Hello again everyone and a special hello to those who greeted me back again - you know who you all are, so no use labouring the point. :))

As I have had a little time now to amble back around the ongoing world of blog, immersing myself yet again in the wonder of words and writing, I have come to notice an enormous gap in my blog world.  Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I have lost a very good blog friend.  Not that all my blog friends aren't very good blog friends, if you know what I mean but I am one of the lucky few, that has quality friends not quantity friends and therefore, when one goes missing, I notice very quickly.

Now, I don't know her reasons for leaving.  I know only that she was troubled and wrote some of that in her various blogs.  Yet, despite this being a virtual world, with virtual friends, some can get to you more than others.  Not becaue they are any wittier or cuter, or anything more tangible but simply because maybe just one thing they say resonates so much with you that suddenly you have a virtual soul mate.  Okay, that's a bit strong but I'm sure you know what I mean.

I hope that wherever she is, she is working it through in her own way and that she is making progress.  I shall definitely miss her pithy remarks, her cartoons, her gravitas, her sharing of sorrows, without feeling sorry for herself, her insights, her happy moments and our virtual wine sessions.  Nothing like a good South African red, we said.

She used to call me by a pet name which, from others may have sounded patronising or odd in some way but from her it was nice and she kind of made it into a compliment somehow!  I always thought as well that one day she and I might actually meet in the 'real' world and have a few reds together.  How strange that seems now.

Worse...having been gone so long from blog myself, I will always wonder now if there was something I could have said that would have helped or made a difference.  Whilst that sounds vain I don't mean it like that at all.  I'm sure my absence did not make a huge difference given the amount of friends she had anyway.  There were people she had been friends with for far longer and, I suppose if anyone could have helped her, I'm sure they would all have done their very best.

I guess I just wanted her to know, in case she ever stops by, that I am thinking about her and yes, that I am worried about her as well.  Also, that if she ever comes back in whatever persona she chooses, that she will let me know, so that we can catch up again and have a few more virtual reds.  Although, having said that and, of course, being one that needs no excuses, I bought a red tonight from her home country as I knew I was going to be writing a eulogical blog!  Don't know if that's a word but it sounded okay to me!!

I hope she knows who she is...I haven't been deliberatly obscure or anything, just tried to maintain privacy for her to some degree, as her disappearance clearly indicates she wants anonymity for a while.

So, I have composed a REALLY bad poem for her to make her laugh...especially as she was brought up a good Catholic!!

May the sun warm your days
And the moon light your night
May they show you the ways
And guide you aright

May you find all the peace
You so long to find
May all your doubts cease
To calm troubled mind

AT the end of the day
When all work is done
I would just like to say
It's now time for fun

So, pick up that glass
Fill it full of red wine
Make sure it's class
And don't forget mine!!!!!

A toast to success
Little dragon is roaring
I hope she has guessed
And isn't ignoring...

...that her absence I'm feeling
With her pithy prose
And I wish her much healing
My South African Rose

Apolgies to those of you who have a poetic bent...I do realise I'm rubbish and it was only meant as a little light-heartedness.  I just hope she gets to read the nonsense and appreciate the agony and ecstasy I went through to become a poet for a few minutes!!!!  See, even when she's gone, she can inspire - what a GREAT teacher she is.

Miss you hun xxx
Blessed be