RAMBLINGS

Well, I’m back……… Not sure where this post will take us so will just she how things develop………

Been a very strange time globally, we’ve had the typhoon in Burma and the earthquake in China. Each handled by their respective governments in such hugely different fashions.

Then back in good old Blighty, a seven year old girl has died of suspected starvation – STARVATION in this day and age.

Then our regional newspaper (I checked the circulation and it averages 65,000 daily), had a headline article detailing what a deprived county Norfolk is. Now, I know we have our problems with towns like Great Yarmouth, Thetford and Kings Lynn losing a lot of industry and experiencing a large influx of immigrants but for goodness sake, in the wide scheme of things we just need to realise how much we HAVE and not dwell on what we don’t.

I was recently watching the images of parents waiting, hoping and crying outside the ruins of countless schools in China (where don’t forget they ruthlessly enforce the single child policy) when the daughter strolled past in the midst of some game. I asked her to come to give mum a hug as she was feeling upset and she climbed on my lap, put her arms around my neck and squeezed. I may live in a deprived area but I am rich beyond measure.

On a lighter and much more superficial note (a heard that sigh of relief at the back!) I got both articles written (the ones about cricket and the garage conversion) and both have been published……….. The cricket season is upon us and the weather has been pretty pleasant, so the men in my life are all content. The daughter will be 3 on Sunday – where those 3 years have flown to I really don’t know……….

And finally, I am going through some work related issues, which I am hoping (praying and keeping everything crossed for) may result in some back pay, which will take us on our FIRST ever foreign family holiday…… Wish me luck…….

Couldn’t resist posting this photo of the minx, I took it Wednesday, which is my day off and as I have to dress her in practical nursery clothes every other day of the working week, I do like to get her dressed up. Thought she looked particularly adorable in this dress so took her outside for a few snaps and she obliged by posing in such a fashion so as to make Kate Moss look like a novice. I know I am biased but how cute is she!

Think that’s it. Talk soon!

THE EVIDENCE

Here I am, glowing somewhat but feeling really positive...... The daughter is people watching. Can't think where she gets that nosy streak from!

THE RACE FOR LIFE

So yesterday was the day…. Duly arrived at the venue with number two son and the daughter and met up with my work colleagues, all in our matching bright pink t shirts. So far so good………..

Then I started to look around and every one of the thousands of participants had their personal messages on their back. It was all a bit much seeing such visible evidence of the number of lives this illness affects. Must have been feeling very sensitive yesterday as I started to cry and once the first tear fell, it opened the flood gates and very soon I was in a right state. I hastily pushed Evie to a quieter part of the ground to try and compose myself but by this time I was crying uncontrollably. I got my mobile out and rang my mum, thanking my lucky stars that I still could. Couldn’t talk at all initially and my poor mum was in a real panic wondering what was going on. Eventually I managed to stutter I was ok just very upset and we had a chat and I calmed down. Her parting comment was that I was just a very sensitive person and that was why I had been so affected. So back I went to my colleagues who were by now in the queue to the start line.

Well I did it, though rather than race for life, I pushed! Couldn’t bring myself to leave Miss Evie-D behind so along she came in her pink buggy and we power walked our way round. Saw several very poignant messages along the way – one lady was there in memory of her twin who had died from cancer, which really struck a chord as my mum is a surviving twin (although her twin brother died of a heart attack, aged only 51)……. Further on, a lady had a couple of names of people close to her she had lost to cancer and then her sign read “and me 10 days out of chemo”……. Well I didn’t really need anything to spur me on but that certainly gave me a kick up the bum to stop being such a sap and get on with it.

I had a colleague’s 13 year old daughter walk with me and she was lovely company. We didn’t talk much, just enjoyed having someone to swap the occasional comment with and the rest of the time, we walked in quiet companionship.

It took us an hour to walk round and probably the same to get out of the car park! My overwhelming feeling driving away was of being really empowered at participating in this enormous joint effort where every single person had their own story and every single person made a difference.

Photographic evidence exists, although whether they make it to here remains to be seen. My abundance of sensitivity is accompanied by an overly large dose of vanity and I need to see how fat and sweaty I look first!

Good to be back - I missed you........