Anniversary time!

Its my stem cell anniversary! Its at about this time of day exactly one year ago that I had my stem cells put back in, and so I have been in remission for exactly one year. Pleased? You bet! and so I thought it was worthy of a mention on the blog, and at the same time it gives me a chance to thank you all for your support over the last year: cards, emails,phone calls you've all been wonderful and it does make a big difference

Recently its true to say Ive been feeling really great, and probably as well as Ive felt for ages, and so Ive been fairly busy over the christmas and new year break. So, by way of news, here's what Ive been doing..... We went for a family Christmas to the South Hams in Devon; a farmhouse big enough to accomodate nine of us! It was pretty special and even had an indoor swimmimg pool and sauna, and a good time was had by all!

We spent quite a lot of time exploring locally.... here are the street decorations in Dartmouth....

And here on the beach at East Portlemouth... with Salcombe the other side of the estuary...

This is the beach at Lannacombe; which is pretty hard to find, but worth the effort!

So a lovely few days and then back.... to this! Right now, there's about a foot of snow in the garden with more snow falling... Poor Enzo didn't quite know what to make of it or where to find his chewy bar!

so... bonne annee a tous!

Happy Christmas to Everyone! Joyeux Noel !

Well the weather has certainly turned seasonal here! Snowing heavily today and bringing the traffic locally to a near standstill....we slid 200 metres along the road in crab fashion, then decided it would be wiser to abandon the outing!

So will it be a white Christmas here?! Will it be a white Christmas where you are?!

Whatever the weather, this is just a quick message to wish everyone a merry and peaceful time over the festivities and hoping the New Year brings you fulfilment, prosperity and, it goes without saying really, the best of health.

With love from us both, J & S x

Ahoy!

Well..... its been over a year since Jules came back to the UK... and nearly a year since this blog started.... shes done really well with response to treatment in that time..... and so at thebeginning of October we took a last minute holiday.... sailing in the Ionian Islands in Greece again..... and as you see it was pleasantly hot!!

As in May the wind wasn't exactly blowing a gale.... a gentle force three on occasions.... but it means you can spend some time exploring hidden bays and beaches... as we did here:

And when it did blow a bit the sailing was quite pleasant..... (this isnt us.... but friends of ours Steve and Carol.)

And of course if the wind died altogether then there was always the opportunity just to jump off the back of the boat and have a swim!

And in the evening when you are moored up with a gin and tonic .... the views not bad either!

So a relaxing break and an english winter to look forward to!


And so today.... at the end of October we went off with Enzo to explore Greywell, a village nearby, and if only the weather stays like this everyone will be happy!

And so thanks to all of you out there for your support and caring ..... I know it does make abig difference to Jules....

And heres to being on this blog this time next year!

Cheers!

S

Its been a long time! .....

Since I wrote on this blog! .... and even longer since I worked on one of these!

Sorry I haven't been on here recently, but I've been kept pretty busy with one thing or another! So here's the news:.......

On the medical front I feel loads better, and so far (touch wood!) the regular blood & urine tests I have at the Marsden continue to show that I'm in remission... and in fact the paraprotein level reduced between the last two tests! .... So thats all good news... I did pick up some kind of infection in June that just knocked me for six.... and seemed to take for ever to get over (apparently it took so long because my natural immune system is still rebuilding).... but now I feel I'm nearly back to my full "punching weight"!

Some of you will know that I have been backward and forward between France and England a lot this summer and it was really good to be able to catch up with as many of you as I could ... even if on occasions it was just brief .... I hope to be able to stay longer next time....

So... next week Im off to Greece ... sailing again..... this picture is from May... me squeezing the boat in an impossibly small gap in a harbour..... Gangway!! (Notice the anxious owners of the neighbouring boats helping me in for the last couple of metres!)






Anyway, really looking forward to it! ....... After all, the professor did say "Go live your life" when I left hospital!
Hope everyone reading this is in fine fettle and excellent spirits and has had a great summer.

Take care and see you later x

Hello (just in case anyone's still looking at this blog!)
Latest news in brief..... I seem to be making an excellent recovery after my transplant. So much so that Stuart and I went off for a week of sailing in Greece!
Here follow a few scenes of our time there...

We did put up those 'white flappy things' from time to time, but I have to admit the wind sometimes died to nothing..... 'mer d'huile'.....'petole'....... but it was lovely anyway....

And I took to my 'skipper' role like a duck to water..... it was a hard life for the 'crew boy' though!

But the evening taverna meals, Greek coffee and Metaxa made up for the hard grind!

And we have returned with firm intentions of doing it again!

Hope all's well with you all too....

Jules xoxoxo

Enzo in England!

It was quite surprising how easy the trip to England was for Enzo.... and perhaps more surprising that customs in England didn't even stop the car to ask to see his passport.

I thought it might be of interest to some of you what he can get up to.... entertainment for dogs nearby!...... Here are some photos I took this sunday.......

First thing in the morning..... herding the highland cattle on Bartley Heath........

.....followed by chasing the deer on the heath.... ( this is now a daily event!) ...... this also usually ends with a bath in the disused gravel pits to cool down...... double click on the photo below to see the deer more clearly...

And in the afternoon .... a walk along the Basingstoke Canal ......

Where its possible to do a spot of barge watching!.....

And then on the route back...... by Tundry Pond a spot of swimming and swan chasing.......

All in all a pretty happy dog!

Be back to you later this week.... after Thursdays trip to the Marsden....

J

xoxoxo

April Update......

Well! ..... its been quite a while since my last post.... and quite a while since the transplant ..... and I thought it was about time I brought you up to date with with whats been happening....
I've generally been feeling better and stronger as time goes on since the transplant.... sometimes it feels like progress is slow, but also I sometimes feel better than I have for a long time! ..... the hospital said it would take three to six months to feel right, but already; after just over two I feel so much better.....

So much so that I felt it was time to head back home.... for two reasons.... check on my house that I haven't seen for what seems like ages.... and to pick up Enzo... who it's true to say I've missed...... It was also an opportunity to drive through France.....

Here's yours truly being captain of the ship!......

And here's a pretty fantastic bridge on the way to see my sister in Normandy.....

I stayed in possibly the most miserable hotel in Lisieux! .... with a view from the room to match......

And from there.... onwards south.... to Semur..... where the hotel was lovely and with a view of the town.... (This isn't the view of course!).... but I went into town to explore .... and see how things have changed.....

The time at home seemed to be filled with gardening and decorating and catching up with neighbours..... and I did get out and about on a couple of occasions.....

Here is Gordes.......

And a view of Mont Ventoux from the hilltop town of Venasque ....

And here are the fishing nets in Sete ..... hanging out to dry.....

I picked up Enzo on the way down... and completed the vet stuff to get him back into England .... and he's here with me now..... (more of him later!).....

So .... I was lucky enough to catch up with some of my friends on the journey back and forth.... I wish I could have been able to make it everyone..... but to those that I missed then I hope to be able to stop on my next trip...... which I hope won't be too long.....

The medical stuff at the Marsedn resumes this week .... I have an appointment on Thursday to see how I'm doing ..... Its true to say I'm not looking forward to it .... but if the results reflect the way that I'm generally feeling then..... so heres hoping!

I'll be back to update you about that later ......

J

xoxoxo