Jean

This week, our family has suffered a huge loss. Jean, Stuart's Mum, died early Monday morning. Stuart had seen her on Sunday, spoken to her Sunday evening on the phone, and all was well. By the early hours of Monday morning, she had suffered a massive heart attack, and our world was turned upside down.

Jean was a remarkable woman. A talented woman with her painting, knitting, gardening, cooking She was the only person I know who could keep a parlour palm alive, and make them thrive! She would knit at an amazing speed, combining colours in wonderful ways through her fair isle knitting, we are all so proud of our "Grandma jumpers" She had just started going into a local school to help with needlework class, and had been quite a hit with them. She also made the most fabulous scones, through no recipe!

But talents aside, she was so warm and welcoming, gentle and loving, hardworking, and a rock for all those around her. Family was her everything, and she was everything to her family.

It has shocked me that the world is still turning without Jean there, really! And I know I am not alone in that feeling. She truly was an inspirational woman, and will be very, very sorely missed by us all.

School Blues

Luke is not happy. He really has not settled in well to school this year. There has been a change in the tutor system so they are in mixed year tutor groups, and Luke has found this rather unsettling, combined with some rather "shouty" teachers, who have struck the fear of god into him, so now when he is confused about something he won't ask, for fear of being shouted at. He doesn't want me to intervene, as it would make him feel "a baby", so we are stuck.

Its heart breaking to see him so sad, and having had a miserable time at school myself at his age, I can empathise so much with him. The best I can do is make homelife as stress free as possible (not easy when organisation really isn't my forte!) so at least he has some nice hours in the day. I had thought of going behind his back to speak with the teachers, but that is just too much of a risk, one that I am not prepared to take, if he ever found out, how could he trust me again?

This parenting lark is tough! I cant wait for half-term to have him happy again.

Fortunately the other two are enjoying school, I must be grateful for that.