In 21 days time I'll be heading home for 6 whole weeks and I can't wait. It feels like I spend most of my life counting down to my trips back, but I don't. I have a lovely life here and some very dear friends. So I'm not unhappy here but I do miss home. The main thing I miss, as you all know, is my family. Already I'm planning what to pack. Six weeks is a long time to pack for and by the end of that time I'm pretty fed up with the clothes I've taken home with me. I love something to look forward to and family time is the best. I'll see my lovely mum, my incredible uncle and aunt, and of course my beautiful Bex. I won't see my Ben though, hmmmmph.
After my dad died and my mum settled into her grief ridden world, for all I have my beautiful family, I felt very alone and lost. My mum's sister, my incredible aunt, and my uncle just stepped up to the mark. They saw I was suffering and realised that I'd lost both parents in one fell swoop. Mum was very angry at the world and following my sisters lead she took her anger out on me. It was such a painful time for me, but with the love and support of these wonderful people, who could see what was happening, I realised that I did indeed still have more family than I realised. They wrapped their arms around me and mine, helping us to heal. And then when I was diagnosed with cancer mum couldn't really take it in (and my sister told her I wasn't that ill and was making a fuss over nothing; the same sister who told my mum I'd already had a hysterectomy so must be lying about the one I've just had) so my aunt and uncle again gave me the emotional support that I needed. Of course my own family where right by my side and without them I wouldn't have got through these emotional and sad times without them, but it's so nice to have a wider support group. Plus my family can't always be with me when I'm home so knowing these two special people are there really helps. I always spend a week or so with them every summer. I take mum to theirs and we just look after her together, which of course eases the stress for us all and therefore a nicer time is had. Also, when I'm with them I'm safe from further vitriolic attacks from my sister.
Then of course, I get my Bex time. As she is in London for her exhibition I am joining her for the week. It'll be so nice just to hang out and spend time together. I'm looking forward to walks in the parks with Ash and shopping (as always). We get 8 days together and that's the longest we've spent together for a long time. We have things planned too. Lots of fun things. It's her birthday whilst we are there and my uncle and aunt are coming up for a couple of days to see her exhibition and join us at The Mad Hatters Afternoon Tea at The Sanderson Hotel. Bex is a huge fan of Alice in Wonderland, as am I, so not only will we do the tea but I'm looking for other Alice related things to do. But afternoon tea is such a quintessentially British past time. I love having afternoon tea, my grandparents used to have it at the weekends, wheeling the tea trolley into the back room whilst they watched TV. So having a mad hatters tea seems to me, to be the perfect way to spend an afternoon. I'm really looking forward to. A Lady Vintage tea dress shall be packed and possibly a sparkly hair band.
"History Of Afternoon Tea
Tea consumption increased dramatically during the early nineteenth century and it is around this time that Anna, the 7th Duchess of Bedford is said to have complained of "having that sinking feeling" during the late afternoon. At the time it was usual for people to take only two main meals a day, breakfast, and dinner at around 8 o'clock in the evening. The solution for the Duchess was a pot of tea and a light snack, taken privately in her boudoir during the afternoon."
During this time away we are also meeting up with very dear friends for a few days of misbehaving and exploring. We meet up every summer and just have a blast. A few hangovers often ensue but we are getting better at drinking plenty of water so that we do enjoy the whole weekend!! We have tickets for Let's Rock London. An afternoon and evening of 80's music including Bananarama and Rick Astley. It's going to be such a laugh. My lovely friend, Jayne has decided that we need to go as Bananarama. Yep, so I've got dungarees and a bandana hairband. Luckily we've decided that the men do not need to dress up. Three grown men in dungarees would be disturbing to say the very least, particularly as we need to cross London to get to the park for the concert!
So in my suitcase I already need a tea dress and a pair of dungarees plus the accessories to go with both. Then I have ten days with my lovely Dicky B that always includes some nice meals out and casual days mooching around London. Allowing for extreme weather possibilities I'm sure you can begin to understand my packing dilemmas for an extended trip home. But I love this stage, the build up to my summer at home. The countdown has begun, as of yet to be put up on Instagram or Facebook, but they will be.
Before that though I have a few lovely weekends planned in Dubai seeing my friends before we all go our separate ways for the summer.
After my dad died and my mum settled into her grief ridden world, for all I have my beautiful family, I felt very alone and lost. My mum's sister, my incredible aunt, and my uncle just stepped up to the mark. They saw I was suffering and realised that I'd lost both parents in one fell swoop. Mum was very angry at the world and following my sisters lead she took her anger out on me. It was such a painful time for me, but with the love and support of these wonderful people, who could see what was happening, I realised that I did indeed still have more family than I realised. They wrapped their arms around me and mine, helping us to heal. And then when I was diagnosed with cancer mum couldn't really take it in (and my sister told her I wasn't that ill and was making a fuss over nothing; the same sister who told my mum I'd already had a hysterectomy so must be lying about the one I've just had) so my aunt and uncle again gave me the emotional support that I needed. Of course my own family where right by my side and without them I wouldn't have got through these emotional and sad times without them, but it's so nice to have a wider support group. Plus my family can't always be with me when I'm home so knowing these two special people are there really helps. I always spend a week or so with them every summer. I take mum to theirs and we just look after her together, which of course eases the stress for us all and therefore a nicer time is had. Also, when I'm with them I'm safe from further vitriolic attacks from my sister.
Then of course, I get my Bex time. As she is in London for her exhibition I am joining her for the week. It'll be so nice just to hang out and spend time together. I'm looking forward to walks in the parks with Ash and shopping (as always). We get 8 days together and that's the longest we've spent together for a long time. We have things planned too. Lots of fun things. It's her birthday whilst we are there and my uncle and aunt are coming up for a couple of days to see her exhibition and join us at The Mad Hatters Afternoon Tea at The Sanderson Hotel. Bex is a huge fan of Alice in Wonderland, as am I, so not only will we do the tea but I'm looking for other Alice related things to do. But afternoon tea is such a quintessentially British past time. I love having afternoon tea, my grandparents used to have it at the weekends, wheeling the tea trolley into the back room whilst they watched TV. So having a mad hatters tea seems to me, to be the perfect way to spend an afternoon. I'm really looking forward to. A Lady Vintage tea dress shall be packed and possibly a sparkly hair band.
"History Of Afternoon Tea
Tea consumption increased dramatically during the early nineteenth century and it is around this time that Anna, the 7th Duchess of Bedford is said to have complained of "having that sinking feeling" during the late afternoon. At the time it was usual for people to take only two main meals a day, breakfast, and dinner at around 8 o'clock in the evening. The solution for the Duchess was a pot of tea and a light snack, taken privately in her boudoir during the afternoon."
During this time away we are also meeting up with very dear friends for a few days of misbehaving and exploring. We meet up every summer and just have a blast. A few hangovers often ensue but we are getting better at drinking plenty of water so that we do enjoy the whole weekend!! We have tickets for Let's Rock London. An afternoon and evening of 80's music including Bananarama and Rick Astley. It's going to be such a laugh. My lovely friend, Jayne has decided that we need to go as Bananarama. Yep, so I've got dungarees and a bandana hairband. Luckily we've decided that the men do not need to dress up. Three grown men in dungarees would be disturbing to say the very least, particularly as we need to cross London to get to the park for the concert!
So in my suitcase I already need a tea dress and a pair of dungarees plus the accessories to go with both. Then I have ten days with my lovely Dicky B that always includes some nice meals out and casual days mooching around London. Allowing for extreme weather possibilities I'm sure you can begin to understand my packing dilemmas for an extended trip home. But I love this stage, the build up to my summer at home. The countdown has begun, as of yet to be put up on Instagram or Facebook, but they will be.
Before that though I have a few lovely weekends planned in Dubai seeing my friends before we all go our separate ways for the summer.