After the long walk into town the previous evening, we decided that we wouldn’t be in the mood to walk into town for breakfast so we booked a table in the Brewers Fayre restaurant which is located next door to the hotel. This turned out to be a wise move because a lot of people without bookings were being turned away and asked to come back later.
Our friend’s funeral was at 2.30 so we had time to visit Great Yarmouth Minster which we had walked past the previous evening. The building is amazing and has a rich history. Whilst we were there, we each lit a candle in remembrance of our friend.
We still had a bit of time to spare so I was able to visit Edinburgh Woollen Mill where I ended up purchasing a couple of tops.
We returned to the hotel to change for the funeral. We were slightly delayed by the arrival of room service which turned out to be a far better service than some of the more expensive hotels we have stayed in recently.
We arrived at the crematorium in plenty of time so Mr C took the opportunity to finesse the Eulogy before we braved the heavy rain to walk to the waiting area. The service was secular, although the celebrant included some traditional words used in Christian ceremonies. The service included words of memories from his wife, words of tribute from Mr C and a poem written by one of his daughters.
For some reason I can’t quite explain, I shed more tears than I usually due on such occasions. Something for me to reflect on.
At the wake, I was able to spend time with our friend’s widow and share her grief whilst reflecting back on memories and regretting that future plans were not to be. The four of us, after many years absence, last met just a few months before his cancer diagnosis.
Later, Mr C had booked us into the Furzedown Hotel for an evening meal. The hotel turned out to be much further away than he thought it was. I felt like I was on a route march to dinner. Finding a bar for a post dinner drink also proved problematic. All the pubs we saw were closed or shut had already stopped serving for the evening. We had to retrace our steps to Weatherspoon’s which for some reason Mr C had wanted to avoid!
It’s incredibly difficult to say goodbye to friends, isn’t it? Reminds us of our own mortality. Great Yarmouth looks very pretty
It was very hard. The last time we saw him we (Mr C, myself, our friend and his wife) had plans to meet up more often after a few years of not seeing each other. Then just a few months later he became ill, so it was not to be.
There are some fascinating buildings in Great Yarmouth which I would like to explore further.
i am sorry for your hubby’s friend dear Cheri !
may he rest in peace
i agree that sometimes we don’t understand why we shed much tears during such occasions .it happened to me often since i was young
sorry for the trouble you faced for eating out .it reminded me when we face same issues during Ramadan month during holidays
Thank you for your kind thoughts.
It was only a few months after we spent a lovely couple of days together that he became ill. So our plans for future get togethers were never realised.
I can’t believe how diffiult it was to find places to eat. There was always the fallback option of a pub that belongs to a large chain. It was the only place that openened into the evening. It was quite strange…
I’m so sorry, Cherie – I think maybe we shed more tears as we get older because we’ve collected more memories, and often plans are made that never materialize. I think it also has to do with how sudden something is, too. And sometimes it isn’t until the actual funeral that it becomes “real.”
Last year, when my very close friend, like a mother to me, was killed by a drunk driver, I had spoken with her just two days before and she had shared a great story about the roses just starting to bloom in her garden and she felt like she was just blooming again in life, too (speaking of your rose quote I read above). Every time I thought of this, I bawled like a baby.
It’s especially hard to process when the last time you saw them or spoke with them, they were so alive and vibrant. Hard to imagine then versus now.
I’m glad you and his widow were there to comfort each other and take in the local sights together. It helps to share those memories with others, laugh or cry – as Dolly Parton says in “Steel Magnolias,” – “laughter through tears is my favorite emotion.” Amen.
But we will see them both again someday
As a matter of fact, I bet he was looking down/with you then, and his widow, comforting each other and taking in the local sights
Hugs to you, love you …
I have got more emotional as I have aged, possibly due the accumulation of life experiences.
The four of had made plans when we last met for the first time in several years. We had planned to meet up for mini adventures. A few months later he had his cancer diagnosis. Initially the prognosis was favourable but it took a different turn.
So as you said, I think it was the suddeness and not having enough time to come to terms with it along with things that now would never come to be.
Thank you xx