Beautiful Day

Well Grandad had a beautiful send off. The church service was a wonderful blend of traditional English and Cypriot. It started as any other British funeral, Hubby and his father and male cousins carried the coffin. We sang hymns and listened to tributes and readings. Then he was blessed by the Cypriot Papa. At the grave olive oil was poured over the coffin and food thrown in to see him through to the other side.

It was a very emotional day, but I think he would have been very happy with it. Nan coped amazingly well, I think she knew it was time. It was wonderful to get the family together and a few unsteady bridges were reinforced. It really couldn't have gone any better.

Thank to everyone who has left kind messages, you are all so lovely.

In other news, Jedi has now had her cast off and was STILL in quite a bit of pain. So she went to see my cousin the chiropractor. Turns out she had a slight dislocation in the side of her foot and torn ligaments. The doctors had obviously missed it on the x-rays!! Anyway the ligaments weren't healing because of the dislocation. My cousin has put it right and the difference was almost immediate. The ligaments will still take a while to heal but at least they can now. I'm glad she went, imagine how much trouble she would have had if we hadn't. My cousin also had to adjust her back where she had been walking funny for so long. It's seven weeks since the original incident!

Apart from that not much to report apart from the fact it is too bloody cold! At least I'm not in Scotland like my poor hubby!

For Grandad

Grandad is on the right, with his father, who he looked so much like in later life


Grandad was born in Kaimakli, Cyprus in November 1916. He worked as a stonemason and if you go to the Post Office in Nicosia you can see his work standing proud. Grandad fought for Britain in World War II and came to London after the war. Here he met Nan, fell in love and stayed.

Grandad worked in various posh hotels and restaurants as a chef and has even cooked for the queen! Grandad and Nan started a family and after living for a time in Cyprus settled back in the UK. (Nan couldn't cope very well with the climate in Cyprus).

They had four children one of which was my father in law. When my husband was growing up he embraced his Cypriot heritage and was extremely close to his Grandfather. He learned the language and spent as much time with him as possible. When he was about ten Grandad took him to Cyprus for three months and had him confirmed in the Greek Orthodox church.

Grandad was a very heavy smoker when he was younger and was finaly diagnosed with emphysema when he was in his early seventies. He battled on and led a fairly resonable life. The last time he went back to Cyprus was in 2002, he wanted to go again last year but his health had deteriorated too much and doctors would not let him fly.

He was a very strong man, and very tall for a Greek. But he was also very much in charge of his family. He was very much the head. He kept the family in line and was always the one to sort out any arguements. What Grandad said - was. Even as his health failed him, he was respected and revered.

Back at the beginning of November Grandad ended up in hospital with a chest infection. He was up and down for a couple of weeks. One minute we were told he only had a few days to live, the next he was getting stronger again. He finally, drifted away peacefully 6 days after his 92nd birthday.

I have worried about this time ever since I met my husband and grew to realise how much his Grandad meant to him. I have dreaded the aftermath. We both thought he would fall apart but my husband is so far coping remarkably well. The time Grandad spent in hospital, I guess, has given us all time to adjust and get used to the idea. The funeral will be down in Somerset on Friday, that is going to be the hardest, that's when it really hits you most. The worst thing is that my husband is now working up in Dumfries a million miles from everyone. He has to fly down for the funeral then fly straight back again. I will meet him there but it is hard not being able to be with him and support him the rest of the time.

Grandad was a great man and will leave a very big hole behind. I just hope everyone can be grateful for the many years we had him for and celebrate them.


Rest In Peace Grandad 16/11/1916 - 21/11/2008

R.I.P. Grandad

After celebrating his 92nd birthday last weekend Grandad finally decided enough was enough. He passed away peacefully this morning.

Sexy's back!!

Hi folks, I'm back. Phew, been a bit manic I guess. Thanks to everyone who left kind comments and best wishes. We got down to Somerset and saw Nan. Thankfully she has improved hugely over the last week or so, but is adamant that she will be home soon and taking care of Grandad. Unfortunately, Grandad is now also in hospital. He came down with a chest infection which, of course, on top of emphysema was pretty serious. He is doing well though and at least Nan can stop fretting that he isn't being looked after properly.

They will both now stay in hospital until suitable care is arranged and the house adapted for them. Hopefully, they will both be tranferred to the community hospital a bit nearer to home. It has been a very worrying time but things are looking brighter.

The foot that Jedi hurt nearly a month ago has been getting worse not better. I took her to the doctor and he referred her to a consultant at the fracture clinic in Shrewsbury hospital. The hospital is an hour away and we spent a further three and a half hours there getting nowhere fast. They don't really know what she has done, nothing shows up on her x-rays but poor Jedi is still in a lot of pain. They have decided to immobilise her foot by casting it for three weeks. Hopefully this will give whatever has been damaged time to heal.

On yet another note, I finally have a job. I'm feeling pretty pleased with myself for getting through the lengthy application/interview process. The job is not the classroom assistant post I had hoped for, but an admin post which promises to be a challenge. The company provides supplies for schools and closes during school holidays so will fit well around the children. I first had to pass a numeracy and literacy test, which wasn't too difficult but focused on attention to detail and accuracy. Those that passed these tests got an interview. At the time of my interview I was told there had been a lot of applicants and that they would narrow it down and then interview again. I had my second this morning. It was between me and one other person. They told me I would hear in a couple of days but by lunchtime I had been offered the job!! I wonder if the other person didn't turn up! Anyway, yay for me and as I will get paid monthly there will be a nice bundle in the bank just in time for Christmas. :)

Worrying times

The last few days have been very worrying. My husband's 81 year old Grandmother was taken into hospital on Friday. She had been suffering with a bladder infection that had got out of control. She had become so poorly that sickness was causing her not to keep the antibiotics down.

Initially on Saturday she appeared to improve a little but on Sunday she developed Septicemia which in turn caused problems with her heart. My husband is very close to both his Grandparents and because he is in Liverpool has been feeling the distance. It would be at least a five hour drive to get back to see her. He has been on standby all weekend.

Not only are we extremely worried about her, but Grandad also. He is in his 90's and has suffered from Emphacemia for 20 years and needs a lot of support. It's quite amazing really, both of them have health problems and alone stuggle to cope, but together as a team they cope very nicely. Grandad is unable to visit Nan in hospital and is undoubtedly very concerned.

Today we received the new that Nan is on the up and is now stable. But it looks like she will be staying in hospital for around a month and when she does get home will not be able to care for Grandad anymore. It looks like they are going to need full time help.

Hubby's contract in Liverpool comes to an end this week, so he is going to come home on Wednesday and spend a bit of time with the family before he goes off to his next job, which unfortunately is in Dumfries! So Thursday the kids are going to stay with my sister and we are heading back to Somerset to see both Nan and Grandad.

I do hope Nan recovers quickly, I really am unsure how Grandad is going to cope without her, and it is awful to see them apart.