Merry Christmas 2022 Blytonites!

[Katharine]

Sorry to hear about your bad start to the year John - I hope you feel better soon.

[Moonraker]

2022 has been a bad year for some of us. Mrs Moonraker was ill all over Christmas and I now have her lurgy. I wish all a better/happy new year - especailly those who have suffered over the yuletide season.

[pete9012S]

So sorry you've both been unwell Nigel.
Have you told dear, kind friend John Pickup?
Nobody does genuine sympathy like him.

[Katharine]

2022 has been a bad year for some of us. Mrs Moonraker was ill all over Christmas and I now have her lurgy. I wish all a better/happy new year - especailly those who have suffered over the yuletide season.

Hope you get over your lurgy soon. There seems so much of it about at the moment.

As a family we escaped the worst of it. My father tested positive for Covid a few days before Christmas, but thankfully he didn't feel too bad, and my mother who hasn't been able to be fully vaccinated managed to quarantine in time to avoid it. It was a bizarre Christmas waving to Dad through a window and holding conversations with Mum on the doorstep (yet again).

I'm not sure if I've had a virus or not, but have been feeling slightly dizzy on and off since last Friday. I ended up going to bed about 9.00 with a thumping headache on New Year's Eve so only listened to the fireworks with half an ear.

Roll on February!

[Anita Bensoussane]

Hope you soon feel better, Nigel - and you too, Katharine.

[Bertie]

Hope you feel better, Katharine.
You mention dizzy symptoms - have you had a cold or anything with that, or just dizziness and feeling off? I ask as my mum has been having dizzy spells and feeling 'off' for the last few days, but no cold symptoms, and I was worrying if it was suggestive of sometimes serious. But if you've had similar hopefully it's something going around rather than anything more sinister?

[Katharine]

Thanks Anita and Bertie.

I haven't had a cold, although a couple of times I've thought I might be starting one as my throat felt slightly 'lumpy', but it passed and I assumed it was just because I've been very busy in the run up to Christmas as was over tired. When I first started feeling like this I thought it was just a reaction to too much 'junk' food over Christmas, but normally if I've overdone it a bit I'd only get a headache for a day, two at most.

Thankfully it's not all the time, and it's quite hard to describe, as it's not true dizziness, just a general sense of not quite right.

Bertie, I hope your mum feels better soon, and maybe it is a bug that I've got. Whatever it is, I hope it doesn't last much longer as it is not a nice feeling, and has left me a bit anxious about leaving the house.

[Viv of Ginger Pop]

I'd like to offer a mug of virtual hot cocoa to all Forumites (& family) feeling grotty

[Katharine]

Thanks Viv - that sounds lovely.

I'm now going to bed to read some more of The Island of Adventure, so will sip my virtual cocoa there.

[Moonraker]

Being unable to sleep much and feeling better propped up (also unable to read due to watering eyes), I have been trawling through the BBC Sounds app and listening to some treasures via my phone and earbuds. Two versions of Dickens' The Signalman and 4.50 From Paddington to name just two. Radio 4X has a wealth of drama to devour.

Thanks for your good wishes, Pete, Katharine and Anita. Pete, I am sure I will receive a Get Well card from our friend, John Pickup, as soon as he reads this post.

[Anita Bensoussane]

Hope John Pickup is okay as he hasn't posted for about four weeks. With any luck he's been having a fabulous time feasting and making merry and enjoying a pile of good books!

[pete9012S]

The thing is Anita, and I'm sure John won't mind you telling you this, he has so many friends from all walks of life, including some well know celebrities his time is not his own some days.

[Anita Bensoussane]

Maybe some of them will borrow his Enid Blyton books and become fans!

[John Pickup]

The only person I would consider lending any of my children's books to is Tony and certainly not any of my celebrity friends.
Thank you for your concern, Anita. Get well soon, Nigel, my old friend. I'm certainly not wasting nearly a quid to send you a card.

[Anita Bensoussane]

One of my daughter's friends (then aged 9 - 10) used to borrow books from me and I was happy for her to read them as she enjoyed them so much. One of my 'My Naughty Little Sister' books by Dorothy Edwards did get nibbled by her dog though!