Stargazer's Haven - Life's A Stitch!

Just got back from school.  We had the final conference with social services.  THEY’VE CLOSED THE CASE!!!!!!!!!

Please forgive me for getting so over-excited but if you’ve read this blog for the last six months, you’ll know what a huge relief this is for us.  We’re incredibly happy with the outcome.

I’m also incredibly happy for another reason.  I have met and fallen in love with the most wonderful man on the planet.  He’s everything I ever wanted and I hope I am the same for him.  I may be offline for a good few days in the future as he’s coming to see us again this coming week.

Nothing more specific to say right now, other than… life really is sweet right now.  Thanks to all my friends for your wonderful support over this tough time, you’re the best! 

Not!  I really didn’t want to get up this morning – nothing new there – but then I really should try and get to sleep before 4am!  Got a lot on my mind again at the moment so I was stitching until 3am in bed!

I turned the alarm off at 7.30am and got up, called Ryan then went downstairs to make his packed lunch.  I was going to do chicken sandwiches using the leftover roast chicken from last night, but it was just slightly overcooked and a bit hard and dry.  Fine to eat as it is but likely to choke someone in a sandwich.  So, after washing his lunchbox and slicing the chicken, I decided to give him cheese and crackers as well.  Well, if you’ve ever tried to butter cream crackers, you’ll know it’s not the quickest of jobs if you want to make them good.  By the time I’d sliced the cheese, buttered all the crackers etc., it was almost time for Ry to leave for the bus.  He had to dry his lunchbox and then I packed it.

Last night, I had to nag and nag and nag at him to get his stuff ready for the morning and get showered.  He eventually did that and got to bed around 1am!  This morning he ended up having a right old go at me because he couldn’t find his PE kit.  For starters, if he’d got his bags ready properly last night, he’d have noticed then that it was missing.  And the reason it was missing is because it was still wet in the washing machine.  And before you start thinking what a slack mother I am to have forgotten that – well, in my defence it wasn’t entirely my fault.  You see, on Friday night I asked Ryan to make sure all his washing was in the laundry basket, which he said he’d done.  So over the weekend I’m merrily getting on with the washing from the basket and it wasn’t until I was putting the very last lot into the machine (reds) that I realised I hadn’t seen any PE kit.  No, because it was still in his bag from last week, that’s why!  So it ended up going in with the reds – it’s navy so it wouldn’t have mattered if the red had run.  Of course, I didn’t get around to drying the reds last night and forgot that the navy stuff was in with it.  Short memory, my brain told me I’d done the darks – which means the school stuff is done – so it simply didn’t register.

Until this morning.  Ry’s tearing around the house complaining because he can’t find his kit.  Only then does it dawn on me that it’s still in the washing machine!  Too late to dry it at 8am when he should have already been on his way to the bus stop!  So an argument ensues whereby he accuses me of being utterly useless (in not such kind words!) and says he’ll have to wear it wet.  Which then has me screaming at him that he can’t wear it wet and how dare he call me names and say it’s my fault when he didn’t put it for the wash in the first place.  I threw the kit at him and went into the kitchen, he stormed upstairs muttering something about detention for not having his kit.  I stormed up the stairs after him and told him a few home truths and said perhaps he should just take his other PE kit instead (they have indoor kit and outdoor kit – he’s had to take the outdoor kit today) which he did.  He had calmed down within a couple of minutes so he didn’t go off in a foul mood which is good.  I told him he could blame me if his teacher got a bit funny with him but he’s not to have a go at me like that again when it’s not entirely my fault!  But that was one morning scenario that I do not wish to repeat – least of all on a Monday!

The weekend was a bit of a disappointment.  I made plans and the weather ruined them.  It was so hellishly windy on Friday night and Saturday that we didn’t venture out as we had planned.  I was going to take Ry to town so that he could sit and watch the trains at the station.  He loves diesel trains.  Thought perhaps we might even go on one, maybe do a bit of shopping, have lunch out – make a day of it.  But the weather had other ideas so we’ll have to do that stuff another time.  Shame really.

It was supposed to be my WIP/UFO weekend as well but I didn’t get much stitching done.  I did finally finish EMS Advent Calendar 18 and started on 19.  I have taken photos but they’re still on the camera – mainly because Ryan’s got my camera attached to his computer!  I also did a bit of stitching on his Colourful Calico Cat design which is also what I worked on until 3am.

Ry decided to have a bit of a shove round of furniture in the hall and living room yesterday, said he was bored!  So now the tumble drier is in the living room and the freezer is in the hall.  I had defrosted the freezer because it somehow got left open a tiny crack a few weeks ago and the ice was so bad we could hardly close the lid.  So that was a long overdue job that’s now been done.  I cleaned it out and switched it back on to re-freeze in time for the shopping to arrive from Tesco.  It arrived 20 minutes before my time-slot which was brilliant.  I’ve just put it all away and now I can get on with my stitching for the day.

The weather’s got windy again although at least it’s stopped chucking down.  Ah well, Winter draw(er)s on, as my Mum used to say!

The year is really galloping now isn’t it!  It doesn’t seem like five minutes ago that we were watching the New Year’s firework displays around the world and here we are, just a few weeks from it again!  Every new year promises a new beginning and in a lot of cases the new year is harder than the old one.  This year has been mediocre for us really, with both good and bad things but in all cases, things could have been much worse and we’re grateful that they weren’t.

We have so much to be grateful for.  It’s so easy to take for granted the things around us and we’re all guilty of doing it at some point in our lives.  When I’m stitching, I am mindful of how lucky I am to have my eyesight and my hands and the knowledge to be able to do my hobby.  I take for granted the fact that I can walk, a fact which was brought home to me yesterday while I was waiting for the meeting at school to commence.  I was standing in reception and a boy of around Ryan’s age struggled past me on a huge walking frame.  It was a massive effort for him but he still smiled at me and said ‘hello’ – I returned his greeting and felt very humbled.

I’m grateful for the fact that I can hear my music, my phone ring and my friends talking to me.  I can stop and smell the flowers and I can taste all the good food I have in front of me each day.  Sometimes life pulls me up short and tells me to stop being so negative about stuff that happens and start being positive about all the blessings I already have.  Today is one of those days.

The meeting at school yesterday went very well.  Everyone is pleased with the progress that’s been made.  I also had a positive benefits review and my advisor is going to help me sort out whether it’s possible for me to get some business help.  I’ve got to go into the Jobcentre every week for the next six weeks and see where we go from there.

I haven’t done much stitching this week so far.  I still haven’t finished EMS Advent Calendar number 18 so it’s not likely that it’ll be finished for the first of December.  I’m still going to try and get it done this year though – I might just fill every pocket with something and give it to Ryan for a Christmas present lol.  And I’m still working on an ornament.  I’ve got a list as long as my arm of things still to stitch this side of Christmas and I really need to discipline myself now to get them done.  So that’s where I’m off to now.  I’m a bit tired because I haven’t slept too well the last few nights, not being able to get warm in bed is a bummer!

… harrowing week, one way or another.  My head is thumping because I have a migraine – second one this week, although the first time I managed to halt the headache by taking painkillers while I still had the lights (visual disturbances, for those who don’t know).  This one must have happened while I slept because I woke up with my head already pounding.  Luckily, I don’t suffer too badly with them, I just feel like a zombie and, typically, I’m a bit late for that particular party!

The good news is that Ryan’s muscle issue is almost sorted, his tingling is now only in the side of his stomach.  It’s subsided everywhere else so he’ll be back to normal by next week with a bit of luck.  Thanks again to all who sent their good wishes, we both really appreciate that you care.

I’ve been busy, stitching and doing *H* (yes, you did read that right lol).  I added the extra chore of wiping down all the windows and sills because they are getting condensated which just shows what fantastic double glazing it is – not!  Cheapest of the cheap I suspect since we’re housing association tenants.  I even got around to getting the mould off the front door window pane as well.  Beginning to wish I’d just got a plain door now!

The final visit from the family support worker was on Wednesday.  He turned up here at 2.50pm saying he was 10 minutes early.  I’ve told him several times before that Ryan doesn’t get home from school until 4pm!  Anyway, we had a chat, he had a look around the house to make sure we weren’t getting in a mess and then dashed off down to school to pick Ry up from there.  He took him to McDonald’s for a farewell meal, they had a good chat from what I can gather.  Got a core group meeting at school on Tuesday afternoon, the social worker will pick me up and bring us both home afterwards.  In two weeks or so, this nightmare should come to a close.  That will be one less thing to have to worry about so that’s good.  The final conference is the day before Ry’s girlfriend’s birthday – it’s all go!

I’ve somewhat foolishly offered to stitch something for the girl’s birthday so Ry’s got a gift for her, can’t afford to buy anything right now, so I’ve got to squeeze that in amongst all the other stuff I’m trying to do.  I finished stitching one ornament yesterday although it still needs finishing into its final form.  I’ve started on the next ornament as well and did stitch a bit on number 18 (backstitch) so that’s nearly done.  I’m going to dedicate all the weekends to stitching the calendar now – I’m pretty sure I still won’t have it finished for December 1st but at least it will be done sooner rather than later and Ry may still be able to get some use out of it for this year.  It’s a really big project and a bit ambitious but I’d hate to get it finished after Advent – knowing me I’ll probably lose it between then and next December!  Disorganised?  Yea, you could say that! LOL 

Due to the recent breakup of my friends’ marriage and her subsequent defection to Wales, I was given some train tickets to the NEC for the Crafts for Christmas show this weekend.  I would have loved to go because Ry would have enjoyed the train journeys but unfortunately, I can’t get to the station (her husband offered to take us and pick us up but then he created a ton of problems and issues that meant it would be so difficult for him to do that I would have had to beg and grovel to get him to take us.  Believe me, it’s not worth my time and effort now!)  Their house is up for sale and he’s going back home to Scunthorpe (take off the first letter and the last five letters and you’ll see quite why he belongs there!)  So we’re well and truly isolated now, they were our only decent neighbours and now they’re gone. 

I had my music on nice and loud yesterday – all day – all Goo Goo Dolls – and I was singing along to everything all day, hence my slightly sore throat today.  But it’s nice at the moment that I can play my music as loud as I want.  I’m on the end of the terrace and the two houses next door are both empty.  We’ve had five neighbours moving recently so the economy can’t be too bad for some people!

I didn’t see or hear much in the way of fireworks last night, must have been because I was listening to my music.  Ry said he heard tons of them.  Oh well, it’s not very exciting as you get older, much like Christmas – it really is for kids.

I’m so glad it’s Friday.  I really need a lay-in tomorrow, I feel like sh*t today and I just want life to settle down and get back to normal – whatever the hell that is!

Good in so many ways and bad in a couple.  Ryan went back to school on Monday, despite the fact that his right side was still tingling a lot.  I wrote a letter excusing him from PE this week (he has lessons Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday) since I wasn’t sure he’d be safe leaping and jumping about with a dead leg!  He said he got on fine, which is a big relief.  Thank you to everyone who sent him their kind wishes for a speedy recovery.

He did have some problems with kids on the bus on Monday, when he got home he was covered in apple juice, had been hit on the head with a bottle and had something revolting stuck to the seat of his trousers.  So everything, including Ryan, had to go in the wash when he got home.  The joys of other peoples’ kids!

I’ve been busy stitching, can’t show any photos just at the moment because the items are for exchanges so pics will follow once they are received.  Unfortunately, I’m not sure when they’ll even be sent out, the mail-out deadline was originally October 29th but we’ve been advised to hold off and hope that the postal strikes cease.  This country will be on its knees if the union gets its own way.

The EMS Advent Calendar is coming along, still nowhere near where I should be with it, but I’ve got as far as almost finishing number 18.  As soon as I’ve got these ornaments out of the way, I’ll be able to concentrate on it 100% and hopefully it’ll still be usable this year!  Haven’t taken photos of 17 yet either, so I’ll post pics another time.

Not really much to report today, have a few really good friends cheering me up today – just as well in light of the news of recent relationship break-ups surrounding me.  Why can’t people just learn to get along?