Quick daily posts

[Garnet]

Mabel, whilst I am glad technology allowed you to participate, I wish it hadn't been necessary and you could have been there in person.

My heart goes out to you and your aunt. Another candle will be lit again tonight.




Every time I hear those public service announcements on the radio or t.v. I ask the question, ready for what exactly? And those inanimate objects are about as useful at giving the answer as the politicians are in my humble little opinion.

[wendywombat]

My thoughts are with you, Mabel....and, of course, your Aunt who had to go through the ordeal alone.
It must have been very hard to watch this on a live link. Almost as if it was a film on TV.
I hope that you and your aunt can find comfort in remembering all the happier time when you were all together. Also, your late aunt will remain in your heart forever.

[fccs]

Mabel, I’m glad you were at least able to be there virtually, but how hard that must have been. Sending lots of prayers and good thoughts to you and your family.

[richardandtracy]

Mabel, horrible as the situation was, at least technology allowed you to participate a little. There is never a nice funeral, so parts will always feel horrible. Sending my thoughts your way.

Richard.

[rcperryls]

I can appreciate how strange it must have felt, Mabel. Virtual funerals, as Richard says, do allow some level of participation. My cousin's (who I am very close to) father died Sunday from Covid. The whole week was very strange but they had just found out he was suffering from stage 4 cancer and before they could process that information, he became very ill, ended up on a ventilator from Covid and died. In the Jewish faith, the funeral is supposed to happen as soon as possible and Tuesday there was a "Zoom" funeral for family only. It did allow for a very widespread family to "be there". What was an advantage of technology as that after the funeral, those of us closest to my cousin and her family were able to spend an additional hour afterwards on another Zoom event which let us share memories and funny stories that were difficult earlier because of other family issues which had prevented most of us from talking. Not the same as being there of course but I know provided my cousin the comfort she needed.

I also have to admit that one of the "bad" things we did, is that during the service, we were able to text each other and send the kind of comfort that we (mostly my sister and me) would have provided if we had been physically near. Extra hugs and whispers when things didn't go the way my cousin would have wanted them to.

So sending you lots of

Carole

[Mabel Figworthy]

How is texting extra comfort ever a bad thing? Sounds like absolutely the Right Thing to me! Wishing you all the strength and comfort you need at this difficult time, and how wonderful that technology made this sharing of memories possible.

[Garnet]

Oh Carole, my thoughts are with you too at this difficult time.

It can never be a bad thing to give comfort in whatever form it is given.

[wendywombat]

I agree that help and comfort in any form can only be a good thing. Funerals are always a stressful time and shared memories are most important.
My thoughts are with you, too, Carole.

[Serinde]

Can't add much to what's been said, apart from adding my condolences. It's all so very difficult, but being able to put all the technological solutions to a good use to let comfort be offered and accepted is wonderful in it's own small way.

[Mabel Figworthy]

The Trees of Life are now on the wall, right next to my craft room

[Serinde]

Perfect place -- looks lovely.

[Wise Owl]

Carole my thoughts are with you and your family during this difficult time. I’m glad you managed to be part of the funeral, even virtual, being with everyone I hope helped.

[Wise Owl]

Mabel that looks lovely there!

I’ve bought some embroidery starter kits where you can try out all the stitches in a kind of sample. I’ve looked at Trish burr videos and I’m loving her flower designs. So when I’m feeling braver I might venture into something soon.

[rcperryls]

Those are beautiful pieces and they certainly look lovely where you have hung them.

Carole

[Serinde]

It snowed last night. And it's trying to snow now!

[Mabel Figworthy]

Frosty blue skies here, but not a hint of snow. It's clouding over now though, so who knows....

[wendywombat]

There's a dusting of snow on the hills here in the Borders, but none around us. Just come back from a walk which could have been longer if the biting wind hadn't been so strong.

[richardandtracy]

No snow here in Kent, but last night was pretty rough. We had 45-50 mph (70-80 kmh) winds and gusts considerably stronger than that. The roaring from the wind was noisy and we could hear the gusts approaching through the trees before they slammed into the house. I know we got off quite lightly, being in a fairly steep sided valley and the worst of the wind blew over the top of the valley. No damage, just disturbed sleep from imagining what could be happening.

I simply can't imagine what it is like for Allyn in a Hurricane with sustained winds exceeding 100 mph (160 kmh).

Regards,

Richard

[Serinde]

You were in my thoughts a lot over the weekend, Richard, because of potential flooding. It's a relief to know that the gales were your "only" real worry... It blew a bit up my way, but nothing untoward, for us anyway. Now it's cold and slippy, and the birds are voracious. A big fat wood pigeon alighted in the wobbly birdbath, which wasn't the best perch in a gale (being a Heath Robinson effort made from the structure of an ancient metal floor lamp), so was not convinced it had made a good choice, being unable to make up its mind whether to bathe or drink. Eldest Son glanced out the window and said, "There is a descendant of the Mighty Dinosaurs." We all burst out laughing.

[wendywombat]

We awoke to a hard frost, car has turned from dark red to sparkly white .
Wind has dropped so the birds don't have to cling on for dear life to a horizontal nut feeder
There was a rainbow over the field behind us as the sun rose over The Cheviot. I guess it was shining through ice crystals rather than rain.
Thinking of those who have been flooded out or victims of the fierce winds.
A day for hot soup and homemade bread rolls I think.
Only 2 days of self isolating left then we can join the Level 4 restrictions with everyone else.
Oh joy!