Bingo!

The girls have had a good time at school this week, with the highlight being that they were the first to be sent home on Monday, and also the last! The weather changed again and the school decided to stay open once the girls were safely scooped up and settled in at home! "Bingo!" The girls were delighted.

I was so pleased to be able to be 'suited and booted' once more and make a return to Caudwell Children to cause a bit of chaos with my volunteering. It seems ages since I was there and it felt so good to be back in such a vibrant, dynamic yet caring setting. They are all amazing.

We were delighted to welcome two Medical Students from our GP Practice to talk turkey about what it is really like when a serious diagnosis is delivered; what life is like in those first few months. I am so often asked 'what can I do to help a family come to terms with their situation?' and I have no answer, because there is no one answer - every family is unique. Just hope these little visits help knowing that hindsight is, of course, a perfect science. We just try to get across the organisations and practises that have really helped and those that really didn't.

Lots of hot baths and early nights and 'tea like a proper family for once' as the icy conditions meant that most of the girls' after school activities were cancelled. "Bingo!" I know that I should be disappointed, but I loved not having to skid out into the snowy night and being cosy together.

Daddie, however, delivered Candice to her dancing class and she came home with a smile a mile wide and the news that she had received a 'Distinction' for her recent tap exam. I am so proud of Candice as she really had to work hard to achieve this award, and she was over the moon. I am so pleased Candice receives recognition in her own right and not just as "Tilly's sister."

Attended a meeting with Rudyard Sailability representatives this week to discuss how we should prepare for the forthcoming Mediation Process. It felt 'like old times' being once again around the table with such inspiring characters that have battled so hard for Rudyard Sailability over the past years. It feels very much like Mediation is the last big push to achieve a building that has been at the centre of such controversy.

I have spent a lot of time digging into the data that I have collected over the last year to make a chronological record of events over the past year relating to Rudayrd Sailability's building project. I thought it would be a relatively simple job, but I am amazed that I have been working on it for hours as there was hardly a week that went by without some effort maded by supporters of the Charity to bring about success. It would be good if the Planning Committee could see this record before making any decisions on the future of the boatstore.

However, the Planning Committee's meeting for this week was cancelled so our application for a stay of execution on the demolition of our current shed was postponed. Surely SMDC would not consider tearing down our current store when we are so close to a solution? The date for Mediation is the day before the proposed demoliton which is February 16th. We wait and hope as this decision will be taken behind closed doors.

Just back from the School's Chocolate bingo evening, and the good news is that we didn't win a single bar of chocci, but have come home with a bottle of Champagne! "Cheers!"