Bittersweet...

Large autumn loveliness

Today's visit to our new house was the one I had been looking forward to the most. Today was the day we had planned to take my mum and my step dad to visit our new house for the very first time.

I knew what her reaction would be. Excitement, pleasure, pride, humour (she was already calling us Laird and Lady and saying she would have to buy a hat before being allowed to visit!) but mainly relief that we had found the perfect home for Alan.

He was always her number 1 priority. She adored him and he adored her. What a team they were. My little boy and his gran. Daft as each other with their own secret jokes that they would laugh about together and silly made up songs that she would sing to him that would have him laughing so hard he would lose his breath and turn bright red and we would all be screaming BREATHE at him!! :-))

But it wasn't to be and instead today we took my wonderful stepdad and my auntie Maisie (my mums cousin but more like a sister to her) to visit. It was a beautiful day and the scenery from the car was spectacular but it was a fairly quiet car journey. We were all lost in our own thoughts I suspect. Mine being thankful that although my mum never got to actually visit the house, she had already taken great pleasure from photos, descriptions and video footage on my phone.

Once there, the visit was actually lovely as it's impossible not to fall in love with the house and there was lots of warmth and laughter as we wandered round with them before settling down to tea and cake in the kitchen (I just know that once we live there, 80% of my time will be spent in that warm, welcoming kitchen). There were a couple of quiet moments when I know we were all thinking similar thoughts of what might have been but on the whole we had a lovely afternoon.

So just tomorrow to get through. All the plans are in place and although I don't feel quite ready (do you ever?) it is time to say good bye and give her the send off she deserves.

Till we meet again mum. Love you. xxx