First visit. Subsidence and some good news for once!!!!

We made the very brave decision to drive for six hours to Stuart's parents in Essex. Alice did very well on the journey, was very bored with about an hour to go and said she wanted to go home. However, that wasn't an option. She gets very excited when she sees Nanna and Grandpa.


Aunty Catherine, Uncle Simon and one of Simon's daughters, Jasmine (Lily was at her best friend's birthday party) also came for a couple of days. They kindly bought her this fairy outfit and wings. Alice has been asking for wings ever since she saw the Red Arrows flying over for the end of the Great North Run. So was very happy to receive them.


A funny photo of Nanna wearing Alice's hat.

Alice and Fraser bear watching In the Night Garden.

Alice and Grandpa at the park.

We then drove the six and a half hours home again and again Alice did very well on the journey.
She really enjoyed seeing everyone where Nanna and Grandpa live.

Alice drew this picture. She drew the large shape on the left and said "lady", then drew the smaller shape on the right and said "man". Her drawing abilities are already better than Stuart's and mine.

Whilst I was putting the tree together, Alice and Stuart made this garland for the tree. It gave her something to do whilst I was pulling out all the branches (no we don't have a real one).

Alice was really impressed with her new large "sock" and so took hers off and put this on both feet. Not particularly effective if you want to get around. She's sulking about something or other here.
She really enjoyed helping to put the baubles and little glow in the dark angels we had made together on the tree.

Regarding the subsidence. It's all a bit sensitive, since we have had it proved that the trees in the council owned playing fields behind us are the cause of the subsidence. So can't say too much about it right now, particularly on a public forum like this. It is moving along and I need to contact the insurance company this week to find out what happens next.

I also had the most wonderful news the other day. As most of you know I go twice a year for a blood check for the thyroid cancer which I was diagnosed with 8 years ago. One of the levels has been stubbornly remaining just above the level they deem me cured at. However, it has dropped dramatically below that level and so they now deem me cured!!!!!!! We had actually resigned ourselves to this never happening and had discussed in June what would happen if it never went below 100. It had actually started to creep up a bit and they said if it rose again I would have to have a challenge scan, which means coming off thyroxine and going on a no-iodine diet (no dairy or anything with salt in it) again. So that is what we were expecting, when I rang the nurse the other day for my blood results, that they had risen again and I would be going for that scan. I have my appointment in clinic next week, so will see what they want to do next. They will probably call me back in 6 six months to make sure it is staying below 100 and then hopefully move me to yearly appointments. We could not be happier. We cracked open a bottle of bouvrage to celebrate (a sparkling Scottish raspberry drink, our favourite) and tonight we are having a celebratory take-away. After this horrible year, it was just wonderful to speak to the family with some good news for a change.