Goodbye

I've been off blip because my mother died on June the 1st. Not much time for pictures.

I am feeling sad and numb, but also relieved - she had been battling several nasty illnesses for years and yet she had been better for a month so we all have better memories, and in the end it was fast - she almost went laughing, having had many visits from friends. She probably didnt notice.

What else can you wish for someone you love who has several deadly incurable and increasingly painful conditions?

Who will I call (never often enough!) with all the weird things I have seen, gossip and discoveries and whatnot? Who will annoy me by fussing over me like I am still 6 whenever the weather is less than stellar? Who will keep me in touch with all the rest of the family and friends network? and all these other things that mothers do...

She was a good mum, and a good person, and has touched a lot of people in her life. She enjoyed life, created things, encouraged people, worried too much, followed her curiosity and shared all she learned... That's what I try to remember and make people remember when we feel too sad.

This is just a rose from one of the flower arrangements people sent. It is wet because at some point it rained a little, just enough to create a very nice effect but not enough to cause any grief.