Tough time recently...
Nov. 12th, 2003 04:35 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
drcuriosityThings have been a bit... well, difficult.
My grandfather died a couple of days ago. In hospital - went in with a bleeding stomach ulcer, and left in a hearse with a broken shoulder and neck. Many of my family are still somewhat in shock and wondering how in seven hells they could let something like that happen.
So, I might be heading up north for a funeral early next week. Certainly not the best circumstances under which to see Grandpa. I miss him already.
My grandfather was many things over the years - radio operator, miner, geologist, boss, botanist, fisherman, father... but one of the things I remember most about our summer holiday visits was his flying. Most of our trips started and ended with Owen flying us to and from his home town from one of the larger airports in either Auckland or Hamilton.
This is utterly geeky I know, but I pulled out the MS Flight Simulator the other day, and "flew" from Hamilton (where he was in hospital) to his home field at Pauanui Beach, in the kind of plane he used to fly us in. There was something about flying over those hills in the rain that was somehow cathartic - even they weren't real hills, or real rain. The best I could do at short notice, given my complete lack of pilot's licences. I hope he might have appreciated the gesture though, all the same.
When I have nothing left to fear
When I have nothing left to say
I'll just let this slip away
I feel these engines power down
I feel this heart begin to bleed
As I turn this burning page...
My grandfather died a couple of days ago. In hospital - went in with a bleeding stomach ulcer, and left in a hearse with a broken shoulder and neck. Many of my family are still somewhat in shock and wondering how in seven hells they could let something like that happen.
So, I might be heading up north for a funeral early next week. Certainly not the best circumstances under which to see Grandpa. I miss him already.
My grandfather was many things over the years - radio operator, miner, geologist, boss, botanist, fisherman, father... but one of the things I remember most about our summer holiday visits was his flying. Most of our trips started and ended with Owen flying us to and from his home town from one of the larger airports in either Auckland or Hamilton.
This is utterly geeky I know, but I pulled out the MS Flight Simulator the other day, and "flew" from Hamilton (where he was in hospital) to his home field at Pauanui Beach, in the kind of plane he used to fly us in. There was something about flying over those hills in the rain that was somehow cathartic - even they weren't real hills, or real rain. The best I could do at short notice, given my complete lack of pilot's licences. I hope he might have appreciated the gesture though, all the same.
When I have nothing left to fear
When I have nothing left to say
I'll just let this slip away
I feel these engines power down
I feel this heart begin to bleed
As I turn this burning page...
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2003-11-11 07:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-11-11 07:42 pm (UTC)*hugs*
no subject
Date: 2003-11-11 07:42 pm (UTC)*hugs*
Date: 2003-11-11 07:43 pm (UTC)*cuddle*
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Date: 2003-11-11 07:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-11-11 07:53 pm (UTC):(
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Date: 2003-11-11 07:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-11-11 08:10 pm (UTC)*HUGS*
Date: 2003-11-11 08:14 pm (UTC)I think he'd be *absolutely* pleased by your gesture. Not geeky at all - absolutely heartbreakingly lovely of you.
If there's anything I can do, just let me know.
Take care.
no subject
Date: 2003-11-11 08:19 pm (UTC)I'm sorry about him passing away *nuzzles*
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Date: 2003-11-11 08:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-11-11 08:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-11-11 08:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-11-11 08:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-11-11 08:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-11-11 08:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-11-11 09:38 pm (UTC)how did an ulcer lead to broken bones?
i wish you strength.
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Date: 2003-11-11 09:47 pm (UTC)my heart is with you.
no subject
Date: 2003-11-11 09:59 pm (UTC)*hugs*
I hope you get the answers you need, it's a terrible, tragic thing to happen.
*hugs again*
Angela
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Date: 2003-11-11 10:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-11-11 10:52 pm (UTC)- Erin
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Date: 2003-11-11 10:56 pm (UTC)my grandfather died when i was young, but i've heard so much about him & we talk about him so often that i feel i know him better than i do most people who are still alive...
hope you cherish all your memories
no subject
Date: 2003-11-12 12:02 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-11-12 12:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-11-12 01:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-11-12 01:44 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-11-12 03:48 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-11-12 04:37 am (UTC)*sighs*
Look after yourself.
*hugs*
*Warm Hugs*
Date: 2003-11-12 08:16 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-11-12 08:25 am (UTC)*BIG HUGS*
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Date: 2003-11-12 09:02 am (UTC)The Sim flight was indeed a fitting touch.
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Date: 2003-11-12 02:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-11-12 03:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-11-13 01:04 am (UTC)I'm sure he would have appreciated the tribute.
no subject
Date: 2003-11-13 03:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-11-15 10:38 pm (UTC)