Posted on by bereavedandbeingasingleparent · 8 Comments

Weeks

Why do my wheat photos always come out so GRAINy.

It’s BARLEY believable that I told that one. Might be the last STRAW for many.

Sorry….

10 weeks. Just 10 weeks before the start of the new school year. Hawklad’s last in this school with the delights of the final exams. Just 10 weeks now. Deep down, I realise it’s not enough time. Yes he has made great strides, even a concert. BUT. He’s so on edge when people get too close (within yards). He can’t touch alien surfaces. That’s outside, inside the issues are ramped up so much more. He can’t even stand in a shop for more than a few moments.

He’s a million miles from returning to the cramped classroom, sitting there for hour after hour. Probably too many miles to cover in just 10 weeks. If that’s the case then where does that leave us. Starting another school year at home with exams that he might not be able to sit. The antiquated UK school system just has no flexibility or desire to cope with that.

At least this pesky school year will be done in 4 weeks time. That’s 6 weeks of freedom from schooling. 6 weeks to be free to wander the fields. Good weeks but never enough good weeks before it all starts again.

Posted on by bereavedandbeingasingleparent · 36 Comments

Swiss Sunday

Just looking at a postcard I received this week.

One lucky soul had made it to Switzerland. Apparently it was a bit of a nightmare journey – that was just trying to get out of England. One of the many benefits of Brexit is clearly enhanced chaos and delays at the Border. A border which we had so struggled to live without for decades. I must admit a thought crossed my increasingly tired mind. We are most definitely on the wrong side of that new border. Maybe one day Europe beckons.

Looking at the postcard it reminds me that adventures are still there to be had. Switzerland is ready and waiting. Yes it will be a logistical and parenting nightmare getting Hawklad there, even more so these days. But it has been far too long since our last trip. Far too long. Wow we could do with those alpine days right now. Let’s hope it’s not much longer now.

Posted on by bereavedandbeingasingleparent · 76 Comments

Look but don’t touch

It’s been a long time….

Back before 2020 Hawklad had made fantastic progress. Not a natural socialite, even School was endured rather than embraced. Apart from one or two really close friends, he avoided large groups. But he pushed on. He forced himself on to do a few things he wanted to do even though it meant being amongst the masses. Sports matches, normally to see my so called team lose. Thankfully the wise young one picked a team that didn’t play in black and white to support. He could relax and laugh at his Dad.

The other thing he wanted to do was go to Rock Concerts. He managed it. Hood pulled firmly over his head and he found a way that worked for him. But then a pandemic hit. Alter Bridge and Shinedown was his last concert back in December 2019.

Everything then stopped.

2022 finds his fears and anxieties ramped up even further. But HE WANTS TO GO TO CONCERTS AGAIN.

So here goes.

With much planning, we find ourselves on a car journey right across to the other side of the country. A walk through a strange new busy city. Public Transport strictly avoided so we walked for miles to a football stadium. We waited outside for the right moment. A lull in the queues. We dived in. On the pitch and standing, that way we can control how close people get to him.

And with luck on our side Hawklad gets to see Echo and The Bunnymen AND THE ROLLING STONES. Yes it was crowded but we maintained a clear zone at all times. Yes I did have to get the elbows out at times to enforce that…. but the zone held. Years of metal concerts fully prepared me for that job.

A few hours later we are heading back home on the motorway. From Car to STONES to Car without Hawklad once touching an alien surface. But he did it. Hawklad a chatterbox telling me just how fantastic the Stones had been.

Here’s the sting in the tail. Poor Mick Jagger then went down with COVID a couple of days later. He may well have caught it doing this concert or in the city we had visited. That has been duly noted by Hawklad. But it’s still a step forward.

Posted on by bereavedandbeingasingleparent · 26 Comments

Swiss Sunday

Where did that week go. Was it really 7 days since I was spouting on about a family holiday to that dream land called Switzerland. For Hawklad’s Granny’s seventh birthday we found ourselves in the alpine mountain top village of Wengen. Over 4000ft up in the stunning Alps. Granny decided that a seventh birthday deserved a race. She would take the leisurely way using the cable cars and trains. Unlike in my case, age brings much wisdom. The rest of the family would race her down by walking the mountain path down into the valley. Who would arrive in Lauterbrunnen first. A wonderful village set in a mountain valley of 72 waterfalls…..

Never going to be a contest. Rickety legs versus the precision perfectness of Swiss Public Transport. But what a walk down into the valley. Impossible to take your eyes off one the worlds most atmospheric mountains, The Eiger.

Happy memories. The family is much smaller now but the memories are still strong. Can’t wait to return to that magical land.

Posted on by bereavedandbeingasingleparent · 38 Comments

Swiss Sunday

Almost 11 years to the day we had headed to Switzerland for a weeks holiday. This time it was different, a celebration for her mum’s 70th birthday. Many of her family were also arriving that week as well. As part of that week we all made our way Murren. A stunning ski resort set high up in the Alps. A special place as it is cut off from the motoring world. You can’t drive there. The only way is via spectacular cable cars and connected trains.

Wow does that make a difference to the feel of the village. The quiet.

Like the rest of the week, deep blue skies and glorious weather. A wonderful walk around the quiet streets. Then a perfect meal on a hotel balcony overlooking the snow covered mountains.

Next week let’s complete the special family day out.

Posted on by bereavedandbeingasingleparent · 26 Comments

Swiss Sunday

About 10 years ago I remember talking to a super polite Japanese Guy in who was sat next to us in Geneva Airport. Someone who had seen years and years of life. He told the story about how he had attended an international conference here in Geneva during the sixties. At that stage he hated travel, hated being away from Japan. That all changed on that trip to Switzerland. He fell in love with another country. Since then he had travelled for a holiday here, every single year without fail. He said he would keep coming until his body failed.

I knew why he said that. I understood immediately his sentiments. I still do. I wish I was there right now.

Posted on by bereavedandbeingasingleparent · 26 Comments

Swiss Sunday

It’s just turned Sunday here in the UK. I’m sat nursing a bruised foot, shin and fingers. That’s what happens when you walk into a metal road sign, drop a heavy box on your foot and then try to fix a large hole in the fence with a Thor like hammer. Try is the optimal word. As the light failed the fence was still is still with hole. Lots of bruises with so little end products.

OH PANTS.

So I need calming. Time to look at family holiday photos. Only one place will do tonight. Switzerland. Yes definitely time to walk in the Alps and forget about the bruises.

Switzerland work your magic.

Posted on by bereavedandbeingasingleparent · 29 Comments

Swiss Sunday

Another walk down memory lane. Special places like Switzerland help create everlasting memories. So on this Easter weekend let’s go back ten years. Back to an Easter weekend in 2012. A wonderful family weekend in Switzerland. Time to remember and smile.

A hotel gift
Traditional singing on the lake boat
Another hotel gift
Hotel room view
Just had to play on this
Posted on by bereavedandbeingasingleparent · 43 Comments

Swiss Sunday

Just one day. Just one day almost 10 years to the day. A family holiday back in 2012. Was it really 10 years. So much has happened over that decade. The family is so much smaller now. But one thing hasn’t changed. Switzerland. A picture perfect dream land. A relatively small land offering boundless adventures.

So yes, one day in Switzerland, all the photos just from one day.

Posted on by bereavedandbeingasingleparent · 33 Comments

Fantastic

The daffodils are still hanging on through the cold weather. It might look like the sun is beating down but it’s still most definitely THREE jumper weather.

The Easter School Break started this afternoon. Two weeks off for Hawklad and he is definitely ready for it. As he pointed out

“Who would have thought Homeschooling would be such hard work 🤣🤣🤣🤣”

Who would have also thought that a million years after leaving school (or was I kicked out, I can’t remember) I would be trying to explain COS, SIN and TAN functions even though a million years ago they made no sense to me at all.

“Dad do they make any sense to you. You seem as confident with them as you are with LEFT and RIGHT.”

That’s no vote of confidence. After a million years I still can’t figure those two words out. It’s that bad that when I’m driving and someone is navigating LEFT and RIGHT are banned words. Instead I have two soft toys. A Bagpuss and a Mutley. Bagpuss goes on one side of the car dashboard, Mutley goes on the other side. Then the directions are turn to Mutley or turn to Bagpuss. It’s FOOL proof, well it works with this FOOL.

Now how can I use soft toys to explain trigonometry. But as it’s now the holidays that little conundrum can wait for two weeks. Two weeks without school being mentioned sounds fantastic.