FAMILY

Today was Olive's funeral.  She was my sister in law Virginia's Mam.  My brother John and Virginia picked me up at 11am and we went to Olives house to await the arrival of other family members and the hearse.  The funeral was at 12.30pm at the West Road Cemetery in Newcastle.  It was a lovely service celebrating Olive's life.  She will be remembered by her 5 children, 14 grandchildren, 20 great- grandchildren and 12 great - great - grandchildren.   I have put a photo of Olive in my extras.  This photo was displayed in the Chapel during the funeral.  RIP Olive.  1923 - 2016.

After the service we all went to The Jingling Gate pub.  There was a buffet table laden with very unhealthy food which, for the most part, I managed to resist.  I had a tiny sausage roll, a small piece of quiche, 2 crisps, half a brown bread roll with tuna on - and the bits of salad which had been put as a garnish on a few of the sandwich plates. Diet coke to drink.  Virginia has celiac disease so there was nothing at all there which she could eat so she ordered a separate meal.

My blip shot is of Virginia and John - at the front  - and behind from the left my niece Sharon ( who had flown home from Perth, Australia for the funeral ), my nephew Gary and my niece Rachael.  A lovely family photo.

Nearly forgot to mention - Virginia had asked everyone to wear something in leopard print as Olive was very fond of leopard print.  It was great to see everyone with different items - scarves, shoes, blouses, belts, ties, hairbands etc.  Olive would have loved it.  True to form I took a leopard print handbag.

John and Virginia gave me a lift home and I asked to be dropped off in the village so I could pop into Tesco for a bit of shopping.  I arrived home around 5.30pm.

Still haven't packed for tomorrow but as I'm only away one night I won't need much.  Neil and his girlfriend have arrived safely in Dublin.  He will be there till Tuesday.

Steps today - 6,074