Wednesday 20 April 2011

Spring Days., New Life,

Good Morning Friends,
Well it is now a week since the day of Sarah's funeral and what an odd time it seems to have been.  I am so thankful to have been surrounded by your prayers and love.( I know there are many people who feel they have no faith and seem to manage through the days quite happily, but as they maybe can't understand ,my faith I equally do not understand their lack of faith..)  I have found it strange the reaction of people. Most have been kind and clearly they don't know just what to say or do. I think they have found my acceptance of Sarah's death quite hard to understand and fully expect (and say so) that I will collapse in a heap...one of these days...However although I do feel empty I am also happy that Sarah, John and Jacqueline are all at peace and with our Lord.  How can I be sad when I think of that.  Sure sad and sorry for myself...but that is just something we as humans have to cope with.   The funeral itself went as well as these things can do. There were so many people there to share their love and thoughts and memories of Sarah. Even one of her ex colleagues now retired and living in Spain flew all the way over  in the morning hired a car at Gatwick and drove down ( a 3 hour drive) attended the funeral and was driving all the way back to catch the last night flight back home....
We have been blessed with the most wonderful weather these last two weeks. Every day sunshine and no sign of the April Showers...already though the water boards are warning us of water shortages later in the year !  Because the weather has been so wonderful it has brought all the spring blossom out at least two weeks early.  The bluebells are out in the woods that are around us here but as it is so warm they won't last long but I do love them. Also the smell as we pass the woods is beautiful the wild garlic is gorgeous...well I think so !! Mary is not so sure,,,it reminds me of the woods we had near our home in Scotland where Mum used to take us for walks....might even be the first smell that I can actually recall.... On Friday we were in Bath and had a lovely walk/trundle through the Botanic Gardens again just ablaze with flowers and smells..and birds and bees..I will share some of the photographs taken over the next few weeks...
Beth Max and I have been meeting quite a few times up at the house trying to think what to do next...Before they do anything major Beth has to go to Probate and this will take a few weeks so there is no hurry but it is good to be able to take action as soon as the Probate is granted.  It is going to e a very hard few months for them both especially as Max is not very well himself and off work at present.  Beth went back to work yesterday.
Friends thank you once more for all the support that you have shown me. There have been times I actually felt your physical presence  surrounding me.
LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

Monday 11 April 2011

Goodbye

Sarah...1937-2011.
Ann is a good friend of Sarah and John and when John died she did a wonderful poem in his memory I used it on the page just before his funeral.(such a short 6 months ago) I have just received one that she has done in memory of Sarah, so I thought I would share it with you as well.   It kind of describes her love of life. The picture I have put on is not a particularly good one but it shows her wonderful smile that captivated everyone.

SARAH.
Where shall we find her ?
The voice that is the morning breeze,
whispering through the pollen laden trees,
Soft as the hair on butterflies and bees
Yet firm as Edinburgh rock
Deep as a Caladonian Loch

Where shall we find her ?A mind to mediate and analyse
Is never still and never dies,
Multitudinous friendship ties
Leaves us with a wealth of memories
Enduring as the timeless seas.

Where shall we find her ?
In any face that saw her smile
"Come and stay a while,
Don't take an inch we'll give a mile,"
Such generosity of heart
Sets her apart

We'll never find her like again
Unless we look amongst the trees,
The meadows full of butterflies and bees
The birds that swoop and glide with ease
And peck the nuts and fruit and seeds.
Don't look for her that's where she'll be,
with John.

Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers tomorrow around 1.30pm.

Love one Another.

Sunday 3 April 2011

Broadband madness, love and death,

My dear friends,  
I am sorry for my long absense due in the main to the fact that I was changing from BT as my telephone supplier to the telephone being supplied by AOL as I was saving around £12 a month.  However on the change over day something happened and I was left without a telephone line and no internt connection !  After 10 VERY stressful days and nights!  I was eventually reconected yesterday at around 5.30pm.  I will I am sure soon get through all you wonderful blogs as I have missed you all very much.
Thank you for all your prayers for my eldest sister Margaret. I am glad to say that she got home from hospital two weeks ago as theer is littel more can be done for her she has heart failure and so can only take things very easy gets very tired but is happy to be home with Mitch her husband who is dashing around her as if she were made of china !
Now I ask you for prayers for me...and my wonderful niece Beth...Last week my beloved sister Sarah was taken into hospital on Monday afternoon. She had had a chest infection that did not repond to antibiotics and they thought that the hospital coudl treat her more intensively.  They tried there best but unfortunately on Thursday we were told that no more could be done.  Sarah and Beth and I had all said we did not want any invasive treatment.  She has been on a high pressure ogygen supply and it had not helped her lungs at all.   She was so wonderful and asked ....what next....the Dr. explained they would stop the oxygen...but that she woudl have no pain....she asked what day it was and we said Thurs.  she said then tomorrow will be Friday ?  Yes I said the 1st. April...Aprils fols day,  you don't want to be a fool do you !!...... YES she said with her usual broad irrisistable smile thast it we wil do it tomorrow....Beth and Max her husband sent. as ordered by Sarah, for Max's son  Alex, who Sarah looked upon as her Grandson to coem on the first train from Lonodn on Friday morning, which he did and was able to have a few mins with his Granny on his own..which was lovely for them both I am sure.  She was given some morphine around 12.45 and a relaxant and they disconected the oxygen at 1ok....(not before she had said when they gave her the injection why are you not taking of this mask ?  I am ready to go now.... again said with her lovely smile...the nurse said well you will just have to wait another 10 mins  with a smile...) They had explained to Beth and I that it woudl be easier for her if they did it that way...She was then free to speak to us whenever she coudl catch enough breath and she was able to do so even giving Beth and I orders ! and still her last thoughts was for others.. She died at 3.45.  It was an easy death for her, very hard for Beth and I.  However I am pleased that she is now at peace and I know happy to be reunited with her dear John ( It is only 6 months since he died and darling Jacqueline 18 months ago.)   I can't help being just a wee bit sorry for myself as I feel that half of me has gone as well and with Maragret being so poorly it just seems a bit overwhelming.
I will be back soon with I hope much brighter news.
As we continually said to Sarah all week....We Love You....please pass on that message to all your loved ones
(In the photograph on my side bar of the three sisters  Sarah is the one on the right)