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September 5th was my mother's birthday. I still greet that day feeling sad and missing her terribly. We were more friends than mother and son.

Being an old blister now, most months have their moments. I'm too much of a coward to dwell on the past except to discuss certain memories that fit into a conversation.

I admire your ability to clearly describe your memories, bringing all the right characters in to make one feel like being there in person.

Bless you and thank you for including me in your various moments.

Richard La France

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Thank you as ever Richard. It is good to dwell on happy memories at times 😘😘

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Sorry for your loss, and I totally understand the line ‘time gallops away after death’. I have a gin & tonic garden ritual with my neighbour in the summer months which is coming to its end now for another year, but I will have a mango and pepper gin in your daughters honour before we put away our lovely crystal glasses that I inherited from my father when he passed Dec 2021. Happy Birthday, Sarah. I like to mark these days by doing something for the person. For my dad’s birthday, which he shares with my middle son, I have a pint of Guinness. For my mother, I buy lovely flowers in May for my living room.

My daughter (4) has figured out how to use voice command on my phone and is busy telling the phone to ‘search up unicorn kitty cat rainbow cakes’ and my Photos app is now clogged up with hundreds of screenshots, sounds like she has the same zeal as Sarah for celebrating her special day!

I found a lovely podcast about September that you might enjoy - https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/as-the-season-turns/id1545833974?i=1000667929015

Take care x

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Thank you so much for your beautiful gesture and thoughts. ❤️

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Gosh, Jo. It was a loving and poignant post.

I find I must read back on your others to get a more detailed picture.

September for me is spring (Tasmania, Australia). Filled with promise, blossoms and motes of gold pollen dust. Of birds coupling, nesting and the seawater warming. Of our lambs manage to survive polar blasts.

It's also the month my son was born and he turns 40 in a fortnight. If I have any wish for him, it is that he lives a long life. He was diagnosed last year with a terrible lung disease that if it fires up and becomes angry again, and unless he has a lung transplant, will mean he has perhaps three years to live. Currently, his lung cysts are in stasis. It's a blessing.

So September will always be filled with my wishes for long and healthy lives - for my son, my daughter but for any sentient being really.

Thank you for a wonderful post that enables me to count my blessings.

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Hi Prue, I am so your son has such difficult lung problems. It does not matter how old your children are the emotions of helping them survive band the worry are exactly the same. ❤️❤️❤️

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This is so heart-achingly beautiful Jo. Sending a big hug. And I was thinking about the deep fat fryer and maybe he was trying to express that he loved you just they way you were ! xx

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He did care about my weight, but only because of my health. He had an incredibly dry sense of humour, plus he loved chips and was always skinny. 😘😘

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Sep 14Liked by Jo Linney

Lovely article Jo xx

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Thank you Sharon 😘😘

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My birthday and wedding anniversary are both on the same day in September too. I recently wrote about 'birthday styles' on Substack; this year at 67, I was just grateful to be alive and well and that the sun shone all day. I'm so sorry for your loss and wish you peace and contentment as you navigate your ongoing journey.

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Thank you Karen. I did once say to Sarah it also means it’s easier to forget one date 😁. Although she would never have let that happen. 😘😘

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