2006

In the three years since we had lived in our beautiful house we had worked so hard on it, putting a new kitchen and bathroom in, decorating every room, including our beautiful bedroom that went across the whole width of the house, where you could step out on the balcony.

As usual Danny and I had worked hard, by now I had changed my jobs and started to work part-time, the rest of the time I worked late into the evening renovating the house whilst Danny was at work. That is what we did, we supported each other and if Danny was working hard then so did I.

Danny wanted me to work part-time, he wanted to be the main breadwinner and support me and I loved the fact that he did. I would often be asked at work why I did not pursue a career because of the skills that I had, but I was happy and said that I didn’t want that any more, I just wanted to support Danny in his career.

When Dannyhad finished work we would sit in our snug in the evening, singing Donny Hathaway songs to each other.

We loved our new life, with the sea on our doorstep. We loved to shop together, and wander around the pretty little medieval streets of Canterbury, Danny would find me beautiful things to wear and encourage me to buy clothes because he loved to see me dress up. When we were going somewhere special I would try on different outfits and he would choose which one he wanted me to wear. I remember he cried once when I came down the stairs in a black dress, and said how beautiful I looked and he could not believe I was married to him. He always made me feel so special, so good.

(I have to say now ‘Fuck Me’ I had lost my fucking brain!!)

Sometimes we could not believe how lucky we were, to live where we lived and to love each other so much. We always held hands, everywhere we went, I would even rub his back in the supermarket as we shopped.

We were contented, and as time went by we put weight on, as people who are contented do, but we were so happy it did not matter to us.

Our house was finished, we had worked so hard on it, I had worked hard on it. I remember telling a friend at work that I wanted to put it into a magazine, I was so proud of it.

Yes Danny was working long hours to pay for the repairs and decorations but I knew that he loved it as much as I did. We worked together as a team.

Life was good.

Rosie

Making This Better the book is now available including the journal entries for the first 5 years of our recovery & the whole 21 days of ‘The War’. Available internationally in paperback and ebook  at Amazon and Barnes & Noble also available at Xlibris and Apple Books for iPad and Waterstones Bookstores for click & collect

You were meant for me
No one else could come between this love, I know
Cause I’ll never let you go

You and me…it seems
Never have a problem we can’t overcome
Cause you’ll always be the one

Never thought I’d be so happy
Loving you has made feel so fine
I can see my friends turn green with envy
Every time I tell them, I’m so glad you’re mine

‘You were meant for me’ performed by Donny Hathaway Written by William James Peterkin • Copyright © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc