My Lovely Man...

Died today at 3pm.

Between one breath and the next-which-didn't-come, and peacefully by my side. I will miss him so much, and yet I cannot be sorry that his suffering is over. I will always remember him as the kind, peaceable, eminently skilled, beautiful soul that he was, and will be in all of our minds who knew him.

Our last day out together was to North Norfolk, for a splendid cafe lunch at Walcott, and a visit to the lovely gardens at East Ruston Old Vicarage, which he had never seen before. I'm so glad we had that splendid day in the sun. You will note that, he disliked being photographed, I didn't often get a front-facing picture

Turn, turn, turn

To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven. A time to be born, a time to die.

I'm sitting here in a dim dining room, with the lights turned low and my lovely man fading away in his gentlemanly fashion. He has stopped eating and pretty much stopped drinking, and is slowly dissolving from this life into the next. I will miss him so much, but I also want to carry on, to make a good thing of the next times, because that would please him. I showed him my plans for the house, and he was pleased.

We have had such a lot of time together; almost half my life,  but it will never have been enough.

And I am so glad that we are here, in the quiet together, not in some bleeping, noisy, interfering, brightly-lit, stupid hospital ward, with bustle and ignorance and "visiting times"...

I don't think I have ever done anything as hard as this, or in some ways as easy, because it is needed...

The work is endless, but the parts of it are easy enough, and I don't begrudge a moment. He did so many things for me, endlessly patient with my flights-of-fancy, making things, making time, making me happy.. I hope I did the same for him..

A time to laugh, a time to weep..

I really don't want to cry, but it's hard..

A time to build up, a time to break down

And I went over to the workshop for a cup of tea and a tiny break. Dill and Jo have taken over the front section of the place as a shop - to be called The Yard at Raveningham, and they have taken on  my garden, and walled, and painted, and made all fresh ad smart. And this is how it looks today, almost ready for a Grand Opening on Thursday evening, with the Christmas Shopping Thing






It's not mine any more. Yippee!

I took the photos to show John, but he's too far away..

Bless us both, and pray if you do that, good thoughts if not

Reasons to be Cheerful, I Think

Leaves are lovely. The colours lift my heart

I don't think I bear to be miserable for much longer, and it's not fair on my Lovely Man, who is so diminished, to take away a smiling face. Even if he is always asleep, he deserves better...


And there are always things to amuse me. In the rain, 1/2 hour to do everything, and after an argument with Boots, who don't order stuff in on time or at all, and seem not to give a monkeys... This nice thing in a gutter...


Roadkill - Sand Bag. Just love the textures in this photo



And my only bit of sewing this week - I had to make blocks for Siblings Together, string-pieced on A4 paper, not my idea of nice, too big. So, I made this one, total of A4 in 7 parts. Much more amusing...

Partitions Prepared, Placed, and Painted...

Progress...

Much, as they say, happens...

The workshop is not my workshop any more. In an odd sort of way I'm really glad that it's being divided and transformed, as it makes for a better break. The partitions are going up


and will have been clad with boards by tomorrow. The space on the shop side is nice, I just hope the rest is not too dark for HB.
And the cat and John are competing for the Most Sleepy cup. About 22 hours each, every day so far this week

They both seem capable of dropping-off at will in a few seconds.. I think it may be catching...

And here are my poor thumbs. Injected for arthritis, the last two days have been horrible. Now the right one is coming back up nicely, but the left is still weak, sore, and fragile.. Ouch.

Angry and Sad

But man and cat are peaceful enough

Home, Sweet Overloaded Home

My big Juki has landed in my tiny workroom, and, by gum, he takes up a lot of space. Nice to be able to sew again, once I have tidied up, of course

And I don't suppose these will stay like this, but for now, they do look rather good...

Life...

...does not always go according to one's Grand Plans. Just out of hospital, damaged back, crutches. Oh! Bugger!

Today's Silly Question

When told that the workshop will close at the end of October, the question was "So, why can't I come at Christmas to get my presents?"
Grrr. At the moment, I may run out of stock altogether before then anyway.. Last day of the Sculpture Trail tomorrow (Sunday 8th September) Hooray!!!

I did make a nice new postcard for the Sewing Machines - this is going to be my life from November, we may as well start with a good image...

Yesterday's Most Peculiar Question

Lady, while standing practically on top of my feet, asks
"I've never been here before. How am I supposed to know you are here?"

Answers? I wish I had one...


And for those of us who love him, here's my Lovely Man looking puzzled