2012

A new start should be all about looking forward but instead I thought I'd start by looking back to the year that was 2012. 

Great minds clearly think alike because Gaynor from Our day by design posted a 2012 round up a few days ago. I promise I had already started drafting my own post before I saw Gaynor's.

January - nephew turned 2

February - went to Murrayfield with #2 and her boyfriend to watch Scotland vs England 6 nations match. Work was crazy crazy busy.

March - niece was born, celebrated husband's big birthday with a weekend on the edge of the Lake District.

April - a quiet month we had a visit from the in-laws.

May - found out that we were pregnant, took a train to the South of France, spent a week in France with my parents not telling them I was pregnant, battling morning sickness and not eating cheese, pate or drinking wine (they didn't guess I was amazed).

June - Good friends got married in a field in torrential rain, we camped. I was very tired and very sick. Did Race for Life with my sisters and Mum - resisted the temptation to tell them we were pregnant (we'd agreed to wait until after our first scan).

July - Had 12 week scan and finally told family and friends that we were pregnant, told work that I was pregnant and they'd need to find cover. Went to see an Olympic football match. Celebrated our 2 year wedding anniversary.

August - My birthday. Went to London for the weekend those that could did Go Ape and those that weren't allowed watched (I sulked). Spent a week up North with the in-laws.

September - Had 20 week scan. Celebrated the arrival of a friend's baby boy.

October - Another quiet month.

November - Celebrated a big birthday for my Mum, we had a photos taken (my Mum is obsessed by getting photos of us all), went for a cookery lesson (twice baked cheese souffles yummy) and had a half day spa.

December - I spent a lot of time at the hospital being monitored due to issues with my blood pressure. I finished work for at least 9 months. After much deliberation we headed up north for Christmas.

Up North - November 2011

9 members of the same family in the same house for 3 days and it wasn’t even Christmas?! There was another big birthday last year but this time it was on O’s side of the family. A long weekend away in a beautiful part of the country? Count us in.

We collected O’s brother and his girlfriend from the train station and then I swiftly dropped them at the shops so they could actually purchase the birthday girl’s gift. We were soon on our way and had a relatively easy drive up the road stopping at Fort William for a sandwich and a toilet break. Then we turned off and headed towards Mallaig. We soon pulled up at the beautiful wooden lodge type esk building with a field of ponies and a stream outside.

We had an explore, went and petted the very friendly ponies and helped O’s mum prepare the dinner for that night. The house was really, really lovely but we soon realised that it was impossible to take a single step without the floor boards creaking. There were wooden floorboards throughout, which meant you couldn’t get anywhere without someone hearing you. We even had a competition later that night and no one managed it without a squeak. We ate a lovely meal and once baby nephew had been bathed and put to bed we settled in for a tense game of trivial pursuit (O’s family is hugely competitive). O was teamed with his brother in law and they were very smug over their victory.

The next morning breakfast was eaten and the shops were popped to. Once everyone was back it was time for the birthday girl to open her presents and us to have a slice of cake (of which there were several). Then in order to work off the morning cake we headed to beach leaving O’s dad who was making another cake. We were very lucky with the weather the whole weekend and it was quite mild. The others played frisbee and football as we walked along the beach. Back to the house for a bite to eat and a lazy afternoon playing with our nephew while preparations began for dinner.

That evening we had:

Cream of mushroom soup – made by O’s brother and his girlfriend

Beef stew and dumplings with roasted veg on the side – made by O’s brother in law

Vanilla cheesecake and baked key lime pie – made by O and I

Birthday cake for those that weren’t bursting

The rule was that O’s mum didn’t have to lift a finger. Once the dishwasher was stacked and the pans were cleaned we put on plenty of layers and wrapped up as warm as possible. We made a torch lit procession down to the beach and stood well back as the boys arranged the fireworks. We didn’t have many and had purposefully chosen the ones which we thought would be quietest (yup we were after quiet fireworks). Baby nephew did very well to start with but soon got a bit upset and started saying “all gone” “no more” to which we responded “just one more” “oooh isn’t it pretty” “yay, you like fireworks” he remained unconvinced. Once the last one had gone off the boys with their torches scoured the beach to pick up the debris. Back in the warmth we played a couple of rounds of a game similar to call my bluff, O was very smug to be on the winning side again.

Unfortunately during the night I started to feel unwell and the next night O and his brother followed suit. After a day in bed the following day when we were due to leave I was still feeling pretty ropey but I was the best out of a bad lot and we needed to get home somehow. Throughout a very slow packing process which included one sock on, sit rest, other sock on, sit rest, bend pick up jumper, sit up, rest, place jumper over head and arms through sleeve, realise you’ve moved too fast and your brain is hitting off the sides of your skull, sit and rest etc. etc. We eventually got all of our belongings and O’s brothers belongings into the car. I drove very slowly down the road, which was thankfully the road was very clear. There were a few stops for fresh air but we finally made it home in one piece. We collapsed onto the sofa with the duvet and switched between sleeping and watching TV.

A lovely, lovely weekend which was unfortunately spoilt by a stomach virus, we had a great time up until then.


(photos mostly by O apart from the rubbish ones which are by me)

Happy Holidays

(picture by O)*

Tomorrow we will drive South to spend time with my family.

Hope you have a wonderful time with your family and friends.

*our little tree which has now started shedding needles, especially because inevitably the cats have been systematically removing the baubles. 

Keswick - Oct 2011

20 members of the same family in the same house for 3 days and it wasn’t even Christmas?!

We approached the long weekend with some trepidation to say the least. We’d be spending time with aunts, uncles and cousins that we rarely see and some partners that we’d never even met. But my Dad was turning 65 and he wanted his entire family together to help celebrate.

There were:

Mum, Dad, #1, her husband and niece and nephew, #2 and her boyfriend, O and I. Dad’s brother and his wife. Dad’s sister, her husband, her eldest son, his partner and their 8 month old son, her youngest son, his partner and her 7 year old daughter

We arrived in dribs and drabs on Friday night to a huge house on the outskirts of Keswick that had once been used as a B and B. We chose our room, made ourselves some dinner and caught up with family members as they arrived. The rugby world cup was still on and England had a big game against France the next day. Some of the family decided to go for a rugby breakfast at the nearby pub. O decided as the only one likely to be supporting France he would stay away from the pub and watch the game in our room where he was relatively safe to shout “vive la France”.

By the time we got up the next day, had breakfast and the others were back from the pub plans had begun to emerge. The immediate family Mum, Dad #1, #2 and me with our respective attachments were going to go for a walk around Keswick. #1 had got a treasure trail guide which basically took us on a long walk through Keswick but we had some purpose in our random wanderings. Aunts and Uncles went their separate ways for different walks and trips to car boot sales. The weather was not ideal so we were wrapped up with scarves, gloves and waterproofs to keep off the rain. Back to the house for lunch and a lazy afternoon. Dad’s sister and her family being from Leeds are huge rugby league fans and it was the challenge cup final so that evening they found a pub showing the game and stayed there until dinner time. Plenty of rugby for one day!

The photo on the left is the right way up. Trust me

family stroll through the park

#2 had contacted a local chef who came to the house and made us a delicious meal and did the washing up, which meant that everyone could relax. (although given the size of the supermarket shop my parent’s had delivered we could have fed all of us for quite some time). Wine was consumed and we began to relax with each other, family stories were told, some more shocking than others. We realised just how much we still missed our grandparents. It was strange and a little sad in a way to see my father in his role as the patriarch of the family. My Dad opened his birthday cards and he blew out the candles on his cake (which I spent Friday making), unfortunately we were all far too full for cake after the huge pudding the chef had made so it didn’t get cut until the next day.

The chef made a huge batch of cinder toffee (the inside of a Crunchie)

On the Sunday morning some of the family had to leave to get back for work on Monday so we reduced the numbers by 6. After saying goodbye everyone again went their own ways and made their own plans. Although we were in a stunning part of the country O decided he wanted to visit the beach. I wouldn’t recommend the beaches in that part of England or certainly not the beach at Maryport. It was an extremely industrial and rather grey and bleak. Although it was fun to reminisce with my Mum who’s Dad used to frequently travel to Maryport from Newcastle sometimes taking her with him. Again the weather was poor so we hurried to warm up back at the house. I was starting to come down with a cold at this point so wanted to be warm and cosy. We spent the rest of the afternoon doing a really hard jigsaw, each taking turns at different bits. Remembering how big granddad (Dad’s dad) used to love doing jigsaws and how little granddad (Mum’s dad) used to always hide one piece so he could put the last bit in.

Maryport

That evening we took #2’s boyfriend to the train station so he could also get back for work on the Monday. We put some pies in the oven and made simple vegetables and again ate around the enormous table which was in the dining room. That evening we played card games, chatted about our grandparents/parents laughing at different memories, how when my cousins had been with my Nana she had always talked about my sisters and I and then vice versa, she would always chat about my cousins when with us. We also doggedly kept going at the damn jigsaw and it soon became clear that we were not going to bed until it was completed.

The next morning there was a bedlam of packing and trying to share out the huge amount of leftover food. My cold had well and truly hit. We went to rheged for a hot drink and chats with #2 and my parents before #2 had to go and get the train. On the way home we popped in and visited Rebecca, the second time we’ve gone to visit her lovely home and I’ve been full of cold so have coughed and sniffed on her sofa. Should perhaps visit at the start of a trip before I fall ill rather than at the end.

The weekend had been a huge success much more relaxed than anticipated because everyone made their own plans and came and went as they pleased. We came together for meals and spent a lot of time chatting through happy memories.

intense jigsaw action

Photos by O. Me or nephew

October is here

October is going to be a good month. The start of November won't be too bad either


I've been on holiday with my sisters.


My whole family is getting together to celebrate my Dad's 65th birthday. 


Cass and I are celebrating our 30ths together.


I'm going to the 2nd blook club meeting - hopefully I'll have read the book by then.


O and I are going to Iceland - any recommendations gratefully received.


The O's family are getting together to celebrate his Mum's birthday.


Somehow all of this means I'm managing not to work a full week for the next six weeks. Woop!

You forgot?!

Our first anniversary fell on a Sunday and so I blamed there being no post delivery for the lack of cards. We opened the couple that had arrived the day before and received text messages from some friends and O's family.

There was no a whiff of a message or card from my family.

We went out for the day and I expected to come home to the answerphone full of messages from my family asking what we were doing to celebrate.........nothing.

I came home from work on Monday expecting cards thinking they'd just missed the Saturday post.........nothing (ok a bank statement).

MY FAMILY FORGOT OUR FIRST WEDDING ANNIVERSARY!

I sent a nudge, nudge email to my Mum and got a grovelling response. My nudge, nudge to #2 got a complete blank in response, she had no idea of the significance of the date. (#1 is in Spain on holiday, I'm letting her off)

What do you mean the date of the party of the decade is not etched into your brain forever? What do you mean you don't come over all emotional when that particular date is mentioned?

(Am I the only one that feels strange when people talk about events/meetings that happen to fall on my birthday? Yes, ok then.)

My Mum has asked how they will ever make it up to us. I floated the idea that they take us with them to the Caribbean later this year. Apparently forgetting your daughters first wedding anniversary does not mean you need to pay for her and her husband to tag along on your holiday. We're very disappointed.

Family Camper Van

My Mum-in-law gave me this tin of shortbread for Christmas. Only she cut up pictures of my family and stuck them to the windows so I didn't miss my family on Christmas day too much.

We had a fantastic Christmas, hope you all did too. 

(source)

When does his family become my family?

….and vice versa….

On Saturday night O’s sister and her husband had a baby boy.

So O is an Uncle for the first time.

O doesn’t regard himself as an Uncle to my niece and nephew – they were born a good while before O and I got together but hopefully over time he will get closer to them. They currently think he is great anyway because he is a big kid that they can't exhaust.

And I'm an Aunty again, feels strange for me, it being on the other side of the family. I don't distinguish between my own Aunts and Uncles, those who are blood related and those related through marriage. I guess it just takes a while to get used to.

Not only has the new arrival got me thinking about the familial boundaries merging but this coming weekend is going to be HUGE for us. Our parents are going to meet each other for the first time and I’m crapping my pants, much more than when I introduced O to my parents for the first time. I have no idea if they are going to get on and I keep dreaming up all the horrible ways it could go wrong. So come on bloggers tell me your experiences how was the big parental meet up for you? Tell me it is all going to be ok!