Saying Goodbye Is Hard!

I know I've been a bit quiet in the last couple of weeks, but it's been a bit of a rough time for us. You see, we had the very difficult task of saying goodbye to my gorgeous Grandma & although I wanted to let you all know, it's been hard to find the words ... Harder still for my heart to believe them. A heartfelt THANK YOU to all of you who've sent well-wishes, condolences & have kept checking in on me to see how I'm traveling. Your thoughts, prayers & care have been a comfort during a sad time.

My Beloved Geek Boy & I made the sad trip to Bundaberg last Friday to say our goodbyes to Grandma in a service that, on her instructions, included lots of stories & happy memories from her family & friends. And as strange as it might sound, there was lots of laughter. Exactly as Grandma wanted. :0)

Grandma was 94 and had lived a full & happy life ... Not an EASY life, though. On finishing school Grandma undertook her nursing training in Mackay, where she became good friends with another girl ... Who introduced her to my Gramps ...

Together they had two children ... Mum & her brother ... Then Grandma was diagnosed with tuberculosis. Mum & my uncle lived with family members for two years while Grandma underwent intense experimental treatment ... Which thankfully was successful. They then had two more children & many happy years of marriage.

Gramps passed more than 20 years ago & although Grandma missed him, she had many wonderful friends around her at the retirement village they'd moved to only a year or so before. Her life was jam-packed with family, friends, outings & travel. One of the lovely ladies who spoke to me after Grandm's service was the owner of the bus company Grandma did many trips with & she said her lasting memory of Edna was that she always had a funny story or joke to share. What a lovely way to be remembered! :0)

So many of my childhood memories are tied to the times spent at Grandma & Gramps' place, firstly at the Emerald Pool which they managed for some years & later at Clairview Beach near Mackay where they retired. There was always a crowd of people ... Family, friends & anyone who looked like they needed some company & a good meal. It seemed the walls of their home were elastic, because there was always room for one more.

And there was always LOTS of laughter! Nobody believes me when I say that I'm the shy, quiet one of the family ... Until they meet the rest of my family! :0) And it all started with Grandma.

I was fortunate to spend a lot of time with Grandma over the years & was especially glad that I was able to spend her last birthday with her ...

I also felt very blessed to say goodbye to Grandma surrounded by all of the family, except one cousin from Western Australia who was unable to travel due to illness. Our 'mob', as Grandma used to call it, gathered from five different states & from all corners of Queensland to farewell her. There were many tears, but I truly think they were far outweighed by the stories & laughter, shared by those who knew & loved Grandma most. A fitting tribute to a life well-lived, I think.

And it was a reminder to be grateful for each day we're given, whether it brings challenges or joy; to grab hold of life & squeeze out every drop; to MAKE the time to spend with family & friends ... Who really don't care if your house isn't picture perfect or if you're not looking your glamorous best! ... And most importantly tell your loved ones at EVERY opportunity how precious they are to you. Hopefully that way when our time is up, people will have many memories of our adventures, our laughter & our love for them & be able to say, as we can of Grandma, that we had a life well-lived.

Til next time ...

BEAR HUGS!

CHEERS!

KRIS xx