though, the sun is out. Jos is out in the garden and I think I will go and play out a bit too. This afternoon we are visiting mum in hospital.

Hope that vampires are Cullen-style if you ever find them. haha

Do well on the rest of the exams and enjoy your little holiday in the isolated resort. (perfect place for finding vampires, eh?) Promise I'll write more next time.

Patricia

Wow, do you celebrate Halloween for a whole month? Hope you have a great time!

I'll look out for black cats. We have all colours in the neighbourghood and yes, one of the cats is a totally black one. But it is more scared of me than I am of it. The black tomcat allways fights with the nextdoor tomcat. One daythey were having it out in a cat's singsong. ( you know how they sing to one another before they fight?) So I went outside. They both looked up to me but didn't run untill I imitated their song and they ran for their lives. it was so funny, haha.

My last weekend was great but allready a week away. Tomorrow Jos comes back and I'm really happy about that. Unfortunatly it will rain this weekend so we have not decided what we will do yet. Last week we did a lot of work in the garden and we still have to paint the windowsills and finish off the shed... loads to do but it needs to stay dry.

Anyway, I'll end here and whish you good luck with the rest of the exams. And congratulations on the essay.

Love,

Patricia

I know she'll be fine in the home. It is a totally new building and is just around the corner from our homes. ( My sister's and mine, I mean) So we can walk over there and visit everyday and even more than once a day. The rooms are big and bright and very comfortable, the food is superb and so is the care.

I hope a room will be avalable real soon. It will be better for mum too because they organise activities there that I can't do over here. Maybe she won't be able to do these activities but just looking at the others would be more entertaining than sitting here every day. And yes, I would have my life back too. Free to go to a shop with my sister again. Not having to worry about mum every minute that I am away...

Soon, I pray...

I used to have much pain when I had my monthly periods too, so I can relate to what you are going through. It is especially hard when you have to study for exams. Unfortunatly there is little that can be done. The contraceptionpill helps lessen the pain but I know it is difficult for girls to get their parents to consent to getting them for their daughter. I never had that problem but still I didn't get the pill till I was 34. I don't believe pills are not bad for your health and, 'if you're life isn't at stake, don't take tablets' is my motto.

I was glad to finally get rid of the monthly pains when I got into menopause. I felt great! Still do. A lot of women complain about menopause but I welcomed it. So, it may be comforting to know that by the time you turn 50, you don't need to worry about those pains anymore. ( Just different ones, haha)

Yes, a quiz on vampire history or shapeshifter legends might get you topscores, but it wouldn't get you into college. I'm afraid. lol

Hi sweety,

No need to stress over exams. Just do the best you can and the results will be fine. Stress only eats away at your energy and blanks out data. I was allways too stressfull and forgot even the simpelest answers in the exam that way. As soon as I got out of the room i remembered what I should have written... So I think it is good that you do not stress out over exams, you'll get better results that way.

It is normal that you miss Jay and it will feel strange for a little while but life does go on. At least you know she has a good home adn you'll be able to see her again if you want to. 

I wish it was as easy as pretending she was a child. It doesn't work that way, though. At least you can teach a child something and they learn things quickly. With mum she forgets what you have told her 2 minutes before. So I have to tell her the same thing the whole day long. It is frustrating. For example: Around 11.00  she starts talking about what she should make for lunch. I tell her I have it all under controle, but she continues till I start on the preparations. Then I cook and give her lunch. She eats it all, I clear the table and start on the dishes and she goes: what is for lunch? When will we eat? And then I tell her what we just had for lunch and she goes: That's what you had, I haven't had anything to eat the whole day... And she does this after every meal and every day. Another problem is washing her. She washes her hands about a million times a day and combs her hair even more, but when I try to wash all of her she gets mad. She would fight me physically when I try to get her clothes off in order to wash her back and get her into fresh clothes. And that is the same every day as well.

No, I can't pretend she is a child because I would not take that crap from a child. lol

I allways liked learning about different countries and still learn everyday. Maybe I do seem knowledgable but I guess that my age has a lot to do with that. You cannot have lived for 54 years and not know anything. I also love reading about different things and knowledge comes automaticly then.

Hope you wrote a great essay and get the scolarship without any problem. Yes, you are right to feel all grown up, soon you will be spreading your wings and leaving the nest. I guess that is why your mum found another place for Jay. I can understand that it is heartbreaking to see a loved pet go but you couldn't have taken her with you, could you? And it is great that you were able to visit with her. I suppose the change is as awful to her as it is to you but you both will get used to it. She will have lovely runs on the beach and get used to her new life and so will you... and both of you will remember all the good things about eachother and forget all the bad stuff. ;)

I see your point. At least at home you could interupt the marathon when you felt like it but not in the cinema. And then, a Twilight marathon is a few hours shorter than a Harry Potter marathon. Still a long time to stay awake though. 

I'm off for a walk with Nina as soon as she wakes up. Hope it doesn't start raining again.

Take care and write back soon!

Love,

patricia

Hi there,

Yes, being a vampire for a long time can wear you down. Hence the dark shadows under their eyes. LOL

Lucky you running along the beach all afternoon! Over here we have had 2 good days in summer so far, for the rest it has been raining and cold. Our spring was much warmer than our summer. That is not so good for the poor kids that have to find things to do inside instead of being able to play out. That whilst when they were in school having exams it was really hot outside. It just isn't fair, is it?

Mums swolen foot is getting better every day. So no need for the doctor. Good news indeed. 

I think my mum would have been like your grandmother a few years ago but not now. She doesn't do a thing anymore but does not realise it. She forgets as soon as she starts something. I let her do the dishes sometimes to keep her occupied but she has no idea how it is done anymore, so I have to do them again when she doesn't notice it. She also allways complanes about not getting any food all day. Even if she just finished a meal she askes when dinner will be ready... it is exasperating sometimes. And she keeps giving the cats foods like cake and bread and ofcourse they don't want it and then she gets cross with them.

It is great to see my niece's baby learn something new every day and remembering what she learned, but at the same rate my mum forgets everything she ever knew.

I am really getting fed up with this situation and hope that there will soon be a place available for mum at the home. Allthough I still feel bad about it, I do want my life back. I feel like a prisoner in my own house sometimes.

Writing and publishing is a lovely thing to aim for, but your parents are right. It is allways handy to have something to fall back on if you are having difficulties getting the job you are after. It is never wrong to bet on two horses, much more chamce at winning that way. And, knowing all about food is a very good base to get into publishing cookbooks and related stuff. So that is a plus. 

But do continue to write, it is fun and you never know where it will get you. And get on the good side of the authors and such, you never know when you'll need someone on the "inside". ;)

I will watch HP soon. Over here they arranged a marathon of HP films last week. 26 hours of HP with the last part just after midnight of the 2nd day... they are absolutely mad! I once went for the showing of Twilight and New Moon once and thought that was quite long enough to be cooped up in a theatre. Fan or no fan.

You have a great weekend too! I'm off to bed now. ( skyped with Jos while I was typing this). It is now 10.00 p.m. Time for a quick shower and into bed. Nighty night, don't let the vampires bite! ;)

Love,

Patricia