A rather busy week!

Hi Everyone,

This week has been tiring and stressful. I went to Wales very early on sunday morning - I was up at 5.30am and on the road by 6am. I finally arrived in bridgend at about 10.30am having stopped at birmingham for a bit of a break as I was getting tired! I had breakfast with my brother and my dad and we had a drive to porthcawl and aa walk around tonapandy where my dad spent his early years!! It was strange hearing my dad's tales of his youth and seeing the house that he spent the early years of his life in. We then went to visit my great aunt and uncle (my grandads brother and sister in law). We stayed there for just over an hour before getting some dinner at the pub near our hotel 30 mins away. It was a late night as we met up with my uncle and aunt and cousin at the pub before settling in the hotel for the night. I finally got into bed at almost midnight after such an early start I was shattered!!

I was woken up by my brother calling my mobile and knocking on my hotel bedroom door at 8.30am and told I had 30 mins to get ready before we were meeting the rest of the family at sainsbury's for breakfast!!! My cousin and I followed all the others about 15mins late as we take a little longer to get ready lol!!!! We had breakfast and discussed what each of us had to do that day! My aunt and uncle were picking up my grandfathers partner from cardiff and my dad and brother were picking my great uncle and aunt up from the rhondda valley, my cousin and I had a couple of hours to hang around before we were to meet everyone at the RAFA club in porthcawl. We went to have a wander around the shopping village and had a costa coffee before setting the sat nav to find the RAFA club. We arrived and clled my brother to tell him that it was fairly easy to find - they were only a few mins behind us so we waited then went in together. The cars picked us up from the club and drove to pick up the hurst carrying my grandad and then followed it to the crmatorium 30 mins drive away.

It was difficult at the crematorium, my grandad's partner was very upset and the whole thing just reminded me so much of my grandma's funeral a couple of years ago. She died 2 years ago today. One of my grandad's shipmates from the war was there - the only surviving crew man of my grandfathers ship. His son gave a speach which brought a tear to my eye! Afterwards we shook peoples hands and thanked them for coming inviting them to come and celebrate my grandad's life at the RAFA club in porthcawl. A lot of people turned up which was lovely. I also met a distant reletive who was talking about our family tree and told us he had traced it back to the 1800's my brother cousin and I were very interested as we always have been interested in family tree etc but never got the chance to discuss it with our grandfather. We swopped e-mail addresses with our long lost reletive (my grandfathers cousin!!!) and I received an e-mail earlier this week with pictures of my great great grandfather and his brothers it was weird but very cool!

I drove back from wales after the wake and set off at around 6.30pm getting into sheffield at almost 10pm (I was shattered!!) Thankfully I didnt have to get up too eary on tuesday. I had pulmonary rehab on wednesday early in the morning followed by a check up with my GP in the afternoon. Then yesterday and today I was able to have a little rest which was well needed!!

I am getting on OK. I am still a little shell-shocked and it being the anniversary of my grandma's passing today i am a little sad! I miss her so much!!! Its is also my mum and dad's wedding anniversary today! Tried calling them earlier but there was no answer so maybe they have gone out for dinner or something!!! I am gonna try calling them again in a little while! I am going back to my folks tomorrow just overnight as my mum's dad is very poorly at the moment and has had to take a place for a residential rehabilitation program in the hope that this will increase his strength etc otherwise he is not going to be safe on his own at home and may need a nursing home which none of us want to do to him - he would hate it!!!!

Anyways - I will post again soon as I am back from my trip away at my folks.

Hope you are all well, take care.
lotsa lv Rattles Xxxxx