Thread: Neil Miller RIP

Indeed, I also read old posts of Neil... And still waiting to be corrected for some generalization I made for some natural stone, with his strict yet in most times elegant remark.
Strange thing, some months back we've had a meeting at Ardennes coticule shop in memory of Henk Bos. Forgetting for a tiny moment the circumstances and the purpose of the meeting, first two people I would think would be present there would be Neil and Henk. More so than even Maurice, the owner/expert.
They have that door with a bell above and whenever someone opens the door, you hear it.
I along with my friend, arrived on time, I think, still, some were there before us. And, every time that little bell sound was heard, I was waiting for him to show up with the impression "I got you all!". As you can guess, the bell from him was never heard. And the same for Henk. When his wife and daughter entered, I was like 99% sure he would walk in there right behind them, that not even death would keep these two gentlemen miss the meeting. I was sure he was just outside the door, in fact after greeting them I went outside to check if any or both of them were waiting outside, or walking towards the building or checking the coarse gravel on the ground for slurry stones (you are basically walking on flakes from Belgian blue and Lorraine there)... Strange emotions, maybe a bit paranoid from my part... the fact is I still miss them both, I would have talked with them for dozens of subjects... and the hones forum is emptier without them... the last year or two I'm starting exploring in depth the Japanese stones world, and their absence is definitely a factor, in one way or another (pleasant, I'm sure), they have changed our lives. And I'm still waiting for one of his paddle strops, he would make me one when he had the time, I've been waiting for about 5 years before... the start of this thread.
Anyway, sorry for my rumbling and I sincerely hope it's better there, wherever they are from here.
(And I would definitely ask his opinion for the referendum like the rest of the forum, but let's all forget about this comment)