A big big thank you.....

for all the very kind comments left here and the emails I received,. I am fine.

For any of you that  have gone through this you will know what a surreal time it is....the world just shifts a little and everything is now viewed ever so slightly differently.

Youngest you may remember is on her travels on the other side of the world. She did a skydive on the day of Joyce's funeral, this from a girl who up to now would not go on any theme park rides.

She has climbed 'mount doom', has black water rafted.....been up a glacier and yesterday did a bungee jump in New Zealand. All a very fitting tribute to her grandma who would have done all that if she could have.
I think youngest may come back a very different person, to the one who went.

I have started a bit of crafting again but as I have no camera , cannot show you anything at  all!

This will be the first fathers/mothers day for us without any teen here in the house, so I am doing the breakfast in bed for Herb as a poor substitute. I will take him to a national trust this afternoon and it will be lovely....that's if we don't get soaked.

so again to all my friends that I have yet to meet....thank you very much, it meant ever such a lot x

a sad time........

because my mum died yesterday......its been an intense and tiring 6 weeks caring for her but with as many highs as lows.
We made our peace and its these weeks I will remember rather than what has gone before.

a new love.....

the pictures are poor.......but I have a new love. 

Its in its early stages but choosing fabric, colours, cutting, and sewing have kept me going in the past month. These were taken with a borrowed and broken camera, youngest took mine on her travels and of course it is now broken! (how many I told you so's have I had to listen to about that!) 

On that subject youngest is now in Australia, Noosa....which she is loving. She is in regular contact so I cant ask for more than that and she having an absolute brilliant time.(have only had one sleepless night when she sent an email to her sister saying they were staying in a hostel with no other girls just a great bunch of Korean guys that didn't speak English....mixed dorms.....felt better when she moved on!)

 No sign of elderly P going home yet so this quilt obsession could get verrry expensive!!

careful what you wish for...........

you may recall in the past few months that I have anticipated a time when the girls would not be here and it would just be me and Herb. We rub along just fine after 25 years and enjoy our days out and days in but I knew it would be much quieter and as I did a fair bit with youngest, I would occasionally find myself at a loss.

well  ha ha ha ha ha(slightly hysterical laughing) because we are not alone!!

As youngest went on her travels and eldest prepared to go back to uni...... elderly parent became  ill and can no longer live independently....so this is my new role, well it has been for the past 3 weeks and let me tell you I was not born for it! 

Luckily I had a fortnight off work so that has not been an issue especially as I am up a lot during the night.

We have not ever had a good relationship but what can I do.....carers starting tomorrow, herb is being the absolutely best, over and above the call etc and so we soldier on. 

I think I am mainly Nurse Jackie but alcohol is my prop not drugs.....which would you be?

I love this world.....

blog world that is....I have got so much from it in the last few years that it has become a really important part of my life. I love the friendship and creativeness of the people I have 'met' and the generosity  just goes to prove that despite what gets said in the media we still have the capacity to be thoughtful and kind towards our fellow man.
That said I am feeling neither towards the people at the beeb who have replaced my much loved BBC7 with something else entirely. Why mess with something that isn't broke......I loved all those rerun dramas from the 70's and 80's!
 I must show what a friend sent me.......it came beautifully wrapped (something I can never do)

 a wonderful handmade card

 with loads of detail

 and this beautifully adorned heart,,,,the picture doesn't do it justice. What a lovely thing to make for someone and we haven't even met......yet....check out the lovely Diane at  heartshaped

Thanks for the comments regarding the last post.....youngest has been in Thailand for a week and is now arriving in Kuala Lumpur. She has already ridden an elephant, been snorkeling, island hopping where 'The Beach' was filmed, participated in the national water fight that is the Thai new year celebrations and seen a mahoosive spider. We get a text every day so far and we are all thrilled she is having such a fab time.....but she is sorely missed.....I have one more day at work then am off for a fortnight when I will put my current self pitying state behind me and get on .....

only 3 days to go.......

until youngest flies off to the other side of the world........on the outside I'm excited and cool, inside I'm jelly and the darkest thoughts invade my sleep and wake me up........then keep me that way until the lights creeps in..... of course she will have a wonderful time and an amazing experience...........never thought i would feel like this about it though.

Bath...........

One of my favourite places in all of England

Dyrham Park...a national trust treat(or national thrust as H calls it!)

 Not one but two stitchy shows....one locally and one at Olympia.....not as good as the Ally Pally one in the autumn but a few purchases made ...of course

Liberty type lawn

Actual liberty lawn

Some blossom from a friend

..and a bit of stitching

Not a lot of words I know, but am a bit preoccupied as youngest going on her 3 month trip in 10 days to the other side of the world.....yikes!

Happy Sunday x