Seasons greetings

Seasons greetings to you all. 'The day you were born it was cold, as cold as a psychopaths heart'. This is the start of my new novel 'The Liberty Bodice'.

AFTER THE OP.

Good evening, I have to tell you that the worries and fears I felt before undergoing the cataract Operation were nothing short of terrible. When I got there my mouth was so dry I couldn't speak. However, after the preliminaries of hoards of eye drops, then the march into theatre. The business was over in ten minutes and the wonderful news is that the effect of surgery is immediate sight. I really had no need to panic as the abundant staff were kind and courteous, and the ambience of the centre used by the National Health service delightful. Cataracts must be contagious as my husband went to the Optician today, and he has been put onto the waiting list for surgery.

THE LIBERTY BODICE.

Good evening, my latest novel is now complete. All the editing and proofreading is done. I now seek a publisher as I don't want to self-publish. If anyone has ideas of where I can find a good publisher,please let me know. Have A GREAT WEEK. Joy

Thank you to my friends who gave me such encouraging messages for the forthcoming cataract operation booked for early December. I have just read the risks associated with it!! You know nurses can be the worse patients, probably because they've seen it all to do with operations, recovery etc. I will be brave, but at the time of my finals I had nothing to do with eyes as I didn't like the thought of anything involving such a delicate part of the anatomy. Funny how my first nursing post as an R.G.N.in a busy Accident and emergency department saw me assisting in many an operation to remove a foreign body in the eye. Many a grown man was to waver following the removal of said foreign body, with a magnificent fall to the floor after the offending item had been removed.

My Kindle

The eyesight is not so good at the moment. I await the cataract operation. I'm told there is nothing to it. I'll let you know mid December. The point I'm coming to is that I find reading on my kindle the answer to be able to enjoy my books. You can alter the print size to whatever you wish. Most books have such small print, unless you go for the specialised ones. I would recommend the Kindle or similar for anyone struggling with paperbacks or hardbacks because of poor sight. Enjoy Sunday.

Good afternoon

I'm so excited about the book club I'm now involved in. Had the 1st meeting last Thursday and discussed the book 'The Rosie Project.'by Graeme Simsion A very good read indeed. There are eight of us involved,healthy and varied discussions took place. Our next book is 'The hundred year old man.' I had been interested in joining a book club for some time but could not find one locally. Then a friend put out feelers to see if she could get some other folk interested and she succeeded. It is hoped that the group will continue meeting every 4-6 weeks. If you know of anybody interested in becoming a member do let me know,we meet in and around the Canterbury area. Have a good forthcoming week.

Madeira

Yes, it is a beautiful Island, but a few points to be aware of. 1.It's very hilly and if you don't like climbing them, difficult to avoid. 2.The weather lived up to the forecasts, sun and showers. Hot and humid 3.Eating out quite expensive. 4.No sandy beaches. The positives include, 1.Wonderful and friendly people 2.80% of revenue is from tourism.20% from the export of bananas. 3.Service industry excellent, you may not have gone into the shop to buy, but I'll guarantee you will come out with something. 4. Tours on offer excellent. 2ND NOVEL COMING ALONG,THE LIBERTY BODICE.

I've been away from blogging for a while, as I have needed to work on my latest novel 'The Liberty Bodice' I am sure all this unexpected effort will be worth the wait. I'm taking a short holiday to Madeira, where I see the weather is none to Clément,we shall have to partake in the indoor activities that the hotel has described. Auntie Peggy is still off the booze, however she told my sister that when she goes to my sons for tea, he will provide her with a glass of rum. She has never drunk rum in her long life. Closing down for now. News of the hols. on my return. With all good wishes, Joy

Update of the new novel 'The Liberty Bodice'

I thought I was there with 'The Liberty Bodice' only to find that it needs more edit,edit,edit. Funny thing with writing you give it your all and then need to squeeze out yet more. With all the re-writes and edits, and proofing I hope there is still a story left. I want it to be a good read, so I really don't mind all the comments, to help me get there. Went to see Auntie Peggy today, well for the first time that I can remember she has had to come off the alcohol. At first I thought this to be unkind to an 88yr. old, who has drunk alcohol all of her adult life, but she looked so well and didn't seem to be missing it at all. She did however mention that someone might slip her some in clandestinely. I hope matron doesn't see.

THE LIBERTY BODICE.

Hello, I must tell you how my latest novel is coming along. It's a bit slow, but was in need of more edit,edit,edit. That's apparently the key. It should be absolutely A.O.K. when finished. Enjoy the rest of this week, weather here in the U.K. is changing from the high temperatures and balmy days to being colder and extremely windy down here in the South of England. Goodbye for now. Joy

Link to my book 'Figs,Vines and Roses'

This is the link to find my book.'Figs, Vines and Roses' I hope you enjoy the read and I would be most grateful if you could give me a review.

Good afternoon, I am still putting the final touches to my next novel 'The Liberty Bodice.' Then I need to find a publisher. That is always more difficult than you would think.
I do have a few contacts, and hope that the book will be published as both an eread and a paperback.
Keep watching this page and I will let you know as soon as the work is published.
I would be grateful to anyone who has read my previous book 'Figs, Vines and Roses.'to leave a review. I have just the one and that is a 5 star review.

Many thanks and have a great week.

The Liberty Bodice first paragraph

As I lie on this cold, hard, wooden bunk in this Goddam place known as the Dachau concentration camp, I wonder is it the end for me?
I think I am about to die.
I look up to the roof, and through an open hole I see a glimmer of hope in the opalescent predawn light. The shards came streaking in as the sun begins to rise and glimpses through the passing clouds. Another day dawns.

My bike ride.

I have to tell you that I had a granddaughter cycling with me today. She was unused to riding on the road. In an attempt to make sure she was safe on the inside of me and before we had even set off, I went flying and fell over onto her, she tried to support me in the upright position but failed.

I now have a bruise half way up the right leg from the ankle. A massive cut on the left,and a scraped elbow and now feel thoroughly miserable. Have to say though that the glass or two of wine consumed at the B.B.Q.is helping.

My new novel.

Good afternoon,

Not long now before my new novel will be published.
It's called The Liberty Bodice and I think you may well find it an exciting read.
It has the lot; drama, war, poverty, romance and for those who are Francophiles, plenty to interest you.
I hope to have it produced as an eread as well as a paperback.

Speak again soon.

Cycle ride.

Last Sunday I cycled 10miles for charities. The two chosen were The local Hospices and Help for Heroes.
I am delighted to say that I have made over £ioo in sponsorship.

THE LIBERTY BODICE

I haven't been in for a while, that's because I am desperately trying to finish my new novel,
 The Liberty Bodice.
It's been proof read and edited and I am just making the recommended changes.
I do hope you will enjoy it.
The story meanders through two young girls lives being brought up in Ireland. When Gloria, our protagonist reaches maturity, she realises her ability to grasp foreign languages. This opens doors to work within the Special Operations Executive.[S.O.E].
Her trials and tribulations during W.W. 2 make remarkable reading, especially after she is captured and sent to Dachau concentration camp. 

Auntie Peggy update.

Went to see auntie Peggy, she didn't look so well to me. However she was fiercely attached to her bingo card and I watched in amazement as her dexterous fingers crossed off the numbers as they were called. She almost read the callers mind!

I was very impressed with young man who had given up his time volunteering on a Sunday afternoon to be the bingo caller for Peg and her compatriots.

Mr.G.and jellybean

This u-tube clip has had a number of followers writing to me to say how much it meant to them.

Strange how the activity of animals can give us that warm fluffy feeling.
And how it goes to show they are much like us!!

Mr. G and Jellybean

Auntie Peggy update

Auntie Peggy has been on the rampage. On hearing news of my son Rogers recent hospital stay, she had all the care home staff believing that he was about to leave this world.
This was not the case and he is back home after a short stay in hospital.

Calls went to and fro from the care home to establish the facts. I was still on holiday and my son did not receive the calls.

The matter has now been rectified.
Oh just to say that some of her liver tests are a bit off kilter. Not surprising as she has always enjoyed a few whiskies.

Long may she live.

Figs, Vines & Roses by Joy M. Lilley

Holidays

Off to France for a couple of weeks.
Sarlat then onto Riberac.
Will tell stories of the trip on my return.
Have a happy and healthy 2 weeks everyone.

Auntie Peggy poorly

Had a call from my son today.
Auntie Peggy had a turn early this week. Hopefully it was just a drop in her blood pressure, and nothing more sinister.
She had a pace maker fitted last year and that made a new women of her.
My son was her carer prior to her going into the care home.

A sorry tale

Auntie Peg, tells us how she remembers as a child when one of our cousins broke his arm and was in plaster. This meant that his parents did not want him as he was not whole anymore.
   "They tried to sell him" she claims, "But we weren't having any of it and told them "We do not do that sort of thing in our family."

Long live Auntie Peg.

I've been on my holidays, we went to York in the U.K.What a wonderful place.

On return, I had an anxious sister on the phone,relaying the antics that Auntie Peg had been about.
She had a week of conflict with some other service users, and was seen to shake a fist more than once, with the odd curse for good measure. Then she set about banging hard on the lift doors to summon the travel mode hastily.
This would not be the first time that she had adopted this tactic.
 The staff would be heard to call out,
'Be patient Peggy, it won't be long, we are doing the meals and have to leave the lift doors open.'
I once witnessed this debacle and in my embarrassment tried in vain to calm the irate aunt.

Strange thing is that the staff of this wonderful place think the world of our Auntie Peg.

The carehome

When the time came for Auntie Peg, to go into a home, it was one of the most difficult things for my sister, my son and myself to undertake.
We knew how she loved  a drink and a smoke. This had been her life's enjoyment for many years.
Not many of the homes near us would admit anybody with these habits.
We were only given 2 weeks to establish a suitable placement for her.
This was an impossibility, as all the places we looked at were not to the standard that we desired, bearing in mind her needs. She could no longer hear or see so well, therefore the T.V. held no delight.
I say she didn't see so well, but I have never known such dexterity with the fingers when she rolled her cigarettes.
Eventually we found the wonderful place where she now resides. Auntie is both happy and very well cared for, and can enjoy a smoke when the staff take her into the gardens. The whiskey is measured, with three tots daily being the prescribed amount on offer.

Long may she thrive and survive.

A 'fishy tale'

One day when I was out with Auntie Peggy, she decided to take me to the cockle and whelk stalls by the harbour in Folkestone.
It was she who introduced me to the delicious crustations particularly shell fish.

Father nearly had a blue fit when he found out where I had been.
Dad was now a school teacher in the town, and thought it most improper for his daughter to be seen eating at 'Chummys' shellfish stall.

I continued to sneak down to the harbour with Auntie Peg at every opportunity, and to this day still enjoy munching on this wonderful food.

Let there be light.

Today I thought about long ago, when we lived with Auntie Peg.
There was no electricity in the house, that was because Auntie Peg
said it was to dangerous to have put in.
That was back in 1948.
Granted there were very few houses where we lived that did have it. People like my Aunt were very suspicious of electricity.

She used to take me up to bed by candle light, telling me 'spooky stories' as we went.
Little wonder that I had nightmares.

The make -up routine.

When I was a child of six or seven, I remember Auntie Peggy,{ mothers sister} and her makeup routine.
It was an intense production.

The kitchen table was used for the performance.With the hand mirror propped  appropriately in position to apply a variety of lotions and potions. I would sit opposite her and watch with wide eyed amazement.
Firstly on went the cleansing fluid, gently wiped off with what looked to me like tow.
Then foundation was applied, a strange orangey coloured stuff, this was followed by the caking on of a deeper orange powder.
With fanatical verve on went the eye treatment. Each eye was cleansed, then the outer upper eye was subjected to a pale coloured streak, of I'm not sure what, then a darker one,then the end product of a really dark line applied to the lid.
The lashes became a work of art with a thick black mascara application.
The lips were first lined with a pen-like devise, followed by the brightest red lipstick you could find in the forties, and bought from Woolworth's, was perfectly aligned.

  "Oh. Auntie Peggy,you look like a film star" I said.
She replied, "Well I could have been you know"

The whole process took 25 minutes.

Auntie Peg.

There are so many amusing stories connected with this intrepid lady.

As a young women she worked in Pinewood studios as a waitress. She still has a large collection of photographs of the older stars, such as Margaret Lockwood and John Mills.
When I was a child I would listen intently to all her tales about the famous on screen celebrities. That's when I decided to become an actress.
Mother always told me I was a drama queen.

Sadly the only acting I did was in the amateur dramatic society of Folkestone and Hythe and in the reviews I also produced at my local hospital.

My Auntie Peggy.

Went to see Auntie Peggy today. She is 88 and living in a wonderful care home.
She always did enjoy her whiskey, and here she is allowed 3 tots each day.

She also smokes, it used to be roll-ups,now its the posh packs.
She is only allowed 3 each day and under supervision outside in the gardens.
She told me that she only gets 2 or 3 drags, because the wind blows all the enjoyment away.

Long live Auntie Peggy.

My new book.THE LIBERTY BODICE

It won't be long now before the new book is ready.
It is entitled The Liberty Bodice.
It describes the adolescence of Gloria growing up with her family in England and Ireland.
As she matures she is determined to join the S.O.E.[Special Operations Executive}
Her life as an agent in W.W.2 is nothing short of heinous.

Her intrepid journey after escape from a concentration camp, must be read to be believed.

What a day!

Good afternoon, yesterday I tried to get to the hospital, it was a nightmare. No one bare the few were able to get to their post on time.

Sadly a man had jumped from a relatively new bridge in the early hours and part of the motorway was closed.
My clinic began at 9 a.m. the Consultant was unable to arrive until 10 a.m. A few Patients had managed to get in as they had set off very early, and amazingly all bare one turned up for their appointment.
However, as expected we were running very late.

Nevertheless some still managed to complain about the length of time they waited, even after we explained the reason why.

A trip to the graveyard

Today the family and I took off to South Mimms and to St. Giles church.
The mission to clear the graves of our deceased relatives.

After much weeding and very careful digging we mad all three look respectable once more.
I was struck by a total of six little children from the nineteenth century who had all died of phosis.
On research we found that this was tuberculosis.
A good Sundays work.

The end in sight

Good evening everyone, I have just managed to finish my second novel.
As we speak it has gone for the proof reading and editing.
I am hopeful to have it distributed in the latter part of May.

The title is The Liberty Bodice, and it begun it's journey,2 years ago when on a visit to a lovely town called Market Harborough.

Good News

Must tell you of my good news.
Today I received an e-mail telling me that one of my short stories will feature in a book of the same.
It has come about because I entered a competition of short stories for the LitArt Magazine.
When I have more details I will let you know.

Race against time.

What shall I do. I have missed my deadline. Hopefully I shall be able to have an extension!!!

Panicking

Good Evening everyone.
I am in a bit of a state right now.
I am supposed to have my second book finished for the 16th April, and I don't think I shall make the deadline.
So much of life, which I have to say is pretty grand, gets in the way.
If it's not work its the grandchildren or birthdays and do not let us forget the cycling.

These of course are somewhat feeble excuses and as I have mentioned before I need to be more disciplined.

Good night and
Sleep well.

The bike ride

How sore I feel today!It's all down to the fact that I'm unfit. To correct this deficit, my friend and I decided we should do something about it.
We have elected to do a 10 or  30 mile ride for charity and get fit at the same time.
She is much fitter than I am and won't find the effort so challenging.

I had to get my trusty steed down a number of hills to my stepson's house,
This is where it will stay between each ride. They live on the flat, making each weekly adventure  that much easier.
 It is 7years since I last rode my bike and could not control it downhill.
I was afraid of not riding straight and being unable to put enough pressure on the brakes to stop the drift.

My friend awaited, and thought she may have dreamed the outing as I was so late. I explained that I had walked most of the way.
Off we set along the canal path, we did ride for about 2 miles.That was enough for me.

Must be ready for the event in July, when hopefully we shall raise lots of money for the hospice and be far fitter.

A RISK TO FAR

Went to work in the clinics today.
Any thoughts on what I am about to tell you most welcome.

The clinic I helped in was what we call rapid access. This means that the G.P. may suspect cancer and as soon as the letter reaches the hospital. The patient is asked to attend within a two week window. This is important for the Patient and for the Trust as we are measured on the validity of
This action.

Today we had six patients booked and two turned up.
It got me to thinking why does this happen and what can be done to improve the situation.

Firstly I believe the G.P.'s should tell their patients that an urgent appointment has been made for them and that they need to be available over the next two weeks. If holiday or other circumstance prevents the visit, then it should be noted so that the hospital secretaries do not make the appointment until convenient.

Appointments do appear to made at very short notice,with messages being left on answer phones.If this can be improved,then it should be.

I have asked for this issue to be taken to our Governance committee. Watch this space.

Quote for the day

You don't learn to walk by following rules,
you learn by doing and falling over.

Richard Branson

Frustrating

I've had to be so patient, not always my strongest attribute
Problem was that we had a serious storm, with frightening thunder and lightning. It Stopped our router from working, And  sent my little cat Molly into a frenzy.
Therefore I have had no internet connection for some time.
I love to meet new friends who are in the main authors on Twitter and try to blog at least once a week.
I wrote about some interesting nursing debate just before we lost connection.
I'm still trying to retrieve this as it was about two contentious matters.

1  ARE NURSES PAID TO MUCH.?

2. ARE FEMALE NURSES BETTER THAN MALE.?

A little walk

Today was sunny so I took a walk through the local laid out gardens,then by the Hythe canal.

I was struck by the amount of people who do not smile back when you smile at them.
It got me wondering why.
Perhaps they are shy, or think that your intentions are not good.

I have been told that we Southerner's are less friendly than those folk from the North.
Maybe that is true.

I always smile at people I pass and often say hello,good afternoon and so forth.
And I hasten to add I always will.

A scary night

I was on night duty at a hospital for the elderly, when I was a State Enrolled nurse. It was long ago
when the incident occurred.
In those days nurses were expected to go off the ward for supper at 12 midnight.
Walking over to the dining hall, one had to pass the mortuary, this particular night I thought I heard someone knock the huge wooden door as I passed.
When I reached my destination, I told two porters who were tucking into their food about my experience.

  "Don't be daft, said one, There is no one in there other than the two souls who passed away earlier today."
 I interjected their laughter with,

  " Please come and listen for yourselves."

 "What you heard my love was the wind it is pretty blowy out there tonight."

To placate me they followed me out of the room, down the draughty corridor and the three of us stood outside the mortuary door.

  "Help me ,help me," came a plea and I could see the porters in the lights of the corridor change colour.
  "Get the keys ,and hurry up Fred." said one to the other.
When Fred returned with the keys, he opened up and there stood the resident gardener Jimmy.
  "I got locked in today when I was sweeping the leaves. the guys didn't see me when they came in with the body, I was just round the bend  having a fag and hiding,'cos I'm not meant to be in there..

The relief all round was palpable.

My new book

Good evening,

Well, the book doesn't yet have a title, but I am pleased to say that it is coming along. It's a totally different genre from the first.
I have managed to discipline myself to making myself set aside at least 30 mins. each day to write.

To give you a flavour, it is a novel set mainly in the second world war years. The protagonist who is English and gifted with speaking both French and German fluently, joins the Special Operations Executive [S.O.E.] against her families wishes.
She experiences much hardship and suffering and finds herself a prisoner of war in the Dachau concentration camp.
She escapes and endures incredible experiences on her journey back to France.

I will let you know when it is to be released.

Good night.

Busy weekend

Good afternoon,

I hope this blog finds you all well.
I am getting concerned that I am not paying enough attention to my next novel.Life at the moment is taken up with family and friends. That's wonderful and how lucky am I to have this.
But it does decrease the amount of writing you can do. I am determined to get it finished. In fact I am on the last lap, if only I could write it down as fast as I can think it.

Must go now as it's yet another meal in a pub with friends. Must be careful with the calories!

Bye for now.

Joy M. Lilley: The Books

Joy M. Lilley: The Books: Figs, Vines and Roses T he story follows the privileged life of the heroine Isabella and her brother Clarence. It meanders thr...

How things change

Listening to breakfast T.V. today, I caught the tail end of a conversation about nurses now having degrees.

Having begun my career back in the 60's,there was no such thing as a degree for nursing apart from the qualification gained through your State Registered training. You trained and that was that. It was your choice to further your career through refresher courses and other nursing fields.

I started as a State Enrolled nurse, this was the bedside nurse who was trained to be a helper for the trained staff,and worked in that capacity for 17 years.
The chance arose to move to the new hospital being built and I was one of the first nurses to move into it.
At the age of forty something, I made the decision to train as a State Registered nurse. The best move I could have made.

Gradually my career advanced, firstly as a nursing sister. Then a Special Projects nurse. Dealing with the introduction of computers into nursing{That went down like a lead balloon}The staff were most unhappy with this change that came about in the mid nineties.
I then continued my development until I was made responsible for quality assurance, ending that heady chapter as Risk and Quality Manager.

Now the point I make is that I had no further training with the exception of many courses undertaken to enhance my role. I have been told that I managed my role well until retirement.

If I have any regrets about my working life it is that I did not undertake a degree course, as undoubtedly it would have been of benefit. I strongly believe that having nurses trained to degree level, many of them advancing in their career today being required to have a MASTERS degree can only be beneficial, as was being suggested today on Breakfast T.V.

The Walk.

Today is finally lovely, with the sun eventually shining, and the clouds blowing away.
I took myself off for a lone walk along the canal in the town where I live.

This is undertaken as often as I can manage to help keep off the pounds that have gradually increased over the last year.

I blame Boston Ma. United States of America for that. When I visited last October, I could not help but relish the wonderful breakfasts and each morning would eat first the hot one and then the continental.
As for the lobster suppers, it is a miracle I did not gain on more.

You see, I was feeling so proud of the fact that when nursing my slipped disc with severe sciatica summer before last. I was drugged up to the nine's and felt so sick most of the time that I lost a full stone.
Feeling proud of the achievement, however painfully attained, I vowed to keep it off and indeed succeeded for ten months. Then came the trip.

I shall sum up by saying, Boston was worth every extra pound,what a wonderful city.

Long ago

Hello,today I was reflecting on the beginnings of my career.
I started nursing when I was just seventeen, as a raw rookie I was completely amazed at the pranks the staff got up to and indeed got away with.

The one that really stands out for me was the time the senior nurses decided to play a trick on a newly appointed porter.
He was taking a recently deceased patient to the mortuary in the middle of the night.
A male nurse knew that he would be alone in this duty. So got to the mortuary before the arrival of the porter with his trolley.
The nurse laid out on one of the mortuary slabs, covering himself with a sheet.
When the porter entered the room,the nurse sat up slowly saying,

'Have you got the time please.'

 It is said that the porter involved left the hospital never to return. However I cannot vouch for the validity of that last statement.

There will be more tales to follow.
Night night.

It was a funny old day

I went to work early in the morning, in the teaming rain and got soaked to the skin. I was working with plastics, that's plastic surgery. On the N.H.S. surgeons can do the most amazing work these days.
Half way through the morning we had a patient collapse, from another clinic. Drama ensued and the patient received every care and treatment possible. Following a visit to our A and E  department it was reported that she was sitting up and laughing. How good was that to hear.

When I got home mid afternoon, I was again caught in the rain walking the half mile to our brand new car park, I found that my phones and television were not working. Neither was the computer mouse, and when I went out in the car to go to the local shops there was no windscreen wash available.

'Hubby' was away in France helping others with decorating, and it made me realise just how dependent I have become on him. I must try harder to learn how to correct such deficit, without relying on him all the time.

Sleep tight everyone.

Good morning to you all,

Just a line or two today.

I have just tweeted about hospital thermometers to one of my TWITTER followers.
It reminded me of when I was a young nurse back in the mid sixties, we had glass thermometers. If you accidently broke one you were reprimanded, and some nurses had to pay for them out of their meagre wage.

Wow betide you if you broke one of the glass syringes, which were used when giving patients injections, These were very expensive items. Plastic needles and syringes did not come in until the latter 1960,s.

I'm just off to work now, hope we don't have the drama we had yesterday!

What a young lady did!!

Good evening all,

At the weekend I got to talking with my friend and ex colleague of many years.
We both trained together as enrolled nurses,more like the equivalent of the trained nurses aide in the U.S.A.
We both went on to become Registered General nurses at the same time, back in 1981.
As we sipped our coffees in the local shop we frequent on a Saturday morning, I asked her about her memories of when she was a paediatric nurse at the same hospital that I still work in.

She re-laid the tale of her colleague Elspeth who ran the children's Head and Neck division.
This particular morning was the day for the removal of tonsils and adenoids.
She had clerked all the ten patients in and first on the list was a fifteen year old young lady. She was showered,dressed in the theatre gown, and had been given her pre-medication. She lay in her bed ready for theatre. As the head nurse passed by her bed she thought she looked a little scared which was not unusual. What was unusual was the sudden dash the lass made out of bed,down the corridor and out into the car park. Elspeth, said nurse, took off after her and eventually caught her up. You can imagine the scene as the race took place, with a deluge of open mouthed onlookers watching events unfold.

The day did  have a happy/unhappy ending as the girl was persuaded to return to the ward and went through with the surgery, latterly complaining of how sore her throat was, and how she wished she had got away and not had it done at all.

This may surprise you.

Good afternoon my friends,

People have asked me to write more about my life's work experiences within nursing. I think you may find this article surprising.

In the United Kingdom it is a known fact that trained and untrained nursing staff do not earn a great deal of money. It is strange that the old adage that it is a calling, or simply a vocation still seems to apply.

For a long time the staff car park at the hospital where I work has not been fit for purpose.
After much wrangling over how a new one should be funded. It was agreed that payment for it would be partly paid for by the staff according to their designation. The Consultants are most put out.

 A brand new state of the art, car park has indeed  been built. Mind you it is still difficult to find an empty space between Monday to Friday.
As a Registered nurse my charges have risen by 50% this pays for the privilege of having a parking place so that I may park while I work.
No member of staff is given permission to park if they live within a five mile radius of the hospital. 

In my opinion, la pie'ce de résistance is staff  being fined for parking on the white lines marking the parking spaces, even if the wheel is just touching the marking. I wonder how many hospitals in the country are experiencing similar practise?

Hello.

Thought I would have a quick chat.
 Today we have  the second day without rain for what seems like a month in the south of England.
Yesterday was also magical with sunshine,and it gladdens the heart.

I have been working on the new novel. Thought I had better get on with it!

After the recent revelation of a celebrities alleged suicide, it got me thinking back to when I worked in the Accident and Emergency Department, in the mid-eighties. I well remember the high statistics of attempted suicides, usually with overdoses of tablets. Back then it was the most common reason for hospital admissions. Men were also more likely to self harm than women.

How sad it is that so many in society feel the need to resort to self-harm. I hope with all my heart that they can find the right kind of help to make their lives seem worth living and regain a reason to be.

FUNNY OLD DAY TODAY

Good evening, It's been a funny old day today.

Went to work in the pouring rain.
Came back home in the pouring rain.
Have lost 3 three umbrellas in the last month. Does anybody know if it's going to cease soon?

Been trying to recompose some prose, until my eyes have stung, I need to stop now or I may have an apoplexy.
Hubby seems fine and is watching the football.
I think I need to call it a day, in truth a difficult day.

Good night all.

What a day!!!

Today,I should be feeling refreshed, happy and relaxed. But of course that seems to be an aspect of my imagination. 

We [that's my husband and me] had just returned from a luxury break in the Devonshire countryside. Luxury it was, with pamper, heated swimming, sauna sessions, and let us not forget the steaming of ones body.
This is supposed to clear the nostrils and in turn the head, thus improving ones thought processes. Your skin would shine brighter and your hair would evaporate.
The facts consisted of the constant dripping on the head making for a damp and limp head of hair.Such massive amounts of steam overcame you, that you had to make excuses to fellow masochists and leave the room hurriedly before fainting.


Soon after our arrival back home in the South of England, 'Hubby' of many years had a turn.
It was both arms suffering severe pins and needles and a sort of crushing of the chest. The world seemed a less wonderful place and my happiness turned to fear.
Now to fill in the gaps. My man has a long cardiac history and me as ever the attentive nurse, kept a close eye, culminating in a visit to the local hospital. Four hours later after many tests and questions he was given the all clear. The E.C.G. showed no signs of new happenings. Blood enzyme levels were normal, and the vital signs just perfect.
We were discharged. Now home once more, family all advised of the outcome and it's time for bed. Night ,Night my friends.

Thought for the day

The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has it's own reason for existing.

ALBERT EINSTEIN.

An update

Hello my friends,

Thought it was time to tell you how the book, and life is going.

THE BOOK

The book first, I seem to spend so long these days tweeting and returning information on e-mail,
that time slips by so fast.

I have completed the 500 words, however not every day.
More like every three days. I wont have it finished by March as I hoped at that rate.
Not to fret, I have a holiday next week, perhaps I will work that much harder on the book.

MY LIFE

Well, I have a sense of humour, so imagine how I felt when I went to the cashier of a garage forecourt with a voucher for 19 pence off every litre of petrol  just bought. I said to her ,'I think you will owe me some money' Not a glimmer of a smile  passed her lips.

So busy in the Out Patients department today, all worthwhile when a patient said to me Thank you for being so kind.

Night,Night.

Facebook address

For those who wanted my face book address, here it is.

facebook.com/joygerken

Thought for the day

Nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care!

An update on my work in progress novel.

Hello my fellow bloggers,

Just a line or two to tell you how things are progressing.
Quite honestly not as well as I would like. I spend a considerable amount of time twittering, on line and otherwise.

Therefor I must be more disciplined with myself, and arrive at my computer each day with a determination to follow the target set.
It could be to write 1000 words each day, I tried that and found it took me to long.
Writing 500 for me is more realistic, until it comes to settling down to it. Along with each busy day,I don't do it, as there is always something else that needs urgent attention.
It's not as though the book bores me as it's tense and exciting.It spans the years of a young girl's life which develop to an amazing one as a women, She eventually finds the work she wants to be involved with.

She becomes a Special Operations Executive,  one of Churchill's secret army.

I have reached the part where she has been dropped behind enemy lines in France, and is starting on her missions.

So as I have no excuse, I am about to settle into it again right now.

A QUOTE

Live as if you were to die tomorrow.
Learn as if you were to live forever.

Mahatma Gandhi.

I experienced a number of difficulties when writing my first book. There never seemed to be enough hours in the day to be able to sit, contemplate and then get the words in my head onto the paper.

When I did eventually finish writing the story,or should I say thought I had finished it, I got such a shock to see the number of rejections encountered.
I should have had more sense, than to think I was good enough to be published. The only ray of hope I had and that which spurred me on to continue writing was when the short story, first written was thought to be good enough for me to send them the full manuscript. As eluded to before, I expanded the work which has now become my first novel. Figs,Vines and Roses.

I had so many rejections that I nearly gave up altogether. Then I asked for some help from my daughters boyfriend and my stepson. They were good enough to help me through the process of getting it published as an ebook.Then I sat back and thought all would be well and that those other than family and friends would read and hopefully enjoy the content. I tried to find my way around establishing how many I had sold and how on earth would I get paid, well I need not have fretted about that as I sold few and was paid virtually nothing. My expectations and the realisation of being the novice I was, shocked me into understanding that it does not work like that, and that as an unknown writer who wants promotion you had to do it yourself.

The first step I took to achieving this was to have the manuscript professionally proof read.
This of course had to be paid for. The same company Silverwood books Ltd. of Bristol U.K.then went on to help with the finished product. It was then uploaded onto Amazon Kindle, WHSmith Kobo Gardeners and IBookstore.

I love to write and with or without success I shall continue to carry on doing so. In my next blog I will tell you a little of the work in progress on my second novel, a completely different genre to the first.

Figs, Vines and Roses

I began writing Figs, Vines and Roses, over two years ago. The book started life as a short story, which was sent to a London publisher. They liked it and asked me to send the full manuscript.

After establishing that it was not a book but a short story, I ended up in saying that it could possibly be made into a full length tale. I hasten to add that I really did not know what I was letting myself in for.

Eighteen months later the manuscript was complete, or so I thought. I had it proof read and realised after reading the report on suggested changes that I still had a mountain to climb. I spent most of the summer of 2013 making these changes, which have now resulted in the finished book being published.

It tells the story of love, loss and sadness at the turn of the nineteenth century. The huge divide between rich and poor is well documented, describing the wealthy family from which our heroine comes and the poverty that the man she falls in love with endures.

The short story previously eluded to was for a competition run by The Lady magazine. My story was not successful in the competition, but because the remit was to write a love story entwined with a National Trust property, and I had spent many hours researching Sissinghurst Castle in Kent, my chosen property, I continued to pursue a publisher. A friend came with me and we took photographs and walked the grounds until we felt there was enough material for me to work on, hence the published book. 

Buy the eBook at Amazon and Barnes&Noble

Welcome to My Blog

My name is Joy M. Lilley, I came to writing in the autumn of 2008 when I first retired from a long career in the nursing profession.

I have a husband, three step children, one son and six grandchildren. I’m not sure how it could be possible, but I also have three great grandchildren. As you can imagine Christmas time and other celebratory occasions are busy and getting ever more expensive. However the advantages of having a large family far outweigh the disadvantages.

Although retired, I now find myself working in a busy District General Hospital Out-Patients department. I had always missed bedside nursing after I acquired a middle management post in administration, in which I spent the last twenty years of my employment. The satisfaction now felt in working a few hours each week and having the chance to talk with patients and colleagues is so gratifying.

Joining the United Kingdom’s Rock Choir, has given me a chance not only to make new friends, but to be able to sing a variety of songs from rock to gospel, and popular music. We have had the opportunity to sing in the great venues of London including the O2 Arena, Wembley Stadium, and the latest mission just before Christmas 2013 was to sing on the B.B.C’s evening  The One Show.

Reading, swimming, dancing and enjoying the theatre are also hobbies of mine.

Please follow me at Twitter and friend me at facebook