It was lovely to be back on QVC yesterday and this time, in the words of Take That, hopefully I’m ‘Back For Good’, with no more health absences in 2022. Funnily enough, my first three on-air guests had all been ‘victims’ on my Permission to Pry chats on my Instagram page last year: Sarah Booker, Alison O’Reilly and Imogen Connelly. I will restart Permission to Pry soon, as many of you have told me how much you enjoy getting to know more about our QVC guest presenters, but I’m just getting my feet back under the table first.
The trend continues this afternoon on Fashion on Friday with Melissa Hardy, who has also ‘opened up’ to me on P2P. Actually, I think Melissa might be a bit cross with me as I wore a brand new WynneLayers shirt (pictured above) for my return shows and we had lots of questions about it. It’s meant to be the first item on tonight’s show at 5pm, but I’m not sure how much stock there will be left, particularly in the ‘script’ option I wore, although it does also come in two plain colours.
It’s been a really good start to 2022 for me so far – I saw the new year in with Dan, Katie, Wilfie and Quin as Chris was working on New Year’s Eve. We were quite relieved that his gig was still on as he’d already had two cancellations in December – it really has been a difficult two years for self-employed people in the entertainment industry, but hopefully things will improve this year.
So, a sociable start, which continued with hosting Sophie’s family for lunch on January 2nd, a lunch date with my friend Denise and her partner, Steve, at their house on January 3rd and another lunch date on January 5th with my friend, Tricia, and her husband. Tricia and I have known each other since we worked together as dancers in a summer show in Jersey in 1975… that’s forty-seven years!!!
This photo of us, with my two cats at the time, Dylan and Charlie, was taken in 1985 shortly after Chris and I had bought our first house together. If I remember rightly, the two-bedroom semi-detached house in Upper Norwood cost £45,000 – you wouldn’t get much for that price these days!!
The same day we met up with Tricia, I also had my first post-op brain scan and was relieved and delighted to hear that there is no sign of the pituitary gland tumour that I had removed last October. Hopefully, that means that my amazing neurosurgeon, Mr Simon Cudlip, managed to get it all, which initially he didn’t think he had. My next scan is in six months and that might reveal more as apparently any residual post-op swelling should have calmed down by then, but both he and I are feeling very optimistic.
So, a really good start to the year health-wise and my right eye is behaving itself so far too. I’m now down to four medicated eye drops a day (I was initially on thirteen) and I’m seeing my eye surgeon for a progress report on January 31st. If I knew how to do a smiley face icon on my laptop, I would do one here.
More smiles for our family, as it was Sophie’s birthday last Saturday and she and her family, plus Dan, Katie and Quin came round to ours to celebrate. We had lunch, followed by the traditional heart-shaped chocolate birthday cake decorated with candles, Smarties and sparklers, which were a little tricky to light at first.
I also had a problem with the Smarties. As you can see, I’ve been decorating Sophie’s birthday cake with them since she was two years old, but where were the orange ones?
In the four packs I tipped out so that I could do a repeat pattern of all the colours there was only one orange one! Even worse, they are our favourites as they are the only ones that taste of anything. The cake still tasted good though, even without orange Smarties.
I thought I’d also add this photo of Sophie on her fourth birthday blowing out the candles on her ‘My Little Pony’ cake. She’s wearing one of my favourite dresses which I’ve kept, along with some of the clothes I knitted for both her and Dan – has anyone else done that?
Well, already lots of celebrations so far this year and we have another one next Wednesday when Chris and I will be celebrating forty-four years of living together. He moved in with me two weeks after we met and we’re still together so it would seem we made the right decision. We don’t celebrate January 19th as much now that we have a ‘wedding anniversary’ in August, but we’ll still mark it with a meal out or maybe a posh afternoon tea – I’ll update you on my next blog.
I’ve taken that day off QVC, but I’ll be back the next day for the first fabulous Gatineau Today’s Special Value of the year. I love working with Andrew Bagley, another of my Permission to Pry guests, and hopefully you’ll be able to join us.
I’ll finish there as I need to go in my home gym before heading into work. Have a great weekend… I’ll see you Sunday for some DIY (don’t laugh) and some gardening.
Much love,
Julia xx
9 Responses
I really do hope its back for good for you Julia!!!! So lovely to see you back on air again too!
Fantastic news on your health update, just wonderful. I must say you are looking utterly fabulous as well, keep doing what you’re doing girlfriend : )) Sorry I did have just a ‘little’ laugh, especially when you said don’t, about you and your gardening show – but you know you’ll be just fab!
Huge love,
Christina X
Hi Christina
Thanks for your kind comments. I’ve actually been on a health kick since I’ve been able to get back in my gym six weeks post op. Two months in and I’ve lost a stone and feeling so much better for it. Still a bit to go but progress is good 😊
I’m fine with gardening (love it in fact) it’s the DIY I’m not so keen on, but it was fine.
Love
Julia x
Hi Julia,
Happy New Year.
My son has his birthday in January on the 5th, he was 41 this year. ! They didn’t go out as his girlfriend was working , she is a Nurse and my son works along side the NHS. Where does the time go. I said to Ian the other day i receive my State Pension this year in August, you will to as we are the same age, don’t forget the free bus pass also , but don’t think i will be using that. 🙂
Ian’s dad is still poorly , he’s had a course of Radio therapy and being well looked after.
I am a fan of Marla’s clothes, i like the pattern of the shirt but do not like the style, hopefully more items in that pattern will arrive in the future.
Well 12 weeks on now since i broke my upper arm, i have not driven my car for this time, and feel a bit reluctant to actually start again. I still have restricted movement especially moving my shoulder forward, It will come in time .
Maybe some warm sun will help, which we will get in March, I’m sure i mentioned Aruba for the “Partymoon ” for our friends who we met while in Mauritius, but we are actually going to Mexico now… long story. ! We are staying at Akumal Bay, been well recommended to us. Just got to get Bikini ready now. Our 10th Wedding Anniversary in September have we decided where to renew our vows, yes we have but are going away in October, all booked up more about that another time.
I do hope you you manage to get away, nothing like a bit of sand between the toes and warm sun…
I don’t know if you read my other post it was a bit long so i better stop as this one is heading the same way.
Hope your eyes continues to heal nicely and you have no more problems.
Take Care
Love Kathy. x
Hi again .
Sorry forgot to mention. I can highly recommend Tea for Two at The Ritz if you fancy a Posh afternoon Tea… Amazing and such great people, so much so we are going back. Even got some photo’s of the amazing staff seen on TV ! 🙂
Kathy x
Hi Kathy,
Did you post another comment? If so I can’t see it.
Thanks for the recommendation for a posh afternoon tea. We were going to go to Pennyhill Park as our daughter bought me the ‘experience’ as a birthday gift last year, but we decided against tea in favour of pizza 😋 as we’ve been dieting and fancied treating ourselves… sooooo good!
Love
Julia x
Hi Julia
Happy new year!
Great to see you back and with good news, glad all seems well with you now. Can be worrying waiting for results. Have to say the script looked amazing on you Friday, my mum and I both said it really suited you.
I’m with you where are all of the orange smarties, smarties are my mums favourite and I usually steal the orange ones, as I to think they are the only ones with any flavour.
Hope Sophie had a good birthday.
Let’s hope 2022 is a good year for all and an end to the pandemic.
Wishing you well
Toni
Hi Toni,
Happy New Year to you too.
I really liked the ‘script’ shirt – you’ll probably see me wearing it quite a lot!
I think Sophie enjoyed her birthday lunch & she and her partner had a great evening just the two of them too.
Re the orange smarties; Nestle saw a tweet I’d posted & sent me a voucher as compensation – only a few pounds but a nice gesture.
Love
Julia x
Hi Julia ,
Yes i did write another comment, lost in the system some where maybe. !
I am also dieting for our holiday in March which is now at Akumal Bay in Mexico…. long story, i felt for our friends, when everything got cancelled, but we all had to change resorts lt worked out for the better actually.
Will tell more another time .
Take Care
Kathy x
Hi Kathy,
I’ve just spotted this comment but still no sign of the other one – must be gremlins in the works!
I hope your diet is going well. I feel so much better now that I’m allowed (and able) to be back doing my fitness.
So, Akumal rings a bell with me. Is it next to Tulum? If so, that’s the resort where we stayed – lovely beach.
Love
Julia x