Dear Ella,
Went to see The way, way back movie last night. It was simply lovely, funny and easy to watch, just the sort of movie that you, me and Sophie used to love to go and see.
As I was driving home, I lost track of my thoughts and had a flash of "cant wait to tell Ella, all about that movie, she must so go to see it". Then I remembered ...... I can't - well not really, only via this letter :(
I had a go at enthusing Sophie at breakfast time - not much interest.
Anyway - you would have loved it.
Lots of love
Mum
xxx
Saturday 31 August 2013
Wednesday 28 August 2013
Not from me
Dear Ella
You will be delighted to hear that its not me but George tonight...
Dear Ella
So it the first night in my new flat in Leeds! I can not believe I have gone through this whole process without you to share it with and talk about it all! But I definitely think you would approve. Looking out my lounge windows and over my 6th floor balcony you can see all of Leeds City Centre, and at the moment its all lit up in the nights sky! The flat is beautiful too. I share it with one other - Katie, she is a few years older than me.
Katie is away this weekend so I am spending my first night alone which is strange! But my Dad came up to help me move as did Jonathan. Jonny has an interview in Leeds tomorrow so will stay over, and we are going to have dinner out with Katie which will be nice. I am nervous about living with her as she is already settled here and I feel like I am going to get in the way for the few weeks I am off, but am sure it'll feel like home soon enough. I plan on printing the picture of the four of us girls in Woolacombe on a canvas to put up in my new room :)
The apartment block is a 10-15 min walk to the hospital I will be working at in September. My induction day will be either 2 or 16 September. No more long bus journeys to work
Soon it will be my 21st (????) - can you believe it??? Not sure what I am going to do yet I would like to celebrate at home but it will depend on the work situation and also friends - no good going home if Annie, Amy etc wont be able to make it And anyway I'll be back home for your party in November. I cannot wait to get all dressed up instead of putting on my trainers and sports kit! Talking of which, I think we did you proud on the bike ride, and had fun at the same time :)
Well thats it for now, but I will write again soon as this month is going to be packed with news!
Lots and lots of love from Georgina xxxxxx
How lovely was that - and that was the abridged version!
Lots of love
Mum
xxxxx
You will be delighted to hear that its not me but George tonight...
Dear Ella
So it the first night in my new flat in Leeds! I can not believe I have gone through this whole process without you to share it with and talk about it all! But I definitely think you would approve. Looking out my lounge windows and over my 6th floor balcony you can see all of Leeds City Centre, and at the moment its all lit up in the nights sky! The flat is beautiful too. I share it with one other - Katie, she is a few years older than me.
Katie is away this weekend so I am spending my first night alone which is strange! But my Dad came up to help me move as did Jonathan. Jonny has an interview in Leeds tomorrow so will stay over, and we are going to have dinner out with Katie which will be nice. I am nervous about living with her as she is already settled here and I feel like I am going to get in the way for the few weeks I am off, but am sure it'll feel like home soon enough. I plan on printing the picture of the four of us girls in Woolacombe on a canvas to put up in my new room :)
The apartment block is a 10-15 min walk to the hospital I will be working at in September. My induction day will be either 2 or 16 September. No more long bus journeys to work
Soon it will be my 21st (????) - can you believe it??? Not sure what I am going to do yet I would like to celebrate at home but it will depend on the work situation and also friends - no good going home if Annie, Amy etc wont be able to make it And anyway I'll be back home for your party in November. I cannot wait to get all dressed up instead of putting on my trainers and sports kit! Talking of which, I think we did you proud on the bike ride, and had fun at the same time :)
Well thats it for now, but I will write again soon as this month is going to be packed with news!
Lots and lots of love from Georgina xxxxxx
How lovely was that - and that was the abridged version!
Lots of love
Mum
xxxxx
Tuesday 27 August 2013
Normalcy
Dear Ella,
Another day, another dollar!
A good expression. If you pump it into Wiktionary - it says it's an expression recognising a balance in life, normalcy, and routineness.
Normalcy? Thats a new one on me, "the state of being normal", in more ways than one. Yes, life is now normal in comparison to a year ago, no medical interventions, no waiting for results, no what ifs, just blah. Of course in so many ways life is anything but normalcy.
I wonder if there will ever be normalcy again.
Lots of love
Mum
xx
Another day, another dollar!
A good expression. If you pump it into Wiktionary - it says it's an expression recognising a balance in life, normalcy, and routineness.
Normalcy? Thats a new one on me, "the state of being normal", in more ways than one. Yes, life is now normal in comparison to a year ago, no medical interventions, no waiting for results, no what ifs, just blah. Of course in so many ways life is anything but normalcy.
I wonder if there will ever be normalcy again.
Lots of love
Mum
xx
Friday 23 August 2013
Cleaning, Vivaldi and Frogs!
Dear Ella,
Feeling weary and in need of time out, have shut the door on the world and retreated to the sanctuary of Allington.
Sophie out - so time is all mine to indulge as I wish.
Hence - cleaning, Vivaldi and frogs!
Cleaning - grubby windows gone, cobwebs banished and dusty corners ousted - very therapeutic - its a middle aged female thing, and a great distraction.
Ate my dinner watching Nigel Kennedy play Vivaldi - BBC at the Proms - would never have got away with that if you or Sophie had been in.
And - finally a damp old evening, so knew there would be a frog frenzy. The kitchen doors are firmly shut to prevent Brian bringing her "toys" any further into the house. Two so far with a further one waiting for me to rescue it with my dustpan and brush. Where does Brian find them all, and why oh why does she have to bring them home?
Does the above count as three simple things? Think not on the frogs - but the other two will do for now.
See you in the morning
Lots of love
Mum
xx
Feeling weary and in need of time out, have shut the door on the world and retreated to the sanctuary of Allington.
Sophie out - so time is all mine to indulge as I wish.
Hence - cleaning, Vivaldi and frogs!
Cleaning - grubby windows gone, cobwebs banished and dusty corners ousted - very therapeutic - its a middle aged female thing, and a great distraction.
Ate my dinner watching Nigel Kennedy play Vivaldi - BBC at the Proms - would never have got away with that if you or Sophie had been in.
And - finally a damp old evening, so knew there would be a frog frenzy. The kitchen doors are firmly shut to prevent Brian bringing her "toys" any further into the house. Two so far with a further one waiting for me to rescue it with my dustpan and brush. Where does Brian find them all, and why oh why does she have to bring them home?
Does the above count as three simple things? Think not on the frogs - but the other two will do for now.
See you in the morning
Lots of love
Mum
xx
Monday 19 August 2013
18
Dear Ella
Your little sister has made 18...not such a baby anymore. Think you would have been proud - she is looking stunning, has clearly enjoyed being the centre of attention and we have heard her laughing and talking a lot!
Long may it last - though as ever, I am finding it hard to cope with all the "nights out" and fretting about her getting home in one piece. I know you would say "oh Mum, she'll be fine", and I think she will, but so hard to let go when I have already lost you.
Anyway, in the main, I am really pleased that she is out and about being 18 - its lovely to have all her friends coming and going from party HQ - aka Allington Rd - the joys of living in the city centre.
Missing you loads - especially on Saturday night at the party - you would have loved it.
Lots of love
Mum
xx
Your little sister has made 18...not such a baby anymore. Think you would have been proud - she is looking stunning, has clearly enjoyed being the centre of attention and we have heard her laughing and talking a lot!
Long may it last - though as ever, I am finding it hard to cope with all the "nights out" and fretting about her getting home in one piece. I know you would say "oh Mum, she'll be fine", and I think she will, but so hard to let go when I have already lost you.
Anyway, in the main, I am really pleased that she is out and about being 18 - its lovely to have all her friends coming and going from party HQ - aka Allington Rd - the joys of living in the city centre.
Missing you loads - especially on Saturday night at the party - you would have loved it.
Lots of love
Mum
Friday 16 August 2013
Me again
Dear Ella
Sorry, irritating as ever I know.
Just working my way through e mails and found one from the Teenage Cancer Trust, you made page one, down the bottom, but you (and I guess us) made it!
Sorry, irritating as ever I know.
Just working my way through e mails and found one from the Teenage Cancer Trust, you made page one, down the bottom, but you (and I guess us) made it!
- The Ella Redman Fund, who’ve have raised an incredible £70,000 in her memory through various events for our South West Appeal
- John Retter, who by combining his love for photography and sports has managed to raise over £10,000 for the charity in the last two years!
- The North East Fundraising Board, for their phenomenal contributions to fundraising and making a huge difference in the North East with their events and challenges throughout the year raising £104,000
- Newcastle Fundraising Group, who are certain to smash their £10,000 fundraising target with events like a fire walk, burlesque night and rugby tournaments
- City Plumbing Supplies, for raising £230,000 in 18 months and deciding to keep us as their charity until December 2014
- Your World Recruitment, who raised over £1,000 from a Royal Baby themed cake sale and a 12 hour virtual cycling challenge
- The Body Shop, who’ve smashed their £250,000 fundraising target just over halfway into the year! We would like to say a huge thank you to The Body Shop staff up and down the country for their inspirational passion and support
Lots of love Mum
XX
PS - also have long letter for you from Georgina - will share soon
August 15 2013
Dear Ella,
So yesterday - as in August 15 was a bit of a massive day.
A level results, two birthdays, another Ella fund raiser, university in sight - oh and Gaynor and Ian back in town.
Quietly and determinedly your sister delivered a blinding set of A Level results - you must be proud and potentially slightly envious. In fact so good that her place at Cardiff Uni has been confirmed - now all she has to do is decide if she is going...
The wait for confirmation of the results was draining!
The SACO Bath team laid on a great night of entertainment for you - and raised around £500 to the cause, we had a lovely time. Gaynor and Ian were so pleased to actually be able to go to one of your events.
It was the big 21 birthday for Annie - a night out for the dream team - of course minus one, but sure you were there in spirit egging them on to enjoy themselves.
Another year on the clock for Shelagh
Sitting in bed contemplating what the day, the weekend and September holds - but in reality have only got to do today - "one day at a time".
Lots of love
Mum
xx
So yesterday - as in August 15 was a bit of a massive day.
A level results, two birthdays, another Ella fund raiser, university in sight - oh and Gaynor and Ian back in town.
Quietly and determinedly your sister delivered a blinding set of A Level results - you must be proud and potentially slightly envious. In fact so good that her place at Cardiff Uni has been confirmed - now all she has to do is decide if she is going...
The wait for confirmation of the results was draining!
The SACO Bath team laid on a great night of entertainment for you - and raised around £500 to the cause, we had a lovely time. Gaynor and Ian were so pleased to actually be able to go to one of your events.
It was the big 21 birthday for Annie - a night out for the dream team - of course minus one, but sure you were there in spirit egging them on to enjoy themselves.
Another year on the clock for Shelagh
Sitting in bed contemplating what the day, the weekend and September holds - but in reality have only got to do today - "one day at a time".
Lots of love
Mum
xx
Tuesday 13 August 2013
Its going to blow
Dear Ella
A storm is brewing - something is going to blow - not sure when or what the outcome will be, but its coming.
Have decided to put August in the same box as February and November - dull!
Lots of love
Mum
xx
A storm is brewing - something is going to blow - not sure when or what the outcome will be, but its coming.
Have decided to put August in the same box as February and November - dull!
Lots of love
Mum
xx
Friday 9 August 2013
Have been trying hard
Dear Ella,
So since my last letter have tried hard and have determinedly been busy, sorting, arranging stuff. Have put bounce back in step as I walk through door to work, have plans for this weekend and next and thinking of a quick 24 hours away the following.
Cool, calm and collected with herd of 17/18 year olds and their host....
Smile, matter of fact approach to people who don't like eating...
...and onwards
Lots of love
Mum
xxx
So since my last letter have tried hard and have determinedly been busy, sorting, arranging stuff. Have put bounce back in step as I walk through door to work, have plans for this weekend and next and thinking of a quick 24 hours away the following.
Cool, calm and collected with herd of 17/18 year olds and their host....
Smile, matter of fact approach to people who don't like eating...
...and onwards
Lots of love
Mum
xxx
Wednesday 7 August 2013
Could do better
Dear Ella,
Sadly "could do better" was a phrase that popped up on a regular basis on my school reports - never on yours or Sophie's.
I was sent the quotation below and it really strikes a cord with me. I do fundamentally believe in this approach to life and have truly being try to apply it for at least the last ten years or so. However, "could do better" springs to mind.
Lots of love Mum
xx
Sadly "could do better" was a phrase that popped up on a regular basis on my school reports - never on yours or Sophie's.
I was sent the quotation below and it really strikes a cord with me. I do fundamentally believe in this approach to life and have truly being try to apply it for at least the last ten years or so. However, "could do better" springs to mind.
Lots of love Mum
xx
‘The longer I live, the more I realise the impact of attitude on life. Attitude to me is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people say or do.
It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company…a church… a home.
The remarkable thing is, we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change the past…we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is plan on the one thing we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you …we are in charge of our attitudes.’
Pastor Charles ‘Chuck’ Swindoll.
Tuesday 6 August 2013
Simple wishes
Dear Ella,
Have been having a bit of a full on tidy up and sort out of various areas, nooks and drawers of Allington. This has included the bulging, useless, annoying clip on the fridge that moos like a cow when ever you use it (thanks Mum!). Anyway, the many bits of paper clipped under it - suddenly looked pointless tonight - so they got it.
Christmas thank you letters, discount coupons for Sainsbury's, receipts and lost shopping lists - and then right at the bottom was our list "Simple Wishes"list.
Do you remember how I made the three of us write down "simple wishes" that we wanted to try and make happen in 2012? The rule was - they had to be simple and potentially achievable - why? Well you were still in the depths of chemo, Sophie was still getting better, and I as ever was attempting to put one foot in front of the other and move from one day to the next. It was in the spirit of things to look forward to as we abandoned 2011 and looked forward into 2012. Here is what we all wished for:
Ella
1. See the sea. You did - we went to Woolacombe in late March and again in the summer
2. Go to Wimbledon. You did - with Amy in the the June, just as you finished chemo
3. See the Lion King musical (again) - you did, thanks to SACO and the Lion King being on at the hippodrome in Bristol
4. Go for a nice long walk - you walked along the beach with your girlfriends in August last year
5. Buy a bike and go for a cycle ride - no joy, but we sort of did that for you by going to Glasto a few weeks ago on bikes some of us!)
6 Sit on top of the sand dunes in Woolacombe - done again with your girlfriends last summer
5 out of 6 not bad
Sophie
1. Weekend away in London with a girlfriend - done, a day last summer with Hollie, then a few days away Easter just gone
2. Go on a huge trampoline - not yet
3. Get out of the UK for a break - done, the wonderful Gaynor and Ian flew you to the USA last summer
4. Get bellybutton pierced - done last summer, it looks amazing
3 out of 4 not bad
Jo
1. Go to Cornwall - done, three times since I wrote the wish down
2. See Faithless in concert - not done, but they have disbanded
3. Attend a creative writing course - done, a one day event earlier this year
4. Start a new blog - done "Dear Ella" here with - bet you wish I hadn't made that wish
3 out of 4 - that's good.
Simple wishes - nice things don't have to be massive
Lots of love
Mum
xx
Have been having a bit of a full on tidy up and sort out of various areas, nooks and drawers of Allington. This has included the bulging, useless, annoying clip on the fridge that moos like a cow when ever you use it (thanks Mum!). Anyway, the many bits of paper clipped under it - suddenly looked pointless tonight - so they got it.
Christmas thank you letters, discount coupons for Sainsbury's, receipts and lost shopping lists - and then right at the bottom was our list "Simple Wishes"list.
Do you remember how I made the three of us write down "simple wishes" that we wanted to try and make happen in 2012? The rule was - they had to be simple and potentially achievable - why? Well you were still in the depths of chemo, Sophie was still getting better, and I as ever was attempting to put one foot in front of the other and move from one day to the next. It was in the spirit of things to look forward to as we abandoned 2011 and looked forward into 2012. Here is what we all wished for:
Ella
1. See the sea. You did - we went to Woolacombe in late March and again in the summer
2. Go to Wimbledon. You did - with Amy in the the June, just as you finished chemo
3. See the Lion King musical (again) - you did, thanks to SACO and the Lion King being on at the hippodrome in Bristol
4. Go for a nice long walk - you walked along the beach with your girlfriends in August last year
5. Buy a bike and go for a cycle ride - no joy, but we sort of did that for you by going to Glasto a few weeks ago on bikes some of us!)
6 Sit on top of the sand dunes in Woolacombe - done again with your girlfriends last summer
5 out of 6 not bad
Sophie
1. Weekend away in London with a girlfriend - done, a day last summer with Hollie, then a few days away Easter just gone
2. Go on a huge trampoline - not yet
3. Get out of the UK for a break - done, the wonderful Gaynor and Ian flew you to the USA last summer
4. Get bellybutton pierced - done last summer, it looks amazing
3 out of 4 not bad
Jo
1. Go to Cornwall - done, three times since I wrote the wish down
2. See Faithless in concert - not done, but they have disbanded
3. Attend a creative writing course - done, a one day event earlier this year
4. Start a new blog - done "Dear Ella" here with - bet you wish I hadn't made that wish
3 out of 4 - that's good.
Simple wishes - nice things don't have to be massive
Lots of love
Mum
xx
Monday 5 August 2013
Forrest Gump...
Dear Ella,
Was just about to go to bed last night, when the movie Forrest Gump started. So in true Forrest style "stupid is as stupid does", I couldn't stop myself and stayed up till gone midnight watching it from start to end.
Last time I watched it was when were on holiday in the USA years ago.
What a great movie - and my favourite quote is from Forrest's mum as below.
Was just about to go to bed last night, when the movie Forrest Gump started. So in true Forrest style "stupid is as stupid does", I couldn't stop myself and stayed up till gone midnight watching it from start to end.
Last time I watched it was when were on holiday in the USA years ago.
What a great movie - and my favourite quote is from Forrest's mum as below.
Life's a box of chocolates, Forrest. You never know what you're gonna get.
Wise words.
Lots of love
Mum
xx
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