What made you smile today? 5

[Batty]

What made me smile was the thought of a 'brief but happy fire'.
Personally, later on, I'm going to have a brief but happy glass of red!

Are you feeling better, Del?

[Del]

Yeah Batty. Just wish I could shake these blasted migraines. I am SO over them. Not a case of will I have one today but what intensity will it be. UGH! I have had a few moments of NO migraine at times and thats like Disneyland!!! Oh well.... Cant last forever right? And when they finally go altogether I am going to be like "I won the lottery!!" Thats something to look forward to.

[Batty]

How long do your migraines usually last for? Are you on a timeline, so that you know that in x-number of days, you'll be OK again, or is it up to the Gods?

[Del]

No idea. Haven't had a run of them like this in years. I mean I get them but they go away after battering me. I keep trying to see if I am doing something to make them flare up but nope. Keeping my neck warm, etc. Funny thing is... at the moment I am glad when they are there and not at the level they reached weekend before last

[Batty]

In other words, you are a head-case! ...

[Del]

Sisters in arms Batty .....!

Takes one to know one......

Birds of a feather.......

[Batty]

I have said from day one, that I an officially unbalanced!

[Toothy]

Those migraines sound horrendous, Del. I get them but in no way as bad as yours. Usually, as soon as I see the pretty sparkly prisms, I know it's time to grab the medication and put on the shades for a while. This avoids the aches but means I have a head that is more than usually full of squishy marshmallow for the rest of the day. I hope you get rid of the drafted things sometime soon.

Today I'm smiling because we've just finished a fabulous run of our theatre group cabaret show. Everything went really well, and my voice managed to return from its complete disappearance earlier in the week to allow me to take part and it lasted for all three performances without the usual relapse. Everyone thoroughly ended the show and, although I'm suffering withdrawal symptoms, at least I have a couple of months' break before I have to start rehearsals for Calendar Girls.

I'm also starting a new job in September. Woohoo! It'll be tough leaving some wonderful colleagues but am sure I'll meet many new ones in my new job.

[Joolz]

Finished work for 16 days Away down to Masham on Thursday for the Beer Festival and my birthday bbq on Saurday

[Del]

Oh Toothy.... I thought you were doing Calendar Girls this time. (?) What production was this then?

Oh well.... hoping it warms up there before you have to get your gear off. (Surely thats why they made it a summer production. )

Yes. I do take the meds. Early too, rather than later .... a lesson I finally learned to heed to head them off. Doesnt seem to be working this time.

Ahem!

THIS made ME and three very delighted girls smile about two weeks ago. I have not posted here because I was told not to until THEY could say thank you personally but I finally had all three in one place tonight and our time all went out the window with one thing and another, so they couldnt come on. So they told me to do it myself. (Hayden will post when she is finally over the last week of school and on holidays next week)

A huge thank you to Toothy. We talk in pm's at times and like alot of you has been a great support when it all went to hell in a handbasket. (even when she had NO idea what was going on I would get little messages... I didnt want to burden the newbie with my rubbish )

I had told her about how I was trying to "condition" Hayden to get her to move away from the ex-arse when he was angry. As part of her condition H doesnt realise consequences sometimes so I have strategies or "keys" to prompt her. She had a "calm down" bracelet when she was first ordered to go back to visit him and she placed great store in it, and would rub it when she was worried or scared, ( what is WRONG with that sentence???) but then it broke. We got another but it just wasn't the same and I was at my wits end as to what to do.

Well....

Toothy and her daughter went hunting and bought Hayden a new "calm down bracelet" .. two in fact in case one didn't work! and sent them to Hayden. They were so well received (excited doesnt really cover it... a present from the Tooth Fairy??!!) and they seem to have done the trick beautifully. (Oh now I am tearing up..) Toothy; thank you. It may seem a small gesture from you but knowing Hayden feels safer in herself when she goes over there and has ways of dealing with things is such a huge deal to me.

But she and her daughter didnt stop there. They thought it was unfair for just Hayden to get a gift so sent a gorgeous delicate necklace for Morgan (it hasn't been off her neck!), a bracelet for Truly (I told her she was psychic as it was SO very her style) and THEN the most amazing dazzling turtle broach for me!

Far too extravagant.

Morgan put it in a nutshell. Her faith in most things was destroyed when her evidence to the family psychologist was disbelieved without question. It had a really profound effect on her more than I can say. She hadn't just lost trust in "the system" but in people in general. Well, this quiet one said to me something to the effect of "Mum, I sort of thought we were all alone fighting off him and noone believed us. Its pretty amazing that so many people take time out of their own lives to do and say nice things just to make Hayden feel better. And they thought of you and me and Truly too. And they have never even met us!! Some people I thought would stick by me didnt want to know me when it got really messy and yet this girl on the other side of the world did this." She told me it had restored alot of what she used to believe in about people.

Hayden meantime is trying to figure out "fairy logistics". She had never considered that the Tooth fairy had family before... let alone teenage daughters!! ... or went shopping... or had to use the post...

[Toothy]

Hayden meantime is trying to figure out "fairy logistics". She had never considered that the Tooth fairy had family before... let alone teenage daughters!! ... or went shopping... or had to use the post...

So sorry to have caused so much confusion to Hayden. As a Tooth Fairy, I am allowed some normal things, too, which is wonderful, and having my own family and experience lots of ups and downs helps me to understand other people better.

I'm so pleased the gifts have been so successful with you and the girls, Del. I promise they weren't extravagant. Just think of each small present separately, and the fact that they just happened to have been posted in one go, then you'll see it's all proportionate.

You weren't the only one tearing up when going through your post. I'm so delighted that the bracelets are working their magic for Hayden and that Morgan knows from all the boardies support that there are lots of people out there who do care. And boardies are amazing. I know from personal experience. Many years ago, when stranded in a hospital, seriously ill and a couple of hours from home, the HC boardies (to whom I was a one month newbie) were there online for me to talk to 24*7 and sent supportive messages and, ok, lots and lots and lots of chocolate! How I didn't become the size of a house from all those goodies, I shall never know!

Keep smiling, girls! Big hugs!

[Batty]

That was.... beautiful! ...

[The Mad Collector]

Finished work for 16 days Away down to Masham on Thursday for the Beer Festival and my birthday bbq on Saurday

Have a great time Joolz, I haven't been to Masham for ages, must fix that sometime

[meerkat]

I haven't been to Masham for ages! Must go soon! happy Birthday Joolz in case I don't get back on before the weekend.

Treated myself to Terry's Book of Poo! Thought it was wonderful and I loved the way Harry, sorry, Sir Harry, still swore even though he was talking to the young lad. Excellent little story and I loved the prolapse...sorry, the Prologue. Oh, and please can his grandmama be mine? I think she knows an awful lot of people in the know and she sounds really interesting!

One small complaint: £9.99 in Waterstones but £6.99 and a slightly different cover in WH Smits!

What the Hell, I have it now! (smug grin of staisfaction).

[Bouncy Castle]

Jesus Christ ‏@jesus

The crappy part about being in the trinity is that you have to buy your own Fathers Day presents... then act surprised after opening them.