I was lucky enough in 2013 to meet Orlane Heaney Regnault in Adelaide. We dated for a while and remained friends afterwards.

I moved away from Adelaide late in 2014 and we didn't stay in touch.

Visiting the Smelly Cheese Shop at Central Market today, I thought of her because I knew there was a connection. Orlane was French, and I believe she was involved in setting up the shop.

I searched for her online to hopefully catch up for a coffee while I'm in Adelaide, but found out sadly that she passed away in 2017.

Orlane (pictured December 2013 from Facebook) was a mercurial, vibrant woman, passionate and energetic, full of love for her children.

I'm not very good at poetry, but I feel that one I wrote about Orlane in October 2013 is one of my best, published here in her everlasting memory:

Orlane

A delicate flower bends in a gentle breeze
Petals gleaming like tears in the dew
Ascending lightly with the sun
Standing bolder, tall and true.

A gale roars and shakes the flower
Petals waver like wings of a bee
Closing tightly with the night
Defiant, exposed, alone but free.

A new dawn brings calm and hope
The flower blooms like a shooting star
Rising taller than ever before
A beacon to all, near and far.

The flower grows and nurtures more
Sharing abroad with generous heart
Til one day it can give no more
Frail; at risk of falling apart.

But like a seedling after fire
The radiant flower rises again
Never to be downward riven
Beautiful lure to all.