"Moving" definitions:
1. mobile.. transient.. nomadic:
Since Bob's arrival from France on 1st May Greyrocks has spent the 31nights in;
2. emotional.. sad.. gruelling:
The first two weeks were dominated by all the stuff necessary after a death. The earliest date available for a funeral was 15th May but with a 10 am slot, so we took this, and working with Vic Ruth's father) and her sister and brother-in-law we arranged what would be a small but very well received event. With the main bookings and meetings addressed Greyrocks disappeared for a week in Brighton and returned for last minute jobs and for Ruth to stay over with Vic on the eve. As funerals go this was a "good" one:- helped naturally by the fact that all knew that Vivienne had "had enough"! The Co-op offered us a choice of crematoria and celebrants and both were ideal. They own a brand new place - The Oaks near Havant - and Vic was insistent it should be there. (At his age he has become very familiar with funerals and found the alternatives "like conveyor belts"!) This was spacious, green and comfortable. We were assigned Moira Dadd as celebrant. She visited us at home and together we planned the largely secular ceremony with just a touch of the non-conformist tradition from a recorded hymn and short prayer. She helped us get it just about perfect.
The audio-visual side was handled discretely from a mixing desk at the back. The photographs (some dating back to about 1935) were projected on a big screen like a PowerPoint presentation. Ruth's "eulogy" went down well! The attendance consisted of eighteen family, eight members of Vic's Air Crew Association branch and Viv's gardener and hairdresser with their spouses. Afterwards we went for a very early buffet lunch at the Brookfield Hotel in Emsworth (also known to Vic for past wakes!)
The opportunity for a family photograph was too good to miss, and matched pretty well with what might have been possible in June for the proposed Sapphire Wedding party (just missing two very young great-grandchildren, their father and - of course - Vivienne!). Family and friends who would like a copy can email us, as for a copy of what Ruth wrote for Moira to read as a brief biography of Vivienne.
3. noun: relocation, house removal
In parallel with this major life-event Greyrocks has been helping Chloë
acquire her first home! She found her little "Blue House" whilst we were in Goa in February. Since then we have had dealings with very capable and helpful surveyors and structural engineers, and complete drongos at the Halifax and Aviva. The web-based solicitor comes in somewhere between the two under "you get what you pay for"! There has been a sequence of misinformation and unnecessary procedures. The vendor himself has thrown spanners in the works over visits to the property. Greyrocks has been Skypeing, ranting, emailing and wrestling with IT issues from Goa, Fuerteventura, France and hotels all over the south of England. Meanwhile Chloë had had to move out of her medium-term house-share and has had six weeks of sofa-surfing. But there is light at the end of the tunnel! (or is it a moving train?) We may have completion this week, Ruth's niece's partner will be overseeing the necessary works, a vanful of stuff from the Balham loft should arrive and Greyrocks' offspring may soon have a settled and comfortable home. Fingers are firmly crossed!
That's enough about May - although a gastronomic and meteorological account would be interesting and might appear when the whole UK thing! Next stop one night near Vic, then Ruth's birthday and the big move in Bristol! (Maybe!)
1. mobile.. transient.. nomadic:
Since Bob's arrival from France on 1st May Greyrocks has spent the 31nights in;- Two different Travelodge's (Brighton, Emsworth)
- Three different Premier Inns (Horndean, Bedhampton and Bristol)
- Two nights with J & A in Rotherfield
- The remaining five nights in a perfect country apartment near Rye
2. emotional.. sad.. gruelling:
The first two weeks were dominated by all the stuff necessary after a death. The earliest date available for a funeral was 15th May but with a 10 am slot, so we took this, and working with Vic Ruth's father) and her sister and brother-in-law we arranged what would be a small but very well received event. With the main bookings and meetings addressed Greyrocks disappeared for a week in Brighton and returned for last minute jobs and for Ruth to stay over with Vic on the eve. As funerals go this was a "good" one:- helped naturally by the fact that all knew that Vivienne had "had enough"! The Co-op offered us a choice of crematoria and celebrants and both were ideal. They own a brand new place - The Oaks near Havant - and Vic was insistent it should be there. (At his age he has become very familiar with funerals and found the alternatives "like conveyor belts"!) This was spacious, green and comfortable. We were assigned Moira Dadd as celebrant. She visited us at home and together we planned the largely secular ceremony with just a touch of the non-conformist tradition from a recorded hymn and short prayer. She helped us get it just about perfect.
The audio-visual side was handled discretely from a mixing desk at the back. The photographs (some dating back to about 1935) were projected on a big screen like a PowerPoint presentation. Ruth's "eulogy" went down well! The attendance consisted of eighteen family, eight members of Vic's Air Crew Association branch and Viv's gardener and hairdresser with their spouses. Afterwards we went for a very early buffet lunch at the Brookfield Hotel in Emsworth (also known to Vic for past wakes!)
The opportunity for a family photograph was too good to miss, and matched pretty well with what might have been possible in June for the proposed Sapphire Wedding party (just missing two very young great-grandchildren, their father and - of course - Vivienne!). Family and friends who would like a copy can email us, as for a copy of what Ruth wrote for Moira to read as a brief biography of Vivienne.
3. noun: relocation, house removal
In parallel with this major life-event Greyrocks has been helping Chloë
acquire her first home! She found her little "Blue House" whilst we were in Goa in February. Since then we have had dealings with very capable and helpful surveyors and structural engineers, and complete drongos at the Halifax and Aviva. The web-based solicitor comes in somewhere between the two under "you get what you pay for"! There has been a sequence of misinformation and unnecessary procedures. The vendor himself has thrown spanners in the works over visits to the property. Greyrocks has been Skypeing, ranting, emailing and wrestling with IT issues from Goa, Fuerteventura, France and hotels all over the south of England. Meanwhile Chloë had had to move out of her medium-term house-share and has had six weeks of sofa-surfing. But there is light at the end of the tunnel! (or is it a moving train?) We may have completion this week, Ruth's niece's partner will be overseeing the necessary works, a vanful of stuff from the Balham loft should arrive and Greyrocks' offspring may soon have a settled and comfortable home. Fingers are firmly crossed!That's enough about May - although a gastronomic and meteorological account would be interesting and might appear when the whole UK thing! Next stop one night near Vic, then Ruth's birthday and the big move in Bristol! (Maybe!)