A car service, a funeral service, and normal service hopefully resumed next week!

This has been an odd week, I have been busy but don't seem to have achieved much. On Monday I got down to the task of removing more of the floor compound. I also  managed a walk, and in the afternoon a visit to takes some shirts and bed linen to be ironed.  I met two people whom I haven't seen for a while on Monday, so had some catching up to do. Then I drove down to the hospital path lab for my thyroid blood test. I also had  a phone call from the John Lewis furniture inspector to make an appointment to inspect the broken bed.

On Tuesday it was husband's car's turn for a service. it was bitterly cold, so in view of my near collapse in December, I had breakfast before I left. I still walked into town, but as the air was so cold I did not walk as quickly as usual. I also remembered my camera.

The sun was coming up through the the trees near the roundabout

This gate always amuses me

The 'Country Lane' which is yards from the main road

The old railway house

The housing estate where the maternity unit once stood. I had been there exactly 28 years ago

Our local landmark building, now expensive flats which they can't sell, and the new bridge

When I got home, I got stuck into the job of lifting the floor compound again. It is very slow work, but after a break to collect the car, I managed to get it completed. I couldn't fit the cooker back in, as the floor is now uneven, so that is the job for this week, to use some ordinary filler, as I used under the washing machine, then to stick new tiles on a (hopefully) level floor.

I was up early on Wednesday morning, I did some housework before setting off to Weightwatchers. I had lost a further one and a half pounds. Afterwards I skipped the Sainsbury's run, came home and did some packing, then after lunch I checked my tyres, picked up the Satnav which I bought 2 years ago and have never used, and set off for  Son's home in Cheshire where I had begged a bed for the night. I remembered the way to their house, so didn't use the Satnav, but it was harder to find the correct house in the dark. Daughter in Law was out walking their newly acquired dog, but soon came home. Son had been working in Llandudno where they are short staffed. He gets very good expenses, and it frees up a few of his hours for another member of staff.

I quickly made friends with Tom the border collie, who is sadly a 'failed' sheep dog. He is as soft as butter, a little nervous, and they began to regale me with their escapades with him whilst Son cooked a chilli.

Tom

Son coaxes the fire

Afterwards they had a Christianity Explained meeting in their home, so the evening passed quite quickly. Son complained of a headache and dizziness, so went off to bed, and we didn't stay up late either. I had difficuly sleeping , and was woken by a crash, I thought the dog had been up to something, and when I heard another noise got up to investigate. It had been daughter in Law closing the door as she went out then came in with the dog. I couldn't get back to sleep, so got up and made some tea. It was Son's day off, and as he was still dizzy, I didn't want to disturb him too soon. The shower ran cold, so I had to finish off as a wash.

I made myself breakfast, then boiled a kettle to wash up, then disturbed Son. I think they have a problem with their boiler.

He directed me to a car wash as my car was filthy.  Husband had used one of his alternative routes to work, which involve country lanes. The men there did a wonderful job in getting my car clean, but one thing troubled me. They are all Eastern European, and they have almost no  grasp of the English language. I do not want to appear xenophobic, but I would have thought that one of the criteria for coming to a country to work would be an ability to speak English.

I went back to Son's house got changed, plugged in the Satnav and set off for the small village where my half sister's funeral was to take place. It was a pretty church on a hill, where she had been married and a friendly young woman helped me with the gate which was on a slope of slippery cobbles. We couldn't figure out how to open the lych gate, but we discovered later you just push it. It is a special design to keep animals out. Once inside someone came to sit by me and soon we were chatting like old friends.  It was a fairly ordinary Anglican service, but the coffin came in to 'Welcome to my World' and went out to Gene Kelly's 'Singin' in the Rain'. It was so typical of Edna. She was always the one to get the party going, I  can remember her heading up the 'Conga' line at family weddings when I was a child. By the time I was born she was in the WRAF, and one of my earliest memories of her is when she came home on leave with a friend. She was a gifted pianist, only ever had lessons for a year, but could play almost anything

The vicar's graveside oration had to wait whilst a plane went overhead, we were on the flightpath for Manchester airport. After the burial I spoke to both of Edna's sons, and they made me feel really welcome. they invited me to  the hostelry in the village where Edna lived, where I drank orange juice, and met family members I hadn't met before. Everyone was fascinated by our complicated family history, and some want to keep in touch. After partaking of the buffet, I said my farewells and headed home. A longer journey than on the way up, I stopped at Sandbach services to change clothes. There had been a lot of congestion, but once we left Cheshire, the pace was faster. I used the M6 toll Road, stopped for petrol at Corley and then went slowly through the roadworks, which were congested, due to a broken down car.

I arrived home at about 7.30, but by the time I had phoned various people and cooked a meal, didn't want to eat it.

On Friday I had Nathaniel, his Mum had taken Thursday off so I could go to the funeral. I did the Sainsbury's run with Nat in the trolley, by the time I got him back here he was fast asleep. I got the results of my blood test, this time normal, played with Nathaniel for a while, then when I took him home collected the ironing. We were out early Saturday, as there was a meeting at the church for all involved in Children's work. Then I met husband in town, he'd had 2 new tyres fitted, as recommended by the guy who did the service. We now have all weather tyres all round; still no snow though! We shopped, then bought a M&S Chinese takeaway for later.

Today we had just arrived at church when I realised I hadn't put the chicken in the oven. I'm so glad I have a combination microwave, it cooked in just under an hour, so we weren't too late sitting down. Afterwards we both zonked out for quite a while, but managed  to recover in time for the evening service. Phoned mum in law this evening, she is still not well, but is learning that she must rest in order to recover. Me? I'm off to bed soon, it's been a tiring week. Hope all is well with you and yours.

ps , Son has labyrinthitis, which he has had before. He saw the GP and got more tablets, so is improving.