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| Carol in Monaco, 1991 |
She was only fifty one years old and she died at the hands of the beast we call Cancer. Her exotic blogging name was Molly Printemps but her real name was Carol Harrison. She lived in the village of South Cave just west of Hull with her husband Roger who she referred to as Roberto in her blog. It was only late last summer that they enjoyed a wonderful Mediterranean cruise together.
The last post she penned included a photo of a Camelia plant flowering in her garden. That was on April 6th. The next post, dated Monday August 3rd is actually by her sister Katy and is titled lovingly "Once upon a time...". A hearfelt poem follows crafted by a sister who is not naturally one for making poems. Earlier this evening, I left this comment:-
Oh no! Oh no! I am so shocked that Carol has left the stage. I kept coming back to her "Camelia" post and wondering when she would get round to creating another blogpost. Connecting with her through blogging was fun and in a way I am glad that I didn't know she was fighting cancer. That would have impacted on our online mischief.
Katy's poem in memory of her sister is a lovely way of saying goodbye - like carving a love heart on a tree.
Farewell Molly Printemps! Farewell Carol Harrison! I send my sincere condolences to Roger and to Katy and to all who counted Carol as a friend in real life.
Love from
Neil in Sheffield (Yorkshire Pudding)
Later on, just before I began to write this post, Katy responded:-
If you are reading this, I bid you a fond farewell Molly Printemps or Carol or maybe simply - Jock! Night-night!
Farewell Molly Printemps! Farewell Carol Harrison! I send my sincere condolences to Roger and to Katy and to all who counted Carol as a friend in real life.
Love from
Neil in Sheffield (Yorkshire Pudding)
Later on, just before I began to write this post, Katy responded:-
Thank you YP, You made her laugh....a lot. She did love a bit of mischief and you certainly connected from that point of view. Not being a writer, the poem was pretty tough to do, an emotional nightmare anyway, but I could hear her shouting about my spelling and grammar, which she did to me frequently. I started deliberately misspelling in emails to her a few years ago, which I'm sure drove her nuts at first, but she said nothing and started doing it back to me, so bad that even I new it was misspelled. Thank you for keeping her laughing all the way. Katy x (Roberto Printemp and the rest of the family)
Please visit "The Many Musings of Molly Printemps"
It is sad when we lose one of our blogger friends...as sad as it is when we lose a "real" life friend. Sometimes, we learn more about people from their written words. Many write from the heart...from their innermost thoughts, without fear or prejudice.
ReplyDeleteVery sad...she was far to young. It's not fair.
I'm sorry you've lost a friend, Yorky. I will visit Carol's blog.
I see you left a message there Lee. That was nice of you.
DeleteBy the way, I am so sorry to hear what happened at Trent Bridge today - Pommicide!
I did not know her but she looks young and vital and she left the world so soon; we often do connect as bloggers and it leaves a gap when a friend passes. How good you two shared some mischief together, that must have lightened her heart when you did.
ReplyDeleteLike I said to her sister Terra, I am glad our banter happened without reference to The Big C. She kept it secret from the blogosphere.
DeleteSad that she died so young , same age as me. I would feel quite a loss as well.
ReplyDeleteAt 51, you are just a kid. Too young to die.
DeleteAlthough I remember the name Molly Printemps from comments on your blog, I don't think I ever visited her place in blogland. Nevertheless, it is sad to hear of yet another woman to die so young. I'm only 4 years younger, and have had some false alerts and one minor one that was not "false" and had to be cut out five years ago, so the threat of cancer is a very real one for me.
ReplyDeleteI am glad you met her, and had a good online relationship.
She was a funny lady Meike.
DeleteSorry to hear you have had one or two scares yourself.
Sadly we have all known a few bloggers that have left us wanting more......im begining to worry about old hippo
ReplyDeleteI think a few of us have been worried about Hippo too JG ~ but no one more than you since he made that epic visit to Wales to see you and Aunty Glad. Has he not replied to your email either? You may need to contact his brother. I think Helen in Bridbane might have his brother's contact details from when she sent him some seeds.
DeleteHippo has had big blogging gaps before. I am hoping he'll come roaring back with more swashbuckling tales. Somebody's probably nicked his laptop or he's traded it in for a new generator.
DeleteYes I've been wondering about him too. I must look back and see when the baby is due.
DeleteYou know YP, now that you mention it, I hadn't seen any comments from Molly for a while ~ but to learn it was April, her last post. You must have been concerned given that you had met her IRL. Such a lovely smile.
ReplyDeleteWhen I look back, I know she occasionally had "appointments". Though she never explained them, I realise now that they were linked to her cancer care.
DeleteRIP Molly. Folk die YP get used to it.
ReplyDeleteRight Adrian, I'll remember that when/if you die. That's the day I'll reserve for cleaning out my gutters.
DeleteI think we can guarantee that it will be 'when'. The 'if' will simply be whether we are around to know.
DeleteWhen I was a child death seemed a common occurrence in the family (there were very many old relatives in my family) and in our road. So did senile dementia in the road though not so much, thankfully, in the family. Perhaps I just didn't notice but until I was around 60 and my parents and our son died death and dementia seemed to have gone out of fashion amongst our friends and family. And now the former it is an almost weekly occurrence amongst friends and acquaintances. I think it's an age thing. Adrian does have a point. In a strange sort of sad way I have got used to it.
ReplyDeleteI've just read the poem written by Katy. I may have become used to death but certainly not inured to it.
ReplyDeleteI have known my fair share of death. Similarly, I am also not inured to it. When it happens to family or friends we would be iron-hearted if we felt nothing or just brushed it aside as "one of those things".
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