A personal post from me today. I will try to keep this short, but a lot has happened and I have this urge to explain why I have neglected my blog over the last few months. I am sure you will understand why by the time I have finished this post.
Between December 2019 and February 2020 we have sadly lost a number of friends and family.
It started with a friend of 35 years passing away.
A week or so later the Police arrived at our home to inform me of my father's death. ( pictured above) Dad's death was sudden and unexpected. So it came as a shock to me that I had to organize his funeral. I have never had to organize a funeral before and I didn't realize just how much there was to do.
Making all of these arrangements and clearing out his house was made even more traumatic by the fact my father lived so far away. Each journey was a 400 mile round trip. We made six trips in 14 days, so we were physically drained, as well as emotionally drained. There is no way in the world I could have done it without the help of hubby, he was amazing through out the whole ordeal.
As I don't drive, hubby had to do all the driving. I didn't waste all that time sat in the passenger seat, I spent it remembering my father and writing his eulogy.
The little time we had at home was spent typing up my notes and preparing the funeral service leaflets. These turned out to be 12 page booklets by the time I had finished. I wanted to include his eulogy in the booklet, so that years down the line anyone looking into the family history could read the booklet and discover what sort of man their ancestor was.
Making a large photo collage was really emotional. So many memories came flooding back.
The day after my dad's funeral we received word that another family member had passed away.
This was followed by our beautiful, clever, stupid, funny, loyal and loving 12 year old border collie having to be put to sleep. That was such a hard thing to do and we were totally mortified.
A few days later news of yet another death arrived.
The day after that funeral, we received a phone call to say hubby's mother had passed away.
Another sudden and unexpected death. Fortunately she lived much closer and she had left a list of everything she wanted at her funeral. Making things a little easier. All the family had a small part in the funeral. My part was to make the service leaflets, as I had had practise.
I for one will miss her stories of being a nurse during WW2, the bombing of Portsmouth, life after the war and the poetry she used to recite.
At 99 years old she still had all her marbles and a great sense of humour, family often bought her zany gifts she could wear and she did...even if it was for just a short while. Here she is sporting the Rod Stewart look. I can assure you her usual look is far more demure.
Ten days later another friend passes away, bringing the total to 7 deaths in 12 weeks.
In between all these deaths and funerals both hubby and I have had surgery, fortunately not at the same time so we have been able to take it in turns to look after each other.
I don't mind saying we have both been grumpy gits at times and I have not been in the right frame of mind for crafting.
I am hoping I will now get a chance to post all those projects I made before Christmas when all this crap hit us. Hopefully, I will be able to make a couple of posts each week. I have work projects to do for work so I can't spend all my time making cards.
I have been identified as a vulnerable person and have been told to stay home for 12 weeks to shield me from this awful virus. But when hubby and son still have to go to work in places that have had cases of the virus it's very scary and it kind of makes my 12 week isolation pointless. Although I recognize that my son's job at the hospital is important, I don't see why hubby has been forced to go to work when he is not a frontline worker.... Enough said. I'll just finish with this....if I suddenly stop posting.... you 'll know the virus got me.
Fingers crossed that both you and I will come through these uncertain times unscathed.
Goodness me Laura, I don't know where to start here. Having one close bereavement is hard enough, so I can't even begin to imagine what you've gone though over the last few months. Needless to say, my heart goes out to you and I am so sorry for the losses that you've suffered. My Hubby is in the venerable category, so we are in for the next 12 weeks too. I should have been in work but they decided at the last minute that I won't be needed, so that's quite a relief as I work in a school. Take care of yourself and your family and I hope that you can find some peace in these troubled times. Crafty hugs, Sandra xx
ReplyDeleteAww Thank you Sandra, I would be lying if I said it hadn't been tough and crafting has been the last thing on my mind. I will be easing myself back into crafting slowly over the next few weeks. Energy levels have been really low since I went down with a chest infection.
ReplyDeleteI am off school for 12 weeks too so hopefully I will feel upto doing something creative soon. Hubby has just been laid off for 3 weeks which I am more than happy about. He is seeing it as a punishment though.