Well it’s been at least a couple of weeks since I last wrote, but I did want to thank you as always for keeping in touch here on the blog. I loved hearing all about your holidays, the house renovations, and getting a few more TV and book recommendations. Thanks also to Gillian for her fabulous memory of flying on Concorde while working for British Airways, it’s so good to share these things 😊
I think we’d all had a little moan about the weather too as it’d been such a grotty summer, but as soon as we shifted into September it made an incredible about turn which meant that pretty much the entire UK was bathed in sunshine! It’s been really tough on parents, grandparents and the children too, who’d spent most of this summer battling against the elements only to return to the classroom with temperatures in the 80’s!
It was such a soggy August and the rain has definitely hampered Colin’s efforts to complete the outside of the house where he’s been balancing on the scaffolding to secure, guttering, fascia and soffits. I had painted them, but he’s had to put them in place and it’s been a painstakingly slow business. I do think though, with the brick slips that were added earlier in the year, it’s totally transformed and improved the look of the exterior. Because he’s been working outside, not a lot has changed indoors, and we still have some timber work and painting to finish before the sitting/dining room is complete. There’s also major plumbing work to be completed in the en suite before we can start on our bedroom. I’m praying it will be done in time for Christmas so fingers crossed!
We had very sad news at the end of the month though as firstly Colin’s cousin Diane died following a short illness, and then his mother Kathleen passed away just four days later at the remarkable age of 102. They will both be very much missed by all the family…
Once the funeral dates were organized we decided on a particularly rainy and grey day to return for a week to Crete. Thanks to my pension we’re able to take these holidays and I know we’re very blessed… I think it was probably hotter at home than on the island, but we enjoyed Agios Nikolaos, Elounda and Ierapetra, the site of the Minoan settlement of Gournia.
I’ve always been fascinated by ancient remains ever since I visited Pompeii in 2015 and this was a real find! Gournia was first inhabited in 3000BC and over the centuries grew to become a small town where the inhabitants included fishermen, shepherds and farmers, and a great many skilled craftsmen and women who created pottery, bronze tools, wine presses and woven goods. All that remains today are the basements of the buildings as the hillside has eroded over the years, but there’s still a clear pattern of streets and houses and a huge Minoan Palace at the heart of it. It was fascinating, and incredible to think that the view for all those who lived there then was the same as it is today. Olive trees, hills, and a clear line to the coast. Just beautiful and a little piece of shared history.
It’s been pretty busy since we returned with preparations for Colin’s son Richard’s wedding to Jordana at the forefront. I say preparations, but in truth all we’ve had to do is choose our outfits and book the hotel as everything else has been organised with military precision! Richard is Colin’s youngest son, and his twin sister Lily has flown back from Australia and will be one of the bridesmaids on the big day this Saturday. They’ve chosen the Old Royal Naval College as their venue and the ceremony will take place in The Painted Hall, which was completed by the artist Sir James Thornhill and thought to be one of the greatest decorative painted schemes in England! Suffice to say it’s going to be a pretty grand occasion with the invitations suggesting we “dress to impress”, so I’m certain there will be some pretty fabulous outfits on the day 😊 I promise to have plenty of photos in my next blog.
Choosing the right outfit is something I’ve been stressing over although I was pretty chuffed with my dress for my son Sam’s wedding in June, but I wanted something completely different for this one. The shoes and hat I wore then will get a second airing but I’ve had a real problem with my hair… Over the last month or so I’ve noticed it thinning and breaking which has been pretty upsetting, bringing back memories of my total hair loss with chemo all those years ago… I think the sunshine and salt water haven’t helped, but with increased hot flushes and sleeplessness I do think my continual menopause has ramped things up too! I’ve been struggling with the menopause for the last 12 years but had thought things were slowing down so this was something new. I spent the day with Elise (Sam’s wife) who has her own hair salon and is a superb colourist and stylist. She reassured me that my hair isn’t falling out but it has been breaking and so we’ve resting it from all the bleach and I’ve gone for an ashy tone instead with a shorter more layered cut. She’s done a beautiful job as always and helped restore some of my confidence, which was very much needed, and we’ve agreed that I continue using Hairfix’s Follicle Intense Defence which is a peptide and caffeine scalp serum designed to encourage healthier feeling and thicker hair. At least I’ll now have something respectable under my hat on Saturday!
I did have a fab night out with some of my old mates from QVC last week when we met up to see the musical Mrs Doubtfire in the West End. Lovely James Murden organized it all and it was so good to spend time with some very familiar faces, most of whom I’d not seen for over three months. It reminded me just how much I miss working with them but what was really good was that we can all just get together as though nothing has changed. I think our next trip will be to the panto in January – it’s in the diary already!
I’m still working my way through the final series of This is Us – the American TV series that has won more Critics Choice, People’s Choice, Screen Actor’s Guild, Primetime Emmy and TCA Awards than most I can think of. The script writing and acting is superb and the characters totally believable. I think you’d enjoy it. We’ve just begun watching Daisy Jones and the Six on Amazon Prime which is a think loosely based around the band Fleetwood Mac’s story but very watchable. Have you seen this? Sticking with American writing, one of my all time favourite authors has to be Anita Shreve and I read The Stars are Fire while on holiday. It was absolutely beautiful and I recommended it to my dear friend Kathy Tayler who also thoroughly enjoyed it. Anita’s book The Last Time They Met was the first of hers I read and was utterly mesmerizing, written with such skill and reverse chronology that I defy anyone to guess the ending. It still haunts me to this day… I’d love to know if you’ve read it too?
I think that’s all my news for now and thank you for meeting up with me here. Do let me know how things are with you and I promise to reply. Take care,
With love,
Ali xxx
Margaret says
Always so lovely to read your stories,Crete looks wonderful,it would be nice if we could bottle the sun for the winter ahead.We to are busy trying to to finish all the jobs before the weather changes,although the kitchen is finally finished.Your hair looks beautiful and suits you,Hope Saturday goes well .
Alison Keenan says
Hi Margaret, lovely to hear from you and I agree with you completely. How wonderful it would be if we could bottle the sunshine for the winter ahead. So glad your kitchen is finally finished and thank you for the compliment. It’s a little shorter now since my daughter-in-law cut it but my hair is definitely mending! Love Ali XX
Hilary Patterson says
Love ready your stories sorry to hear about Colin’s cousin and his mother, but hope you 3njoy the family wedding looking forward to seeing the photos Take care x
Alison Keenan says
Dear Hilary, thank you for your kind words. It has been a sad time but last weekend was a wonderful celebration. So special to have all the family together and a truly memorable wedding! I hope all is well with you, love Ali x
Elaine SALLIS says
Hi Ali lovely pictures of your holiday. Only today I was saying the same about my hair it’s gone really thin. I’m the same age as you so maybe our age has something to do with it. Just booked a few days in Bude in October. My first break this year have lost my enthusiasm for holidays since covid . I hope the wedding goes well and you have a lovely time x
Alison Keenan says
Hi Elaine, I’m glad you enjoyed the blog in the photographs. I think it probably is something to do with our age this thinning hair, but now it has been cut shorter it is feeling much healthier. I hope you enjoy your break in Bude – completely understand about the worries with Covid. Fingers crossed we will all get through it this time with less concern. Love Ali xx
Janet Cash says
Thank you Alison a lovely blog. I always look forward to your blogs. I have followed you for many years as I had breast cancer and found your story uplifting. I needed a smile today too. Xx Janet
Alison Keenan says
Dear Janet, I’m so glad you enjoy the blogs and it’s lovely to know that you’ve been with me this many years. I do hope that your health remains good and that life is giving you more reason to smile these days. Take care, love Ali xx
Sue says
Hi Ali, I hope you get your work done for Christmas. It was two years ago I sat having Christmas Dinner with a coat on due to home improvements, that took longer than planned due to workmen getting covid. Xxx
Alison Keenan says
Crikey Sue! I very much hope I won’t be sitting in my coat having Christmas dinner! To be fair downstairs is pretty much finished it will be upstairs that is the last Bastian! We had a lot of sickness last year which is why we’re behind and now Colin is doing the majority of it on his own. It will be worth it though as I’m sure you felt with yours. Love Ali xx
Pat Bird says
HI Ali , really enjoy following you on social media, you are an inspiration and I always feel my confidence grow after listening to you. Enjoy the wedding you as always will look great . Xx
Alison Keenan says
Dear Pat, what a lovely thing to say! Confidence is a funny thing isn’t it? Some days we will struggle but I have to say that last weekend for the wedding I felt completely happy. Photographs in the next blog! Take care, love Ali xx
Cheryl says
Hi Ali, so happy to have found your blog, really missed you when you retired. Create looks beautiful 😍 and you both look so well. Hope you have a wonderful day at the wedding 💑 and can’t wait to see what lovely outfit you choose. Take care, I will be following now I have found you.
Alison Keenan says
Hi Cheryl, I’m really pleased you found the blog as well! It’s nice to keep in touch here isn’t it? The wedding was unbelievably lovely and I will be filling the next blog with as many photographs as possible. I hope all is well with you, love Ali xx
Loraine Plumb says
Hi Alison lots of news in your blog Glad you are getting help with your hair it can be upsetting. Sorry to hear about Colin’s mum but definately a good innings. Your house will be lovely when finished looks really nice. Well would you believe it we were in Corfu staying at Barbati same time you were in Crete we visited Kassiopi and we’re waiting for the bus back and I said to Les I recognise that man crossing the road and then realised it was Kathy Taylor and her husband Les said go and say hello so I did I said to him about being as photographer and he laughed and said I’m a nobody now and even uglier in real life I said to Kathy I do blogs with you and she said she had spoken to you the day before was so nice to meet them and I remember reading they have a place in Corfu. She said to mention to you that I had seen her. Les and I have booked Sardinia again in May we loved it when we went a couple of years ago, and we have booked Rome in January for a five day break will be like autumn but easier to see things without the heat it was very hot last time. At Xmas we are all going to a house in Dorset so it’s all nice things to look forward to. Gary and his wife are in Corfu now still very hot. Hope the wedding goes well I’m sure you will look lovely, sorry for the long blog . Love and best wishes Loraine. Xx
Alison Keenan says
Hi Lorraine, how lovely to hear from you and amazing that you bumped into Kathy and Olley while you were away in Corfu. I’ve been in touch with her constantly since she’s been away and we have a day together planned for next week when she comes home. The last time Colin and I went out to Corfu to stay with them was 2014! I’m so glad you enjoyed Sardinia in May and Rome in January sounds fabulous! It was incredibly hot when we were there on our honeymoon eight years ago. Not sure where we’re going to be this Christmas, but I will be in Dorset next week staying with Roz and Chris. The wedding was wonderful and I will have photographs for you next time. Take care love Ali xx
Mary Morphy says
Hi Ali, my blog response is a little late BUT I was convinced that I’d written and could remember writing about all your events..I probably forgot to press a button! That said I will keep my mssagw short; suffice to say you looked gorgeous at the wedding and I did decorate my lounge diner and the image in my head is now very real. My navy blue feature wall looks amazing! However, I’m struggling with a COPD flare up so am resting watching Christmas films!
Take care, love Mary
Alison Keenan says
Dear Mary, lovely to hear from you, and never worry about being late! I know you have a very busy life, and I’m so sorry to know that you’re feeling poorly again. You must take it easy – it’s probably all that work on the feature wall!! I haven’t done any more painting since then, but I’m hoping that as we get closer to Christmas, we’ll be able to put the final touches least on the sitting room. Thank you for your kind words about my outfit of the wedding – it turned out to be a completely different hat and shoes, and I have to say I was really chuffed with the final look. You take good care – next blog coming soon, love Ali xx