Monday, 10 February 2025

The good bits of January 2025

Things that made me laugh in January:

The van decided it had a trailer and that trailer was faulty.

I towed the trailer from Malvern to the Forest and Dean and back, it kept connecting and disconnecting. It was a safety risk as it overrode every other warning that may have come up with its constant display toggling and beeping. Every time a car came near the imaginary trailer I had a collision alert warning and don't start me with reversing. It even displayed the non existent trailer in the camera display.


I had a run in with 3 sheep. They wouldn't let me get back in the car. I ended up climbing in through the passenger door.


Places we visited:

We went to Croome and met with Mary, her husband and son. I only took one photo.

We visited Kenilworth Castle in the fog.

We went for a walk around Brockhamptom in the pouring rain.

There was a trip to Gloucester Quays to visit the places we used to take our daughter.

A visit to see our Granddaughter, the park and lunch out and a catch up with friends.

Things we did at home:

The Christmas decorations came down.

Lots of television was watched.

Video calls with grandson were made.

Letters were written and parcels posted and post received.


Gift from son in Australia.

Cat was entertained.

Unexpected snow arrived.

Books read and lots of chill time.


How was January for you?


Week 6 2025 - One Daily Positive and Project 365

I've fallen back into the pattern of not sleeping and eating properly. It was Stephanie's 37th birthday on Tuesday. I'd been getting myself worked up over it since the beginning of the year. I wanted to plan something in advance, but I was on a losing battle, no one else was interested. Why? because everything was always last minute, no one ever knew what to do for Stephanie's birthday, it was always more about us than her. Going somewhere that suited Peter and I, that met all of Stephanie's requirements (flat, even ground, dry and warm, accessible toilets, access to food, disabled parking) and we usually ended up in a supermarket or a coffee shop.

In the end we had a lovely day and it did us good.

Day 34
Home early with a migraine. Caught a colleague off guard when he asked how I was doing and I was honest with my answer. After a few minutes I said ‘it’s ok you can leave now’ afternoon and evening spent reading old letters dating back to 1807 hand delivered to just a name in Rotherham from Liverpool, 37 years before postage stamps were invented. I find things like this, fascinating.

Day 35
Today was Stepahnie's 37th Birthday. Little sleep from migraine, meds kicked in and we decided to head off to Clifton to take a look at Stephanie's old school and revisit a few places we used to take her, a late lunch out and home. We used to take it in turns for a 6 year period to bring her home on a Friday after school and drop her back off on a Sunday, often with the kids in tow. I'm glad we did something for ourselves to mark the day. I'd made myself ill thinking about it.


Day 36
We take cake into work for our birthday. I took cake in for Stephanie’s birthday to share with my colleagues who have been my greatest support since she died. Peter went out to Cheltenham for the evening to the cinema and I did some planning for work after coffee with a friend.

Day 37 
I got my week A and B mixed up and had English planned but it turned out it was year 10 maths tutoring. Thankfully a parent meeting was cancelled and I had 15 minutes to pull a trigonometry lesson together. Coffee with Peter after work, some blogging and report writing in the evening. Cat was a bloody pain sitting on my laptop so I gave in and she had some extra food.

Day 38
My brain is addled this week. I'm switching between year 7 history to GCSE chemistry in a single lesson, then moving to English and Maths tutoring in the afternoons. If anyone is looking for an extra in their pub quiz team, give me a yell, I'm smashing the ones on the TV at the moment. Managed to fit in writing a couple of reports whilst the students played UNO between lessons. Went for coffee afterwork to switch off before going home. I need to tidy up at home and I can't face it. Had dinner, watched TV, video calls with grandson, bath, blogging and bed. I took this photo as it's very different to the old school run memory on Facebook of a road sign for Johannesburg.

Day 39
Grateful I work in a secondary school these days after a couple hours sitting on the floor with granddaughter fiddling the score and trying to lose. Not easy when it’s all you have to do is turn a card over. Home in time to watch Birmingham City on TV, dinner, bath, fresh bed sheets and an early night.

Day 40
Planned a lie in but joined Peter in Worcester to do the food shopping. We were in Costa by 9am. I wandered round the retail park then joined him in Lidl. Home by 11am. I went back out at 12 for coffee with friends in Neros and home at 4pm. Been stuck under the cat since just dozing and chilling out. Had dinner and bath, now reading.

Something to make you smile:

I accidentally pressed something on the screen while in a video call to my friend, she sent me these screen shots. I don't think I've laughed so much for a long time.


Things that made me happy this week:
Monday morning bin lorry photo, searching for my 'this time next year Rodney. we'll be Millionaires' writing a letter from the tooth fairy and teaching students new skills.

On the blog this week:
Stephanie's birthdays in photos. 25 years of being Stephanie's mum.

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Friday, 7 February 2025

7th - 9th February 2025 Post Comment Love

Welcome back to #PoCoLo with Stephanie from Bosworth.Life and I.

Post Comment Love #PoCoLo is a friendly weekly linky where you can link up any blog post you've written this week. If you're new or a regular visitor we're sure you'll find something of interest.

Tuesday would have been Stephanie's 37th birthday. We took ourselves to Clifton in Bristol to her old school for the day to look at it from the outside and wander around the areas we used to take her. It was a good day.

I took cake and fruit shoots into work on Wednesday to share with my friends who have been the best support I could ask for since she died.

Thursday was the day our 3rd grandchild was due, so every day now we are waiting for the call, to either go to the hospital, look after grandchild number 1 or just to get in our first cuddles.

Grandchild number 1 and I planted these Angel Wing bulbs after Stephanie's funeral in October, we both said we think they will flower before the baby is born, it will be a close run thing now.

The bulbs are promoting me to think about planting in the garden. We have raised beds now that are just full of weeds. There are packets of seeds waiting to be sown, the green house is empty and there is plenty of work still to be done in the garden, I just need the weather to warm up a bit and the evenings to get a bit lighter.

We'd also appreciate your help spreading the #PoCoLo word on Twitter, tag us and we'll RT. You can find us on twitter here: Stephanie - @BosworthLife and Suzanne - @ChickenRuby 

I'll be catching up with reading your posts, sharing and commenting over the next few days. 




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Tuesday, 4 February 2025

Stephanie's Birthdays

Today would've been Stephanie's 37th Birthday.

As a blended family we've had 25 wonderful years with Stephanie.

We weren't always around to spend every birthday with her on the actual day, but we always made sure there were cards, gifts and a cake and a visit as close to the date as possible. 

Stephanie didn't grow up, the family just grew older around her.

2000 aged 12 at Poolway Rise

2001 aged 13 at Gran's house in Saltford, when Stephanie went to St Christophers School in Bristol

2002 aged 14 at Gran's Honestly these photos are 2 years apart, I've doubled checked the printing dates on the back (Truprint and Kodak) She didn't grow out of clothes or shoes, just wore them out eventually.

2003 aged 15 fun in Bristol

2004 aged 16 at Grans 

2005 aged 17 at Grans 

2006 aged 18 at home in Malvern. Sharing a cake with her brother 

2007 aged 19 at Gran's

2008 aged 20 in Tewkesbury when Stephanie went to live in Aspirations

2009 aged 21 when Stephanie moved to Appleton Way in Gloucester.

2010 aged 22 Back at Gran's for a birthday visit

2011 aged 23 We were now living in South Africa. A photo sent to us from her home in Gloucester

2012 aged 24 A visit to the UK with 2 of her brothers joining us for the day

2013 aged 25 A day out in Gloucester

2014 aged 26 Photo sent to us from her home in Gloucester

2015 aged 27 A visit to her home and a bounce on the trampoline

2016 aged 28 A visit with one of her brothers

2017 aged 29 A trip out for coffee, fruit shoot and cake

2018 aged 30 a photo sent to us from her home

2019 aged 31 A visit to her home

2020 aged 32 A visit with one of her brothers and her sister in law

2021 aged 33 A distanced covid visit

2022 aged 34 Photos sent from her home

2023 aged 35 Photos sent from her home

2024 aged 36 A birthday lunch out at Gloucester Docks




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