Still, the journey was lovely, and oh so nice to get out of Auckland. There was a lot of road works between Auckland and Hamilton, as they are in the process of creating that motorway between the 2 cities. I was wise enough to stop briefly at the library and picked up a couple of audio books for the journey, and that made the miles go easier.
The funeral was very large, easily a couple of hundred people. A very religious Methodist affair, as her husband, my uncle, is a Methodist minister, and she too was extremely active in the church. My family is not religious, and I've loved my time with my uncle and aunt, as they never once said anything about our non church attendance, but my uncle was more than happy to marry my G &I. They have always guided, but never preached. Anyway, I digress. My aunt was very fastidious, and it wasn't until the order of servitude was handed out to everyone that they realised that one on the hymns in it was wrong, so they collected them all back up again, as Yvonne would have been embarrassed by that mistake.
they were to have new ones ready by the end of the service, however I didn't see one. I was amazed at my Uncles strength, to be able to hold himself together, while he spoke of his love for Yvonne, and their life together, and their grief at loosing a child while only 3, while his existing children were around him in tears. Perhaps faith as strong as his, is truly comforting, (cough cough practise since he's a minister?? Cough cough ) At the conclusion of the service, I was presently surprised to discover that I was more than strong enough to carry my Aunt. Perhaps my brief prayer for strength was answered? It was so nice to see cousins I hadn't seen for 30+ years. I had to hold back tears when I saw my grandmas sister, she looks exactly how I would imagine my grandma to look today should she still be alive, she died 20 years ago. I knew instantly she was a sister, I just didn't know which one lol. She had 4 (although I knew it was either A or P, though I couldn't remember their names)
We stayed at the bun fight after for a bit too long, so it was s bit of a mad drive to Raglan to get there in time for her burial. This is where the fun really begun.
But first, Just before I got on the road I got a text from Geoff, saying Sasha had been sick all day, on the hour, I had the car, he couldn't get hold of our neighbour, so any ideas on how to pick up Oliver? So I was helping him sort that out (he eventually did get hold of the neighbour who bless her, came round to watch TV with Sasha while Geoff nipped up to school, ) but this is all going on 30mins before pick up time, and I'm about to hit a mountain range where I know I have no phone reception at all. I also managed to get hold of the neighbours nanny who picks up a kid in the next door classroom, so that was my backup plan.
Still it all worked out in the end.
The cemetery is really really old, (so here that means 1880's onwards). So the entry must have only been big enough for a horse and cart. A modern day hearse with it long wheelbase? No no no it will never work. But somehow, it just fitted, (photos were taken for insurance and to lobby the council for better access). The cemetery is on the side of a hill, so the bottom of the hearse scrapped on the ground as it tried to get into the entrance off the road, and it only had millimetre clearance on either side from graves.
But it got to the bottom, where my aunt was to be buried. We lifted her from the hearse and placed her tenderly upon the planks while the undertaker looped the straps through the handles. Remember, we are standing on quite a steep slope here. She had done the other side, my dads one, then was just bending down to do my one, when i thought, she's bending down a long way, only all I could see was her back. My dad could see what was happening better, and quickly grabbed her, as she was about to fall into the grave!! Her options before my dad grabbed her, was land on the casket, or fall into the hole!! My aunt would have been very amused, but I'm certain she wouldn't have pushed her.
Her lowering was next, and went smoothly. We all worked together nicely to give her a smooth even decent. She even has a lovely view of mt karioi.
Trying to get the hearse out of the cemetery was even more tricky than trying to get it in. We ended up having to deconstruct the wooden planks beside the grave, to build bridges for the tyres. A real team building exercise, and a good one for his kids who had had a falling out the night before. I sincerely hope they work it out, or my parents may be in a difficult position over the next few years doing things, his children should be doing,
I have often thought, what will I do with the family batch at raglan when it is passed onto my brother and I, I've often thought sell it and buy somewhere with a better beach, more sunshine, warmer..... But I realised yesterday, that my connection with Raglan is deeper than a holiday home, somehow it's spiritual, and whenever I go there I feel like "I'm home". I'm the 4th generation in that batch, on that land. The family owned a lot more, but slowly they have sold their batches, and now the only neighbour who is family, is my Uncle.
It was very hard turning for home. I really wanted to stay the night, but family up from Christchurch were staying there.
It's a shame we can't get away this weekend, it's a long weekend, and I would have loved to go and rest. Somnolencia.
Sorry this is so long, but it was a long day. No wonder I was shattered when I got home, and have been exhausted all day today.
