Another birthday not passed

Last week it was Nigel's birthday, what should have been his 47th. I find birthdays really quite painful, especially as I get closer in age to the age Nigel was when he died. Signing cards to both of our girls from just me is never going to be an easy task, and I always find myself shedding a tear at writing just 'mummy' instead of both parents. Although I think my days of being mummy may soon be over, time instead to adjust to being just plain mum!

Sophie and I went back to her first choice secondary school today for a tour during the school day. We are probably not going to get a place in the first round, so will have to go to appeal, but I am resigned to this fact and so will be ready. I need to gather reports from a variety of agencies supporting Sophie's application. In theory it should go through, but it is always a worry. If only it was more straightforward, but there's nothing we can do, except move house closer to the school, which is not something I am either willing or able to do. This is our home, I can't see us leaving in the foreseeable future. So Sophie and I will be keeping everything crossed. We might drop lucky, but if not, the appeal is there for us to prove how important what this school offers is to Sophie.

In other news, we spent the weekend at Center Parcs with Sarah and Gem, the girls' cousins. What a great weekend we had, cycling, swimming, walking, and Alex and I did archery too. We always enjoy our weekends there, in fact we are going again in a fortnight with some friends. Usually we go with the Way Foundation, but this year it clashes with my weekend away scrapbooking. Sophie and I will go for the day on Monday to see everyone, while Alex heads to Hadrian's Wall with my parents.

Tomorrow, at the ripe old age of 37, I start speech therapy. I've been struggling with losing my voice for about 6 months now, and after ruling out anything too nasty, I discovered I have vocal cord nodules. My voice careers between normal and super husky, then back again. I have had to stop singing in my choir as I just can't. Speech therapy is the first step, and if that doesn't help, then surgery will be the next step. It was suggested that I tried to speak as little as possible, but as a teacher that isn't really going to happen is it!

On that note, time to rest my voice through sleep!