I am sat in my home office feeling all clean and healthy after having been to the gym and showered and now in my PJ's with chicken in the oven ready for a Sunday roast soon...yum!!!
This time last week I was in Manchester very worried about my dad. On the Friday morning at work I took a phone call on my mobile from my Nan - who said "Hi Samantha, its your nan, your dad has had a stroke and your mum is waiting for the ambulance...she asked me to let everybody know but I don't have anybodies number!" This was followed by me shaking, and panicking and not allowing myself to think about the thought that was going through my mind, which was, Am I ever going to see my dad again? When I started to form that sentence in my head I stopped myself and distracted myself by trying to get in touch with everybody whilst getting myself home. I then threw some stuff in a bag and my OH who is brilliantly supportive in any situation, made sure I was okay and had everything, and we both jumped in the car and started the 4 hour journey to Manchester.
To cut a long story short - he had 4 mini strokes and recovered after each one, he then had medication to get rid of a clot followed by surgery to widen the artery in his neck...then he went back home and is making a miraculous recovery!! phew!! None of my family would have coped if the outcome had been different. My dad is one of the good people on this earth!
It was nice to spend time with the rest of my family while I was in Manchester - I stayed at my sisters house (Bev) we get on really well and I really miss her living so far away. Bev has 4 kids ranging in age from 12(?) to 22(?)ish...and I LOVE spending time at Bev's, meal times are especially cool - with everybody sat around the table chatting, laughing or occasionally arguing! It doesn't matter - as long as I can sit there taking all in feeling part of a wonderful family. I also got to see my other sister - Joanne and Helen. I get on really easily with Helen - we are closest in age and used to be really close when we lived close to each other and when I see her now I instantly feel at ease with her. It is much the same with the others - my two brothers and my eldest sister Joanne - I love seeing them all and catching up with them and seeing everybody's kids. Its only me and Bev who have grown up kids (well nearly - but we are no longer running around after toddlers like Andrew, Joanne and Helen are doing). Me and Bev like to sit there all smug thinking - we've been there and done that!! Its easier for us now!
All in all I have a great family that I love very much and I miss because I live in London and they (mostly) live in Manchester. Its a shame that such an awful event brought us together on this occasion but thank god it all ended well!
The picture I have posted at the top left is my mum and dad at New Year 2011 - my mum has a shot of golshlager (she isn't really a drinker) and my dad is in the background - they were walking into the room where most of the family were stood all wishing each other happy new year - I don't know what my mum was laughing at but I love the picture because its not posed for and is really natural. The other two pictures shows breakfast at our Bev's!!
Anyway - I had better go and sort out my roast dinner ....mouth waters.......
