New Start!

Afternoon all!! As Mel told you yesterday, we've been a little bit busy of the past few weeks helping my Nan move home. It's been a pretty big task, much bigger than we'd anticipated. Nan's lived in her 3 bedroomed home for over 35 years, but now as she's getting older and living alone she's decided the house has become too much for her to manage. Not only are there 2 bedrooms that just aren't getting any use, but she's also struggling to cope with the stairs. She's not physically incapable, but the stairs are pretty steep making all of us a little worried she might fall and hurt herself. So at the start of the year we decided as a family that as Nan gets closer to 70 with all her marbles (apparently) in tact, that now would be the ideal time to make a new start in a new home that is more suitable to her.

Little did we know back then, just how quickly things would move once the time came. From the day the offer came until the day she moved in, it was just 3 weeks!! So for the last 3 weeks we've had the task of packing up not only Nan's belongings, but also 35 years worth of memories. It's amazing when you think how much has happened in her home...It was in fact the first home I ever lived in, as well as the first home my Aunt's eldest Son lived in...it was the home that both of my Nan's Daughters prepared for their wedding's in...it was the last home my Grandma (Nan's Mum) lived in...the place I remember charging my Nanny and Grandma for fictional cups of tea on my little plastic till...and where I bit into an apple that contained a caterpillar which put me off ever eating anything grown in the garden again!!! The inevitable moment of looking back through old photographs came, so we sat, reminisced and giggled about the moments Nan's house has seen...Ooo and NO I shall not be sharing those photos with you as they're all far too embarrassing!!!

What I will share with you though, is the cards both Mum and I made and gave Nan on her first morning in her new flat....

This is the card I made...for years I've always wondered what the most appropriate thing would be to put on my Nan's cards. Whilst packing up all of her things, one constant theme was cats...from little ornaments and pictures, to the ashes from her most treasured of cats Tibby...My Nan's definitely got a thing about Cats!! So when I saw the image of the cat lying on the bed looking all cosy, I knew exactly what I was going to use. Then, to make the card extra special, I not only added the plain coloured layers around the image, but I hand stitched all those little crosses into them too. It's not the first time I've used the paper stitching, but as I'm a little behind in sharing projects, it's the first one you've all seen!!

This is the card Mum made. A while ago, Mum made a new home card for her very special friend Jackie. She was so pleased with how it turned out, that she decided to make something similar for Nan. As you can see, the little mouse is not only going into number 36 (nan's new flat number), but he's also got the keys in his hand...so cute!!

In all honesty, when the discussion about moving Nan came up, I wasn't totally convinced. I'd have loved her to stay in her house, but I knew it just wasn't practical. When the option of a flat in a warden controlled building specifically for the over 55's came up, I still wasn't totally sure. I think hidden deep in my thoughts was the thought that we were moving her to an old people's home. Now she's moved in and settled I am more than certain it was the right thing...I've always pictured an over 55's building to be filled with older folks that get up at ridiculous o'clock in the morning and go to bed early!!!...the reality of the place is almost completely the opposite of what I'd imagined...not only do the residents sit outside on the patio until almost 11pm, but they also get themselves drunk to the point where they have to be put to bed!!! Nan's made some lovely and totally hilarious new friends, she's been far too busy to be sat in front of the tv and I can honestly say I have my old Nanny back....the one I remember from years ago, that was full of life and happy as can be.

It seems that holding onto the past isn't always a good thing.

Little x