My son is getting older......

So here we are. As ready as I will be for the American visitors tomorrow. I am so excited that they are coming! The choir is combining with our village choir tomorrow night in the church, and the concert will be amazing. I heard a bit of the rehearsal last night at the meeting for the hosts, and they sound great. I can't sing. I may have to vacate the premises if the vibrations get too bad, but I am hoping I can make it through the whole thing. I heard Jon, the musical director telling the organist to pull out the stops, so thought that would be an appropriate time to go home.

My friends are stars, as I have told you many times. Glynis came round yesterday and sorted the shower while I did the rest, and after doing the shopping today, and with a cinnamon cake in the oven as I speak, I have ticked all the boxes on the list. Time to relax and just enjoy my visitors for the very short time they will be here.

Helpfully, it has not rained for the past 2 days, so Jean's neighbour has managed to replace the roof on the shed at the allotment for me too. This has been particularly good, as the roof had an enormous hole in it so we were gathering water merrily in places we did not intend it to be. He is also putting up a gutter and pipe to a big barrel so we can collect rainwater in the right kind of place. I was down there after aquazumba today, and I was less than thrilled to see a zillion weeds in the carefully prepared beds awaiting all the stuff in my greenhouses. I put down some carpet strips to define the beds, and then sat down and started yanking the weeds out. I loathe weeding.

I hope I will be able to plant out the seedlings soon. The butternut and gem squash and the courgettes of many colours. Zucchini to you in the States. And the leeks and more French beans. The peas I planted, just like the ones I planted at home and the ones Jean planted are singularly unimpressive. I may have to try planting more, or starting them at least. I think it just hasn't been warm enough. The broad beans and spinach and lettuce are doing well at home. Now if I could just get out of winter clothes and into something less bulky, life would be great. I may even paint my toenails.

I can't believe how wildly my mind is producing words here. Completely unrelated. Hmmm. Toenails? Weeds? Showers?

More to the point........

Yesterday, my son celebrated his birthday. My oldest child is 35, and I am having a little trouble believing that it is 35 years since that little guy with gorgeous red hair and big blue eyes was born. Born to a novice Mum, who had to learn everything double quick, because his Daddy happened to be in Norway at the time. And what did I know about little boys? I only had one sister.  Norway. I want to visit Norway. It is on the list.

Anyway, back to my son. He survived my faltering attempts to get things right, and I look at him now, a father himself, and yet I still see the little boy with dead straight hair racing into pre-primary school barefoot,  the 8 year old on his BMX bike, the 11 year old in his full wetsuit and boogie board racing into the waves. The 13 year old with his skateboard which he customised himself, the judo, the tennis, the hockey, the rugby, the Guns and Roses (give me strength), the teenager with LOUD music blaring, the young man learning how to drive, going off to university, meeting the girl who was to become his wife......

I see it all when I look at him, you know, and so much more too. It - his whole life - is imprinted on my soul, just like it is for all my children. And he is now learning that he will be doing the same with his little daughter too - carving memories that will remain with him all his life. The special memories. I cherish every one of them. And you know, what really makes me grin is that I can remember far more about each of them than they can. There is always another story to tell of their childhood. Hah. Being a Mum has some perks.

 Please note the palace he put together for Missy, who decided to move in long before it was completed. And what did he want for his birthday present from his wife? An early gift of a new drill so he could assemble the palace as soon as he managed to squeeze it into the car at Costco and get it home for the princess.

He is definitely flavour of the month  in his daughter's eyes. His Mum thinks he is very special too.

I love you, Andrew. And I am very proud of you. Your Dad would have been very proud too. I know you had a happy birthday yesterday, and I am sure that there are many adventures, and a whole heap of joy ahead for you as you stride into the future.