Yesterday morning Sharen’s nephew called me to let me know that Sharen had passed on overnight, I took it. He and his partner were visiting Sharen last Tuesday when she had a stroke from which she did not recover and at her age of one hundred and one (101) that was not something she wanted.
Thus, last Thursday afternoon became my last visit to her after ten years of weekly coffee visits, chats, talks, jokes and witty observations, with many recollections in her last two years. Even though her passing was anticipated, the feelings that surface when we arrive at such an event, often present us with a surprise.
Our relationship started as a friendship, but developed other aspects since our age difference was that of a full generation. I never experienced my parents in their old age, because they were back in Holland. Sharen had no children and so some other bonds formed and various affections flowed between us. This was helped along by the sense of humour and wit that we had in common, as it turned out.
So, I’ll miss my good and dear friend as our weekly ‘encounters’ have come to an end, but there can be encounters of various kinds I have discovered, so we’ll see. For now I’m going to be busy putting some sort of memorial for Sharen on my website. Last night I surveyed my picture folders identifying the relevant ones.
Once that album is started, I will send emails with a link to it and with Sharen’s November photo to the friends that I have on my list and then complete the memorial album.
I also want to make a visit to late Sharen’s care home and offer my condolences to the staff of her ‘Willow’ section of the Cedars Villa Care home. I know that some will miss her and moreover they always live with people departing, which must be sad at times.
I talked to my sister yesterday since she met Sharen in 2005 and also asked her whether the changed dates for my trip and visit would suit. That was no problem, except for the days being shorter later in the summer! I explained that I needed more time to get ready for this - probably last - major trip. Els is so accommodating and we are both looking forward to this visit.
Last, but not least, the repair man Richard stopped by yesterday and promised to start fixing the ceiling hole in my bathroom this afternoon. That makes is exactly four (4) weeks since the hole was made to fix the plumber’s leaky repair job of the upstairs plumbing. All after several phone calls and three memos to manager Janet, who now has left and will be replaced by a Peter.
Time has come to close this account of my daily activities and refresh myself with a shower.
<9:03am and meeting Elisabeth for a coffee shortly.<9:49am~