Requiescat in pacem

Actually I don't really believe in an afterlife, but I do believe in strong memories of people we have known and loved.  Today we are mourning the death of Polly, Shirley Jane Tatum, Polly Carton, my extraordinary colleague in the 1970s and friend from then till now.  We met when I was working in Friends House Library when she became warden of the building; colleagues, then I was her head of department for some years before she moved with Arlo in his new role as warden at the Coram Foundation.  By that time we and our families were firm friends and we benefitted for many years from her generosity in letting us enjoy holidays near the beach in Daymer Bay at her cottage, Angus.  Later she moved near daughter Jan and family to Bodmin.

Polly will be remembered for many things, among them the gardens - plants in the unpromising roof terrace by the flat in Friends House, and for the little garden between Euston Road and  Endsleigh Gardens which was a public thoroughfare as well as the entrance to Friends House itself.  She kept that in great shape partly despite and partly because of the pollution of Euston Road - aphids had a hard time beating the fumes...  Her gardens in Angus and then Bodmin were wonderful.  Then music (a passion she shared with Arlo) and table tennis (perhaps that also).  Until she died I think she was a very talented artist  - painter above all.  She could rattle away in Italian, as I am often reminded when we watch our favourite Montalbano.   She was an exceptional typist, a skill for which I was often thankful.  She was above all a passionate person, in championing right and justice;  and a steadfast friend.  She was a survivor, beating more than one heart crisis before it all caught up with her, and all with spirit, humour and fortitude.  How I will miss her as so many others will too.  Her memory will live on through her family, twins Jane and Sarah whom I have been privileged to know since they were 10, and their offspring.

Many other things on my mind, but they will have to wait.  This is for Pol.

A meal out in Padstow

future generations - 2 grandsons