see you on the other side

Thanks for all the lovely wishes and thoughts from an earlier post on two of our friends who are dying of aggressive cancers.
Today, Brett Riley passed away.  His wife has written some beautiful words on their website (see here).

At 3:30pm, when he left us for a better, cancer-free place, I just happened to be enjoying my first family movie at home experience - the four of us had all snuggled on the couches to watch Bolt, young Maddy Riley's favourite movie.  Touching coincidence.

So tonight my heart is full of sadness, but my head is full of memories of hanging out, moving houses (plural), sharing friends' celebrations, drinking beautiful coffees made by Brett (especially last year at their beach house when both our kids had been waking allll night), listening to my husband talk Apple with him, me discussing with him the best online tutorials for making softie toys for our kids, and some of the funnier moments from the last 9-ish years that Brett has been part of our lives.  Such a gentle man, a clever and creative man, such a huge loss.

Thoughts and prayers go to his beautiful wife Kylie, and delightful daughter Maddy.

Be at peace with God, Brett.  See you on the other side.

angry birds beanie #1

... one little Angry Birds fan is the proud owner of a crocheted beanie - not bad for a virtual beginner!

terminal

Once upon a time, the word 'terminal' was within a transport context for me.
2012 has brought new meaning to the word terminal, and I just wish it hadn't been so soon.

I have a wonderful group of girl-friends with whom I meet at least monthly for dinner and a wine, or takeout and a fizzy drink.  We've known each other since university days and since have celebrated each others' new flats, new boyfriends, birthdays, weddings, new homes, births of babes and more.  Two of these wonderful ladies have been dealing with something we never ever thought would happen around our 30th birthdays - their men have been diagnosed with terminal cancer. 

The website for the Riley family's journey with this diagnosis has been set up here: www.thelifeofriley.co.nz
Details of upcoming events to raise funds for their cause will be listed here: http://www.thelifeofriley.co.nz/category/events/

The talented and amazing Sophie Voon (Wellington fashion & bridal designer extraordinaire) is also doing something here: http://www.sophievoon.com/arohanui_may10.html

For the other couple, while they have enough to cover essentials (just), they would love help to enjoy a meal at a few of Wellington's finest restaurants... or old haunts.  A website will be up soon to donate towards this cause if this is your 'thing', so that in the weeks they have left, David and Suz can afford to enjoy some last suppers - as fancy as Logan Brown or as fun (and nostalgic) as KK Malaysia.

'David on a Plate' is a fundraising effort set up by David and Suz's colleagues: http://www.givealittle.co.nz/cause/DavidOnAPlate

You can follow David's journey here: http://davidonaplate.wordpress.com/

and there is a new goshorty baby beanie in production which will be helping raise funds.

For those of you who pray, please remember our friends in your prayers.  They need all the grace and healing they can get.

And go and hug your families when you read this.