Tuesday 16th. November
Lizzie’s house – full of bustle and preparations. Hard to find the right words – the loss of her dad is hardly real to her yet. Off to Tewkesbury to Margaret. It’s very evident she is numb and confused by such a huge and sudden loss. Alex and the Ghanaians arrive. They accept Margaret as theirs, call her mum, hug her. A text from Donald – Hannah is to be induced today. Why? Baby is not due till Sunday. They said she would be allowed to go up to two weeks over her dates. What’s wrong? It’s surreal – waiting outside the crematorium in cold winter sunshine in England, struggling for words to fit the end of life, while inside I’m also waiting for word from Scotland about the start of life.... All day stuck in the middle between death and birth. The funeral is very moving. Very much a family thing. Lizzie gives a heartfelt tribute to her dad, Alex brings words from his parents in Ghana. This was a man much valued.
That night, we go to a busy restaurant, fast food delivered in a fast way by rushing people and lots of noisy chatter, colour. Some light relief to end the day. I went to pay up and offered a Scottish £20. It was refused. Infuriating. ‘It might be forged’. I pointed out that I have a shop, that English notes are often forged but I don’t refuse them. ‘Nothing I can do – don’t blame the messenger! It’s the manager’s rules!’ Eat my chicken incensed. Then the question of the tip. Catriona carefully takes my Scottish £10 and takes it to the same girl. ‘Here’s your tip!’ She gets the joke, laughs and says ‘I’ll give it to the manager!’ Bet he accepts the ‘forged’ note now!!
Monday 15th. November
A quiet day, doing tax and papers, while Bill repaired some stuff at Northland Drive. Evening and Catriona and Fiona and I packed into the car for the long, dark, wet drive to Wolverhampton and Ian’s funeral. Sad reason for a family outing. The miles wound slowly out, long, black wet motorways, buffeting wind. Arrived at 11pm at a very English pub and fell into bed.
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