I was up at the crack of dawn so I could take Biggey to the hospital to get another x-ray. There's no bones broken or fractured, but she's still in a lot of pain so they've left the splint on and she's taking pain killers. She can go back to camp according to them but I need to see what they say at camp. I'm expecting a "no" because of the pain killers, but they're not babysitters up there, so I completely understand if it is a "no".

Next, I rang the dentist department of the same hospital. The lady I need to speak to isn't in today so they'll ring me tomorrow, but they don't think hubby will be seen before the original date given of the 6th August... he's still in a huge amount of pain, chewing more painkillers - smithkline must love us, really love us, and is grumpy because of it. We go on holiday on the 27th July, and I was half expecting an appointment to arrive for that week, but it doesn't look like it.

We're tripping over kit bags, bergans and new kit but I'm not putting it away until I know she can't go back in a couple of days (not that they'll be lying about for a couple of days, I should know by the end of today), but I'm not holding my breath. Unfortunately, even though they're camouflaged they're still mightily visible - but that's probably not a bad thing, as then at least we'll see them before someone trips over them and we end up with another trip to the hospital...

Gutted does not give how I'm feeling justice. I had a phone call earlier this afternoon. It was a private number on my mobile, so I didn't know who it was, and when answering it it was the camp that Biggey's at. She fell this morning on the back of someone else falling and ended up with an x-ray. Her arm was so swollen that they could only see the main bones were ok, but they couldn't see accurately enough to see if there are fractures on the little bones, and with her falling badly earlier in the year they are concerned enough for her to have another x-ray tomorrow. That's a 7hour round trip to pick her up because she can't continue with cadet camp with her arm in the state it's in.

I am so disappointed for her. She was on the phone in tears saying that she didn't want to come home, and worried that daddy's going to shout at her. I'm checking that if there's no fracture and that she can use it that maybe should could go back on Saturday - the day we were meant to visit to see them all in action, but I'm not going to hold my breath - that would be too good.

She's been looking forward to this two week camp since before Christmas, passed all the tests she needed to pass to allow her to go, and then four days into a two week camp this happens. I know these things happen, but just once could something just go right? Is it too much to ask. It's now going to be another five hours before I see her, and I can't wait to just give her a cuddle. It's just such a shame.

Hubby's come home and I don't think he can tell his behind from his elbow. He's sitting in the garden talking to our neighbour and dear me, it's a hard conversation for neighbour. Hubby is so tired that he's only speaking when he has to and the poor bugger next door is having to do all the chatting. An early night for hubby me thinkst, and to be honest, I don't think I'll be far behind him.

I hate it when they're not about. I feel like I'm such a spare part and twiddle my thumbs, that and the fact today has been close and overcast and it's neither been one thing or another. It's usually on days like today that I come to life later and go around doing housework like a woman on a mission, but tonight I think I could cheerfully sit on the setee and just do nothing - if he'll let me. I'm missing Biggey too. For all they can drive me to distraction, I like having them about and when one of them isn't here (or all three) I feel like I have a limb missing. Then the other thought hits me... "think of the washing I'll have to do when she gets home" lol.

I'm making tea at the moment and have no enthusiasm for it at all. I'm not even hungry, but Middley's just asked when it will be so I have a golden half hour before it has to be served. It was home made pizza last night, and it was a huge success, but it's rice tonight so I'm not sure what the reaction to that will be, mind, if they're hungry they'll eat it ;o).

Hopefully a good night's sleep will have me turbo charged for the morning :o)

The sun is shining. Middley and littley have gone to Edinburgh on a trip. Hubby has gone out. I'm at home. I don't like it when I'm on my own, I feel lost. There's lots that I can do and nothing I can be bothered with. I could sit in the garden and enjoy the sun, but then there's things to do in the house. I don't want to do things in the house because I could be sat in the garden enjoying the sun. Contrary? Me?...

Hubby came home from his friend's house at silly o'clock last night and asked what I'd gotten upto. I'd gone to Theatre group with littley because biggey is at camp and middley was on a sleep over. I was telling him how it had gone but he couldn't keep up with the names and then he assumed I was drunk and had been drinking whilst he wasn't in. I wish. Honestly, no amount of saying you're not three sheets to the wind, whilst sober, convinces a man who is adament you're kalyed (how do you spell that?...) so in the end I just gave up. I got up bright and early this morning without a hang over (funnily enough) and have been pottering about since. He's obviously forgotten that I was supposed to be drunk last night because he never mentioned it this morning - seriously, it would have been easier if I had been drinking directly from a vodka bottle wrapped in a brown paper bag for the amount of grief I got.

So, the packed lunch boxes were put up, the girls had their breakfast and off they went without a backwards glance and I don't even have to make lunch. I could wash windows - that way I'd be outside in the sun and doing housework, but I don't want to tempt the rain ;o) xx

Apologies for absence. It really annoys me when I go a day or two without writing. This time it's been about time constraints, not because I've hit a wall or anything.

It started with another dentist appointment where they aren't supposed to give more than one dose of painkillers, but relented because of the state of hubby's mouth and the fact he's in so much pain. It was actually the girlies dentist that was drafted in by the lovely blonde lady that last prescribed him, and he had a look in his mouth and at his x-ray (if only the original one had done the x-ray check thingy and we might not be in this predicament now...) and said that he would need more and to hurry the lady already hurrying to try and get him a hospital appointment. Needless to say, we're still waiting for an emergency appointment (I have visions of getting an appointment when we're on holiday in a fortnight - think it's something called "Sod's Law"...).

Friday night was horrific with his mood swings, to the point that we left him in the sitting room to eat his mushed up tea (we're still not onto solid food due to mouth) and closed the door so that he couldn't shout at any of us. This left him with the remote, so he could watch what he wanted to watch and put him in a better mood. The funny thing is that he's always in control of the remote and he always watches what he wants to see - but I wasn't arguing with him.

On Saturday it was more moods because of mouth (God I hate the original dentist), biggey was due to go to camp and it was a manic pack of the old kit bag, although I don't know why because we'd packed and unpacked and packed and unpacked due to hubby wanting to know what was in the kit bag. He decided on Saturday morning that he wanted her to have "one of those bags that look like a sausage". Could I for the love of me work out what he meant. No I couldn't. This caused frustration, for both him and myself, and it wasn't until he said "it's like the one Uncle Albert has on Only Fools and Horses" that I knew what he meant. It was a light bulb moment for both of us - he meant a duffle bag (or I think that's what it's called). Another trip out of the house to head to the army surplus store and a duffle bag (or words to that effect) was purchased. Home again, home again jiggedy, jig to unpack the hold-all and pack the new duffle bag. Lunch was a blur and off I took Biggey to catch the bus for camp. The bus was almost an hour late and he was in a fowl mood so I wasn't sure what I was going to come home to, but instead of it being another broken hoover I discovered my brother. Phew. That had kept him occupied, and all it cost me was the extra meal at tea time, but I could cope with that because he was chatty and a distraction to hubby.

Tea time came and passed and we had a peaceful evening. I discovered a hairbrush in the living room that shouldn't have been there, and have a sneaky suspicion that it was supposed to be in the kit bag Biggey took with her, but she must be being kept occupied because she hasn't replied to my text asking her if she had one - although I'm sure I saw a little hairbrush in her toiletry bag so not worrying about this too much.

At bed time I'd let the dog out, but hubby said he hadn't been out long enough so I told the unwilling animal to go back outside and shut the door as per hubby's instructions. I came and switched everything off and was lying in bed for a couple of minutes before hubby came up. He got himself sorted for bed and then asked where the dog was (he's always on the bed before either of us). No dog to be seen anywhere. "Have you let him in?" was my next comment... "Swear word, swear word, swear word" was all I heard as he trundled down the stairs to let the dog in... sure enough, the dog was on the bed before hubby had made it to the bottom of the stairs. Wrong I know, but I did have a silent giggle about this lol.

Sunday was a manic but peaceful morning. He didn't get up until about 11.30am, but he needed the sleep big style so I just pottered about downstairs. He got up and decided that he was taking the car for new tyres for our holiday. Huge sigh. He also decided that he wanted the hand break checked (nothing wrong with it) and the air conditioning sorted (can't we just open the windows and save money?). So lunch was made hurridely so we could go and do this before going to our niece's birthday.

Now I have mentioned that he's not in a particularly good mood at the moment haven't I? He busied himself by cutting the grass, and this was all good. Where it kind of fell down a bit was when his mother kept asking him things, giving her opinion and defending her opinion when he was telling her to be silent (or words to that effect). Tea was interesting when she started on about his mouth and how he should be careful about the painkillers he was taking. This started into a rant about the nhs and how they should be expected to take a course that lasts longer than two day on the open university. Being a retired nurse herself this then brought her into a defence of the nhs. What she should have done, and much to mine, my father-in-law and sister-in-law's insistence was just to stay "cue"uiet, but no. On and on and on his rant went that started off ungarbled but that rapidly unravelled and swear words that I don't imagine his mother has heard before were involved and directed at her, and at this point there's nothing I can do or say to prevent or distract him. She was white as a ghost at having been spoken to by him like that and he was in full rant until sister-in-law provided him with an ice-cream (good thinking batman) and the rant dissapated. Calm returned.

The only thing that could have eclipsed this tyrade of abuse was possibly some-one throwing a tennis ball and it landing smack, bang on the nose of the birthday girl. Who could have done such a thing? That would be me... honest to God, can nothing go right? Bless her, it was horrific and I had expected blood and guts and gore and at worst a broken nose, but no, she sucked it up, cried alot and then went to check in the mirror. I have rung today to check that she has no bruises (thankfully non) and then asked if everyone was alive (wouldn't want to kill anyone by being incharge of the hot grill - you know I want to say b-b-"cue" but that "cue" button is the bain of my life), and they are, so no damage done, but I forbidding anyone taking a tennis ball on our holiday, mainly for their safety, not mine lol).

The toothache is still there, the anti-biotics should have kicked in by now and he shouldn't be in any pain - but he is. We're out of the painkillers and I have no idea what it's going to be like tonight.

The girls have scattered outside knowing he's in a fowl fettle, and I'm left in the house listening to the ranting of how I've done nothing today and how useless I am. I don't even think I can give him any other painkillers due to the strength of the ones he's used.

I might be wrong, all might be well, but I'm not going to hold my breath because I've got an inkling that he is going to be like a bear with a sore head, at the moment he is just a disgruntled bear who's had his honey sandwich taken off him, but by God when he's in full swing I think I might take a leaf out of the girl's book and find somewhere outside to sit - at least the sun is still shining. It might not be a bad idea for the dentist to see the level of discomfort he's in because it might speed the process up, and hopefully he'll get a prescription tomorrow so I'm not bothering anyone else over the weekend trying to get something that will work.

On a happy note, we've had our first crop of strawberries today. A full total of four, but by gum they were big and red and shiny and the girls shared them out. One big one or two smaller ones lol. I can't wait for the courgettes to start either, I like them when they're small but they chop up nice to go into salads etc.

Yesterday was a continution of the previous day, and today doesn't appear to be being any different.

I insisted that a dentist see hubby yesterday and I was reluctantly given an appointment. It was a different dentist, which I think was a blessing, and she didn't even look in hubby's mouth. Now, whilst I'm a smilie, happy person who is polite and thinks manners cost nothing, I was not impressed. Mentioning their duty of care, politely of course, I was told that him just sitting in the chair was said duty of care. I told them that something had to be done because I wasn't taking him home until something was done (brave of me I thought - but the relief on hubby's face when I said this was worth having said it). I said that the pain he was in was unbearable and whilst I understood that things can go wrong and that I wasn't cross about that, I was not happy with them doing nothing to repair or fix the situation. She left the room to go and get the dentist he had seen previously (probably for a cigarette and a gin - such was my demenour) and returned with another dentist because the original one refused to come in to see hubby. Now this dentist was completely different. She looked inside hubby's mouth, and just looked because that was all he could manage. Her face was a picture. She turned around to the nurse and ordered a prescription for some heavy duty painkillers and under her breath commented to the other dentist about the state of his tooth (the remaining root). She also told me that he couldn't wait until the 6th August (no kidding Sherlock) and that she was going to ring the hospital herself to speak to a colleague and try and get something done sooner, and that it would have to be done there because he would need sedated (again, no kidding Sherlock). She was lovely and true to her word I had a phonecall from her this morning saying that she's still waiting to get an earlier appointment at the hospital, but she wanted to see hubby on Friday to see if things are any better or not - but I'm wondering if it's because the knock out painkillers will run out on Friday and he might have to have some more issued. Regardless, she has instilled some faith in me because not only has she done what she said she would do, but she's keeping an eye on him. Phew.

I took the girlies to the beach yesterday afternoon and after visiting my sister-in-law I said I would take her two girls too. What a lovely, lovely hour and a half we had. They laughed and shouted and ran about and because hubby was with his sister the girls had their swimming costumes on and got as wet as they wanted. It was lovely and eldest niece said thank you because she'd actually had fun (actually had fun, as in she'd come but wasn't expecting too lol - point to aunty Constantly Trying).

Hubby then decided we'd visit his parents. So we visited his parents. Now we have to be home for me to leave the house at 6.30pm to get Biggey to cadets. At pm I asked to leave because I still had tea to make. At 5.20pm I was begging. We got home at 5.50pm and I made Chicken Chow Mein, it was the easiest and "cue"uickest thing I could think to make from scratch and at 6.15 they had their tea. I made it into the shower, dried hair, had make-up on and was ready to leave at 6.30pm. Dear God, I remember a time when I used to take a couple of leisurely hours getting ready. I can do it in 15 mins flat now, but I wouldn't want to do it again for a long time - the pressure LOL.

I must admit that last night I slept like the dead. A tornado could have occured at the bottom of the bed and I wouldn't have noticed. I dragged my carcass out of bed this morning still listening to the panic box saying "you are not connected to the phone line". I wouldn't mind but it's two days of this woman now and it's every five minutes. I rang up the panic box people to ask if there was anything I could do that wouldn't have police, fire, ambulance, RNLI, helicopters and the armed forces turning up at my door - it wouldn't suprise me if they had turned up for coffee this morning. So now that that's disconnected and her voice isn't rattling around my head I rang talktalk. Now on Monday they told me there was no fault. Yesterday morning they set all calls to the house to my mobile and told me it would take 48hrs to sort the issue. Today I've been told it's 72 hours. I still don't know what the fault is, but I don't really care anymore. How I have internet or even the talktalk tv which works off the internet without having a phone line I do not know, but whilst the internet and the tv is working hubby is happy, it's only when these go belly up that I'll ring talktalk and give them the same as the dentist got lol.

So I'm going to go and have some lunch now, seeing as all I had yesterday was a scone at his mum's house and a chocolate Freddo at cadets, and come to think of it I've had no breakfast either... I will be slim... Oh - my tea from last night is there. I might go and have that. Honestly, I'd forget my head if it wasn't screwed on. 

Dear me. By about 9am yesterday morning I was ready for bed. He'd complained about toothache, so I got him an emergency appointment for 12pm. The telephone line kept going dead with no dial tone and the internet was sporadic. I had the talktalk box to set up with a new router which meant sorting out all the appliances that needed the password code thingy on it - I still have his Kobo and laptop to do, but after the rest of the day I've left it for tomorrow (that would be today then...).

The aerial man came out and told me he didn't know how I had a picture in the living room because I had no aerial attached to anywhere for me to get a picture. He then sorted me a new aerial out and connected it to the tv, and then sorted out the other aerial for the kitchen and the bedroom. This was by about 9.30am. He then worked out that whatever he'd done to the living room was having an effect on the kitchen and the bedroom and had to joogle about with cables and split cables and God knows what else, but an hour later and £100 down, all was sorted.

Hubby then got himself ready for his dentist appointment and decided he was going on his own. Big mistake - huge. He came back an hour and a half later with a face like fizz - which is nothing new at the moment, but this face like fizz had an element of evil attached to it. Asking what was wrong, he told me the dentist had pulled the tooth out only for it to only come half out and that the root was still attached. I rang the dentist's not happy with his explanation and they repeated what was said to me. "But don't worry, he's got two prescriptions for anti-biotics, you'll be able to collect them in half an hour". "What? Can you tell me when you're fixing this?"... and this is when it gets good... "August the 6th"... "ehmmmmm.... you're telling me that a dentist has caused this issue, and that there is no-one available to correct this issue until August?". Apparently so. The dentist has made such a mess that the only one that can correct it is the oral surgeon, and he's on holiday this week. His first available appointment is (can you guess?...) the 6th of August. "... and what about pain relief?". Well. They can't deal with that there, he'd have to go to his GP. By now I'm getting slightly aggitated, but remaining calm because I want this sorted out. No can do. So I ring the GP who gives him some painkillers - exactly what I have in the cupboard and exactly the ones that aren't working.

At 7.30pm he couldn't take anymore. He was pacing the house, tears in his eyes begging for someone to take it out. He's a big man. I've seen him when he's dropped a two tonne trailer on his foot (seriously), I've seen him when he's cut his hand open and he's stuck it through our kitchen window so I can run it under the tap - the man is Superman when it comes to pain, but the poor bugger was poorless. I rang NHS24 and to cut a long story short, they don't have any dentist's available tonight, but I'm to ring the dentist's in the morning and tell them that they said he has to be seen within 24hours, and if they don't I then have a number to ring to get them to deal with it. I am not going to be happy wife tomorrow. I have already told them that his mood swings are what is affected by the dementia and that I should pack a suitcase for six weeks. Do you know what the snotty woman's answer was? "It's only 4 weeks Mrs. Constantly Trying". I'll give her four weeks. They have a duty of care to see him within 24 hours and I'm not lying down over this one.

I can understand errors happening, I'm not naive and I do understand that these things can happen, but what I don't understand is how they can send him out of the surgery with a prescription for two anti-biotics, knowing that they've caused a mess and not having anyone available that can repair the mess that they have caused. The receptionist said that they have no other dentist's that can fix the issue this dentist caused and that he has to see the oral surgeon - but surely there is an oral surgeon somewhere within our area that I can take him to. You would think...

Someone somewhere is going to get steely Constantly Trying in the morning - all dentist receptionists I advice you to answer your phone with baited breath because I have enough on my plate with what goes on in this house without it being exagerated by someone who cannot repair the error he has made, and whilst I know it's not any receptionist's fault and I will play nice, I will play fair, but I will not be fluffed off by the sixth of effing August. You have been warned.

Whilst all of this was taking place I had to finish installing the talktalk box thingy for the telly, take Biggey to Cadets to help with the parking of cars at a function, ring the dr's for stronger pain killers, make tea, sooth hubby (lots), all the housework I didn't get done during the day because of dentist, and now it's 12.46am and I'm still on the go trying to catch up with things I haven't done and trying to get done before I get up.

One of these days I'll be getting up before I go to bed... ;o)

Dear God - he's like a caged lion as it is, throw in some toothache and well... you can imagine. I'm made of dark stuff so the yelps that he's omitting is amusing, but that makes me a bad person so I won't laugh - honest... (if men had children, we'd only have one lol)

The pain killers he's on for the muscle strain behind his ribs is causing problems for what he can take for the toothache. Maybe I shouldn't have said "a smack to the back of the head with a shovel might help" to the lovely lady on the end of the phone at nhs 24, but I'm beginning to grasp at straws (although I'm sure it might work...).

He's been in a topsy turvy fettle today, although it seemed to sooth once the girls got home. They were in the house long enough to drop off their suitcase and then they "see you later"ed as the front door slammed and they were off out to play. I kept him happy with a roast chicken although "why would you want a roast on a day as hot as today" was asked. The answer "you asked for one". "HHhhhhhmmmppppffffff" was the reply.

I now have to ring the dentist in the morning to get an emergency appointment, but he's told me to tell them when he's not available. "It doesn't work like that poppet" - "well it should". "That defeats the purpose of emergency appointments...".

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a peaceful night, but in our house anything can happen, and invaribly does, so I'm not holding my breath.

I don't know how he does it. I really don't. He went to bed shouting at me last night and the moment his eyes opened this morning he was ranting the same things. You go to sleep being shouted at and you wake up to it - it's exhausting. I've been all names under the sun so far, he doesn't want any breakfast except when the girls get home he'll be hungry, which makes him grumpy (believe it or not) and I've just got a sneaky feeling this past week was just a reminder of the lovely hubby he can be. I think other hubby is going to be here for a while and that's such a shame.

I'm going to go and clean the bathroom, hang out some washing, get the hoover out, polish, have a shower and make myself look presentable and wait for my lovely girls to come home - I've soooo missed them this week, it's like missing a limb. There's been no fighting over the tv remote, no saying "do we have to have that for dinner?", no "what are we doing today?" but there's been no cheeky smiles or snuggles and huggles either. I can't wait for them to be home :o)