HOLLY - AND JOE

Christmas certainly lingered in my lounge. It came about because of a habit I’d got into of decorating the place with branches from the garden, the one with the tiny cones that I thought was a Cedar. Last year we had an abundance of holly, some with berries, most without. I picked a few twigs of each and put them in water, using three new vases. The display was quite seasonal. But as you know, nothing lasts, especially cut flowers and leaves. However I was in for a surprise.

Due probably to the warm room and having water to drink, one of the holly cuttings started to show minuscule white balls. Honestly, if I hadn’t stopped to check the water level in the vase I probably would  have missed them. Aha, but once seen there was no going back. I have been watching ever since. Those minute balls got a bit bigger, then tiny white petals began to show. Now there is a tiny – and I DO mean TINY – berry shaped thingy in the middle. Could this be the start of a red berry, I asked myself. When I checked today most of the TINY flower petals had fallen but one had turned into an infinitesimal buff coloured ball.

Time will tell - and so will I if things develop. If you don’t hear any more you’ll know the buff coloured ball came to nothing. 

Pic taken in Oz 

UPDATE ON JOE

I haven’t updated you on Joe’s medical condition so I’ll do that now. A couple of days after getting the good news that the chemotherapy was a success he developed something else. It was a shock to find him quite poorly one morning when he’d done so well with all his treatments. It only took a few hours, during which he was examined (thoroughly) by a paramedic and later by a doctor, to find out that he had a suspect heart problem. By this time he was feeling better and in any case the medics didn’t think hospital admission was urgent. However, it took just two days for an appointment to come from the hospital.

And we have people here who moan about our health service!

So where are we now? After a scan and a consultation it was decided to perform an Angiogram which revealed that one of the arteries leading to the heart was rather tight, which slowed the blood flow. It was decided to insert a stent to relieve the situation and he will have that done pretty soon... that is if a consultation with the oncology consultant and others allows it. He gets quite tired and breathless now but that should be sorted after the stent op.

When all that is cleared up maybe his hernia will be sorted!!!

Honestly for a once perfectly fit man Joe has become plagued with different health situations and yet he continues to be optimistic and cheerful. He even jokes about his condition. Next time you have a drink in your hands, do raise your glass to my Joe ‘cause he deserves it.