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GOODBYE PAUL

We are all reeling from the shock.
In March this year Paul was sitting on our terrace with a gin and tonic. He stayed for ten days and we are so glad he did.
A month ago he was at a friend's barbecue in England. If he was ill, nobody noticed. If he knew he was ill, he didn't tell anyone.
Three weeks ago he drove his Citroen to France and spent a fortnight with friends there.
After leaving them he drove to Spain, where he was house-sitting for other friends.
Two days after they had gone, their gardener had to call an ambulance for him. That was last week.



On Sunday he died. On Monday a friend phoned to tell us.
He was cremated yesterday.
This is Paul - he was only 62.







I spent yesterday going through my albums for photos of him and remembering some good times.
Here he is at a party for my birthday in 1995 with my husband and the Bundy twins.










One year he couldn't get to Le Mans, so he set up marquees and tents in his garden and held a 24 hour Le Mans party with a huge TV screen showing the race and a Scalextric set for frustrated drivers.







In December 1999, a couple weeks before we left England, Paul came to supper. When we looked outside it was snowing.
This is him dancing in the snow before walking home.






Not many people could get away with googly-eyed glasses and that tie, but this was what Paul wore to the party that heralded the dawn of the new millennium.

It wasn't all parties, but that was mainly when I took photographs.
In this last one, he and Don are probably discussing politics!


The world is already a duller place.









13 comments:

  1. Your love for him shines through your post, Liz - he sounds a very nice, fun person to know, and I suspect he loved you back just as much.

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  2. What a lovely tribute to a man who sounds as if he knew how to live life to the full.

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  3. Nice tribute, sad loss. Thanks for sharing.

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  4. Lovely mum. We will miss his banter and his big personality...hasta luego, Paul xxx

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  5. I'm sorry for your loss. Such a good friend leaves a big hole.

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  6. Such a sad story. Hard for those who remain behind. So very young. Good you have happy memories and photos to treasure.

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  7. oh I am sorry to hear this news.
    It sounds like he was a fun guy who will be sadly missed.

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  8. Paul sounds like a wonderful person, Liz. You will miss him so much - but you have your memories and they will shine brighter, I hope, as time goes on. Thinking of you all.

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  9. This is so sad. 62 is way too young, isn't it? Paul sounds like he was a wonderful friend.

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  10. I am so sorry to hear of your loss. He sounds like a wonderful, fun man - the bit about Le Mans is fabulous, I shall be sure to tell my husband that one!
    He has been taken far too soon but will live on in your heart - no consolation at the moment, I know. Thinking of you.

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  11. Thank you all for your comments - strangely, it helped to share Paul with people I only know through this blog!

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