AS IN LIFE ...

[Michael Grove]

 SO ALSO in DEATH

 

 "Joan and Lou" finally together as her body

 was gracefully lowered into the earth on 

 Friday 26th October, in the grounds of her

 most favourite church - St Mary, Kelling.

 

 The Mother that bore me finally at peace with her GOD.  

 

Joan was born – in her own words – “a plain Yorkshire lass” – and subsequently

moved south with her family during the 1930s. Having met and married Lou – to

whom she was married for 61 years – Michael and Frances were both born in

The Archway, North London before the family moved to Hertfordshire. It was

during this time that Joan passed her driving test. She proudly purchased her

one and only car – a Riley Elf – at which time she began to visit places along the

North Norfolk coast. Lou’s mother’s family had moved from West Scotland to 

North Norfolk – also during the 1930s. They liked it so much that they decided

to retire here in the early 1970s. Her own Yorkshire accent had most certainly 

become tinged with a Norfolk one over the years. She was a fine seamstress and

made her own clothes and soft furnishings and worked for several years in an

antiques shop in Holt where she indulged her keen interest in – and knowledge

of bone china. Joan was a regular churchgoer and loved this church in Kelling.

Following Lou’s death she gradually became too frail and unable to attend.

For the later years of her life she was cared for by Frances and she died

peacefully holding Frances’s hand.

 

"Don't CHANGE the world - CHANGE WORLDS"  - said St. Francis of Assisi

 

"Joan and Lou" most certainly did that - and the stained glass window of St Mary will, forever and a day, provide testament to that fact - during their final 40 years together in Holt.

 

 

.

 

[Michael Grove]

Thanks to Albert for bringing this news to my attention - 

"Helen Thomas passed away with 92 years - here my last interview

with her in Dubai about tolerance and journalism - I will pray for

her tonight." - Hubertus Hoffmann

RIP Helen Thomas

[Michael Grove]

When my mother died unexpectedly five years ago, I was consumed

with remorse. She lived only nine miles away, yet I had not seen her for

a month. Because Mum had been in good health, I foolishly assumed

that there would be plenty of opportunities to visit her and say the

things that needed to be said. TIME, it seemed, was elastic - I could

stretch it to accommodate my blinkered and, let’s not dodge it,

self-aggrandising behaviour. Sadly, I failed to hear what the poet

Andrew Marvell identified as - “time’s winged chariot hurrying near ”. 

The upshot was distorted priorities. Illusions of urgent demands –

career, status, approval – were given immediate attention. By contrast,

precious, unrepeatable moments with loved ones were squandered.

                                                             Jeff Randall

[Michael Grove]

"Money may be the husk of many things but not the kernel. It brings you food, but not appetite; medicine, but not health; acquaintance, but not friends; servants, but not loyalty; days of joy, but not peace or happiness." - Henrik Ibsen

My mum's most favourite wine was that which I presume my dad introduced to her on his return to the UK, following his service in Italy during World War II.

.

[Michael Grove]

  "Don't CHANGE the world - CHANGE WORLDS" 
                                                                                 St. Francis of Assisi