Hope For Happier Times

Hello Everyone,

I thought it was time I showed my face, so to speak. I must admit that I haven`t had much interest in the computer, let alone journals just lately. The funeral was very harrowing, more so than I had thought.  It was one of those occasions that I couldn`t wait for it to be over, more so than when I lost my beloved Dad. Maybe because the lady minister spoke so beautifully of Jim`s Mum. Her words : " Now the curtain of confusion has been lifted and she has become the person she was meant to be." was so very moving and will stay with me for many years to come. Again I want to thank everyone of you for your prayers and good wishes, you`ve all been very kind  Jim also asked me to thank you too, it was a great comfort to him to read your messages of support.

 Now for happier things. The weather has been beautiful all week, very sunny and warm. And with warm sunny weather comes the urge to garden, at least it does for me. This afternoon after lunch at the garden centre, then in the shop for a tree stake and some bone meal it was home to change into gardening clothes. While Jim carried on with the fence panels I dug up an old conifer that had become too large, it took forever and my poor back is a testament to all the digging. I eventually managed to shift the thing and then I cleared and prepared the ground for a Kilmarnock willow that I bought last week. Once planted and well staked I tidied up the tree looks just right for that part of the garden, that left me able to help Jim clear away some old bricks and broken concrete that he is going to take to the tip. At least the garden now looks really tidy and as I have some big ideas for it I can really get stuck in. I just hope my back can take the strain...lol!

 I`ve also been indulging in some more orchids, there is a sale of houseplants at the moment so I couldn`t resist the excellent bargains that were there. So far I `ve only had one orchid failure and I took that back and replaced it for a new one. The new ones are past there best with flower spikes but will flower again if pruned and left to rest, they are definitely very healthy plants.

 Yesterday I helped a very nice elderly gentleman customer to his car with his purchases and as I was loading his car he told me that he was attending the golden wedding anniversary party of a very well known Tory ex-Goverment Minister and his wife. Without mentioning names, he was part of Margaret Thatcher`s government in the 80`s but he resigned over a scandal involving an affair and a subsequent love child. It made headlines at the time. I told the gentleman that I hoped he and his wife enjoyed the party and he assured me that they would. He was a very sweet man and I hope I get to serve him again, maybe he`ll even tell me about the party!

 I haven`t mentioned very much about Roman lately so I thought I`d tell you all about him now. He is so grown up now that he seems not to be a baby anymore. When he stays with me in the evenings he loves to help me, right down to drying the dishes! It all started with Jim giving him a tea towel and a plastic cup and showing him how it`s done. Now he wants to do it all the time, not only that but he helps me load the tumble drier, the washing machine, he picks toys up off the floor and gives them to me to put away, he`s such a tidy little boy. Kerry thinks it`s because he watches her clearing away and it`s rubbed off on him, let`s hope he stays that way. Now he`s started to talk he uses Russian and English words so he`s not very clear with his speech, no matter, he`s very intelligent that`s for sure and his words will get clearer. He does understand everything that`s said to him so we have to be careful, biscuits and chocolate have to be spelt out and if anyone mentions a cup of tea, he shouts out TEA at the top of his voice...lol! Oh yes, I seem to be enjoying my Little Man more and more as he gets older.

 Well that`s it from me for today, or should I say tonight. I`ll try to do another tomorrow if I can.  I hope you all have a great weekend and I`ll try to catch up with your journals as soon as I can.

 Cheerio. :o)