Two people were made redundant. One was quite upset, but is getting used to it now, and is looking forward to being a mum again.

My father died at the weekend. It all happened very quickly, and he never sufferend any pain. He went into hospital after being unable to eat anything, and they found a lump around his stomach. They later diagnosed this as a lymphoma, and were going to treat him with chaemotherapy, but he died a couple of days later from a blood clot. He was 72.

I had initially been preparing to dash over for the funeral, but after weighing things up and having a discussion with mum, decided it would be better if I waited a month or so and then went over for a longer period, doing some work over there. I would be able to help out with my grandparents, who at (nearly) 97 and 102 are still around!

My first recollections of my dad was when I was three, and we were about to move out of our first tiny house (it was bigger in those days, of course). I remember Dad leading me around from room to room, pointing things out and saying "See that? Daddy made that. See that? Daddy put that there". I can clearly remember thinking "Wow, my daddy's clever!"

I remember how he tried to teach us guitar. I couldn't quite bend my fingers into the right shape, and now I note that nobody else can either! We later took up brass instruments, and Dad learned clarinet - he started because he was taking us to the practice and then taking us home afterwards, and decided he might as well learn something.

It went on to drums, and then trumpet. Dad was a late developer, and used to say he never learnt anything at school. He discovered that he could do far more than he thought he could, and learnt some danish, as well as how to run (and maintain) a computer.

His discipline was firm but always fair, and he gave me a strong sense of moral standards that kept me through teenage years until the church took over where he left off. He never led or followed me down that path, but I have great respect for him as the one who set me going down the right paths.

I shall miss the friendship that had grown between us over the years, and the times (and long distance holidays) that we spent together. But life goes on. Hope to see some of you later in the year.

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Comments

i am so sorry to hear that

i know what you are going though

how's your mum grandparents and brother taking it?

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