Early Risers.

[lightengine]

When deciding on the music for Dads funerals we had Hey Jude as we went in and the long version of the Ying Tong song as we left, he was a great fan of the Goons. It starts with a piece of classical music and changes after the introduction.

[45156]

Yay - HMRC have done what they said - so far.

 

Fences shored up as best I can with the time and materials available.  One post was fixed to the topstone of the wall, and it pulled that away, so a session with some quick setting cement was also needed, and hopefully it will all last until the Spring when I can order some new posts, and featherboard. 

 

I've just had the results of Lily's ear swabs also came through, as she's still having problems and this time it's yeast.  Some tablets and some ear medication, and a bill for over £200 - my best comment there is thank goodness for PetPlan.

 

As to funerals, I've not indicated anything myself as to my preferences, but when my mum died, she had been in no state to make any requests or suggestions, as she had been suffering dementia for five years previous.  So the only thing that we decided on was as that as she was Officer In Charge of the BB Junior Section, I was an officer in Company Section, and my brother was also an officer, that an appropriate hymn would be "Will Your Anchor Hold" - most of those present were not ex BB types, and hence didn't know that one, but with the last verse ending "Will you anchor safe by the Heavenly shore when life's storms are past for ever more" it was quite a good choice, and it's a rousing tune, unlike many of the more usually chosen material.

 

Oh must go, the big yellow van has just arrived with the shopping, smack in the middle of the promised delivery slot.

[pH]

 Her oft made remark about get some orange crates and burn me in the garden was obviously not quite how she wanted things done after all. Or she had noticed the lack of orange crates in the supermarket.

I don't want to trivialise what is a sensible and serious discussion. Having had to help, along with my brother and sister, in the arranging of our parents' funerals, where there were no written or precise spoken wishes, I appreciate the idea of recording things well in advance.

 

However, "skipepsi's" post above reminded me of the movie "What We Did on Our Holiday". It's advertised as a Billy Connolly movie, though he doesn't feature in the latter part of it (hint). It's funny, a bit sugary, and it deals precisely with expressed wishes for a funeral.

[New Haven Neil]

Evening, only a lighter clunk this evening.

 

Wow, Jock.  'Think Jock' has entered our vocabulary now, and will be heard for evermore around here when I need to shake myself out of something.  Planning funerals is a great idea, we are both atheists so would hate for anything religious.  I liked the comment about being a Christian atheist, and would align myself to that.  It was also my Mum's maiden name - a common name on Fraggle Rock.

 

The funeral we attended on Friday had a hymn that was unsingable (new word), a very odd choice, not sure where it came from.  Odd words, 'music' seemingly without a tune, and even the big voiced singer at the back couldn't make anything of it and faded out rather.  I think I'd like Emerson, Lake and Palmers version of Jerusalem myself.  Loud.

 

AndyID - I get your diamond.....and raise you the odd slip (up).

 

Off until Monday now, whoop.  Watch it snow.....

[PhilJ W]

Evening all from Estuary-Land. This morning I spent some time composing a rather important e-mail, I had just finished typing it when weird messages started coming up and it started buffering, it then seemed to clear so I hit send and as I did so the whole e-mail system went down. Luckily the intended recipient of my e-mail is contactable on Facebook so I asked him via that medium if he had received it which he had. My e-mails are still down as must be all other Virgin Media e-mails so it must be serious, perhaps its a DOS attack. I can get by without e-mails for a while, using other social media but it means that I might miss something important.

[NGT6 1315]

Evening all! Chuffed now and stretched out on the sofa. It was raining for much of the evening and as the windscreen wiper on 1350 (coupled with 1328) was badly adjusted, I first asked for a technician to meet me at Böhlitz and attempt to fix it. When this failed and we decided that the car needed workshop servicing, I had my formation exchanged outside Angerbrücke for the pair of 1315-1331.

 

But, though it might not sound like it, everything went perfectly smoothly, and driving in rainy weather as such was not really different to dry weather from the point of view of route conditions.

[Smiffy2]

Virgin's status page is declaring problems with emil and with phones.

 

 

http://downdetector.co.uk/problems/virgin-media

[Purley Oaks]

Virgin's status page is declaring problems with emil and with phones.

 

 

http://downdetector.co.uk/problems/virgin-media

Hi Dick

Been like that for most of the day - have been e-mail-less since midday-ish

Mal

[NGT6 1315]

Is this a copycat?

 

 

Seems like the little one moved in at Paunsdorf Depot a while ago. She has a basket there already!

[jamie92208]

I've been email less since lunchtime a well (Also virgin) sods law, I'd just finished some more artwork for laser cutting that I need to send. Might try sending it on a PM.

 

Jamie

[PhilJ W]

Virgin's status page is declaring problems with emil and with phones.

 

 

http://downdetector.co.uk/problems/virgin-media

Thanks Dick, it seems that there is a big problem world wide affecting Virgin Media, they are having similar problems in Australia.

[Tony_S]

Is this a copycat?

Seems like the little one moved in at Paunsdorf Depot a while ago. She has a basket there already!

Name of cat?

[NGT6 1315]

Name of cat?

Švitala, I think it was.

[Simon G]

Is this a copycat?

Seems like the little one moved in at Paunsdorf Depot a while ago. She has a basket there already!

This reminded me of part of the Cancer Support Group I attended today. One of the group said that a cat, which had previously ignored him, suddenly started to sit on his lap. he was diagnosed with cancer shortly after. After he had been treated and had gone into remission, the cat no longer sat on his lap. He was convinced that the cat knew he had cancer. Another of the group commented that this must have been a Catscan!

[Tony_S]

Spaniels have been tested as cancer sniffers.

[AndyID]

 In the same vein, ISTR that at Peter Sellers's funeral a particular tune was played.

 

When it started to play, Milligan and co all burst out laughing, which shocked everyone else.

 

The joke was that they all played in a band after the war and they were sick and tired of people asking them to play "In The Mood".

[Simon G]

I had also heard that dogs could detect some cancers, but never heard about cats in the same way.

Edited February 2, 2016 by Simon G

[PhilJ W]

Although they are entirely different animals cats and dogs use the same types of 'super' senses such as smell its quite possible that cats can detect illnesses in the same way as dogs. Just a thought, our domesticated dogs and cats are all decended from predators who sought out the weakest of their prey, usually the old, young or sick. It stands to reason that the ability to 'smell' illness is derived from that.

[runs as required]

Jock - what a great post !. I've been turning it over in my head through the day.

 

First off I want to suggest that your life, from what I’ve grasped in your posts, would make a award winning blockbuster TV gripping bio series.

• Childhood footplate rides with dad along the Port Road cross cut with b&w bits of Hitchcock’s '39 Steps' film;
• fearless young racer in tight leathers roaring around the great classic British Isles road circuits;
• fiendish father and son motor traders building great garage empires;
• finally the wise old Godfather figure we all know and love.

Now: about how to commemorate an unforgettable life

Our prized Scottish memory is of a wonderful old friend of wife Juliet's.  After a lifetime of teaching in Ghana, she’d retired to run a wonderfully laid back riverside boarding house in Dalmally.

Her shepherd daughter mounted a wake for her in Edinburgh overlooking the Grassmarket, the centrepiece of which were the impromptu memories we all offered one another, over a few drams, about her forthright actions.

 

The most uncomfortable was a Quaker silent half hour of personal reflection about  the departed.

I found it impossible to keep to the supposed topic and kept realising I was compiling a schedule of dilapidations for the building.

 

Dad was also an aetheist – so no church funeral. But like my dad, the local vicar was an old RAF man and close friend. My dad had always maintained a close pastoral role since the early 1940s for the RAF badly burned Guinea Pigs of East Grinstead and he was given a packed out memorial gathering in the local church (with ne’er a mention of God).  Afterwards the old men could walk along to his garden where my sister and I had hired a marquee for a last great summer party.

The surviving old guys and the family still talk about it

 

So Juliet and I have chosen this partying route too – and have also arranged for our (hopefully octogenarian) bodies to be collected by the local teaching hospital for student dissection – so no Co-op funeral expenses!

 

dh

Edited February 2, 2016 by runs as required

[Gwiwer]

Morning All

 

Warm humidity has given away to slightly cooler light dribble.  Refreshing, and we need the rain, but I always find this fine dampness - where ever I am in the world - more tedious than anything else.

 

Jock's post reminded me to check I had my own "brown envelope" up to date.  There is a brown envelope in with my personal papers and the "fire box" which is marked "In the event of my demise".  It contains some instructions, advice, policy numbers, a couple of passwords and outline wishes for my send-off.  It's fine but it does't hurt to check now and again that things haven't changed.  The will is also in the same place.  "Fire box" refers to - in our case - a drawer in the bedroom which, in the event of critical emergency, will be the only thing we grab if we are ever required to leave in extremis.  It's something more commonly done in rural areas where bush fires might sweep through with only a few minutes' warning but it's also good practice to do it where ever you live.  It contains the personal papers, a small handful of printed photos, the backup drive for my image collection and a few other bits.  Plus some cash, recent bills (as evidence of residence) and credit card statements (as evidence of account-holding and financial standing).

 

The need for planning was suddenly brought home during last night's shift when my co-worker turned to me and said "Call an ambulance".  Without prior warning he had turned an alarming shade of red, was shaking violently and then collapsed.  We have defibrillators located at strategic points one of which was deployed until the ambulance arrived in a creditable six minutes.  Co-worker was rushed to hospital having suffered a suspected heart attack.  By sign-off we had heard he was stable and "OK".

 

Another thing.  You never know when first aid training might be needed.  It's not expensive and can sometimes be done at an employer's expense.  I've used mine several times in the year I've been in this job.  I'd recommend anyone consider it.

Edited February 2, 2016 by Gwiwer

[AndyB]

So, this time 12 years ago we were heading off to the maternity unit. 

24 hours later I was holding a small miracle in my arms, gazing at her in wonder. 

Since that day she has brought such unbelievable joy into our lives. 

And for that, I'll never have words enough to say "Thank you for this blessing." 

 

Night all. Andy

[emt_911]

Night all

[Ashcombe]

Jock: you continue to amaze and inspire! You say you have no religious beliefs but you have far more humility and compassion than many of the "Christians" I have encountered.

 

You requested ideas for an end of life event so I thought I'd share with you how we celebrated my mother's life in 2009. She wanted a church funeral but it was a very happy occasion. We wore bright colours and the local musical theatre group sang: "Oh, What a Beautiful Morning!" from "Oklahoma!" This was in recognition of my mother being a morning person and loving nature (and musicals!). Hymns of her choice were sung and none was melancholy. Her coffin was made of cardboard with rope handles, being environmentally friendly. Mum had totally embraced the idea of caring for the planet and wholeheartedly supported recycling.

 

Afterwards we had a party at our house for many friends and family, all of whom agreed she would have loved it!

 

It's very wise to plan these things and I send you my thoughts and prayers for strength as you do so. Take care, Jock! So good to "know" you!

Edited February 2, 2016 by Ashcombe

[BSW01]

Evening everyone. How on earth do you respond to the wonderful post by Jock this morning. His spirit never ceases to amaze does it?

Today's been very cold and breezy, with a touch of rain, chucking it down as I type this post. Luckily I didn't have to travel to many miles Leigh, Atherton and Cadishead today, less than 50, which is quite remarkable. It'll be a different story tomorrow as I'm working around the Lancaster area.

 

Jock. When I was first diagnosed with cancer, Sheila and I spent many hours burning the midnight oil talking about the very same subject, what music to be played. What poetry was to be read, etc. Like you I also discussed how I want my funeral to held. I'm an atheist and very pragmatic, although Sheila is a Christian. No church (unless it was The Church Inn!) No flowers, unless they have picked them themselves from their own gardens (no exceptions), instead they are to give the money that they would have spent on flowers to charity, they'll make better use of it than a florist will! Don't get me wrong, I've nothing against florists, they make some wonderful wreaths, it's just that they cost so much, and I feel that that money could do more good elsewhere. We made a will many years ago when our children were very small (mainly to protect them from my mother, there were two ways of things, her way or the wrong way) and we recently updated it when the grandkids stared to arrive.

 

Rick. Like you said, there isn't the right button to enable the true comments to be left to truly represent our feelings towards Jock's this morning. I can't think any words can express my sheer admiration for someone with such fortitude and spirit that the man processes.

 

Simon G. If your friends wife won't go with him, do try to instil in them that they should talk to each other even if they talk to no-one else. Prostate cancer can be cured, I'm living proof, alright some of the side effects aren't pleasant, but I'm still here, watching my grandkids grow up, and enjoying life, that makes it all worth while to me.

 

Pete (LE). The Goons and The Beatles are also on my funeral playlist along with one from the late Dan Fogelberg.

 

Goodnight all.

[PhilJ W]

Evening from Estuary-Land. Thats a great idea Rick, even though bush fires are extreamly rare in this part of the world. I will also leave instructions on what to do to notify all my friends here and on a few other forums if anything happens and I am unable to inform you myself. Still no e-mails, they were saying by ten o'clock but its now gone eleven. Time for bed so goodnight all.