A green celebration of a life

Today we attended the green funeral of my cousin. Sadly Ken had suffered some years from vascular dementia as a result of faults occurring from a mechanical heart valve.

The celebration of his life took place in a beautiful wooden eco building set in Woodlands in the Chilterns. It was officiated by a professional celebrant and although a very sad and emotional  occasion it was a wonderful way to remember a great man.  His sons and grandsons recalled memories of a much missed father/grandfather.

I grew up in Hackney in East London and after  my mother's sister and husband,, and their three children moved to South Oxhey, near Watford,  I spent  every summer school holidays with them.   What fantastic memories I have  - hours playing on our own in the rhododendron woods, learning to ride a bike down the middle of the road, and those wonderful  holidays camping in Cornwall.
As an only child, my three cousins played a very important part in my growing up.

In recent years I have seen little of my cousin Ken. Sadly, the last time I  saw him was at his father's funeral six years ago. He was too ill to attend his mother's funeral in December.

It's an inevitable fact of life that families meet up at weddings and funerals. The former have been very infrequent lately.  Todays wake was at a lovely pub in Chalfont St Giles - a very tasty buffet  
and good wine, and in spite of this being a sad occasion, it was good to catch up with everyone.

My extra is an old photo that I now have on the wall above my PC. It's my three cousins when they were very young.  Ken is the youngest and I came along thirteen months after him.