Seeing a BBC news alert on my phone, I turned on BBC News early afternoon and that was the rest of my day, as everything stopped while I watched and we all waited for the inevitable announcement this evening. As with many of us, it was still a devastating shock when it came, even though I'd spent the last six+ hours preparing for it, and surprisingly, my tears flowed for her, her family, and for us all. So much can be, will be, said in the coming days, for we all know that this loss is so very much more than the death of the monarch, where the end is the beginning.  God save the King.

Of all the responses tonight, somewhat unexpectedly, I found Boris Johnson's words best reflect my own feelings.  "This is our country's saddest day. In the hearts of every one of us there is an ache at the passing of our Queen, a deep and personal sense of loss - far more intense, perhaps, than we expected."  - Boris Johnson (Telegraph 8/9/22)

In other news: This morning was an early start again as it was Lillyanna's turn to be spayed at the council animal shelter. I am so pleased that by early afternoon she was home and sufficiently recovered to take care of her babies (indoors, so I could keep an eye on them all whilst I watched TV).