More Happy Days...

           Even better news from Daughter at the weekend - she and her Bloke are now officially engaged. I knew it was in the offing because Paul (he now has a name!) came to see me a couple of weeks ago, in the traditional way, to ask if I had any objection to him proposing. I thought this was both touching and charming, and of course I had no objection at all. I can't imagine that it would have made any difference either way, but it was very good of him to think of it, and to make me feel very much a part of the whole thing. He is a very solid and dependable chap, just what Daughter needs, and more importantly they make each other happy. It has not been easy for them over the three and a half years they have been together: they have five children between them, four of whom are living under their roof, and with such disparate ages and stages (children from three through to seventeen at the start) they have certainly had their ups and downs. I guess this sort of "blended" family is pretty typical nowadays and it certainly works well for them.  Anyway, all's well at the mo. We are all delighted and Daughter has a lovely diamond engagement ring to display on her lovely hands. The manicure looks pretty good too. 

            The next thing will be to organise the Wedding, which they would like to have out of doors in a lovely garden with a marquee in Summer - and hopefully when all this nasty virus stuff has gone away. In any case, they have worked out that just keeping it to family and friends will mean roughly 150 people!! Goodness gracious me! Daughter is loving the whole "Planning a Wedding" thing, and I'm sure it will be perfect.

            Politics rears its ugly head continually just now doesn't it? This morning I hear that  Gollum is leaving Downing Street (at last) and will be leaving BoJo to his own devices - can it get any worse I wonder? And the orange POTUS is still refusing to concede in America... two-year old having a tantrum comes to mind and it's a ghastly image. We all  know what to do with two-year old tantrums don't we? Just walk away....

Stronger Together

      Another long gap in communication, and I'm all out of excuses. I'm not moving after all - at least not yet - and still searching around for some certainty! I had sold my house (to the busy woman and her husband), but after two whole months of looking far and near with nothing even remotely nice appearing, I had to change my mind and stop the sale. I could picture myself standing outside with a couple of suitcases, waving gooodbye to the furniture van and having nowhere to go.  It was a very scary prospect. Having had a couple of weeks to think about it since, I believe it was because I have always had a clear vision of where I was moving to in the past, and I don't have that now.
      So now I'm considering renting in Sitges (half an hour from Barcelona by car or train), possibly followed by buying in Sitges, and trying to decide what to do with this house in the meantime. There are many options: renting this house out furnished, or unfurnished, or not renting it! Or even doing an Air BnB with it..( Actually I'd happily do nothing with it until I'm sure what I want.)  Ideally I will go out to Spain for a short recce first, in September, to see how I might feel about living there. And then I could get a Winter rental there so that I could keep warm and learn  more about the place. Son and his family are also considering a move, either in Barcelona or possibly to Sitges, so we might even join together - or not! See what I mean? I must say that the prospect of packing up everything in this house and stashing it in the garage is extremely daunting. Sensible, but daunting. Anyway, because of various happenings, nothing is happening right now! Son and family have left Barcelona  for the summer (much too hot to stay) and are in Warsaw (with her Mother and friends), followed by the Polish Lake District, followed by a few days together at a lovely Spa, followed by London, followed by here in sunny Shoreham for the last week in August. That leaves me in an uneasy situation where I feel rather isolated, as if I should be doing something positive, and yet I know there's nothing to be done until the beginning of September! Heigh Ho!
      And in the meantime, Daughter and family are still in Hove, with Big Grandson having celebrated his 15th Birthday (he's now 6ft. tall), and have settled in with New Bloke and two of his children and the dog. It's been two years now, so they are more settled.  Big Grandson and Little Granddaughter are supposed to be dividing their time between Daughter and their Dad, who also lives in Hove. It's sort of working, but isn't exactly ideal. I know I couldn't have done that kind of time division with my children, but then it was a long time ago and I'm an old fashioned old fart.
      Actually, the reason for naming this post "Stronger Together" was mainly to do with the political situation and the dreaded Brexit! I'm a strong Remainer, mainly because I'm old enough to remember what it was really like before we joined the EU. And I have no wish to go back there - what I'd like to see is a strong alliance of  all the parties who are in favour of us being in the EU - and all pulling together. I just don't believe that anything other than disaster will come out of Brexit. I love being European, and separating ourselves on this little island, with the likes of Boris Johnson, Slimy Gove  and Rees-Mogg to look after our welfare seems a really stupid thing to do.  And as for the wavering, havering Jeremy (I'm not in opposition) Corbyn, well my patience has long been exhausted. I'd tie them all together and launch them off the white cliffs into the sea - and good riddance. I'm not alone when  I say that this whole debacle has convinced me never to vote either Labour or Tory ever again. So there!