DH has died and MN Aunties are keeping things ticking over (Juan)

[TheWorldHasGoneToCake]

Just starting a new thread on Juan's orders. She'll be back when she feels up to it.

Thinking of her on Sunday/Monday as always.

Evening all
Chasing - ((hugs))
Long weekend, lovely but very weary now.
Didn't manage to sleep much last night for some reason ( weird - DD and son in law all grown up, but still was awake until they get home - why is that?) and up early due to DGS , and not much time to myself either. Just been winding down.
Busy day tomorrow, so off to bed
Thoughts and Prayers -

Oh but you have, squirrels, I've been there alongside or just behind you. Too late - and pointless - to track back but Juan, others, you and I, have. A measure of how far we've travelled as it's blurring slightly?

Yeah, it's holidays = popcorn and Insurgent. Brill!

Squirrels ((hugs))

Fell asleep again after alarm went off, not happy as slept too late. Kids didnt care they could sit on devices while I wasnt there
Havent done much today at all except the inevitable washing, tidying up after kids, making them tidy up, do homework etc. Their dad coming tomorrow so may broach the subject of a weekend with him.
Been overcast and light drizzel all day. Took ds2 to martial arts tonight and watched Harry Potter (sniff) then ironed. Flipping hem has come down on one of ds1s trouser legs, something else to do tomorrow!

Would love a dog but not allowed one in this house.

Hope you got some sleep Squirrel If movies and pop corn late night is the way to go at the moment, make the most of it - they will love you for it too!

Slept badly and up at 6. Been raining all through the night so we are going to indoor play and then school shoe shopping with 2 toddlers in tow. Wish me luck!

Hope you all have a good Monday x

Morning all
Sorry I crashed out yesterday , it was a long weekend !
Having a quiet morning to catch breath, then last day at DD's house getting lots of bits done, so a packed afternoon ahead, then apart from going to let tradesman in we are ( fingers crossed ) done there.
Selena - wise words there - you are all at slightly different points of the journey and Chasing , its hard not to despair, but if we can help with a hand hold and a listening ear, we are here .
Willow - it is a slog getting teens to do stuff- it feels as if you have to be pro active all the time, and that is so tiring. I hope the ex can take them, and give you a break.
Cake goodness- glutton for punishment - shopping with 2 toddlers ! Hope it goes well .
Thinking of you all

Morning all.

Relaxing with cuppa after mania of school morning.

Was looking on line last night to see ehats on in theatre in Edinburgh and checking hotels. The one thing I want to see is apparently on the one weekend most of the cheaper hotels are all booked up! Now why doesnt that surprise me😀
Will try further afield.

Looked briefly at short breaks in October hols not getting anywhere fast! All a bit pricey and not sure where to look that's not to far away but different just somewhere to run away to d do stuff with kids. Thinking about Whitby this morning but it might be rather driech in October 😀

cake you brave person you! Hope shopping goes without a hitch.

book enjoy the house fixing don't overdo it.

swiirrels anythi g you feel is perfectly normal. Enjoy the holidays let routines go to pot. Sometimes I had to check what day it was we were so relaxed. It does you good to just go with the flow instead of keeping to timetables now and again

Have a nice day folks.

Film finished about 11pm, we were all in bed by 11.30pm and awake around 8.30am - so I think that's fine.
They are downstairs on screens now and I'm still in bed.

I'm honestly not sure I have gone through those stages, for the most part I've not been angry about it at all - right from the beginning after I got over the initial shock and disbelief at the diagnosis I've just been very sad about it. I knew right at the beginning that it wasn't going to be long, although that was tempered last September when they said 2-4 years and I had a little more hope.
I'm unhappy and upset and no doubt somewhat low and depressed.
And I've had relief that his pain and suffering, and my part in supporting that, was over.
Mostly I just miss his presence in my life, his arms around me, his kindness and loving companionship.
And I miss man hugs - 11yo boy hugs and even 14yo adolescent hugs are just not the same.

I feel like I'm just going through the motions of life, mostly - sometimes I'm not bothering with them.

And I definitely think it's getting harder not easier.

Willow we had a fantastic few days in Oct half term in York, although I think it's 5 years ago do my boys were much younger that yours are now.

Squirrels
What did you do with the kids? Haven't been to York for years.

Yorvik

The castle museum (I think - enormous one next to Clifford Tower) was fantastic could have done two visits. It has all sorts of exhibits, a Victorian street scene with shops you could go in, a space display, an outdoor area, and loads loads more that I can't remember.

There was a lights display in a park that we went to one night which was really good.

Walked round the walls and looked round the city.

The railway museum.

I think we went to 2 nights, and packed the days pretty full. We got the train up and just walked everywhere.

All out other UK trips have been May half term, but we have done the following (all driving so we had the car for days out).

Chester - walked the walls (downloaded an interactive app) and city, Chester Zoo, Anderton Boat Lift (I grew up locally and we picked up my Uncle who has Downs and took him), Beeston Castle (childhood thing - don't bother!), then Styal Mill on the way home.

Stratford (actually stayed in Redditch) - Shakespeare's house, Anne Hathaway's farm, butterfly place, walled around Stratford, other things I can't remember.

Canterbury - walked around the city, couple of museums, castles - Dover, Deal, another one I can't remember and one on the way down, animal place then Chatham Maritime on the way home.

I booked apartments for all of the above, but if I was just going with my boys now I'd look for cheap travelodge or premier inn rooms and share.

We also did a Hoseasons lodge in April this year at Cheddar Gorge and that was really good.

Squirrels thanks. We did cheddar gorge a couple of years ago when we stayed near WSupetM in a cottage in the summer. It was good fun, went into the caves, longleat and Eden cenre.
The rest are a bit too far away for a few days. I refuse to drive 9 hours in a day again after we went to Chessington and Legoland for long weekend😀

Will have a look at York on pc later. If the things you mentioned are still there it sounds like a plan. We would def stay in premier inn. Kids love it (well ds1 never seems to sleep well there but that's him) and breakfasts are fab😀

Bathroom done, washing out, kids room 'tidied' and armful of washing collected along with plates and fruit stones/cores! I swear they go blind in that room they never see the mess 😀

Willow Are they too old for Beamish? we loved it there - though not been for a few years now .
If you decide on York, let me know - we could maybe meet for a coffee or afternoon tea !

squirrels especially re the hugs - they're lovely but -- just not the same .

St Johns Wort is brilliant, just check not taking anything that might interact. Magnolia Rhodiola also great. I've found that once I'd done a course then I only need to take for one or two days. Seems to be the case even after 5 year gap.

Enjoy the rest of your day as far as you can, everyone. I've been to the Halifax to hand in the Probate form etc., then coffee. This afternoon Navigatoring shift, then spinning.

book was thinking about Beamish too. Actually had a look on the website the other day for Xmas ideas. Not been in years but we loved it.

Will let you know about York that would be fab. Hmmmm where could I dump the kids😉

Hello all. We've had success on the shoe front and all still alive. Taking it as a win

Squirrel I find that so sad to read. I'm sorry it's such hard going. Was reading a book while out yesterday and had to choke back tears as he described his dad's last 2 days. Such a horrible cruel thing. I guess you have to fake it until you make it in a way, especially for the children.

juan has text to say she is alive and kicking but found the last weekend very hard. says hi to you all, of course.

Must be orf, check in later x

www.knightstrail.com

Off here this afternoon, lots of walking!

Glad you got the shoes sorted Cake I remember those fraught times in Clark's well!

cake well done on the shoes.

horsemad hope you had fun, that link comes up as dangerous for me then doesn't take me anywhere.

This afternoon I suggested a walk to the boys, who would normally moan. Ds1 obviously picked up on my need to get out and said where shall we go. We just went along the local dyke, picked blackberries and geocached. Think we overdid the picking and got back with 2.27kg! The boys are now making jam and syrup (my mum makes & freezes it and we have with icecream). We've also played Ticket to Ride - my mum got me the European version a few years ago and we've never got into it (they have the American one which we play quite a bit).

After all that we got 1.75pt of liquid out of the blackberries
3/4pt went to jam - and made 1 jar (my mum was saying it should make 3 or 4 jars???). Tastes really good.
The other 1pt went to syrup and is cooling to go into the freezer.
Yum.

I am back - think I am 6" shorter, with all the walking I did!!

Wonder why that link didn't work?

If you Google Lincoln Knights Trail it should work.
Was a nice afternoon but think my legs will be stiff tomorrow

Blackberry picking sounds good chasing. DH picked some this morning and MIL has delivered a pie and some jam tarts (already eaten those! )

Oh that's fun!
We've had a racehorses one in Newmarket and there was a pigs (I think) one in Ipswich a year or so ago.

I love Newmarket, haven't been for a while.

Yes, it was good; not too busy.

Just popping by before bed.

That's a good haul Squirrel. Have never made jam.

Well done in the walking Horse.

Willow, I hope the boys are settling back into routine (and you too)

Had another message from Juan sending love especially for Squirrel. Children are all doing ok.

Book, hope you've survived another busy day and that you have nothing planned for tomorrow unlikely

We're planning the park and then 2 lots of baking.

Night night x

Evening all
Seems like you have all had good days, one way and another :)
Good that you have heard from Juan , Cake - Well done on the shoes - its always a pain. And it sounds like you are busy tomorrow too!
It should be relatively easy tomorrow - we have DGS ! It has been a good afternoon, and got a lot of bits done at DD's house - putting back curtain rails, mirror in bathroom, and all that sort of stuff. I cleaned all the upvc of the conservatory inside -( truly gruesome ) so thats all nice and shiny clean now. Ready for the decorator now.
Selena - hope you enjoyed your afternoon
Horse - definitely tomorrow will be the stiff and creaking I guess!
Chasing - that sounds delicious , and being outside definitely improves my mindset, so hopefully it has yours :)
Sleep tight all
Thoughts and Prayers

Evening all.

You have all been busy today!
Not so much here, just housework and washing and feeding kids!

Watching cooking programmes on tv and slobbing out tonight.

Squirrels hopefully our blackberries wont be too long and we can go picking too. The jam and syrup sounds lovely. Havent made blackberry jam for a while, usually just the berries or in a crumble but might do so this year. Hmm hope they hurry up
Got the shopping to do tomorrow and hopefully some baking for packed lunch stuff. Oh the excitement that is my life

Looking at possibilities for York that wont break the bank, might have to rethink how long we stay but there is so much to see and do! Its never simple is it? Well not in this house anyway.

Good night all.