First at all, a huge thank-you to all the people who left comments or emailed their condolences. It really does help, to know that other people are lighting candles and sending love and good wishes.

I got lots done yesterday again ... Got to know East Surrey hospital a bit better than I really wanted to, looking for the endocrinologist (Weird thing, the whole hospital smells of pastry. Like in a steak-and-kidney pie. Nicer than the normal hospital smell I suppose, but disconcerting.) Anyway, after an hour of searching the hospital, and asking numerous incredibly-sweet-but-utterly-useless volunteer information people where to go, I finally found the right place and got Em's script from the very pleasant secretary. Dropped it off at Boots and they said I should be able to pick it up today. Touch wood.

So far, I feel really positive about the NHS. We've had to jump through a few hoops, but it's been easier than dealing with our old insurance ever was. And, I haven't had to pay a cent. Other than in taxes, but I don't resent that one little bit.

And the kids' first day of school went very well indeed. All three of them came home exhausted but feeling pretty positive about things. Both schools have really gone out of their way to make the children feel welcome; everybody knows their names, where they're from, even a little bit about their hobbies ... I'm impressed.

I am going to miss them so much ... They want to stay here, and I do think it would be a mistake to take them out of school for a week just as they're starting ... But on the other hand I think that attending the funeral, and being around our whole extended family, would really help them to say a proper good-bye to their much-loved grandpa... My brother and I didn't attend my paternal grandfather's funeral (he died when I was ten, I had been very close to him) and it took me forever to work through all the grief from his death. I think going to the funeral would have helped, but at the time my folks thought it would just be too much for us, too dreary and depressing and nightmarish. Looking back they think we should have gone to the funeral, but then, hindsight is always 20/20 ...

My folks arrive here at midday, six hours from now, and I have a slew of errands to run before then. And cleaning to do. Having people - even people who love you, and don't have unrealistic expectations about your house-keeping skills - actually staying in your house requires a different level of straightening up than just having people over for a regular visit.

They (my parents) are being absolutely wonderful; have literally dropped everything to be here for us, and done it all with such a positive attitude - not "it's a lot of trouble but we can do it" but "we really want to do this, please let us". We are so lucky to have them.