Well, she’s gone.
As was to be expected of her, she made a quick and brilliant exit when the time came that she was getting zero pleasure out of life. Wednesday night she was in the sitting room in front of the fire with a whisky and soda (albeit weak and in a wheelchair), thursday morning she sat in on her customary literature class via skype from her bed (happened to be on Herrick this week, her favourite 17th century poet) and she was gone by 8pm that night – last night… it is the end of an era…
We are in deep mid-winter here in Cotherstone, with a foot and a half of snow and counting. Last night was extraordinarily beautiful – bitter cold and crystal clear, with a big bright shiny moon and lots of stars – perfect for travel to the stars… and this morning it started to snow again…. Sister is stuck up in northern Scotland, snowbound, so I am on my own – hard, but perhaps a blessing in disguise.
My mother was an amazing lady – and an elegant one, who kept her sense of humour ’til the end, in spite of it all. It was a privilege to have spent the past year and some months with her, and I have done what I came to do. I will be here for some time yet, sorting out the aftermath. What comes next I have no idea – but then, when have I ever?