Frustrated!

I am frustrated of Wokingham - I was due to go to a wedding today. Got all ready - just enough time to get to church before bride. Went to car ..... key hole is jammed and won't take the key! Tried everything but to no avail. So here I sit! 

We had a great week at the holiday club - amazing to see 370+ children all hearing about Jesus. It is so well organised and the children are so well behaved. The experience of 45 + years makes such a difference. Parents who used to come themselves are now bringing their children. 

Tomorrow I am off to stay with Chloe and Ed and see their new home. It will be nice to do a bit of exploring of Kent as I don't know the area at all. I will then be able to imagine them there. 

My new craft room is coming along - well it is a big mess at the moment as I have just dumped all the craft stuff into it. I now need a few days sorting to make it work well. I  am looking forward to having a space to leave projects out.

All is well!

So sorry for my absence and thank you for those who have contacted me to find out if I am ok! All is well! Just very busy with life. I will put up some photos of Chloe's graduation when I can find the camera! We had the most lovely day with Chloe and Ed. A day full of forever memories. I was SO proud of my girlie. She has had a wonderful time moving into her new flat and is now home for a few days before Ed moves all his stuff at the weekend and their new life begins. She actually starts work next Wednesday.

I am having a busy week driving backwards and forwards to our church holiday club where I am running a bookstall. We have over 370 children coming and over 100 leaders. I have been unable to help in the last few years , so it is wonderful to be involved this year even if it is only a little role. The leaders have done an amazing job looking after so many children and introducing them to Jesus in a fun and noisy way! It has been such a hot week but everyone seems to be coping well. There will be a lot of VERY tired adults come the weekend.

In-between visits to the field I have been trying to tidy up after Chloe's departure. I have found the floor in the front room which has been covered in boxes for the last few weeks. I am beginning to plan my new craft room which we are turning Chloe's room into. It will remain a bedroom for her to come back to when she wants to but will have craft supplies stored and a place to leave projects out -  lovely. Who knows maybe I will get some of my unfinished projects finished!

At the weekend I have been invited to a wedding which I am really looking forward to. My friends live in Cumbria but their son is getting married in Crowthorne. Weddings are such joyous occasions.

Then on Sunday I am going to stay with Chloe for a couple of days to see her new flat before she starts work -  lovely. I can't wait to see where she will be living for the next year.

The best laid plans ......

.. My week hasn't gone at all to plan. I have caught a yucky cold which has completely wiped me out. It is the first really nasty cold I have had since I have been ill, which  is amazing. But I don't have any ability to cope so I have had to cancel everything this week. I also can't take most of the usual cold medicines as they affect kidneys. Thankfully I can take paracetamol which I am very grateful for. As you can imagine having a high temperature in this heat is tricky. Today I can see some improvements and I think I will live!!!!! Tomorrow is Chloe's graduation so I hope that I will be able to go. My poor family have had to put up with a lot of moaning and groaning from me.

I had hoped to go into school this week to wish everyone a happy summer but don't think they would appreciate my germs! So if you are reading this please pass onto all the others that I wish you all  happy holidays and a good rest.

3 years

3 years ago today I heard the news that I could restart my chemo after my kidneys had failed. In some ways that now feels like a lifetime ago and in other ways it is just like it happened yesterday. If I hadn't restarted my chemo I probably wouldn't be here now. My journey has changed me so much. I had thought that by now, maybe I wouldn't think about it everyday but I do. My limitations both in my physical abilities and my energy levels mean that it is now part of who I am. I have to be constantly aware of what I can and can't do and that shapes both my life and my families life. However it also shapes me in a good way. I am so so grateful to be here and able to do so much. I still look for joy in each and everyday and find it. There is so much to be grateful for. Not least for the joy of being able to plan a wedding with Ed and my girlie. I am thankful.

This week - main event = first visit to wedding dress shops, last tutoring  before the summer hols, sorting books for the bookstall at holiday bible club next week, coffee with friends, graduation ceremony with Chloe, flowers at church, Tour de France watching and my girlie moving to Kent. A happy, busy week.

Packing and weddings!

So this week has been full of packing boxes and wedding plans! Chloe is packing her 'stuff' to move next weekend to Kent. This is a mammoth task as it involves sorting 5 years of uni stuff and all of her 'life' stuff. We are filling boxes and rubbish bags! My emotions are all over the place as it is my little girlie moving out but my little girlie becoming a Dr and fulfilling her dreams. I am very excited for her but also aware that she is leaving me. She has been my wonderful companion and friend throughout my illness. We will still see plenty of them I am sure but she will never live at home again. But this is what parenthood is about - bringing up your children to leave you as independent beings! I have been very lucky to have had her for 6 years longer than some people do. So I am sure I have said this many times but for those with little ones - hold them tight tonight when you tuck them into their beds for they grow up, oh so quickly. Forget about the housework (it will always be there tomorrow) and spend precious time with them.

We have also begun (in the midst of the packing) to plan the wedding. At the moment this seems like a mammoth task but looks better when you break it down into little bits. We will be pleased when we have decided on a venue and booked it and have a date. I won't be blogging about the details (hurrah you cry) as it is not mine to blog about. But I am sure it will come up a bit! There will be plenty of lists made - both Chloe and I are list makers!

Talking about lists - poor Chloe is surrounded by them - she has so much to think about. I am surprised she is not exploding with thoughts! Setting up a new home, starting a new job, living in a new area, planning a wedding....... All wonderful things but enough to make your head spin!

My weekend is more peaceful - Chloe is off to London to spend the weekend with Ed sorting 'stuff' for their new life. So we - surrounded by packing boxes - will quietly get on with our lives. Paul is very happy as it is first night of the proms tonight, Ben is nearly finished school and I am a lady who lunches with my bible study ladies.

Holiday

The Journey begins

 Thank you for all your good wishes for Chloe and Ed. They return today from France - Ed having completed one of the stages of the Tour de France (ahead of the riders but with 10,000 other cyclists). It was an 80 mile cycle ride in the mountains - wow! 

Sorry for the delay in posting about our holiday - I have been drowning under the piles of washing! 

Again - anyone who doesn't do detail can stop reading now and just look at the pictures! 

We travelled up to the Lakes on the train, which was wonderful. Paul had booked first class tickets for the London - Penrith section of the journey and it was great. Plenty of room and lots to drink - perfect! 

 Chloe and Ed met us at Penrith - and we had our first view of the ring on Chloe's finger.

Lovely first class

 I am sorry I didn't take any photos! But it is very beautiful. 

Driving into Borrowdale is like coming home for us.  We arrived at the hotel to champagne and scones. A lovely way to celebrate and begin our holiday. Anne from the hotel gave Chloe and Ed the cork from the champagne bottle with a silver coin in for good luck. 

We settled into our rooms ( a little suite with a lounge, kitchen, bathroom and bedroom) while Ed and Chloe returned to the campsite for a change of clothes.

Walking in the rain

 Baths (for Chloe and Ed - their campsite just has cold water and a stream) and a lovely evening meal (roast beef) - followed by a walk to the stepping stones - in the rain! The rain in the Lakes is not like our rain - it is so, so beautiful. The mountains get covered with an atmospheric mist and everywhere glistens. I was delighted to be back in my favourite place.

Boat views

 It was wonderful to wake the next day to the sound of the river burbling as it ran past our window.Yummy breakfast - the food in the hotel is delicious home cooking. Chloe and Ed met us after breakfast and we drove into Keswick where we took the boat across the Lake. The views from the boat are breathtaking - mountains surround the Lake which is so peaceful. From the other side of the Lake we then walked around a section before catching the boat back into Keswick. It isn't very long before the peacefulness seeps into your very being.

The boast drops at the landing stage

 I love the reminder of our creator God all around us when we are in the Lakes. So much remains unchanged and untouched. 

Lunch in George Fishers - yummmmmmmm. Followed by a bit of window shopping. Back in time to watch the end of that days stage of the Tour de France and a bit of tennis. 

Evening meal - again very yummy. Thai sweet potato soup (must try this at home) followed by gammon with orange sauce.

So beautiful!

 Next day - Grasmere. This includes a beautiful drive past lakes and mountains and always involves, some shopping, a visit to Heaton-Coopers gallery, Grasmere gingerbread and lunch in Bawdrys.

The afternoon was spent visiting Chloe and Eds campsite - with spectacular views. It must be one of the most beautiful campsites in the country - accessed down a very narrow driveway. They had pitched the tent right next to the stream which happily meandered past. The next field had sheep and plenty of lambs.

Muumy goose sheltering her babies under her wing

 The brave ones jumped  over the fence between the fields. Leaving lambs bleating loudly for their mums! Ed was not impressed when he had a lamb bleating very loudly right outside their tent at 5am! 

We had a lovely picnic of scones, cream and strawberries mmmmmm. 

Our last evening meal together was followed by a walk to the steeping stones for Ed and Chloe to say goodbye.

Chloe and Eds tent

 Chloe and Ed had an early start back to Henley leaving at about 8.30 after packing up the tent thankfully not in the rain (it had rained all night). 

Unfortunately I was quite poorly on Wednesday- the results of many days of business! I spent most of the day in bed (much to the surprise of the window cleaner) managing a short walk in the afternoon to meet Paul. However, this was good for Paul as he got to walk - up! I can only manage flat walks. So Paul walked all day coming back at lunchtime to check on me and to have a rest!

The view from the tent

 Thursday - our last day and a very rainy morning. We took the bus over the Honister Pass and down into Buttermere and then onto Keswick. The scenery - even in the rain is stunning. The waterfalls were spectacular - full to overflowing! I wish I could capture the scenery better on photographs but it never does it justice.

Lunch in Keswick and shopping for a new light backpack for me. Then boat and bus back to the hotel.

An afternoon nap

 Time for a nap and a catch up of tennis and Tour de France.

We followed the evening meal with our last walk to the stepping stones. The farmers were herding the sheep into pens to check and count them. It is lovely to watch the work done between the shepherds and their dogs. We chatted with a local farmer who told us that the sheep would usually have been sheared by now but because of the weather they haven't put on enough weight and so have to be left in the fields for longer.

Sheep jumping the fence

 They moved the sheep into a new field and we watched the scramble as the lambs tried to find their mums. The noise was incredible - lambs and mums bleating loudly. Then the joyous reunion as they found each other. The shepherds work so hard - very long days. 

Friday arrived all too quickly. Breakfast, packing and a last walk to my view before the taxi arrived to take us to the station.

More views

 Again a great journey on the train to London - followed by a very packed train to Wokingham. We were pleased to arrive back home and back to Ben and Papageno. Poor Ben had been ill while we were away so was pleased to have us back. Papageno was very pleased to see us too and have everyone back in the nest!

So now I am wading my way through our washing and mainly Chloe's camp washing. Today I tackle the ironing pile.

Grasemere Gingerbread - yes please

 I was so thankful to be able to go away for a few days and thankful to return home too. I am aware now that although holidays are wonderful they take a lot of energy! I am learning to pace myself - not always successfully (hence Wednesday's illness). It is hard when you are on holiday as you want to make the most of the time and fit in plenty. This is just a reminder that I still have to stop - even in the Lakes!

Bawdrys

 This week is quieter - to recover!

Reading in bed!

gathering the sheep

Second lot of sheep

Last evening - my view

My view without sheep

Paul waiting in the rain for the bus

Paul in garden in Keswick

Keswick landing stage

Mountains

Our hotel rooms

Counting sheep

Are you our mummy?

My view - with sheep

Stepping stones

Paul on THE stone

Front of hotel

Chloe and Ed showing us THE stone!

We are delighted to announce.....

....... Chloe and Ed have got engaged.

Chloe and Ed arrived in Borrowdale and set up tent and then walked down to the stepping stones - Chloe's favourite place in the Lakes. She ran ahead and crossed the stepping stones only to hear Ed call her name, as she turned he was down on one knee in the middle of the stepping stones. Ed says she made a very strange sound and burst into tears - and then managed to say yes! He gave her the most beautiful ring that he had designed using diamonds given to his mum by his dad when he was born. It is very beautiful. Ed had hidden it in his hat in a secret pocket so that she wouldn't see it before he could give it to her. 

We celebrated with champagne and scones when we arrived a few days later!

As you can imagine we are delighted and excited. How wonderful to have another wedding. My emotions have been all over the place as we have known for about a month and it has been a hard secret to keep. When I was first diagnosed it was one of the saddest things to think of not be alive for my children's weddings. So I am very thankful to be alive and able to enjoy the planning(hopefully) of this wedding. We have already enjoyed some quite crazy conversations with Chloe and Ed which included skydiving, tractors, tandems and tents - we shall see!

We have had a wonderful holiday - I will post pictures tomorrow.