Autumn. in Hello.

It’s most definitely autumn now! A couple of weeks ago it was still t shirt weather, now it’s gone really chilly and the leaves seem to have changed colour overnight. The heating hasn’t gone on yet, this house seems to retain heat really well, but the girls have started coming down in their pyjamas in the mornings and getting dressed in front of the fire, so I might set it to come on for an hour or so when we get up.
Today would have been John’s grandma’s 98th birthday. Katie reminded me by posting a photo of her on Facebook…she still misses her loads. I’m sure John does too, but he’s not really one for being open with his feelings.
Rob got back from his sailing trip, full of excitement and stories. He got his competant sailing certificate, which he’s dead proud of. It sounded amazing. The weather was kind to them, but he said everyone was ill for the first day, the day they sailed over to Northern Ireland. I’m sure that’s probably why they did the longest leg on the first day, so they could get used to it. They also went to Aran and Rob was half hoping he’d bump into the lad he made friends with in the Co Op in Lamlash. He didn’t, but a few tourists seemed to think they were locals as they walked around in their oilskins, and were asking them directions! Took him a couple of nights to get used to sleeping back in a bed that didn’t rock. Wish I’d had the same opportunities to all these adventurous things when I was his age. He got told that he could join the RNLI in Scotland with his skills and qualifications, so we’re trying to encourage him to look at unis in Scotland, but I think he’s got his heart set on Leeds.
The Main Street in town has had roadworks on it for months, I think it’s about 6 months now. The town is in chaos, with Main Street being one way and traffic being diverted in different directions every week. They’ve been putting in improved drainage and repairing the roads damaged after the floods 5 years ago. It’s chaos, I feel like I’m taking my life into my own hands whenever I try to walk anywhere. It’s a nightmare when I go to pick Eleanor up from school, my walk involves crossing a big car park, but people use it as a shortcut to avoid the traffic lights. And I know a lot of the parents live only a short walk away yet still drive in and they’re the ones who whinge the most! You’re only adding to the traffic, aaaarrrrggghh!
I do love living here though. One of the reasons I love living here is one of the reasons that John doesn’t like it: the sense of community. John sees it as interfering and being a busy body, but I think it’s nice. Like this morning, Tracy, our post lady, stuck a letter for Shaun through our letterbox because it was addressed to his old address and she didn’t know where he’d moved to. She’s bending all sorts of rules by doing that, but I think it’s lovely. I’ve had letters delivered to us that’s had the wrong address and everything!
Last night I went to the pub with my friend, Helen and her husband, Adam. I know, I know, I’m crap, but I only go to the pub three or four times a year, John’s not much of a pub person. I’ve been friends with Helen since we were thirteen. She went to the secondary school in the next town, but she lived round the corner from me and we had friends in common, so I’d often see her around. We made friends because she thrust herself upon me, a trait I’ve always loved about her and been slightly envious of if I’m honest! Our mutual friend, Deborah, was moving to London and she’d asked a few friends over to help her pack and have a wee party, and because Deborah lived in a village, we both happened to get on the same bus. Helen came and sat next to me and started talking at me and we just clicked. We were inseparable until she got a job in Chester shortly before Rob was born.
She got married to Liam, a scouse lawyer, 12 years ago. I was her very pregnant chief bridesmaid! We lost touch a bit after that, which I was a bit upset about, but put it down to her being married and wanting to spend all her time with Liam. What I didn’t know was that he was using coke, visiting brothels and treating Helen like a human football. I had no idea, he really was charming to everyone, flash with his cash. He’d buy John expensive whiskey and cigars if we ever went anywhere, tell me I looked lovely and buy me flowers and shit like that, but he wasn’t creepy, I just thought he was making an effort. The first I found out about it was when Helen had packed her bags and run away to her sister’s house while he slept because he’d beaten her up so badly, her eyes were almost completely shut. I don’t know what happened to him, I don’t like to ask. I like to think he’s in prison and being bullied, but I doubt it somehow.
She made friends with a really sound group of women through work. Whenever I go and see her, they treat me like I’m one of them, incorporating me in everything they do, they’re wonderful. So when Helen met Adam, the poor chap had to pass the “coven test”, which he did with flying colours! At their wedding, I got very tiddly and told him if he ever laid a finger on Helen, I’d rip his balls off! Last night was the first time I’d seen him since the wedding, so I was sheepish and apologised for saying it. He said “no, it’s fine! I appreciate why you said it, it’s what friends do!” Phew. He’s really easy to get along with and talk to, there were no awkward silences at all, and when they came back here for coffee, Adam and John talked guitars and bikes and chef things and when they left John said “he’s very nice, isn’t he?” John never liked Liam, he obviously saw something in him that I never did.
I’ve got a little sewing project on the go. Eleanor has got this habit of rubbing her head back and forth on her pillow, like a self comforting thing. She’d stopped for ages, but now she’s started again and it’s so bad that her hair is really thin on the back of her head and the other kids are starting to notice and comment. She wakes up every morning and her hair is matted on the back of her head and it takes me ages to gently comb it out. John wants her to get it cut short, but I don’t want to give the kids at school fuel to bully her. I wanted to buy her a silk pillow case, but they’re so expensive, so today I bought a silk blouse from the charity shop for £4.50 and I intend on turning it into a pillow case. I’m hoping it’s not too difficult to do!

Last updated October 10, 2014