What can I say?

 I'd got all up to date with Bites to 7th all written and posted and was going to settle down to some more on Thursday, but events sort of overtook things and writing the odd blog post about saving pennies didn't seem very urgent somehow!

I don't really know what to write that won't seem a bit trite or repetitious of what others have said in the past few days, but the death of the Queen can't go unmarked even in a little frippery such as this.

I first made a promise to the Queen as a Brownie, then as a Scouter just like so many others. I learnt the National Anthem and facts about the Royal Family and passed them on.

I used to do a bit on a National Board, so a few times have helped out with the National Scout Service at Windsor which is where I met her. Just like my Dad and Mum had before me - only they were there for awards, I was just introducing people! I was also lucky enough to be invited to a Buckingham Palace Garden Party. My sister has met her twice - once through Scouting and another time through work and one of my nieces was part of the Royal Household for a while. My other niece's 5-year-old was only recently, very excitedly, showing everyone the card she'd had from the Queen to thank her for the letter sent for the recent Jubilee. I expect there are many families like ours with memories to match.

It's very strange to think that's she's no longer here - however expected it might have been that time would catch up and the inevitable would happen. She seems somehow interwoven into the fabric of life and I've never known a monarch other than the Queen.

I was spinning at an event this weekend where we had our silent moment for remembering and for the first time sang God Save the King. It felt weird, but we'll get used to it.

I'll be back with my nonsense in the next day or so, just wanted to add my two-penny-worth.. hope you don't mind.