I was busy at work last night.
It was not until around 4am when I fell into conversation with another nurse as both of us were drawing up medications at the nurses station.
She is a farmer's wife who lives five miles or so from Trelawnyd
And she told me how sorry she was to hear that my friend , the Red Faced Welsh Farmer had died yesterday.
I had absolutely no idea what she was talking about...all day on Monday I had not ventured far from home because of the looming night shift and so I had not seen anyone from the village .
In this case, bad news had not travelled very fast at all.
I couldn't quite believe what she was saying.
If you could have caught me in Sheffield's All Bar One a few year's ago and stated that in 2013 I would count an elderly,flamboyantly argumentative old pirate of a Welsh Farmer as one of my friends, I would have told you to stick your crisp Chardonnay where the sun doesn't shine.
After all, what on earth would a prissy middle aged gay nurse possibly have in common with a rough and ready, gun toting animal farmer from the Welsh hills?
But a valued friend, he did indeed become
And over the years, he developed into a bit of a fairy Godfather in a tweed cap, when I needed a willing hand with this and that.
His stories were always long, meandering and entertaining
His temper was legendary
And his kindnesses to me and to a score of others from Trelawnyd and beyond, were many and varied.
I shall miss him dearly....
They don't make men quite like him anymore
His real name was,in factIt was not until around 4am when I fell into conversation with another nurse as both of us were drawing up medications at the nurses station.
She is a farmer's wife who lives five miles or so from Trelawnyd
And she told me how sorry she was to hear that my friend , the Red Faced Welsh Farmer had died yesterday.
I had absolutely no idea what she was talking about...all day on Monday I had not ventured far from home because of the looming night shift and so I had not seen anyone from the village .
In this case, bad news had not travelled very fast at all.
I couldn't quite believe what she was saying.
If you could have caught me in Sheffield's All Bar One a few year's ago and stated that in 2013 I would count an elderly,flamboyantly argumentative old pirate of a Welsh Farmer as one of my friends, I would have told you to stick your crisp Chardonnay where the sun doesn't shine.
After all, what on earth would a prissy middle aged gay nurse possibly have in common with a rough and ready, gun toting animal farmer from the Welsh hills?
But a valued friend, he did indeed become
And over the years, he developed into a bit of a fairy Godfather in a tweed cap, when I needed a willing hand with this and that.
His stories were always long, meandering and entertaining
His temper was legendary
And his kindnesses to me and to a score of others from Trelawnyd and beyond, were many and varied.
I shall miss him dearly....
They don't make men quite like him anymore
John Lloyd-Ellis
 |
| The RFWF at last years Jubilee |
Having got to know RFWF through your writing I shared your loss. It was a strange feeling.
ReplyDeleteAlex, I know exactly the feeling you describe. I always read, very rarely post, but feel that John's village is 'my' village too and all the characters and nuances of village life are as real to me as 'The Archers'.
DeleteThinking of you all in Trelalwnyd today....
Liz
There seems to have been a tender heart under the gruff exterior of your Old Welsh farmer friend. He sounds like the type of characters who lurk here on the dismal plains of West Texas.
ReplyDeleteI'm certain he will be sorely missed.......
I'm very sorry to hear that, John. He will be missed.
ReplyDeleteOh so sudden.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to hear that too John. Jx
Sorry about the blow, J.G. Unexpected gaps just keep on coming - and nothing or nobody can replace them. Hope your pleasant memories can bring you some solace.
ReplyDeleteI never met him so it's strange that I will miss him, but not more than you will.
ReplyDeleteSo very sorry to hear that news, Helen
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry. He will be missed by those of us who follow your blog.
ReplyDeletePeter
So sorry John....hugs.
ReplyDeleteSo sad John, I am sorry to hear your news. I love hearing about all the old characters on your blog so he will be sadly missed.
ReplyDeleteJo xx
How very sad, we came to know him through your blog, and shall miss his waves down the lane :(
ReplyDeleteA fine gentleman.
~Jo
x
Sorry to hear that. I enjoyed meeting him through your blog.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear your sad news John. You have lost a friend ..... I'm sure that you have many fond memories of him and the spirit of the RFWF will live on in Trelawnyd. Thinking of you all. XXXX
ReplyDeleteMany condolences to all, John. Thanks to your posts we were able to share your RFWF friendship - and now mourn his loss with you...
ReplyDeleteSorry for your loss John. Keep thinking of your happy memories and friendship.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry to hear that the RFWF has passed on. Because of your writing, I shall miss his cheery wave and common sense advice.
ReplyDeleteThe sad part of life. Amazing where we find ourselves and our views down thru the years. x
ReplyDeleteSad to lose a friend...we will remember him with a smile thru your stories.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry you've lost a friend. It's funny who you end up being friends with in a village situation. Politics and opinions poles apart, but great friends none the less. x
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry that you have lost this friend but as we move on through life we all encounter people from different spheres whose tales enrich our lives unexpectedly. I too live in a small village where at events we mingle unaware of politics etc most importantly we are all inhabitants of my small village.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry for your loss... agree with you in that we are often surprised about who becomes our dear friends. We all will miss your stories about him.
ReplyDeleteI'm really sorry to read this. You'll miss him, I'm sure.
ReplyDeleteI've never met the man. I've never even met you. But somehow this has really got to me. That's blogging for you.
Thank you for sharing your friend with us.
I thought at first you were going to say it wasn't true, that the nurse was talking about another farmer...but no.
ReplyDeleteOdd that one of your recent posts was about the RFWF incident.
Jane x
Loss like that never gets easier. Sorry to hear of his passing. Deb
ReplyDeleteLife has a way of introducing us to the most unlikely folk. Each one brings a little more enlightenment so even when they are gone, we might shine a little brighter.
ReplyDeletePeople like this leave a huge gap in our lives when they go don't they John? I have lost one or two I would put in this category during the past year.
ReplyDeleteJohn, I'm so sorry for your loss and know that the RFWF will be terribly missed by all his friends and family. I know that feeling of being given sudden and unexpected devastating news like that - it happened to me a couple of times over the years. Once I was driving a car full of hiking buddies to the Civil War battlefield near Chattanooga, Tennessee when one of the passengers "casually" remarked about the death of a friend I hadn't seen in a few months. She had succumbed quickly to lung cancer, but I had not even known she was suffering! He will live through you and your stories.
ReplyDeleteNancy in Iowa
Oh dear! Another old character gone. I am sorry.
ReplyDeleteOh my...very similar thoughts as MorningAJ.
ReplyDeleteLife really is very fragile...
That seems very sudden. Wasn't it just a few days ago when you mentioned him? Another great character gone.
ReplyDeleteI was in the very same All Bar One the other weekend. It's a whole universe away from the life you seem to lead now.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry you have lost a good friend. They come in unexpected guises sometimes but are real none the less.
I am so sorry. He lives on in your heart and in your stories. Thanks for letting us know him, too.
ReplyDeleteso sorry to read of his passing--I will miss tales of the r.f.w.f.
ReplyDeleteI am sad to hear this news. I always loved hearing about the RFWF. I suppose my favourite blogpost of yours about him was when he helped you take #12 and #21 to the abattoir and said that you were now a real farmer.
ReplyDeletemegan
x
I'm sorry to hear your sad news John, I'm sure he will be greatly missed by a good many folk.
ReplyDeleteIt's a shame; it's the characters you meet that makes live all the richer. Sadly, I think we're drifting towards an age when there are fewer of them around!
ReplyDeleteStew, what a lovely thought! John, sad! sad! Your cast of characters is greatly reduced. Our loss, too.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny to think how many people around the world know of him and will miss the little mentions you made of him, and yet we never knew his name.
ReplyDeleteYour stories remind me of the village my mother lives, all sorts of characters. Soap operas can't compete with the tales of village life!
Sorry to read the news, he was quite the character.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to read this. I know it must of been a shock to hear the news. Thanks to your blog he was known around the world. I know he will be missed.
ReplyDeleteHow terrible to hear of the loss of a your friend this way. So very sorry. He was a delightful person for blog posts. Hugs to you and the town that will miss him.
ReplyDeleteA sad blow, John. Honest people attract each other, as you've experienced these last many years.
ReplyDeleteJohn, that is such sad news. Thoughts and prayers go out to his family
ReplyDeleteOh John, such sad news, I'm so sorry that you found out in such an abrupt way. Everyone who follows your blog has come to care about those that pop in and out of your posts and I felt a real shock to find out the RFWF had died. I immediately thought of the picture you posted of him in the marquee at your Jubilee. I so hope his family know how much he was appreciated by the village and your readers. Hugs to you all.
ReplyDeleteJohn, I am sorry to hear of this loss for you and the village. He will live on as being part of the fabric of Trelawnyd.
ReplyDeleteJohn, so sorry to hear of the R.F.W.F. passing. What a shock for you to find out at work. I loved hearing a quick mention of the old guy waving as he went down the lane as well as longer stories about him.
ReplyDeleteCodi llaw mewn cydymdeimlad x
ReplyDeleteMy goodness! What a shock. Of course, I didn't know the RFWF, but he was a part of the unique puzzle that makes up Trelawnyd, and I am sad that he has died.
ReplyDeleteJohn, I'm so sorry. xxx
ReplyDeleteWhen we lose friends so suddenly, it is such a shock. However be consoled that he did not suffer a long lingering death.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry, John, he sounds like quite the character.
ReplyDeleteYou just never know where a friendship may form. Sometimes, it catches us by surprise, and is all that more precious because it was so totally unexpected. I'm sorry for your loss.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry for your loss.
ReplyDeleteThey are special friendships those which develop between folk who would normally not be a part of each others worlds. When those worlds collide and give you the gift of a new friend for life it is truly lovely.
He looks like a real gent.
Sue xx
we will miss your mentioning him here. RIP R.F.W.F
ReplyDeleteJohn, I missed this yesterday. I am so shocked and saddened by this loss. I am also a little worried about how you'll manage without him!
ReplyDeleteRIP John Lloyd-Ellis. Amazing how blogs can make some people feel real
ReplyDelete