Feeling good................

It's Saturday morning and feeling good - despite too much wine in Estabans last night with Gilly - where we met Jim and Les, and Les's parents and had a lovely time. Last weekend was also lovely in Blanes with Fernando - now that was a first! BMW convertibles are definitely my favourite cars!! It was easy, fun and lovely - lovely is obviously my word of the moment - I spoke a lot of Spanish, swam in the warm sea, ate prawns and felt special - and it was lovely!

Jim got home from Benicassim - really happy and relaxed - and has slept most of the week. We're going to my Mum and Dad's today for lunch and I'm invited out to lunch tomorrow - another week at work - then off to Croatia with boys and friends!

So I'm feeling good and very grateful for my lovely life - relishing being an independent woman!

Lara's graduation...........

...was lovely - I felt very honoured to be there and the pride of Tano y Juaquina was so wonderful and richly deserved. This is my favourite photo of my lucky son with his wonderful novia - and his mug!



Feel very excited as am off to Girona for the weekend!

IPWD y la cena española

Yesterday was special - Rob came round early and we had fun shopping for the Spanish dinner party, Alex had arrived Friday evening, so all my boys were here, which is always lovely.

Together we walked to The Beech tree in Sefton Park and I scattered the ashes of my lovely old dog around it's base. Uniting forever Chris and Kip.

IPWD - In Park With Dog was the message that Chris would text me when I was away and he was sitting on the bench in front of the Beech tree - and I would be in a hotel or somewhere - and I would know my Chris was sending me a virtual kiss. So now Chris and Kip will be for eternity IPWD - which feels right and good but also more than a bit final - a big step taken in my life without him. I was so pleased I put the big photo of Chris in the kitchen as it has felt so right to have him there visually at a time that I have said a deeper farewell to him.

We returned to the house for breakfast, Kippers for me and Rob! and did the quiz together - laughing and full of life - my beautiful three sons and me. Later Rob and I prepared for the Spanish dinner party - which was a great success. Lara and her parents arrived early evening and I had invited Hector and a friend, Lady one of our Interns and Vanessa a beautiful dancer. It was a wonderful dinner - I ploughed on in Spanish most of the evening and the food went down very well.

So it's Sunday morning, Jimmy's gone to Spain for the Benicassim music festival, we're off to see the baby this morning, then lunch with Perri, Gilly and the boys, then off to Leeds tomorrow for Lara's graduation, hoping to get back in time to dance. With so much going on in my life, I really need the dancing oasis's - to catch my breath.

So Chris and Kip are in the park together forever and I am so aware and thankful for my wonderful life.

Weekend away...

It's Tuesday morning and I came back late last night from Antwerp and Amsterdam with the TRiO students. Their summer school contains a travel element, as by selection, they have not travelled before. I haven't been involved with a trip for several years and it was good to remind myself of the reality.

They all got such a huge amount from travelling around Europe for the first time and it was just wonderful to witness the group seeing the bigger world and embracing it - I also just had so much fun! Gravitated towards the dancers in the group - and danced both nights in Antwerp but really danced amazingly in Amsterdam with three others who shared my passion.

Came back to a beautifully clean, empty, carpeted house - which was a joy - Jim's off in a barn somewhere - spoke lots of Spanish with Mexicanos and strangely met Hector in the airport waiting for his parents - where Lupe, Mario and Hector discussed my accent - which was really nice - to think that I have an accent in Spanish is a bit of a mental leap!

Came home and was too buzzy to sleep so looked at my emails and found love from Stacksteads - as always special and comforting - and also lots more photos of the Beach Party - a couple of which I think I'll put on my blogg - cos although they are a few weeks ago - it's how I look at the moment. Though I am expecting to see lots of photos from this weekend - as very very many were taken!!

It's such a joy to be happy - how lucky am I.......

Wonderful new baby...

Tonight I went to see Becki's beautiful new baby - and he really is a very beautiful baby - only been breathing a few hours but already so loved. My little sister is now a Nanny - and the epicentre and heart of an amazing family!