This morning Sue phoned to say she had received their string of Prayer Flags - it was a special moment as I have thought over the last couple of days - am I on my own with this stuff - but Paul and Sue's reaction - and Gilly last night has been wonderful. The boys - Chris's sons! have now signed their own Prayer Flags which I have added to mine on the string in the garden and on their suggestion we have reserved two for Aziz and Jamal!
Tired tonight after a day dancing - lovely to come home to my three beautiful boys - we have just had tea - rather strange mixture of veggie things - but feel so happy tonight - and happy is good.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Friday, September 26, 2008
Prayer flags
Today I cut up some of the cloth that Rene took to the Sweat Lodge and made it into Prayer Flags, I then wrote my name on each flag and hung them in my garden for the wind to blow.
I took this picture from the spot where Chris last looked at the world.
Then as I had the sewing machine out I made the dog a new bed!
Now I'm going for a pub lunch with two of my beautiful boys and we have made a Chile sin Carne for the third one.
I took this picture from the spot where Chris last looked at the world.
Then as I had the sewing machine out I made the dog a new bed!
Now I'm going for a pub lunch with two of my beautiful boys and we have made a Chile sin Carne for the third one.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Second Anniversary
Two years on and I’m home alone – it’s Thursday night and Jim has just gone out after we had a fishcake tea together – this is one of our favourite teas – very quick – frozen haddock pieces from Dial a Deli plus mashed potatoes and ‘fish spice’ from my holiday in Provence with Gilly, all fried together served with peas!
Busy day at work – didn’t get home till late - have been aware all week, and particularly today, that it’s my second anniversary. Drove home deliberately via a different route – coming home from work, I often get a flashback to ‘that’ drive home – 'The' phone call from Jim - 'The' drive home – knowing in my heart of hearts that it was the end for Chris - coming home and finding him in the back garden – gone – and then the whole thing happening, the hospital – me and our wonderful boys - the long night - and then my lovely Chris was gone.
Looked back at last year’s blog I am amazed to see how much stronger I am this year – tonight I intend to have a couple of glasses of wine and - do things like look at photos and let myself wallow a while - because I think these are good things to do now and then - and it is the second anniversary of the death of my husband.
Am taking tomorrow off work – got lots of things to do and in some ways the feeling that I could have gone in – and even should have gone in tomorrow – makes me see how much further I am on this year. So tomorrow I am going to get a new back yard gate fitted and as Jim’s at home – Baker Day – and Rob’s coming round - we will go out for lunch somewhere and then Alex is coming home tomorrow evening. Then Saturday I’m going dancing.
I don’t think I would have done this anyway as nearly as well - if I hadn’t found dancing – even went dancing in Washington last Saturday – how amazing is that! I do love dancing it is just so important to me – difficult to explain why – but I find real release and peace when I dance.
So two years on – I’m me – the widow of Chris Jenkins, the international educator, the mother of three lovely boys, daughter of two elderly parents, sister, aunt and friend and colleague of many – how lucky is she that Tricia – very lucky and she knows it.
Busy day at work – didn’t get home till late - have been aware all week, and particularly today, that it’s my second anniversary. Drove home deliberately via a different route – coming home from work, I often get a flashback to ‘that’ drive home – 'The' phone call from Jim - 'The' drive home – knowing in my heart of hearts that it was the end for Chris - coming home and finding him in the back garden – gone – and then the whole thing happening, the hospital – me and our wonderful boys - the long night - and then my lovely Chris was gone.
Looked back at last year’s blog I am amazed to see how much stronger I am this year – tonight I intend to have a couple of glasses of wine and - do things like look at photos and let myself wallow a while - because I think these are good things to do now and then - and it is the second anniversary of the death of my husband.
Am taking tomorrow off work – got lots of things to do and in some ways the feeling that I could have gone in – and even should have gone in tomorrow – makes me see how much further I am on this year. So tomorrow I am going to get a new back yard gate fitted and as Jim’s at home – Baker Day – and Rob’s coming round - we will go out for lunch somewhere and then Alex is coming home tomorrow evening. Then Saturday I’m going dancing.
I don’t think I would have done this anyway as nearly as well - if I hadn’t found dancing – even went dancing in Washington last Saturday – how amazing is that! I do love dancing it is just so important to me – difficult to explain why – but I find real release and peace when I dance.
So two years on – I’m me – the widow of Chris Jenkins, the international educator, the mother of three lovely boys, daughter of two elderly parents, sister, aunt and friend and colleague of many – how lucky is she that Tricia – very lucky and she knows it.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Washington DC...
This is my 11th COE Annual Conference and 5th one in Washington. I talked to Mitch last night about the two versions of me - the one of 1998 and the one of 2008. Mitch and I met in Tallin, Estonia - he reminded me of the actual conversation and location. The Tricia that came to Washington that year was 'fully formed' but it was coming here and in particular a lunch with Mitch, where, I began to understand what I knew.
This year has also contained a turning point - and my conversation with Rene last night, clarified it. We went off on our own last night and had an amazing dinner. When I was in Antwerp I got a Fortune Cookie which said 'Keep waiting for the right moment' and it's my mantra at the moment - it's important to wait for the right moment and the knowledge is recognising it.
The conference has a final morning session - big breakfast in the Crystal Ballroom - the Tricia of 1998 was completely over-whelmed by these - 2,000 people events - the Tricia of 2008 is much more blase!
Think about Susan everyday as it would have been wonderful to see this through her eyes - and I send her my love. xxxxxxx
This year has also contained a turning point - and my conversation with Rene last night, clarified it. We went off on our own last night and had an amazing dinner. When I was in Antwerp I got a Fortune Cookie which said 'Keep waiting for the right moment' and it's my mantra at the moment - it's important to wait for the right moment and the knowledge is recognising it.
The conference has a final morning session - big breakfast in the Crystal Ballroom - the Tricia of 1998 was completely over-whelmed by these - 2,000 people events - the Tricia of 2008 is much more blase!
Think about Susan everyday as it would have been wonderful to see this through her eyes - and I send her my love. xxxxxxx
Saturday, September 13, 2008
back home - but not for long.........
Slobbing on the sofa after an early start to leave Antwerp. Then off again on Monday. I think the day I stop enjoying doing all this I will stop - but at the moment feel quite excited about the way things are happening. I'm also increasingly feeling a sense of 'urgency' about my professional life - I will be 56 in January and lots of people retire at 60 - though I don't feel ready yet! Does add to a real feeling of uncertainty about my future.
Funny thing is - as I've lost weight and probably taken more care about the way of look - I think I look younger than I did a few years ago - and feel overall very positive about my life - as well as being very fortunate and lucky!
Jimmy copes well with me being away and he too is getting older - if Chris hadn't died when he did, Jim would have probably been off to University at this time. So I do feel better about leaving him on his own quite a lot - he's also getting quite a confident cook - saying that every time I go away he cooks more ambitiously. I put three pizzas in the freezer a while ago and there's still two left and that wouldn't have happened a few months ago!
But as I am home I shall now go and cook something for our tea.
Funny thing is - as I've lost weight and probably taken more care about the way of look - I think I look younger than I did a few years ago - and feel overall very positive about my life - as well as being very fortunate and lucky!
Jimmy copes well with me being away and he too is getting older - if Chris hadn't died when he did, Jim would have probably been off to University at this time. So I do feel better about leaving him on his own quite a lot - he's also getting quite a confident cook - saying that every time I go away he cooks more ambitiously. I put three pizzas in the freezer a while ago and there's still two left and that wouldn't have happened a few months ago!
But as I am home I shall now go and cook something for our tea.
Sunday, September 07, 2008
Home weekend
A weekend at home - a bit rare this summer- but who's complaining! .....and a busy and social weekend - Cuba night last night and Nita today - talking about my summer and catching up with others.
Feeling good at the moment but aware that I'm coming up to the second anniversary of Chris's death. Know the pain is still there - but it's deeper - but am also increasingly aware that all of us live with pain. Funny as I always knew that Chris 'lived with pain' which he did and I always thought of this as the pain associated with his legs. However the magic of Chris was that he 'lived with pain' in a wider sense and I think I'm beginning to understand more what this means. The importance of small things being just one crucial element of this.
But life is good and should be enjoyed and I do appreciate how lucky I am.
Feeling good at the moment but aware that I'm coming up to the second anniversary of Chris's death. Know the pain is still there - but it's deeper - but am also increasingly aware that all of us live with pain. Funny as I always knew that Chris 'lived with pain' which he did and I always thought of this as the pain associated with his legs. However the magic of Chris was that he 'lived with pain' in a wider sense and I think I'm beginning to understand more what this means. The importance of small things being just one crucial element of this.
But life is good and should be enjoyed and I do appreciate how lucky I am.
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