Today was the day for this year’s annual trip to Jackie’s mother’s plot at the Walkford Woodland Burial Ground taken by Jackie, her two sisters, and sometimes the three spouses.
Normally, Shelly, who lives nearby, buys a wreath which the sisters place on the site of their mother’s ashes. This year Jackie volunteered to make one.
She was rather amused at my insistence that she posed with this fully degradable work of art. The ribbon has Veronica Rivett’s initials embroidered on it and samples from each of Helen and Shelly’s gardens are woven into the circular structure.
We met at Shelly and Ron’s home; listened to the rain hammering down for a while, and, when this adopted a slightly lighter touch, the women and I decided to go for it.
Naturally the rain persisted. Stepping from our cars we negotiated the mud bath that led to
the pool laden winding gravel path leading to Pine Close where my late mother in law’s remains lie. Raindrops rippled the surfaces of the puddles.
Passing windfall apples I managed to resist scrumping any.
Jackie, Helen, and Shelly honoured their mother’s memory as they laid the wreath on the muddy ground.
The strategically placed watering stations complete with watering cans were rather redundant.
Back at Grenville Road Shelly produced what she called a light lunch consisting of plentiful cold meats and cheese salads followed by mince pies, fruit jelly and ice cream with which we drank red or white wine according to taste. Coffee and mints completed the meal after which we watched Ron’s video of Jane’s graduation ceremony, narrowly escaped another quiz, and enjoyed stimulating conversation until well into the afternoon.
As we left, Jackie photographed the house and front garden Christmas lights.
No further nourishment was required this evening.