Calla lilies by Tamara de Lempicka
I've been in the country since Saturday morning as my dad's sister sadly died last week. She was absolutely lovely and I was very close to her.
My dad and his sister both lost their partners the same year and decided to get a place together as neither wanted to be on their own. They've always got on brilliantly and they're both mad on animals. They've adopted all sorts over the years and their place was quite a menagerie. It's been great that they've had each other for the last fifteen years and it seems quite unreal that she's gone.
We had to go to the registrar's and undertakers today which was awful with everyone trying to put a brave face on it. The Actor and my dad's elder sister Penny have been amazing and have kept us all going with their humour. Death is a horrible thing and so bloody expensive! I can't believe how much a funeral costs! I think I shall ask to be tipped in the sea when I go.
My dad is bearing up and keeping himself busy but I know he's absolutely gutted. He's not giving himself any time to think about it. I suppose that's how his generation deals with things. We're all missing her very much but it's worse for dad as he's had her for his entire life.
Yesterday we looked through loads of old photographs, I was trying to find some good ones of them both. My dad seems to be pulling a face or crying in most of the childhood ones. As I love vintage pictures I thought I'd blog these two taken in 1934.
My dad - Henry (known as Harry) born December 14th 1930
My lovely aunt - Marian (known as Murry) born 31st December 1931
So it's been a sad week and there's two more until the funeral. I thought I'd have loads of time to blog and catch up with everyone while I'm here but I seem to have had none and my concentration has been worse than ever (and that's saying something!). We're going back to London tomorrow and I intend to take it easy for the rest of the week if I can. I shall definitely be catching up with all my wonderful blogging friends then.
I hope you've been good. Love, Christina xxx
62 comments:
Such sad news; I am so sorry. She looks absolutely lovely and I know you will remember her well. Tania x
Christina, I'm so sorry for your loss. Thanks for sharing those beautiful pictures. I hope your Dad is ok - give him lots of extra hugs and love. Thinking of you, darling.
Sarah xxx
Oh so sad, Christina. Your poor poor father must be near collapse. It's always worse after the funeral when one is alone and has time to think. Take good care of him, he needs you very much for a little while. Both of them were beautiful children, and I think you quite take after your dad it seems. God bless all of you. Know I'm holding your hand and sending you all my angels to surround all of you with love and care. You know how much I adore you. M.
Dearest Christina,
I'm sorry to hear about your loss.
Those photos are so beautiful, your aunt was a truly gorgeous little girl.
My heart goes out to your dad, like Sarah wrote give him lots of hugs.
Take care luv,
Jennie
xXx
So sad for your loss, I feel terrible for your dad. No words I can think that don't sound corny or twee. It's a good thing your dad has plenty of support with you around. Best wishes and take care.xx.
Christina,
I am so very sorry to hear of the passing of your beloved aunt. Luckily your father has you there for him. Sometimes having our loved ones near is the only way we can draw some sort of strength into our souls, allowing us to endure these tragic ordeals.
I will keep you, your dad and your loved ones in my thoughts and prayers my friend.
May she rest in peace.
Christina--I have wondered where you were. Was her death sudden and unexpected? I am sorry for you and sorry for your father. My own father would have been near the same age as yours and in none of the pictures I have of him as a child is he smiling.
Hello Christina:
We are so very sorry. We do sympathise for times such as you are experiencing are not easy to get through - but a little humour along the way does, at odd moments, help considerably.
This afternoon we are at the funeral of a young friend of ours who has died at the age of 35. She had been very ill with cancer for a long time. Such sad times.
Death smothers the life out of the living too when it comes calling. Thinking of you.
I'm so sorry to hear about your lovely aunt - I had a late-night phone call last night, my mum's sister had just died, she'd been ill for the last few years but it's still a shock - but I love the fact that your dad and his sister lived together, such a brilliant idea. Bet they had some good times, and when the funeral and everything is over, you must look after your dad and think of the good times.
It is wonderful when you hear so much about siblings falling out that your Dad and his sisters are so close, although as you say, dreadful for him now. My thoughts go out to all of you xx
Christina - I am so sorry about your aunt, and sorry for you, your Dad and all your family. Those pictures are sweet of both children and they look like they were happy kids who had a lovely childhood - friends for 80+ years that's quite something! Will be thinking of you, xxx
So sorry to hear that :(
I hope you are all ok x
My dear Christina my thoughts are with your family right now. I am so sorry and send you all my best wishes. xxx
I can only say what everyone has already said - and I hope everyone is ok. (And I can see you inherited your fabulous hair from your aunt and your dad!) xxx
Christina so sorry to hear your sad news, my heart goes out to your Dad. Beautiful photographs and a wonderful tribute to your Aunt, I detect a strong family resemblance.
I hope you are bearing up, dealing with the passing of a beloved one is often a surreal experience.
XXX
Sad, a brass of flowers !!
http://monsacbyme.com
Hi Christina-so sorry to hear your sad news, my thoughts and condolences go to you and your dad, I do hope he manages to bear up alright. How wonderful that your aunt and dad were so close and brought joy and comfort to each other. I hope you are alright too, hugs to you and all your blogger friends will be thinking of you at this time xxx
Dear Christina,
I'm terribly sorry to hear such sad news. I'll be thinking of you & your family today.
Love Becka x
so sad to hear about this, Christina. my thoughts are with you xx
oh Christina I'm so sorry.
You've all had such a special relationship, that's something to be treasured. I'm sure you'll all miss her terribly.
Take time out, be kind to yourself and dont rush things. Healing takes time.
Thinking of you all
Sara xx
I am with you in this moment of sadness... a sencere hug. ML
I'm so sorry Christina, your poor Dad. A big hug to you both xxx
Oh no, I'm so sorry Christina. Thinking of you and your family. I'm glad the Actor is taking good care of you.
hugs. xxx
The pics of your dad and late aunty are so lovely. What a beautiful pair of children they were, and only 12 months apart!!! No wonder they were so close, they were practically twins. Despite the loss of their respective spouses, it seems they spent many happy years in each other's company, perhaps in a way recapturing their childhoods, enjoying their animals and understanding how the other thought. I'm sorry you lost your beautiful aunt Christina. xoxo
My dear Christina, I knew there must have been something wrong. I thought you might have a cold or something. I was about to write to you to ask when I saw your post.
You know how sorry I feel for your loss, so I will add no more words, but a big hug.
I agree with you: Death is a horrible thing and so bloody expensive! I can't believe how much a funeral costs, I think I shall ask to be tipped in the sea when I go.
Mil besos, corazón
Christina - am very sorry to read about your loss. What a blow it must be to your dad who had carved a different life for himself after the death of his partner...now he's got to do it all again.
Bon courage to all of you.
Will be thinking of you (((hug)))
AX
Christina- Be kind to yourself. I have found that when someone close to us dies, a part of us follows along as far as it can, leaving us here a bit disjointed, unable to focus, to concentrate, to live this "normal" life. It is love and that is okay.
That is so sad Christina, I haven't been on the blog recently and when I saw the heading for this post I didn't want to open it. We all have to live for the day don't we, sounds like your family are very close. Joanne x
Oh Christina I am so sorry for your loss xx
I'm so sorry to hear this, she sounds like she was a lovely lady. Take care of yourself! xx
You and your family have been in my thoughts. Thank you for sharing the lovely photos, and have a safe trip back to London.
Love you much,
SB
My condolences. Please give your dad an extra hug for me.
I'm so sorry :(
Sara
My sincere condolences. I do hope you and your family will have all the time needed at this very sad time.
Christina, I'm so sorry to hear your sad news. But how lovely their relationship, and how beautiful their childhood photographs. It must be a terrible time for your dear father, and how lucky that he has such a sensitive and loving daughter in you.In sending my condolences I am also wishing for you the strength to cope with supporting your dear father during this difficult time for him. Cx
So sorry for your loss and thinking of you. It sounds like your Dad and Aunt had an amazing relationship and those pictures are so lovely.xxx
so sorry....it's been quite a year for loss it seems.....and death shall have no dominion....the pictures are truely fabulous, take care, thinking of you xx
Oh Christina, I'm so sorry to hear about your loss. It seems like there's so much sadness at the moment - so many people I know have lost loved ones recently.
Hope your dad is bearing up ok and that you're coping too. I know it's not easy to be the supportive one when you're doing your own grieving.
Christina, I am so sorry for your loss. It's good that you can have the memories with her and of her that nobody will ever take away from you. I hope your dad will get some comfort in this sad time.
Christina-
I'm so sorry for your loss. My thoughts are with you and your family.
XO
Catherine
So sorry to hear that your dad lost a person so close to him and that you lost a dear aunt. Take a break and just let things run over you for a while. We'll all be here waiting!
Love you T. Am thinking of you. I know how hard it must be for you. See you when you get back. xx
I'm so terribly sorry to hear about your aunt. It's so sweet that she and your father had such a close bond. They were both so adorable! Sending heartfelt wishes to you and your father.
Sorry to hear your sad news, thinking of you xx
Sorry to hear of your bereavement. Thoughts and prayers with you and yours. :(
I"m terribly sorry. There are never the right words for times like this.
Christina I am very sorry. My heart is going out to you! You are so lovely and I am sure you are a great comfort to your Dad right now too.
xoDani
I've been a reader of your blog for some time now and I am so sorry you and your family are going through this at the moment. Take it easy and allow yourself sometime to heal, with love x
My dear Christina,sending you a big warm hug and lots of love .it is indeed a sad time for all of you.I can say that in time its really strange how all the happy times you spent together and the funny happenings keep flooding into your mind and it makes you smile and its SUCH a comfort. You will be doing that and remembereing all the lovely things which you shared.with very much love fay xxx
My sincere condolences. I read your blog every day, but never comment. My aunt is same age as yours and I'd be devastated if I lost her. And to loose a sister is simply terrible.
I wish you and your father strength to cope with this. May all the best wishes and support of your friends help a little.
Dear Christina,
So sorry to hear of your loss. The photos of your father and his beloved sister were heart warming. How wonderful that they had a lifetime of love and companionship as sister and brother. I hope my 2 children are as blessed.
Take care
Kate Bx
Dear Christina,
Although I am a total stranger to you, I some how feel I know you so well after reading your blogs for the last seven months or so. This is an awful time for you, your Dad and your family, and I too send big hugs and strength for you to cope with this and to assist your Dad at this very sad time. Take care xxxxxx
Dear Christina, I am really sorry for your loss, she was an adorable little girl and sounded a fantastic lady. I lost a friend two weeks ago, he and his sister were in a plane that crashed and their terribly young lives came to an end,aged 21 and 24. When something like this happens, you can but only take it easy and be genuine to your feelings. Mourning is a strange process, veering from heightened senses that comes with the awareness of the preciousness of life to the dark clouds of emptyness. I'm sure you will have plenty of nice things to watch and the actor will be very lovely through all of this. I have picked up a copy of 'Tuesdays with Morrie' and though Ive not read it yet, I'd dare say I'd recommned it for times like these. Deepest condolences to your father, what a wonderful relationship they had, and to you and I know you will be of great support to each other. Take care xx
Oh that's just too sad. If virtual hugs & heartfelt thoughts from strangers aren't too weird then you have an abundance coming your and your family's way. xxxx
Oh gosh your poor poor dad. And you of course. Such times are never easy and I know it always takes a lot of strength and fortitude to get through it all. Take care & much love xxx
Chirstinita, So sorry for loss amor.
your aunt sounds a lovely person,she was the cutest little girl.
lots of healing energy for your dad.
besos
Sorry for your loss, Christina.
Christina, I'm so sorry to read about the death of your aunt. I'm glad that your father has a menagerie of animals because I always find that pets help in times of sadness and loss.
so sad to read this. That is such a sweet photo of your aunt. Your dad is so cute too. Be brave, take care, xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
So sorry for your loss.
I'm sorry to hear that Christina. Your dad must be davastated.
I'm sending you e-hugs.
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