Life can be like that.....

Not the title for my first post I had been expecting after a holiday, nor the content.

After three wonderful weeks away with my wife, visiting some fantastic places, quite a few significant railway locations, collecting a bunch of images and walking the entire perway of Gwabegar with my mate Bob (Coolah Branch blog), I thought that these things, and a few others, would be shared. Instead I will share that last Friday, just 5 months and one day after fare-welling my Dad, my family and I said our farewells to my Mum.

In the same chapel, at the same time, in another beautiful service, led by the same minister to almost the same people, we went through the same painful experience again.

In stark contrast to Dads 8 year battle, Mum suffered a stroke in the early hours of the morning and passed away at 9pm the same night, never regaining consciousness. Francine and I were by her side till the end.

And as a precursor to a wonderful week, last Monday, whilst driving to the funeral directors to make arrangements, we were involved in a 'hit 'n run' accident. A car traveling in the opposite direction, hit a truck, then us and just kept going. Whilst I am thankful no one was hurt I was left speechless and suffering from an acute dose of what-else-can-go-wrong-ittis ! He, or she, never missed a panel down the drivers side of our six month old car, our first new one in 17 years.

I received an email from a friend a few days after Mum passed away and he said "I guess they just wanted to be together on their journey", now this friend never knew Mum, or Dad, so I replied with a grin "if they are indeed continuing their journey, it's a safe bet that they will be arguing about which way to go".

There is one farewell I am definitely looking forward to....2011.

I will miss you Mum.









Mum with my son Andrew. Christmas 2010


Patricia Mary Laker 28/3/1924 - 22/10/2011

Pat and Roy, together 62 years, apart just 4 months and 28 days.