Today

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Today I'm missing my son in Australia more than ever.  I think it's partly because my cousin in Australia has just welcomed her daughter home for a couple of weeks from New Zealand.  She hasn't seen her daughter since the beginning of the pandemic.  I've not seen my son since April 2019 and this is the longest I've gone without seeing him in real life.  He left in August 2016, came home for Christmas that year to cheer me up as I was going through chemo at the time (it cheered me enormously!), he was home for a wedding in the July of 2017, was home for Christmas 2018 and we went to Australia in March 2019.  I knew that regularity couldn't be maintained, it's too expensive and too long and arduous a journey but I didn't think we'd go over three years before we saw him and that will indeed be the case now.  Australia doesn't plan to open to visitors for a long time yet and even then, we have to feel comfortable about travelling there which we reckon will be about August or September next year, hopefully.  By then it will be three and half years.  Thank goodness for facetime/skype/whatsapp!

It's funny how these things come over you suddenly for no good reason.  Apart from my cousin's Facebook notification I have no good reason to be missing him today in particular but perhaps its just a reaction to all the bad news last week.  Who knows.  We're funny things we humans!

Today my good news is that I got my NHS blue envelope to get my second vaccine.  By this time next week I'll have had it.  Woohoo!   This new Indian variant is causing a lot of concern.  Thankfully the area where it is worst is nowhere near us and we are still going into level 2 tomorrow.  I have no idea how that will affect me other than my friend and I can have coffee indoors now!  Who knew throws would become the item of the year!! 



Today hubby and I took the dog to Rouken Glen Park which is about 20 minutes from us.  It is a lovely park with a fabulous garden centre.  We took the dog a walk down by the river which is much quieter than the main part of the park.  It was a lovely day and very warm in the sun and the dog met loads of other dogs much to his delight.  I went for a quick visit to the garden centre to buy a climbing rose to grow over my newly painted archway while hubby waited patiently outside with the dog.  It was a lovely change to be out and about!

This afternoon I planted my rose and did some tidying in the garden.  It was all the better for not expecting the weather to be so nice today!  I must give up weather forecast watching, they are rubbish!



Comments

  1. JiCaLu17 May 2021 at 02:45

    love these pictures, looks like a gorgeous walk. i think sometimes we just miss folks, we never thought we'd be separated for SO long from our loved ones. I have not seen my American sister and her family in over a year, and my mom has not seen her dad since late 2019 - Trinidad's borders have been closed, for the most part - my grandad will not be double dosed for a while. I hope we're seeing a new normal soon, I am so glad your 2nd shot is almost here.

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    Replies
    1. Marksgran17 May 2021 at 17:02

      It really is a lovely park and the river walk is well away from the main body of the park so its generally much quieter and very peaceful. I felt I could be anywhere. I know it's been hard for everyone being 'separated'. My friend has only just been allowed in to her mums care home to see her in the past two weeks having only waved from the window till now which must have been very hard on her mum. I never thought I'd see the day when I look forward to getting vaccinated lol.

      Delete
  2. Scarlet17 May 2021 at 14:09

    We are indeed funny creatures, and feelings do seem to appear unexpectedly. It is a long time to go without seeing D in the flesh though; no wonder you miss him.
    We went to the cafe this morning, and it was like it hadn't been closed for 7 months. Time seems to have flown. More good news today, as KL has been promoted and is moving to another site, and a 4 day week ( still the same number of hours, but better spread). I think it's safe to say she has passed her 6 month probation period! Popped to the garden centre ourselves this afternoon... have had to buy some tomato and cucumber plants as ours are way behind/ have failed. Unheard of, but the weather has been awful, so needs must!

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    1. Marksgran17 May 2021 at 17:05

      Great news about KL. You must be really happy for her. She's made brilliant progress and hopefully will continue to do so. My seeds are way behind normal too but I'm hoping that some warm weather will come and give them a boost! I've had a few that have failed to germinate at all which is annoying. I feel like I want to return the seed packet for my money back lol.

      Delete
  3. Treaders17 May 2021 at 17:11

    I know what you mean, I haven't seen my family in England since July 2019 (my son's wedding). I'm just glad both my sons are near to me and I can see them and the baby when I want, but I know not everyone is that lucky! "Courage" as they say over here!

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    Replies
    1. Marksgran19 May 2021 at 20:37

      It feels like we're going one step forward and two back just now. One minute we feel safer because we've had the vaccine, the next they tell us it might not be effective with the new variant! I think my son is missing us too as he's been phoning more often at the moment. You're very lucky to have both sons and your grandson nearby. We're lucky too in that my other son and my daughter are nearby so we're not totally abandoned! I'm sure you'll be keen to see your family when the time is right! x

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  4. Caree Risover17 May 2021 at 22:40

    Physical separation from family is difficult isn’t it, especially when it’s prolonged? We’ve been through something similar after our eldest moved to New Zealand to work in March 2016. We visited twice and he returned for 4 weeks in June 2019 but we haven’t seen him since as a result of this pandemic. I think the impact has been as great on his girlfriend and him, so much so that they made the decision to return to the UK and are only just out of quarantine. We haven’t seen them yet as a consequence of their new jobs in London but the change in the regulations today making overnight stays a possibility should change that. In the meantime, we continue to rely on WhatsApp, but without the 13 hour time difference!

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    1. Marksgran19 May 2021 at 20:41

      Oh that's great news for you. And you'll be able to cuddle them too, how good is that!! I can't see my son coming back here. He doesn't like the UK. He feels you are not encouraged to do well here and if you do you get knocked down for 'being above yourself'. I know what he means and even the job he just got over there I'm pretty sure he wouldn't have got here. We're more interested in degrees or 'contacts' than in Australia where it seems much more the norm to change career at any time in life. He has a great life over there and I just wish it was a bit closer to us. I hope you get to see your family soon. x

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