PINKTOBER 26 & “EVELYN” ROSE

About fifteen years ago we bought a beautiful rose named “Evelyn” in honour of Mr. HCB’s mother, Phyllis Evelyn Joan, who died on the 30 October 1996, just six weeks after our granddaughter and her great-granddaughter, Charlotte was born.

It has flowered beautifully for all these years and this year was no exception - in fact, despite not having much rain during the last few months, our roses have been stunning and I was so hoping that this one would last until the 30th October, so that I could use it in memory of Joan, as she was known.  

One of the other reasons I wanted to remember her during Breast Cancer Awareness Month and on that day is that she had breast cancer and had a mastectomy in the early 1990s, a few years before she died.  Just like her husband, Harry, she was a wonderful person and although she was very ill when she had her mastectomy, she never complained even when she had to make daily trips to Oxford for radiotherapy.  

Not for her the “posh” bras that cost the earth, but being a seamstress and always thrifty, having lived through the war years, she adapted and made her own "special one" from the ones she already had and took great pride in showing me her work.  

I well remember too, the day we visited her and she was having her daily “strip down” wash in the kitchen, she looked at me and asked “Do you want to see my scar?”  Of course, I said I would love to see it and a very neat job the surgeon had made of it too - I think being a seamstress, she was rather proud of the stitching!  I'm sure it helped her with the healing process and made it much easier to talk about the breast cancer.  I loved my mother-in-law and miss her so much, even after all these years - in fact, she was more like a mother to me.

So this rose, although it is looking past its prime, is in honour of a wonderful lady, who will always be in our hearts.  Bless you, Joan, you taught me so much and I will always be grateful to you.

Had a lovely "Blipmeet" with my friend, Mindful_life, this morning - we spent the time chatting in the warm conservatory, whilst Mr. HCB and her son chatted about moths, butterflies, lizards and everything to do with nature, then they looked at some of Mr. HCB's favourite websites.  A great morning!

Please join me during
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
By clicking here 
So that those who are not able to pay
Can have a free mammogram.

“Sometimes it's the scars
    that remind you that you survived. 
Sometimes the scars tell you
    that you have healed.”
Ashley D. Wallis