Em.... can I come in?

I feel bad just popping back in again, as if I have been picking up my Blogland chums and dropping them, which isn't the case. I have thought about all my pals over the months I have been absent.

A lot has happened since I last blogged. Was it near Christmas? After Christmas I just sort of sank and got really low. I haven't 'spoken to anybody' about it but just somehow got through. Losing hubby just catches you unawares at times and being aware that this is how it's going to be for the rest of my life is quite overwhelming, but I am getting more used to it and thinking more of the good times.

In March my Dad died so I had to deal with all that on my own. It was a blessing because of his advanced Alzheimer's but still quite a shock. I had just crashed my car and needed to get there and do lots of running around whilst there so I ended up detouring and buying a car on my journey. The one I crashed, I had only had it for four days, and the day I was told it had been written off was the day I had the call that my Dad had passed away, and I had the mother of all throat infections as well. All behind me now anyway, and I have handed Dad's business to a very nice solicitor, as it's out the jurisdiction here, so it's good not to have that burden.

Looking on the brighter side, I've just returned from two weeks spent hiking across the breadth of Corsica on the 'mare a mare nord' trail. I went with an old University friend, Mary, and we had lots of fun though rather mixed weather. The food was excellent except I hated the cheese because it was all either goat or sheep and no cow.

My pets have had their birthdays last month - Ludo is 10, Skylark is 20 and Quasar is 30. I wish I was just 40! Quasar is looking quite thin but it's partly her age as it wasn't a hard winter. I think she will put on weight when the grass gets going, and next winter, even if it is mild, I intend increasing their feed to keep her better insulated all of the time.

What photo to put with this? I haven't sorted the Corsica ones out yet, so above is a view from Dinas peninsula in Pembrokeshire. I went there on a wild goose chase for a handmade wooden bench as a memorial for my hubby, to put on the campus where he worked, but the benches on offer weren't suitable at all. Oh well, I had a nice day out and have ordered a bench from somewhere else now.

What else? I've been having new windows installed and once they are complete the outside walls will be repainted. I've had my own bedroom redecorated and recarpeted and when I have recovered some money after my expensive holiday I'm going to get some luxurious bedding and replace the bedside cabinets to match the other furniture. We had old bits and bobs for far too long.

I mean to visit Blogland more often from now on.

For those who have emailed me, I have had to change my email address. I can't even access yahoo s I have now way of emailing any of you because I can't get into my yahoo contacts. My new email is my surname then my first name, then@aol.co.uk Say my name was Jane Bloggs. My new email would be bloggsjane@aol.co.uk. So apply that formula to my name and there you have it!