SP in redscale

The main event of today has been my former colleague's funeral, but I couldn't blip it, so here is an iPad self portrait. I was thinking of colouring my hair...

Lyn's funeral was lovely. The centuries-old village church was filled to the rafters, and the female vicar was very genuine and moving in the way she conducted the service. Afterwards we walked the short distance to the burial ground, following the wicker coffin decked with flowers. The vicar spoke of Lyn's interest in recycling, composting, and reusing absolutely everything, and we scattered rose petals, earth, and finally heaps of old leaves into the grave.

Afterwards there was a very traditional English village tea in the WI hall, with cakes, scones and sandwiches seemingly baked by every woman in Bisley! Bisley is a very community-oriented village, just 3 miles from Stroud, with an annual fete, flower show, and Christmas fair. The Lyn I had worked with was at home in the world of publishing, with frequent trips to London, but it seems that as the years passed and her family expanded, and the publishing industry contracted, she became more and more involved in village life, helping to start planting a community orchard, and giving a talk to the Women's Institute about reducing food waste. Her death was sudden and unexpected, at the age of 49. She felt ill one Sunday night, and died a couple of hours later. In the absence of a valid medical reason, it's called 'Sudden Adult Death Syndrome'.

Her sons and their dads, and her whole family were there in force. Lyn was a Bisley child, and after studying botany at Aberystwyth, she returned to the Stroud valleys and eventually to Bisley to make her life there. Almost certainly the whole village was there to see her off.

Thankfully, the sun shone; it was warm; and all the birds sang in the churchyard.