First, way back when, it was my great-grandma, Amy. Just the fact of it, she was dead. I don't remember anything else of it.
Then my Grandma. A tannoy announcement telling me to get off the train at Basingstoke. (pre mobile phones). A night spent asleep on my parents sofa. My Dad shaking me awake to tell me she'd gone.
Then my Dad. 6 years of adjustment, preparation of a sort, 12 horrific weeks and then gone. After I rang my aunt in California I drove his car along the bypass and sang. I won't tell you the song but don't think I don't remember it. I had a brand new Taya to carry me through it all.
And now my Grandad, Poppa. On Monday Jan 30th I caught the train to Guildford and arrived 30 minutes too late to say goodbye. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday I carried on and answered of course I was okay. I wondered if I was cold hearted for not crying. Then at the funeral on Friday the Poppa-shaped hole was so glaringly obvious, my Grandma sitting alone (not on her own, just not with him), my sweet 8 year old niece rubbing her great auntie's back in the aisle in front of me, the eulogies delivered by my cousin and sister... I got outside and wept and wept. It was a beautiful day. Rest in peace Poppa. I can't wait to give Taya the farm set you made for me (3rd birthday creeping up). You will definitely not be forgotten. Have a drink with Dad for us.
It may seem strange to segue onto my lovely friend Liz at this point, since she is happily living, (although currently in the great ole USA and soon to be in Corsica) but I did start thinking, after losing Poppa, about how right Tennyson was with his Better To Have Loved and Lost quote. One of my closest friends will not be an 18 bus ride away anymore, and that is definitely a loss. Liz was my crochet mentor, my sounding board about parenting, a fellow sufferer of Disney Princesses, a culinary inspiration (tuna melt and salmon patties will always remind me of you, Liz) and pure FUN. I have started a jar to save up the airfare so I can visit.
It's not all about loss though. After me and Chris confessed to each other last Monday evening that we'd totally forgotten to even get a valentine's card, I had a treat on Friday. Chris had asked me to get Mum to babysit for the day so I could help him out in the office. "Some admin work" he told me. He said it might involve taking minutes in a meeting. I shuddered but said okay. So imagine my surprise when we wake up on Friday morning and he tells me we don't have to rush (he KNOWS how long I take to get ready to leave the house). I hopped in the shower while he went to make me a cup of tea. Shower was cold. He returned and ordered me back to bed to have my tea (he'd brought it in on a tray.. "what was UP with him?!" I was thinking). Anyway, back into bed I got and there on the tray, underneath a sweet Happy Valentine's note, was our itinerary for a day trip on the Venice Simplon Orient Express. I think I was slack jawed! We did a 4 hour round trip out of London Victoria, with a 5 course meal that was absolutely exquisite. Here's the menu, and let me tell you now I ate all of it. ALL of it.
Anyway, as if that wasn't enough, our lovely young waiter Daniel, only went and upgraded us to a coupé! Why thank you very much, don't mind if I do!
The best part? My enterprising husband didn't rob a bank to do this, but a few years ago started an online magazine called The Arbuturian and as a result was able to suggest to the PR company of the VSOE that they might like to send us some free tickets so we could review it. Chris doesn't have a blog but he does write some mighty fine reviews. Check him out.
Got so much more to blog about but right now I have the tail end of flu (so I am telling myself) and need to get to bed. Next time; kids, the hoover, snow, drawings and fire engines.
Then my Grandma. A tannoy announcement telling me to get off the train at Basingstoke. (pre mobile phones). A night spent asleep on my parents sofa. My Dad shaking me awake to tell me she'd gone.
Then my Dad. 6 years of adjustment, preparation of a sort, 12 horrific weeks and then gone. After I rang my aunt in California I drove his car along the bypass and sang. I won't tell you the song but don't think I don't remember it. I had a brand new Taya to carry me through it all.
And now my Grandad, Poppa. On Monday Jan 30th I caught the train to Guildford and arrived 30 minutes too late to say goodbye. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday I carried on and answered of course I was okay. I wondered if I was cold hearted for not crying. Then at the funeral on Friday the Poppa-shaped hole was so glaringly obvious, my Grandma sitting alone (not on her own, just not with him), my sweet 8 year old niece rubbing her great auntie's back in the aisle in front of me, the eulogies delivered by my cousin and sister... I got outside and wept and wept. It was a beautiful day. Rest in peace Poppa. I can't wait to give Taya the farm set you made for me (3rd birthday creeping up). You will definitely not be forgotten. Have a drink with Dad for us.
| Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  |
| Dad and Poppa |
It may seem strange to segue onto my lovely friend Liz at this point, since she is happily living, (although currently in the great ole USA and soon to be in Corsica) but I did start thinking, after losing Poppa, about how right Tennyson was with his Better To Have Loved and Lost quote. One of my closest friends will not be an 18 bus ride away anymore, and that is definitely a loss. Liz was my crochet mentor, my sounding board about parenting, a fellow sufferer of Disney Princesses, a culinary inspiration (tuna melt and salmon patties will always remind me of you, Liz) and pure FUN. I have started a jar to save up the airfare so I can visit.
| Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  |
| Hand doing weirder things than ever.. |
It's not all about loss though. After me and Chris confessed to each other last Monday evening that we'd totally forgotten to even get a valentine's card, I had a treat on Friday. Chris had asked me to get Mum to babysit for the day so I could help him out in the office. "Some admin work" he told me. He said it might involve taking minutes in a meeting. I shuddered but said okay. So imagine my surprise when we wake up on Friday morning and he tells me we don't have to rush (he KNOWS how long I take to get ready to leave the house). I hopped in the shower while he went to make me a cup of tea. Shower was cold. He returned and ordered me back to bed to have my tea (he'd brought it in on a tray.. "what was UP with him?!" I was thinking). Anyway, back into bed I got and there on the tray, underneath a sweet Happy Valentine's note, was our itinerary for a day trip on the Venice Simplon Orient Express. I think I was slack jawed! We did a 4 hour round trip out of London Victoria, with a 5 course meal that was absolutely exquisite. Here's the menu, and let me tell you now I ate all of it. ALL of it.
| Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  |
| Claw hand strikes again. |
| Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  |
| "I get to drive the train, right?" |
| Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  |
| Yes. I only have one dress. |
| Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  |
| Champagne and fine husband. Life sorted. |
Anyway, as if that wasn't enough, our lovely young waiter Daniel, only went and upgraded us to a coupé! Why thank you very much, don't mind if I do!
| Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  |
| Happy. |
The best part? My enterprising husband didn't rob a bank to do this, but a few years ago started an online magazine called The Arbuturian and as a result was able to suggest to the PR company of the VSOE that they might like to send us some free tickets so we could review it. Chris doesn't have a blog but he does write some mighty fine reviews. Check him out.
Got so much more to blog about but right now I have the tail end of flu (so I am telling myself) and need to get to bed. Next time; kids, the hoover, snow, drawings and fire engines.