A final goodbye

Today was one of mixed emotions. After my usual Thursday jobs, I drove to Marlingford where I met Manda and Mum. Marlingford is the small village west of Norfolk, where dad was christened in the village church, and later spent time during the war, living with his grandparents, who ran the village shop. He went to the local school during that year, as home in Barnet was not a safe place to be. We met at the church, had a look around, then sat on a bench and opened presents we had ordered through a company who make jewellery from a loved ones ashes. We hadn't seen them until that point. Manda had a lovely bracelet with orange resin containing the ashes, mum had chosen a silver locket, and I had a silver bead for my Pandora bracelet. We then drove down to the river and all released a handful of dad's ashes. They will float down the river, and will pass dad's grandparents shop, from which he had such happy memories.

After that, things became a little more complicated, when Manda noticed a flattish tyre which was causing her problems and so we limped in to Norwich, and ended up leaving her car at kwik fit as it needs a new tyre. So we unloaded Manda's mini and piled all the bags into the back of my mini leaving just enough space for Manda to squeeze in. Eventually arrived back at Gresham at 4.30.

Manda and I took a walk up to the allotment before the rain came. Mollie cooked meatballs and tagliatelle for dinner, and we have been chatting and drinking prosecco ever since. Hoping dad would have approved!