Empty Rucksack…

…ready to be packed again for our trip to N Ireland to see Frank’s son Sam + Siobhan and the kids Isla and Arón. Can’t wait to see them!
First on Wednesday we have to take Bella to her first ‘Mummy’ Viola’s house to be looked after while we’re away then over to Chipping in the Trough of Bowland to see Frank’s sister and BiL then to Liverpool airport to fly to Belfast. (I don’t like flying for a number of reasons :-/) Then on our return journey we will stay one night at my niece Bryony + hubby Joel’s house in Liverpool. 
A bit too much here, there and everywhere for my liking but it will be lovely to see everyone after so long.

We left Sabrina’s before the girls went to school this morning. I was up early as I wanted to write out 2 songs for Lucy to learn on her ukulele. I was there since Thursday and never found time to do it! She is coming along well with the chords C, F and G and can change them when the song requires it - albeit slowly. She is also very happy to play and sing for us - no shyness.
I realise how fortunate our Grand children are that they can try new things and find out their talents and strengths. Many kids can’t do such things either through poverty or lack of parental interest and enthusiasm.
When I was little my aunties used to ask me to sing but I was so shy they would give me a Florin for doing it facing the wall! ( for you young folk, a Florin was 2 shillings or 10 pence in today’s money - please correct me if I’m wrong! )
My parents could never afford to send us for music lessons. I did go for ballet and tap for a short time when I was about 5 but after we moved house it was never picked up again.
When I was 13 I asked for a guitar for Christmas but didn’t know how to play it. I taught myself chords but didn’t have a clue about tuning the instrument so it must have sounded awful! Some lessons would have been so useful but I suppose it was too expensive and Mum and Dad didn’t seem think about the importance even though my Dad came from a reasonably musical family.
Hey ho - I’ve since learnt that it’s never too late to learn and Frank has been a great help over the years.

Bella May is glad to be home. She had another firework fright at Sabrina’s. Frank had taken her out for her last wee of the day on Friday night and a banger went off. She then wouldn’t do the toilet and dragged Frank back to the house. She was scared to go out in the dark for the rest of the weekend. 

Now for a nice quiet evening!
Goodnight ;-)