Tuesday 23 June 2020

Dear Graham.....

Sadly, Graham passed away peacefully on 15th June .... he was a devoted and much loved husband to my dear sisterVivien, a dearly loved member of our family...son-in-law, brother-in-law and uncle...... and a great friend to many.....

Graham was privately cremated today and Vivien had asked us all to remember Graham at that time in our own way..... quite often when Graham and Vivien came to visit here on the South Coast he always told me that in his early 20s he had often camped with friends at Barlings Beach so it was there that I went today to reflect and remember this wonderful person who added so much to my sister's life and our family's. 
Rest in Peace, dear Graham

Asta 



Sunday 14 June 2020

Further Catching Up!

Here I am back again..... and what a lot has happened since our family wedding! ...
Towards the end of February my sisters Linda and Vivien and brother-in-law Graham headed to Sydney for a great concert by a group called.... 
Little did we know that this would be the last of our get togethers for some time...... Covid 19 had reached Australia and we were in lockdown.... looking back it does seem a while ago now and as of writing this we are finally starting to ease our restrictions! How lucky were Megan & James to make their wedding after the fires and then get back to England before lockdown! 
With all in lockdown my Rock & Roll classes were put on hold and getting together with the lovely ladies in my embroidery group also was no longer an outing to look forward to....though in the last week we have got together again - after nearly 3 months! Rock & Roll has still to start..... I continued to work as we were still open though many shops and businesses had to close..... 
Easter arrived and was spent at home.....this was soon followed by ANZAC Day
I remembered this special day joining with neighbours on our nature strips in the early hours of the morning. 
Then it was Mothers' Day and like many others it was spent at home instead of heading to Sydney to celebrate with mum & dad. Once again I received my Mothers' Day message from Megan (together with James this year) ....from out on one of their many bike rides..
During their lockdown in England Megan has also taken up embroidery.....very impressed with her work especially as she has not done this before....she ordered kits and I have also sent her "care packages" with some of my surplus (!!) embroidery supplies... they were rather large parcels! .....though I don't seem to have made a dent! 
And Hayley in Queensland has been painting a "mural" on her bedroom wall.... still waiting for a photo of the finished masterpiece! 
During the past few months I have not really been very creative...... have done a lot of mulling over projects to start with nothing really happening.... did take up the knitting needles though - seemed like the the thing to do when I really couldn't be bothered gathering quilting / embroidery material together....maybe a sign of the general "flat" feeling of the times?? I knitted a "Miss Marple scarf", a few face washers (one in constant use and is doing quite well even after going through the washing machine a number of times!!) and a dishcloth - still to be tried out - knitted in a cotton from USA and looks and feels like the genuine old fashioned dish cloths! 
I have read a few books.....
Have been out walking.....more than I usually would!
Fingers have also done some walking.....online!! A new pattern from Anni Downs and some Tilda fabric....there has been a bit more shopping done but photos have not been taken yet! 
And.... while not at work and isolating on weekends have, of course, enjoyed Dora's company......
That about brings me up to date....... but I do finish off this post on a sad note..... my dear brother-in-law, Graham, is now in Palliative Care after battling an illness over the past 3 1/2 years. Thankfully, due to our restrictions being eased, I was able to go and see him last weekend..... these next few days....weeks...will be a sad time for our "small" family.... 

Till next time....
Asta