January 27th

Goodbye.

Today was Granddad's funeral. This photo is from the graveyard in West Malling where my great-grandparents are buried, but we cremated Granddad and will scatter his ashes in the memory garden. He will have a memorial tree in the new orchard down at the cricket grounds. For me that is a more fitting monument than a cold stone. He was a man who loved cricket, loved gardening and loved walking around the countryside. During the service, these were the things that were mentioned in his eulogy along with some things that I would never had guessed. 

During WWII he was stationed in Canada, working on planes. At some point he hitchhiked down the West coast of America all the way to Hollywood. In Nanna's photo album is a picture of him in his RAF uniform, standing stiffly in front of a backdrop in a tourist photo. Apparently he also used to go to work and back on a scooter - something I have a very difficult time imagining. My memories of him don't really mesh with those stories, but I loved hearing them. 

I will always keep the memory of the last time that I saw him. When John and I went home 3 years ago, we stayed with Nanna and Granddad and then went on to a friend's house. Nanna drove us there but Granddad was already too infirm for the car ride. When we left, the sun was shining brightly and he stood waving and smiling as we drove away. He was a very reserved man, who didn't express emotion freely, but I could feel his love for me that day.

It is hard to see in the picture but the snowdrops are already coming up and flowering. As difficult as it is to say goodbye to someone that I love, flowers blossoming at the end of winter are comforting. The first green shoots seem like a reminder of the beauty of life and promise of spring.