End of an era

I often get to the end of a month and take stock of what has happened and what I have achieved. This month was no exception and the achievement was a significant one.

Earlier this month Son 2 turned eighteen, which means that we have safely raised both our children to adulthood. Now that might not seem like anything special, but anyone who knows our family history will realise that even from the very first days of parenthood it might not have been the case and there have been other scares along the way.

Our next task as parents is to prepare them both to fly the nest over the coming eighteen months, if all goes to plan. I can no longer tick a box which says I have a child here, we now only have adult children living with us, which is legally something completely different. After more than twenty years, it's the end of an era.

Dear Mr Cowell

Never judge a book by its cover. You really haven't learned that yet, have you? (For those who didn't see the programme, his pre-audition comment on this clip, which can't be embedded, will show what I mean.)

Jonathan is undoubtedly a very talented young man but he is also clearly very vulnerable. Britain's Got Talent will hopefully make him, but it could equally break him. For now, at least, he needs Charlotte with him on the journey and she needs to be given the opportunity to shine too. Please don't mess with their heads, there's far too much at stake.

Checking in

I'm still here.

I haven't posted for almost a month. There is no excuse, except that I have been insanely busy and my creative juices seem to have dried up. My caring responsibilities have increased over the last few weeks, with a knock-on effect in the form of physical and mental fatigue. I'm sure I'll get used to it in time, but for now there don't seem to be enough hours in the day to fit in everything I want and need to do, whilst still trying to comply with doctor's orders.

I'll be back just as soon as I have something more interesting to say.