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...

 Yesterday was a big day and you will know why. A day I was quietly dreading. The week was generally intense as A had a doctors appointment on Thursday and I've been writing the NPQH assessment piece for cycle 3. It feels harder when it is now more theory because I'm not in charge of anyone anymore. I managed to do more in the garden, scuppered a bit by the concrete barrier at the side of the garden being much bigger and deeper than I had anticipated. The garden looks a complete mess but it is a phased project.  On Saturday I set off on the extremely short walk to a health center to get my COVID booster. (Got the flu jab at the same time which was good) And was very happy to fall into the vulnerable category - especially as if I have any time off I don't get paid. The queue was very long and it looked like they had booked at least 50 people per slot. I happily listened to a podcast, smiled at the other queuers and played a little silent game of 'guest the vulnerability....

  The restorative joy of catching up with friends really does make such a difference. And I began my weekend with a hurt foot but a great day and evening with Chaz and Sharon. Women I have known and loved for years, many years we recalled, as we looked at pictures from before A was born. All looking so young. It was great too, to find a bit of London I hadn't been to before. Sharon is always very good at finding lovely places with character and style. We laughed and hugged and I think did a little bit of crying. Soup for the soul and a really lovely burger to boot.  While I was out, BigA took the girls to a garden center, and they bought a lot of sedum plants for his bike shed creation. It looks really good, and now instead of a view of a dull fence and random stuff, when you look out of the kitchen window there is life and colour. Very impressive. Even more so when you know how disinterested he is in gardening. He's been getting practical in the week too, making the office a ...

  We had an amazing weekend, full of love and beauty. Tetbury is a picturesque part of the UK, cotswold stone buildings and lush green fields and trees. We fell into the comfortable chats and hugs with the Wagners and celebrated Michael's birthday with a sighting of the cycle race - the tour of the UK. We waited in the shade of a towns 17th century buildings and I very much enjoyed watching how the police bikes organized and arranged us all, cars, roads and people in readiness for the cyclists to whiz past in seconds. The speed and strength palpable. And then it was done. Everyone moved on and we headed back to their home. We went to a river to have a swim. I wasn't brave enough to face the freezing cold water any higher than my ankles, BigA, Michael and Bobby braving the rope swing in. It was so very cold but refreshing. Back home for cake and tea and a bbq. The heat of the weekend was really something unexpected but such an opportunity to have it at this time in September. It...