Hilda Marjorie Egleton

Two weeks ago, Scott's Grandmother 'Nan Egleton' died. She had cancer, but died from a stroke in hospital. She was mother to Scott's mum Meg, and to Aunty Gill.
I think Scott put it well, by simply saying 'She was always good to me.'
In the time I have known her since I met Scott, she has always been lively, independent, and kind. She gave her Great-Grandchildren pocket money every single month without fail, and always had lovely treats for them. I like these pictures of her here with some of our kids as babies.
With Lucy and Grandad Egleton, 1997.
Here again with Lucy (Yes - hard to believe that fat baby is actually Lucy!)

Nan with Jack and baby Tom, 2003.And lastly with Harry, 2005. Her funeral service was held last Tuesday at Southend Crematorium. It was a sweet and simple service, with both Meg and Dave speaking.

I think best of all I liked looking though Nan Egleton's photo album back at Meg and Dave's house afterwards. She looked very happy and glamorous! It was good to be with all of Scott's family again too.

We are sad she is gone, but also glad that she was spared the pains which lung cancer would have brought. Bye bye Nan.

New Year so far

The day before Lucy went back to school (and two days before the boys), I wanted to get us out the house, in spite of it being freezing. We went to a stately home a little way from our house. Hardly anyone else was there, and we had a really good time, playing football, walking round, and having a picnic of homemade soup, and hot chocolate in flasks. I loved the views and openness.
The kids have enjoyed being back at school, and have all been quite happy. I got to help out at Tom's school this week for the first time - helping take his class swimming.Lucy trying to help Harry climb what he called 'the funky tree'.Harry asking if he can take a stick home - in his newly cleaned coat...

Scott and I had fun on Facebook a few nights ago, getting involved in a pay-it-forward handmade gift thing. Here is a sight you will not see all that often... Scott using my craft stuff! We had quite a laugh whilst he set to work making a couple of his gifts.

Scott's new boss has started now, so Scott is no longer acting principal. It is still quite busy for him, but nothing like as bad as December, which was totally, ridiculously, big for him.

He is still having to adjust his thinking to not being Bishop any more, and letting go of associated stresses.I finished making a quilt for my bed, and in the last week I have been decorating our room, a bit each day. I haven't been sleeping well though, because now there is no blind. One of my New Year Resolutions (which I love making!) is to finish decorating a room each month.

I have had a few church related things this last week too. I travelled to Bletchley last Sunday, and twice to Northampton in the week (last night I did an activity with the 12 & 13 year old girls - we had a really nice time, but Lucy and I didn't get back till 11.30pm), and tomorrow I am going to Bedford. It is nice to be recognising a few people around the Stake now, and understanding how things work, a bit better.

I ached most of last week because of another of my resolutions - to go for a run every week.
This new year has also seen a lot of our stuff break:

1. The dishwasher. I managed to fix this myself, but not without me flooding the whole kitchen floor, and a bit of the dining room.

2. The washing machine. I managed to fix this too, but also not without flooding the kitchen floor again. (At least the kitchen floor is very clean.)

3. The kitchen bin. I have seen a new one I like but it is about £90. Hmmmm...

4. Flat tyre on Scott's car (I somehow got a huge hole ripped in it) This ended up costing nearly £350 to repair - a long and boring story involving all the wheels having to be drilled off etc. etc.

5. The printer. New one arrived today, and I have spent most of today getting the computer and 2 lap tops set up to be wireless with it.

6. The central locking on my car also seems to have broken last night. It did that before once, and I couldn't lock the car for about 6 months, or open the boot, so we'll see what happens this time!

7. My camera has finally been sent off to the repair shop this week. It hasn't been right for a few months, and I have finally made the wrench and been parted from it.

All I can say is that I'm glad Scott is a good provider, and that it is not the end of the world when something breaks. It also means that we are privileged to have stuff in the first place.

I was thinking that the new year might be a bit less eventful than last year. So far that's not really been the case!

December (Part 2)

The day after Tom's baptism, Monday 20th December, I drove on my own to Nottingham, and went with Mum, Katy and Niki, to the funeral home to dress Grandma's body. In our church, we dress the dead in white clothing. Mum didn't really want anyone else to do this, so we did.
It is one of the hardest things I have ever done. I wasn't really prepared for the changes in Grandma, since I had last seen her. It is something that has affected me deeply, but somthing I am glad I did. I think we all felt very close, and very emotional.

On Tuesday 21st December it was Grandma Asher's funeral.
Our family drove straight to the church, where a simple service was held. I spoke, and then my cousin Sarah sang beautifully 'I Know That My Redeemer Lives', then an old friend of the family spoke too. The chapel was full. I felt very moved to see Grandma's coffin carried down the church steps and placed into the car by her Grandsons and Scott - all of them so tall (6'3'' and over, the lot of them!) and Grandma having been so tiny! Harry watching the coffin in the car said something like 'wow - a hundred thousand flowers!!' Harry was (and all the kids were) good at the funeral, and very interested by it all. As we were walking out of the cemetary, he said out of the blue 'That was really good!'

I think we all thought that really. No one wanted Grandma to carry on as she was, and the whole day of her funeral was peaceful, and a good day, full of good memories of her.

Afterwards all the family went back to Mum and Dad's house.

Tom and Harry with cousin Adam.

Two of my cousins, Sarah and Clara. It was really good to be with all our extended family!Photography by Amy (aged 18 months):

Tom with a baby = happy Tom!

We travelled back home again on the same day.

December 23rd. Trying to get on with some sewing, while being bombarded by this lot! (My sewing table is in front of the patio windows...)I was not very popular on Christmas Eve morning, because I enforced the kids to do a massive tidy up and clear-out of their rooms. I had been telling them to for ages, and they had been putting it off! As soon as it was done though, they were much happier in themselves, and then Scott took them off to an indoor play place for a few hours, while I did the last bits of housework and ironing. It snowed a little while they were gone, and I thought it was wonderful, and felt so Christmassy!

Lucy on Christmas Eve, being the tooth(brush) fairy for some inexplicable reason...

We had a happy Christmas morning just by ourselves, at home. The children were totally absorbed with their lovely new gifts. John and Hannah over came in time for Christmas lunch, which seemed to come together with ease. I certainly wasn't rushed off my feet, and enjoyed everything. A few of us went for a walk over the fields at the back of our house at dusk (wearing our knitted ear-warmers from Hannah's Mum!) Cold and lovely.John and Hannah stayed at our house for a couple of nights - lots of nice food, and just relaxing, with the kids being good. Everyone went to church on Boxing Day, except Jack and I, because Jack was ill. I made lots of beanbags, and we all (tried to) juggle when everyone got back.

On 27th December, we all went to Mum and Dad's house, and everyone else came round too - the whole family. Felt sad because of some news we had, but it was good just being with everyone. We also all opened our secret santa presents - this year's new experiment!

A few of us went for a walk along the canal - Lucy and I standing on the ice!

After we returned home it was then time for me to get on with preparations for the Stake New Year's Eve party. Made lots of cakes, bought lots of food, sorted out games etc, and on New Year's Eve, Scott took the boys to London for the day, where they visited the Science Museum and watched the Imax space film, and also visited the toy department in Harrods. Lucy and I set off for the Stake centre at 4pm to get set up for the party.

It was a manic evening!! It went so fast, and I never stopped - I think it went pretty well, and lots of people came. We had a giant bouncy castle, a bucking bronco, and sumo suits hired out. I had a group of little boys come and 'call' at the serving hatch of the kitchen for me throughout the evening, to come and play on the bouncy castle with them (so they could beat me up!)

We got the clearing up done by 1am, and got home at 2am. I was aching so much! Lucy had a great time too hanging out with her friends from other wards.

So that is the end of 2010. Never a dull moment it seems! I have written my New Year's Resolutions, and am excited for a fresh start. Happy New Year!