Gut neues!

Happy New Year! I know it's a little late, I'm sorry. For once I have not felt like blogging or doing much of anything creative and I'll explain why. I had a lovely Christmas spent with family here in Switzerland but it was one tinged with great sadness as a friend died from Cancer. I usually like to keep my blog upbeat but I am still grieving the loss of a good friend as well as the loss of a wonderful person from our community so I feel I should share a little of this.

Michael was a South African guy who moved into our village in March. As his wife had an amazing and well paid job he stayed at home as the 'househusband' in one sense but as a great wildlife artist he could also earn plenty of funds himself. Having lived in Canterbury in the South of England for 6 years he was, like me, unable to adapt quickly to the Swiss way of allowing children to walk to school un-accompannied so we were the only two clucking hens on the school playground morning and noon. Of course, we also enjoyed the bond of being able to relax into casual English and as you can imagine we got to know each other very well.

He got a cough in early October which was diagnosed as Cancer on 15th October and exactly two months later, 10 days before Christmas, he died. I can't put into words the horror of this thing that has taken my friend away. And I guess time will heal this gaping wound some. But I am experiencing the enormity of how fleeting our lives are and how easily they can be taken from us. And knowing Micheal and experiencing this awful thing has meant that I now greet each day with a raw, urgent need to enjoy each minute and share the joy with as many people as I can in the precious time I have left. I ask you, my devoted reader to do the same. And would like to share a series of beautiful pictures I have taken over the Christmas period. Much love, S x

Loving husband, father and friend Michael Gibson