Thursday, November 16, 2006
The Family Grave.
It was in 1987 that Bill and his brothers and sisters lost their Mother.
Mum had been suffering with a brain tumour and died in St Catherine's Hospice in October.
It was a difficult Wednesday and through the following night was The Great Storm.
It was a night of hurricane winds and a great deal of destruction, death even, throughout South East England, never to be forgotten.
It was easy for the grieving family to take it personally and feel that Mum was creating a fuss at being taken so early - only 65.
But sadly, a funeral had to be arranged. Nothing had ever been discussed before. Julie had the feeling that Mum would have opted for burial and so that is what was organised.
I think we had all heard her joking, in times of good health, that she should just be put on the compost heap!
It turned out that the plot for her grave was very close to where Dad had once had an allotment, so very nearly the same spot as his compost heap.
Bill goes to the grave from time to time to keep it clean and place flowers there. Others in the family also go occcasionally. Lesley likes to keep the small amount of ground around it planted with some flowers.
Recently the local council asked that Bill instruct the stone masons to work on the headstone for there seemed to be some risk that it might topple over. In truth this was most unlikely and it would have been impossible for anybody to get hurt. But we had to arrange this or the stone would have been removed.
Grave stones nowadays are normally small and without much ornamentation. This is also local council policy. There is no personal space in front of the stone. This makes it easier to keep the grass neat. Shame really - I like all the personal touches in a European cemetery.
Today Bill has been to the cemetery with some flowers and to check that the work has all been done properly.
I must explain that this grave plot is for 2 couples now.
Bill's parents were laid to rest there first.
Now Aunty Pink's ashes have been interred on the plot - and though we don't like to think ahead to that day, Uncle Bill will also be here.
It is simply because the 2 couples were always close and very closely linked.
It was a case of a brother and sister Monk (George, Bill's Dad and Aunty Pink) marrying a brother and sister Brand - (Doris, Bill's Mum and Uncle Bill). Uncle Bill takes some flowers every Saturday.
Mum had been suffering with a brain tumour and died in St Catherine's Hospice in October.
It was a difficult Wednesday and through the following night was The Great Storm.
It was a night of hurricane winds and a great deal of destruction, death even, throughout South East England, never to be forgotten.
It was easy for the grieving family to take it personally and feel that Mum was creating a fuss at being taken so early - only 65.
But sadly, a funeral had to be arranged. Nothing had ever been discussed before. Julie had the feeling that Mum would have opted for burial and so that is what was organised.
I think we had all heard her joking, in times of good health, that she should just be put on the compost heap!
It turned out that the plot for her grave was very close to where Dad had once had an allotment, so very nearly the same spot as his compost heap.
Bill goes to the grave from time to time to keep it clean and place flowers there. Others in the family also go occcasionally. Lesley likes to keep the small amount of ground around it planted with some flowers.
Recently the local council asked that Bill instruct the stone masons to work on the headstone for there seemed to be some risk that it might topple over. In truth this was most unlikely and it would have been impossible for anybody to get hurt. But we had to arrange this or the stone would have been removed.
Grave stones nowadays are normally small and without much ornamentation. This is also local council policy. There is no personal space in front of the stone. This makes it easier to keep the grass neat. Shame really - I like all the personal touches in a European cemetery.
Today Bill has been to the cemetery with some flowers and to check that the work has all been done properly.
I must explain that this grave plot is for 2 couples now.
Bill's parents were laid to rest there first.
Now Aunty Pink's ashes have been interred on the plot - and though we don't like to think ahead to that day, Uncle Bill will also be here.
It is simply because the 2 couples were always close and very closely linked.
It was a case of a brother and sister Monk (George, Bill's Dad and Aunty Pink) marrying a brother and sister Brand - (Doris, Bill's Mum and Uncle Bill). Uncle Bill takes some flowers every Saturday.
