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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