Trying to get used to our changed lives

Three days on and we are just getting our heads round our loss. The house is quiet and getting out of our over 14 year routine is very strange.

The worst times are first thing in the morning and last thing at night and coming back into the house when we've been out. No beautiful brown eyes or wagging tail to greet us.

But, the other side of that coin is that we don't need to rush home when we've been out and we can begin to plan the holiday that we'd put on hold for the last 18 months. I also can go to Bristol to join No. 2 son for his birthday, something that I couldn't have done if Nell was alive as Mountain Man is off working that weekend.

I'm off up to Inverness tomorrow to facilitate the last 2 days of the 4 day training that was started 2 weeks ago and then it's back down to Edinburgh for my last poetry class on Wednesday and from there back home to await the arrival of the Olympic torch, which will be passing our door on Thursday.

So lots to look forward to, but sadly it doesn't ease the pain.

Nell in one of her favourite places, doing a bit of back seat driving in Mountain Man's car