Visitation

Yesterday, Andy my old school pal came over - which was really great.  It's probably been seven years since we last met up and there was a lot of catching up to do.  Over a takeaway curry we talked about what had happened to both of us over the years - how things have changed.  We talked about Christine, William, Ben, Emma, Andy's new life and his hopes for the future.  I'm really pleased for Andy - a great adventure awaits him.

When he left on Sunday the house felt empty and I wanted to up date Christine - she would have been overjoyed.   Enjoyable events/visits like this seem to open a door - a chink in my armour, and a feeling of overwhelming sadness for Christine's pain and an immense feeling of longing floods in.  I talk to Christine all the time.

I've been doing some paintings based upon my holiday in Snowdonia, at the same time I've been listening to 'The Odessey' on CD.  It's a version of the story adapted by Simon Armitage which Chris loved and we'd listen to in the car.   It's beautifully written - it's a story full of human emotion, love, passion, fear, anger, arrogance and more.  The ending when Odysseus comes home, slays Penelope's suitors and Penelope begins to realises who he is when he describes how he constructed the marital bed from a giant olive tree, is just magnificent.  I cry as I listen to the ending and remember how Christine used to explain the story to me and how she opened up my mind to it's beauty.  She gave me such a lot and I am really blessed to have had her my life.