This is me and little Megan at her big sister Hannah's Birthday party
this month!
Monday, 25 February 2008
Me and Grand daughter Megan
This is me and little Megan at her big sister Hannah's Birthday party
this month!
Thoughts on family and pets
DanielI am waiting for youngest son to arrive home for a long overdue chat about future plans. I'm not looking forward to it as I know there are going to be some conflicts of interests. In this family we do not let things slide that may damage the feeling of togetherness and often have a formal sit down to thrash it out!! Tonight is such a time.
Stinky Pinkerton (the mad cat) is tearing around the lounge like a lunatic chasing shadows & every now and again her own tail. She will insist on rushing past Andy at a million miles an hour which makes him jump out of his skin...I swear I hear her laughing.
She has taken to laying her head on the dogs muzzle when he is laying down and he tolerates this extremely well, however when she rolls on her back he makes a sharp exit because claws uppermost he gets into trouble...poor Blue. He is the most soppy and faithful dog in the world. We weren't going to have another dog but when Dan was having Chemo he begged us for a puppy, he especially wanted a blue merle welsh border collie. We caved in of course and eventually in the June I found an advert from a farm in Abergavenny for sheepdog pups including blue merles. I rang the number and we arranged to go up with Dan and Sam on the next Saturday after his Chemo had finished. We set off on a hot afternoon and a couple of hours driving found us at the farm. We got out and opened the gate, as we walked into the yard lots of gambolling fat tummied pups came into view. Dan stood still just watching them as we laughed at their antics. Within a couple of minutes one puppy had lain down on Dan's trainers and was not moving. Dan had been chosen! Guess what? It was a little boy, blue merle puppy and we knew we had to have him. We happily parted with our dosh and Dan scooped him up for the journey home. Blue is Ten years old in April and has been wonderful member of the family, devoted to Dan and with a delightful disposition. As each new grandchild has arrived he has adopted them into our pack and guards them dutifully. He kept me sane when I was at home ill for months and is always such a loving and funny friend to come home to. I guess he is yet another blessing that I am fortunate to count..
Stinky Pinkerton (the mad cat) is tearing around the lounge like a lunatic chasing shadows & every now and again her own tail. She will insist on rushing past Andy at a million miles an hour which makes him jump out of his skin...I swear I hear her laughing.
She has taken to laying her head on the dogs muzzle when he is laying down and he tolerates this extremely well, however when she rolls on her back he makes a sharp exit because claws uppermost he gets into trouble...poor Blue. He is the most soppy and faithful dog in the world. We weren't going to have another dog but when Dan was having Chemo he begged us for a puppy, he especially wanted a blue merle welsh border collie. We caved in of course and eventually in the June I found an advert from a farm in Abergavenny for sheepdog pups including blue merles. I rang the number and we arranged to go up with Dan and Sam on the next Saturday after his Chemo had finished. We set off on a hot afternoon and a couple of hours driving found us at the farm. We got out and opened the gate, as we walked into the yard lots of gambolling fat tummied pups came into view. Dan stood still just watching them as we laughed at their antics. Within a couple of minutes one puppy had lain down on Dan's trainers and was not moving. Dan had been chosen! Guess what? It was a little boy, blue merle puppy and we knew we had to have him. We happily parted with our dosh and Dan scooped him up for the journey home. Blue is Ten years old in April and has been wonderful member of the family, devoted to Dan and with a delightful disposition. As each new grandchild has arrived he has adopted them into our pack and guards them dutifully. He kept me sane when I was at home ill for months and is always such a loving and funny friend to come home to. I guess he is yet another blessing that I am fortunate to count..
Sunday, 24 February 2008
Man flu!
Today I am suffering, really suffering with a bout of man flu my dearest darling hubby kindly shared with me. He had this awful bug earlier this week, went unshaven and slobbed about in his pj's did not go out anywhere despite the fact that we were both on annual leave and it was his birthday (43). I get it badly on Friday and I have to go to the Tav on Fri night and after for a curry with the 'Schmo's', I was driving of course. Saturday was spent enrolling oldest Grand daughter into stage school and while she had her 3hr session we looked at ......guitar shops. Today Sunday I am feeling a bit sorry for myself, my nose is sore my eyes are running and I can't breathe. Every time I sneeze it hurts so much I swear. Andy says I am developing terretts syndrome....ha ha very funny. I cooked us all a lovely veggie Sunday dinner with chocolate cake for dessert and now I just need paracetamol and bed. I am back in work tomorrow and I know I will have loads to do and not firing on all four is a distinct disadvantage.
Today I would be miserable no matter where I lived so I guess there are some things even The Lane can't cure for me........
Today I would be miserable no matter where I lived so I guess there are some things even The Lane can't cure for me........
Sniping again
Warning to all those who wish to join an alternative community!
- Check it out properly BEFORE you buy.
- Ask yourself why you want to live there.
- Talk to long time residents.
- Get to really know the community.
- If you move in, you ARE the new kid on the block.
- Don't try to change the community,area or peoples ideals.
- If you don't like it, why stay......Move on.
- Don't stay and be miserable, you make others miserable too.
More thoughts....on family
Singing with Joe Schmo
Singing at Dan's 16th Party
First Live Performance 1993
Singing with her Papa, 2000
Kaye singing at my 50th 2004
I was thinking earlier how much I miss my younger daughter singing. It all started when Black Velvet came on the radio. It set in motion a train of thought that sent me off remembering the many times I've heard my daughter Kaye sing that song with her Dad's band Joe Schmo. I will forever have a picture of her in my head from a particular night in The 'Tav. She was stood on stage her bubbling blonde curls were being blown about by the fan, she wore black jeans & a Julien Mcdonald black and silver sparly T shirt and a silver sequinned sash. Her brilliant blue eyes were lined with silver sparkling eyeliner and as she belted out Black Velvet she was every inch 'The Diva'. I have seen her and heard her sing many times since but that night she was spectacular.I was immensely proud. Now she lives in London I don't get to hear her wonderful singing as often but I look forward to her visits home especially if the band are playing as she gets up and sings a few numbers with them. Her and her Dad singing Sweet Home Alabama is a joy to hear and the obvious enjoyment that they each get from it is very infectious. Her little nieces all want to be like Aunty Cake and they all sing and perform to my absolute delight. I admit to a few tears now and then when Erin's crystal voice sings Somewhere Over The Rainbow, little Megan gives us a rendition of I'm Special' in her tuneful but piping little voice or Hannah gives us a real performance of the latest song she has learned word perfect from High School Musical 2! Cara is now in stage school and loving every minute and Kate takes great delight in competing on Sing Star along with her brothers and sisters. My elder daughter Danielle has a glorious voice too, she also likes to get up and have a go on Sing Star! Her voice is softer and more mature but has a warmth and sincerity that is wonderful and gentle on the ear . All in all the voices of my children and grandchildren give me an immense amount of pleasure and I am so glad that they feel confident enough to open their mouths and sing from their hearts.....
Pippa
I saw my friend Pippa in the local shop yesterday.....ever beautiful, ever young, her sparkling, golden head of curls bouncing as she laughs always makes me smile. I once saw a painting of a sea rescue off mumbles by Derek Scott (ex cox of mumbles lifeboat) The woman closest to the sea, straining against the grasp of the woman above her, red hair whipping in the wind was my friend Pippa.....no doubt about it and that is how I will always see her, hair wild in the wind, straining and reaching out. She has a son now his hair is red too but not light gold like his mother, his is a rich deep auburn red that glows when the sun is on it. I watched him carrying one of the chickens late on a summer afternoon and both hair and chicken were an identical colour! He used to make me laugh when he was little calling Andy (my Husband) Mandy. When asked why , his simple explanation was that he was a Man called Andy so he called him Mandy! Perfect logic that.
Thoughts of spring
Suddenly the grey days of winter are getting less, the pale gold sunlight of early spring is more evident. Those that suffer with S.A.D. can now see the beginning of the end!
I can smell the fresh green notes of spring in the early morning air and more and more the daffodils,crocus and other spring flowers are popping up around the lane.
The birds dawn chorus is changing, louder and more excitable every morning, they know that spring is about to be sprung.
With this newness comes a feeling of renewal and resolution for the coming months and year. I will savour all that I hold dear and revel in the pure joy of being alive,living on the lane with those that I love and who love me.
I can smell the fresh green notes of spring in the early morning air and more and more the daffodils,crocus and other spring flowers are popping up around the lane.
The birds dawn chorus is changing, louder and more excitable every morning, they know that spring is about to be sprung.
With this newness comes a feeling of renewal and resolution for the coming months and year. I will savour all that I hold dear and revel in the pure joy of being alive,living on the lane with those that I love and who love me.
Wednesday, 13 February 2008
Precious
There are some things in a lifetime that are too precious to lose.
Love, family, friends, community, security, serenity, peace and security are but a few.
I am truly blessed with all of the above and the reason I am so bountifully endowed is central to where I live.......Sandy Lane.
For all it's irritating vagaries and in fighting at times, there is no place in times of trouble that I would rather be.
When Daniel was diagnosed with Testicular Cancer at 15 we as a family were devastated, to find that it had invaded his lymphatic system as well was a double blow. I was working full time as a Midwife but travelling to and from Worcester at the time. Daniel went through his initial operation to remove the damaged testicle and then commenced on chemotherapy. All through the summer my darling boy had poison pumped through him to try to eradicate the cancer. Our wonderful friends and neighbours on The Lane did so much to support us, small gifts and loving gestures almost every day. Special things to eat, made with love and received gratefully. Collections to pay for herbal remedies and tonics and visits from his fairy godmothers when we were in the hospital to leave something in the house for our return. The ongoing support over the months as they rolled by was awesome. When Dan got e coli infection from a dirty nurse's poor practice, it nearly killed him and I became aggressively protective. This will come as no revelation for those that know me! Finally after 6 full rounds of chemo, 2 more than he should originally have had; the bloody growths were no smaller. We were devastated and distraught when told there was no-one who would remove the tumours because they were the size of two large grapefruit, one wrapped around his spinal cord the other around the inferior vena cava. He was only 15 and officially a paediatric patient. We searched the net and found a surgeon in Japan willing to operate but at a cost of £30,000.We arranged to see the estate agent the following Monday but on the Friday before the Oncologist called to say he had arranged for a review by a surgeon in London at The Royal Marsden, we went for the appointment and the surgeon took one look at the size of Dan and agreed to operate. We then had to sign the consent form with all the risks spelled out. Death from haemorrhage, heart failure or seizure, brain damage, Quadraplegia, paraplegia, impotency etc etc. We signed because there was never really a choice.
Before we went all our friends and neighbours got together and helped us with money and positive thoughts and love. We set off knowing that they were all thinking of Dan. The op took nearly 8hours during this time we did not know how to get through it, but somehow we did and Dan eventually came round from the anaesthetic in ITU just as the fireworks went off outside the window for the dedication of the Albert Memorial! He was out of bed 12hours later,walking down the ward 24hrs after and back home with 47 staples in his scar in 4days!!
He went back to school, took his mock GCSE's and on 17th January 1999 he was 16, a day we thought we might not see. We had a big party to celebrate and at that moment I realised we had come through it. I didn't loose control or really cry about it all for another year when after far too many 'stellas' I lost it completely and couldn't stop. Suddenly I realised how blessed I was...my lottery won, my prayers answered. I am forever thankful for the gift of my son's recovery and also for the love and support of my family,friends and community.
Sandy Lane is a special place, always has been and always will be.....as long as there is breath in my body I will fight to preserve it.
I am truly blessed with all of the above and the reason I am so bountifully endowed is central to where I live.......Sandy Lane.
For all it's irritating vagaries and in fighting at times, there is no place in times of trouble that I would rather be.
When Daniel was diagnosed with Testicular Cancer at 15 we as a family were devastated, to find that it had invaded his lymphatic system as well was a double blow. I was working full time as a Midwife but travelling to and from Worcester at the time. Daniel went through his initial operation to remove the damaged testicle and then commenced on chemotherapy. All through the summer my darling boy had poison pumped through him to try to eradicate the cancer. Our wonderful friends and neighbours on The Lane did so much to support us, small gifts and loving gestures almost every day. Special things to eat, made with love and received gratefully. Collections to pay for herbal remedies and tonics and visits from his fairy godmothers when we were in the hospital to leave something in the house for our return. The ongoing support over the months as they rolled by was awesome. When Dan got e coli infection from a dirty nurse's poor practice, it nearly killed him and I became aggressively protective. This will come as no revelation for those that know me! Finally after 6 full rounds of chemo, 2 more than he should originally have had; the bloody growths were no smaller. We were devastated and distraught when told there was no-one who would remove the tumours because they were the size of two large grapefruit, one wrapped around his spinal cord the other around the inferior vena cava. He was only 15 and officially a paediatric patient. We searched the net and found a surgeon in Japan willing to operate but at a cost of £30,000.We arranged to see the estate agent the following Monday but on the Friday before the Oncologist called to say he had arranged for a review by a surgeon in London at The Royal Marsden, we went for the appointment and the surgeon took one look at the size of Dan and agreed to operate. We then had to sign the consent form with all the risks spelled out. Death from haemorrhage, heart failure or seizure, brain damage, Quadraplegia, paraplegia, impotency etc etc. We signed because there was never really a choice.
Before we went all our friends and neighbours got together and helped us with money and positive thoughts and love. We set off knowing that they were all thinking of Dan. The op took nearly 8hours during this time we did not know how to get through it, but somehow we did and Dan eventually came round from the anaesthetic in ITU just as the fireworks went off outside the window for the dedication of the Albert Memorial! He was out of bed 12hours later,walking down the ward 24hrs after and back home with 47 staples in his scar in 4days!!
He went back to school, took his mock GCSE's and on 17th January 1999 he was 16, a day we thought we might not see. We had a big party to celebrate and at that moment I realised we had come through it. I didn't loose control or really cry about it all for another year when after far too many 'stellas' I lost it completely and couldn't stop. Suddenly I realised how blessed I was...my lottery won, my prayers answered. I am forever thankful for the gift of my son's recovery and also for the love and support of my family,friends and community.
Sandy Lane is a special place, always has been and always will be.....as long as there is breath in my body I will fight to preserve it.
Sunday, 10 February 2008
Just as I was saying......
Today I have attended a meeting of my neighbours, it seems that some of the very people I rant on about have been doing some very underhanded things.
Namely trying to propose changes and development with the local council for Sandy Lane and inferring (but not actually stating) that they speak for all of us.........MESSAGE TO SUCH INDIVIDUALS - YOU DO NOT REPRESENT US, NOT NOW, NOT EVER, ON ANYTHING.
For those of you not yet aware, there are self proclaimed property developers who have moved onto Sandy Lane and presumably with the idea that greater profits could be had if changes were made. They have allegedly tried to influence others to their way of thinking by offers of financial donations for remedial work to the roads. They have purchased 2 vacant plots in the top field adjacent to the Childrens play area and Princes Field. They applied for planning permission and have been refused. At the Cammill meeting that they insisted was held to discuss the state of the road they were left in no uncertainty about how the MAJORITY of people who live here feel. There are those who would like tarmac, pavements and streetlights for reasons best known to themselves but for most of us we do not want this at any price and will fight tooth and nail to oppose such actions.
I for one am putting my cards on the table:
NO to amalgamating Sandy Lane with Pennard, Southgate or Parkmill.
NO to calling our community a VILLAGE.
NO to supporting infill building in any form...empty plots is empty plots!
NO to upgrading the infrastructure, roads etc.
NO to allowing anyone to decide how our PRIVATELY OWNED environment should be managed.
I will fight, with words, the law or fists if necessary to defend that which I hold dear.
I stand by my opening rant on this blog....if you don't like it here...MOVE, you cannot change a community to suit yourself, why did you come here in the first place...oh yes I forgot pound signs! Go away and make a quick buck somewhere else you are NOT WELCOME HERE.
Namely trying to propose changes and development with the local council for Sandy Lane and inferring (but not actually stating) that they speak for all of us.........MESSAGE TO SUCH INDIVIDUALS - YOU DO NOT REPRESENT US, NOT NOW, NOT EVER, ON ANYTHING.
For those of you not yet aware, there are self proclaimed property developers who have moved onto Sandy Lane and presumably with the idea that greater profits could be had if changes were made. They have allegedly tried to influence others to their way of thinking by offers of financial donations for remedial work to the roads. They have purchased 2 vacant plots in the top field adjacent to the Childrens play area and Princes Field. They applied for planning permission and have been refused. At the Cammill meeting that they insisted was held to discuss the state of the road they were left in no uncertainty about how the MAJORITY of people who live here feel. There are those who would like tarmac, pavements and streetlights for reasons best known to themselves but for most of us we do not want this at any price and will fight tooth and nail to oppose such actions.
I for one am putting my cards on the table:
NO to amalgamating Sandy Lane with Pennard, Southgate or Parkmill.
NO to calling our community a VILLAGE.
NO to supporting infill building in any form...empty plots is empty plots!
NO to upgrading the infrastructure, roads etc.
NO to allowing anyone to decide how our PRIVATELY OWNED environment should be managed.
I will fight, with words, the law or fists if necessary to defend that which I hold dear.
I stand by my opening rant on this blog....if you don't like it here...MOVE, you cannot change a community to suit yourself, why did you come here in the first place...oh yes I forgot pound signs! Go away and make a quick buck somewhere else you are NOT WELCOME HERE.
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