June

Tom went happily back to school on Monday.  On Monday evening, Matt got a call from Bob saying that Pat had taken a turn for the worse.  Matt went over to support them both, he got back around 10.30, neither he nor Bob thought she had much longer left.  Bob had put a call in with the GPs and Pat had been given some medication to relax her as she had got a little agitated.  Early Tuesday morning, I woke to the landline phone ringing (around 2am) took me a while to realise what it was, but once I did I woke up Matt and we went downstairs to see if there was a voicemail - there was, it was Bob, Pat had passed away.  Matt immediately got dressed and headed round.  I stayed at home, but there was no way that I would get back to sleep so I ended up watching 'Who do you think you are' on the iPlayer for the rest of the morning until Tom got up for school.  I told Tom when he came in at the usual time, he was fine about it.  We were completely honest with him from the moment Pat's condition was diagnosed to Monday night when he went to bed and I told him we didn't think she had long left.  I think that helped, it was no surprise to him and he had seen her and knew she was severely ill and wouldn't recover.  He was more worried for Bob, Matt and me than himself - but that's our Tom, always looking after others.

Once Tom had gone to school, I headed over to Settle.  Jude had just arrived when I got there.  I went in to see Pat, she looked so at peace, it was actually really good to see her like that as the last time I had seen her, she was anything but at peace. We stayed in Settle until Pat had been collected by the undertakers, we then took Bob out for lunch at Feizor - just to give him a change in scenery and then we headed home. It was a very long day.

Class 50 "Indomitable"

The following two weeks were a little strange, with lots of emotions and things to sort out.  Matt found out that Martin was in the UK - he was visiting his Dad as his Dad has lung cancer and isn't doing well. 

11th June was the KWVR summer Diesel Gala, so Tom and I hopped on the train from Ribblehead to Keighley to enjoy a day watching and riding on diesel locomotives of varying vintages - the oldest was from 1944, the newest less than 10 years old.

Immaculate Class 33

We nipped up and down the line a number of times, stopping at most of the stations to get photos and fill our stomachs. We found ourselves in Haworth for lunch, so popped into a nice cafe next to the station, and both ordered chicken tikka from the specials board. "It's quite hot" warned the waitress. "That's fine" we casually replied, and subsequently managed to force down something more akin to a vindaloo. Our lips were burning and our ears turned bright red. Tom reckoned (probably correctly) that it was the hottest thing he'd ever eaten. Fair play to him for eating most of it. We each downed a bottle of water at the end of the next ride.

Overall, it was a fun day, although these events always tend to attract a fair number of real cranks. It was very attended though, which must have been good for the KWVR. Heritage railways have had a tough couple of years. My favourite loco on the day was the Class 50, and Tom's was (predictably) the Class 37.

A nice day out with the lad.

The week following Pat's death, Matt took Tom out of school and they headed down to Trowbridge for the day.  They got the first train out of Lancaster (5.15am) and got to Trowbridge just after 10am, they spent the day with Martin and Ben (who is now 20!)  Unfortunately Tom had really bad hayfever, he even resorted to wearing a mask to try to stop the pollen getting him - to little effect - so they had to spend quite a bit of time inside in various cafes to give him a break. Tom came home hating Wiltshire, but both of them were glad to have seen him again.  They are coming over again in December, and have requested a couple of days up with us, so that will be twice in a year, which is fab.

Oh nearly forgot to mention Hunslet the bear - it is a long story but Matt follows this train bear on Twitter and on the way home Matt and Tom went past his station: Soho Depot, Matt had told them and they got Hunslet out to wave at them as they passed.  If you look carefully you can see a giant bear dressed in high vis waving in the photo below...Matt and Tom were made up!

On Friday17th June we said goodbye to Pat.  It was small but perfect for her - with minimal fuss.  It took place in Skipton Crematorium, she was in a wicker coffin, Matt did a little eulogy, there was some of her favourite music and a reading from the bible.  It didn't last long, but would have been what she wanted.  

Afterwards we headed back to Skipton via some awful traffic to The Folly for lunch.  There were only 8 of us - Elizabeth came back down and Ben - Bob's nephew travelled over from Stourmarket  and then Bob, the three of us and Jude and Craig.  Heard some great stories of antics that Bob got up to in Oxford when visiting Pat and then having to 'break' back into his college without the porters finding out - it involved climbing lampposts, jumping onto rooves etc etc, he never got caught, so was obviously good at it!  He said he would show us where it all took place if we wanted.

The rest of June was sort of lost in hayfever and exams.  Tom's hayfever got really really bad just as his exams took place - just typical!  He was a sorry sight - came home, straight into the bath but still he streamed and streamed.  Then trying to revise, it is just horrible for him and there is nothing we can do to help - he is on pills 4 times a day, 2 different nasal sprays and 2 types of eye drops.  Luckily he hasn't developed a cough yet - as that is when we need to properly worry.  Oh and exams are a serious business at QES, he had to go into the old gym where tables were laid out in exam style, he was allocated a seat for each exam which he had to find and sit at, he had to have a clear pencil case and a clear bottle of water etc.  I guess it is so they are used to proper exam style early on.  Each exam was only 45 mins, but he had 14 of them (I think!)

He has also been playing cricket - not the best time for him to be outside.  He has been playing for QES, but (as always seems to the case) no-one in his year is into cricket so their team is very weak - Tom literally had to go round his friends one day begging people to play for them.  Of course they get beaten by every school, because most of the QES team have never played cricket before, some of them don't even know the rules - it is so frustrating!  The year above him is full of county players as is the year below him, it is just his year where there are no decent players!

On the 30th June the Year 6s were invited to QES in the evening for their induction.  Tom plays in a steel pan band at school and his band was asked to perform at the event.  We went along early to pick him up, hoping to see him play and we did.  It was better than we thought it would be, chilled out music - perfect for a summer's evening.  Click on the video link at the bottom of this post.  They did well.  We also got an email today from the Head Mistress, there is a Year 8 Awards Ceremony next week and we are invited because Tom has two awards!  He will also be playing in the band too - so that was good news.

Oh and at my last weigh in with Slimming World - I had lost over 1.5 stones, not bad hey?!

AND it has finally happened, Tom is now taller than me - eurghhhhh!