I once knew a man who's tongue fell off in his sleep

 Hi,

Had no idea what to call this post....lol

So - since my last post what have I done? I spent a week at Helen and Pauls house dog sitting whilst they went on holiday.  They are looking after our place and cats so we can go to Italy in September! whoop!!! We are going to Milan, Venice, Rome and Naples!

So I actually really enjoyed staying at their place and taking the dog out everyday - we went on some coastal walks and the weather was great! Everybody was happy apart from Andy who was left in this big old house on his own!

All the fresh air and walking, was awesome and has made me want to do more exercise - so last weekend me and Andy took our bikes into the Quantocks Hills to do a 8km trail that I looked up.  We drove up to the carpark and set off.  It was 34 degrees, so I froze a couple of bottles of water for us, so it would be lovely and cold when we drank it.  This was the plan.  

We followed the trail, and then it went VERY steeply down a hill, so much so we were pushing our bikes rather than riding on them, and were slipping and falling...then one of the trails disappeared into the undergrowth so we climbed over the wild growth to get to another path - it continued down and down and I was very worried about getting up again - hoping the way back would be less steep.  Then we lost the path again.  By this time we were very worried - we had come such a long way down the only way back was going to be up!!  The frozen water would not defrost!! It was boiling hot - but ice would not melt - so when we were gasping for a drink - we had a few drops of water at a time.  We eventually went onto google maps and found the road way back - about 2 miles uphill!!

It was not fun anymore, I was worried about my own health - and even more worried about Andy - much bigger guy who was sweating so much more than me and losing so much water - and all we had was ice that we couldn't get to!  Eventually andy stamped on his plastic bottle to break up the ice so we wouldn't die out there!

In the end we did 11km - in over 3 hours, and it was a nightmare...all that pushing the bike uphill, in a heatwave with little or no water...we were exhausted!

So....Andy lost 9lb that day (went down to 7lb) I lost 1lb which went down to 0.4lb....story of my life.

We have had a heatwave that has lasted for ages - we have a drought, and all our grass is dead lol.  It's been great really, although often too hot - definitely too hot for me to go into the attic to sew or into the workshop to work!  Just starting to cool down a bit now - think the temp is now about 25 degrees and we are getting rain and thunderstorms.

I am starting to think about decorating the downstairs bathroom...so might have another project on the go again soon!

anyway - bye for now

sewing and woodworking are my new things!

 Hi!

So firstly - Lissa is pregnant again and it is another girl - due in December!

Adam is getting married in just over 2 weeks - and Andy has just been asked to perform the ceremony!  (they already got married in a registry office - this bit is the celebration)

Connor just moved house and moved in with mates - still in Cardiff and as always still hates his job!

I have been sewing - I only wanted to make cushions but it escalated! and I am currently wearing a dress I made.  I am not very good at it though to be honest - but I'm hoping it is a hobby that will continue!

So we have had a workshop built so I can get all the tools out of the house and have somewhere to made stuff!!!

The picture above shows it half way through being treated - I have stopped for a few days as it was giving me headaches and making me feel sick!

Yesterday was the first day I actually started moving tools in and started making a workbench - waiting on a delivery today from B&Q so I can finish it...

Since I last posted on here - we have been to Cardiff and watched Ed Sheran which was awesome! Andy got VIP tickets so we had access to a lounge with our own table - inclusive booze and food, which made the experience even better! Ed Sheran was amazing!  We enjoyed it so much we did it all again and saw the Stereophonics!!!

In other news - my Mum has a boyfriend called err....I forgot....Pete?  She is totally smitten and I am finding it very weird.  She is happier than I have ever known her to be which is obviously a good thing - but I'm still not over losing my Dad and don't think I ever really will be, so although I am happy for her I also find it distressing....

I drove to Bridgnorth a week or two ago - just so I could take Andy's Dad - John - to a hospital appointment - his parents are really struggling at the moment - they don't have a car and he has an extremely painful ulcer on his leg so he is struggling to walk and has to go to docs 3 times a week to have dressings changed.  Was really nice to be able to help out - just wish they were not so far away!

Andy has started his new job with IBM - but is just doing training course after training course atm.

Okay - think that is me done for now! 

Bye for now!

I'm Free!!!

 

Hi,

So since last time, I handed in my notice and finished work - my last day was Friday! I was told I'd have to go into the office once a week - at first I thought it was going to be everyday which is what started the conversation about me leaving...then I found out it was just one day but we had already spoken about me leaving and going back to working on the house and being more organised with keeping on top of cleaning, cooking etc.  It is not like cleaning a normal house - we could do with a house keeper really.  So - I took the plunge and...well....left!  I did feel bad leaving, because I did enjoy the job and the people, and I was invested in my cases, but he pull to leave was stronger....  Claire my boss came around on Friday - had a look around the house and then we finished up work stuff - she brought me gifts too! Flowers, chocolates, earrings and a £25 B&Q voucher lol - will definitely come in handy!

So - we have just had a bank holiday weekend - and today is the first day that I would normally have been in work :-) So....today I got up and put washing on and tidied the kitchen, then I started sanding another section of the games room floor - and went on to paint the base coat and 2 top coats.  I also made a curry for tea, changed Andy's bed and did more washing! So I feel my first day went well!  Living the dream again!

OH! Erika had the baby!!  6lb 9oz - River Roy Andrew - so touched and think that it is amazing that they names him after my Dad and Andy!! So much so, that I can forgive them for not using Sam (again!) lol, but Lissa is having another baby (due in December) so the name Sam has another chance!! lol.

Chubsy face!!

Not sure when I am going to visit - but hopefully soon!!!

So...we have ordered a workshop - to go into the bottom of the garden - 20ft x 12ft - so a substantial size - so excited about that! We can get all of the tools out of the house - they are everywhere! and I can properly set up everything like my mitre saw and circular saw - and hopefully new stuff - and then start making things - like cabinets in the back porch, a fire surround, shelves in the bathroom cupboard, panelling in the upstairs loo - and I want to upcycle stuff.  I've also signed up for an upholstery course, and I've had my sewing machine out and made a cushion with piping and a zip - and a box cushion (I want to make seat cushions to go into the window seats that we have!

In other news Andy started his new job with IBM today!

Helen & Paul have covid!!  Helen got it first and is apparently really ill....I am a little worried but she is vaccinated.  Its not like it was 2 years ago....but I really feel bad for her - she says that she is really ill - flu symptoms and dry retching! Paul has only just got it so not sure how he is going to be - poor Eloise - she is bound to catch it!!

Until next time....

2 year anniversary - losing Dad

 Hi,

It is Wednesday - my day off and I was supposed to have a haircut at 10.30, but it was cancelled as the hairdresser has hurt her back! 

So, I'm sat here procrastinating until I get myself up, have a shower and meet Yvonne and and kids at 1pm :-)  I haven't seen Yvonne for ages - since I last saw her she will have lost loads of weight as she had Gastric bypass surgery, and i have put on a ton of weight (because I'm a lazy foodie).

She lost her step-dad George on 15th April (same date as Dad died) he wasn't old, and was a lovely guy - we met him at her wedding and during that week. Apparently it was cancer and was very quick - such sad, sad news.

I got sad on 15th, when I realised it was two years since that awful time, and I decided to go back and read my blog - I read a couple of paragraphs and had to stop because it was too upsetting.  I have tried not to dwell on it - it is better to think of past times with him rather than the end...

At the weekend I went to Manchester as it was two years since my Dad died, and Joanne (sister) arranged a memorial/get-together.  Long drive to Manchester, with Connor who came over Friday night to travel with us.   It was at Brackley Conservative Club - somewhere I'd not been before.  We got there a little early which was good because Bev, Joanne and Mum were there so I got to say Hi (and have a bit of the whiskey I took for the toast).  Lissa, Ada, Adam, (a heavily pregnant and struggling) Erika and Rory and Rudy turned up, as did my Helen, Paul, Eloise and Zack, my brothers Andrew & Antony and their partners and Andrews kids, my cousin Claire and her kids, and my Aunty Elaine, my Dads remaining brother Ronny, my Dads best mate Steve Lawrence and his wife, and many others came.

Joanne did a moving toast, which made me cry - there were pictures of my Dad everywhere....it was sad and at the same time really good to see all the family.

I proceeded to get quite tipsy - and tried to chat to everybody there.  It was a really good event.

Me, Joanne, Bev and Helen ended up chatting for quite a while - I love getting together with them - we never struggle to talk constantly and laugh a lot!  It was great just to spend time with people at different times, including our kids! Not enough time though!!

I hardly saw Andy - especially as he didn't have to keep me topped u with drinks as we drank the wine/whiskey provided for the toasts!  My Mum and Hilda and another couple did a couple of ballroom dances, and then George (Nephew - Bev's son) got up and danced with Hilda as he does competition dance.

Afterwards (because we had the room from 1pm - 6pm) we had arranged to go back to my Mums with the kids - but loads of people went back there (apart from Bev, Megan and Aimee - and they are not speaking - although Bev was approached about going and said she would go - a step towards peace - but my Mum said NO WAY).

Again it was great fun at my Mums with all the family there - just love being around them all! I might have got a little too intoxicated, and i did wake up the next day hoping I'd not said anything stupid or offended anybody!

Me and Andy got a lift back to the hotel from Erika - and I felt a little guilty because I really didn't want to get a taxi and Erika had struggled all day being so heavily pregnant...

Lissa & Adam both managed to get a babysitter (their Dad) for the night, so that must have been great for them!

We woke up really early so we made an early start on the journey home...dropped Connor off at Bristol train station - and I ended up sleeping on the couch for a while!  All in all - a great family time - for a very sad reason.

Sunday morning...hoping WW3 is not on its way....

 Hi! 

Yet again -months since my last post....just read over my last post looking at what I said and what has changed etc.

Covid - never really read about it now and life with regards to covid is very different to 2020.  We have all had 2 vaccines and a booster...from 24 February 2022 all restrictions were lifted and people testing positive no longer have to isolate - they are advised to isolate but are not being forced to.  I am worried that I will be made to go back to working in the office...really don't want to do that.  I reduced my hours slightly so I finish at 4.30pm and at the moment, as soon as I finish I immediately get changed and start decorating (painting games room dark green!). If I have to have travel time in my day - this will change a lot of things.  Depending on Andy's job and our finances if I am forced to go back into the office I'd be very tempted to leave....

In other news.....

So - Russia has decided to invade Ukraine! The last few weeks it has been on the news because he was gathering his army around Ukraine's border, Putin was saying it was a training exercise and at one point said the army was leaving - but then he made an announcement that he was making two area's of the Ukraine independent states and he was moving his army in for 'peacekeeping' purposes! Nobody believed this and it was very worrying...then he made an announcement that Ukraine was committing genocide against their people (with no evidence whatsoever) and that he was going to de-nazify Ukraine.

Since then (only a few days) it has been war! Ukraine are not a member of NATO (otherwise it would be full on WW3, with NATO fighting Russia) but instead countries are sending weapons to Ukraine and imposing financial restrictions against Russia.  Ukrainian's are fighting! Citizens have either fled or have agreed to fight and are being given guns and are being advised to make Molotov cocktails - which they have been doing.  Normal looking everyday people - women and men have been seen queuing up to collect guns and have been since in large groups making the Molotov cocktails.  Lots of people went into the underground stations and basements to stay away from the bombing.  On the news/Twitter etc. we see reports of the fighting.  One tiny Island (snake Island) had just 12-13 people on it - were approached by a Russain warship who told then to lay down their arms and surrender or get attacked...they replied (all over loud speaker) F**k you Russian war ship! unfortunately they were then bombed and killed.  

Last night was the worse so far with Ukraine's 2nd largest city Kharkiv, seeing lots of bombing and fighting and a gas pipe being blown up.  We watched nothing but the news, webcams and trawled twitter last night and about 2am (their time) you could hear the fighting in the distance from one of the webcams - it sounded scary and I cannot imagine what that would be like to live through.

There are reports that the Ukrainian's are doing well defending themselves - but I can't imagine it will end well because it is Russia after all!  I don't think the Russian soldiers want to be there, there is footage of Ukrainians laughing at Russians after they ran out of fuel and were stranded on the road - Ukrainian's saying - do you want a lift back to the Russian border? lol

The Ukrainian president Zelenskyy is coming across as a hero - going out onto the streets with a gun and urging his country to fight!  Putin will want him dead and he knows it - I hope he survives - as well as his country!

If Putin makes any move against countries on the outskirts of Ukraine, which are members of NATO then it will be war! He has very dangerous nuclear weapons so its very worrying right now...

Russian's are protesting about the war against Ukraine - many of whom are being arrested (about 2000 I believe), there are demonstrations all over the world against Russia - because its a war without a cause!

Ukraine president Zelenskyy

The poor Ukrainian's - having Covid like the rest of the world and as it eases they get invaded!

Saturday morning in my PJs

 

Its cold in this house! I've just got up and have a jumper on and am sat under a blanket in the living room, and I thought to myself - I'll update my blog!

I cannot update everything because it has been ages! 

Oh, I think there might be a bird in my chimney....I can hear something!

So as a little catch-u I might do little categories - erm....coronavirus, work, family, house?

Coronavirus

Well, it is obviously still a big part of our lives, most (sensible) people have been vaccinated and now we have boosters 6 months after our last jab.  Andy has just been called for his booster but I think I have to wait until February.  Life feels a little safer since vaccinations....oh god there is a bird in the chimney! 

Sorry - yeah life feels a bit safer because although the vaccination does not stop you catching covid, it has seriously reduced the level of ppl in hospital and dying - although people are still dying...let me find the latest figures....

5,163,433 deaths in the world so far

143,716 deaths in the UK

Germany are currently going back into lockdown - they had 39,000 new cases in a single day and are on their 4th wave - this is apparently because of the large numbers of un-vaccinated people.  Why are people not getting vaccinated? I guess some have genuine reasons, but there are still conspiracists - some crazy things out there such as the government are injecting trackers etc. well in my opinion if you believe that and then get covid you might think - erm...maybe a government tracker would have been better than this! 

I watch very little news really on it - I used to be glued to it, but I find it depressing and there is not much that is new anymore - it is more a way of life.  Life in general is much more 'normal' than it was.  I had to go to HQ the other day - the motorway was really busy and I thought to myself, the last time I drove here was right at the beginning9 of the first lockdown - and there were barely any cars at all on the roads.  In fact I resented the fact that I was one of the few people that had to leave the house because I had just got a new job and had to turn up for a weeks training - it was during that week that my dad got taken into hospital.  Wow - that was such a stressful, terrifying and awful time in my life.

At the moment in the UK the group with the highest levels of covid are kids - then they are coming home from school and passing it on to their parents.  As we approach winter/Christmas levels are rising again and we suspect another lockdown might be headed our way. Boris Johnson is trying to avoid a Christmas lockdown again...

Work

So I am still in the fraud team - I work from home I am extremely happy to say and it will probably be this way from now on.  I go into the office when I have an interview or something, but mostly I get up and go up into the attic (and Andy goes to the basement) and we work there all day.  We often meet in the kitchen for lunch lol - but other than that we may as well be in different work places.  Took a long time but I now feel that I have settled into the role, I feel part of the team and it feels quite normal.  Such a difficult, depressing start to working in this job and that on top of losing my dad and the coronavirus being so terrifying - it nearly broke me.  Now I work mon/Tues/Thurs/Fri - 10 hour shifts and I work on the house mostly on Wednesdays and at the weekend.  Frustrating though because I cant just get stuck into a big job like I used to....

We had a team day the other day (that's why I drove to HQ) and I met some of the wider fraud team for the first time - including Niki who was my mentor for quite a while, and I have been in this role for a year now!  We all did lateral flow tests before we arrived and wore masks (mostly), but other than that it was fairly normal - or pre-covid.  I really like the people I work with so that makes life easier - nothing worse than having a crap boss!  Would still like to be my own boss again though and just do DIY and look after the house - but hey-ho....

Family

So, I dont see the kids as much as I'd like - but we all live quite a distance from each other - I am always trying to persuade them to move here but they won't....

The three grandkids which were born in the height of the lockdown are doing well! All just about walking and starting to talk -they are all amazing and I adore them!! I get constant videos and pictures so feel in some ways that I have watched them growing up.  Adam and Erika are expecting another!! Another boy lol.  I had missed calls from Adam one day and he complained to Andy who passed on the message that he had been trying to get in touch.  When I checked my phone I saw the missed calls and a message which said Erika is pregnant! I did not believe this - even slightly, I assumed he was after a reaction from me because I had not responded to earlier messages so I replied saying, Oh that's nice, I'm decorating the hallway!  Then I called him and realised that he was serious!! He later admitted that my response had really pissed him off! I never would have responded like that if even a part of me thought he might be serious! hahah Anyway - after the shock of it - and the fear of how they would cope - I think they have now got used to the idea - and I can't wait to welcome another one into the family!!

Lissa has been arranging her wedding for next year - i went wedding dress shopping with her - which was amazing because so is so gorgeous so looked stunning in the dresses!  She messaged me yesterday though saying she might put the wedding back because she really wants another baby and doesn't want to wait - so who knows right now what she is going to do - but i could end up with another 2 grandkids next year!

Connor moved back to Cardiff, and is living in a shared house and working in a warehouse - he has apparently recently ended the relationship he was having with a girl called Holly, he wasn't 'feeling it'.  I worry about him but he assures me that he is doing well, and is DJ on a regular basis somewhere - he does drum & bass stuff

My mum seems to be doing really well considering she lost my dad last year.  I'm sure it is not all good for her and she has some very difficult times, but over-all she is doing well.  She is going to get the train here on her own in a couple of weeks and that is a big step for her and I am proud of her for doing it.  She realises that unless she takes this step and is able to travel, she will really be restricted and wont be able to visit me or Helen.

My mum is coming here for Adams birthday get-together - it is his 30th! I'm going to be the mother of a 30 year old! wow. Stressing a bit because I have no idea what to get him!! But should be good having everybody here for a party!! Hopefully there will be no lock-downs to ruin it - and I will ask everybody to do a covid test before they get here!

House

Have to mention where we are up to here! We got the driveway done as per my last post - but the gates we were getting have turned into a nightmare because the guy properly let us down! The gates are in place but we can't use them, they do not have the electronics fitted or the security and codes to let us in etc. cos he kept lying about turning up, or telling stories about why he was putting us off, then told us he was going into liquidation but he would not let us down - then just stopped answering out messages.  So - screw him, asshole! Can't seem to find somebody to come and finish a job half done...

Got somebody coming today because the roof is leaking in 2 places.....

I have decorated the upstairs and downstairs hallways now, I stripped the paint off the front door and I am going to try and darken the wood so it matches the stairs...I have plenty to do still!!  I really want to do the games room soon but damn work gets in the way! It is so frustrating - I really would like my old life back.  I'd love to just take 3 months off work to get stuck in again, maybe next year I will see if that is a possibility.

Just remembered I need to chase up a guy who has the window frame my dad built - he is going to be doing the window in the annex that has caused me so much stress.  One of the last things my dad said to me is - I need to do your window! I remember finding the frame in them garage at my mums when me and Helen stayed there at the time he died - and I went to pieces....so it has been an emotional issue for me.

We got the house valued a while ago - and were very pleased with the valuation - they said when it is finished - which is still quite a way off really - then it would be valued at 1.3m - but who knows what we would actually be able to sell it for! I don't want to move though - still love this place.

Can't think of a heading

In general life is okay - not pre-covid, pre-going back to work okay - but okay.  We are healthy and managing and getting by - and I don't cry every time something reminds me of my dad like I used to, but it is still awful to think about what happened to him, and I miss him so much!  Life still feels like we are in some kind of limbo though.  There is always the worry about covid whenever we leave the house.  It feels a lot like it is work/eat/sleep/repeat.  I am definitely not as out-going as I was and I can be quite anti-social now.  I don't like going off somewhere - I don't really like having to leave the house.  I have put on so much weight and got so unfit, that it feels like a different 'me' and I am not at all happy about that!  I keep trying to get the motivation back to look after myself and I don't know why I can't seem to do it.....oh making myself feel depressed now....

Today - I think our first job when Andy gets up is to release the bird in the fireplace - then we are going to go out and do a food shop - that is a rare thing indeed! It has all been online for so long! But had to cancel shopping as hadn't edited the order and we didn't want all the stuff they class as our regular purchases - such as all the vegan stuff Connor used to get!

We might go out tonight for food - the plan is we go out and make plans - plans for the house, for Christmas etc.  We did it a few days ago - but ended up not even mentioning the plans lol - we were having fun chatting and eating.  It is good to have the option now to go out and do that kind of stuff after so long not being about to do anything like that!

Okay I think that is it for now! Hopefully I wont leave it too long until my next post!

Renovation of front driveway!

 So - time for some more before and after pics! Such a long time since I have been able to do this - and it is a sign of a little normality!

So - some before pics...hard to find actually considering how many pictures we have of the house!

and now for some progress pics......

might just skip to the completed pics....

First dose of the vaccine...tick!

So - its the end of April and I've not posted anything since February.  A lot has happened since then!

Andy had his first dose of the vaccine a few weeks ago - maybe longer than that? It seemed everybody around me, my age or younger had the vaccine but me - but then i got mine yesterday - hence why I have the time to catch up on my blog! Its my day off and I am having a couch day as I feel so tired and yuk! I was quite a wuss about the needle.  I've been nervous about it for a while as I have a thing for needles, and it didn't help that the vaccine and its progress has been on the news loads and every time they play film of people having the needle or a photo of a needle!

I got the vaccine at Taunton Race Course - Andy got his at our doctors surgery.  The people doing the injections were so good with me - it was obvious I was struggling - but I got through it - and the injection itself was nothing!  Then as the day went on I just got mega tired! I had a sleep - and ended u in bed really early - and now I just feel like I have a mild flu.  Andy just went to the shop for me and brought back a ton of cake and chocolate - so Keto went straight out of the window!

In other news - Andy got a job and is working again! yay!!  What a relief! He is working for a cyber security company - sounds like he is already bringing them a lot more than they expected - and he is really enjoying it!

This has meant we were able to use some of the redundancy money - and we got our front carpark transformed into an actual driveway! I'll put before and after pics up on another post.

We also decided to splash out on carpets - so I went on a huge painting spree before they were delivered/fitted.  Wanted to get some wallpapering done too - but ran out of time.  Because they had the wrong size for one of the rooms, and didn't allow enough time - they are not finished yet, but we're almost there!

Ehhh I feel sick! Not sure if that is the carrot cake I just ate or because of the vaccine...probably both!

So - where are we with the lockdown? So - we locked down early in the year (again) on 6th January 2021 because things got really baaaaad and then some of those restrictions were lifted on 12th April 2021 - so it was a long lockdown!  On 12th April - the main differences were -  you could go to the shops, hairdressers, meet a few people outdoors.  During this time vaccinations were surging ahead and hospital rates and deaths went right down.  

The next change is 17th May - where two households can meet indoors....then by June 2021 all restrictions should be lifted.  I am not sure this will happen however, because there is always the threat of a new surge.

The UK are aiming to have everybody vaccinated by July 2021 - apart from the few that can't be vaccinated for medical reasons or the weirdo's who think the whole thing is fake and a scam (annoys the crap out of me!)

The news at the moment is reporting on the disaster occurring in India - they are running out of oxygen, there are photo's of people dying outside hospitals, loads of funeral pyres - and just death and heartbreak.  They have just reported over 200,000 deaths.  It is so tragic....

The UK have had 127,451 deaths.  Although we have all lived with the pandemic for over a year now - it is still difficult to believe that this hit the whole world like it did - still feels surreal.  I'm still finding it very difficult to come to terms with losing my Dad.  It was the anniversary of his death on 15th April 2021.  I allowed myself to wallow in the sadness and let myself think of the memories - all of which I push down most of the time because it is too painful.

So - its my 50th Birthday in May - and I am hoping to get to see all the kids, and Helen and Paul.  That will be awesome - we are all going to take covid tests before we meet up - Helen and Paul will be the first to come over- and then Adam, and then Lissa.  You can get tests really easily now - just go online to the Government website and every 2 days you can order a pack of 7 tests per household.

Connor is still living with us - and it is great having him here - we socialise together almost every weekend - play pool - and now poker too!  I get to see loads of pics of the grandkids usually via WhatsApp - it does feel like I've seen then grow up to some extent - even though I haven't been able to actually see them in person.  They post pictures daily which is awesome.

I hope the weather is nice when they visit - I bought them a garden swing lol - and it will be awesome to be able to play in the garden and have BBQ's.

we'll have to see!

A little tired and hungover!

 Hi,

So....I just read back over my last blog - which I forgot to post - maybe I hadn't finished? anyway it is mainly talking about Trump....he has left now thankfully...and his impeachment trial is ongoing - but he wont get found guilty....

So England went into the 3rd Lockdown on 6th Jan 2021 (I think that was the date) and it is now 6th Feb 2021 and I down think the lockdown will be lifted until March.  We still have high daily death rates and people in hospital.  The vaccine is being rolled out - think they have moved from the over 80's to the over 70's.  People in care homes have had the vaccination too.  My mum and Andy's parents have had it, as well as Helen and Paul because they work for the NHS....don't think me and Andy will get it until May - and because i am not 50 until May - I could miss out on the over 50's if it comes to us before then.  I'm a bit nervous about it - hate needles! Also some people get quite ill - but I don't really care, I'd rather feel a little safer having had it!

The UK is now at 111,264 - so well over 100,000 cases - the new variant didn't help being so much more contagious. We have been over 1,000 cases a day and too many days.... Hopefully the vaccines will start to have an effect soon.  People have been living with this for almost a year now and life has just changed so very much.  Seems like such a distant memory being able to just get together with people - go out shopping, go for a meal or a night out.  How we took it all for granted!

Last Friday, I decided to get dressed up - by that I mean - but actual normal clothes on rather than lounge wear! I did my hair and put some make-up on and got Connor and Andy to make an effort too - they were more than happy to join in - then we had a games night - we called it our night out, in.  We did the same again last night - hence why I'm a bit delicate today!  We have a really good time with Connor - we all have a good laugh and play pool!  Everything has been a lot more fun lately, partly, or maybe mostly, because Connor moved in, but partly I think, because I am enjoying work a lot more - I've changed my hours and am working Mon/Tues Thurs/Fri and work longer days so I get Wednesday's off.  Also - Andy has started to get interviews and the market seems to be improving.

I still can't wait though until we can start to get back to 'normal' or at least having the kids come around with all the babies!!  They wont be babies when I see them though they are all growing up so fast!!

Doesn't look like 2021 is going to be better than the infamous 2020!

 

Hi again!

So today there have been the most deaths reported in a 24 hour period than any other day since the pandemic began - with 1,325 deaths.  To think we were over the worst of in the summer - and we actually went out once or twice too!

Well the other day I posted figures for the first time in months - this was on Tuesday and it is now Friday - here is a comparison:

Tuesday 6th Jan 2021

Total world cases: 86,549,352

Total fatalities: 1,871,620

UK total cases: 2,774,479

UK fatalities: 76,305

Friday 8th Jan 2021

Total world cases: 88,902,065 - difference of 2,352,713

Total fatalities: 1,915,338 - difference of 43,718

UK total cases: 2,957,472 - difference of 182,993

UK fatalities: 79,833 - difference of 3,528

Over 1,000 deaths a day in the UK since Tuesday!  I don't mind admitting I don't want to leave the house - it is very scary!

In other news - after talking about the madness of president Trump - it all went to crap in America!!

So, Congress convened to validate Joe Biden’s presidential win, Trump addressed the crowd just outside the White House for more than an hour, urging them to march on the Capitol building. “We will not take it any more,” he said.  “You’ll never take back our country with weakness. You have to show strength, and you have to be strong … I know everyone here will soon be marching over to the Capitol building. To peacefully, patriotically make your voices heard.”  The crowd followed his instructions and began marching on the Capitol.

Many of these people had guns on them!  They forced their way into the capital building - and senators were terrified and hiding - this was all on TV - we sat there amazed watching it on the news (so many times in the last year we have watched TV news in disbelief over one thing or another!).

In the end 4 people died and one police officer....

When all those people were inside the building - Trump was called upon to do/say something - eventually he released a recording which started with the RUBBISH that he had been cheated - he told the rioters - we love you, but you need to go home!  NOT you are criminals causing criminal damage and threat to lives, leave or be shot or arrested - lots of people are saying if it was the Black Lives Matter protestors it would have been very different!

Since then there have been calls for him to be impeached (again) or to use the 25th amendment to remove him.  I don't think either of these will happen as he has less than 2 weeks left as president - but I wish they would do it!

He later came out and condemned the rioters - but it did not seem genuine - and it was edited so somebody took his stupid rants out to make it look better.  he is now saying he is not going to attend Biden's inauguration...CNN said:

President Donald Trump said he would not attend his successor's swearing-in, a day after his top aides cajoled him into releasing a video conceding he would soon be departing office.

"To all of those who have asked, I will not be going to the Inauguration on January 20th," Trump tweeted, making formal what many had long assumed: that Trump would eschew the traditional step of personally demonstrating the peaceful hand-off of power to President-elect Joe Biden. He'll be the first outgoing president to skip his replacement's inauguration in more than 150 years.

It came as Trump faces an uncertain final stretch in office. His top aides delivered a blunt warning to him Thursday as he sat sullenly in the West Wing and watched as his Republican allies, Cabinet secretaries and former senior staffers criticized or denounced him one by one.

It is crazy that he was voted in, in the first place - as he's an egotistical idiot on a huge power trip who cannot take/accept losing and has to sulk and blame everybody else - wow he makes me so annoyed!!!  Most of the people breaking into the Capitol building were not wearing masks and we are in the worst part of this pandemic with evidence of a new much more contagious variant - so there will be a massive spike in the virus amongst the people that were there (typical Trump supporters because he has led ppl to believe that it is nothing to be scared of).

Lockdown number 3

 

Hi,

So last night Boris announced that England is now going into is 3rd lockdown.  Scotland and I think Wales have already made this decision.  Figures are currently worse than last April when we had the first lockdown - re cases, more people in hospital - not as many deaths because many infected people are younger and care homes etc. have much more protection now.

This doesn't really affect us much to be honest because we were not really leaving the house anyway - certainly wasn't going to pubs and restaurants.  This lockdown looks like it is going to be for at lest 6 weeks, and during this time most vulnerable people should get the vaccine.

More than 1,000,000 are currently infected in the UK - 1 person in every 50.  

I used to put all the daily figures in this blog - this is the last one I did....

Tuesday 9 June

Total world cases: 7,208,064 -------------------69, 594 increase

Total fatalities: 410,732-----------------------2,593 increase

UK total: 289,140 -------------------------------1,741 increase 

UK Fatalities: 40,883---------------------------286 increase

here is todays (without the daily increase numbers)

Total world cases: 86,549,352

Total fatalities: 1,871,620

UK total cases: 2,774,479

UK fatalities: 76,305

What a difference! I remember the UK government predicting that if we only had 20,000 deaths we'd be lucky - and thinking 20,000!! It is now over 76,000 and rising and not that far off 2 million worldwide deaths.  Not only that but lots of people are suffering from long term effect of the virus.

I still think that this virus is man made - maybe one day we will find out.

In other news - in November Trump was voted out and Joe Biden won the American election.  Trump has acted like a spoilt child saying he actually won and cheating has been going on.  Strange that - many people were accused and convicted of cheating in the year that he got in!  Biden takes over on 20th January 2021 - I can't wait to see him kicking and screaming as people drag him out of the white house.  He never stops surprising me with the stupid things that he says - he has recently been recorded trying to get Georgia to alter the figures so that it looks like he won.  I bet if I go onto CNN right now I'll find some other story of his ridiculousness...it is a daily thing.

Anyway - I have nothing else to say because all I have done today is work from home - although I did go out to collect a signed statement and because we are not back on keto - Andy came with me and we got a drive-thru mac donalds lol.

Very soon I'm going to try and get my sh*t together and go back on keto - and we are in the middle of moving our gym into what was our dining room - that never got used! I got andy a water rower for xmas so we need to get that put together and I need to order a new monitor for the running machine as that has broken...then all I need to do is actually start using it!

2021 - a New Year ahead.....

 

Hi!

So I haven't written anything since September 2020.  I wrote that I was still fed up but looking forward to the fraud job I got, that the NFL season had just started and both our teams won, we had a great time meeting up with ppl for Andy's birthday and that I had lost a stone (but just gained 4lb after the birthday celebrations!).

Well, I have started the new job now (on November 23rd) and it lifted my mood considerably and made me realise just how much I was not enjoying my job!  I work from home everyday and have an office set up in one of the attic bedrooms - I enjoy the work more, and don't have to work shifts - a massive improvement.  Andy still doesn't have a job and has now left HP - although it doesn't feel like it as he has had no pay-out - still has his laptop etc. but that should get sorted soon.

The NFL game that the Jaguars won - was THE ONLY game we wont this season! lol.

Andy's birthday was the last time I think that we met up with anybody or have done anything because we went back into lockdown as the virus was spreading too quickly.  We then ended up with different tier systems around the country - at first 3 tiers but then a forth was added - with restrictions being more severe in the higher tiers.  The kids and grandkids were all supposed to come over xmas because they were relaxing the rules for a 5 day period - and then just before xmas they said - it is all cancelled because the virus has mutated and is now much more contagious with the number of infections going up - so nobody could come.  I cried when I listened to the news broadcast announcing this!  We had just spent hours decorating the house and making it look like santa's grotto expecting all our visitors - we wrapped all the presents and were getting excited, I couldn't wait to see everybody and catch up - and then it was all cancelled.  Then, we had to think about spending xmas day just the two of us - some advantages too - but not the same as a house full of partying happy people who have not seen each other for ages!

Christmas day was actually very cool - I had got used to the idea and over some of the disappointment - me and Andy had a really nice day - and we got in our fancy dress and had a video call with everybody which was really good.  We got to play with our pressies - which we never have time for!  Christmas dinner was not stressful at all - and we managed to keep the kitchen tidy.  It was my first Christmas ever in my life with just one other person - although I couldn't have asked for a better person to spend it with!

On Boxing day (I think) Somerset went into tier 4 (same as national lockdown) and this was a surprise - and very worrying because Somerset had never been hit very badly.  Tonight there is another announcement - I expect a full national lockdown.  We are getting more cases each day than ever before. Scary, scary stuff.  On a positive note vaccinations have been approved and they are being rolled out - me and Andy expect ours to be around June!

Connor has also moved back in with us! He has had a tough year.  Wales has had tough lockdowns which meant the apprentice he was doing was massively delayed so he couldn't earn money, and his driving lessons were delayed, then him and Emily split up - and he ended up having to get out of the house and he had no money - so he let us know on 29th Dec, and we collected him and all of his stuff on 30th Dec - we only just fit his stuff in the car!  So - he has only been here a few days - but it made a huge difference to our new year celebrations as we ended up playing drinking games and having a really good time.

Today was my first day back at work, which sucked - but at least I was at home!  Tonight we hear what boris has to say next.....

19 Sept 2020

 

19 Sept 2020

So, I know I haven’t been too happy in some of my last posts.  Nothing has changed lol.  That’s not true to be honest – I have been trying to get myself into a better place.  I have started working on the house again on my days off work, and that makes me feel a bit more productive. 

Me and Andy have been doing the Keto diet for about 8 weeks – and I lost 1 stone – until we had a weekend off and I put 4 lb on in 2 days! 

I applied for a job with the fraud team, which would mean I enjoy the work more, won’t get sent out at the drop of a hat when a case comes in, no shift work and mostly working from home – and I got the job!!  Have to wait a couple of months though because it is a new team and they are recruiting a new supervisor – but it can’t come soon enough!!

Andy still has not found a new job – he is still working (or not really working) his notice period, but it is very worrying and we both try not to let it get to us – but it does sometimes! 

Since I last wrote on here, Andy has had his 50^th Birthday!  I got him a Steve Vai guitar and other bits and bobs.  We did an Escape Room with Helen and Paul which was really good fun and we escaped in 52 minutes! Lol.  We went for a meal in Exeter – we went to the Cozy Club – and I had AN AWESOME burger – with actual bread! Lol.  This was the weekend that we both broke the keto diet (and I put on 4lb and Andy put on 7lb). 

When we got back home Adam, Erika and the twins had just arrived, Connor followed and Lissa came the next day (on the Saturday).  We were supposed to take it easy on the Friday night – because more of a party was planned for the Saturday – but we still drank too much and went to bed late! 

Saturday – Lissa turned up – and we put some 50^th decorations on the walls – the kids had got him £30 worth of scratch cards for his birthday and he won £47 lol.  Would have preferred £300,000!!  Helen, Paul, Eloise and Zack also came – and we all had a really good time!  Played pool, and a drinking game Paul and Zack had put together – bit difficult to remember now what was so fun about it cos I don’t remember the details, but I remember laughing a lot!

The next day, on the Sunday, Lissa and Connor had to leave, and Adam (and fam) stayed another night.  We all had a pretty lazy day and I was knackered! I went for an afternoon kip cos I really wanted to be able to stay up for the NFL – it was the first games for our teams! We continued our non-keto eating and had amazing nachos and cheese sauce!!  Both of our teams won!! Yay!!

 

27 July 2020

 

27^th July 2020

 

It has been so long since I have written in this blog, and I was doing so well too!  But – I suppose life got in the way because I have been working and the annex is back up and running.

 

I suppose the biggest thing that has happened since I last wrote is that Adam had his twin boys!  Erika had a section – so we knew when they were going to be born – and it was on 29 June – almost a month ago now – actually I believe that they were 4 weeks old today!  They are adorable!!  Rory and Rudy – Rory was 6lb 1oz (I think) and Rudy was 4lb 8oz.  I went to see them and Helen came with me when they were two weeks old, they were so unbelievably tiny and so cute!!!

 

I went to see Lissa, Antony and little Ada before I went to see Adam.  So that was awesome – having seen lots of pictures of Ada but not having seen her in the flesh – which just seems so wrong – but the virus is still very much about….

 

Lissa & Adam had got together before this and had taken pictures of their babies together.  Ada was in the middle and the twins were either side of her – and I couldn’t believe how big Ada was compared to the twins – it made her look like a toddler.  Adam got one printed out and sent me a copy in a frame which is awesome and is now on my wall.  When I saw Ada I was shocked at how small she was – she looked really big in the photo but still a tiny baby in reality – when I saw how small Ada actually was I thought omg how small will the twins be??  So, me and Helen spent the day with Lissa which was so good – to be able to chat with her and see her in the flesh rather than via video chat – and to see how happy she was with her gorgeous little girl!!  It was funny because she kept commenting about how alike me and Helen are – and I would have to agree in many things!  Me and Helen had a nice long chat on the journey – about something or nothing – it’s easy and we laugh at the same things, and we got much closer (if that is possible) when we spent all that time in Manchester together and went through the trauma of losing dad together.

 

Anyway – I thought it was really nice that Helen was with me, and she gets to see the babies and my kids too.

 

So after spending the day with Lissa we then headed over to Adams house and I walked in and OMG – the baby in his arms was so unbelievably small – I assumed it must be Rudy the smaller one – but it was Rory – Rudy was even smaller than that!!

 

I fell in love with all of the babies basically!  I could easily have brought any of them home with me (only one though!)

Another thing that was good about visiting Lissa and Adam was to see the work that they have both done on their houses – they have done such good jobs getting their house into really good condition.  New bathrooms and kitchens galore! Lol.  Both doing really well!

 

So – me and Helen spent the night at Adams and left to come home just after lunch time.  It had been a really awesome weekend catching up with everybody and seeing all the amazing babies!!

 

I then felt bad about Connor – about not having seen him for ages – and all the family chat just being about babies and stuff so I messaged him and they arranged to come to us the following weekend!  Then there were discussions about when Adam and Lissa might be able to come and visit – anyway to cut a long story short – they all came the following weekend!  It was so awesome!!  Having everybody come to us with all the babies too!!  It was just so lovely having all the family together – we had such a laugh and I enjoyed every minute of it!! 

 

We got lucky with the weather on the second day and the sun came out enough for us to have a BBQ – so we were all in the garden – I set my camera up to take 10 pics – we all stand there and be sensible for the first 1 or 2 pictures – then we get sill and mess about!  These always end up the best pics and I have managed to get one printed out – it turned up this morning and is now on the wall!!

 

13 August 2020

 

13 August 2020

 

So – it has been a while again.  I was going to suggest that I only write my blog if I am in a good mood but that’s not true because I wrote the blog all through losing my dad which is one of the hardest times of my life.  I think the lack of writing is time.  Actually that is not right either because I have lots of time where I just sit on my computer and browse or play – but for some reason I don’t make the time to write.  Maybe it is because I have nothing to say – nothing good, nothing to report….it is just same old same old. 

Andy pointed out to me the other day that I am just completely miserable all the time.  I know I feel miserable most of the time – but I didn’t think I came across like that lol.  I am miserable because I can’t seem to adjust to working full time.  I feel like I have had my life stolen.  When I am not in work, I am not off work long enough to think – right! I’ll work on this project or get on with that.  All I can think is – wow, I am supposed to be grateful for getting two whole days off, and it being so short, all I can seem to do is dread my two days being over and before I know it – I’m back at work again.

It is not like I don’t like the job – I do, as far as being employed by somebody else goes…I like getting paid! BUT I’d much rather be working for myself….either on the house or in property development.  I’m trying to figure something out so I can make it so!  In the meantime, I am apparently completely miserable lol.

I had a couple of crap incidents at work in the last couple of days too.  I had a very embarrassing lady moment incident in custody which I won’t go into detail about here! But I ended up driving home and crying on the phone to Andy.  Then yesterday I had to go to a different station and even though the weather has been unbelievably hot (because I am at work) it did rain – I went outside looking for somebody in the carpark to pass on a message, failed to find them but got wet in the rain, came back in, slipped on the floor and ended up sprawled all over the floor – initially thinking I’d broken my knee.  Luckily nobody saw this – but god I was annoyed and upset.  Just thinking THIS IS ALL CRAP! I have to drag myself off the floor and carry on working (way later than I should have been – this was at about midnight and I was supposed to have finished at 11pm) and I want my old life back where I didn’t HAVE to be anywhere and planned my own days and activities and LOVED LIFE (strop, strop, STROP!!!)

So getting things back into perspective, Andy is going to be jobless soon, so I am doing the right thing by working.  I have a good job, it’s what I used to do and the team are great, I have a great boss…blah, blah, blah……

Because this is effecting my mood, I am not doing other stuff – I’m not exercising with Lissa (or at all) although it is like 35 degrees most days lately (unless it is my day off as mentioned earlier!), and I am not keeping in touch with the kids or anybody really, I am not doing any work on the house….I am slobbing about doing nothing – Andy has been doing all the cooking or I just don’t eat cos I can’t be bothered.  I feel bad – I feel guilty.  Poor Andy.  He has all his own problems and he must just look at me and feel even worse.  I don’t know what to do – I don’t know how to pull myself out of it.  Andy keeps trying to talk to me to get me to see things differently, and it can help…in the short term.  Then I just get fed up again about all the things I want to do and cant, won’t or whatever!

AArrgghhhhhh

I should just mention that there are still many things in my life I am very grateful for, and I realise that I am extremely lucky to have the things that I have, and the people that I have.

reflection

So, a strange thing happened.  I stopped writing my blog, stopped looking at the coronavirus figures, stopped watching, listening or reading the news and I stopped thinking about my Dad. 

I suppose I realised that I was not thinking about my Dad – I had to do that because it was just too painful and upsetting – so I had to put it out of my mind whenever it popped up.  I did realise though that if something forced me to think about it – like my mum talking to me about him – I found it unusually upsetting and I would have to try and push it down again.  This hasn’t changed – I am writing this without thinking about him, or trying….

We went to a garden centre the other day – an unusual thing to do nowadays!  We picked out a couple of benches and arranged delivery and then we were led all the way through the place to the tills, and on the way we went through the clothes section – and wham….I remembered the last time I had been there – I was with my Mum and Dad – and me and mum spent ages looking at clothes and my dad was bored waiting for us and was looking at the books opposite.  As I remembered all this – I could see him there and basically by the time I got to the till with the guy I was wiping away tears and just wanted to sob.  I didn’t sob – and I managed to act normal – but then after I paid I mentioned it to Andy and got really upset and it was then that I realised, properly realised that I just don’t allow myself to think about him or anything to do with what happened – because it hurts too much. 

I also try and bury my head in the sand and not think about Andy’s problems getting a job – and this is bad but I don’t like him talking to me about it – not until he can say – don’t worry! It’s all sorted! I know that is selfish and he needs support and somebody to talk to – but as I am realising – I am putting my head firmly in the sand about many things.

I am trying not to complain and get really down about my job too – the actual job is fine I suppose – the people are really nice, but I do not want to be getting up and coming to work! Simple as that – I want my time back – time to work on the house – time to do whatever I want to do whenever I want to do it.  OOhhh the good old days, when I decorated, shopped and cooked and chilled….money wasn’t really a worry – we just needed a bit extra for the work we wanted to continue doing.  Then I stupidly applied for a job lol.  Then the virus hit, Andy’s job went tits up, I had to start the new job at the height of the virus and then I lost my dad. Boom.

I have looked at the news today and there is talk of the over 50's being isolated if the should there be a spike in coronavirus levels.  Andy is 50 in September - next month - so that may well effect him!  I'm not 50 until next May, although I would very much like having to stay at home!  I though though, they will assess your risk if you are aged 50 - not every over 50 year old....

Also in the news today is that the state of Victoria in Australia has declared a 'state of disaster' after a rise in coronavirus cases.  They are going into full lock down.  So this virus is no way near done yet!  In this country we have now lost 46,196 people and had 303,952 cases.  I don't know what the daily death rates are now - on 1st August it was 74.  So still a fair amount.  Lock down has eased loads with shops open, pubs open - although it is far from normal when you go to these places.  This will probably cause a spike and I think the government are aware of that as they are looking at what to do 'if' the levels spike - I think it is more about 'when' the levels spike.  

Apparently Boris Johnson is considering sealing off Greater London and ordering at-risk members of the population to stay at home under a potential scenario designed to avert a second national lockdown. Possible measures include locking down the capital if infection rates spike and tightening quarantine rules on those flying into the U.K., there would be travel curbs in and out of the M25 highway encircling Greater London and a ban on overnight stays.

So really there is nothing in the news saying - we are beating this!  It is all about rising levels after the easing of the lockdown - and what we are going to do about it.

We are about 6 months in from our first cases in the UK.  I can't even hazard a guess when we might see some form of 'normal'.  However, I guess we are all getting more used to it and it seems less urgent, stressful and weird!

catch up - babies galore!

It has been so long since I have written in this blog, and I was doing so well too! But – I suppose life got in the way because I have been working and the annex is back up and running. I suppose the biggest thing that has happened since I last wrote is that Adam had his twin boys! Erika had a section – so we knew when they were going to be born – and it was on 29 June – over a month ago now. They are adorable!! Rory and Rudy – Rory was 6lb 1oz (I think) and Rudy was 4lb 8oz. 

 I went to see them and Helen came with me when they were two weeks old – I went to see Lissa, Antony and little Ada first! So that was awesome – having seen lots of pictures of Ada but not having seen her in the flesh – which just seems so wrong – but the virus is still very much about…. Lissa & Adam had got together before this and had taken pictures of their babies together – and I could not believe how big Ada was! Adam got one printed out and sent me a copy in a frame which is awesome and is now on my wall. When I saw Ada I was shocked at how small she actually was – she looked really big in the photo but still a tiny baby in reality – I thought – omg how small will the twins be?? Me and Helen spent the day with Lissa which was so good – to be able to chat with her and see her in the flesh rather than via video chat – and to see how happy she was with her gorgeous little girl!! It was funny because she kept commenting about how alike me and Helen are – and I would have to agree!

Me and Helen had a nice long chat on the journey there (and back) about something or nothing – it’s easy and we laugh at the same things, and we got much closer (if that is possible) when we spent all that time in Manchester together and went through the trauma of losing dad together. Anyway – I thought it was nice that Helen was with me, and she gets to see the babies and my kids too. 

So – we then headed over to Adams house and I walked in and OMG – the baby in his arms was so unbelievably small – I assumed it must be Rudy the smaller one – but it was Rory – Rudy was even smaller than that!! I fell in love with all the babies basically! I could easily have brought any of them home with me (only one though!) Another thing that was good about visiting Lissa and Adam was to see the work that they have both done on their houses – they have done such good jobs getting their house into really good condition. New bathrooms and kitchens galore! Lol. Both doing really well! So – me and Helen spent the night at Adams and left to come home just after lunch time. It had been a really awesome weekend catching up with everybody and seeing all the amazing babies!! 

I felt bad about Connor – about not having seen him for ages – and all the family chat just being about babies and stuff, so I messaged him and they arranged to come to us the following weekend! Then there were discussions about when Adam and Lissa might be able to come and visit – anyway to cut a long story short – they all came the following weekend! It was so awesome!! Having everybody come to us with all the babies too!! It was just so lovely having all the family together – we had such a laugh and I enjoyed every minute of it!! All the babies were well looked after – there were no crying fits – I think Andy was surprised, his idea of babies was constant crying! 

 We got lucky with the weather on the second day and the sun came out enough for us to have a BBQ – so we were all in the garden – I set my camera up to take 10 pics – we all stand there and be sensible for the first 1 or 2 pictures – then we get silly and mess about! These always end up the best pics and I have managed to get one printed out – it turned up this morning and is now on the wall!!

Monday

Hi,

So - not posted for a few days again - and I haven't kept up to date with the coronavirus figures.  I think I have been trying to avoid it all because I'm fed up of hearing about it - and the people dying all the time!  However today is a special day with only 15 people dying int he UK - obviously still 15 people too many, but the reduction is amazing...

The lock-down is easing too - more shops have opened, and there are further plans to ease up....not long until pubs and restaurants can open again - with strict rules however....

so last week I was in work everyday working in the DIT team - interviewing everyday - it was tiring!  It was also good being busy and being reminded of what I used to do.  Was glad when it was over however!  

The weekend was very lazy - and also fathers day!  Adam didn't send anything at all and nothing arrived from Connor either - although he reckons he sent something that was going to be late - it didn't turn up today (Monday) so I reckon he must have sorted something online on Sunday! lol.  Lissa was a star as usual - something turned up for Andy about a week ago - and he got a card too.  All I could think about was my dad however....and I did get upset a few times throughout the day.  I miss him.  I still can't get over how unfair it all was....I still focus sometimes on him being mostly alone and the realisation he must have had at some point that he was not going to survive...and lots of other negative things like that.

So - today I was supposed to have a day working from home - but when we had our Skype meeting my boss asked me to come in to help on a case.  So I got ready and went in and worked all day on a production order.  I quite enjoyed it actually - didn't mind being in the office at all.  Tomorrow I am wfh - then I am in on Wednesday....then I have Thursday/Friday off - but am working at the weekend!

So - a week today me and Andy will be grandparents to 3 grandchildren!!  Erika is going in for a planned c-section!  I'm nervous that everything will be okay - but I'm sure it'll all be good!  Can't imagine Adam being a dad to twins!  

Connor and Emily should be next - hopefully they won't leave it too long!  I'm sure they will all make great parents - as they have obviously had good role models!!