The Funeral of Sheila Mary Gibbons is booked - 30th April, her birthday.

Spring 2019

Sheila's funeral is booked for 30th April 2020 at 1200, nine weeks to the second after she left us. . The estimated numbers attending were over 600 including her, 150 strong, choir Shaki Sings.  She sang with them for many years. Their three biggest concerts each year; Glastonbury, Stonehenge both Winter & Summer Solstice, alone had us travelling to Stains, Saturday mornings to rehearse for the day. Lambo went to cafe down road for a full English.  He is however learning to find his voice.

Where was I?

Oh yes Sheila's funeral.  My birthday is 29th April, so her funeral would have started then with a house full of friends and family.  Sherborne Abbey, (0900 on 30th no less) for the Goddess Sita, now Saint Sita of Tamworth her ascension from her body three days after her last breath. After the Abbey, back here and ready for the walk up the hill to Corton Ridge [part of some national trust walk] and to the bank overlooking Glastonbury Tor and the Somerset Levels.  Sheila ran to here to escape that lunatic Lambo when in his Bi-Polar manic phase (I am Bi-Polar & its fine).  She would spend hours sitting on the bank looking out across the world, facing due west.  The sunsets are to die for.  Lambo had a tree, three forks to sit in, in the field below when he ran away from Packhorse Lill when she was in her, 'I'm right and we do it my way mode! She was right 95% of the time, it was the other 5% that did Lambo's head in. I've just told Lambo to look in the mirror!

Where was I?

Oh yes Sheila's funeral. Sheila was cremated three weeks ago. You read in the previous episode why  I did not attend.  I left it to the two sisters, brother plus loads of nephews and nieces, one of whom she gave a £1,000 to as she was getting married in the Summer. I did email Paul, sister Anne's husband and asked 'as a man' to explain why none of them had contacted or visited Sheila in the six months before she died. No reply. Sisters came once to try and fiddle the will, then stopped.  Brother came twice but, only permitted to stay a short while by his wife so never got to have the long conversations she desperately wanted with her brother Tony after being estranged for 30 years. Niece Hannah was given £1,000 so I thought it reasonable to ask her dad why, she had not even said thank you or, would have made Sheila cry,  didn't visit as they all live a one hour drive away. No answer.

Where was I?

Oh yes Sheila's funeral.  On the day of the cremation I walked to Corton ridge and sat with Sheila looking out across the levels, Yeovil cemetery to the left. We talked, laughed and cried loads.  At one point we saw a plume of smoke (we really did) rising to the sky so knew the deed had been done.

As I walked home between the hedgerows, Sheila said, 'look, its an old BT concrete post, my headstone please.'  Headstone now waiting to be drilled and bag of postcrete arrives Monday. Starfish never stops and as I said earlier , she is right 95% of the time!  Those that know her well, are giggling right now.

Where was I?

Oh yes Sita, Pack-horse Lill and Starfish are also having their funeral on 30th April and around thirty of us are walking up the hill to spread her ashes. OH NO WE'RE NOT.

On 30th April Colin, Lambo & Sheila will be walking up the hill to spread [Lambo has hidden half for later] her ashes on Corton Ridge at exactly 1200. We will chant RAM RAM SITA for one minute, play her chosen music and Lambo will give a talk and then play loud dance music (he did in the village this week.  Oops, one neighbour said (sic) 'Given you grow Jack Herer [JH] its best you tun your music down.  Lambo had a ball and played two hours of Essential Mozart even louder.  Ps. Its OK to grow nine JH and Avon & Somerset police endorse it.  It's not OK to ...  That's not for now Lambo.

Where was I?

Oh yes Lambo will dance and we will cry a lot.

However, I invite you all to join me at 1200 for one minute of silence. NO! Sheila has just screamed at me.  One minute of chanting RAM RAM SITA please. It is the chant the universe used to win her last ever race, so very appropriate for spreading her magic dust along the ridge.

I'm struggling typing this as I am blubbering, eyes awash with tears (amazing how salty), at the same time.

Lambo says, 'I've save half the ashes for Sheila's funeral part 2. and your all invited. Could be a while though'.

And if you missed the last weeks of Sheilas life ... Click here for the previous episode.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Rugby Injuries & Cannabis. Harlequins - Holland & Barrett - England - Canada

My Story 9. Normanton High School - Shock - Sex - Drugs - Fame - Girls galore

Lambo arrested update. Do I stay or do I go.