A Continuation of Reflections

A lot has happened in Glasgow since we left.Dad's car has been sold! the caravan will be sold very soon,Sandra and Jackie went to Inveraray at the weekend,the storm damage has been fixed and the van looks well.We think Jim has a buyer but he has not said he has, he has offered us the price dad wanted :-) dad hope you know,you will be a happy camper. Kintillo or 36K as dad referred to it,will be on the market on Monday if Sandra has her way,and she will :-). Dad you amazed us all at the legacy you have left for us.You worked hard and saved hard and did not waste your money and we have all benefited.So proud of you,hope you could see our faces when we heard from Sandra how much you had saved- priceless. You always said,"it's all for you lot, hen" Thank you x Dad your window has been delivered to Castlenel and with luck Big Phil ( your name for him) and Frank are fitting it to-day.A friend of Lucy's is going to make a plaque for the window,don't know what it wil...

 

 

 

 

 

Back in Liverpool and it feels good. Little apartment survived the month without us.Thank goodness for Maureen and Bob who came in to keep the place nice. We saw Julie and Raph's lovley top flat apartment on Sunday we had tea there and it was lovely.I think they are good together. We went to see The Artist at the Grosvenor, again, and this time went upstairs to have coffee,it was amazing the old ceiling is still there and the cimena screen too.Just as it was 50 odd years ago when we used to go on a regular basis.I was an usherette there one night when I was a teenager. I stood in for a friend.At the interval I got to put on the goodie tray and sell icecream tubs and ice lollies.It was fun.Wish I could remember what the film was,I was allowed to stand at the back and watch it. Jackie and Rebekks called in the day before we left and we caught up on wedding plans.Geoff got the job in Birmingham but don't know if he took it. had a drink with Sandra Julie and Raph on Monday night at...

Tonight I feel pain,I said better that apathay ,well?. said "bye" tonight to Sandra at three craws, very difficult for both of us. leaving this home,dad's much loved home,mum's home where they raised five of us,the grandchildren too. Putting da's fleece back on his chair,putting "things" away,to perhaps go to a charity shop? their lives hopes dreams,precious things,we don't want,we took what we could but ,some things have to go...too too sad.PAINFUL. Lot of crying tonight! I love and miss you my beloved pa X

Saturday 20 th January has been a bad day. I feel sad restless and I have had an upset tummy too.I can't get interested in anything and the hours seem like days. Listless, apathy, lack interest are all part of grieving.Two days of this is hard Feeling ,is better than this odd nothingness. Only two days but feels much longer. Thursday we went to Robert's for supper and it was a treat,to see hime,to enjoy a meal with him and to walk into a wonderful old Glasgow tenement. John and I were both flooded with memories of our childhood in the tenements.It was such a good feeling. I could live in that place,easily. We are going back to Liverpool soon and I wonder if leaving here soon is upseting me more than I know. I feel close to dad here and i am close to all the family too. Yet I know in my head I love Liverpool,yet I can't get any enthusiasm for going back.To be fair. I can't get any enthusiam for anything much right now. All shall be well and all shall be well, and all man...

Looking back on this week it has been very mixed ,in many ways ,especially emotionally. We had three evenings out in a row. Thursday we had an Indian meal cooked by Bill ,at Irene and Bill's, dad's next door neighbours. it was delicious and we really enjoyed their company and getting to know them better! and hearing them talking about dad. Friday we went to Las Ramblas in Bearsden with Qwynneth and Jenny,our treat ,to thank them for all the evenings they have organised when we have been in Glasgow. We had time to eat drink wine and have a good long talk about Scottish history, Scottish politics and other interesting things.I would like to see more of them it was good. Saturday our nephews Matthew and Greg collected us from dad's .drove to their house in Bearsden for a wonderful family night. We had great chat, great Chinese food and good company.I am left with an overall feeling of warmth when I look back over those three evenings. On Sunday we planned to visit Glasgow Cath...

I have been emotionally sounds for a few days now :-) John and I had a great day out in Edinburgh and we both loved every minute of it. The journey was so easy you can get a train from Scotstounhill all the way to Edinburgh Waverley.We had lunch in the Art Gallery a sharing platter,two cups of Pumpkin and Leak soup sandwiches pate and oatcakes.Delicious. We the walked down Princes Street where there is still work being done on the trams. We walked over Regent Street and had great views of the Parliament and Hollyrood Palace.It was perishing cold and we were greteful to arrive and Parliament and to be welcomed in by four cheery scotts.There was thirty minutes opening left and that gave us enough time to visit the Chamber.Just John and I standing there was magical! The archictecture is very modern a lot of wood and glass and great lighting too.You get great views of the hills and Hollyrood Palace from the chamber. Made us feel proud to be Scottish. We want to go back at 1st minister'...

The weather in Glasgow has been wild and wet. I have been in a calm space since New Year's eve.We had drinks with dad's neighbours and that was good with lots of talk of dad,and more of getting to know them. Sandra and I went Mum's grave and sprinkled a few of dad's ashes there. We hope they don't mind but we feel we can visit them both at the same time.We then had coffee with Jackie and she told us more of her wedding plans which was good fun John and I had a day in Glasgow and we visited the The Gallery on Modern Art on Queen Steet.We had a great few hours there.We wandered round Glasgow enjoying the Christmas lights and we visited The Glasgow concert hall and got a programme.They have a wonderful Celtic Connections season coming up ,sadly ,just after we leave.I bought wool in John Lewis and we had tea. We enjoyed a 12th night family party here at Kintillo Drive, I cooked and baked,we had fairy lights,flowers, and music.The atmosphere was warm and welcoming and e...

Happy new year ,people always wish this for each other ,it is nice and I hope it is a happy new year. Christmas went well at Salford,Philip and Phil did the cooking and the entertainment,great food good company and wonderful gifts. Boxing day we stayed on at Salford and the etap hotel.Andrew had breakfast with us then headed to Warwick. Then we all went on the tram to Media City and had a look round then had a coffee at the Hilton Hotel.It was good to get out and have some air.I felt sad,missed dad, we went back to Philip's and i cooked and the guys did crosswords. Another saddness was that a young Asian man was shot on Christmas night ,a hate crime.We saw a group of festive looking young Asians as we got back to the Etap on Christmas night. He was almost certainly one of them.So sad. We travelled to Glasgow on December 27th and went straight to Xscape at Braehead to meet with all the Collins family. It was a special time for me,all of us I think.All the grandchildren who were in G...