Posted on by bereavedandbeingasingleparent · 36 Comments

Bridges

So here goes. Hawklad performed wonders in his exams, against the odds he more than delivered. 7 out of 7 passes and better. In old money he even managed one at A grade.

Absolutely staggering given that he was out of class since March 21. Given that he no professional teaching over that period, in fact probably held back by his amateur teaching muppet dad.

Thinking back, I actually taught him some incorrect principles, methods and theories. I dread to think how much I did get wrong. We watched Oppenheimer and even then I thought, wow I taught him wrong stuff about atoms.

He missed all the science practicals and experiments, the essential geography field trips – Watching online videos just isn’t the same. Having no preparation exams. Missing big parts of the syllabus. Overcoming dyslexia (absolutely no reading help during the 21 exams) and then having to type his exam answers out when he struggles so much with fine motor control (he didn’t even have time to practice typing).

So many more obstacles. Even having to listen to school tell him that taking the exams was not a good idea as he was predicted to fail all the subjects. Doing all this while coping with a significant spike in his anxieties and fears.

But he delivered. Can’t begin to tell you how proud I am of him.

So next steps…

Definitely the next level of exams. A-Levels.

However as I write this we are working on the best way to those exams for him. He is in charge. It his his calls. He picks the right bridge for him.

Posted on by bereavedandbeingasingleparent · 33 Comments

Break the silence

Remoteness and Silence still exist in this mad old world.

I was watching an old Cary Grant, Loretta Young and David Niven movie. Definitely a different but really good variation on a Wonderful Life.

The Bishops Wife.

As the plot unfolded I noticed something about David Niven. He just looked so haunted, almost lost, in pain. Tragically his wife had died in an accident just a few months prior to filming leaving him completely broken. After the movie I listened to an interview where he talked about those months after the tragedy. Friends has been there for him including Clark Gable. But in his words, friends inevitably have to get on with their own life’s. When this happened he felt lost, surrounded by darkness, isolated, out of step with the world.

Looking back 7 years almost to the day and I so understand that feeling. The darkest times definitely for me were when friends moved on and suddenly the phone stopped ringing, no text messages, no cards, no knocks at the door.

Silence.

Thankfully I made it through the darkness but now I remind myself, when someone I know is going through loss, to never forget how that SILENCE felt to me. Even something as simple as a card, a text message, a phone call, or a coffee invite can make such a difference.

Break that Silence.

Posted on by bereavedandbeingasingleparent · 50 Comments

Waterfalls

Surprisingly given the amount of rain, Yorkshire isn’t exactly overstocked on waterfalls. However over the last couple of weeks we have ventured to a couple of the local examples.

Not too shoddy at all.

There is one much bigger Falls just over an hours drive from us.

There is history there as well. It was the last place we visited as a family of three. After the world changed, going back seemed impossible. TWO could never be THREE. But now 7 years have passed. TWO still isn’t THREE, but now THREE is about memories, TWO is about living right now,

Maybe we will venture there this weekend for an adventure.

Posted on by bereavedandbeingasingleparent · 35 Comments

Sponge

It’s a Sponge Cake….

And this time it’s not a risk to dental work. Moist and almost like a proper cake. Ok, I admit that some careful cutting has masked the collapsed part of this culinary delight. I also ran out of ingredients, hence only one layer and the jam on top….

Surely you can do way better OR maybe you are truly a Generational Talent and can actually lower the bar even lower than ME.

The EXPRESS YOURSELF Great Bloggers Bake-off is THIS WEEKEND.

If you fancy having a go either wonderfully well or worryingly woefully, you can send photos of your creations or monstrosities to

crushedcaramel@gmail.com

Check out Mel’s wonderful site for more information and the latest baking creations. 

Express Yourself In Baking Form

YOU KNOW IT MAKES SENSE

Posted on by bereavedandbeingasingleparent · 19 Comments

Dress Up

That was a bit of a downpour….

Several decades ago, it was similarly wet when the University Rugby Team I was playing for travelled to Oxford for a cup game. What a mud bath. Damp must have got into my system as our huge shed of a Prop and the normally mild mannered ME decided to have a fight with the Opposition Front Row. The end result 5 SENT OFF including ME.

Our team operated a FORFEIT system for disciplinary breaches. The Coach had acquired a huge pack of adult party cards listing various odd punishments. My punishment was to ‘Taste Perfume’. Talk about Eye Watering. Trust me with some of these forfeits, I got off lightly.

On this occasion, my fellow miscreant was forced with his Forfeit Card to dress up for a day. He walked about the campus and city centre dressed as a GIANT PARROT. Biggest Bird you have ever seen. Very impressive and yet a nightmare for him. The costume cost him a fortune to buy, it was heavy, uncomfortable and almost impossible to do anything in. At one stage he even got stuck in some revolving doors and caused a bit of a scene in the local supermarket. He had a truly miserable day.

But here’s the thing. He misheard the challenge. He was supposed to dress up for the day as a PIRATE. No one had the heart to tell him. I guess it was his way of Expressing Himself.

The EXPRESS YOURSELF Great Bloggers Bake-off is THIS WEEKEND….

If you fancy having a culinary go either wonderfully well or worryingly woefully, you can send photos of your creations or monstrosities to

crushedcaramel@gmail.com

Check out Mel’s wonderful site for more information and the latest baking creations. 

Express Yourself In Baking Form

YOU KNOW IT MAKES SENSE

Posted on by bereavedandbeingasingleparent · 22 Comments

Saw

It looks almost edible…. It looks almost like a flapjack……

I wouldn’t know what it tastes like……

Another baking tooth breaker. It might look soft but looks can deceive. My kitchen knifes could not cut it. It was even beyond the electric knife, definite burning smell after a few seconds. In the end this almost square flapjack was made using my Wood Saw.

Oh dear….. I guess it’s a talent.

Surely you can do way better OR maybe you are truly a Generational Talent and can actually lower the bar even lower than ME.

The EXPRESS YOURSELF Great Bloggers Bake-off is back. (26th-27th August 2023).

If you fancy having a go either wonderfully well or worryingly woefully, you can send photos of your creations or monstrosities to

crushedcaramel@gmail.com

Check out Mel’s wonderful site for more information and the latest baking creations. 

Express Yourself In Baking Form

YOU KNOW IT MAKES SENSE

Posted on by bereavedandbeingasingleparent · 44 Comments

Pudding…

Sometimes even I can’t totally mess up something. Coming from Yorkshire, it would be the stuff of excommunication if I couldn’t cobble together an edible Yorkshire Pudding.

They might not be the biggest, or crispiest or most golden in The Land but in my defence they are egg, dairy and gluten FREE.

One old legend states that these puddings got the name YORKSHIRE from COAL. Originally these were made over an open fire and because of the Yorkshire Coal, the higher coal fire temperatures made for a crispier, bigger pudding.

See everyday is a school day…..

Surely you can do way better OR maybe you are truly a Generational Talent and can actually lower the bar even lower than ME.

The EXPRESS YOURSELF Great Bloggers Bake-off is back. (26th-27th August 2023).

If you fancy having a go either wonderfully well or worryingly woefully, you can send photos of your creations or monstrosities to

crushedcaramel@gmail.com

Check out Mel’s wonderful site for more information and the latest baking creations. 

Express Yourself In Baking Form

YOU KNOW IT MAKES SENSE

Posted on by bereavedandbeingasingleparent · 28 Comments

Fear

Less than a month before Hawklad potentially starts College. A return to the Lecture Room (rather than Classroom) for the first time since March 2020. The first step to cross is the upcoming Exam Results then it’s hopefully onwards to the return in September.

But there is another huge hurdle facing Hawklad. His fears and phobias relating to health, disease and germs. The impacts are significant on his lifestyle. Inability to touch surfaces and objects. Constant, excessive hand washing. Need to disinfect furniture before he uses them. Frequent need to change clothing. So much more.

This has been part of his life since well before Covid but Covid’s arrival ramped everything up even further. He had been working on these issue for years but frustratingly for him, the fears are currently stronger than ever. Many are struggling with similar phobias, speaking with his NHS Professional, cases of this type of phobia have risen alarmingly. In addition there is growing evidence of some form of link between Autism and significantly higher risk of experiencing life inhibiting phobias. Unfortunately health and support budgets in this area have been cut by the Government. It’s not seen as a health priority currently.

The bottom line is Hawklad will try to figure out ways to survive at College. This doesn’t get any easier for him.

Posted on by bereavedandbeingasingleparent · 17 Comments

Harvest

The Farmer has been busy, definitely been trying to dodge the rain.

Just a few days back it was like this….

In the time its taken The Farmer to sort out this field and several others, I have been trying to make Chocolate Cornflake Cakes. Trying is the key word there.

How hard can it be….

Actually probably as HARD as most of the cakes have turned out. Like concrete, no actually more like Wurzite Boron Nitride which apparently is even harder than Diamond. Its amazing how something as soft as runny chocolate can produce these armour plated baking abominations.

Surely you can do way better OR maybe you are truly a Generational Talent and can actually lower the bar even lower than ME.

The EXPRESS YOURSELF Great Bloggers Bake-off is back. (26th-27th August 2023).

If you fancy having a go either wonderfully well or worryingly woefully, you can send photos of your creations or monstrosities to

crushedcaramel@gmail.com

Check out Mel’s wonderful site for more information and the latest baking creations.

https://crushedcaramel.wordpress.com/2023/08/09/express-yourself-in-baking-form/

YOU KNOW IT MAKES SENSE.