So the last couple of days have been busy with condolence messages and texts and emails and general concern, and thank you so much.
I've been making soup
Bringing in the basils from outside to hang in the kitchen
Honoring women's art
And finding that my mental bandwidth didn't extend to building a clothes rack from these components
These are the same bits of PVC pipe I've used to build an embroidery frame, a niddy noddy, an adjustable four selvage loom and a clothes rack. But right now, mourning brain simply can't rise to the occasion.
So I cut my losses and ordered a spring tension rod to install over the washer and dryer, to dry clothes and save energy. Sometimes simple is better than clever.
Today the house cleaners came and I spent time in the library browsing
We had a time talking about Irene, and the celebration of life probably happening in her house in October.
It occurred to me that when I die there won't be local people to involve in a similar event, since I've outlived most of my friends.
So Handsome Son and I arranged that when I die, he'll come into this blog to announce it, and conduct an online celebration of my life for anyone who wants to take part.
I did this for Handsome Partner, private simple cremation, then online celebration and people from many countries took part and were pleased to have the chance.
He also asked that they plant daffodils in his memory, or another perennial if daffodils didn't work where they lived.
So I'm hereby doing the same. Please plant any spring or summer bulbs you like to remember me.
There, arrangements complete!
I don't plan on doing all this any time soon, but Be Prepared!
Meanwhile even in sadness I just can't not laugh, so here's a couple of offerings for you
So there we are !
Happy day everyone, we're all such tiny specks of light in the universe, may as well be happy
I do like the look of those books. Lots of interesting stuff I'm sure. I think your funeral arrangements are very good. Bulbs will be planted in due course in the very distant future I am sure. Love the cartoons - very clever.
ReplyDeleteOh you sweet woman! I need to make some kind of arrangement like that with my children for an online message when I go. They've already suggested this. I have raised practical humans!
ReplyDeleteWe are such tiny sparks in the universe. It helps to remember that.
We should make soup, laugh, play with a child, do something ridiculous, love as much as we can.
I have lived a quiet life and plan to exit quietly as well.
ReplyDeleteWe don't have a washer and dryer in the apartment but we installed a tension rod above the bathtub to dry our clothes. No longer do we pay for use of the building dryers (and, truthfully, most of the time we wash our laundry by hand which started when covid hit and we knew the machines here aren't cleaned properly).
ReplyDeleteAs for a form of celebration of life, our boys have been instructed that there is to be no funeral and that, if they desire and there are any people left to care, that there be a lunch held at a local restaurant. Our family doesn't live anywhere close so it's enough of a problem for them to get home just to deal with our belongings. All our arrangements for cremation and final place are bought and paid for. I do like HP's idea of planting daffodils so will have to add something similar to our plan.
A friend of ours has her memorial park bench all planned out (remote clifftop sea view) but i like your idea to plant something so much better. If even one extra tree got planted by request it would have been a life well spent. Those books look fantastic. The basketry makes me want to learn and experiment.
ReplyDeleteSpending time with handsome son melts the heart as love ones near hold the soul like no other.
ReplyDeleteSimple better than clever...Love that! It takes care of so many things.
Those arrangements you made with your son for your own funeral sound perfect. We will do something similar!
ReplyDeleteI have instructions for cremation, no funeral nor obit. I have thought about the people around the globe I've come to know and hadn't gone beyond thought. You have made me think, again. This little speck also love your simple better than clever. Making soup is good for the soul.
ReplyDeleteI'm sad to hear of Irene's death. I'm sorry my condolences are a bit belated, as I haven't been in blogland lately. I am glad to see you can get on with life even as you also sincerely mourn ...making soup is always comforting.
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