Mrs Edith Barnett 1910 - 2011

A celebration of Gran's life - she can be so very proud of her own little dash.

The Dash Poem by Linda Ellis
I read of a man who stood to speak
At the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on her tombstone
From the beginning to the end.


Gran, always the life and soul.

He noted that first came the date of her birth

And spoke of the following date with tears,

But he said what mattered most of all

Was the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the time

That she spent alive on earth

And now only those who loved her

Know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not, how much we own,

The cars, the house, the cash,

What matters is how we live and love

And how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard;
Are there things you’d like to change?
For you never know how much time is left
That can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough
To consider what’s true and real
And always try to understand
The way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger
And show appreciation more
And love the people in our lives
Like we’ve never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect
And more often wear a smile,
Remembering that this special dash
Might only last a little while.

So when your eulogy is being read
With your life’s actions to rehash
Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent your dash?

© 1996 Linda Ellis  http://www.lindaellis.net/

Here's to you Gran, I shall wear the rainbow.   
Anyone whose life you touched will always love and remember you. x

Holiday - what holiday

Long lazy holiday, scratch that, one long mad balancing act.

G10 at play...
(main pic; she did not go out in brown).

We seem to have been a bit of a hotel for the whole of the summer holidays so far, great but busy.  Last lot of visitors just left us on Tuesday, then after the bank holiday more are arriving to stay for a few weeks.

With G9 G10 off doing exciting activities here, there and everywhere; (it's amazing what Pembrokeshire County Council offer and we've taken full advantage of the opportunities provided, along with various other activities out there, some free like the Purple Routes Project and others not so, like horse riding.)  Along with all the visitors and ferrying G10 about we've been helping to care for Gran and oh yes, work of course (house and paid.)

On top of all this I volunteered (I really must be certifiable) to help with the fundraising at St Meilyr's Church.  We're organising a Craft & Art's Fair (interested - either as a stall holder or to come and spend your money on the day?  If you might be then click St Meilyrs for more information - you'd be so very welcome.) Just to put the tin lid on it, I've also been going to summer school for Welsh. 

I am TIRED!  We've got a three day break coming up. Hurrah.  Not sure what's happening yet but we're going to be terribly selfish and spend it together, but deliciously alone.  Just the three of us.  Doing... not a lot I hope.

Here is a picture of another project completed (squeezed in the five minutes we've had free in the last 5 months!)  New roof over the hot-tub and water barrel at the end to take the water from the new guttering away.  It will all be much easier to water the pots down there now.

Looking smart, even if I'm not.

Just a quick thank you to PreseliMags for organising the horse riding.

Care Homes

Her Next Door was in tears last night... Gran's catheter has been playing up and it's been quite distressing trying to sort it out.  We have now decided to leave it out for a while - but this means we have to get Gran on the commode more often - ourselves.  This is hard physical work which is often done by Her Next Door, and is made even more difficult at four in the morning.  Of course life becomes a series of mountains to climb when you are tired and exhausted.

Something has to give, so with a firm hand I took Her Next Door out to look at a couple of local care homes for respite care (we are entitled to six weeks a year.)  We went unannounced and chose a couple located within 15 to 20 minutes drive from us.

I'm forcing myself to like them, there is essentially nothing at all wrong with them.  They were both in beautiful settings, the dignity of the residents preserved and the buildings themselves well cared for and maintained.  We found both the proprietors were genuine and the ambiance of the homes relaxed and caring.   By Her Next Door's high standards she was pleased with the quality, (she is comparing them to others she looked at once in a different area for someone else.) 

The trouble is, no matter how pleasant they are they can't ever be home from home and the guilt feelings rise up like bile in your mouth.  Her Next Door said a little sheepishly in the car on the way home; "I think I can cope, there's no need for Gran to go."  I am being strong for Her Next Door as she really, really needs a break.  It will not be good for anybody, Gran most of all, if Her Next Door becomes ill through sleep deprivation and sheer physical exhaustion.

Benefits for Gran include a proper bath, pedicure and hair styling - as well as her own room.  It will only be for a week at a time and she can have visitors at anytime.  Does it sound like I am trying to convince myself.  I am.  It's hard.