On Thursday, June 21st, I received a message from a friend at Paltalk, a chat room service, that dear Firefly had passed away. I had just left a neighbour's house in London where the family had recently lost a loved one. Having paid my respects, and feeling very moved, I crossed the road to my house, and opened Paltalk. The last line of the message read as follows " hoa trang ngoc (đom đóm) chết ngay 15/6 " meaning "flowers (fireflies) died 15/6" or "pearl white flowers (fireflies) died 15/6".

I cannot describe how those few words hit me. I wasn't prepared for them, nor had I understood the seriousness of poor Firefly's illness. My sense of both shock and grief was extraordinary. Of course, one is sad at the loss of any person that one knows. But I hardly knew Firefly. A lady, thousands of miles away in Vietnam, whom I had met in a virtual reality room at Paltalk, where we both sang songs, as did others in the room. Her kindness to me and support during those visits had so touched me. The more I looked at the finality of those words, the more I felt the loss. My grief over the past four days seemed to have been as deep as I'd ever known.

So, I started this webpage, in memory of Firefly, on the day I read of her passing. Only now, have I finally written this introduction. Just looking at the three pictures above, and the three images below, has helped me to collect my thoughts, and to try to make sense of the past four days. It's as if Time has stood still. Firefly made the effort to make her Paltalk Profile interesting, and consequently, her pictures made it possible for me to put up this webpage immediately. Thank you Firefly. : )

It is now 3 months later, and Firely and I have made this page into a beautiful little home. It has grown, week by week with many additions since I started this introduction. However something has just happened that has made Firefly and me so very sad. Yesterday, I heard, from the same lady who told me of firefly's passing, that a dear friend of hers and of firefly, had also passed away. Hoa tím lục bình died on September 8. The news came as a great shock to me, and I felt a deep sadness for Hoa as I had felt for Firefly. Two ladies that had been so welcoming to me in their music room back in January, had gone to Heaven within 3 months of each other.

It was decided that Hoa Tim should be remembered in the same way as Firefly has been, and that she should share our little home. I haven't been able to find any photographs of Hoa Tim, therefore all the photos here are still just of Firefly. Hoa Tim, welcome to our home where I know you will be very happy. Once we were two here, now we are three. :o) :o) :o)

It was in February 2016, I met Mrs DJ Panda, in a Chinese Music room, and suddenly, there was a kindred spirit prepared to express her joy of life. Our friendship was exactly that - no more no less. Never had I needed a friend more than I did then. 2016 became one of the happiest years that I have ever known. Despite not being in the best of health during the short time that I knew her, she remained brave throughout, and attended to the important things in her life - finding time for all those who needed her. Domestic matters, religious matters, social matters - she gave them everything she had. The most positive person that I have ever known, and yet we never met, and knew very little about each other. ours was about the meeting of minds and kind hearts. It was about celebrating life in Paltalk. We sang songs, played songs, spoke on the mic, and most of all decorated the screen of whichever room we were in. She was simply infectious. It was in February 2016, I met Mrs DJ Panda, in a Chinese Music room, and suddenly, there was a kindred spirit prepared to express her joy of life

Hương Lan – Im Lặng

Khánh Hà - Lời Tình Buồn

khánh ly một cõi đi về

MỘT CHÚT QUÀ CHO QUÊ HƯƠNG Khánh Ly

Hương Lan – Lan Và Điệp 3

Happy Birthday Arlene