Um, hello.

If you’re reading this, thanks so much for popping in! How about a nice cuppa?

I’m not sure anyone actually reads Ye-Olde-Blogs anymore these days. We’re all far too busy now, aren’t we? It’s a continual keeping up with everything via social media, fed to us in bite-size chunks for immediate consumption, rinse and repeat. I’m guilty of having a few of those apps on my phone too, but who has the time or, quite frankly, the desire to keep up with the never-ending scroll? No FOMO for me.

No, this post is more me revisiting a part of my writing past where I’ve always loved to spend time, tapping out my thoughts on my laptop and sharing them here for anyone who might care to read them.

And yes, I know… it’s been quite a while since I’ve hung out here! So long that it took me over half an hour to remember how to even access the back end of my website. Right now I’m feeling like the work experience kid, stumbling around blindly hoping I don’t make a fool of myself or break something. Eeep.

But I digress.

My big news is I am awaiting the impending arrival of my first grandchild sometime next week – I told you it’s been a while since I’ve posted – and it’s this major life milestone that has brought me back to the keyboard. I’m actually going to be a G-Ma! Can you believe it? It still feels so surreal and I have sooo many emotions and thoughts bouncing around my brain. I simply have to put them somewhere!

It’s a combination of a LOT. There’s great excitement at the thought of meeting this wee cherub, bucket loads of love for my son and daughter-in-law on this most special moment in their lives, gratitude for the gift of my beautiful family and incredulity at the notion that my first baby is about to have his first baby. How could that be, even though he’s in his mid-30’s and it’s more than definitely time, and I couldn’t possibly be old enough… but still. Logic just doesn’t come into it, you know?

I can cry even thinking about it (and odds are I will again when I lay eyes on this wee babe, just as I did when I was told of her impending arrival) but they are simply happy tears. To say that I’m proud doesn’t really cover it, but proud I most certainly am.

In quiet moments my thoughts keep drifting back; remembering my journey through the those early months of first-time parenting. The sweet smell of his newborn head. A chunky hand wrapped in my hair as I breastfed him. Seeing the joy on my mother’s face as she rocked him to sleep. Knowing that my life would never be the same and not regretting it for a second. Aaaall hitting me in the feels.

Ah nostalgia, you are a crafty minx.

It’s that whole ‘circle of life’ concept. While we won’t be doing the whole ‘Mufasa raising the baby up at Pride Rock’ thing (ha!) welcoming a new baby always warrants a celebration, not just in our hearts and minds, but together with the special people in our ‘village’. For all of us, a new baby is a tangible reminder of what’s really important. Family, friends and community. Sharing the joy. Supporting each other. And most of all, bringing the LOVE.

As the Beatles so accurately observed many years ago, that really is all you need.