Long Time, No See

Tweet

Hello, how have you all been? There had not been much going on around here, just work and other boring things! I have been in my new job for almost 4 months now. It's going quite well. I intend to stick around for about a year or so and then look at promotions or other opportunities with the same employer. Speaking of work, both of my sons are looking for jobs. Midi (the eldest son) has just come home from university having finished his Master's Degree. He wants to be a teacher. Mini (the youngest) finished college a few months ago. He wants to be an actor. They are both looking for whatever jobs they can find at the moment. Other things that have happened: I was supposed to have a date day with my husband on 5th August. He was supposed to come with me the week before to see Johnny 2 Bad (a UB40 tribute). Unfortunately, his knees weren't working so he couldn't make it. The venue isn't the most disability friendly. Anyway, he said he would make it up to me and take me for lunch. We did not have a date day on the 5th but it was for a good reason. Our grandchildren visited. We don't see them often so we weren't going to miss out on that! It had been the youngest granddaughter's birthday at the end of July. We usually call them around birthdays but their other grandparents (K and N) had taken them on holiday along with my younger step-daughter (T). C, the older step-daughter (and mother of the grandbabies) had a bit of a break. We called her and she said she was a bit lost without the girls there! She did go away for a couple of days with her husband to visit other family. Anyway, K and N had taken the girls to Yorkshire (which is in the north). They live in Sussex (which is in the south). We live in the midlands. They had to travel east to west and back to east so possibly the long way round to visit us! They stopped off at my in-laws' house on their way back home. We didn't know they were coming until C alluded to us seeing them. We then called my mother-in-law, who gave us all the details. We hadn't seen my in-laws for a while either so that was nice to see them. When we called C, she told me off. I was happy about that. If you have read some of my other things regarding issues to do with her and the little ones then you will understand. I always sign cards, etc. with my husband as Grandad and then just my name. C told me that I am Nanny. I have always considered the little ones my grandchildren but I only met C when the first baby (Baby1) was a couple of months old (she is now 8 years old). It was lovely to be acknowledged that way. When K and N brough the girls to my in-laws, they were obviously all tired from a long journey. The two little ones mainly snuggled up with K and T. Baby1 came running straight up to me for a cuddle. I told her I had missed her, and she said she missed me. She was practically attached to me for the whole time we were there! I did get cuddles with Baby2 eventually. I think when she woke up a little, realised where she was and who we were! I got a cuddle with Baby3 before they went, but she's still really at an age when we don't see her enough for her to really know us. It was lovely to see them, of course. Husband and I did get a date day on 12th August. We went to Leamington, which is a town not too far from us. We would have gone on a train but there weren't any so we had to take a rail replacement bus. It's about an hour on the bus. We went for lunch at a Thai restaurant. It had not long opened. We had wanted to try it before but it hadn't quite opened then. They were still working on it, but they did say when they opened and to come back then. The restaurant was lovely. The service was good, and the food was delicious. I was also very impressed with the spice/heat of the dish I had. I like my foot hot and spicy (as long as it tastes nice and isn't hot for the sake of being hot). Until this restaurant, I had never experienced any food that was too hot for me! I did eat most of it, but there was a lot. The food was quite expensive, but we would most likely return for a special occasion. After we had eaten, we wandered through a park, soaked up the sun for a moment, and headed back home. On Friday 18th August, I put on my 'out of office'! It always feels good to do that. We (me, Mini, Midi) visited my son's Nanny (J). Her birthday was the 19th, so we dropped off her gifts. We then went to my mum's as we generally do on a Friday. They hadn't seen Midi since around last Christmas. My dad, my little sister, and my little niece and nephew were there as well). Later on, we went to a party (yes, that Friday was quite busy ). My auntie had just got married. It was only a small wedding with a few people, but she had a big party for the reception. My dad had said he wanted to go (Auntie is Dad's younger sister) but he wasn't really well enough. Midi and I went to the party. Before we got to the party, I had said to Midi that there would probably be loads of people I didn't know, and I wouldn't know any family there. I said there would be some random people I knew from other places. I was quite correct! The first person I knew when I got there was someone from work. I then saw a couple who I had met at an event in a pub about a month or so ago. There actually weren't many family there (I don't know about the groom's side as I don't know if I had even met him before). My little cousin (Auntie's daughter) was there with her husband. My big sister and her partner came as well. It was an enjoyable evening. They had a singer, who saw my t-shirt and asked if it was Johnny 2 Bad (which it was). I hadn't dressed up! Saturday 19th August, Midi and I went to Lichfield on the train. That journey is about an hour. Well, the actual travel is about 30 minutes but it's two trains with a 30 minute wait between the two. My intention was to get some photos of the Cathedral for something I am writing. The Cathedral is dedicated to Saint Mary and Saint Chad. I am writing about Saint Chad. We did take some photos around the outside and the inside of the Cathedral. We also visited the Samuel Johnson Museum, the Erasmus Darwin Museum, a Marvel exhibition that was on at another church in the city centre (we didn't know about the exhibition until we happened to walk past it), went for Japanese food, and wandered by Beacon Park and around Minster Pool. The picture I have put on is of Minster Pool. I was quite impressed with my photographic talents on that one Yesterday, Midi and I went into Coventry (which is our nearest city) to get a few bits and bobs. That wasn't very exciting but got us outside for a bit. Midi helped me make dinner. We had pork in black bean sauce. I hadn't made it before so I followed an recipe. It turned out quite nice. The boys also sorted through some of their old books (I can't remember which day that was). They gave them to our neighbours. Have I told you about our new neighbours? They've been here a good few months now. A young lady with two girls (I think the girls are 8 and 6), originally from Ethiopia. They're a lovely family. Anyway, my husband took the books to the girls and he said they got very excited over them. Today, I am going to get some writing done (I should have been doing that already but have been distracted here for over an hour... oops). Tomorrow, I am going to take my niece and nephew out. I think my dad is also coming with us. Midi and Mini are both coming. Mini's friend might come if she has got his message, and my husband might come if he's feeling up to it. We are going to a bowling alley. We may or may not actually do any bowling. There are pool tables and arcade games there as well. If it's not too busy, we will bowl as we all like that. Mini and Nephew both like to play pool. While the rest of us will do almost anything, they are the most fussy about things. They would both rather stay at home playing computer games so it's nice to find something else that they enjoy. On Thursday, we will be packing and getting ready for our holiday. Husband, Midi, Mini, and I are going to Weston-super-Mare in Somerset. The boys have only been there for day trips before. Husband and I have had a night or two away there on our own on occasion. This will be the first holiday we've had together there. We haven't got anything properly planned. We'll be there for five nights. Midi has a friend who lives in Somerset, although the opposite end, so he might meet up with him. C and her husband are taking the little ones to Minehead, which is not far from where we are staying, so we are hoping to meet up with them on one day. When we come back, I am having a spa day with my dad. He desperately wants to go swimming. I also love swimming. We do have swimming baths around here but, believe it or not, it was easier to book a whole spa day elsewhere than to figure out the booking system of our local baths! I might tell you about our holiday when we get back. I will be back to work at the beginning of September... unless I have a huge windfall and can retire, of course Well, that's me. How about you? Anything exciting going on in your lives? Everyone well and/or happy?