I started writing this journal post on Wednesday 21st November 2012, so it is a while since my last post on here. Mention of “last post” and my quirky thought patterns, also makes me think it is now exactly four years since Tricia died (and thank you for your thoughts, those that had them)
I think that time seems to work slightly differently here than for childhood memories, for example. With a childhood memory, or any other long term memory, too, I guess, whilst one KNOWS it is a long time ago it can seem very recent (“…almost as if it were yesterday…” is an expression one often hears in this context)
Whereas, the death of someone very close may be relatively recent and, although one knows it is relatively recent, it can SEEM to be a long way distant in time. So, four years is not a long time in the context of someone in their mid-sixties, yet, for me, it sometimes SEEMS a really long time ago. I suppose in one sense it is actually, literally, a “lifetime ago” and, for me, at any rate quite a lot has happened in that time, I have done a lot of travelling and I now live in a different place, of course, so it may just be my personal circumstances that makes me see it this way. But then too, sometimes, it is also ‘…almost as if it were yesterday…’ and such an anniversary makes it a reflective time too.
This journal post is labelled ‘resumption of service’ and this is because, as most of you will know, we recently had a short visit to Olde England, during the first half of October and, since we have been back, we have had quite a busy time of it for one reason or another, so my ‘journal writing’ has taken a back seat (as indeed, has my novel writing I am afraid to report!) Anyway, this ‘post’ is the resumption of service, so, “hello again” to all my readers.
Our visit was very brief, so there are many friends whom we did not get to see whilst we were there….but we did wave as we went past, honest! We were there because niece, Debbie, was getting married and she had asked me to ‘give her away’, something I was very proud and honoured to do. Not that she needed ‘giving away’ – old enough to make her own decisions about her partner and soul-mate of course (welcome to the family again, Andrew!) – but a quaint service I was delighted to perform!
And a lovely day it was, too. The weather was delightful for mid-October – and probably better than many days in the English summer by all accounts! The photo shows me and Fatima about to set off for the church, me in my smart “teddy-boy” jacket (formally known as a Prince Edward jacket, of course!) – and the purple ruche and hankie matched the colour of the bridesmaids dresses – obviously one of Debbie’s favourite colours, since there were purple balloons too!
We first went to the Hotel Deb was stopping at and Fatima went off to the church with Lynn and David and I got to ride with Debbie in a lovely old Rolls Royce with a charming driver who would have made Debbie feel really relaxed, exept that she was alread really relaxed anyway – she seemed to have a lovely day and looked beautiful and radiant.
As well as the wedding we also managed to call in to all my immediate family and some extended family came along too, so it was a socially busy time and very nice the visits were too, so thank you all. So, to the friends we didn’t manage to see, you will just have to come and visit us in Brazil – get those tickets booked we’d love to see you.
We also just managed a quick visit to my fields as well and the trees have all been boosted by the wet summer and the pond was, of course, very full and looking well. There were quite a lot of self-seeded willows in the fringes of the pond and if it had been a natural pond I would have left them there – but we had to put a butyl liner in, when making the pond, otherwise the water would just have drained away and the willows would probably have compromised the liner and we’d have lost the water – pity, they would have looked nice. And, back to my reflective thoughts, I was able to say hello to Tricia, whose ashes are, of course, buried in the field.
But we are back now and had a busy time with building work still going on at the house, hopefully to have been finished in time for Fatima’s birthday, but it was not to be, although the Festa went well in any case, dancing to the same duo as were at my 65th birthday in June.
I seem to have a proper internet connection now so will post this journal entry and write another soon to catch up with other stories still untold! See you soon…
Oh …. and just by the by and by…. We have our Brastemp dishwasher back and working (see earlier post for background.. https://keithmelton10.wordpress.com/category/service-lack-of/ ) and about time, too, for THAT resumption of service!
Keith Melton - Green Lib Dem 