the kids making a fuss of their old dad...

Well, that's Alex turned 50. He didn't want any fuss, just a nice family (and extended family!) day. So, that's what we had. Usually, I write a little ditty or poem for our family occasions - but I couldn't have managed anything more special than the things that the kids did for their Dad last Sunday. I just kept quiet and let them show him just how much he means to us all.

Gordon wrote, and sang, him a song - which was hilarious and touching in equal measure. Ross wrote and presented a glorious speech before we sat down for birthday dinner. And Gemma, who sadly couldn't be with us in person but did manage to make numerous 'Facetime' appearances throughout the day, sent a wee video which summed up beautifully what we all think of Alex. He is, quite simply, our hero :)

Alex coming home

I first met Alex when I was 12 years old. I first went on a date with him when I was 13. I fell out with him a few weeks later. I came back to my senses when I was the ripe old age of 15 and, well, we’ve been together ever since. In all those years, the longest we’ve ever spent apart is 2 weeks – and that was a fair few years ago! We’re just not used to spending any length of time away from each other. (Stop laughing!) So, when he phoned from Sweden this morning to tell me that he was coming home earlier than expected, ocht, it just made my day! 

I think I’ve mentioned somewhere on my blog before that in all our 25 years in business, the furthest afield that Alex has worked is Campbeltown! So, getting the opportunity to do some masonry work in Sweden was definitely something a bit different! He’s there with one of our employees and they were supposed to be coming back mid-week but they’ve managed to finish the job ahead of schedule so will be back late tomorrow night. I know that some of my pals thought it was hilarious that I was making a bit of a deal of the fact that Alex and I were going to be apart for a whole ten days (especially those whose partners work away from home for months on end!) but it’s just something that we’re not used to! And, surely, it’s all relative, isn’t it?! I consider ourselves really lucky that we don't have to contemplate being apart all that often. Anyway, I’m like a cat on a hot tin roof now and can’t wait to see him tomorrow night! 

The week’s flown past and I haven’t managed to get half of what I’d hoped to get done done. I have managed to tick a few things off my list: 

Finish enrolment process for impending Postgrad course: yup

 

Send photo to Uni so that I can get my student card so that I can get 10% off in some places: yup

Read first book on pre-course reading list: kept nodding off but, yup

Read second book on pre-course reading list: yup, thoroughly enjoyed it

Re-read first book on pre-course reading list as you didn’t take any of it in first time around: nope

Compile and submit application to present project overview at ‘Help the Hospices’ National Conference: must be mad, but yup

Tackle the work work ‘to do’ pile: don’t be silly

DO SOME HOUSEWORK WOMAN: em, nope

Keep up with essential work work while Alex’s away: yup

Blow the work work ‘to do’ pile and the housework and spend more time volunteering at the hospice: yup 

This wee list and all the other bits and pieces that made up my week – such as a nice Sunday dinner with my mum; yet another fantastic choir rehearsal where Gordon unleashed his dark side during a brilliant impression of Vincent Price in Heart of Scotland’s version of ‘Thriller’; a lovely catch-up breakfast with my special ‘anon’ pal; a sweet afternoon tea with an elderly friend and a thoroughly enjoyable sing-song afternoon with day care patients at the hospice – have probably contributed to the time speeding past. And, there’s more to come before Alex comes home: I’m in the middle of writing a poem for two very special friends’ wedding and have set myself a deadline of tonight; I’m spending some  time tomorrow through in Glasgow with my mum (shopping for dress for said wedding!); I have a pile of unopened ‘that looks like nothing important but it’s not junk’ mail to clear from the kitchen table and I’m really looking forward to my usual choir rehearsal endorphin-fix tomorrow evening. 

 

So, back to the poem I go. I'm thoroughly enjoying writing it; it's a poem for two people who are very much in love and want to spend the rest of their lives together - and don't like to spend too much time apart.... Somehow the words are coming fairly easily...