Hello....

Here I am....

it's been quite a week...

and so long since I last blogged that I almost feel as though I have forgotten what to do....it's only about 10 days but I blog every day pretty much, I miss it!

Last time I blogged I was leaving for a long week-end in Rome with my daughter as part of her 10th birthday celebrations....

We went to Rome but had literally only been there a few hours when I had a call to say that my father was seriously ill in hospital....

As you know our week-end away was much anticipated so I had a real dilemma as to whether to fly home or to carry on and not tell my daughter anything. I chose to stay - which was the right decision - and we had a wonderful time, more of which on another day.

I talk a little about my family here on my blog, I have mentioned that my parents divorced when I was just 8 and that I have "challenging" relationships with both of them, for different reasons, they aren't always the easiest of people.

This week has thrown up all kinds of issues, with our immediate family and others slightly less close - as these things often do. It's been exhausting quite honestly!

I have seen my father several times this week, I saw him today...and he is stable - I think. My brothers and I have talked to doctors, tried not to think about the worst that could happen - but, on the other hand, can't ignore it....and we know, pending more tests to come this week, that we have a long and difficult road ahead of us.

We have found ourselves thrown into totally unfamiliar roles.

It feels very odd, almost surreal.

The other major event this week - at totally the other end of the emotional scale - was that my precious, beautiful and wonderful daughter was 10 years old yesterday.

Double digits. A whole decade!!

She loved Rome.

She took trays of Krispy Kreme doughnuts to school on Friday for her classmates - best birthday treat ever apparently!

She had a cake-decorating and drama party for 10 friends yesterday.

She got a much longed for hamster.

We had a fantastic day.

And today - unaware of exactly what is wrong with him and in a ward full of very poorly people - she sat doing crosswords with her grandfather, making him laugh and telling him that she loved him.

Making his day just like she makes my day every day....

And so, as I write,  I am in my pjs, eating chocolate caterpillar birthday cake, drinking tea, listening to music....and being entertained by Syrup the hamster who apparently thinks she is in the Hamster Wheel Olympics....wow, these little things can move!!

Thank you to everyone who has emailed me wondering where I am.

Rachel....I owe you an email and a huge apology for not catching up with you last week-end in Rome - my iPhone got left in the taxi on the way to the airport last week so I had no phone while I was there!! Thankfully the lovely taxi driver had delivered it to my house when I got home....phew!!!

I have a lot of catching up to do this week - blog writing & reading and emails etc....it will be a very welcome distraction from everything else going on to be honest and I shall try to ease myself back into it very gently as soon as possible. I've missed it....and all of you too :)