Tuesday 23 September 2008

Nich, Helen...and a lifetime task ;-)

On Saturday 13th September 2008, we drove from our holiday in Shropshire, to the Streatham Campus at The University of Exeter, for the almost final time.

It was back in Sept 2003 when a young, quiet,18 year old lad, called Nich ( tis short for Nicholas), had opted to study Archaeology, at Exeter.
I clearly remember his first day there, as we dropped him off at his Nash Grove accommodation, left him in his tiny single room, and wondered whether he would ever emerge to go and join in with all of the other freshers!
I cried all the way home..which is ridiculous as home is only a 20 minute journey!
But that's me!

I should have been hardened to it, having done the same deed three years before, when my daughter, Helen, (below) went further afield, to study for her degree. I was just as much a sobbing wreck...and blubbed all the way from Winchester to Devon. How tolerant is my dear DH!

But hey, my offspring choose the best places to study!! That's another story,of course. Both cities have given us so much pleasure over the years. (The moral being, make sure that your children choose great places to study! If they don't... then blackmail them!! Lol ;-)

Being a mum gets no easier, I can tell you...especially if you are a sensitive thing like me.
Taking them to Uni was really no different to taking them to school for the first time. Just because they had grown up a few feet didn't mean that they didn't have the same anxieties. In fact, I think going off to Uni is far more traumatic for both parent and child!

Well, frighteningly, Nich's 5 years at The University of Exeter have flown by, as did my daughter's three years in Winchester, prior to that. Funnily enough, my daughter chose to get married at the University of Exeter, last year and so the University of Exeter will always have a special place in my heart..it has brought both of my children so much happiness. And if they are happy then so am I.


The other thing that has brought me so much pleasure has been Nich's blog.
He is a seasoned blogger, having started his well over three years ago. It is ,without a doubt, the blog that I enjoy the most. Not just because he is my son but because it is such a contrast from the girlie, crafty, shabby chic etc etc.
Nich's blog is an education. It provokes thought and it is, indeed, a delight. Not to mention pure quality ....well mostly!


Naturally, I shed a tear as I read it the other day...a few Billy Joel lyrics and carefully selected photos really say it all. I know exactly how he feels. I always know exactly how he feels,of course!

http://nichgull.spaces.live.com/

So that's it..no more school/ university runs... ever! ;-(
I have one more graduation ceremony to attend, in January. (His first one was a tear jerker ... if anyone has ever been to Floella Benjamin's Exeter University speeches, they will understand why! More about that at a later date! She is the Chancellor at Exeter and boy can she deliver a speech!)

And so, I'll get one final trip to that lovely campus in my most favourite ever city! ;-)
As you can see, I am still clinging on to the very end!!

Thanks Nich, for choosing Exeter!
Thanks for those fabulous guided historical tours of the city ; your company in the John Gandy...


during many Saturday lunchtimes (making sure that the poor impoverished student got at least one meal in a week!) ; your humour (!!) ....and not forgetting your wonderful blog. I do hope that we still get to Exeter, together... occasionally! ;-)

And now he's home, planning the next stage of his life!
And I, for one, can't wait to read about it...as he is off on his travels, soon.


And as for me.. I'll no doubt find something more to blub about as I continue my journey, simply being a mum, which is, as all mums know, a wonderful, lifetime task.

20 comments:

  1. I love your scrapbook pages, Sal. I remember my mum crying loads when I went to uni; I thought I was meant to be the sad one at leaving home! I don't think you understand it until you are a mum yourself.

    Hen x

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  2. I know that I have all this to come and even though it seems such a long way off (13 years), I know it will go by in a flash. What happened thirteen years ago seems like only yesterday!
    Thank you for sharing your memories.

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  3. Oh Sally! What a fab tribute to both your "littlies". Nich's blog is great (had a quick peak). And Billy Joel always sums up the mood perfectly.

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  4. No wonder you're so proud of your lovely children, love your scrapbook pages. Goodness knows how I'd feel waving Twiglet off to Uni, my eyes still mist over when I leave him for 2 and 1/2 hour sessions at nursery :) Glad I'm not alone in my ahem.............. sensitivity :)
    Twiggy x

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  5. That's a fantastic post, Sal. I'm sure both your kids realise what a caring mum you are. You're right though - it doesn't get easier as they get older, does it?

    x

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  6. Thanks for stopping by Sal. Look forward to seeing you, too, at the V&H Fair.

    Lovely post!

    Sue x

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  7. Hi Sal, you've just made me teary eyed - lovely post! ~Our eldest has just returned to uni for year 2 and I was surprised that it was as bad (for me!) as last year.

    You came to CM????!! What a pity you came when 'the works' are going on. It's a town enhancement scheme, new pavements, lamps, crossing etc etc.

    I knew a couple of Mary Jones's in my youth. Not an uncommon name around those parts. My matron of honour lived in Newcastle and one of my hen nights was in Clun - just love the area - glad you had a good time.

    Sandra.x.

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  8. Lovely post Sal. I remember my mother's face as she stood at our front door as I left for university the first time. It makes me want to cry when I remember her waving me goodbye, I can quite understand how you're feeling. Take care
    Kimx

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  9. Talk about blubbing--I'm doing a bit of it myself just reading your lovely and sweet post! You have a couple of fine young people there, good going MUM!
    Smiles, Karen

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  10. thank you for sharing about your beautiful children.. as another sensitive lady who has all this to come i felt very emotional reading your post.Families are so special. You sound like the perfect mum too, so not surprising that your brood has turned out so fine!
    sending you lots of love.
    ginny xx

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  11. Lovely post,your children are so lucky having such a caring mum.
    Yvonne

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  12. Sal you should be proud looks like you've done a smashing job with your kids.

    Funny just today I was thinking that the biggest regret in my life was my mum not forbidding me to date an older man when I was 17, which led to me not going to uni.

    I realise that its not my mums fault, I could not be told what to do back then!

    Hats off to you Sal!!

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  13. WOW!
    SUCH A GREAT ACHIEVEMENT!
    I KNOW THAT YOU ARE VERY PROUD OF YOUR 3 "TREASURES"... BUT YOU AND YOUR DH SHOULD BE VERY PROUD OF YOURSELVES FOR BRINGING THEM UP SO NICELY WITH RIGHT MORALS IN LIFE!
    I WOULD BE SO HAPPY IF MINE WOULD TURN OUT LIKE YOURS... THAT WOULD BE A TRULY WONDERFUL BLESSING!
    BY THE WAY... THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR KIND SUPPORT!
    YOU WERE ONE OF THE 92 BLOGGERS WHO GAVE ME MUCH NEEDED SUPPORT FOR CARRY ON BLOGGING!
    I WILL NEVER FORGET THAT!
    I`M OFF NOW TO CHECK ON YOUR SON`S BLOG!
    HUGS
    DEBBIE MOSS

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  14. SORRY ME AGAIN!
    PLEASE CAN YOU TELL YOUR DS THAT I LOVED HIS POEM (VERY TALENTED!) AND THE OLYMPIC GOOGLE GAMES (SO FUNNY!).

    KISSES
    DEBBIE MOSS

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  15. What a lovely post; I'm all choked up now.

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  16. Oh gosh! I'm all choked up too! Congratulations to you for being the mom to two wonderful children.

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  17. Dear Sal.. I am welling up here reading this beautiful tribute to your fine offspring!
    It must be wonderfully reassuring to know that you have raised two very confident and charming children into these fine adults..
    I can't agree more about choosing the best town for a University .. my son is already talking about going to Edinburgh Uni.. great place but sooo far away! How about Bath.. much closer to home!
    Lovely post Sal..
    Mx

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  18. Aw what a lovely tribute! I often wonder how I will feel when my kids get to the leaving home stage (currently ranging from puberty to anklebiters, so still some way off!). Your scrapbook pages are great!

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  19. Came over to your blog via the black box.


    Bear((( )))

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Thank you for taking the time to comment! ;-)