Malawi & More

  BigA was away for the weekend and because the football did not come home (I insisted we go to a pub to watch it, M was much more enthusiastic than A) M and I came home and I was forced to do some of my course work because I couldn't turn the TV on. And happily submitted the next bit.  On Monday we all set off for a trip to my other home, my childhood one. It's always full of memories, mostly happy ones. It still feels a bit strange knowing my dad won't be there. While there I got the small suitcase I had left in mum's loft, it's full of letters, cards and keepsakes. Looking through this stuff was fun. Old diaries and love letters, a few old pictures and every thank you card from my first school. A and M joined in looking at some of it and my mum got down her old jewelry boxes telling the girls all the stories that went with each piece. Very special.  The girls made the most of being best the sea, going in it every day. I got to see Jessie but not the rest of her f...

 It was Edgar's 78th birthday on Sunday and we went out for brunch which was lovely, great to be able to see him so easily. BogA then went off to do some training with his new frisbee team. And that evening we took our bilharzia meds - a pal of ours has had some nasty complications due to the little worm and explained they had just forgotten to take the medication. So we were very happy we'd brought the tablets back and remembered to take them, another thing to tick off the list. We all felt a little strange on it this time, but better than the consequences of not taking it.  Jessie and her family arrived this week, first time we've met the children. It was really lovely to have them stay, all 4 children are delightful, and as the week went on we got to know them more as individuals than 'the children' lovely too to get to know Henry more and see how well they work as parents. Jessie is 26 in September so a very young mum, but she really is great at it. I felt like ...

I write to you as the proud owner of a 45 year old body. And given my increase of exercise I was happy to wake up the day after I turned 45 with a painful hip! The weekend began with a bit of much needed sorting and moving a large piece of furniture which made me very happy, the dining room, although it feels unfinished, does now feel as full as I want it. It's a lovely space to sit and eat, especially as BigA had mowed the lawn and underneath all the dandelions was a lawn of some description. And then we got ready for a wedding reception, and Lauren, a pal we know from Malawi picked us up and we met up with some other friends from Malawi, including the bride and groom.  Hannah and Nick, who after a year away from Malawi are moving back and stayed overnight with us. It was so lovely to see everyone but I did shed a tear as I said goodbye to each one, not being sure when we will see each other again.  So to the big day, my birthday. BigA had set off early to Oxford to...

  On Saturday, after a bit of cleaning I set out in our car to see my pal Clare. I enjoyed the drive, once I got used to the high bite of the clutch and got my seat in the right place. So nice not to have to worry about uneven roads, goats and drivers, that are broadly speaking, following the same highway code. It was also so lovely to catch up with her, haven't seen her for a few years, and like all great friendships, we fell into our easy chat.  It's been a week of visits in many ways, a new friend came over, we met at an interview in February. Happily we still got on very well and we will make an effort to see each other again.  Margaret and Dick came to stay for a couple days with the main purpose of seeing us of course and helping sort out the back garden. I just hadn't got the energy to try, the task seemingly overwhelming but Margaret got stuck in and on a rare warm and sunny day we managed to clear away a huge amount and the garden, although not lovely, it is at l...

  Following a lovely little phone catch up with Rosie, a cup of tea and cuddles with A we got up, load of washing in and one lot folded and I thought how hideous it's going to be having to do my own ironing. So to console myself I made another cup of tea, cereal with fresh milk and made A some crumpets. I sat in my garden, the wind consistently reminding me we have a lot of foxes around, as the smell of their urine was waffling past, I did feel a gentle contentment. Hopeful that Margaret will give us sound advice on what on earth to do with the garden.  As we continue to slowly bring down stuff from the loft and throw out random broken items left behind it's feeling more and more homely. There is joy in rediscovering your stuff too, items I had forgotten we had, some going straight into the charity bag, but mostly bringing back happy memories. BigA headed off to a stag do and my Mum arrived, all the car parking sorted and Hilman was more than happy to be lumberi...

  We landed and collected our bags, all accounted for. Said goodbye to 2 last friends and then battled our way out to get our taxi.  Then the drive home.  It's hard to describe the feeling of coming home. Part of my brain was sure it was a trip, a chance to reconnect but short term and the rest knew, this is it. And then we were home our newly extended family, A getting so excited and grinning from ear to ear all she began to recognize where we were. - it felt smaller and it didn't smell right. Joe and Opa met us and Joe had made sure there was enough food and other bits and pieces there to make it not feel empty and hopeless.  But I didn't feel quite right. The odd changes, the furniture we hadn't left and the missing furniture we had. The missing kitchen stuff and gaps where our curtains used to be took their toll on me and I got quite upset. A cup of tea later and some unpacking and it started to feel a little better. Everyone who has moved house will know this st...

  With a day of not much ahead I went into the kitchen with the sudden brainwave that I could make pancakes and set about making the batter. Then I had a go at making bread. I'm usually very unsuccessful at this and last saturday was no different. Massive failure. That evening was my last boarders dinner and I was pleased it was off site, something a bit different and a place I'd never been to. After 6 years Blantyre still has a few surprises up her sleeve. I was given a T-shirt as a goodbye gift. I was also given the tricky job of reading names from mugs to give to children, without my bifocals and covered in plastic. What a contrast to this Saturday.  And then my final few days, I really didn't feel like there was much more I could do, taking things off my notice board, passing on the last few things and documents. Some meetings and emails. I was almost happy that there was a small fight between two boys at break time, a very rare occurrence at SAIntS and gave me somethin...