Holidays

Well, the Easter break is over and we spent a great week in Holland.  The weather was kind to us and as we had decided to go by car and ferry, the travel disruption didn't affect us.

We stayed in Wassenaar, close to lovely sandy beaches, a great swimming pool/outdoor assault course and a mini theme park with some not so mini rides!  We visited Amsterdam and spent a morning looking around the Van Gough Museum which was fascinating, seeing some very famous paintings and indulging a bit of culture.  The afternoon was a little more entertaining with a little tour of the red light district - quite enlightening - and a good look around some of the markets. We also visited the Hague - not a very large town but very interesting with lovely chiming bells that ring out for 15 minutes at 12noon - well worth the visit.  And we also paid homage to the brave men who fought at Arnhem - very moving and a good reminded that so many lives were given to protect our way of life.

Now I've caught up with the washing and housework (yawn yawn) I am enjoying the sunny afternoon.  Fred the springer spaniel puppy - has grown so much over the last couple of weeks and is beginning to display some of the delightful, funny traits of this breed.  He is so pleased to be here, alive and full of life he has the ability to make me smile and leave behind the shadow of cancer that sometimes follows me wherever I go!  One of his favourite tricks is to chase around the garden, zigzagging from side to side, suddenly stop and look quite surprised that we should be laughing at him.  We have a garden pond where he likes to fish out the weed and eat the late frogspawn - yum yum - and no amount of saying NO does any good - like a naughty toddler he goes back time and time again.

Going away was a good thing to do - a return to doing normal things like a normal family.  Enjoying new things in a new country and feeling that I wasn't spoiling the party for anyone.  Last July I honestly thought I'd never enjoy anything every again - I'm so pleased I was wrong.  Letting cancer continue to reek havoc and rule my life is not an option.  It may be a shadow that follows me around but it's not going to block out all the sunshine.

So now onto the next thing - my son's 18th Birthday celebrations.  Hummm how do I keep 30 17/18 year olds happy, not too drunk and myself sane?  Watch this space.