A very busy week this week, one that has been touched by tragedy...

Last weekend, I spent riding the Duke to Armidale. As part of my trip there, I had been challenged on a forum to take a photo of the bike in front of a local landmark which is big! I chose the big golden guitar at Tamworth.

Actually, come to think of it, I think I became the tourist attraction at the golden guitar as when I was saddling up to leave, a group of people had gathered to watch! So, you can believe me when I say that I was extremely careful and cautious as I was going as I didn't want to do anything stupid like fall over or leave my stand down!

As there was a function on at the school for my son's boarding house, I made the effort to get there. Thankfully the weather was great and so I had a terrific ride up the hill! Once there, I was to meet another parent who had lost her husband last year to a heart attack. Her son is in the same dorm room as mine and it seems that they've hit it off.

One thing about going to boarding school functions is the awkwardness of being a single parent and especially a single female parent. Even the married women tend to hang around with their own husbands and so the couples tend to stick together. So, it's times like these that you definitely don't want to have any name tag and all you really want to do is be somewhere else!

However, I think that really, all my son wants is for me to be there and that being the case, I will do my best to do so!

On Tuesday, 26th of February, the town was rocked by the news of yet another aircraft tragedy in the district. This time, unbelievably, two aircraft were involved. One pilot managed to miraculously survive the impact with the ground and got away from his aircraft which had caught on fire. The second pilot unfortunately did not survive his crash.

It seems inconceivable that seemingly so soon after Mark's accident, here we are facing another one. It is more inconceivable that this one involves not only our bosses plane but his brother in law is the pilot who has survived. Once again, our boss is going through investigation from ATSB and insurance people. We haven't even had Mark's accident finalised yet. It is hard to say at this stage if this will make it all harder or easier.

On Thursday, I travelled to Melbourne. This was a trip planned months ago, way back in December last year. I would not hesitate to say that it was part of God's plan to have me away from home at this time. As the trip plans had fallen so easily in place when I had made them a couple of months ago, it can only have been His influence. I seriously don't know how I would have coped being at home this weekend, as there is another memorial service being held out at the same hangar that Mark's was held in. Either way, I don't think I would have gone to that service this weekend.

I know that this tragedy has affected me, as on the flight down, I spent quite some time quietly weeping. There was no point holding it back, it actually felt like a great relief to be able to do so.

So, I'm now in Melbourne. Today I had a great day with my girlfriend, we took her husband's M series BMW for a blat down to the Peninsula to check out their newly purchased holiday house. It was a fun day of two friends having a laugh, remembering some good times, talking about some bad and wondering why the blokes were having a look at them in the car! (We remembered that what we were driving was bright blue and stood out like a sore thumb!)

But good times and a great way to try and put the tragedy of the week behind me.

An Outlook on Life.

When I get to see Mark again, I hope that when he asks me "So, what did you end up doing with your life, Duchess?" I hope that I can give good account to him as well as to Jesus. I am sure that it would be heartbreaking for him if he knew that I didn't live well after he had gone. I guess that I am fortunate that Mark had a pretty good outlook on life himself. He was definitely full of life and we did live a full on life!

The picture I've put here is of one of the planes he flew and the bike he rode (which I now ride) and I think that it just about sums him up. It was taken at the memorial service, which we held in an aircraft hangar as there was no church big enough! It was completely appropriate anyway as we could be surrounded by the family, friends and things that Mark loved. Hence the bike and plane!

The Bible passage that has probably stuck in my mind the most is Ecclesiates 7:1-2

A good name is better than fine perfume, and the day of death better than the day of birth.

It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of every man; the living should take this to heart.

In the few hours after Mark's accident, I called family and friends. Within minutes, I had friends at my home and within hours, friends had booked airline tickets and family were packing cars. I had people everywhere at my home, my neighbours home and everyone's homes that could spare a room or two! We even had three large caravans in my backyard (good thing we have 6 acres!) as well as a camping trailer! There were people everywhere! It was a week long gathering and so many of the locals couldn't believe the "call to arms" that had gone out and been answered. They were very impressed with those who came to be by my side. All great Christian family! I was so proud and so happy that they were there! It really was the most amazing ten days of my entire life! And God really showed us how it was going to be in Heaven because, in my opinion, He let Heaven come to my home for a week!