From Australia

Dear friends, I am writing this, not from my home in Texas, but from Western Australia. This was a very sad trip to make, as my dear mother passed away on Monday (18 Aug 08) Although mum was 96 years of age, she still lived in her own home, still doing her own cooking and washing - a fiercely independent lady. The service was just as mum would have wanted it - simple and very meaningful. The small stone church, was lovely, again just that simple beauty. The church was full. The Priest was so caring and made the service very personal to mum. The cemetery is new and out in the country. It is surrounded by tranquil wooded fields, which, at this time of year are full of wild calla lilies. As mum was laid to rest I could hear the birds singing in the surrounding fields - mum will like that. After all the friends and neighbours had left my sister's home I felt a need to be by myself, so slipped away down to the beach (just a 2 minute walk). The sun was beginning to set over the sea - it seemed a beautiful ending to the day. I watched as the sun set and the colour of the sky changed to soft hues of pinks and blues, a gentle closing of the day.