Today was the first day I came downstairs with most of the invalid equipment gone, and the furniture looking as if it's a living room, and at exactly the same time realized, oh, he's really gone, and, oh, this is the first day of my next chapter.
Then the morning was all about official calls to his employers, and repeating the announcement to all the different offices that needed to be informed, none of them connected, since the investment people are in Boston, the pension people in Dallas, the main HR people in Philadelphia,the other HR people in NJ, etc. By the time I had done what I could, not finished yet, I was emotionally and mentally spent.
HS left a message on the other phone during all this, about something or other I evidently had arranged to do, and I simply could not remember what he was talking about. I got back to him all puzzled, and got him in person later, asked if I could have a few more days before doing whatever I'd agreed to, since I simply have run out of steam for the moment. It was a dinner we were going to go out for, to celebrate his birthday a bit late. He's good with waiting on it.
What did me in was that the date of death I was reporting was the same as HS birthday, which is also on all the documents in front of me, and the combination was just a bit too much.
So I took the afternoon off, went to the libe to hand over some nice old towels and the sheepskin things I'd made for HP's chair and footrests, for use by old rescued animals, and a chat with friend Carol in the process. She works at the libe, the rescue is her volunteer work, at least some of it, she's wonderful.
Then I sat on the patio watching the madhouse of birds of all sizes and shapes dining in state out there! and took pix of various lovely offerings people have sent, a few of which I will show you here. The open box is chocolate dipped fruit, aie, so good, and the fruit bouquet was actually a bit ravaged in this picture, since we'd been at it with joy before I realized a pic might be nice! the flowers are just wonderful, and Duncan has taken a few bites out of a few of them...as I said, there are compensations!
Liz, I hope you will soon be able to have a proper rest. Glad you took the afternoon off. Take care of yourself.
ReplyDeleteLinda
Good that you had a respite from all the paperwork made more difficult with the birthdate, too.
ReplyDeleteLovely pics, beautiful fruit!
If this works, I might even be identified....xox annie
You can only prepare so much. You can't anticipate the depth of emotions at a time like this. My father died 21 months after my mother. When I received the call, I thought "o.k., I know how this goes..." but no, a totally different experience. Grief is a process, and a bumpy road at best. Rest up this weekend Liz, you need to take care of yourself, too. - love, Jean
ReplyDeleteLiz, go out for that dinner with your son, a change of scene will do you good.Take care of yourself, everything else will keep for now Sue x
ReplyDeleteLovely pics as usual. Do take care of yourself Liz. The paperwork can wait. Anyway, it's the weekend. Walk the maze instead
ReplyDelete{{{hugs}}}
Thrilled to hear that your hard day had sweet compensation, boy it sire looks delicious.
ReplyDeleteThinking of you. Take care.