So much water under the bridge

But I'm still trying to drop weight!!

I have missed blogging. I have stupidly replaced it with playing silly games on my phone which is not nearly as much fun or anything really. Damn you Wordscape with your hypnotic but utterly pointless disc.

Here are some bullet points on what has happened since my last post.

We got married. My dress fitted (snugly but I'll take it) Yay! Here are a few pics.

We had a short minimoon in Wensleydale ("cheese Gromit?). It didn't rain too much which, if you remember June, is a minor miracle. We saw lots of waterfalls and ate and drank like princes.

When we came home Rich's mum Sue, who had been diagnosed with cancer and early dementia before the wedding, went downhill much more rapidly than anticipated. We think she held on for the wedding and then decided to go quickly afterwards. She wouldn't/couldn't eat and we spent the next 9 weeks visiting her in hospital and latterly a nursing home where she sadly died 3 weeks ago. She was only 72 so there is no upside to this other than to say that I think she didn't want to linger.

Her funeral was last Tuesday and the family and Rich and his brother in particular did a great job and did her proud.

Shelagh had been going downhill too although remained mostly happy and healthy just very doddery and increasingly frail. I knew she would not last long and sure enough, after a few bad days and recoveries, she finally deteriorated quickly and decisively one Tuesday night 3 days after Sue had died. We took her to the vets and let her go peacefully like the true lady she was.

We haven't been too bad to be honest. I thought I'd be in bits but it was so obviously her time and she had had nearly 16 years of a great life.  What's to mourn?

These are pics of her last paddle in the stream and last stick just a week or so before we said goodbye.

And on that bittersweet note I'm going to sign off. I'll be back soon.