Pete is starting to pick up again 10 days after his last chemo… it’s fair to say that he is finding each cycle just that little bit more debilitating and gets a bit fed up with all the tablets & injections. Thankfully, there is just one more to go, scheduled for 2nd January 2026.

At least, once that is done and he has his bone scan (mid-January) & appointment with the consultant (start of February), we might be able to start getting out a bit more and building his strength back up although we have read this might take a few months… I pray the chemo has worked it’s magic and the consultant has good news for us come February but, in all honesty, we don’t really talk about there being any alternative than good news! Pete’s PSA count continues to fall so we are hoping this means the cancer has been stopped in its tracks. 🤞🤞🤞

After spending a few nights sleeping separately, my cold is much better now and I have, at last (😂) returned to the marital bed! I have had some of the best sleep I have had in years this past week mainly due to a dose of Night Nurse each night – I forgot how that stuff knocks you out! One night, I almost slept for 9 hours… unheard of for years… in fact, I think the last time I slept so well was shortly after Pete & I met, we went camping and foraged what we believed to be magic mushrooms which Pete put in a sauce with our dinner… we were going to go to the pub after dinner but ended up falling asleep for about 12 hours! Wild or what? 🤣🤣🤣

Major news – we officially now own our house here in the Scottish Borders – Yay! 🥳 All the paperwork was completed and the exchange took place on Friday 19th December which is a relief after all the money we have already spent on the place! It is ours and it feels like home… It will be great when we can get more involved with village life during 2026 and once Pete’s treatment is complete – Ooo, cannot wait to visit the pub and even have lunch again in the cafe!

I keep getting adverts come up on my iPad for bee venom face cream (scary how the iPad seems to know I am getting old and wrinkly! 🤣)… so I thought I would look into it… asking Google if bee venom works on wrinkles, the AI Overview says:

“Yes, bee venom can work for wrinkles by “tricking” the skin into a mild sting response, which boosts blood flow and stimulates collagen/elastin production, leading to plumper, firmer skin and reduced wrinkle depth, count, and area, though consistent use (weeks) is needed for significant results, and patch testing is crucial due to allergy risks”… Okay… so my next question to AI was whether “consistent use” of bee venom (let’s face it, even a mild sting sounds bad…) is safe? This is what AI came back with…

“Consistent use of bee venom is not considered definitively safe and carries significant risks, especially the potential for severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis). While used in controlled medical settings and traditional medicine for various conditions, professional supervision is considered essential” – so, I will NOT be trying that then! 🤣🤣

I don’t know, if it’s not adverts for how to get rid of my wrinkles, it’s ones that claim they can help me lose 30lb in weight in just a few weeks by taking a fat absorbing tablet at 9am every morning! Oh, but only if I part with £40+ in cash first (& that’s the “For today only!” price that I see most days!) And every advert claims to be backed by Boots (the chemist) or Dragons from the den! What a rip off – they really shouldn’t be allowed to prey on peoples insecurities like this as I am sure many are persuaded to part with their cash in the hope that these unknown chemicals will work… it’s outrageous!

Well, I have now climbed down off my soap box and have just a couple more things to add this week…

Thank you to everyone who has sent cards – we still love those who haven’t and respect your reasons for not doing so but, it’s always lovely to get a card in the post whatever the occasion!

So, all that’s left is to wish you all a very Merry Christmas – whether you celebrate or not, we hope everyone enjoys the holiday period!