Wednesday 26 June 2013

Beating the drum slowly...


We have had a sad few days, a friend of ours, Nev Cheetham, died on Saturday morning, following a long illness.  His funeral service was held at the church in Le Grand Pressigny on Monday followed by a cremation yesterday...all very difficult for his wife, Cally, who had nursed him at home for many months above and beyond any call of 'duty'. 

Nev and Cally started their new life here in France the same day as Pauline and I - and only just down the road, a coincidence that brought us together initially, followed by a mutual interest in music, however different. 

We will remember Nev sitting behind his drum kit and doing what he loved...playing music and yet, as sometimes happens you only learn things about people after they are gone. Only weeks ago Nev and Cally received news that a hospice they had started many years ago has recently received funding for new premises and in honour of their hard work and early efforts it is to be named the 'Cheetham' centre.. a great legacy. 

Footnote:

It was an early start yesterday with a rendezvous at Descartes at 7.30am...perhaps too early a rise for Mrs.Craig, as you can probably tell from her footwear...which we only noticed once we got there!


It did have the effect of 'lightening' the moment and as Cally said, Nev would have had a good giggle about it!...and yes she has another pair just like them at home!


4 comments:

  1. Terribly sad news for Cally and everyone who knew him. When we last saw you both you were leaving to visit Nev and Cally. We only met Nev once at a walk an refreshments organised at Le Chatellier by Jim and Sandra McNeill. He as a gentleman, and together with Cally and Jim provided the musical entertainment.

    I'm sure many wonderful memories of Nev will remain as his family and friends try to pick up the threads of life without him. With our deepest sympathy at this time.

    R.I.P.

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    Pauline,

    We've all been there. I've gone to work a few times 'mismatched' and mostly people don't notice.... or are perhaps too polite to say anything!

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  2. Oh dear; that is sad news and our sympathies go out to his wife, family and friends.

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    Pauline,

    We went to a degustation near Chinon and then on to Chinon itself. Only when I look at Colin in Chinon did we realise he'd got his bedroom slippers on!

    My 'almost mismatch' experience was driving into the car park at work and seeing the attendant falling about laughing... I still had on my Marigold washing up gloves!

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  3. This is such sad news, although expected.
    I can't forget how optimistic Cally was when I chatted with her in the village last year. It's heartbreaking that it didn't work out for them. One of my most favourite memories of our holidays in France are of the evening we sat with you at the table in the courtyard at Grandma's and enjoyed listening to them playing.

    I regularly used to arrive at work in odd shoes, or odd earrings. My most embarrassing experience was the day I realised I had worked all afternoon with a piece of dog biscuit stuck in my hair. That taught me to look carefully in the mirror before starting work if I had given the dog a good hug at lunchtime.
    Oh well, if you can't be bonkers when you're past 50, when can you.......!!

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    1. I forgot to mention, Pauline can now consider herself a celebrity, now that she has had a public "wardrobe malfunction"....!!

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