Half term Feb 2011

We had a productive half term which started with Irene's 70th birthday. We had a great night at Bollicini's in Rufus Court, the pizzas were magnificent! I had fun trying to walk through town with two dozen helium balloons but they made the restaurant look nice for us and with Bollicini's onto a winner with their Thursday night deal of 2 courses and a bottle of wine each, the place was packed creating a great atmosphere. Irene looked lovely (she is amazingly fit for 70 and such good company)



I sat between Tom and Gerry (haha)




They seemed to enjoy my ode!



No there weren't 70 candles!




This half term I finally coloured a picture for Josh..he's only 8 months old now so just a bit late!



We also used half term to sort out and clear out Dad's house. His old towels and blankets will be put to good use with Sammie and Sadie.





Husb and I nipped up to Darlington to see the Pixen



..and we met Penny the hamster who got a good speed up on the lounge floor, hurtling around our feet in her little ball. I can't say Husb was entirely comfortable with a rodent in close vicinity but I thought she was very cute. (I just won't buy one!)



I now have a dinky little phone for phoning Singapore!!! The advantages of using public transport!! While on the bus Husb picked up a paper with cheap international calls advertised on the back and promptly went to get a labara sim card with a cheap compatible phone (our old handsets would have had to be unlocked) for exclusive use with Cubba. Its so cute, with one contact in the contact box! IT WORKED!! WHOOP WHOOP!! WE CHATTED!! YIPPEEEEEEEEE =)



These beautiful lisianthus flowers are now brightening up our home, sitting in one of Dad's vases. Aren't they gorgeous. I am lucky to have such lovely, caring friends who have given me so much support since losing Dad. One of my very special friends ordered these for me knowing I had chosen lisianthus in Dad's funeral tribute arrangement. Thank you Carol.

New windows Feb 2011

It was a job that needed doing as we had been defrosting the inside of the upstairs windows this winter...not a good sign!

Drake and I weren't expecting the men to take all the windows out at once...brrr... they then announced that they were going off for lunch and the glass should be arriving soon. "Soon"??? Like they had left us with 5 holes in the house without having had delivery of the new glass???

(Looks a bit like a warzone doesn't it, not the leafy suburbs of Hoole)



"Which window are we going through today? Today children we are going through the oblong window..."



"Which window are we going through today?....today we are going through the square window..."



Builders are very clever.. they dustsheeted everything except the kettle... how convenient...




Drakey's boyfriend is now happy that in the case of a fire, she can now use the escape route described in her junior school jotter by jumping out of a window onto the sunlounge roof. (Once a health and safety man, always a health and safety man!!)



To be fair they are amazingly clean windows at the moment...



Job done!! We have noticed the difference already.

Kevin Keegan...60!!

Funeral flowers

Life is slowly getting back to normal after the death of my Dad. What I miss most are our afternoon chats. We could talk for ages about the latest news from the Ricoh Arena and the woes of being a Coventry City supporter, we would discuss the weather in Coventry, Chester, Darlington and London, I knew exactly what he was having for tea that night and he would tell me what he thought about what Rachel on "Countdown" was wearing. It is going to take some getting used to, not hearing his voice again, but I have immersed myself into Aerobics and have even been to wiggle and shake my booty at Zumba... all good therapy.

We were all pleased with how the funeral service went and have had some lovely comments from people who were able to come and pay their respects. Rev Karen Reeves led the funeral and she knew exactly how to lift our spirits during a sad occasion with a "3 cheers" and a round of applause for Geoff halfway through the service which was so appropriate for an amazing father who always saw his glass as half full.

Graham Giles florists supplied the floral tributes and words cannot describe how passionate David Giles was, pulling out all the stops to get Liddy three "in-curl" chrysanthemums from Holland (at a silly money price) as Dad had spent years growing them in the back garden before it was lawned over to make Diddy a cricket/footy pitch.












As there were over 160 people at the church the service was held at The Church of the Risen Christ, however most of the money raised in donations will be going to the upkeep of the church next door,

the church of St Mary Magdalene

where Dad spent a lot of time before the new church was built.

Life must now go on and I have been so grateful to everyone for their support, obviously to my immediate family but also especially to the aerobics crowd for keeping me cheerful and happy and jolly, they have been an amazing tonic. Thank you everyone.

Cubba arrives in Singapore

Our son has arrived safe and sound in Singapore!!! to start his new life with his long term girlfriend. I have been informed it is absolutely NOT minus 3! but positively hot. Hmmmm..... we may have to go and see for ourselves....
(you never know...)



He travelled reasonably lightly, it was mostly clothes and cricket kit. His new cricket bat from Father Christmas 2009 fitted into his suitcase too.



Nixen the Pixen came home for the weekend and we had a delicious traditional family fish and chips in a local pub the night before he flew....

and the following morning we all went to the airport with him.




Later that day we went for afternoon tea at the Red House.



It was delicious, smoked salmon, ham, cheese and cucumber sandwiches, various cakes, and warm scones with a bit of "clotted", and it was all the more delicious with Cub's Tastecard discount. Cheers Chris and GOOD LUCK!

The 7 UPs of New Year Resolutions (DAD)

I recently attended a church service following the sudden death of my wonderful father and as I listened to the sermon, I felt incredibly moved as everything the preacher was saying seemed to apply to Dad.

"New Year Resolutions", called the ‘7-UPS for the New Year’,

was taken from an idea by Reverend Walter Schoedel. No, this has nothing to do with the soft drink. These 7-UPS fall under the heading of attitudes and actions. They totally reflect the way Dad lived his life. He was a practising Christian, a Good, no, EXCELLENT Samaritan and quite simply a TOP BLOKE.

The first UP is WAKE UP–Begin the day with the Lord. It is His day. Every day was a new day for Dad and until recently he had a commitment every day except Thursday.

The second UP is DRESS-UP–Put on a smile. It improves your looks. It says
something about your attitude. One of Dad's life mottos was GO THROUGH LIFE WITH A SMILE ON YOUR FACE. He certainly put a smile on ours, he was always making us laugh. And we will continue to smile as we remember all those wonderful memories he left us with.

The third UP is SHUT-UP–Watch your tongue. Don’t gossip. Say nice things.
Learn to listen. Dad never moaned and he was also very forgiving. What a great example to set us.

The fourth UP is STAND-UP–Take a stand for what you believe. Resist evil. Do
good. Dad's other life motto was ALWAYS GO THROUGH LIFE TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING. He was a good man.

The fifth UP is LOOK-UP–Open your eyes to the Lord. Dad did, he also always looked on the bright side of life. His glass was always half full, never half empty.

The sixth UP is REACH-UP–Dad was prepared to go to great lengths to help us children in our chosen careers (he had high hopes for us(!), taxiing my bro around the country to play football and cricket,and interests, like picking sis and I up from nightclubs at silly oclock, just being a totally devoted Dad.

Finally, the seventh UP is LIFT-UP–Be available to help those in need–serving,
supporting, and sharing. Here I could go on forever, he spent his life helping others, what a Good Samaritan. He tirelessly cared for both Mum and Nanna, he was chief sick visitor at work, he spent 19 years volunteering at the local hospital, pushing the tea trolly round Ward C4.

Do you know what? He was alright, my Dad.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Dad would have wanted me to enjoy my birthday and the New Year celebrations so we made an effort and did our usual Pizza for tea followed by the threshold tradition, each selecting an item to bring into the house. We made sure we had food and warmth and health by carrying biscuits, coal, plasters and paracetamol...then added the globe for Cub and Mr Happy for happiness and laughter.








Sammie wondered what was going on...

We went back outside to light some good luck lanterns, the first was for Cub's travels to Singapore and it went in the right direction.

Then we sent a lantern off for Dad

Despite the sad circumstances we had a good day and to anyone reading this I'd like to wish you health and happiness in 2011