The summer still clings on, it was so hot this afternoon, when we were shopping in town, and I was melting on the way home.
Last Sunday I fancied a slice of something sweet for tea. I cannot claim that I've baked this raspberry tart from scratch. It was a frozen tart which I bought in Ocado. The raspberries had just the right balance of sweet and tart.
Treasure Island by Stevenson was one of birthday gifts for Eddie. A family friend asked me if Eddie has read it before. We're reading it together this week. There are a lot of archaic words which we need to check out in the dictionary online.
Ankecher, chuck farthern on the blessed gravestones, holus-bolus anyone?
The picture in the photo is a sea print we bought while on our holiday in Cornwall, in the artist's studio in Perranuthnoe. Eddie has chosen it himself. I still need to frame it for his room.
While the evenings are warm and dry, we like to be in the garden.
Echinacea is still in bloom, but it looks like it won't last very long.
Thursday was an emotional heart-rending day. We attended a church service for the daughter of our friends. The church was packed full, so many people came to say Good bye, parents from the school, teachers, friends. I cried non-stop. Eddie was my pillar of support, sitting next to me and squeezing my hand at times.
Sash managed about 2/3rds of the service, and then my husband and he quietly left. E and Sash were class mates for many years. I don't know how much he understands about death and the finality of it.
The sun was out, and the wildflowers were in full bloom, when we went to the local cemetery to lay E to rest. The cemetery is surrounded by trees and fields of flowers. It was a beautiful day to say Good bye to a beautiful child.
A rather uneventful day for me, and I relish it. The previous two days were so emotionally-charged that I needed a mindless day of just a bit of shopping and reading a paperback, where I don't relate to any of the characters and don't care much as to what happens to them.
Eddie went to Oxford with his Dad to buy a new tablet for Sash, who has destroyed my ipad yet again. I told them to get the cheapest Amazon tablet.
They sent me the photo of Eddie zorbing in West Gate centre.
I noticed the dark nights have started creeping in. I don't like it!
ReplyDeleteThat raspberry tart looks so good. Who cares that it was a frozen one.
What random words from Treasure Island. I've not heard of them before.
Aww! What a wonderful boy Eddie is. It sounds like he was your rock at the church service. So sorry.
Thank you, Kim, Ocado sells a lot of tasty French frozen desserts. Our favourite is the Normandy apple tart, sooo good.
Deletewe have noticed the dark nights approaching as well,only 8 weeks till the clocks change and it is dark at 4pm long before that.
ReplyDeleteWell done for attending the funeral, and to Sasha for managing some of the service I am sure the family get some comfort from people attending the funeral but parent should have to bury their child, just so unfair.
Thank you, Elaine, it is such a tragedy. The dark evenings are creeping up on us, every day it's darker even earlier.
DeleteSounds like a tough, emotional week - sending hugs xx
ReplyDeleteThank you, Cheryl, it was a very sad week.
DeleteThe funeral sounds horrendous. What an awful thing for the family to go through. How lovely that Eddie was such a good support to you. I love that photo of him.
ReplyDeleteI must admit we gave up reading old fashioned books with the kids because the language was so hard to understand. I read books from the 1920s as a kid, but language seems to have moved on so far now that my kids couldn't get their heads round it.
Thank you, Sarah, I was surprised myself at how archaic I found the language. I did read it as a child, and don't remember finding it so difficult.
DeleteI wish we'd had time to go back to the Westgate, N loves those zorbing things. Sorry to hear about E. Sounds like she had a send off from people who really cared about her
ReplyDeleteThank you, Emma, E has touched the hearts of so many.
DeleteThursday must have been a difficult day. I do like Eddie's choice of picture. We have found old fashioned literature too difficult to read which is a shame as I used to read lots of old books as a child, but even though H is a great reader, it's proved problematic.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Erica, we're still struggling through the book. There are so many nautical terms we need to consult the dictionary. I think the next book will be something more modern.
DeleteI can imagine how hard it was. It's great that Eddie was so supportive, you should be so proud of him, and of Sash as well, of course.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Anca, both boys did really well, I was worried about them.
DeleteI am sorry to hear about E, I am sure your support really meant a lot to the parents.
ReplyDeleteLooks like Eddie enjoyed the zorbing and that tart looks delicious x
Thank you, Eddie loved zorbing, this is the 3rd time he did it, and he would happily do it again and again.
DeleteSo sorry to hear about E, I hope you get the support you need. That tart looks delicious xx
ReplyDeleteThank you, Susan, the boys keep me busy, and I have to be strong for them.
Deleteso very sorry to hear about the death of your friends child, hope visiting the churchyard the following day gave you some peace and well done to Sasha for managing so much of the service. Grrrrr to the smashed Ipad, do they get smashed often?
ReplyDeleteAutumn really does seem to be approaching: the sun is setting much earlier and we even had the heating come on automatically last week! #project365
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