Sunday

 

Today is Sunday, my husband is studying, my eldest is studying, my youngest is at a friends and I am sitting in my creative space, in a patch of sunshine, surrounded by lovely bits and pieces including:
Fabric
Coloured pencils
Art journaling bits and bobs
My sketch book
My sewing machine
The collage I made for this months collage club, themed “Home”.
Oh, and a lovely cup of Assam tea.

I have given myself the time and space and materials to be creative, I have a blog which is wanting some attention, and some thoughts which are worthy of journaling. It’s been a big week! This week my 99 year old grandfather passed away. I haven’t seen him for 7 years, he lived in England where I was born, so I could work out the number of times I have seen him since we left when I was nearly 3. But even though I didn’t see him as much as my other Grandad who moved to Australia, he was still my Granddad, actually we called him Pop Pops.

If you haven’t had the experience of having family being overseas, I guess it’s hard to comprehend that those relationships are still very strong and important, valued and precious.They are strengthened by the quality of the time you spend together, the intensity of emotion when you only have a few weeks or days to enjoy each other’s company and get to know each other. Strengthened by the old fashioned aerogram letters exchanged, birthdays remembered , long distance phone calls and more recently Skype. Excited trips to the international terminal at Tullamarine airport, teary goodbyes with almost painful hugs at the departure gates.

You don’t see these people in your everyday life but they are there, because your parents keep them real and present and well, just because they are. When you do see them, there is this connection and familiarity. And then there is a knowing that we share some genetic information, that’s just how it is.

Growing up in Australia, having an extended family in England, sometimes felt sad, like we were missing out, but mostly it feels like a bonus. I am fortunate that my family moved to Australia, I love it here, love my life, I’m also glad we have had some family visit a few times, and been lucky enough to go to England a few times as well.

So anyway, I’ve decided to go to my Pop Pop’s funeral, it will be sad I know, it’s the end of a very long era! And I’m a bit sad that this time he won’t be there to give me a big (slightly to0 strong) hug, that instead of going to see him, I am going to farewell him. But I’m also a bit excited that I get to see my aunties and uncles and cousins, and the four new children who are part of the family, that I am part of too.

Phew, now I’ve got that of my chest, blown my nose and dried my tears, I might just have another cuppa, and maybe have a little play with my pencils and paper 🙂