“Someone I loved once gave me a box full of darkness. It took me years to understand that this too, was a gift” - Mary Oliver
I didn’t say anything in the days leading up to it, but on Saturday,18th August we went to Brixham to scatter Andy’s ashes. Originally the Brixham Lifeboat Crew were going to do it for us when they were next on manoeuvres, but in the end both Lucy and I had a change of mind, and wanted to do it ourselves. …. I know it sounds daft but we didn’t want to leave Andy/Dad/The Duke with strangers …. even though they would have been very, very lovely caring strangers, I know, deep in my heart that it was the right decision. 
We had to make several trips to the beach, a place which Andy had described, while fishing off the jetty last year as, for him, the closest place to heaven on earth because it never quite quiet enough….. !
We had to make several trips to the beach, a place which Andy had described, while fishing off the jetty last year as, for him, the closest place to heaven on earth because it never quite quiet enough….. !
However, as the light faded we all said our final goodbyes and then skimmed stones ….. before leaving Andy where he was happiest …. a place where he could fish to his hearts content …… and gaze at the beautiful view.
We were able to make a donation of £1,025 in Andy’s memory from friends and family, towards the upkeep of the Brixham Lifeboat, something that would have really choked him. He would never fail to buy something from an RNLI shop/stand/stall whenever he saw one ….. as we can all contest, as we each have at least one RNLI keyring courtesy of Andy.
A wonderful gentleman called Stuart Elliman, the Lifeboat Operations Manager at Brixham gave us a guided tour of the Lifeboat and Lifeboat station, something Andy would also have just loved …. 
…… it was such a privilege … and made our visit even more special and something that will stay with us for a very long while to come…. 
