Some news from me

Here's what I shared on Facebook on Saturday morning, after we'd returned.

My dear old Dad passed away today, catching us all by surprise. He'd been in hospital following a fall and had expected to go home on Monday, but suffered a massive heart attack this morning. We were all alerted, but arrived just moments too late to say goodbye. He was 84 years old, and very much our family patriarch. We'd visited him on Tuesday, before it all happened, when he seemed the same as ever. Glad he didn't suffer, but how we're going to miss hearing his voice, and enjoying his stories. RIP Bryon Mitchell, 5.7.1932 - 11.2.2017

So that's what's happened with me.

Although I know he's peaceful now, we're all still very much in grief mode. My mind is full of memories, both long ago and recent. I'm still crying spontaneously several times a day, finding food a bit hard to swallow, and experiencing fairly restless nights. This week, I'll be helping my family plan his funeral. Although I had this week's blog posts finished and scheduled, I've decided to defer them for a week or two. Not just because I'm distracted but for a bit of space, and a mark of respect.

I'll be back before long. Meanwhile if you're a new visitor, take the chance to look around the blog at the posts under each heading. See you again soon.