Week Notes #01/24
It’s funny to say that this week has been both busy and quiet at the same time. We’ve both been busy in that my OH had to finalise a few last minute things for the funeral, so there were any number of phone calls, emails flying back and forth, and bills to settle. But all this activity took place amid a backdrop of subdued quiet, at home.
It’s true that the start of the week saw us at home on New Year’s Day, no one was up for family visits of dinner year. I think we all just wanted to stay home, and not do anything. Especially after spending too much time deciding on flower arrangements, cremation urns, and debating with my mother in law if she really wanted to pay over $700+ for a 40 year lease on a slot in the Chapel of Rest for her husband. It turns out the slot was good for four people’s urns.
So yes, the lease was made and paid for. It all becomes a little macabre.
Wednesday saw us all meet up at one of our more famous mall complexes, here in Quebec City, to buy last minute items to wear. Like me, I had nothing suitable for a funeral. I like loud colours. My mother in law, I was told in no uncertain words, no jeans, no light colours, and when all is said and done. We’re in the middle of winter so I wanted (like many) to be wear appropriate clothes. By the way, it was freezing in the basilica.
Outfits bought, last minute details locked down, Thursday and Friday saw everyone who wasn’t working on clear out duty at the mother in law’s place. I have never seen so much collected paperwork in my life. My father in law was, to be blunt, a hoarder. We spent two days shredding paperwork from the 70s.
I kid you not …
Then, the OH phoned a company that deals with sensitive shredding of paperwork for businesses and, well, we signed a contract for them to come and collect all the boxes, dozens and dozens of them, to sift through and ultimately, shred.
And then, it was Saturday morning and we were getting up at 6:30 am to get ready for a 7:45 pickup to drive out along the Beaupre coast to St. Anne for the funeral. We all gathered at the mother in law’s and, at 9 set off as one in a trail of cars, for the basilica.
From 9:15 onwards it was a blur of meet & greet, the service, prayers and hymns, eulogies and finally, the procession from the basilica to the cemetery and chapel of rest for the final interment. A few private moments reserved for only the close family members to pay their last respects, and then, we were off to defrost and warm up at the restaurant.
Happily there was a lot more laughter than tears, and a more joyous celebration, than sombre. As a last hurrah a few family members rendezvoused at my mother in law’s for an afternoon of stories and reminiscing which I think was the perfect end to a very emotional and stressful day of farewell.
Today is a day, I think, for everyone to catch their breath and catch up on life before we’re all back to normal, and work.
Tomorrow is another day.
