The cycling afficionados amongst you might well already know but history was made today in Düsseldorf.
In a totally unexpected result nearly man Geraint (G) Thomas won the opening TT stage of the TdeF by a hefty 5 seconds! The first Welsh rider to wear the Yellow Jersey he had to beat several TT world champions and indeed the recently crowned UK champion to get his Lion!
Whether by chance or design Team Sky placed 4 riders in the first ten ahead of all the other GC contenders some of whom lost more time today than Froomies winning margin last year!
Well after the last couple of weeks I was in need of some good news and this morning I got some.
My consultant has cleared me to resume exercise with immediate effect so whilst i'm still on medication for the foreseeable I can start riding again, regaining some fitness and losing some of the weight i've put on - and inches around the waist!
Yes, thank you to everyone who has offered condolences etc over the last fortnight since my mother passed away, it was very much appreciated.
We had the funeral this afternoon, a simple cremation as she wanted, the assembled mourners were largely family but also included many people from councillors to foster children whose lives she had touched.
I'm sure there will continue to be dark days but I think the darkest are past.
It occurred to me yesterday that part of the reason people find bereavement so difficult is down to a lack of knowledge. Over the last couple of weeks we've come into contact with various agencies and I have to say they've all made things as easy as possible. However it's been a bit of a game of join the dots - take this, go there, ring this number - oh i'm not complaining but at times its not helped having to wait to see people because you need paper A to get paper B to get result C.
I was expecting today to be tough but it's not been too bad. Registering Mum's death was straightforward enough, the finality of that act is only just sinking in.
But that has allowed us to sort out her finances, the banks have been really helpful, even the phone company sorted things in just a few minutes.
I spent a couple of hours last night writing my contribution to Thursday's service - that brought the tears back big style. I'm not up to reading it myself, I'm not a masochist, but I feel better that I'm making a contribution.
So here I am, ten days after my world was turned inside out.
I'm still getting infuriated by my leg, still getting weepy for no apparent reason, still.......Yes, things are getting better, tomorrow should sort out most of the financial stuff and then its just getting through Thursday. I'm expecting to be a mess on Thursday in front of the relatives but sod 'em, we need to move on and if that means a good blub so be it.
So today things have moved on some. We've arranged the funeral, a week Thursday so a fortnight after her passing. It's a big weight off, oh it still needs paying for and getting through but there will be a few days before we have more to do.
Managing to get a grip most of the time, just got to hold things together for dad. Having a timetable helps.
Who knows I might even feel like writing again afterwards.
After a very emotional few days, I'm sort of getting my head around things.
We spent most of Saturday looking for paperwork - I think we found all the necessary stuff. Afterwards I cooked dinner, sad in itself as mum so enjoyed me cooking for her, i've pretty much taken over family dinners this year.
To everyone who have offered their condolences and support over the last day.
A whole day, I'm sure it will get better but not quickly.
Mum was heading towards 80 in October, she has had health issues for 20 years however this was totally unexpected. A heart attack due to clots on her lungs - they fought for 4 hours but in the end there was nothing more to do.
She died without ever regaining consciousness @ 1.30 after a final heart failure.
My mum has just collapsed and is heading to hospital - it's very serious. Don't know what's going to happen, I could be absent for some time with associated lack of posting.
First up today, my thoughts are with all those affected by London's very own, real life Towering Inferno - 2017 is not turning out to be a great year for this country.
Apologies but there won't be any story posting today - as some of you know, I don't have my own internet connection (I'm writing this on my phone) so I'm reliant on access to my parents line and today I don't I have that.
So the last part of Nena - Remind me Again and first of Gaby - Friends will now be posted on Wednesday.
Well its been a less than exciting week so far - damp weather, trips to collect meds and parcels on Monday but otherwise I've been tied to the keyboard writing even more Gaby! Yep, I'm well into the next arc and I expect to have it finished for the end of the month.
This week however, the writing is over and advance warning - no post on Sunday as I'm taking a trip archaeological to the Brecon Beacons in south Wales, starting tomorrow.
Yep, I've been writing like a top and the next raft of Gaby - Express is a couple of thousand words from completion!
It really is an action packed run of events, both on the bike and off.
So, fingers crossed, it'll be available from tomorrow.
In other news - it's shaping up to be a typical May here weatherwise - I just hope that it stays fair when I go to Brecon for a few days this week - nothing worse than wet Wales!
So here we go, the next part of Nena Book 6, Remind Me Again, is now available here - I won't make a promise for more on Sunday but that's my intention.
I did promise more Trixiebell Heartswoon for today, you can read the third instalment, Friends, now.
Yup, once more my apologies. I really did expect to do a Nena posting today but instead I've been off enjoying myself!
So today it was a trip out to the little visited Holderness coast of East Yorkshire. Our lunch stop was Withernsea, for the UK readers think Blackpool without! Yup no tower, no beach, no attractions - well not actually much of anything except a brooding sea! We had a nice lunch mind at a nice price, just over a tenner for three of us!
One part of my writing i've not owned up to before is that I try to imagine myself as the main protagonist, whether it's Nena, Peaches, Gaby or the latest addition, Trixie. By imagining that I am those individuals I get a better feel for how they will react, talk etc.
Hopefully when I resume Gaby on Thursday I can go a bit quicker - it's a cheap but durable Microsoft bit of kit - wonder how long it'll last! Anyone want a KB with no letters?
Anyhow there are now 4 Trixiebell Heartswoon 'chapters' completed. The way is open for more but for now it concludes here.
Trixie's life now runs to the third instalment, Gothic Friends which will of course be posted after Gothic Girlfriend .
Part 4 will be started after tonight's curry, Gothic Girlhood will take Trixie's life to some sort of conclusion - I think! It will bring elements of the first four parts together and add some further complications to the situation!
Part 5 - well we'll have to wait and see - after the holiday weekend I really need to get back to writing Gaby!
Well I'm absolutely stunned by the reaction to this story! Thank you all so much for your comments / feedback.
There is a follow up story wot I wrote yesterday, Gothic Girlfriend will be posted next time I get a real internet connection. That in turn will be followed by Gothic Friend - not yet wroted but in theory it concludes the tale of Trixiebell Heartswoon - or does it?
Well that remains to be seen, each part has so far been a 15 hour road crash of writing effort.
Indeed sorry to all the Gabfen expecting the last chapter of Gaby Book 14 today. For reasons outside of my control i've not had any internet access today.
As a result it'll now be posted on Wednesday when i'm expecting that part one of Book 20, Gaby Express to become available.
Which reminds me, I'd best get back to actually writing it!
Checks can be made out & sent to:
Joyce Melton
1001 Third St.
Space 80
Calimesa, CA 92320
USA
Note: $6000 is the operating, maintenance and upgrade budget. Amounts received in excess of the $6000 will be applied to long term debt accrued over the last 19 years.
