Our Phili-Pam

As if anybody could sort you out

I will have you know, that Mr H Walker, addressing my mum one day, told her that I was the best in the whole school at doing rubbish. That's why I'm qualified to put my near neighbours’ bins out, 16 of them some weeks, as well as seeing to our chapel bins. That's nearly a Holy Order.

Herbie couldn’t sort you out - or me!

Hi all, boohoo, sneeze cough & splutter. I've got a stinka. It came on, on Friday, not been out since. The reports are saying that this autumn cold is the most severe in years. Is everyone else ok? Sneezing away.

Unfortunately there will be more than one going round. I had one and I'm still coughing 2 weeks later but it doesn't take much to set my lungs off. It was a very mild cold as things go. Left me feeling drained Saturday though. The heat and mixed lighting in the Drapers Hall got to me and I had to sit in the hallway. Turns out sadly that I wasn't the only one to react to the conditions. Get better soon.

Hi both, I'm sorry that you’re in woods, Helen. My colds over the years have kept to a pattern of incubation day one, man-flu day two & three, but clearing up day four. This cold I first felt on Thursday, no sign of it leaving yet.

Hi all, Just to explain, when I activate a post like emoji, it doesn't mean that I enjoy the post content. It's my appreciation of the post. Hope that helps.

We've all had that dilemma. Worse, I'm not even consistent and sometimes can't like a post because the content is sad, even though I want to send support. And sometimes posts leave me so deep in thought, I forget to show my appreciation.

You worry me sometimes, Helen.

Hi all, I'm inspired to post this from Anne's Christmas post, so blame Anne, please. I'm on the road to a full recovery after two serious infections, coming together, either of which could have taken my life. What I didn't know was that for ages, possibly many decades, I've had a minor, still is minor, oesophagus hiatus hernia. I thank God that I had one. That highlighted, because it became inflamed, it stopped me from eating, you know, my favourite pastime. I failed to nurse a cold, which then became a lung infection, which caused a water infection, which brought about the inflamed hiatus hernia. I've recovered from both infections, & now convalescing in Costa del Holbrooks, being looked after & nursed by family & friends. Somethings have, I think, changed for ever, thankfully. During the illness, even when I could eat, I was restricted to such a limited diet. No high fibre greens, no dairy, no sugar, no citrus fruit. It's easier to say what I could eat. I'm now free to slowly resume a full normal diet. What will be absent is added sugar. I will do a new post about that.

The one thing that has so changed is my loss of wanting sugar. An event. Last Sunday, I returned to my chapel, where I was asked to resume play duty. I'm honoured to have been asked, as I've only returned part-time. Anyway, it was a communion service, so there I was, playing beautiful accompanying music, when I swallowed the sweetened wine, whereupon I nearly chocked, almost destroying the dignity of the service, as I coughed & coughed uncontrollably. You see, I now so enjoy tasting the berries in juice, that swallowing a cup of sugar was so ghastly. Apparently, I will recover from that once my system has got over the lack of sugar that I've experienced for around five weeks. That might do me a load of good too.

I can't entirely give up sweetness but I'm reasonably sorted with Splenda as a substitute most of the time. I need to learn to cook with it.

Hi Helen, I at present haven't got a sugar health issue. That could change so rapidly, but by leaving off adding sugar to drinks, usually honey in my case from breakfast serials which I was forced to, has simply stripped my appetite for sugar. I'm currently prescribed the lowest dosage 15mg therapeutic pill first thing each morning, until the end of February, but I'm now discharged as a patient. I had a depth charge camera down last Wednesday, that without the anaesthetic (at times I wish that I had had it) has given final confirmation to my fabulous GP of her original diagnosis.

Hi all, I'm in awe of the true warmth extended to folk on our forum. I've met up with very dear friends from years ago, (on social media), where I've extended the link to our forum. It's directed me to re-read the posts during probably the most anxious period in my whole life, during Pam's awful illness, yet seeing & reading the forum response replies & well wishes, just shouts your caring. Brill, brill & .......brill.

Help might be needed here. I cannot find my stairs. I had them this morning. In fact I saw them whilst preparing luncheon, accompanied with Blossom Hill. Please send any info by postcard. Thank you.