BACK TO THE FUTURE!
- By Jackie Commissar
- •
- 23 Apr, 2023
RUBY'S BATMITZVAH SEPT.2022
APRIL 2023
Hello everyone!
Its been such a long time since I have sat down to keep you up to date!
So much has happened since the last post...where do I start???...! I think I will start with the big move BACK TO THE UK or should I say..........
'BACK TO THE FUTURE'
Yes, we are now back living in the UK away from the glorious sunshine and the beach view....but back to the safety and security of knowing we are surrounded by our wonderful family and friends. The time has come for us to plan the next chapter in our lives, a little reluctantly, but knowing we have done the right thing.
Post pandemic was a difficult transaction for many people in the world, we all had to learn to adjust, knowing friends and family who had succumbed to the dreaded Covid virus, some of whom did not survive, and others who were left with the lasting effects of this terrible illness.
We were, however, finally in a position to travel once again (albeit in masks) and I certainly made sure I could once again visit Florida to see my son and my granddaughter, and my sister who unfortunately was widowed in July 2022.
Once again in 2021, during the 2nd lockdown, the team from 'You Donate We Deliver' got together again and we were given an indoor premises to work out of. This time we created the 'Sarny Army', a group of women who made sandwiches for the paramedics because they weren't able to leave their ambulances outside the overrun hospitals. This was another tremendous success and the efforts of the local community were once again incredible. We were back in the UK this time until the beginning of 2022 staying with Katie & the kids
In July 2022 we all visited Israel to support my grandson Harry in the 'Maccabia Games' to watch him play 'Futsal'. (For those of you who are not familiar this game it is 5 aside indoor football.) We also managed to site-see in this amazing country at the same time. It was such a memorable trip, and Rob & Sky joined us from Florida which was the icing on the cake! (See pics below)
Unfortunately Tony's illness in 2003 had left lasting effects on his cognitive function, and it was around this time that we decided as a family it would be wise to live back in familiar surroundings and to be supported by our health system in the UK.
Our daughter Katie did not hesitate to offer us her home, but being fiercely independent I had to ensure we had our own self contained home and privacy, so with lots of planning we worked together to create a new home for Tony & I adjoining Katies house in Hertfordshire.
Once the plans were in we marketed or beautiful apt in Spain and by August we had agreed the sale and we were ready to move into our home back to the UK.
This was a daunting and emotional time for me, as Tony wasn't able to help with the move, but before the building work started we celebrated our granddaughter Ruby's Batmitzvah which was fantastic and we were joined by the family from Florida which made it even more memorable.
Unfortunately due to the pandemic poor Harry had missed his Barmitzvah so we made sure he was a big part of this great party.
November 2022 we started the renovations to our apartment, we were lucky that Katie's house had an existing side extension but part of it was where she ran her nail business so we had to ensure she had another premises to work from and we built a new studio in the garden.
I reverted back to my interior design skills, which I never forgot after almost 40 yrs on and off in the business, and I designed a perfect apartment to suit us both, utilising every bit of space available, with an intercommunicating door into Katies house. She assured me if Tony wasn't up for travelling (which she knew I loved) I could leave him in her care with the help of our amazing grandkids who love their grandad unconditionally, and continue travelling to my beloved Spain, and to Florida to see my family.
The work I completed on my apartment proved to be yet another starting point to my working career, I realised that this had always been my true passion and I loved every minute of choosing furniture and accessories to make it into a beautiful home, and also a showroom for clients to see. (See pics below)
I realised that there were many people in our position who needed to be close to their family while they aged, and that I could help them to either create an extension, or build a small property in the grounds of their children's property. With the cost of rental homes being prohibitive and also the cost of living rising in the UK, sharing space and household bills with the family was a sensible solution.
Hello everyone!
Its been such a long time since I have sat down to keep you up to date!
So much has happened since the last post...where do I start???...! I think I will start with the big move BACK TO THE UK or should I say..........
'BACK TO THE FUTURE'
Yes, we are now back living in the UK away from the glorious sunshine and the beach view....but back to the safety and security of knowing we are surrounded by our wonderful family and friends. The time has come for us to plan the next chapter in our lives, a little reluctantly, but knowing we have done the right thing.
Post pandemic was a difficult transaction for many people in the world, we all had to learn to adjust, knowing friends and family who had succumbed to the dreaded Covid virus, some of whom did not survive, and others who were left with the lasting effects of this terrible illness.
We were, however, finally in a position to travel once again (albeit in masks) and I certainly made sure I could once again visit Florida to see my son and my granddaughter, and my sister who unfortunately was widowed in July 2022.
Once again in 2021, during the 2nd lockdown, the team from 'You Donate We Deliver' got together again and we were given an indoor premises to work out of. This time we created the 'Sarny Army', a group of women who made sandwiches for the paramedics because they weren't able to leave their ambulances outside the overrun hospitals. This was another tremendous success and the efforts of the local community were once again incredible. We were back in the UK this time until the beginning of 2022 staying with Katie & the kids
In July 2022 we all visited Israel to support my grandson Harry in the 'Maccabia Games' to watch him play 'Futsal'. (For those of you who are not familiar this game it is 5 aside indoor football.) We also managed to site-see in this amazing country at the same time. It was such a memorable trip, and Rob & Sky joined us from Florida which was the icing on the cake! (See pics below)
Unfortunately Tony's illness in 2003 had left lasting effects on his cognitive function, and it was around this time that we decided as a family it would be wise to live back in familiar surroundings and to be supported by our health system in the UK.
Our daughter Katie did not hesitate to offer us her home, but being fiercely independent I had to ensure we had our own self contained home and privacy, so with lots of planning we worked together to create a new home for Tony & I adjoining Katies house in Hertfordshire.
Once the plans were in we marketed or beautiful apt in Spain and by August we had agreed the sale and we were ready to move into our home back to the UK.
This was a daunting and emotional time for me, as Tony wasn't able to help with the move, but before the building work started we celebrated our granddaughter Ruby's Batmitzvah which was fantastic and we were joined by the family from Florida which made it even more memorable.
Unfortunately due to the pandemic poor Harry had missed his Barmitzvah so we made sure he was a big part of this great party.
November 2022 we started the renovations to our apartment, we were lucky that Katie's house had an existing side extension but part of it was where she ran her nail business so we had to ensure she had another premises to work from and we built a new studio in the garden.
I reverted back to my interior design skills, which I never forgot after almost 40 yrs on and off in the business, and I designed a perfect apartment to suit us both, utilising every bit of space available, with an intercommunicating door into Katies house. She assured me if Tony wasn't up for travelling (which she knew I loved) I could leave him in her care with the help of our amazing grandkids who love their grandad unconditionally, and continue travelling to my beloved Spain, and to Florida to see my family.
The work I completed on my apartment proved to be yet another starting point to my working career, I realised that this had always been my true passion and I loved every minute of choosing furniture and accessories to make it into a beautiful home, and also a showroom for clients to see. (See pics below)
I realised that there were many people in our position who needed to be close to their family while they aged, and that I could help them to either create an extension, or build a small property in the grounds of their children's property. With the cost of rental homes being prohibitive and also the cost of living rising in the UK, sharing space and household bills with the family was a sensible solution.
So, it is now April 2023 and today on Easter Sunday the sun is finally shining and I realise what a beautiful country we live in especially when the rain finally stops!
Being around my family and my old friends is a good feeling, I am entertaining them all with lunches and afternoon teas in my lovely new home, but its hard for Tony to understand that we are now living here permanently, as he has been used to visiting the UK over the years and returning to Spain, so I have to patiently keep reminding him that this is now our home.
Cognitive decline is so very cruel, and the only consolation I have is that he is happy and loves to be around his family. The word 'Dementia' covers so many cognitive conditions, and I no longer try and give Tony's state of mind a label, there is no point. I try not to remember the times when he was my partner in business and when we both shared so many decisions, as now he relies on me for everything and although most of the time I can cope with this, often I feel like I am looking after another child. I have now become a 'carer' instead of just a wife, I hate that title it makes me feel lonely in a way, but I have the support here in the UK that I didn't have in Spain and Katie my daughter is amazing with her dad.
We were so lucky to spend so many wonderful years living in our beautiful beachfront apartment, so I remind myself constantly that the memories will always be there, and along with all our cruises and visits to the USA we made the most of travelling the world together.
We are about to celebrate our 53rd year of marriage and Tony's 80th birthday next month, and I am truly grateful that we have reached yet another milestone, so we will go back to Spain for a week and stay in a B & B near where we used to live and visit all our favourite restaurants with our Spanish friends.
Its been great to finally be in a peaceful state of mind and to be able to catch up with my blogs. I am now looking forward to working once again in the interior design world creating homes from small spaces and helping clients to de-clutter and accessorise their homes.
I will keep you all up to date in the coming months and look forward to showing you all my achievements.
Watch this space!!!!
Being around my family and my old friends is a good feeling, I am entertaining them all with lunches and afternoon teas in my lovely new home, but its hard for Tony to understand that we are now living here permanently, as he has been used to visiting the UK over the years and returning to Spain, so I have to patiently keep reminding him that this is now our home.
Cognitive decline is so very cruel, and the only consolation I have is that he is happy and loves to be around his family. The word 'Dementia' covers so many cognitive conditions, and I no longer try and give Tony's state of mind a label, there is no point. I try not to remember the times when he was my partner in business and when we both shared so many decisions, as now he relies on me for everything and although most of the time I can cope with this, often I feel like I am looking after another child. I have now become a 'carer' instead of just a wife, I hate that title it makes me feel lonely in a way, but I have the support here in the UK that I didn't have in Spain and Katie my daughter is amazing with her dad.
We were so lucky to spend so many wonderful years living in our beautiful beachfront apartment, so I remind myself constantly that the memories will always be there, and along with all our cruises and visits to the USA we made the most of travelling the world together.
We are about to celebrate our 53rd year of marriage and Tony's 80th birthday next month, and I am truly grateful that we have reached yet another milestone, so we will go back to Spain for a week and stay in a B & B near where we used to live and visit all our favourite restaurants with our Spanish friends.
Its been great to finally be in a peaceful state of mind and to be able to catch up with my blogs. I am now looking forward to working once again in the interior design world creating homes from small spaces and helping clients to de-clutter and accessorise their homes.
I will keep you all up to date in the coming months and look forward to showing you all my achievements.
Watch this space!!!!
FOO'S FOAMING HAND SANITISER ARRIVES IN THE UK!! Foo has arrived to help children and their families to stay safe while the pandemic continues to blight our lives
2020...a year never to be forgotten! So many celebrations cancelled, life changed completely for us all.
We totally WOW'D them modelling fabulous outfits while we were 'strutting our stuff' down the catwalk at our charity event raising money for GT Ormond Street Children's
Hospital Charity.
