Blog Digression

Cornwall Travelog - Porthleven is an interesting place, just down from Helston on the coast. I particularly like one of their cafes - a tea shop which sells delicious 'Roskillys' ice-cream - I think there is only one cafe which sells this ice-cream so you are bound to find it. You can sit outside watching the harbour and eating your cone.

They also do a tasty date slice - I love date slices. I use to work in the vegetarian cafe in London called 'Cranks' many years ago and they made the most delicious date slices. A perk of the job was to be able to take some home after work.

Now that was a good job.

'Too much, too young'

1992 - 1996 - I don't really remember how Elaine's ex-husband treated her during this time. We didn't talk about him much.

I do remember her saying that sometimes he'd ring her out of the blue and go on and on at her about her leaving him all those years before. He still hadn't come to terms with it.

He was a strange guy.

Blog Digression

Cornwall Travelog - very near to Mullion Cove is a craft/shop area with a cafe and an art gallery and various other bits and pieces.

Also there is a fabulous chocolate shop called 'Trenance Chocolates'. There is a place you can buy the chocolates and a place where you can watch them being made. They really are delicious, especially the fondants. I love their fondants.

Trenance supply a few shops throughout Cornwall but to buy from the full range visit their chocolate shop.

You won't regret it.

'Too much, too young'

1992-1996 - so Elaine had good patches and bad patches.

It was a hot summer and my boyfriend and I had lots of barbecues. Sometimes it was so mild you could still be sitting out in the garden at midnight without a jacket.

We invited Elaine and Paul over for one of our barbecues on a hot summer night. She was having a good patch, the chemotherapy was doing its job, if she hadn't been wearing a headscarf on a hot summer night you'd never have known she was ill.

We talked into the early hours.

It was a lovely night.

Blog Digression

Cornwall Travelog - Mullion Cove is beautiful but the harbour can be treacherous.

I remember reading that soon after the harbour was built, many years ago, it was realized that it was a very dangerous place. It was not a harbour within which to seek a safe haven.

It is still dangerous, a couple were killed there recently, maybe only last year. The sea swept them off one of the harbour arms and into the sea. The people who rushed to help could not save them.

So don't go too near.

'Too much, too young'

1992 - 1996 - so the years passed with Elaine fighting her cancer and continuing to make some sort of connection with her eldest son.

I saw her more when I moved back to North London. She was working in an office in London when her cancer was diagnosed. She liked her job and had a good social life with her friends. But as she had to take more and more time off for the chemotherapy her employer decided to 'let her go'. She was upset about it but she told me she could understand their point of view.

But she wanted to keep busy so she got a part-time job at a newsagents in her local town. She enjoyed it especially chatting to the customers.

She also got involved in a charity for disabled people and she helped to organize holidays for them.

She kept herself busy. Unfortunately the tumour was busy too.

Blog Digression

Cornwall Travelog - this blog is widening, going beyond the very west to the slightly less west but Cornwall nonetheless.

Mullion Cove is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. Take the road down the Lizard and you will find it. Drive on up the hill and park in the spaces on the cliff in front of the hotel. Then get out of your car and walk to the edge and look at the harbour below.

It will knock your socks off.

'Too much, too young'

1992 - in November 1992 Elaine helped to organize a school-reunion. It was before the days of the internet and 'friends reunited' so it took quite a bit of organizing. But they managed it and a large group of 30-31 year olds filled up the top floor of our old school to drink and chat.

Elaine's hair had fallen out from the chemotherapy so she was wearing a colourful head-scarf. So even those who didn't know she had cancer worked it out pretty quickly.

She was friendly and full of life, as she always seemed to be. It was a good evening. I enjoyed myself as I chatted about my life and I listened to the myriad experiences of my old friends. One of them was now an officer in the army. He was very down to earth, "she's a goner" he said to me as he nodded towards Elaine. I told him not to be so cruel.

But I knew he might be right.