Tuesday, October 06, 2009
A family occasion. Daphne's funeral.
What a long day!
We left home at just gone 8 o'clock this morning and headed eastwards to pick up cousins Betty and Ann.
The weather was just awful.
Then it was onto the M25 - to travel back westwards.
Traffic flowed smoothly at first, but soon we were in the familiar M25 crawl.
Gantry signs at first merely talked of "queues ahead".
Then came one that was alarming - "Junction 14 to 16 - delays 50 minutes."
Surely that must have been a mistake - but we just couldn't risk it; and fortunately we were but 100 yards from the M4 turn off.
Cousin Ann was so impressed that I could take the map and guide us onwards to our destination along an unplanned route - which included Slough.
Women have a reputation for not being able to read maps - well, this woman can.
We arrived at the crematorium outside Amersham with about fifteen minutes to spare.
So, we have not seen the town of Amersham - we shall have to look forward to a visit to Simon and Nikki if that is where they opt to live.
We were greeted warmly by cousin Daphne's family - people we had not met before.
Daphne was Bill's cousin - daughter of Bill's father's elder sister, Emily.
The highlight of this funeral was a moving eulogy by Colin, about the qualities of his mother.
Then we drove onwards to Aylesbury for a gathering at The Railway Club.
Here we had a chance to get to know a little of these relations we had known so little of before. Bill took a few photos.
I am sure that Daphne would have been pleased to know that her family were interested in each other and her place in their hearts.
The journey home was not marked by hold ups and the part through Buckinghamshire to the M40 revealed an attractive county - lovely gentle rolling green hills and interesting towns and villages.
Princes Risborough looked lovely.
The four of us went back to Betty's for tea. It was good to continue the family togetherness mood and to feel the day had been a meaningful occasion.
Home about half past eight. We called into our little local Tescos for some milk and I spotted an assistant with a pack of custard tarts on his trolley. "Are you about to reduce the price?" I asked. And soon we had 2 of these favourites for Bill for 15p.
Excellent!
We left home at just gone 8 o'clock this morning and headed eastwards to pick up cousins Betty and Ann.
The weather was just awful.
Then it was onto the M25 - to travel back westwards.
Traffic flowed smoothly at first, but soon we were in the familiar M25 crawl.
Gantry signs at first merely talked of "queues ahead".
Then came one that was alarming - "Junction 14 to 16 - delays 50 minutes."
Surely that must have been a mistake - but we just couldn't risk it; and fortunately we were but 100 yards from the M4 turn off.
Cousin Ann was so impressed that I could take the map and guide us onwards to our destination along an unplanned route - which included Slough.
Women have a reputation for not being able to read maps - well, this woman can.
We arrived at the crematorium outside Amersham with about fifteen minutes to spare.
So, we have not seen the town of Amersham - we shall have to look forward to a visit to Simon and Nikki if that is where they opt to live.
We were greeted warmly by cousin Daphne's family - people we had not met before.
Daphne was Bill's cousin - daughter of Bill's father's elder sister, Emily.
The highlight of this funeral was a moving eulogy by Colin, about the qualities of his mother.
Then we drove onwards to Aylesbury for a gathering at The Railway Club.
Here we had a chance to get to know a little of these relations we had known so little of before. Bill took a few photos.
I am sure that Daphne would have been pleased to know that her family were interested in each other and her place in their hearts.
The journey home was not marked by hold ups and the part through Buckinghamshire to the M40 revealed an attractive county - lovely gentle rolling green hills and interesting towns and villages.
Princes Risborough looked lovely.
The four of us went back to Betty's for tea. It was good to continue the family togetherness mood and to feel the day had been a meaningful occasion.
Home about half past eight. We called into our little local Tescos for some milk and I spotted an assistant with a pack of custard tarts on his trolley. "Are you about to reduce the price?" I asked. And soon we had 2 of these favourites for Bill for 15p.
Excellent!
