Oh my goodness, so many messages. Thank you so much. I felt you all there in spirit yesterday. I will post more later, but I read my tribute and I am so very glad that I did. Here it is (village name and DSS's name removed).
One of my favourite memories of Richard was when we first moved to * and started to explore our local surroundings. One day we ended up in Stow-on-the-Wold. We had a bottle of wine over lunch. And then another. By the time we had got through our third bottle we decided that a taxi home wasn?t the best solution; a night in a quirky hotel was by far preferable. So we had dinner - and another bottle of wine - and woke the following morning to see snow falling outside. We were in a picture perfect setting, together nursing our hangovers, still happily chatting away.
The reason why this memory is so precious to me is not the copious amounts of wine we consumed that day, but that it perfectly demonstrates how we were together ? Richard and I could sit and chat for hours and hours and would never be bored of each other. We could be at a party, in a crowded room filled with lots of interesting people, but we would always find ourselves together, chatting about our usual stuff. That?s what I miss most now about Richard, I want to talk to him, to tell him how wonderful everyone has been, how sorry they are to learn of his passing. How people have reached out to me ? family, friends and strangers alike ? to help and support me and our beautiful children. He would like that.
I knew from the day I met Richard what a wonderful father he was. His love for * was total and unconditional. That has always remained so and that love stretched and stretched so that when India and Jasmine came along he gave them that same total, unconditional love. It is one of the things I love most about him. Before he died, I promised Richard that I will always do my best for all of his children. I will look after them with the knowledge that he is looking on, and make sure they know their father through me. They will know what a special man he was, strong, always positive, and brave beyond words. That despite his illness he never gave up. He wanted to live for them and for us.
Richard has always been so many different things to me; my best friend, my mentor, my beloved husband. He was funny and passionate, kind and considerate, intelligent and generous. He never let me down ? if he ever made a promise he would keep it, a man of great integrity. We always treated each other as an equal, with the utmost respect and dignity. He gave such good advice, always giving me perspective and allowed me to grow. If I was wrong, he would tell me.
I am so lucky to have had 12 years with the most wonderful, beautiful man I have ever met. When Richard and I first got together I used to tell him he was perfect. He disagreed, saying there was no such thing as perfect. The thing is Richard wasn?t perfect. But through his imperfections he was perfect for me. I will miss him more than words could possibly say.