So bizarre !

[RedLou]

Hello
Like 2jays, I think of you all and lurk but don't always post. Also sending squishy hugs to you all, including 2jays.
You are getting me intrigued on the family history bit. I have quite a lot of 'lost' family, as my great grandparents cut my grandmother off completely when she married my grandfather. I believe there was another daughter, so I'd be interested to see what happened to her. I am wary, though, of these sites that charge subscriptions. Do you have to do it through one of those? & is easy to cancel when you've finished? --Also, be grateful for any advice as to which is best or where else to start.
Daughter has lost her job. (Not her fault; the company folded.) Feeling somewhat concerned. I managed my Spanish exam this week but probably made a host of stupid mistakes, looking back. My house is truly as if a bomb has hit it. Nothing done for two weeks! (I can imagine Ann fainting in horror.)
My sister has begun her radiotherapy. She is okay but tired, as was expected.
Take care, Bizarrites. x

 

[2jays]

Redlou have pm you so as to not hijack this thread xx

 

[Amy in the US]

Don't talk to me about messy houses! The dust is so thick in spots I think that the dust must be collecting dust, if you know what I mean. Luckily someone (HillyBilly?) told me not to worry, that the dust is a protective layer for the furniture. I'm sticking with that until further notice.

Thanks for the enquiry after my mother, Ann. I have a vague report that she is perhaps a bit better, but haven't any clear info. I have a slight cold/lurgy/something at the moment and am not going to risk giving her any germs, so haven't seen her since last weekend. I also need to chase up the referral she was given, for this infection, to get some information from them. They were supposed to call me, but I'll just call them.

Ann, I am SO glad you got such a positive response to the photos. This makes me want to be brave and try this with my mother--I worry so much that it will kick off her anxiety loops and dead people loops, but perhaps I should give it a go. I'll have to think on this.

I have heard of Coronation Street, but never seen it. Back before the Internet and cable TV and DVDs, we could only watch whatever British shows our local public television station decided to broadcast. So I know Doctor Who, quite a lot of Monty Python, and Eastenders--because that is what my local station showed, when I was old enough to stay up later on weekends to watch the broadcasts.

I did want to say that it's hard to know if MIL couldn't identify the newer photos because she was having a bad moment, because she didn't know who they were, because she was in the middle of a delusion and ALL photos would have been of the lady on Corrie Street, because she couldn't see the photos properly, or some other reason.

I noticed about two years ago, when my mother was much better than she is now, that my mother couldn't recognize a photograph on a mobile phone, as a photo. She definitely has visual processing issues, so that may be it, but she clearly could not understand/grasp, that this was a photo of someone, she was being shown. She can identify a photo in a frame, or that is handed to her, as a photo. Perhaps because she has no memory of photos being anything other than physical objects, she can't "tell" it's a photo? Or perhaps my mother can only recognize photos from before a certain date? There are times when she cannot identify who the people in a photo of me and my husband from about ten years are, and times when she can, and times when she knows that man in the photo is my husband who is standing in the room, and times when she thinks it's somebody else. But she can always identify the people in the photo of her grandparents, from her childhood. It's hard to know what the mechanism is here.

You could email the wedding photo to the purported bridesmaid and her granddaughter, and see if they can corroborate it for you, perhaps? If she and MIL grew up together in the same street, she might even be able to recognise/identify some of the people in MIL's photos. You never know.

RedLou, sending all best possible wishes for your sister's treatment and health. Here is a big squashy hug for you, and a gentle one for her, and an extra for good measure. (((hughughug)))

I did not recall you were studying Spanish? I must have missed that somewhere; apologies. Too luck to wish you buena suerte on your exam, I suppose.

But I'm sorry to hear about your daughter's job. Even if nothing personal, that is still awfully stressful.

It's been an extra busy week (I can't go into details just yet but nothing bad; helping a friend is the short version) and between that and being under the weather, I'm behind on paperwork and errands and chores, never mind the housecleaning, so I should go be productive.

More later, and my best to all you, as always, and thanks for keeping me sane!

 

[Slugsta]

Hi all,

Ann, how lovely that MIL was so pleased to see (and recognised) the photos The mind is such a funny thing, isn't it? I'm glad that you had a good visit, without any of the horrible confabulations etc.

You clearly had a brainwave regarding FaceBook and the family history stuff! How lovely that you have made so many contacts who are eager to help

It sounds as if work is still utterly exhausting I really hope that things do calm down when the school year has ended (((hugs))). How is your back holding up? Have you managed to do anything about finding a new physical therapist (I use this term as I think you have a few options)?

RedLou, I'm sorry that your daughter has lost her job, I can imagine that it would do nothing for one's self-esteem even though it certainly was not her fault I hope she finds something else soon. I am sending lots of recovery vibes to your sister ~~~

2Jays, it's lovely to hear from you I'm sorry that 1J's physical health is not good and really hope that you are able to get your holiday (((huggs)))

Co-incidentally, my grandfather's family also moved from Somerset (Shepton Mallet) to Birmingham. I think it was something to do with the brewery business, my grandfather worked for M+B for most (all?) of his working life.

Amy, I'm sorry that you have not been 100% well again I think your immune system has taken a real bashing with everything that has been going on in your life. Please try to make sure you are doing all the things you can to look after yourself - eat well, get enough sleep, take regular exercise and laugh often (((hugs)))

I hope you will soon get news of an improvement in your mum's CDiff symptoms. The persistant diarrhoea must be exhausting in itself, not to mention the potential malabsorbtion of essential nutrients that probably goes with it

Mum was very sleepy again today, she kept half opening her eyes but really didn't wake properly. When her eyes were open, she wasn't looking at us, it seemed that she was seeing something that was not there - at one stage she reached out her hand as if to thouch something but there was nothing there She really is well into stage 7 now, although I couldn't say whether it was a,b,c etc.

I have asked the care home staff to put aside any nightwear that gets stained. Although they appear to be food stains, rather than anything less pleasant, they really do not come out, even with liberal applications of stain remover. I don't care if I have to buy 2 a week - I would prefer Mum to look clean and well cared for. After all, what else is there to spend her money on? I was told that this is an uncommon attitude?

The regional manager of the kitchen unit suppliers visited today. He confirmed that the fittings used were not the ones they supplied. They are going to replace all the wall units and the work surface and they will be fitted on Tuesday. We have to allow the original fitter to do it again - either that or pay someone else from scratch and, frankly, I don't see why he should get the money without doing the work!

My choir are singing at a local 'carnival' tomorrow (Amy, this is just a smalltown affair, nothing major), we have quite a few of these lined up over the next couple of months. The forecast is good, so far, I think we will have fun

I hope everyone manages to do something enjoyable over the course of the weekend.

 

[Amy in the US]

Slugsta, I so appreciate your kindness and concern. I will do my best to look after myself. I might be sitting outside on my (miniscule) front porch, for fresh air and a change of scene. I might also have seen my wonderful massage therapist today, as she professed herself unafraid of my germs.

I tried a lot of laundry products to get rid of stains and odours of a certain sort from my mother's nightgowns, and finally found something that worked. I will see what it is and get back to you. If it's not sold in your area, perhaps something similar or with the same active ingredient, is. It's also ace on regular old laundry stains.

Hope the kitchen is sorted properly this time!!!!

 

[Ann Mac]

Morning all,

It sounds like the singing was a lot of fun, Spamar - and if you had a request for a repeat performance, you can't have made that much fools of yourselves Looking at the (now) many photographs I have of Mil's family, I found myself thinking the same as you - some very pretty women! I guess its both the style of clothes (late 50's/early 60's) and the fact that the pics are all in black and white that makes them all look very glamorous to my eyes.

2Jays - how lovely to hear from you. I'm so sorry that 1Jays isn't doing too well, health wise - sending some of your famed Squishy Hugs right back to you xxxxx The family history bug has me well and truely gripped, I admit. I have looked at FreeBMD - but don't find it as easy to use, or quite as informative as the main site I go to (findmypast). Having said that, I upgraded to World history package on fmp, specifically to start work on OH's side of the family all from Ireland - and have found that the free Irish National Archives is 100% better! I've often looked at the copies of the original documents that are included on the fmp site, and can see how very hard it is to make out such a lot of the writing, to be fair - but the (understandable) mistakes can de-rail you at times - trying to find out more about my maternal grandmothers side, having traced them back to the late 1700's in Scotland, I was trying to fill in some of the gaps in between them and my great grandparents - got very confused by finding a census that matched in terms of names & dob's and the address matched area where I knew the parents of this particular ancestor had settled - but which gave the place of birth for the head of the household, the wife and all the children as Lanarkshire, in Scotland - I eventually worked out that 'Lanarkshire' was a mis-transcription of 'Lancashire' But because I knew that earlier generations had hailed from Scotland, that sent me off on quite a wild goose chase, before I figured it out!

Red - another person I'm always more than happy to 'see' I have everything crossed for your sister's radiotherapy to go well xxxx So sorry to read your daughter has lost her job - adding more crossed fingers that she finds something else soon x

The freeBMD site that 2Jays mentions is good, but as I said, I pay for findmypast, which I have found to be better. Its about £160 per year, for the World package (which as I said, I needed for the Irish side, and also because I have some relatives who emigrated to the States in the 1950's). On that site I have been able to build a visual family tree, it provides 'hints' for every person you add (often giving you a direction to go in), and space to save copies of records and add notes, etc - of course, you stop paying and you lose all that So, I have bought special binders and charts to make a 'paper copy' of everything. You can print off transcriptions of records from the site too, which is good. Their price seems about average, and like every other site I've looked at, its up to you to cancel before your subscription is automatically renewed every year - if you want to. It is highly rated though, and I have found an awful of my UK based ancestors through it. Its worth - if you do use one of the paying sites - to pay for a package that includes the 1939 register. You obviously have to work backwards, and not having access to the last legally available census for my Grandparents generation made it hard going at first - once I upgraded to a package that included it, it filled in a lot of blanks and let me take the research further back. The next census won't be released until, I think, 2021 - looking forward to that, as I have a Grandfather who seemingly disappeared off the face of the earth in the mid 1940's - hopefully, the next census release will help me track him down! Its also worth looking for any history groups on social media, that are about an area where you know ancestors once lived. The response I've had - and the info I've gained - through doing that, just this last week, has blown me away!

Amy - Mil simply doesn't remember (or seem to remember, anyway) that any of the people in the photographs have passed away - so that meant no anxiety - she was just glad to see the photographs, thankfully. You could be right about Mil failing to recognise a phone photograph - up till now, she has done, but abilities change so quickly that it could now be the reason why she struggled. Or, as you say - maybe just a bad day. So hard to know. I'm so sorry you are under the weather, hun - I hope that the massage helped to make you feel better xxxx

Bless your Mum, Slugsta - not sure if any words can help, just hope that she remains peaceful and pain free {{{{{{{{{hugs}}}}}}}} x Mil's care home provide Mil with a 'pinny' at meal times, if she wants it - Mil doesn't seem bothered by this, though I am struggling with finding it a little undignified, even if it does save her clothes. Like you, I wouldn't have a problem with buying her new every week - and like you, I've had the care home express surprise at that attitude. I think i said that they were surprised when I got Mil the new clothes that they said she needed, within a couple of days of them asking. Its not unusual for them to have ask repeatedly, and nor is it unusual for them to end up dressing some poor souls in clothes from the 'spares' supply I had a similar response when i took the photographs in - the activities coordinator, who asked me for more info for Mils 'book' at the home, was as thrilled as Mil - she told me that in some cases, she has quite literally been waiting years for family to bring in just a couple of photographs

I hope that on Tuesday, the kitchen fitter does a much better job for you - I would definitely be thinking about compensation, because this is one of those situations where it is most definitely warrented! Good luck with the choir performance this afternoon - hope your weather is better than ours - at the moment its grey, cold, windy - and raining quite heavily

I had planned to go and see Mil again yesterday, but the 'few hours' work turned into a full day - I always underestimate just how long tedious jobs like printing and so on will take! It was gone 4.30 before I finished yesterday! At that point I had to fly to the shops, as dau annouced she needed a 'plain black T shirt' for some filming that she is doing as part of her theatre group today, and for some other bits and bobs I needed. By which time it was too late to visit. Hopefully, I will get in there this afternoon.

I did spend a couple of hours yesterday evening on the family history - primarily with the FB group, who have been amazing, bless them. It turns out that Mil wasn't quite 100% accurate in her idenfication powers. The name she gave for her bridesmaid was wrong - however, it is the name of one of her two best friends when she was growing up and both that lady and the other best friend were at Mil's wedding, and - amazingly - are both still alive and well -and living in the same street that Mil grew up in! I'm in contact with both ladies now, through their daughters, and anecdotes (which to me are a big part of recording the history) are flying back and forth, and I am getting a real sense of what the young Mil was really like - and she was a handful, by the way, just as we have all long suspected! With the help of the lovely people in that group, I've discovered the full names of Mil's maternal grandparents, where they lived, what her Grandfather did for a living and the names and rough DOB's of all her Mothers' siblings. By using the free Irish National archives, I think I've also found the Paternal Grandparent of my late Fil - just a little more cross checking to do to confirm. The 1901 and 1911 census' in Ireland provide details that you don't get on the UK census. For example, it records religion and if a person could read and/or write or not - and that adds a level of info that makes it all the more interesting to me! Quite sad, but even the number of children born to a family are recorded - both those still living and those that had passed away at the time the census was recorded. No info on the child/children lost, not even if they were boys or girls - just the fact that they once lived - and I find that so poignant I've also found, in yet another carrier bag, stored in yet another box, mass cards for 4 or 5 of Mils family, which again fills in more details for me.

So - today! First job - housework. I have done pretty much nothing more than the bathroom, kitchen and a very basic tidy all week - and it shows. Oldest dog is a hairy beast, who is moulting quite badly - clumps of his fur are wafting round the house like flipping tumbleweed at the moment! Then run dau and her fellow diva to her theatre grop, back here for more family research, then (IF the weather improves) out in Old Red, firstly to pop in to see Mil, then a run down the coast with the dogs, and a fish and chips tea Tomorrow (again dependent on the weather) finally a zoo day - really struggling to get there as often as we would like, between my job, OH's night shifts, the weather and dau's revision/swimming.

I'll add a couple more old photographs before I get going - the first is the oldest photograph I have with Mil in it - its her and her Father, when Mil was just a little girl. And the second is a photograph which has Mil's Mother at the end on the right (according to Mil its her Mother - I am not so sure?) - and a lady who I am now pretty sure is Mil's grandmother on the left. The last one is Mil on her wedding day, featuring her Father, Fil, Mil, her Grandmother and her Mother

Much love to all - hope all of you have a peaceful and pleasant weekend xxxx

 

[Ann Mac]

Just had to pop back and add this . . .

Picked up one of the 'bags of stuff' that I haven't yet been through, and a piece of writing paper fell out. In Mils handwriting, and obviously written just after Fil had passed away . . .

"Look for me in Rainbows,
shining in the sky.
The love I have for you, dear,
can never, ever die.
Every waking moment,
and all your whole life through
Just look for me and love me,
and I'll be there with you"

No idea if this is Mil's creation, or something she saw and copied - but here's me trying to do housework now, with very watery eyes!

 

[di65]

[QUOTE

"Look for me in Rainbows,
shining in the sky.
The love I have for you, dear,
can never, ever die.
Every waking moment,
and all your whole life through
Just look for me and love me,
and I'll be there with you"
[/QUOTE]

What lovely words!!

Yes everyone, I had a lovely visit with Spamar. All too short though. I am having trouble fitting everything in during my visit. I'm currently in Yorkshire staying with relatives, and am attending a wedding (of their neighbour) this afternoon. Lovely to have been invited and included in the celebrations. I have another week in the UK before returning home. I am going to stay with a distant relative of my husband's on Wednesday then catching the train to Heathrow. I missed (for the first time since we met 51 years ago) his birthday whilst I was here, but received a lovely email from his carehome with photos of the sign and balloon they put up for him in the lounge. Can't wait to get back to give him a hug - IF he's in the mood LOL

Take care everyone

Di

 

[cragmaid]

I think MIL's poem may have come from this:

Look for me in Rainbows

Time for me to go now, I won't say goodbye;
Look for me in rainbows, way up in the sky.
In the morning sunrise when all the world is new,
Just look for me and love me, as you know I loved you.

Time for me to leave you, I won't say goodbye;
Look for me in rainbows, high up in the sky.
In the evening sunset, when all the world is through,
Just look for me and love me, and I'll be close to you.

It won't be forever, the day will come and then
My loving arms will hold you, when we meet again.

Time for us to part now, we won't say goodbye;
Look for me in rainbows, shining in the sky.
Every waking moment, and all your whole life through
Just look for me and love me, as you know I loved you.

Just wish me to be near you,
And I'll be there with you.

Music and lyrics: Conn Bernard (1990). Vicki Brown




Tears all round I think!...Off to put the washing in the drier now.

 

[2jays]

The song

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RFc5sdn78b0

 

[Slugsta]

Oh gosh, tears all round indeed! Thank you Ann, Cragmaid and 2Js for posting the lyrics and link to the song.

Ann, you really are doing well with the family history! The photos are lovely, the wedding was clearly a happy occasion, judging by the smiles on everyone's faces I am glad they led to some happiness for MIL, I hope they kept the distressing delusions away for a while.

I haven't got the family tree bug, despite enjoying history. Someone has done my father's side and we all had a meeting several years ago - just after my father's cousin had tracked down the half sister who knew nothing about him. I was lovely to be able to put my name, and my son's, in the appropriate place (my father was illegitimate and adopted by family friends. His mother went on to marry and have a daughter but kept her secret.)

My SIL has also done a lot of work on their side of the family (FIL was also illegitimate, so MIL's side only).

I have a few birth/marriage/death certificates for my grandfather's family, they are there if I, or my son, ever want to look further. One of the problems is that as Ann said, as many people were illiterate, so spellings change considerably. Another is that people seemed to be able to change their names easily, without anything legal to back it up. One of my father's uncles is named 'Corneilius Ware' on his birth certificate and 'Cornelius Small Weare' on his death certificate! My own Grandfather was given the middle name of 'Reginald' after his father - then discovered, when he later saw his father's birth certificate, that 'Reginald' was not actually one of his given names. And that's before we even start thinking about nicknames!

Di, I am so glad you re enjoying your break

Amy, I'm glad to hear you are doing your best to look after yourself

The handyman is here again to sort out the catflap - poor Alf is deperate to get outside! The handyman is nice, a tidy worker and methodical - but not the fastest I have met. Hubby and I both need to go out soon and are willing the job to get finished in time.

Ann, I do hope you get your trip out in OldRed, and also your zoo visit. It is fine and dry here at the moment, I hope everyone gets some sunshine.

 

[jugglingmum]

Sorry - not caught up fully. Feeling rather in the doldrums and taken for granted by dau in particular.

Just popping in to say, when I took food round to mum this afternoon (take ready meals for her) she was all excited at a food delivery, she let me unpack, and then said she would enjoy investigating what I had brought her later, and that (and this made me feel very good) she hoped my dau would look after me when the time came, as I look after her, and that I did a really good job.

Son got home from school residential yesterday about 3.30 and left for Scout camp at 7.30 - with an hour and a half sleep and a bag repack.

 

[Spamar]

Good heavens, JM, that was a quick turnaround!

I haven't persued the ancestry thing, though one of my cousins has, a little. Also another cousins daughter has done a bit. If ever I get back to Cornwall, a meet up is planned.The thing that got me was that my maternal gran had lost her second child, Agnes, at six months. One of the twin girls that finished the family was also called Agnes, though nearly everybody called her Anne. I suppose Gran didn't know there were twins, and the name of her dead daughter was the first thing that came to mind.
My paternal grandmother also lost two babies, which might explain why her 6 are so spread out. Plus my father was a bit of an afterthought! On his side, I'm 9 1/2 years younger than the next cousin up!
We forget, these days, how many children died young not that long ago.

Di's visit was great, we talked...and talked...and talked! Plus tried to get around the coast and go over some 1000 years of history.,As I said, now have to save the pennies to go out to NZ again!

Sorry, cheer up , have a great Sunday!

 

[cragmaid]

There were 3 or 4 Adas in my Dad's family - mother, sister, aunt and cousin and several Stephens. My Dad, his father and grandfather being three of them! There was also an uncle who was given the same name as an earlier, deceased sibling.

Seems like there was not so much variety in names used in those days!
Poor Dad, the Stephens stopped with him.... he had three daughters and not one Stephanie among them!!!!

 

[di65]

Di's visit was great, we talked...and talked...and talked! Plus tried to get around the coast and go over some 1000 years of history.,As I said, now have to save the pennies to go out to NZ again!

HURRY UP

Di

 

[Spamar]

Biggest smile ever!

 

[Slugsta]

Gosh, you lot have been quiet recently! I do hope it is because you are all busy enjoying your own lives, rather than there being a problem. Also hoping that everyone is as well as possible.

I am posting less often as I can no longer watch TV and use the comp at the same time.

The weather here has been lovely for the past few days (although not quite as nice today) and hubby and I have been able to switch our routine around a little to take advantage of it.

We went to see Mum this morning and were told that she was rather lethargic, not smiling and not wanting to eat or drink. She was clearly very sleepy while we were there but did manage a smile and to eat the individual tub of ice-cream that we had taken with us However, although she said she was not in pain, she was grimacing and holding her tummy. The CH have just rung to relay what the GP said on his visit - he has suggested stopping the long-term things such as iron, folic acid and vit D, continuing her thyroxine and starting low dose morphine. I know that our PWDs can go up and down with no apparant reason, but I am very glad that our son is coming down at the weekend . . .

 

[Spamar]

Hi Slugsta, just taking it easy in this very hot weather! It is a bit windy today, so trying not to go out too much, all that dust....!

 

[Ann Mac]

Morning everyone,

First of all, please join me in a huge sigh of relief that the college term has ended! I've loved every minute of working with my groups there, but for the last two weeks, it has been so full on that I feel like I haven't had time for anything BUT work! I've neglected everything and everyone else - family, photography, family tree, TP and - well, the less said about the house, the better! Got next week to try and catch up on admin and hopefully, claw back a few of the additional hours that I've worked, then some time off - I love my job, but I am counting down the days to what will amount to around a 10 day break

2jays, Maureen and Di - thank you so much for tracking down the source of the scribbled poem I found. I have never heard of it before, and have no idea where Mil stumbled across it either. I just felt it was so poignant when I found it x

Di and Spamar - I'm glad you had such a lovely visit Spamar, hope it doesn't take you too long to save the penny's and get back to visit NZ again - I think we all enjoyed your last visit and the mini 'trip report'

The repetative names occur in several branches of my family too, Maureen - William and George being very prevalent in one branch, in particular. I've also got a couple of instances of siblings sharing the same first name and (presumably) being known by their middle name. Its not just that it makes research hard - I've found a marriage record for one of two brothers, both christened 'John' - but it doesn't give the middle name, so I don't know which John it is - it also makes it easy to make mistakes when you are taking notes, because you lose track of which William, George or John it is that you are looking for! The spellings have tripped me up a couple of times, too.

JM - sending you massive {{{{{{hugs}}}}}} - we really are on the home straight now regarding the exams - my girl has her last one next Tuesday, hopefully your girl will also finish next week. I have to say that the two girls have been harder to get through the GCSE's than my son was - so many more episodes of emotional jags and temper flares Its good to read of you having such a positive visit with your Mum, though - and what a lovely thing for her to say x

{{{{{{{{{{hugs}}}}}}}}}} for you too, Slugsta - I can understand why you are glad that your son is coming to visit. I hope the morphine helps to make sure that your Mum is pain free and calm, hun - and I hope you are looking after yourself, because just not knowing what to expect is so stressful and at this stage, so heartbreaking to cope with. You must look after yourself too xxxxxxxx

Amy - hope all is Ok with you? That you are looking after yourself and that the C diff has finally been vanquished for your poor Mum xxxx

We didn't get to either go out in Old Red, visit the zoo or visit Mil last weekend. Foul weather stopped the first two activities, and the sniffling, lingering cold I'd had for a few weeks became a full blown sore throat and runny nose nightmare and stopped the 3rd. Son and his GF also arrived for a few days visit on Sunday evening, though, which was lovely.

Started my working week on Monday morning with OH and son trying to get 'Baaabara' (the sheep that has been living in my dining room) packed into the car for transporting to the college. That was fun! Why - when I pretty much see sheep on a daily basis - did I not realise just how big they are? Initially, Baaabara was stood up in the back seat (the boot being far too small), but (a) that blocked my view out of the rear window, and (b) it left her face pressed up against one of the passenger window, which was a most peculiar effect (so life like - but almost smiling!) and I worried that the driver of any car passing me might well be just a bit surprsied and have an accident as a result. So we somehow manouvered her onto her side - and off I went. Getting her out of the car at the college was another episode that is best skipped over, and that was followed by her being wheeled on a trolley to the art room, leaving staff and students that we passed along the way staring at us in complete bemusement. With the help of the artist that has worked on the sheep trail from the start - such a lovely lady - we then had a day where 55 young disabled students took part in painting Baaabara - and it was fantastic - exhausting, chaotic - but just fantastic They got so engrossed and worked so hard, and they did a fabulous job. Then it was wrap her up, so the artist could transport her to the studio, add the finishing details and varnish her.

From the college, I drove an additional 30 miles round trip out of my way to collect some stuff from another workshop provider I'd been working with, only to discover once I got there that he had texted me whilst I was on route to say he couldn't make it Back homewards, stopping on the way to buy the supplies needed for the following days projects. I got home at about 5.15, after a 10 and a half hour day! To be met by OH and the gang, who announced that we were off out, for a run in Old Red, to Prestatyn to have fish and chips by the sea for our tea. It was very grey and windy, but actually, the short walk we had on the beach really blew the cobwebs away - and I think it did me good!

Tuesday, - started the day with an hour or two editing some of the photographs taken the day before, then off to the college again, and 100 chocolate cupcakes baked by one of my groups, which were all donated to the homeless shelter in town. I delivered the cakes at lunchtime, then finally caught up with the workshop chap I'd been supposed to meet the day before, to collect the students finished goods from him, then off to a country park where I spent the afternoon with another group, making bug hotels and building camp fires to toast marshmallows. I got home at 3.30 - a 9 hour day. But as that was the earliest I finished all week, I then took son and his GF to visit Mil - more of that later.

Wednesday - more editing to start the day, then the second sheep and I had a date with another branch of the college. Thankfully, the artist brought Blodwen (the second sheep) to the venue. I think about 15 or 16 students worked all day on Blodwen - and again, an absolutely fantastic day, everyone loved it and they did a superb job. I was supposed to have a meeting at the college at 4, but that was cancelled at the very last minute, and I got home at about 4.15.

Thursday - another session with the bug hotels, camp fire building and toasting marshmallows, with a different group, then off to the college for the rescheduled meeting. That went really well - I am back at the college in September - and then home, with me thinking that I'd actually finish at 3pm, on time, for once - but a car accident had sadly happened in the centre of the the small town I had to pass through, which caused chaos and delays, and I finally got home at around 3.45pm. Annoying - but much worse for whoever was involved with the crash in the first place - just hope that they were all OK

The visit to Mil with son and GF was 'odd' - Mil was very chatty, but absolutely obsessed through the 45 minutes with 'prison'. She started off by being very insistent that son's GF was actually my oldest daughter, but then she went into what a busy day she had had - she had visited 'the prison' (just to see what it was like, she informed us) and that then morphed into OH having been in prison, her neighbour being in prison, her mum working at the prison, and her applying for a job at a prison. She then announced that it was no wonder that 'they' had locked me up - because I'd been 'footless drunk'! It was then son's turn to be an inmate - he was apparently in for stealing a car and joy riding. His GF worked there, Mil told me - that was how they met! The she informed us that she herself was 'inside for 4 years'. Curious, I asked what for? For stealing a bottle of pop from the shop, she told me. Son asked why she had done that. She gave him a filthy look and informed him it was 'Because I was thirsty, of course - don't ask stupid questions!'

She wasn't agitated at all, she was very matter-of-fact about her family of felons and her own life of crime, but no way could we get her off the subject - and we did, tactfully, try to change the topic several times, simply because we almost expected talk of being in prison to start upsetting her at some point. The only upset we actually got was when we made a move to leave, but that was quite brief as she accepted that I had to drop 'the other two off, then I'll be back for you later'.

On the way out, one of the staff told me that Mil had had her hair done the day before, then got a bit 'naggy' an hour or so later, so they had settled her in her room with a dvd - half an hour later, a member of staff checked her, to find she was in her en-suite loo, with her head stuck under the tap, trying to wash her own hair! She apparently wanted to (a) see what it was like and (b) felt that her age, it was time she learnt to 'do it herself'! The staff was giggling like mad, describing Mil as 'such a character' - I am so glad that they find her antics amusing, rather than trying. Because there is no doubt that she is still quite a handful!

Other news - OH has been offered a job at the new prison, and will be starting training two days after we get back from Rhodes. Such a relief - the night shifts, particularly because they are so erratic, are really hard for him to cope with, and I think he needs a complete change. The constant threat of being tupe'd over to agency hanging over his (and everyone elses) head makes for a lot of stress and creates an awfully tense atmosphere to work in. And I think the challenge of something new will be really good for him. However, it means that he will be away in Rugby, Monday to Friday, for about 8 weeks during the training - so the purchase of another car is now a priority. That being the case, and with us having Rhodes in August to look forward to, we are not going to be able to get away in Old Red as often as we would like, so last minute decision has been made to get away this weekend if we can. The plan is that OH will finish work today, get some sleep, then we will head off. I'll 'pootle' around, geting things sorted to go, doing bits around the house, and slot in a visit to Mil. All very last minute, but after the last two frantic weeks in work for me, and with the end of the exam angst being so close, I think it will do us all good - and I am really looking forward to it

I hope you all have a lovely peaceful weekend - take care and love to all xxxxx

 

[jugglingmum]

Brief pop in. Most of life has been teenage temper tantrums around exams, all of us suffering including son. Last exam has now finished (11am today), I should be happy but so tired from last night's round and then not sleeping as it is stressing me so much (hence not on bike)

We are meant to be going to Anglesey in big red as a post exam relaxing family trip. OH might explode at dau before we leave as she has been such a diva and we have been walking round her on eggshells for weeks so we might not make it.

Ann - thank you for sheep tales, they are so nice. Sounds good that OH's prison job is finally happening (I assume this is the one from ages ago). Visit to MIL sounds better than the last one.

Thinking of all of you. 2Jays, nice to hear from you, sorry 1Jays is not so well. di and Spamar if I've not said, your meet up sounds nice.

Slugsta - sorry to hear your mum is not so great.

Amy - hope your mum is OK, I think you said the current treatment for C diff would take a while.

Workwise I am busier than normal for the time of year.