A little catch up....

The family had a little stay-cation a few weeks ago.

We were on the road every morning by 1030 ( a feat in its own right!)

One day we went to Bristol Zoo

One day we went to Bristol Docks - Munchkin seen here with his bacon roll which he refused to share with the seagulls

On another day, we went in search of Huckford Viaduct - pleased to report that we found it.

We also befriended some Lemurs at Madagascar - Cotswold Wildlife Park - well, maybe befriended is a bit too strong a term.

We definitely befriended Toffee the miniature donkey

And we even managed a bit of DIY!

All in all we had a good rest and a great many fun days out filled with lots of laughter and giggles.

Novus Orsa

And so with one end, comes a new beginning. With one farewell, comes a welcome, with one death comes a new life.

The circle of life is yet again, complete. Somewhere in the East today, a little blessing arrived, screaming no doubt with the vitality of life, filling a void, providing a hope.

You have been long awaited little one. Welcome!

From far and wide they came.....

to celebrate the life of a man that over the years, has been colleague, friend and brother. The service stations along the way were riddled with mini reunions of people that had not seen each other for years, but who picked up, exactly where they left off, friends, comrades...family.

Again, the family gathered, to celebrate, as requested the life of an amazing man, who touched all our lives in different ways sharing blood, sweat, tears and a few "interesting" experiences along the way. A man who taught us in his later years that fighting the good fight is why we live, staying optimistic is how we should be and being warriors, not whingers in life, is what it is all about.

He wanted us to reminisce about the good times, the fun times, the times when mentioned reduce us all to laughter....belly aching laughter. Amidst the sombre nature of the occasion, laughter rang out. With the flowing tears came smiles from memories of days gone by, lifting heavy hearts and spirits, carving smiles in the glum faces that were there.

People lined the aisles, there were no empty seats, no unfilled spaces. There wasn't any standing room left. We listened to how this special man was a dad, a husband, a friend, a hero and a legend. We heard how he fought and never gave up. But most of all, love filled the room. If there was one thing that I learnt today, it is that the family will always be there, through the good times and the bad times, together, always. It is the same faces that you see, at every occasion, regardless of what it is. It is the family that always come together regardless of distance. There was not other place that any of us would have been as today of all days, home was with the family and the family, brought us all home.

The sins of the father shall be visited upon the son

Enough said. I teach him nice, conventional nursery rhymes. His father on the other hand, teaches him things like this blaming the lack of self knowledge. Well, I guess this is another step of well roundedness.

From the archives

I was thinking about Ah Ee today as she is going to embark on a bit of a journey next week. I chanced upon this, made quite a while ago in April. Munchkin wasn't even 2 then.....seems like a lifetime ago listening to him now!

Party Time!

Today we have been at a birthday party (note Munchkin only has eyes for food)
He was particularly partial to the ham and the hula hoops

Even the entertainment could not tempt him away from the food

Eventually the promise of raisins did

but he was a little concerned about the Rainbow Pixie

Here's hoping that he won't dream about her tonight!

O Hallow's Eve

when witches prowl
and Jack O'Lanterns glow and growl

And little imps and goblins creep

and munchkins giggle

laugh and squeak!

Time to say goodbye

To a man, who these many months has provided us all with a lesson in how to be brave, how to fight and never give up and how to remain strong in the face of the unthinkable.

As he sleeps forever now, we smile and celebrate the life filled with the wealth of a loving family, the richness of friends who care and the abundance of spirit.

Here's to you and the good fight and yes, we will see you again.

One little jab in the arm

One WHOLE week of weirdness.

Well, on Saturday a week ago, I strolled into the place with nice nursies to subject myself, voluntarily to a nasty needle. At least I thought I would be inflicted with A nasty needle. In fact, I had to endure 2 nasty needles from the nice nursey who, did let me have 2 plasters to prove a point.

Anyway, when I got home I started feeling a littl strange (even more than normal). By mid afteroon, I had to go to bed for an hour. During the night, I started to get a dull ache in my arm. On waking on Sunday morning, I discovered I had what looked like 2 lashes across my upper arm where the pneumonia needle kissed me. By midweek, the lashes had turned to welts. By Wednesday, I had one mother of all red rashes which was painful and warm to the touch. Hmm, I decided to speak to nice nursey at work who said that I would feel poo for a while and that some drugs of the legal kind would help.

Off home i traipsed after being at work for a couple of hours and horizontal I stayed for 4 hours or so.

What a week. Today the rash is the size of a £2 piece and fortunately, no longer painful. I can actually lift my arm again.

Just goes to sow what 20 strains of pneumonia at one shot can do to you.......

Sometimes.....

when you love someone...you just have to let them go.

A very wise woman told me this recently and it rings true in so many ways. Love is a strange sentiment. It is gentle and kind but it is also all consuming and protective. It can be fierce, it can be angry and it can make you say things that you don't mean. It is those we love most that bear the brunt of all this, as they also enjoy the good times when love manifests itself as tender, affectionate and patient.

I am reminded that love is in all of us. I am reminded that love is the greatest of all feelings yet it can be the cruelest too. I am aware that love can bring people closer together but I am also aware that love, at its worst can push people apart.

But, all that being said. Love is all conquering. I believe this. I hold on to this and I concede that truly, as that wise woman said, sometimes love is not just not having to say you're sorry, but love is also about letting go. I find this difficult but I know I must as if I don't, I will loose something very dear to me, something that all the riches in the world can't buy, something I hold precious. So let go I must, with a prayer in my heart that, if it is not too late, love will heal and all will be well again.

Flex those muscles.....

facial ones that is......Munchkin has been having a facial workout. He discovered the new expression today.

Ok, so Mummy can't remember which way to hold the video cam but it makes rather amusing viewing. The expressions make me laugh anyway. See what you think....

More Munchkinisms

Munchkin: Daddy you Prickle - lee
Daddy: Am I?
Munchkin: (y)es. Shave yourself!

Munchkin: Postman Pat, Postman Pat
Mummy: And his black and white cat.......
Munchkin: No. Don't interrupt me Mummy, I singing.
Mummy: (MEEP!) Sorry darling.
Munchkin: Say 'scuse me next time. D0n't do it again.

It was a happy day

We made our journey East today. Our hearts heavy,our minds racing in anticipation of what would await us there. It was the most difficult of journeys, it was a hello, nice to see you, good bye nice to have known you sort of visit.

But the spirit of the "family" managed to save the day. And the centre of it all, the bravest, most strong willed man I know. I watched in awe as the weary, tired physical self made its way to a seat outside, stumbling along the way and needing an arm of assistance. But as the conversation started to roll, an immeasurable strength emerged, blotting out the frail physical existence revealing hope, strength and such courage.

I watched from afar for the hours that we were together. The body was tired and weary but the spirit, well, was soaring. We talked about old times, dear times, happy times, sad times. We reminisced about the things that we had to do, things that we shouldn't have done and things that we would do all over again.

The sun was out, the smiles and laughter warmed us all taking away the chill of the fragility of life.

It has been a good day, a great day when once more, the "family" came together proving that the path to a friend's house is never too long. Love drew us all there, love will keep giving us hope and love will bring us together again.

Ever has it been.....

......that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation.

There are those who we meet, in the journey that is life who touch us, inspire us and remind us the importance of the bond of love, family and friendship. These are those most easily taken foregranted until it comes the time that separation is unavoidable, inevitable, imminent.

It is times like this that prompt me to stop, take stock and give thanks for the blessing of kinmanship and wise council. These are those who you want to share the most significant of life's milestones with. These are the ones who you know, would drop anything and come if you need them. You know this because you would do exactly the same for them.

I guess this is a position of priviledge. It is not often that one gets an amber light. A prompt for action. A BIG hint to tell that someone how you feel before it is too late. What to say? The truth is, I haven't got a clue of the right thing to say, to do or to feel. But I know this, the exodus East is the right thing to do for me. Eastwards we head....to try and put into words and actions a special bond of love that can only be understood by those few special ones who are part of this little circle of what can only be described as a family of dear, dear friends

Toddler Taming

What is this?

Hmm...I wonder what this is for?

Well, in the last week we have made a few changes to the Munchkin's environment. The base of his cot has been lowered and a stairgate has been installed (thank you, Chief Oracle!) across his bedroom door.

You see, we have had an escapee. The little terror has managed to escape the confines of his cot whilst zipped into a sleeping bag.

Fingers crossed, all is quiet in the lair up there, the babe is asleep and snoring like a bear.

In a world of his own

We have concluded that Munchkin lives in Munchkin land. And things in Munchkin land are not as they seem to the layman's eye.

Daddy: (reading Goodnight Moon) Goodnight mush, Goodnight old lady, whispering hush.
Munchkin: Is not
Daddy: Is not?
Munchkin: Is not an old lady, Daddy. Is a rabbit, actually.

note to the reader: Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown was illustrated by Clement Hurd depicting rabbits as the main characters

Kids - who'd have em?

A random collection of Munch-isms

Munchkin: Mummmmmyyyyyy!
Mummy: Yes, Munchkin. What is it?
Munchkin: I have a worm
Mummy: (He can't possibly have one, he's making it up!) Oh, that's nice.
Munchkin: I have Bitted it.
Mummy: (level of doubting the existence of the worm diminishing fast)
Munchkin: Has a HOLE in it. Is Dead.
Lesson 1 - He says it like it is. He does not have a really good imagination. He just does what it says on the tin.

Munchkin: Chersie has got some NICE Mac-crackers
Mummy: Has she? (Hmm, maybe what he says next will give me a clue as to what he means)
Munchkin: They Lovely. They nice and wobble-ley. I shake them like this
(violent shaking of hands in cupping motion interchanged ith clenched fists)
Mummy: !!!!!!!!!

He meant Maracas

Lesson 2 - Misinterpretation of Munch-isms are common.

Munchkin: Mummyyyyy! I under the table
Mummy: What are you doing there?
Munchkin : I having a BIG poo
Mummy: (remembers lesson 1 above and prepares stations for pit stop)
Munchkin: (runs into the room, points his bottom at me and backs up) Mummy, smell my bottom. It is Smelly like a big smelley poo

Lesson 3 - Munchkin does pride himself in his work and appreciates acknowledgement of a job well done.

It is a little wonkey.....but

The sentiment is real.

We tired to speak to the Lau Lang today as it is Ah Ma's birthday but they were busy gallivanting (and eating) - pure speculation but I am sure there is some truth in it!

Still, we just wanted to say this...a bit up-side down but maybe washed down with a little whiskey......

Munchkin on film

Tarzan (without the loin cloth)
Castaway

Gone in 60 seconds

Racing Stripes

The Godfather

Too Fast Too Furious

Rumble Down Under

G'day lil' Rollo! Welcome to the world little Seahorse!

Early yesterday morning we got a message telling us that we have been blessed (from afar) and T has now got a first cousin once removed (I am reliably informed by the office clever clogs who has a wealth of knowledge of all things .......well, all things). The photos are magical and make me rather nostalgic about Munchkin when he was that 'ickle. What a difference 2 years makes!??!

Anyway, to the possums down under, we say Happy Days!

What a difference half an hour makes...

I have lots of hairgoing...................

going................

All gone!

oh well! It'll grow back...it might take a while...but I am sure it will.

Hmmm

We are in deep contemplation and will eventually have to come to a decision. Do we or don't we? Should we or shouldn't we? Hmm...a tough decision but fortunately one that we need not have an answer to for a little while as we do have time on our side.

Still, looking through the options is making rather interesting reading. There is much to take into consideration. So much to weigh up.

Through the muddle of information, there is a clear path as of one thing we are certain, the goal.

So weigh up the information we must, sift through the detail we will and a decision will come, no sooner than it is required and no later than it can be made.

Ah go on....you know you want to

Go on....give Daddy a kiss..
No...will not

Well.....I suppose I ought to

Pucker up Daddy - INCOMING!

Mission accomplished and it was better than I thought

One little voice, one little plea

Don't take to the skies, please don't leave me

I'll miss you more than you will know

I really didn't want to see you go

So Cheers! to you from across the seas

I promise to be good so Lau Lang Please!

Make my Christmas wish come true

This one little plea, from me to you, I just don't know what else to do.

Time to say goodbye

They came, they filled this home with joy and love and they have now gone

I have spent the last week trying not to think about the miles that separate us and the days and months until we meet again. My parents are angels. I am biased, I realise that. But there aren't many people who would give up a month of their busy lives (going to kopi tiam, working, exercising etc etc) to:Take on the role of chief groundsman/gardener/gamekeeper at someone else's house

Clear the substantial ironing backlog

And most importantly to dote, totally and absolutely on one little boy

And the investment has paid off. He loves them (so he says), he misses them (bit obvious from the staring out of the window at planes saying "Ah Ma, Ah Kong they back" and he wants them back.

We have all dealt with the void that they have left in different ways; Munchkin has been talking to Ah Ma and Ah Kong on his telephone and holding his treasured tennis ball tightly in his little hands every day, T has fired up the wok and fried copius amounts of keropok and ikan bilis and I have cooked "Mama meals" for both us and Munchkin. They have left a gap. A BIG gap particularly with Munchkin.

Munchkin: I packing my suitcase, Mummy: Where are you going?

Munchkin: To May-see-yaa to live in Ah Ma and Ah Kong's house there with them

Mummy: Do you not want to live with Mummy and Daddy any more?

Munchkin: No....want Ah Ma and Ah Kong. Ah Kong is my Christmas present

Mummy: Is he?

Munchkin: Is going to jump out of a box with a ribbon on his head, for me

So, to two very special people who are sorely missed, thank you, for sharing with us a magical time, blessed with love and filled with joy. Here is not to the miles that separate us but rather to the promise that every day that passes is another day closer to us being all together again.

Out and about

Today we will mainly go into Nailsworth
Here fishy fishy in the river

Hmm..no fishies.....outta here then...onward to Cirencester

Ah well....I'll just slide down this firemen's pole

I want a climbing frame....just like this one.

I LIKE these doggies....Can I take them home with me?

Where is my pie, my 2 in 1 pie?