wagwaan?

Another year older

Yup, today it was my birthday. I was quite ridiculously looking forward to it, too! I think it's because as one of seven children, your birthday was your "special" day, when you got to choose what you wanted to eat for dinner and what you wanted to watch on television. And you got presents too, which is always a bonus, right?

This morning Claire brought me breakfast in bed and gave me this rather beautiful present, together with a card she made. Both have a personal meaning to us and are very special.

I was so touched. She's a special girl, that one! I think the mount in the frame makes all the difference, don't you?  She's taking commissions now hint hint...

A bit later on, the doorbell went and I was told it was for me. Sadly, with my morning stiffness (thank you psoriatic arthritis) I find it impossible to just run downstairs and the guy at the door knocked again so I sent Claire down to open it. She had organised an Interflora delivery - I haven't taken a picture of the flowers but will have to do that tomorrow. I LOVE getting flowers and it's such a treat. Thank you Claire!

We rested all morning, had a light lunch and then went out to tea in the afternoon. Originally we had thought of somewhere in London but Claire has just come down with a stinking cold and neither of us are exactly flush with cash, so we went to the local John Lewis's "The Place to Eat".  It was rather quiet, which was nice, and we had hot chocolate and a slice of cake each.

It's been a lovely day. So many people have texted me, sent me cards, messaged me on Fbook and posted on my wall. I'm really overwhelmed and feel very blessed.  Thank you all, so very much.

So I'm off to bed shortly and I thought I'd leave you with a recent picture of me with one of the biscuits Claire made a couple of weeks ago. Yes, that IS what we get up to on weekends...

Musings and Manchester

Yesterday was the three-year anniversary of my SAH and I found it harder this year. I'm usually quite upbeat about things. I think things happen for a reason and there's no point crying over the past... but on 10th Feb 2010 my life changed forever, and I think this is really the first year that it's sunk in. 

One of the lasting after-effects is post-stroke fatigue. I know I've mentioned it before but it really sucks! I have returned to work part-time and although I thought I'd progress to full-time work, I am coming to accept that that probably won't ever happen. The fatigue is relentless and unpredictable, and although I didn't want to believe the experts, I have discovered they were right in saying there is no use in trying to ignore it or "push throught it". That only makes things worse. 

The other thing of course is that I'm single again. Not where I expected to be, if I'm honest, and sometimes I wonder what on earth the future holds for me but I'm keeping an open mind!

Anyway, changing the subject, we had a wonderful time in Manchester this weekend. A bit of a flying visit, but I didn't want to miss my Great Nephew's first birthday. I ended up going to bed at 7.30pm on Saturday (!) but Claire enjoyed hanging out with her cousins. Baby Joel is a delight and he's such a happy little soul. He particularly loved his Grandpa's present - a mini Man U football for the true Mancunian that he is. Bless his cotton socks. I hope we see him again soon, now that I've realised what an easy journey it is to get there by train and tram....

It snowed quite heavily when we changed trains at Milton Keynes on the way up, but didn't settle. Then we came home in the rain... but woke up again to a blanket of snow this morning. Is it just me or has the weather been worse than usual this year? 

I'll leave you with a quick picture of the cake my niece made for her boy -rather fabulous, I think you'll agree:

Claire had the D-SLR with her but I just snapped pics with the iPhone. They say the best camera is the one you have on you :)

Must get myself off to bed. I am having lunch with a colleague tomorrow (although I have the week off) and a trustee meeting at 2pm, then it's my birthday on Wednesday. Claire has taken the day off so we can do something together. Possibly a posh tea somewhere? We shall see. Well, 'night then!

Home again

Well what a lovely time we had. I thought I'd blog while I was away but I just never got around to it. The journey over there went smoothly despite worries about flooding in the south of England, and we got picked up by the local taxi driver at the ferry port. He stopped at a Boulangerie so we could buy hot fresh croissants and bread to take to my mum's. Mmm.

The week went in a blur. My mum's house is quite small so my sisters had rented a gîte in the town, and that's where we had Christmas Eve dinner and where we spent Christmas day. 

One of the highlights was the visit of my sister and family on Boxing Day. My eldest nephew was visiting from Switzerland and he came over to the introduce his fiancée to my mum. I was delighted to be able to take a picture of them walking hand in hand on the seafront - he is usually in a wheelchair, so it's very special that he's up and about now.

I spent a lot of time just chilling with my mum. Her speech isn't always so good nowadays, but it's fantastic to spend time with her. She still doesn't let you do anything around the house, so you have to empty the dishwasher or what have you while she's busy doing something else. I really need to get to see her more than I did this year. 

The journey back was not too bad, although it was a choppy crossing. Luckily, we have learnt our lesson over the years and only get that ferry if we can get a cabin. It's much easier when you can get rocked to sleep... We got home around 10am and the cat was sooooo happy to see us. He hasn't really left my side since yesterday, bless him. 

 

So it's nearly the end of the year. A lot has happened in 2012. Here's to a fabulous 2013! 

What a small world

I'm so glad we kind of forced ourselves to go out yesterday. I had been crafting on Saturday, so I'd been out most of the day, and I didn't sleep very well that night, but we had planned on going to a Christmas Market and instead of the crowds at Winter Wonderland we thought we'd try out the South Bank, which one of my crafting friends told me about. It was quite bitterly cold, and the crowds were just as bad as at Hyde Park, but the atmosphere was great. My friend had told me there was a Chocolate Festival every year so we thought we'd check it out. Just as I had been handed a "Christmas Pudding chocolate" to sample, I heard Claire say "oh  hello!" and turned to see.... my goddaughter/niece and her boyfriend. The weirdest part is that Katy actually lives in Manchester, so it was really unexpected to see her there. We hugged and laughed and chatted and had the most amazing hot chocolate from one of the stalls, before going our separate ways. It really IS a small world!

The South Bank stretches for quite a long way, but we found out that the market was near the London Eye, which is just a few minutes from Waterloo Station. That means it's quite easy to get to from where we are, which is a bonus.

 

It was lovely to get in the festive spirit and although we did look for some presents, most of the stalls were selling food. The ones that had gifts for sale seemed to be horrendously overpriced so we came home practically empty-handed. I say "practically" because I did give in and buy a small Gingerbread House kit, which I'm really looking forward to putting together.

 So that was our weekend. Hope you enjoyed yours!

I'm still here!

You'll have to forgive the long silence - I just haven't felt like coming on here and posting, but I don't really know why. So much has changed since the beginning of the year and yet sometimes I feel like it's just the same old same old so surely no one is still coming here to see if I've written a new post?

Most recently, as you'll know if you are one of my Facebook Friends, we spent a fabulous week in Dinard, Brittany, with most of my extended family: it was supposed to be a joint 80th birthday celebration for my mum and my aunt but in the end my mum decided it was too much for her.  Luckily, we weren't too far away so we went to see her instead and I was privileged to be there when she met her Great Grandson for the first time. So wonderful!  Of course, with so many budding photographers in the family there are a great many pictures, especially of the 360 degree views from the property, and I will no doubt come and post some on here in due course. That is, when I've had a minute to resize them.  Here's one I pinched from another member of the family:

(our villa, or château if you please, is atop the cliff on the right of the picture. Wow or what?!)

"Great Aunt"?? Sounds like someone in their nineties

My birthday has come and gone, and I've not been on here at all because that lurgy I came down with just went on and on and on.... I wasn't going to visit the doctor until I'd had the cold for at least a week, because I thought there was no point.  However, on the Friday I felt (and looked) so ill that I had to admit defeat and go home to bed again instead of being a guinea pig for the medical students' revision exam. That evening, Dr O called me and said she was worried about me and that I should get my chest checked out. I duly called the out of hours doctors and was given an appointment for the Saturday, where my chest was listened to and Amoxicillin prescribed.  I thought I'd feel better after a couple of days - that's what usually happens and you have to remind yourself to finish the course of tablets. Unfortunately, though, this cold had other ideas and I had to start on the steroid inhaler to stop my asthmatic cough waking up the whole neighbourhood. I had to return to the GP this morning and she doubled my asthma meds and gave me the delightful news that this type of cough can go on for six weeks. Lovely. 

In the meantime, I had a lovely day for my birthday, despite feeling so rough. Claire gave me her present early in the morning, before she went off to work, and I was so delighted because she bought tickets to go and see Mamma Mia in the West End. What a great time we had.  I have pictures but I've been so busy packing for the move and being poorly in bed that I haven't had the energy to upload them. I will, honest.

We also, the night before Mamma Mia, went to see our friends Beth and Simon compete in a charity dancing competition. They did a great job and I think they were robbed of a place. The people who came 3rd were ok, but the couple who came second were rubbish!  It was all "jolly good fun" and for an excellent cause; I just wish I hadn't felt so ill because I couldn't enjoy it as much as I would have. 

The biggest and best news of February, though, is the birth of my gorgeous Great Nephew, Joel, just before my birthday. We are all so excited for his parents, my niece G and her husband. We can't wait to meet him but for the moment we have to make do with pictures. We had planned to do a newborn shoot but what with my lurgy (I don't think I'd have been allowed anywhere near him!) and lack of funds due to the cost of moving, it's been put on hold. No matter, this Great Aunt will get gorgeous pictures of him whatever age he is when we finally meet. 

I start a new job on Monday, so what with packing and being ill, I really do have rather a lot on my plate. Not that I'm complaining, mind.  It's just that I don't have the will to come and post so often, so if you will bear with me, normal service will resume shortly. Thank you :)

 

Here I am!

Why, hello!  Yes, it's me :)  I know I said this blog would get more interesting, but give me a break - life has a way of throwing you curve balls and I have had a huge one thrown my way. No matter, though: I am still here, and still on track to have an amazing 2012.  

First of all, I can't wait to get started with Project Life. I've been in love with this product since I first saw it, probably on Ali Edwards' blog, but it's been impossible to get here. I nearly ordered some through friends in the States but decided to wait a bit longer. Well now it's nearly here, according to the people in the know. Just in time for my birthday next month, I think, so it's going to be my birthday present to myself. And while I wait, I have downloaded some cards by Cathy Zielske and other clever designers, just so I can get started. Watch this space!

I have also been meaning to upload the Christmassy pictures and without further ado here is the one of Claire and the fève she got in our galette des rois. 

So cute!  The packs this year had those little Japanese dolls in them. Claire obviously wasn't feeling up to having her portrait done at that point, so we compromised a little....

Ok, working backwards (because that was on 12th Night), here is a picture of our mantle during the Christmas season. You might remember the NOEL tealight holders from my previous blog header. I have left the picture as it was SOOC because the colour makes it feel warm and cozy:

Over on the right, there, in front of the little Christmas tree, is a children's nativity set that I bought in Tiger. Love it! And the traditional paperchains from East of India are very cute too. 

I also realise I never took any pictures of my presents this year - except this one, that is. Claire bought it for me. Isn't it lovely?  And it goes just as well with the red colour scheme as it does with the pink. Very clever.

I have to be careful with this one, because Lyle thinks it's great fun to attack the buttons when he sees them.

And last but by no means least, this is what our front room looks like in the season. You probably know that we live in a Victorian terrace, and this type of house is usually long and thin... I took this from the dining room looking towards the front. Shame the blinds weren't down properly so you can see the garage's "MOT" sign opposite!  I love our little house. We might not have got around to decorating it, but it's cozy and warm and lovely, especially with twinkly lights and candles.

 That's it for today folks. I will try and get the blog updated more often, I really will. Cheerio for now!

Huh?

What's this I hear? It's only 3 sleeps till Christmas? Well I really don't know where the time goes!  Luckily, seeing as we are not going anywhere, we are pretty much caught up. I made Christmas presents for the family ages ago, so there was no last-minute rush. I got Claire's stuff in plenty of time, and a little something for the boyf, and Father Christmas will be stopping by as well...

The only thing I still had to do was buy food for the weekend. I was going to do an online grocery shop, but I didn't grab a delivery slot while I could, so in the end I had to go out yesterday (despite feeling pretty tired and dizzy) and face the crowds. Because of my lack of energy and organisation, I decided to go all out and buy our festive fare from that Great British Institution M&S. Yes, I got half-prepared food, and ready made sweet treats, so that I don't have to spend hours slaving over a hot stove, but also because it's actually the closest supermarket to our house (not counting the small Tesco). AND I got a cab home. It was busy out there, but I didn't spend much time in the food hall. I knew more or less what I wanted and snaffled it up. Some of the stuff may or may not have come from this aisle....  Anyway I felt quite proud of myself and came home and collapsed with a toasted teacake and a "cuppa tea".

The house is looking all festive - Claire took the picture that is now my banner, and I love our little tree and paper chains. We also have at least 20 Christmas cards up around the arch in the living room, which is quite a feat in this time of eCards and eGreetings.  I promise I'll get some pictures done soon, but in the meantime, say hello to my friend Santa (from last year)

That reminds me, we had coasters made of this picture and they look fantastic!

Oh and how could I forget? One of my lovely sisters came over from Paris to visit last weekend. We don't have a spare room so she stayed at the local B&B but we had dinners and lunches and shopped together and it was very special. I do so miss my family. 

Anyway, that's all for tonight. I must get my beauty sleep, ok?!

 

Musings

Since I've been here I've had plenty of time to think. Some might say that's not such a good thing (haha) but it's been very therapeutic. 

It hit me that we have been coming here for over 28 years. That kind of blows me away. My mum bought this house with her inheritance after my beloved grandpa passed away. At first it was a holiday home. In fact, some of us came to stay in the very first few weeks after its purchase.  As the family are kind of nomads, having lived all over the place over the years, this house and town represent security and stability.

My parents moved here for good when my dad was ill, and all their grandchildren have grown up having holidays here. It's so close to the beach that when they were old enough (which was still pretty young), they could run back to the house on their own to go to the loo, or get their goûter, or pick up the towel they'd forgotten...  There were often several cousins here at the same time and as long as they didn't go in the water without an adult - and preferably on an incoming tide - they could go off to the beach by themselves. We could see them from the living room window anyway. What idyllic childhood memories for them.

The kids were ALWAYS on that beach. Nearly every year Claire had her birthday here and I have countless pictures of her on the beach, in August, with hardly ever another person in the picture: that's because the house is on a private road, and only people who live here are allowed to drive up near the beach. Joe Public goes to the beach further along the coast where there is a lifeguard and bathing huts. So the beach may not be of the finest golden sand, and there might always be a lot of seaweed, but it's OUR beach. 

Having said that the kids were always out there, well that's mostly true, but I remember the year Claire was about 14. Her cousins Matt (16) and Amy (14) were also here, and we grown-ups were all "go on then, off to the beach with you", and they did that sullen teenager thing, muttering "it smells, there's too much seaweed, it's boooooring" as they reluctantly slouched up to the digue. Fun times!

The area is very well known, as it is where the D-Day Landings took place. That picture up there, that's taken from the stretch in front of our road (Juno Beach), looking towards Utah and Omaha Beaches. The whole place is steeped in history, with Allied tanks and German bunkers, the remains of the British floating "Mulberry harbour", small British military cemeteries dotted around the countryside and the huge American one that features in Saving Private Ryan. Always plenty to do and see when we are here.

The funny thing is, my parents travelled a lot, and I picked up from them that they thought it weird when people went back to the same holiday destination year after year. When we went on holiday (if it wasn't going to stay with cousins or something), we never went to the same place twice. But this is different: this place is HOME and there is something very comforting about saying hello to the same people you pass in the street, the lady in the chemist or the man who walks his dog at the same time every day. And I love the fact that Lucette from over the road tucks the Ouest France in our letterbox every day when she's done with it.  Or that my mum's GP has known us for all this time - the other day he came by to drop something off while I was reading in the garden. As I got up from the deckchair he came towards me and kissed me on either cheek, saying "tu vas bien?" (if you speak French you'll see that he uses the familiar "tu"). 

Maybe it's because I haven't been able to come for nearly two years, having been ill, but I am appreciating every little moment here more than I think I ever have.  As I sat on the beach the other day I was thinking I would love to be able to spend the whole summer here every year and the rest of the year in England. Or even alternate between here and there, every other month or so. It's easy enough - there's a direct ferry lol.

So there you have it. The sea air and spending quality time with my mamma. What's not to like?

A break

Just popping in quickly to let you know that I'll be away from the blog for a couple of weeks. I might drop in now and then, but I'm off to visit my mum who I haven't seen for nearly two years. I can't wait!