‘She’s a strong lady your mother’ said a carer to me last week ‘a fighting spirit’.
But we all knew the conclusion and this time perhaps I didn’t want her to be strong, but relax- give way – which thankfully last Tuesday 12th Sept, she managed to do. So yet another funeral to organise- what little I actually contribute. So much to get right-searching cupboard’s for photos; Hymns that she would like to sing herself, and later this week clothes to choose that she would wear. Just one last time.
Perhaps, something in pink, a Jackets & scarf,with a pair of black trousers- she loved black ‘had a slimming effect, don’t you know’. I will see if I can find a nice smart pair perhaps Jaeger.
So my week has been in this mode, really, apart from Saturday when Julian & I took Josh out for the day. What a breath of fresh air. He gives the most glorious hugs, & always brings a fantastic lightness to any gloomy week.
This moment of laughter was just a Josh’s slip of the tongue whilst we were out shopping in Tesco’s. I wanted some replacement fluffy dusters, and as often is the case the store has stopped selling them after I have bought all the handles to thread them through. Now I have 2 or 3 different types of plastic applicators in my cupboard with nothing to pick up the ever increasing dust.
However- after 2 or 3 minutes in this aisle, we decided in the sanity of my aching legs to move on to the next item on our haphazard shopping list. Then Josh pipped up ‘ aren’t we going to look for the knuckle dusters then’! Julian & I had such a laugh.
So back to the build up to the funeral, or the time after she’s passed on. It is a bit surreal. I am glad I saw her, that last day – along with 2 of my brothers. Glad dad was not witnessed her ill health, and she herself wasn’t to aware.
Love this photo, mum laughing at my joke, at Josh’s christening ( 27 yrs ago)( it was bad joke, really bad- straight from Tommy Cooper. ‘A man went to the Butchers and asked for some bacon. “Lean Back ? ” said the Butcher. The man arched his back and said again…”have you got any bacon ?”) But the photo is brilliant. Shows what fun she was.
Last thought- to show how defrezzled I feel. Julian was just showed me something & I said ‘put it in the parlour’!!
For F***s sake , when did we get a parlour? Language Timothy!
Lovely sympathy card my cousin Sue sent- just right!!! Except dad never wore a bowler hat.