I was sitting at my window last Wednesday when a ladybird landed on my daffodils - so very red and bright against the pale yellow blooms - I haven't seen a ladybird in years but as I was admiring this tiny little creature, a faint voice echoed in my head - a visit from a ladybird precedes death. An old wives tale I thought...
We were about to head up to see J's (partner) Mum who had been diagnosed with cancer just prior to Christmas...a phone call earlier in the day had told us that she had taken quite a sudden turn for the worst overnight and that we should get to Ipswich as quickly as possible. As we left, we got the call to say she'd passed away...
We've spent the best part of the last week in Ipswich with J's family, making arrangements and supporting each other as we remembered his Mum in our own little ways. L lived her life surrounded by family and friends and went to sleep Tuesday night having laughed and chatted with her visitors and with great plans for watching Wednesday's episodes of Emmerdale and Coronation Street. She left us all peacefully, surrounded by love.
We drank a lot of red wine and rode a rollercoaster of emotions over the last week. The most difficult part I'm finding is that the funeral is two weeks afterwards, we go back to work in between and our life settles into a pattern again only to have all the raw emotions re-surface when we actually say our good-byes. I feel so incredibly sad but I guess it's a part of life's circle - and a reminder that there are no second chances...
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