If you have followed my blog from the beginning you are either mad or family but you will have read this post from earlier in the year:
The Day we had an Absolute Blast
A post about the day Absolute Radio broadcast the breakfast show and a gig by KT Tunstall from our lounge. But also why September 24th is such a poignant date.
September 24th 2009 was the day Bruce’s beloved brother took his own life.
September 24th 2010 was the day Christian O’Connell said “Tanya it is you, we are coming to Fleet”
September 24th 2011? The day we await a 6 tonne satellite the size of a bus to hit earth “somewhere”.
This pretty much sums up life at Barrow Towers. It is a never ending roller coaster. No two days are ever the same and over the past few years we have seen terrible terrible lows. None of us have ever got over the loss of Rog, and of course, we never will. We miss him and I think about him everyday.
It seemed remarkable that a year to the day from that terrible low we won this big competition and it diverted our thoughts from how to get through that day.
I am such a huge believer in karma that I refuse to believe it was a coincidence. Preferring to believe that the man who rearranged our solar lights in the garden to read “tit” across the middle of lawn, an act I yelled at him for at the time, helped us to win.
To the high of the day Absolute turned up and took over our house. From watching KT Tunstall sing live in front of our fish tank, to Richie dropping a birthday cake on the carpet we loved every second. And continue to love the 47″ TV that was part of the prize.
To where we are today. The past year has seen more highs and lows but more on par with what you would expect from a family of five. Mr B’s dad is currently in hospital having suffered a stroke last month. An amazingly funny man who may not have a lot of feeling in his left foot right now but has lost none of his charm or quick wit. Keeping the nurses and physios on their toes with his dry sense of humour and charm. Lady Barrow (not a “proper” lady in the landed gentry sense, but a £49 Scottish landowner Lady. And in my eyes a True Lady) is proving once again that nothing is too much trouble. Running Wilmslow single handed whilst making sure that Jim has visitors everyday and focuses on getting home. Well the grass needs cutting.
My parents have had their own trials and tribulations in the last year but are as amazing as ever. They are leaving the UK today to do a three week rally around the Med in their 1951 Jaguar XK140 “Beastie”. As you do.
Mr B has started a new job this week that has seen him go back to fourteen hour days. The three mini Bs are no longer so mini and will all be teenagers by the end of this year. They continue to make me proud on a daily basis.
The last year has seen me start blogging after much badgering from a certain @superamazingmum. Something I am now loving and can only apologise to all of you for when I click “Publish” and I know that more drivel has just hit subscribers inboxes.
And it saw me tweeting more. And then some. Ahem. Sorry to all my followers. I have met some amazing people through Twitter. Some still only out there in the cyber world such as @emmabphilosophy and @claireonthewww but some in “real life” like @gowercottage and all of the @ocbreakfastshow tribe
I have no idea what the next year will bring. I have no idea what will be happening this afternoon in all honesty.
But I do hope you will stick around to find out.
Please raise a glass this weekend. To family. We wouldn’t be who we all are without them. And to friends. Be they distant, as in we haven’t seen them for a while, online, or best mates round the corner. Regardless of geography a friend is a friend and should be saluted.
I shall be raising a glass to all the friends and family we have lost in the past few years too.
I better get a few more bottles in, it is going to be a boozy weekend.
Cheers.
Such a lovely and moving blog, I have been following you since listening to you on Absolute Radio, love reading your blogs and tweets … oh and you only live around the corner ‘so to speak’ from me!
I will definately be raising a glass this weekend to family and friends and to the ones that are no longer with us. It has been a tough few years also and this year has not been too good, my husband has been ill for 15 years but this year things got very bad for him, he had to have major surgery in June and will need another op in a couple of months, we take everything for granted and it’s not until something goes horribly wrong that you realise how precious life is. But 14 weeks later he is going great, was back to work after 6 weeks (a case of having to when you run your own business and your employee breaks his foot … great timing!!!), he is now pretty much cured from an awful disease and can now enjoy quality time with myself and our 6 year old daughter, who loves her daddy dearly but because of his illness he has struggled this last year or so with doing the things that children love to do, like running in the park, going on a bike ride etc. Hopefully next year will be a good one 🙂 xx
Cheers!
Wow! What a year for you all indeed. I feel very honoured to be given a mention. I think you’re virtually fabulous (teehee) and it’s a real pleasure to be in your life. Xx
Tanya,
This is a such a brave but moving read, and inspirational too. To have experienced such trauma and still be living with it, yet to still hang on to your joy for life is something to be proud off. I wish you and your family peace and love.
Christian
Well I feel like quite a newbie to mummy barrow ville meeting you earlier this year via @gowercottage and the twitter family, but I do very much enjoy following your online ramblings and quips. Being a mum of 3 teens and 1 almost teen, I totally relate to the life-juggling realities of daily routine. Your humour helps keep me sane (I think… If there is such a thing). And BTW when Christian O’C was breakfast host on xfm (back in the day) we used to listen to him too! Here’s to a great year ahead.
Wow! We have followed each other since I was called by Christian on the OC Concierge Service and I’ve only just realised by reading this blog who you are! I remember you winning that competition! I remember being really jealous at the time!
You certainly have been through some tough times and I wholeheartedly agree with you about the friends, either real life or in the ether. I have made some wonderful friends on Twitter and they have all helped me through some pretty shit times too, in fact you were very kind to me a few weeks back when I was low so thank you!
I too will be raising a few glasses this weekend for you and yours and to everyone else who survives the trials and tribulations we all have to go through. Cheers! xx