A fond farewell

Back in Kantara now, enjoying the weather, Grace and I are feeling a little less hectic. Madeline's funeral was a good occasion as far as that is possible. A large group of family and friends gathered at the crematorium under a sky as blue as today's but not as hot. The service was moving, of course, and tears were shed, but it was a fitting farewell to the "little sister". A beautiful poem was read that I want to have included in my funeral service, come the day.

The parting music came as something of a surprise to all but the immediate family.

Various of us had to explain to others afterwards how Madeline, as a child,  had been a great fan of Gerry Anderson's "Thunderbirds" on TV, in no little part because her dad had been the sound engineer. It was a great way to see her off, and we left the crematorium with smiles on our faces.

Another good side of the sad occasion was the meeting up of family, and with friends of Madeline's we'd not seen for decades. Among them was Caroline, who came with Grace's family and me on my first canal boat holiday, just a few months before Grace and I married. Madeline's standing in the doorway, Caroline's wearing the blue hat. Yes, that's Grace and me on the roof!

The day finished with family and closest friends eating together at Dorothy's house (Dorothy holding baby Kathryn in the photo). This Saturday, we'll be there again, celebrating her 70th birthday. It would have been Madeline's 58th, too. She'll be missed.