I had warned him not to wear his funeral clothes and to put on shorts and a tee-shirt because Olive's aircon was kaput. Thankfully, the temperatures on the way up weren't bad, and we stopped at a service station near Markham Vale, just off the M1, to charge Olive for the first time. Sophie had downloaded an app showing where the rapid chargers were, and we had to use them; if not, it would have taken an age to complete the journey!
Mike and Soph went to get a McDonald's for breakfast, ignoring our pains au chocolat! We bumbled about, reading the paper and using the facilities at the services. It took about forty-five minutes to get back to a full charge, and we set off again, taking the M18 and the A1(M).
It was becoming warmer now, and we made good progress driving north. We saw lots of different nationalities on the motorway today. It felt like we were back on the continent! About fifteen minutes away from the crematorium, we stopped again and charged up Olive to 100%, ready for the journey home. The two charges so far had cost £100, slightly more than a full tank of petrol. It was alarming!
Mike, Sophie and Keith changed their clothes, which was hilarious, and I dread to think what the couple of other drivers thought of us! Luckily, there wasn't a shortage of rapid chargers, and we set off again with twenty minutes to go.
When we arrived, we could see people waiting outside the entrance with uniforms on from the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) that Val served with. Some had bagpipes with them. We found Glenda, Val's carer, and saw his son and his partner. Keith's nephew, Stephen, then came over with his wife, Anita, and it was lovely to see them again; it was just such a shame it was under sad circumstances.
The hearse was driven up to the entrance to the sound of bagpipes, and we filed in slowly. I started to feel emotional, as I always do, so it was tissues at the ready! Glenda gave a lovely speech, read out a poem, and played Frank Sinatra's My Way. The funeral had certainly been conducted in exactly the way that Val wanted. A friend of Val's gave a short speech, and the Last Post was played, which was excruciating as this always makes me cry.
We then filed slowly back out into the sunshine and stood about talking until it was time to leave for The Bay Horse in Middridge, where the wake was taking place. I somehow managed to miss the correct exit off a roundabout, so we took a slightly longer time to get there!
Tables had been set up for us, and a cold buffet spread out. We found a table and chatted to Stephen and Anita before getting drinks from the bar. The pub was packed! As well as the cold buffet, the pub put on hot food, with minced beef and dumplings, and steak baps. Mike made sure he filled up before the long journey home!
It was a very convivial wake, and it was great to see some of Keith's family again. We had been to Stephen and Anita's wedding thirty-five years ago! Before we left, Glenda gave us a box of photographs and family tree documents, so that will keep me busy!
We had a hot journey home, keeping the front windows open for a while to let cooler air in. Jeeves advised me to cut out part of the A1 and the M18 because of delays, so we drove straight onto the M1. We stopped again near Nottingham, and this was the fastest and cheapest charge of all. A warning had flashed up as we were down to 20% and we were about twenty miles short of making it home.
While the car was charging, we went into the services (Trowell) and enjoyed the air conditioning! Sophie and I enjoyed an ice cream, and Mike bought himself a chilled coffee. The last part of the journey was easy, and we arrived home just before 7pm. We had been out for almost twelve hours. Olive then went on charge again for the rest of the week!
Mike said goodbye, and we settled down with drinks to watch the Tour de France. It had been a mighty long day, but the funeral had been lovely, and it was fitting to say our last goodbyes to Val!
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