A Joyful and Peaceful Time

Hi folks and I hope you are all enjoying a happy and healthy festive time. As I feared, I didn't get to post an update again before Christmas Day despite my best intentions. It has been a hectic few days...hectic but fabulous.

On Tuesday 22nd I went and picked up 3 of the grandchildren and brought them to our house to stay overnight. On the way to ours we dropped in to the local garden centre and went through the Christmas walkway there which all of the children loved so much that we did it twice. We also enjoyed seeing the reindeer, the goats, the pigs and the donkeys. There was much amusement for the children when one of the pigs decided to have a wee in front of them. Grandson was mesmerised!

On our return home it was time for tea and a mess around with Grandad, the dogs and auntie and uncle before settling down to watch Home Alone which is a bit of a family tradition and which we all loved.

It was the usual routine at bedtime...I went to bed with them until they settled and then I crept out after a few bedtime stories and went to sleep on the sofa bed downstairs. I use the word 'sleep' but in truth there was little sleep has by me. However, the children were good as gold and the following morning, after breakfast, they were allowed to open our Christmas presents to them as we wouldn't be seeing them again for a while. Much excitement ensued as Paw Patrol goodies, Disney mini clip things and My Little Pony Equestria merchandise were discovered. Smiles all round.

Then is was time to gather up all of their clutter and take them home again and we sang 'When Santa Got Stuck Up The Chimney' all the way there.

Then I drove to pick up my eldest daughter to take her to a growth scan of the twins she is expecting. She is now 33 weeks pregnant and doing brilliantly although tiredness and discomfort are becoming the norm and sleep is an ever elusive experience. We were at the hospital for hours but all appears to be going quite well. There will now be scans every two weeks to check on the growth of the babies and to monitor the health of them and their mummy. A steroid injection was thrown into the mix which took my daughter by surprise and which was very painful according to reports and then it was home again via her Dad's house to drop off a few bits and pieces and show him the latest scan pictures, one of which is a wonderful shot of the twins with their heads together.

Before I knew where I was it was Christmas Eve. We were expecting a houseful of family for the annual Christmas Eve quiz. Shopping had been done and we had plenty of food and drink to last. Gradually everyone arrived and we settled in for the evening.

We had a lovely evening eating and drinking, chatting and laughing. We all wore Christmas jumpers...even hubby who had declined to join in the jumper tradition until this year. Unfortunately, he had woken with a sore throat in the morning and has spent most of the last few days feeling poorly. While the sore throat has gone, he now has the cold and cough. Our youngest daughter has had a sore throat for 24 hours but everyone else seems to be ok at the moment. Let's hope everyone is better soon and no one else gets the lurgy.

Our quiz was a success. I even did a round for the first time too. We played a game that we saw on TFI Friday involving Malteasers and a tape measure which was fun. I also provide a prize for each round of the quiz and one of the prizes was a Guess The Tune game which went down very well.

By about 11.30pm we were all ready for bed. None of the nonsense of last year when some of us drank far too much and didn't/couldn't face getting out of bed the next day let alone eating a dinner.

Christmas morning was the usual present opening scene. We have always opened all of our presents before breakfast and don't save any for later in the day. There were lots of lovely gifts unwrapped including presents for the dogs which were a success. 

Hubby was really feeling rough but walked the dogs before driving sone and partner back home. I prepared lunch which took longer than I expected but which turned out well. We even had bread sauce to spare which is a first. Our plates were piled with food. I tried to make the plates attractive but there was so much food!

Later in the evening we played card games and then watched 'Uncle Buck'- a film that I had recorded and which is a firm family favourite. People started drifting off to bed and I tried to set up my Fitbit with little success. I'm pleased to report that is it now working well and I intend to use it as an aid to my triathlon training and general fitness regime which needs to be implemented imminently.

Over the course of the last few days I have been reminded many times of the impact that my in laws have had on my family. We used to spend time with them every Christmas and the things that they used to do when the children were small, like playing Chase the Ace, are still things that we do each Christmas even now that our children are in their 20's. Lots of our decorations are from Grandad's flat and we have the tree that was in Grandma's room at the nursing home along with her candle stick holders and their nativity scene which is now minus a baby and one of the wise men has had his head broken off. I really must replace them. Christmas for us is all about family and despite the fact that they are no longer with us, my in laws were with us in spirit that is for sure and it was lovely.

Today has been a quiet affair. All of our visitors have gone home and I have gone back to doing the laundry and all the normal things that you do every day without thinking about it.

This Christmas has been really good for us this year. Having our family with us is really all that we need and hubby and I love it that they still want to come to us. I hope it remains that way for many years to come but somehow I doubt it.

Xxxxx

Christmas Is Coming

Morning all.

I'm typing this from the luxury of my bed and I have a cup of tea and a bowl of Ready Brek for company. The Ready Brek has the added bonus of a dollop of cream on it which will either set me up for the day or make me for sick for the next hour!

I've had a busy but lovely week which has seen me attend a carol service held by a pond in the dark, drinking mulled wine in a church, travelling to see hubby's family 'up North' and driving to London to pick up a cat. I've visited friends who I only really see at Christmas and thoroughly enjoyed The Apprentice final. I haven't yet seen the Strictly final. I was away but I know the result. I need to catch up with it later if I get a chance.

Today will see the dogs returning from their first joint stay in kennels and me returning from the dreaded Christmas food shop where I am determined to not go overboard but probably will anyway. There are presents to wrap, there is food to cook, visits to be made and house cleaning to be done. Got to love Christmas🎄😊

On Saturday hubby and I made the fairly lengthy car journey to York where we had been invited to his cousin's 60th birthday. I had booked us in to a hotel overlooking the racecourse and had upgraded to a nice room. We had a really enjoyable trip up. We chatted and laughed and generally enjoyed each other's company. We stopped for a burger enroute (obviously!) and made fairly good time. 

After a rest and a shower, we went down to the bar and enjoyed a couple of drinks before jumping into  our booked taxi and made our way to the venue.

It was good to see hubby's cousins. Hubby thinks that he hadn't seen the birthday boy himself for the best part of 35 years or so so it was worth the trip just for that. We had a nice evening chatting and catching up with everyone.

We had made the decision to book a taxi to pick us up at 10.30 pm and that proved a good idea. It saved us from ourselves and meant that we slept well, could face breakfast and felt bright and alert on the following morning. Many is the time that we have partied way too much and woken the next day feeling dreadful and with a long journey home to face. I guess we are getting older and finally learning from our mistakes!

We woke refreshed and headed into York to find the church that my in laws married in over 50 years ago. We went before breakfast because we knew that parking would be at a premium if we went later. The church, The Holy Trinity in Micklegate, was easy to find. Unfortunately, the gates to it were locked and the first service wasn't until 11am and we were there before 9am. Sign of the times I'm afraid. The place that is supposed to welcome all actually has to be locked up overnight to deter thieves and vandalism and so on.

We did manage to get a few photos through the gates and then we headed back to the hotel to enjoy a full English breakfast.

Another of hubby's cousins came to see us after breakfast. She had a gift for me that she had had for sometime. I had no idea what it was and all she would say was that she saw it and thought of me immediately. I was intrigued but had no idea what it could be. Well, this is what she gave me...

..... a cushion featuring a poppy motif. I absolutely love it and I'm still incredibly touched that she thought of me. What a wonderful gesture😊

Before we started our, what turned out to be, very, very long journey home we had a quick walk to see the racecourse. It was a beautiful sunny morning and there were lots of people walking their dogs on the course and enjoying the springlike weather.

There was one more thing to do before we left for home and that was to visit hubby's auntie and sister of my mother in law. She is a lovely lady and someone that we love very much. She is so welcoming and friendly and it's always a joy to see her. It is often a little disconcerting when we meet up because she looks and sounds so much like my late mother in law but hubby finds it reassuring in a strange way. Well, I am here to report that Auntie looks more like my mother in law than ever from the  tips of her white hair to the slippers that she was wearing. She gave us huge hugs when she greeted us,  made us coffee and we had homemade sausage rolls and flapjacks. There was much chatter about cricket and football and she put her bets on using her betting account via her laptop. She's in her 80's! Brilliant! 

We really enjoyed seeing our extended family and so I send much love to any of you guys who may be reading this and thank you for making us feel so welcome.

I will sign off by saying that spending time with my hubby, just the two of us....no kids, no dogs...was lovely. During our car journey we chatted and laughed, we sang songs loudly and we just enjoyed each other's company. We both said that we felt happy and content and it was a really lovely feeling. After all of these years together...next year it will be 30 years of cohabiting... it's quite amazing to me that we can still make each other laugh. Don't get me wrong, it's not always a laugh a minute and it can be really hard work, but feeling so at ease with my hubby and feeling so calm inside has made me very happy.

Enjoy the next few pre Christmas days everyone. I hope to blog again before the big day.

Xxxxx

Mulled Wine and Carol Singing.....and lots more too!

Hi all.
I'm typing this after 3 glasses of mulled wine and I wouldn't usually blog after drinking alcohol because I would very likely type something I shouldn't or something that I would regret. However, today, in fact, this weekend, has been so wonderful that I'm going to go ahead anyway.
Yesterday, as has become a family tradition, the vast majority of my family travelled from all over the place to converge on my sister's house and had a pre Christmas meet up. We don't get together as often as we should do really. We all have commitments and busy lives but it is always great when everyone makes the effort once a year to catch up and exchange cards and gifts - and to stand incredulously looking at the growing number of children that there are and how much they have all grown since the last catch up!
My sister and her husband are always generous and welcoming hosts and make all of us feel so welcome and I know that we all really appreciate the fact that they open up their home to an increasing number of us year after year.
In the morning I had been to an antenatal class with my daughter and her husband which I really enjoyed and which I think they both found informative and reassuring and then, once the class had finished, we drove the short distance to my sister's house and stayed there for a few hours before driving home again.
I love seeing my family and seeing all of us together makes me feel really happy and proud that we all get on and that we all care about each other. I know that our Mum and Dad would be proud of us too.
Once home, it was soon time for Strictly and the semi finals. Saturday nights don't get much better TV wise as far as I'm concerned and I loved every minute of it. I also cheat and find out who loses the dance off and leaves the competition on the Saturday night by going to a spoiler site! I don't know why the BBC insist on making us wait 24 hours before the results are announced and I'm too  impatient to wait. Once the result was through I went off to bed and prepared for today.

Today has been fabulous ! First of all I went off with my youngest daughter to attend one of the local churches - the one where she and her fiancé have decided to get married in. It really is a lovely church. It is set in a small village and is set by a pond. The vicar and the congregation were extremely welcoming and I really enjoyed the service. I can already picture my daughter walking down the aisle of the church in a beautiful dress surrounded by family and friends, beaming with joy, to marry her man. So, yes, I approve of the choice of church and am looking forward to going to the carol service held by the pond on Thursday!
After the service we went to see the venue for the wedding reception. There had been a wedding there yesterday and the family were clearing up after the event. We hadn't expected to be able to get into place but the people clearing up were happy for us to go in and have a look around which was an unexpected bonus. It,s a wonderful venue. Yes, I approve of the reception venue too. Hooray!
Then it was time to go and buy our Christmas tree. For the first time in 8 years we had decided to have a real tree. Ever since my Mum died we have had the same artificial tree and I used to love real ones...needles or no needles. My daughter and I went to the local country park and chose our tree , had it wrapped and went home. Before the drive home we popped  into the shop and cafe at the park where a brass band was playing carols. We had mulled wine and a mince pie and then had a look around the shop where Santa was also greeting visitors to his grotto. There was a great selection of goods to choose from and even a mini theatre which was showing 'Frozen' to a captive audience...for free.
When we got home I unwrapped the cast iron Christmas themed tree holder that hasn't been used for years and we set about putting the tree up....and it looks great. I love the fact that we have a real tree again. It just seems right. We put lights on it, decided against tinsel, and added the baubles. I had also thrown together some mulled wine so we had a cup of that each and had seasonal songs playing in the background.
Soon it was 5.45pm and time to head to the local pup which was holding a carol concert with mulled wine and mince pies available. The pub was packed when we arrived but we found a table, got our wine and a song sheet and waited for the choir from the local church to start singing which they did promptly at 6pm and they, and us, sang along to the traditional carols for an hour. I also bumped into an ex colleague from about 12 years ago who has recently moved to the road just around the corner from us. Small world, eh?
After the concert we went home again and decided to put the old artificial tree up in the conservatory. We decorated it with silver tinsel and baubles and some white lights and it looks good.

I'm not so sure that I can remember having such a different but fabulous weekend. I loved going to church and I loved seeing my family. My daughter's wedding seems more real....and the dog hasn't been sick for 24 hours. I'd say that was a result!

Have a great week everyone and take care.

Xxxxxx

Joyful Chats and Wedding Choices

Hi everyone.

Happy Sunday to one and all. I have had a day at home, writing Christmas cards, wrapping a few presents and cooking a roast dinner. Hubby has walked the dogs today which is always nice and I had a  good lay in this morning after a few bad nights of little sleep.I have started to take a 'one a night' over the counter sleep aid again in a bid to help me with my sleepless nights and I have to say that they seem to be working which is fabulous. I have more energy in the day and I certainly feel better after a good night of more than 3 hours unbroken sleep!

I have had another good week. Anxiety continues to be something that only occurs to me when I think about it which is rarely these days. When I look back at the posts I have made previously on this blog  relating to the subject of anxiety and surrounding issues I am amazed at how much better I feel. I am certain that not working in the field of care is good for me...indeed, not working at all come to that! I can now really appreciate just how stressed I became with my work....not the work itself but because I gave all of my jobs my absolute all. I have always got so absorbed in my various working environments. If it was a private job I would  give my all to my client and to their family and friends, if it was in an institution I would feel that I was always ultimately responsible for whatever happened whether good or bad. I lived on my nerves, always alert for danger and possible problems. People told me that I cared too much - I'm afraid that I still don't believe that that is possible - and that i should just turn up, do the hours and walk away but you can't possibly do that if you are a carer of any kind.

Anyway, this week I rang the husband of one of my clients from years and years ago. My old client was a wonderful, wonderful lady who passed away almost 2 years ago. Ever since I left their employ - probably the best part of 20 years ago -I have always gone to visit them just before Christmas when we enjoy a cup of tea and a lot of chat! I wasn't sure how the husband ( who is 88 now) would be faring without his wife of about 50 years. He had  not been in the best of health himself at our last meeting. Anyway, I rang him and he answered. He recognised my voice immediately and we had a lovely chat for a good 10 minutes before I arranged to go and visit him in the next week or so as I would always have done when his wife was alive.
I was elated when I finished the call. It was joyful to have an upbeat and lively conversation with an elderly man and he was totally honest and open with me about how much strength he has got from his religious beliefs. Just thinking about our conversation now is making me smile.

I know that the world is currently a scary place. Religion is being blamed for much of what is going wrong. There have been shootings, bombings and stabbings allegedly in the name of one God or another and yet there I was being totally uplifted by a gentle, softly spoken man whose faith in his God has given him more strength at one of the lowest points of his life than he feels deserving of. I truly felt inspired by my conversation with him and that feeling hasn't really left me and I'm not sure why.

On a similar theme, my youngest daughter has a date for her wedding and a venue for the reception and has today been to the church that she hopes to get married in. She has asked me to go to the Sunday service with her next week and I am delighted that she has asked and I am really looking forward to going. I do enjoy going to church and yet I have never found a church that I want to go to regularly. I find churches so peaceful and calming. I can sit for a long time in a church, a cathedral or similar just soaking up the stillness. I can gather my thoughts and just breathe. I also love singing hymns and, at this time of years, carol singing is high on my agenda. We have already pencilled in 3 carol concerts in the coming 10 days that I hope to go to and I am hopeful of at least one of the family coming along with me. We shall see!

Well, that's it for now I think on the day that my Mummy would have celebrated her birthday. I can't believe that it has been 8 years since she died, 8 years since we heard her voice, 8 years since we were able to hold her hand. I don't suppose any of us ever get over the deaths of our parents, we just learn to live with it apparently. My step dad and my brothers and sisters have done incredibly well since Mum died and I absolutely know that Mum would be thrilled and delighted with how we all are. She would adore her grandchildren and great grandchildren and she would be so very proud of her children. I'm sure that I speak for all of us when I say that we love you and we miss you Mum.

Have a good week everyone. Enjoy your Crimbo preparations!

xxxxxx

Sleep Is For The Weak

....isn't that what they say? I'm afraid that, at this particular moment, I consider that saying a load of rubbish. Sleep should be for the knackered, the exhausted and the weary. Sleep should be what you get when you fall into to bed and can't hold a conversation because you're so very, very tired. Sleep should be had for a solid 6 hours at least....not 4 hours if you're lucky.

It's 5.48am as I type this and I've been awake since 3.15 or that's when I first looked at the clock. I had been tossing and turning for what seemed like hours before that.

My mind has been working overtime since I woke. What can I possibly buy as a Christmas gift for various people? Who did I buy the Busted tickets from and why have I not got any emails about it? Should the money I have been paid for said tickets go back to the joint account or did I pay for them myself? Who owes me money? What am I going to do about work?

Why can't I sleep when I slept so badly the previous night that I thought it was a given that I would sleep solidly this time? 

Should I have started my triathlon training? Oh.bloody hell! Of course I should. Why haven't I? Am I really going to be able to do it?

Are the twins going to be ok? Is my daughter going to be ok? Are my children going to be ok?

What should I plan for Christmas? I don't think I want the goose that has been offered but should I have it anyway...even though I've never cooked goose in my life? Would anyone else like it? I didn't even ask.

Why can't I log onto the online banking facility despite entering the usual combination of numbers and letters? Have I now blocked the account? Why does every floorboard that I stand on as I tiptoe from room to room at this ungodly hour creak so loudly? Why do all of the doors rattle on their hinges when the wind blows? Why isn't anyone else in the house disturbed by said rattles?

If I go and make a cup of tea, should I feed the dogs? If I don't they will fuss until I do but it's  at least an hour early and then they will expect to be walked straight away and it's still dark. If I let them out for a wee will they bark and wake the neighbours? Should I have bread and real butter for breakfast or go for the healthy but not so appealing fruit and cereal?

Where are we going to put the wardrobes that need to be moved out of one of the bedrooms today while a new carpet is being fitted? Is the door going to be able to travel,over the new carpet or will it need to be altered? If it does, who on earth is going to do that because we don't know how to?

What are we going to have for tea? Does the small dog still smell vaguely of the stinky stuff that she rolled in 3 days ago despite being bathed in the sink and being covered in dog shampoo and rinsed thoroughly? 

Why haven't I started knitting the blue blanket now that I have finally finished the pink one?

Is son's latest job interview legitimate? Are grandchildren well? Is son in law ok? Why is communication so difficult in an age where we can text, message, ring, Skype, FaceTime, whatsapp to our hearts context 24/7? Why am I so rubbish at talking to people?

There you are. A very small snippet of how my mind is racing this morning and has been since 3 am!!

It must now surely be time to go and have a cup of tea. It's still dark but I have heard an alarm go off so someone will be up and about soon I think.

Happy Monday folks. Here's to a good nights sleep tonight 😳💤😴 xxx

Easy Like A Sunday Morning

Ah....Sunday mornings. Gotta love them!

I'm sitting in my battered old wicker chair that creaks every time that I so much as breathe when I'm relaxing in it, Steve Wright's Love Songs is playing in the background.... Kiki Dee 'Amoureuse'  is on as I type. I always loved this song...the dogs have been walked, dishwasher and washing machine are also chugging away and  all is well with the world. I hope this update finds you well and relaxed.

This has been another busy week. I've been to the dentist (fillings galore), I've been Christmas shopping and I've had lunch with friends. I also finally met up with one of my cousins who I hadn't seen for years. We chatted away and had a good old catch up. It was good to see her looking so well and, yet again, it reminded me how time flies. I remember family get togethers when we were kids and now I'm in my mid 50's! However, isn't it great that we are still in touch with each other?

I've made several visits to the local garden centre this week too!

www.keydellnurseries.co.uk

I first went there this time last year just after we moved here. I was amazed at the time. The place has a bit of a disorganised feel about it but I love it there. A few weeks ago they had a Halloween Walkthrough for children that I took my grandchildren too and now they have there Christmas areas set up. I think you could probably get any colour of bauble that you would like from there and they have another walkthrough which includes polar bears, huskies, Father Christmas, The Grinch and real reindeers. I just love that it's so close to me. I can be there in 5 minutes. I've already been there with two of my daughters and my friend and I have no doubt that I will be there again at least once this week.

I'm not sure if I mentioned that I have booked tickets to see Busted?! I may have decided to keep that quiet but it's out there now. I have not yet got tickets, or even tried to get tickets, for Coldplay and I didn't get to see Frank Turner when he played Southampton a few weeks ago. In fact, I'm not going to get to see him at all on this tour which a bit of a blow. He continues to get rave reviews though which is great.
I think there is a possibility that I may try to get tickets for Funny Girl starring the brilliant Sheridan Smith but it may be sold out already. I haven't checked. However, I must focus on our trip to New York where I feel quite strongly that I/we should go and see a show. It seems the sensible thing to do, don't you think?
We also have tickets to see David Tennant in Richard 11 at The Barbican in January and I'm very much looking forward to that.

http://www.barbican.org.uk/theatre/event-detail.asp?ID=18156

I last saw the brilliant Mr. Tennant in Stratford when he played Hamlet. He was mesmerising in that production and I have no reason to doubt that he will be anything other than wonderful in January...despite the fact that he now has four young children!

Time is whizzing by. Christmas will soon be here with all of the joy and happiness - and possibly a little stress - that comes with it. NYC has been booked and just needs organising and then...as long as she can hold on to them that long...my daughter is due to have her babies. Exciting times indeed.

Oh, and I finally finished the first blanket! What a labour of love that was. Only another one to do then!!

Stay safe and healthy everyone.

xxxxx

Still Just Me

Hi all,

It's 5.39 am and I've been awake since 4.30am for the umpteenth day in a row, my blog is a day or two late and my iPad is about to run out of battery but my charger is downstairs and I don't want to go down and get it because I will disturb the dogs and they will think it's time for food and walk. It's pouring with rain after a few chilly days and I have a day of Christmas shopping with hubby to look forward to. Ah, such is life.

I've had a great week of visiting people and catching up with friends and family. I'm embracing the luxury of not having to go to work for now and it's wonderful. I have seen people that I haven't seen for too long and mainly just because I have got out of the habit of making the effort. I have spent so much of my time working until recently that I have just stopped organising my life. The joy of not working shifts and nights is that, eventually, you get your life back to some kind of normality...apart from the ridiculous sleep patterns obviously!

All is well with me and I hope it is with you all. Christmas is approaching rapidly as is the party season and so, for the first time in many, many years, I am going to treat myself to a party frock! I have my gorgeous Crimbo jumper from a few years back that I love but I don't have a nice, sparkly dress to wear. In fact, I don't think I have ever had one! That must change and maybe I will be able to find one when we are out on our shopping trip today....our shopping trip where we aim to buy Crimbo presents but will probably, in reality, end up window shopping, drinking coffee and eating lunch. I haven't even made a list of people that I would like to buy for so that doesn't really bode well for the day doesn't?!

So this is a short and sweet update just to say 'Hi' and that I haven't forgotten you, I'm still here, still doing my thing, still dashing about or playing catch up with sleep and still not concentrating properly and saying stupid things! I'm still in love with my family and I'm still a doting Mum and Nanny. I'm still getting up and baking when I can't sleep and I'm still eating far too much. I'm still drinking two glasses of wine when I know that more than one gives me a hellish headache and I'm still eating more chocolate than is good for me.

I'm loving my life and what more can you ask for?

Have a great week everyone and be kind to each other.

Xxx

Triathlon Trembles and Tummy Troubles

Good day folks.

I hope that you are all safe and well. After the horrific events in Paris last Friday evening I think we will all have taken stock and realised just how precious life is. We were out for a celebratory meal with family when the news of the Paris attacks started to filter through and we listened to updates on the situation on our drive home. I wondered how many of the dead and injured were out, just like we were, relaxing and having a good time on a Friday evening. I envisaged us sitting at our table eating lovely food and chatting and then the room being sprayed by bullets from a Kalashnikov. It was a truly horrible thing to think but that was what it was like for those people in Paris. It made me want to keep my family with me all the time, to try my best to keep them safe. I'm sure many, many people felt the same way.

Hubby and I were out for two nights in a row at the weekend which is unusual for us these days. On Friday we ate at a lovely Thai restaurant with family and on Saturday we attended the 50th birthday celebrations of friends at a (fairly) local golf club. After Friday evening's meal I began to have tummy pains but thought nothing of it, assuming that it was the rich food and the mixture of a cocktail and prosecco that was the problem. We had curry on Saturday evening and I drank a gin and tonic and a small glass of wine as I was driving that night. On Sunday morning I felt dreadful.... tummy spasms, headache, general rubbishness....so spent the majority of the day in my pyjamas in bed feeling sorry for myself. Today I still have the headache but it's getting better. I feel sure that the rich food is mostly to blame for my tummy troubles and, to be honest, I think that age plays a part too. Gone are the days when I can eat what I like, drink what I like and stay up late without consequences. Goodness, I sound like I'm about 90 years old!

Talking of feeling my age brings me to mentioning the Guildford triathlon Yes, my son and I, in a moment of madness I fear, have signed up to take part in our first, and probably only, triathlon which takes place in May next year. I may have mentioned before that we do like a challenge and we have done marathons, half marathons, 10 and 5 ks and walks between us over the past few years. I wanted to challenge myself and try something different as I know that my knees are not up to another marathon as much as I'd like to do one. When I read about the triathlon I thought to myself that it might just be the perfect challenge for me/us. I sent the link to my son who agreed with me that it seemed like a good idea and so I signed us both up for it.

Of course, then I started to think about it more seriously and realised that I am totally unprepared for what is coming our way. I began to look at training plans and schedules, at the equipment needed and the level of basic fitness required and started to seriously question my decision to take on the challenge.
I have bought myself a 2nd hand bike which I yet to pick up, I don't have a cycle helmet and I will need to by a special one because my head is so big. I do have wet suit of sorts but I haven't ever worn it and I don't know if I will actually need to wear one anyway as the swim section of the triathlon is indoors. I do have running gear from all of my previous challenges but I will need a new pair of trainers.
Add to this the fact that I haven't exercised at all, apart from dog walking, for at least 6 months and the fact that my knowledge of triathlons is basic at best and you may be able to see why I am questioning my decision to take up this challenge!
I know that, as long as I stay healthy and work on my fitness, put in the effort and stick to a training regime,  I will be able to complete this but just at this moment I am having serious jitters about the whole thing.
I may do a seperate blog for the event as I did when we took part in Silverstone half marathon  but we will see.

So that's all from me for now. I'm off to try and finish the blanket that I have been attempting to knit for absolutely ages. Stay safe and look after each other. The world can be a very scarey place as we have all witnessed in the last few days.

xxxxx

Proud Of Myself....At Last!

Another week means another blog post.

Sometimes I find it really, really difficult to not write about how I feel about things and, while this blog is about me and my life, I am always aware that I need to keep things that are personal fairly vague and on a certain level.
There is always so much going on in the periphery of my life that involves me up to a point. That is why I am always at risk of blurting stuff out via this blog and why I have to take a deep breath before I write anything in the heat of the moment or when I am feeling particularly upset or cross. I am neither of those things at the moment so all should be ok!

This past week has been another of highs and lows. I attended a funeral, I had fish and chips in the wind and rain at the beach hut, my daughter had a whole week of not throwing up due to her pregnancy, my son came to stay overnight and I bathed the dogs after a fashion....well, the little one went in the sink and the big one had to be hosed outside....but they both smell much sweeter for it for now. Hubby and I met for lunch with his brothers to celebrate a birthday and we also went to various final resting places of our parents on Remembrance Sunday to say 'hello' to them all. Not mad at all!

This time of year is always a little tricky for the family as it means that the anniversaries and several birthdays are looming of loved ones who are no longer with us including Mum, Dad, mother in law and father in law.
 Dad died in 1998 and he is the first one I think of in November. He was born on November 11th (Armistice Day) and this year he would have been 80. He died when he was 63 and I have great difficulty thinking of how he would look in his 80's. Poppy Day is a constant reminder of him each year.
A week or so later is the anniversary of his death - November 20th - and then 2 days later -  November 22nd - would have been father in law's 86th birthday and this is our first year without him on his special day.
December 2nd is the anniversary of Mum's death and 3 days later - December 5th - sees the anniversary of mother in law's passing. December 6th would have been Mum's 76th birthday and December 9th was her Mum's (our Nan's birthday). Add to that the anniversaries of funerals that go with the above and you may be able to see why this can be a tough time of year for us as a family if we think about it too much or for too long.
In the past I have been guilty of doing exactly that - of dredging up all of the emotional drama of the events and making myself feel anxious, unhappy and stressed. Along with that goes mood swings, the drinking to remember and then drinking to forget. Recalling the fallings out and the sadness. the anger and the pain. Basically making myself relive it all over again.

It's obvious to me now, as I look back with a clearer mind and with the undoubted assistance of therapy and friends, that I was doing nothing but making myself feel a hundred times worse than I already did but at all of the times when I did any of the above I think it was because I just desperately missed my Mum and my Dad. But then don't we all when we lose our parents? We don't all behave as I did  however.

Hindsight and experience are great things. Which of us would not like to be able to change things that we have done or said that we regret? I guess the most important thing for us to do is to learn from the things that we wish we hadn't done and move on.
Yes, even at my age (55!), I am still learning from my mistakes. For me, at emotionally difficult times - and I can't think of much more of an emotionally difficult time than when someone you love is dying or dies - I know in my heart of hearts that I have let people (and myself) down with my actions and my words...or sometimes lack of them. I know that I have upset and hurt people, people I love and care for, people that are some of the closest in the world to me, often without meaning to or without realising, and usually because I was too wrapped up in my own grief and pain.
Now, I can't say that I won't ever do it again because I never know how I am going to react in difficult times but I do think that I am currently more emotionally stable than I have ever been and I feel that I most definitely more in control of my actions and words.I feel strong. Let's hope things continue this way.

And so, on that note, I will be remembering my parents and my in laws with love and affection over the next few weeks as their special dates come around. I know that I will never stop missing my Mum and Dad, will never stop wishing that I could see them, talk to them, hug them one more time and hear their laughter but such is life. I'm proud to be their daughter, their daughter in law, and I'm proud to be me.

Thanks for reading this ramble. I'm not quite sure where it came from but I was obviously feeling it!

xxxxx

Here Comes The Bride

Hi all.

It's a lovely sunny midday Monday after a very foggy start.

 My morning chores - copious amounts of washing to do, two dogs to be walked, dishwasher to be emptied and reloaded, pumpkin soup to be made, carpet to be cleaned and hoovered, phone calls to local solicitors for hubby - all achieved so now it's coffee and blog time.

Halloween has been and gone as have the grandchildren!

The beach hut has been visited yet again with the little ones in tow and the tide was out which delighted two of the three munchkins. They see the beach as their own sand pit and they grabbed their buckets and spades and ran to the sand as soon as I unlocked the hut. Joyful to see. As was their faces as we toasted (or as they say, roasted) the mega marshmallows that I found at the local shop.

However, I have news - exciting news! My youngest daughter arrived back from her two week holiday with her boyfriend and they have got engaged. If I knew how to add a smiley face and loads of balloons and banners from my laptop I would but I don't so you are spared an overload.

The happy/elated couple have been together for 10 years and the engagement took place in a wooden treehouse overlooking the ocean at sunset on the anniversary of their first date. The engagement ring is beautiful and was sourced in Hatton Garden. My daughter absolutely loves it.
I was told about the engagement via Facetime the day after it happened which was lovely. Hubby knew about it already as his permission was sought before the holiday started. He was asked to keep the news a secret which he did very well despite being asked lots of questions by myself and our eldest daughter as we were both hopeful of good news.

The couple arrived back on Thursday full of smiles and visibly more relaxed than the last time they were at home before their holiday started.
An engagement has been on my daughter's mind for quite a while and I know she already has loads of lists in her head of things to do. We don't refer to her as Monica for nothing!

As for her Dad and I, we are delighted for them both. Daughter's other half has been part of the family for 10 years so, whilst I may officially be getting another son in law, in reality I already think of him as such. The fact that they are both living with us at the moment just cements that relationship.

So, expect lots of wedding references along with the twins/grandchildren/beach hut ramblings in future updates...oh and also triathlon mentions too as I have signed up to do one of those next year too. Not sure it was a wise thing to do but it's done now!

There will be lots of exciting times ahead along with lots of worrying and stressing too I have no doubt but that's par for the course for life in general isn't it?!

Congratulations to my little girl :-)

xxxxxx

Angel

Hi everyone.

Once in a while, if we are very lucky, someone comes into our lives that enriches it beyond measure. That person lifts you up, is your biggest supporter, loves you unconditionally and makes you feel special.
That person may arrive in your life in any guise at anytime and, when they do, it feels as if they have always been there and you can't imagine your life without them in it.

In my case, my angel was my best friend's mum. Her brother was friends with my Dad when they were children and she worked with both my parents during the evenings at the local telephone exchange when they all had their own children and money was hard to come by.

I met my best friend at primary school and we attended the same schools until we were 17 by which time my parents had divorced and I had been welcomed into my friend's home with open arms by her parents.

I loved my friend's Mum from the word go. She was always smiling and welcoming no matter what her own circumstances. She made me meals, let me sleep over and even let me go on holiday with the family.

As my own life wended its muddled way through the years and with all the ups and downs that came my way, my angel was a constant. I could go months without seeing her but her smile would always be wide and her arms would be open waiting for a hug whenever we met, however long it had been.
She always cared about my children and my life. In fact, I have no doubt that she made everyone feel that way. She had a gift of making everyone feel special and that they were important to her.

On Wednesday morning, after being very poorly for a few days, my angel lost her battle and left us. She leaves my wonderful friend and her wonderful family behind her along with a list of friends and acquaintances that may be never ending. It seems that she made a huge impact on every person that she came in contact with albeit the waitress in the local cafe to the cashier in the supermarket, to the people in the street where she used to live to her friends at the cricket club and beyond.

I'm not really sure that I have taken in the fact that I won't see her again in this life. I won't be getting any more of those hugs and kisses and I won't be bending down to give her kiss on the head because she had got so small that I had to bend to reach her! She won't be reaching up to hold my face to tell me that she loves me.

For my bestie and her family there will be a gap in their lives that will seem impossible to fill.

I am the lucky one. I received love and affection and tenderness and I didn't have the day to day minutia of life to deal with. I didn't have to worry about her illnesses and frailties, about her appetite and her forgetfulness, about her falls and her mobility.

I have nothing but wonderful memories of a truly wonderful lady who I am going to miss so very much.

God bless you darling F. Watch over those you have left behind and take care of them.

Xxxxxxx

The One Where The Grandchildren Came To Stay

Hi everyone,

I'm sitting on my bed typing this and I've just looked out of the window and realised just how autumnal it has become....

I do love Autumn. I love the colours and I love walking the dogs and feeling and hearing the leaves crunching underfoot as I trundle along. This is all well and good until the wet weather sets in and then it's not so much fun. Then my car becomes a host for continual wet dog smell which isn't the nicest of aromas. However, while the weather is like it is then I shall embrace it and will walk the dogs to my hearts content🐶😊👍

I had a busy couple of days at the weekend as we had three of the grandchildren to stay. As ever, it was a joy to have them here. Their Daddy dropped them off on Friday at teatime and there followed a lovely dog walk, home made pizza for tea and then an hour playing in the shed at the bottom of the garden which I had made into a sort of den. There are a couple of garden chairs in there, an old white plastic table and a rug too. There is a lantern and I have run an extension cable down there so that I can even turn the heater on if I want to.

The children loved it down there and much fun was had. They all wanted to tell ghost stories but then all got a little bit scared as it was very dark by this time! They are all  coming to stay over on Halloween so I think we will be down in the shed again with candles and torches in the dark. It will be fun.

At bedtime on Friday the children announced that they were going to bed and that was it. I got into bed with them at 9pm and literally 5 minutes later they were all fast asleep. I snuck out of bed and had a cup of tea and then went to bed myself in case they got up extra early or got scared in the night. Neither of those things happened. Of course, I didn't sleep very well but they did and it was lovely.

On Saturday, after a breakfast of cocoa pops, I took them along to the local garden centre where there is a Halloween walk and where there is a large area dedicated to all things Christmas. Yes, Christmas!  The Halloween walk was a good idea in principal but, as expected, not all of the children wanted to go through it. Unfortunately I was the only adult there and I couldn't go through with one child and leave the others outside on their own so we gave that a miss. However, they did all enjoy the Halloween shop. Trying on masks was fun!

Obviously, the Christmas shop was a great success. So many baubles and so much tinsel. 

Then we got back in the car and drove the 15 minutes to the beach hut as the weather was favourable. On the way we had to stop at the shop for bread and butter as the children had all requested chocolate toast which has become their favourite food at the hut. Basically, I toast bread over the calor gas cooker and then just smear it with butter and Nutella. Another firm favourite is toasting marshmallows. The shop didn't have any marshmallows but I found a few left over from our previous visit so there was enough for us all to have two each. Happy days.

Seeing the children have so much fun at the beach hut just made me appreciate once again the absolute joy that I and my family get from my 'shed' at the seaside. I really think they love it as much as I do and I hope that we are able to continue making memories there for years to come. 

Anyway, after that the children were taken home by Grandad and I put the house back together😂😊

After I have had the children I do feel weary and I wonder how I ever managed with four children and a dog of my own but, of course, I was the best part of 30 years younger then. 

That's all for now folks. I'm currently trying to knit a baby blanket which is a labour of love and which is taking me an awfully long time as I'm not the best knitter in the world. I remember Nan knitting us countless pairs of mittens when we were kids and I remember Mum knitting jumpers and cardigans too. My sister is also really good at knitting so I think I missed out on that particular gene. However, I'm nothing if not determined so I will get this blanket done and then a blue one and that  will probably be it but we will see.

Finally, as I type this, one of the kindest, sweetest and most generous people I know is very poorly in hospital. I'm keeping everything crossed that she makes a full recovery 💕💕

Xxxxxx

Bullies

Hi all,

I'm in a quandary with this blog. I started it for me and found it helpful in my fight against anxiety and the usual stuff that you get when you are me! Then I used it as a diary. Then it was a platform for me to express my feelings. Then I became concerned with being too open and with upsetting my family and friends through my words. Then I thought I blogged too often and decided to just publish once a week but then I found that I couldn't actually remember what I did in a whole week. Scarey but true. Is that something that I should be worried about? My friends all tell me that their memory is not what it was. Mine has never been great anyway.
There is so much going on and so much that I want to say .....most of the time to be honest....that I'm just going to blog when I feel like it, rant away and publish it. I will think about it before I unleash my thoughts on the world but I will just put it out there.

At the weekend I was chatting away to my daughter and the subject of bullying came up. I guess we can all relate to the issue. I'm sure most of us were bullied in some way or another when we were younger. I certainly was but not continually. I recall being pinched on my hands until my hands bled in assemblies at primary school and I remember being chased into the toilets and having the hood ripped off of my new coat when I was at secondary school. I locked myself in the toilet for what seemed like hours until my pursuers gave up and went away. I was left crying, shaking and terrified that I was going to be followed home and set upon on the way.I wasn't! I hadn't done anything to provoke the girls that were horrible to me. They obviously saw me as an easy target. I wasn't smart or attractive. I was shy and self conscious. Way to go girls. You made an already insecure young girl feel a million times worse about herself.

Fast forward 10 years or so and I have children of my own, two of which have a genetic condition that makes them look slightly different to other people. When my eldest daughters were young I had to get used to the stares and double takes. It was hurtful.  We fought for the girls to go to mainstream school....there was no reason why they shouldn't... and we were successful. However, this put my girls into the melting pot of adolescents and the peer pressure and judgmental opinions that go with it. I know, although they rarely told me, that both my older girls had more than their fair share of bullying and victimisation whilst at school. Words and name calling more than anything else are so hurtful. They can scar a person for life. Really, what possesses a person to be vile to another just so they feel better about themselves?

However, whilst I was aware of the issues my elder daughters were experiencing, I was not so aware that my youngest daughter was having an equally hard time.
My youngest girl is smart...clever, bright and on the ball. She is also tall, wears glasses and has wild curly hair that I love and that she has (finally) learned to live with! She is25!! She had bacterial meningitis when she was 4 months old, was very, very ill and we are incredibly lucky that she survived with no ill effects except for possibly poor eyesight.

The other day she casually mentioned that when she was in year 8 - she would have been 12/13 - she used to catch the school bus and she was intimidated and ridiculed while she was on there. I have no idea how long this went on for but on one occasion one of the girls who was picking on her actually set fire to my daughters hair...just for a laugh...as you do. I had no idea about this until the other day and I am horrified that I wasn't aware of it, that I didn't do anything about it.

I know that this was a long time ago now but that kind of bullying does untold damage and can ruin a person's self esteem and wellbeing. Without doubt, my youngest daughter will never forget that episode. I have no idea how it was resolved. I also have no idea what other things happened to her, or to my other girls, because of how they looked.
It breaks my heart and makes me bloody angry that these things happened to them and I couldn't stop it. 40 years plus on from my own experiences of bullying and I can still remember the guilt and the shame that I felt about myself.....yet it wasn't my fault! I didn't ask to be bullied, I didn't do anything that I was aware of to provoke it. I was just me.

I guess there will always be people who think that it's funny to ridicule, taunt and bully other people. Perhaps it gives them a feeling of satisfaction to see a fellow human being fall apart under the pressure of their actions. Such is life.

xxxx
 

The One Where I Knit And Cook ( and where I sulked through our 26th wedding anniversary)

Hi folks. A quick update for you this week as I'm blooming tired and I need to get to bed shortly me thinks.

This week has basically seen me knitting and cooking. It's been a quiet week with only one meeting but that was with school friends, one who now lives in the US, and her trip back to see her parents was a good reason for a few of us to get together. 5 of us met for tea and cake in our home town of Guildford and it was really nice. I was very late but I got there and I'm glad I did. As we get older I find it so important to keep in touch with people. I've made a concerted effort recently to phone people and arrange meeting for coffee or similar and I still have a long list of people to contact.

Anyway, my knitting, whilst being frustrating initially, has gradually improved. I have managed to finish one pink hat and one blue one. They are from the same pattern but look quite different! 

I'm going to do another pink one I think and then I may even try a cardigan or a blanket. 

Today, Sunday, has seen a Hairy Bikers recipe book frenzy where I made Welsh griddle cakes for breakfast, beer battery fish and chips followed by apple and blackberry pie for tea and also Millionaire's shortbread. All very nice. All very unhealthy but nice all the same.

I've also made bits and pieces over the past week and nearly all have been nice apart from one semolina based pud which was unpleasant.

It was our 26th wedding anniversary during the week. We didn't celebrate it. We were going to go out for a meal but I didn't want to go. I wasn't in a very good mood for various reasons and going out for a meal was the last thing I wanted to do so I didn't go! I actually spent most of the day tucked away in my bedroom staying out of everyone's way. It was probably for the best I think. I did get some flowers and a bottle of fizz from our daughter which was lovely of her.

As I said, short and sweet this week. Makes a change I know!

Keep safe everyone and be kind to each other.

Xxxx

The One Where I Think I Can Knit ( and I fret a bit too😂!)

Well, that was another week and a half! Lots of cooking and baking, lots of dog walking, a scan so my daughter and son in law could find out what flavour babies they are expecting and a flat move for my son and his girlfriend. Hubby was away for 3 nights and I missed him. He's not normally away for that long and it was a week when I needed him to talk to!  Talking on the phone isn't quite the same as a face to face chat and a cuddle when you need it.

So, to start with, here a a few of my baking/cooking efforts....all Hairy Bikers recipes. I have made it my mission to cook every recipe in the book so be prepared for more photos in coming weeks.

The main focus of the week, undoubtably, was the previously mentioned scan that my daughter went for on Wednesday. It was a big day for her and one that she was excited and anxious about in equal measure. She had used the 20 week marker as the date that everything started to become real. The babies she is expecting would become 'real' as the sexes of them were revealed. Well, brilliantly and happily, she is expecting one of each. How brilliant is that? The babies appear to be growing well and we are keeping everything crossed that all continues to go as well as possible.

As a mum it is incredibly exciting and scary in equal measures when you find out that your daughter is having a baby. It is something that I have been incredibly fortunate to have experienced 4 times before and I never get over the miracle of each and every pregnancy and birth.

This time there is more anxiety because it's a twin pregnancy and my daughter's first pregnancy too. She has also been very sick and had a pretty rough time so we are all hoping that the next few months will settle down.

For me it's a strange time. Fear, excitement, and everything in between. I'm sure all prospective grandmothers feel the same. However, add in to the mix the fact that there is a genetic condition  to add to the equation and it's no wonder that my brain is in overdrive.

With each of the pregnancies of my daughters I have been so worried that one of their babies will have inherited the condition known as Stickler Syndrome, especially as there is a 50/50 chance of any baby inheriting the condition and carrying it on.

When I had my first child I had no idea of what was ahead of me for my girls and I had never heard of the condition. My pregnancy was normal and I loved every minute of it. The trauma that followed the birth of my daughter was life changing for me and my husband at the time. It really did change our lives forever.

I always vowed that my daughters would have as much information as they could get before they decided to try for their own families and that is what I have always tried to give them. Once they have been given all of the details they could then go ahead and make their choice. I always felt that there is no such thing as too much information in such circumstances and so I also spoke with the partners too just so they were as aware as they could be.

While my girls are old enough to make up their own minds, whenever one of them tells me that they are pregnant my heart races and my tummy churns because I am so thrilled for them but also because I am so worried.

Stickler Syndrome is not a life limiting condition but it does make certain things more difficult. I remember how much of a struggle I found things at times and I remember the hospital visits and the  doctors appointments that the girls endured, the operations and the drama. I remember what we were told by the consultants .....all the things that our children might not be able to do and achieve. Then I look at my girls and I am amazed at their resilience and their inner strength. I am reminded every day of the goodness and kindness that lives in them. Stickler Syndrome has not defined them. In many ways it has brought out the very best in them.

Whatever happens with this latest pregnancy, Stickler or no Stickler, these babies will be welcomed into the world with love and joy and happiness just as our other grandchildren have been. It's a very exciting time - despite the fretting Mum/ Nanny driving herself and everyone else mad!!

So exciting, in fact, that I have started knitting....which is ridiculous because I really am not a natural! However, I am determined to give it a good go and have started knitting a hat. Simple I have no doubt but not so for me. I have already had to unravel my work and start again as I messed it up and I've no idea how😂😂😂

So, there we are. I have fretted about this update. I am always so worried that anything I write will upset or offend someone and updates like these about something so personal are always tricky. However, but this blog is ultimately for me and about me and my feelings. Having said that, if anyone reads this and is upset in anyway please do let me know. I can take the page down very easily.

Until next time. 

Xxxxx

£950 And Counting#Addenbrookes#Stickler#Proud

Hi folks,

It's Sunday evening, we have just enjoyed a roast beef dinner cooked by our youngest daughter and The Princess Bride is on the TV. Inconceivable! This film is a firm family favourite along with Dirty Dancing, Ferris Bueller's Day Off  and Home Alone.

My daughter asked me if I knew what I was going to blog about this week and I told her that I often have good ideas of subjects in the middle of the night (when I regularly wake up) but come the morning I have no idea again.

This week has been good. I have done more cooking and the littlest dog, despite being sick 4 times in the last hour, has been given the all clear by the vet following her surgery and so we have returned to proper dog walking. The weather has been lovely for the last few days too so bits and pieces have been done in the garden and everyone seems happy.


My eldest daughter is expanding at a rate of knots with her twin pregnancy and has been enjoying a weeks holiday in Zante. She returns home tomorrow and then, on Wednesday, she has an appointment for her 20 week scan where she and her hubby hope to find out whether they are having boys, girls or, indeed, one of each which is what lots of people seem to think is the most probable outcome. I am just excited!!

A week or so ago I heard that my cousin's son had died. I didn't know him but I wanted to support my cousin and represent the family so to speak so I offered to attend the funeral at the crematorium and my cousin replied that she would pleased if I could go so I agreed.
Readers may or may not know that I have had major issues with anxiety over the years and attending a funeral is one of the very worst triggers for me. I really do seem to have most of my anxiety under control these days which is wonderful so I was completely thrown when I arrived at the crematorium in a bit of a pickle. Heart racing, hands sweating, face red and blotchy, shaking knees, needing the loo etc etc. Concerned whether anyone would recognise me or speak to me and much deeper catastrophic thoughts like what happens if I faint during the service or have a heart attack. Yes, that was how I felt and how my thought processes were. It was horrible.
Of course, none of my worries were realised and the service was moving, well attended and drama free. All of my cousins were pleased to see me. I did speak to them and they were pleased that I had made the effort to be there with them.
Once my anxious state had abated and my face had returned to it's usual colour I sat in the car and thought about how I had felt. Yes, it was horrible and scary. Yes, I've felt that way a thousand times before but I'm always ok. What did surprise me was that I couldn't remember the last time that I felt like that when I used to feel like that at least once a week. It just underlined for me how far I have come.

The other thing that I thought I might mention is that my son and have nearly hit our target of raising £1000 for Stickler Diagnostic Clinic  based at Addenbrookes. We completed the Surrey Three Peaks back in April and raised over £700 and Jack's employers have just this week donated £250 via their match funding scheme which is wonderful. We are waiting to have the total from the two collecting tins that we had and gave back to the hospital a week or so ago and then we will see how we have got on. I will be overjoyed if we hit our target and I think we probably will.
With Stickler Syndrome being so prevalent in my family, it is important to me that we support the clinic and the people there who do such great work for families like ours. We never know when we might need their expertise and their services and it is very reassuring for us that we know they are there to help us if we need them.

So, onwards and upwards. Let's see what this week brings. Already planned is a catch up with friends, helping my son and his girlfriend move to a new flat, maternity shopping with my daughter and the prospect of the result of the scan for my daughter on Wednesday.

 I'm off to set my alarm so I can see the Blood Moon which is supposed to be visible from 1am.

Take care and enjoy your week everyone.

xxxxx