Malawi & More

I'm quite drunk I'm fuzzy I'm aware I've just talked a tonne of shit. 

 The girls got up and went on a park run on Saturday, very pleased they did. I miss the level of activity they did while at school in Malawi. M being a very positive influence on A in getting more active. I had booked in to attend an online conference, no idea what I was expecting but the link didn't seem to work. So that didn't happen. Instead I saw an old friend and got chatting about gender, her child was Rosie and is now Oli. She has some strong feelings about this. The week was ok, at the start. For BigA's birthday we went out for a lovely meal, expensive but well worth it. A place in Tottenham too, so great to have somewhere a bit different to go to. A kind of tapas place, but not mediterranean. I even had a few glasses of wine, which I'm happy to report didn't give me too much of a headache, but I didn't go to the pub after, which the men did. I would not have coped with my lessons if I had. Most of them have been alright this week, still not to my high s...

 waking up in my old home was a comfort, and a pleasure to be able to get home so quickly. My mum made me a healthy breakfast and as I enjoyed it, she turned on the radio, the Byrds song, Turn, Turn, Turn was playing. This song has always felt significant because, for as long as I can remember, my dad had said it was to be played fortissimo at his funeral. And it was. And as my mum exclaimed 'can you hear what's on the radio?' we both felt a little stunned, not least as it was my dad's birthday. So we stood in the middle room, held each other and had a little cry.  Following that, we got ready and headed off to church for a short mass. I will always feel so welcome and at home there. It is a very simple building, although made slightly less so with the harvest mass greenery around. I was amused by a random apple attached to some leaves, but mostly it all looked very autumnal and warming.  As we sat and prayed, holding hands and me, just about getting used to the new wor...

 My garden looks much more loved following a visit from Margaret. In fact it was Dan who did the actual heavy lifting, getting the path to the back of the garden to create a makeshift patio area. There is still a long way to go with it but I can once more see just how much potential there is. Margaret really knows her stuff, sorting out the weeds and the position of the apple tree, which had begun to blossom, it shouldn't have. BigA would have helped but he'd headed off to France to watch some rugby with friends he made while living in Malawi. I have photographic evidence that he enjoyed it but was asleep for some of the game. That's one tired man.  M has been extremely proactive and had a trial in a pub, glass collector, bin empire and food deliverer. She impressed them (and us) and now has been offered some official shifts. I'm hoping A's national insurance number is sorted soon so she can look for something too. So far she's been spending a fair amount of Sat...