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My parents came to collect me at around half past nine on Tuesday to go down to Leeds. The journey is about 200 miles and lasts about four hours in the car. We had a break for some lunch at a Little Chef restaurant just outside Newcastle. We arrived at my Gran's old house in Leeds at around two. It was really sad to see in a way, because everything was just as Gran had left it and I almost expected to see her come in. She had been living in that little house for about twenty years and when my brother and I were kids we used to go down all the time on Summer and Easter holidays. She had left me her eight volume set of The Diary of Samuel Pepys. My brother was due to arrive from London on the train at around half eleven at night, but it was delayed by an hour.
Wednesday was the day of the funeral, so we went out to the crematorium quite early, because my brother was playing the organ for the service (he's a professional classical musician and sometime music teacher). Of course my uncle and aunt, and two cousins were there, alog with various freinds of Gran. It was a Humanist service, because Gran was not religious, although at her request, my brother played her favourite hymn All Creatures Great and Small. After that there was a reception in a local hotel, where we all ate from a large buffet and there was plenty of wine. My brother had to leave early to get back to London. My parents and eye stayed after everyone had left with my aunt and uncle and cousin, looking at old photgraphs, mainly seeming to be my mum as a teenager at the beach, myself and my brother as babies, and my grandad and his colleagues from World War 2. It was obviously an extremely sad and emotional day.
Thursday, we decided to do something a little more holiday like and paid a visit to the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds, which is an exhibiton of weapons and armour from throughout the world. It was very interesting and enjoyable. They had this display called the Hall of Steel, which was like a stairway the walls of which were compeletly covered with swords, guns and shields. We also watched a display of fighting with a medieval sword.
Friday, we went into Leeds for some shopping. I got a new pair of Dr. Martens boots, a couple of notebooks and an Irvine Welsh novel.
Saturday, Mum was at a conference in Nottingham so Dad and I drove into Manchester to visit my Gran on his side (who is now my only surviving grandparent). She lives in a care home now, which seemed very nice, and my Dad's brother and his family live nearby so they see her a lot. My Gran is now blind in one eye and she is losing the sight in her other one, she can't hear well, and so you almost have to shout so she can hear you, and her memory is really bad, she'll forget what you told her minutes before, and she didn't recognise Dad when she saw him, so it was a really tough visit.
We left almost first thing this morning, and I feel completely drained, exhausted and I seem to have a splitting headache.
Wednesday was the day of the funeral, so we went out to the crematorium quite early, because my brother was playing the organ for the service (he's a professional classical musician and sometime music teacher). Of course my uncle and aunt, and two cousins were there, alog with various freinds of Gran. It was a Humanist service, because Gran was not religious, although at her request, my brother played her favourite hymn All Creatures Great and Small. After that there was a reception in a local hotel, where we all ate from a large buffet and there was plenty of wine. My brother had to leave early to get back to London. My parents and eye stayed after everyone had left with my aunt and uncle and cousin, looking at old photgraphs, mainly seeming to be my mum as a teenager at the beach, myself and my brother as babies, and my grandad and his colleagues from World War 2. It was obviously an extremely sad and emotional day.
Thursday, we decided to do something a little more holiday like and paid a visit to the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds, which is an exhibiton of weapons and armour from throughout the world. It was very interesting and enjoyable. They had this display called the Hall of Steel, which was like a stairway the walls of which were compeletly covered with swords, guns and shields. We also watched a display of fighting with a medieval sword.
Friday, we went into Leeds for some shopping. I got a new pair of Dr. Martens boots, a couple of notebooks and an Irvine Welsh novel.
Saturday, Mum was at a conference in Nottingham so Dad and I drove into Manchester to visit my Gran on his side (who is now my only surviving grandparent). She lives in a care home now, which seemed very nice, and my Dad's brother and his family live nearby so they see her a lot. My Gran is now blind in one eye and she is losing the sight in her other one, she can't hear well, and so you almost have to shout so she can hear you, and her memory is really bad, she'll forget what you told her minutes before, and she didn't recognise Dad when she saw him, so it was a really tough visit.
We left almost first thing this morning, and I feel completely drained, exhausted and I seem to have a splitting headache.
posted by WildatHeart87 at 7:30 AM
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