Nine Feet Underground

Waking up in Portsmouth for the first time in months, though admittedly in a hotel rather than Q's house, which we'll be off to in a bit. First, though, a hearty breakfast, a brief chill then checkout and walk to Q's house.  We're there to check it over, clear it up (if necessary) and meet an estate agent. Meeting over, we head to the shops to buy cleaning products by way of the local bakery for almond croissants and bread.  Not for nothing is it called 'Bread Addiction'. Cleaning finished, we're off to a coffee shop to meet one of Q's former colleagues.  We had a decent coffee and a chat.  Q and her friend enjoyed a good catch-up  before we returned to the hotel to pick up the car and drive back to Liverpool. After an interesting detour through the A-roads of the Warwickshire and a pitstop near Stafford, we got home around seven-thirty, tired but glad to be back, though not as glad as the cat was to see us. Q knocked up a quick dinner of pizza and garli...

Another early start, which is very beneficial, as I have to drive home again this morning. I have the morning off as annual leave, but still need to be back for work in the afternoon. A good journey back interrupted only by the need to fill up with fuel. Used a lot in the last few days! First, though, I must phone the bank and warn of an unusually large transaction, and not to worry, I am only trying to make some very rich people even richer. Oily-garchs. Getting organised for the rest of the day, primarily work. Need a coffee before I get stuck in to work, then that'll be my focus for the rest of the day. The work, not the coffee, which will soon be gone. Quite an intense afternoon of meetings, but now it's over until tomorrow... Got a bit of a sore throat, so I'm doing an LFT. Can't be too careful. Result negative, but will probably do another tomorrow and maybe again on Thursday. LFT out of the way, I'm making dinner now, planning to sit down and eat with son #2 ...

Today is the day of my mother-in-law's funeral. I'm up early as we need to leave around 8:30 to 9:00 a.m. to get to Southport in time for the limousine to take us to the crematorium with other family. Sons 1 and 2 are up early too (for them, at least!) and are getting ready as I finalise my suit/shirt/tie combo as well as put the finishing touches to the words I'll be reading.  Son #2 has supplied a memory and some words of his own which I've included too.  It's gonna be a long day! Back now, best part of 12 hours later, which is not bad considering I was driving for close on 8 hours in total. Didn't stop on the way up or the way back - Road Warrior! I'm not going to write much about the funeral here, but suffice it to say it went well. All the arrangements worked liked clockwork, the meeting E's brother and his wife was good and we were warmly welcomed.  I read my tribute, which dovetailed nicely with E's brother's eulogy, and I only got dust in...

Did all the usual Saturday morning things, with son #3 accompanying me shopping. Diversions, diversions.  The day started quite sunny and so I hung the washing out, though as the loads progressed the amount of sun reduced until there was none. Only the wind, given the temperature was nothing to write home about, was making any inroads into drying said washing. Whilst meditating late morning, I was disturbed by what sounded like the piston engines of a heavy-ish propeller plane. Sure enough when I looked out of the window there was a Dakota in D-Day RAF markings heading south-east.  It's a rare sound these days, so I had to look but as it disappeared from view, but then returned to meditation. During a conversation with a friend I discovered it had come from White Waltham and a quick bit of research on the net showed that it had departed White Waltham that morning (in the company of another) en-route to Lydd airfield in Kent. Around lunchtime I had a call from my father-in...

Got up at 6, showered and dressed, easily managing to be ready for the carer when she arrived at about quarter to seven, followed five or so minutes later by the cleaner. No flies on me, mate! As usual, or rather as usual when I'm working, I asked the cleaner to do my office after the carer had gone.  It has to wait for the carer to finish attending to my wife as her bedroom is just outside my office around the corner.  They'd get in each other's way if their activities weren't suitably segregated. Once my office is done I return to begin work, but not before I've finished off a card/letter I'm sending to a friend.  A brief time-slice for me to post the letter, then back to work for the rest of the day, usual interruptions aside.  Today has one added interruption: one of the district nurses is due to come to empty/refill my wife's PEG balloon, this has the added excitement that I don't know when it will happen. Thrills, spills and chills! All change: Car...