On Monday I woke in the night with a major panic. This is the week. Up until now the funeral has been some time in the distant future and now it's this week already. It was the oddest feeling because I thought I was pretty much handling things. It did pass and then I got on with the things of the day, keeping the day in bit sized chunks.
Yesterday one of the sales ladies showed me some of OG's sayings that she has collected over the last 12 years. Amazing! One of them was "what would you do if you had £86,400? Would you waste it or would you take care of it? OK, there are 86,400 seconds in the day. Think about it!". This is pretty much how he lived his life, full on, but carefully. Tanya said maybe we should gather all his saying together in a book. Now there's a thought!
We are now as ready as we can be for tomorrow. People start arriving from afar today and are billeted at various houses and hotels. Some will no doubt pop in to see me so I'm cooking up a stew and a shepherds pie just in case anyone is hungry. It won't go to waste.
Kimberley has been working like a trojan, and he is going to have an amazing send off. The village church is just perfect and the vicar could not be more caring or supportive. He has arranged the best organist in the county to play and we have asked an old friend and collegue who is now a professional singer with the Drifters to sing Amazing Grace. We had a soloist sing Amazing Grace at our wedding too. A
The order of service booklet is joyful and just him. We didn't want anything sombre, it wouldn't have worked for us. Maybe I should do a blog about the service, the readings and the songs because everyone has such wonderful memories and is going to say wonderful things that we shouldn't ever forget.
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14 comments:
Can only imagine how you must be feeling Ann. You obviously have very caring family and friends who will all mourn OG in their way but your relationship with him was special. It sounds as though it is as organised as it could be - the idea of a book of his sayings is marvellous as is yours of posting some of the memories on your blog. My thoughts are with you and your family. Anne
Will be thinking of you tomorrow and hope you get it through it OK.
I'm sure all the people who come to share in the celebration of OG's life will bring you that certain feeling that you can hold close as you get through the day.
I had thought that perhaps you were going to light the church with all the torches - it just sounded kind of like that.
Please read my comment for your previous post and hold that last bit close to your heart tomorrow.
I'm glad you are going with the local vicar and church. That's lovely and he sounds so very caring as compared to that other ??
I don't even know what to call him.
And a book sounds wonderful. What a great idea.
My thoughts are with you dear Ann.
Still doesnt seem real, is a loss for lots of us but lots of loss for you Ann.
See you tomorrow, may sound stupid but lets hope we have more smiles remembering who he was and what he was, than tears remembering what he had become and what we've lost. (told you it sounded stupid).
william mcgonagle xx
All of us who "follow" your story here on the internet mourn you loss with you. Wish I could give you a hug!
I still cannot fathom that OG died! He was so alive to me through your blog. The arrangements you made sound so perfect, especially with your local church and vicar. I don't think anything could have been better. I like your idea of having a day that is not so somber and dreary.
Of course, please do share the service and what people had to say on your blog. Since we cannot be there with you in person, it will make us feel more a part of it all. We have come to care so much for you, Ann. Carry our love with you through the day tomorrow and onward.
What can I say Ann, it was a very very moving day, with I think everyone going through every emotion possible. The service was beautiful from all of you, Yourself, Kimberley, Tanya, George, Sara, Tracey, Morgan. Steve Smith singing Amazing Grace everything was so perfect.Davy would have been very very proud of his wife and his girls and of course his grandson. All of the hard work that went into it from everyone that contributed made it very very special, and must have touched everyones hearts.
You all should be proud of yourselves with what you acheived today for a truly great man who will be missed by so many people.
Love to everyone of you
Jax
xx
Ann, we wre very saddened to hear that davy has passed away. We have fond memories of Davy and our time at Infotel. Sorry we could not be there today. Best wishes to you and the rest of the family. Love Melanie and Emma (in Spain) x
Dearest Ann-
You have been much in my thoughts today. I'm sure everything was beautiful and OF COURSE he is proud of his brood. Sending much love from across the ocean.
Mare Freeborn
My thoughts have been with you today and I hope the service was all (and more) than you hoped it would be. I hope it has given you some comfort.
i hope it has all gone well. a book is a lovely idea; we all give so many different parts of our characters, a book is an enduring way to trap some of those gifts.
Have been thinking of you and hoping you managed to get through yesterday and today. The weather seemed to come out in sympathy - ie heavy rain. Stay strong. (Hugs)
I haven't been round the blogs for a few days, so I have only just read this. I felt for you, and still feel for you. The day of the funeral is a tough one to get through, but there is also a period of anti-climax afterwards where there is nothing much left that you have to do now, and everyone who came for the service has gone home.
Please hang in there. I hope the service went well and that you do write that blog post. I think it will be cathartic, but also, we bloggers (who have never met you) have 'lived' through this with you, and we want to be here for you now.
Love the saying about the 86,400 seconds in the day. Those are the words of a deep thinker.
My thoughts are with you and your family.
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