Saturday, June 6, 2009

A Year On

Tuesday 2nd June 2009
Today is the first anniversary of day Carolyns Mum died, for Carolyn in particular it is extremely stressful, every anniversary is something new without her Mum, Birthdays, Anniversaries (she was the one who used to let us know when our wedding anniversary was), Christmas, we just didn’t realise how many different things we kept in touch about.
It has been a very traumatic year for Carolyn, the death of her Mum at what is today considered to be a young age within a couple of months of us migrating to the other side of the world, living in a new country, new cultures, new laws, new expectations and no guarantee that we will be allowed to stay in a couple of years time.
Through all this Carolyn has worked her socks off, making sure the kids get the best education possible, helping out at the Café when the going gets tough, doing the Bookwork and keeping house to name but a few things.
Carolyns Mum backed us through our efforts to leave the UK and head for Oz despite the fact that she didn’t want us to leave, it’s just a shame that she never managed to come out here and see what she had helped us achieve, if she is looking down on us now, she would be proud of what we have achieved and how Carolyn has held it together over the last year, a year of pressure and change.
Carolyns Mum is missed by all of us, she will not be forgotten, but in time we will learn to live with the loss, and hope that we and the kids make the most of the help that she gave us, the help that got us from Axbridge to Oz.


Busselton Town Centre was pretty much closed off to traffic today as the Shire do some alterations to the roads, we thought that the road closures combined with the end of a long weekend and the tourists going home would mean a quiet day, wrong.
We started quietly although Ian had cocked up with the rota and didn’t have enough starting early, nobody to do the Monday morning duties which needed to be done today as we were not open yesterday.
We coped, we were helped by the fact that the Gas Fitter had decided not to turn up till after lunchtime, this meant that Carolyn could help out at the Café as we are short staffed with Michelle off on holiday to New Zealand.
We were busy until about 2.30pm when it died off in dramatic style, after that it was dribs and drabs and not really worth staying open, but we have to keep trying.
The Gas Fitter didn’t turn up after lunch as he had said, he is apparently going to turn up tomorrow instead, don’t you just love these tradies.
Fraser and Marisa went to Scouts this evening, they had to get everything organised for the Forrest Quest Camp this coming weekend, apparently they have come up with two Skits to perform while on camp, now when was the last time anyone used the word Skit?
After the kids went to bed we watched the Eiger Sanction with Clint Eastwood, it was a good film in its time but alas, too much naked flesh for the kids to be allowed to watch it.

5 comments:

Marcus said...

I didn't know that, thanks for sharing about Carolyn's Mum and the impact her death has had on your family, I was touched by the poignancy of the story.
I hope you'll be able to stay on permanently.

Ganeida said...

It is hard when we lose the people close to us. I lost my grandfather, favourite aunt [on my birthday], father & brother in the space of 2 years. It makes life seem very impermament & transient & however much they were loved & time was spent together there comes that, "How I wish" moment closely followed by the "never again" realisation & there has never been enough time, enough love, enough shared moments to last all eternity. It hurts. You live with it but it always hurts.

Jennifer said...

Wanted to comment. Didn't know what to say. Didn't want to NOT comment. So am commenting anyway. 'Least that way you'll know I@m thinking of you :)

The HoJo's said...

Thanks Marcus, we appreciate your taking the time to comment, and for complimenting Ian.

Ganeida, agreed.

Jennifer, almost exactly what I would have said, and for being scarily like me, I thank you.

xc

Lost in Cov said...

I know that she would be very impressed by the life that you and Ian have made for yourselves and her wonderful grandchildren - I think that is the perfect tribute to your lovely mum. You will have made her very proud. H xxxxx