Well, the birthday presents went down well – three Boden tops – mum was happy too. Boden stuff is really nice, it’s just a question of catching the bargains when they appear.

Have started the salwar kameez. Next step is to press open the seams, and then there’s only the sleeves to set in, and the hems to do. I’m going to put a little pocket on the outside of the trousers, under the skirt, so I can take my mobile phone/camera. I’m pleased with it so far. YD says it would be better with plain black trousers, rather than patterned, but I just don’t care.

Today hubby and I went to Ikea in Coventry. We bought storage for my sewing patterns, two large striped towels for me to make a changing robe for the beach, a frame for a copy of the Magna Carta which we bought when we went to Salisbury Cathedral, three new face flannels and four new cereal bowls. Excellent. All sorted out, either already in use or ready for use.

Also received three orders from Marks and Spencers. I’m in the middle of an underwear replacement frenzy. Six bras altogether. Two fitted and were perfect, the other four are going back. New order for two more (they don’t seem to do exchanges by post), so will fetch those on Saturday from the local store. Good work. And money to be refunded too. I really must do this on a rolling programme, rather than have a splurge from time to time, but I can’t remember the last time I bought new underwear, so it really is time.

My uncle – my favourite uncle, my mum’s brother, has just had much-needed surgery on his back, where there was a nerve trapped. It wasn’t causing him any pain, but he had been having trouble with his thigh, then knee, then lower leg, then foot, which went numb, and involved him walking with a stick, very carefully.

He had the surgery on Monday, and is home today, and walking without a stick! he’s 76, and just lovely. I’m going to phone him when I’ve finished this blog and talk to him. 

My sister is recovering from her major surgery, although still has a lot of pain and is tired too I think. But then one is after major abdominal surgery.

Tomorrow it’s physio, then the knitting group at 6 pm. I did get a bit excited last week because I had no pain in my hands on Thursday and Friday, and actually did some knitting. However, the pain returned with a vengeance in my elbow, so no knitting at the moment. But what this does imply is that the physio on my neck is having some effect at least, and that the wrist/hand pain was due to the neck problems (which I wasn’t aware of until they started treatment!) and now it’s as if the cause of the pain is becoming clearer. It may well still involve being referred to a surgeon, but things are changing, which in my head at least is good news.

My latest project is to sync my calendar with my phone. Not working at the moment. I have a Google calendar, which is now also my desktop calendar, so that works well. That means that wherever I am in the world, if I have access to a computer, I can access and edit my calendar. But I think I may need an Android phone to access the calendar on a mobile. Am awaiting my Bluetooth dongle for my desktop computer to see if that makes any difference. It was about £5 from Amazon, so even if it doesn’t enable calendar synching with my current phone (Nokia X2), it will at least mean I have Bluetooth ready for anything else that needs it. It would also be good if hubby could get the calendar on his mobile phone too, so that we were both in synch, as it were . . . and he thinks so too! hooray!

Right. Must go and phone my uncle, and then do the online food shopping ready for Saturday’s delivery.