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Phew this week.......phew.
Wednesday I took Lauren to work with me.
We didn't do River Rhythms in the evening as the band looked a bit pants, the weather was so hot and she was still covered in itchy lumps from the last time.
Next week the band looks more promising and the weather a little cooler.
She has been swimming every afternoon with the kids down the road.
It did look tempting.

Thursday we bimbled about a bit.
We went to the mall where she managed to spend more money.
Friday we went swimming with my mate June.
She still lives in the apartments where we used to live. They have an indoor and outdoor pool there so we spent the morning in the outdoor one.
Usually June and I just use the indoor but it is more fun in the outdoor one with Lauren. For some reason it makes you feel as if you are holiday.
When we got back we were just going to have some lunch when the kids from down the road appeared and wanted Lauren.
So, she ate her grub, put her other cozzie on and went off to swim again.
By the time I got her back she looked like a prune.
Saturday we did more bimbling. This time with Philip in tow.
No swimming today.


Sunday was off to the zoo to see the dinosaurs.
It was a lot of fun but so very tiring. The weather today was hot but not so humid. Amazing how much difference the humidity makes.
SpongeBob put in an appearance again and drew comments from several excited children.
I think we saw almost all of Milwaukee Zoo and then spent time in TWO gift shops.
They had an extra one by the dinosaur exhibit.
That was blooming sneaky.

I had a sad last night.
Lauren was in bed and I was saying night night.
She asked for a head tickle (our family are anybody's for a head tickle). I was tickling her head and her eyes were closed, when her hand crept out of the sheets and started to tickle my head too.
I will admit the tears flowed. I didn't let her know but it was such a touching moment. We get on so well and I so love her company. It will be very tough when she goes home.
Poor Philip ( he will have a humpty me to put up with for a bit).
But, 3 weeks after she goes back then I will be going over there.
I will be there for a month and then both Donna and Lauren will be coming here for Christmas and New Year.
So, really as they were here in February this year also, I have been rather spoiled.
Next year will be tough as I will probably only see her in the summer.

Sometimes I question my decision to make a life here but I then weigh things up.
If I wasn't here then Donna, Glenn & Lauren would not have been able to visit the US as much, or probably at all.
I know Lauren is very proud of being able to pop across for a holiday.

Also, Donna's husband Andy (Lauren's dad) ....sigh.
He would never have had the 3 holidays they had here.
They were with us for the Christmas of 2002. He told me that it was the best Christmas he had ever had. We took them to The Nutcracker, Christmas Carol, ice hockey, friend's parties......it was a fabulous 2 weeks.
No one knew it would be his last and he would be dead within a few months.
This one thing pulls me up if ever I question being here. He deserved that Christmas.
It was only a couple of weeks later that he was taken ill.
I still miss him and still can't understand why he has gone.
Oops.....I nearly got another sad and Andy, who was always making people laugh as well as making fun of me, would give me a hard time if he knew.
I suppose it is just that when I see Lauren growing up so quickly it seems such a shame he isn't around to see it.

posted by Sue Banks @ 5:47 PM