On Monday we said farewell to Grandma, following her passing away on Christmas Day. Hannah is working hard on the academic elements of her outdoor course, Rachel is flexing between all kind of admin and household things. Me? I’ve picked up the paint brush once again.
In saying farewell to Grandma (Rachel’s mum) we had a small, simple service at a crematorium. Happily it was a fair journey, about 45 minutes away. We drove there in convoy, following the hearse. It was quite early in the morning when we set off and were touched by a good number of friends and neighbours gathered outside to pay their respects as we drove off in the milky, soft winter sun.
In the service, my part was to share an eulogy. I spoke of Rachel’s mum – Olive Daniell (nee Unworth) – being raised in Norwich. She was clever and always practical. In fact her first job was with the Electricity Board. She had to sift through bomb sites to salvage any electrical equipment and then cobble together something usable which could be given to families who had lost everything.
Her second job was in the laboratories at Colmans, who made mustard and soft drinks. It was there she met Derek Daniell, who she married in about 1952.
After a while they decided to move to Bedfordshire on account of Derek’s new job. It must have seemed a funny and yet brave sight when she rode her moped from Norwich to Bedfordshire looking for a house to buy. She found some new houses under construction in the village and decided to buy one. Unfortunately the builders wouldn’t take her seriously – it was not the done thing for a married woman to carry out such business on her own!
They hadn’t been in their new house very long before Rachel arrived! Next they heard of the house we have now (the Dusty Museum) becoming available and the deal was done. It was a wreck but Derek could see the potential and Rachel remembers the leaky roof and how an umbrella was positioned over her bed!
Rolling forward to recent years, she had endured increasingly poor eyesight and, at 94, various health issues were increasing and eventually overtook her. I spoke of her being steadfast in life and for the love she has shown to us, her family.
In other news
Yep, I have picked up the jolly ol’ paintbrush again and continue the task of freshening up the hall, stairs and landing. I’m now just over half way and the end is in sight and this is greatly encouraging to me. Moreover it feels we are putting our mark on the house, the Dusty Museum.
The colour scheme is safe, bright, uncontroversial and a compromise. Nevertheless it works for us both. If there is anything which has potential for us to argue or bicker, choosing a colour scheme must be it. Not only do we have different tastes, it’s also a reflection of our natural adventurousness and style choices. A possible solution in the future could be engaging an interior designer or simply copying things we might like on Pinterest. Watch this space!
This is a definite step forward, although I question how much we feel “at home” these days. Our house in Dunstable has been let and while we aren’t emotionally ready to sell it, I couldn’t face returning to live there, even though it is full of such good memories for us.
We have continued volunteering at our local medical centre, supporting the mammoth task of vaccinating thousands of people, stretching well beyond the village. It has been enjoyable, albeit seriously cold in the car park. We have both remarked how true the saying is about those who are blessing others, may feel blessed themselves. This is very true. We even managed to get vaccinated ourselves!
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