Sunday, July 09, 2006
Grief, fun, and funeral
Mith died. Grief and relief. I felt that PB was in the room; a strange dichotomy between my heart and head.
The twins and I decided to go ahead with GM’s b’day party in Spain and have the funeral afterwards.
==============================================================Nic, Tash, Ollie and I arrived at La C. on the 23rd April. There was a bit of a kafuffle with the keys but luckily they were not left hanging around in the dark trying to get in.
P&Wen arrived on the 1st May: Sas, Mark and Rene (2nd) , Tash and Olli went home on the 3rd, Gillian & Sandy came on the 4th as did I&M. Lil, Tom, Shane and Katie arrived on the 5th and Jenny and David on the 6th. Rory and Karen couldn’t make it because R’s back was too bad to travel. A sad but sensible decision. The grownups stayed at La Palloma, which seemed to suffice although the bedroom walls were disconcertingly thin. I thoroughly enjoyed myself as, I think, did everyone else. The waves and eddies of family politics were mild enough so that noone was too seasick. I&M had a great time and seemed keen to repeat the experience.
By the 9th, everyone had left except P, Wen and me.
I flew back on the 14th and stayed at Lil and Tom’s rather splendid new house and then the next day we drove down to Reading. The funeral was a rather rushed affair. A conveyor belt of hearses and mourners and clock watching ushers. I gave a rather garbled eulogy and then we all retreated to the Bull at Streatley. All the Fraser aunts and uncles turned up, as did many of the cousins. It was lovely to see them all after so long.
Thanks to the twins, the whole affair ran smoothly and was as enjoyable as these things can be.
P&Wen flew home on the 17th and we met up briefly before I returned to Spain the next day.
P.S. does anyone have any pics of the B’day party?
