Ashes to ashes

Yesterday, I went with my Mum and my brother to watch the burial of Dad's ashes at Eltham Crematorium. We have been able to have him placed in the same flower bed as my Nan and Grandad, which meant a lot.

I have to say that I found it a harder process than the funeral itself - it was more raw and intensely private. Between ourselves there, we were able to express our grief out loud in a way in which you just cannot do in public.

Dad was a keen gardener, and it is fitting that his body has been placed in this way, in the Memorial Gardens. However, as I said to Mum, watching the ashes fill the hole, it was proof if ever needed that the soul is the essence of man - there is no way that the man my Dad was, could be contained or represented by that grey pile. His spirit could not be burned.

Today after church we walked into the Priory Gardens at Orpington and had a family picnic. After that, we came back and put some water in the paddling pool for the boys (and I'm now off to use the water to water our vegetables!). Roarke accepted a call from work to go in on his day off, starting at 4pm, and the boys have now settled down to watch (yet again!) the Narnia Chronicles on DVD. If you haven't already seen it, check out the Narnia Academy.