Following my exciting trip to climb Mount Kinabalu I was all set to settle back into my normal routine of volunteering 2-3 times a week, going to my walking group, looking after Papa T, doing the housework, shopping, cooking and cleaning and meeting up with friends when time allowed.
But only a week later I received a worrying email letting me know that my mother's main carer had had a serious fall in her own home, she was awaiting an operation and was unable to work. My siblings were 'holding the fort' but as they also have jobs I knew things would be really difficult and I could certainly help out so 12 hours after reading the email I was on a flight back home and by breakfast time the next day I was having coffee with my Mother and sister.
It was wonderful to be able to help out for the following 9 days and to devote my time to my family, I had little time to get in touch with friends but had the pleasure of catching up briefly with a few when time allowed.
I also had the unexpected pleasure of being with my mother and 1 of my children for Mother's Day. HT was able to join us for lunch, his second roast of the day ( he had promised to take his 'adoptive' mum for lunch before he knew that I would be home).
The following weekend it was great to see BT and we had the opportunity to catch up.
I would have liked to have stayed for longer but I had to return to Singapore in time to welcome my sister; JN on her first trip to Singapore plus Papa T had coped for long enough on his own.
One of the hardest things about living so far away is not being 'there' for family events, nor the everyday situations when friends or family need a little help but it's really reassuring to know that if needs be I can be back in the UK at very short notice, obviously it's not the cheapest nor least stressful way of doing it but nice to know it can be done.
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