I'm not sure where the past six years have gone. The time here at Garden Cottage has flown by. At times it is hard and has been a huge challenge but I wouldn't change it for the world. I lived in Manchester for 18 years. Dylan was born at Salford Royal and has spent so much time visiting Manchester over the years he thinks of it as home as much as living in Herefordshire. I grew up in the town of Hereford not in the country itself, then moved to Manchester for university when I was ...
Thoughts and happenings
Sharing is caring on behalf of baby loss awareness week.
"There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you" - Maya Angelou October the 9th till the 15th is Baby loss Awareness week. I have titled this 'sharing is caring' because it is important for those who have lost to be able to talk about it and it is important for you to listen. In between my son and my daughter I had a missed miscarriage. It was early days and a long time ago but you never forget and in all honesty why should you forget? Certain things stick out ...
Music for this generation
I'm a child of the 70s (I know you would never guess ) I have a sister and brother roughly 15 years older than me. I grew up having everything from punk to Elvis being played in different rooms of the house. My sister was a huge Adam and the ants fan and had her room covered in pictures, my brother loved Blondie and her face hung from all his walls. Dad loved Elvis and still does but he was also a huge Simon and Garfunkel fan and I can still pretty much tell you exactly what track it will be ...
Preserving Memories
My Mum writes in a diary every single night. I was reminded of the diaries when I recently stayed and went into the cupboard under the stairs. On the shelves she has diaries going back to when my brother and sister were small, so she must have around 50 years worth at least. As far as I'm aware she has never missed a entry, some days the entries are short and just about the weather or what shift she worked that day but other days you have the entries about birthdays, deaths, births, first steps, ...
Wishing away milestones
Pretty much from the minute your baby arrives into this world the tests and watching for development milestones start. I have been determined with my second and last child that I will not get caught up in the statements, thoughts and concerns over what milestones she is reaching. My son walked at around 18 months, I can remember being anxious about it, feeling almost pressure into getting him walking. Then came the Potty training, all conversation seemed to be about poo and nappies. ...
Ankylosing Spondylitis and Me
It started with back pain. The mornings were the worst, the stiffness and pain in my lower back when getting out of bed. I was only in my early twenties but back pain is so common you just get on with it and little sympathy is found. I went to the doctors several times and was told to try and rest, lose weight and it should be fine. It went on for months and months, then whilst in work I started to get terrible head aches and pain in the back of my eyes. Yet again I went to the doctors and was ...