So here I am, in the week that marks my eldest granddaughter Honey’s 10th birthday, wondering where in heavens name the last month has gone! It was lovely to hear from you and thank you for bringing me up to speed with everything, but so much has happened my end since then I hope you’ll forgive me for not having been in touch. It’s probably easiest if I compare my life to the news headlines – nothing much happens, and then everything happens at once, but, in between the stressful moments, there have been a lot of positive meetings, celebrations and time spent with family and friends so I will tell you about those things first.
Easter came early this year, and it was lovely to have our granddaughter Honey to stay with us. We planned a whole lot of activities, including going to the cinema to see Minecraft The Movie, which while I have to admit to not understanding most of it, Honey thoroughly enjoyed it, so it was well worth the visit to our local Odeon. We also went on a nature walk and collected all these things before making our own birdfeeders out of pinecones and seeds! A bit messy to make but the robins particularly loved them.
I took Honey home and then Sam, Elise and little Florence came to spend the rest of the Easter weekend with us. It’s the first time they’ve stayed since Christmas when Elise was still pregnant, so it’s quite difficult to believe that Florence is now almost three months old and changing each time we see her. She’s even started smiling at us now, which is wonderful and I’m keeping my fingers crossed, but she’s slept through the night this last week and that’s made a huge difference to her parents! I remember all too well that feeling of exhaustion in those early months full of broken nights, when I could almost fall asleep standing up. But it is so gratifying to see them grow, and be able to last the night without a feed.
a couple of days later, I was in Sussex visiting my godmother Edna for our once monthly catch up. We chatted nineteen to the dozen over lunch, compared the merits of a Charlie Bigham’s steak pie, as opposed to Aldi’s own brand and put the world to rights. Colin had business on the south coast so he dropped me there and then came back to have a cup of tea
before bringing me home. He arrived just as Edna and I were comparing blood pressure readings! There might be 25 years between us, but clearly our blood pressure is on a par! I thought this might make you laugh – I hasten to add that both of us are perfectly healthy and the readings were very random!
Something else I’d been very much looking forward to was a visit to Cambridge with my sister Jenny who very kindly bought tickets for us to attend the Cambridge Literary Festival luncheon to hear one of our favourite authors – Anthony Horowitz – speak. If you’ve watched either The Magpie Murders or The Moonflower Murders, he is the brains behind both of these television series, but the books came first! The final book in the trilogy called The Marble Hall Murders has just been published, and it was inspirational hearing him explain his thought process behind mapping these extraordinary thrillers. We stayed overnight in a lovely hotel and then spent the following day exploring the city of Cambridge. Not just the Fitzwilliam Museum, and Kings College, but so many other fabulous buildings that house the seats of learning. We enjoyed ourselves so much that we are hoping to attend another literary festival in September this year and hear Sarah Winman speak – she is the author of Still Life and A Year of Marvellous Ways – two of my all-time favourite books. Jenny is on the case, so I’ll let you know if we’re lucky with tickets for that.
Wish I could say that the entire month has been as positive, but we were all shocked when Lucy was admitted to hospital several weeks ago with a serious spinal condition and was rushed to the John Radcliffe Hospital for emergency surgery. This was carried out, and after five days in hospital she returned home. Luckily, Oxford is a straight journey for me up the M40 so I was able to visit and stay over. We all hoped that this would solve the ongoing problems she has had over the last three years, but unfortunately last weekend due to excessive pain and her inability to walk properly she was taken back to the John Radcliffe and is now awaiting further and even more extensive surgery later this week. It’s been very hard for her daughter Honey, and for all of us as a family, but I’ve always believed in the power of collective thought and we are praying that this time, the surgery will be a success… It doesn’t matter how many years pass or how old our children are, they will always be our children, and I just wish I could “kiss and make it better” for them… I will let you know how things are in the next blog.
But to end with some positive news, we have Honey’s 10th birthday party which is themed on the film Beetlejuice, and will include a visit from Steve the reptile man! Not that I’m a huge fan of snakes or lizards, but the kids are very excited! And it gives us every reason to celebrate.
I’m going to leave it here, but I will try very hard to keep in touch a little more this month, not just here but on Instagram and Facebook. Here’s hoping that you had a great Easter and enjoyed the fabulous sunny weather we had last week. I felt it was very much a promise of a good summer to come so I’m going to hold onto that.
With my love,
Ali xx
F Lees says
Hoping anf praying that Lucy gets the treatment she needs.
Lots of love to Honey and al thr family.
🤎🤎
Alison Keenan says
Thank you so much, that’s really kind of you. Love to you too, Ali xx
Hilary Patterson says
Hope Lucy is a lot better soon when she gets the treatment she needs x
Alison Keenan says
Thank you Hilary, I really appreciate that and very much hope so too. Love Ali xx
Gwyneth Buckley says
I hope Lucy has the help she needs and with the support of you and the rest of the family is soon on the mend xx
Alison Keenan says
Hi Gwyneth, thank you for your kind words. Hopefully she’ll be out of hospital tomorrow and will be on the mend as you say. Love Ali xx
Sonia Kingsley Hughes says
Hi Ali, another busy month for you and I agree I don’t know where the time goes. I am similar to you, Always busy with family and friends.
Really sorry to hear about Lucy, hopefully this coming op will sort out the problem and she recovers quickly. It must have been a worrying time for you and Honey too. I bet she enjoyed having you to look after her though.😍
I can’t believe Honey is 10 I remember you telling us on QVC when she was born.
I am hoping to book a holiday with my friend but mums not been too good so it is hard to know what to do.
Take care.
I will be praying everything goes well for Lucy.
With love
Sonia xx
Alison Keenan says
Hi Sonia, thank you for your kind words – yes we really did enjoy having Honey and she said she had a good time too so it makes it all worthwhile 🙂 I also remember announcing her birth on QVC and cannot believe it has been 10 years since then. Mind you it’s been two years almost since I retired! I do hope your mum is improving – such a worrying time when they are older and become less able.
I hope you’ll be able to make a decision and book a holiday even if it’s only a short one. Thank you for your prayers – I think the operation went well and Lucy will be coming home tomorrow. Love Ali x
Tina T says
Hi Ali, so sorry to hear about Lucy. Fingers crossed that her latedt surgery goes well and she’s on the mend soon. I’ll be thinking of you all.
Lovely to see Honey now she’s 10 and, of course, little Florence!
Take care of yourself.
Love Tina xx
Alison Keenan says
Hi Tina, lovely to hear from you and thank you for your good wishes.
The operation went well and Lucy is definitely recovering.
I’m glad you like the photographs – they grow so quickly don’t they! I do hope all is well with you and yours, love Ali xx
Beryl edwards says
I too wonder where the time goes my granddaughter was eighteen at the end of march and we enjoyed a lovely party with friends and family and she is hoping to go to Bournemouth uni in September,it seems yesterday we were pushing her on swings in the park.i hope Lucy gets better soon and I know you enjoy your family so much as I do.
Alison Keenan says
Dear Beryl… so beautifully put, and I can completely agree with the speed the years fly by. I do hope your granddaughter gets her place at Bournemouth Uni. Thank you for your kind words about Lucy – she is doing well. Take care, Love Ali x
Mary Morphy says
Hi Ali,
Firstly I sincerely hopexthatcLucy has had her operation and that she is making a good recovery. I can only imagine how hard this has been for you all and immensely worrying. Its never easy watching anyone suffer with pain and as you say, no matter how old our children are they are still our precious gift that we want to protect at all times. I’m sending my love to Lucy and Honey.
So, I’ve been fully mobile and driving for the last few weeks and building up the amount of time I’m on my feet …probably been overdoing it a bit today from the pain I have (which I’m assured is normal and will last for up to a year while everything achilles wise heals properly) so I’m resting tomorrow, ice packes and elevating the order of the day so that means I’ll be reading and continuing my new crochet project; a blanket for John’s cousins daughter in sage green, lavender and white chenille wool..a devil to use as its do fluffy but oh so soft!
I’ve been pottering around the garden and my roses and peonies are ready to burst open and share their beauty. My roses are in pots on wheels nestled together on the patio at the top of the garden I have one called My lovely dad and one called mum in a Million to represent my parents John’s mum was called Sheila, her rose is Sheila’s perfume. Arthur is represented by a rose called Arthur Bell which is out already, a beautiful fragranced yellow rose that starts off quite dark but lightens up as it fully opens and one called someone special which was bought for me when my mum died. My friend bought me a tiny rose when I was quite poorly two years ago which I planted in pot and its huge! I also have a trailing rose which I bought from QVC last year called scentiful lemon which is just loaded with tiny buds…they are looking very promising!
I have a final visit to the surgeon on Wednesday and hope to get the all clear to return to work, albeit on a phased return next week.
It’s very hot this evening and my Meaco fan is blowing in my face, as it does every night, except tonight Ive turned up the power!
We’ve had Arthur for 3 days and 3 nights and he goes home tomorrow ..he is such a joy even though he was are for 3 hours from 11.30 to 2.30am last night using his bed as a trampoline….which he has in our garden! We won’t see him for 10 as now as Jack is having lazer eye surgery on Friday and needs to take things easy for a few,days after.
Take care Ali. Enjoy the sunshine. Love Mary ❤️
Alison Keenan says
Dear Mary I’m so glad to know that you are now fully mobile and driving too, but you must try not to overdo it! Mind you, I’m exactly the same and it’s really hard not to want to crack on with all those jobs you’ve been unable to do. I’m sure it also took it out of you looking after Arthur for three days and nights. Hopefully you’ve made up your sleep since then?! I hope the Jack’s laser surgery went well on Friday and I do hope your visit to the surgeon last Wednesday went well and that you are now on a phased return to work… Make sure they know you’re not up to full speed yet. I loved the journey through your rose garden – what a beautiful and sentimental collection you have. My Munstead Wood is now in full bloom – the best it’s ever been and the fragrance is fabulous. I have been so many jobs to do in our garden, and Colin is re-concreting the patio and building the outdoor space we have the house is a fridge and a cupboard which I’ve just painted blue! It matches the tiles is laid on the floor so it will look lovely once it’s finished. You take care too and thank you for keeping in touch, love Ali xx
Loraine Plumb says
Hi Alison just a quick check in with you only just noticed your new blog been really busy looking after the girls while Clare and Geoff went to Scotland to run 33 miles in Inverness madness but they had a break away while they were there. We are packed and fly to Sicily on Monday so heading to the guesthouse in Horley tomorrow Sunday. Looking forward to it very much. Hope and pray Lucy has some better luck with her back.🤞 I’ve been to the doctors and had a test for circulation etc in my ankle which I think I told you about brfore I get a lot of fluid retention luckily circulation oi ok but have a hospital appointment in Salisbury 27th June day after my birthday. Well must go heading out to Mottisfont national trust now. Again hope all goes well for your daughter. Love Loraine. Xx
Alison Keenan says
Hi Loraine, lovely to hear from you, and I do hope that you are thoroughly enjoying Sicily?! We very much enjoyed our time there and it’s a country would like to return to. I hope the weather has been fine and you’ve enjoyed some good food? I also hope that your ankle hasn’t let you down as there is a fair bit of walking if I remember correctly! Thank you for your good wishes for Lucy – I have passed them on and she is definitely on the mend. Take care, and thanks for keeping in touch, love Ali XX