We have quite a busy year ahead of us here at Tribble Towers. I had to have some teeth removed in October, and in February I’m being fitted for the partial dentures (I investigated the possibility of implants, which I would have qualified for on the NHS since the extractions were for medical reasons, but my jaw is crumbling and is far too weak to support the metal plate that would have to be inserted for the implants to screw in to – so dentures it has to be).
In spring planting season begins, and this time I intend to be fit enough to be in the greenhouse. I still have to work on the strength in my legs, which have atrophied somewhat from lack of use, but hopefully I’ll be able to bend and crouch again by the time Big Ben rings in the new year.
In August I’ll be well in to the pickling season, and we’ll be heading off to Birmingham for the Discworld Convention – our last one for a while due to funds. As usual there will be Jan, Anna, Taz and her “Death Of Adipose” plushie, Jedit, Brian, Wint, Adrian and the other Usual Suspects, along with new people to make friends with, and some bloke in a hat wandering about who’s written some books (Terry is a lovely man, as is his close friend Stephen Briggs). I intend to swim, sew and teach some friends a few simple ukulele chords – basically I shall be taking things easy.
Tribble and I also have other, tentative, plans before the Convention – for round about March or April, when I’m used to my partials and they have settled in. Perhaps May.
I’ve been wearing this beautiful ring for a little over four years now:
When Tribble and I first got together we “knew” right away – and so no time was wasted in purchasing this elegant little piece for my finger. However, things have prevented us taking the next step over the last four years – money, my health, the divorce (mine) that seemed to drag on forever (I had to be separated from my ex husband for two years before I could proceed, and then he didn’t get a solicitor and that slowed things down), and now my mother’s recent battle with cancer.
This ring has been through the wars right along with me; it’s been “gently worn”, as the jewellers described it when it needed repairing; it needed repairing because of the whole debacle of some epilepsy meds making me plonk on weight and it had to be cut off my finger and resized. It now needs resizing again, because the weight disappeared on stopping that particular medication, and now my finger is a slender size L again. Through the good times and the bad, this ring has been on and off my finger but always near my side and in my heart. As Tribble says, even when I’m not physically wearing it, I always have it on me emotionally and that’s what counts.
This year coming we hope to add another ring, so that it can start to have adventures with the ring I already have:
As soon as I saw it on the jeweller’s website I knew that this ring was The One. Elegant, classy and the perfect match for my little diamond.
As Tribble doesn’t want a ring and money is a bit tight, I feel it only fair to offer to pay halves on this one. After that, I’m buying my own gown and Tribble will be paying for the venue. Just a small registry office affair with a few close friends and family will do for us – followed by a meal somewhere. Thanks to my friend Ondineblue I know where I’m looking for my gown, and it will be a gown that I can wear again at special occasions. It has to have sleeves, or I at least need to be able to find a pretty matching wrap, as I have tattooes on both arms from my biker chick days and wish for those to be hidden on the day.
To say that I’m excited is an understatement. I can’t wait to see our plans solidify into something definite!
Always and forever
Have a wonderful year..beautiful piece of writing..ELiza Keating
Thank you – and many thanks for stopping by
Congrats! Glad you’re finally able to do it
Thank you sweetheart! And you need to be in ‘Nam at the same time as me some time! xxx
I hope it all goes well and that you both have a great year.
I’ve been to a few weddings where (some of) the guests did the food/flowers etc. to reduce costs. I could easily provide some recipes for cheap but nice food if you have friends who cook and want to try that?
Thanks hon!
I’m very much looking forward to showing you my wedding ring in August – and I’ll be bringing my wedding gown to wear too
The One Ring?
I’m so happy for you. It sounds like you have a great year ahead of you!
Thank you! xxx
Yay! Congrats! I’m so happy for you and Dom!
Thank you honey! xx
Congratulations! Here’s to increasingly better health in 2012!
And the same to you and everybody else who is fighting for fitness in spite of illness too – thank you
Can’t wait to see the ring.
Laura xxx
And I can’t wait to see you in the registry office (yes, you are invited, so we’ll give you enough notice to get the time off work)!
I hope you have a better year next year, Love
I have had a 17 year long battle with what we though was ME/CFS, which is now suspected Celiac Disease. God, i could have you here all night with the nightmare i had with the NHS but i won’t! In a nutshell, It was so bad, i have spent around 3 years in total in my bed, sometimes unable to move at all. I take fits and have a list of symptoms as long as your arm. I also have malabsorbsion and chronic anemia. I have my fiance to thank so much for looking after me, who i have been with for almost 15 years now. I really don’t know how i would have managed without him – or our strange sense of humor!
Tribble sounds lovely and i hope you have the wedding of your dreams and wish you both all the happiness, luck and health for the new year!
I don’t know if you have heard of this or not, but there are a few makeup products you can buy that will cover up your tattoos for your wedding day. That way, you won’t have to find a dress for that purpose and it’ll give you a wee bit of freedom with the style. You have probably heard of it before, but thought i might mention it anyway. It’s called Dermablend.
http://www.chemistdirect.co.uk/dermablend_5_507.html?gclid=COPt9N67_awCFcwMtAodPV48Rw
As a tattoo artist, I have recommended it to my clients who were worried about getting tattoos before their wedding and didn’t want them to show. Here’s a vid of Rick Genest (the misfits skull tattoo guy) after having his tattoos covered with Dermablend -
xx
As i say, you might know about it already, but just wanted to add that in, in case you didn’t
For some reason I wasn’t notified about this comment to approve it and found it in my WordPress spam folder!
I’ve certainly heard of Dermablend, but had no idea it was as effective as this – just wow!
I too have spent most of this year in bed. Along with the epilepsy/autism I have Atopic Syndrome, severe acid reflux, asthma, lactose intolerance and an inability to absorb/create vitamin B12, and so I have to have an injection every 6-12 weeks (today, in fact).
Yes, the NHS… did you see my account of what I had to go through to get four simple tooth extractions performed? Just completely unbelievable!
YAY!!!
And both those rings are utterly GORG. 
Best wishes for happy, healthy and awesome 2012 xxxx
Carrie
Thank you!
No; my Doctor Who Scarf is not part of my wedding outfit