Hi Alison,
So pleased you are back with us again, especially being so busy. I always feel very lost when I’m not posting. Our group is very much a real friendship circle. We send each other cards and little gifts for birthdays and xmas. Private message to join us with your address and I’ll give you everyone’s too. Makes such a difference to me. Like you said, xmas is an especially harrowing time, especially being on my own. When mam left my whole life fell apart. Every occasion was a celebration with mam. So without her I either do it alone or do nothing. I was really enjoying working on my Halloween scene preparations last night and have pics to post. My niece / nephew will come over. They are the only ones I see now. My sis (their mam) and my dad stopped speaking to me. I was always the one collecting my sis / her kids to go over to my parents whenever anything was planned and so without them there is nothing. I honestly didn’t see it coming, that I would be excluded from the family the way I have been. But that is the way things are now.
Can I just give you a little boost and say that I am really surprised that you are your age. I got the impression that we were the same age (53). I do believe it is just a number and we are who we are, experiences molding us. I’m still 18 ! but with a lot more determination and life experience behind me.
You did make me smile with your mam being afraid of the sea and living next to it. Just like my mam with the boat. She can’t swim. I remember she had to go ashore to get help when we run aground and had a leak. I can still picture her clinging onto the other boat in sheer terror. What courage it must have taken her. When we went swimming at the pool I go to now I was forever trying to coax her further along but she’d only go up to the flags, clinging onto the side rail.
Your holiday memories sound lovely. So lucky to have precious pics to look back on. I really feel for the people losing everything in the floods at the mo. I know we will always have those memories in our heads but looking at photos captures a time and place, transporting us back there again. Brings back memories of the Kings Head in Majorca years ago, our favourite pub. It rained half of the holiday but it didn’t stop us enjoying it. You are such a lucky girl going away for xmas. I know you’ll still have the sadness but it might be more diluted, less stark than being at home surrounded by memories and the absence of your beloved Rich. I must say your Harrogate hotel sounds delightful! Loved Faulty Towers. It’s a real myth about staying at home being more affordable than abroad. But mam and dad really enjoyed their stays in hotels and cottages on their travels. Dad goes with his mate from work now. He’s carried on with life as if mam left us years ago. I just can’t understand how he can switch off and just carry on like that. He goes to my sis up north for xmas. I will be sitting alone and crying. But if I have the cats to care for it won’t be as bad.
Here’s my pics of my Halloween preparations for Sat. Witches broomsticks are ready, parked in the old pram,
to fly us up to the fire burners , dried out and ready to toast fat marshmallows.
I managed to pop to Sainsbury’s (though I never ‘pop’ anywhere with the anxiety, more a determined effort to see a plan through to the end once I’ve made a plan) and got a good selection of gourds (for mam) and a not very hairy turnip (my childhood up north) to join the pumpkin which will be carved on the day and probably be taken away when I take them home.
So here is my Halloween creation. I created angel dresses for mam and Porsch out of garden fleece.
I am the top tier pumpkin with the gourd head bun. Detail of Porscha’s tail.
Here is mam’s dress, created from 2 wire coat hangers, a double layer fleece ‘dress’ and ties created from lengths of fleece. The second coat hanger is suspended inside from the first (tied at the neck with a length of fleece, creating the waist / hips and shoulders.
Detail of bow.
Porscha is a child angel with her tail,
flying high,
changing colour in the fairy lights. I love her as a blue angel here.
And mam is dancing, as she always loved to do. Reminds me of her beautiful wedding dress.
The hanging ties from the should bows create the arms.
I’ve taken them inside until Sat but they will come back out to accompany the xmas tree when I get it. I also splashed out for a mother and baby deer set for the lawn to expand the scene. It’s all for them now, in their memory. Creating something beautiful to honour them until I can join them again.
Good luck with getting the garden tidied. Your ‘mums’ give a fab splash of colour. I might do that too. I like the rust colours because mam did. Still haven’t got round to making an order for pansies. Can’t believe I’ve left it this late. Might have to be viola’s. They are just as pretty.
Hope yopu take pics of the Halloween trail. I’d love that. Can’t imagine being on a group activity with the actual freaks! I’m living amongst. I had a very eager audience watching me doing the Halloween dresses and taking my pics. Couldn’t see them in the dark but I was obviously lit up like a xmas tree under the fairy lights. The drone made an appearance too and when I looked for it, scissors in hand, it quickly vanished. It’s what I have to endure living here if I am to do anything outside. At least you aren’t watching for the creeps watching you when you are in your garden and doing the Halloween walk. Think of me beside you as you walk, relishing the ‘normal’ world again. It’s like I’ve been transported onto Craggy Island with Father Ted and the oddballs!
Just had an influx of very angry starlings after all the treats. What a commotion! Must dash as I need to wash my hair before my blood test for cholesterol. Went to the park yester with my niece and the wafty lady boy. Will post pics on my return and catch up with all.
Lots of love xxx
my favourite time of the year and with the clocks going back this weekend we all get an extra hour in bed 
x
x I do hope you hear about the foster kitties soon x
x
I was more embarrassed than anything, lots of people surrounding me - just wanted to get to my room. We had a lovely holiday, after getting over the travelling. The flight is at 7am, get picked up at 3am by the taxi - so not a lot of sleep the night before. I detest flying. But mum is determined we are continuing to go there. I shouldn’t really complain as she paid for the holiday.
