Quick few lines

Just a quick few lines here to say that it has been a horrendous week, which is why I have not blogged since Sunday.

On Monday morning I got a phone call to say that Leslie, widow of cousin Jim, in Dunfermline, had died peacefully in her sleep. As her nearest kin I have all the arrangements to make regarding the funeral. I spent all day Tuesday in Dunf, going between the doctor's surgery, registrar, lawyer and funeral director, and to tell the truth it was quite a difficult day with nothing going the way it should. I think if I had been a far closer relative of Leslie's and was absolutely devastated by her loss, I would have been pretty upset by the way things went. The worst bit was feeling that to the funeral director Leslie was just another number - another body - another job to be done! He couldn't even get her name right and I had to remind him on several occasions. Even when he spoke to me on the phone the next day he was still calling her by the wrong name, and I have to say I was not impressed by his - how can I describe it.... his attitude? his demeanour? I can't think of the right word.

Well, the funeral has been arranged now for Tuesday afternoon, but that was only sorted after a series of incidents that could really have upset a closer family member far more. As it was, I still did get a little upset.

Well, as if that wasn't bad enough I came home on Tuesday night from Dunfermline and opened my emails. "Sad news" said one and I read that a good friend from my few years in Yorkshire, just over twenty years ago, had died. He was only a couple of years older than me, but he led a poor lifestyle and I'd say was a heart attack just waiting to happen. I had been very fond of John, as I think everyone was who knew him, and was so glad I had seen him last year for the first time in a good number of years, when I went down to Yorkshire for a visit. His funeral is on Tuesday too, so obviously I can't go, but I have spoken to a friend down there who may be able to go instead.

Oh and I'm not finished with the bad news just yet. My great friend Vina, is losing her battle with the lung cancer. We had all hoped that the last news we had about the tumour having shrunk, was a good sign, but it seems that the cancer is still active, and she now has blood clots in her lungs. The consultant has said there is really little he can do as she is so weak, and that he doesn't expect her to last more than a few more days. I saw her today before I went to work, and felt that the Vina I knew had gone already. It was a strange woman lying there, looking so frail and out of it. She did respond a little to me talking to her but I think her brain is shutting out stuff, and she wasn't really understanding everything. She looked puzzled most of the time, staring out of eyes that look too big for her face.... Crumbs I am getting morbid now, but believe me this is helping me to come to terms with the fact that we are going to be saying goodbye to her very soon. I'm crying now. Perhaps that's a good thing.

Sorry no pictures today. I will do some new layouts soon. Bear with me, and forgive me if I don't blog for a bit.
Take care
Talk again soon.