F is for Fond Farewells

Saying goodbye brings visions of the Von Trapp family escaping the Nazis through the nunnery, and most of us will have waved a teary goodbye or 2 to folk who have wafted in and out of our lives. We waved Our Pom off last night so he can continue his adventure. We hope he calls in on his way back down the coast and we really hope that if he needs anything he'll give us a call, cos he was a lovely house guest and now is sort of the part of the Big House family.

Many folk of my vintage - particularly the girlie variety may have said 'adieu adieu adieu' to some unwanted body bits too, but all too often with less fanfare and ease of waving and laughing and joy.I have gotten rid of some tiresome tonsils, a gruesome gallbladder, a useless uterus, 2 cantankerous  

cancers and 2 nobbled knee caps. That seems to be quite the bucket full huh? But unlike our Pom, I never wanted to see any of this shit again.

I remember waving off my Lovely girl when she was a wee baby of 18. She was away on her big adventure. I don't reckon I quite held it together while she hugged me goodbye but I do know that as soon as she headed off down the plane tunnel, I sank down and sobbed and sobbed sobbed. It was definitely not a joyous fare-thee-well. I was bloody terrified for her and sorry for myself cos we had been the 2 Musketeers for so long and now I was gonna be on my own. Took me a while but I did get into the groove of single gal washing and ironing and cooking and cleaning and shopping and complete control of the remote control and it wasn't too shabby at all.

Criss-crossing the globe for more than a dozen years, has drawn tears and laughter and more drinks than enough at goodbye dinners and hello welcome backs.

I guess the reality is that many people do move in and out of our lives. We live in a busy sometimes frantic world and we can wallow when we lose someone or we can carefully wrap up our best memories and tuck them away with a smile. Easier said than done when the loss is raw. 

Rest in peace brother John Ponsford.