Trying to get back to functioning~~~

Hello Sweet Things,

Things of late do not feel normal.  With Lillian gone, there is an emptyness that will take sometime to heal.

Having Heather in my home is the best therapy for her at this time. 

From time to time either her parents or one of her two Uncles stay in Lillian's home for security sake.

Lillian's will (a trust really) help make things move more easily,  at first Heather thought that eventually her grandmother's house would be sold, but instead, the house has been left to her parents, with equal value portions of money to her uncles.

This is good really, her parents had to sell their home at a loss, when her father was un-employed, so even with Lillian gone physically she is still reaching out and helping family.   Lillian left Heather a letter, a lovely long letter, Heather reads it every night before she goes to sleep.   It helps encourage her to continue with what she is doing.

But everything is going to shift slowly, everyone wanting to make sure everything is done right.

Baby Sis is going to come up and visit with me for a week, so Joe is going to retreat to his apartment for a while, as he says "one man in a house full of women is courtin' danger, if I leave the seat up all three of you will come down on my head".   That doesn't mean he'll stay away, but with only one spare bedroom there won't be much space.

I'm looking forward to seeing my sister.  I've taken the week of Halloween off as vacation, with so much of my work already edging over to my associates I can aford to play "Hooky".

But I have to admit, I'm feeling a bit lost without Lillian's presence,  now I must go,  Heather is asking when are we going to the Spirit Store to get a few Halloween decorations, I think we will both welcome that distraction and I need to buy candy for our eventual trick and treaters.

Kisses Sweet Things

Loss of a Friend~~~~

Dear Sweet Things,

As you know I said I would be blogging only on occasionally----sad to say this is one of them.

My dear, sweet, wise and funny friend Lillian, passed away 2 weeks ago.  Blessedly in her sleep at home.

We had gotten together for dinner her, I and her great-grand daughter Heather, we also snuck in the little "Beast" Baby in her carry all, and had a wonderful time exchanging what we were doing in our lives.

Heather is nearly complete in her studies and has decided to look into the more business aspects of art, perhaps as a conservator or historian but she is formulating her goals much better,   she's had some art work sell and bring in a nice bit of change to help with her finances.

I've been slowly turning over things at my work, and finishing up projects and coaching people on certain things.   My Bosses want me to come in on a consulting basis as an independent analyst, and set my own hours. 

Joe will be retired after January 1 of next year,  he said he wanted to help cover the holiday hours.

BUT~~~~~~~

The following morning Heather came running over to my home, crying.  She couldn't wake up Lillian.

I ran back with her, and found Lillian very cold to the touch and no pulse, but I said we need to call an Ambulance, even though I knew it would be futile.  At the hospital we were informed that she had indeed passed away peacefully in her sleep.   Her heart simply stopped pumping.

I thought that she looked a bit tired when we got back to her home the night before, she said she wanted to go to bed early, but she and Heather had hugged each other and said 'I love you',  then she looked at me and said "Take care of my Grand daughter, some day I might not be around"  and I promised her I would.

Heather has not been able to sleep in her Grandmother's house so I've had her and the little beast sleeping in my spare bedroom.   Her parents, uncles and aunts have attended to all the arrangements and Lillian had a splendid funeral,  many police officers current and retired were there, she was well loved.

And now it's the process of settling the estate.  It will be a slow and for Heather, a painful process,  I've talked to her parents and offered to have Heather stay with me for as long as she wants while she goes to college until she completes her education and decides what she wants to do in her life.

I have to admit and so does Joe, it is nice to have Heather and the little beast around, and it helps Heather, so she can heal.  We've had talks, long talks, it helps her process her grief.

And I've noticed recently her drawings and paintings have taken on a new subject Grandmothers and grandchildren.   She has some wonderful photos of Lillian so she's planning on taking special classes on portrait painting, I think so she can complete at least one of one special person.

Now I have to get use to a shift in my life, I miss Lillian's presence very painfully and I appreciate my phone calls to my parents and e-mails from them even more now.  Yes, Dad has finally succumbed to using e-mail, he says it cramps his hands a lot less than writing a letter, but I still send him and mother a card with a little letter in it to keep the personal touch.

Now the weather is beginning to turn colder, Halloween is coming, even though one loses a loved one life still goes on.  And we must endure.

Later Sweet Things.