Carol's funeral was yesterday (Friday 11th January). It was at the Crownhill Crematorium. I had been concerned about how it would go for the past month. Infact, from the day that Carol passed away. I wasn't sure at one stage how things such as the music would go, who was going to do the eulogy, what hymns to choose, even what catering would have been required at the wake, down to how many people were likely to attend. I had to make all the decisions myself. As it turned out, they were the right ones, thankfully.
As I've mentioned in an earlier post, I went to stay with my daughter Chloe and Steve, her husband, who live in Worcester. I took Alfie with me. But unfortunately, when I was packing up to come home, I forgot one or two items. I have to admit the funeral had been on my mind for the entire time I was there. Alfie's bed, my slippers as well as my shaving kit. I was thinking about the journey home and was eager to get going. Fortunately Chloe bought all these items with her when she and Steve came to the funeral on Friday. Alfie usually sleeps with me on my bed, but sometimes he goes downstairs and sleeps on the sofa. I think it's because Carol spent a lot of time laying on the sofa, usually in great pain. I think that Alfie expects her to come in the house and he spent time with her on the sofa. But now he has his bed back, in the corner near the patio doors in the kitchen, he goes and sleeps there at night. It's really difficult to know what's going on in his little doggy head. He must miss Carol. Why would he not? How do you explain to a dog where their mistress has gone and why they're not coming back? It's difficult enough for me to comprehend, but a dog?
I don't intend just sitting at home dwelling on things. I know that Carol wouldn't expect me to. I went to the men's breakfast at the Oaktree Centre this morning, from 8a.m. We had a beautifully cooked breakfast, sausage, bacon, egg, baked beans, black pudding, the works, or 'Full English' as they call it. Alfie was expecting his usual early morning walk, but, because it was too dark and I had to get to Shenley, he didn't go. I promised him I'd take him when I got home.
Unfortunately there was a problem when I got home. I went to Morrison's on my way home from the men's breakfast. I unloaded the shopping and went to put the key in the front door to open it. But for some reason the key wouldn't open the door. It just would not turn. It's one of those doors which has to be opened by twisting the handle up. I think it's called a 'double lock' or something. It was as if someone had changed the locks when I'd been out, although I knew it wasn't that. I panicked a bit and then had to go next door to get Garry to open the door for me. He came and said it might be something to do with the screws in the lock. I hope that's all it is, because I don't need to not be able to get into the house when I go out.
I managed to sort out the problem with the front door. I used some WD40 on the lock and the various moving parts of the door and it now seems fine. It would appear that that was all it needed. Amazing what a short spray of that product can do, thank goodness! It was worrying me that I would have further problems when I left the house, but I managed to go to church this morning, as I usually do, but I didn't take Alfie out for his usual morning walk through Eaglestone Park, because I wasn't convinced that the front door would behave itself. But, when I came home from church, I put Alfie on his lead and we walked across the park until we came upon two ladies walking there dogs. Alfie was his usual self and went up to the dogs, but they didn't want to be friends. One of the ladies told me that there was a man walking several dogs, not on leads, through the park, and I was somewhat concerned. I didn't ant Alfie to encounter these dogs, just incase he got bitten or at least hurt in some way, so we cut across the park and got to the Redway which runs along the side of Marlborough Street and then came back home along the Redway behind the house and the route I used to use when I walked to the hospital. So, Alfie got his walk, as promised, and I clocked up quite a few steps and got some good exercise.
As I've mentioned in an earlier post, I went to stay with my daughter Chloe and Steve, her husband, who live in Worcester. I took Alfie with me. But unfortunately, when I was packing up to come home, I forgot one or two items. I have to admit the funeral had been on my mind for the entire time I was there. Alfie's bed, my slippers as well as my shaving kit. I was thinking about the journey home and was eager to get going. Fortunately Chloe bought all these items with her when she and Steve came to the funeral on Friday. Alfie usually sleeps with me on my bed, but sometimes he goes downstairs and sleeps on the sofa. I think it's because Carol spent a lot of time laying on the sofa, usually in great pain. I think that Alfie expects her to come in the house and he spent time with her on the sofa. But now he has his bed back, in the corner near the patio doors in the kitchen, he goes and sleeps there at night. It's really difficult to know what's going on in his little doggy head. He must miss Carol. Why would he not? How do you explain to a dog where their mistress has gone and why they're not coming back? It's difficult enough for me to comprehend, but a dog?
I don't intend just sitting at home dwelling on things. I know that Carol wouldn't expect me to. I went to the men's breakfast at the Oaktree Centre this morning, from 8a.m. We had a beautifully cooked breakfast, sausage, bacon, egg, baked beans, black pudding, the works, or 'Full English' as they call it. Alfie was expecting his usual early morning walk, but, because it was too dark and I had to get to Shenley, he didn't go. I promised him I'd take him when I got home.
Unfortunately there was a problem when I got home. I went to Morrison's on my way home from the men's breakfast. I unloaded the shopping and went to put the key in the front door to open it. But for some reason the key wouldn't open the door. It just would not turn. It's one of those doors which has to be opened by twisting the handle up. I think it's called a 'double lock' or something. It was as if someone had changed the locks when I'd been out, although I knew it wasn't that. I panicked a bit and then had to go next door to get Garry to open the door for me. He came and said it might be something to do with the screws in the lock. I hope that's all it is, because I don't need to not be able to get into the house when I go out.
I managed to sort out the problem with the front door. I used some WD40 on the lock and the various moving parts of the door and it now seems fine. It would appear that that was all it needed. Amazing what a short spray of that product can do, thank goodness! It was worrying me that I would have further problems when I left the house, but I managed to go to church this morning, as I usually do, but I didn't take Alfie out for his usual morning walk through Eaglestone Park, because I wasn't convinced that the front door would behave itself. But, when I came home from church, I put Alfie on his lead and we walked across the park until we came upon two ladies walking there dogs. Alfie was his usual self and went up to the dogs, but they didn't want to be friends. One of the ladies told me that there was a man walking several dogs, not on leads, through the park, and I was somewhat concerned. I didn't ant Alfie to encounter these dogs, just incase he got bitten or at least hurt in some way, so we cut across the park and got to the Redway which runs along the side of Marlborough Street and then came back home along the Redway behind the house and the route I used to use when I walked to the hospital. So, Alfie got his walk, as promised, and I clocked up quite a few steps and got some good exercise.
No comments:
Post a Comment