A roller coaster year. Started (and continued) with the COVID lockdown, then Ralph's death, several months of seclusion and mourning,and then the unexpected joy of our families getting together to celebrate our marriage in December.
January to March Ralph in hospital, having one operation after the other. 7 in total. It was horrendous to see him suffering.
March 2020 Ralph out of hospital and starting to learn to walk. Incredible determination as he wanted to walk to Sunfield!
Ralph admitted to Open Circle but we couldn't travel because of the COVID lockdown.
Applications to the Police, Magistrate and the Minister to travel all denied. Had to submit a High Court application. Granted, but took 3 weeks to obtain at a cost R117 000.
Ralph absolutely adamant that he did not want to leave Howick and especially did not want to go to Open Circle. He was deeply upset when I had to tell him there was no choice and he had to go there.
28 April 2020 Ralph died at Betty's Bay at 11pm. At 10pm he wrote a WhatsApp to Sally saying he "wanted to go away and never come back again".
3 May Ralph's Memorial Service by Zoom. An amazing tribute put together by Sue. Doug, Esme, Megan and Sarah drove down. All they needed was Ralph's Death Cerificate and they could travel. As the Natal Witness said at the time "Lockdown Favours the Dead over the Living"
May-Sept 2020 Betty's Bay, built front verandah. Shut off from the world and buried in work to forgot the horrors of the previous 5 months
This enforced time together, and the tragedy of Ralph's death, brought Sally and I very close.
18 Dec 2020 married. An amusing story about our marriage date. Doug and family were on their way down from Pretoria to Langebaan. Greg and family were on their way to Durban for Christmas. So we said to our two son's, find a date that suits both of you, thinking it would be sometime in January, but 18 Dec it was! Seemed fitting that our two sons determined our wedding date, especially as our daughters could not be there because of COVID travel restrictions.
23-30 Dec Langebaan, Farmhouse Hotel and Christmas with Doug, Esme and family.
Slideshows celebrating Ralph's life:
