Starting Seeds

This weekend saw the starts of indoor planting for the year.  In order to have a nicely varied veg garden we have decided to plant a wide range of types of veg, with less of an emphasis on potatoes this year,  Yes potatoes are fairly simple in terms of the amount of care needed after planting, but we want to make things a bit more interesting and diverse this year.  As its probably a little early, and the garden itself is not ready (not cleared ad dug over fully yet) we started some seed trays away this weekend.

With the help of B and I 4 trays of seeds were started.  Some would say it is best to plant one type of plant per tray so you know what is what when it comes up, no such wisdom here.  We planted a tray of peas, half a tray of runner beans, filled this tray with cabbage and kohlrabi then two other trays with an assortment of leeks, spinach, turnips, swedes, and celeriac.

These trays are now situated in underbed storage boxes on the dining table. The boxes serve two important functions, you can move them easily, and any water will not reach the table and damage it.

The hope is in a couple of weeks we will have a load of seedlings ready to separate into pots, which will similarly find themselves in the storage boxes.  This lot can then easily be taken outside to be hardened off during the day, and brought in to be protected overnight until I am happy the weather is good enough to plant them outside.

The compost used was a basic all-purpose compost from Aldi.  Many people suggest that a richer potting compost is better for starting seedlings away in.  And it may be true that these composts will provide more nutrients in the early development of the plants.  For the additional cost I don't see that it will have a major effect over the lifetime of the plants when they will spend most of their lives in what is currently not excellent quality soil in the garden.  We are looking to improve the quality of the ground soil in the garden through composting, but this will be a long process,

Gardening season begins

Bit delayed, but gardening season has begun for real now. If you have read this and our other blog (http://tribewardle-ms-journey.blogspot.co.uk/) you will understand that early season preparation has been sparse, and things aren't going to suddenly change in our garden. Saying that we are not sitting back and letting the year slip by, we still aim to grow some good home produce, and planting started today.
I did plant a couple of rows of onions a fortnight ago, but today started the ball rolling properly.

To give a bit of a background, we have 2 decent size gardens, one with a lawn over much of it and a wide border for veg. The other is currently a wasteland with some remains of the rubble from building a house extension. So we aim to work with the lawned garden this year and potentially salvage some of the other time permitting, and prepare that for full use next year.

To minimise heavy work, I am attempting potatoes in bags for the first time.  I was given 8 bags for this last year, so I set about filling 4 of these today.

I started by placing a thin layer (~1") of gravel in the bottom. 

This is to aid drainage as the soil compacts over the summer.

I then added about 5" of old top soil (I had a compost heap made from turf bricks that had been removed from the lawn that has all been mixed together, so its not high quality compost, mostly old soil), added a sprinkling of poultry manure, and some slow release plant food, then topped with another inch of soil.

I then placed a small number of seed potatoes on the surface.  The seed potatoes are part of last year's crop which had started sprouting.  These were left to chit naturally in a dark, warm area of the house before planting.

I covered these with about 2" of further soil and watered in.  Hopefully we will get a nice crop from these.

The only other thing I managed to get done was the planting of some carrots.  A couple of years ago I made a trough of sorts to grow carrots in a controlled quality of soil, ensuring light airy soil with no stones.  I made this from an old wardrobe, so its chipboard, and not the strongest.  Last year one side broke, its holding together but only just.  Still, no time to replace it, planting seeded the best way. After weeding the trough and mixing in some poultry manure I added 12 drills of assorted carrot seeds (nantes etc ) and some parsnips.

The Reality Of Neurological Conditions

This was something we retweeted yesterday:

"A third of people w/ neurological conditions had to see a GP 5 times or more before seeing a specialist."

Isn't that shocking?

But the sad fact of MS is that GP's and most people do not know enough/ what they are looking for, It is a complex disease which takes many months if not years to diagnose.

If you are following us and have MS how many different people did you see before getting a preliminary diagnosis? and how many people before a final diagnosis?

If you would like to share your experience with us, so we can add it to the blog please email us at atribecalledwardle@gmail.com

We will be Blogging about M's Experience later both from his side and C

Can You Help Us? To Help Others?

PLEASE SHARE THIS POST...

We are a family of four based in Gateshead, UK.
As a family we have had a hard two years but are trying to use it to help others.

In February M was Diagnosed with Multiple sclerosis and has under gone Alemtuzumab Treatment this last week.
MS is a scary Disease, which people don't understand and it gets bad press... We as a family are trying to get it out there so people get quicker diagnosis and don't feel alone and over whelmed like we did when M first got his diagnosis...

How you can help you ask?

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Mikes blog on MS : http://tribewardle-ms-journey.blogspot.co.uk/

Our family blog on MS and general life :http://atribecalledwardle.blogspot.co.uk/

When You Find Your First Dance Film...

I found this tonight... priceless and it make me so happy... Bit different to most peoples first dances I think?

In One Piece...

Wow! Tomorrow is Friday!
This week has flown, not that am surprised. Everyday I have been up between 6-6:30. If  you know me, you will know M normally has to drag me out of bed, but i guess i always had a reason to stay in bed all warm and snug. So every morning this week I have got myself showered, hair and make up done then the fun came. two boys up and ready (with breakfast in them)before 8am to get II to my parents and then B to school... i can gladly say I've normally been out and up at parents by 8 with time for a cuppa with my parents before my busy day.
After I drop B at school I nip down the by pass on to the A19 and down the chester road, some days it hasn't been an enjoyable drive. Once at the hospital armed with magazines to keep M from going crazy and food so he doesn't starve I have a good few hours with him before nipping to town for lunch if going back or home for lunch and cuddles with the boys... In the afternoons i have been doing housework and getting things for M before getting back through Sunderland for 6pm visiting... 8pm comes and I wizz home to B asleep and II on the way. I do not know how I would of managed with out my parents this week, once they head home i grab a bite to eat and sort things for the next day.
So much respect goes to single parents, I have found it hard making decisions alone and sorting the boys on my own. I think it boils down to doubting myself and relying on M to encourage my decision are right. I think I have grown in confidence this week so it has its plus points! But roll on M being home, without hospital visits it will make life easier.

So Friday M should come home, Infusion for four hours then obs for a few hours then I get to bring him home... I will be wrapping him in cotton wool and be making him rest.

But most of all I can not wait to see the boys faces when they see their daddy, their hero is home!

Live Life Like You Mean It!

We are definitely the type of family that gets an idea and runs with it, We were always the type of family that lived life to the full and did things fast!
As many people know me and M knew each other a while. Then on a night out he kissed me and time stood still and changed forever... now that sounds romantic and very movie like but none the less so very true. We were engaged with in three months and had signed for buying a house together... It felt right! at five months M had decided he wanted children with me (at the bottom of the Eiffel tower!) and by the time we had been together just over a year i was pregnant. B came and we got married ... life didn't stop there as we went on to extend our house and when the extension was complete for a month we welcomed II into our family...
Yes things could of went wrong, but with a lot of work and dedication to each other our family works. We make sure we respect each other and serve each other.
Looking back on the past six years I can't believe we have fitted so much in.
Sitting in bed though tonight am so very grateful we have, two boys asleep (one cuddled into me), a life in the fast lane for sure but no regrets .
Talking to a friend about things and her saying it put life into perspective what Tribe Wardle is going through has hit something deep in side me. We were a young family living a normal, maybe quick and filled life. The morning M had his relapse, that has triggered his treatment this week, We woke up, got ready , I kissed M goodbye at the end of the road he went off on his bike and i walked B to school... We did not want this to happen , these things happen to "other people", whom ever they are! but those "other people" that day just happened  to be M/us.
So dear readers, Live life like you mean it, Don't put off until tomorrow and most of all LOVE, Love like you mean it and never go to bed on a cross word and without telling your loved ones you love and adore them.
All this is wrote from a person who cant turn over in bed and cuddled up to her husband and say "I Love you," before turning their light off for the night like I normally do, Roll on Friday to get M back home.

Things Happen For A Reason (Part One Bs Birthday)

Yesterday our eldest boy turned 4!
I don't know how but we are so very proud of the way he has turned out.
B was born on my Dads birthday and both of these guys are absolutely amazing!
This is going to be short and sweet a simple post of gratefulness and luckiness in equal measure, M should of been in hospital this week, He should of been admitted yesterday , yet some how there wasn't any bed for him to start the treatment... I have never been so grateful for it being put back a week , Yes it means an extra week of thinking it over but and it is a big BUT my boy , mine and Ms world didn't have to be with out his hero and his daddy on his birthday. We had a lovely family day full of Chinese food,cake and time with my parents on my dads birthday, the added bonus was our friend and B's Godmother popped by and it was lovely to see her.
I do believe in this bigger plan and people reading the blog will be sick of me banging on about it but I do believe things happen for the good , even if we don't see it at the time.

Here is a picture of B & My dads Birthday cake:

"I am 4 and Grandad is 5!" (quote from B) 

Normality...

The last three weeks have been a blur of hospital appointments and dropping the boys off with my parents or B at school then driving to appointments or dropping M at work.
Today how ever was normal... I've craved for a "normal" day in so long.
These last three weeks have been a strict schedule, one in which we have had to stick to. Today how ever was a free day. Tribe Wardle has never ran to a timetable as much as we have in the last few weeks. It felt nice to be organised but the free spirited girl inside of me screamed out to be given a little free reign.
Today we have shopped, visited family, had some television time and cooked.  It felt amazing!
During the last three weeks we have tried to keep things normal for the kids, but lets face it our lives possibly wont be "normal" again.
So here is my big question, I ask daily, How as a mother and a wife do i keep family life normal when our world we have known is falling apart?
I doubt I will ever know the answer to this and am sure many nights it will keep me awake.
A week on Monday M goes in for Lemtrada treatment. It's scary in the fact he will be patient number 4 But on the other hand exciting for what it declares to offer. The wife in me is desperate to find the answers of how to keep M up beat and positive, the mother in me is worried about a full week of the children at nighttime without M's support and how to keep the children happy without their Dad who is their world and hero.
It is so hard being a wife and a mother so I ask this of you Please keep Tribe Wardle in your Prayers and please send all good vibes this way. Please pray that I find the answers to do my family proud, when the biggest motivator our family has is receiving treatment. M isn't just a dad or husband he is all our best friend and the head of our family who we look daily to for guidance.
And finally please pray our family finds its new normal, which we find comfort in.

This Journey We Call Life...

So dear reader now that is all out about M and all of our nearest and dearest are aware, Please let me fill you in from my(C) side.

So it has been quiet on here as and as I've blogged about before we were, before Christmas, going through a lot with the miscarriages, As a couple we felt it was important to have it out there that it was happening and we were trying to find a solution. The wonderful consultant decided it was best I went on some tablets to sort my hormones out and it was all put down to two pregnancies close together and breast feeding for 14 months after last pregnancy knocking my hormones all to pot.
I started on the tablets and during this time we got the news my beautiful husband has MS.
We were told to live life as normal and they would do their all to help keep it that way.
So when M was struck with a relapse and it affected his walking, resulting in needing a walking stick to walk, it was decided he would have some treatment called Lemtrada.
So here is the nitty gritty of it all... M will have 5 days of Lemtrada which will need a hospital stay, A year later he will need the same but only 3 days worth. This should make the relapses subside, but we need to stop trying for more children as it is not safe to do so whilst on the treatment or for 4 months after the last treatment.
Everything is not on hold its a simple situation of we won't be trying for another child for the next 16 months. We aren't saying we will be in 16 months but we will see how our situation is going. At the moment though these last months have been painful. It's not every year you lose 3 babies and have a husband diagnosed with MS.

As a family we have stepped back a lot in life and regrouped. We are OK though and we will be OK.
We believe that our family is on a journey, an open ended road trip like journey, we take different paths and we may hit bumps, But the main thing is We as Tribe Wardle will not stop or give up, There is a bigger plan to life which we do not know what will happen but we do invite you to stay with us and keep reading our blog as we go through this journey called Life.