one more game of tennis

A third family member died this morning, unexpectedly (well for me, I'd no idea he was so ill) so shocking. My father's and uncle's best friend since they were little dots, who was family to us all.

Its not my place to go into it too much, other than the way its affected me. He was such a lovely, funny man (was - how strange to be putting that) before he got Alzheimer's and the last time I saw him was at Dads funeral.

oh I feel for his wife and sons so so much, we know exactly what they are going through today and what they will have to go through for the next few days. Another funeral to attend, more grief. Friends tell me it can run like this, lets hope three is enough now, I for one am feeling a little raw.

It will be a large funeral, he was very well liked, as Dad was but he knew many many more people and was involved in many things before he became ill so I would image the church will be full to bursting and its a big church. This time I will be on the other side of the experience, watching, how surreal that the group of us that were so close for so many years have had to go through the same thing, watching the men die, the strong ones who were suppose to look after us all, get sick and die.

We're left with two grieving wives, four shell shocked children, grandchildren - it wasn't supposed to be like this. They were young men, we should still all be playing tennis together, having picnics and rounders games on long sunny afternoons with the new members of the group,the grandchildren. What I wouldn't give for one more game of tennis with my dad and I really didn't like the game!