Thursday 28 June 2012

Busy busy month or so


Apologies for the gap in blogging but it’s been a very hectic time since my last one on May 30 – hectic on so many levels, I’m not sure where to begin ........ it's been busy physically and emotionally.

Suffice to say, that Mum and SIL’s Mum have been and gone and in between we did heaps! Here's a few photos of a few of the places we saw together.

Windsor Castle

Celebrating Mothers Day (in Australia) at Heston Blummenthals Crown at Bray Pub

Japanese Gardens, Kew Gardens

Highclere Castle aka Downton Abbey

Bishop Walthams' Palace

The New Forest - great day out

Paris!

I spent Sunday with Achilles and Nic 

Three days in London

The Abrells shared a fabulous picnic dinner with us at the Eiffel Tower

Hinton Ampner, one of the many historic homes we visited



Sunday Lunch with Mums long lost cousin Diane and her family



Because we did so much, my life was voluntarily put on hold in many ways as it tends to do when you have visitors for any length of time, but especially when they are not independent of you (no car) and we don’t live that close to much (bus ride into Winchester then it’s buses or trains to where you want to be, and some of the most interesting places required a car to get to)

It was a busy time, researching, planning and doing all the things we did. 

Amongst all this, I turned 50.

The weeks leading up to this great day were also rather stressful as I (foolishly in hindsight) focused on where I wasn’t going to be to celebrate, and what I wasn’t going to do and who I wasn’t going to be with.

The feelings of disloyalty to the friends who have stuck by me thru thick’n’thin, thru all the crap (and trust me, there’s been tones of that) and helped me get to where I am today – the disloyalty of celebrating on the other side of the world with friends of less than 12 months in some cases just didn’t sit right.

So I decided not to do anything.

Once it dawned on me how stupid that was, I started to focus on what I had, where I was and who was close to share it with me.

So, venue sorted, invitations went out and together with Mum, nine lovely ladies celebrated with me. The room was full of giggles and chatter, good food and champagne. 
Birthday Lunch at Three Cup Inn

Dinner at Kyoto Kitchen .... There was 11 of us for dinner including Mum

The words the ladies wrote on my cards proved I was right – friendship shouldn’t be based on how long someone has known you, but what you’ve shared in the time you’ve had together.

That being said, my ‘old’ friends spoilt me with cards and flowers and gifts, there were several fabulous Skype sessions and I truly felt the love across the oceans.

The other thoughts running thru my head were to do with my Dad who sadly passed away only a few short years after his 50th birthday.

I was 21 on the 15th June and dad was 50 two days later. We had the best combined celebration at home.

First of all, I can not imagine Mia being 21 right now.

Secondly, it has made on me realize just how young dad was. I always say he was too young and had so very much more living to do … and that’s hit home like a tonne of bricks these past few weeks.

Been thinking of him and missing him like crazy despite him being gone for so many years now. Guess I’ll always miss him. As I live these next few years, and come close to his last one (he was 54 when he passed away) my thoughts will turn to all the experiences he missed out on. I often wonder what sort of an ‘old man’ he’d have been. One thing I know for sure, without a doubt, he’d have made a terrific grandfather.

Mum flew home last night.

MissM’s on a field trip.

DH is at work.

The house is quiet.

Deep breath, what’s next ………… Ikebana today for the first time in 2 months. I’m so looking forward to it as Sensai has received the delivery of MOON containers and one has my name on it (thanks Mum for the last of my gifts)

Neighbours from Leyton House staying with us Monday night. Really looking forward to catching up and receiving hugs from the little ones.

MissM’s birthday is in a few weeks, which means there’s a party to finalize.

School breaks up for summer holidays.

CB is back for 3 nights.

MsAlice and Co visit in July.

We go away August.

A few weeks at home before we might head off to Dublin for a week.

Then MissM starts year 3 …… and BAM! We’ve been here a year in October!

Gosh, that was a rush,
Best calm down now and relax or it’ll be Xmas
With friendship
x






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