Christmas Stuff....

Yesterday Mark sent me a couple of photos from his department's festive breakfast.

The first one's taken in the pub near the factory where they meet up first thing.

(Mark's right at the top of the table next to his long time colleague and friend Ian.  They've shared the craziness of the same department and manager for 26 years!)

 

 

The second one is taken in a meeting room next to their 'section' in the office.

They get back to work at around 9.30, then it's business as usual for the rest of the day.

Mark received a vote for his outfit... but the guy wearing all the fairy lights was the clear winner!

 

We've been quite low key with the decorations this year... just a tree and cards.

Since Mark does 95% of the tree, I let him 'get away with' something larger than I would probably chose.  This year it's been a particularly good one, with plenty of space to show off the 'special' decorations that we've collected over 27 Christmases of marriage..

 

We've also used most of the gold and silver charity shop baubles that I picked up for a couple of pounds in Evesham a few years ago....

 

The photo is a bit blurry but you get the general idea....

 

This morning it's harp practice and housework until my parents call round at about 11-30.  This afternoon I've lots of teaching (two hours of harp and an hour and a half of piano).  Once I've finished I'm off to 'kitten sit' for a friend whose worried about leaving her teenage cat for the first time.  When I finally get home for supper I've got to wrap some presents for delivery tomorrow.

 

I can't believe it's less than a week until Christmas.!!!!

Jx

Doing the Right Thing?

I really don't know...

 

Yesterday Mark and I went to see a couple of cats at a local Animal Rescue Centre.

We're going to go back and meet them again properly on Friday.

If one of them seems like the right sort of character to fit in with the way things roll in our house, then we'll bring them home after Christmas.

 

I found that I've been sinking into quite a low mood since Thomas died.

I hid it with my 'professional face' for a few weeks but everything just erupted on Friday night.

I've cried.... not just for Thomas, but for lots of other stuff as well.

Mark's been worried about me.

 

So I feel that it's the right time to settle and work with another younger cat...

My sister (who thought that she'd give herself at least six months between cats but actually lasted three weeks) is positive and supportive.  Some friends and teaching Mums, who thought I was doing suspiciously well, have made all the right noises of support too.

 

I was a upset by a text from a neighbour/friend this afternoon though.. "What about all the nice weekends away you were going to plan?  And what will Thomas (his spirit!!) think of it all?"

Not helpful really..... when I'm feeling totally wobbly.

 

To be honest, this is probably the first time when I've thought that it would be easier to deal with stuff if I was working.  It's hard to be based at home without the emotional checks, balances and distractions of the workplace.

 

Anyway, watch this space for further details...

I may just completely fail to bond with either of the cats and then we'll be 'back at square one'!

Jx



A Bit of Christmas Fun....

Every year Mark's Boss stands everyone a 'full English' breakfast in the week before Christmas.  The dress code is Christmas jumpers, silly hats and any other festive accessories.  There's a competition for the best outfit, which is voted on by the engineers at the breakfast, and the prize is a nice bottle of fizzy wine. 

 

In the past Mark hasn't really bothered with the whole thing (he HATES Christmas jumpers and refuses to buy one just for the event).  This year he had a complete change of heart and 'commissioned' me to make him an outfit.  We made the patterns together, mashing up the size and shape of a body-warmer with an old waistcoat, and copying a bow tie into a cardboard pattern.  I started the waistcoat before Thomas died.. then crafting stalled a bit due to circumstances and motivation.  The recent snow days (and the fact that the breakfast is next week) gave me the time and impetus to get the job finished.

 

I'm really quite pleased with the whole effect....

 

 

I used 'Quilters Dream' batting (which I use for all my quilt-as-you-go projects) to shape the waistcoat.  It meant that I could do a nice striped lining and it's given the garment some stability (as well as warmth).  The bow tie and the back of the waistcoat are made out of the star design.  The reverse of the bow tie is a sparkly orange, which looks great when Mark's wearing it.

 

Then I've made him a sack to fill with 'presents' and sling over his shoulder as he walks into the breakfast...  He's also got a red furry 'Santa Hat' to complete the look!

 

Mark's really pleased with it and plans to wear everything again on Christmas Day.  I'm just delighted that it all relatively tidy (because I'm still sewing on my old 1960s Singer).  It will be interesting to see what the other engineers think of our efforts.

 

Thank you for all your lovely comments on my last post.

(When I've got a little bit more time over Christmas I'll update the HD pages so I can keep you posted on any other developments that come out through the HD community.)

It's starting to feel a bit like Christmas!

Jx

Have you seen the news?

Did you see the BBC news yesterday?

For me and my sister this is life changing.

I am SO excited.

 

Coincidently, Mark went on a pension planning course last Thursday and we were just starting to consider how we would deal with the 50/50 chance of me having HD that starts to show at 60.  Mark is only three months older than me so we would both take a large hit if we pulled pensions down early.  However, if we can make it to 67, we'll be masses better off than we are now.  Crazy.  However, seven years of HD does a lot of damage, so Mark would have wanted to take the hit and spend the time doing nice stuff with me.

 

Now we the prospect of choices.  Treatment's not the nicest of procedures but it keeps a lot of much more horrible stuff at bay.  I can see a future where I can manage my HD (if it develops) and we can still do the walking breaks and motor sport stuff that we love.  I hope that I'll be able to continue playing and teaching for as long as people enjoy learning from me.

 

This is an immense moment.........

Jx

Beating the Blues..

This morning I was missing Thomas badly....

I tried to distract myself by doing some piano practice (I've got a accompaniment job coming up in 10 days time at the Birmingham Hippodrome) but my heart wasn't really in it.  So eventually I took myself off on my favourite walk by Worcester Racecourse and the River Severn.

 

While I was walking I made myself count my blessings.

At first it wasn't much more than "It's dry and mild.. and I'm not stuck in a classroom".

That was the best I could do for about half a mile.

 

 

Then.. "I'm so lucky to have this lovely space on my doorstep"

 

"I live in a city with a green heart...."

 

"I'm lucky that people constantly maintain the racecourse area and that it's open to everyone."

 

"Breaks in the clouds"

(a mile or so into the walk on the Sabrina footbridge)

"Even the old railway bridge is attractive as it crosses the river"

 

"I live in a really nice part of the world...."

"A river full of swans"

(the Worcester Swan sanctuary is home to many old swans who have lost their partners, and quite a few juveniles at this time of the year too)



 

Then I retraced my steps at speed to give myself some 'proper exercise'.

I'm still feeling a bit weepy but some fresh air definitely helped.

This afternoon I've got the distraction of several pupils, then I'm off to a Christmas concert at a local school this evening.  Tomorrow I'm going to do some serious tidying up in 'the back bedroom of shame'.  Then I'll be able to start organising Christmas gifts and maybe we'll both start to feel a bit more festive....

Jx

On New Ground Again... And We Turn Down a Cat

For as long as I can remember, my Mum and Dad have had a pre-Christmas lunch at the beginning of December with members of the Manchester 'clan'.  (My Grandma was the youngest of eleven so there are masses of second cousins etc.)  They've always enjoyed the chance to catch up with family news and hand over Christmas presents.

 

This year there was a clash of dates for everyone, so Mark and I stepped up to represent the Worcester branch of the family.  We met up with my lovely 'cousin' M. (he's actually a second cousin, twice removed...we share the same Great Grand-parents!) and his wife G.

They suggested that we meet at Denstone Hall Farm Shop and Café, which is roughly half-way between Worcester and the north east side of Manchester.  It's an area of the country that we really don't know at all so we really enjoyed the drive through the Staffordshire country-side

 

 

We ate from the Sunday lunch menu (£13 for two courses) and I can honestly say it was one of the nicest meals out that I've eaten for some time.  If you're in the area, then I'd definitely recommend it (but you need to book because it's incredibly popular).  M. thinks that he'd like to meet there again for a 50th Birthday celebration in the Spring.  The plan is that we'd drive up from Worcester with my parents and he'd drive down with his Mum.  A nice plan.

 

After we finished our meal, we explored the food hall and 'Christmas Barn'.  To be honest the shop wasn't as good value as the café but the barn had some attractive ideas and made me feel really 'festive'..

 

(All the photos in this post are taken from the internet... I wasn't organised enough yesterday!)

 

And then we turned down a cat......

 

A 'friend of a friend' rang me out of the blue on Saturday afternoon and explained that her cat needed a new home urgently.  She's moving this week into a property that doesn't allow animals.  I wasn't really prepared for this and I agreed to go over and see her today (Monday).  When I put down the phone I realised that I'd made a mistake.... we're not ready in any way and I couldn't face the stress of settling in a new animal into our home.  So I contacted her again and she's fine about it.  I think people understand the grieving process that comes with losing a pet, but I need to recognise my own feelings and allow myself the emotional space.

 

One thing that is definitely clearer............

We won't be making space for another cat anytime soon.

Jx

 

 

 

Exploring the South Downs on my Birthday

One of the 'perks' of being a self-employed instrumental teacher, married to an engineer at Land Rover, is that we're no longer tied to school holidays.  This means that we can celebrate my end of November birthday with short breaks in areas that are completely new to us.

 

This year we decided to explore the area where the South Downs meet the sea.. the gorgeous Seven Sisters National Park and Beachy Head Estate.  We stayed at the lovely Tiger Inn in East Dean.  (Our bedroom was the window at the right hand corner of the building).  It's a 'walker's pub' rather than 'boutique' style and we enjoyed every minute.

 

 

We walked for miles along the coast... towards Beachy Head..

 

Then back to the National Trust Tea-rooms at Birling Gap.... and on over the Seven Sisters..

 

The views in-land were equally lovely...

 

On the second day part of our walk took us through Friston Forest and down the even more gorgeous village of West Dean..

 

Before heading out to the coast again at Cuckmere Haven,..

 

The 51st (GRRR!) birthday shot!!!

 

It's an awkward journey from Worcester to this part of the south coast.  It took us almost five hours on Friday afternoon.  Nevertheless it's definitely somewhere that we'd re-visit.  The walking was fabulous and the pub (which was a lucky internet find) was just what we wanted.

 

On the way home we picked up Thomas's ashes from the vets.  For those of you who believe in such things... you won't be surprised to read that he's a very active spirit at the moment.  I've heard him eating biscuits in the kitchen and 'agitating' a metal handle on the cabinet in the dining room.  He still shares the sofa with us (there's a cold patch) and pinches Mark's spot when he stands up.  (The first time it happened, we laughed because Mark sat down, looked slightly puzzled, then said "I think I've sat on Thomas").  This morning I heard him meowing and felt him jump on the bed.  To be honest, it feels like we still have a cat at the moment.  I'm sure that it will calm down eventually....

 

I can't believe that it's the 1st December.

Where has 2017 gone??????

Jx