We'd just sung Happy Birthday to my younger daughter when I got a call from my brother to come up to Lincoln as soon as I could. I assumed it was my dad, as he had a stroke a few years ago and hasn't been in the best of health, but instead it turned out my mum had stopped breathing and been taken to the ICU.
She died two days later - too much oxygen starvation, and her body never recovered. So it's been a tough month really: I've been back and forth to Lincoln to help make arrangements for mum, and also to help my brother look after dad, and think about what he's going to do next - we can't look after him in his home, so we've been looking at long term care (I'll do another post later on the intricacies of funding). We're going to visit a home he likes tomorrow, so hopefully that will be sorted fairly soon.
Mum's funeral was yesterday - the crematorium was extremely busy in early January - partly because they close over Christmas, and partly I guess the bad weather increased the number of people dying. It was very well attended by folks from all periods of mum's life - old friends, people from Sudbrooke, people from her old workplace, and friends from the last period of her life looking after dad since his stroke. Several people commented that the service was very good. The celebrant's name was Andrew Key - I would happily recommend him to anyone that wants a civil ceremony. he collection raised over 340 pounds for Arthritis Research and Sue Ryder Care. My brother read a poem - Ducks by Frank W Harvey, which I think mum would have liked.
When God had finished the stars and whirl of coloured suns
He turned His mind from big things to fashion little ones;
Beautiful tiny things (like daisies) He made, and then
He made the comical ones in case the minds of men
Should stiffen and become
Dull, humourless and glum,
And so forgetful of their Maker be
As to take even themselves - quite seriously.
Caterpillars and cats are lively and excellent puns:
All God's jokes are good - even the practical ones!
And as for the duck, 1 think God must have smiled a bit
Seeing those bright eyes blink on the day He fashioned it.
And he's probably laughing still at the sound that came out of its bill!
I'm not sure how I feel really. Sad of course, but not particularly upset. I said goodbye at the hospital, and that was quite gut-wrenching, but perhaps it was all I really needed. It's not that we weren't close, but I feel we both understood each other as adults since I had a family of my own: she gave us her love and approval, and we offered her ours in return. I know she loved H, and H said she was the best mother in law one could hope for. She loved L and E, and was always showing people their photos. I'm glad she got to meet them, even if it was for a fairly short part of their lives.
Goodbye, Mum.
Tuesday, 26 January 2010
Saturday, 26 December 2009
Christmas
Christmas has been good. We've had the snow which the girls really enjoyed - photies up on Facebook if you like that kind of thing. We had hoped to visit my parents the weekend before but the weather put paid to that unfortunately. Hopefully we can go early in the new year.
Broke up from work on the 24th at inbox zero (at least for a few minutes!) and I'm not logging back in for a week. No, really.
Christmas day was nice and relaxing - presents in the morning. The girls got lots. H got me Charlie Brooker's latest book, which I've been reading from the index (mmm Heston Blumenthal what does he have to say about him...) and we managed to get each other a copy of the exact same book: Gustav Dore's London. Basically we watched the Jeremy Paxman series on the Victorians, and both had the same idea what would make a really good present that the other one would never expect! Be warned - this is what happens to you after 10 years together.
Not sure what to make of Christmas Doctor Who. Seems to have had everything thrown into the plot, but I'm not really sure what it all adds up to. The finale is either going to be magnificent or absolute cack.
Broke up from work on the 24th at inbox zero (at least for a few minutes!) and I'm not logging back in for a week. No, really.
Christmas day was nice and relaxing - presents in the morning. The girls got lots. H got me Charlie Brooker's latest book, which I've been reading from the index (mmm Heston Blumenthal what does he have to say about him...) and we managed to get each other a copy of the exact same book: Gustav Dore's London. Basically we watched the Jeremy Paxman series on the Victorians, and both had the same idea what would make a really good present that the other one would never expect! Be warned - this is what happens to you after 10 years together.
Not sure what to make of Christmas Doctor Who. Seems to have had everything thrown into the plot, but I'm not really sure what it all adds up to. The finale is either going to be magnificent or absolute cack.
Sunday, 6 December 2009
into December
Finally have the new PC up and running. Mesh completely let me down, and it looks like I may have had a narrow escape: I bought from them because I got my previous (very reliable) PC from them, but when I googled a bit further I found no end of complaints of slow delivery and poor service. That certainly was what I found when I tried to chase up the order, and eventually they tried to tell me that I needed to pay another £50 to get the computer because the spec had changed. Fortunately, I wasn't born yesterday, so I just got a refund instead. I bought a similar spec machine from World of Computers in Milton instead: I had the PC 2 days later, and if it goes wrong they are nearby, and appear to know what they are talking about.
Anyway, it's very nice: I like Win 7, and just generally having a lot more power and memory makes a big difference when using Photoshop for instance.
Other things: my school, Ridgefield Primary, will be looking for a new Head next year, so we as governors have to start planning for the process now: I'm currently drafting the information pack we'll be sending out, while others are looking at the job description and the advert (you have to place a print advert in a national publication, and that basically means the TES). I've also helped the school's IT co-ordinator produce a new website, and he's done a fantastic job.
Friday was H's birthday, but for various reasons we went out for lunch on Saturday instead. We went to Meze on Mill Road and some really nice Turkish food. It was the Winter Fair, so there were lots of people out - we saw the Samba band, but that was about as much as the girls wanted to do (L is a bit under the weather with a cold) so we came home after that.
Next week I may go down to London for work - see how things go.
Anyway, it's very nice: I like Win 7, and just generally having a lot more power and memory makes a big difference when using Photoshop for instance.
Other things: my school, Ridgefield Primary, will be looking for a new Head next year, so we as governors have to start planning for the process now: I'm currently drafting the information pack we'll be sending out, while others are looking at the job description and the advert (you have to place a print advert in a national publication, and that basically means the TES). I've also helped the school's IT co-ordinator produce a new website, and he's done a fantastic job.
Friday was H's birthday, but for various reasons we went out for lunch on Saturday instead. We went to Meze on Mill Road and some really nice Turkish food. It was the Winter Fair, so there were lots of people out - we saw the Samba band, but that was about as much as the girls wanted to do (L is a bit under the weather with a cold) so we came home after that.
Next week I may go down to London for work - see how things go.
Friday, 13 November 2009
Oggy and the Cockroaches
The girls love this, and I have to admit I really like the visual humour (or perhaps it just reminds me of Tom and Jerry):
Oggy And The Cockroaches - The most popular videos are here
Staycation?
Not sure I like that term, but it's been a good week all the same - yesterday we went to Anglesey Abbey and walked along by Quy Water in a nice circular route before driving up to Horningsea for lunch at the Crown and Punchbowl.
Today I met up with H in town and we went to Charlie Chan for dim sum, which I've not done before in Cambridge - the last time I had dim sum was in San Francisco over 10 years ago. I also managed to find a Linux magazine with a live CD that I can use to rescue the data from my old Win XP box. I'm hoping the shiny new PC will come soon (please Mesh) and we can get everything transferred. At the moment I'm using my work laptop, which is a bit annoying, as I don't want to start downloading mail or installing non-approved applications.
Today I met up with H in town and we went to Charlie Chan for dim sum, which I've not done before in Cambridge - the last time I had dim sum was in San Francisco over 10 years ago. I also managed to find a Linux magazine with a live CD that I can use to rescue the data from my old Win XP box. I'm hoping the shiny new PC will come soon (please Mesh) and we can get everything transferred. At the moment I'm using my work laptop, which is a bit annoying, as I don't want to start downloading mail or installing non-approved applications.
Monday, 9 November 2009
November holiday
I'm off work for a week and for various reasons we're mostly staying at home and going out for day trips. We had the initial weekend away though - we went down to H's parents, and they kindly looked after the children while H and I went into London for a day out and a night at the Dorset Square Hotel. It was good, but it was expensive too, and there were niggly problems that just took the shine off the experience - notably, no tea and coffee in the room, and room service that weren't up to the job of replacing that facility.
We had a good time though - we saw the Mirsolaw Balka Tate Modern exhibition which looked amazing from the outside, although there were probably too many people to get the full experience when you were inside it. We also had a fantastic meal out at Yming in Soho. The double braised pork in hot pot was amazing.
Back in Cambridge today we went out to Wandlebury Ring, and then drove up to Lammas Land and walked through the botanic garden to Le Gros Franck for lunch. That was very good too - we both had the steak frites, and it was both cheaper and better than Cafe Rouge (yes I know, but we're more often at that end of town, and the childrens' menu is good there).
Just thinking about what to do tomorrow - we may go for another walk somewhere.
We had a good time though - we saw the Mirsolaw Balka Tate Modern exhibition which looked amazing from the outside, although there were probably too many people to get the full experience when you were inside it. We also had a fantastic meal out at Yming in Soho. The double braised pork in hot pot was amazing.
Back in Cambridge today we went out to Wandlebury Ring, and then drove up to Lammas Land and walked through the botanic garden to Le Gros Franck for lunch. That was very good too - we both had the steak frites, and it was both cheaper and better than Cafe Rouge (yes I know, but we're more often at that end of town, and the childrens' menu is good there).
Just thinking about what to do tomorrow - we may go for another walk somewhere.
Saturday, 3 October 2009
Into October
Been quite busy the last couple of weeks. More governor-y stuff for Ridgefield - I'm helping develop a new website (still in beta), and then I was just involved with the Head Teacher review, which was interesting, as I've not been part of that process before. Alas the training is not until next week, but I'm sure it will come in useful over the coming year.
Last weekend I went to the 20th (god I feel old) reunion dinner of my year at Fitzwilliam college. I think H was a little nervous, as she found the maths reunion dinner a couple of years ago quite intimidating. So being on the high table, next to the Master, was a bit of shock.
However it was actually really good - H got on well with the Master's wife, and I caught up with my former Director of Studies. We did see a few people who I remembered specifically from my year, but to be honest there weren't as many as I thought I might remember - probably, when I think about it, most of my friends at Cambridge were not in the same college as me.
Work is continuing to be very busy - we're just putting the finishing touches to the current release, but we also have maintenance releases going on at the same time, so I am being pulled in several directions.
Last weekend I went to the 20th (god I feel old) reunion dinner of my year at Fitzwilliam college. I think H was a little nervous, as she found the maths reunion dinner a couple of years ago quite intimidating. So being on the high table, next to the Master, was a bit of shock.
However it was actually really good - H got on well with the Master's wife, and I caught up with my former Director of Studies. We did see a few people who I remembered specifically from my year, but to be honest there weren't as many as I thought I might remember - probably, when I think about it, most of my friends at Cambridge were not in the same college as me.
Work is continuing to be very busy - we're just putting the finishing touches to the current release, but we also have maintenance releases going on at the same time, so I am being pulled in several directions.
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