A "SPEC" DAY

Today has been a very important and emotional day for me and the girls. Today Mick came home. After so many days of waiting I received the call from the Funeral Directors to say we could collect his ashes. It was poignant that today; the day he came home, that the first bloom started to open on his special Rhododendron. I won't say to any more...teardrops on keyboards aren't a good idea.

Today was a special day for Talj too as she celebrated her birthday. Although she was away from home the "Birthday Girl" received quite a few presents and cards as well as some cash ......

she is now the adoptive mother of Flipper the penquin...who lives in the Falklands;
she also received a "sloppy verse" Friend Cushion...(I wonder who that was from...LOL)
a Dragon Fly Solar light for her Balcony Garden

and a trio of pots to plant up her salad mixture in...... as well as cards!

Once again we've had a warm sunny day and Talj had lots of chances to take more of her wonderful photographs;

and she had plenty of Birthday hugs.....Leanne and Mel came over for the day; Manda popped in for lunch, as did my neighbour Sue......Unbeknown to Talj I'd made her a Birthday Cake........only ONE candle....it would have been bad manners to give away a lady's age!!!Manda dropped in again after work; followed closely by Nicole...........
All in all....a fairly busy Birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The girls all know now the "spec" gift that Talj had given me. Those of you who read my gardening blog know how much Mick and I admired Geoff Hamilton and how precious the few days we spent at Barnsdale Gardens were a few years ago. On Sunday Talj handed me a letter from herself telling me how she had been trying to think of something special that she could do for me...............

she then gave me a print out of an email from Sue (Geoff's widow) and Nick Hamilton (Geoff's son)..................to quote......

Dear Natalya
Sorry not to reply earlier but we have both been busy!
Firstly, we are sorry to hear of the passing of your special friend, Mick.
Both Sue and myself would be more than happy to have something planted at Barnsdale in memory of your friend and should you wish to have a plaque inscribed with your choiceof words to go alongside the plant that would be wonderful. we are pleased to hear that Mick managed to get to Barnsdale and hope that their rose does not grow as strongly as ours - 2 years ago it reached 7ft!
Let us know what ideas you have re a plant or tree and we can take it from there.
Don't worry if we don't reply immediately as it is now show season and we might not get to the computer every day!
Best Wishes
Nick & Sue
Barnsdale Gardens

Needless to say my tears flowed at such a precious gift.....I know how proud Mick would be to think that Geoff's wife and son would allow him the honour of being remembered in Geoff's Garden.

UPDATE: In the post today I received a further £50 for Rose's Tribute Fund. That brings the total raised so far following Mick's funeral to £455!