Articles from: 2013

And now she’s really gone – we had the thanksgiving service last weekend, and the cremation yesterday…

The service was wonderful… a gloriously cold, crisp, sunny day, the little cotherstone church was packed to the rafters, the sun shone through the stained glass windows onto the flowers, the tributes were wonderful and everyone sang lustily – particularly the Battle Hymn of the Republic, which mum had requested to see her out (we kept only the first verse, sis writing a second one that was more appropriate to the occasion) – who knew that the wonderful village organist could give so rousing a rendition? and then the house bursting at the seams with villagers and friends from all points for tea and sandwiches and stronger libations, dwindling down to the core group and way too much whisky late into the night. It was a fitting send-off – I think she would have thoroughly enjoyed it… the cremation was much harder, but just family, so keeping it together wasn’t so important. and so it is done.

We’ve had family and friends around all week, which has been hugely helpful… next week, when they’re all gone and it’s just me and sis trying to figure out what to do with all this – and the future – then the really hard part begins…. but step by step… I’m probably going to sign off from this for now… I’ll be in touch…

Well, she’s gone.

As was to be expected of her, she made a quick and brilliant exit when the time came that she was getting zero pleasure out of life. Wednesday night she was in the sitting room in front of the fire with a whisky and soda (albeit weak and in a wheelchair), thursday morning she sat in on her customary literature class via skype from her bed (happened to be on Herrick this week, her favourite 17th century poet) and she was gone by 8pm that night – last night… it is the end of an era…

We are in deep mid-winter here in Cotherstone, with a foot and a half of snow and counting. Last night was extraordinarily beautiful – bitter cold and crystal clear, with a big bright shiny moon and lots of stars – perfect for travel to the stars… and this morning it started to snow again…. Sister is stuck up in northern Scotland, snowbound, so I am on my own – hard, but perhaps a blessing in disguise.

My mother was an amazing lady – and an elegant one, who kept her sense of humour ’til the end, in spite of it all. It was a privilege to have spent the past year and some months with her, and I have done what I came to do. I will be here for some time yet, sorting out the aftermath. What comes next I have no idea – but then, when have I ever?