Posted on by bereavedandbeingasingleparent · 43 Comments

Swiss Sunday

It’s Sunday so it must be time for our weekly trip to Switzerland. A place of unrivalled peace and beauty. It’s now almost 6 years since our little family has made it the 1000 miles to this stunning land. Our next trip can’t come quick enough.

Of all the things that come to mind when you think of Switzerland, Boats and Yachts won’t be that high up the list. But spend anytime here and you will change your mind. Switzerland has so many wonderful lakes with unrivalled views. It’s a brilliant country to head onto the waters.

It’s also a brilliant place to go for a paddle.

Posted on by bereavedandbeingasingleparent · 57 Comments

Swiss Sunday

It’s early Sunday morning so it must be time for our weekly virtual trip to beautiful Switzerland. As a family we haven’t been able to visit this alpine wonderland since 2015. It was a very different world back then for us. A very different world for many of us.

What hasn’t changed is that we have places of staggering beauty and perfection. Places which should provide joy for generations to come. That’s as long as we protect and cherish our world.

Places like this stunning glacier. A glacier which is predicted to have completely disappeared by the end of the century. Another victim of climate change.

Let’s hope that we act in time. Act to save what is so precious. So countless generations can live in awe of places like Switzerland.

Posted on by bereavedandbeingasingleparent · 33 Comments

Swiss Sunday

It’s Sunday here in Yorkshire so it must be time to dream. To dream of being in one of the most beautiful countries on our wonderful planet. Time to dream Swiss dreams. Yes time to dream big.

Yes it’s been 5 years since I was last there. Life has happened. At present getting back to Switzerland seems a distant prospect. So many roadblocks. So many complications. But alpine heaven is still there.

That’s the thing about dreams. Yes they may often seem just like pipe dreams. Impossible. But that doesn’t make them any less precious. Any less loved. AND you just never know. Tomorrow is another day. Life can change in an instant. There is usually always a chance. There is always hope. We will dream. Dream big.

Posted on by bereavedandbeingasingleparent · 43 Comments

Swiss Sunday

It’s early Sunday morning here in Yorkshire so it must be time for our weekly trip to a stunning alpine paradise. Yes let’s go to Switzerland.

While looking at photos for today’s virtual trip I suddenly recalled a wonderful family memory. We had just had a weeks holiday based in Spiez. One night our 6 year old had asked what Daddies drink tasted like. A small spoonful of lager confirmed to the 6 year old that his time was better spent guarding his Diet Coke bottle. A couple of days later it was time to go home. At Zurich Airport we approached airport security control. When the uniformed official asked if we had anything to declare the helpful 6 year old immediately pointed out “Yes, my Dad lets me drink beer”.

I’m not sure how I ever got through that checkpoint in one piece.

Ok it’s about time this bad Dad shuts up and let’s you get on with looking at Switzerland. A dream land.

Posted on by bereavedandbeingasingleparent · 38 Comments

Swiss Sunday

It’s Sunday so it must be time for our weekly virtual trip to beautiful Switzerland. A country which means so much to our family and is also close to our hearts.

A country which has just the most amazing views.

Ok we haven’t managed to make it back since 2015 but each year that goes by the urge to return keeps on growing. It won’t be easy but we will find a way. Create some new wonderful, life changing memories.

It’s a breathtaking place. That just keeps on giving. If you have never been then it needs to go to the top of your wish list. You won’t regret it.

Posted on by bereavedandbeingasingleparent · 78 Comments

Swiss Sunday

It’s early Sunday here in Yorkshire yet my thoughts are drifting to a country a 1000 miles away. A country which I haven’t managed to visit for nearly 6 years now. But it’s still very much on my heart. On our little families heart. A place with so many happy times for my son. One of the most stunning lands on our wonderful planet. Time for a bit of Alpine Heaven. Time for Switzerland.

I’m now seeing those mountains and those lakes. The mesmerising landscapes. I’m hearing the peaceful sounds of this land. Relaxing running water. Often the only other sound is the distinctive ringing of cow and church bells. Other than that it’s the sound of silence.

One day I will hopefully return. I hope you will join me as well.

Posted on by bereavedandbeingasingleparent · 70 Comments

Ski

Don’t panic this is not the weather today….

Time creeps up on you…….

I’ve never been one who worried too much about ageing. It is what it is. I was also someone who never really lost too much sleep on the ever growing bucket list. Plenty of time to catch up and tick those all important activities off the list.

Then life happened. Too many trips to funerals. Suddenly I was aware of that ever clicking life clock.

Last night I was watching a movie based on a family skiing holiday. A holiday that went badly wrong. The Will Ferrell ‘Downhill’ Movie. The most un ‘Will Ferrell’ movie ever. It was really good and rather unsettling, especially as the main character was probably about my age. As the movie went on I could hear that clock ticking just that little bit louder.

I’ve always wanted to ski. It’s right up on my bucket list. Near the top. I’ve just never got round to doing it. A couple of trips to a really rubbish rock hard carpet slope. That’s all I’ve managed. We had plans to go to Switzerland as a family during the winter. I could see a route to finally being a proper skier. Then life happened. Those plans evaporated. So last night I was watching that family ski in the movie and that ticking clock was deafening. Will I ever ski…..

It sounds silly but that thought really depressed me. I feel further away than ever from those alpine slopes. Time and my body is not on my side. Too many years of contact sport has left me with a ‘ previously enjoyed’ body frame. A couple of things need patching up. If I get them patched up then skiing might be out of the question. That ticking clock is annoyingly deafening.

Yet I still so want to SKI.

I guess all I can do is keep that dream alive for a while longer. Put off any patching work on the body and accept a few aches. Drop as much weight as I can and stay as fit as I can for as long as I can. Buy as much time as I can for that dream to come true AND JUST HOPE.

Posted on by bereavedandbeingasingleparent · 36 Comments

Swiss Sunday

It’s Sunday so it must be time for our weekly trip to an alpine wonderland. To beautiful Switzerland. One of the most stunning countries on our planet.

I have been looking at photos of The Alps in old climbing books since I was a teenager. My home town’s old library didn’t have many books in BUT it did have three about scaling mountain peaks. Every Saturday morning on my trip to the one record shop I would stop off and look at those books. Dreaming of one day standing by those great peaks . The Eiger, The Matterhorn. The Monch.

So how excited was I when I flew into Switzerland for the very first time. Wow those mountains were as fantastic as I had dreamt of. But there was something else. Look at those lakes. Look at the water. I had no idea just how many stunning lakes this place had.

Here’s a fact for you. Little Switzerland has over 1500 lakes and has 6% of Europe’s freshwater stock….

Let’s hear it for those lakes.

Thank you Switzerland.

Posted on by bereavedandbeingasingleparent · 43 Comments

Swiss Sunday

It’s Sunday so it must be time for our weekly virtual trip to an alpine paradise. To a country which is staggeringly beautiful. Let’s take a trip to Switzerland.

2015 was our families last trip here. Things have changed for us so much since then and certainly not for the better. But life has to go on. So I’m going to look at these treasured old photographs and remember just how beautiful our planet can be. And then dream of a return and the creation of new memories.

Posted on by bereavedandbeingasingleparent · 33 Comments

Swiss Sunday

It’s early Sunday here in Yorkshire. I can hear the wet and windy weather outside. It’s grim. So my mind is wandering. Wandering to a beautiful country. A country which is so special to our little family. Let’s spend a few moments taking a virtual trip to stunning Switzerland.

Hopefully one day we can return in person. Create some new memories. I so want that. I so wanted to go last year or this year. Sadly life has construed against that. Let’s set my sights on 2022 then. The last time we went as a family was when Hawklad was 8. Now he’s a teenager. It would be good if he can visit again during his childhood.

There is always hope.