Having only had one profession throughout my (paid) career, I rather envied Michael Peckitt, who started off - like me - as a lawyer in private practice. I'm not sure what constituted his particular Midas touch, but something to do with a software program for lawyers. Anyway, he was enabled to retire early from his firm, Davies and Partners, and to start a new life as a creative artist.
I first met him when he was exhibiting his whacky sculptures at Caroline's Gallery. We still have one in our spare room: from a square blue enamel basis sprout six metre-long wavy spikes, each adorned in some comic fashion: one has a mini-clothes peg with a large wooden ladybird climbing up it and a label attached: "Time waits for no one and it won't wait for me," it reads, presciently.
Over time, Michael went smaller-scale, concentrating on colourful jewellery, with which he achieved great success. He took delight in his daughter Miranda coming into partnership with him, but what a hard act to follow!
It's been cruel seeing someone so young at heart grappling with cancer, and now (that is, yesterday) finally being taken away from us at such a relatively early age. There was plenty still that you felt he could contribute. Caroline in particular is wretched that we have booked to be in Wales next week and so shall miss his funeral.
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