Busy, busy

Hello everyone,

I have been really busy with this and that over the last week or so.  The kitchen is coming along nicely and I got hot water back last Monday, my work top and my hob!  Its so nice not washing up in the bath any more and we still can't get used to getting water from the kitchen sink and not the outside tap!  We're still trying to find some tiles and think we may have found some today but they are rather expensive and we hope we may be able to get a discount on them.  Now we have the kitchen, I don't think we'll be able to afford any food, ha ha.

Its nice to have a few days off from work and it gives me time to get my stuff back out of the shed.  I have almost found everything and one bonus is that quite a few years ago Martin was working for Sainsburys and brought me home quite a lot of stainless steel kitchen stuff and we rediscovered the box of it all in the shed which I had almost forgotten about.  I have lots of new shiny things, including rather a nice egg slicer and a lovely colander.  I also remembered that I had bought a nice little chicken pelmet curtain and tea towels when I was in Orlando (from my favourite shop, Walmart).  Hmm, I am a bit of a saddo - most people bring something Mickey Mouse back and there is me with my chicken curtain.  I put it up yesterday and it makes the kitchen look very homely.  AOL won't let me put any pictures up but you can guarantee you will be seeing the chicken curtain soon!

Apart from that, the children have now been on holiday for a week and both seem chilled out.  Martin, my nephew, is back for the weekend and tonight he is cooking our favourite, Pad Thai, mmm mouth is watering already.  He took the children out fishing yesterday afternoon and they came back to a nice dinner of gammon (I know, it should have been fish) and jacket skins filled with a cheese and mustard mix with cheese on top.  I make a mean jacket skin, usually I like to put a few more things in but his girlfriend is rather fussy on what she eats.

This afternoon I intend to have a good tidy up, this place is looking a real tip ... I just can't believe where it all comes from.

My niece phoned up earlier and my great niece is pregnant again.  This is her third pregnancy.  She is 19 years old.  She was only 16 on the first pregnancy and decided on an abortion, the second was a miscarriage andthis time she says it could be of two boys who got her pregnant, ooooh .....  I couldn't believe she had the abortion the first time, especially as she had a scan done before but it was her decision.  I don't know what to say about this pregnancy except that perhaps it may make her grow up a bit if the pregnancy goes to term and she has to take responsibility for this child.  Already though my niece thinks she may be the one who will bring the baby up.  We'll see.  Emma has always been difficult and has got herself into a few scrapes over the years.  I really hope this child gets the mother it deserves.  So, I may be a great great Auntie in October which I am actually excited about.  I haven't spoken to my sister yet, the great grandmother to be, I think she will have some choice words about it.

I am off to my friend's wedding next Saturday and staying at the Holiday Inn in Basildon (I think!!) for the night.  She is a lovely girl and looks just like Honey from Eastenders.  She is one of the nicest people I know and I hope the sun shines for her on her special day.

It will make a nice weekend as its on a leisure complex, so we may go bowling before we come home.  Matthew is off on his school sailing trip to Salcombe in Devon and Paul has to take him up his school on Sunday morning to get the coach by about 10 a.m.  I will have to say my goodbyes on Saturday before I leave for the wedding.  He is so looking forward to it and keeps wanting to pack his bag now.  Unlike Rosie, he loves going away and doing things although he is always glad to get home and normally arrives back exhausted!  He is put out because he can't take his PS thingy with him, so I have told him to take a few good books instead.  Its good that he has started to read now and really enjoys a read before he settles down to sleep at night.

Dare I say that I am back to the tooth fairy on Tuesday.  Its tooth out day for Rosie for her brace preparation and teeth cleaning for me, although she may start my root canal treatment .... eek!  Thinking of taking my bed up the dental surgery although touch wood at the moment all is quiet on the zingy zangy front.

I had a very sad moment this week when I opened an email from a friend's sister.  She was diagnosed with brain cancer late last year which was secondary from lung cancer.  It was already to the brain when theydiscovered she was ill.  They decided to give her a course of chemotherapy but she has become very ill and is now in the hospice being very sleepy.  I do not think she will be here for much longer.  Say a little prayer for cheeky Eileen with the twinkly eyes and raucous giggle. 

Its just a reminder really that life is for living and to enjoy every day whatever it brings.

I hope everyone has a lovely, restful Easter.

Hugs

Terry x