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Bad Day
Jan 18, 2024 7:08:28 GMT -5
Post by Mac on Jan 18, 2024 7:08:28 GMT -5
My stepdad passed away on Tuesday. It wasn't the cancer which had spread to his bones but a heart attack. My Mum is pretty calm at the moment and my brother and his wife are dealing with most of the arrangements. We don't know when the funeral will be yet but I'm hoping it's not at the end of the month when the rail strikes are due. The train is the most expensive but my only realistic means of getting there. That will be a 8 1/2 hour journey, adding on the time to the main line connection. The only other option is the coach, which makes me sick and that's a 13 hour journey time! I don't think I can drive it as my car is pretty old and the weather isn't great at the moment and I'm not used to driving long distances. I just hope I can get there, as I think my Mum needs my support.
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Bad Day
Jan 23, 2024 6:53:02 GMT -5
Post by Mac on Jan 23, 2024 6:53:02 GMT -5
Well, I've found out when the funeral is and it's proving to be a nightmare to get there. It's on Tuesday 6th February, which means I have to travel there on the Monday when there is a train strike on the main line that I need to use! The only alternative is the coach, which I can't face 13 vomit inducing hours of!! I may have just found another solution by travelling on the Sunday, but when I put that in to the search the other day it came up with a crazy 7 changes and replacement buses on some roundabout way across country! I tried again today and I've found a train that goes via London (ugh, I have to get across London but I'll ditch the tube and take a taxi if I have to) but there is a replacement bus on the last leg. However one of the trains on that route goes straight through to a different station for the final part and it's actually closer than where I would have got off anyway, so that is definitely possible!
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Bad Day
Jan 24, 2024 14:18:40 GMT -5
Post by Mac on Jan 24, 2024 14:18:40 GMT -5
Well, it looks like I won't be able to get a train, as the latest advice on the strikes is that it will be virtually impossible to travel on Sunday 4th due to 'severe disruption' and both GWR and Cross-country are on strike on Monday 5th, which are the two lines I have to travel on, so the advice is not to travel as there will only be a very limited number of trains to London and unlikely to be any from branch lines to get the connection. I can book a ticket but it's probable that the trains will be cancelled or worse still, I get stuck somewhere! Crap, I don't know what I can do now.
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Bad Day
Jan 27, 2024 16:19:02 GMT -5
Post by Mac on Jan 27, 2024 16:19:02 GMT -5
Well, I've made the decision to travel by coach and take the train coming back, however my OH is now having a massive hissy fit over having to cope by himself for four days! I can't believe what a selfish bastard he's being - all the times I've run the business by myself when he's been ill or visited his family. It's the quietest time of year, so I suggested shutting for the Monday and then he'll only have to do two days on his own but apparently I'm the selfish one and haven't considered him at all! Unfuckingbelievable! If I can't take a few days for something like this what is the point? It's not like we can't afford to shut for a day or two. We did it for his mother's funeral and I drove him there . I'll be doing everything to prepare, like making sure he's got food, the cat has clean litter trays, the eBay shop is suspended for a couple of days so he doesn't have to worry about posting anything and the hundred other things I do that he's somehow incapable of, plus leaving instructions for anything he might struggle with and calling to check everything is OK. Jeez, it's like dealing with a child. There are times when I wish I was alone.
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Bad Day
Jan 30, 2024 10:19:37 GMT -5
Post by Mac on Jan 30, 2024 10:19:37 GMT -5
I have booked my tickets now and have started to make arrangements for the journey. I almost wavered when the OH was still sulking at the weekend but then he asked if I'd booked it yet and seems to have realised that he was being unreasonable. I had to buy a small cabin bag as I didn't have anything suitable to use - just shows how little time off we get! The coach hopefully won't be too bad as I have to change twice and there's quite a wait in between so I'll have a chance to get a cup of tea and rest up before the next leg of the journey. I haven't been back home in so long it's going to feel quite strange. I bet I don't even recognise some of the rellies!
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Bad Day
Feb 10, 2024 6:35:08 GMT -5
Post by Mac on Feb 10, 2024 6:35:08 GMT -5
I got back on Wednesday evening and I'm back into the usual routine of work again now. The funeral went well and my Mum was so glad to have me there. She held my hand during the service and we managed to hold it together when the celebrant was speaking. His brother also made a nice speech and the reception was good afterwoods. Several people came back to the house after too. I met my sister in law's parents, who were really nice, and all the various cousins who looked a lot older!! My brother and his wife picked me up from the bus station when I arrived on the Sunday night. The journey there went OK, everything was on time and not too uncomfortable and I managed not to get sick but it was a bit of a marathon journey. My other brother dropped me off at the train station coming back on Wednesday and the train was luxury in comparison to the coach, much smoother and more legroom and much quicker of course! There was no wi-fi when I was there until the Tuesday evening when my youngest brother managed to work out what the problem was and after a bit of stormy weather on Monday night, the TV signal was out too! It came back on Wed morning apparently, so it looks like it was a maintenance issue. It seems like it's a bit of poor area for signals so we were are all trying to work out what is the best option to keep Mum connected to everyone. She doesn't really use the internet but it's becoming increasingly necessary for TV and soon phone lines when they go digital. I'm glad I went - it was nice to be back depite the circumstances and good to see everyone and I think the OH has a new found appreciation of everything that I do, having had to manage by himself for 4 days, he seems to have realised that I do an awful lot of the donkey work, day in and day out!
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