Hi everyone.
Peaches, everything is run in plastic so fortunately there is nothing to rust. Such good news about your taxes! Dinner sounds nice too.
Georgi, it’s possible it has self healed, so hopefully it won’t leak when I use it with hot water today. If it doesn’t leak then, I guess it must have been somewhere other than under the shower! Yes the nuns did a wonderful job, and were so kind to give it to her. She made a donation to the nunnery to say thank you. I call you all my online family, you have all done so much for each other not least for me.
I think they only allow 4 replies and then need a response before you can post more - hence why this is all on one post!
KtG, yes, the other day was manic especially - my fault I think! But it was so good too. You’re right, we are all fighters, and so loving to each other. I saw these quotes on a local site today: ‘Happiness is being around people who may or may not be your real family, but who love and support you anyway’, ‘When someone helps you when they’re struggling too, that’s not help, that’s love’ and ‘Anything is possible when you have the right people there to support you.’ So, so true! It’s help and support from you all that made it possible for me to get here in France.
BBC were just talking about, and showing, therapy dogs. I’m sure having a cat around would be good therapy too though as you found before.
Martin, I’ve been fortunate not to have actually needed to use the sleeping tablets, but I guess it’s been good to know they are there if I really did need them. My Mary was still texting people and apologising for not having done things she was meant to do, at 8.00pm on Friday 15 November, saying she’d get them done as soon as she was home. She had a stroke on Saturday and was gone before noon on the Sunday. So yes, like you and others here we all know it is numbing.
Keep going on the life assurance and if necessary make a formal complaint, and even take it to the Ombudsman if you remain unhappy with the response. But we shouldn’t have to deal with these issues when in dire grief.
Lizzy, in most cases the will is followed, but you are right, estranged family should not be allowed to interfere and make claims. Surely the will of the person who has died should be sacrosanct? (I exclude an expression of wish for pensions here as pensions shouldn’t even be considered as falling under the will instructions - that’s why the expression of wish is there, and I think the law needs changing to force the trustees to follow instructions made to them by their members prior to their death).
Hopefully you’ll find the keys/spanners for that lady, if not you could probably get them from Amazon or eBay quite cheaply. It’s 10.00 am here and I just checked and there’s absolutely no sign of any leak - the shower tray is still filled with water! Unfortunately all the joints are under the shower tray and can’t be accessed - they were never meant to be got at! So glad your sink repair is holding well too.
One of Mary’s family did the video and did a really good job. I simply edited it and put it onto a DVD with added music and effects. I ran a video business a few years ago and mainly did weddings, christenings and even a funeral in my time. So I’ve brought some of the family ones to look through. I was laughing through the video and was taken back to things I’d forgotten about. Yes there were certainly some parts that brought tears, but I found it strangely therapeutic at the same time. At the wake a friend put a video together of loads of photos of Mary and the family - there were over 250 photos on the video. We just left it playing so that anyone could view it as and when they wanted.
Wow, the clock and the things moving in the man cave are just incredible, and yes, a bit spooky!
Debsie, you put things so well - I hadn’t though of thinking of something good to get to sleep. I’m sure Mary had sepsis as well as the pneumonia even though it isn’t on the certificate, as she had 3 of 5 symptoms when she went into hospital. It’s the speed that stuns you isn’t it?
Annabelle
Welcome to our friendly family - even though it’s one we didn’t want to join. We all know your pain so post when you want. We’ve all come a long way since our respective losses and I certainly put much of that down to being in this group.