Categories: uncategorized
Date: 30 December 2010 20:35:20
Sorry for the lack of posts recently, for the first time since I qualified I had Christmas off, so we've been up and down the country visiting family and friends and so haven't had chance to post anything. We had a lovely Christmas, spending Christmas itself with my family Down South in my Gran's house. She's been living in a residential home for most of the past year, so my parents, sister, husband and myself stayed in her house, and we fetched her most days to join us for meals, present opening and games. This worked well, even if she only remembered it was Christmas some of the time...
My family is in the process of sorting out her house, the house she's lived in for 30 years. Her and my Grandad were massive hoarders, so you can imagine the amount of stuff we had to sort through! They were both young adults in the second world war, and carried the 'mustn't throw anything away' ethos from that era, ever since. Which of course, from an environmental view point is a good thing, but it's not when you're trying to sort through a live time of stuff... Even the cake tins were lined with greaseproof paper that had obviously been used many a time! We left my parents behind to do most of the sorting, as we had to get Up North, but not before acquiring 2 large boxes of stuff - everything from toilet rolls and tins of food to a vase and an old fish cutlery set. I was also glad to claim an album with my name on the side - full of my baby photos! The biggest item we have inherited however, we couldn't transport immediately. We plan to go back down in the spring and work on it - if anyone has any ideas how to transport a greenhouse 150 miles, hopefully by car, then please let me know!
So with a boot full of stuff, we travelled Up North and celebrated my mother in law's 60th birthday by throwing a surprise party. Well, I say surprise, she knew something was going to happen, she just didn't know where... It was good however, to see (almost) all of my new family. In July I became an auntie to ten children and teenagers and it was the first time I'd spent any real time with most of them since the wedding. Consequently I hadn't quite adjusted to being called 'Auntie'. Makes me feel old, especially as the oldest nephew is only 5 years younger than me!
Anyway, we're finally back home after truely travelling the length of the country. And as much as it's lovely to be home, it also means that tomorrow I start three nights shifts at work - my share of the shifts over the holiday period.