Well where did that 4 weeks go I ask myself? Got back last night after a brilliant holiday and a foul journey back (don't try to get round Paris in the rush hour, especially not in monsoon conditions). Handled the journeys well both ways and stayed on 5mgs throughout after a couple of abortive attempts to reduce to 4.5mgs. Laying on the beach, aching everywhere wasn't on my list of 'things to do' while we were away, so soon scrapped that idea. I'll be spending the next couple of days catching up with all the news on here and would love to know how you got on Pauline during your trip to Mazarron. Did you buy? If you did we could be neighbours soon!! One amazing fact while we were away, last year I found out my next door neighbour Jesus had PMR and this trip I find that my opposite neighbour now also has PMR. What are the chances of three people, one Brit, one Spaniard and one French, living withing 10 yards of each other, suffering the same illness? Something in the air? I'm intrigued. The French lady is so poorly just now that she had to cancel her summer trip, so I wasn't able to talk to her personally. Anyway, enough of my ramblings, unpacking to do, washing to sort and a my Granddaughter's 18th birthday to celebrate :gift:
Looking forward to talking to you all again and hoping that life has been treating you all well.
Love from Lizzie Ellen xxx
Hi Lizzie-Ellen,
Welcome back, and glad you survived the traffic in Paris. I never drove when I lived there as it was just TOOOOO scary :lol:
I hope you really enjoyed your month in Spain.
We had a lovely time in Puerto la Mazarron and had fabulous sunshine every day.
I was quite stiff and sore when we arrived but improved with the heat, though I had to go back up to 40mgs pred and 20 of MTX after I got home as my wrist and knee joints were swollen and could hardly lift a cup, so my rheumy decided that we needed to treat the rheumatoid symtoms aggressively. I'm down to 30 of pred again now and so far nothing has swolen again so fingers crossed that all is back on track.
We saw several apartments when we were over, but really fell in love with one that a friend from our golf club is selling on the La Torre resort. We have checked out everthing with our solicitor in Spain, and, unlike some of the other Polaris resorts, La Torre is finished and there is a consortium of banks now in charge. We have got our NIE numbers, so all we are waiting for now is the contract to be drawn up and all being well we will be the new owners in early September.
It is a two bed apartment with a lovely bright living area. Two pools just outside the front and 5 minutes walk to the bars/ restaurants and supermarket. It is only a 15 minute drive to the airport and San Javier, with the Mar Menor beaches just a short drive aswell. Our friends that are selling have a villa there, as do another couple from our golf club, so we are already making plans to all get out there at the same time for a party 8) . I think my friend Evelyn is nearly as excited as us, as Deborah doesn't play golf,so now she will have me to play with.
So that is all my news...am trying to make myself learn some spanish now as at present it only stretches to \"uno vino blanco\" :wink:
Love,
Pauline.
Hola Pauline 8)
Wow! Congratulations, you must be very excited. We passed La Torre a couple of weeks ago on our way to Bullas (a small town with a Bodega that sells some of our favourite wines, so we always go and stock up when we drive down :redwine: ) We're less that 30 miles from La Torre so hopefully you'll be able to pay us a visit sometime 8) Sorry to hear that you've had a flare-up, you're problems are obviously much more serious than mine, but I'm pleased you found the sunshine helpful. I felt very alive most of the time I was away, just a couple of duff days, but nothing awful. Just a little reminder 
I was expecting to feel very tired today but so far not too bad. We had an amazing drive through the Pyrenees on Sunday followed by a beautiful drive through France on Monday. Yesterday we were 13 hours in the car with the huge jams in Paris, the M25 and the M3 making for a very boring journey. Bit achy now, but nothing to moan about. Anyway, keep me posted on the purchase of your lovely home in the sun. Sounds fabulous. We keep talking about spending more time in our villa but we still have family commitments so we can't just now. I just know I would feel good a lot of the time. I did loads of gardening and hardly had a twinge, I only have to look out of the window here and everything hurts :wah:
Take care
Love from Lizzie Ellen xx
Pauline - the most important words in any language (except uno vino blanco or its equivalent) are \"I don't understand\" and \"I'm sorry but I don't speak ... very well\". Once you can manage a few sentences the use of the second always makes even the French friendly and helpful and the first irons out the \"OMG - WHAT did they just say\" moments. :wink: :lol:
It sounds perfect 8)
It looks like we could start a mainland Europe support group and meet up at yours :lol:
Eileen
Hi Lizzie Ellen
Welcome back and glad to hear you didnt need to resort to a higher doseage and had a great time
I am sure I would be better if I lived in the sun !! The weather here has been sooooo bad !
I had to go from 2 to 4 and am now trying to go to 3.5 but very slowly
Have good days and bad days My wrists have been playing up a bit lately in the mornings ( something new for me ) ! so dont know
Rhodes on September and when I look out at the moment I dont think I will see the sun before then ! The sun was shining when we came back from Majorca 2nd July but dont think its shone since !!
Hope you continue to feel OK after your journey
Mrs G
Hi Eileen & all,
I agree with you Eileen...another necessary phrase ( for me at least) is \"where are the nearest toilets ?\":roll: :lol: .
My problem is that I have fairly reasonable French, learnt a bit of Italian a few years ago and am getting all my languages mixed up :?
Bizarrely, every time I am on a higher dose of steroids, 30 at present, I seem to dream \"au Francais\" all the time. It is most strange, as I don't have any reason to use french on a daily basis except during term time when I am helping my daughter with homework, and I appear to be far more fluent at 3am than I ever am during the day :lol: .
Maybe it is ANOTHER steroid effect.....but could do with dreaming in Spanish instead :wink:
I have my Spanish CD in the car to practice my pronunciation so am driving all my passengers scatty with my practice :oops:
We are really excited by the prospect of being able to hop on a plane whenever we want and have a home-from-home for the colder months here...only problem I can foresee is that I might want to stay there permanently :lol:
Love to all,
Pauline
Yes - know just what you mean about the languages getting mixed up! My Italian is language no 3 (English is obviously first and pretty much perfect, she said modestly, and my German is also very good - should be by now) but Italian is still a bit hands and feetish. I can, however, hold a longish conversation with friendly natives who are forgiving and helpful :wink: :roll: But anything in French now is so embarrassing! I know what I want to say but will it come out? However - we had a pleasant few days around the Monaco area and I didn't totally disgrace myself :oops: I do dream in German sometimes! Spanish scares me :oops:
Wanting to move there permanently isn't a problem is it - or if it is it's a nice one :lol: 8) We are about to move permanent residence to Italy - enjoying a bit of aversion therapy to the UK at present - this weather is just NOT funny! Mind you, northern Italy isn't a lot better either but a foray further south to warm rain is easier :wink:
Eileen