Through complete coincidence, I’ve had a bit of a binge recently catching up with Christopher’s friends and family and getting up to date with the news and gossip. First, I had my annual lunch with Peter, Christopher’s stepfather. Peter goes on holiday every summer to visit some friends of his in the depths of Wales, and his route takes him practically past my front door on his way there and back. So we try to make a point of meeting up for lunch at a pub, at either a comfy country pub if it’s a weekend, or one close to my work if he’s passing by on a weekday. This year it was a midweek visit, so it was the option within walking distance of work. The pub’s not brilliant, but the food is filling and not too pretentious. We had a good chat, and Peter was able to give me good news of Christopher’s Tree – it’s apparently healthy and thriving.
On Sunday I got a phone call out of the blue from some of Christopher’s university friends, a married couple who were the first of his friends that he introduced me to, and who came to our wedding. I’ve not seen them for ages – I suspect not since the funeral in fact, and I wasn’t exactly in the mood to chat at that point! But they were just an hour away, visiting some mutual friends in Wales, and they too would need to pass by my house on their way home, so was I around if they called in for a cup of tea? It was really good to see them again and to catch up on far too many years of news and gossip. I was a bit shocked though to realise that their son, whom I first met as a tiny baby, has now finished university! It’s quite shocking how time flies……
{ 1 } Comments
I am amazed how fast my life has gone. It is 54 years ago that I embarked on a teaching career in Papua New Guinea. Most of my colleagues of that time have gone.