Single Mum's On Tour, Buttermere YHA.

My friend and I, along with our two eight year old daughter's recently stayed at Buttermere, in the Lake District.  It was our first experience of staying in a hostel and I must admit a great time was had by all.

After a disastrous night spent camping, due to torrential rain and cold winds, we rang the Youth Hostel Association and were informed there was a family room available at Buttermere.

On arrival we found the staff were very friendly and accommodating, especially after we explained we were novices and this was our first time staying in a hostel.

We must have looked cold and hungry as almost immediately they asked us if we would be dining in the restaurant, they also informed us that children under ten dine for free in the evenings.
We were astounded, as very few places offer such a generous service in this day and age in the UK. We were also informed that an adult three course meal would cost us a mere £11.95 per head, which again isn't bad going at all especially as we were on a tight budget.

The kids and Ruth devoured home made soup, traditional Cumberland sausages with mashed potatoes along with chocolate pudding and custard for dessert. I chose the vegetarian option which was a soft flour tortilla with vegetarian bean chilli and salad and sticky toffee pud with custard for afters.There was plenty of other choices on the menu on offer also.

Our room was spacious, clean, warm, and friendly with two sets of bunk beds. Just along the corridor were three shower rooms and the loos which were immaculately maintained. Other facilities available were a laundry, drying room and self service kitchen.

The hostel itself is in an idyllic setting just a few minutes walk outside Buttermere village itself. The hostel is set into the hillside above the lake, the views are absolutely breath taking.

There is no wifi in this majestic place and quite frankly you don't need it.  Its the kind of place a weary traveller lays their head, its for quiet contemplation before setting off for a challenging climb, its the place you would come to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life. A place for total relaxation, when you need to unwind without the temptation to have a quick look at Facebook or a game on the X Box.

 I  recently read an article which stated if you dropped your camera in Buttermere and the shutter clicked you couldn't take a bad picture. I have to say I totally agree. It's beautiful.

We could tell the staff at Buttermere YH, were well used to dealing with the short attention spans of children. Our girls were given an array of board games, although well used and slightly battered they had lovingly been replaced back in their boxes by previous little traveller's wanting to set a good example. This made the games even more endearing.
The girls were also introduced to the hostels bookcase in the lounge. (any place that has an Ian Banks novel and Roald Dahl, sitting on its shelf gets the thumbs up from me).

The girls took great delight in trying to catch some ewes that had wandered down from the hills behind us and in playing up to a young Chinese couple who were sitting quietly on the bench outside the hostel sipping a glass of wine, whilst watching the mist slowly roll down the fells.

 They were also captivated by a middle aged couple from Santa Monica, California, who had just returned from climbing the mountain Skidaw. My daughter wanted to know if they wore cowboy hats at home and rode bulls..for some strange reason. They were also mesmerised by an elderly gentleman's tales of  his many visits over his lifetime to the lake district.
This was not just an overnight stay in a remote valley, it was an education and social experience for us all.

The lake district holds many hidden treasures after all this is where the birthplace of the great poet Wordsworth is,  in the neighbouring town of  Cockermouth and bestselling children's author Beatrix Potter- Haweshead.

It's a place where you can pack a picnic, hire a rowing boat and sail over to one of the many little islands on one of the lakes and let your imagination run free. We became Jack Sparrow for the day with his pirates, its not hard to see why it has inspired so many before.

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay with the Youth Hostel Association so much so, that I signed myself up this morning for a family membership.

A big thank you to all the staff at Buttermere for making our stay so special and memorable.

http://www.yha.org.uk/

http://www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/visiting/planyourvisit/informationcentres

Chasing A Butterfly, My Battle With Graves Disease.

I was diagnosed in September 2013 with acute thyroidtoxicosis secondary Graves Disease.  My doctor's initial diagnosis was acute thyroiditis I was then referred to my local hospital for a scan of my neck where the thyroid is located and the result of the of scan showed I have a problem with the gland.  A further blood test discovered I have anti bodies in my blood that are indicative of Graves Disease.

I have to admit when the consultant told me I had the disease I was relieved because I had at times started to wonder If I had a terminal illness.
The diagnosis came as a relief.

I had felt unwell since Christmas 2012 when I developed an infection in my left lung, which put me in my bed for a week within days of my recovery I developed a sore throat and inner ear infection  I wasn't sure if this was due to a broken tooth so I went to the dentist, who removed my wisdom tooth . 24 hours later I developed an infection in the wound.  I was in agony and I ended up in A & E for extra pain relief and antibiotics.

A week after the infection in mouth my little girl came home from school with a diarrhoea and sickness bug, which I immediately caught from her.  From then on, I never really fully recovered.   I was constantly tired and agitated I had also started experiencing severe mood swings.

By July,  I felt totally exhausted, my joints and muscles had became very weak, and all I wanted to do was lie down for most of the day.

 I was also loosing weight rapidly, that's me in the centre with my sister and niece.

I would take my seven year old daughter to school and return home to lie on the sofa as I didn't have the strength for anything else.

 Life was becoming impossible, my home was untidy, I had laundry piling up, and I couldn't walk my dogs.   It took everything I had to look after my daughter get her out of bed,  take her to school,  push something into the microwave or slow-cooker for dinner then down I would collapse on the sofa again.

I was becoming very depressed.  I felt so unwell and after repeated visits to my doctor I finally asked her  for antidepressants.  They were very good, as in they got me off the sofa,  but my symptoms seemed to magnify,  they hit me like a bull dozer and at times I truly thought I was dying. Looking back the anti depressants probably caused a severe adverse effect. As I was probably in the midst of a thyroid storm.

I retuned to see my doctor again,  this time I asked her if she would test my blood to see if I had started the menopause.
It was then that it discovered that I have a problem with my thyroid. I was referred for the scan and shortly after  I attended an appointment with the endocrine team.

As August marched on so did my disease. One morning I was putting laundry into the machine when I became so overwhelmed by fatigue that I had to sit down on to the floor.  I thought it would be easier for me to load the machine and rest at the same time,  the laundry had to be done.   When I tried to get back up I couldn't. I tried to pull myself up but my muscles were too weak. Luckily a neighbour called round and helped me..

I also started having problems climbing the stairs because my legs felt like lead weights and by the time I would reach the top, I would be gasping for breath.  My doctor and consultant tell me this is my over-active thyroid effecting my heart, making it work faster..

The worst part of the disease in those early days was the shaking.  My whole nervous system felt like it was in  pieces. My family and friends were convinced I had Parkinson's disease as my head and hands at times shook so badly.  It was very distressing not just for myself but my family also.

Looking back the saddest part of it all was my little girl, wishing that I was an active mummy like all the other mummy's.

Twelve months on from diagnoses

Well I'm much better I'm pleased to say,   it's been a tough journey and I'm fully aware its not over yet.

I've gone from having an extremely over-active thyroid to a extremely under-active one to finally just in the last couple of weeks or so its starting to stabilise. Thank goodness.

 Under active in the pic above, gaining weight and continuously tired.

I'm told by my consultant that he would like to see my thyroid function tests stable for at least another six months before he will consider reducing my medication. ( I'm not looking forward to that!!)

I was started on Carbimazole which blocks the natural function of the thyroid a small does allows some of the hormones come through.  Unfortunately it didn't work for me all.  My thyroid function tests were all over the place.

I'm now on  a block and replace program. That basically means that my thyroid is blocked with Carbimazole, completely and I take a synthetic hormone to replace it.  It does seem to be working although the joint and muscle pain is still there and the fatigue still comes and goes, but its not half as bad as it was just a few weeks ago. I'm not sure how this will last.

I've had tough time with thyroxine the synthetic hormone,  when its been  increased I have felt dreadful.  It does seem to pass though once the medication starts to builds up in my system. Unfortunately thyroid medication takes a while to work I've discovered.

There's been times where I have been in tears on the phone to my endocrine consultant.  I have to admit he has been very helpful and very sympathetic. I'm not a patient, patient I have always loved being active and busy.  Learning how to pace myself or suffer the consequences is the story of my life. "learning the hard way"

It was my own decision to seek a psychological help which has helped me immensely.  Its great to have someone to talk too who understands the disease. It's very hard for family and friends to understand how thyroid disease works and at time they can become very frustrated themselves. Theres no shame in speaking with a professional therapist. They can really help.

At the moment my psychologist is teaching me about meditation and how to pace myself. I am also discovering the best things to eat and what not to eat. Take for instance caffeine and alcohol. I don't tolerate them very well at all, unfortunately!

I've been camping recently back to the lake district where I lived as a child.  It was heavenly, sitting by the edge of the lake watching my daughter play. I also had a night out for my birthday, the first one in two years.  Friends took me to see Chaka Chan I had four glasses of champagne and a dance. I was incapacitated for three days after. Lesson learnt. No alcohol or one at the most and one dance only next birthday.

I also returned to work in July just on a relief basis only, as and when needed. Its lovely to get back into the land of living. I'm hoping to go from strength to strength.

This post is written for Invisible Illness Awareness week

 Below is some information on Graves Disease

A project of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women's Health

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What is Graves' disease?

Graves' disease is an autoimmune disease that affects the thyroid. The thyroid is a small gland in the front of the neck. It makes hormones called T3 and T4 that regulate how the body uses energy. Thyroid hormone levels are controlled by the pituitary, which is a pea-sized gland in the brain. It makes thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), which triggers the thyroid to make thyroid hormone.
With Graves' disease, the immune system makes antibodies that act like TSH, causing the thyroid to make more thyroid hormone than your body needs. This is called an overactive thyroid or hyperthyroidism. An overactive thyroid causes every function of the body to speed up, such as heart rate and the rate your body turns food into energy. Graves' disease is one cause of overactive thyroid. It is closely related to Hashimoto's disease, another autoimmune disease affecting the thyroid.

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What are the symptoms of Graves' disease?

Most people with Graves' disease have symptoms of an overactive thyroid, such as:

• Goiter (enlarged thyroid)
• Trouble sleeping
• Irritability or nervousness
• Heat sensitivity, increased sweating
• Hand tremors
• Rapid heartbeat
• Thinning of skin or fine, brittle hair
• Frequent bowel movements
• Weight loss without dieting
• Fatigue or muscle weakness
• Lighter menstrual flow and less frequent

• Eye changes. For some people with Graves' disease, the tissue behind the eyes becomes inflamed and swells. This can cause bulging or discomfort in one or both eyes. Sometimes it affects vision. Eye symptoms can occur before, at the same time, or after other symptoms of Graves' disease begin. It may rarely occur in people with normal thyroid function. We do not know why these eye problems occur. They are more common in people who smoke, and smoking makes eye symptoms worse. Eye problems often get better without treatment.
• Reddening and thickening of the skin, often on the shins and tops of the feet. This rare skin problem is not serious and is usually painless. Most people with this skin problem also have eye problems from Graves' disease.

Symptoms of Graves' disease can occur slowly or very suddenly and are sometimes confused with other health problems. Some people with Graves' disease do not have any symptoms.

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Who gets Graves' disease?

Both men and women can get Graves' disease. But it affects women 10 times more often than men. Graves' disease occurs in people of all ages, but most often starts in the 20s and 30s. People who get Graves' disease often have family members who have thyroid or other autoimmune diseases. People who get Graves' disease sometimes have other autoimmune diseases, such as:

• Vitiligo (vit-ihl-EYE-goh) — a disease that destroys the cells that give your skin its color
• Rheumatoid arthritis  — a disease that affects the lining of the joints throughout the body
• Addison's disease — a disease that affects the adrenal glands, which make hormones that help your body respond to stress and regulate your blood pressure and water and salt balance
• Type 1 diabetes — a disease that causes blood sugar levels to be too high
• Pernicious (pur-NISH-uhss) anemia — a disease that keeps your body from absorbing vitamin B12 and making enough healthy red blood cells
• Lupus — a disease that can damage many parts of the body, such as the joints, skin, blood vessels, and other organs

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What causes Graves' disease?

Many factors are thought to play a role in getting Graves' disease. These might include:

• Genes. Some people are prone to Graves' disease because of their genes. Researchers are working to find the gene or genes involved.
• Gender. Sex hormones might play a role, and might explain why Graves' disease affects more women than men.
• Stress. Severe emotional stress or trauma might trigger the onset of Graves' disease in people who are prone to getting it.
• Pregnancy. Pregnancy affects the thyroid. As many as 30 percent of young women who get Graves' disease have been pregnant in the 12 months prior to the onset of symptoms. This suggests that pregnancy might trigger Graves' disease in some women.
• Infection. Infection might play a role in the onset of Graves' disease, but no studies have shown infection to directly cause Graves' disease.

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How do I find out if I have Graves' disease?

Most people with Graves' disease have symptoms that are bothersome. If you have symptoms of Graves' disease, your doctor will do an exam and order one or more tests. Tests used to help find out if you have Graves' disease include:

• Thyroid function tests. A blood sample is sent to a lab to see if your body has the right amount of thyroid hormone (T4) and TSH. A high level of thyroid hormone in the blood plus a low level of TSH is a sign of overactive thyroid. Sometimes, routine screening of thyroid function reveals mild overactive thyroid in a person without symptoms. In such cases, doctors might suggest treatment or watchful waiting to see if levels return to normal.
• Radioactive iodine uptake (RAIU). An RAIU tells how much iodine the thyroid takes up. The thyroid takes up iodine and uses it to make thyroid hormone. A high uptake suggests Graves' disease. This test can be helpful in ruling out other possible causes of overactive thyroid.
• Antibody tests. A blood sample is sent to a lab to look for antibodies that suggest Graves' disease.

Graves'disease can be hard to diagnose during pregnancy because it has many of the same symptoms as normal pregnancy, like fatigue and heat intolerance. Also, some lab tests can be harder to interpret. Plus, doctors cannot use RAIU during pregnancy to rule out other causes.

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How is Graves' disease treated?

There are 3 main treatments for Graves' disease:

• Antithyroid medicine. Two drugs are used in the United States:
  • Methimazole (meh-THEYE-muh-zohl), or MMI (brand name,Tapazole
  • Propylthiouracil (PROH-puhl-theye-oh-YUR-uh-sil), or PTU
  These drugs keep the thyroid from making too much thyroid hormone. MMI is the preferred drug for most non-pregnant people. These drugs are generally not used for more than 1 or 2 years. For some people, thyroid function returns to normal when the drugs are stopped. But for most people, the overactive thyroid comes back.

• Radioactive iodine (RAI). The thyroid gland uses iodine to make thyroid hormone. With this treatment, you swallow a pill that contains RAI, which is a form of iodine that damages the thyroid by giving it radiation. The RAI destroys thyroid cells so that less thyroid hormone is made. This cures the overactive thyroid. But you will likely need to take thyroid hormone for the rest of your life to replace the needed thyroid hormone your body can no longer make. RAI has been used for a long time and does not harm other parts of the body or cause infertility or birth defects.

• Surgery. Most or all the thyroid is removed. As with RAI, surgery cures overactive thyroid. But you will need to take thyroid hormone to replace the needed thyroid hormone your body can no longer make.

Besides one of these 3 treatments, your doctor might also suggest you take a type of drug called a beta-blocker. Beta-blockers do not affect how much thyroid hormone is made. Rather, they block the action of thyroid hormone on your body. This slows down your heart rate and reduces symptoms such as shaking and nervousness. Beta-blockers work quickly and can help you feel better while waiting for the main treatment to take effect.
The treatment that is best for you will depend on many factors. Antithyroid drugs and RAI — or a mix of both — often are preferred. During and after treatment, your doctor will want to monitor your thyroid hormone levels. Ask how often you need to be seen for follow-up visits.

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What could happen if Graves' disease is not treated?

Without treatment, Graves' disease can lead to heart problems, weak and brittle bones, and even death. “Thyroid storm” is a very rare, life-threatening condition that can occur if overactive thyroid is not treated. An acute stress, such as trauma, surgery, or infection, usually triggers it to occur. In pregnant women, untreated disease can threaten the mother and unborn baby's health.

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Does pregnancy affect the thyroid?

Normal hormone changes during pregnancy cause thyroid hormone levels to increase. The thyroid also may enlarge slightly in healthy women during pregnancy, but not enough to be felt. These changes do not affect the pregnancy or unborn baby. Yet, untreated thyroid problems can threaten pregnancy and the growing baby. Symptoms of normal pregnancy, like fatigue and feeling hot, can make it easy to overlook thyroid problems in pregnancy. So if you have symptoms of overactive thyroid or notice a goiter, make sure to tell your doctor.

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Do I need a thyroid test if I become pregnant?

Experts have not reached agreement on whether all pregnant women should be routinely screened for thyroid problems. Graves' disease rarely begins during pregnancy. Most women diagnosed with Graves' disease during pregnancy had symptoms of an overactive thyroid before getting pregnant.

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I have Graves' disease and want to have a baby. What should I do before I try to become pregnant?

Women who have been treated for Graves' disease can become pregnant. But make sure your pregnancy is planned. Graves' disease must be well-controlled before you get pregnant. This is because untreated or poorly treated Graves' disease can lead to problems for the mother, such as:

• Preeclampsia (pree-ee-CLAMP-see-uh)
• Preterm birth
• Placental abruption
• Miscarriage
• Heart failure

Untreated or poorly treated Graves' disease also can cause health problems for the baby, such as:

• Thyroid problems
• Preterm birth
• Low birth weight
• Stillbirth

Talk to your doctor about how to prepare for pregnancy or about birth control if you do not want to become pregnant. If you take antithyroid drugs and want to get pregnant, ask your doctor about treatment with radioactive iodine (RAI). Women treated with RAI at least 6 months before pregnancy don't need antithyroid drugs and can avoid exposing the unborn baby. If you have had RAI to treat Graves' disease, you should wait at least 6 months before getting pregnant. Your doctor also will need to watch your baby for thyroid-related problems that can occur later in the pregnancy.

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How is Graves' disease managed during pregnancy?

During pregnancy, you will need to see both your OB/GYN and an endocrinologist (en-doh-krih-NOL-uh-jist), a doctor who treats people with hormone problems. If you have had radioactive iodine (RAI) or surgery to treat Graves' disease in the past and become pregnant, tell your doctor. Your baby will need to be watched for thyroid-related problems that can occur later in the pregnancy. It is best to plan pregnancy so that Graves' disease is treated prior to conception.
Pregnancy may cause changes in hormones that affect the thyroid, and thyroid problems can affect a growing baby. For some women with Graves' disease, symptoms worsen in the first trimester, and then improve for the rest of the pregnancy. Symptoms often worsen again after delivery. For these reasons, the treatment needs of pregnant women with Graves' disease often change, and an experienced doctor is needed to manage your treatment during and after pregnancy.
Your doctor will check your thyroid hormone levels regularly. If antithyroid medicine is needed, PTU is usually prescribed in the first trimester, and MMI for the rest of the pregnancy. Thyroid surgery is rarely an option for pregnant women. And pregnant women cannot take RAI. Beta-blockers are sometimes prescribed for short-term use during the first few weeks of pregnancy to relieve Assistant Secretary for Health    at the U.S. Department of

Fantasies from the kitchen sink

The daffodils are blooming in my garden this morning and the sun is shining, i'ts a lovely spring day. While I was standing at my kitchen sink washing the dishes.....again! I was looking out at my garden through the window, at a big fat wood pigeon trying to cleanse itself  in my small modest bird bath. I got to thinking. Mainly about writing books and the people who write them. Famous people like models. Models hypothetically speaking of course. I was wondering if they write their own storys?. Did they like me borrow their mate Tracey's handouts from a previous English language course, then spend hours reading about the semicolon, brackets and dashes, the comma, exclamation and question marks......Probably not!. I mean they have perfumes to launch, photo shoots and botox clinics to attend. The gardener to pay. Unlike me who does the backbreaking job of gardening myself.  We did have Clive the Garden Angel for a while, godsend a tell ya, what that man could do in a garden in half an hour was fantastic!!!. I may look like something out of Shameless nowadays, but I have always had pride in my garden. It's quite splendid for a council estate in Gateshead. My own little piece of Suffolk in Tyne & Wear. It's amazing what a little bit hard work and a creative imagination can do.

Anyway back to famous models writing books. They probably already know all about English Language. I imagine they went to school, unlike me. It takes quite an astute mind to get on these days. 'Damn, I knew I should have got bigger breast implants'. So, why waste precious time writing your own books when you can hire those amazingly talented people, ghost writers. My question is: what happens when you have a book signing in Waterstones? and someone like me wanders up with a copy and says 'I used to be a model too you know'.  I can see the famous model looking at my Parka that I have worn for the past six years with envy. No question about that!. But, seriously, what happens when someone asks the supposed author uncomfortable awkward questions like, 'You must of had an amazing sense of achievement when you finished your last chapter?'. And 'can I say how beautifully written your last book was, the prose just blew me away, can I ask who inspired you?'. 'Do you use a particular softwear?. 'How many words are there in your Novel?'. Are they briefed?, that's my question. Do their publishers get them in the staff tea room in Waterstones, wipe the sweat from their brows with the tea towel, then take a large gulp of gin from their hip flask and hiss at the supposed author,  'For gods sake! don't mention the fact that you used Gerald the ghost writer, you stupid cow!. You paid him a hundred and fifty grand, hes off to South Africa with the wife and kids, forget you ever met him'. Or do they scream for 'Amanda' the PR girl, to stand at the back of the shop with prompt cards. 'Can you remember how to read luv?'. My imaginary publisher sounds more like Quentin Crisp than a suave George Clooney type in his black Armani suit. He's flown in specially from New York and wants to meet at the Ritz for drinks.... and things!!! after the book signing. But lets face it, it would be a nightmare wouldn't it, not for George but for the publisher and literary agents, the PR folk. I bet there's been a few tales like that along the way. I can see a screen play. Get writing someone quick. Actually, I can see George in the tea room of Waterstones waiting for me. He has a Parka fetish....bet you didn't know that haha!.

Well the house work is calling and the co-op is waiting.
There's a Shepard's pie to make for their tea's.
Rosie the dog has peed on the floor again
So I best clean it up, poor little me.
Chained to my fantasies from the kitchen sink.

Best tie a rope round my waist or I might just float out of the kitchen window.
 
Thanks so much for stopping by until the next time lol x

Asda and Slugs



I never did win the competition but here's a trip down memory lane anyway, what fun I had writing this xx : )

The time is getting closer for my competition entry to be sent in. I got the thumbs up from Judith, my mentor from Bridge Women's Project yesterday. I had to make a quick phone call to New Writing North, a query, being a newbie writer and never done anything like this before, I wasn't sure in what format I needed to send my story in. I was a nervous wreck making the call. I could hear myself rambling on and on and my nerves slowly kicking in. I have seen it on Twitter and on publishers web sites, your not allowed to ring them, they are like royalty and I'm the unworthy scribbler.

 After making the call I needed a large cup of coffee to steady my nerves, which I made and took out into the garden to drink. As I sat there looking at my half dead Lavatera, thinking to myself I must prune that or it will die, I got to thinking, what if I Won?, what if I actually Won?, or what if a publisher liked my story. My god! there would be no stopping me.

 All of a sudden I was there in the book aisle of Asda with my trolley half full, with their basic food range. Me with my greasy dyed blond hair and black roots, no make-up on, my Jam jar bottom glasses, wearing  my old faithful Parka. My usual everyday fashionable attire. No one would ever believe I once graced the pages of The Sun, The Star and The Sport Newspapers.

 Anyway there I am circling round and round the book aisle with my trolley, slowly sidling up to any poor unsuspecting shopper who is casually browsing through the books,  " excuse me pet" I would say in a meek little voice, "have you read that?" pointing to my book on the shelf,  "eeeeee it's fantastic", I would gush and "she's a Geordie ya knar from here, Gasteshead. A saw a on Lorraine the other mornin". whilst pushing my book into their hand and taking hold of their trolley at the same time, gently walking them away from the other books "she lives next to my friend, shiz lovely, a was gripped, gripped a tell ya, it's got sex in and murder n everything". I would whisper. Then as I took  another sip of my coffee, I notice the slugs have started eating my rhododendrons....the bastards!!!. I hate slugs, they once stripped my begonia's in one night, down to just stalks sticking out of the ground.  I'm off into fantasy land again. I'm back in the book aisle of Asda, and my Rachel (my eldest daughter) is marching towards me with two of her burly colleagues from the police. She's not very happy. 'Mutha,  Mutha' shes yelling, 'what ya doing?'. She looks like Lara croft, a brunette Barbie in uniform, with her two rottweilers by her side. 'The manager has rang us again', she scolds. 'do you know they have 125hrs CCTV footage of you trying to sell their customers your book?', and there's me looking all sheepish and sorry for myself. I'm crest fallen, being escorted out of Asda by my own daughter, still waving a copy of my novel in the air, grinning like a demented hyena.  I'm off to prune my poor Lavatera. I may be telling you in a couple of months time my story never got anywhere, but hey "we can always dream" : ). I'm also very honer ed and privileged to be promoting a couple of well known authors new books, over the next couple of weeks. Oh it's all exciting stuff. See ya soon and thanks so much for dropping by.