You Just Never Know

One of the frightening things about life is that you never know what's round the corner. Then again, I supose that if you did, it would be even more frightening.

Last week, it was my niece's birthday, she was eleven, the same age as my eldest.  On Sunday my brother and his wife were preparing a family party for her.

My brother took his beloved dog for a walk to the local river where she loved to swim.  She jumped in but couldn't get back out.  My brother jumped in after her, and managed to get her out, but it was too late, even though he tried to resussitate her.

People who don't have pets, don't really understand what a big part of your lives they become.  She was a member of our family and she is going to leave a big hole in our lives.  Particularly my brother.  The words if only are the saddest two words in the English language.

When I got home it was dark, there was a cat sitting in the middle of the road.  It wouldn't move, even when  I got out of the car and tried to shoo it to safety.  It was obviously distressed but even though I eventually managed to get it off the road, it went back on it again.  It looked terrified, was crying, and there was a dark patch by it's ear.  My vet lives nearby so I asked for his advice and then with my husband, managed to get a now very disturbed cat into a cat box and took it to him.  She is now a resident at the vets. She's very old and doesn't has a chip, and although she has a collar there is no tag.  

I've put a poster in the local post office, but apart from that there's nothing I can do, if she's not claimed then she will end up at the RSPCA.  I know alot of the cats in the neighbourhodd by sight but she's not familiar.  I wonder how far she might have travelled.  Is there a family out there, wondering if she will come back but she won't be able to find her way home because she is at the vets, albeit being looked after.  Does anyone know if there is a missing cats website?

In hindsight I wonder if I did the right thing, but I dread to think what might have happened if I'd left her in the road.

So you never know do you?

Sorry to be so downbeat.

The Big Declutter

The last few weeks have been rather strange.

Leaving the job I've been at for the last eight years was a poignant experience.  I started there when my youngest was a baby and now he's in junior school - how the time has flown and how much things have changed since I first started.

My redundancy had been looming for so long that I was almost at the stage of just wishing it was over, but everyone gave me a good send off and so I ended up feeling rather sad.

And since then, have I had all the time in the world to get stuck into my wrting?  The short answer is a resounding no.

We go on holiday next week, which I'm really looking forward to - we didn't go away in the summer so we all deserve a good break.  We're off to Lanzarote so I'm hoping for some serious sunshine, swimming and some reading and writing.

But before all that I have to get rid of eight years of clutter.   We have a family of four coming to stay while we are  away, staying on until after we get back, and looking af the house, I was struggling to work out where we were all going to sleep.

We moved into this house eight years ago too - that was a busy year - and since then we have collected all sorts of clutter as the boys have grown and their bedrooms were a disgrace. 

So I spent the whole of last week sifting through lego, plastic toys, marbles, jigsaw pieces and a wool mill full of stray socks under beds.  The bedrooms now look sparkling and woe betide anyone if they mess them up again. 

This week I started on the spare bedroom and tomorrow - wish me luck - its the turn of the kitchen.

I did think that once I finished work I would be able to concentrate on builing up a business and doing some serious writing, but it seems that the house has taken over. 

And that's before I start packing.

I know its only been a week and a half but I don't think I could be a permanant housewife, and I'm hoping all this work now will free me up to do the things I want to do. 

One thing is for sure, once I get settled back after my holiday, I'm going to get myself into a routine.  Because I don't honestly see how writer's can write unless they are in a good routine.  I know this writer can't.

So its going to be a case of learning to switch off housework head and velcro my bum to my desk chair!

Wish me luck.

Linda

No Let Up

You would think that now I have finally finished work, life would be a bit easier but I'm still in catch up mode.

Its been a hectic few weekends what with the "Birthday" and going to Leeds for the weekend.

That was brilliant actually.  My boys support Leeds because they are following in their dad's footsteps who, although Chester born and bred, has supported them since he was young when they were at their best.

When they were little I thought they might be taken the mic out of for following a team that wasn't part of the trend, but now I'm really proud of them, because they are not just following the team who is most popular at the moment.

Because there are only a few supporters in this area though, and no shops selling the kit, it was an uplifiting experience to be walking to the ground with hoards of fellow fans all wearing the same colours. 

We had seats in the family area which was great, and right where most of the action was for a large part of the game so we had a bird's eye view.

And Leeds won, which gave us all a happy feeling.

In the evening we found a World Buffet restaurant to eat in.  To be honest,  I wasn't too impressed at first, it felt a bit like a rugby scrum trying to get your food, but actually it turned out to be really good.  The buffet consisted of Chinese, Indian, Italian, Mexican, Sushi, and good old English carvery and practically every food you could possibly think of.  Everyone was catered for without any fuss, and although I'm not a dessert person, the puddings were to die for.

After a drink in the bar we retired to bed and the comfiest bed I have ever slept in.  I would defintiely recommend the Novotel Leeds City Centre hotel. 

The next morning we work up to the 11th birthday - where did that time go?  After a hearty breakfast we visited the Eland Road store to bujy the birthday present - latest kit and then drove home.  Another football match and then tea with friends to celebrate the birthday.

I always worry because I want to make the big day really special, but I think on this occassion we can truly say we did him proud.  And that was before the party.

The week that's followed has been really hectic, but that's the contents of another blog.

I promise to be back shortly.