I live in a new house now. I started moving over from the old side to the new about six weeks ago. I’d always had a deadline of 1st April as that’s when Tom, my lead builder, was free again to come back to the project. That also gave me enough time to complete the … Continue reading Devotion
For many years my life felt relatively fixed and stable: home, job, family, mortgage, housework, regular trips to visit extended family; sleep, get up, repeat. Every few years something big would change: we’d move house, I’d change jobs, my company was sold and suddenly we had more money, but in general the rhythm of life … Continue reading Change
After Fidd died I felt weightless for a while; untethered. I thought about locking up the house, leaving my job and going away to the other side of the planet. I had a tempting invitation to South Africa, to visit one of my oldest friends, and then I wondered about Australia, where I have many … Continue reading What next?
I’ve been dreading writing about the funeral, but I think it deserves a post of its own. It was a very intense, beautiful day, although probably the hardest of my life. I don’t particularly like recalling it, but perhaps in future I will want to. A number of people have also asked me to share … Continue reading Funeral
The four weeks between Fiddian dying and me leaving Cornwall to visit Venice with his children were easily the strangest weeks of my life. Bossiney Court was really put through its paces in that time – guest house, wake/celebration venue, community bonfire events, retreat. So many times I stopped to marvel at the difference in … Continue reading Mourning
There is a very defined procedure for what is called “a sudden death in the community” and it kicks into gear very fast. Fiddian’s death was recorded at about 12 minutes past 11pm on a Friday night. I wasn’t paying close attention, but I reckon the three air ambulance people and the first responder were … Continue reading Death (Part 2)
It is almost one month exactly since Fiddian, my husband of 8 years, partner of 14, died in front of me in our living room in Bossiney Court at the far-too-young age of 61. The moon was full the night before, and so bright that it had woken me at 5.30am and prompted me, most … Continue reading Death (Part 1)
Over the past few years, like many people I know, I’ve been gradually trying to reduce my climate footprint. It reduces the sense of futility I feel in the face of the impending disaster, and leads to many interesting conversations with fellow humans. One of the biggest changes I’ve made is to reduce the amount … Continue reading Climate and family: tough calculations
bookbusbird 