Tales From The Crypt - Thursday 24th November 2022

I'm off work today as I'm attending a family funeral in London today with my little sister. Nevertheless, I still got up just after 6 a.m. as time doesn't wait for the cleaner.

Although I'm early and I'm not working, there are a lot of things to get completed before heading to the station, top of the list being which route to take to the crematorium, which is in Bermondsey.

The morning evaporates and after a carer call I head for a bus to the station to meet my sister.  

[Written after my return home from hereon in]

Fairly easy journey into London culminating in a overground train bound for Sevenoaks followed by a ten-minute walk across part of Bermondsey to the crematorium.

We arrived to be greeted by a number of cousins and my mum's one surviving sister, it was so good to see her again even though she is now very frail. Wonderful to see her.

Uncle John had served in Germany in WWII and was an army man to his core, so the coffin was carried into the chapel flanked by standard bearers from the Royal British Legion and accompanied by a lone trumpeter playing 'Reveille'.  This was deeply moving.

The ceremony itself included two wonderful tributes Uncle John's son and daughter, and the coffin was lowered to the sound of the trumpeter playing 'Last Post'.  A fine tribute to a full and long life.  There was a also a slide show to the accompaniment of 'April Showers', which included some very old photo's of Uncle John featuring our mum as a child.

After the service we headed to John's old local for drinks and food, with lots of opportunity to catch up with our cousins. A wonderful day and much opportunity to learn about our history.

We were kindly driven to Bermondsey tube station to begin our journey home, getting home a little after half-nine - later than I'd imagined, but I wouldn't swap a minute of it.

I managed a brief call with Q before she slept, and then went to bed myself.

The Beach Boys / 'Don't Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder)' / 'Pet Sounds'

[[Given today's use of buses, I was going to choose 'Only Losers Take The Bus', but something diverted towards The Beach Boys (and it sure wasn't the weather!!). Perhaps it was the talk of songs from the sixties at the wake? 

'Pet Sounds' is one of the best albums ever made. Period. I think it's way better than 'Sergeant Pepper...', despite the misgivings of Brian Wilson. The vocal harmonies are incredible, almost choral/spiritual at times. Every track on the album is a candidate, excepting 'Sloop John B.' perhaps.  I've not chosen my favourite track from the album, as that's quite melancholy, but beautiful. Instead, after much re-listening, it came down to two songs, 'Caroline No' or the one I chose.]]