Mamma Musings

Winter is the perfect setting for cozying up in a warm blanket to watch movies and drink hot chocolate. Snow gives a magical tinge to the freezing cold weather and provides the backdrop for beautiful Instagram-worthy pictures. However, this comes at a price, and as the snow gets more intense, severe side effects start to appear.  From frostbite to slippery roads, heavy snow can escalate into dangerous situations very quickly.  Your landscape also bears the brunt of heavy snow on trees. If the snow is sparse, it will melt away harmlessly from your trees, but as you might have observed, heavy snow often comes with the tell-tale cracking sound indicative of the damage it is inflicting on your plants.

Effects of Heavy Snow on Trees:

Wet snow causes more injury to trees than dry snow as the former is heavier. These are the common risks associated with heavy snow on trees, depending on the quantity snow and the shape of the tree:

• Bending: Accumulation of heavy snow on trees causes the delicate branches to bend. In some cases, the excess weight can make the entire tree bend. Young or small plants are most susceptible to this type of damage. As trees become brittle in winter, bending puts the tree in a bad position.

• Breaking: Breaking occurs when either the branches or the stem of a tree shatter due to the weight of snow. Hanging branches or half-broken trees can create unsafe conditions for people and property.  Besides potentially derailing the entire top structure of trees, which can take months to recover from, these breaks expose the tree to various pathogens that can affect the overall health of the tree.

• Splitting: If a tree is placed directly under a roof or any structure which can cause a large quantity of snow to fall in one concentrated portion, the tree can split from the shock and pressure of the sudden weight. This, again, causes infection risks for the tree.
  
• Falling or Uprooting: This is the most extreme case of winter damage that can occur in trees. When a tree stays inflexible against the huge barrage of snow that winter brings, it will eventually either fall or get uprooted. If a large, weak tree, it might be best to have it removed by an experienced professional before the harsh winter weather hits.

Snow Damage by Tree Type:

The amount of damage that a tree can bear depends on the type of tree. Like everything in nature, trees have adapted to defend against this kind of extreme weather.  Most deciduous trees typically have broad leaves, making them susceptible to collect large quantities of snow. Losing their leaves in anticipation of winter is a kind of defense mechanism that protects them from severe snow damage. 

Coniferous evergreens, like spruce or pine, collect more snow than deciduous trees due to the presence of leaves, but the flexible structure enables them to simply bend with the weight of snow and shrug it all off. If not for their flexibility, the snow collected on the leaves would cause the tree significant damage. Yet, when faced with severe winds and snow, many conifers with narrow canopies tend to lose their crowns. It is imperative that these trees get pruned correctly to encourage proper recovery.  Apart from tree type, the tree’s structure also affects the amount of damage it can bear. For instance, trees with branches angled at 90-degrees from the stem function better than those with steeper branches.

Protecting Against Heavy Snow Damage on Trees:

Although heavy snow has the potential to cause significant damage to your trees, there are a few things you can do to defend against it.  Freshly fallen heavy snow can simply be brushed away with a hand, a soft broom, or by very gently shaking the branches. Avoid the urge to aggressively shake the tree as winter makes branches brittle and your action could make the situation worse.   If the snow has transformed into ice on your tree, it should be left alone to melt naturally. De-icing salts can introduce harmful toxins into the plant affecting its overall health, so this should be avoided. Also, no heat source should be brought near your plant in an to attempt to speed up the melting process – it will do more harm than good. 

Try to avoid planting trees that are not compatible with the weather of your region. Some trees like the Arborvitae are notoriously bad at withstanding winter damage; if you must plant these, protect them from damage by placing them away from a sloping roof or any structure that could abruptly deposit a large amount of snow on them.  If any part of your tree does break and doesn’t pose any danger to its environment or to its own health, you can wait until the end of winter to prune it. At that point, the tree is still dormant, but the weather will get warm enough to avoid further damage. Otherwise, it should be pruned immediately.

While caring for your trees, always make sure you are safe as well and not doing any dangerous stunts like climbing an icy tree or sawing above your head. And, if your unsure of what steps to take or needs assistance, don’t hesitate to contact an experienced arborist to assist you.   Although heavy snow can have many adverse effects on trees, it also has certain benefits. One of the factors affecting a tree’s health in winter is the sudden fluctuation in temperatures accompanied by this weather. This causes the entire structure of the tree, from top to root. to become weak and brittle. When snowfall occurs, it creates a protective layer of snow around the tree.

And, as snow is a bad conductor of heat, this layer insulates the tree and its roots from these temperature fluctuations and helps regulate its temperature. And, after it melts, it gives the tree moisture needed for nourishment. So, snow is not always bad for trees.   Reach out to professional arborists to keep your trees prepared for the harsh winters. Be prepared for winter damage with Mr. Tree!

Note: This is a collaborative post

In today’s society, it seems as if we are constantly being given warnings about the dangers of ill health, obesity and a lack of exercise. There are countless schemes and often conflicting health guidance out there, designed to help every member of the family stay healthier – from grandparents right down to the family pet!

While this can understandably be a bit overwhelming, the importance of keeping fit and healthy should not be overlooked. Here are some top tips and advice to help you and your family lead a healthier lifestyle all year round!

Lead by Example

Many young children like to copy others, which is why you are one of the most important role models in your child’s life. Lead by example and do your best to instil healthy habits from a young age – this way, your children are more likely to continue them as they grow older. Make healthy food choices and regular exercise just a usual part of family life; a norm rather than an exception.

Mix Up Mealtimes

Of course, healthy eating is not a new concept. However, fad diets or extremes should be avoided as they can lead to unhealthy habits and a negative relationship with food – not to mention the fact that more often than not, they don’t even work! Instead, you should look to encourage a healthy, balanced diet for each member of your family. Start the day right with a healthy breakfast before work or school, swap out unhealthy snacks for fruit and healthier options, and maybe even let the kids help choose what you will eat as a family! You might end up with some strange food combinations or unusual recipes to start with, but it’s a great way to get everyone involved with cooking and you may even discover something new.

Make Time for Yourself

If you are a busy working parent or are simply struggling to find time to set aside for yourself after childcare, chores and everything else that needs to be done, this could be a sign that you are setting yourself up for burnout. Stress can be caused by a wide variety of different factors, and if you don’t allow yourself downtime where you can relax, the chances are that it will only get worse. Allow yourself the opportunity to do what you want to do – whether it is visiting friends, going to see a film or literally just collapsing on the sofa with some snacks, a drink, and the TV remote!

Make Exercise Fun

If your children would rather sit inside playing their favourite video game than engaging in active play, perhaps it’s time to bring the fun back to outdoor play! Exciting playground structures and designs can stimulate your child’s imagination and encourage their social skills and creativity. Lately my kids school have started a campaign to encourage kids to either take scooters or bikes to school. A really worthwhile initiative in my view to get the kids more active.   

Whether you invest in a climbing frame for your back garden, take your children to the local play park or encourage them to use the play equipment at school, this can be a great way to keep exercise fun!

Keeping Pets Healthy

Last but certainly not least, your pets are important members of the family too and their health should definitely not be overlooked! Regular exercise is essential for all pets – whether it is giving your hamster the run of a room in their hamster ball or provide them with a wheel or heading out for a long, relaxing walk in the countryside with your dog. Similarly, you need to ensure that you are feeding your pet the correct type and amount of food to keep those tails wagging!

Sleep

Never underestimate the benefit of a good nights sleep however I can fully appreciate in today’s hectic technology driven world that it can be harder to switch off therefore using essentials oils to aid you can reap huge benefits. Smart Nora has produced a really useful guide which explains about the best 15 essential oils to help aid sleep.  I have used lavender myself in the past to help with sleep and have found it wonderful.

Are you ready to lead your family towards a healthier lifestyle? Get started today and you’ll be reaping the benefits in next to no time at all!

Note: This is a collaborative post

Summer children have it easy, the warmer days and brighter evenings provide plenty of opportunities to get outside and run around, letting off the pent-up energy that only seems to increase in capacity when children gather together. Children born in the winter face a couple more restrictions when it comes to organising a party, especially considering the cost of hall and venue hire when trying to entertain a larger number of classmates. While it can be frustrating, it just means winter children get to be more creative with their party ideas and can offer something different to just going to the nearest park or open field to play outside games.

Festive Treat Decorating

A party idea that has the kids creating their own snacks, buy or make a collection of gingerbread men, or if you are feeling really motivated, a couple of gingerbread house kits, that the children can build and decorate together with sweets, icing, chocolate shapes, sprinkles, etc. There are plenty of edible decorations available in the cake aisle of your local big-name supermarkets and around the festive period, you can find plenty of pretty patterns and shapes including snowflakes, snowmen and holly leafs to name a few.

Prepare the room by investing in a cost-effective large plastic sheet or tarpaulin that can be placed on the floor to protect against dropped treats and squished sweets, especially necessary if you have carpet!

Indoor Winter Sports

Got room to spare? Host your own winter games indoors, away from the cold. You can set up several “courses” including an area for measuring the furthest hop, skip and jump, somewhere to hold a short footrace or if speed is a concern, the slow footrace! Who can go the slowest without stopping? Further winter games could include an obstacle course, balloon race and best animal impression.

Creativity and imagination are your only restriction when hosting your own indoor winter games and there isn’t much investment needed, although you can always grab some medals as a “prize” for the party guests. Get your child involved in coming up with the games together and if you get stuck, there is plenty of inspiration available online.

Cops and Robbers Party

Depending on the age of your child, a themed party is sure to go down a treat and cops and robbers can be particularly fun for kids. Have the kids come in costume, police or robber or simply hand out some masks and a sheriff’s badge which all can be handmade relatively cheaply and quickly.

Party games can include a “laser course” made using string hung horizontally across a corridor that the kids must get through without touching the string and “setting off the alarms”. You can also set up a target practice zone using soft nerf guns or cheap “sucker” guns which fire soft ended sucker darts and often include a plastic target. Don’t forget to get the kid’s mug shots before they go home!

Costume Party 

Costume themes are a no-brainer when it comes to children’s parties. Children can dress up as characters from their favorite movies or TV shows. To make it more relevant to the season, kids can dress up snugly with thick medieval capes and robes. They don’t only look fashionable and in character, but they also keep their little bodies cozy and warm.

These make great costumes for historical fiction characters like Robin Hood or King Arthur. They can also work for modern characters like a Jedi from Star Wars or a wizard from Harry Potter.

Lego Party

Lego is always going to be a popular pastime and toy for growing children as it encourages their creativity and imagination and helps them create entire make-believe worlds around them. As such, a Lego party will always go down a treat for boys and girls and even the party food can be made Lego themed, with brick-shaped cupcakes and pizza squares.

Lego sets can be picked up inexpensively via online stores and you can introduce party games such as hide the brick, fastest to build a specific design, highest tower, guess the number of bricks in a jar and build the best Lego vehicle to launch down a homemade ramp.

Winter doesn’t always bring rain and if you have an all-weather garden with artificial grass or a covered trellis, you can put together some activities that the children can take part in outdoors to give them more room to enjoy themselves. Just remember to request outdoor suitable clothing on the invitation to stop them getting cold!

Note: This is a collaborative post 

What a week……

Well drum roll please, my little blog, my one person operation, my crazy random rambling has only gone and won Bronze at the Irish Blog Awards. I actually cannot believe it.  I was a finalist the last two years but this year I was up there with the top 3, the best in the business.  Indulge me!! I’m absolutely over the moon.

I’ve always said its not about winning and it really isn’t but there is a small part of me that is just so excited that somebody somewhere thinks what I do is good. There is no fancy marketing, no staff and to be honest im quite bad at social media. Its about the writing, its my creative outlet so to be recognised is so exciting.

Happy, so so happy.

Other news

In other news….second drum roll!! I need a caveat at the start of this one. ***If you know my kids please don’t say anything to them about what im about to say next.***

In three weeks time we are off to Lapland. No matter how excited the kids are, they will never be as excited as me!! I know they are going to go wild when they hear it. I wont be telling them until a day or two before hand for my own sanity.

Pom Pom Socks: Credit: https://www.condorbarcelona.uk/en/with-pompoms-warm

The last few days have been spent pouring over Facebook Groups and discussion boards to digest all of the information about dressing for the cold weather for us and the kids.  Don’t laugh but one of the items that is discussed at length re Lapland is having good socks.  So if you looked at my search history all you will see is searches for different types of socks! While searching I stumbled across the fabulous  Condor UK online shop.

If their  knee socks were good enough for Prince George, the are good enough for my crazy pair.  I could spend hours browsing, there is so much choice.  I don’t have girls myself but my little nieces will be getting a pair of the pom pom sock as part of their Christmas present. So so cute.

Another must have item over the base layers are fleeces or cardigan. Just look at the toddler boys cardigans online here. I want them all! There is something so adorable about cardigans on toddlers. My own mother always said that to me about them for my own boys and I really do agree with her.

You will see lots of posts over the next while on our trip and the preparations. For us it really is the trip of a lifetime.

Note: This is a collaborative post however I retain full editorial control.

You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth – Kahlil Gibran

Probably around this time last year I joined Donna from What the Redhead Said linkie – known as Living Arrows where each week you share a photo from the week which celebrates childhood. I don’t know exactly why but this link up speaks to me! I love what it stands for and love the quote above that gave Donna the inspiration to start this.

I am aiming to link up each week but life sometimes get in the way. I missed last week but im back this week.  My photo this week is of my dad and my youngest son. Im not sure what it is about this photo but something in it touches a nerve and makes my heart swell with pride.

This pair have an unbreakable bond. Its such a beautiful relationship and I feel both are luck to have each other in their lives.  We spent a morning exploring the Botanic Gardens in Dublin.  No devices, no playground, nothing snazzy just simple fun exploring the gardens.  Sometimes we get consumed but having to do “something” visits to playgrounds, play centres, shows etc.

Sometimes paring it all back it just as effective and just as enjoyable. I had the most beautiful relationship with my granda and I love seeing the bond between this pair growing every day.

It is known that children have always enjoyed getting messy — from splashing in puddles to playing games in the mud, youngsters love getting their hands dirty! Often, we let children discover these new environments themselves. However, messy play can be beneficial for babies and toddlers too, in fact it can help with their cognitive development in many ways. Together with Infinite Playgrounds, designers of wooden playgrounds and advocates of sensory play, we take a closer look at messy play and how it can be implemented in schools and nurseries.

What is it?

Pic Credit: Pixabay

Messy play is all about allowing children to experience and explore objects that they aren’t always exposed to. It involves playing with anything that gets messy! This could be sand, water, chalk, paint or playdough. There are now many playgroups set up with messy play as the focus as the benefits have become widely recognised.

Often when parents play with their children, it is structured play with a target in mind — for example, pressing buttons to make the toy light up or make a sound. Messy play is different, as it is unstructured and allows the child to use their own imagination and explore new materials without any end goal.

This sort of play can support physical development too. As children create shapes with the materials, they are using their arms and they might push things around with their feet.

What are the benefits?

There are many benefits for children when they engage with messy play.   For children with special educational needs or disabilities, messy play is a good way for them to

Pic Credit: Pixabay

 interact with other children by communicating in different ways. They may be slower at reading or speaking but can join in with messy play. It can encourage children to develop the ability of creating signs and starting to write as well. By drawing pictures and shapes in the materials such as sand, they begin to discover their hands as writing tools and experiment with what they can do. This practice also allows them to build up their finger and arm muscles, which can be useful when children begin to pick up a pen.

Unstructured play in general allows toddlers and children to explore their imagination and practise concentration. As they come up with their own games or focus on moving the materials around, they learn more about how their bodies work and their spatial awareness improves.  Playing with the materials also allows the child to practice their fine motor skills and develop their hand-eye coordination. This goes on to improve their abilities in sports and involvement in games in the future.  Research has proven that toddlers are quicker to learn about solid objects due to their unchanging size and shape. Exposing children to soft materials allows them to learn more about non-solid materials and broaden their knowledge. It also allows them to compare and understand textures. For example, two things may look the same from afar but when they interact with them and touch them, they can understand the difference.

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You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth – Kahlil Gibran

Probably around this time last year I joined Donna from What the Redhead Said linkie – known as Living Arrows where each week you share a photo from the week which celebrates childhood. I don’t know exactly why but this link up speaks to me! I love what it stands for and love the quote above that gave Donna the inspiration to start this. For the week that’s in it this weeks photo is of my oldest as he prepares to return to school this week. I always feel like this week is a bit bitter sweet, yes to getting back to normality and a set routine but no to missing so much time with my pair. An additional challenges that comes with starting school is the change in childcare arrangements, resources such as toddle can be a massive help with this.

For me this photo sums up a lot about him, while you cant see his face you can see the concentration in his gesture. He is so like me in many ways. He likes to be prepared.  He loves PJ Masks and being surrounded by his favourites is sure to help instil some superpowers of his own in him.

Its such new territory for them and hopefully familiarity and self belief will help them be brave on their new journey just like his favourite superhero CatBoy.  He likes to call me Owlette, which im hoping is become his mamma has her own superpowers to help him in any and every way she can.

Good luck to everybody starting or returning to school this week, in the words of Oprah – “education is the key to unlocking the world, a passport to freedom”

I was reading back over some old blog posts and realised I share loads of what the kids like or our travel adventures but very little about what I like or love (kids and travel aside!!). So I thought id share some of the current things im really loving. This isnt a review post it just a random collection of things that I liked or loved of the last few months:

Shoes, shoes and more shoes

• Hot, hot, Hotter……

I just love shoes, for me they make or break an outfit. I’m on the go constantly either running with kids to school, activities or  to work myself.  I’m always in heels in the office but I badly needed a pair of dressy but comfortable shoes to run between the office, meetings, pick ups etc.  This summer I was introduced to the wonderful collection of Hotter Shoes  they are insanely comfortable and dressy at the same time.  I wanted flat shoes that were stylish but didn’t look too mumsy if you know what I mean. I have Natalia in black and brown and trust me you will not find a comfier dressy work shoe. Coming in a little hefty a price tag but they are so comfortable and durable and for me anyway, well worth the extra spend.

• Skechers for Style….

Staying with shoes, while shopping for the kids school shoes in Skechers, out of the corner of my eye I caught these bad boys. I honestly didn’t know Skechers do “street style” shoes (their words not mine!).  Just look at these I mean how could you not get them?

Aside from being ultra stylish they are staying true to brand and are uber comfy. The sales assistant in Liffey Valley very helpfully advised me to go down a size and she was of course totally correct. I’m usually a 6 but these fit like a glove in a size 5. I feel so stylish wearing them.  Only issue now is I want them all. Lots of different types to choose from.  Have a nosey on their website so many types to choose from.

Blue Jean Girl

I am and probably always will be a jeans girl, love them in all styles, colours, types.  Comfort is king when im running about so im always trying out new brands and really putting them through their paces.  I suppose what I love most about jeans is that you can either dress them up or down so easily.  One of my current favourites are jeans from Esprit they also do some fab office wear if you are in the market for nice cut office dresses and trousers/ blazer coordinates.

Accessories 

While not really an accessories girl, I favour keeping it simple. I love a nice watch and im so in love with my birthday present from The Dada Fairy.  Its a rose gold watch from Adexe London.  How stylish is this?  It really dresses up an outfit. The rose gold trend shows no sign of abating and ive totally jumped on the trend ban wagon between my skechers and my watch!!

Never realised I was a tend follower!!

Lotions and Potions 

My skin care routine is simple! We only have the one so I do try to look after it and I don’t mind spending on products that do work.  For the last 3 months I have been using Clarins extra firming night and day cream. I love love love this. The texture is so lovely and a small bit really does go a long way.   I cleanse with the Clarins gentle foaming cleanser again love the texture of this and its not drying at all. I have combination skin so it can be hard to find products that really work.  I’m still clinging hard to that youthful glow so I really feel I have found products that not only work but suit my skin.

I’m probably 3 or 4 months at this routine while be no means am I that regimented that I don’t miss a night or a day using the products I do try to do it daily and nightly.   The price tag is hefty at around €60 each but do bear in mind a little goes a very long way.  It really works for me.  I would advise if you aren’t sure which products to go for id pop in to one of their counters for a chat. I have been to the one in both Debenhams and Arnotts in Dublin and found staff in both very helpful. Don’t be afraid to ask for some sample and go home and try them for a file. At €60 a pop these products are investments and you do want to be sure they work for you.

Image by LR Annie Spratt via Flickr

A lot of people will inherit antiques and old furniture from family and loved ones when they pass away. We often do not have a lot of room for other people’s possessions in our home, so one alternative is to sell these unwanted items. You can get some excellent advice on the value of old things on the Forbes website, and below you can read more about valuing your silver that you want to sell. Knowing the value of silver antiques is also helpful when you’re purchasing such antique pieces online or from your local antique dealer. The price of an item will not only be dictated by the current market price of silver, but also of the rarity of the object itself, and there are a few considerations that you need to consider.

Silver Plated Objects

If you have any silver that you want to know the value of, the first thing that you will need to do is find out if it is silver plated or not. Silver plating is when a base metal is used which is of a lower value, and then a layer of silver is added creating the illusion that the object is solid silver. You can often tell by picking up an item if it is solid silver or not, as silver-plated objects are usually lighter than solid silver ones. If you are in any doubt, you will be able to take the object to a local jeweller or pawn shop, and they will be able to confirm whether it is silver plated or not.

Sterling Silver

If you have sterling silver items, then these will be solid silver and should also have a hallmark confirming as such. Solid silver pieces will usually either be pure silver or made up of 0.925 parts silver, with 0.075 parts copper. You may see any of the following marks on the silver to confirm its purity;

• Sterling
• 925/1000
• 0.925

If you have solid silver objects such as antique silver, then the value is going to be a lot more than if the item was plated.

The Current Price Of Silver

The next thing that you will need to do is to work out the weight of the silver you have and look at the current prices of silver. You can get the latest market prices on the Bloomberg website, which is regularly updated as the market price changes. When you know the weight of the silver and the current price, you will be able to work out a rough value.

Additional Factors To Consider

There are other factors that you need to consider when trying to value silver. If you are going to sell your silver to someone like a precious metal dealer or a pawn shop, they will often charge you a smelting fee to melt the silver down and recycle it. Another consideration is the aesthetic value of the piece, as you could have silver jewellery that is worth more than the scrap value as it is rare, exquisite, or just beautiful. You could find that someone is willing to pay a little more for the item as they have fallen in love with it. As such, if you do look to sell your silver, you may wish to try selling it privately to a collector before using the services of a pawn shop, depending on how quickly you need the cash.

Note: This is a collaborative post

This story was prompted by a video I saw recently, talking about Untold Stories. I have a story quite similar, but I was almost afraid to share it  as I though my story isn’t about overcoming adversity, or  health issues or traumas.

My story is old school romance that would warm even the coldest of hearts.  There are people in this world who leave a lasting impression where ever they go and with whomever they meet.  This story is about two of those people.

Take a seat! Make a cuppa and grab some tissues.

Ill set the scene – its the early 1950s bad boy meet upper class girl, girls family disapprove. Bad boy gets the hint and runs away to the Navy.  Lets roll on five years.  Bad boy returns to his old stomping group and bumps into said girl. She is upset, very upset. She was engaged to be married the following month. She had just found out her husband to be had a gambling problem and had just sold the furniture of the house they had planned to move into when they got married to pay his debts. She was distraught.  She is comforted by bad boy, two years later they were married and thus began one of the most romantic love stories.

So who are they? They are my dads parents my Nannie and Granada. Their remarkable love story doesn’t end there.

They were the epitome of the popular hash tag used today of “couple goals”. My Granada had a deep love and respect for my Nannie that reflected in everything he did. She got breakfast in bed  almost every morning, her toast cut just the way she liked it.  He opened doors, he pulled out chairs, a gentleman through and through.  If my two boys grow up to respect woman even half of what he did ill know I did my job well.

Lets jump to the 1980s their two kids grown up and married themselves (one being my own dad). The house now empty except when the growing number of grandchildren come to visit to be utterly spoilt.  One morning my Nannie was outside cleaning as she would have done probably every day, she was incredibly house proud. You could have ate your dinner off the glistening floor.  However this day was different, having finished clearing the back garden she looked down and her wedding ring was gone.  She always took off her engagement ring for safe keeping when she was cleaning but never her wedding ring.  In fact she often said she never took it off from the minute my Granda put it on her finger when saying their vows all those years ago. But it was gone. She was utterly distraught.  My Granda searched, the neighbours searched but it was not to be the ring was gone. My Granda bought a replacement ring a couple of months later.  While my Nannie wore it everyday it just wasn’t the same for her. She always believed she would find her wedding ring, countless hours weren’t spent over the next few years looking for it out the back garden in the vain hope her instinct was right.  When she told the story I used to remark she would say the ring was misplaced – not lost, just misplaced.

Ten years later and my Grandas world came crashing down, my Nannie, his beloved wife passed away. I was only young yet I remember it like it was yesterday. My Granda gave me the locket that he gave her before they got married, the date of July 1956 inscribed on the front and black and white pictures of my grandparents when they were 21.  That is my most treasured possession.

Pic Credit: Pixabay

From memory it was about two years later when my Dad came running in from the hall way after being on the house phone. My Granda had been out cleaning the shores in his back garden that had become blocked and had found my Nannies wedding ring.  That same shore my Nannie had cleaned multiple times over the previous ten years. None of us could believe it but she was totally right all along, it was never lost, just misplaced.  For a ring that had spent ten years lodged in an outside drain it was still in almost perfect condition.   I actually have tears in my eyes just thinking of this story again.

The ring had been sitting in a little crack just below the shore in their back garden all this time, it was like something out of  movie. It was like a dark cloud lifted from my Granda and from that house that they spent so many happy years.  That was the turning point, he knew then everything was going to be ok.  She was watching over him. He guarded that ring with his life from that point on ward.

My Granda, my best friend passed away in 2015.  I have written about him before.  He was the kind of man that left a lasting impression wherever he went. What I would give for five minutes more.  Maybe one day who knows.  As I write this post that ring that has been on quite the adventure sit proudly on my right hand where it will forever stay until I can pass it to the next generation. That ring could tell some stories…

When my Granda died a good friend bought me a  necklace with the words “Miss me but let me go”, my Grandas last words to me were not to worry that he was ready to go that he lived his life and I was to make sure i did too…….I do try to follow these words…… the missing you is easy its the letting go that will never be.

I guess there is a lesson for us all there.  Life is to be lived – there is no trial run, no second chance.