I have really been pushing myself this weekend. Earlier in the week my mum asked if she could have Kieran on Saturday and saturday night so I dropped him off early at her house and went to do a marathon session in the gym on the torture machines, the weights and then a bit of swimming.
This was followed by a trip to my friends Mike & Liz because I had promised Mike that I would help him chop some logs so there was a marathon gym session followed by much axe swinging. We got about 5 wheelbarrows of logs into the log store before the end so I won't have to do that for another few weeks.
I'm getting used to the axe swinging because I hope to have a house that needs log fuel at some point this year or next so a little practice won't go wrong.
As mum had Kieran I had the evening free so it was an opportunitty to meet up and share a chinese meal. There was much talking and no drinking as I was driving. I had a great evening. It's good to hear stories of someone elses life and be able to compare how similar some situations are and how utterly different others can be. If we are all in some way the sum of our experiences then it is no surprise that we are all so different. It is also no surprise how some people are so similar.
I got back quite late but couldn't sleep and as I had bought the new Contagion dvd that got popped in so that added another couple of hours.
Sunday was a huge runaround. I dragged myself and a very painful back out of bed at horrible o'clock to make sure I was at Mams at the promised time to paint the back fence.
Dad insisted on fastening the fence up, he can hardly walk with the pain from his knees but he still wants to get involved in everything.
It's hard to watch the man who used to pick me up and carry me on his back having trouble getting from one side of the garden to the other.
He is 75 next month, and the family is going to gather and make noise and ruin his peaceful birthday. I imagine that smaller grandchildren and great grandchildren may also jump on him.
I have been so lucky to have had such good supportive parents for all of my life. I realise it as an adult more than I ever did as a child. There is nothing that I can't discuss with my parents. I have no need to lie to them even if I have done wrong I can tell them the truth and know that it won't change anything. It was thoughts of my Dad that kept me going a few years ago. There I was 47 years old, supposed to be fine and strong and sorted and when my world went to hell my Dad and my Mum were right there. It was the thought of them that actually kept me going at the tipping point. Here I was in my forties and I still needed them. One day my children will be in their forties and damn if they won't get exactly the same. My parents kept me going for my children, by example, they did it by example. How can you get better parents than that?
I just wish I could fix his knees. But I can't so I painted the fence for him instead, and it does look good :-)
Mum paid for fence painting with a Sunday dinner and then Kieran and I drove off to the Guitar show at the Fed brewery where he wandred round for many hours trying to choose the guitar he wants next. I wandered round for many hours wishing he would pick one that didn't have four numbers after the pound sign.
Kierans guitar teacher Ant was there. He had been hired to play and make some amps sound good so we sat and listened to him.
I love that Kieran has such a mixed taste in guitar music and this is all down to Ant, he is a fantastic teacher and Kierans improvement after every lesson is remarkable.
Kieran took his guitar to my parents so they got to hear him play this weekend. Dad was saying that he was amazed at how quickly he is coming on.
Perhaps my dreams of a bit of musical fame will come true in my son. I have no problem with that.
I got a video of Ant playing. I will try to link to it on youtube. If not try here
Hi Ian,
wow! That guitar playing was utterly fantastic!! I loved it.
Love Carole
Posted by: Carole Denby | March 14, 2012 at 12:16 PM
Carole :-D
How utterly wonderful to hear from you :-D
and another :-D
I lost your email address and phone number :-(
Posted by: Ian | March 17, 2012 at 09:13 PM