Monday Magic – Chocolatey blog posts for you!

On Apr 2, 2018Apr 2, 2018 By Claire Saul (PainPalsBlog)In Blogging, Blogs, Chocolate, chronic illness4 Comments

Happy Easter, everyone! Hope that you have all had a great Easter weekend – here in the UK we are having a typical British Bank Holiday with awful weather. It is wet, windy and playing havoc with my stretchy joints. So I’ll just have to self medicate with chocolate……

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The lovely girl finished school last week for the Easter break, but not before an evening event to celebrate nearing the end of her GCSE course with her parents and teachers. I was given my instructions beforehand about what I could and couldn’t talk about…..”in other words, don’t embarrass me, Mum!” The evening, called the Lilac Reception, gave the girls the opportunity to dress up – if they wished – and for the parents to mingle, consume nibbles & wine and be entertained by a roving magician in a bright red suit. I believe I just about passed the mum test until the end of the night when I asked the photographer to take a pic of the lovely girl and her friends!!

Now the revision starts in earnest, for both the lovely girl and the student engineer – who will soon require a new tag as finals and graduation are looming, and the student tag will be a thing of the past. Whilst our girl has been making decisions for A levels (and has already altered her choices) the student engineer has been applying for jobs….software engineering, but I understand no more than that as I think he speaks a different language to me!! As for the middle young man-child, we haven’t seen a great deal of him as he catches up with old school friends by night and sleep by day!

Even though there are no little kids in this house now, the amount of chocolate that we have accumulated over the last few days is a bit obscene. Add to this the cakes for family afternoon tea yesterday and the special Easter/late birthday cake for the politics student – healthy diet is not a word to describe our current intake! So to continue with the same theme, I thought that I would create a fun list of chocolate inspired blog posts for you today.

So grab a cuppa (hot chocolate if you fancy!), sit back and check out some chocolatey blog posts on this Easter Monday.

https://amindfultraveler.com/2018/04/01/a-chocolate-affair-at-ratio-cocoa-roasters/

https://whatsandrathinks.com/2018/02/27/chocolate-poetry/

https://easyvegeterianrecipes.com/2018/03/22/chocolate-strawberries/

https://clairehuston.co.uk/2018/03/23/recipe-easter-creme-egg-chocolate-cupcakes/

https://joypassiondesire.com/2018/03/18/eat-more-chocolate-%E2%9D%A4/

http://chronicallyhopeful.com/paleo-ketogenic-chocolate-truffles-with-almond-filling/

http://mostlyaboutchocolate.com/easter-cocktails-one-recipe-honey-bunny-cocktail-mozart-chocolate-liqueur/

https://www.pushdoctor.co.uk/blog/4-healthy-chocolate-recipes

https://www.skintedmintedmum.co.uk/skinted-blog/hatching-a-plan-for-easter-egg-alternatives.html

https://www.countryandtownhouse.co.uk/food-and-drink/10-outrageous-easter-eggs/

https://blog.hobbycraft.co.uk/9-easy-easter-craft-ideas/

https://www.parents.com/recipes/scoop-on-food/why-you-shouldnt-throw-away-your-childs-easter-candy/

I hope you have enjoyed this week’s posts – please leave some feedback, likes, and share!

Have a great week,

Claire x

Monday Magic – Inspiring Blogs for You!

On Mar 19, 2018Mar 19, 2018 By Claire Saul (PainPalsBlog)In Blogging, Blogs, chronic illness2 Comments

Normally I would start a Monday Magic whilst sitting with a cup of coffee on a Monday morning. But since I was last here, I have been found lurking in hospital corridors again….when a nurse pal texted me last week saying she hoped the picolax (medicine used for bowel clearance!) wasn’t too awful, my response was it wasn’t awful enough as I had to go back for a repeat run. So the weekend has seen me on clear fluids and then foul fluids (a different, stronger bowel prep), and another admission this morning. Several nurses looked at me and said that I looked familiar….well let us just say that i will be even more familiar as we go for the third time lucky. Aghhh….I keep telling them that my gut is also affected by dodgy connective tissue, making it resemble baggy tights!

Enough of that…..there have been some really lovely, inspirational moments this week too that have not involved hospitals or drugs. A Performing Arts Evening hosted by my Alumni committee, where some very talented people from across the generations and the disciplines spoke and performed with such passion and dedication. Actress Molly Hanson left us in no doubt just how hard it is to break into the world of acting, the hard graft required at drama school and then the months spent doing any job to pay the bills. But the elation of winning an acting nomination recently made it all worthwhile. Amongst this week’s blogs is one that Molly writes with student Isobel Thom (see previous post about Izzy here).

DXenjMrWkAABQnq — Beautiful young actresses Molly and Izzy

Young singer/songwriter Josh Selimi is currently studying accounting whilst looking for an agent and promotion, whilst at a very youthful 90, Bob Barter stole the show when he took to the keyboards and entranced us with his jazz.

https://youtu.be/In3_H4zmJW0

The following night we were treated to a performance of The Adams Family by our daughter’s and eldest son’s schools. Staged in a local theatre, these young people sang, danced and acted their hearts out – whilst many are studying for GCSEs and A levels.

The middle child celebrated his first birthday away from home and was in full student mode outside a pub by midday. He actually hung up on his mother when I phoned him and sang Happy Birthday….so hubby phoned straight back and sang the next line, with the eldest finishing off our little ditty! Talking of birthdays, yours truly spent the weekend up to elbows in icing and glitter creating a pinata unicorn cake for a special 6 year old.

Without further ado, please spend a little time having a look at these great blog posts – enjoy some tips for coping with “one of those days” and breaking down tasks into bay steps, and learning that laughter really is the best medicine. Enjoy!

https://www.showmeshows.com/single-post/2018/03/07/Good-Girl—a-review

http://www.youcanalwaysstartnow.com/2018/03/12/life-lessons-baby-steps/

https://anhistorianabouttown.com/2018/03/18/do-bloggers-need-to-do-everything-blogging-update/

https://topladytalks.com/2018/02/19/is-having-a-disabled-partner-a-burden/

http://www.mumstheboss.co.uk/2018/03/01/just-one-days/

http://alwayswellwithin.com/2018/03/18/soothe-pain-betrayal/

https://thegirlwiththefiveladsandfibro.blogspot.co.uk/2018/03/tips-to-help-you-to-be-own-version-of.html

https://picnicwithants.com/2018/03/19/mindfulness-monday-shadow/

https://losingtheplotweb.wordpress.com/2018/03/18/blogworld/

https://whenwomeninspire.com/2018/03/15/why-laughter-best-medicine/

Please share the posts you enjoy and drop a comment or a like for these bloggers.

Have a great week,

Claire x

Monday Magic – Inspiring Blogs for You!

On Feb 19, 2018Feb 19, 2018 By Claire Saul (PainPalsBlog)In Blogging, Blogs, chronic illness1 Comment

It is the beginning of the week so that must mean time for some inspiring blog posts in a little Monday magic! The last week has encompassed Valentine’s Day, the second half of half term and a trip to Berlin in our household.

I did manage to get to the RSC Twelfth Night at our local cinema, and whilst I couldn’t stand by the end, it really is a superb production. Adrian Edmondson – yes of Young Ones fame – steals the show for me with an outstanding performance of Malvolio.

twelfth-night-production-photos_-2017_2017_photo-by-manuel-harlan-_c_-rsc_234198.tmb-img-1824 — Adrian Edmondson as Malvolio (source: Google Images)

When coerced by his colleagues into ridiculous costume, Malvolio gallivanted across the stage serenading the audience, making me think of a cross between a jester and an English Morris man! So how did the rest of the family mark Valentine’s Day? We arrived home to pizza boxes and various teenage girls wrapped up in blankets in the lounge, and the student engineer did make a trip to London for an evening for two – I don’t believe he has a romantic bone in his body though! As for the politics student, contact has been remarkably quiet this week….but he is probably even worse than his brother, so I would be very surprised if his girlfriend was given a card, let alone flowers!!

The eldest jetted off to Berlin for a weekend away with friends…..the friends were staying in a posh(ish) hotel and our engineer was staying in a hostel next door. Never one to waste money, his thought process went something like this “I’m not spending all that on a hotel, but if I stay next door I can sneak in with my mates and still use the facilities!” We only knew he had arrived when his sister had a photo pop up on Snapchat…..I asked him to send some pics, thinking he or his friends might feature in them, but this is what he sent! He is currently sending us angry emoji faces as he has been sitting on the tarmac for 2 hours in a plane that has a “problem”! I believe they are now airborne, so hubby has been summoned to Heathrow……

I have selected a wide assortment of posts again this week – but I believe that there is something here for everyone. The Big Money Saver post, whilst not specifically a chronic piece, is great for my spoonie friends out there and the post on PixieDusk “We Need To Talk about Cancer” is truly inspirational and I urge you all to read it. When I found the wonderfully named Pass The Prosecco Please blog I was determined to find something there to share, purely because I love the name!! The Mens’ Health Summit is really important – all you blokes out there should have a look, and if the men won’t, ladies please do! The posts are all fab, so sit back with a cuppa – or a Prosecco! – and steal some time to read relax and enjoy.

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http://www.thebigmoneysaver.com/6-fun-ways-to-save-money-when-hanging-with-friends/

https://pixiedusk.livejournal.com/468544.html

https://nothingbutpoetry.wordpress.com/2018/02/15/always-a-first-time/

https://askdrho.com/mens-wellness-summit/

http://christiehawkes.com/put-psychology-of-color-use/

http://www.balancedespitethechaos.com/blog/marvelous-massage

http://www.comfortbites.co.uk/2017/05/using-diet-and-lifestyle-to-ease.html

http://passtheproseccoplease.co.uk/im-not-good-at-resting-or-listening/

https://hypothyroidmom.com/im-fine-thanks/

http://healthy-life-box.com/no-wheat-no-sugar-no-dairy-delicious-avocado-coconut-sweet-potato-brownies/

Do you have a favourite? Have you enjoyed these? If yes, please like, share and comment for your fellow bloggers.

Have a great week,

Claire x

Monday Magic – Inspiring Blogs for You! #Valentine’sDay

On Feb 12, 2018Feb 16, 2018 By Claire Saul (PainPalsBlog)In Blogging, Blogs, chronic illness, Valentine's Day13 Comments

Love is in the air…..well it is Valentine’s Day this week anyway, and I hope that love is in the air for you, whether it be romantic or otherwise. February 14th has never been a huge deal in our house – I don’t think Dad has ever sent Mum a card let alone flowers. I have had flowers and cards over the years…and the occasional meal out – but I think after a particularly memorable night, crammed between 2 other couples in a Chinese restaurant and listening to their conversations as we couldn’t hear each other, the consensus was better to stay at home. We might have passed this on to our kids having just mentioned it to one son, who looked at me as if I was mad even mentioning doing something to mark the day. Funny thing is we are going out this year – hubby is taking me to a live RSC streaming of Twelfth Night….might even get a McDonalds out of it if I play my cards right (are they gluten free I wonder?!).

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So fingers crossed the current flare of POTS symptoms have passed by Wednesday otherwise he will be taking his daughter or mother in law!! Talking of POTS – that is postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, not the cooking variety – I saw the online community working at its best over the weekend. A member of a POTS group put up a very distressed post that signalled an intentional overdose of drugs was being taken – the members of the group went into overdrive to find out where this person lived in the world, making contact with personal friends to check on them, calling on Facebook to help via the reporting suicidal thoughts, and sending message after message of support and hope. I am so pleased to report that a message was posted last night saying that a stranger had called an ambulance, and the POTSIE was safely in hospital being assessed and truly appreciating all the good wishes. No trolls, no nasty comments – social media at its best!

Yours truly has been sitting watching the winter Olympics and gasping out loud. The wind!! How are those snowboarders doing it? I have found the ice dancing particularly inspiring – it took me back to being about 8 and reading the Noel Streatfield novel White Boots. That book changed my life and I was going to be an ice skater!! Dad took me to Streatham ice rink in south London, I put one foot on the ice expecting to glide away – and, you guessed it, my derriere met with a very cold, wet landing. Bang went that dream. But some of those Olympians are inspirational – the young Russian girls literally float over the ice with such ethereal beauty, and the Canadian pair are just something else. A human body really shouldn’t be able to do that!! (My bendy friends will recognise this sentence!).

From inspirational athletes to inspirational blog posts! This week I have added in some posts for Valentine’s – they are alternating with the normal mix of fab posts from some old pals and some new friends – some spoonies, others not! So sit back and relax with some great Monday Magic blog posts!

https://shailajav.com/how-it-all-began-15-years-ago/

https://legallyblindbagged.wordpress.com/2018/02/09/night-to-shine-my-two-cents/

http://thedestinydive.com/2018/02/05/valentines-day-date-ideas-that-dont-include-a-restaurant/

https://ginlemonade.com/2018/02/05/anxiety-us/

https://thimbleandtwig.com/crafts/make-rose-petal-bath-bombs/

http://penny-pennystreasures.blogspot.co.uk/2018/02/no-matter-how-long-winter-spring-is.html

https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/sweetheart-coconut-cookies

https://theinvisiblef.com/2018/02/12/overcomers-louise-webb-healing-body-turning-illness-something-positive/

http://suzyhomemaker.co.uk/valentines-day-decor-2017/

http://www.abalancedbelly.co.uk/need-talk-fistulas/

http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2015/02/bloody-sexy-drunk-origin-valentines-day/

https://melissavsfibromyalgia.com/2018/02/08/move-every-day-and-some-neck-and-back-pain-yoga-links/

https://www.elitedaily.com/p/i-cant-afford-a-valentines-day-gift-so-instead-im-planning-adorable-surprise-for-my-so-8138638

http://ladyjaney.co.uk/5-blogging-goals-2018-dares-wins/

http://www.myrecipes.com/extracrispy/valentines-day-blood-orange-cocktail

https://bettysib1998.wixsite.com/young-sick-invisible/single-post/2018/02/05/f

http://www.lifehack.org/524580/100-quotes-about-love

https://dinosaursdonkeysandms.com/2018/02/06/dizzycast-ep-3-a-disclosing-dizzy/

https://laurenconrad.com/blog/2018/02/friday-favorites-275/

http://mummyitsok.com/blog/what-is-postnatal-depression/

Really share the love this week and share these posts, comment and make a blogger’s day!

Have a lovely week,

Claire x

Monday Magic – Inspiring Blogs for You!

On Feb 5, 2018Feb 5, 2018 By Claire Saul (PainPalsBlog)In Blogging, Blogs, chronic illness10 Comments

Good morning – just about at the time of writing – and welcome to February. It is a freezing morning here and we have even had a few flakes of snow – yours truly plans to stay indoors for the day. It must be cold as the lovely girl actually put on a coat when she went out to do her paper round this morning, and believe me this is unheard of!. Then it took hubby nearly 10 minutes to defrost the car windscreen, which was just as well as the student engineer and his other half wanted a lift to the station, but they were both still in bed 10 minutes before hubby needed to leave to get the girl to school!! I have never seen two young men get out of the house so fast!!

Never a dull moment in our house this week with umpteen trips to see different doctors. Gastroscopy on Monday – “would you like sedation, Claire?” “err…do I look stupid? Of course I want sedation!!! I’m a nurse and I have seen these….” – orthopaedics on Tuesday,(will write a proper post), GP on Wednesday. Dad was really disappointed that I couldn’t arrange anything for Thursday and Friday!! But of course there was the Blue Moon to distract everyone…or not in our case as it was too cloudy to see….and for me it really didn’t matter as fatigue and brain fog as dense as those clouds took over. Well that is my excuse and I’m sticking to it!

I wouldn’t want to leave out the middle child – particularly as we did receive contact from our politics student that wasn’t football related. At 11pm Saturday night the ipad pinged and a message popped onto the screen – words to the effect “I have flu, I’ve thrown up everything I’ve eaten…what do I do?”. Isn’t it amazing how these young, independent adults suddenly want their mummy & daddy for advice? I mean what does he really think we are going to do from 300 miles away? That makes me sound awful, and I’m not, honest – it just amused me. “Keep drinking….no, not alcohol, water! Paracetamol….well ask a friend to go buy you some…..and don’t exceed the 24 hour limit!!” We did speak to him yesterday and half his halls have flu, but I think he will survive. I mean, I have had a shoulder hanging out again all weekend – what is he complaining about?? (This is tongue in cheek for those of you now wondering about my sense of humour – believe me, the son in question has the driest, darkest sense of humour around!)

In England the 1st February was #TimetoTalk Day – recognising and talking about mental health and illness. I hope that opening up about this health issue is not confined to one day only, and I have found some great blog posts that focus on different aspects of mental health. There is also a cosmetics review, some tips for all us bloggers to help our writing, and tips to juggle a busy life. Two posts that really jumped out at me this week: one is published on a new blog, Chronic Pain India – please read the story of Namrata, A Hashi Warrior; the second is something close to my heart as an ex NHS nurse – the decision of The Ealing Mummy to leave the NHS.

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So give yourself that break from whatever you are doing, grab a cuppa, sit down and explore some fantastic blog posts!

https://avionneslegacy.wordpress.com/2018/02/02/staying-afloat-while-riding-the-waves-of-depression/

https://myanxietymatters.wordpress.com/2018/02/05/the-amazing-power-of-storytelling/

https://chronicpainindia.com/2018/02/02/the-winning-horse-a-hashi-warrior/

https://phayteaspulse.wordpress.com/2018/01/19/simple-guide-to-having-a-daily-blog-routine/

https://www.raisiebay.com/2018/01/dont-look-forward-look-back.html

https://orianasnotes.com/2018/02/02/review-urban-decay-naked-illuminated-trio/

39977405952_111e1b996b_b — Image courtesy of Oriana’s Notes

https://chronicillnesstraumastudies.com/patient-medical-history-new-doctor-appointments/

http://honestmum.com/my-tips-on-juggling-work-and-family/

http://theealingmummy.com/the-day-i-was-interviewed-live-on-bbc-television/

http://butstillbreathing.com/hypocratic-oath-a-letter-to-all-the-doctors/

Please give some feedback and comment, like, share posts!

Have a great week,

Claire x

Monday Magic – Inspiring Blogs for You!

On Jan 29, 2018 By Claire Saul (PainPalsBlog)In Blogging, Blogs, chronic illness9 Comments

Good morning on the last Monday of January! Our week has passed in a flurry of parents’ evening, book club, Burn’s night celebrations and not forgetting our son’s better half being offered a great new job. Funnily enough we haven’t had any news on the politics student other than a text about football scores – oh, the life of a first year student!

Parents’ evening was like a speed dating event…five minutes per teacher and when the bell rings get up and run! Not sure the computer goblin automatically churning out slots on the online booking system had allowed for mass movement between the hall and the library, and he hadn’t allowed for a wheelie like me – although hubby just used the wheelchair to barge through other parents! For Burn’s night we were greeted by a piper resplendent in kilt , sporan and full regalia. How is it that one set of bagpipes can sound as loud as the (what is the collective term for bagpipes – haggis? sporan? noise?) whole Edinburgh Tattoo? It certainly had the desired effect of moving guests swiftly from the lobby to the dining area, but I think the ladies serving whisky must have been deaf and in need of a few drams by the time the meal was served. Slightly disappointing this year was the lack of kilts….couldn’t persuade hubby into one!

Our book club read the new Emma Donoghue book The Wonder this month – review to come – and as usual we had lively debate from the actual book, to last month’s book again (The City and The City by China ……..) which is being made into a TV series starring David Morrisey, to the current BBC TV series McMafia and Hard Sun. Amongst the blog posts that I have for you this week is an online book club aimed specifically at those who would find it hard to get out of the house to attend one. This could be spoonie friends, elderly, young/new mums….anyone who enjoys a good book. Talking of which, I am taking part in a blog tour this week so will just drop a flier in for it – more info later this week.

I am sitting here Nil By Mouth and have a hot date with a gastroscope this afternoon, so it does pain me somewhat to invite you to pick up your coffee…..but I will do just that and encourage you to kick off your shoes, sit down and enjoy some great posts from some lovely bloggers. Maybe I will give the pilates a go whilst you down your caffeine….

https://survivinglifeshurdles.com/the-surviving-life-book-club/

Social-Media-4-540x540 — courtesy of Surviving Life’s Hurdles blog

https://www.midlifesmarts.com/theres-new-ism-plump-ism-and-its-rife/

http://achysmile.com/index.php/2018/01/25/daughters-migraine-school/

https://www.nicolefrancesca.co.uk/homepage/2018/1/22/i-am-the-1-10-statistic

http://millysguide.com/6-reasons-pilates-good-mental-health/

https://www.chronicmom.com/2018/01/how-to-deal-with-people-who-dont-believe-youre-sick.html/

https://reclaiminghope.blog/2018/01/26/whats-your-favorite-01-26-18/

https://www.trulymadlysassy.com/2017/12/19/the-gift-of-loneliness/

https://ribbonrx.com/2018/01/29/two-frightening-side-effects/

https://emlinthorpe.com/2018/01/22/being-blanked-made-me-smile/

Please comment, like, and share the posts you love.

Have a lovely week,

Claire x

Monday Magic – Inspiring Blogs for You!

On Jan 8, 2018Jan 8, 2018 By Claire Saul (PainPalsBlog)In Blogging, Blogs, chronic illness8 Comments

A week into the new year, the decorations are down, the Christmas tree is looking forlorn on the back lawn and the kids back to school. Well in our case nearly…..the lovely girl returns tomorrow, the middle child returns to university next weekend and the student engineer returned today, just as the UK train strikes started up.

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Monday Magic - Inspiring Blogs for You! — Enter a caption

Our house has been a mad frenzy of coursework this last week – 2 projects for the final year of Engineering involving analysing the use of Boris bikes in London and Deep Learning (whatever that may be!); the lovely girl has been finishing her sketch books and final piece for her art, although any visitors would have thought she was decorating the lounge!! The title of her works – “I, Me, Mine” and “Blood, Flesh, Bones” – so she has focused on our genetic Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. I have spent some time modelling for her photographs and I wish I could report that they are super glam….but they are not!!! Instead she wanted close ups of my body parts which looked the most veiny – charming.

Hubby managed the delayed visit to his parents, and whilst he was away I enjoyed reading and sharing a huge variety of blog posts. This is just a small assortment varying from favourite books, to beauty products to a yummy recipe for dairy free ice cream. Two that really stand out, and are poles apart, are Tania’s about her need for a Smartdrive for her wheelchair (I am slightly biased as we share the same condition) and The Bryntin Project’s plea to us all to realise the harm our birthday balloons are doing.

So grab a cuppa and take a break whilst you dive into some fab blog reads. Please comment, like and share!

http://www.whentaniatalks.com/fundraising-for-a-smartdrive/

https://croneconfidence.com/2018/01/06/first-world-blessings-2/

https://www.themerrymomma.com/2018/01/top-10-favorite-books-2017/

http://countingmyspoons.com/2018/01/ten-tips-combating-chronic-pain-winter/

http://chronicallyhopeful.com/first-outing-5-months/

http://littlemissmelanie.com/2018/01/07/favourite-beauty-products-of-2017/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=favourite-beauty-products-of-2017

http://www.makeitbakeitfakeit.com/2018/01/the-most-amazing-dairy-free-mango-ice.html

http://www.corter.co/2018/01/the-way-ill-slay-in-2018.html

https://brainsandbodiesblog.com/2017/11/10/5-ways-to-have-a-productive-day-with-a-chronic-illness/

https://thebryntinproject.wordpress.com/2018/01/07/birthday-littering/

Have a great week,

Claire x

New Venture @ The Recipe Hunter – Weekly Share and Inspire, Meet and Greet

On Jan 6, 2018Jan 6, 2018 By Claire Saul (PainPalsBlog)In Baking, Blogging, Blogs, chronic illness1 Comment

New Meet & Greet Tomorrow! See you there….

EsmeSalon

Blog Weekly Greet

Please come over and join us and participate in a New Venture over @ The Recipe Hunter and let’s have fun at the Weekly Share and Inspire, Meet and Greet!

We will kick off this new venture next week, Sunday, 7 January 2018, and I would like to welcome all old and new bloggers and trust that this will be a good opportunity for all of us to get to know each other better.

Watch this space and be ready for the first Weekly Share and Inspire, Meet and Greetnext week, Sunday, 7 January 2018.

This is an open invitation to all bloggers from any niche,so please leave us a comment and tell us a little about yourself, and yes, we want you to leave us a link to promote and showcase your own blog.

You can use any link of your choice. You may wish to…

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Monday Magic – Inspiring Christmas Blogs

On Dec 18, 2017 By Claire Saul (PainPalsBlog)In Blogging, Blogs, Christmas, chronic illness7 Comments

Good evening! I’m a bit late posting today as the dreaded task had to be done – Christmas shopping! I have to be honest and say that this is the first year that I was dreading the trip that has become something of a tradition for Duncan and me over the last decade. We get up and head off in time to have our breakfast in a cafe just off the market place, and then enjoy some empty shops before the crowds arrive. Christmas Blogs

But with each year early mornings become trickier and some days I can rival the youngsters for not being able to get out of bed. Then there is the cold…and it was cold this morning! Typically as the temperatures plummeted this week, so our central heating behaved in the same way as my body….it grumbled, then shrieked in protest, and finally refused to cooperate! So between dodgy pipework in the home and dodgy systems in my body, I have been snookered. But I am pleased to announce that we did it…..even managed to find a very central blue badge parking spot and found that the cafe could cater for my increasing dietary restrictions. The bulk of the shopping has been completed between today’s haul and my online exploits, and Duncan used the wheelchair as an effective battering ram as the crowds increased toward lunch time.

So now I am flaked out, dosed up to the eyeballs for my dodgy shoulder that constantly forgets the ball is supposed to live inside the socket, and have put together my favourite Christmas inspired posts of the week. I have even managed to persuade the lovely girl to photograph our Christmas tree for you…. Xmas tree

There is a blast from the past with eighties gifts (my generation – I had a Petite typewriter), a short story with a twist in the tale, suggestions for those of us with chronic health, crafts for the kids, food….food….and some more food! If you don’t have time to check out all of the posts – please let me direct you to the final post (film) which will bring a smile to your face…hopefully without a Bah Humbug in sight!

Scan0001 Please comment, like posts and share far and wide in the spirit of the season! Have a great week,

Merry Christmas,

Claire x

Monday Magic – Christmas Blogs for You!

On Dec 11, 2017 By Claire Saul (PainPalsBlog)In Blogging, Blogs, Christmas, chronic illness1 Comment

We are now well and truly into the countdown for Christmas, PainPals, so it seems only right that Monday Magic for the next couple of weeks will become Christmas blog posts for you! Here in the UK the old song “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas” is very true as a blanket of snow has enveloped great areas of the country. The snow here south of London hasn’t settled, but other parts of the country have ground to a halt with schools and Christmas markets closing, ice rinks shutting and grid lock on the roads. Those of you in other parts of the world accustomed to snow must look at us and laugh…..

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So it is bitterly cold – pretty awful for the nerve pain – the Christmas tree is bought and just about decorated and the outside lights are up…..but only half are working! Aghhh. This weather is pretty grim for us spoonies and believe me that the cold and damp really do make a huge difference to our ability to do things. Friends, please still ask us to parties and carol concerts, but don’t be too upset if we have to bail at the last minute. I for one will always get to a party if I can!! At the moment though the cold, nerve pain and spinal cord stimulator are doing a manic battle in my back and leg!

On a family note, for those who sent such lovely messages when I wrote about my lovely girl and her friends’ exams – she did really well and is so pleased. So fingers crossed for next summer. Meanwhile the art coursework takes priority….

I have really enjoyed reading some fantastic Christmas posts over the last few weeks and have pinned many. This is a selection of just a few – they vary from traditional recipes(check out the slow cooker hot chocolate – gorgeous), a Christmas book review, gift ideas for the family and for those with chronic health, ways to keep stress at bay and some classic Christmas movies. But to start off I’d like to direct you, with some mulled wine or cider in hand, to a Christmas limerick….enjoy!

https://www.judyedwinamartin.com/christmas-limericks-three-not-wise-men/

https://orianasnotes.com/2017/12/07/christmas-decor-inspiration/

38003335965_db9ae8cd7b_c — **Pictures from Oriana’s Notes website**

https://losingtheplotweb.wordpress.com/2017/12/09/gingerbread-house/

https://www.abbeymaelife.com/blog/holidaystressmanagement

https://veroniiiica.com/2017/12/04/visiting-holiday-lights-with-photosensitivity/

https://thekeeledeal.com/exhausted-parents-gift-guide/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=pinterest&utm_campaign=tailwind_tribes&utm_content=tribes

https://www.solosophie.com/christmas-things-to-do-in-london/

http://edsjour.blogspot.co.uk/2017/11/why-christmas-this-year-will-be.html?spref=pi

https://schoolrunshop.com/fight-festive-fatigue/

https://backpainbloguk.com/2017/11/24/christmas-and-acute-and-chronic-pain-sufferers/

https://www.thelatinanextdoor.com/2016/11/04/ultimate-christmas-movie-list/

https://www.playpennies.com/features/slow-cooker-hot-chocolate-167766

32561-2fd5e972a8e4ebbe2e751f4503e90a34 — Picture from Play Pennies website

http://leelslovesbooks.com/mistletoe-moonglow/

https://www.the11best.com/christmas-nail-art-ideas/#_a5y_p=4645297

https://emilylofgren.com/christmas-gift-ideas-chronic-illness/

As always friends and bloggers – please share the goodwill by liking, commenting and sharing these posts.

Have a great, warm week!

Claire x

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