Easter in Devon

I have just returned from a weekend away with the children in Devon. My first trip down since Richie passed away. As many of you are aware Devon was where we got married and was somewhere we had always talked about moving to in the future. So it was a very strange journey thinking back to the times we have spent in Devon and the plans we had considered for our old age!

The journey down was a nightmare, typically I had left later than intended and therefore joined the masses travelling to the seaside for the Easter break urgh! My sister Julie, her other half Chris and their son Josh came with us. I had also bought alone a friend for Becca, her school mate Shannon. So we had two packed vehicles heading down the M4 and M5. We hired a couple of log cabins on a golf resort in Tedbury St Mary (a few miles out of Exeter).

Saturday we spent at Creely Adventure Park - the kids had a whale of a time. It was a fairly small park so Becs and Shannon had the luxury of being allowed to walk around without the adults and go on the rides that they wanted whist the rest of us watched the boys who spent most of the day playing with diggers in the sand.

Sunday gave us a gloriously sunny day so we all headed for the beach after the kids had finished their Easter Egg Hunt. Being a typical donut I didn't take myself any suncream and think I have become the first person to burn on a UK beach in early April! (This does not bode well for my upcoming trip to India!!)

Monday was spent doing a little shopping before heading back home (another 5 hrs spent in traffic jams!!). Unfortunately this journey back was not without its mishaps. Harry needed a wee (after giving the usual 10 second warning). We were stuck in the outside lane with no chance of getting to any services for at least half an hour. Therefore, yep, you guessed it Harry peed his pants - bless him! He was so upset as he very rarely has an accident and is always proud that he uses the toilet like a big boy! Anyway, we got him changed and into dry clothes and continued the journey home. Aprox 1 mile from Membury services I get another warning from Harry - he needs to wee again! Brilliant I think as we are a stones throw from the services - this clearly was not quick enough for Harry as he needed to go immediately. He therefore pulled out his winky and peed all over my car (and unfortunately Shannon too as she had the misfortune to be sat next to him). I didn't no whether to laugh or cry (I love my son but I also really love my car!!) - Harry then announces that at least he pants were dry!!!!! Kids and their logic - brilliant! I'm pretty sure Richie would be looking down laughing his socks off at the situation!

Innocent

Not sure if I had let you all know but Innocent have placed a post on their blog about Rich:-



http://innocentdrinks.typepad.com/innocent_drinks/2009/04/abouta-year-ago-we-told-you-about-richard-wildman-wildman-our-it-systems-guru-who-was-famed-within-these-grassy-halls-for.html



Innocent added this blog last Thursday afternoon. Following on from this I received an email from Alex Smith which I have copied for you all to read below (I'm hoping that Alex is ok with this as I have not had a response to confirm it is ok)

A Thank you message.

I started to write an email and then stopped. Then read some more of your blog and this is the result. I always found that I reacted to people talking to me about the big C with contempt and anger at how people cant possibly understand how it feels to watch someone wither in front of you. I read both you and your husbands blog through the innocent website. I'm 21 and lost my mum to cancer last year after a 3 year battle. I cant imagine what youve been through because everyones story is different, but what I want to say is that I find you an inspiration. I've tried to do some fund raising but I've been tied up in work and university and all the things that mean life gets away from you. In her last year my mum raised 600,000 for our local hospice, I have always been incredibly proud of her; she literally didnt give in until the drugs shut her body down. This really isnt a very well constructed email so please forgive me for this. Reading about you and your husband has made me realise that I need to be doing more of the things that my mum spent her last days focusing on. I try to perspectivise my life but am quite poor at it; wistful youth and all. I cant do a lot but what I can say (and do) is that the next run I do (half marathon) will be for your husbands charity. One day I hope to inspire people in the way you have. I wish you and your family all the happiness and success in the world.
Kind Regards
Alex Smith (Lex)
luv
lex
xxx

Every time I read this email I get a lump in my throat but am hoping that I am making Mr W proud by raising some cash for charity and keeping this blog going - plus its nice to know that there is at least one person reading this!!

Sam

Harry Turns 4

Saturday was Harry's birthday. A really odd day for me without Rich as I am sure you can appreciate.
Unbelievably Harry slept in until after 9 (why do they do this when you don't want them to!). For once he got washed and dressed without the usual dramas, birthday presents are a brilliant bribe! His little face when he got downstairs to his presents was fantastic - predictably all cards were ignored as he ripped wrapping paper off all his new toys. As an adult don't you wish you could open presents in this manner rather than having to politely open them slowly and say lots of thank-you's before politely moving onto the next - would be much more fun to dive in and create a sea of ripped wrapping paper. I never understand the people that open presents so carefully so they can re-use the paper - makes no sense and must be no fun opening presents like that! Anyway, back to the birthday boy, so after Harry had opened his presents and ate his breakfast we (Me, Bec, H, Julie, Josh and Katy) headed off to Legoland - Harry's birthday treat!

It was a great day - sunny and dry - perfect! The first ride we went on was the rapids. Whilst queuing we could see the people coming off this ride looking pretty soaked but we ignored the fact that you could buy water-proof ponchos and piled into our 'boat'. It was pretty clear fairly quickly that not only would we get wet but we would also be leaving the boat soaked - however it was sunny so this was fine! What I did not anticipate was the random squirts of water that caught me straight in the eye so I left this ride not only wet through to my undergarments but also sporting the look of Chichi the Panda! Mascara running all down my face - nice! The rest of the day went well, the kids had a great time and Harry was on his best behaviour (for a change!). On our way out of the park we went into the lego shop and Harry purchased some toys with the birthday money he had been sent by some friends and family. Becs picked a new handbag (that's my girl!).

We stop at McDonalds onroute home for birthday tea (happy meals all round!) and headed home. The car was very quiet for a change, god bless theme parks for tiring out children!

Harry and Josh then had a quick play in the garden before Harry blew out the candles on his Ben 10 birthday cake. Bedtime went rather smooth as well as we were going to Thorpe Park the next day so Harry had more rides to look forward to - and as Harry has told me, he likes the fast rides as they "make my winky wobble Mummy" !!!!!!!!!!!! My son, the charmer!

Gangan

I just wanted to drop a quick post in honour of my Granddad (or Gangan as I called him as a child!). My Granddad passed away Wednesday morning, he had been suffering with dementia for a while now so whilst its very sad that he is no longer with us I am hoping that he is in a much happier place and has all his memories returned to him.

My Granddad was such an inspirational person - when he was 14 he lost his parents and had to take care of his brothers and sisters - can you imagine having to do that at such a young age.

When I was little my Nan and Granddad lived in Brighton and ran a greengrocers. I remember loving to play shop when I was there. They lived above the shop and it was a victorian building so I remember the large rooms with high ceilings fairly well (or maybe as I was little I just remember everything being bigger, a bit like when you look at a Wagon Wheel now and think these use to be so much bigger and with loads more jam!!). Every Christmas, when me and my sister Julie were small, we would get a large box of clothes from Nan and Granddad - it was ace opening up this big parcel and finding lots of new clothes inside (more so for me as being 3 years younger than Julie use to get all the hand me downs so was always excited to have clothes that were just for me! Hmm perhaps this explains my shopping habit.......!). When it was time to head back home after a visit with Nan and Granddad we were always allowed to pick any fruit we wanted and Granddad would put it in a brown paper bag for the journey home. I always had bananas and Julie always had apples - odd the things you remember!

I think one of the best things about my Granddad was that he always said whatever he wanted - sometimes this was down right embarrassing - but lets face it better to tell it like it is than to dance around these things!

We will all miss you lots Granddad, especially Mum who is heartbroken that you are not here anymore. But we have lots of happy memories to remember you by so you will never ever be forgotten.

God Bless x