A Farewell Drink...

In 3 weeks time, a close friend who I knew from school is leaving to go and live in Uganda. She is such a lovely girl, is our George and her going away is the result of her own hard work and the dedication she has shown over her years of training to become an OT. I am proud of her and I am proud to call her my friend. Today, she came to Redditch to see Ant and myself as a way of having a day to just hang out. I enjoyed this so much and after the chaotic few weeks I have had, its nice to be able to kick back and enjoy myself. I felt like a 23 year old, instead of a 73 year old.

We went to a pub in a village just outside of Redditch. The Jubilee in Studley, was a pleasant and rather lovely place to have lunch and we sat in the beer garden, a large field in the sunshine, with some animal enclosures at the end of the garden. These were particularly interesting to me and I went to have a look at the animals. The sight that met my eyes was met with my heart melting! There were many rabbits and, a personal favorite, GUINEA PIGS!! I love guinea pigs, with their lovely little noises, sweet temperaments and the cheeky way that they look at you. Adorable creatures. I have 4 of them at home and they're just wonderful pets, but to see an enclosure of them running around really melted my heart.

My heart was further melted when we went to get some pet food for my lovely little lot and I looked in the enclosure of guinea pigs, and what I saw, my friends had to remind me there just wasn't anymore room for anymore animals at my home right now. A black eyed piggy who was pure white! His big eyes and floppy pink ears and then the wheeking... he sounded just so much like my Hope. I miss Hope terribly, I think it was because he was always a bit sickly and we always knew he was going to become very ill. I just wanted to save him. Like Alphonse, I had Hope when he was very young and very small and had become very attached very quickly. I miss them both and do shed a tear sometimes when I remember them.

It was the way this little baby came right up to me, wheeking and looking extremely cute. He was sad when I had to say goodbye, but I know I did the right thing in resisting as I just don't have the space right now. I already have 4 guinea pigs and they can all be a handful sometimes. But I do love them. All 4 of them are special and sweet, little characters and playing with them gives me nothing but pleasure. I've kept a number of different animals and I have never once regretted it.

George has gone, I will miss her, but will be keeping very much in touch with her. I hope it goes well for her and her time in Uganda is rewarding and she enjoys it, but as for Ant, well I intend to spend more time with him, as well as my other friends. My friends are so important to me, as well as Tom and our little (unconventional) family.

Over this last year I have really come to appreciate more the people around me and the relationships with people. I'm not as alone as I thought this time last year and even though it felt bad back then, I wish I could go back and tell myself that what I was feeling would pass and there was a way out. I would tell myself that I needed to get out of that relationship and I needed to get myself somewhere I could be safe, happy and feel at ease in my home.

Loves
Wendy xx