They come in three's don't they?

First, Wednesday evening the call comes through. An old lifelong family friend, a second father to us kids, passed away. We'd not even known he was ill - his wife (second wife) had refused to return calls my mother had put in to her for several weeks since Easter.

Second, Saturday morning, the call comes through. My cousin's husband (always known to me as aunt and uncle because they are close to my mothers age) passed away. He had suffered from Lung cancer. I'd seen him at Easter, and said to my mother "I don't think he will last out this year" - he looked very grey, it reminded me of how my father had looked in his last month or so. It's funny, once you've seen that look in a cancer patient you never forget it. You know the time is near when they look like that. Hard to explain how it looks, its just.. something that stands out.

I've at least 6 emails and 3 private messages on message boards to respond to, and I've got to spend time helping my mother undo the sterile eye drops they have put in packages impossible for people with even slight arthritis to open. Even I find them hard to open, but they are a necessity after her cataract op in May. I don't know where the time is going, it seems to be running away like a tap left turned on.

Time to go get some groceries for my mother and spend the afternoon / evening with her. Gah WHEN am I going to have some time for me!