Two rainbows

Two rainbows
Originally uploaded by terry Dixon

5 star friends

Charlotte and Ang came to stay for 2 nights at the weekend. We thought it would be nice to meet up at this time. We had a good cry on saturday morning... looking at the memory book and talking about everything that happened.
Two months before the accident the 3 of us took our A levels and then went to Turkey for a holiday.
A few weeks after the accident the 3 of us walked into St Michaels church together for the memorial service.
I can never thank them enough for their support and friendship. x

Big wind chime

Big wind chime
Originally uploaded by terry Dixon

There was no way around it.

It has been a long and tiring week...but one that I think I had to go through. Even after 20 years... it is has been hard for me to avoid the sadness and the upset. There has been a lot to think about. My participants have said to me...."Jill, you look really tired today".... all I could say was "I ve got a lot on my mind" or "I know....dont worry...its a long story".
Olivia said she had been thinking about events that frame our lives. How things happen and we are taken in a completely different direction. I often wonder where I would be now and what I would be doing if my family were still here. Would I be living here with Terence and a pesky cat ..... probably not. x

Ariel

There was a man on our roof this morning..... he was up there to secure our ariel into a new spot. He then took another ariel off it and down into our dining room....so we can now watch TV in there. He could hardly believe that we only have one TV in the house. Yes... we actually sit down and watch TV together.
On our one TV, I am loving Noel on Never Mind The Buzzcocks..... he is so lovely. If you go to BBC.CO.UK and look up the show there are some red button bits with Noel and Phil Jupitus. Noel....he once saw Rolf Harris on a ferry.

Auntie Angela x

Auntie Angela x
Originally uploaded by terry Dixon

Auntie Angela (sitting down on the left) took part in a memorial service yesterday in Cowper ... to mark the 20th Anniversary of the accident. Next to her are Toni and Merv..... Auntie Elaine and Uncle Malcolm were there too.
I spoke over the phone yesterday to my cousin Olivia. We were remembering how amazing our Auntie Angela is.... she has been through so much and we love her very much. x

Spirits lifted

Spirits lifted
Originally uploaded by terry Dixon

Still tired and tearful... but feeling okay after a busy but lovely weekend.
We went up to Nottingham on Saturday to see Mark and the kids..... we had arranged to go to the cinema to see the animation "UP"....Mark threw in a trip to the local cafe for chips and bacon baps on the way. The film made me cry and laugh. We smuggled in some popcorn. Later on we all went round to see Lou... and she made us some lovely food and we watched a bit of TV before driving home. Thankyou x
Yesterday it was such a beautiful sunny day. Tel was working out the complicated angles for his posts .... and I mowed the front lawn.
Ros rang to say the flowers I sent to church looked beautiful...and my god daughter Jesse Lee celebrated her 15th birthday in Australia. x

Up

Thankyou to everyone who passed on their memories x

Thankyou to everyone who passed on their memories x
Originally uploaded by terry Dixon

Memory Book

In the post yesterday, I received the most special gift from my Auntie Irene. Despite Uncle John being unwell, she has found time to contact friends of my Mum and Dads ..and asked them to write down their thoughts and memories. She has put them all together in an album....together with photographs and hand written letters from my Mum and Martin. I am so touched that she has gone to so much trouble .... during a very difficult time. I will treasure this beautiful memory book and it will always remind me how loved and missed they are by so many people.

My Friend Nadine.....written by Auntie Irene.
"You were a joy to know, my friend
You lived life to the full
You valued people and affirmed them
An encourager, an enabler and this continues"

A sad time.

Next week, marks the 20th Anniversary since my Mum Dad and Martin died in Australia. It is always a sad few days for me but this time I feel very tearful and sad as I remember what happened on that day and also what happened in the years before when we were a normal family doing normal things together.
I have received cards this week from friends who after all these years still miss my family. They have written about how they will never forget them and will always think of them.
I have sent a bouquet of flowers up to St Francis for this sunday.... when their names will be read out during the communion service. Auntie Angela and Toni and Merv are travelling up to Grafton to take part in a special service. Auntie Angela said she will take a bunch of flowers with her on my behalf. I know she will be sad too as she remembers Jannine Gavin Vicki lee and Uncle Colin x
20 years is such a long time....but it also feels like yesterday since I last saw them. I would love to have just 5 more minutes with them....x
I miss them very much and they are in my thoughts now as we mark the anniversary. x

On holiday.

On holiday.
Originally uploaded by terry Dixon

Uncle John

Uncle John Hardacre passed away yesterday after a battle with non Hodgkins Lymphoma. He and Auntie Irene celebrated their Ruby Wedding Anniversary last year and this is a very sad time for Auntie Irene, Kathryn, Ian and James. I am thinking about them at this difficult time.x

Flowers

Flowers
Originally uploaded by terry Dixon

I bought these flowers today.
It is my Dads birthday. x

Oatmeal Parkin

Golden syrup
Black treacle
Butter
Soft brown sugar
Oatmeal
Ginger
SF flour
1 egg
Drop of milk.
Delia says if kept in an airtight container it will mature to a lovely chewy consistency....one week is enough but 2 weeks is even better.

Orange leaves

Orange leaves
Originally uploaded by terry Dixon

Tim Minchin - If I Didn't Have You

We saw Tim Minchin live on Friday night in Tunbridge Wells. It was a great show.... he was amazing on the piano... really funny and clever. We really liked him.

Remote

Remote
Originally uploaded by terry Dixon

We stayed in Tunbridge Wells at the weekend....and while we were there we visited Rye and Dungeness. The countryside and scenery in Kent is beautiful.... windmills and white boarded houses...and then you drive into Dungeness....a bit like arriving on another planet. "If Kent is the garden of England then Dungeness is the back gate". Two lighthouses , a nuclear power station, tiny fishermens shacks and boats. It was gloomy and windy ..... we really liked it.

Derek Jarmans Prospect Cottage at Dungeness

Derek Jarmans Prospect Cottage at Dungeness
Originally uploaded by terry Dixon

Very windy at Camber Sands

Very windy at Camber Sands
Originally uploaded by terry Dixon