It is with a heavy heart that I advise my good friend Charles Essery has passed.
Charles was a contributor to OLO, usually in regard to water management matters, a subject he was a true expert on.

More importantly he was my neighbor and friend, we have had many a solid discussion on life the universe and everything, discussions I am gutted I will no longer have.

We not always agreed, however we agreed to disagree.
I am honoured to have known you Charles.

For all of us on OLO, I have a gut feeling we are of the older generation, cherish what we know and have.

And be nice to each other!

I've got a nice shiraz and some stilton now, thinking of you Charles, if you were here now we would be arguing in a friendly manner.

Rest In Piece Sir.

ViolentEntropy- Sorry to here about Charles Essery- the voices of old friends live forever.

Nan Witcomb's words have been repeated countless
times all over the world over the last 50 years
including at the funeral of Michael Hutchence of
INXS.

I hope they will be of some help to you:

" To mourn too long for those we love
is self-indulgent ...
But to honour their memory
with a promise to live a little better
for having known them
gives purpose to their life
and some reason for their death."

Thanks Canem and Foxy
I appreciate your words.

ViolentEntropy,

My sympathy goes out to you, as it does to all who suffer loss of a loved one, be it family or friend.

A reminder from Buddha; Without death there cannot be life.

My condolences ViolentEntropy, unfortunately there comes a time when we are all loosing many friends.

I was born on the 29Th of February 1940. As you probably know the Olympic games are held to celebrate that fact, of leap year that is. This means that if I last to the 29Th of Feb 2024 I get a 21St birthday. I have for some time been planning a big party if I make it.

Yesterday morning I had a few friends flying our remote controlled aircraft from a couple of mown grass strips I have developed down my lower paddock. Don't do anything much more athletic these days. This was a first for a couple of months, it's been too wet down there for a while.

Looking around at the grey heads I was wondering how many will still be around for my 21St party, we have lost a few recently, just like cricket. I then started wondering how many other guests will be left by then, it will be a lot less than a few years ago. Not many from my navy flying, sailing, show jumping or other days of my youth to invite.

I mentioned this to one of them, & he was all positive. Don't look at it as loosing mates he suggested, but look at it as how many you have survived. Looking at it that way you are a winner, rather than a loser. I guess it is all in the attitude.