Happy 7th Wedding Anniversary!

It was our 7th wedding anniversary on Saturday :-)  7 years seems a long time although we have been together for over 12 years this new year.  I thought it would be fun to post some pictures through the years, especially since it has been quite a journey!

2000

Just before we got together, New Year in Edinburgh (andrew doing the 'arm hover' haha!)

2001 

Me looking a bit skinny - I think Andrew had to take me home that night as I wasn't well - first of many times having to do that!

2002 

My graduation
Andrew kept me sane through the exams - Frances Ann had been very ill in the lead up to my finals and I needed someone to keep me on the right track!

2003

Central Park, New York - day we got engaged!

2004

Our Wedding!

2005

At my cousins wedding
Missing Frances Ann at a big family event, but lucky to have Andrew there with me

2006

At a friends wedding.  I am starting to get quite unwell by this time and was placed on transplant list in May of this year. 

2007

London - when I was short listed for CF achiever award

I was really not well that weekend but amazing what plenty of make up can do :-)

2008

Just before my transplant call - and only couple weeks after the false alarm, where they started  surgery.   Looking surprisingly well (courtesy of steroids) but feeling rather rough!!  Andrew had to carry my massive oxygen concentrator into the hotel because I wanted to stay all weekend haha.  He also carried my wee cylinders about for me :-)

2008 (few weeks later)

First walk along the corridor post transplant!!  An amazing moment!

(ignore the mental hair and dodgy tracksuit!)

2009

Able to enjoy a good party and I think Andrew looks more relaxed!

2010

starting to lose the steroid look and enjoying another party!

2011

Sorrento - up a hill!!  Finally getting to go on holidays and enjoy them :-)

....and now to look forward to many more years!!

London

I had a lovely weekend in London. We headed down on the Friday and took Victoria's laptop so we could watch films on the train journey. We went to the cinema that night and headed into London on the Saturday. I did get Victoria lost looking for the underground near her cousins house, and after all the walking and asking people, we ended up getting a bus anyway. She now knows never to rely on me for directions haha. We managed to get some last minute tickets for Shrek the musical for the Saturday night and just spent some time during the day wandering and sitting in the sun.  Some random tourist asked if he could take a picture of Victoria's hair - we weren't sure if it was the style (it was pinned in a curl at back) or because it's red!   Shrek was really good, although Wicked is still my favourite! On Sunday we were getting the train at lunch time so chilled with Victoria's cousin, his wife and wee boy, Joseph. It was a pretty relaxed weekend and nice to get away :-)

I arrived back to find Andrew had been very busy with DIY and had finished the floor in the spare room and decided to lift and start laying the new flooring in our room. It is starting to look really good - just some last minute sorting of skirting boards, and we should be fine to put furniture back into spare room. I was thinking we were nearly finished and could just stop painting and sorting for a while - but there seems to be some loose plaster in the hallway ceiling, where we had artex skimmed last year. I have a horrible feeling they are going to suggest re-plastering the whole area, which is rather messy. Will just have to wait and see as the builder is coming to look at it soon, and to also look at patio area again.


Work has been busy as they are still trying to find someone to replace the other staff grade, who has moved onto a new job. I know it will eventually get sorted but it's annoying at the moment, as I am really the only person around for the crisis team at the moment. I think I am also a bit stressed about our Halloween Party. I start to worry about enough people coming, selling tickets, having enough help, making enough money etc...I know I just have to learn to go with the flow but my mind does tend to race ahead. The early bird tickets are only until the end of this month so get your tickets now before price goes up :-)

Tickets Here

The house that Jac built..

Another busy couple of weeks, so not much time for blogging!  We are having a last push on finishing off all the painting and decorating in the house, so over the past couple of weekends we have been trying to decorate the two spare rooms, which we had been leaving until last.  We have painted walls, ceilings, skirting boards, lifted and removed old laminate flooring and now laying new laminate.  One bedroom is finished and the floor is half down on the second one.  We are both exhausted!  My knees are covered in bruises and I am slightly hobbling after I tripped over a pile of laminate flooring yesterday and went clattering down, paint pot flying and brush in hand.  Luckily the pot of paint I practically threw at the wall in my effort not to fall over was the right colour for the wall, so that was handy :-)  I have managed not to fall off any ladders yet and am becoming rather adept at removing skirting boards, and filling nail holes, sanding skirting boards and all sorts.  My dad taught me well.   I was really offended at the weekend when in B+Q this assistant asked me if I was lost because I was in the joinery section on my own - he said "whenever I see a woman up here it's because she is lost!"  I politely told him I was not lost and knew exactly what I was looking for thank you :-)

The garden has improved massively since I last blogged  - the tree is finally all removed with roots dug out and the hole filled.  Apparently there was another set of deep roots under the earth so it took the guys a full day of digging.  The shed was then delivered and built last week and looks great, although it's massive.  Andrew said he couldn't downsize and got the nearest to what we had, but I am not sure I believe him.  You could easily live in there ;-)   I couldn't believe how quickly they built it though.  I offered the guys a cup of tea and by the time I take it out the shed was nearly built!  The greenhouse was built at the weekend and Andrew dug all the vegetable beds out, so the garden looks a lot tidier.   We need to build up the rockery where the tree was but there is no rush to get this done.   We are almost back to where we were in May before this happened!  Hopefully we will manage to get our patio finished this year after all.

shed - greenhouse is now built next to this

Seb has been very sad at the loss of his shed, however I am sure he will find something else to amuse himself with soon enough.   Today he managed to more or less smash through the fence trying to reach dad, who was painting the side of the extension from the neighbours garden.   There has been a little hole in the fence panel that Seb has been gradually making bigger by picking off bits of wood with his paws.  I kid you not.   He went a bit mental today though because he could see dad on the other side of the hedge, so now there is a large hole.  I was going to replace that bit of fence anyway...

Seb wonders where his tree has gone..

Seb lying on the floor of the old shed...somewhat mournfully

This weekend myself and Victoria had planned to visit Lu, as it's her birthday and transplant anniversary.  However poor Lu was admitted to hospital in Newcastle after her appointment last week so won't be home in time.  She is having some treatment so keep your fingers crossed it is effective.   Me and Victoria are going to go down to London anyway as we have our train tickets already and we are staying with Victoria's cousin so we don't have cost of accommodation.  I am looking forward to a lovely weekend that doesn't involve painting or flooring!!