Cherish yesterday, Dream tomorrow, Live today

Wednesday, 23 April 2014

preparing for Grandma's funeral

I have been trying to find a suitable reading for the funeral this Friday.  I started with the story of waterbugs and dragonflies by Doris Stickney.  A lovely story for helping young children understand death -

Waterbugs and Dragonflies



Down below the surface of a quiet pond lived a little colony of water bugs. They were a happy colony, living far away from the sun. For many months they were very busy, scurrying over the soft mud on the bottom of the pond. They did notice that every once in a while one of their colony seemed to lose interest in going about. Clinging to the stem of a pond lily it gradually moved out of sight and was seen no more.

"Look!" said one of the water bugs to another. "One of our colony is climbing up the lily stalk. Where do you think she is going?" Up, up, up it slowly went....Even as they watched, the water bug disappeared from sight. Its friends waited and waited but it didn't return...

"That's funny!" said one water bug to another. "Wasn't she happy here?" asked a second... "Where do you suppose she went?" wondered a third.

No one had an answer. They were greatly puzzled. Finally one of the water bugs, a leader in the colony, gathered its friends together. "I have an idea". The next one of us who climbs up the lily stalk must promise to come back and tell us where he or she went and why."

"We promise", they said solemnly.

One spring day, not long after, the very water bug who had suggested the plan found himself climbing up the lily stalk. Up, up, up, he went. Before he knew what was happening, he had broke through the surface of the water and fallen onto the broad, green lily pad above.

When he awoke, he looked about with surprise. He couldn't believe what he saw. A startling change had come to his old body. His movement revealed four silver wings and a long tail. Even as he struggled, he felt an impulse to move his wings...The warmth of the sun soon dried the moisture from the new body. He moved his wings again and suddenly found himself up above the water. He had become a dragonfly!!

Swooping and dipping in great curves, he flew through the air. He felt exhilarated in the new atmosphere. By and by the new dragonfly lighted happily on a lily pad to rest. Then it was that he chanced to look below to the bottom of the pond. Why, he was right above his old friends, the water bugs! There they were scurrying
around, just as he had been doing some time before.

The dragonfly remembered the promise: "The next one of us who climbs up the lily stalk will come back and tell where he or she went and why." Without thinking, the dragonfly darted down. Suddenly he hit the surface of the water and bounced away. Now that he was a dragonfly, he could no longer go into the water...

"I can't return!" he said in dismay. "At least, I tried. But I can't keep my promise. Even if I could go back, not one of the water bugs would know me in my new body. I guess I'll just have to wait until they become dragonflies too. Then they'll understand what has happened to me, and where I went."

And the dragonfly winged off happily into its wonderful new world of sun and air.......

From: "Waterbugs and Dragonflies : Explaining Death to Young Children"
by Doris Stickney


 This evening while looking in various books I came across a little book that Grandma bought me many years ago - "To a very special Granddaughter".
 Tucked inside was a a copy of one of the poems from the book in Grandma's handwriting that she had re worded.
When I wake up feeling old
and its dark outside and wet and cold
I gloom a little - and then I say
"Oh never mind - today's the day you come, and i must get cooking and spreading Flora and sandwich making, for bacon butties
How glittering and bright the rain
and I feel that I am young again
There is another poem in the book that again I wondered if it was appropriate -
Take with you into your future all my love.  All the things we have seen together, all the music we have heard, all the people we have met and loved, all the secrets, all the gigglings, all the mischiefs we have made.  Ill come with you as far as I'm allowed along your road - and when we part you'll take with you my hopes and half my heart. 







Saturday, 19 April 2014

Danny's birthday

Today has been a happier day.  It's Dan's 40th birthday (love you baby xx)
He's not one to have a lot of fuss made so we did it his way.  A nice lie in this morning.  Cards from the children and me, and prezzies from work and my mum and dad.  He had his prezzies from me a little while ago which were some dragon ornaments.  Then his favourite for dinner - pizza,

which had to be shared with the children..

followed by jaffa cake birthday cake!




All before he went to work.

Happy birthday my darling xx


My Grandma

On 5 April this year my Grandma, Alice Nicholls died.  It was expected, she was 94 and had dementia as well as various health conditions, but was also a wonderful woman.  I have very fond memories of her from my childhood as well as more recent years.  A lot of my school holidays as a child were spent with her and my Grandad and I was very close to both of them.  I used to go for walks with my Grandad and their Jack Russell, Russ for what seemed liked miles and if Grandma wasn't with us there would normally be tea waiting for us when we got back.
I remember one house they lived in that had swarms of ants in the garden one year.  My Grandma was constantly boiling water to pour on them.
Many a time mum and I would disagree on something and I would end my arguement with I'll phone Grandma, she was always there to listen, although she would tell me if I was wrong which was always easier to accept! 
My grandma had been in the WRAF and had also been a auxillary nurse with children with Down Syndrome.  Growing up, I wanted to be just like her.  I never managed the forces, but have followed her with care work.  When she was in hospital when she had DVT (a good many years ago now) a rumour went round that she was a retired Matron.  It all came about from her watching two nurses making a bed and commented on how she used to do hospital corners differently.  WE only found out the truth when she went to xray and they told her.  From then on we always told the hospital what her job had been before she tried to play on the story!
Cream teas were always on the menu when visiting my Grandparents, and somehow you always found room even after the large dinner you would have had 3/4 hours earlier from them. Bacon Sarnies are also a fond memory from childhood and more recent times.
After my Grandad died in 1998 my Grandma lived alone in Lychpit for many years.  The night before my wedding I spent with her. She insisted on me sleeping in her bed and she took the sofa bed.  If I had wanted I would have had a full cooked breakfast, but settled for a banana as all I could manage. I felt so relaxed that day, and I'm sure a lot of it was Grandma's calming influence.  It was always such a calming place to be and you were always made to feel welcome.  In later years, when she was having problems with her hips I used to go and see her at least once a week to help her with her cleaning.  When finished there was always a cup of tea and a bacon sandwich there waiting for me, I can still smell it now. 
In more recent times she moved in with my parents as her health deterioated.  Her room was still as welcoming as her own house had been, and I still enjoyed spending time chatting with her in there.
The last couple of years as dementia took hold were spent at a lovely residential home that looked after her with all the dignity and respect we wanted for her.  They were with her when she died, and it was peacefully at rest in her sleep.   Even on bad days when dementia made us all into different people, she always knew her Alanna was - her precious one, her great granddaughter that she was GG to.  The night she died she visited Alanna in a dream to say goodbye, Alanna knew before I told her in the morning, they have always been very close.
I was lucky enough to see her a week before she died, and speak to her a couple of days before.  She told me she had been away and was coming home.  She was about half way home, but woul dbe home soon.  She's home now- with my grandad.  We knew the date it would be as it would have been my Grandad's birthday. 
She will be greatly missed by us all, but it was the right time for her.
All our love to a remarkable woman



An over view

Let's play catch up -

Alanna has now made her Brownie Promise (March 17th)






















We have planned a bit more for our handfasting.  A lot still to go and plan and book, but we have caught up a bit.  The reception is near enough sorted, with just the little bits to sort.  We have been back to Splotts Moor Farm, and it really is such a lovely sight.  WE are thining of possibly using the stone circle there, if we can evict the sheep! 
WE have so many wonderful friends who are helping us for our special event, thank you to each and everyone of you. 

A few odd photos - the children have been dressing up -
Dan's been making rainbow fudge (instructions on youtube)...


... when not playing with Toby!



Fun in the garden (Above)

On a day off for us both we took the children to Burnham on sea.  First swimming, then tea in the cafe of fish and chips, followed by fun on the beach. WE still have to keep reminding ourselves that the beach is only a 20 minute drive! 







Wednesday, 19 February 2014

So far this year the children have had a go at karate and now started going regularly.  They have been swimming and gym, watched the waves at Burnham sea front. 
The animals are getting friendlier

 Danny looking happy!
 Me being artisitc (Above)


 The children with their karate certificates
Burnham-on-sea sea front


 Our garden in the sun!




Christmas day

Christmas Day all together

 the poser above