Our Phili-Pam

Talking of butchers, row or not, I've got a shepherds pie in oven, fresh veg on the go too. Carry on. ps. I love your recent picture Anne. I've kind of cheated on this. It's a Morrison's ready meal, but by adding my own veg, broccoli, carrots & peas, it's too much to eat in one go, so I'm looking forwards to part two later this evening.

I have found that with Morrisons ready meals, too much for one and I do like my veges so do well for 2 meals.

Hi all, I've got a winter cold. I've had a lateral flow test which is negative, but will have another before meeting next Saturday. There's a lot of it about, sicky feeling with it at times. Every other person I speak to either has it or has had it. Hope all keeping well on here.

Oh, poor Philip Get well soon! You might be better taking another test tomorrow as there is only a window where you test positive. Get someone/s to check on you regularly and be honest how you feel. Hopefully it is just a cold but best to treat any respiratory disease as a possible covid. Socially distanced hug.

Contentment.

Hi all, Half a year since I last saw Pam, the first Christmas without her, yet folks tell me that I'm coping well. It's learning to live on my own that is my most pressing issue. I like & love company. Trouble is, most hotels or old folks homes make very little space provision for model railways & huge musical instruments. So home it will be for as long as I'm able to live here. I'm being really open & honest, that living on my own is going to be quite a challenge. I'm not much into lonely hearts. I don't know how Pam coped with me. I'm being very serious on that. Quite a challenge, really.

Hi Philip, I think your Pam would be extremely proud of you, mate! It can't be easy losing a soul mate, and I'm sure Pam would not have wanted to leave you if it had been her choice. A Sikh friend of mine has a lovely philosophy, where the loss of someone is countered by the knowledge that they were needed elsewhere more - Pam knows you'll be alright. You're a lovely bloke, that's so evident in your writings. I'm sure that, like me, there's plenty of people on this forum who enjoy reading about your exploits and are fascinated with that railway layout of yours - keep those posts coming, Philip!!

I'd like to be associated with the comments of the last speaker!

Hi Philip. I usually check in the forum daily and one of the first new postings I look for is you. Why? Because I love to read what your latest adventure was and I have to say you are coping wonderfully. Of course you will have days when you feel lost and lonely, but Pam trained you well and you will get through every day. Always remember this, we on this forum are here for you! Best wishes to you and keep posting.

Pam would be especially proud since this has been such a hard year to surround yourself with those who care for you and quite a few who might have jumped at the chance. It hopefully won't come to it but choose who you might form a support bubble with, so even if restrictions come in, you can still visit. I think the country might manage without lockdown but... Last year, because I decided to stay at home at the last minute, I treated myself to some presents and even briefly joined Free Amazon Prime for next day delivery to ensure that they arrived. Consider it. Think of them as presents from Pam. The other bit of advice from my Mum I always follow is have the makings of Christmas dinner in case you're snowed in. I never thought it would be necessary but I had a whole roast chicken to attack and all the trimmings when I needed them. I believe that you're sorted but I know one couple who only had baked beans one Christmas day because they were feeling gloomy and hadn't got anything in before it was too late to change their mind.

I'm in awe of these comments. I can only say thank you.

I have said many times that 'Our Philip' is 'The gem of the forum'. A more lovely and genuine gentleman would be hard to find. We all love you, Philip.

Gosh Gilly. I share financial type stuff on our forum, that's truly shared in real caring love, hoping to save catastrophes that are unforeseen. I'm hopeless at coping with risk. Yet, most of us when like me, our minds are softening somewhat, we are faced with guessing game scenarios as we age. So, as well as the issue of having what company in old age, (I'm so well aware of another of our down-under lovely members), most of us as couples, one day will become single. Becoming increasingly dependent as each day progresses. I'm not familiar with down-under property regulations, but here, it's whose name is on the deed document that is the owner of property. So if I need long-term care at some point, I could cope with the cost of that in my own home, but could you afford around £1,100 per week for basic nursing care in a nursing home? Boing. Oh, let's tackle it another way. I'll do a free transfer to a family member. That has to be completed seven years in advance. In the meantime, that family member suffers hard times. That property is then at risk from creditors. Boing. Ok, what about trust care. Well, that has its complications just the same, plus only half of the property value can be set into a trust. The other half goes into care costs. Boing. We could then do what Steptoe did, when he cut their home into two. There's a lot of boings. Assuming the free transfer over seven years is ok. Great. That family member gets divorced or even has a change of heart about me. Out you go! Boing. It's as near to being a gamble as anything else.

Hi, especially to the ladies on our forum. I hope that I'm not being sexist, but I mean the stronger as well as pretty gender. I've kept up a Pam tradition of changing my bed in the betwix week. It used to take her much longer than me, she doing two beds. I did two beds when Pam had the hospital bed in the lounge, but often my daughter-in-law would help me out. I did Pam's every week & mine once a fortnight. The two winter duvets being flannel that I've just changed are much heavier than the summer ones. It's just as well that I had my forum breaky test this morning, hey, using up all of this energy. Pam usually did the complete change in line with the four seasons, but did extra in the summer depending on the weather. How often is normal? I'm always well clad in bed. Someone has just emailed me this. I've said that a bit silly. When I say the seasons, I meant the appropriate tog for the season.

Well, that's good to know then, Philip. I am a 'two weeker' so I must be normal (what a relief)! As for the jeans, does anyone else iron theirs?