Went "home" for the weekend.
When I was living in Aylesbury, working and contributing to the household, I bought Mum a voucher for a present. It was for a tour of the locations used in filming a British TV series called The Only Way is Essex. It's set in the county of Essex (obvs!) where Mum grew up, it's a reality/docu/drama like The Hills et al and is superbly trashy. I introduced Mum to it and it became something we shared.

Anyway, the voucher had a limited use time, and I assumed it had expired without being used. I did not make an issue out of it, my life and that of the 'rents has changed so much since I bought it. But then Mum called last week and asked if I wanted to come down on Valentine's Day as it was the last day the voucher was valid. She would pay my fares, I'd stay over in the guest flat and we'd do the tour together.

So I did.
And we did.
I'm not going to post the photos as unless you watch TOWIE they will be meaningless. I will just say that we left their flat at 09.15 and got back in at about 20.00 and had a great day together.

After that things went badly downhill, but that's another story. I will think about how to sensitively share it without allocating blame when I've processed it. Oh - not me related. Mum and Dad issues.

That's wonderful that you got to have a great time together on the tour and that she reached out to you so you could spend it together.

I'm sorry that the memory of it had to get tarnished by the deal with your parents. While I don 't know specifically what happened, you've shared enough in the past that I think I have an idea.

Sounds like a neat tour. There are a few tours in major tourist areas here (which I suppose is only logical, given their name,) but in general it seems the concept of a tour is a much wider thing over there. Ghost tours, TV show tours, you guys have it all.

We're so spoiled with our densely packed island full of history, there are tours everywhere and for everything. To the extent that they are probably devalued. I say that, but I love a good tour, me. My ideal day out in London involves either going on a walking tour (London Walks) or giving someone else a tour of the places I know.

So yes, I have a loose definition of the word too :)

But hey. When you live in the mindset of a permanent pedestrian, you can find good cheap places to eat anywhere. Oh, just realised as I was typing that I mean anywhere in Europe. It wouldn't work in car based geography...

Mum sent me two recent photos of the kittens.
They're three in mid-July.

The first in Mum's flat after they'd been to the hairdresser. The second last weekend, outside a restaurant for their Grandad's birthday.
The chair really is a big chair btw...

What a great age! Those kids are adorable.

The twins are three! Good lord, how time flies. How are the twins' mom and dad getting on these days?

Still together!
They live apart as Conor still lives with his Mum and works in Milton Keynes.
All Abs' family support and her education is in Aylesbury, and she has a two bedroom council flat.

She starts a degree course in the Autumn in Accountancy (I think, some sort of Finance based degree anyway), so she's really planning ahead. I honestly didn't expect her to carry on with education; I think I let her age and occasional "I don't care" attitude blind me to the fact she is really very smart and has her head screwed on. She's 21 this year and her level headedness is more apparent.

Awesome news and super cute kiddos!

Took the grandkids to Galveston the other day. Hot and sandy as usual but this year we don't have the sargossum seaweed which was so bad last year. The girls take after their mother and are already very dark tanned from being out at their pool everyday. Still, I used a 70 sunblock but they still looked darker when we left!

Off to Aylesbury tomorrow.
Taking the rat boys into the pet shop as "boarders" later today. I went and filled out the paperwork earlier, so I can just drop them off. I know it's a good place, with people who know what they're doing, but after having Diz die in care (NOT blaming the carer) I do hate to let any animal go into someone else's hands. So I figured it was better to sort it out before taking them in, so if I do have a blip, I won't be making a show of myself.

This is far better than having to rush home for the sake of two rodents if Mum is really poorly. I love my boys to bits and would never hurt them, but if I had to choose between them and Mum...
Anyway, if she ends up having to have a full mastectomy it will be a long while before she can raise her arm. I can't stay for all of her healing, and she has wonderful friends. But I can stay for the start, and know Otis & Duncan won't have starved to death in the mean time.

Getting the coach down.
Terrifies me. I know that's ridiculous, but it does.
Once I've taken the boys to the pet shop I'll start packing.

I shall include some bags in case I am sick. Never actually been sick on a coach, but it's always possible when I'm anxious, and having a back-up helps to dial the fear down a little. If I was sat thinking I might vom on my knees, the sheer horror of it would make it more likely!

Only one of them would have starved to death...The other would be quite well-fed.

:p:I'll shut up,now.:p:

Hoping the 'to' & 'from' parts go well.

And really hoping the 'there' part goes as well as possible.

:hug:

I absolutely do stuff like this. It's one of those things where I can intellectually agree that it is nothing but superstition and confirmation bias, yet I can't help believing it anyway against my will: preparing for something bad ensures it won't happen.

The trouble is, high levels of anxiety really do spark nausea for me.
So it's a self-fulfilling prophecy. More than one Brit Dwellar has heard me retch on the phone when upset and/ or have to terminate a conversation (with extreme prejudice.)

"Nerves" hit my digestive system hard, at both ends. I think I've puked more because of stress than I have anything else put together; and that's saying something for an alcoholic.

Anyway, I made it without being sick. But it was a close-run thing. A lovely surprise :celebrat: when I went to the cashpoint (no, not really) meant I didn't get the earlier bus. Then the later one was late. The best part of twenty minutes late by the time it pulled out. That was cutting it far too fine imo. So I did what any mentally healthy mature woman would do. I started crying and reached out for my support team (I do have more than one member, but the one I mention most often here is Carruthers - other Dwellars have been marvs too.)

He reassured me that if I missed my 11.00 coach, he would still help me get to Aylesbury, to stop panicking and shut up. And stop crying. Although of course he said it in a far kinder way.

By the time I sat on the coach and clicked my seatbelt on, the time showed 10.59. We pulled out at 11.00 on the dot. It was that close (for those who don't travel by coach, the drivers often refuse to let you on if you turn up that late, as the time it takes them to stow your luggage and lock up the compartment eats into an already punishing schedule.)

I didn't vom. But I had my bag handy just in case. And that was also a close-run thing.

Anyway, I'm here now, being a devoted child.
(yes okay I'm on the 'puter, but Mum's packed, it's too early for dinner, Dad is snoozing and she's on the phone...)

Oh and I only forgot two things. Mum's two new bras (:facepalm: bad daughter, BAD daughter) and ALL my medication.
Still, I'm counting that only as two.

I remembered my colouring book...

Mum left at 06.50 this morning. I was going to see her off, but figured by the way she was creeping about that she probably didn't want to wake Dad or me. Hard to know whether this is Mum being kind, or if she'd rather just avoid a "scene".

So I left her to it.
I did a bit of creeping about myself last night too. I set my most reliable alarm clock; I didn't pee before I went to bed!
Woke up about 02.00 and set out the card I'd written her. Ditto the silly little LED butterfly and the badge (button) which says "Stop Looking At My Tits"

The card was on display with the rest this morning, and the note about making sure Dad took his 15.00 tablets had "thank you for the butterfly" written on the bottom.
Nothing about the badge though. I may have to get a refund on that ;)

I've been intermittently wondering all day at work, how you guys are doing. Give your mum an extra hug from us all. And one for yourself whilst you're at it ;P

Ab's decorated the twins' room this weekend.
I think they might like The Gruffalo.
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Bless.
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Nicely done.

Although, in my experience with kids' obsessions, they will be redecorating in about 18 months.

Edit: although it should be easy. Change the bedding, remove that little patch of wallpaper, take down the posters, and the white lettering will be easily covered with the leftover green paint they saved.

It's not nice to fib to little children.
......................... Love, Gruffalo

Pretty doggone cute.

Ps, sorry gruffalo.. Them's the breaks.

Very cute!

Gosh it was hard seeing Mum with no hair.
I mean I know she got the shitty end of the stick, so I smiled and laughed and didn't stare. But she did not look like Mum. Broke my heart.

The hat pushed back on her head was knitted by Limey. She wears it all day every day inside, she loves the feel and colour and style of it. Big up Mrs Yarn, who would not accept a penny in return.
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When she goes out she has her wig and looks beautiful.
In Friars Square, the local shopping centre, where she insisted on buying me a travel sized bottle of mouthwash as I'd finished mine. For my hospital bag. Even though I am never not ever going back to hospital again.
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In Morrisons, where we went for breakfast. I ate all Dad's toast (because he ordered it and felt too full) and drank so much tea I had to refuse the lovely Mr Carruther's offer of a hot drink about an hour later.

I do love her.