....Then I shall begin.
Went to another funeral in PN yesterday L This time it was one of my cousins on my mother’s side. She was 85, and the service felt “right” unlike Rachael’s on Thursday which was most definitely against the natural order of things. Interesting in a way to compare the two - music by Greenday, Falter and Matchbook Romance vs. Amazing Grace, Abide With Me and How Great Thou Art; impromptu eulogies vs. scheduled ones (and the ages of the speakers at opposite ends of the scale); the family meeting and greeting before the service vs. after the service; cremation vs. burial; they were both very different.
I went to Joan’s by myself as the big boys were on camp so hubby looked after small (they went to the field days and had a ball) - it’s not nice going alone, especially when you only know the chief mourners and they’re tied up with everybody all at once. I got brave and introduced myself to another cousin that had only been a name to me until then, swapped addresses etc so that I could send on some of that branch of the family’s mementos that have come to rest in my care - then I did a bunk, didn’t even do the graveside bit or cuppa thing which I guess was cowardly but I’m just not good at small talk, and the thought of meeting a whole clan of second, third and fourth cousins all at once blew me away. I’ve missed two whole generations - mind you, they must have popped them out at very tender ages…. For goodness sake, maybe I should do another reunion. (Cringes at the thought of all that organising.)
Also discovered at the funeral that another tie to my past passed away a fortnight ago, my (nominal) Aunty Margarette, who was a great friend of cousin Joan. Wonder if Uncle Vint is still with us? This is what happens when one fails to do the Chrissy cards two years in a row, one loses touch with folks that one ought not to. Mind you, she said, trying to justify her laziness, they didn’t send one to me either. STOPPIT, accept it and let it go.
Cousin Barbara called in today, she dropped off a couple of photos that Deidre (another cousin on Dad’s side) {this is beginning to sound like the Beverley Hillbillies or the Waltons} had scanned and enlarged in her genealogy research. One is a beautifully posed four generation portrait, with my Dad as a serious little boy of about three years old, then his dad - my grandfather - looking quite dashing (he was a tailor so was always smartly attired), my great-grandmother looking less severe than I always envision her from other photos I have seen, and finally a serious elderly lady dressed in black with lace frill at her neck and lacy cap thing on her head who would be my great-great grandmother. The other photo is of a large family group gathered on the front verandah of somebody’s house with what may be a bridal couple in the centre, surrounded by their rellies. We’re not sure who most of them are, but Grandfather Cyril, and his granny are there, also possibly his mother but the photo is taken several years before the other one and they look somewhat different. Interestingly enough there are two chaps in the photo who bear a remarkable likeness to my brother - well, one does, and the other is what I reckon he would have grown to look like. They are our Grandfather’s brothers I think. I’m not good on that side of the family.
And now for something completely different…..
We were having a panic cleanup in the conservatory yesterday before some people came round for an impromptu barbeque, and what should we find but a frog! A real live fat green frog!! I guess the cat had brought it in; it looked a bit the worse for wear and slightly dehydrated, but after spending the night in an icecream container with a wee bit of water in it, it looks fine and dandy and croaks every now and then. It’s quite big, about four inches down the body, but not big enough for us to feast on frog legs (I’m joking) so I guess we will let it go down by the creek if school doesn’t want it.
Work was interesting on Friday. One of us girls from “The A Team” went on holiday and we have a replacement for the duration. She used to work there years ago, has just got the sack from her previous job, describes herself as “gobby” and she ain’t kidding, and is just so generally bloody efficient that I felt quite insecure by the end of the day and found myself making ridiculous mistakes and turning into a jibbering twit. Two more weeks to go. It’s the first time I haven’t been looking forward to going to work, even during the last three Rachael weeks.
Had to laugh this afternoon, had about five calls from Pip wanting instructions on how to do a roast chicken complete with “proper” stuffing and “decent” gravy, and the timing of roast veg, and apple crumble and custard. Oh, and could I book her in for an eyebrow shaping and eyelash tint on Tuesday please.
The Great White Hunter went out for a stroll tonight (that means hunting deer) but came home empty handed.
Duncs and I also went out for a stroll this afternoon and came home with two bags of lollies from different dairies - market research, finding out how many lollies in a fifty cent mixture because it’s the start of the squash season and one of the things we sell at the bar is fifty cent mixtures - the kids love them on Juniors nights and over tourney weekends. Well for future reference and general edification, the dairies put ten in their bags, and five of them I wouldn’t give you thank you for! Rangitikei Squash Racquets Club, on the other hand, has at least eleven and this year each bag comprises one fruit TNT, one blue TNT, one huhu grub, two fruit smoothies, three jaffas, one jet plane, one sugary sour spider, and an eyeball. We went to Toops after the funeral the other day and stocked up on drinks and chips and other munchies, and my job was choosing bags of lollies for the mixture. It’s a highlight of the year making them up - So now you know!
Began the long haul through the last six months’ bills and bank statements and receipts etc etc etc this morning; I feel as though I’m making progress but have decided just to rule the ledger off and start again rather than try to back track and fill it all in retrospectively. Also need to do an up to date budget and sort out a couple of accounts so that writing up the “books” is simplified.
OMG female weightlifters! Gross!!
Daylight saving has reared its ugly head again, not so bad at this end of the day but it will be awful in the morning. I’d better tootle off to bed and hope for an undisturbed night for a change.
Have sinned on Trade Me a couple of times this week - and here’s me trying to save money. Grrr. But they were bargains!!
Still haven’t touched my journal. Must must must catch up.
Cheers,
Jaybee
