Sunday 3 April 2011

Turn! Turn! Turn! (to everything there is a season)


March was one heck of a month! It brought with it a rollercoaster of emotions, and I am pleased that April has arrived.





March started with the deaths, very close together, of Pete, a good colleague of Tim’s (from when he worked as an LEA inspector for Staffordshire) and his cousin Tony. Pete lost a battle against cancer and Tony with heart disease. Both men were just 60.

Their funerals were followed a couple of days later, by the tragic death of my cousin’s daughter. Faye took her own life aged just 19. Her funeral last week was a beautiful Humanist service, packed with her friends, all dressed in brightly coloured clothes to celebrate her short life.



This Bob Marley song was a favourite of Faye's, and was played at her funeral.



Finally, on March 30th  I called on my uncle to let him know that my brother had returned safely from a tour of duty in Iraq. He rang me very early the following morning to tell me that he had been given the ‘all clear’ following some treatment for cancer. Sadly, his wife died suddenly, a couple of hours later.

A lot of sadness, but life goes on and we make of it what we can...............

9 comments:

  1. What a month not one you'd want to repeat in a while for sure.What a lot of tragedy especially for Faye and her family
    BTW I knew of Pete. So I'm now guessing that you might work at T.As. been there for a meeting or two!

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  2. If the month has been bad for me, it is but nothing to the grief the very close family of the bereaved will be experiencing.

    Not T.A's or even that close, but when I figure out how I will email!

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  3. Doesn't sound like a rollercoaster to me - sounds like an almost complete downer of a month!

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  4. Sorry to hear you've been having such a trying time. Premature deaths are not only tragic but also unsettling, I feel, making us re-assess our own lives and priorities, much more so if they are close friends or relatives.

    I hope you have a happier time in France.

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  5. My heart goes out to all those involved in any way in the tragedies you mention. It is testimony to the strength of the human spirit that people can pick themselves up (though not always immediately) and carry on with life. Let's enjoy it whilst we can.

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  6. Mandy, Susan, Jean and Colin and Elizabeth -
    Thank you for your comments.

    Yes, life does go on and all we can do is support those closely involved as best we can.

    On a lighter note, I have just come back from an excellent week in northern France with Y8 pupils.
    More about our adventures when I have managed to catch up with some sleep!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  7. Hope you had a good week with the school trip in Rue. Drop us an email when you've caught up on sleep and let us know when it suits to pick up the tea & how much we owe you.

    After all your downs last month you REALLY deserve some quality time off in LePP.

    Look forward to meeting you!

    Antoinette

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  8. Thanks Antoinette, we are looking forward to a break.

    More about my week in Rue later. Watch this space!

    Our departure has been delayed by the funeral, but I will email you to arrange collection. You must come for aperos.

    Hope you've enjoyed your time at the school in Loches.

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  9. Gaynor: still there :-). Looks like I'll be teaching there until the school breaks for summer hols.
    Wishing you strength for the funeral and afterwards.

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