In all my twenty-six years at QVC, the longest period of time I’ve ever been off your TV screens is twenty-four days and that was for our wedding and honeymoon last year, so I must confess to feeling a little weird today. It’s my last day on-air for at least eight weeks, as I am taking a couple of weeks of annual leave to prepare me for my ankle operation on 29th January. I’m not yet sure if we will go away anywhere… I haven’t wanted to book anything, as there is a lot of sickness among the presenters at QVC at the moment and I want to be sure I would be well enough to travel. It’s no big deal for me to book something late. You will have read on my recent blog that last year’s January trip to Mauritius was booked on the Friday before we travelled on the Monday!!! We’ll see what happens.
To be honest, it has been pretty full-on for me recently with a house full over Christmas and then on-air at QVC for ten of the past twelve days, so I think it would probably be a good thing to have a break to get myself strong both mentally and physically to hopefully speed my recovery. It will also give me time to do my physiotherapy exercises, which will be vital post-surgery as well. It was so lovely to chat to both Marjolein, our Pilates expert, and Bruce from Bodyblade who reassured me that the surgery would improve my life.
Currently I’m suffering quite a lot of backache from the hours of standing predominantly on my right leg, so it’ll be great to be able to evenly distribute my weight across both my legs. I’ll definitely be using both pieces of equipment in my rehabilitation programme once the surgeon has given me the all clear to start exercising.
Although I won’t be on-air, I will still be writing some blogs so do keep in touch on here.
Christmas now seems a distant memory and in fact, unusually for me, I took the decorations down a couple of days early. We had had the odd-looking reindeer hat (a Secret Santa present from last year’s presenter Christmas lunch) on the newel post in our family room, and the minute I replaced it, guess who took its place.
Actually, Wilfie exercised extreme control in not playing with the baubles as they came off the tree. Although it looked bare without the decorations it did feel the right time and gave the feeling of a fresh new start to the year and the decade. I always leave one Christmas decoration out though and this year it is the ‘believe’ bauble with the white feather inside.
Which reminds me, my Diamonique ‘white feather’ bracelet is now back in stock after selling out on its debut in October – here’s the link if you were disappointed to have missed it then.
It was my daughter Sophie’s birthday on Wednesday and we took her and her family and our son Dan and his girlfriend, Katie, to dinner at a lovely little Italian restaurant that Dan and Katie had discovered called La Sorrentina in nearby Sunninghill. We weren’t going to bother booking as it was a Wednesday night in January, but it’s a good job we did as it was packed to the rafters! So much so, that I didn’t feel I could ask the staff to take a photo of us all so here’s one of Sophie with her proud parents from our wedding.
And here is one of her as a little girl… such special memories. I feel so blessed to have two wonderful children.
After dinner, it was back to ours for cards, pressies and chocolate birthday cake – the traditional heart-shaped one, so symbolic of the way I feel towards my family.
So my final hours on-air before my break will all be presenting fashion. I have two hours with the lovely Glen Campbell at 3 p.m. on the main channel and 6 p.m. on the Style channel and Fashion on Friday at 5 p.m. will be WynneLayers with Melissa Hardy. There is a MarlaWynne Big Deal this week on the Style Channel, and talking of Big Deals, have you seen the Copper Stone pans offer this week? I made great use of them over Christmas and they are fabulous for omelettes, which I’ll be having for my dinner tonight.
Just before I finish, can I point you towards ordering early on the Liz Earle TSV if you’re a fan. The Overnight Restore Collection went on pre-order on our website on Wednesday and has already been hugely popular. As well as two versions of the iconic Cleanse and Polish, Instant Boost Skin Tonic (my fave) and Skin Repair, which is the only choice you need to make, there is the Cica Restore Paste… perfect for dry, irritated skin at this time of year.
And very finally, I didn’t manage to get yesterday’s TSV bird feeder up in time to take photos, but it’s up now, which I’m sure the birds will be happy about. That, and the ‘new improved’ Richard Jackson bird food should keep the feathered friends in my garden happy even if we do get the promised cold snap.
I’ll try and blog in a couple of weeks.
Much love,
Julia xx
36 Responses
Hi Julia just want to wish you good luck with your operation,hope all goes well, am sure it will. I have the same lamp that is behind Wilfie,another Qvc purchase!! Look forward to seeing you when you return to work. X
Good luck. X
Going to miss your blogs, specially the cat and football bits! Be calm. Be well. Be back! Best, SheMag x
Hi Julia good luck for your op. I had 2 lots of surgery beg of last year to remove lymph nodes fron under my arm. I was able to use my body blade & Pilates about 5-6 weeks after ops. I’d had intensive physio & they gave me the go ahead & there was no stopping me…. Couldn’t have got back to normal health without them. What a godsend. Lots of luck …. Will miss you. Liz xxx
Good luck Julia will miss not seeing you on qvc for a while hope all goes well and you keep free from all the germs around I like all my family are just recovering from it my 2 small grandchildren were full of cold but I think mine was a touch of flu. Anyway enjoy your time off. Our son gets married on the 26th January so we are looking forward to that . Much love Loraine xxx
Good luck Julia, I hope all goes well for you. X
Good luck hope all goes well x
Enjoy your rest and best wishes for a speedy recovery after your op.
Andrea x
You’ll be missed! My highlight of the week is fashion on Friday! Hope everything goes well and look forward to seeing you back in a couple of months! xx
Hi Julia I hope all goes well. Elaine
Good luck xx
Hi Julia, good luck for your upcoming operation and best wishes for a speedy recovery. Don’t come back to work too early, just make sure you are ready. We will all be here waiting for your return.
Here’s to a speedy recovery after your much needed operation.Will really miss your great presentations.Also absolutely love your crime books,cannot wait for the third one.
Hi Julia all the best wishes for a speedy recovery after your op hopefully it will give you all you need to improve your health and strength, take the time off to relax and pamper yourself you deserve it
Good luck with the operation Julia and I hope you have a speedy recovery. xx
Wishing you good luck and a good recovery after your operation. Will miss you on QVC as I am a constant viewer but look forward to you being back in good health. Take care hugs to you
Hi Julia, Thank you for your lovely blog. And good luck with your operation. Best wishes
Antoinette x
Good Luck Julia hope all goes well x
Hi Julia, you are so right to get yourself both mentally and physically ready for your op to speed up your recovery – it really does help. I did this for an op and surprised myself with how well i recovered. Wishing you all the best for your operation – we shall miss you. Also loving your feather bracelet – it looked great with the Frank Usher top. Good luck and all the best xx
Good luck Julia. It will be hard going (I’m a specialist orthopaedic radiographer…well was as now retired) and as such I’ve seen many foot /ankle procedures. I suffer with backache for standing on one leg predominantly (due to my own orthopaedic issue🥴j so hope you get rebalanced. Will really miss your face on the tv as been with you since the beginning also. As they say over the border 🏴 “haste he back” xxx
Will be thinking of you on the 29th. Good luck
Hi Julia, good luck with your OP, I’m sure everything will be fine, and in less pain ,looking forward to seeing you back on the Q ,take care love Linda F xx
Hi Julia
Sorry to hear you won’t be at the Q for a while, but I’m sure the surgery will make all the difference to you. You are my favourite presenter bar none & I will miss your banter, esp with Glen…. what a double act!! So all the very best for your operation & do keep us posted on progress.
Love
Linda xx
Hi Julia
Good idea preparing yourself for your operation, one good tip for your stay in hospital, although don’t know how long you will be there for…you may need to have an injection in your tummy, I had to have one every day for 30 days following my ankle/leg surgery. I took a small lock & lock container with Arnica Gel into hospital and about an hour before the injection was due rubbed some on my tummy. It really helped with the bruising, as you inject alternate sides each time. Really does help take it from me.
Will miss not seeing you, but as you said you will still be posting with your progress and will await to see how you are doing, be patient and you’ll be fine.
Wishing you all the luck in the world!
love
Annette x
All the very best for the operation Julia. You will be much missed, no doubt. Take care. xx
Good luck Julia xx
Dear Julia, whatever you end up doing, enjoy your 2 weeks pre-op. I hope everything goes well with the op and speedy recovery. Warmest wishes xx
Best of luck with your op. Hope all goes well. Keep strong, determined and patient😊
Hiya Julia, wishing you all the best with your ankle op.
Thinking of you on the 29th and a speedy recovery.
Elizabeth 💕
Take care hope you have quick.recovery take care
Good luck with your op Julia. Wishing you a speedy recovery. Take care.
Hi Julia thinking of you good luck speedy recovery xx
Hi julia good luck with your operation from Geraldine carron
Hi Julia,
Good Luck and wishing you a speedy recovery. Will miss you on Fashion on Friday.
Best Wishes
Sue
Good luck with you operation Julia, I have had two knee replacements in the last two years I feel you pain. Onwards and upwards to a pain free lift. Best wishes x
Hi Julia ,wishing you good luck with your ankle operation and here’s to a speedy recovery ,hope you had a fab time on your hols ,Much love ,Denise .