Thursday 23 February

It's been an odd week and today has been the worst day so far. B. and I have had separate holidays for years and it's not a problem, but normally we go away at the same time. This year he left a few hours after I came back, which means I haven't seen him for 2 weeks now. He's back this weekend but today I could really have done with his company or at the very least his voice. This morning I bumped my car into the car in front of me. Rather badly. My car had to be towed away as I couldn't drive it anymore. I am fine, and that is the main thing, and thank goodness the kids weren't there and nobody else got hurt either, but it was my own fault. I feel cross with myself because it was a situation B. had warned me about before (and I've learnt so much from him about driving), and I'm sad because I love my car and I don't even know if it will be repairable. There was no point in ringing him - he is skiing and there wasn't anything he could do. I speak to him every night so I'll tell him tonight what's happened and that will be soon enough. But I could really do with a big hug and someone to make me a cup of tea and say that everything will be alright.
Having said that, everybody else around me has been very supportive. I got a cup of coffee and a tissue and a hug as soon as I got to work (it has been an odd week at work as well, with one of my colleagues fainting off her chair - and our department already has a reputation for being weird...), and another colleague offering to drive me home when she has a long trip home already. My mechanic sorted me out with a hire car so I can get around for the time being, and last but not least dad rallied around, did a bit of virtual hand holding, told me it was a stupid thing to do but I learnt my lesson, albeit the hard way. I'm so grateful to have so many people around who will help me out when I need them.

There has been something though that has made me happy this week.

I came home from Lyme Regis to find these on my doorstep. In the seven years I've known him, he's never EVER bought me flowers. And although he is very good at buying presents I like and I've always told him that I prefer the practical things he buys me, it is actually really nice to be given some flowers sometimes. And although I'm happy to leave this week behind and start afresh next week, seeing these flowers unfurl made me think that it's not all bad.