Good morning, Pain Pals and welcome to this very special Magic Monday.   No inspiring blog posts for you today – you will hopefully have other things to keep you busy today – just a couple of thoughts from yours truly!  Some things that have inspired me, moved me, made me laugh, made me cry – or just been grateful for this year!

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Chronic Illness Bloggers – for all of the above and for the admin team welcoming me!

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Hope – without it where would we all be??

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Reunions – never would have thought this would be my cup of tea, but as I told you all in my blessings post, it was great meeting with old school mates and renewing friendships.  Mum and Dad went to one a couple of weeks ago for their old drama group – from 50 odd years ago – and met people they hadn’t seen for nearly as long.  UK readers might have heard of the Rev Roger Royale, who was an original member as the church curate – with a party piece that involved getting on the table and belting out “Hey Big Spender” with last orders in the pub.  Next year another reunion looms with the girls from my nurse training set…30 years!

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Inspiring blogs – I feel I have met so many wonderful bloggers writing inspiring words…..about so many different subjects.

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Spirituality – this has nothing to with religion, but about making us all individuals…….I saw this when working in the hospice more than anywhere else.  And no, if my kids are reading, I do not mean Spirits!!  Although the odd gin goes down pretty well, particularly today! Hic, hic…..Spinal cord stimulator also comes here….it was having mine fitted that prompted the beginnings of PainPals and has given me some much needed relief for chronic nerve pain.

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The Book Club on Facebook….for some great laughs, some books that made me laugh and cry, and meeting up with you all at our Birthday Party in London.

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Motability – and my lovely new car. Music, although the big kid in the house, Duncan, plays it far too loud – comes to something when the teenagers are shouting at Dad to turn the music down!! My Mum. Manchester – the outpouring of love following the bombing there this year, for me representative of the good side to human nature.

 

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Amazon….oh no, did I really just type that?! It has had pluses and minuses……huge shopping help when I can’t get out, need something fast using Prime, want a change from Netflix or need to stock up the Kindle – minuses: strange things start appearing on the bill that are being delivered to a uni halls of residence, huge shopping time waster when I can’t get out, overstocking up on the Kindle. You get the picture. Art – particularly my daughter’s!  Very proud mum, but she will be furious if I write more.

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Sense 8 – I became completely addicted this year whilst house bound, only to discover that the final seaon had been cancelled.  Still absolutely gutted, but hope that the planned grand finale will still be made….pleaseeeeee. Stanger Things…..I spend too much time on the sofa!

 

Without further ado I wish you all a very Merry Christmas – thinking of all my chronic friends out there, hoping you have a calm, paced, pain free day!

Claire x