Saying goodbye.

The weather was due to break today thank goodness. Our poor gardens really need some rain to liven up the grass! I was also looking forward to cooler temperatures, especially as today was Dave's funeral and we had to wear slightly more formal clothes.

Two of our neighbours popped around this morning to look at the kitchen, as they live in the same house, but a bit further around the estate. As you can imagine, I was delighted to show the kitchen off to them, and they were very impressed with how we'd opened it up and used the dining room, which used to be a waste of space.

They stayed for about an hour, and we discussed what they wanted to do with their house, which included extending out a bit further at the back and losing their garden gate. If they go ahead, I can't wait to see what they choose!

Keith and I donned some suitably sober clothes and left the house at 1pm. Typically, as we drove to Kingsthorpe, it started to rain so I popped to the post office near the cemetery to buy an umbrella, just in case! There were signs directing us to the burial site, and we managed to park in a little lay-by on the other side of the extended piece of ground. Within minutes of arriving, we saw Josh, and Dave's other children, Spencer and Lisa.

A car drew up next to us and a couple asked if we were going to Dave's funeral. It was a man called Andy, and his wife, who used to meet Dave regularly in the pub on a Saturday at lunchtime. We all walked over together and chatted to the others who were arriving.

I have never been to a burial before; all the funerals I've been to in the past were cremations, so this was new for me. Because the chapel was closed, the whole service was held by the graveside, which I found a bit odd, to be honest. If it were me I would have had the service at Walgrave church and then the burial at Kingsthorpe. The vicar arrived, and he had a sound system rigged up in the back of his car! We were given orders of service and had to sing a hymn which felt really strange! I did wonder what the people who lived in the houses on the other side of the fence thought about it all!

It was quite emotional when the coffin was lowered into the ground, and lots of people threw a rose on top, including Keith and John, who looked very sad. At the end, they played the theme tune to Only Fools and Horses as Dave was a great fan. I always said to Keith that Dave reminded me of Leonard Rossiter in Rising Damp - he looked exactly like him!

The wake was held in the pub, and we received some shocking news when we went in: Ian, the Landlord, had tested positive for covid this morning... This meant that the pub would close after the wake ended, and remain that way for the foreseeable future. Just what Ian needs at the moment...

We mingled with Dave's friends and family, and the wife of Andy (I think her name was Karen) seemed to take a liking to me, urging me to come up to the pub on a Friday night (Sophie would disown me), and saying I should join her book club!

We went home just before 5pm to take off our uncomfortable shoes and, in Keith's case, his black tie, and relax. Dinner tonight was a simple affair of cold meats, crusty bread, new potatoes and salad as Keith and I had nibbled at the buffet served in the pub!