Had a derelict house next door for three years that’s recently been sold and work started. Today he made a start on my new fence and I’m so happy I can barely speak (bin pics available for those that desire them of course).
Rented some e-bikes and rode into Amboise for lunch. I must be running on alcohol after the last few days, as the carafe of wine I had didn’t have any impact on my cycle back to the hotel afterwards!
It’s the inevitable cycle of life. There’s no point complaining, I know I don’t want to last until that age. It’s no longer living but just existing. She had a good full life, had seven kids and packed loads more in. Even at 74 she went on the pillion with my dad all the way down to Mojácar southern Spain and back. The inevitable happened on Sunday evening, so yesterday was spent on the phone informing as many people as possible. She was always cheerful and optimistic, even when my dad died. As I was to give the eulogy she took me to one side and said ‘let’s not make this a sad occasion, let’s make it a celebration of a good life well lived.’ And that is what she’d want for her funeral. I’ll probably give the eulogy, I seem to get volunteered for it. Now that will be tough.
Sorry to read about your loss Sam, but it seems that you can certainly look back at your Mom's life as a life well lived. Thinking of you.
Sorry for your loss Sam I usually get nominated for speaker but I’m not sure I could hold it together for my mum. Stay strong and good luck.
Mum sounds like an amazing lady with precious memories. She is right celebrate her life and celebrate life it's so short sending love Sam
I gave the eulogy for a much loved mother in-law. She was in her late 90s when she passed and was one from the old school. Had a tough life and never complained, was grateful for what she had & was always kind & giving. I wrote the words down and practised them out loud a number of times, once with the vicar in attendance, and that allowed me to weep a couple of times and get accustomed to the emotion of it all. And there's nothing wrong with a weepy celebration. They are usually the best ones.
Nearly missed the ferry home from Dieppe thanks to Apple Maps routing us through the middle of town. We were the last ones on, with 15 minutes to spare.
It was a full on day, a successful day with much sorted. Nothing ever joins up as it’s supposed to though, as you’re promised it will. I couldn’t tell where they we’re coming from but my 6th sense told me torpedo’s were coming for me. Sure enough, they surfaced. The takers, the piss takers, the people that don’t do what they’ve absolutely promised you they will do. People that take their foot off the gas but still expect paying in full and finally the people that do plain fuck all, yet they expect. I could feel my fuse shortening. Tick, tick, tick. I’m ok, I’m good, our mum was 97, it wasn’t a surprise and were glad she’s not still suffering. It’s interesting to monitor people but I could feel my fuse shortening. Tick, tick, tick. Hmmm, stress, maybe I’m not as ok as I thought. In the background I’m overseeing the renovation of the house that I bought for my parents years ago. 3 new bathrooms, new kitchen, new guttering, fascia’s, fence posts, pergola, decking etc. Hence the workforce. The idea being to rent it out, take the income and… pass the building onto our kids. It’s a plan Not only that it was the Mrs’s birthday and making funeral arrangements weren’t originally in the day’s plan. The Mrs was great though and helped me sort the funeral directors but because we’d had such a full on day she elected not to go out for dinner but to stay home. We’d been to friends for dinner yesterday anyway. I bought flowers for her, lots of flowers, she was very pleased and it was a pleasure to give them. The simple electronic form that’s supposed to go from the hospital to the Register Office didn’t go automatically as promised on Monday, or on Tuesday after chasing, or on Wednesday as promised as soon as the Doctor put the phone down. Then it was Thursday and I’m on the way to the funeral director followed by the Register Office, no fuck fuckerdy simple push button form. Which means you can’t get the death certificate. I could explode, icy calm. Cut to the end of the working day. Along with bro number 1, who was very good company but I don’t get to see enough, we’ve got it all sorted. Funeral directors all organised and booked. Death certificate obtained +8 copies because you need ’em. Church, burial and Vicar booked. Well in theory. Venue for the wake booked. Deposit paid. People literally all round the world informed. Result, major result. Stressful but satisfying day. However the Vicar is so new to the country village parish she’s only been to the church once! That date is clear, she can do that but she wants to triple check her diary before giving a 100% yes and she wants to check with the Verger. Fair enough, it is her parish now, she calls the shots. Only thing is when you call the Verger’s phone his answer machine says ‘don’t leave a message as I don’t listen to answerphone messages’. Brilliant! Someone should make a comedy Tv series out of this. They have, this must be the sequel and we’re in it. No, no, no, no, no, yes! So we’re 99.999% sure of the date but not 100%. Off I go to ‘the site’ only to find the delivery from the builders merchants which was absolutely definitely promised for 7.30am did not arrive at all and 4 guys have done 4/5ths of fuck all because they haven’t got the gear. It too had been promised for Monday, then Tuesday…Wednesday for sure, ‘sorry one lorry had broken down’ ( that old Chestnut) now it’s end of play Thursday, still nothing. I’m hundreds of pounds down because it’s not their fault and they still need paying. Not only that the painter fucked off for half the day but still expects paying because he thought he could get away with it, he probably still expects paying too, I have news for him. Why didn’t anyone call me? I call the builders merchants and finally explode! Next up a relative starts pressurising me about the Vicar not being 100% and starts ordering me about. So I explode at her too and I’m glad I did. She’s in her place and I feel much better and laugh. Other than that it was a quiet day, not much to report except writing this is clearly cathartic.
Logged in here for the first time in what feels like ages, had quite a serious health issue and I just shut down, haven’t ridden until yesterday, been out or been to my boat. Slowly getting back on track so I’m off to the boat later to get pissed!
