Blessed and Not Forgotten (Cornwall Day 10)

 

St Ives Harbor at low tide

"Shall we meet for lunch on Tuesday?" Pennie asked. "We could do the Tate, if you like." 

I liked! The Tate St Ives has its good points, and their coffee shop is one of them. Their lunches and teas and quiches are said to be exceptional, and I was eager to try one. We would each walk there, and meet.

We had coffee, and hot chocolate, and talked. There was so much to catch up on. In fact, we two had never had a conversation on our own. There have always been other lovely people around us, wonderful people. But getting to chat in this way would be sweet.

Pennie is the lady who helped Eric during his time of desperate need. She has never been a person to let someone suffer alone. People have spoken to me quite strongly on this point, because her service (to many, not just Eric) has been profound. She, however, never expresses pride in a 'job well done'. She simply looks at it as service in Christ's name. 

We spoke of the way our two countries go about helping people nearing the end of their lives. It doesn't seem easy to do. There are obstacles. Sometimes there is no one available to help. This happened to Eric, and as soon as she learned there was a gap, Pennie stepped in to fill it. 

As we discussed these things, our lunches arrived. Exquisite! We had a crustless Quiche, with a cooked carrot and British chic pea salad. Both were terrific, and both of us ate both of them all the way up! (I think there might actually have been a scrap of lettuce left on my plate).

The topic of my mother came up, and I can never resist a chance to show people what a lovely woman she is at age 99. I knew Pennie would be impressed. 

"She isn't 99!" she almost screamed.

"But she is! Truly. She helped run two large farms for decades, hoisting hay bales, driving tractors, birthing baby lambs at 2 in the morning, producing mounds of vegetables, flowers, and meals (7 courses at dinner), vaccinating sheep, mowing the enormous lawn, sometimes feeding 100 people at a time, and keeping the farm going even when her husband was in another state for nearly two years. Now, bless her heart, she can relax and let everybody else do all the work.

She's terrific, isn't she?

There are people at this life stage who are, at this very moment, sitting alone in their homes or facilities, with no prospect of someone dropping by, bringing flowers, or foods, or Starbucks Mochas, or new clothes, books, or love. Thanks to people like Pennie, some of these lonely ones have found themselves blessed and not forgotten. Service, in Christ's name.

See you along the Way!

the SconeLady