Saturday. A difficult day. My sisters neighbours tell me they cannot get a response for her and her mail is still in the letter box. I cannot delay action any longer and I request an urgent welfare call to her. I go to meet a group for a meal and on the way one of my sisters neighbours texts me that the police have gained access to her house. Then there is silence. I meet my friends and have a meal. I return home to find the police talking to my partner and daughters My sister has been found dead. The police leave and I ring the responsible officer and get the numbers I need and an update on the situation. The evening is filled with messages and some preliminary thank yous. I take my night meds and go to bed to sleep fitfully with the thought of how sad dying alone is and was for my sister.

Sunday starts with coffee in bed and some reflection. The household rouses and breakfasts collectively. I top up the oil level in my youngest’s car. My youngest daughter and partner along with me drive off to car dealerships in search of a new car for my youngest. We abandon one dealership as they no longer have what was on their website and head for another. We look at a couple of cars and end up test driving one. It would be possible to spend a life time looking at cars but the more we considered the one we test drove the more it ticked the boxes. Low millage, 5 door, petrol, real spare wheel, large boot, smooth drive, rear leg room and pulled up hill very well. Both my partner and I have previously owned this make and model back in the day and had really good experiences with them. The deal is done, including a good trade in and so we will return on Tuesday to collect my youngest daughter’s new car. It is particularly pleasing to know that she will have a safe and reliable car to go to work in and see her through to motherhood. We return home and indulge in celebratory ham sandwiches and a rugby match.

The family slide into the evening and the usual Sunday tasks like a Tesco order and preparing for work tomorrow. For me I will begin the journey of putting my sister to rest and sorting out all her affairs. It feels like a turning point, new challenges to be faced. Of course there are pre oncology review bloods to be done this week so there are some odd threads of my cancer reality to continue with.