Darlings I am home and I want to say a huge big thank you, on behalf of myself, Richard and above all else, Richards Dad, John for the comments, facebook messages and private emails we have recieved with messages of support while we have been away. Richard, Finley and I are now home and as I write, John is being brought by ambulance from Torquay to a specialist stroke unit here in Liverpool. While he is by no means out of the woods yet, and remains unable to speak properly, move or see out of his right eye, his condition has been declared by the kind staff at Torbay to be stable enough to endure the six hour trip and he should arrive here later this evening. As you can imagine the past week has been something of an ordeal but it was much relieved by a stay in the most traditional of British guesthouses, walks along the twinkly Torquay harbour on the drizzliest of evenings and as always the giggly joy that is Finley, a little boy always able to see the bright side and a little boy who stood blinking bravely at John’s hospital bedside, and talked gently to him, though I know the sight of this lovely, vibrant man struggling to hold his hand must have been more than a little disconcerting for one so young and thoroughly bewildered by the damage a stroke can do. And now it is back to real life. Finn and I are both full of colds, and competing with each other for winner of the scratchiest sore throat competition. There is a case full of un-washed clothes, a house thats smells of neglect, and much to catch up on here at Brocante. I realise I am behind on the delivery of both the Puttery Post and Trash or Treasure and I hope you will allow me to get up to date over the weekend. I will try to get what is missing into your in-boxes as soon as possible and I thank-you a million times over for your patience. Life eh! Alongside the saddest of trauma’s, I also managed to leave my iron in the guesthouse, gain a hundred pounds while living on bacon and McDonalds while we were away and worst of all, I am now required to come to terms with hearing that Robbie Williams got married over the weekend. And quite outrageously, it wasn’t me wearing that gorgoeus tiered wedding dress. Damn it. Life is a cruel mistress sometimes.
Create your own Brocante Life Book, plan Christmas, set up routines and rituals or live life the BrocanteHome way with my guided workbooks and planners.
It is a good day. I’ve had strawberries sprinkled with orange blossom water for breakfast, and there is Formby Asparagus soup simmering on the stove. I’ve got a line of lemon juice bleached tea towels swinging in the breeze, Marthas coffee strudel…
No. Let me re-phrase this: things I didn’t know existed. Though now I do, clearly I will not be able to live without them. Case in point: these oh so pretty floral Macbook Keyboard Stickers from Etsy dealer Kidecals. I stare at…
When your son wakes up three hours late doing a really rather spectacular impression of Desperate Dan you can be certain it isn’t going to be your average Sunday. But then it hadn’t been my average Saturday either, because bless me, it…
"There is no use trying" said Alice "one can’t believe impossible things." "I dare say you haven’t had much practice," said the Queen. "When I was your age, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I’ve believed…
Spotted! Elegant christmas crackers fashioned from crisply starched white linen napkins and the finest velvet ribbon, each holding a teeny tiny vintage charm or paste brooch, and an oh so spoiling chocolate truffle… So much more Brocante than a paper hat and…
Today. A good nights sleep. Two cups of tea. A single magpie the size of a chihuahua hopping over the grass in the back garden. Good Morning Mr Magpie, how is your wife today? Ivy creeping through the cracks in the…
17 Comments
Best wishes to all of you in these difficult times. I'm sure it may have been hard for Finley to take this situation in, but ulitmately this experience will make him more mature, compassionate, and brave. As much as we would like to protect our children from experiences that aren't perfect, it is real life with both the lows and the highs that helps our children grow with strength and character. I hope that Richard's father gets better soon.
Thank you Heather: I thought long and hard about taking him on to the ward to see John and finally came to the conclusion that reality was probably much less frightening than the images Finley was likely to be conjuring up and ultimately I too agree that bringing our children up in a safe, cosy little bubble doesnt provide them with the skills they need to deal with life in all it's sad, ugly glory..
Dear sweet Alison….I do hope you and your babe Finley feel better very soon!!! I'm so very sorry about Richard's Dad and can only hope that he will be in wonderful hands at the new location. So many recover wonderful from strokes and we can hope for nothing but the best for him!!! Please take good care of your self and sweet Fin (and of course, dear Richard as well) hugs and love, Dawn
Oh Darling Dawn, thank you so much for this. Already the new unit are running a drill of tests and arranging courses of therapy so it's all looking very positive. As for Finley, the little monkey becomes more of a hypochondriac every day and took to the sofa in something of a Hollywood style swoon this evening… Bless his little heart. Hope you and yours are well.x
Glad to have you back! They can indeed work wonders with stroke victims Alison,he will be monitored carefully forever now its a horrible worry never the less and I send much love to you and Richard.Robbie Williams.Gutted.xx
So pleased to hear that Richard's Dad is improving. As for the other things – well, life is what it is. We will wait & enjoy the posts as they come in. Family and loved ones always come first. (Children are always more resilient than we give them the credit for.)
Thank you for your patience Thea, I am uncomfortable being as behind as I am, but by tomorrow I should be all back to normal (or as normal as it is as possible to be during the school holidays!). And you are right, children are resilient and we don't do them any favours by offering them a Disney-fied version of life do we? Have a lovely sunday.x
Glad all are home, best to Richards' father in his recovery….chicken soup and good books for you and Finn…a strapping big six year old now! No longer a babe…a real guy in his own right…you have a life long job of teaching him to be a gentleman of character and kindness….hope the colds go away quickly. Best to all…and to heck with Robbie (though we wish him well!)
Alison, I'm so sorry your family has had to go through this ordeal. Best wishes for a full recovery. So sweet of you to apologise to your readers, but all of us Vintage Housekeepers understand the need to put family first!
{"id":null,"mode":"form","open_style":"in_place","currency_code":"USD","currency_symbol":"$","currency_type":"decimal","blank_flag_url":"https:\/\/brocantehome.net\/wp-content\/plugins\/tip-jar-wp\/\/assets\/images\/flags\/blank.gif","flag_sprite_url":"https:\/\/brocantehome.net\/wp-content\/plugins\/tip-jar-wp\/\/assets\/images\/flags\/flags.png","default_amount":300,"top_media_type":"featured_image","featured_image_url":"http:\/\/brocantehome.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/tipjar-2.png","featured_embed":"","header_media":null,"file_download_attachment_data":null,"recurring_options_enabled":true,"recurring_options":{"never":{"selected":true,"after_output":"One time only"},"weekly":{"selected":false,"after_output":"Every week"},"monthly":{"selected":false,"after_output":"Every month"},"yearly":{"selected":false,"after_output":"Every year"}},"strings":{"current_user_email":"","current_user_name":"","link_text":"Leave a tip","complete_payment_button_error_text":"Check info and try again","payment_verb":"Pay","payment_request_label":"BrocanteHome","form_has_an_error":"Please check and fix the errors above","general_server_error":"Something isn't working right at the moment. Please try again.","form_title":"BrocanteHome","form_subtitle":"Help Me to Keep BrocanteHome Online","currency_search_text":"Country or Currency here","other_payment_option":"Other payment option","manage_payments_button_text":"Manage your payments","thank_you_message":"Thank you so much: helping me keep Brocantehome online really means the world to me.","payment_confirmation_title":"BrocanteHome","receipt_title":"Your Receipt","print_receipt":"Print Receipt","email_receipt":"Email Receipt","email_receipt_sending":"Sending receipt...","email_receipt_success":"Email receipt successfully sent","email_receipt_failed":"Email receipt failed to send. Please try again.","receipt_payee":"Paid to","receipt_statement_descriptor":"This will show up on your statement as","receipt_date":"Date","receipt_transaction_id":"Transaction ID","receipt_transaction_amount":"Amount","refund_payer":"Refund from","login":"Log in to manage your payments","manage_payments":"Manage Payments","transactions_title":"Your Transactions","transaction_title":"Transaction Receipt","transaction_period":"Plan Period","arrangements_title":"Your Plans","arrangement_title":"Manage Plan","arrangement_details":"Plan Details","arrangement_id_title":"Plan ID","arrangement_payment_method_title":"Payment Method","arrangement_amount_title":"Plan Amount","arrangement_renewal_title":"Next renewal date","arrangement_action_cancel":"Cancel Plan","arrangement_action_cant_cancel":"Cancelling is currently not available.","arrangement_action_cancel_double":"Are you sure you'd like to cancel?","arrangement_cancelling":"Cancelling Plan...","arrangement_cancelled":"Plan Cancelled","arrangement_failed_to_cancel":"Failed to cancel plan","back_to_plans":"\u2190 Back to Plans","update_payment_method_verb":"Update","sca_auth_description":"Your have a pending renewal payment which requires authorization.","sca_auth_verb":"Authorize renewal payment","sca_authing_verb":"Authorizing payment","sca_authed_verb":"Payment successfully authorized!","sca_auth_failed":"Unable to authorize! Please try again.","login_button_text":"Log in","login_form_has_an_error":"Please check and fix the errors above","uppercase_search":"Search","lowercase_search":"search","uppercase_page":"Page","lowercase_page":"page","uppercase_items":"Items","lowercase_items":"items","uppercase_per":"Per","lowercase_per":"per","uppercase_of":"Of","lowercase_of":"of","back":"Back to plans","zip_code_placeholder":"Zip\/Postal Code","download_file_button_text":"Download File","input_field_instructions":{"tip_amount":{"placeholder_text":"How much would you like to tip?","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"How much would you like to tip? Choose any currency."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"How much would you like to tip? Choose any currency."},"invalid_curency":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Please choose a valid currency."}},"recurring":{"placeholder_text":"Recurring","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"How often would you like to give this?"},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"How often would you like to give this?"},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"How often would you like to give this?"}},"name":{"placeholder_text":"Name on Credit Card","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter the name on your card."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Enter the name on your card."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Please enter the name on your card."}},"privacy_policy":{"terms_title":"Terms and conditions","terms_body":null,"terms_show_text":"View Terms","terms_hide_text":"Hide Terms","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"I agree to the terms."},"unchecked":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Please agree to the terms."},"checked":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"I agree to the terms."}},"email":{"placeholder_text":"Your email address","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your email address"},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Enter your email address"},"blank":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your email address"},"not_an_email_address":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Make sure you have entered a valid email address"}},"note_with_tip":{"placeholder_text":"Your note here...","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Attach a note to your tip (optional)"},"empty":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Attach a note to your tip (optional)"},"not_empty_initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Attach a note to your tip (optional)"},"saving":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Saving note..."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Note successfully saved!"},"error":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Unable to save note note at this time. Please try again."}},"email_for_login_code":{"placeholder_text":"Your email address","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."},"blank":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."}},"login_code":{"initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."},"blank":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."}},"stripe_all_in_one":{"initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your credit card details here."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your credit card details here."},"success":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your credit card details here."},"invalid_number":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card number is not a valid credit card number."},"invalid_expiry_month":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration month is invalid."},"invalid_expiry_year":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration year is invalid."},"invalid_cvc":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's security code is invalid."},"incorrect_number":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card number is incorrect."},"incomplete_number":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card number is incomplete."},"incomplete_cvc":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's security code is incomplete."},"incomplete_expiry":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration date is incomplete."},"incomplete_zip":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's zip code is incomplete."},"expired_card":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card has expired."},"incorrect_cvc":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's security code is incorrect."},"incorrect_zip":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's zip code failed validation."},"invalid_expiry_year_past":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration year is in the past"},"card_declined":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card was declined."},"missing":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"There is no card on a customer that is being charged."},"processing_error":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"An error occurred while processing the card."},"invalid_request_error":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Unable to process this payment, please try again or use alternative method."},"invalid_sofort_country":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The billing country is not accepted by SOFORT. Please try another country."}}}},"fetched_oembed_html":false}
Best wishes to all of you in these difficult times. I'm sure it may have been hard for Finley to take this situation in, but ulitmately this experience will make him more mature, compassionate, and brave. As much as we would like to protect our children from experiences that aren't perfect, it is real life with both the lows and the highs that helps our children grow with strength and character. I hope that Richard's father gets better soon.
Thank you Heather: I thought long and hard about taking him on to the ward to see John and finally came to the conclusion that reality was probably much less frightening than the images Finley was likely to be conjuring up and ultimately I too agree that bringing our children up in a safe, cosy little bubble doesnt provide them with the skills they need to deal with life in all it's sad, ugly glory..
Alison! You don't fancy Robbie Williams do you? [keels over] x
More than life itself. Some days so bad it hurts in my tummy. And yes I realise he is most unsuitable but the heart wants what it wants…
It's good to know that you are all safely home. Cheers from Australia.
thank you so much Rose, its lovely to be home….x
Dear sweet Alison….I do hope you and your babe Finley feel better very soon!!! I'm so very sorry about Richard's Dad and can only hope that he will be in wonderful hands at the new location. So many recover wonderful from strokes and we can hope for nothing but the best for him!!! Please take good care of your self and sweet Fin (and of course, dear Richard as well) hugs and love, Dawn
Oh Darling Dawn, thank you so much for this. Already the new unit are running a drill of tests and arranging courses of therapy so it's all looking very positive.
As for Finley, the little monkey becomes more of a hypochondriac every day and took to the sofa in something of a Hollywood style swoon this evening…
Bless his little heart.
Hope you and yours are well.x
Glad to have you back! They can indeed work wonders with stroke victims Alison,he will be monitored carefully forever now its a horrible worry never the less and I send much love to you and Richard.Robbie Williams.Gutted.xx
Thanks Gena, you know how much I appreciate it. And yep: gutted just about sums up the whole Robbie Williams situation. Do we need to get a grip??
So pleased to hear that Richard's Dad is improving. As for the other things – well, life is what it is. We will wait & enjoy the posts as they come in. Family and loved ones always come first. (Children are always more resilient than we give them the credit for.)
Thank you for your patience Thea, I am uncomfortable being as behind as I am, but by tomorrow I should be all back to normal (or as normal as it is as possible to be during the school holidays!). And you are right, children are resilient and we don't do them any favours by offering them a Disney-fied version of life do we?
Have a lovely sunday.x
Home and hope….I am so happy for you and your loved ones, Alison.
Home and hope… you always manage to find just the right words. Thank you Lesley.x
Glad all are home, best to Richards' father in his recovery….chicken soup and good books for you and Finn…a strapping big six year old now! No longer a babe…a real guy in his own right…you have a life long job of teaching him to be a gentleman of character and kindness….hope the colds go away quickly. Best to all…and to heck with Robbie (though we wish him well!)
Alison, I'm so sorry your family has had to go through this ordeal. Best wishes for a full recovery. So sweet of you to apologise to your readers, but all of us Vintage Housekeepers understand the need to put family first!
Blessings to you and your family during this trying time. Hope that you & Finley are feeling better everyday. All the best