MARCH

It's been a rather sad time here as my beloved brother died on March 23rd.  He had recently been diagnosed with a terminal illness, and I can only feel relieved that an infection cropped up and took him very quickly, so sparing him from months of intrusive and unpleasant treatment.  I wasn't with him when he died - the motorway system defeated me - but it is a tribute to his gentle kindness that, as well as his wife, of course, all five of his step-children and their partners were there for him. Having only known his ready-made family as teenagers, I was impressed by their concern and the way they immediately enveloped me and made me feel cared for.  I said to my sister-in-law what nice people they had become, and she said my brother had been a large part of that - he having taken on a family of five aged between 4 and 18 whose own father had died very suddenly. I don't think anyone could have a better memorial.  I wrote about my own relationship with him here.

ooo-ooo

H wanted to go to Cirencester on Saturday last for a morning recital and it was the first chance in the month that we could go out together.   The town was packed and when we wandered around after the concert we found that lots of people were wearing 'rabbit's ears' .  We then realised by seeing banners hanging above the roads that this was the Cirencester March Hare festival.

When we went back on Monday for another concert in the church (part of the same series on Italian music) we were surprised to meet these chaps - one inside the church and one in the porch.

After the concert we stopped for lunch and this fellow was sitting in the pub porch as we went out!

He certainly cheered us up - though a  lovely concert and a very good lunch helped too!

There are 23 hares dotted around the town (each sponsored by a different organisation) and a trail to follow to find them.  They're each 5 foot high and very appealing!  If you want to see them, the festival runs all through the summer until 14th September.  For anyone who doesn't know the area, Cirencester is a lovely market town with many Cotswold stone buildings.  The church is particularly nice both inside and out, and there are independent shops and places to eat.  A great place for a holiday visit, or day out.

We finished the day with a quick stop at the church in Compton Abdale where H's great, great grandparents were married and his great grandfather christened.  We'd been before and it's always icy cold and incredibly quiet, but it has an atmosphere of peace.

It's a lovely village too. 

Tomorrow I'm having lunch with a friend, then back to Essex next week.  Hope this rather nicer weather keeps up.  Hope to show you the new bathroom soon but work has been delayed .......

Photos of Cirencester are from Wikipedia and the Compton Abdale ones from St Oswald's church site.