Sub Rosa

Today, we said goodbye to a friend's daughter.  Kate was 45 and had cancer, which I thought was in remission until I saw her mother 10 days ago. Kate nosedived and died just over a week ago.  As she was a free spirit, her funeral was a true celebration of life - dress code was bright and Kate's daughter Sadie made us special bundles of lavender to put on Kate's whicker coffin.  Such beautiful photos of Kate with her children as youngsters, now in their teens and twenties.

We had a gathering at the local cafe that overlooked the estuary - it was like 'the gathering of the clans'; people I hadn't seen in such a long while and new, but seemingly familiar faces. Bob Marley was playing to honour Kate and it was such a serene but joyous occasion, it felt like an informal birthday party - which is what Kate would've wanted. Good to see some of the old clan there - let's hope that we don't leave it another ten years or a funeral to jolt us out of our langour.

Here's to you, Kate xxx