ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY - 39TH OF 2021

 Good morning lovely people tis Friday time for 

I hope I find you well, I'm here to share the positive bits of the week, the little silver linings and grateful moments that still occur even when life seems to be giving you an awful lot of lemons. 

For those that catch up on my blog regularly you'll know that I promised to update you on last week as it was our birthday week we didn't really know what to expect, but as it turned out hubby pulled this one out of the hat, not only had he booked us a midweek break in Center Parcs, he'd managed to upgrade it so we could take away my niece and her other half and my Mum and sister taking it to the largest villa that Center Parcs do.  Now anyone that has done Center Parcs will know that it is never a cheap do, so thankfully those going were happy to pay for the meals out and activities making it slightly more balanced on the cost front yay. 

We did get my Mum a trike, but to be perfectly honest she really wasn't well enough to use it, so it sat outside the villa for the week, but we grabbed a couple of fun shots on the last day

and that's my Mum always smiling! 

We had a couple of meals out, one to Cafe Rouge and the other to Bella Italia, I hadn't realised how serious my Mum looked on this one lol

Hubby and said 21 year old enjoyed the bikes, said 21 year old even peddled the trike back to the villa when my Mum wasn't up to it. 

We enjoyed walking around the woods at night

Made memories for his 21st

Enjoyed time out together

One of said 21 year old and his fiancee

We had fun with filters on the phone

Got a lovely shot of hubby and said 21 year old

And a lovely shot of the three of us 

They did the aeriel adventure (they being everyone except me and my Mum) as I don't do heights

It really was high up but they didn't seem to find that a problem

In fact in some instances they made it look decidedly easy

Posing for shots

This was the final platform to the zip wire over the lake - I personally think they are all nuts, but they all really enjoyed it. 

I enjoyed the last full night's sunset over the lake and a walk with hubby and my sister

The youngsters enjoyed the pool time

And it really felt like the next generation of Center Parc goers establishing their roots if I'm honest. 

And we got a final 'Friends' shot on the morning we were leaving. 

Overall despite the fact my Mum was really struggling we had a lovely few days, soaking up the forest sunshine, celebrating birthdays and just spending time together making new memories. 

On Sunday our trip boat from work known as Spirit was making her way back from Sheffield down Tinsley flight (11 locks).  We've done the trip before and I asked my Mum if she fancied being a chief tea-masher with me and she agreed, so we had a fantastic trip back which we really enjoyed, it was definitely good for the soul. 

The rest of the week had its ups and downs at the moment, we are waiting on blood results which will indicate whether my Mum's chemo will be IV or tablet, she really would like tablet as this means she won't lose her hair again, so please keep your fingers and toes crossed they find no protein.  We've also been given the length of time we will have if the chemo works, which is nowhere near enough, but we are determined to make as many positive memories as we possibly can with her and keep her upbeat and positive, your thoughts and prayers really mean the world, so thank you! 

And finally a little reflection from me, life has its ups and downs, peaks and troughs, in amongst these peaks and troughs is that thing called life, whilst there is no guarantees in life, the one thing we know is that if we come into this life at some point we must also leave it, but the thing to really appreciate is that the richest of people in world aren't marked by the size of their bank account or the newness of their car or the fanciness of their holidays but by the time they spend with people they love creating a wealth of memories, this is what makes an individual truly the richest person in the world.  

I hope you've all had a lovely week, if you fancy joining in pop a post together come back and link up so we can come and visit. 

ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY - 38TH OF 2021

 Good morning lovely people tis Friday time for

Well it has been a strange week given our news last week, we are all reeling a little bit as you can probably imagine, but finding silver linings is what this post is all about.

So people contacting me via social media or Whatsapp to say they are thinking about me and my family and that they are there if I need them, which really is lovely of them, it means so much when people you haven't seen for a while or even a long time, realise that through the difficult days they can definitely be your silver linings so for that I am immensely grateful. 

Hugs from said 21 year old, that's right it was his birthday this week, where do the years go, it really doesn't feel like 21 years since he was born (but then it does if that makes sense), I went into labour on my birthday at 7.30am but he decided he didn't fancy sharing my birthday and arrived at 6.08am the following morning.  

I am immensely proud of the very well put together, thoughtful, loving and caring young man he has become. 

Lots of conversations with my Mum and sister recently, keeping everyone chipper and upbeat between us. 

A lovely conversation with my first cousin Patsy she really is the sweetest human being in the world, always there to listen, a shoulder to cry on and sometimes to cheer me up or make me laugh, we often put the world to rights and I feel incredibly privileged to spend that time with her. 

Said 21 year old's fiancee bought the now traditional birthday cookie, this one for me

And this one for said 21 year old (I definitely won on the icing front)

I also couldn't make my mind up on cakes and hubby insisted we have one each, so we got a Morris the Caterpillar and a Clyde the Caterpillar from Morrisons and Asda respectively. 

We had fairly grand plans for said 21 year old's birthday pre-pandemic, but to be honest, just spending time together as a family will do if you know what I mean.

I will provide you with more updates on this week next week (it will make more sense next week I promise), I hope you've had a grand week, if you fancy joining in pop a post together, pop back and link up and we can come and visit. 

ROCKING YOUR WORLD FRIDAY - 37TH OF 2021

 Good Morning lovely people tis Friday time for

We had a lovely week away which I promised I'd share with you all this week, we stayed on a working farm in a beautiful part of Herefordshire in a holiday let called the Hayloft and we planned in advance lots of things we fancied doing. 

On the day we travelled down we stopped off at Stokesay Castle for a wander, we've been before, but it is always a lovely visit.  This is the gatehouse

And this is the castle itself, we wandered inside and around the grounds and had a great little stop off before we continued on our way 

We arrived safe and sound and the following day went to Westonbury Mill and Water Gardens, which technically started out as a private garden that the owner eventually opened up for the paying public to enjoy. 

There were a number of recent follies dotted around the site including this water feature

And the amazing (definitely my favourite) bottle grotto 

Which you will appreciate probably more from the inside. 

We had a wander around the garden and had a lovely visit

Before heading off down the road to Berrington Hall 

Where we found some lovely rooms and some fabulous artwork done in a photo-realistic way (yes that is not a photograph but is in fact (and I too was astounded) with pastels). 

This dress inside the house amused me immensely, I genuinely can't see how a woman would have got around in something so ridiculous if I'm honest. 

This was one of my favourite pastel pictures, it has a very religious quality to it I'm sure you will agree, but if you look closely you can see the mobile phone held by the Mother. 

The day after we went to Canwood Art Gallery which again is privately owned and isn't open all the time, but we were there for one of its opening weeks, we strolled the site for a few hours, enjoying the outdoor sculptures

As well as the art inside, this was a particular favourite which was created by the person hovering over the gadgetry that translated hand motions and heat into pictures, these are a few we created 

Back outside we learnt that these were off a series called Beowolf

After Canwood we headed into Hereford itself and a wander around the cathedral which is beautiful 

As you can see. this is one of the small chapels off the main building

Outside we enjoyed some more artwork

Including this amazing tree of life on the floor

The following day we learnt there was an art festival in the local town, so we headed to that, it was lovely seeing all the artists at work, including willow weaving, painters and a multitude of other craft and art people. 

The day after that we went to Croft Castle, which was a real treat

and the National Trust that run Croft Castle had seen fit to put on an art trail in their grounds and as you know we do love a good art trail. so off we travelled finding the floating rock

The material hung pieces in the woods

Which when up close were actually photos taken in the V&A Museum in London of marble pieces that had been covered in polythene, they were quite surreal in the woodland surroundings. 

And some decorated chairs which were hard work to find and a little underwhelming when we eventually found them

That night in the field next to where we were staying the combined harvester was bringing in the crop to really late at night

Then we had a day at Hampton Court Castle (not to be mistaken for Hampton Court Palace), the gardens were stunning

And we found some artwork

The waterfall in the garden as next to this arbour and a tunnel which led

to a tower in the middle of the maze (not having to find the door for us)

And our final day was spent at Witley Hall and Gardens, a ruined building now due to an extensive fire which led to the eventual total demise of the building

The water feature in the garden however was definitely worth a watch

As was the Baroque church attached to the ruined building which gives you a feel for the grandeur of the original building. 

Overall it was most definitely a tiring but worthwhile week. 

This week has been a little harder work if truth be told, as always when you go back to work you do wonder which you've taken time off as it seems to take an age to catch up but I didn't do too badly, however news from my Mum on Wednesday was not of the positive side of things, she has been told that there is now cancer in her stomach and that they will need to be looking at further chemo treatment to try and shrink the tumours, it really isn't the news we wanted and as you can imagine we've cried many tears, however we intend on making sure she makes lots of memories, we pray that she still has much time with us and we hope the treatment isn't too invasive for her.   So why the rocking post you'll ask, well the silver linings were that my sister was able to go and understand what was being said (she's a nurse), that we got to see her that evening and despite the tears there was also much laughter and dark humour.  That I still get to spend time with her. 

I hope you've all had a grand week, if you fancy joining in pop a post together come back and link up and we can come and visit.