With all the modern technology these days and the general busyness of my life there are not many days when I feel like I am a long way from "home". My family visits a lot, we chat on skype, I often have the New Zealand radio station blaring while I am cooking, I keep up with all the New Zealand news with the online newspapers. I can even do my shopping in New Zealand via the internet and have it delivered here to Japan. But the one thing you can't do via the internet is give someone a huge hug. I'm thinking of my family in New Zealand today and wishing I could be there to give them just that.
My grandfather died early this morning after going down hill quite quickly. I think he was probably ready to go in the end and from what I have heard it was all very fast and peaceful. Chances of me making it back for the funeral are pretty slim. We managed to visit him on our whirlwind tour home in March and for that I will always be grateful. For all his strange ways he still played an important part in all our lives and I thank him for that. My best memories of him are playing endless games of table tennis in the summer holidays (his biggest advantage over us was that when he took his shirt off his boobs would wobble so much we couldn't concentrate on the ball!) and the time he came to visit Japan when Emily was still tiny.
My grandfather died early this morning after going down hill quite quickly. I think he was probably ready to go in the end and from what I have heard it was all very fast and peaceful. Chances of me making it back for the funeral are pretty slim. We managed to visit him on our whirlwind tour home in March and for that I will always be grateful. For all his strange ways he still played an important part in all our lives and I thank him for that. My best memories of him are playing endless games of table tennis in the summer holidays (his biggest advantage over us was that when he took his shirt off his boobs would wobble so much we couldn't concentrate on the ball!) and the time he came to visit Japan when Emily was still tiny.
Cyber hugs to all my family in New Zealand..... looking forward to some real ones in the near future.
I'm so sorry for your loss, Jo. Both of my grandparents passed away within six weeks of each other when I was living in Japan and I couldn't go back for either of their funerals. It's hard, isn't it? My thoughts are with you and your family.
ReplyDeletemy condolences to you and your family, Joanne.
ReplyDeletei share the same sentiments with you. with the help of modern technology, i am able to keep in touch with my mum and siblings in singapore often but there are times i wished i could be around. i would have very much wanted to see the birth of my 3rd nephew and for my girls to spend time with their only cousins( my married sister-in-law being childless)
Dear Joanne, I'm so sorry for your loss. It’s hard when you lose a family member, especially if you live far away from them. It has been four years since my grandfather passed away. I was very close with him and still miss him.
ReplyDeleteOne of the reason I'm reading your blog is that your life in rural area (with garden and chickens) reminds me on my grandparents and my childhood holidays spent with them in the countryside.
I was reading your blog for quite some time now, but I have never post a comment before. Please excuse any mistakes since English isn’t my first language.
Greetings from Europe :)