Whirlwind

2007 has been marked already by unparalleled dizziness and familial tragedy. My father-in-law, RO, died after a short, steep illness that was draped over the complications of Parkinson's disease, with which he had contended for some years.

I remembered just after I had heard that R had died, that my art teacher at school had once explained to me that sometimes the best way of catching the likeness of someone was to draw the space around him. I think that memory came into my head because my sense is that the space around R those last difficult weeks had been brimming with love and unconditional affection which, while perhaps a little obtuse as an observation, encompassed anything I could say. I’ll miss his gentle hand on the rudder enormously and I’m very sorry.

Meanwhile, things rumble on. With P away, we started to see the odd hairline crack form in domestic standards at Dadville and there were some hasty repairs to ensure that P wasn't too disheartened by our lower standards on her return. I think that the location of crisp crumbs is a decent guide to the state of things and from my chair, as I fretted about the state of things, I could see evidence of Pringle remnants on the upstairs landing, which was a little disturbing. I didn't venture into I’s room for some days, but I was mildly amused to hear her complain about the stench of stockpiled dirty clothes in the washing basket OUTSIDE her room. I suspect it’s the absence of her hair straighteners (which had packed up) which would previously have masked the mediaeval aromas that circulate in there.

J fluctuated between alien battles on the telly, smackdown wrestling games (don’t ask), drumming practice, the odd bit of make believe in the garden and general chit chat – mostly challenging questions about nuclear reactors, which I had a go at answering, but I think they’re mostly ill-informed guesses, which gets me worried because he says “thanks Dad, I’ve learnt more in the last ten minutes than I have in a term in science at school.” Well, maybe guesses are OK – I’ve made a living out of them for years.

Rest in peace, RO.