And breathe and rest......

Half term at last! Every parents dream week, children stay in bed and have a lie in, no school, no work and some time together as a family. I have to say Mrs Hammond and I truly need it. We are shattered, very tired indeed. We do have some great stuff to look forward to. Night time museum visits in Cambridge, hopefully head over to Walsingham and see the snowdrops and a night away for us both dining and shopping in Bury St Edmonds. Let's see if by the end of the week we actually feel rested. I am looking forward to spending some time with my babies though! 

It's all about the makeup!

A girl must have her accessories in this modern world. Not that I think my eldest daughter needs anything to enhance her beauty, but make up is rapidly becoming the 'in thing' in our house and has been for some time. Armed with some late Christmas money, Lucy set about purchasing yet more makeup in a sparkly 'presentation' bag. Now when presented with this at lunch yesterday, I attempted to look like I new what she was talking about, launch myself into an enthusiastic state and epically fail in demonstrating that I knew what brush was used for which part of the body! She loves it, she makes tutorial videos for Instagram, wore her waterproof mascara for Grandma's funeral and is considerably more adept at putting it on than I expected a novice teenager to be. I kind of expected it to be slight overkill and slapped on, but Lucy applies it with a subtle touch and I am truly impressed. She does look beautiful when she wears it; prior to becoming a parent I was very anti makeup in regards to teenagers, but I have to let her grow up. I  remain parentally enthusiastic, however slightly confused! 

We'll follow, we'll follow, everywhere she goes!

Being Anna's parent is mostly about watching her at sporting events, cheering her on and encouraging her in all weathers. Brace yourself, be prepared to get cold and sometimes if you are lucky a great cup of coffee and a bacon roll comes into the bargain. Amy and I have been supporting her with her football and the odd spot of running for a few years now. Anna has a new fan, in her Uncle Ron who made the freezing trip to watch her in the West Norfolk cross country recently where she finished a credible twenty-eight out of fifty. He has been singing her praises since with compliments about her tenacity, fitness (which is flagging a bit since she went into goal) and never-say-die attitude. He also got to know her slightly better when she let her guard down and revealed the true Anna in showing her nerves and apprehension about something new. Me, I am prepared to follow Anna anywhere and I adore watching her games. We received word of the venue for Sunday's game today and it is an away game against West Winch. Now this is familiar I thought. Due to game cancellations for waterlogged pitches, ice and other weather related disasters it seems the only team she has actually played in the last two months is West Winch!!!! After what I hope will be victory number three in a row this weekend (never been done before and crossing everything beyond fingers), let's hope she and her friends get to test themselves against different opposition in the coming weeks to see how far they have actually come. Looking forward to Sunday morning, the cold, watching my daughter's fearless antics and perhaps a sneaky bacon roll!! 

Planting Auntie day is a lovely one that goes without a hitch......

It's been a very emotional family day. One filled with joy, sadness and pride. Today we laid Auntie to rest and I am extremely proud of what I organised, in what I hope was a fitting tribute to a remarkable woman. The church was packed with family, old friends and new. All who had been touched by her and on whom she has left an indelible mark. So proud of the girls today as they broke through their sadness and both found the courage to attend to celebrate their Grandma's life.  She would have been very proud of them today as  am I. I made it through the eulogy (only just, and quite possibly one of the hardest things I will ever do) and I hope paid tribute to the most amazing woman whom I was privileged to have had in my life. The day was filled with tears, laughter, pickled onions, crime novels, banana sandwiches and shortbread. Just how it should have been! I feel good now and have fulfilled my commitment to her to see her though the end of her days. She lives in me and I will always continue to try and make her and Auntie Doris proud; in memory of what they did for me. Today, I feel my debt is paid and my job is done, bar a few things such as her gravestone and a memorial bench which I will work on in the coming months. Never forgotten, always in my heart and much loved. Rest in peace Auntie Joan and once again thank you for the love, opportunity and support you gave me. A privilege to share part of your amazing life and to have known you. We'll keep talking and I know you will always be there for me. I don't feel my heart is broken anymore. I don't feel sad. I am ready to move forwards and it is because of you x

Finding her own indentity....

Lucy is rapidly becoming an adult. Hidden behind the antisocial behaviour and holding up in her bedroom, there are glimpses of an adult emerging who thinks things through and really is starting to get it. I have been so very impressed at how she handles herself when she has conflict in her friendship group, as well as the loyalty and support she offers her friends is so very caring and dedicated. She is a good judge of character and chooses friends for the most part very wisely. She is now obsessed with being taller than us and soon likely will be. A few inches to go yet Looby Chick, you never know that growth spurt might just stall! She expresses herself with love and real thought. She wrote such a wonderful tribute to her grandma on her Instagram feed, that deeply touched me and really demonstrated her understanding of the Auntie as a person. It was truly moving and I feel privileged to be able to include it in the eulogy I have written for the funeral. I will share this at a later date, as just need to tweak a few things first. She has a wonderful way with words and they come from the heart. She is growing up, finding different ways to express herself in the modern world and still hates boys. Perfect just what a dad would want! I sit back with pride and start to watch the adult she will become. I could do with some more interest in house work, and tidying her room but you can't have everything! 

Powered by 'Hammond!'

I am proud to sponsor Anna's football team. They are a good bunch of kids who work hard and are really starting to gel as a team. They play for and look after each other during the games. On Sunday last week, a 5-3 victory was achieved against a competitive and aggressive team (and that was just the parents!), which I won't name as we do not live that far away! Anna and her friends prevailed coming back from set backs and disappointments throughout the game and played the best football I have seen to date from them. You could say its a victory powered by 'Hammond' and perhaps the sponsorship is what has tipped the balance?!? Now football means a great deal to Anna and being part of her team is so very important to her. I was very touched as we got in the car after the match and she dedicated the victory to her Grandma. Auntie always asked me how Anna had got on in her games each week and took a real interest. Football and sport was not her thing, but some of my earliest memories were of her cheering me on in the freezing cold at rugby matches. She would always support us in everything we did. That's definitely a victory for you Grandma, hope you enjoyed it from your lofty position with the best seat in the house! Oh by the way, is it possible you could actually smile for a photo Anna?!?

Sleep well and thank you...

Early morning around 5.30am on the 29th December I finally got the call I had been dreading for weeks. Auntie passed away peacefully in her sleep. Now time for her to take a well earned rest after years as the head of our family and believe me I am sure it was no picnic bringing all those children and taking them into adult life! At the moment I have a heavy heart and am filled with sadness, but I am sure in the coming weeks and months this will turn to pride and joy and I will be able to focus on the lovely memories I have of her. She was the closest thing I had to a mother, after all. She was one of the two people who quite simply changed the course of my life as a baby and everything that has happened after. There is still lots to do to sort out her affairs and my main priority is to organise her a fitting send off that reflects a life so very well led. I already miss her terribly and the simple act of not being able to speak to her is very upsetting. I will always talk to her, always ask her what she thinks about something and she will always be with me in everything I do. Thank you once again Auntie for the life I am leading, I love it and it's all because you took me in. I have been so overwhelmed by the messages I have received in the last few days. So many people loved her, as I did. It simply shows how this amazing woman touched so many lives. Rest in peace xx