Well we’re half way through May and half term is nearly upon us and we have all being enjoying a beautiful period of sunshine and warm weather. It’s still cold at night and the wind hasn’t dropped much but it’s been a lovely excuse for getting out in the garden with Mum and Walter and trying to catch up on all the things we have been putting off since Autumn. The garden looks spectacular at the moment with everything from apple blossom to weigela blooming away. Mum has been on a few trips to the nursery to pick up some new gems and we have been busy getting them planted.

Next on the job list is having a pond put in but first we have to decide exactly where it’s going to go. Can’t wait to have iris and marsh marigolds as well as pond lilies.

Can’t sleep so decided to raid the children’s holiday Pop Tarts for a snack. True to form they got stuck and I had to upend the toaster. Cue an awful lot of crumbs… Was worth it in the end though. I guess that’s the moral of the story. Keep persevering and it will all work out in the end.

We’re almost at the end of the Summer holidays (already!!) and I don’t feel like I’ve really accomplished very much other than getting Connor to the States to visit his Grandma. He’s still there now and having the time of his life. Running to the fire station every time there’s a call and catching up with all our old friends.

He doesn’t want to come home. I mean no one wants to come home at the end of a good holiday but he really doesn’t want to come back to the U.K. He wants to stay there and go to school. He’s fifteen next week so is just about to start his GCSE’s over here. It’s one of the most important stages of his life and I just don’t know what to do…

He’s my only son and my eldest so I rely on him greatly but I can’t use a selfish excuse like that to say no. I love him so much and can’t imagine life without him here. Should I let him stay there with his Grandma and live his own life? What do I do?

It seems like such a long time since I’ve put pen to paper as it were. Today is the last day of the children’s Easter holidays so school preparation is frantically underway. 

Homework? What homework?!! “Oh let me just play with the cat!” “Can we go to the beach Mum?” 

Later this week the girls will be going on their first ever school residential. Neither are keen on being away from home but want to do the outdoor activities that they will be involved with in the daytimes. I’m scared a little of them going too. I think it’s natural as a parent to be scared about handing the reins over to someone else. Even if only for a couple of nights. Trying to stop myself from making too much of it and making the situation even more fraught. “But, don’t you care Mummy?!” “Yes, yes I do.”

Anyway… Managed to escape for a few days last week. Took the three of them down to Chester to meet up with my Dad for a couple of days and to try and relax. Almost came to a grinding halt when it came to light that I had booked for the following week and that there were no spare rooms! Felt like a complete idiot and burst into tears! It’s hard being responsible for so many things at once sometimes… Thankfully the hotel came through and found us a beautiful room. The spa and pool there were amazing. I would definitely recommend the Grosvenor Pulford just outside of Chester to everyone. They made myself, the children and dog extremely welcome. 

Had a lovely day with Dad on the Llangollen railway followed by a trip to the Great Orme and Llandudno the next day. It was pretty windy but beautiful all the same.

After Dad had left we enjoyed a day at Chester Zoo. I’m not a massive zoo fan but the children were thrilled to see their favourite animals close up. A new baby giraffe, the zebras and meerkats were the highlights for us all. We decided to purchase a season ticket and return the following day. Of course we visited Yo! Sushi for our annual treat meal there. The kids love the conveyor belt of food and it always reminds of Rob…

Now we’re back to reality and trying to get ready for school again. So what was I doing? Oh yes! Homework!! Lol!! 

I apologise for the lack of chronological order in the last few posts. I think that regular readers will be able to work out what was supposed to come first. 

I think that I had failed to press publish when I had first written them and now can’t work out how to make them come I date order. 

Can anyone with technical skills help me out? This is my first ever attempt at a blog so it’s bound to have a few hiccups. 

Hope that you enjoy sharing a few snapshots of our life though xxx

I’m not very good at keeping up with this journal writing am I?

We’re already at the end of February and the birds are singing furiously heralding the beginning of Spring. The sun is shining and the bulbs are all blooming. This last week has had beautiful weather. A wonderful break from the gales and driving rain that have become the norm of late. It’s been one of the mildest Winters that I can remember so to have had frost and sunshine this week has been a welcome change.

Off to Cartmel again today to teach guides and leaders how to take good photographs. I’m definitely looking forward to a child-free afternoon in the company of intelligent adults!

Well here we are once again at the end of August with the holidays drawing to a close and the thought of school looming.

We’ve not had a busy Summer with lots of holidays. Although the weather on the whole has been pretty kind to us (this is the Lake District after all!) we have chosen to stay closer to home and have days out with Mum when possible.

Mum’s health has continued to gradually deteriorate culminating in her inability to change gear in the car so to all intents and purposes has become home bound unless I drive. As you can imagine the frustration is immense. We are looking into the possibility of a mobility allowance but it’s not looking hopeful. At least with determination she is still able to do much.

Connor will be turning fourteen next week and brings all the joys of teen angst and hormones to the house! Actually to be fair he’s not been too bad so far. He’s a pretty balanced kid and helps when he can. He does a paper round every morning which keeps his feet on the ground. He’s still attached to all his computers with an umbilical cord so as he works towards his GCSEs I’m sure that they will feature highly in his choices.

The girls continue to grow like weeds

Well after last week’s distinctly negative post I’m determined to keep my mood more upbeat and positive. It doesn’t help anyone if I’m grumpy (even if I’m not the cause of the grumpiness.) 

Having a newly minted teenager in the house is bad enough without me having the blues. I’m going to fight his misery with happiness and see who wins out! 

Spent the day in Cartmel yesterday doing my Leadership training for Guides. Learnt a lot and enjoyed intelligent conversation for a whole day without being interrupted by little people. Not sure that my mother appreciated being the day’s babysitter (including dog) but since my regular babysitter was doing the training with me my choices were thin. At least the day was a late Summer’s treat and they had been out for a lovely walk with the hound to Appletreewith Beck. No doubt wet, muddy children abounded!

Have started college again and am up to my ears in Health and Safety legislation (which actually helped on yesterday’s course too.) Back to school on Thursday after the long break, which given the point of the course is the bit I’m least looking forward to. Due to Mum’s failing health last year I’m very behind in my coursework so have much to do before my finish date in February. 

Mum’s builders are due back tomorrow so it’s off to her house to move furniture for the much anticipated wall breakthrough this week. No rest for the wicked so I had better get my ass in gear and gather the girls and hound. Hopefully if we’re done in time we can take a trip to Roanhead later to relax in the dunes. Seems like our Indian Summer is due to end today so we’d better make the most of our chance to play. Have so enjoyed this last week or two of sunny days and super moons inuding a spectacular eclipse earlier in the week. 

So later gator… Looking forward to adding some lovely sunset pictures to the album!! 

Well that’s a shitty start to what should be a happy day… My son doesn’t want to go to school because it’s my birthday and because it’s his worst day of lessons so he’s given me the silent treatment and stomped off to school without even a hug.

Some days all I want to do is go back to bed and cry… 

Happy Fucking Birthday