First stop, Soy milk alternative taste testing with my neighbour Les. It was a quick one about 20 mins and we just had to taste it in cups of tea first and then again on it's own.
It was all a bit frantic as I wanted to take Bella out for a walk so she had been exercised and would sleep while I was out. It was absolutely freezing but it really livened you up and made you feel awake. That's the thing that really makes a difference to your mental health, especially during the winter. Getting out into the fresh air and around nature really lifts the mood and it's one of those things you don't always feel like doing. Like when you feel ill with a cold or flu you tend to curl up indoors, but that is probably the worst thing you can do. The fresh air is what you need to bat off the cobwebs.
Next stop was to go an give blood at a church in Failsworth but I probably didn't time it right. I thought I had booked a slot for 1:35 to be finished by 2pm but by 1:55 I was still in the waiting room queue and here were lots of others who had been there before me. I had to abandon the whole thing and tell them I would reschedule.
Next, it was time to pick up my Aunty Joan and Julie then collect mum and head over to the crematorium for my Aunty Linda's funeral. It was at the Hollinwood Crem and they really pack them in so it was basically one out, one in. When we got there and were waiting outside and the cars arrived, you could still hear the service inside being played out of the speakers in the waiting area. It was absolutely freezing but once everyone was out of the cars and queuing outside it seemed pointless going back to our cars. 10 minutes later and we were heading inside.
It was a humanist service which I think is always better if you are not religious as the focus is more on the person and their life and not unrelatable religious readings. I always tend to switch off when they start quoting religious passages etc as I am not religious and prefer to believe in Karma and the law of attraction etc. I think everyone to their own but it's just not for me. Religion is to blame for so many wars just because people have a different view and believe in a different imaginary friend.
The service was lovely and I managed to hold it together all the way through until my cousin Leanne was handing people white roses towards the end of the service for people to place around the coffin. She looked round to find Jason who has kind of been estranged from the family for years to pass him a rose. I got the impression he thought he wouldn't be welcome and was keeping a low profile. I always think no matter what is going on in families, grief tends to make everyone forget about their differences and come together.
After the service, we headed over to the Big Cott club for the wake. I drove us all there so that I wasn't tempted to have a drink as I really needed to make sure I got back to Bella. I have never liked leaving the dogs alone for too long on their own and even more so now that Bella is on her own. I would like to think she has adjusted to Bonnie not being around but obviously, it's hard to tell what she is thinking.
Me and Kirsty stayed for a couple of hours (and the buffet) then I headed off home and dropped Kirsty off on the way.
My Aunty Linda would have loved the wake and the buffet as she always liked a good night out. She even used to gatecrash weddings at The Bower Hotel with her friends lol. She was always the centre of attention and larger than life and she never held back what she was thinking.
Hopefully, we can get to see our family on occasions other than funerals next year. I am going to try and organise a get-together.
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